{"id":4312,"date":"2017-01-31T10:30:01","date_gmt":"2017-01-31T15:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moneyjournal.com\/?p=4312"},"modified":"2017-01-30T21:06:40","modified_gmt":"2017-01-31T02:06:40","slug":"how-to-write-blog-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moneyjournal.com\/how-to-write-blog-post\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Jaw Dropping Blog Posts (Even if You Are a Terrible Writer)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over 2,000,000 blog articles were published to the internet today. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But it doesn’t mean that all posts are\u00a0worth reading. In fact, t<\/span>he majority of marketing articles you read are actionless, boring, or poorly rehashed versions of someone else’s hard work.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other side are a few\u00a0<\/span>writers and bloggers who continuously churn out amazing, poignant and dare I say, jaw-dropping content. <\/span><\/p>\n

These are the authors who fill your news feed, hold the coveted <\/span>first page SERP ranking<\/span><\/a>, and who are regularly featured in major publications. <\/span><\/p>\n

So what separates the great from the not so fabulous?<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it that other writers aren\u2019t trying?<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it that other writers simply don\u2019t know how to write good blog posts?<\/span><\/p>\n

Not quite. <\/span><\/p>\n

The problem I see is that most of these writers simply do not have a clear system and strategy for writing content that their customers want to read and share. <\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, I am going to reveal a system to do exactly that. <\/span><\/p>\n

And by the end, you’ll \u00a0have a systematic process to <\/span>create mind-blowing posts day after day<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s\u00a0get started.<\/span><\/p>\n

The First Commandment of Better Writing: Know Thy Customer\/Reader<\/span><\/h2>\n

Nothing will have a greater effect on the quality of your writing and <\/span>your audience\u2019s engagement<\/span><\/a> than having an intimate knowledge of <\/span>who <\/span><\/i>you are writing to. <\/span><\/p>\n

A subpar writer who deeply understands his or her customers will <\/span>always <\/span><\/i>be able to craft a more compelling message than even an excellent writer who lacks a basic understanding of their audience. <\/span><\/p>\n

Just think about this blog for a second. <\/span><\/p>\n

Would you be reading this article right now if my content consistently focused on health and fitness?<\/span><\/p>\n

Would you read it if the language I used in each article was written in a way that was designed to resonate with teenagers?<\/span><\/p>\n

If \u201clol\u201d, \u201cwtf\u201d, \u201cand \u201catm\u201d littered every paragraph, would I be able to hold your attention?<\/span><\/p>\n

Probably not. <\/span><\/p>\n

I know that <\/span>my ideal customers<\/span><\/a> are typically entrepreneurial men in their late twenties to early forties looking for guidance regarding their online business, lead generation, or local marketing efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And this knowledge informs every outline that I create, every sentence I write, and every word that I type. <\/span><\/p>\n

You need to realize that it doesn\u2019t matter how great your style might be, or how beautifully you are able to weave ideas together. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you cannot write in a way that resonates with <\/span>your <\/span><\/i>ideal customer, then no amount of <\/span>style or advanced grammar<\/span><\/a> will help you. <\/span><\/p>\n

So before you move on to the next section of this article, I want you to take out a pen and a piece of paper (or for you true champions, pull up your Evernote), and answer the following questions. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What is the age of the potential customer to whom I am writing?<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. What are my ideal customers biggest needs, pain points, and desires?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Where do my ideal customers spend their time online? What blogs, websites, and social media pages can I use to draw inspiration and gain a deeper understanding of my audience?<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. What sort of language and slang will my ideal customers understand and respond to? Are they clean cut? Do they swear like sailors? Do they understand \u201chip\u201d lingo or are they more traditional?<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Why would my ideal customer read <\/span>my <\/span><\/i>blog over the thousands of other blogs on the web? What unique value do I offer that keeps them coming back?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Once you have spent some serious time pondering and answering the following questions, you are ready to move on and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard in our case).<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Brainstorming Process<\/span><\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    One of the biggest problems that online marketers and entrepreneurs encounter on their quest to create epic blog posts is that they don\u2019t have any ideas about <\/span>what <\/span><\/i>to write. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Luckily, with the power of the internet, this is a simple problem to fix. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s how.<\/span><\/p>\n

    1. Use Competitive Analysis Tools<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Whenever you are brainstorming potential article topics, you want to make sure that <\/span>your idea is validated<\/span><\/a> before you invest your hard-earned time or money into creating new content. <\/span><\/p>\n

    The best way to accomplish this is by using tools like <\/span>semrush.com<\/span><\/a> to analyze what your competitors are doing. <\/span><\/p>\n

    In today\u2019s market, there is simply no reason to do any of the heavy lifting yourself. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Other companies have already done all of the testing, all of the market research, and all of the optimization so that you don\u2019t have to. <\/span><\/p>\n

    By taking advantage of <\/span>competitive analysis tools<\/span><\/a>, you will be able to all but eliminate incongruent content and wasted time. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s walk through the process using <\/span>Kissmetrics<\/span>\u00a0as the \u201ccompetitor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    First, simply type in semrush.com into your search bar. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Once you are on the page, insert the URL of your competitor into their search box, in our case, kissmetrics.com<\/span>
    \n\"\"<\/p>\n

    Now, you can peruse through gigabytes upon gigabytes of competitive research regarding search engine ranking, paid traffic, and tons of other online goodies.<\/span><\/p>\n

    However, what we are looking for is their organic keyword data.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Click \u2018View Full Report\u2019 in the bottom right-hand corner of the Top Organic Keyword box and you will be taken to the following page. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    From this report, I can see that topics regarding SEO, Facebook marketing, Google Webmaster Tools, and Google Adwords are all popular topics. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Now, you have two options. <\/span><\/p>\n

    You can take one of the above topics, plop it into Google, find a few ideas, and call it a day. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Or you can use <\/span>the skyscraper technique<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Find Content Where You Can Use \u201cThe Skyscraper Technique\u201d<\/b><\/h3>\n

    The skyscraper technique is an incredible tactic that allows you to (almost) instantaneously find a topic to write about and <\/span>rank on the first page of Google for that topic\u2019s keywords.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The way it works is to find a piece of content that already has a proven track-record of attracting\u00a0links and social shares, and then creating a similar piece that’s more thorough and actionable.<\/p>\n

    For example, this post is about 7 lead generation tools that marketers can use.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    So I decided to create one that had 27 lead generation tools for marketers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    But it’s not just about giving more tools. It’s about offering 10X the value.<\/p>\n

    Let me show you how it works. <\/span><\/p>\n

    There are two tools that will help you identify content that’s worthy of attacking.<\/p>\n

    Tool# 1. Google<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Using our previous example with kissmetrics.com, we are going to skyscrape their content on the keyword \u201cKissmetrics Facebook Marketing.\u201d<\/span>
    \n\"\"<\/p>\n

    Now, as much of an optimist as I can be, I am also a realist. <\/span><\/p>\n

    I realize that at this point in my blog\u2019s development I will probably not be able to rank for the keyword \u201cFacebook Marketing\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    However, SERP #4 \u201c30+ Resources to Help You Excel at Facebook\u201d looks like it might hold skyscraping potential. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Upon further inspection, we find something interesting. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    This particular article was written almost <\/span>3 years <\/span><\/i>ago. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Even though the information might still be relevant today, because of this article\u2019s age, it makes it prime for \u201cscraping\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Now, not only do you now have an excellent topic for your next article, but you have found a topic that has the potential to put you on the first page of Google. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Not too shabby for 10 minutes of research, huh?<\/span><\/p>\n

    From here, you can use tools like Ahrefs<\/a>\u00a0to reverse engineer where the backlinks are coming from and reach out to website owners letting them know about your new guide.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    You might send them an email like this:<\/p>\n

    Hi [Name],<\/p>\n

    I came across your post [Post Name] and thought it was a killer piece. I couldn’t help but notice that you linked out to Kissmetrics post “30+ Resources To Help You Excel at Facebook Advertising in 2014.”<\/p>\n

    I’m sure you know, Facebook advertising has changed a lot since 2014 and there are newer and more robust resources that have come out since then.<\/p>\n

    I just published a new article: “275 Resources To Crush It With Facebook Advertising in [Current Year]” that is extremely actionable and thorough. I thought it might make a good fit for your post.<\/p>\n

    Let me know if you want to check it out.<\/p>\n

    Cheers,<\/p>\n

    Sam<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    At this point, it’s a numbers game. The more sites you reach out to, the more links you’ll get. If you write solid emails, you can get anywhere from a 5-12% conversion rate.<\/p>\n

    Tool #2: Buzzsumo<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Buzzsumo is one of my favorite content marketing tools and is the perfect companion for the Skyscraper Technique.<\/p>\n

    Here’s how you get social shares using this tool.<\/p>\n

    Step 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Go to Buzzsumo.com<\/a>\u00a0and type in your target keyword phrase.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Step 2:\u00a0<\/strong>Find a topic with a solid share count.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Step 3:\u00a0<\/strong>Create something similar to the topic, but 10X better.<\/p>\n

    Step 4:\u00a0<\/strong>Reach out to influencers who have shared the article and ask them to share yours.<\/p>\n

    Using this tool, you can find hundreds of topics to write about and keep busy for the rest of your life.<\/p>\n

    3. Poll Your Audience<\/b><\/h3>\n

    If you are too nice to complete a competitive analysis or not willing to put in the time to skyscrape your next article, you can always take an easier approach. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Ask your audience. <\/span><\/p>\n

    If you have already <\/span>built up a healthy email or social media following<\/span><\/a>, then you can eliminate the brainstorming phase altogether and allow your audience to tell <\/span>you<\/span><\/i> what they want directly. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Create a short survey and email your list asking what <\/span>they <\/span><\/i>want to see. You an use Google forms for free and get a wealth of data that may surprise you.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ask them what their biggest problems are or what they need help with the most.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ask them which of the following they would benefit from the most.<\/p>\n

    I can guarantee that these posts will elicit a positive response and give you a <\/span>plethora <\/span><\/i>of article ideas. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Creating a Killer Headline<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Your headline is the\u00a0connection between user and content. If your headline sucks, then no one will click through to read your content.<\/p>\n

    Don’t believe me?<\/p>\n

    Copyblogger<\/a>\u00a0suggests that 8 out of 10 people will read the headline, but only 2 will read the rest, making the quality of your title the most critical part of your entire blog post.<\/p>\n

    With the vast number of voices vying for your customer\u2019s attention, learning <\/span>how to stand out from the crowd<\/span><\/a> and capture their interest can be the difference between a thriving blog and watching Google relegate your blog into the darkest recesses of cyberspace. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Luckily for you, writing a catchy and attractive headline is actually a lot simpler than it sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Follow these instructions and headline formulas (more on this in a bit), and you’ll be on your way to creating clickworthy headlines.<\/p>\n

    1. Make a Big Promise (that your audience wants)<\/b><\/p>\n

    The first step to writing a catchy headline is to promise your audience something that they want. <\/span><\/p>\n

    In this article, for example, I make the promise that I will teach you how to write better blog posts <\/span>even <\/span><\/i>if you are a terrible writer. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Now, I want you to imagine that I simply titled this article: \u201cHow to Write Blog Posts\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ok….<\/span><\/p>\n

    Even though there is nothing inherently wrong with that headline, it doesn\u2019t speak to anyone on a deep and visceral level. <\/span><\/p>\n

    By changing the title to \u00a0<\/span>How to Write Jaw Dropping Blog Posts (even if you are a terrible writer)<\/span><\/i>, I promise my readers (you) that by the time you are finished reading my article, you will be able to write amazing content\u2026 <\/span>even if you suck at writing<\/span><\/a> right now. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    But here\u2019s the catch. <\/span><\/p>\n

    I am <\/span>so <\/span><\/i>confident in the content that I am creating and the knowledge behind my writing that I <\/span>know <\/span><\/i>I can deliver on this promise. <\/span><\/p>\n

    If I wrote the headline \u201cHow to Make $1,000,000 in 3 Days by Writing Epic Blog Posts\u201d not only would the article be perceived as clickbait, but I wouldn\u2019t be able to fulfill my promise and would lose my audience\u2019s trust. <\/span><\/p>\n

    The bottom line? <\/span><\/p>\n

    Make a <\/span>big <\/span><\/i>promise and make <\/span>damn sure <\/span><\/i>that you can fulfill your promise.<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Use Powerful Language<\/b><\/p>\n

    Read the following headlines and tell me which one you would be more likely to click on. <\/span><\/p>\n

    How to gain 10 lbs. Of muscle <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    Or<\/span><\/p>\n

    How to Effortlessly Pack on 10 lbs. Of Muscle in Record Time<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    I think the answer is pretty obvious. <\/span><\/p>\n

    You see, whenever you are crafting your article headlines, you want to make sure they pack a linguistic punch. <\/span><\/p>\n

    You need to use powerful adjectives and adverbs that will entice your customers and create a tangible emotional impact. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Here are a few examples to get you started. <\/span><\/p>\n