Seven Steps To Crafting A Better Blog Post

Guest post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

Don’t you wish there was a magic formula for writing the perfect pet blog post? Well, it may not be a magic formula, but there are some steps you can take to amp up the Google love and draw in the readers.

Here are my favorite seven magic bullets for a blog post that people will want to read:

1. Find the perfect blog post title. Your title is what will make you most searchable on Google. If your post is titled, “How to write a blog post” you could certainly glean from the title what the blog is about but if you wrote, “Tips for writing a pet blog post that shines” is more exciting, isn’t it? You don’t want to give away the farm in your title, nor do you want to be so vague that the reader is perplexed. If you’re writing a list post (and readers love them, btw) put your list in the title, for example “Seven tips to writing a searchable blog post.”
2. Jump right into the action of your blog post. The title will draw the readers in, but if you have to work your way up to the actual good stuff included in the post, you should step back and do some editing and cutting of content. Your first paragraph is the hook to grab the reader’s attention and keep them reading until the end.

Photos and videos make your post more enjoyable. Break up the text with a photo that illustrates the point you’re making in your blog post. Are you more likely to read a blog post or a social media status update if there’s an image attached? If you’re like most people, the answer is a resounding yes! Use eye-candy to your advantage.

Don’t forget the links. If you’re writing about a pet topic and alluding to a blog post you’ve written previously, link to that in your post. Link to keywords in your blog post. For example, if you’re writing a blog post about, “The best way to bathe your poodle,” link to the word poodle.

Are you writing about a complex pet subject? Can you break it down into smaller, more bite-sized morsels? How about breaking the subject up into a series of smaller posts. Why not interview an expert on the subject matter. Remember, what is a simple concept to you, is not necessarily that simple for your reader. While you certainly don’t want to talk down to your readers, you shouldn’t assume they are a subject matter expert – that is why they came to your blog – to learn something!

Break up your blog posts into more readable “chunks.” Use bullets or numbers. Write short paragraphs, short sentences. Subheadings are also a great way to break up a long blog post into different sections for your readers to digest.

Lead your reader gently toward the conclusion but don’t let them off the hook! Pose a question. Ask for a comment. You’re looking for engagement in your blog posts, now is the time to request it!

What steps can you take to amp up your blog posts? How can you garner more engagement? I’d love to know! 

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Comments

[BJ Bangs]

I like the suggestion of linking to keywords, but how many links are too many? Perhaps a thought for a future post.

[Robbi]

I think using three keyword links is optimal. There are others who may disagree but I try to do three per post -- if it makes sense.