The Art of Blog Writing in 2024
Welcome to this 6-part series on the world of blogging
Dive into the art of blog writing with our extensive guide. From crafting engaging outlines to using AI assistance, we have all the tips you need to make your blogging journey a success.
This series includes:
If this is your first article, check out the others and see if anything triggers your blogging spirit!
Helpful Tools to make this efficient
I will be honest here. I use AI to help me to write many of my outlines for blogs. The ideas are not too difficult for me but then creating a structure for the blog is not fun. I write most all of my blogs myself but I will again use AI to generate the TL;DR, excerpts, meta descriptions and URLs. The heavy lifting by that point has all been done. This is just the clean up. You might not want to follow these techniques and that is just fine.
You might be writing pro or new to publishing on the Internet. You may have never written something and posted it on the web. Now is a good time to get started. Don’t overthink it. Get started.
If you are just getting started then relax. No one will read your first articles. You might even delete them after publishing. That is all a normal reaction. Take it slow and easy. Don’t worry about the perfect title for your article. Do not think about SEO optimization. You may not know what that means and that is just fine.
Your first article might only have 350 words and one picture. Great!
Get it out there on the big open Internet. Be proud of what you have accomplished. You posted an article to the world.
CRAFTING BLOG OUTLINES
I showed you in the last chapter how to “ask a computer” to get a head start. Take one of your article topics and ask your friend ChatGPT the following prompt.
An outline is the backbone of any great piece of content. This task helps you create structured, detailed outlines, making sure your articles or scripts are not only informative but also engaging and tailored to your audience.
Choose a specific topic or title that you want to develop content for. Consider what aspects of this topic will be most interesting and valuable to your audience.
"I WANT MORE SERVICE-BASED COMPANIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR ONLINE ACTIVITIES!"
Content Outline Prompt
The rest of this section is a prompt I have used to generate article outlines. Actually, I do not use it much anymore as it is a bit hard to apply but I wanted to show you what is possible.
“I’m a [your business type] and I'm writing a blog post for [target audience description]. The topic is [X] and the title is [Y].
My audience:
Often struggles with [mention a specific challenge related to your business sector]
Wants to learn how to [mention a specific benefit your service provides]
For this blog post, I'd like your help with crafting an outline that is:
Engaging: Starts with a strong hook that grabs the reader's attention.
Informative: Clearly explains the key points related to [topic] and how it benefits the audience.
Actionable: Provides practical tips or steps the audience can take to solve their problem.
Here's what I have in mind for the outline structure:
Introduction: A catchy introduction that piques the reader's interest and introduces the topic.
Main Points: 3-5 key points that address the audience's challenges and highlight the benefits of your service.
For each point, include a brief explanation and a real-life example (success story, case study) relevant to the audience.
Visuals: Ideas for images, infographics, or short videos that would enhance understanding and engagement.
Conclusion: A strong conclusion that summarizes the main points and leaves the reader with a call to action (e.g., learn more, contact us).
Additionally, if you have any suggestions for:
Storytelling techniques that would make the content more relatable.
Interactive elements (polls, quizzes) to boost audience participation.
A specific writing style (e.g., conversational, humorous) that would resonate with my target audience.
I appreciate your input!"
Copy the results
If you are not satisfied, consider rewriting parts of the prompt. Make adjustments however you feel and try again and again. This is where working offline in your blogging app of choice helps. You can refine prompts to work specifically for you and your business.
Once you have your outline, use it as a guide to start fleshing out each section. The outline serves as a roadmap, ensuring your content stays on track and covers all the important points logically and coherently.
Let AI Write your blog
Here we go again. This is a complex prompt that you will want to write offline before entering into you AI. Give it a try and see if the results are worth repeating.
"Let's craft the first sections of our blog article titled '[insert your article title]'. This article targets [briefly mention the target audience] and aims to be [mention the desired tone] in its delivery.
Introduction:
Hook: Start with a captivating question that directly addresses a common challenge faced by your target audience related to the topic.
For example, if your article is about "The Power of Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses," the hook could be: "Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the thought of managing social media for your small business?"
Background Information: Briefly introduce the topic and its significance for the audience.
First Main Point:
Thesis Statement: Start with a clear sentence summarizing the key message of the first main point.
Storytelling Integration: Weave in a personal anecdote from your experience as a [your job title] that illustrates the importance of this main point.
Ensure the anecdote is relevant and relatable, and highlights the challenges or benefits faced by the target audience.
Explanation: Clearly explain the concept or idea behind the main point, using metaphors, similes, or vivid descriptions where appropriate to enhance understanding.
Connect to Audience: Conclude this section by reiterating how this main point directly benefits the target audience in solving their challenges or achieving their goals.
Please write the introduction and first main point based on this revised prompt. Once I review these sections, I can provide further instructions for the next steps."
Follow-up prompt
I have only used this prompt once as I enjoy the writing process. This became to mechanical for me but the results were certainly useable.
"This all looks great so far! Let's continue building on the momentum. Using the same storytelling approach and clear explanations, please write the remaining sections for the article titled '[insert your article title]'.
Here's a breakdown of what I'd like you to tackle next:
Main Points: Write the remaining main points outlined in our initial plan, following the structure we established for the first point.
Remember to include a clear thesis statement, a relatable personal anecdote (if applicable), and a concise explanation for each point. Don't forget to connect each point back to the target audience's needs and goals.
Conclusion: Craft a strong conclusion that summarizes the key takeaways from the article. Briefly reiterate the main benefits the audience can gain from applying the information presented.
Consider ending with a call to action that encourages readers to take the next step (e.g., subscribing to your newsletter, or contacting you for services).
Other Points (Optional): If you included sections like "Visuals and Media" or "Audience Engagement" in the initial plan, you can provide any additional details or preferences you might have for those sections.
Once you've completed these sections, please let me know and I can review the entire draft before moving forward.”
TL;DR
This article provides comprehensive guidance on the art of blog writing, from crafting compelling outlines and incorporating storytelling techniques to engaging your target audience.
It includes practical tips and templates to make the process more efficient and enjoyable, whether you are a seasoned writer or just starting out.
The piece also discusses the use of AI in generating blog outlines and other parts of the content, although this is optional and down to personal preference.
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