People love blogs; they’re a light-hearted and fun way of connecting with an audience. With a blog, you can add value to people’s lives, but that’s not the only purpose it will serve.

Exceptional blog articles that are indexed by search engines are useful tools for creating good, organic SEO and driving traffic to your website (without paying for ads). 

Nowadays, you can no longer whip together a short article, integrate a few keywords, and expect to have success.

Nowadays, you can no longer play tricks on search-engine bots by whipping together a short article, integrating some keywords, and expect to have success. Search-engine bots have deep artificial intelligence to detect the value of your blog, so if that’s been your approach, best change it now.

If you want to reap the benefits that an excellent blog has to offer, follow these next steps. 

Length Matters – Write to Engage

A common misconception is that, the longer the text, the fewer the people who will read it, but the truth is that blasé text that leaves readers struggling to find the message is the real killer of engagement. If you were planning on only writing two paragraphs for fear of losing your audience, know that, in this case, “more is more.” Here’s why:

First off, it’s difficult for search-engine bots to rank a blog with short content because the crawler doesn’t get a clear indication of how engaging the text is, how long readers stayed for, and how far down they scrolled. For example, it is harder for YouTube or Facebook to measure how successful a five-second video is, as all people (even if they’re not interested) will most likely watch 100% of the content. Therefore, longer videos of several minutes’ length that are engaging and keep people watching will normally rank higher.

In the same way, the amount of scrolling on your page indicates the amount of time your audience lingers on it, which tells the search bots that your content is of interest to your readers, resulting in a higher ranking.

Page layout is also important. Make sure you set your container width to around 730px, paragraph font-size 18px, and use one of these recommended fonts to ensure its length, increase readability, and keep your audience scrolling.

Secondly, the text from your article is indexed in search engines. So the more text, the greater your chances are of being found in specific search terms, which means more traffic is directed towards your article.

Write with confidence that you possess information your audience needs and that it has the potential to change their lives.

As a rule of thumb, write at least four to five paragraphs. Write with confidence that you possess information your audience needs and that it has the potential to change their lives. Keep it punchy and to the point, then add some humor or examples that drive the message home.

If you feel you’re not quite hitting the nail on the head, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Have skilled writers and marketers proofread your material to ensure every word meets its highest potential.

Mix It Up – Grab Their Attention

In a way, adults are still like children: when given the choice, we prefer the book with the pretty pictures over the long and wordy textbook. Our brains need constant stimulation to keeps us interested, so the more variety you can tastefully include in your article, without distracting from its content, the better. Throw in some short videos, inspiring images, meaningful quotes, Tweets, funny GIFs, a comments area for interaction, or anything with an eye-grabbing effect.

Remember, sophisticated search-engine bots scan your article to check how interactive it is. If they detect it lacks diversity, you’ll be guaranteed an automatic downranking of your article, so keep it timely and fresh.

Internal Hyperlinks – Free Self-Promotion

One of the greatest benefits of the internet, unlike a newspaper or magazine, is that, with the simple click of a link, you’re instantly connected to a whole new set of information.

When writing your article, bear in mind that your agenda is to keep your audience browsing your website and what you have to offer. Strategically place hyperlinks in certain words or topics that will direct them to other pages on your website. Keep promoting yourself where you can.

Ask yourself, what problem does my audience have, and how can I solve it for them? For example, is their challenge to become a better writer? Offer your online course or a book you wrote. Are they interested in learning how to market their brand better? Offer free marketing tips.

Be their solution.

Metadata – Put Your Best Foot Forward

Metadata is what shows up in search results, describing your page or, in this case, your article. Take it from us: a spot-on title and description have the potential to set you head and shoulders above the rest.

Liken it to a salesperson standing outside their shop on the main street, offering random shoppers a particular product. Whatever attention-grabbing phrase shoppers hear will determine whether they enter the shop or keep on walking.

With metadata, you’ve only got one shot at getting it right, so make sure it is relevant to your article and leaves them with an unquenchable curiosity.

With metadata, you’ve only got one shot at getting it right, so make sure it is relevant to your article and leaves them with an unquenchable curiosity.

To guarantee the best results, keep the lengths to the recommended 60 characters for your meta-title and 160 characters for your meta-description.

Choose Your Title – The First Impression

Often people become overwhelmed when choosing a title, but, hang in there; it’s easier than what you think.

Let’s break it down into simple steps:

1. Read it: after completing your article, read it all, head to toe.
   
2. Minimize it: write down the critical elements of your article.
   
3. Define it: define the key elements in a few short words.
   
4. Refine it: check your title with your online competitors.

For example, here’s the the difference between a dime-a-dozen title and a click-me-now title:

Five Things To Do While in Paris

versus

Five Romantic Attractions for Couples in Paris

One is generic and won’t give you an advantage over the thousands of others competing for the same title. Find your particular niche, add a dash of mystery, and, voilà! You've got a title that leaves your competition in the dust.

Blog writing is fun, so keep it that way. It offers endless opportunities to build a web of information that benefits your audience and causes them to feel connected to you.

Do you need help starting your blog? That’s where we can help. Our professional experts will help you launch your blog and teach you how to maintain it.

Please, don’t hesitate to contact us.