How to Make Your Blog Stand Out: Tips From Experts & Readers
Whether you're a new blogger or you've been blogging for a while, it can be tricky to write blogs that actually help you reach your goals. In this article, I'll share unique and practical tips for how to make your blog stand out and drive desired results.
I've gathered insights from content experts who write and read blogs on the best blogging practices to share with you below. I've also written about two thousand blog articles for over a hundred brands, including my own, and I've found what works and doesn't.
Let’s explore how to write effective blog articles your target audience wants to read so you can meet your blogging goals.
Pin and save for later
Meet User Intent
“What makes me read a blog is nothing else but whether or not I'm interested in the topic or not,” says Kat Gál, a Holistic Health Writer.
When a reader lands on your blog, meet user intent by giving them the information they want. Whether they've searched Google for a keyword phrase, someone's sent them the article, or they've found it elsewhere, the blog content should match the title.
"Steer clear of using clickbait headers or titles," suggests Amanda Abernathy, a Professional Copywriter. "I want the blog to tell me exactly what the title promises. Don't mislead me."
Your title is the first piece of information readers see, so it should tell the article's main topic. As you write, thoroughly cover the topic and answer relevant questions to keep the reader interested.
Cut the Fluff
Amanda also reminds us that people, including those reading your blog articles, are busy. She explains that keeping your article short and concise is important so readers can quickly gather the information they're looking for.
Use the following tips to cut the fluff in your blog articles:
Stay on topic - Every sentence should be related to the topic and teach, inspire, or help your reader
Be specific - It’s often natural to be chatty, but most effective blog articles get straight to the point
Remove filler words - Words like ‘very,’ ‘really,’ and ‘perhaps’ are usually unnecessary
Use parenthesis sparingly - While some content in parentheses is helpful, it often isn’t
Use contractions - Contractions declutter your content and are typically easier to read
Proofread your article - Proofreading aloud helps you notice unnecessary and redundant details
Write Helpful, People-First Content
Google's automated ranking systems are designed to rank helpful content that's written to benefit people. Helpful, people-first content can boost your Google rankings and make your blog articles stand out.
Writing helpful content goes beyond covering the topic. “Take it a step further by sharing specific proof and actionable advice,” says Bilal Rafique, an SEO Content Writer and Copywriter.
Bilal shares these examples for helpful vs. not helpful content:
Not helpful - Exercise is great for your heart.
Helpful - Ten pushups per day can improve your stamina and heart health.
Not helpful - Meditation can reduce stress.
Helpful - According to [x study], guided meditation can reduce stress levels by [x amount].
The not helpful examples aren't as useful to your readers because they're vague. However, the helpful examples give relevant, useful information.
Use Subject Matter Experts
Subject matter expert (SME) quotes and insights can help you create unique content that stands apart from other articles covering the same topic.
I use one to three SMEs for most blog articles, even when writing on topics I'm knowledgeable about. This brings in various perspectives that can help the reader, as I’ve done in this article.
SMEs will usually want to help out because you can give them backlinks to their website or social media.
You can find SMEs by:
Featured is a resource for blog writers and other publishers to find SMEs
Connect With Your Reader
“I love when the writer includes their personal perspective on the topic,” says Jess Esa, a Freelance Writer and Content Strategist. “Otherwise, it can feel like the content is the same as another article, and you have no idea if the writer has any expertise on the topic.”
Sharing your personal perspective showcases your expertise and helps your reader connect with you.
Rubab Siddiqui, a Freelance Content Writer, also likes to read blogs that feel personal and engaging, as if the writer is talking directly to her. Using the word “you” often in your content is a simple way to speak directly to the reader.
A quick way to make your readers feel disconnected is by creating AI-generated blog articles. “I close the window as soon as I sense it's 100% AI-written,” says Faizan Khan, a SaaS Blog Writer.
Instead, Fauizan prefers reading unique content that’s different from other articles on the same topic. That's where personal touches that connect with your reader come in handy. AI tools can't produce this for you.
Include Useful Visuals
Not only do visuals help engage readers, but 65% of people are visual learners.
The following visuals can help make your blog stand out:
Infographics - Use Canva to create infographics that summarize your article
Pictures - Find relevant pictures on stock photo sites like Pexels or use your own
Charts - You can create charts in many website builders or on Canva or Google Docs, then screenshot and add them to your article
Videos - Trim YouTube videos relevant to the topic or create your own videos to embed in your article
I recommend including at least three visuals per article. The kind of visuals you use will depend on the topic and your audience.
For example, medical professionals reading about a technical topic might prefer educational visuals only, while a traveler reading a vacation itinerary might want to see a video of the location.
Offer a Good User Experience
88% of online consumers say they're less likely to return to a website after a bad user experience. However, a good experience can encourage your target audience to stay on your blog.
Antoine Seymour, a Freelance Writing Coach, suggests the following for enhancing your user experience:
Read time - Many blog readers are pressed for time, so including an estimated read time can help them decide whether to read the article now or save it for later. Depending on your website builder, you'll need a plug-in or code to add the estimated minutes. To determine this, search "how to add read time to [your website builder] blog" on Google.
Table of contents - At the top of your blog article, include a table of contents to show the reader what's to come. Many blogging platforms require a plug-in for this feature. As an alternative, you could include a bulleted list to preview upcoming content.
Include visuals - Visuals can break up your text, making it easier to digest. Most of your visuals should be an overview or example of your content, while others can be relevant images to separate text.
Include an FAQ section - At the end of your article, you can include FAQs to expand on the topic and give your readers additional information they may find helpful like you see towards the end of this article.
A table of contents for your blog article can enhance user experience
Optimize for SEO
There are more than 3.5 billion Google searches per day. Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your blog articles rank on Google, so your target audience can find them.
According to Google, when a user searches a term, Google's machines search the index for the highest-quality, most relevant pages. If you want Google to find and rank your blog, optimize it for SEO.
A lot goes into SEO, which is why many people hire help. However, these tips can help get you started:
Target one high-traffic, low-volume keyword per article
Format your content with headings, also known as h2s and h3s, throughout your article
Add image alt text, which describes images
Include internal links to other pages on your site
Include your keyword phrase in your URL tag (i.e., pollycloverwrites.com/blog/this-is-your-keyword)
Write a descriptive meta title and description and include your keyword phrase
Promote Your Blog
No matter how well-written your blog article is, it can’t stand out if people can’t find it.
While SEO helps you organically rank on Google, this can take time. Getting clicks to your blog also helps your rankings because it lets Google know people are interested in reading your content.
Some of the most effective strategies for promoting your blog include:
Email newsletter - Share a snippet of your article with your email list, then link your article so your audience can read more.
Social media - Similar to email marketing, you can share blog links and encourage your social media followers to read.
Facebook groups - Follow groups relevant to your niche. When people ask questions or make posts related to one of your blog articles, share the link in the comments.
Search engines - In addition to Google, Pinterest and YouTube are other search engines where people look for content. Make pin graphics or YouTube videos that you can link your articles to.
I recommend having at least two sources for promoting your blogs. Most of them take time to see results, but once you get one strategy going, start another. Over time, having multiple ways to promote your blog can help you increase your traffic and work towards your blogging goals.
Respond to Blog Comments
There's always talk about social media comments to boost engagement and build trust. The same idea applies to blogging, even though we see fewer blog comments than we used to.
Allow readers to leave comments on your blog and reply to them. This will encourage other readers to engage with your content and show them you’re a real person, helping them connect with you.
I’ve allowed comments on my blogs since day one, and it takes some maintenance. Not only do you want to reply to comments to boost engagement, but you also want to delete spammy comments because many people will reply with often irrelevant links to boost their own SEO.
How to Make Your Blog Stand Out: FAQs
Learn more about making your blog stand out with answers to common questions below.
How do you get your blog noticed?
To get your blog noticed, optimize for SEO so it ranks on Google. You can also promote your blog articles to your email list subscribers, social media followers, and other search engines like Pinterest and YouTube.
I recommend having at least two strategies for promoting your blog articles to ensure they get noticed by your target audience.
How can I rank my blog fast?
To rank your blog fast, publish as much well-written, SEO-friendly content as possible. I usually recommend publishing at least two monthly blog articles, but if you want to rank fast, try to publish at least one per week.
Getting backlinks to your site also helps boost your SEO and rankings. You can get backlinks by writing guest blog posts and responding to pitches on Featured or Qwoted where those publications share links to your website.
How to Make Your Blog Stand Out: Conclusion
I hope you found this article helpful and are excited to write blog articles that stand out and help you reach your goals. Ultimately, the more helpful and convenient your content is, the better results you’ll have.
Check out my SEO blogging course to learn more about how to write effective, compelling blog articles. In the course, I teach you everything you need to know about writing and publishing SEO-friendly blogs.
