When it comes to writing a helpful SEO content article, there are many factors to consider.
What type of blog post will help you reach your target audience?
Firstly, to create a blog post that hits the mark, you need to ask yourself: what are your business or marketing goals? Are you looking to generate leads, increase brand awareness, or drive traffic to your website?
The answer to these questions will help you determine the type of blog post that will be most effective in helping you reach your desired outcome.
Here are a few different types of blog posts that can help you achieve business and marketing goals:
How-to posts
These types of posts provide readers with step-by-step instructions on how to do something related to your industry. They are typically informative and helpful and can be a great way to generate leads.
Product reviews
Writing product reviews can be a great strategy if you’re looking to increase brand awareness or drive traffic to your website. Be sure to include links to the products you’re reviewing so readers can easily purchase them.
Case studies
Writing case studies can be beneficial if you want to show potential customers that your product or service is effective. Sharing stories of how your product or service has helped solve a problem for a customer is a great way to build trust and credibility.
Lists/listicles
People love lists! Whether it’s a list of tips, resources, or even just fun facts, these types of posts are easy to read and provide value to the reader. If you want to increase website traffic, consider including listicles in your content strategy.
You know the ones, they’re the ones that are often titled ‘6 ways to become better at your job’ etc.
Fun fact: listicles are said to have been around since 1000CE in Japan.
Newsjacking
This term refers to the act of writing about current events or hot topics in your industry to generate traffic and increase brand awareness. Suppose you can provide insightful commentary on a timely topic. In that case, you’ll be more likely to capture the attention of readers and media outlets.
How-to articles are the most popular blogging format.
Orbit Media reports that ‘76% of bloggers are publishing “how-to” articles. Lists (54%), long-form guides and ebooks (45%), and news and trends (41%) are also popular blogging formats. Stats further show that roundups, gated content, interviews, infographics, and lists are most likely to deliver strong results.’
It’s important to know that lots of readers are on the lookout for instruction via blogs, even in the day of Youtube video saturation. ‘33% of people would read a blog that teaches them how to do something new.’
How to write a how-to SEO content article
If you want to improve your business or marketing goals, one type of blog post you can write is a how-to article. This type of article provides readers with steps they can follow to complete a task. When writing a how-to article, make sure to:
- Choose a topic that will be useful to your readers.
- Provide clear and concise instructions.
- Include helpful tips and tricks.
- Use images or videos to illustrate your points.
How to choose a how-to topic
If you want to improve your business or marketing goals, writing a how-to blog post is a great way to do it. But how do you choose a topic?
Here are four tips:
First, consider what your audience wants to know. What questions do they have that you can answer?
Second, make sure the topic is something you’re knowledgeable and passionate about. You’ll be able to write more convincingly if you believe in what you’re saying.
Third, choose a topic that’s specific enough to be exciting but not so specific that there’s no room for discussion.
Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different topics and see what works best.
How to provide clear and concise instructions in a how-to article
When writing a how-to article, the goal is to be clear and concise. No one wants to read a long, drawn-out explanation of how to do something. They just want to know how to do it! So, keep that in mind when you’re writing your next how-to article.
Here are some tips:
- Start with a catchy headline that tells the reader what they will learn from reading your article.
- Write in short, simple sentences that are easy to understand. Use active voice whenever possible.
- Use numbered lists or bullet points to break up the text and make it easier to scan.
- Include plenty of images, infographics, or videos to help
- Include step-by-step instructions.
When writing the steps, ensure that you write in the correct order with enough detail before your reader moves on to the next step because ‘When reading and following instructions, a person will act in the same sequence in which action items are presented in the text.
Writing instructions according to the sequence of actions the reader needs to take may lead to better results. For example, “do A before doing B’ is a superior form of wording instructions than stating, “before doing A, do B,”…’
Keeping the objective front of mind is the most essential thing that will help inform your article through the planning, drafting and finalising stages. What do you want your readers to take away from your SEO content article?
Helpful exercise
Write it down as a clear mission statement at the top of your page, or stick it near your computer.
‘By the end of the article, the reader will…’ and fill in the blanks. For example, ‘By the end of the article, the reader will be able to build their own chicken coop.’ If you start with this objective, you can work backwards and write up the steps.
Want super clear how-to SEO content articles written for your business? Step one: email me.
