A SIMPLE STRUCTURE FOR YOUR BLOG [WITH WRITING TIPS]
TITLE
Tip 1: Make it clear what you are writing about. Tell readers what they will
learn by reading your article. Use the keyword people would search for in the title,
and don’t try to be too clever. Vague, intriguing titles can fall flat on blog articles,
save your creativity for when you are promoting your blog online.
5 incredibly simple ways to get more people to read your content is a good blog title,
but Make it snappy doesn’t work. Make it snappy could well be one of the points you
make in the course of the article, but it’s not strong enough as a title, even though it’s
very, er, snappy. Make it easier for your blog to add to your online value by tying it to
the words your potential readers will be using to make their searches.
BEGINNING
TIP 2: Start with a clear introduction – who are you writing for, and why? Set
up the question you are going to answer, or the problem you are going to solve.
First sentence. You need a hook here. Ask a question, throw up something
interesting or unusual. Grab attention.
No one is reading a word you write could be a good opener for the article, but
Opinions are divided as to the best way for a writer to hold the attention of readers
wouldn’t work; too long, too vague, not punchy enough.
MIDDLE
Tip 3. Answer the question. Get quickly to the point of your blog. Web readers
skim rather than dig deeply, so no long preamble or sideways digressions. You have
set out the question, start answering it straight away.
Structure your thoughts, step by step. Imagine taking the reader with you – you’re
guiding them on a journey. Changing track suddenly is like chucking them out of a
moving car, so keep things moving smoothly.
1
Valuable Content Ltd
Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol, BS1 6UX
Company no. 3788390 VAT No. 801138867
www.valuablecontent.co.uk
+44 (0) 7974 398906
Tip 4. Use sub-headings and bulleted lists. Subheadings guide the reader
through the content fast so they can see whether it is worth spending time one.
Numbered lists are great for blogs. They add structure, allow you to pack in lots of
valuable content without a lot of extra word padding, and they feed web readers
hunger for answers NOW. How many points on the list? Up to 10 seems to work well
for us, it reassures readers that this is going to be a quick win read, not War and
Peace.
Subheading 1
Subheading 2
Subheading 3





Bullet 1
Bullet 2
Bullet 3
Bullet 4
Bullet 5
END
Tip 5. Sum it up. Readers like to know they’ve finished. And they all lived happily
ever after isn’t necessary, but it is a good idea to reiterate your main point again at
the end. Add a question if you want to keep the conversation going. You want people
to engage with your blog.
A FEW MORE THINGS
Related articles. You want people to stick around on your site: the longer they
stay the more engaged they become, and the more chance you have of turning them
into a subscriber to your list of contacts or getting them to pick up the phone. Guide
them to other information they might like on your website – give them links to other
articles or resources.
Suggest an image. Find a picture or image to illustrate your point. A good image
can help drive your point home faster, and they make the page easier on the eye. You
want readers to stick around, and a well-designed page with a strong visual appeal is
more likely to keep them than a wall of unbroken text. Have a look at Istockphotos
or Shutterstock for inspiration on the web.
2
Valuable Content Ltd
Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol, BS1 6UX
Company no. 3788390 VAT No. 801138867
www.valuablecontent.co.uk
+44 (0) 7974 398906
Respond. When people comment on your blog, make sure you respond. Build
engagement through your blog, and it’s more likely to get shared. And it goes without
saying, you should respond generously, thanking people for taking the time to
comment, and crafting a thoughtful response. (Obviously, you don’t have to respond
nicely to the spammers, or the obvious loons. It’s your blog, so feel free to trash
comments that are way off the professional mark.)
Once you are confident with this basic template, feel free to experiment. Blogging is a
very elastic form, and you can stretch it lots of ways. Good luck!
3
Valuable Content Ltd
Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol, BS1 6UX
Company no. 3788390 VAT No. 801138867
www.valuablecontent.co.uk
+44 (0) 7974 398906