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Blog Writing | Create Killer Content for Your Bog Post

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Las Vegas S.0075212

banner offering worksheet for blog writing

 

Blog writing is the most lucrative form of content marketing. Meaty blogs provide juicy information your viewers can use. Moreover, blogs can also be lead generating machines! By including a valuable offer your viewers can use, you can convert those passersby into leads.

But with the avalanche of information available on the web today, it can be difficult to get - and keep - the attention your blog deserves. There are, however, steps you can take in your blog writing to ensure your post is the best it can be. Check it out:

 

The Keyword is King in Blog Writing

Before you begin clicking away at the keyboard to create your next masterpiece, determine the best keyword or keyword phrase. Keywords are how people search the web. Search queries are what bring your blog post to the surface. Equally, without the right keyword or keyword phrase, your blog may slip away into the content cemetery - unseen, unread, unappreciated.

You may also enjoy: The Google Keyword Planner

Headline! Headline! Read All About It!

Headlines are what make or break a blog. Readers must be captivated by your headline or they'll never click the link. A bad headline can mean certain death for your blog post. In contrast, a stellar headline, inclusive of your featured keyword, can provoke the clicks you need to succeed in your content marketing endeavors. Blog writing begins with your headline.

MetaData, Baby

Metadata is the information that appears below your link in a search query. Meta descriptions are what you can use to entice someone to move past the scroll and into a click. In some cases, this is called a snippet. Carefully craft your snippet so when a search query delivers your link in the findings, the viewer is attracted to the concept of the content.

Also Selected for You: Real Estate Blog Writing | What Every Real Estate Agent Should be Blogging About

Write Like a Human

Great! You captured the attention of your viewer with your bait and hook. They searched for your keyword phrase, were intrigued by your headline, and convinced by your snippet. Now you need to keep them interested. Here's how.

Write like you speak. It sounds simple, but this is where so many blog publishers miss the boat. Why bore your readers if you don't have to? Your first paragraph must have a delicious flavor. Bland offerings convert to high bounce rates.

More than that, you must connect to the emotion of your reader. Demonstrate off the cuff that you understand their problem and can deliver a solution. Be the reader. What would keep you holding on for the next sentence?

You may also enjoy: Blog Writers and Ghost Writers

No Fluffy Stuff

Web viewers want information, not decoration. While you do want to paint a picture readers can connect with, don't chase them away with unnecessary adjectives, adverbs, over-the-top metaphors, and complex vocabulary. Keep it real. Your goal is to create a genuinely valuable user experience.

Headings and Subheadings

Headings and subheadings break apart text by subject matter. Web viewers tend to scan, to skim the content. Readers are seeking the information that applies to them, opting out of the bits that don't apply. Or, they're looking for a speedy way to process the information.

Look. When you see a long, chunky clump of paragraphs, the text feels overwhelming. Reading it becomes a chore. Comparatively, reading headings and subheadings provides relief. The process changes from choking on volume to gulping down tidbits.

Readability: Blog Writing Made Simple

Readability is all the rave in search engines. But what does readability mean? Here's the deal:

  • Paragraph Structure: Paragraphs should contain between three and five sentences.
  • Sentence Length: Sentences should have no more than 20 words. Break long strings of text into shorter sentences. Vary the length of sentences to avoid a monotonous tone that drones on through the post.
  • Vocabulary: You don't need to "dumb down" your post for your readers. However, it's good practice to minimize the number of words you use that have three syllables or more. For example, why say delicacy when you can say treat? Why say curiosity when you can say interest? Simplify your vocabulary. If you must, bust out the thesaurus and look for words that are easy for your reader to digest.
  • Transition Words: Transition words are words that indicate a shift, contrast, emphasis, etc. Examples of transition words include:

As well as
Moreover
Comparatively
Furthermore
Equally
In addition
Coupled with
Not to mention
In contrast
Although
Instead

 

  • Passive Voice: Passive voice has everything to do with nouns and verbs. Passive voice isn't wrong, and it does have its place, but too much passive voice impedes comprehension. There are two types of passive voice: The first kind of passive voice is when the verb precedes the noun. Your noun is the person conducting the action. Your verb is the action the noun is taking.

 

How to Spot Passive Voice

An example of verb-related passive voice is, "The blog post was written by Lori". To correct the passive voice, "Lori wrote the blog post."

Another example is, "The door was closed by Jeff." To fix the passive voice, you'd re-write the sentence so that Jeff (the noun) comes before closed (the verb). "Jeff closed the door."

The second type of passive voice is when the active noun (the who) is missing altogether. For example, "The door had been closed." Who closed the door? "The doughnut had been eaten." Who ate the doughnut?

One trick to finding this second type of passive voice is to add the words "by zombies" to the end of the sentence. If the sentence makes sense with "by zombies" at the end, that's your sign that the sentence is passive. For example, "The door had been clsed (by zombies)". "The doughnut had been eaten (by zombies).

Bucket Brigades

Bucket brigades are trigger words in blog writing that signal to the reader that they should keep reading. They're a way to guide the reader from one section to the next, without losing interest. Examples of bucket brigades include:

    • But there's more.
    • That's not all.
    • Here's the deal.
    • Check it out.
    • Look.
    • Listen.

 

Pretty Pictures

Pictures are more than eye-candy. Yes, pictures and photographs add visual interest to writing. Furthermore, the right image can pull your story together while simultaneously breaking up text that could otherwise be overwhelming. But that's not all! (See that bucket brigade?)

You can optimize your images to gain ranking in the search engines! Here's how:

  • Properly title your file name
  • Include Alt Text
  • Use Captions

You May Also Enjoy: How to Get More Traffic to Your Website Through Blogging | Writing a Daily Blog

Videos

It's true; videos can add a ton of information in ways that are easy to process. But that's not all. Videos, even if you didn't create them, can add value to your blog post by increasing the amount of time a viewer spends on that page. Written content coupled with video adds substance to your post.

The longer a viewer stays on your page, the more Google recognizes your page as providing value. The more Google considers your post valuable, the higher that page soars in the search engine rankings. See how that works?

You can become a wiz at whipping out your own videos. Or, you can hop on over to YouTube (the second largest search engine!), and pop in a keyword phrase to find a video that matches your content. Click the handy dandy "share" button and snatch up the embed code. Throw that HTML code into the text portion of your blog post, and boom - you've added value and length on the page. Easy peasy.

Also Selected for You: Getting Started with Real Estate Video

Backlinks

Backlinks are links you include that lead to another page on your blog. When you write briefly about a topic you've written about extensively in another blog post, highlight the text in the post you're writing and link it to that other blog post.

Backlinks accomplish two things. First, they provide readers with additional information on the subject (VALUE!). Additionally, they provoke your reader to spend more time on site, take more actions (clicks), and explore your other offerings.

Include an Offer Viewers can Use

To turn those curious cats into quality leads, include an offer in your blog post. Give them a "thank you" for taking the time to read your blog. Creating offers for your readers not only generates leads, but it also establishes you as a trustworthy source for high-quality material. Build trust.

You may also enjoy: Lead Generation Marketing | Create an Offer Viewers can Use

Summing it Up

Blog Writing doesn't need to be scary. But if it's going to be worth your time, there are some guidelines you should follow. Find the perfect keyword. Create a catchy title. Be smart with your meta description. Win viewers over with your first paragraph. Structure your post so readers can consume it in bite-sized sections. Use small paragraphs, short sentences, simple words, natural speech, and avoid passive voice when possible. Throw in a couple of bucket-brigades from time to time. Pretty up your post with relevant, optimized images. Include video to add value and increase time on site. Take advantage of backlinks to keep viewers gobbling up your yummy content. Include a valuable offer to encourage readers to exchange their email address for more quality content from you.

Now go on out there and whip up something wonderful for your blog!

banner offering worksheet for blog writing

 

Prefer to delegate the blog writing? Ready to flex your leverage muscles? Ballen Brands offers content services on one-time or recurring basis! Give us a call at 702-917-0755 or email Team@BallenBrands.com!

Posted by

Lori Ballen

 
Digital Marketing Strategist
Ballen Brands - Helping Business Professionals Rise Above the Noise.
702.917.0755
 

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Comments (6)

Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale TahoeLauraRealEstate.com
Coldwell Banker Realty, Tahoe City, CA (530) 414-1260 - Tahoe City, CA
Tahoe Real Estate Agent Helping Buyers and Sellers

Lori Ballen - Great content is king this days for your blog!  Great advice and inspiration for those on the blogging fence!

Sep 01, 2016 12:05 PM
Florida Tolbert Team Keller Williams Advantage
Keller Williams Advantage III Realty in Lake Nona - Orlando, FL
Keller Williams Land Luxury Division Specialist

Since I am back at daily blogging, I just wanted the Queen to express her opinion on my very detailed market report I did tonight and lets watch Google fall at my feet as l take my rightful position back atop page one for Port St Lucie FL. 

#floridatolbertteam. #portstluciehomesforsale

Sep 01, 2016 03:39 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I love the post. Thank you for the great tips. Have a good day.

Sep 01, 2016 09:06 PM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Do you offer blog writing services for agents and if so, how much?

Sep 01, 2016 11:52 PM
Lori Ballen

We do offer content services! You can reach out to Jeff or Tyler at 702-917-0755, or email team@ballenbrands.com.

Sep 02, 2016 01:11 AM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

This post is very helpful for writing email as well as writing effective blogs. Thanks, Lori.

Sep 25, 2017 11:42 AM