Blogs have become an integral part of many companies’ marketing strategies and are an ideal way to reach the target audience with informative content about products, services, etc. At the same time, readers have the opportunity to engage with the content and build a relationship with the brand.
In other words, blog posts are worth their weight in gold for anyone looking to create meaningful and informative content while diving into content marketing.
I’ve previously written about how to start and promote a blog, but in this post, I’ll focus more specifically on how to structure a well-crafted blog post — today we’re taking a look at the layout.
Create visual appeal
In crafting a good blog post, it’s essential to catch the reader’s attention.
This can be reflected in the title as well as in the visual elements included in the post.
A good, engaging title that invites the reader to explore the post can take many forms, and it’s a good idea to test how different posts perform based on their titles.
Your readers might be drawn to titles that promise a quick and easy read, such as:
- “Understand SEO in 10 minutes”
- “My 5 best tips for website setup”
- “3 secrets to the perfect blog post”
A title that also makes sense from an SEO perspective and includes relevant keywords can help the post rank better on Google.
It can also be helpful to perform keyword research in advance to find out what questions your audience is asking.
No one wants to read a blog post about something they already know a lot about.
Visual material
Images and other visual content are always a great addition to a blog post — they can help illustrate and clarify the core topic and, when placed near the title for example, give the reader an immediate sense of what the post is about.
However, it’s important that the visuals are high quality, as they play a crucial role.
Both in terms of the reading experience and when the post is shared on social media — here, a compelling title and a high-quality image can help attract new readers.
Clarity is essential
Informative blog posts can be incredibly valuable for those who find them relevant and are already seeking answers about the topic being discussed.
But information-heavy posts should still be easy to navigate — no one wants to read a densely written novel on a complex subject.
If you have expertise on a topic and want to share it, it should also be possible to do so in a relatively simple and digestible way.
Estimated reading time
A good idea is to include an estimated reading time at the top of the post, so readers can decide whether they have time to read it.
This is helpful for your visitors and also allows you to use estimated reading times as part of your performance data — how do longer blog posts perform compared to shorter ones?
Subheadings and paragraphs
Visually, a post becomes much more manageable and reader-friendly if it’s divided into smaller paragraphs with helpful and engaging subheadings.
Readers are often looking for specific information and need to skim the post to find answers, so clear sectioning is key.
From an SEO standpoint, it also makes sense to use H-tags for subheadings.
This helps Google understand the structure of your content and can make it more relevant by including specific keywords in subheadings.
<h2> The 3 best countries to visit </h2>
<h3> Tips for transport in Europe – how to get from A to B </h3>
Using bullet points where appropriate can also add clarity and improve the reading experience.
Just like I’ve done in this section.
The purpose of your blog post
A well-structured blog post should have a clear message and a strong purpose.
What takeaway should the reader leave with? Are you guiding them toward a specific action?
It’s a big advantage if it’s clear where the reader should go next. For example:
- Signing up for a newsletter that, like your blog post, adds value and introduces the services you offer.
- Navigating to another blog post on your site that dives deeper into a topic briefly mentioned in the current one — this keeps readers on your site and strengthens internal link building.
- Purchasing a product that relates directly to the blog’s theme. What challenge prompted the reader to visit your post, and how can your product help solve it?
These elements contribute to a clear layout and give your blog post the structure needed to keep readers engaged and encourage action.
What do you think?
What elements do you think are essential for creating a well-structured blog post?
Share your best tips in the comments below!
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