4 Ideas for Better Blog Content

Having a blog just for the sake of having a company blog is pointless. There are so many better ways to spend your marketing budget and time. However, that’s not to say blogging doesn’t work. If you’re willing to commit yourself to consistently creating highly captivating content that resonates with your readers, it can certainly be worth the investment. If you’re having trouble creating better blog content, here are a few tips to help you start.

Try These 4 Tips for Better Blog Content

Creating better blog content isn’t always about “writing better.” Yes, writing quality and creativity matters – but content creation in 2024 is a much more multifaceted effort.

If you want to create better blog content, you need to do the following:

1. Dive Deep with Topic Selection

The first step in creating engaging blog content is selecting topics that resonate deeply with your target audience. To discover what your audience truly cares about, start with keyword research. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you understand what potential readers are searching for online.

As you use these tools, try looking for keywords that are relevant to your brand but also have a high search volume. (This indicates a strong interest, suggesting that content around these topics might attract more visitors to your blog.)

Besides keyword research, consider sending out reader surveys where you ask your current readers or social media followers what topics they’re interested in or what problems they’re facing. This direct feedback is very helpful and will ensure you’re crafting content that addresses your readers’ actual needs and concerns.

Finally, keep an eye on industry trends. Make a habit of checking relevant blogs, magazines, and newsletters in your niche.

• What topics are they covering?
• What can you offer that’s different?
• Are there features or elements that you could swipe for your own blog?

Staying updated with the trends allows you to know what’s happening in your niche and respond with content that your audience actually wants to engage with.

2. Craft Captivating Openings

Your opening paragraph is like the front door to your blog post – it’s your first impression. To hook your readers from the start, your opening three sentences need to be compelling.

Start with a surprising statistic, a bold statement, or a relatable anecdote. For instance, if you’re writing about productivity tips, opening with a personal story about how a specific strategy changed your work life can be very effective. It adds a human element that can make the information more relatable and engaging.

Another option is to ask a question or say something that intuitively doesn’t make sense. The key is to get people raising their eyebrows or leaning in to learn more. If you do this, you suck them into the rest of the post.

3. Capitalize on User-Generated Content

Incorporating user-generated content (UGC) can also enhance your blog’s appeal. UGC, like customer testimonials or social media photos, adds authenticity to the content that simply isn’t present with stock photos and overly-produced images.

RTA Outdoor Living does a really good job of this on their blog. For example, in their post on 35 outdoor kitchen ideas, they include actual pictures that customers have submitted of their kitchens upon delivery and installation. Rather than featuring stock photos or pictures of the kitchens in warehouses, they bring the experience to life for readers and allow them to imagine what the product would look like in their own backyards.

In terms of gathering UGC for your brand, there are plenty of different strategies you can use, including:

• Social media campaigns are probably the most effective for UGC, since people are already naturally trained to post content on their social profiles. You can run these campaigns in any number of ways, but hashtag campaigns are ideal. Create a unique, catchy hashtag and encourage your followers to use it when sharing content related to your brand. You can even host challenges or contests that require participants to create and share content in order to win.
• Content collaboration is another excellent strategy. A lot of people are looking for ways to get their names attached to content – whether to build a content portfolio or simply to get personal or professional exposure. You can invite readers and customers to write guest blog posts for you or create a video blog series.
• When you go online to purchase a product or service, how often do you skim through the ratings and reviews? If you’re anything like most people, this is the first place you go. So why not encourage customers to leave reviews and ratings on your website or social media platforms? This is the ultimate form of user generated content – and people are conditioned to do it already. This makes your job of collecting this content much easier.
• If you’re really serious about adding a UGC component to your content strategy, you might be interested in a UGC platform. There are a number of platforms specifically designed for UGC, such as review sites, forums, and social media groups. You can incorporate interactive tools like quizzes, polls, and surveys on your website to gather these.

4. Structure Content for Readability

Keep your readers engaged by thoughtfully crafting your content. This is where the structure of your content plays a crucial role. Break your content into manageable sections with descriptive subheadings that guide the reader through your article.

• Subheadings help readers skim the content and quickly find the information most relevant to them.
• Use bullet points to simplify complex information into easy-to-digest pieces. For example, if you’re listing benefits or steps in a process, bullet points can help clearly delineate each item, making your content easier to follow.
• Keep your paragraphs concise. Each paragraph should contain a single idea, supported by a few sentences. (This improves readability and helps maintain the reader’s attention by creating a logical flow of information.)

Turn Your Average Content Into Great Content

The biggest difference between average content and better blog content is a commitment to consistency. That might sound boring, but it’s true. As you consistently create content, you’ll start to improve, identify areas of weakness, and become intimately familiar with what it is that your readers gravitate toward. The more you create and publish, the better your results will be!