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Writing content for a blog is really answering questions. When you have the answers and can explain them easily then blogging is a breeze

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Is Blog content really important

If a blog stands to answer questions or explain something that readers want to be clarified would just a few words do?

The jury is out on this and there are two opposing opinions, let me explain.

Many readers want a simple answer. a Query like “what year was Donald Trump born” would be seeking single date. Therefore placing the year 1946 into the first few lines would answer the question. Most would not continue to read his life story.

However, the question ” what did Donald Trump achieve when in office.” would require a much longer answer. (OK, some might say nothing but this is just an exercise to make you think.)

What is your blog intent

When you write for affiliate income or a referral to another site you want long-term readers that will wander down your page.

However, if you are after traffic volume to attract advertisers then you need as many visits as you can and a short answer may well be just enough.

What about content structure

First of all, writing must be simple and to the point.
No long sentences and no long paragraphs.
In fact a maximum of 25 words in a sentence and under 250 in a paragraph.

Plus your headings must start large and cascade down the page and never go big again.
I start with a #2 and use #3 as subheadings but I could not go back up to #1 to emphasize a point.

Using color can be beneficial as well as the bold key to highlight certain words.

If you are using WordPress to write your blogs then the plugins, Yoast or AIO SEO will guide you all the way with this. Below is an example is taken from this blog although I am still very light on words

How many words in a blog

This is asked by most new writers and the answer is somewhere between 300 and 3000
providing you answer the question or explain the result.
However, most authorities agree that 1500 is a nice number of words to achieve and entertain the readers.
Many speed read or skim the page looking for interesting points and that is why we use pictures and graphs to slow them down.

When starting to write blogs thinking of enough words can be hard. I started out in under 500 words for my content however found the trick to greater length and now average near to 1500 words over my 450 blog posts.

The trick is to write your headings first and then fill in the words after that. A dozen good headings and a hundred words each soon adds up to a good quantity of content,

If you start with an answer then justify the reasons you gave it. This covers both readers.

The importance of a Meta description

This short summary of your blog should pull the readers with intrigue or a promise to solve an issue or problem.

Yes, your Keyword has a place ( a big one at that) and your headline conveys intent however when we peruse the first two or three listing on a web search it is the Meta that completes the deal.

I have seen where a similar headline can attract 100x more readers because the description of your blog is appealing.

I searched this topic in Google where four veteran bloggers created their best Meta description and none come up to standard

Does my Meta describe the answer better than the pro's

Writing content for a blog is really answering questions. When you have the answers and can explain them easily then blogging is a breeze.

An interseting perspective on the headings

I chose the above listing at random because I need to rank among them and thought they would all provide a clear Description.

One small item I often forget is to use all Capitals in my keyword structure.
Not good writing however it is believed to be good SEO.
Who am I to argue with the experts.

Providing authority to make your mark

An example of this is shown in the above Meta (49 Marketing blogs) where the writer blows himself up as the Chief of Content at Sumo Blog.
Are you impressed or is this just self ideology. ( Nice headline though)

However, Google and search engines love authoritative figures.
If we wanted to know more about Donald Trump, for instance, the chief of staff at the White House would have greater respect than little old me in downtown Australia.
However, I may well quote from the chief of staff to lift my credentials and show I have done my research.

We are all different and our writing reflects that

Stick to your style and be consistent over time to build a following that develops your own authority. In marketing, it is know, like and trust that leads to a sale and blogging is no different.
When they know you and want to read more of your work they get to like what you say and trust your recommendations.

Be yourself but follow the basic rules in structure and your content will be read.

Conclusion

I don't place myself among the award-winning authors. This is generally a reflection of my poor education and need to better express my thoughts in a clear manner.
Sometimes I wonder where my words are taking me as they roll off the keyboard to places I never intended to go. It is an exciting venture and you can come along with me by starting to write your thoughts.

Writing Content For A Blog Is Really Answering Questions by Peter Hanley

Extra reading

• Writing a Meta description in a way to woo readers
• Writing for a blog
• How to write a blog (for money)
• Marketing with blog posts
• 12 things a blogger must know to get read