Use This Simple Blog Post Formula To Boost Engagement Now

In this post, I’m going to walk you through the simple blog post formula we use to captivate readers and enhance our engagement metrics.

With this formula, you’ll be able to streamline your content and maximize shares, comments, and opt-ins.

If you’re ready to simplify the writing process and elevate your content’s impact, this post is for you!

Let’s jump right in..

How To Write A Blog Post

Writing a blog post seems simple. Decide on a topic, find a good keyword, and then write. And while it’s not too much more complicated than that, most blog posts never achieve the results you’re seeking.

At this point, you start looking for answers.

But all too often, the advice you find insists that the solution is ‘better SEO’ or that you need to hype your content with pompous language, promising the reader that ‘hidden secrets’ will be revealed within your post.

In reality, most content can be drastically improved with better structure and simply learning how to meet the reader’s expectations. 

Next, we’ll cover the 4 main components of great content that are the primary building blocks of our blog post formula.

The Simple 4 Step Blog Post Formula That Works

This section provides a blog post formula template that will ensure your content is well-structured and actually achieves the results you’re looking for.

First, we’ll grab the reader’s attention. Next, we’ll make sure we have good flow and ease of navigation, whether they are skimming, scanning, or carefully reading the post.

Then, we need to make sure our content lines up with the reader’s expectations. And last, we’ll use compelling and relevant CTAs to foster engagement.

1. Hook The Reader

Before we can get a share, comment, or email sign up, we need to get a reader. Nothing else in this formula matters if nobody sees the post.

To get noticed, start with a catchy headline; concise, compelling, and unique from the other 9 headlines it sits next to in the SERPs. And while it does need to stand out and draw attention, be careful not to promise too much or you’ll wind up in clickbait territory.

The next thing we do to hook the reader is to clarify our headline as soon as they land on the post. I use a simple 4 line ‘hook’ that further explains the headline, the benefits or answers it contains, why they should continue reading, etc. 

The last thing we do to hook the reader is providing a table of contents. This reinforces that the headline and hook are accurate, and it also gives them the opportunity to skip to a specific spot in the article if need be.

2. Use Good Structure

Once we’ve successfully hooked the reader, we use good structure to help them navigate through our content, focusing on flow, readability, and ease of navigation.

Good structure takes the reader on a journey; from the headline to the CTA. To improve our structure, we’ll focus on both typography and formatting.

How do you structure a blog post?

First, look for any shortcomings with the typography. 

The font needs to be legible, large enough, and properly spaced. Try to limit paragraphs to 4 lines or less when viewed on a laptop, and maintain 20-40 pixels of padding between each paragraph, image, etc . 

Second, put some effort into the formatting. 

Nest headings (H2, H3, H4) the same way you would in an outline so the hierarchy is clear. Avoid multiple numbered lists in a single post whenever possible, and work at keeping sections to a similar length.

Improving both the typography and formatting helps captivate the reader, keeping them engaged throughout the post, and much more likely to reach (and act on) your CTA.

3. Meet Expectations

While the first two steps cover best practices for content in general, this third step looks at each piece of content individually. 

Meeting expectations is all about understanding exactly why the reader used the keyword in their search, and pairing your content to those expectations.

This starts with search intent.

When choosing a keyword, you’ll need to look at more than the amount of search traffic and how strong the competition is. You need to understand why they are searching.

Use the related searches, ‘people also ask’, and the top 10 search results as a starting point. 

There’s no sense in targeting a keyword that also happens to be the name of a business, movie, etc., as that will dilute your chances of being seen.

Once you have a good understanding of why the search was made, you can create the exact resource they are looking for.

4. Foster Engagement

This blog post formula takes the reader on a journey; from attention to action. 

If you’ve successfully implemented the first 3 steps, the 4th one will take almost no effort at all to complete. Just be careful to keep this step streamlined. 

Multiple CTAs reduce the chance of the reader taking action. The same goes for slide ins or pop ups, which can be seen as distractions or a nuisance. 

A reader that is engrossed in your content doesn’t need to be tricked into taking action. 

Provide a clear and relevant CTA, and that action is all but assured. Meet the reader’s expectations and the reader will provide the engagement your content is looking for.

Final Thoughts

Most of us write blog posts for one reason; engagement. We want to grow our audience, make a sale, or build our brand. 

Sometimes that engagement doesn’t materialize, but blogging doesn’t have to be a struggle. You don’t have to implement complex strategies, technical know-how, or persuasive linguistics to write better content. 

Use the blog post formula example above as a guide for elevating your content. With those 4 simple steps, you’ll be able to streamline the content creation process and maximize engagement.

What about you?

What is your best tip for increasing engagement?

Let me know by leaving a comment below.