So you’ve decided to start your own blog. Good for you! Hopefully you’ve recognised the inherent value in a consistent, engaging blog, and are not simply trying to recapture some former scene kid glory from 2008. Because although ye olde blog might have an archaic reputation in some circles, make no mistake – they are one of the most powerful marketing tools in any business’s arsenal. But if you’re just starting out, how can you SEO-charge all of your blog posts so that they pack the necessary punch? Fear not, we’ve got five copywriting tips for the newbie blogger.
1 – Learn How To Use Keywords In Your Blog
When we talk about how to maximise your blog’s impact, we’re talking pretty much exclusively about search engine optimisation. Blogs are the perfect tool to rank your site higher in search engine results, gaining you more visibility, more visits and ultimately more customers. Keywords are the crucial focal point when it comes to raising your SEO game. You want to scatter keywords relating to your business in all your posts, while keeping them natural and relevant.
2 – Don’t Stop There – Learn How To Use Keyphrases!
The only problem with keywords is that, well, everyone’s doing it. So, for example, if you sell coffee, and your keyword is ‘coffee’, then you’re going to get swept up in the competitive tide of the entire coffee industry. The trick then is to find your niche and incorporate that in the form of a keyphrase or long-tail keyword. These are (yep, you guessed it) longer than keywords and – when used effectively in your posts – offer the little guys a chance to outrank much bigger sites. Maybe your location is unique. Maybe you use a coveted blend of coffee bean. Whatever it is, seek it out and create a searchable long-tail keyword that can sing through your blog copy.
This guy has been paying attention to every single one of our copywriting tips for the newbie blogger – it’s not his fault we didn’t specify that he should start on a computer. Our bad.
3 – Use An Active Voice In Your Blog
You should be excited about what your business is bringing to the table, and that excitement should be transmitted to your readers through your writing. Remember, blogs are quite a clinical medium in the abstract. It’s up to you to supercharge them with powerful words and a strong active voice. Just to recap, an active voice structure is ‘subject-verb-noun’. Simply put, don’t end a sentence with a verb and you should be flying. Call your potential customers to action through your text and entertain them while you’re doing it. Easy, no?
4 – Include External and Internal Blog Links
Another SEO heavy-hitter – learning how to include inbound and outbound links. Your content will appear highly valuable to search engines if you’re linking to other trusted sites. So throw a few links to news sources, studies, etc. into your copy. After a few posts, you’ll be able to implement inbound links too, so your new posts link back to older ones. Search engines love to see this, as it provides your site with a structure and timeline.
5 – Blog Post Frequency And Length: Stay Consistent
Consistency is one of the most important considerations when it comes to kicking off your blog. It’s not about frequency of posts, but rather a definitive schedule. If you want to post two pieces a week, great. Two a month? Also fine. Just make sure you stick to your schedule. It lends an air of professionalism to your endeavours and keeps people coming back for more. With regards to length, consistency is also key, although you want to be hitting over 300 words per post to make an impact with those all-seeing search engine gods.
If you’ve got any questions about improving your blog or would like to discuss any of PepperStorm’s services (which include blog writing and SEO audits), please get in touch!
