Five Steps for Writing a Successful Blog Post

Are you looking to start writing a blog, but you’re afraid it isn’t something someone would want to read?  Not everyone is a writer, and that’s OK, but if you follow these tips, you can be writing popular posts in no time.

Step #1:  Have a goal.

Make sure you have an end goal for your post.  What are you trying to achieve with your post?  Do you want the reader to do something after reading the post?  Knowing what your goal is will help you with the final product.  Once you know your goal, you can proceed to seek out data and examples that you may want to include in your writing (don’t forget to source!).  After you have gathered the information you need, you can organize it into the best structure to communicate your point.

Step #2:  Write to one person.

When writing a post, you need to keep in mind that it won’t appeal to everyone every time.  Imagine the one person you are trying to help or inform by writing the post, and then write to them directly.  Not only does this help you focus on the information you want to include, but it also helps to make the post have a more personal feel to it.

Step #3:  Produce the ugly first draft.

Remember, the first thing you write does not have to be exactly what you post.  I live by the “show up and throw up” method – basically write whatever comes to your mind in the order it comes to you.  It doesn’t matter how bad this draft is because no one is going to read it.  Once you have spewed word-vomit all over your screen, walk away for a while.  This will give you some distance between your first and final draft.  After a bit of a break, you will be ready to write your second draft.  This is where you will shape the mess into something a reader will want to read.

Step #4:  Give it a great headline or title.

The headline or title is what grab the attention of your reader, so you want to make sure it is a good one.  Spend just as much time thinking of your headline or title as you did your writing of the post itself.  This will help you to ensure that your post will be seen.

Step #5:  Edit, check, and publish.

This step is usually crucial – read over your post again, or even have someone else read over it for you, to check for readability.  Does your post look inviting to read?  Do you have any spelling or grammar errors you may have missed?  Once you have checked (or had someone else check) your post, you are ready to publish.  Choose whichever platform you feel would optimize your style and put your work out there.