In this Blog Series, we have discussed the history of blogging, why it’s important to blog, and even some of the different kinds of blogging. But, one of the things we have not touched on is how to write a blog post that can successfully achieve some of the benefits we have discussed. Below, we have outlined our top 3 tips for writing a blog post based on some popular blogging statistics. Although these may not be a formula for foolproof blog writing, the statistics show that blog posts with these elements are popular and/or successful. If you keep these them in mind while writing, you could be well on your way to generating some of those benefits for your company through blogging.
1: Write ‘Medium’ Length Blog Posts:
This tip can start to feel a bit like searching for the ever elusive ‘Goldilocks Middle Ground’ because there is no exact set number or sweet spot for creating a successful post. But, it is a key element to keep in mind while blogging.
Over the last several years, we have seen a decline in the amount of time readers are willing to spend reading content. The majority of blog posts and new articles available on the internet are now skimmed. This means we cannot be writing the kind of novel-length detail-laden posts that we might want for some situations. Shorter posts are often better. Of course, we do also have to consider that longer posts containing more details and research have been known to generate approximately 9 times more leads, according to Codeless.
For many of us, that many more leads might be worth the risk of the article not being read as much, but a main goal of blogging is still to get as many eyes on our content as possible. In the end, it has been reported that posts with between about 1,000 – 2,000 words, with SearchMetrics stating that the top ranked posts on Google are coming in between 1,140-1285 words. This means that a somewhat mid length post – in essence a couple of pages max – tends to be the length you want to aim for with your blogging.
2: Include Some Kind Of Image Or Visual Content With Your Blog Post:
Today’s internet usage is heavily mobile – almost everyone does just about everything from browsing news stories to researching something on the fly on their phone. These readers are also typically in a hurry to see the exact content they want and/or are not willing to spend time reading long articles they are not immediately interested in. This means that it is important for bloggers to catch the attention of a reader fast.
One important way in which bloggers can do this is through images. Jeff Bullas reports that posts can generate 94% more views when they have an image. That is an incredible amount of more interaction than posts without images. Images that provide more information about the article can also increase reader engagement when they do dive into the article. So, when you are writing your next piece of content for your blog, you might want to find or create an informational, engaging image to go along with it.
3: Make Your Titles Long:
It may seem counter intuitive to include long headlines in a world where blog posts are being skimmed by and through daily, but the statistics show that slightly longer headlines get the best traffic. According to HubSpot, titles containing 6-13 words get the best traffic. Codeless adds onto this by stating that “How-To” and “Listicle” headlines are the most popular among readers.
If you think about it, this skim-happy world makes it so that the headline is the main thing that readers see before deciding to read or keep scrolling. This means that you want to pack as much attention grabbing and relevant information in your headline as possible. This will most likely help your article get more impressions from more engaged readers who are looking for the information you advertise in the headline. So, if you spend a little extra time crafting a headline to match your post, the post’s performance might benefit from it.
Direct Placement, LLC is a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping your business achieve its marketing goals. We offer a number of services from website development to online ads, that can be customized to your specific needs. We even offer weekly or bi-weekly blogging services for businesses that want to utilize this format, but don’t have the time or expertise to write blog posts themselves. These posts will be content targeted to your specific industry based on your marketing goals. Our trained and certified staff of Internet Marketing Advisors and Account Managers will work with you personally to develop a marketing strategy that works for you. Discover more about Direct Placement, LLC and contact us today to find out how our services can help transform your business one click at a time! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Blogger for more digital marketing related content and the rest of this Blog Series.