How To Write A Winning Blog Post

March 02, 2011

Sometimes when I’m thinking about what to write for my weekly post, the ideas come thick and fast and the actual thinking time is minimal.

Other times I’m not so lucky and whilst I was thinking about what to write this week, I seemed to hit a blank wall.

I always try to write a winning blog post every time — one that’s going to be popular amongst you, the readers — and whilst looking through previous posts on this blog — and others — for inspiration, it dawned on me that rather than come up with a topic for a winning blog post, I’d do my best to tell you how to write a winning blog post.

As anyone who uses WordPress will know, there are thousands of plugins available that can be installed to enhance the blogging experience for both the blogger and the reader.

One of the plugins that Sharon has installed here on Get Paid To Write Online displays information on the visitor statistics, from how many people visited on any given day right through to which page was read the most during a certain month.

What that plugin can also do is tell you which posts have been the most popular in terms of the number of times that it has been read and therefore it’s a simple equation that the posts which are read the most are the most popular, meaning that they’re prime examples of winning blog posts.

To begin with, looking at the reader statistics from right back to when the first post was published here, the five most popular blog posts are:

From this list, you can begin to see just why these posts are so popular and having a read through the posts themselves once again, it becomes apparent that there are four key points you need to stick to which should allow you to create your own winning blog post.

1. The posts need to offer something that the majority of your audience wants

Every single one of the five posts mentioned is of use to the vast majority of writers. They might not all be directly aimed at the entire market, but every writer should be able to take something away from each post.

For example, the post about common writing mistakes is a fantastic one for beginners to the industry, but it’s also just as useful for seasoned writers who are wanting to ensure that they’re staying at the top of their game.

This also relates to the post regarding writers to follow on Twitter — new writers will be following them all straight away and experienced writers will be checking to make sure they’re all on their follow list.

2. You need to write about what you know and are experienced in

When you know and trust someone, it’s easy to get into somewhat of a comfort zone with them, accepting what they say as truthful and valid and taking on board whatever information they’re giving to you.

Take a Doctor as an example. You know they’ve spent years training to get into the position that they’re currently in and so you’re comfortable accepting the information that they tell you.

Most of the readers on this blog know Sharon is a particularly knowledgeable and experienced writer (and if you didn’t when you first came here, chances are you do now — the ‘About’ page is the second most popular after the home page) and therefore whatever information she puts up on this blog, you’re comfortable accepting it as you know that she’s speaking from experience.

I’m not saying that Sharon is omniscient and holds the Holy Grail to becoming a successful freelance writer (although I do wonder sometimes…), but when you’ve been at the top of your game for more than just a few years, you get to know what works and what doesn’t, something that is invaluable to writers of all abilities.

3. The content needs to do exactly as it says on the tin

I like quirky headlines and headlines that make me think, rather than ones that give you a straightforward explanation or introduction to the piece, but these have their time and place and on a blog where the aim is to help writers succeed, this isn’t one of them.

No writer wants to be going to a blog for advice and wonder whether every post they come across is going to be of use to them because the headline isn’t particularly clear.

With the posts mentioned, four of them clearly spell out what you should be expecting from the post content and the remaining post — I, Ghost Blogger — whilst the title doesn’t spell out exactly what the post is about in a way that everyone would understand, you get an explanation of the content within the first three sentences.

4. The bumf needs to be left behind

When you read each of the five posts, it doesn’t take long until you’re actually at the point where you’re receiving useful information and even when you’re at that point, you’re not having to trawl through a lot of pointless content — bumf (which is one of my favourite colloquial words!) — to get to the useful information.

Creating a winning blog post — one that’s read time and time again and shared by readers — isn’t easy and in some instances, relies more on how your readers are feeling and what they’re wanting at a certain time than anything else.

You can do your utmost to ensure that the posts you do write are as well-received as possible, however and looking at the five most popular posts here on Get Paid To Write Online, it would be strongly advised to revolve your posts around the four points mentioned that link them all together.