5 Helpful Hints for Structuring a Blog to Boost Engagement
Posted by Amanda Ellison
Have you ever been in a maze?
It's frustrating and gives you the urge to escape. That's because its structure is designed to confuse.
Your blog is the opposite of that.
You want to hook your readers, keep them with you, and leave them wanting to come back for more.
Structural strategies can go a long way to making sure that happens.
Read on for five helpful hints.
1. Prioritise the Headline
As a rule of thumb, create the content before crafting the headline. Your headline is one of the main factors in driving readers to your blog. It should encompass the essence of you content and reel in readers.
So how do you create an effective headline? Consider the following strategies:
- Blogs that begin with 'How To' tend to perform well as they offer something of educational value
- A question is always an effective strategy - readers are encouraged to read the content to discover the response to the question
- Numbers work well: statistics convey authority, while a numbered list is a familiar format. Express the number in digits rather than word format - advice which goes against my love of the rules of correct grammar!
- Headlines with colons and hyphens typically do better than those without
- Follow a formula: number + trigger word + adjective + keyword + promise
Finally, check the effectiveness of your headline by running it through a headline analyser tool. You'll find one recommended here.
2. Consider Overall Structure
It is worth studying the layout of blogs that are successful - take a look at Darren Rowse on ProBlogger. They take various shapes and forms but have one common denominator: they all have strong direction. The following is a simple but effective structure:
- Start with a question, such as 'What's the secret to...'
- Identify the problem: 'So how do they...'
- Offer a solution: 'I'm some who can help you...'
- Promise: 'And today I'm going to show you how to...'
As a beginner, this is a good starting point and a springboard for developing more sophisticated structural strategies.
3. Anticipate Scanners!
Reading a blog is not like reading a novel. Blog readers don't actually read - they scan. So lots of white space is important. A clear font helps, as does paragraph length. Generally, dense passages of text put readers off. Why not include the occasion impact paragraph - a paragraph of one word or a short phrase or sentence?
This is how people read on the internet:
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
On the internet people scan rather than read.
Using subheadings can really help break up the text and help sustain interest. Even better if the subheadings are questions - keep those scanners hooked.
4. Use Graphics and Interactive Media
Visual images, video and infographics can go a long way to adding interest in your blog and can help ensure that attention is well and truly captured. Most of us are visual. Exploit that knowledge and increase your changes of keeping your readers transfixed to the very end of your blog.
Images are particularly important in long-form blogs. Visuals help improve your blog's SEO rankings and break up lengthy content. As many as 91% of online readers prefer images and video as complement to text, as opposed to basic text alone. As well as contributing to a structurally-savvy blog, images and interactive features also guarantee more sharing on social media - in fact, it will net you 150% more retweets on Twitter.
5. End Strongly
So it's no use having a really engaging hook and having well-structured content throughout if you're going to end like a damp squib. Your blog should always end with impact, and the method you use should be consistent with the objective of your content.
Try one of these:
- Invite a discussion in the 'Comments' section
- Ask a question
- Summarise the content of the blog, perhaps by answering the 5Ws
- Direct your readers to do something
- Provide a link to another post
- Use a call-to-action (CTA), particularly if you're selling something
- Offer a teaser for your next blog
If you found this post useful please register your approval below!
You may have brilliant content that your reader find compelling and useful.
You may have structured your blog brilliantly so it is easy for your readers to navigate and digest.
But none of this means a thing if nobody reads it.
Post links to your blog on social media, perhaps with a taster.
And encourage your readers to share too!