How to Write Marketing Blogs Your Clients Will Actually Read
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Rachel Heidegger
Get this: There are more Tumblr blogs in the US than people. This doesn't even account for blogs on other platforms.
Blogs are taking over-- everyone and their mother has one. As a marketer, this presents a challenge.
Your blogs should
1.
stand out from other blogs
2.
capture and KEEP the attention of a clients
3.
drive sales.
Does this seem like a lot to accomplish? Achieving all of this is easier than it seems.
By learning from other marketing bloggers, you can create content that keeps attention, creates action that supports your business, and establishes you above the rest. Keep reading and learn to create the finest marketing blogs the Internet's ever seen.
A Guiding Topic
Before writing, know what you're writing about and back up why it's a good pick.
The best resources to discover topics? Your clients. Listen to them. If you're a B2C brand, that's easy. If not, use networking as an opportunity to get feedback.
Utilize crowdsourcing. Sites like Reddit, Quora, and BuzzSumo can find what people are interested in or struggling with. They can also help validate your topics. Do you think pest control clients really care about the "Top 10 Reasons Termites Suck"? Crosscheck that on Quora or Buzzsumo before diving in.
Structure
Next, match your topic with the perfect structure.
Quicksprout's breakdown of the most popular blog types includes the listicle, how-to, guide, myth debunking, and more. Any are a good place to start.
A. Headline and Intro
In 2015, humans officially fell below goldfish in attention span, meaning you've got less than 9 seconds to capture your reader's' attention.
Hubspot says a catchy headline should include:
1.
numbers
2.
adjectives
3.
calls to action.
(They even created some simple formulas to help build out a great headline.)
An intro can make or break you. Luckily, experts have already defined different introduction models to rope your reader in. Intro models AIDA, APP, and Attention, Reason, Address are all solid choices.
B. The Meat
Let's dive into the body of your article.
First, create an outline around your structure. Then, begin to flesh it out with a conversational yet professional tone, adding in questions, statistics, and bulleted lists.
Keep in mind: Brevity is key, but you want it short and PURPOSEFUL rather than just short.
Making it both readable AND scannable with fun things like segues and subheadings will break up the content and point out key takeaways to the readers.
Edit, Optimize, Repeat
Once your first draft is done, go back to make it better. And repeat.
Be sure to scan and edit your blog for:
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Typos
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Consistency
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Clarity
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Unanswered questions
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SEO
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Remember: You're aiming for understandable, concise, error-free writing that solves your readers' problem.
In order to solve their problems, though, the blog must get to your readers first. Using Search Engine Optimization will help get your site a top ranking in your target audience's Google or Bing search. If you're struggling with SEO or have no idea what it even is, no worries. We've got a Keyword planner tool to help you out.
Go Out with a Bang
Your copy's looking gooooood now, but don't stop there! Punctuate your post with a call-to-action that appeals to clients and drives business.
Forbes recommends a CTA that is
1.
prominent on the page
2.
of value to the reader
3.
user-friendly
4.
need-focused.
Satisfy all this with one CTA and you've tied up your marketing blog into the very prettiest package.
To Be Continued
It doesn't take a genius to write great marketing blogs people want to read, it takes someone resourceful.
Luckily, we've got a ton of resources to help you continue writing hit blog after hit blog.