Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Although search engine optimization can help your website gain popularity and improved page rank, it’s the content itself that will keep visitors coming. Without providing the information that users want to read, don’t expect your blog to be anything more than a random site on the Internet. If you want your blog to be successful to the point where you can quit your day job, it will take hard work and determination to develop the site. Simply throwing up a few sentences on each page will not get the notoriety you’re expecting.
What Should You Remember When Writing Good Blog Content?
Good blog content is actually relatively to the reader. If your style of writing engages the visitors, then who is to say it’s wrong? However, there are several key points to creating blog content that are true regardless if people enjoy your writing or not. When developing your blog, remember:
- Every sentence needs to have a point
- Support your facts
- Don’t force a specific length
- Break up the material
- Label the information
Every Sentence Needs to Have a Point
You want to stay away from fluff. Each sentence you write in any post needs to be able to support the topic. Otherwise, it becomes too much for the reader to skim through in order to find the content for which he or she is looking. Without the support of information to the topic, any given sentence could merely become nothing more than words on a page.
Support Your Facts
When possible, it may be prudent to list or otherwise cite the sources for your information. Not only will this provide a solid argument for what you view as factual information, it can help you build a reputation as a professional in your field.
Another method of supporting facts in the literary sense is making sure that each paragraph refers to the topic. If you’re writing a blog about boating supplies, including information regarding gardens can be confusing to your readers while decreasing your page rank due to irrelevant content. Try not to go off on random tangents when creating your content.
Don’t Force a Specific Length
Many professionals explain how longer posts are more valuable. Others claim that shorter posts can be just as effective. In reality, the post length should be dictated by the topic itself. Some information can be shared with readers in a condensed and easy to read format while other subjects need further development in order to be fulfilling to the reader. When you try to force a specific length of an article, you could wind up losing information that could be vital to the visitor’s understanding or filled with fluff that decreases your professional appearance as a competent author. Let the information that you’re providing dictate how long the post should be – don’t even look at the word count.
Breaking up the Material
Breaking up the material in easier to read sections allows your visitors to quickly find exact information. Headers, bullet points, lists and other techniques can help readers locate the material that interests them the most. It has also been found that the majority of readers have an easier time reading content that is developed with shorter paragraphs each referring to a single topic of the subject matter. Have you ever noticed that sites such as CNN.com often print one-sentence paragraphs? As long as there is a point to the sentence, it can be ultimately effective.
Label the Information
Subheadings and paragraph labels are a great way to help your readers find specific material. Take this article, for example. Each important paragraph is labeled with a short sentence referring to the information within the sentences. If a particular reader is interested in “forcing specific lengths” for blog posts, he or she can find that information within the paragraph labeled, “Don’t Force a Specific Length.” Each label should be descriptive of the content below. This is also true for headings that use the H1, H2 and similar tags.
Search engine optimization will undoubtedly help the placement of your blog within sites like Google. However, it’s the content that will keep visitors coming back or further exploring your site. Without that strong development of each sentence, you could lose the interest of the reader. Be mindful of your content and construct the best collection of information regarding your niche as possible.
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