Blogging can play a major role in the overall success of your marketing efforts. Not only is an effective blog post one of the best ways to optimize the SEO health of your website, but it is also an ideal tactic to position your brand as a thought leader in your industry. Before you think your brand doesn’t need a blog, here are a few statistics to consider;
- 77% of Internet users regularly read blog posts. (Source)
- 61% of Americans spend 3x more time consuming blog content than they do email content. (Source)
- Having a blog on your website increases your chances of ranking higher in search by a massive 434%. (Source)
While there are numerous factors that go into the overall success of your blogging strategy, the way you craft each post matters. Knowing how to craft an effective blog post can provide a framework you can use to maximize the time, energy, and effort you invest.
7 Essential Elements of an Effective Blog Post
After writing hundreds of blog posts for our clients over the years, here are a few of the elements we’ve found are most effective for achieving success:
1. Valuable Insights that Your Audience Cares About
If you want your blog post to cut through the clutter of thousands of other online articles, it’s essential that you create content your audience actually wants to read. You can have the best image and the most interesting layout, but none of that matters if your audience doesn’t find value in the content you share. It’s important to get inside the mind of your customers and craft content that they’ll find valuable.
2. Strategic SEO Keywords
Blogs are an easy way to boost SEO rankings and gain local importance. When you use blogging specifically for local SEO, you’ll begin creating hyperlocal content—content that’s specific to your exact area. Start by identifying the right keywords for your blog. Then be sure to strategically incorporate them throughout your blog post.
3. Compelling Images
There are several benefits to using images in your blog posts. The first is that they serve to break up long sections of text that can make it easier for your audience to read. Second, images provide context and help connect with your readers. An image is a great way to connect with the audience in a way words can’t. Images also help with search engine rankings. The alt text added to each image is indexed by search engines, and it can direct interested searchers to your site.
4. Engaging Headlines and Subheads
Headlines should play a large role in blog strategy. Why? Because most people will scan a blog post before they actually read it. They want to see if the content in the post is relevant and helpful. Adding headlines and subheadings throughout the post will guide readers through the content in a way that makes it easy for them to follow.
5. Links to Other Forms of Content
People have different preferences for consuming content. This is why it’s becoming increasingly important to provide various forms of content in your post. If you want to get the most out of your content marketing efforts, consider reformatting blog posts into audio or visual content. Supplementing blog posts with audio or visual content is a great way to capture your audience’s attention.
6. Real-World Examples and Case Studies
If you understand the importance of publishing unique, useful content, you should realize that case studies can be incredibly valuable. Readers want to know how the tips and tricks you share can make an impact on people like them. Incorporating case studies or specific examples in your posts can support the overall content of your post and help readers engage on a deeper level.
7. A Call to Action
Blog posts can be used to support multiple areas of the marketing funnel. You can use them to introduce your brand to new readers or upsell current customers on additional products or services. That’s why it’s important to consider the call to action you craft in each blog post. Think about the most logical next step that you want the potential customer to take, and include a way to take that step throughout your blog post by including a link or button to click or a form to fill out.
Ready to Take Your Blog Posts to the Next Level?
At Green Apple, we’re constantly evaluating the success of our clients’ content marketing strategies. We’re also regularly sharing what we learn. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed on the latest trends and tactics to take your blog (and overall marketing efforts) to the next level.
