How to Write a Good Blog Post: Going Back to Basics

Blogging has always been one of my favourite things to write about on my blog, whether that’s tips to improve your writing or some of my favourite bloggers.

The blogging community is such a special place – and I’m so grateful for all those bloggers I’ve connected with over the past 8 years and counting.

During that time, I’ve learned so much about how to write a good blog post. I’ve gone from writing every so often for my blog to writing SEO content for my clients – and everything I’ve learned, I’ve picked up along the way.

So, let’s take a look at exactly how to write a good blog post. Whether you’re starting a blog for your business or you’ve been writing for years, it never hurts to go back to basics!

How to write a good blog post

How can you write a blog post that hooks readers and gets eyes on your content? Let’s take it back to basics with my 5 top tips.

1. It’s all in the structure

You might write an amazing blog post for your site, but if you don’t use the right structure, it won’t get found by search engines.

Make sure to always use your headings correctly. This means using a H1 heading as your main title, and then H2 headings for subtitles. You can also add H3s and maybe even H4s if you need to add more detail under your H2 headings.

Following the right order for your structure will ensure search engines pick up your blog post – and it’ll make your post more readable, too, which leads to my next point…

2. Make it readable

You need to make all your blog posts readable. This means splitting up your information into paragraphs, using headings and bullet points, and including plenty of visual content.

Creating “skimmable” content is getting more and more important. Let’s be honest, most readers have a short attention span.

So you need to create well-written long-form content, but you also need to accept that not everyone will sit down and read every word of your post.

This isn’t a cop out to write bad content. It just means presenting your information in a readable way, encouraging your readers to engage.

Make it easy for your audience to absorb all the information in your blog post, or quickly find the answer to their question.

3. Consider SEO – but not too much

SEO is a tricky beast! I’m still learning how to best optimise my blog posts for search engines. You want to make sure Google sees your blog posts, but you don’t want to write solely for SEO.

There are a few things to think about, including:

• Keyword research – make it easy for readers to find you
• Internal links to other content – encourage readers to browse your site
• Alt text – describe your images for accessibility and SEO
• Meta descriptions – tell readers what to expect in your post

Avoid AI-written content. Your writing should come first and foremost, so don’t get too caught up in SEO do’s and don’ts.

Google wants you to create helpful content for your readers. Don’t stuff keywords into your blog post for no reason and always think about what your readers want to learn.

4. Audience and tone of voice

If you’re writing your first blog post, you need to consider your audience. Who is reading your blog post? Is it the general public, or a specific demographic?

Your audience will determine the language you use and the information you include. You may want your article to be accessible to all, or appeal to people in your industry.

You’ll also need to think about your tone of voice. Do you want to be chatty and funny? Formal? Make sure to understand the right tone for your blog post before you get started.

I often write blog posts for clients, which means understanding a company’s audience and tone of voice – as well as the purpose of the piece.

I recommend creating a content brief for your blog post. This can help you outline your audience, your tone of voice and any SEO nuances. If you’re a freelance writer or content specialist, you may receive a brief from your client, but anyone can create one.

5. Don’t forget the extras!

So you’ve written a great blog post, you’ve optimised it for SEO and you’ve followed the correct conventions. That’s great! But don’t forget about a few extras…

You might want to add some frequently-asked questions at the end of your article. These questions are a great chance to create valuable content for your readers – and you can cover your topic in a little more detail.

Add link to valuable external resources for your readers. You can also start to ask for backlinks on other sites. This is a link back to your website. It could bring more readers to your website and it helps you show that you’re an authority on your subject.

The Art of Blog Writing

There isn’t one right way to write a blog post – and learning how to create engaging blog posts and website content takes time.

If you’d like to learn more about writing for your blog, check out my ebook! I cover the ins and outs of blog writing, including useful guides, resources and templates for new writers and bloggers.

‘The Art of Blog Writing’ includes sections on…

• How to write a great new blog post: tone of voice, headings and coming up with a killer title!
• Why blog posts are so important for your blog, website or business
• A guide to researching, planning and coming up with regular content ideas for your blog

Plus, you’ll get access to a pack of resources, including your very own content brief and blog post proof-reading checklist!

Do you like to write blog posts for your site? How do you write a good blog post? Can you give my readers any tips?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x