5 Key Elements for a Perfect Blog Post

What makes a perfect blog post? Due to the different purposes of bloggers, the perfect blog, like the elephant, resembles a tree, a snake, a wall, or a rope, depending on where the blind take hold of it. So, your perfect blog post may not look like that of someone else. It should, however, fulfill the purpose for which you have written it, or you have failed miserably in your blogging efforts.

The perfect blog post, like the elephant, resembles a tree, a snake, a wall, or a rope, depending on where the blind take hold of it.

Regardless of your purpose in blogging, every successful blog post should include certain key elements. Here again, bloggers may include different elements they believe are essential, but most lists can be boiled down to the following 5 key elements for a perfect blog post.

Engaging Content

As I wrote in an earlier blog post, content is the currency of the online marketing realm. It is the gateway to new business. Content is what demonstrates your knowledge and skill to an audience, and drives them to consider utilizing your expert services or purchasing your unique product. Great content builds the familiarity and trust factors faster than anything but face-to-face meetings. So above all, create great content.

Engaging content is the result of careful planning, research, writing, re-writing, and editing. Don't expect to produce the perfect blog post in half an hour. Know your topic. Let your knowledge and passion come through in your writing. Polish and hone the information you share until it is clear, concise, and helpful. The blog post I linked above gives helpful steps on how to do it. If you follow them, your content will connect with audiences and be shared and linked by others, which further increases your blogging audience.

SEO Optimization

Search engine optimization is an important part of successful blogging. Without it, few readers will be able to locate your blog posts. Search engines look for key terms in key places. Without them, your blog post will be buried pages below the top-ranking pages for your topic. So, when writing the perfect blog post about your particular topic, pay attention to SEO.

You don't have to be an expert to use SEO in your blog posts. Spend a little time doing Google searches for your topic. Pay attention to titles and key words used in the top ranking pages for each search. Also, scroll to the bottom of the top search page and the 'Searches related to' your keyword. This is also helpful to determine popular keyword searches. After making a list of the top-searched terms, select a few to utilize in your post.

Choose a primary keyword to use in your post title (more about catchy titles below) and in the first paragraph of your post. Also include this keyword in your META date for the page. Then use it and the other keywords you selected throughout the post. Don't force it; let them occur naturally in your writing. A good standard would be 5-7 uses in a 500-word blog post.

Catchy Title

It's one thing to write great content, but it's another thing to get it read and ranked. Titles are what sell the content. They represent your content in search engines, in email, and on social media. With the plethora of content available online, your blog post title must stand out. Watch how quickly a live Twitter feed flows and you will see how fast content flies by. Your title must engage the casual surfer and also contain a primary keyword or phrase for your post.

Begin with a working title that accurately describes your content. Then focus on how you can personalize the title to engage your target audience. Use strong language or alliteration. Words like 'brilliant', 'perfect', 'must-follow', or 'instant' catch the eye and entice the imagination. Certain themes also are proven to increase CTR rates (click-to-read), such as "How-to's", number-titles ("5 Key Elements..." or "7 Fundamentals of..."), and titles that indicate photos or infographics.

Do a search for blog post titles and browse some of the sites that provide in-depth help on creating engaging and sexy titles. Some even offer title templates to help you speed the process whenever you are creating a new blog post.

Great Graphics

Nothing is as boring as a page of text unbroken by color or graphics. Line after line of information that all seems to run together until....CLICK - a reader moves on to another site. Great graphics engage readers, provide color and life to your content, and help illustrate your concepts. Use them frequently and intelligently.

With the rise of Pinterest and Instagram, great graphics will help spread your content to new audiences. Readers will pin and share your graphics, thereby sharing your content with new audiences. Infographics that share a condensed version of your post in a visually compelling way are immensely popular and get shared often.

You don't have to be a professional graphic designer to create awesome graphics. Search sites like Canva for pics and templates for little cost, or even free. Use your own pictures and add some text. Be creative in how you illustrate your thoughts. Pictures or graphics that engage get shared. And that means the reader has connected with your content. Readers who stay connected are more likely to respond to your CTA.

Call to Action

Your perfect blog post should end with a call to action. What do you want the reader to do after connecting with your content? How should they respond? Is there a product to buy? A service to engage? A mailing list to join? Next steps to take? Be clear and concise about how they can comment or interact with your post.

Provide the necessary information, links, etc. for them to engage directly from your blog post. If they have to click a link and search for another link or more information, you've lost them. If you offer a book, link directly to the order page. If you provide a service, enable them to connect with you directly from the post or click to a booking or contact page.

Illustrate your offer with a good graphic. Include a picture of your book, your service, or even yourself to further entice the reader to accept your offer.

The perfect blog post should always inform, inspire, engage, or direct readers to interact with you, the writer. If you utilize these 5 key elements, your blog posts will engage readers. And whether your post resembles a tree, a snake, a wall, or a rope, your readers will not be left groping blindly to discover your product or service.

Need help creating great content for your business?

Let me help put content-coin in your account! I've been writing and editing professional and engaging business content for over 10 years, and would love to discuss your content needs. Email me or book a free consultation online today.

Also, if you need help to improve your own writing skills, order my book How To Write Well in digital or print format from your favorite bookseller, and subscribe to my monthly newsletter The Stover Write Life.