How to WriteCompelling Blog

PostsAn 11-Step Guide

There are lots of blog posts on the internet. Most likely there are people

talking about similar subjects to you.

But you still have something to say.

There's a reason your customers choose you over other companies, and your

blog is a chance to show people why.

Learn how to write posts that hook yourreaders

I always say the trick with blogging is to remember there are people out there

with problems you can solve. Each blog post is a chance to make their day -

and their life - easier.

The simple steps in this guide will show you how to do this. You'll learn how

to:

Frame your topic

Hook readers and keep them reading

Build an ongoing relationship with your readers

Having frameworks and processes makes it so much easier to write effectively.

So let's get started. (And if you have any questions email me at

anna@gunningmarketing.co.uk).

Anna Gunning

Before We Get Started

I'm a freelance copywriter who helps companies

achieve their business goals by communicating more

effectively.

I have a particular talent for homing in on the

messages that resonate with audiences, and then

crafting copy that achieves your objectives.

My 10 years' experience includes copywriting and head

of content roles at award-winning agencies, and my expertise spans digital,

print, branding, content and campaigns.

Whether you’re looking to raise awareness, generate leads, facilitate growth

or raise finance, I’ll help you tell your story in a way that makes an impact.

Learn more at www.gunningmarketing.co.uk.

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk

About the AuthorAnna Gunning, Copywriter & Content Strategist

People have short attention spans for online content. This doesn’t mean you

should only write 500 words per blog post, or that people won’t read

interesting articles.

It means people aren’t going to waste time trawling through information

that’s not relevant to them – instead they’ll close the window or click the back

button.

Your job is to hook your ideal reader and then keep engaging them through

to the end of the post. This means your first step is to identify your target

reader.

Here are a few questions to help you create a picture of your target reader

(often called a buyer persona or customer avatar):

How to sketch your target reader

How old is he?

What’s his job title?

What's his family situation?

What are his goals?

What are his challenges?

What keeps him up at night?

What would make is life easier/better/happier?

How can you help him?

Avoid the temptation to be all things to all people. You’re much better off

aiming each post at an individual reader type and covering the range of types

throughout the posts you publish. So target one reader with this post, and a

different one with the next post.

Identify Your Target ReaderStep 1

There’s an individual reading your blog – someone who experiences

frustration, joy, delight, anxiety, stress and more. A person who’s sitting at her

computer or tapping her mobile phone as she interacts with you.

When you write for your target reader, you build a personal relationship

because you draw on the emotions that person experiences.

That’s where your topic comes in.

First, think about where your blog post sits inthe decision making process

Think of the decision making process in terms of these basic phases:

AwarenessAwareness: The reader has a problem and doesn’t know how tosolve it

ConsiderationConsideration: The reader is looking at different solutions, and youdemonstrate your authority and understanding

DecisionDecision: You offer insight and social proof to illustrate that you’rethe best choice, so the reader takes action

DelightDelight: You continue to build the relationship and help readersget the most out of your product or service

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk

Choose Your TopicStep 2

Second, put yourself in the target reader’sshoes and think about what he wants to readabout

Go back to your little sketch and think about the goals and challenges.

Remember: the reader doesn’t want to hear about you, he wants to solve a

problem. So write about the problem.

Here’s a basic example.

Let’s say you sell drills.

Your reader doesn’t actually want to buy

a drill, she wants to hang a picture on the

wall (for example).

So an awareness topic shouldn’t focus on

drills, it should focus on decorating.

See the difference?

TipTip: If you’re stuck on what problems to write about, try browsingrelevant questions on Quora. I got the tip from online marketingguru Neil Patel, and it’s brilliant for brainstorming.

Your headline is your chance to grab attention.

It doesn’t matter how extraordinary your blog post is – if the headline’s not

engaging, no one will read the copy.

According to research from Copyblogger, on average 8 out of 10 people will

read your headline copy but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest.

The key to a great headline is to focus on thebenefit you offer the reader

When in doubt, simply explain in a few words what you’re offering. You’re

much more likely to generate interest with something that does what it says

on the tin than a quirky ‘curiosity’ headline you’ve laboured over for hours.

There are lots of useful free guides on headline writing. I recommend How to

Write Magnetic Headlines from Copyblogger to start with (you have to

register to access the guide).

Here are examples of headline categories that work well:

[How to][How to] How to win friends and influence people[Lists][Lists] 4 tips to help strengthen your Facebook profile[Secrets][Secrets] The secret to setting up a successful online shop in 1 day[Little known ways][Little known ways] Little known ways to save 35% on insurance

According to Buffer, the ideal headline word count is 6 words. Use that as a

rough guide but don’t worry too much. The key is to make sure every word

you use is adding value.

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk

Craft Your HeadlineStep 3

Test your headline

Once you've crafted your headline, see if it passes the 4 U test developed by

entrepreneur Michael Masterson:

Is the advice usefuluseful?Is the advice uniqueunique?Is the need urgenturgent?Is the headline ultra-specificultra-specific?

And remember, your headline has to align with your content. Don’t promise

what you don’t deliver.

Distill your topic and headline into a Google search term. This helps build your

rankings for topics readers are searching for.

There are 2 main types of keywords: short-tail and long-tail.

‘Tenerife holidays’ is a short-tail keyword. ‘Best places for family holidays in

Tenerife’ is a long-tail keyword.

Aim for a long-tail keyword if you can, because you have a better chance of

ranking for it. Then integrate that keyword into your copy.

Here are some basic resources to help youchoose your keyword

Google auto-fillGoogle auto-fill: When you start typing a phrase into Google, you get a

drop down with suggestions

Related Google searchesRelated Google searches: Type in a search term and then scroll to the

bottom of the page. Google gives you related search terms to consider

Google TrendsGoogle Trends: Let’s you see how many people are searching for a

keyword, so you can see how popular it is

UbersuggestUbersuggest: Type in a term and this site gives you hundreds of related

phrases to choose from

There are also advanced tools like Moz Keyword Explorer and the keyword

planner in Google AdWords. These give you more information about how

many people search for the term and how often people click on paid listings

that appear for that term.

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk

Choose Your KeywordStep 4

I keep talking about how you’re writing to a

person. Your tone and style need to reflect this.

Blog posts aren’t generally formal (although this

will depend on your audience’s expectations).

For example, academics generally speak in a

different way to mumpreneurs, so it's important to

keep the reader's language in mind.

Remember: we're all human. Even themost celebrated scientist can lovesuperhero films and Stephen King books.

When it doubt, make your writing conversational.

Try writing the way you talk to ensure the blog

post is in your true voice.

Tip: Read your post out loud to see ifsounds natural.

Use an AuthenticStyleStep 5

Your headline has one job – to get

people to read the first sentence.

Your opening is what makes people

decide whether it’s worth reading the

rest.

So don’t start by telling people

something they already know. Don’t be

boring or recap the state of the industry.

Ask a question. Use the word ‘you’ to

develop a rapport quickly.

Make it clear that you’re post is fulfilling

the promise you made in your headline.

Nail theOpeningStep 6

It’s very rare for people to read a blog post word for word. Most people scan.

This means you need to structure your post so people get the key messages

when scanning.

Use these techniques to write for scanners

Short paragraphsShort paragraphs

Ignore what your English teacher told you. You can have a paragraph that’s

just one sentence.

It can even be a single line.

Big chunks of text are intimidating – break them up so your post is easy for

people to process. (This guide is 20 pages, but it's a quick read.)

SubheadingsSubheadings

Pepper your copy with headings that signpost new sections. So if your post is a

list with a bit of explanation for each point, have each list item as a heading.

Bullet pointsBullet points

If you have a long section, can you break it up with bullets?

The formatting change captures attention, and the brevity helps you get

important points across.

Structure Your Blog Post forScanningStep 7

A picture’s worth a thousand words, and

all that.

Your image is importantfor a couple reasons

It gives an immediate visual cue as to

what your blog post is about (this is

important for when you share the

link and get people on the page)

It reinforces your key message at a

glance

It makes the page more readable,

because the image spices up the text

Tip: There are some free, user-friendly tools to help you withyour images.

Pixabay is a wonderful resourcewith images that don't look likestereotypical stock photography.Canva is another.

Include aRelevantImageStep 8

Many readers focus on the introduction,

scan the body copy and read more

closely at the end.

Make sure your conclusion sums up the

key points – whether it’s in paragraph

form or as key takeaway bullets.

And make sure you reiterate how you’ve

delivered on the promise you made in

your headline.

Sum Up theKey PointsStep 9

Every blog post should have a goal. This is your call to action (in marketing

speak).

Think about what comes next in the decisionmaking process and recommend the best nextstep

Do you want the reader to go to another web page? Book a consultation? Buy

a product? Read another article? Download a guide? Subscribe to your blog?

Contact you?

Come right out and say so at the end of your blog post. If possible, make this

call to action stand out on the page.

Here's an example of a visual call to action I've used on my blog:

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk

Tell the Reader What to DoNextStep 10

You’ve spent all this time writing a compelling

blog post. Now tell your readers about it.

Post links on your organisation’s social channels

(and have employees do the same on their

personal profiles).

Start a conversation in a LinkedIn or Facebook

group or on a Twitter chat.

Email your database to let them know a new post

is live. Include a link in your email footer, or as a PS

in emails to relevant people.

Tools like Buffer, Hootsuite and MailChimp make it

easy to distribute your content across channels, so

you can publicise quickly and track the response.

Get the word out, so you get traction fromthe valuable advice you’re giving away.

Share Your BlogPostStep 11

1. Identify your target reader

2. Choose your topic

3. Craft your headline

4. Choose your keyword

5. Use an authentic style

6. Nail the opening

7. Structure your blog post for scanning

8. Include a relevant image

9. Sum up the key points

10. Tell the reader what to do next

11. Share your blog post

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk

11 Steps to Writing

Compelling Blog Posts

Your Handy Checklist

Free BusinessWriting Mini-

CourseI've distilled my top copywriting

advice into 10 easy-to-read emails.

Each week you get a new tip thatmakes it easier to write copy thatworks - and that extraextra persuasive persuasive

powerpower means more customersmore customers,more more loyaltyloyalty andmore revenuemore revenue.

ENROLL NOW

HaveQuestions?

Get in touch:

anna@gunningmarketing.co.uk

07828 536 728

www.gunningmarketing.co.uk