You’ve probably realized that having a blog is no longer just recipes, vacation photos, or online diaries. Instead, more and more businesses are turning to blogs as a source of communication to keep their clients educated and engaged. 81% of U.S. online consumers trust information and advice from blogs. Read on to find out wow to write a blog post.
How to Starting Blogging
Your first blog post may seem like a daunting task, but with the correct information, it doesn’t have to be. We’ll lay out some basics to help you get started.
Start with Structure
When creating a blog, it’s important to ensure that you maintain a consistent and strong structure. Doing this will help establish the voice of your blogs while also keeping the content high-quality. In the case of blogging, the structure is divided into various parts, each contributing in its own way to the overall quality of the content.
Next, we’ll go over the two areas of blog structure to find out what makes them so crucial.
Headers
Headers or header tags are used to separate sections of an article or blog. They always rank in order of importance, going from Header 1 to Header 6 (H1 to H6). Use headers to include keywords that are relevant to your content. Dividing your content by headers and subheaders allows readers to skim the blog. Each header has its own task. See below to see what each tag is best used for:
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H1 Tag – indicates the main title and primary heading of the page and should contain keywords.
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H2 Tag– this is a subheading and should also contain keywords similar keywords to your H1 tag.
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H3 Tag – is a subheading of H2 that clarifies the point further.
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H4-H6 Tags – the sequence continues for H4-H6 tags, with H6 being the least important of the header tags. It would be less common to use these tags. However, they can be used to help organize long texts.
Images
The use of images or visuals is something that all the best blogs do. This is because images help the content from becoming stale. Instead of just chunks of large text, readers are able to see relevant images that can help highlight or emphasize the blog’s main idea. Adding images can also make long articles more easily digestible.
When it comes to sharing images, the best are ones that stay on topic but are also interesting to look at. For example, if you’re a financial advisor writing a blog about how to save for retirement. Include photos of people in retirement enjoying their lives. Much like a “this could be you.” It’s relevant and easy enough to understand within the context of the article. Infographics are also great because they condense chunks of content into a single readable graphic.
Social Share Image
A social share image is what can appear when someone shares a website link. For example, if someone were to send you a link to a youtube video, you would see the thumbnail with the link. The social share image is basically a thumbnail for your site or blog. They’re great for grabbing the attention of potential readers so be sure to use them when you can.
To add a social share image with FMG, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the page you wish you attach a social share image to and go to advanced settings
- Upload the image you wish to share using the blue “Upload Image” button
- Adjust any SEO settings you wish to change, such as the title tag and description tag (see more below)
- You’re done. Your link now has a social share image
Adjusting SEO
SEO is the lifeblood of any webpage as it contributes to search engine ranking and determines where websites land on the results page. The difference between the first and second pages can be greater than some realize. Part of the social share image, the SEO tab allows creators to adjust title tags and description tags for SEO.
Optimizing SEO is a key element to creating successful content. When using the SEO tab to adjust the tags, be sure to follow these best practices:
- Make sure relevant keywords come naturally, don’t use keywords just to use them
- Try to reverse searching keywords to see which fit best and will get you the best results
- Ensure your title tag is optimized, as its the most important anchor
Talk About Your Blog
When making blogs and articles, it’s never a bad idea to let readers get a sneak peek of what they’re in for. Many financial advisors like to explain what their blog is all about and why it should be read. Below you’ll find some of the best ways to present your blog and let people know what it’s all about.
Explain Who You Are
First, introduce yourself to your readers because, as a new creator, they don’t know what to expect. Tell them about yourself, your practice, the services you offer, and why you’re starting a blog. You wouldn’t go up to a stranger at a gathering and just start offering service advice, and the same applies to blogging. You need to establish yourself as a certified professional before readers begin to take an interest in your writing.
Explain How Your Blog Will Help
Clients looking to find more information on service professionals online may stumble upon your website and blog, and your job is to keep them there and keep them engaged. Some bloggers like to ask themselves, “What is my blog offering that others aren’t?” By answering this question, you are establishing needs that you are attempting to solve for your readers while also positioning yourself as someone who can offer new, helpful advice. Blog readers don’t want to read the same repetitive information over and over, so ask yourself what angle you’re providing your readers before writing your first post.
Share What You Will Blog About
Choosing a topic for a blog post is a fundamental aspect that needs to be decided before you sit down and write. Likewise, the main ideas for a blog feed should be spelled out from the beginning so readers know what they will find when they read your blog. For example, our blog is dedicated to content marketing. Viewers of our blog will find marketing tips, helpful how-to articles, and other topics that may help solve problems regarding content marketing for our readers.
Include a Call to Action
Lastly, you should encourage your readers to reach out in some way after reading your post. We think of your website as the hub of your content marketing efforts, so you could lead them back there to receive more information on your practice. You could also encourage comments on the blog post itself, ask them to follow you on your social media platforms, or even reach out to you to talk more about scheduling a meeting.
A call to action is a great way to wrap up a blog post because it keeps your readers thinking about you after they leave the page.
For a more in-depth guide on creating a blog, read How to Create a Financial Advisor Blog (In 5 Steps).
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