If your business blog content drones on longer than 1,500 words a post, you may be lulling your target audience to sleep. Even worse, they’re quickly clicking away. Need a few alternatives? Consider writing a mini ebook as a free download for your business. Or, break this big baby into a series of blog posts.
Word counts — who’s counting?
Why? Despite the push for long-form content, the perfect length for blog posts is still up for debate. One author cites Seth Godin as a premium example of successful short form blog posts. Honestly, 500 helpful words written weekly may capture your ideal client’s attention better than a monthly long-form post. (And, yes, I need to practice what I preach.)
Reality check. Think of how busy you are. We live in a world of information overload. How much time will you actually spend reading others’ blog posts?
Sell to skimmers.
I read long posts by skimming. Often I check out the paragraph headers and sometimes just read the sections that apply. Anyone else raise a guilty hand here?
Use short paragraphs and catchy headlines on those paragraphs to capture attention and keep the reader’s interest. We all need white space!
Use my handy-dandy secret weapon to check out your blog content readability.
Install YOAST SEO plug-in if you’re using a WordPress website. This gives you practice writing with current blog content readability measurements.
Next, go ahead and write your content inside of WordPress to test it out. If it’s not intended to be a blog post, that’s okay. Just delete it after checking out the SEO feedback.
Satisfy your readers by scratching the “itch” we all have.
Tell a true story about yourself or something relevant to daily life. Stories create connections. They hook your readers. Maybe it’s the inner curious kid we all have?
Seriously, speak to the 6th grade version of your client avatar. In the good ol’ days, my 6th grade teacher read great stories like Johnny Tremain out loud to us after lunch. You could almost hear a pin drop as we hung on her every word.
All content marketers learn about hooks. Make certain you have a hook — and a relevant story reels folks in. Do spill that tea, please.
Squeeze every last ounce of usefulness from your content!
You can re-purpose your content in so many ways!
Curate a collection of blog posts into an ebook.
Use a teaser excerpt from your blog post to cross-post on Facebook.
Drop your current blog post content into LinkedIn publisher.
Pull talking points from your current post to do a Facebook Live!
- Don’t forget about images! (Bonus point because I love to give.) Always post content with a pic or infographic. We’re visual creatures, too. (www.unsplash.com –free images)
My favorite business/marketing books:
Want a few more of my favorite resources for improving your business blog content?
How to Write Copy That Sells by Ray Edwards
Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson
Published by Chandler Bolt (there’s a book — or three — inside of me yet).
Stories that Sell by Casey Hibbard
Podcasts:
Online Marketing Made Easy — Amy Porterfield
The Ray Edwards Show
B2B Writing Success by AWAI
High-Income Business Writing — Ed Gandia
Social Media Marketing Word — Michael Stelzner
Blogs I follow:
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