What are the elements of an outstanding blog post that serves to drive traffic and engage readers? Despite the reservations that beginner bloggers may have, it does not take too much time or effort to create accessible, enticing posts. Keep these key ingredients in mind as you embark on your journey to create an actionable blog.

An Out-of-This-World Purpose

No one has time for fluff. There’s nothing more obnoxious than getting on a website and reading a blog post, only to discover half-way through that it doesn’t serve a purpose. If the blog post you’re reading doesn’t solve a problem or offer a vital blog update or a call to action, readers will bounce to another webpage. Bloggers who don’t post consistently may feel that they are obligated to throw out a post every once in a while to keep readers engaged. The problem is, blog posts along those lines are not well thought out. Therefore, ensure that each of your blog posts has a definite purpose.

A Subscriber Incentive

A subscriber incentive is a free, downloadable piece of content offered in exchange for readers’ contact information. This doesn’t mean that you must incorporate a subscriber incentive into each one of your posts. If you have a niche that’s specific enough, you can apply the same subscriber incentive to multiple blog posts. If your forte is financial blogging, for example, you may write about budgeting, the myths of personal finance, and tips about saving. In this case, a personal finance spreadsheet template that can be downloaded by others is the perfect example of a subscriber incentive. It’s important to offer a subscriber incentive in as many blog posts as you can, simply because, if you’re selling a product or service, having a list of potential customers who offer their contact information in exchange for your incentive is very valuable.

An Engaging Headline and An Introduction

As far as headlines are concerned, it’s helpful to do keyword research. However, the important thing here is to avoid sounding dry. Spice it up a little bit, throw your personality in there, and aim to incorporate a keyword into your headline that can help you stand out regarding SEO. When people hop on your blog and view your blog posts, you only have about two or three seconds to capture their attention. Anyone will tell you that this is hard to do. An excellent introduction, therefore, will help your readers decide if they want to stay and read the rest of your content.

A Short Summary Of Your Post

Many people are busy when they’re perusing your blog. Make it easy for your readers by providing a simple summary of what your blog post will discuss. Include it so that your readers can absorb your message in as short a time as possible if they must.

Substantive Content and a Pinnable Graphic

Ensure that you’re providing value with your content. Break things up by including bullet points and sub-headers to make your content more visually appealing to anyone who might be reading. While you may not attracting readers via Pinterest, you’ll want to include an appealing graphic at the beginning of your post. Graphics can provide an air of professionalism to your blog, and people will want to stick around to read more if your blog is visually enticing. You don’t want to run afoul of copyright infringement laws, so be sure you’re getting your pictures from free, high-quality photography sources such as Pexels.com or Pixabay.com.

Finally, it’s critical to note that success in blogging is in line with how great of a marketer you are. Any content can become well-received if you implement the right strategies to reach your target audience.