Are you ready to transform your blog writing from good to great? Dive into this episode of “Website Success” with Chrissy Rey, where she unfolds the secrets of crafting engaging blog posts. Chrissy shares invaluable insights on how to captivate your audience right from the title to the concluding line.
Listen to the Episode
Show Notes
In this episode of “Website Success,” Chrissy Rey shares her expertise in writing engaging blog posts. From crafting compelling titles to the fine art of structuring content and the importance of editing, this episode is a comprehensive guide for bloggers at any level.
Timestamps
- 00:00:09 – Introduction to the episode and overview of the blogging series.
- 00:00:47 – The importance of crafting an attention-grabbing title.
- 00:01:11 – Tips on setting the right expectations with your blog post titles.
- 00:01:41 – Guidance on creating clear, concise, and effective titles.
- 00:02:01 – Using numbers and power words effectively in titles.
- 00:02:25 – Where to find a list of over 100 power words for blog titles.
- 00:02:55 – Strategies for structuring your blog post for readability and engagement.
- 00:03:45 – Crafting a compelling introduction for your blog post.
- 00:04:56 – Writing the body of your blog post and utilizing subheadings.
- 00:05:13 – Enhancing your post with lists, bullet points, and visuals.
- 00:05:34 – Concluding your blog post with a strong takeaway or call to action.
- 00:05:55 – Tips for engaging your readers and building a community through blogging.
- 00:06:22 – Understanding your audience for better engagement.
- 00:06:43 – The role of storytelling in making blog posts relatable.
- 00:07:01 – Authenticity in blogging and varying content types.
- 00:07:31 – Engaging with readers in the comments section.
- 00:07:54 – The crucial step of editing and proofreading your blog post.
- 00:08:31 – Final thoughts on the art of blogging and a preview of the next episode.
- 00:08:52 – Information about the Blog Hero Bootcamp and upcoming events.
- 00:09:33 – Invitation to join the Website Success Lounge on Facebook.
Key Takeaways
- A well-crafted title is crucial for attracting readers.
- Structure your blog post with an engaging introduction, informative body, and a compelling conclusion.
- Engage with your audience by writing in a conversational tone and encouraging interaction.
- Authenticity and storytelling make your blog posts more relatable and engaging.
- Editing and proofreading are essential for maintaining professionalism in your blog posts.
Resources Mentioned
Transcript
Hello, and welcome back to website success. I’m Chrissy Rey, and in this episode, we’re diving into the heart of blogging: writing engaging content. This is the second episode in my blogging series. So, if you missed the first one, which was about getting started with blogging, make sure you go back and listen to that one. And don’t forget to catch the next episode, which will be about search engine optimization strategies for bloggers.
Crafting Your Blog Post Title
But for now, let’s dive into the art of writing a blog post by starting at the very top with the title. Your title is going to be what initially catches the reader’s eye and determines whether or not they’re going to click on it to read more. You want your title to grab attention, evoke emotion or curiosity, and also set expectations. And that last one, setting expectations, is very, very important. Don’t promise your readers one thing and then deliver them something else entirely.
The Importance of Accurate Titles
For example, if my title is “5 Essential Tools for Cooking in Your RV,” and then the post is all about your trip to Maine or my trip to Maine, readers are going to be annoyed, and they might not come back to read more of your blog. Unless your blog is about annoying your readers, you generally don’t want to annoy your readers.
Tips for Effective Titles
Now your title should be clear and concise while still conveying the essence of your post. You want to try to make it 30 to 60, a max of 70 characters long, because if it’s much longer than that, it’s going to get cut off in the search engine results and some other places. So you want to try to keep it under 70 characters.
Using Power Words
And another tip, try to use numbers and powerful descriptive words or “power words” in your title. Numbers add specificity, and power words can evoke emotions, create a sense of urgency, and also spark some curiosity. So, all of those things are going to give your audience a big nudge to click on the title and read the whole post.
Structuring Your Blog Post
Alright, now let’s move on. After we’ve got a great title, we’re going to structure the post. And that’s because a well-structured blog post is going to enhance readability and also keep your readers engaged. So what I usually do is begin with an outline that includes an introduction, the body of my content, and a conclusion. For the body, I do recommend making bullets for each thing that you want to discuss. And then, after you make that outline, you can use it as a guide to write the post. A lot of times, what I’ll do is I’ll take my outline, and I’ve got all those bullet points. I’ve got a bullet, my introduction. I’ve got a bullet point for each of my sections within my body. And then I’ve got another bullet point for the conclusion. And I’ll actually take that entire outline, drop it into whatever I’m using to edit my post and turn all of those into headings. Just makes things a little bit easier for writing.
Crafting an Engaging Introduction
After you’ve got your outline, it is time to actually start writing. Let’s start with the introduction. And the introduction is going to be what sets the stage for the rest of the post. So you can kind of think of it as an expanded version of your title. Now, once someone clicks on the link to view your posts because your title actually piques their interest, the introduction is where you really grab their attention and entice them to continue and read the entire post. So try to start the introduction with a hook, like a compelling question, a surprising fact, or maybe. An interesting anecdote if you’ve got one from your own personal experience. You can also use your introduction to clarify the purpose of your posts and also its relevance to your readers. So make sure you’re doing that in there and also try to promise value and let your readers know what insights or solutions they’re going to gain when they read your post. You want to promise them something and then actually deliver on it in the body of the post. And you should also try to keep your introduction concise, engaging, and, as with the title, you want it to reflect what’s actually going to be in the post. So using my example of the “5 Essential Tools for Cooking in Your RV.” You want to make sure that your introduction actually talks about the five essential tools for cooking in your RV.
Example of an Engaging Introduction
Now, I’m going to give you an example using the “5 Essential Tools for Cooking in Your RV.” My intro for a post like that it might be something like:
Picture this: you’re on the open road in your RV, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, and suddenly, your tummy starts to grumble. You think, “I’ll just whip something up in my handy RV kitchen,” but do you have the right tools to whip up a delicious meal while you’re on the road? In this blog post, I’ll reveal the five essential tools that will turn your RV kitchen into a gourmet haven. Whether you’re a seasoned road warrior or a newbie to RV cooking, I’ve got you covered so you can see there.
I hooked them. I gave them a mental picture and I asked them a question and I said, this is what I’m going to deliver in the post and clarified the purpose of the post. And then I promised them value. And I said, I’m going to give you these five essential tips, whether you are a seasoned road warrior or a newbie to RV cooking.
Writing the Body of Your Post
Alright. So next up, after we’ve got the introduction, you’re going to write the body of your post, and that’s going to be where it’s time to actually deliver on the promises you made in your introduction. So you’re going to organize your content, just like I said before, using that outline. I usually take the sections from the outline for my body, and I turn those into subheadings. It’s really important to use subheadings you can in your posts because it’s going to not only help structure your thoughts but it’s also going to make the content more scannable and digestible for your readers. A lot of folks like to go through and sort of scan the headings to see what’s in the content. And so adding those subheadings is going to make it a lot easier to do that. Within the sections within, underneath of each of the subheadings, you’re going to want to use clear and concise paragraphs, incorporate examples, add case studies, or add personal stories to bring all of your points to life.
And another thing about formatting: lists and bullet points are awesome for breaking up text and providing a clear and readable format. So, just like the subheadings are going to help make your content more scannable, those numbered and bulleted lists are also going to make our content more scannable. So try to use them when you can.
You also want to add visuals like images, infographics, videos, and other things like that, if they’re relevant because that can also enhance the appeal and the comprehension of your content. Just make sure if
you’re adding visuals that you’re also adding transcripts or alternative text, whichever you need to, for the visual that you’re adding.
Concluding Your Post and Engaging with Your Audience
Now, the last part of your post is usually going to be a conclusion, and you can use that conclusion to tie everything together and offer a takeaway or a call to action. And that call to action could be an invitation to comment. A question for your readers to ponder or even a next step for your reader. So you can encourage them to contact you or post something on social media or whatever is going to make sense within the context of your post. And just remember that your conclusion should reinforce the main points of your post, and leave the reader with something to remember or act upon.
Now, we’ve gone over the different parts of the post, but let’s talk about some tips for actually writing the content.
Tips for Writing Engaging Blog Content
The first tip is going to be to engage your readers. Engagement is critical to blogging. Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend and that’s because that approach is going to help you connect with your audience on a personal level. So you’re going to want to try to do things like post questions, invite opinions, and also encourage your readers to interact. Because a blog, isn’t just a platform for your thoughts, but it’s also a good space for dialogue and community building. And if you don’t have comments turned on on your blog, then you can ask people to comment on your social on your Instagram, or your Facebook, or wherever you’re active on your social media.
Another tip is to know who your audience is. And so if you listened to the getting started, that was one of the things we talked about. You need to know who your audience is because you want to tailor your content to your audience’s interests, needs, and pain points. The more you understand your readers, the more effectively you can engage them.
I’d also like you to use storytelling techniques. People love stories. They’re relatable, memorable, and often they’re emotionally impactful. So, try to share personal experiences. If the post is not about you specifically, but about a customer, try to share the customer’s story. Or you can even use fictional scenarios that illustrate your points, but try to make sure that people know they’re fictional because there’s been some backlash with people posting fictional accounts and not saying they’re fictional. And then people say they’re lying. So keep that in mind.
Another thing that you can do is try to be authentic. Let your personality shine through your writing. That authenticity can build trust. And it’s also going to foster a stronger connection with your audience.
You can also try to mix up your content types. There are different types of blog posts, so for example, you’ve got listicles, how-to guides, reviews, opinion pieces, and lots more. Try to use different types of content, because that can keep your blog fresh and interesting. If you’re only ever posting listicles then your readers might get a little bored of that. They might not. It depends on the content and depends on your target audience.
Now, another thing: this goes back to engaging your audience, but this is a little bit more specific. If you do have comments turned on on your blog, then make sure you’re actively engaging with your readers in the comment section. So, if people are commenting, try to respond to them because this interaction not only builds community but it can also give you insights into your audience’s thoughts and preferences.
It is up to you whether you turn the comments on or not. I usually don’t turn them on for business blogs, but for my Highways and Hops blog, I do have comments turned on so people can respond. But just keep in mind that if you do have comments turned on, you’re probably going to get spam. You’re probably gonna get a lot of spam. So you will need to keep on top of that because you don’t want, you don’t want comments about Cialis or Viagra or Louis Vuitton handbags or whatever spam you get in there. Unless that’s what your blog is about, but you probably want to keep that spam content out of there.
Finalizing Your Blog Post
So, let’s say that you’ve created an amazing title. You organized everything into a very organized outline. And you wrote the content for all of your sections using all of my tips. It’s time to republish, right? Not so fast. You do need to edit and proofread your posts thoroughly. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Make sure your content is clear, concise, and coherent. Read through it a few times. Get somebody else to read through it if you can. And you can also use tools like Grammarly. It’ll give you some suggestions for different words or for formatting things a little bit differently.
Conclusion
In conclusion, writing an engaging blog post is a blend of art and science. It involves crafting compelling titles, structuring your content thoughtfully, and writing in a way that resonates with and involves your audience. Every element, from your choice of words to how you end your post, will play a significant role in the success of your blog.
Be sure to tune into our next episode, where I’ll dive into the world of search engine optimization or SEO for blogging. You definitely don’t want to miss that.
Also, if you’re interested in a very comprehensive guide to blogging, check out my Blog Hero Bootcamp at websitesuccessacademy.com. It’s got lots of great information. And if you’re listening to this episode when it’s first published at the end of December 2023, check out the events menu at the Website Success Academy, and you’ll see a live Blog Hero Bootcamp challenge scheduled for February 2024. It’s totally free, and it’s a fun way to help you get your blog up and running. We cover a lot about getting your blog started, writing your engaging posts, and also search engine optimization.
If you have any blogging experiences to share, or if you’re seeking advice and support on your blogging journey or your website journey, then make sure you join us in my Website Success Lounge on Facebook. You can check the show notes for a link to that.
Until next time, I’m Chrissy. Keep writing and happy blogging.