What makes great blogs

And of all times for it to occur, it seems to plague us the most when trying to write an introduction. Sometimes, blog posts can have an overwhelming amount of information — for the reader and the writer. The trick is to organize the info in a way so readers aren't intimidated by length or amount of content. This organization can take multiple forms — sections, lists, tips — whatever's most appropriate. But it must be organized!

Download These Templates for Free. The major sections are separated into subsections that go into more detail, making the content easier to read. To complete this step, all you really need to do is outline your post. This way, before you start writing, you'll know which points you want to cover and the best order to do so in. And to make things even easier, you can download and use our free blog post templates , which are pre-organized for six of the most common blogs.

Just fill in the blanks! The next step — but not the last — is actually writing the content. We can't forget about that, of course. Now that you have your outline or template, you're ready to fill in the blanks.

Use your outline as a guide and expand on all points as needed. Write about what you already know, and if necessary, conduct additional research to gather more information, examples, and data to back up your points, while providing proper attribution when incorporating external sources. When you do, always try to find accurate and compelling data to use in your post. If you're having trouble stringing sentences together, you're not alone.

Finding your "flow" can be challenging for a lot of folks. Luckily, there are a ton of tools you can lean on to help you improve your writing. Here are a few to get you started:. You can also refer to our complete list of tools for improving your writing skills. And if you're looking for more direction, the following resources are chock-full of valuable writing advice:. You're not quite done yet, but you're close!

The editing process is an important part of blogging — don't overlook it. Ask a grammar-conscious co-worker to copyedit and proofread your post. You may also consider enlisting the help of The Ultimate Editing Checklist or using a free grammar checker like Grammarly. If you're looking to brush up on your self-editing skills, turn to these helpful posts for some tips and tricks to get you started:.

Choose a visually appealing and relevant image for your post. As social networks treat content with images more prominently, visuals are more responsible than ever for the success of your blog content. For help selecting an image for your post, read " How to Select the Perfect Image for Your Next Blog Post " and pay close attention to the section about copyright law.

No one likes an unattractive blog post. And it's not just pictures that make a post visually appealing — it's the formatting and organization of the post, too.

In a well-formatted and visually-appealing blog post, you'll notice that header and sub-headers are used to break up large blocks of text — and those headers are styled consistently.

Screenshots should always have a similar, defined border so they don't appear as if they're floating in space — that style should stay consistent from post to post. Tags are specific, public-facing keywords that describe a post. They also allow readers to browse for more content in the same category on your blog. Refrain from adding a laundry list of tags to each post. Instead, put some thought into a blog tagging strategy.

Think of tags as "topics" or "categories," and choose tags that represent all the main topics you want to cover on your blog. Then stick to those. At the end of every blog post, insert a CTA that indicates what you want the reader to do next — subscribe to your blog, download an ebook, register for a webinar or event, read a related article, etc. After your visitors read your blog post, they click on the CTA, and eventually you generate a lead.

But the CTA is also a valuable resource for the person reading your content — use your CTAs to offer more content similar to the subject of the post they just finished reading. At the end of the post is a CTA prompting readers to take a social media certification course:. See how that's a win-win for everyone? Readers who want to learn more have the opportunity to do so, and the business receives a lead they can nurture After you finish writing, go back and optimize the on-page elements of your post.

Don't obsess over how many keywords to include. If there are opportunities to incorporate keywords you're targeting, and it won't impact reader experience, do it. If you can make your URL shorter and more keyword-friendly, go for it. But don't cram keywords or shoot for some arbitrary keyword density — Google's smarter than that!

Here's a little blog SEO reminder about what you should review and optimize:. Meta descriptions are the descriptions below the post's page title on Google's search results pages.

They provide searchers with a short summary of the post before clicking into it. They are ideally between characters and start with a verb, such as "Learn," "Read," or "Discover. While meta descriptions no longer factor into Google's keyword ranking algorithm, they give searchers a snapshot of what they'll get from reading the post and help improve your clickthrough rate from search.

Most blogging software uses your post title as your page title, which is the most important on-page SEO element at your disposal. But if you've followed our formula so far, you should already have a working title that will naturally include keywords or phrases your target audience is interested in.

Don't over-complicate your title by trying to fit in keywords where they don't naturally belong. Nice article! This is a great post and yet I also agree with Venkat that it is written with the assumption that success means the same thing to all. Meanwhile, I would add to the list that effective Bloggers are visionaries who write for a purpose beyond getting followers.

If you can write… really write on your own Not copy and cut and paste someone elses work you can make money. But if you are new to online marketing, looking for a way to make money that does not require you to host your own site, and is completely legitimate then give it a look. As a new blogger, I did all those things you wrote about at the beginning with so much excellent help out there.

Thank you for steering me in the right direction with these great points — for me, persistence is the key. I must work very hard to keep enticing new readers and build my following.

I must be in the minority, the two blogs I read the most often have extremely long but well written posts. Thanks to all of you for these amazing comments and to Sonia for publishing my post and fielding all the comments while I was sleeping here in Australia.

For the record being persistent is the number one key to success in blogging and just about anything so when in doubt just keep plugging on. Thanks for the excellent additions of being passionate and having your own voice. Your advice is both valuable and timely. Mine is a business blog—unequivocally. Great post…my focus is on points 5 and 8. And 5 gives people a reason to read. Here is a simple tip. You can recycle old content.

I have been blogging for six years now. While I have retained many of my readers new ones show up all the to time. So every so often I roll out an old post. Dave D, I agree with that. OK, learning to write well is hard. But that can be worked around with partnerships. But there are so many steps, all coming in at once. But getting there is tough.

All of these are great points as collectively they are what sets the best bloggers apart. For those that are blogging as their business or revenue stream, I would like to add that they are good business people and have a sense of how to run a business. That is another trait that brings success in blogging for business. Jack- That is a good tip and I should do it. I will get there one of these days! Hi Annabel, I admire you for churning out an advice blog post with soul.

There is one thing I still cannot figure out: do we pick a topic or does a topic choose us? I am in the middle of figuring out what my topic is and I have started wondering if the latter is the case — I write blog posts, look back, and try to find if there is any path that appears by connecting the seemingly random dots.

Spot-on list, Annabel! Approaching life with the outlook that you can always learn something new can directly correlate to how prolific you are. Hi Annabel, I enjoyed your post. I think its the kind of joy you get out of a job well done regardless of how difficult it is and also the cumulative nature of blogging. I think the most important trait is writing a lot. This not only gives you more SEO juice, but gives your blog more chances of being read by potential ad clickers or product buyers.

I guess they feel very strongly about it and everyone is welcome to their opinion. Kunle — Blogging is fun. Excellent post overall. But I have noticed that the top dogs are very good at sticking to the one topic. I hope what you say is true. I want to believe it and I know a few top bloggers who like you also think your voice is more important than your topic.

Maybe diverse topics is an option but sticking to one topic a safer bet at least to begin with…. Terrific article! Thanks for compiling all of those. I think they are all equally important actually. I think all of this comes more easily when you have a passion for what you do as well. For instance, at my job I might be content to learn what I need to to get by because ultimately I want to work from home. So my interest in learning is definitely higher when it comes to blogging and my retail website.

I agree with Andrew. I looked at the statistics many times a day, and I tried to adjust my blog all the time. Really good post and I agree with all the points you have listed.

Persistence is the key!! Glad to see 3 on the list! They may tell you one thing but do something totally different on your site. Is the best example. Now he writes for Bicycling Magazine and has a major book release next month. In my opinion, there are lots of ways to get people to your site for a single visit through a link or search engine result. But the only way someone is going to return on a daily or weekly basis is fantastic writing.

Great list! Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. But this post and the 8 habits mentioned are an excellent resource for bloggers and wannabe bloggers!

He just has a lot to say. Personality is one that I think you can do or not do, at your own discretion. In order to be successful, I think bloggers need to embrace a bit of all those eight habits.

In order to gain a loyal following, however, the writing must be strong and consistent. I encourage my clients to make a blog editorial schedule and stick to it. This is good advice. All good tips. I think bloggers should try to have an adaptable editorial calendar to provide a framework for the month ahead.

I think the 8 habits you describe for effective bloggers applies to any pursuit. Good post and one I value as a novice blogger finding her way. I end up going in too many different directions at the same time. I frustrate myself trying to decide which widget to use. And a shout-out to my friend, Andrew from comment number one. Thanks for putting your time and effort into sorting out what makes top bloggers effective.

Great article, advice, and tips for the all around blogger. I started blogging with one idea in mind. That was to dispense my thoughts in one primary place. I have grown to love blogging and with that my passion for writing has returned. I find the single greatest help and hinderance is either an abundance of or lack of motivation. Behind that, providing quality over quantity will keep me coing back to a blog time and time again.

Knowledge — Re motivation. Jut keep doing it a little bit each week and your blog will get better and your writing grow. Jack — Thanks for the comment about bringing back older posts — I have a lot of new readers from the last couple of months and some of my older posts could be really useful for them. I have a hard time being concise but have gotten better … I always feel like I need to provide some sort of background story before I get to my point. I agree on all your points. I also follow them :D.

I think the most important trait a long term blogger can employ is consistent ethics. Being true to yourself translates into being honest with your readers. Honesty builds trust and everyone wins. The man changed my writing style and taught me to be concise. Persistence is also essential if one wants to have a long-lasting blog. Then, a news story or press release will grab my attention, and I have to write about it.

One other item I will add: it helps to have friends online. Be a friend to others and you will have friends back. That is how I was nominated to and became a finalist in the San Diego Influence award this year in the Blogger of the Year category. Another blogger won the award, but I won the votes. That can make a person feel very good indeed! Its really informative post, Consistency and passionate what i am trying to do with my blogging habbits.

Sharing all this about making and establishing the right Blog is really effective for me and definitely for other online ideas sharing people as well. So it is nice and new to me…. I think it is hard to pick one thing that is most important. I think you have covered almost everything. I, too, have researched a lot of bloggers. One thing I will add is: being personal or a good storyteller.

The blogs I enjoy reading are informative, yet also tell a story. I am not prolific at this point, yet I do find I have a running list of ideas to jot done. Good list. Holly — Thank you. Networking is hugely important too. I think the most important keys are research and creating meaningful posts that are informative and useful.

Focus on the topic of the interest, and keep track of the insights that come to you. There are a lot of things, thoughts and topics that would make effective blog posts. All eight habits to your blog are great! It will help gain an audience that will encourage you to blog daily. This leads to a successful blog that attracts more viewers than imagined and benefits you in your writing skills.

How to say things I want to say… and be brief about it! It is a learning curve. I think persistence is the most important, not only in blogging, but in almost any endeavor. I Just arrived from over at the Better Networker Tribe. Wow what a great resource this is. I love it here. I just kicked off my own blog this week and will definitely be coming here every day to learn as much as I can from you guys.

Thanks for this wonderful list. I particulalry like the one about consistencey because I think it applies to entire process of blogging. I thought of that too while reading your post. This article helped me immensely.

I am in the process of developing my blog categories and outlines. Preparation is something I have invested a lot of time in, and know the rigor that will be involved moving forward. This is a great article! It really got me thinking. I have this horrible habit of never finishing what I start. I definitely need to keep focused and continue writing, writing, writing.

Great post — we all can relate to trying on what successful bloggers have done — then trying something else — then trying something else — until we get that we need to go in our own direction. I share my blog with 7 other writers, I sent them the link to this becuase I have try to say this to them, but I think you say it so much better. Best of luck with your top blogging — you did make it to here which should drive your name throughout the stratosphere and over comments is rockin!

I would say the most important trait is not to quit. Because the fact is, most people are quitters. Sometimes I envy them. The major stumbling block is that many cannot figure out what to write about.

My idea is to stop debating and start testing out. Or simply start doing some research on your own or use a software to find good niche ideas.

But I define it in a slightly different way. I think the most important elements of blogging are to care passionately about your topic, to want to learn more about it on an ongoing basis and to share what you learn with others. All of these are imporant there own way in the success of a blog, but the most important trait is to be a lifelong learner.

The world changes constantly and so does marketing on the web, this is why we can never stop learning and adapting to the changes. Writing content comes first and foremost, write clear, concise content that adds value for a reader. I would say tip 5: be focused and consistent is the most important.

I mean, if you write about a passion — something that really gets you excited — than you will inevitably want to share that information with others, so this goes hand in hand with self promotion. Great Article! If your willing to learn how to be a successful blogger, if your not already, you will learn how to become a successful blogger. If you combine that with Persistance and being a prolific writer you will eventually become successful blogger.

I would love to be a better blogger but am also happy in the little area of the blogsphere I am in. I guess I closed myself off a bit though. How visually engaging is the post? How will it keep attracting more traffic?

Choose a Good Topic The first step towards writing a blog post is to pick a good topic. Take Notes and Start an Outline While you do your research keep a notebook handy where you can take down the important points and outline your topic.

Hook Your Readers With a Great Opening If you can hook your readers with a good opening consider half your work to be done. Here are a few ways you can make your blog posts scannable: Use Subheadings : Subheadings help your readers to see the main topics of your post, and will help you to stay organized and on track when writing.

Write Short Sentences : Short sentences are much easier to read. Long sentences can make it complicated to understand. I recommend using sentences in most of your paragraphs, with some 1-sentence paragraphs to grab the eye. Use Bullet Points : Whenever you have a list, you can use bullet points to make your message precise and clear and easy to scan, instead of listing items in a sentence.

Use Images for Visual Engagement A simple image has the power to make a boring post much more fun and engaging. Source 9. You might also like The comments are closed after 30 days. Add a Comment Cancel reply We're glad you have chosen to leave a comment.

Your Name. Your E-Mail. Concorde on August 31, Inu Etc on September 5, You guys always offer helpful and highly informative articles. Thanks for sharing! David on October 30, Daisy Simpson on November 26, David on November 26, Thanks, Daisy, let us know when you start your blog. Sharad Gupta on January 9, David, I am a great fan of your writing.

Write about something you love, otherwise you'll show no passion in your writing. And if there's no passion, your content will suffer, so find a topic you are comfortable with and only write about that.

For example, if you're a museum curator, talk about the industry, emerging trends and other museums or exhibitions you love. And if you're a theatre director, you could write about industry folk you admire or share your working day with your followers. It goes without saying but if you don't provide something the public wants, your creative blog will never be a success. Give people what they're after and offer real value to their web browsing experience.

What do I mean by this? Well, value is demonstrated in the content you publish. If your content isn't valuable people won't read it or return to read more.

Really think about what you're putting out there and give the people what they want. You won't get anywhere if you just launch a blog and hope that people will come without any marketing effort. You have to actively market your blog and you can do that through a variety of ways. You can start chatting with other bloggers by leaving valuable comments on other people's blog posts — this will help draw people back to your own site. Or you can make use of the search engines and write about topics that are popular in the searches, like this very feature.

Or you could even offer to contribute to influential e-zines or blogs to help raise your profile. Whatever you choose to do, just get out there and market yourself like mad. There's really no excuse not to.

Get people talking on your blog. Ask them to add their comments on various articles, like I've done with this post. Encourage interaction wherever possible. Ask for feedback, respond to people's contributions, build a community and be nice. People love to interact, so make sure you're friendly and welcoming. Just be aware that there are many reasons why people might not comment on your blog posts.

It could be anything from not providing easy access to log a comment to writing about negative things people don't want to be a part of. Bottom line? Make commenting easily accessible and write about stuff that gets people talking positively.

If people can interact on your blog, they'll keep coming back for more. Occasionally you may get the odd negative comment on your blog. Don't let it put you off or scare you away from blogging. Any comments you're not happy with can be deleted or responded to positively.