Of all the things you can do for your website, writing an engaging blog is one of the best. Those who know content and blogs know the adage: “Content is king” but not all content is good content. To get the most for your site and its visitors you want fresh, engaging posts that will keep readers reading and new viewers navigating around your site. If you need a new look at blog posting, consider these nine tips for more engaging content.
Want Engaging Blog Posts? These 9 Tips Will Help!
You Can Always Write Blog Posts
Every content creator or blogger has sat down at their keyboard before and asked themselves: “Am I good enough to be doing this?” The answer is a resounding yes. If you’ve been in your industry for 20 years, guess what? You are an essential resource for industry information, and your blog will reflect that. You can blog your expertise and get your voice heard, even if you doubt yourself in the beginning. Put this trust in your posts and your attitude will help engage readers.
Write How You Want
You should always keep customer outreach and engagement in mind, but readers can smell a phony a mile away. If you’re writing, write how you write. Don’t try to overanalyze, don’t attempt to take on a voice, and don’t fill the post with industry buzzwords for the sake of attention – you do you. Write how you write and give your blog a voice that’s unique to you or your brand. Crafting content with your flair is the best way to set your blog apart.
Titles Are Important
Titles are often the first thing a reader sees when viewing a blog, so they better be good. A great title will be concise but explain what the reader is about to see. Instead of, “Popular Reasons You Should Choose a Local Plumber for Your Radiant Floor Heating Needs,” try “5 Reasons to Choose a Local Plumber for Radiant Floods.” Get your readers engaged right away to keep them engaged throughout the post.
Avoid Spammy and Clickbait Titles
If a reader doesn’t trust you as a source from the beginning, you’ll have difficulty keeping them intellectually engaged throughout your posts. The reason the reader doesn’t trust you out of the gate? Because you used a spammy or clickbait-style article. Though these types of titles do get clicks, they are now associated with spam, ads, and poorly written content. Don’t fall into the trap and don’t sell yourself out for clicks. A steady stream of high-quality and engaging content will work much better for you much better than, “This man started crying at the grocery store, YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.”
Use Guest Posts
Even if your readers love your voice and blogs, it’s helpful to freshen things up with guest posts. Have an industry friend or peer craft a post for your blog to bring in a new voice. You can also return the favor by posting on their blog, and both websites will benefit from a fresh voice and perspective on your niche.
Write on Current Events
Evergreen content has its place on any website or blog, but fresh, current content is vital for an engaged audience. Writing blog posts on current events proves you’re paying attention to the world around you, and your previous posts show you’re already a trustworthy source of information. Writing on current events and current happenings in your relevant industry is one of the easiest ways to add a new play to your content strategy.
Keep Up with Your Industry
If readers are coming to your website or blog to keep up with a specific industry such as fashion or plumbing, you better be confident you’re keeping up with the industry to keep your posts current. Readers don’t want to learn about something they’ve read on someone else’s blog three months ago; they want to know about the here and now. Staying relevant and up to date in your industry helps keep your blog relevant and readable.
Avoid Excessive Jargon and Industry Speak
A quick way to turn potential readers off is by filling your posts up with industry jargon and terms that only those in your industry know. Unless you’re explicitly aiming your blog at industry professionals, you should try to keep your audience possibilities open by using concise and easy to understand language. This keeps the everyday reader engaged and wanting more.
Ask for Reader Feedback
What to know what your readers and visitors want? Ask them. There is no shame in asking for critique or feedback from your site’s viewers to improve it. Now here’s the hard part – use the feedback. The easiest way to get rid of readers is by asking for input and not adhering to any of it.
A great blog is a constant work in process, but with these tips, you can keep readers engaged and coming back for more. As you update and tweak your blog for the better, always watch your analytics to figure out what works and what you should leave alone.
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