To write great blog posts, break the work into phases: collect ideas, make a draft, write the post, revise it, add images, and only then publish it. Each phase is small enough to master, and together they turn a blank page into a post your readers want to finish.
Writing a blog may seem like something everyone can do, but that is not the case, as anyone who has just started a blog knows well. Writing a great one is another story. The writing itself is not unpleasant, but it takes practice. If you expect to sit down at your laptop and write a great text in one go, you will be disappointed, and many people give up blogging for good after that first disappointment.
That is not proof that they have no talent for writing. As with everything else, it takes a little more effort and patience. And nothing, not even writing a good blog post, is that complex once you divide it into smaller steps. Here are the 6 phases, one by one: apply the tips in each, and both your writing skills and the quality of your texts will improve.
Step 1: collect ideas for new posts
Writer's block can happen to any writer, but bloggers are curious and creative people who rarely run out of good ideas for new articles. The trick is to think ahead: always keep at least 10 ideas in reserve that you want to write about. If you are wondering where to find them, here are a few suggestions.
Read articles from your own niche
Many bloggers find new ideas while they browse the internet, read, scroll through social networks, or listen to podcasts or the news. Often a single sentence is enough to spark an idea for a completely new text. Do the research: the ideas are everywhere.
Write your ideas down
How often has an inspiring thought gone through your mind while you were doing something ordinary, like cooking dinner? At that moment, you probably could not drop everything and sit down at the computer. But you should write the idea down. Make a note, or send yourself an email, whatever suits you, but do not take your spontaneous ideas for granted.
Answer your readers' questions
With so much happening online, there is no reason to run out of topics. On social networks, in forums, and in the comments on blogs, people ask questions every day in the hope of finding answers. Write a longer article that answers ten frequent questions, or answer each question in a short post of its own. You can also simply ask your readers what they would like to read about next.
Keep learning
Nobody knows everything about everything. A successful blogger knows that it is necessary to keep improving, learning, and gaining new insights in the field they write about. Lifelong learning is also a lifelong source of ideas. For more places to look, read where to find ideas to write about.
Step 2: make a draft
In the second phase, the focus is more on thinking and less on writing. Take a blank page and write down every thought that comes to you about your topic, in any order. Then decide what is important and must not be left out, and what is unnecessary. Make sure you cover every part of the topic you want to cover. That is your draft.
Step 3: write the post
Many people think that writing a blog post only means putting a handful of useful facts into a good text. But the information must also be presented in a way that is easy for your readers to follow and understand. Here is what to pay special attention to at this stage.
Keep it simple
Experience shows that simplicity, and a focus on the heart of the topic, always wins in blogging. Use technical terms only where you need them, and try not to write more than the topic needs. There is no need to prove yourself to anyone. Catching the reader's attention is one thing; you also need to keep it.
Structure and format the article
Take care of the structure of the article while you write:
- Use headings and subheadings. Readers must be able to move easily through your article, and dividing the content into meaningful parts is the best way to make that happen.
- Use short paragraphs. A blog post is not a chapter in a book. Be honest: would you open a blog post and read a huge block of text from start to finish? Short paragraphs are easier to read, especially on a phone, and clear, descriptive headings also help search engines understand your page.
- Use other formatting. Throughout the text, use bullet points, lists, and bold or italic text to emphasize what matters.
- Mind the font size. Do not frustrate your readers with tiny text. Avoid small font sizes.
Let the words flow
At this stage, do not worry about perfect sentences or flawless grammar: you fix those when you revise. Don't lose your inspiration explains why it pays to keep writing and proofreading apart.
Turn off your phone
Protect yourself from every kind of interruption while you write.
Step 4: revise the text
If you are thinking about starting a blog but still feel discouraged now and then, you are not alone. Many people are in your shoes, and some of them are convinced that they cannot write well. The most important thing is to write. The revision comes after.
Tip: read your text again a few days after you have finished it.
Go back to your text as many times as you need to. Each time, you look at it from a new angle, spot mistakes, and find better words, so that your sentences say more clearly what you mean. All of this matters for the quality of a text. Reading the text aloud helps many writers, so give it a try. Before you publish, check the text for spelling and grammar mistakes: the Spell Checker marks them and explains each one. And it is better to move your planned publishing date than to publish an article you are not happy with.
Step 5: add images
Images are not just decoration, which is why a randomly chosen picture is never a good idea. And if the text is not good, a nice picture will not help much.
You do need visual content, though, both for your readers and for search engines. Keep in mind that graphics and images should inform. Even if your text needs no pictures, add at least one image, for example as the featured image of your post: many blogs and social networks show it as the preview when your post is shared. Give it a descriptive file name and alt text that include the main keyword of your article. Charts and tables help too: they make information easier to grasp and keep readers on your page longer.
Step 6: publish the post
This is the last phase of writing a blog post. When you are done with the revisions, take a step back and take a break. Read your article again the next day. When you are sure that everything is as it should be, press the Publish button. A good title helps your post get read, so take a moment for it too: how to formulate the perfect headline in 5 steps shows how.
Above all, enjoy writing your blog and the whole process. Wasn't that the main reason you started it?