Hot Marketing Tips and Tools: how to format a blog post

How to write the perfect post.

I decided to write The Ultimate Checklist for the Perfect Post as I wanted to share my learning and the posts from other bloggers, especially on Pinterest, have been invaluable.

There is always a tidbit of information that is a real gem and shows that many brains found in one place are an invaluable goldmine.

The lifeblood of blogging is your posts so it is essential that you get it right!

Here is your list to make sure your post has all the essential elements in it:

Your title (h1)

It should have a keyword or phrase associated with your niche. It answers a question or a need in that niche, in order to gain the attention of the reader.

Always try to include it in your first sentence and throughout your post, in a natural way.

Keyword research

It is important that you do your keyword research before you start your blog by researching what people are looking for on Google.

So you need to find what their problem is and you can do this by typing some long-tail keywords that people looking for something would type in ie. short phrases that ask a question.

When Google brings up the search, you want to find the 'sweet spot'.

So you definitely don't want to compete with 75 million others who are providing a solution to a problem nor do you want a search result that is so low that it is not worth the effort.

I use Ubersuggest, which is Neil Patel's free keyword research tool, https://www.seoreviewtools.com/seo-keyword-suggestion-tool/ and keywordtool.io/

Develop good blogging habits using The Ultimate Checklist For the Perfect Post

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Header image

Always include an image at the top of your post that is optimised for sharing on Pinterest.and use your branding so readers recognise your work.

Go into Canva and choose Blog Post as this is wider and shorter than a Pinterest pin.

Short paragraphs

I always use short paragraphs so it is easier on the eyes and the brain.

It is easier to skim the content for those with good skimming skills who like to read quickly.

By short paragraphs, I mean 2-3 sentences!

Don’t forget your subheadings (h2,h3).

Images

Add relevant images under your subheadings, related to your content. Facebook size is best 1200 x 628.

Alt text

Don’t forget alt text on your images with keywords. All adds up in SEO.

Links.

There are different links you can put in: backlinks to other posts that have valuable content.

If you updating an older post, don’t forget to link back to that post. Or if the current post is linked in content to an earlier post, then link to that, as well.

If you want more information on links and anchor texts, you can visit https://www.semrush.com/blog/what-is-anchor-text-and-how-can-i-optimize-it/

Length

Aim to write 850-1,000 words.

I have been blogging for just over a year and have read many times that 500

words are not good enough for SEO anymore.

If you have a good following, I believe you can use your discretion in choosing to write posts of varying lengths 850+ words but that is your decision, based on your readers and stats.

1,000-1,500 is better.

More content equals more authority for SEO purposes.

Disclosure

If you are using affiliate links.

Check with your affiliate as some disclosures are simple one-sentence disclosures under the header while others are a cut-and-paste job and you are told where to place it.

Spacing

Use spacing for ease of reading.

White space is quality!

Do not write paragraphs as you did at school. Make your paragraphs short-2 or 3 sentences, at the most.

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Clickable Call to Action Button

Decide what you want to do next and where you want to send them. These can be placed:

a) On the header if you have a great offer to download or subscribe to

b) At the end, to follow and share the content

c) In between the content but don’t overwhelm

d) On your freebie

e) On your thank you page

*remember not to click on your link if you are an affiliate for a product in Clickbank. You will be banned. You will have to view the product through a search engine and keep your links in a safe place.

Social Sharing buttons.

Your readers may want to follow you if they like your content, and share your content.

I use https://sharethis.com/ for buttons. I also use it for my privacy disclosure.

Check all your buttons and links to see if they are working.

When I set up my first website, I assumed that all my social sharing buttons worked on all other pages as the buttons did appear automatically on other pages but did not work.

My lightbox also decided not to work and had to be reinstalled. I don't know how many subscribers I lost!