Did you realize that content marketing receives nearly 3 times the leads as paid search campaigns? Whether you are blogging to draw attention to your business or give your unique perspective on the world, keeping your content engaging and current is a must. Modern consumers are hungry for information, which is why written content is so well-received.

The world of blogging is ever-changing. This means that in order to have a successful blog, you will need to work on staying “in the know”. The last thing you want is for your blog to look outdated or boring.

If you are unsure about how to use the latest blog technology and methodologies, working with marketing professionals is a must. These professionals will know about the latest marketing trends and how to use them effectively.

The following are some of the latest blog marketing trends you need to pay attention to in 2019.

1. Keep Your Content Authentic and Transparent

Creating an emotional connection with your audience is something you should view as a priority. There are thousands of blogs online, which is why finding a way to make a connection with readers is imperative. If you fail to offer a sense of transparency and authenticity, you will find it difficult to create a competitive edge.

Most consumers want to work with companies that they feel share their values. In fact, nearly 73 percent of consumers say they would pay more for a product or service if a company puts transparency first.

If a consumer gets the feeling you are not being honest with them, they will probably avoid using the products or services you are selling. Rather than losing business because of less than reputable marketing tactics, be honest with your audience. Often times, the things that you view as flaws will be endearing to consumers, especially if you are upfront with them.

2. Increase Personalization

Most small businesses and blog owners interact with thousands of consumers each year. While dealing with consumers may be something you view as normal, you still need to find a way to make a person feel like they are special. This is why increasing the personalization and interactivity of your content is so vital.

If you are looking for a way to garner more information from consumers, then sending out emails to them is a great idea. Asking a consumer about the experience they had with your brand can provide you with lots of useful information. After you have received an email back from a consumer, your main goal should be using this information to customize the experience they have.

While you may think sending out these follow-up emails is a lot of work, it is actually quite easy. Using one of the many email automation programs on the market can make this job easy. The money you spend on one of these programs will be worth it considering how helpful this technology can be.

3. Collaborate with Other Brands

The key component of any successful business is lots of collaboration. Some bloggers and business owners view other brands as their sworn enemy. Instead of using the divide and conquer technique, you need to reach out to like-minded brands for cross-promotion opportunities.

Consumers love to see their favorite brands pair up to offer a deal or new content. Before you reach out to another brand, be sure to do your homework. Ideally, you want to pair up with a brand that is known for having a stellar reputation.

By working with other brands, you can create a higher degree of awareness. Spreading your message to new consumers can help you grow your bottom line in no time.

4. Using Influencers to Spread Your Message

Your main goal as a blogger should be exposing your brand to as many people as possible. While on-page SEO and social media marketing can help you attract new readers, it will take much more to put your blog into the stratosphere.

One of the best ways to reach a wider audience is by working with social media and brand influencers. Getting one of these influencers to share a link to your blog on their social media page can create lots of buzz.

Before reaching out to an influencer for this type of help, work on establishing a relationship with them. The best way to do this is by liking and sharing their posts as much as possible. Once you have done this for a while, you can reach out to gauge their level of interest in working with your company.

5. Focus on Using All Forms of Media

Most bloggers tend to put themselves in a box when it comes to the type of content they use. Limiting yourself to just text can hinder your brand growth. Most consumers want to be entertained and engaged in a variety of different ways.

This is why using video, audio and text is essential to the growth of your online business. A video can help you explain complex subjects in an easy to understand way. With the power of audio, you can expose your brand to podcast lovers from around the world.

While success with these new forms of marketing won’t be overnight, it will help you build your brand. By investing time and effort into the development of new and engaging content, you can stay fresh in the minds of your followers.

Keep up with Marketing Trends by Hiring Marketing Professionals

If you don’t have time to keep up with and implement new marketing trends, hiring professionals to help you out is a good idea. A professional online marketing agency can help you devise a winning strategy that will allow you to grow your audience.

Do you need to order high-quality content for your blog? If so, contact us now to find out more about the services we offer.

Blog ideas are not difficult to find. In fact, we've discussed easy-peasy strategies for a content generation strategy before.

But discovering ideas that can help you stand out from the millions of bloggers talking about the same thing? That's another story.

To say the field is saturated is a bit of an understatement. In fact, it's estimated there'll be close to 32 million bloggers in the US alone by 2020.

How can you possibly expect to have your voice heard? In the following article, we'll give you the path to great blog content ideas that help you find and grow your audience. Let's begin!

1. Teach Something You Know

One of the quickest ways to a post idea that connects is to delve into your own expertise. Teaching others ensures that you're passionate about the material, and it guarantees you'll be able to speak to your audience from a position of authority.

There are several ways you can set up a "teaching" blog post. These include the following:

How-To Guides

Choose a particularly challenging skill you're good at and break it down step-by-step. (Which, by the way, lends itself to the high-converting listicle format.) This presumes your intended audience will be a degree or two below your expertise.

101s

If you're feeling shaky about your level of knowledge, talk directly to beginners. After all, you may not be great at algebra, but you can probably teach basic math to a group of third-graders!

Recipes

Mostly for food bloggers. However, you can set up a post that offers a "recipe for success" at certain skill habits to effectively utilize this blog type.

Comprehensive Guides

For the truly expert among you! This is where you take a single topic and share everything there is to know. These can get quite lengthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions do you hear the most from people who know less about your topic than you do? Answer those questions as a singular blog post, or compile them into a mega-post that you can repurpose as needed.

Sincerity and knowledge are the key ingredients for being an effective teacher. Demonstrate those, and the traffic will come.

2. Interview an Expert

Blog topics like the ones mentioned above may be difficult to pull off if your knowledge level isn't there yet. If that's the case, don't give up on the authority angle.

Just borrow someone else's expertise! Ask an expert if you can interview them for your blog. Record that interview for a podcast and run a blog post of show notes, or simply transcribe it into blog form and run it as a written post. (You also can do both.)

3. Tell Your Story

Still unsure of how to come up with ideas? Look inward.

Some people lead such interesting lives simply letting others into them can make for a great blog post. Is there some aspect of yourself that, when related to another individual, has drawn genuine interest?

Do you have a cool hobby or job that others always seem drawn to in bits of dinner conversation? If so, sit down at the keyboard and pound out your story.

Even if it doesn't end up making for a blog post on its own, it can lead you to some pretty strong possibilities. Give it a shot, and see what you can deliver.

4. Spotlight Others

Another way to come up with an idea when you're feeling depleted is to look outwardly to your online or physical communities. Isn't blogging supposed to be about this anyway?

Check out your friends and followers on social media. See what events they're hosting or interested in attending. Then, connect with them to see if you can interview them for a blog spotlight.

Bringing another person into it will make for a post with richer possibilities. It also will ensure your post gets shared around, at the very least by yours and the other party's following.

From that sharing, you may bring in new audience members interested in your other posts. They'll bring with them more comments, questions, and feedback. All of these help fuel the fires of your creativity for future posts.

5. Review a Product or Service

Think about products or services directly related to your niche. Also, turn to support products and services within that same field.

If you can't afford to purchase products and services for a tryout, consider approaching their lead contact people directly with the offer of an honest review in exchange for a free trial or product sample. Some will say no. But others won't, and they'll put you into a great position to keep your blog populated with content.

6. Mine Current Events

Today's media follows a 24-hour news cycle. Publishers pressure their reporters and content creators to generate new content every day. When that content generates discussion, it can be great fodder for a new blog post.

Furthermore, current events themselves keep the discussion going. And you can get in on it if you're able to come up with fresh ideas or perspectives related to whatever is happening.

7. Troubleshoot

Thousands of marketable niches are built around products or skills that require a certain degree of leadership or trial-by-fire. Say you're an expert, or at least more advanced at handling these challenges than your audience is.

That puts you into a great position to come up with troubleshooting guides or myth-busting posts capable of advancing your audience's knowledge of the topic you're covering. Help them solve their problem, and you'll be their go-to source for life.

8. Host Polls and Contests

Some of the best posts are predicated on a simple question or offer. You pose it. Then, let your audience do the rest.

Both polls and contests get better results when they're attached to an incentive. This can be a compelling informational product, or, budget-allowing, a special giveaway. If you ever interview an expert, spotlight someone else, or do a product review (see Nos. 2, 4, and 5), work out a deal where you use their product or service as the grand prize giveaway in exchange for the blog post you're doing on them.

Blog Ideas Require Proper Execution to Work Best

Hopefully, these strategies will give you the creative spark needed to generate excellent blog ideas. But remember: ideas are just that. Ideas.

They must be high-quality to get the job done. For that, you may need outside help. Contact us today if you feel content creation isn't your strong suit, or you simply don't have the time to do it.

Facebook users alone trigger 4 million likes every minute. Most of those posts will never make it to viral blog status, but some will.

Have you ever wondered how to improve your blogs (without posting playful kitten videos) to get the traction, comments and sharing that you crave?

Find out the six most common traits/strategies you can use to make your blog popular and most likely to be shared and on the way to going viral!

Title / Keywords

If you are fishing for a viral blog post, you have start with a hook. The title should be fresh, enticing and leave them wanting more.

Utilize trending keywords to keep your work out in front of the crowd.

Topics

Speaking of keywords, the more trendy and relatable the topic, the better the chances of it becoming a viral blog. Research other posts that are being shared and commented on. What topics are getting others excited about, angry about, laughing about? Put your spin on it and let it fly!

Draw on emotions. Create controversy. If your idea hits a nerve, whether good or bad, the chances go up it will be shared. Be prepared, if you go this route, for the possibility of some negative feedback. You will not always find a loving response when you shine a spotlight on hot button issues of the day.

Sparking the reader's curiosity on a topic encourages them to comment or give their own opinion. This also spikes the popularity of your post and helps to increase traffic on the way to your viral blog journey.

Surprise and delight! Share a secret hack, tip or idea. Everyone loves to have the inside scoop. If it is relevant and actually good advice, they will share it and by doing so, take some of the credit for passing along the knowledge.

Solve a problem. The possibilities are endless here. Whether it is how to fix a broken computer, bike, watch or even a heart, if you can help solve a problem that someone is having out there, you having a winning post.

People don't use manuals anymore. They use Google! Did you know there are over a billion searches on Google monthly? Make sure your blog post connects with one of those searches!

If you are still having trouble coming up with a topic you think will go viral, here is a resource to further assist you.

Content

It should go without saying, your blog content must be spot on. Hopefully, you are fairly knowledgeable about the subject matter and the tone of the post should reflect that. Be confident in the information you are presenting.

When quoting facts, back them up with a credible link. If you are posting an opinion piece, have reasons for your belief system and why it is important for you to publicly express them.

You should also be aware there are some basic legal guidelines that go into publishing blogs.

Foster a relationship with the reader. Making a personal connection on a topic that is important to them will increase your chances of the blog going viral.

Give them something to see! Graphics, memes, and videos are great additions to your post. They help with the emotional element and it also breaks up the blocks of text.

Readability

Speaking of blocks of text, make sure your potential viral blog is easy to read. People today are always on the go. They read posts while waiting in line at the store, eating lunch, taking a break from work. They need to digest content and information in quick spurts.

When it fits with your subject matter, use lists or bullets to highlight information. Make use of shorter sentences and definitely break down larger paragraphs into smaller sections.

Take out extra words or information that is not needed or repetitive. Bigger is not always better. You should absolutely provide the necessary material, but remove useless filler words.

If you are still unsure, take a moment and read your post out loud. If it flows and is easy to understand, you should be fine. This is also a good way to find errors such as missing or double words that are easy to overlook when typing.

Deliver

Whatever you have promised to deliver in your introduction, make sure you follow through. Whether it is an answer to a problem, advice to a dilemma or tips for a solution; somewhere within the body of that post should be exactly what the reader needs. Providing quick and detailed solutions is a great way to get noticed.

It is also a good idea to provide a call to action. Give them an assignment or encouragement to try something. Offer ways this will add value to their situation or life. Motivating them to action may also motivate them to pass along your ideas and before you know it - the post has gone viral!

Post! Post! Post!

Once you have read, proofread, and read again, now is the time to post, and post everywhere! Facebook, Facebook groups, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, forums; whatever social media and outlets you have at your disposal, use them!

You should also post them multiple times. Your audience is in different time zones all over the world! Re-post at various times (use a scheduler) to make sure it is front and center no matter where in the world someone is reading.

Add social media buttons to your post. When someone is in the moment and finds access right there to share, they are more likely to hit that button. Make it easy for them to find.

Ask for shares! Don't be shy. Promote your work and encourage readers to share and spread your message. A little reminder never hurts!

Here is some additional information on promoting your blog online.

Even with tons of research and hard work, there are no guarantees you end up with a viral blog post. It is hard to hit the right formula every time. Just don't give up. With great content, consistently showing up for your readers, and following the tips above, you have the recipe for success!

For more advice or assistance in creating great content contact us today!

So you've decided to jump in and start a blog but did you find a niche for your blog?

You may notice after a while of writing you may not be getting the traffic you deserve. When it comes to writing a blog, 69.7% of bloggers claim that getting traffic is their main concern.

Without traffic, your writing, no matter how good it is, is falling on deaf ears. Choosing your niche is the #1 tip for getting your blog noticed among your audience.

In this article, we're talking about why it's critical to the success of your business to find a niche for your blog.

Grab your laptop, we're getting started!

7 Reasons Why You Should Find A Niche For Your Blog

Not convinced that specifying your blog with a niche is a good idea?

In theory, it seems like you're doing yourself a disservice by narrowing yourself down and eliminating demographics, but actually, it is essential to your blog's future.

It seems that in today's world, everyone is a blogger.

Worried about succeeding in an over-saturated market? Find a niche.

Worried about lack of credentials? Find a niche.

Worried about competition? Find a niche.

A niche can help you eliminate your competition, gain a loyal audience, and build a brand. Keeping reading to find out why selecting a niche for your blog will skyrocket your success.

1. It Makes You Stand Out

We can all agree that there are tons of healthy eating food blogs out there, even tons of healthy eating, vegan food blogs. As you narrow it down further to healthy, vegan, gluten-free blogs, you start to see the competition die off.

Finding your niche allows you to separate yourself from the generic blogs out there. People will always remember you for catering to that specific group in the market, not getting lost in the land of unoriginality.

2. It Keeps You Focused

As a blogger, it can be difficult to stay focused and close to the vision. Every post must relate back to your vision, your mission, and what you stand for. This is drastically easier when you're within a niche.

All too often we see generic "news" blogging sites that cover every topic from technology to DIY crafts. It's hard to bring in loyal fans when you write articles that cover a variety of topics that don't relate.

The reason why companies have mission statements is that it allows them to think about every move they make, ensuring it reflects back to the sole reason they started that business.

Your blog is no different. It is your business.

3. You'll Build Loyal Traffic

If you're blogging for more than just fun, it's important that you bring in the right kind of traffic. The right niche attracts a specific audience.

If you're a 26-year-old vegan, are you going to visit a generic healthy living blog by a mom cooking for her family and have to filter for vegan recipes or would you rather head to the one ran by a millennial vegan who travels the country creating vegan recipes from each state?

You, of course, will visit the latter, 100 times over. Why? Because it's more specific and you can directly relate to the author, almost as if they were writing it for you.

This is what creates loyal web traffic.

4. It Can Bring in the Cash

We now know that right niche brings in the right traffic and the right traffic brings in cash. You can easily become an affiliate for brands or sell ad space to companies that serve your niche.

The key is understanding your audience before marketing to them. If your audience is mostly millennials, they likely have specific traits, like buying to feel good (think Toms or The Elephant Pants) and value experiences over material things.

This will help you narrow down the right affiliate products to sell.

5. You Can Build a Brand Around It

Don't want to be an affiliate for someone else's brand? Why not build your own brand?

Now that you've narrowed down your blog topic to a specific niche and gained loyal traffic, you can start to develop your own product line, course, or agency that serves your audience.

Without a niche, it's hard to build a loyal audience, and sell to them.

6. People Will Consider You an Expert

It's no surprise that as you as you write more and more on a subject, you become more knowledgable.

Your blog establishes your credentials the more you post. You'll soon become an authority on the subject as your audience grows to respect you and look to you as an expert in the field.

7. Challenges You to Develop Creative Content

Staying within your specific niche challenges you to continually develop new content, engaging topics, and creative solutions. It urges you to regularly connect with your audience to find out what's bothering them and provide them with creative solutions.

You soon will become a trailblazer in your field, answering questions that no one has answered before which will further attest to your feels.

No Time to Write? We Can Help

After you find a niche and develop your writing style you'll want to start cranking out content, but after a while, you may start to feel burnt out. Or maybe you need to focus on growing and marketing your blog and don't have time to write as often.

Whatever the case, this is where most bloggers start to fail. Whether they don't have the time or the motivation to write, they simply stop producing content.

Fortunately, there's a solution. Enter iWriter.

If you're looking for quality written articles that meet your standards, consider placing an order with iWriter. We write everything from articles, ebooks, press releases, blog posts, Amazon reviews, and more.

Don't let your audience down when you've got writer's block. Keep up with your quality content creations and keep your business going strong. Just head to our website and check out our packages today.

There are currently over 400 million people reading blogs every day. If your blog isn't one of them, or if you want a bigger slice of that 400 million, what can you do?

There are the usual routes of paid advertising, social media campaigns, grinding hard to develop your blog, etc. While those methods work, there's another way to get your blog noticed that you might not have considered.

Mainstream media is called mainstream for a reason. It dominates attention and trust, with over 57% of the nation getting their information from it.

Want to know how to get your writing in front of all of those eyeballs and drive traffic to your site?

Here are 10 tips on getting blog publicity from mainstream media that you've never thought of before!

1) Content is King

You've heard it before but we're going to say it again. Content is king when it comes to getting noticed.

You need to focus on delivering quality writing and dependable information. Well-researched long-form posts are going to do better than small blurbs full of hearsay and rumors.

Before you try any of the other tips on this list, make sure your blog is something that your readers -- and the mainstream media -- can count on.

2) Press Releases

Old fashioned press releases aren't dead. But if you want yours to stand out, you need to be smart about how you write them.

Here's a quick guide to writing a press release that gets noticed:

• Start with an attention-grabbing hook but keep it simple, just a few sentences
• Put the main information (who, what, where, etc) in bullet points
• Target relevant media. For example, if your post is about a cat charity, don't reach out to a dog rescue magazine
• Always write in the third person

The most important part? Make sure your contact info clearly visible either at the top or the bottom.

3) Develop Your Angle

Your blog shouldn't just be a place to dump your thoughts and feelings on everything that crosses your mind. It needs to have a focus and, most importantly, and angle.

Find your unique selling point and write about it in an authentic, original way. Offer something that no one else does and your relevancy will increase.

4) Build Your Contacts

If journalists won't come to you, you need to go to them. This starts with creating a list of media bloggers and journalists you want to work with.

Here's how to build your contact list:

• Take notes of any names associated with writing and editing at your target media magazines, newspapers, blogs, etc.
• Engage with your potential contacts on social media
• Try guessing the emails of potential contacts (like firstname.lastname@publication.com)
• Set off Google alerts for journalists' names by mentioning them in your blog

The most important key to all of this is to be respectful. Don't harass your potential contacts, follow and reblog their stuff, and only send them relevant info.

5) Start Local

While your goal is to get mentioned on a major network or publication, your best bet could be starting small. Local news outlets are always searching for interesting takes on events and happenings.

Getting your name in your hometown news is a way to start building your brand. You generate trust and grow your authenticity which will attract attention from bigger media companies.

6) Break and Scoop

Remember the movie Legally Blonde's "Bend and Snap" routine to snag a man's attention? We're going to teach you to "Break and Scoop".

Get on the forefront of where the action is to break news and scoop mainstream reporters. If you can be the fastest, most reliable source of information, you'll be a mainstream blog in no time.

7) Helpful Hashtags

Twitter is your best bet to break and scoop on social media. Use hashtags to find what's hot and promote your blog.

You can even use hashtags to see what mainstream media outlets are looking for. Search for the hashtag #journorequests to see what information journalists are seeking.

Word of warning: never use sensitive hashtags in a tacky or overly promotional way. You'll get lots of attention -- the bad kind.

8) Host an Event

Got a bit of cash to throw around? Spend it wisely by hosting an event that's relevant to your niche, then invite the who's who you need to get noticed.

If no one is creating buzz around you, do it yourself. And hey -- who doesn't like free food and a good time?

9) Be Strategic

Are you treating blogging like a real job or like a hobby? The difference between the two is your strategy.

If you're just blogging when you feel like it, then it's just a side project. If you want to be a mainstream blog, you need to generate content ideas, hit deadlines, and promote.

It doesn't have to consume your entire life. Here's how to manage your time and your blog without going crazy:

• Spend two hours a week creating content, one for research and one for the post
• Spend one hour looking for blogs you can contact or comment on to help grow your audience
• Send two hours promoting your content and reaching out to your list of contacts

If you want your blog to get attention, you'll have to give it your attention first.

10) You Get What You Give

At the end of the day, journalists are looking for one major thing: help. Before you can get anything from anybody, spend some time giving them what they need.

Supplying information or contacts will help you get noticed. You'll be the first person they think of the next time they have a need.

Get Your Blog Noticed Fast

You've got your work cut out for you if you want to get your blog noticed. Put together, these tips and tricks have the potential to make your blog a mainstream media powerhouse.

Want to boost the quality of your content but don't have the time to give it your full attention? We can help you hit the ground running.

Contact us today and we'll help you get the content you need at a price you won't believe.

What if writing a blog could be as easy as ordering an Uber? You just enter some values into a form and then pay for what you use.

Sounds great, right? It's probably a lot easier than your current blog writing process, which - let's face it - isn't what you'd like it to be. If it were, you wouldn't be reading this article.

Hiring a blog writing service is the direction most businesses are going, due to its long list of benefits. Including the one where it gets one thing off your back.

Think it's time to outsource but you're not sure? Here are six reasons it's time, in the guide below.

1. It's Not Getting Done

In your business you pride yourself on providing consistent and quality service to your clients - right? But when it comes to creating valuable and consistent blog posts, you're failing them.

And that's understandable. Business owners were already wearing ten different hats before social media. Now it seems like they have to wear twenty hats at all times.

It's okay if creating blog content is a hat you don't want to wear anymore. There are people who'd love to pick up that hat and try it on - and they're professionals.

When you hire a content writer, the most you'll need to do is supply keywords and make an order.

2. You Can't Write

Another reason to hire professionals? You can't write, as hard as you try. Writing is part effort, but some of it comes from natural talent.

Not all of us have that. Writers are born storytellers who are practiced in capturing peoples attention - and that starts with the headline.

What do you think has the power to make people read your blog? It's the headline - it's general quality. If you have a bad headline, people won't bother to click it.

That's a lot of pressure on your shoulders, and it's just the title of the post!

Then comes the determination. Can you write a captivating blog post about the most boring product or service you sell? 1500 words on the keyword "jet water cutters"?

Not without pulling your hair out, but a content writer can. They'll get it done before you would have even finished with the keyword research.

3. It's Making You Unhappy

Nothing in life is worth being unhappy for - especially when it comes to your business. If creating blog content is making you unhappy, why not hand it off to someone else?

Writing voice is very obvious. If your customers read your blogs you wrote when you were in a bad mood, the negativity will translate through.

If you're not motivated about something, you're not going to do as good of a job either. Taking the stress of blog writing off your shoulders can help you do a better job at other tasks.

When it comes to outsourcing your blog writing, it turns out that money can buy (at least a little) happiness.

4. You're Getting Low Engagement

There are two main things content writers know how to do: write and strategize their posts for SEO. They know which niches need which voices and how to tell a quality external link from one that won't win you any Google points.

They're also better at engaging your readers. The longer a reader stays on your page, the better your bounce rate.

They understand which CTA's are appropriate to each blog post and can help you get more conversions.

A blog written by a content writer is more likely to get shares on social media, which is what we all strive for. There is such thing as bad press - and that's when no one shares your blogs.

Finally, a content writer understands target audiences, as long as you give them the data. They can write in a voice that speaks to your specific audience, which will increase the number of people that actually read your article.

5. You Don't Have a Strategy

Are you writing blog posts only when you have an idea? How often is that, when you both have a good idea and have the time to write about it?

And how related is this idea to the last one? Your readers aren't going to keep coming back to your blog if they don't know what to expect.

You need to come up with a strategy for your blog posts - will they all be explanations of how to use a product? Will they feature an employee?

Think about how well book series do - that applies to blog series as well. People like knowing they're going to get more of something they like and they like to know when they can expect it.

Our team can help you come up with a blog strategy that makes sense for your company and your SEO goals.

6. You Have the Funds

If you can afford to outsource your writing (and it's really not that expensive) then you really should. Not only will you get better engagement and higher quality posts, but you'll get to take one of those weights off your shoulders.

You'll have access to a pool of writers, all of whom can deliver fresh perspectives. You can get help topic brainstorming and coming up with a content strategy.

And - you can write it off. It's a business expense, after all!

Hiring a Blog Writing Service

Let's address one final concern you may have with outsourcing content - ownership and credit. You're worried that people will know you're outsourcing your content, but they won't.

Our writing services are ghostwritten - which means you can put any name on them that you'd like, including your own. You're not just buying the blog writing service, you're buying the rights to the content.

It's as much yours as any other part of your business - so what are you waiting for? Talk to someone on our team today.

Video and voice may be the hot new content platforms in marketing, but nothing beats a well-written blog post for getting people's attention.

Blog posts can be useful marketing tools, can boost your SEO, and help your overall brand presence online.

When you first start dabbling in content writing and marketing, there are a lot of questions that you need to answer. What topics should I focus on first? What platform should I use to host my blog? What's the best way for me to promote my work?

Grappling with those questions can take a lot of time and energy, so it's understandable that some people may not ask themselves one of the most important questions surrounding content marketing.

Have you ever found yourself asking someone how long should a blog post be?

If you want to know how long you should make your future posts, you've come to the right place. We're going to talk about everything you need to know about blog post length.

How Long Should a Blog Post Be?

When you first start out writing for the web, it can be easy to get caught up in some of your old writing habits.

Most people approach writing from an academic standpoint because they're most familiar with writing for school. Word counts and page lengths were important when you were your history term paper, but they won't matter much for your blog posts.

Essentially, there is no perfect length for blog posts. There are no right or wrong amount of words to have when you write content.

Your blog post needs to be able to properly communicate your ideas. You may be able to write 2,000 words on a topic you're passionate about. You could write 500 words on a topic you're a master in. Either way, as long as you convey the important points you wanted to hit on, your blog post is just as long as it needs to be.

Post Length Factors

A lot of things affect how long your blog posts end up being.

Some matters may come down to personal preference, but there are some factors you should consider when you're thinking about the length of your post.

Purpose

When you think about the length of your post, you need to take time to think about why you're writing a post.

Are you blogging because you want to establish yourself as a thought leader in the industry? Your posts may tend to run a little on the long side if you're writing about a topic you're intimately familiar with!

Have you started blogging because you need to improve SEO? The more text you can give Google bots to comb through, the better it is for your ranking.

If you're writing for SEO purposes, keep in mind that the content you write should be well written and informative above all else. Producing long and poorly-written content can cause more harm than good.

Accompanying Content

Visual content can add a lot of extra qualities to your written content. An infographic could expand on other topics in your post. A video could be used to summarize your content and can be shared on other platforms.

If you plan on adding a lot of photos and videos to your content, you may not write very long posts. The visuals you add could cut down on the amount of content you have to write.

Frequency

How often do you plan on posting content to your blog? The number of posts you plan on doing each week or month could affect how long your content ends up being.

If you plan on posting to your blog three times a week, it may not be realistic for you to write 1500 words for each post. You may consider writing shorter posts to keep up with your schedule.

People that plan on doing a post a month or a post each quarter can consider writing longer form posts. You'll have a lot more time to put into writing content in that case.

Tips for Finding the Right Length

Because blog post length can be so situational and subjective, it can be hard to figure out the right thing to do.

Sometimes the only way to learn about proper post length is to practice writing. As time goes on and you learn more about your audience and each post's performance, you'll have a better idea of the best length for your posts.

When you're starting to write, remember to keep these things in mind to make a great post.

Know Your Landscape

If you want to write posts that will perform well on your blog, you need to understand your audience and competition.

Take a look at some of your competitors and see what they're doing in content marketing. Look for businesses and companies you admire and try to see how long their posts tend to be.

When you're first starting out, try writing some short form and long form posts to see how they resonate with your audience. Use analytics to see how long they're staying on the page and if they're clicking on links.

Use Bullet Points

Do you feel like your posts are running too long? If you find yourself getting too verbose when you write, try to condense some of your points down into bulleted lists.

Bullet points help make content easy to scan, and can make it easier for your readers to identify the most important points you're trying to convey.

When you find your posts running too long, go back and see what you can edit down into lists. Adding a few can make a meaty post easier to digest.

Pay Attention to Paragraphs

Long paragraphs can be difficult to read online. If you use very long paragraphs, your readers can feel like your post is going on for too long and they could feel a little "lost" in your content.

In general, try to keep your paragraphs to about 3-5 sentences long when you're writing online. This makes the text easier to read.

Also, be sure to pay attention to the length of your sentences. A three-sentence paragraph that goes on for nine lines can be too difficult to read.

Perfect Your Content

You no longer have to ask yourself the question "how long should a blog post be". Now you know that posts can be any length you want or need! As long as the content is well written and useful, your post is the perfect length.

Now that we've mastered posted length, you may be thinking about other ways to improve your blog.

There are a lot of cool new blog marketing trends in 2019. Check out our post on the five trends we think everyone should be doing this year.

So you're a blogger and you want to know what looks best for your viewers.

A proper blog post layout is critical for keeping a reader's attention and improving your SEO.

Take some advice from the pros. Here are the insider tips on making your blog look more professional.

Why Layout Matters

There are many reasons why people use blogs, but there is always one common theme all writers share: they want people to read them.

How do we get actual views instead of just clicks?

Well, SEO and quality content can be great for getting boosted on Google and getting traffic, but getting people to actually read your article is a large part of the battle.

You know all about using links and providing relevant information, but people tend to lose interest in an article when the layout makes it difficult.

This is especially true when there are big walls of text or any difficulty in navigating to the information they are seeking.

So how do we fix this?

7 Insider Tips on Blog Post Layout

Here are a few simple ways to improve the layout of your blog to keep your audience reading.

Following these tips will help keep your readers' attention, but also grow your audience with tips on making your blog friendly for mobile users.

1. Use Headers and Subheaders

Almost every blog will have headers, but subheaders are just as important.

When you use a header or subheader for a section of your post, there are a few rules to follow:

• Use at least 2 sentences - Under each header or subheader, there need to be at least two sentences before you move onto the next one. Use this section as an example. If the header is "7 Insider Tips", give an introduction to the segment before using a subheader for your first example.
• Keep it relevant - Any information that needs a subheader should only be added when it is relevant to the category of the header.
• Break up text - Using subheaders can be a great way to break up big walls of text, which makes it more appealing to the reader.

Use subheaders rich in keywords to keep readers interested, and to boost SEO.

2. Keep Posts Narrow

This is meant literally. When the format used on a few popular blogging sites is too wide, it can frustrate the reader, especially for mobile users.

Have you ever read an article on your phone and had to scroll from side to side to be able to read each sentence?

Wordpress users should consider using Flywheel to make your blog easier to view on mobile devices.

3. Use Engaging Images

Our brains receive information faster from images than through text.

This can be useful for not only keeping the reader engaged but for ensuring readers get the most valuable information of your post, even if they don't read it all the way through.

The cover image is most important.

The cover image of your post is the first impression of your article, and should really "wow" your audience to make them want more.

Find the best and most relevant images for your post. There are great stock image websites you can use to captivate your readers.

4. Use Bold Text

In terms of the text in an article, is there anything that grabs your attention more than bold text?

Especially if you have a long wall of text, emphasize an important point by making it bold.

Many people reading an article will find themselves reading a paragraph, noticing bold text below, skipping ahead to read that part, and going back to see what led up to that information.

Italics are hard to read in print, and a lot of people will assume a full italic sentence will be an ad or unnecessary information

Bold text pops out more and is more attractive than italics.

Using italics after your conclusion for a separate announcement for your company or blog can be okay, but keep them out of the post.

5. Keep Paragraphs Short

Notice the format of the articles in this post? Going back to "walls of text", they make it difficult for readers to follow.

Breaking up the information and making one quick point in each short paragraph can go a long way for readability.

Try it out! Honestly, it even makes proofreading your own work easier. You're welcome!

6. Use Strong Introductions and Conclusions

This should go without saying, but your introduction needs to convince your audience to read the rest of your article.

For introductions, remember AIDA. Grab their attention, create interest, inspire desire, and take action.

Check out some more info on writing irresistible introductions.

When the body has no more information to give, it is time to wrap up the article with a conclusion. Here are the tips.

Always have a header for your conclusion, and use a "call to action" (CTA) at the end.

This could be a great opportunity to offer your reader a link to a product or service your company offers.

For example, at the end of an article about the best acne creams (if you offer the product), you can finish your conclusion with: "Feel more confident with how you look. Get your skin clear today" and offer a link to your product.

This helps end on a strong note and generate more business, as people are more willing to check it out after learning about it.

7. Capitalization

Use proper capitalization in your paragraphs for proper names, but also for your headers and subheaders.

This makes your post look more professional, which builds trust in your blog.

Capitalize My Title is a free online resource to see which words in your headers should be capitalized, and which ones shouldn't.

What Else Can I Do?

Every blog has some room for improvement, but that shouldn't discourage you from doing what you can.

Simply following these steps can go a long way in improving your blog post layout and the results to your blog.

If these steps aren't enough for you, check out our writer course online to keep growing your skills!