6 Rapid-Fire Tips for Publishing Better Blog Posts

The blogging space has gotten a bit crowded, hasn't it? It's estimated that there are over 600 million blogs, but I believe that's just the tip of the iceberg. We will likely see millions of other content creators blogging over the next several years.

This news has probably made you realize that standing out gets tougher every day, which is why writing great blog posts is basically essential for your long-term success. I know that this seems overwhelming if you're just starting out. But don't worry! Here's the deal: putting in a little extra effort can make a HUGE difference.

Publishing interesting, high-quality posts is a surefire way to attract new readers and eventually turn them into loyal customers. For context, 60% of people say they read 3-5 blog posts on a website before they consider placing an order.

Writing better blog posts means you could see a significant boost in clicks, new subscribers, and customers. Plus, writing well helps you build authority, which makes it easier to build trust with your audience.

Today, I'm going to help you improve your blogging skills by sharing 7 rapid-fire tips that I use to create top-notch content for our 20+ brands.

Let's get started!

Cover Topics that Matter to Your Audience

First, make sure you focus on topics, questions, and issues that matter to your target audience. Imagine how someone would feel if they checked a blog on a pet store and found a bunch of articles about construction equipment. Not only would this confuse potential customers, but it would also result in them likely leaving without taking action.

I suggest using surveys, reader comments, and your on-site analytics to determine what people like so you can give them more of what they want.

Once you figure out what people want to see, create interesting, relevant posts that share professional insights, tips, and strategies. Writing about things your customers want to see will result in them spending more time on your site, which means more opportunities to spark engagement and build trust. 

Choose Eye-Catching Titles

Now that you've got captivating topics lined up let's talk about the first impression - your title. A strong title is the difference between readers checking out your article and scrolling right past it.

I know you don't want to spend a ton of time writing high-quality, engaging blog posts only to see them get ignored by your audience. So here are a few tips for picking eye-catching titles for your articles:

• Keep it short -  We aim for around 60 characters to avoid getting cut off in search results or featured snippets.
• Ask a question -  If you pose an interesting question, you'll catch the attention of readers. They may click because they want to know the answer, or perhaps they already know and want to read what you have to say.
• Promise a benefit -  Highlight what readers will gain from your post. If they see something worthwhile beyond the click, there's a good chance they'll take action. 
• Use numbers and power words - Numbers are easy to grasp and grab attention, while power words like "ultimate," "secret," or "essential" add a touch of intrigue.
• Avoid clickbait - Never use clickbait in your titles. The last thing you want to do is upset your audience by promising one thing and then delivering something totally different.

Make Your Content Easy to Skim

Did you know that 73% of readers prefer to skim a post as opposed to reading it word-for-word? This realization highlights why it's important to make your content scannable.

If people can't quickly and easily grasp what you're trying to say, they'll likely leave without finishing the post, which means they probably won't take further action on your site.

The good news is it's fairly easy to make your blog posts easy to skim. For starters, use shorter sentences when possible and break your article up into small paragraphs so readers don't have to deal with a wall of text.

You'll also want to use formatting features like bullet points, bold text, italics, and subheadings to make it easy for people to find the section they want to read. You can make the process even easier for them by including a clickable table of contents at the start of each article. 

Include Plenty of Engaging Visuals

Visuals content is a great way to make posts more engaging. You can use images, videos, gifs, and other graphics to break up your text, which will make your content more reader-friendly and skimmable. 

They also give readers visual cues to help them understand and remember the information.

One strategy that has worked exceptionally well for us is creating video versions of your posts. I like this strategy because it captures the attention of people who want to read, watch, or listen to your content all in one place. 

Marketers and business owners across all industries have started adopting this strategy as well. We found that 87% of marketers say video content has improved their traffic, while 82% say it has dramatically boosted their average dwell time. 

Much like the rest of the content on your page, visuals should be relevant, concise, and provide your audience with something of value. 

Optimize for People and Search Engines

If you want to get the most out of your blog posts, you need to optimize them for both human readers and search engines like Google. Google has stated that they are focused on user intent, so they're very vigilant about crawling websites to make sure the on-site content matches the intent of the searcher. 

You'll want to make sure your site is mobile responsive and fast if you want to impress Google and rise through the ranks. Poor loading times can impact SEO and traffic in general. We found that if a site takes 3 seconds to load, they could lose up to 53% of visitors! Shocking, right? 

I suggest focusing on providing valuable information to your audience while also including important keywords and metadata that help your posts rank higher in search results.

Speaking of keywords, don't forget to do some keyword research to find terms your target audience is searching for. Place these words and phrases strategically in your post title, URL, image file names, alt text, and content. However, be careful not to overstuff them in your posts, or they could sound unnatural or get penalized by Google. 

Optimizing for search is more important than ever before, so this is one step you don't want to skip!

Make Your Content Interactive

Did you know that 91% of people are actively looking for interactive content? This statistic highlights the importance of allowing readers to interact with your posts and, by extension, your brand.

There are plenty of different ways you can convince visitors that engaging with your business is worth their time.

First, consider embedding interactive content like surveys, quizzes, and polls. These seemingly simple additions will help your audience get involved because they can share their own thoughts and feelings on vital industry topics.

For example, an article on generating leads may end with the question, "What platform do you struggle to reach your audience?" with a list of common choices like email, social media, and on-site. When people answer and decide to sign up for your email list, you can use their responses to personalize future content to match their needs and interests.

You should also consider asking open-ended questions in your post to get the conversation started. Respond to all comments and questions to show you're listening. This interaction and community-building will lead to a loyal, engaged audience.

It's also a good idea to make sure readers can share your content on social media by including social sharing buttons at the top and bottom of each post and a social wall. When people share your content, they get an opportunity to interact with your brand while you expand your reach to new potential readers and customers.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it -- 6 tips for publishing better blog posts. I firmly believe you can hone your skills and achieve better results on your blog if you're willing to try a couple of these strategies. Eventually, you'll want to find ways to make them all a part of your content marketing strategy.

There's no point in publishing a ton of blog posts if you're not captivating readers and convincing them to continue engaging with your brand. The strategies I outlined today have helped us through the years, and I'm confident they will help you, too!