Have you ever dreamed of creating amazing content that piques your readers’ interest and makes them hungry for more? Have you ever thought about how to write engaging content that converts?
The truth is, it’s not just what you write that matters, but how you write it.
In this post, I’m gonna share some really helpful tips that will make your readers want more. They’ll also help you get creative!
So are you ready to step up and stand out?
Start with an enticing headline
One of the things I always find when creating blog posts is that a good headline makes the whole process much smoother. If it’s catchy and descriptive enough, you’ll find that your article will write itself.
However, coming up with a headline that will sell your content isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Sometimes your mind will just dwell on it, which isn’t good when you have something important to say.
Try adding your main topic into some content idea generator like this one from copy.ai, and mixing it with your ideas for something more engaging and unique.
Then use this awesome and free Headline Analyzer tool from MonsterInsights to make sure your headline is SEO friendly and has a great ranking potential.
This should give you the perfect starting point to get a better understanding of what you’re writing about.
Plan your posts before you start writing
Before you go ahead and start placing text on the page, take a few minutes to plan out how your blog post will look. Think about what subheadings you want to include, what images you want to use, and what sources you might want to cite.
Likewise, planning your content will make the writing process easier and faster.
This will save you tons of time in the long run and make you a more efficient blogger. Such an approach also ensures that your posts are structured, preventing your writing from getting off track.
Write the introduction and conclusion last
This is a trick I learned back in my university days and I still use it. In your ideal blog post plan, you’ll have an introduction and a conclusion. The best advice I can give you is to leave these sections until you’re done with the body of the article.
This is because your introduction summarizes what you’ll be writing about. And your conclusion summarizes what you said so far.
How do you know what you’ll be writing about if there’s no content on the page yet?
Leaving your introduction and conclusion for last is the best way to make sure they make perfect sense. Because let’s face it, nothing’s constant and you can change your mind multiple times during the writing process.
Address your readers directly
When I say address your audience directly, I mean using words like “you” and “your”, not the blanket “everyone” term. And the post you’re reading now is no exception. This is how I usually write. I talk to you and confide my secrets directly to you as if I were sitting right in front of you.
Such a type of language creates a high level of trust and intimacy between you and your readers. You make them feel important and comfortable on your blog. And, as a result, they feel valued for what they are!
If just one person leaves your blog feeling taken care of, encouraged to learn, and generally having a good experience, they’re more likely to come back next time.
Share your own experiences
When it comes to connecting with your readers, there’s no better way to gain much-needed trust than by opening up and sharing your personal experiences.
You can do this by adding real-life examples, memories, or general everyday experiences.
The point is, that you show your vulnerability not only as a blogger but as a real human being. Your readers will respect that. Personal stories are always more interesting.
Brake down your text
No matter what you do when creating your blog posts, don’t make the mistake of thinking that people have a long attention span! In fact, in the online world, we are often distracted and lured by other links, shorter posts, and more consumable content.
Long, rambling blog posts without clear directions and proper formatting make it difficult for readers to navigate your content. Consider adding the following:
- Bulleted lists
- Numbered lists for important tips
- Images to emphasize the point you’re making
- Block quotes for breaking up long series of paragraphs
- Large headings to divide different topics and sections
This will help your blog visitors easily pick out the main points from your posts.
Use a standout featured image
There are many obvious benefits to having a large appealing featured image at the top of your post:
- It gives your readers an idea of your post’s main topic
- You can easily pin it on Pinterest
- It makes it easier to share on different social media platforms
- It provides a visual queue to those who assimilate information much better through imagery
There are tons of free resources to help you create images from scratch. You can try Canva. I like this free design tool.
Alternatively, you can find cool free stock photos on websites like Pexels.
Finally, summarize your main points
When your post is particularly long, one thing that is likely to happen is that your readers will forget some of the details and examples you’ve outlined. A good way to address this is to summarize the main points of your post in the conclusion.
You might want to call these “summary”, “key takeaways” or something like that. The point is that it provides your readers with some short, snappy reminders of what they read. As a result, information is better received and stored long-term.
Key takeaways: How to Write Engaging Content
While it’s not always easy to create a blog post that inspires and delights your audience, there are several ways you can make sure you’re doing your best:
- Have a great headline and a solid plan for your post, while leaving your introduction and summary until you finish the article body.
- Use words like “you” and “your” that speak directly to your audience, and add your own experiences to demonstrate your vulnerable side.
- Break up your blog post with bullet points, headings, and an appealing featured image to make your content easier to consume.
- Consider using content upgrades like small giveaways to give your audience something extra.