Having a hard time getting excited about blog writing? One of the biggest obstacles to blog writing is simply the starting line. Don’t let yourself become like “all the other guys” who will start their blog writing tomorrow. Here are 5 tips for successful blog writing for cleaning and restoration companies.
Is Blog Writing Even Worth It?
The simple answer is YES! Even though blog writing can be simple, we understand that does not mean it is easy. But the great news is it doesn’t have to be hard! Blog writing takes consistent effort, and that often means discipline to get it done.
We are huge proponents of incorporating blog posts into your online marketing plan.
Need a little more incentive before you start? Here are some of the top reasons to blog today!
#1 – It’s your chance to build a relationship of trust with your clients.
#2 – You can become considered an expert in your industry.
#3 – There are huge SEO benefits. Blog writing can help your website rank higher.
#4 – Build a library of content you can use in the future.
#5 – Provide added value to your customers by providing free online resources.
Top Tips for Effective Blog Writing
The Headline – Read All About It!
What is the first thing that grabs your attention in a news article? The headline, right? Use a title or headline that grabs attention. People love to scan headlines, so make yours interesting, and it will jump off the page. Headlines are short and to the point. They are catchy without being vague. The title of your article is your headline. Ensure your headline is relevant to the content topic you are writing about. This is where your focus ‘keyword’ comes into play.
It’s All About The Lead
If your headline grabs their attention, your lead is your opportunity to reel them in. You have a few seconds to hook them here. A short, well-written lead can keep your reader engaged. You want to treat this lead portion of your blog like your meta description. Find a way to work in your primary key phrase(s) and “lead” them into the rest of your post. Keep in mind… if the lead is all they read, there should still be a strong takeaway for the reader.
Put Some Meat on the Bones
Well… congratulations! If you’ve made it past writing the headline and the lead, the hardest part is over. Now is your chance to be the expert. This is where you want to give good information. Provide content that makes a difference to your readers by sharing useful information, helpful tips, creative assessments, and interesting anecdotes. The body of your post is the place to use images, quotes, graphics, and/or video.
Read It… Loved It… Shared It
It is worth it to study how a journalist writes. Short sentences. Short paragraphs. Make it easy for your reader to consume. They will make it through more of the article if you format it in a way that is easy to read. Don’t be afraid to break apart lengthy text with bullet points and sub-headings.
Additionally, you can create a good experience for your reader by carefully using italicized or bolded keywords. Now… don’t forget to make it easy for readers to save and share your posts. Use social media action buttons at the beginning and end of posts.
End Strong
Become a wrapper. That’s right… practice “wrapping things up.” You want to end strong by effectively telling the reader what you just told them in a way that moves them to engage with you. Wrap up your main takeaways and make it easy for the reader to save or share this article… or better yet – CALL YOU! Take it one step further and add a call to action at the end of every post.
Optimize
The blog is written and posted, but you are not quite done. Great content is a powerful tool that can improve your online visibility and get ranked by search engines. Take a few minutes and complete some on-page optimization. This involves using alt and title tags on all images, header tags, and building a few internal links and external links.
There it is. All you need to structure a successful blog. Remember, the best time to start blog writing is today. I promise it will not be easier tomorrow, nor will you have more time. Still, have questions or need help with blog writing for your cleaning and restoration company? Call Spot On Solutions today.
