Writing blog posts is easy.
Sit down, crank out the gibberish in your head and hit “publish.”
It’s done millions of times a day. And nearly every single post is forgotten within an hour.
Or less.
Why is that?
It’s because they don’t use the tricks behind writing compelling articles.
They ignore the basics.
You, however, shouldn’t ignore the basics if you want people to care about, comment on and even share your blog posts.
10 Ways to Write Killer Blog Posts
By the way, this is not a lesson on writing for the web in general. Nor is it about the 100 ways to becoming a better writer.
This is about the singular process of writing a blog post.
And then some.
Enjoy.
One Helluva Seductive One-Word Headline
Work in the copywriting field long enough and you get a knack for picking up on what works. Take the following headline, for example.
Write Better Headlines with This 7-Step Google Reader Experiment
Ever wonder what makes some headlines irresistable and others fall flat? This little lab test will show you why. AND teach you how to write irresistible ones.
David Sedaris’ Tricks to Great First Sentences
How do you write a first sentence that not only captures a reader’s attention…but keeps it? Let David Sedaris teach you.
How I Can Make You Read Every Single Line of This Article
You’ve been on my mind a lot lately. When I’m out cutting the lawn. Or running on the shoulder of the country road near my house. You want to know why?
A Mildly Orthodox Method to Developing a Wicked Vocabulary
You can spot a mediocre writer from miles away. Flat verbs. Obtuse nouns. Lame metaphors. Absence of stories. I should know. I used to be one.
Cheat Sheet to Hypnotic Storytelling
What makes the kidney harvest urban legend so successful? It follows just one of the six principles that make ideas sticky found in the book Made to Stick.
David Mamet’s 9 Rules to Ruthless Editing
No one wants to write dull, lifeless copy that lull even the most hyper people to sleep. Certainly not you, right? Follow David Mamet’s 9 rules and you won’t.
How to Write a Darn Good Email Subject Line
In an inbox cluttered with email, four mono-syllabic words nearly made me wet my pants. “Don’t f*ck with me.” And they taught me an exceptional lesson about subject lines.
Blog Post Word Count: Is There a Magical Number
The answer is no, there is not an ideal word count for a blog post. But there’s is an ideal number of questions you need to ask yourself before you write.
The Best Formula for Writing Potent Little Sales Ads on the Web
The best way to write short sales messages for the web is to use a proven formula known as PAS. It’s also a sublime method to structuring irresistible blog posts. How can you lose?
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Image source: Akira’s Kaneda
Do you think these formulas will ever get old? Is there an example of a writer who has thrown many or all of these principles out the window and still succeeded? I’m curious because the more I learn about copywriting, the more I see that so much is formulaic; especially headlines.
Having said all that, great post and I’ll incorporate these ideas into my next blog post or web copy.
Hey Tristan, good question. Seth Godin comes to mind. If you look at his blog he probably breaks these rules. And probably a handful of other celebrities. They can get away with it. They were famous before, or they are famous for other reasons, than their blog. If you and I tried their tricks, people would think we were stupid.
Just found you on Copyblogger – another great post – Another great bookmark for me.
Now I’m going to morph into a sponge and soak it all up.
Happy weekend.
You too!
I would rather take these as “tips” or “hints” but not necessarily a “formula”. A good writer always injects a sound idea or two in his writings and a good reader can always sense the “meat” of the material he is reading. Nevertheless, the tips can be worth trying. I believe we can get some ideas which are far beyond those written in the web. Good luck!
You are right. Definitely this is not a formula.
You sure know how to make a reader click your links; that’s a talent AND a skill. Just wish I’d had the sense to read you years ago.
Thanks Kelli. Never too late. ;D