How to Write a Blog Post That'll Actually Get Read!

Noya offers a comprehensive guide to writing effective and engaging blog posts, emphasizing the importance of capturing the target audience's attention through compelling headlines and feature images. She advises on crafting clear, purposeful content, utilizing formatting for readability, and incorporating visuals to enhance engagement. Noya stresses the significance of honest headlines and engaging intros, while recommending linking to related content to improve SEO and reader retention. She also discusses brainstorming techniques for post ideas and the benefits of both long and short-form content, encouraging consistent practice to ease the writing process.

• Blogging has become mainstream, leading to content overload and selective audience attention.
• Marketers must master "day trading attention" due to the fleeting nature of consumer focus.
• It's crucial to target the right audience to avoid high bounce rates, which negatively impact SEO.
• Using precise headlines and feature images can improve the chances of reaching the intended audience.

"It's important to bear in mind that not every post is going to interest every person who comes across it."

• Not all content will appeal to everyone, emphasizing the need to target specific audiences effectively.

"The more precisely you can appeal to your target audience using your blog post headline and feature image, the better the odds that the right people will click through to read it."

• Crafting targeted headlines and images increases the likelihood of attracting the right readers.

• The headline serves as a one-line advertisement and is often the only visible part of a post in promotions.
• It should be compelling enough to create a fear of missing out (FOMO) and encourage clicks.
• A headline must reflect the post's content accurately to avoid misleading readers and damaging credibility.
• Writing the headline both before and after drafting the post helps maintain focus and adaptability.

"Simply put, if the headline fails to instantly compel your target audience to click on it, your post, no matter how brilliant, will barely be read by anyone if at all."

• The effectiveness of a post largely depends on the headline's ability to attract readers.

"The process of distilling the purpose of your post into a single sentence also helps you to form an outline in your head of what sort of things you might want to talk about."

• Summarizing the post's purpose into a headline aids in structuring the content.

"When readers realize they've been tricked into clicking through to a post that fails to deliver on that promise... it can seriously damage your credibility."

• Misleading headlines can lead to reader disappointment and a loss of trust.

• Humans are visually driven, making captivating images crucial for attracting attention.
• Feature images serve as part of the advertisement for the blog post on social media.
• Investing in high-quality images can evoke emotional responses and enhance content appeal.

"Images have become more than just visually pleasing elements inserted randomly throughout copy-heavy blog posts."

• Visuals are integral to the overall impact and engagement of a blog post.

"The feature image you choose for your post... is essentially part of an ad for your blog post."

• Selecting the right feature image is vital for effective promotion and audience engagement.

• Feature images play a crucial role in attracting readers to a blog post.
• A well-chosen feature image can significantly impact whether a reader clicks through to read a post or scrolls past it.
• The feature image should represent the content of the post, either literally or metaphorically, to engage readers effectively.

"The visual aspect of your blog post is actually so important. I personally believe that when you think about writing a blog post, it should always go hand in hand with choosing at least one amazing feature image to go with it."

• Emphasizes the critical role of visual elements in blog posts alongside written content.

"Together with a killer headline, the appeal of a feature image or lack of it can be the difference between someone clicking through to read your post or scrolling right past it."

• Highlights how the combination of a compelling headline and feature image can influence reader engagement.

• Choose images that either directly represent the post's subject or metaphorically complement the headline.
• A metaphorical image can intrigue readers by making them think about the connection between the image and the content.
• Be mindful of when to use straightforward versus creative images.

"The trick to finding a great feature image isn't just to find a beautiful image but to make sure it perfectly represents what the post is about."

• Stresses the importance of selecting images that align with the post's content.

"Sometimes it's appropriate to choose a photo that literally represents the subject of the post as closely as possible... but there are certain times where choosing an image that complements the headline metaphorically is actually more intriguing and effective."

• Discusses the strategic decision-making involved in choosing images that either literally or metaphorically support the post.

• Always understand the type of license associated with any image used.
• Reputable stock photography sites provide information on permissible uses and how to attribute images correctly.
• Even if not required, crediting the source can be a courteous gesture.

"Every reputable stock photography website should have a link to information about what's permissible under their license and how to attribute the image correctly if required."

• Advises on the importance of adhering to licensing agreements and proper attribution.

• Reuse feature images throughout the post to maximize their impact.
• Add personal touches, such as quotes or branding, to the images for additional promotional value.
• Consider transforming static images into animated GIFs for increased engagement.

"Get as much mileage out of the photo as possible by incorporating it into the post itself or editing it to give it your own personal touch."

• Encourages creative reuse and personalization of feature images to enhance their utility.

"Add motion to your images by transforming them into animated gifs... they can convey so much more than a static image and give your content an instant lift."

• Suggests using animated GIFs to create dynamic and engaging content.

• A well-crafted introduction sets the context and draws readers into the post.
• Introductions should be engaging, providing a preview of the content to entice readers to continue.
• Use hooks such as interesting statistics or personal insights to capture attention.

"The advantage of a well-crafted intro is that it introduces the subject of your post right at the outset and it sets some context for the readers."

• Describes the function of an introduction in orienting and engaging readers.

"Think of your intro as a hook for the rest of the post. How are you going to grab the reader's attention?"

• Emphasizes the use of hooks in introductions to attract reader interest.

• Content paragraphs should focus on elaborating the main talking points of the post.
• Each paragraph should deal with a single point to maintain clarity and conciseness.
• Aim for reader-friendly formatting, as most readers scan rather than read every word.

"The content paragraphs are the meat of your blog post... it's in this section whether it's three paragraphs or ten that you elaborate on your main talking points."

• Highlights the role of content paragraphs in expanding on the post's main ideas.

"Generally, each paragraph in your post should deal with a single talking point in order to keep the paragraphs nice and short."

• Advises on structuring paragraphs to enhance readability and focus.

• Use bold text to emphasize key points in your blog post to improve readability and ensure important information stands out.
• Ensure paragraphs have a logical flow and a clear purpose to effectively communicate your message.
• Avoid unnecessary rambling in paragraphs; concise writing enhances clarity and effectiveness.
• Break down posts visually using subheadings, lists, and breakout quotes to make content more engaging and less intimidating.
• Visual elements, such as images and memes, can reinforce points, provide comic relief, and boost social media sharing.

"Sentences you actually help get your point across even if the paragraph is only scanned so try to highlight certain keywords or phrases in bold text to make the really important bits stand out."

• Emphasizing keywords with bold text aids in conveying the message even when readers only skim through the content.

"Use formatting elements to help break down the post visually using things like sub headlines numbered or bulleted lists and breakout quotes helps to make posts more reader friendly."

• Visual formatting elements contribute to making content more accessible and appealing, encouraging readers to engage with the material.

• Relevant images enhance content by reinforcing points and increasing engagement.
• Avoid excessive use of gifs as too much motion can be distracting and deter readers.
• Increasing dwell time and reducing bounce rates can improve search rankings; engaging content encourages longer page visits.
• Internal linking to related content can enhance SEO by encouraging readers to explore more pages on the site.

"If you're going to use gifs don't overdo it too much motion on a page can induce nausea or a headache and turn people off from reading it at all."

• Excessive motion from gifs can negatively impact reader experience, causing discomfort and deterring engagement.

"The longer people dwell on a page before leaving your site the more likely it is that google will conclude it's because the page contains high quality content."

• A longer dwell time signals to search engines that the content is valuable, potentially improving search rankings.

• Linking to related content within your site can guide readers to explore more, improving session duration and page views.
• Thoughtfully consider relevant topics to link, providing value and depth to the reader's experience.
• Internal links should be genuine, offering additional value rather than tricking readers into clicking.

"When I came up with my talking points for the blog post that this video is based on I thought about what other topics I've already written about that would be relevant as companion posts."

• Strategic internal linking is about complementing the main content with additional valuable resources for readers.

"If you do the same in your post it's actually a win-win for both you and your readers they get to read more of your wonderful content about topics that interest them."

• Effective internal linking benefits both the reader and the content creator by enhancing the reader's experience and increasing engagement metrics.

• The conclusion of a blog post should summarize the main takeaways and engage the reader with a call to action.
• Readers often scan content, making a well-crafted conclusion crucial for delivering key messages.
• A conclusion can prompt actions such as commenting, subscribing, or exploring related content.

"If you recap the post's main takeaways in your concluding paragraph the reader will still have benefited from your post despite skipping over most of the middle."

• A strong conclusion ensures that even skimmers receive the essential insights and messages from the post.

"The conclusion is also the perfect place to engage readers by asking them to take some sort of action if relevant."

• Engaging readers with a call to action in the conclusion can lead to increased interaction and further engagement with the content.

• Continually updating content ensures it remains relevant amidst changing algorithms and cultural preferences.
• New, up-to-date content is often preferred over older posts, making it worthwhile to create or refresh content on existing topics.
• The presence of numerous posts on a topic does not diminish the value of a new, high-quality post.

"Although some posts are updated from time to time many are not which means that a huge chunk of those millions of posts are most likely old and outdated."

• Updating content is crucial to maintaining its relevance and meeting the evolving preferences of audiences and search engines.

"You could potentially write one that's way better and there's always a fresh crop of people looking for a post precisely on that topic."

• There is always an audience seeking fresh perspectives on existing topics, highlighting the value of creating new, high-quality content.

• Consider your niche, audience interests, and industry aspects when brainstorming blog post ideas.
• Tailor content delivery to appeal specifically to your target audience, enhancing engagement and relevance.
• Understanding your audience's preferences and needs is key to developing content that resonates and provides value.

"My best advice as a first step to tackling this one is to always keep in mind the niche your business is in and who your audience is."

• Identifying your niche and understanding your audience are foundational steps in generating relevant and engaging blog content.

"What information would they appreciate you sharing with them that might benefit or entertain them?"

• Creating content that aligns with the interests and needs of your audience ensures it is both valuable and engaging.

• Content should provide value with no strings attached to build trust and establish expertise.
• If content is part of a sales funnel, it should inspire further engagement leading to a purchase.
• Multiple methods can be used to brainstorm content ideas, including social interactions, maintaining a topic list, using Google auto-complete, analyzing competitors, and engaging with the audience.

"Can you write about where the aim is to offer your readers value with no strings attached to build trust and position yourself as an expert in your field?"

• Emphasizes the importance of providing value to build trust and establish authority without expecting immediate returns.

"The schmoozing over drinks method...conversation ideas should flow very naturally to you."

• Suggests using natural conversation as a way to generate content ideas, highlighting the importance of passion for one's work.

"The whenever and wherever list method...just keep writing down potential topics no matter when or where you think of them."

• Encourages maintaining a running list of ideas to capture inspiration as it strikes, ensuring a steady stream of content topics.

"The Google auto complete method...these phrases are an indication of related popular topics."

• Recommends using Google auto-complete to discover popular and relevant topics within a niche, aiding in content ideation.

"The stalk your competitors method...to get inspiration for topics you could also create content around."

• Advises analyzing competitors' content for inspiration, stressing the importance of adding unique value and avoiding plagiarism.

"The brainstorming with your audience method...a foolproof way of choosing topics your audience is already predisposed to reading."

• Highlights the effectiveness of directly asking the audience for content ideas, ensuring relevance and engagement.

• There is debate over whether long or short posts perform better, with evidence supporting both.
• Long posts may perform better in search engine results due to perceived quality but may deter readers who prefer shorter content.
• Engaging formatting can enhance readability and encourage readers to engage with longer content.

"There are arguments as to which type of posts perform better long ones or short ones and there's evidence to support both cases."

• Acknowledges the ongoing debate about post length and its impact on performance, with valid points on both sides.

"A long-form blog post needs to be formatted so that it's as easy on the eyes as possible."

• Stresses the importance of formatting in making long-form content more accessible and engaging for readers.

"Google seems to favor long-form posts so it ranks them higher in serps and they inevitably enjoy more traffic."

• Notes the search engine preference for long-form content, which can lead to higher rankings and increased traffic.

• Effective content is not determined solely by length or search ranking but by its perceived value and relevance to readers.
• High-quality content will naturally gain traction through reader engagement, sharing, and linking.

"A blog post shouldn't be deemed effective because it's either long or short regardless of where it ranks on Google."

• Asserts that content effectiveness is based on reader value and relevance, not just length or ranking.

"If it's a truly top-notch post and readers give it the online love it deserves by sharing it linking to it etc it will eventually climb the surf ranks."

• Suggests that quality content will naturally rise in search rankings through organic reader engagement and sharing.

• Writing blog posts becomes easier with practice and a structured approach.
• Breaking down the writing process into manageable elements can simplify content creation.

"The more you do it the easier it gets especially if you remember to break down the different elements."

• Encourages persistence in writing, emphasizing that practice and a methodical approach lead to improvement.

"Approach them almost like a formula so that the process becomes a lot easier to manage the more blog posts you write."

• Recommends using a formulaic approach to streamline the writing process, making it more manageable over time.