How to write a powerful blog post in 60 minutes (or less)
Busy business owners, listen up! This is how you create a powerful blog post in under an hour.
Did you know that a business-to-business company that blogs, generates 67% more leads per month than those who don’t?
Impressive, right? It’s enough to make you want to start blogging for your business straight away. The only problem is, where are you going to find the time?
We get it. Writing takes time. Writing relevant, persuasive and engaging content that generates leads can take even more time. One day, you’ll have ideas leap off the page and write a month of buzzworthy content, and other times the urge to write is reduced to a dull flickering light.
Even professional copywriters get stuck too.
Blogging is necessary for creating fresh SEO content Google loves, connecting and sharing timely and relevant information with your customers (or audience) and driving traffic to your website.
If you’re not blogging as part of your content strategy, here’s some convincing facts that will change your mind:
- Website with a blog tend to have 434% more indexed pages
- 47% of customers viewed 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep
- 94% of people who share blog posts, do so because they believe it might be helpful to others
- 51% of business owners report that blog content is “very important” or “absolutely critical” to creating a cohesive buyer journey
- Blogs have rated as the 5th most trusted source for accurate online information
Ready to start writing blogs? We’re going to tell you how to write a brilliant 500-word blog post in under an hour with Neil Patel’s blog writing philosophy, which is just one of the philosophies iFactory Brisbane copywriters adopt.
Step one: Build an ideas bank
Don’t wait until you start writing a blog to come up with a “great idea”. Truthfully, blog ideas will come to you at random times; sometimes throughout the night, other times during meetings or perhaps when speaking with a client.
Instead of letting the idea fly away into the abyss of your brain, create an ideas bank spreadsheet that you can jot your ideas in – even if it’s a bad one or a half-developed idea.
Step one to idea generation could be by thinking of all your products or services and consider each one individually by asking: What hurdles are preventing your prospects from saying yes? By addressing concerns people might have about your business, you are giving yourself the best chance at improving your lead generation efforts.
The second way to generate ideas is to by auditing your popular blog content. Looking at content that’s already hit the mark for your audience is one of the best ways to pinpoint what kind of content will delight your audience.
The third way to develop new blog ideas is to conduct competitive intelligence by tapping into what’s working for your competitors. Then make it yours, make it better and readers will flock to you.
So, by the time you’re ready to write that blog, you’ve got a bank of ideas to choose from and don’t need to waste time simply “thinking”.
Step two: Add quality to your blog with research and supporting data
It can be tempting to put all the information in your blog post. Unfortunately, you end up with a blog post with unnecessary material which doesn’t answer the original question. So, how can you make it succinct and impactful? To create a valuable, data-driven post look to scientific studies, presentations, images and infographics, video and statistics and facts to inform your content. Then, let it marinate overnight so that the ideas become more refined.
Step three: Flesh out your blog outline
Are you ready to execute your blog? Great. To write a 45-minute blog post, stick to the following time schedule:
- Hook – 5 minutes
- Opening – 5 minutes
- Body – 30 minutes
- Conclusion – 5 minutes
Writing a hook
There are 9 strategies one must follow when writing a punch hook:
- Be clear and focused, first and foremost
- Don’t get too cute or rely on puns unless the joke is the centre of your story
- If the published deadline isn’t for a few days, write multiple headlines and finetune
- Always write with an active voice
- Keep your characters between 40 and 77 characters for better Google performance
- Don’t be afraid to appeal to the sense with an emotional headline
- Pique the reader’s curiosity without being “click-bait”
- Make sure your content supports the headline
- Ensure the most important part of your story is conveyed in your headline, but don’t give away the reason they should click through.
Examples of headline writing formulas include:
- [Story] + [Effect] = New Google Algorithm Gives Top Websites a Heavy Blow
- [Number] of ways to [Desired Outcome] = 7 Ways to Leverage Online Advertising
- [The Burning Question] = Should You Use a Chatbot for Your Ecommerce Website?
Write an opening people want to keep reading
According to HubSpot, 43% of people admit to skim reading blog posts and only 28% of people will read it in its entirety. If the opening isn’t inviting, entertaining and full of promise, they will likely click off the page. According to Patel, there are three ways to write an engaging opener.
- Keep your first paragraph, short and easy to digest. No more than 100 words. According to BackLinko, this will boost the readability by 58%
- Create an emotionally grippy narrative by aggravating the problem and paint a picture of the promise you wish to resolve throughout the blog
- Boost your credibility and authenticity by uses personal anecdotes and mini stories which relate to the topic
Craft dynamic body copy
There’s a lot more to pack into body copy and this is where you will spend most of your time. Luckily, there’s an easy way to address each critical point you’d like to make. Simply follow this blueprint:
- Lead with why
- Show the promise by painting a pretty picture
- Reference your supporting data
- Offer an example to put your point into context
- Offer a solution, action-step or takeaway
Close strong
There’s no hard and fast rule for creating a strong close, however, Patel recommends ending on a positive outlook, that emphasises the main point and calls on the audience to act with urgency. Including a conversation activator (i.e. posing a question) can also encourage the reader to engage with your brand.
And there you have it. Once you’ve finished. Let it rest for the afternoon or overnight, so you can come back to it with fresh eyes for editing and touch-ups. If you’re new to blogging, get a colleague to proof-read your points for quality control.
There will be moments when blog writing gnaws at your busy mind. Even if you’re a self-professed horrible writer, committing to this process will simplify your life and give you the results you want.
iFactory is a full-service digital marketing and technology agency, with a talented team of website designers and copywriters. If you’re looking for someone to overhaul your digital marketing and content marketing strategy, get in contact with us today.