The urge to churn out content at lightning speed to keep your websites updated with new material can be tempting. Yet, the true secret to engaging your audience and building a loyal following lies not in the frequency of your posts but in their quality. Prioritise writing better blog posts and articles that offer genuine value to your readers.
Quality establishes credibility and showcases expertise. Here are some tips to help you write better blog posts and elevate your articles to inform and engage your audience.
6 tips on how to write great content
Writing great content isn’t about a one-time spark of inspiration; it’s about consistently hitting the mark with clarity, relevance, and engagement. Read on for six tips on how to start writing effectively to captivate your audience—time and time again.
1. Have the courage to be informational
Have the courage not to make every post or article about making money. Visitors must like and trust you before they journey down your sales funnel.
From my experience, your best-written articles or posts will not necessarily make you the most money.
Let all your tutorials and how-to guides be informational and helpful. And let your buying guides, reviews, and top lists be potential money pages.
We write content to attract visitors. This type of content is referred to as “cornerstone” content. These landing pages solve problems and offer readers the information they seek.
This is your first step in connecting with a potential customer – by delivering relevant and valuable information.
Delivering valuable information will attract your audience to believe what you have to say.
An article titled “How to write better blog posts” should be informative, not a hard sell for products or services.
Remember, it is about the user experience and connecting with your audience. It’s the only way you will convert a reader into a customer.
2. Start with the conclusion – and then write the introduction
The first thing you write should be your conclusion. And then, when the ending is written, you write the introduction paragraph.
If you struggle to write the conclusion or the introduction, you will have problems writing the article. And the result will likely not be what we define as great content.
Think about it. Your conclusion is a summary of the knowledge you want to share with your audience. This should be crystal clear before you put "pen to paper".
And the introduction is the first gentle step into the area of knowledge you are creating with your article.
The conclusion and introduction paragraphs must be well-defined to create great content and an effective writing experience.
3. Subheadings give direction
When you have successfully written the conclusion and the introduction, move on to the body of the article.
And you do this by writing subheadings to transport your reader from the introduction to the conclusion logically.
Think of subheadings as directions or a road map to your final destination.
The subheadings should be logical to you, but if you get stuck, you can always use Google. Search for your keyword phrase and then look at the “People also ask (PAA)” section.
PAA tells you what Google sees as relevant and related subtopics to your keyword phrase. If you need inspiration, the PAA can help.
Ideally, reading your subheadings on their own should be enough for the conclusion to make sense.
You must add detail and context, but the subheadings should be enough to deliver the structure.
4. Write at least 20 headings and then some more
After you have written the introduction, subheadings, and conclusion, you can move on to the title of your post or article.
Writing titles are part art and part science.
In my experience, an essential part of the process is to write at least 20 different titles. Then, choose one you like that represents your article correctly.
If you get stuck, look at magazines for inspiration. Often catchy cover titles can inspire a thought or introduce a new line of thinking. Research YouTube, TikTok and social media to look at headlines that are trending and what people are reading and interacting with.
I know writers who prefer to start with the title, creating the essential hook to encourage readers to read on. But starting with the article’s conclusion, introduction, and actual structure makes more sense to me.
With this information in front of me, developing relevant titles is much easier.
Don’t worry too much about the mechanics. But try using your strong words early.
It is also essential that the core message is communicated as early as possible in the title. After all, long titles get cut off in search engines.
5. Develop your tone of voice
One pivotal tip for consistently producing outstanding content is to develop your tone of voice.
This unique voice distinguishes your brand and resonates with your audience, making your messages memorable and impactful. It’s about finding the perfect balance between professionalism and personality that speaks directly to your readers.
Establishing a clear and consistent tone can transform your written word into a powerful tool for engagement and make a real difference to your content strategy.
6. The body, including images and illustrations
As I am sure you have figured out by now, I write the body of the article or post last.
When I get to this point, the writing usually flows, and staying focused on the message is easy.
I start at the top and look at the first two subheadings.
I can only understand how to end the previous paragraph by knowing where the following subheadings will start.
Stay true to the topic and honour the message. This will make your writing flow, resulting in a more effective writing process.
Also, take the time to choose relevant and topical images and illustrations. Visual aids will help make your copy come alive.
Be an influential writer
The true mark of an influential writer lies in effectively using time and producing impactful content. Achieving this requires a structured approach to the writing process.
Establishing a clear framework or game plan well before you develop an idea or concept for your next piece will make your writing process more manageable.
Do not try to be perfect. Struggling for immediate perfection is not productive for writers. It can hinder productivity and disrupt creative flow. Instead, focus on getting your ideas down on paper—perfection can wait. Allow yourself to write your first draft without interruption, saving the editing and refining for later on.
This approach preserves the continuity of your thoughts and allows for more effective revisions, ensuring your final output is polished and influential.
Structure, hard work, and perseverance
Often, talent and natural ability are confused with hard work and perseverance.
To be an influential writer, you need to structure your writing. I write better copy when all the building blocks and details have been decided upon and defined.
By defining your writing process, you can offer valuable information to your customers in a seamless, problem-solving journey.
You will write better blog posts and articles more effectively and likely faster.
Develop your own writing process
Writing copy or content isn’t just about talent; it’s about discipline, consistency, and developing a personalized writing process.
Establishing a routine can significantly demystify the writing journey, making each step more approachable and less daunting.
Like any skill, writing becomes more natural and less stressful with a clear plan in place. This systematic approach enhances productivity and ensures the consistent quality of your work.
Here’s a glimpse into the 7-step process that I use:
- Research and Inspiration: Begin by immersing yourself in research and seeking out sparks of inspiration. Find out what is trending, what audiences are reading and what questions they have.
- The First Version: Compose a preliminary draft to move your ideas from your head to paper (or screen). I start by writing the final paragraph of my article. Does this sound strange? Perhaps. Your process may differ – find what works best for you.
- Refine and Revise: Review your draft and make adjustments and improvements. Reading your work aloud can be incredibly illuminating.
- Optimizing for Search Engines: Incorporate SEO best practices and ensure your copy hits the marks for user intent to ensure your content ranks well and can be found.
- Review: Conduct a thorough check for any errors or areas of improvement, paying close attention to detail.
- Enhance the Introduction: Revisit the beginning of your piece to ensure it’s compelling and effectively hooks the reader.
- Publish: With everything polished and perfected, it’s time to share your content with your audience. Go ahead and hit the “Publish” button.
Adhering to a structured process will turn the chaos of creativity into a streamlined workflow that consistently yields high-quality results.
Elevate your content with professional collaboration
This article encourages you to write better blog posts and articles with copy that engages and resonates with your audience.
But producing great content doesn’t have to be a solo journey.
Whether you already have an in-house team skilled in storytelling, UX copywriting, email campaigns or using AI to produce some of your content, integrating your efforts with professional expertise enhances your content.
Simply put, a professional copywriter and content creator can refine your voice and ensure its quality and impact. It can also save you valuable time.
As your copywriting partner, we’re here to help your content stand out and capture an audience by combining your unique insights with our professional polish.
If you need our help, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us below.