There’s so much more to (successfully) blogging than simply typing up your 800 words and clicking “publish.” Writing phenomenal pieces just isn’t enough anymore to obtain loyal readers while also boosting your Google ranking. However, it is a suitable place to start.
As a content marketer, I spend almost every day writing blog posts. But, I work for Skutchi office cubicle manufacturer. Unfortunately, exceptional, unique, and engaging topics don’t just fall into my lap every morning. Cubicles are not the most exciting thing on earth to write about and believe it or not, people aren’t viciously searching online every day for captivating content written on office cubicles.
So, how do I write weekly (or more) content within my niche that actually generates clicks?
Here are a few guidelines that I follow when writing each of my posts. Whether you’re new to blogging, writing in a “boring” niche, or just looking for a little boost ahead of your competitors, these tips might help you out as well.
Know Your Audience
Detecting your target audience is extremely important. If your strategy is to just write for everyone and blast your post on every social networking site possible, you’ll have a more difficult time establishing a loyal audience. Sure, a few people (in your niche) will just so happen to stumble across your piece and enjoy it because of its relevance to them. But, wouldn’t it be much easier to target only those who will find your post applicable to them?
For example: If your blog contains articles such as recipes, balancing your work and home life, fun activities for the whole family to enjoy, and other related topics, you’ll want to target moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms, etc. Sharing this post with teenagers, students, grandparents, or young couples without kids would have no impact on your blog traffic. These types of posts are not relevant to them; therefore, they won’t waste their time reading them.
Choose an Engaging Topic
This is arguably the most important step in writing your post. Check search engines and networking sites to discover what topics are popular (generating comments, likes, and shares) in your niche.
For example: When I’m searching for a new topic to write about, I’ll search “office cubicles,” “office design,” or “office furniture” in Google. Pretty general, right? And, just glance over the types of content that pops up on the first few pages. If anything, it gives me something to build off of.
You could also build off of previously written topics.
For example: I came across an article describing eight ways to decorate your cubicle. So, I wrote a post titled, “15 Ways to Make Your Cubicle Less Boring.” My post provides more information and suggestions than previously published articles.
Be specific when choosing a topic. If I wrote a piece on office design in general, not only would it be 4,000 words but, the topic would be so broad that people wouldn’t click on my post when there are other articles available more specific to what they’re looking for. I would also run out of topic ideas way too quickly. However, “Office Design Tips that Will Increase Productivity,” or writing a piece that focuses specifically on design for the reception area would be ideal topics.
If you’re writing in a boring niche (like me), be as creative as possible with your topics. Write about things that people are interested in. And, remember to choose a topic that interests you too.
For example: I’ve written pieces such as, “The Benefits of a Dog-Friendly Office,” and a post focusing on office fitness. Although these articles aren’t directly written about office cubicles, I had no problem squeezing in my relevant keywords.
Research
Before you begin writing, prepare plenty of research. Citing legitimate sources awards you credibility in addition to providing you with more information to write about. The recommended word count for blog posts now has increased from about 500-700 words to 800-1,200. There is a direct, positive correlation between the length of a post and the number of clicks, likes, and shares that it generates.
Catchy Title and Opening Paragraph
The title of your posts should be catchy enough to make someone click on your article, and the opening paragraph must compel the viewer to continue reading. “How-to” guides, “ultimate” guides, and lists have been proven very popular among viewers, generating a high volume of clicks and shares.
For example: “How to Find the Perfect Cubicle Furniture for Your Small Space,” or “25 Office Cubicle Organization Ideas.”
Optimize Readability
Organize your article in a way that is very easy to read.
Utilize:
- Headings
- Subheadings
- Bullet points
- Numbered lists
And write in short paragraphs. Include relevant and attractive images and/or videos to help break up the writing and add a simplistic visual representation or summary of your words.
Make it Your Own
Find your writing style and reveal your personality in your writing to avoid sounding bland, dull, and boring. Even if your topic is as boring as office cubicles, a joke, some of your own phrases, and a casual, relaxed tone can make the piece more interesting to read. Telling a personal story or experience not only builds your credibility but, it’s also extremely engaging and relatable to your readers.
Include Helpful, Factual Information
Again, factual information establishes your credibility. Helpful and informational content makes your article worth the read. Create a healthy mix of both entertaining posts and informational and educational posts on your blog.
For example: My blog contains, “The History of the Cubicle,” and “The Ultimate Mother’s Day Guide for Working Moms and Their Families.” One might be a little on the boring side, but it’s very educational and contains plenty of factual information. The other is a more fun and entertaining piece and is also very relevant (considering the published date). Use examples for clarification throughout your piece. Like you may have noticed I’ve done a few times in this article.
Avoid Promotion
Avoid promoting a specific product or service. People don’t want to read something that repeatedly tells them to “buy this.” If your post is engaging enough, it will lead to more sales in the long run anyway. Interesting posts generate loyal readers who spend time browsing your site and eventual become happy customers (as long as your product is valuable to them, which it should be if you’ve targeted a specific audience).
Proofread!
A published piece with numerous spelling and grammar errors is the fastest way to make a reader bounce from your page. Pieces flooded with errors are frustrating to read and pull your focus from the actual content. After someone views one poorly written article, they are very unlikely to read any succeeding articles published by the same author.
With Google’s changing algorithms and constantly updated SEO strategies, becoming a successful blogger is no simple task. But, the first step to success is generating content that people want to read, drives traffic to your site which ultimately leads to sales, and creating engaging, interesting, helpful, and entertaining content. These guidelines will help you get there. They’ve helped me and I’m writing about cubicles and office design. Hopefully, you at least have a small advantage over me in terms of available topics.
