Anatomy of an Irresistible Blog Post

Aug 2014

Anatomy of an Irresistible Blog Post “Why is it that some blog posts generate a ton of traffic and social conversation, while others just sit there?”

A very good question, and one that bloggers have been posing since the dawn of the blogosphere. While there’s no single magic formula for an irresistible blog post, a good blogger knows that certain elements must be in place to bring his or her creation to life.

The Brain: SEO

Remember, your blog is a key asset in your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, so make sure those all-important keywords are present and strategically placed in the title and the body copy.

There are quite a few handy plugins, like Yoast, that will evaluate your post as you write it and let you know of any SEO keyword gaps that need to be filled.

The Heart: A Personal Touch

If we’re all out there trying to be “capital-P professional” in every blog post, we’re all going to sound exactly the same. Each post is an opportunity to connect with your audience on a personal level, to show them a little piece of your own heart.

If you’ve seen author Simon Sinek’s TEDx talk, you’ll be familiar with his axiom “People don’t buy what you do — they buy why you do it.” Keep that in mind as you craft each blog post. Make sure that everything you publish carries with it a little bit of the “why” behind what you do.

The Arms: Embracing the Audience

All content has to start with the audience — their interests, their desires, the things that keep them up at night, the things that make them laugh, their hopes and dreams for the future.

Forget this fact and you’ll be one lonely blogger.

The Hands: Giving the Good Stuff

A generous blogger is a successful blogger — in more ways than one. Don’t give your readers the same tired old tips they can get anywhere else. Dig deep and share quality, value-based content that can make their jobs or their lives easier.

The Legs: Going the Distance

Sure, posting about current events is important, but make sure to balance those timely posts with “evergreen” content that represents you well no matter when a visitor is reading it.

The Feet: Standing Strong

Your values are an integral part of who you are, and sharing those values will help build a bond between you and your audience. Make sure they know what you hold dear, what you’re passionate about, what you’d be willing to stick your neck out for. They’ll respect you all the more for it.

What are your top elements for an irresistible blog post? Let us know in the comments — we’d love to hear from you!

Photo Credit: aldoaldoz via Compfight cc

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About the Author

A self-described geek who can recite entire episodes of South Park by heart, Rachel Parker has had a passion for content ever since she was old enough to hold a crayon (purple, please).

As Founder and CEO of Resonance, Rachel helps businesses publish content that connects with their audience … and converts those followers into customers. She’s also the host of the Content Marketing Podcast and a sought-after speaker, having presented to many major business and marketing organizations. Contact Rachel about speaking to your group or
business.

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We were experiencing a lack of internal resources to consistently maintain the Ustream blog. So we turned to Resonance Content Marketing to write blog posts on current industry topics while maintaining a consistent tone with the brand. The result is increased website traffic, new lead generation from gated assets on blog, and better educated/qualified leads. And I now have more time to spend on marketing strategy with the confidence that the content we push out is extremely well written and engaging.

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I just didn’t seem to be able to find the time or the right words to explain what I offer and how my company helps people accomplish their goals. Rachel was able to ask me some questions, do some research and capture my voice while writing my website copy exactly as I needed it to be written. Now, the copy on my website is much more professional than what I would have created and having this task handled by Rachel and Resonance freed up my time to complete other tasks I am better suited to do.

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Working with Rachel was a delight. Not only does she communicate very well, but she provided valuable insight about our social media platforms and followers. We have much better engagement with our fans and followers, which increased our likes and interaction rates.