What should I include in a blog?

So you’ve decided to start a blog on your website to help your business.  That’s great, but now you’re wondering what to write about and what to include in it.
Blogs generally have similar key areas which can be laid out to suit you and business.  Every style is different and just because you start writing in one format doesn’t mean you have to always write to that format, mix it up and test things out.  Everyone is different and what works for one person’s business might not work the next one.  Find a style that suits you and inspires you – if you’re not inspired it will make the job so much harder.

What should I include?

The first thing I would suggest is adding your personality.  People buy from people, so you want your reader to connect with you.  To understand you, and what you’re doing.

Start with an introduction – explain to the reader what the purpose of the blog is – so they can find out quickly if it’s what they are looking for.

Blogs don’t have to be long – Yoast SEO plugin advises pages and blogs be no shorter than 300 words.  All over the web, everyone has their own opinion somewhere between 275 – 2500 seems to be the best guess.  But again it depends what you’re talking about in your post. I often aim for around 300, but once I start, they tend to grow. Most of my posts do tend to be between 600-800 words.
If you’re writing about your client’s new clean floor, you might struggle to find much to write about – when photos can say so much more. Including things like a location or details about the material the floors made from or covered in. What products really work on this type of floor?

Include photos – Although Google is getting smarter all the time just adding photos on their own is no good – you should use your alt text, make sure image files are correctly named etc.

Making the blog interesting by maybe injecting humour or your personality into it will help.

Keyword phrases – the pages on your website may be fully optimised for your highest performing keywords and phrases but in your blogs, you can expand this range of words to allow you to cover more of them.

If you’ve included lots of information in your blog then include a conclusion and summarise the main point you want the reader to take away with them.

What can I write about?

• Make it a how-to – like this blog, tell your customers how to do what you do? Having a website isn’t the end of the story so my blogs are intended to help my clients looking after and developing their own sites – if they want to.
• Your passions – It’s easier to write about topics you like, so even if you’re writing about a “dull” topic, twist it to include something you like.
• Latest project/jobs – if you offer a service show people the work happening, or even better the before and after pics.
• Industry news – when something changes around your business – for example if I could write about when Google releases a new tweak to their algorithm, new software or new plugins.  Recently WordPress released 5.3 I could write about the new features
• Hold a competition – using blogs where people comment or enter can increase your numbers, just be aware that everyone wants a freebie, are the all going to be your ideal customers – no.  But it does help to spread the word and you never know who they’re friends with.
• Offers – like with competition giving you “fans” offers.

What now?

If you’re now ready to add your first blog post then you can watch this video to get a quick view of how to add a new blog on your WordPress site.

In conclusion

I hope this helps you to get started with your blog.
I have mentioned some important things to include in your blog, like an introduction, use photos, keywords and phrases and most importantly include your personality and given you some ideas about what you could write about.
If you would like to brainstorm some ideas specifically for your own blog then follow me on Facebook or Instagram and DM me. Perhaps you want someone to write a blog for you then contact me.