Every successful content strategy starts with good planning.
When you begin launching a content strategy, it is important that you are prepared with a general idea of the post topics and an understanding of what you hope to achieve when creating blog posts.
Your blog post should tell a story to your readers. Your content needs to inform, entertain, or both. It also needs to be easily analyzed by Google’s AI system to keep your search engine rankings high.
Here are the top three things you need to keep in mind while planning your content strategy in 2020:
Understand the Minimum Requirements
Your blog post should fully convey your message and answer most readers’ questions. Experts disagree on the optimal word count for blog posts.
Some say 250 will suffice.
Others argue that blog posts should have at least 1,500 words. A general consensus is that you need a minimum of 500 words to get your point across.
Generally speaking, long-form blog posts are the most successful. In the words of industry expert Neil Patel,
Word count is only important when coupled with super high quality
You can write as many words as you want. If your content doesn’t resonate with your readers, it won’t do well no matter its length.
Blog posts should also contain at least one image. Choose an image that will speak to your readers. It should align well with your brand and be closely related to the topic. [You can find some great stock photos using these resources.]
Make your blog posts easy to read by keeping your paragraphs short. For a higher readability score, the recommended paragraph length is two to three sentences.
Lastly, make sure to include some internal links in your blog post. This is important for a few reasons.
Internal links provide a boost in search engine algorithms. They also increase your page views and give you an opportunity to keep older content alive.
If you don’t have any relevant blog posts to link in the body of your article, boost your page views by adding a “You May Also Like…” section underneath your blog post.
Know Your Keywords and Tailor Your Description
As you plan your blog post, consider the keywords you want to use. Your keywords are the words and phrases prospective customers use to find you online.
You can explore popular keywords in your niche using a variety of tools like Google Keyword Planner.
The most reliable way to ensure your blog post is optimized for your keywords is to use a plug-in like Yoast SEO.
In addition to using relevant keywords, your blog post should have a detailed description. Yoast SEO allows you to edit your meta description (that short paragraph that appears under the post title on Google).
A good description should include your keyword(s) and clearly explain what readers will see when they visit your webpage.
Create captivating headlines
A blog post headline has the ability to make or break your post. Studies show that 80% will read your headline and 20% will click on it.
Below are tips that will significantly improve your headline writing skills and improve your content strategy.
Source: CoSchedule
Include a Compelling Call to Action
Last, but certainly not least, you need to include a Call to Action (CTA). Your CTA will be different on every blog post.
What do you want the reader to do next? This will depend a lot on the purpose of your blog post and your relationship with your readers.
Are you trying to grow your email list? Include a prompt to join your mailing list. Want to start a conversation?
Post a question you want readers to answer in the comments. Looking to build your online community?
Use your CTA to prompt website visitors to share the post on social media.
As you plan your upcoming blog posts, keep these three things in mind. When you’re ready to develop a more intensive content strategy, schedule a free consult.
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