In saying that, creating content that is magnetic, informative and timeless is the only goal a writer should aim to achieve. This article contains a culmination of 11 High Impact Elements Every Blog Post Should Include.
1. Powerful Headlines
Your target for any piece of content is to have the Headline read. It is literally your entire article packaged into one line which is sold to a potential reader. Without a powerful headline, there is very little encouraging someone to read your article.
Powerful Headlines can be divided as follows:
- Direct Headline
- Indirect Headline - Peaks Curiosity
- Command Headline - E.g. Download This Guide Valued At $99 Absolutely Free!
- Question Headline- Are You Sick Of Being Overweight? We Have A Special Product For You!
- How-To and Testimonial Headline
Crafting together the perfect Headline depends on the kind of article you have composed. It is vitally important that your Headline is simply a compliment to the article presented.
To sum it up: Headlines is a means for selling the pitch to be pitched!
2. Numbers, Bullets and Summaries
When you use Bullets, Numbers and Summaries, it aids in creating content that can be quickly scanned for relevant information. This is vital because large pieces of content can lead to information overload but if you craft your articles using the above mentioned features, reading causes less strain on your readers.
In fact, I used all 3 of these features in this very article and am absolutely certain that it has helped you absorb those key features which are so very important.
3. Calls to Action
A fantastic way of creating content that is viral and informative is by engaging your reader. This can be achieved in many ways but one highly successful way utilized online is by making use of Call to Actions.
Call to Action is merely a beneficial command. For instance,
Share this Article for the love of mankind.
OR;
Subscribe to our Email Newsletter and Receive Our Free Premium Written Guide On Why Your Company's Search Engine Rankings Keep Falling (And 5 Ways to Get Them Fixed).
One can make use of this after the revelation of in-depth information which peaks a readers interest. After reading the benefits a certain product/service can produce, inserting a call to action encourages such reader to purchase the product which prevents information overload and entices the reader to engage in a way that will be Profitable.
4. Story Telling
As kids, our parents told us stories before we went to bed, our teachers read us stories to learn a lesson, the nanny told us stories whilst we ate and as we got older, we engaged in watching stories being told through movies and television shows.
Thing is, this has wired our brains to associate stories as fun and engaging but most importantly, we are hard wired to hear the end of a story. This is fantastic for a writer wanting to keep his/her readers focus and interest in completing the article.
Begin your article with a story but save the conclusion and lessons learnt for the end of your article.
It may just be the best way to get someone invested enough to read and interact. Another reason is that stories evoke emotions and if you manage to evoke any sort of emotion within your reader, you control his/her actions which makes using Call To Actions much more effective.
To evoke emotion,
5. Use Powerful/Passive Words
Certain words placed strategically into a sentence can evoke immensely powerful emotions in your reader. It's all about identifying the tone and mood you are trying to create within a particular paragraph.
Let's say you're writing an article dealing with Acne. Off the bat, you already know that Acne has a major psychological effect on people which means wording the start and end of your article in a particular way.
You would introduce your article based on the negatives of acne, how it makes a person feel self-conscious and so forth. Being bubbly and happy would only make you seem insensitive. The aim is to draw the reader in with an introduction that he/she can personally relate too - such as common problems and fears!
Note: Now that the reader can relate to you, a sense of trust exists between you and the reader.
The latter part of your article body is where you begin to use powerful words.
Why?
You've already built trust and you've created a connection with the reader using passive words which allows you to take such reader on a rollercoaster ride. Lift their spirits up by using powerful words.
Let me show you a typical example of a powerful sentence as compared to an average sentence:
Natural Remedies can clear acne if you use it daily
Vs.
Natural Remedies Are Guaranteed to Show Results with Consistency.
Both Sentences have the same meaning, it conveys the same message but the latter is 10x more powerful.
Note the words underlined: All 4 words aren't spectacularly long but they work exceptionally well.
Reason being, I used such powerful words to...
6. Make Big Promises That Can Be Fulfilled
Promises that are made should always be fulfilled. More commonly than not, readers expect to benefit from reading an article which is why making promises that are predictable to you is highly effective.
You're already aware of the benefits of your article, you know what's in it for the reader which is why making big promises at the start, middle and end is possible.
Promises are used as a means of re-enforcement.
Almost everyone knows that Microsoft Word is used for creating, editing and processing documents but by you promising these features, it reassures and re-enforces the reader's belief.
In saying that, when these promises are fulfilled, in the eyes of the reader/client you become trustworthy and a source of authority!
7. Use Dynamic Media
Words alone can be frightening, especially when you write articles that are way over a 1000 words long. In order to combat this problem, the use of dynamic media helps.
What can be considered as Dynamic Media?
One can make use of images that are related to the article, videos from YouTube that help sum up or explain difficult concepts, quotes from authoritative sources which are effective for social media engagement (Click to Tweet Quote) and diagrams which highlight the important concepts.
8. Follow a Flow
Every article requires a certain format and flow in order to be relevant. For instance, someone searching for a Top 10 article expects to read an article that focusses on the top 10.
Aside from that, there are a few key factors mentioned in this article that need to be placed in particular points.
The general flow of an effective Blog Post is:
- Magnetic Headline -
- Introduction (Passive or Powerful Words) - Dynamic Media -
- Body of Content - Dynamic Media + Use of Numbers, Bullets and Summaries + Sub Headlines -
- Call to Action -
- Big Promises - Call To Action -
- Conclusion and Concluding Remarks -
- End with Call to Action.
9. Psychological Formatting
It has been stated that as humans, we adapt and associate. Such association takes place both online and offline which means that certain things and features we see trigger a particular response.
The manner in which you format an article triggers certain responses in the readers mind.
If you publish content that is poorly formatted and/or no formatting at all - Readers view your work as non-authoritative and not worth reading. Non-formatted work is hard to look at.
Certain colors trigger certain responses: Green signifies GO or Proceed whereas Red Signifies Stop or Beware whereas Blue is commonly known to signify links. Use these colors to your advantage when writing, especially if you are marketing a product.
The appropriate use of colors can help increase sales and turnover.
Make use of Bold, and Italics. They can be used for creating emphasis, holding attention and making your article easy to scan.