The Secret to Successful Blog Writing in 2023
It’s been over 25 years since the term “weblog” first entered our vernacular in 1997. This was followed by a projection from Newsweek in the early 2000s that blogs would ultimately replace conventional media. Shortly thereafter, the “blogosphere” took off.
Blog content is still a top marketing ROI source, confirms a 2023 State of Content Marketing Report. But the internet constantly changes, meaning your brand’s blog practices must evolve to meet the expectations of a new online audience. So what’s the secret sauce to writing successful blog posts that today’s consumers will want to read? Let’s unpack this question’s answer with data-backed insight and actionable tips.
Why Blogs Are Still Relevant in 2023
Content is the lifeblood of an effective marketing plan. It will increase brand awareness, website traffic, audience interactions, and conversion rates. There are many forms of content — YouTube videos, Instagram stories, Spotify podcasts, and TikTok reels. But don’t negate the power of a well-written blog. Research shows that when a business prioritizes consistent, quality blog posts, this can lead to 55 percent more organic website visitors.
Why are blogs still relevant and able to compete with all the other multimedia content? It ultimately comes down to SEO. The more often you publish valuable blog content that will inform, entertain and serve the needs of your target audience, the more visible your ranking will be in Google search results. This matters because the number-one ranked piece of content in the SERP yields a click-through rate of nearly 40 percent. Here’s how effective blog practices can boost your brand’s SEO — and help generate more leads:
- Build high-quality backlinks. When you produce robust, useful and informative blog content, other sites with high-authority domains will want to link to this content, which increases its visibility in the SERP.
- Reach the featured snippets. Blog posts that effectively answer search queries with strategic, relevant keywords can feature in the SERP’s snippet box. This position snags over 30 percent of all search clicks.
- Create useful topic clusters. Natural, long-tail keyword phrases (or topic clusters) that answer as many user queries and intents as possible make blog content easier to find in visual, text and voice searches.
- Diversify streams of content. A blog is an excellent platform to offer a wide variety of content — from evergreen articles to topical news to audiovisuals. This creates more sharing opportunities for consumers.
- Establish thought leadership. Consistent blog posts that reinforce your expertise will communicate to users (and to Google) that your business is the credible, recognizable authority on a certain topic or niche.
How to Write Successful Blog Posts in 2023
Blogs have been around since the late ‘90s, but writing for an audience in this 2023 landscape requires a new set of tactics. In a time when content is everywhere and consumer attention is being pulled in excessive directions, it’s more important than ever to create blog posts that Google will rank, and users will resonate with. Here are some tips to increase your blog’s success and boost conversion rates for your brand as a whole:
1. Start with a Headline that Will Grab a Reader’s Interest
With so much online content available, your blog post needs to hook the consumer in a matter of seconds. That’s where a compelling headline comes in. It creates a strong first impression and entices your audience to not only read the content but also take action to bolster your online presence (share the article, visit your website, check out more posts, follow on social media, etc.). 8 in 10 consumers will scan a headline, but just 2 in 10 read the actual post, so use the strategies below to write an eye-catching headline no one can resist:
- Include a numerical value. Ex: “5 Simple Ways to Generate New Leads.”
- Ask an interesting question. Ex: “Should You Diversify Marketing Channels?”
- Utilize strong action verbs. Ex: “Crush Your Revenue Goals in 2023.”
- Don’t be afraid to hyperbolize. Ex: “The Ultimate Guide to Brand Identity.”
- Keep it concise and specific. Ex: “How to Leverage AI for Business Growth.”
2. Write in a Personal, Relatable, and Conversational Tone
According to a recent survey, 70 percent of consumers agree personalized content will increase their trust in a brand. This is vital, considering that 75 percent of business executives all across the globe think it’s harder to maintain their target audience’s trust in this post-pandemic climate. Showing your brand’s authentic human side will nurture an emotional connection in order to secure higher levels of trust, so write in a fresh, conversational tone that readers can relate to. Avoid ambiguous descriptions, obscure industry jargon, or a stiff academic style. Speak to the person reading this content as if you’re having a face-to-face chat.
3. Combine Both Written Copy and Audiovisual Elements
Multimedia is a powerful asset to any blog post — it creates a sensory experience to draw the consumer in and reinforce the message you want to communicate. In fact, online content that features an image or video can generate as many as 94 percent more views, on average. So make sure to balance out your written text with audiovisual elements to captivate the focus and maintain the interest of your target audience. Experiment with a few of the following ideas to see how they might influence — and elevate — your blog performance:
- Short-form videos
- Infographics
- Tweet embeds
- Podcast clips
- Interactive polls
- Photos or images
- Slide share PDFs
- Data visualizations
- Memes or animated GIFs
4. Optimize All Blog Content to Increase Its SEO Ranking
Google’s latest algorithm update ranks “helpful content” that delivers a satisfying consumer experience over spammy or low-value content written only for clicks. This rules out keyword-stuffing as a viable tactic — but with that said, SEO is still crucial for the success of your blog. Optimize all written content with SEO best practices in mind. Be strategic with your long-tail keyword placement. Use H2 and H3 subheadings to space out the text. Create searchable meta descriptions, tags, and titles. Link to other posts you’ve written to drive traffic across the site. Remember: SEO makes a blog competitive.
Take Your Blog to the Next Level in 2023 — and Beyond
Blog posts have come a long way since their inception in 1997, but they are still as relevant and vital as ever. Combined with other marketing tools and platforms, this content will help you achieve more brand awareness, lead generation, website traffic, and conversion rates. In fact, a blog could be the secret weapon to scale your business in 2023.
Achieve successful blog writing in 2023 with Adobe Express, offering the ability to seamlessly add text to images, enhancing content engagement and making blogs visually captivating