How to structure a blog post your readers actually want to read

Simple tips that will help you write well and engage your readers 

Writing engaging, easy to read blogs is harder than you think. It’s as much about your writing skill as it is about the way you structure those words on the page.

In this article, you’ll learn how to structure your blog post to keep people reading.

Put your most important content at the beginning

Hand up if you’ve Googled something, landed on an article and skimmed the first couple of paragraphs before closing the site? The truth is, if your readers don’t find what they’re looking for in the first few seconds, they’ll leave.

But it’s not just about making the topic clear. It’s also about making sure your readers know what they’ll be getting by investing their time on your site.

You need to be clear about what benefits the reader will get from reading your post.

How do you do this? Use the ‘so what?’ test.

If your post tells people how to frame the perfect landscape photo, tell them straight up. But it’s also important to ask why they want to know and be clear about it.

• Why do they need to learn those skills?
• Which ones are you going to teach them in your post?

Setting clear expectations from the beginning builds trust, and it engages the *right* people. Those that’ll benefit most from what you’re writing about.

Signpost your ideas with sub-headlines (like this one)

The research is clear: shorter paragraphs are easier to read online and those with two or three sentences are ideal, because they allow you to add white space between each of your ideas.

This white space is easy on our brain. It helps us skim the words quicker, and find the information we need. Reading online can take up to 25% longer, so everything you can do to make it easier to consume – the longer your reader will stick around.

Write using everyday language

Plain English is far more relatable, and easier to consume than content filled with technical terms. That said, it’s important to know your customers well and have a good understanding of what language they relate to – so you know which words to avoid.

Need help figuring this out? Just holler.

When I started out, I was marketing myself as a copywriter. While there are many people who understand what this is, I soon realised my creative audience don’t know what a copywriter is.

But they know they need help with arts marketing.

So, I changed the language I use and I avoid marketing terms they don’t understand. And if I do use them, I explain what they mean, so I know we’re all on the same page.

Emotionally engage your audience

The most memorable blogs are those that stir something within us and invite us to connect with the author.

“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

While it’s not always easy, there are a few ways to engage people:

Invite them into your world and share something about yourself: A lesson you learned, something that inspired you, the reason you created this body of work or wrote this song. Vulnerability is compelling.

Share your brand story: Your brand story is at the centre of everything you create. Knowing how to craft and share this story can help people feel connected with you.

Show your audience you understand them: What does your audience struggle with most? Showing them you understand what’s bugging them most, and doing everything you can to help them overcome these things will foster trust and connection.

Wrap up your post with an action

So your reader has got to the end of the post. Then what? It’s time to wrap up what your post is about. Without this conclusion – the article feels unfinished. There’s no closure.

And now’s the perfect time to provide more value, subscribe to your email list, or invite them to contact you or leave a comment.

Wish you could be blogging more but don’t know what to write about?

It feels like all the content has already been written and you don’t just want to do more of the same. If you’re looking for a flash of inspiration and are comfortable writing your own blogs, then a Blog Ideas Session is perfect for you. I’ll provide that inspiration to get you going again.

Over to you

If you loved these tips on how to structure your blog post? Please share them with a friend, and let me know in the comments below. I value your feedback.