How to structure a perfect blog post
Is it possible to build the “perfect” post? Not really, but follow this outline structure and your posts will be easier to read, more engaging and likely to rank higher by search engines.
After a while, it will become second nature, but keep checking back that you are covering all the basic steps. Here goes….
1. Introduction
Every post needs a clear, concise introduction. The sole aim of the introduction is to quickly hook the user in, with a compelling reason to read on.
Keep it short and keep it highly relevant, ask the questions you think your reader will want answered.
Show you understand your audience from the start
2. Acknowledge pain points
Show you understand why some businesses struggle to meet the specific needs you are discussing. Limited focus or resources, lack of expertise? Be as specific as possible, without getting into difficult legal claims! Don’t talk about your solution yet.
3. Build a benefits list
Now is the moment to develop from the problem domain to the solution and in particular the benefits. Why should anyone care about this issue? List a minimum of three and a maximum of five distinct benefits of the new approach. Ideally back up your claims with data points from case studies or other feedback. Don’t go too big on your particular solution yet, that will come later.
4. Hints and tips
This is your chance to build a deeper, more trusting relationship with your reader. Offer best practise tips, share practical hints that you can vouch for with an example.
Give away ideas and if possible, a “try it now” tip that your reader can use immediately.
5. Why you?
Now is the time to talk about your solution. How did a customer solve their pain points? Use customer quotes, ideally as a video. Do you have some return on investment (ROI) numbers to share? Screenshots of your product? Are there any complimentary solutions that work well together with your product that you can recommend?
6. Summary
Re-read your introduction and make sure you answer the questions you posed at the begining. Some people may skim over the middle content and only read the introduction and summary, so cover your major points again, but keep it tight.
7. Call to Action (CTA)
Make your CTA specific and understandable as to what will happen next. Avoid “Submit” and instead use “Get the report”. Stop using “Click here” and start using “Reserve your (topic) seat”.
Have only one CTA in your email or on your landing page and make sure its practical and clear as a next step.
A bonus tip on page layouts
We’ve talked about the content to help in building the perfect post, but the layout can make a big difference and is really easy to quickly change.
There is a reason newspapers use multiple columns – readability. For your desktop based audience, avoid full width text. Start the page with a half width section, with a relevant image on the other half. This is easier to read. See if the opening paragraph can be in a larger font size.
If you are able, ensure the images don’t reduce the reading width on a smartphone and make sure the font size auto-adjusts for comfortable reading on a small screen.
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