When it comes to crafting popular blog content, it can be hard to know where to start. While complacency, old habits and a 'this is how we've always done it' approach are your worst enemies, knowing what you need to change isn't obvious. You can see other blogs around you becoming a great success and want to know what you can do to match this.
So, for those of you who want to know what’s made successful big hit content for other marketers, here are some ideas to get you started.
#1 Publish Original Data
Everyone has an opinion on the web, and many people comment on trends and other articles. But what do they often comment on? Original data.
Not only will publishing original data make great blog content – it can also help you increase your earned media coverage, as many industry media outlets are desperate for insightful and original content.
If you have the ability to create or access original data that can expose, add to, or refute an industry topic or trend, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have that ability, think about partnering with a research firm or startup to discover some new data that has never been published about a topic your audience cares about. You could even reach out to postgraduate students researching in a related area, to see if you could partner together to get the data.
#2 Don’t be Afraid to be Controversial
Agreeing with everyone is safe – and not newsworthy.
Controversy can be a way of garnering attention. So if you have an opinion about a controversial issue, try writing about it in your next blog post. This tactic could even help you kick-start your blogging habit.
We’re not suggesting you be controversial just for the sake of being disagreeable. But if you have a stance that you are passionate about - especially if you have data that supports your stance - go for it.
#3 Cover the story first - and be thorough
Being the first, or one of the firsts, counts for a lot on the web. So does thoroughness.
Look to see if there is a popular topic in your industry that few have written about (or written about well). If you find one, start writing. And get to it quickly, before someone else can beat you to it.
Even better is being the first to write comprehensively on a trending topic. People will be looking for guidance. If you can offer it, then it’s likely they’ll also look to you in the future.
#4 Give your post an Eye-Catching Title
What’s the first impression readers get of your blog post? It’s title.
Titles are critical for many reasons. When posts are shared through social media, great titles create a compelling reason for people to click through and read what you have to say.
A great title creates the urgency to read the post and it’s also what turns up in the search engines.So spend some time on creating a title that is:
- Actionable
- Intriguing
- Captures people’s attention with commanding language that forces them to read your blog
While we’re not suggesting that you click-bait titles - you don’t want to disappoint people when they do land on your blog – it does need to be enticing.
#5 Think of High-Quality Visuals as an integral Part of Your Popular Blog Content
And no, stock photography does not meet the mark.
None of this should come as a surprise – pictures, illustrations, videos, photos, infographics are instantly interesting and often more sharable than text.
But here’s another compelling reason. Visual content drives more engagement. According to Simply Measured, just one month after the introduction of Facebook timeline for business pages, visual content -- photos and videos -- saw a 65% increase in engagement.
Creating more visual blog content might take more time and effort than writing, but it’s worth it. Thinks about how the images you select for your blog content can increase the level of readership engagement, and improve the likelihood that the updates you publish to your own social media accounts will be more share-worthy.
If you want to take it to the next level, invest in infographics to portray data and other information more visually.