1. Know your audience and focus on the reader

If you think you’re writing for everyone, then really, you’re not writing for anyone. Knowing your audience is the first step in writing an excellent blog, and your blog must be specific to your audience. Keep demographics in mind to help shape your message to the right audience. Also keep in mind psychographics such as habits, frustrations, and aspirations so that your writing is relatable and easy for the reader to follow.

Constantly keep your writing in check by knowing that the audience wants to feel they are gaining something by reading your blog.

2. Be original, be yourself, and hook the reader

As a blogger you are first a writer, which means you need to have a voice in writing. If you are real and relatable, people are more likely to keep reading your posts. People can smell BS a mile away, so don’t try to copy other people’s writing styles. Don’t pretend to know everything. Decide whether you’re an expert or an amateur on the subject you’re writing on—decide which of these roles is most authentic to who you are and begin writing more intentionally with this voice.
Hook the reader with a personal story and give them a way to connect to you. Share your morals, your beliefs, and let the reader know who you are. Be vulnerable too—often the things you try to hide are the things that could give you the biggest breakthrough.

3. Outline your post, make a point, and stick with it

Organize your thoughts and write them down. Make your main claim and write down ideas for an introduction and conclusion. Then expand on your claim and fill in the blanks. It is key that your blog does not bore people with too many supporting arguments or wishy-washy points. Make a main claim and expand on it with 3-5 of the best supporting points. Shy away from too much expansion, but do not make a claim without supporting it.

4. Keep it short, keep it sweet, keep it creative

Again, stick to the point. Keep what you have to say short so that people don’t get bored or don’t give up reading your blog because of its length. In general, make your paragraphs 3-5 sentences long so that it is easier for the reader to follow. Also be creative with your writing. Make sure that your voice is adamant throughout and that the blog contains a flare of personality. People will admire you for being real, so don’t be afraid to say silly things or convey emotion in your writing.

5. Make it pretty

People are very visual and lose interest in things quickly, so capture and keep their attention with photos and layouts. Generally having a white background with black letters can be hard on your eyes, so try using a light yellow or mint background with a dark font. Use fonts that are easy to read and stay away from italics and caps if you can.

Leave white space so that the reader can read more easily. Use headers, sub headers, lists, and bullets to keep things organized. These tools are easy to use, and make the reader feel as though they are accomplishing small feats as they reach the end of sectioned reading.

6. Re-read, edit, repeat

Once you have finished writing your blog, you’re not done. Go back and add bullets, shorten compound sentences, and shorten or split up paragraphs. Read your writing out loud to make sure that it reads well, edit any mistakes, and repeat the process until you are satisfied with your writing.

7. Pick the perfect title

It is often the best to pick a title once you have completed writing and editing your blog post. This way you will know your piece inside and out, making it easier to pick a title that fits perfectly. Make sure that your title is not too long and use alliteration, numbers, or begin your title with “How to” or a question to provoke the reader. Many readers skim through blog posts and have nothing but titles to capture their interest. This makes the title the most important key in captivating a reader’s interest.