There is a massive difference between something good and something great. That also applies to blogging and writing blog engaging posts.

 

Writing good blog content makes you say, “That’s a great article,” but you still can’t shake that feeling of mediocrity. Great blog content, however, affects you in a much deeper way.

 

A great article makes you take action---buy the reviewed item, follow the tips in the blog, empathize with the writer, and more. Stunningly written articles are the ones that garner a large audience of repeat readers, visitors, and customers.

 

Do you want to refine your blog posts and make them even better? Then check out these tips.

 

1. Use the first or second-person point of view.

 

By using words such as “I,” “me,” “mine,” “you,” and “your,” you address the reader as if you are actually having a conversation with them. The blog post feels more engaging, connected, and personal.

 

2. Utilize foreshadowing.

 

Have you ever read an article in which the first few sentences gave hints on what is about to come? This is a literary device called foreshadowing. It entices the reader without giving away the entire thought of your post.

 

For example, start off with, “Images speak a thousand words.” Then foreshadow it with, “But are those images enough? You can produce spectacular photos that tell magnificent stories.” The foreshadowing sentence points to the direction of the article and makes the readers want to know more about composing better photos.

 

3. Outline to organize your thoughts.

 

Like many writers, you may get lost in your thoughts and ramble on the same subject while composing your blog post. Avoid this by creating and following an outline.

 

An outline helps keep your composition on track. It ensures that you cover the points that you need to discuss, prevents you from straying off topic, and keeps you from writing poorly thought-out metaphors.

 

4. Make your content scannable.

 

A blog post is not the same as a magazine article or newspaper where readers sit down and read from start to end. In online reading, readers scan the web page for words, phrases, headings, bulleted/numbered lists and other visual cues rather than read the entire article from top to bottom. If they’re interested, then they might read the entire piece.

 

Test your blog's scannability by having someone unfamiliar with your site read a few recent posts. Give him to scan 30 seconds per post. At the end of that 30-second reading period, ask him what the post is all about. Through their answer, you will get a sense of how your audience interacted with your blog.

 

Below are some simple tips on how to make your blog post more “scan friendly”.

 

  • Use simple words and short sentences
  • Use headings and subheadings
  • Use of numbers or bullet points for lists
  • Leave spaces between images and paragraphs
  • Use boldface, italics, and underlines to emphasize points
  • Don't introduce too many ideas at once
  • Use infographics or other visual content as well as text

 

5. Include the right images and graphics.

 

 

Photos, graphs, and infographics can effectively convey explanations, contradictions, arguments, and comparisons in simple ways. They also add visual elements that attract and sustain your readers’ interest.

 

6. Perfect your grammar.

 

Although blog posts are usually informal publications, it doesn't mean that you should be lax on your spelling, grammar, syntax, and more. Be sure to adhere to the rules of proper English composition to make your blog post understandable, concise, and professional. There’s nothing worse than reading through a blog post that is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.

 

7. Get to the point as soon as you can.

 

Have you ever read something that takes so much time in explaining a point that it actually bores or confuses you? Be succinct, and don't add more explanations than needed.

 

8. Edit the blog post at least once before publication.

 

 

Editing can be hard. It doesn't just involve correcting sentence structure, spelling, and grammar. It is about seeing the entire piece as a whole and how it appeals to the reader.

 

Here are a few editing tips to help make your blog post cohesive, meaningful, and easy to read.

 

  • After writing your article, walk away from the computer. Rest, go shopping, or do something you love. Then after a few hours---we recommend a day---come back to it and read your article again. The mental refresh allows you to have a clearer perspective, allowing you to spot unseen errors and ensure all your points come across accurately.
  • After correcting the errors, read the article aloud. If it sounds awkward out loud, it will probably be awkward to read. Reading aloud helps you spot long sentences, wordy bottlenecks, and tongue twisters.
  • Have someone else read your article to identify issues that you may have missed.
  • Be wary of “crutch words” or phrases (unnecessary words that do not add meaning to the sentence) that you unconsciously include when you write. Some examples of commonly used crutch words are “actually,” “well,” and “just.” Here’s a list of crutch words to watch out in your writing.
  • Large walls of text and long threads of words can intimidate the reader. Shorten long sentences and break up paragraphs. Don't be afraid to delete entire sections to make your blog post more cohesive.

 

The tips above will help you achieve a well-thought out, interesting, and spectacular blog post that will truly captivate your audience. It's time to publish that amazing article!