How to Structure a Great Blog Post & Find Your Writing Voice

Hi everyone! I get messages and comments from you guys all the time saying you love blogs and wish you had one of your own, some people claiming they’re “not great writers.” I suspect this is part of the reason why we see so many “Instagram bloggers” that rely on photo captions instead of starting their own blogs to share long-form text. Composing blog posts is something you get better and better at over time with practice, but I do have some tips for you to speed up that process and write posts that WORK from the get-go — establishing your writing confidence, finding your “voice,” getting views and increasing your readership with visitors that WANT to come back to your website. Keep reading for how to structure a great blog post & find your writing voice!

BASIC STRUCTURE
and why it works

Remember how you were taught to write papers in school? Blog posts are similar, but less formal and much more personable! Your blog should sound how you speak, as if you’re talking to a close friend. I hope that’s the vibe you guys get from me, because that’s what I really strive for.

Introduction
I like to lead with a short paragraph saying hi, stating what the post is going to be about and why it’s relevant to me AND the reader. This is the first thing people are going to read when they open your post, so you want it to be enticing, express what the reader is going to learn or gain from this particular piece of content, and express your personality. I also like to share what sparked me to write about the subject. If it’s a new reader coming to your site, this could be the first piece of writing they see from you, so be sure if best reflects you and your style!

Body
Every good blog post needs substance. which will be the middle portion and bulk of your post. Having substance may seem like a no-brainer, but there are a lot of blog posts out there that could have been Instagram captions, ya know? In my opinion, every blog post should inform, educate or entertain. If it does all of those, PERFECT! Think about the goal behind the post and that will help you determine if it’s blog-post-worthy.

I start hitting my points and the specific topics I mentioned in the first paragraph — I’m sure you guys probably know this. The more important thing to remember is to keep these paragraphs brief and well-divided. Each main topic should have its own paragraph, and second paragraph (or more) if it gets long as you’re going into detail. I come across a lot of blogs with hefty paragraphs that are overwhelming and difficult to take information from. We tend to have short attention spans, so break it up!

Another tip — I write my paragraphs in chunks and not always necessarily in chronological order. I often have random points pop into my head while I’m typing, so I jump around and work on multiple paragraphs at once. If you’re the same way, I suggest doing the same! This helps me get everything down before I forget it, and if I think of more things to add while I’m away from my computer, I type them into my notes app and transfer them later.

Headings, bold and italicized text
Use these, seriously. In a generation that is used to so much short-form writing on social media and texting, you want your post to be easy on the eyes and not to overwhelming. They really help your text be more dynamic and it’s a great way to break up your points and make certain words and phrases stand out. This helps out all those skimmers out there too!

Links
Be sure to include links throughout, when needed of course. Again, it makes everything more useful and interactive. If you’re referring to an article you’ve read, something on social media, a past blog post of yours, etc., link it for easy access for the reader. Make being a reader and active visitor on your site easy! Experience is everything.

Wrap-up
This is otherwise known as a “conclusion” I suppose, but more of a “wrap up” since you’re tying all the loose ends and finishing your thought. I usually like to state a question as well because it gives the reader something to think about and comment on if they choose.

Call to action
Promotion is important, so be sure to plug upcoming content, your Instagram, etc. for the reader to further engage with you and your content. You can also refer them to additional blog posts within the same realm.

FINDING YOUR VOICE
online

There’s a lot of repetition out there in the sense that people regurgitate what they see from others, especially other bloggers that are successful. If you’re worried you may be too heavily influenced by others unintentionally (it happens, especially when you’re new and trying to figure things out), maybe don’t read blogs for a while. Focus on your own content and what inspires you, and sometimes just typing everything that comes to mind results in some of the most authentically you content. Stay true to yourself and who you are as a person, incorporating your own lingo, personal stories and more. Blog posts don’t have to be robotic or news-like, and if you’re writing starts to feel that way to you (AKA boring and drab), change things up!

As for how I found my voice, I looked at my posts as a form of a digital diary in the beginning and still do to this day. Of course you should be aware of who is reading your posts and gear your content toward them in some way, you’re here to please yourself first. If you love your writing/content and run with it, people who like your vibe will find you. It may take time, but it will happen. Your writing and voice is just as important as your images, so don’t think of the text as secondary and sloppily throw it in. Always strive for a blog post that can hold itself up on its own, even if there weren’t photos, and one that exudes who you are.

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Alright, I gotta go because Lucia has typed on my computer 47 times while writing this and I am BEAT! Girlfriend is wearing me out, but I love it & her. Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and see you in Friday’s post!