how to write a good blog intro

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How to write a good blog introduction

A content marketer shares her four-part formula for writing introductions—and creating more effective content..

The pressure is on. 

The spotlight is blazing, the microphone is on, and everyone is watching me expectantly. 

No, it's not an open mic night at the local coffee shop. It's just the inside of my brain every time I write a blog post introduction (like this one). Getting someone hooked from the get-go is essential if you want readers to see the content you worked so hard on to the end. 

At times, though, coming up with an interesting introduction feels like fishing in a dried-up well. For times like those, it helps to have a few formulas or thought starters up your sleeve to kickstart the process. 

Let's explore tips you can use the next time your creative brain has its OOO autoresponder on. 

What a blog post introduction needs to achieve

Understanding what an introduction needs to do helps you gauge whether you've hit the mark (and can call a draft "done"). I have three goals each time I start a blog post:

Excite readers and give them a reason to read more

Introduce a new perspective on the topic

Set expectations about what a reader will learn

Keep this in mind, though: your blog post intro should achieve these goals quickly. After you've written your introduction, read it through again and see if you can delete any sentences—or even paragraphs—without losing any meaning or effect.

A 4-part formula to make writing introductions easier

I've broken down the intro-writing process into four components. Review these best practices, try using the formula, and then adapt it to your writing style. 

First up: a line or two to catch someone's attention. If you struggle to come up with a great first sentence, wait until the draft is ready. Then write something that plays off an angle in the content.

Do use a personal story or analogy to make it interesting.

Don't state the obvious. Sentences along the lines of "We've all seen…" or "X is a well-established trend…" are redundant. 

Next, you need to let readers know why they should care about what you're about to say. Describe the issue, make a relatable joke, include an expert quote, or give some background on how the problem came to be. 

Do think about who will read the post and how the topic affects them. 

Don't lean on worn-out, over-dramatic, or outdated stats to build up the problem to be bigger than it is. 

3. Solution

Now it's time to address the reason someone would read your blog post in the first place—a solution. Set up the antidote to the problem, and go ahead and work your primary keyword in here. 

Do opt for clarity over cleverness here.

Don't abuse your keyword privileges by stuffing every search term into a sentence. 

4. Expectations

Finally, I like to include a sneak peek of what's coming up. Ideally, you can state what a reader will be able to do once they're through with reading. Readers want actionable content. 

Do focus on the positive outcome for the reader. 

Don't slip into the "five-paragraph essay" trap of saying "Today, I'll be writing about X,Y, and Z." 

Example blog post introductions

So far, we've just been talking the talk. It's time to see how four-part blog post openers work in the wild, putting my own writing under the microscope. 

Storytelling with ConvertKit

ConvertKit helps creators build their businesses, so I always try to put myself in the reader's shoes in the introductions . 

My goal: Help creators see themselves in the story and say "hey, that's me!"

What I wrote: "Your podcast downloads are climbing up and up every week, and you just landed a dream guest. It feels like your podcast is growing—and that's a wonderful feeling."

My goal: Have readers think critically about their business. 

What I wrote: "Do you know what's really making all the difference, though? Could you pinpoint what percent of customers converted because of your podcast? Are you aware of which promotional channels are bringing in the most listeners?"

My goal: Reassure readers since it could be a sensitive or frustrating topic.

What I wrote: "If you don't, you aren't alone. Making sense of how your podcast helps you grow your business doesn't come easily for podcasters both new and experienced. You deserve to understand how your efforts are paying off, though. That way, you know what to double down on—and what to cut loose."

Expectations

My goal: Reiterate that the post wouldn't just be a list of metrics without any next-step guidance. 

What I wrote:  "With a little strategy and set up you'll be on your way to tracking podcast success like the savvy creator you are."

Ideal outcomes with Great Question

The brief for this blog post noted that customer research recruitment is a roadblock for teams, so I aimed to illustrate that "catch."

My goal: Explain what you gain with research instead of saying "research is valuable."

What I wrote: "Customer research can offer a gold mine of insights. You gain new perspectives, confirm hunches, and get feedback on developments before you're too far down the rabbit hole."

My goal: Tease the ideal reality they could have, and introduce the monster standing in the way of the quest. 

What I wrote: " There's a catch, though—you need to have enough people participate."

My goal: Position research incentives as the hero in the story. 

What I wrote: "It would be great if customers wanted to be a part of your UX research out of the goodness of their hearts. Since that isn't a universally applicable strategy, we use customer research incentives to boost participation."

My goal: Preview upcoming sections that outline which incentives are best for various scenarios. 

What I wrote: "Instead of blindly throwing cash at a project, it's helpful to consider what type of incentive is best for your audience. Here's what you should know."

Intro inception with Zapier

My goal: Address the pressure I was feeling during writing that readers can relate to. 

What I wrote: "The pressure is on. The spotlight is blazing, the microphone is on, and everyone is watching me expectantly. No, it's not an open mic night at the local coffee shop. It's just the inside of my brain every time I write a blog post introduction (like this one). Getting someone hooked from the get-go is essential if you want readers to see the content you worked so hard on to the end."

My goal: Use imagery in place of saying "writing is hard."

What I wrote: "At times, though, coming up with an interesting introduction feels like fishing in a dried-up well."

My goal: Introduce the way to work around a mental block. 

What I wrote: "For times like those, it helps to have a few formulas or thought starters up your sleeve to kickstart the process."

My goal: Help people understand when the information could come in handy. 

What I wrote: "Let's explore tips you can use the next time your creative brain has its OOO autoresponder on."

The best way to improve your writing is to write more

If you don't read your blog posts from two years ago and cringe a little, you aren't pushing your writing forward enough. You wouldn't be here if you weren't a passionate content marketer, so now all that's left to do is get out there and write.  

Related reading:

Content refreshing: How to update old content and boost your traffic

How to write SEO-driven blog content

How to create a content brief (with template)

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Steph Knapp

Steph Knapp is a freelance B2B + SaaS content marketer that loves educating and empowering curious humans. When she's not typing away, you'll find her volunteering at the animal shelter and obsessing over a new hobby every week.

• Media and editorial
• Content marketing

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How To Hook Readers With Your Blog Introduction (+ Examples) [Infographic]

Where do we start?

The introduction is an essential part of any compelling blog content. It hooks the reader in and makes them want to learn more. But, lots of writers don’t know how to nail their intros. Common problems include writing intros that are too long, don’t clearly state the problem and value props or simply are too confusing to understand.

Luckily, writing a killer blog post intro is more straightforward than it sounds. If you need a blog introduction example or two, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at some of our tips for writing a good intro, and use some of our favorite great introduction examples as a guide to get you started.

Key Elements of a Top Notch Blog Post Intro

For starters, you need something to hook the reader. You’re competing with thousands (probably millions) of other pieces of blog content, many of which are trying to answer the same questions or solve the same problems as you are. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to just write a great piece of content with exclusive data and insights. You need a blog intro that’s going to convince the reader to start reading and keep reading.

Hook the Reader

That’s where your hook comes in to set the stage for reader engagement.

A good introduction can come in different forms: Whether you’re making a pop culture reference, posing a topical question or providing a compelling quote, data point or fun fact, there should be enough to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to continue the journey. You might skip the fanfare altogether and just state the problem as is. This might be the way to go if you know your readers want to get right to the point.

Consider Your Audience

Your blog introduction should be geared toward your target audience’s problems and preferences. Ask yourself, who are you writing for? Use language, tone of voice, examples, problems and potential solutions that will resonate with your target audience, upping your chances of getting the right people to read .

Offer Key Takeaways

Don’t leave your audience guessing. It’s a good idea to at least briefly mention your key takeaway(s) in your introduction. Nothing is more frustrating for online readers than consuming a piece of content that either didn’t give them anything valuable or wasted their time telling them something they already knew. They want to know right from the beginning that they’re going to consume quality content.

But, don’t give away too much. You also want to encourage readers to actually read the rest of the piece. Readers shouldn’t be able to only read the opening paragraph and gather everything they need to know about the content. It’s important to strike a balance between these two.

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Our Favorite Blog Post Introduction Examples

1. the spruce.

Fall is the perfect season to get your home clean and cozy for winter and the holiday season and complete household chores that may have been neglected during summer vacations. The heat of summer has passed, and the weather is still mild enough to be outdoors to make sure everything is ready for cold weather.

If you follow a checklist for spring cleaning, it’s time to repeat many of the same tasks. This time, you should start with the outdoor tasks and then move indoors as the weather becomes colder.

By doing some extra work now, you’ll be ready to enjoy a snug winter without as many worries.

See the list of areas and items in your home you should clean, repair, or inspect (or all three!) during fall below, and read on for expert tips for tackling each item on your fall cleaning checklist.

Our take : The Spruce offers tips and inspiration on lifestyle items like gardening and home decor. The introduction to this blog post (titled “The Ultimate Fall Cleaning Checklist”) is warm and inviting, using descriptive words like “clean,” “cozy” and “snug” to make the reader feel good. Targeting readers’ emotions is one of the most effective ways to get them to engage with your content, and that’s what makes this a great intro.

This is also a good example of getting straight to the point early. Already within the first sentence, the writer has clued the reader into “household chores” as the main point before introducing the checklist idea.

2. Investopedia

Nearly 59,000 unplanned wildfires burned more than 10 million acres across the U.S. in 2020. This constitutes the second most acreage affected by wildfires in a single year since 1960 and reflects the rapid proliferation of wildfires across the country. By comparison, since 2000, an annual average of just 7 million acres has burned. Wildfires are becoming more common and increasingly devastating due to several factors, including a longer average season, hotter weather that increases susceptibility, earlier melting of winter snowpacks, and changing meteorological patterns due to climate change.

As wildfires become a more significant risk around the world, it’s important to consider the ways that fires and fire season affect the economy. An economic study has estimated that each additional day of smoke exposure from a wildfire reduces earnings in a community by about 0.04% over two years. Below, we’ll take a closer look at some of the many effects of wildfires on both local and national economies.

Our take : This one goes heavy on the data right from the get-go, but for a piece covering a topic like this (titled, “How Fire Season Affects the Economy”) and targeting Investopedia’s more technically minded audience, this works wonders.

Climate change and natural disasters are only becoming worse, so starting out with a lot of data points is a compelling way to attract the reader’s attention and convince them that this is a topic worth caring about. For people who want information, numbers make for an amazing blog introduction.

While the kids are out of school, the adults are doing everything they can to keep their little ones safe and healthy at home — and find creative ways to alleviate the boredom and frustration they may be feeling after weeks away from their school friends or grandparents.

With just a few materials you can order online (or pick up curbside at the home improvement store) and some tools you likely have lying around the house, you can keep those little hands busy while giving your house some TLC.

Here are five DIY projects to improve your home and give your kids a productive outlet for their energy.

Our take : This blog content from Zillow (titled “Do It Together: 5 Home Projects for You and Your Household Helpers”) neatly blends heavy-hitting problem-solving with friendly and approachable language. This intro starts by outlining a very familiar problem for parents — finding things to do with their kids — before hinting at the journey the reader can expect to go on as they read.

With its emphasis on the do-it-yourself aspect of the projects, the reader knows that the information they’re getting is something they can actually manage at home with their own supplies.

4. Adventurous Kate  

Can Americans travel to Cuba? They can, because I’m American and I’m here. I’m nervous in the waiting line at Cuban immigration, but I know I shouldn’t be. I did everything right.

Still, this is Cuba. I’m visiting Cuba as an American. Can Americans even visit Cuba? Yeah, we can. This country has been off-limits to us since 1959 — though that hasn’t stopped lots of Americans from visiting Cuba both legally and quasi-legally.

The agent calls me forward. I hand him my navy blue passport and half-smile, half-cringe. Yes, I’m here, and I’m American, and I’m sorry our country has cut you off, and I disagree with it — but hey, I’m here, and I want to get to know you. It’s an expression that will color my face for days, until a cooking class in central Havana sets me straight.

“Stamp?” he asks, holding up the stamp. Cuba is like Israel; they won’t stamp your passport if you don’t want them to.

Do I get a Cuba stamp? Will American immigration care? Will it get me hassled at the border for years to come? 

This blog intro is a stellar example for several reasons. The blog (titled “Can Americans travel to Cuba?”) has a superb hook with its several rhetorical questions leading up to the meaty Q&A section of the article. The only way you’re going to find out the answers to these questions is by reading on. This taps into the reader’s curiosity — it makes them invested in what the author has to say.

And, while setting the scene, it gets to the point right away: Can Americans travel to Cuba? “Yeah, we can.” Between these three words and the rhetorical questions mentioned above, you know you’re going to get the information you crave.

Blog Introduction Tips From Experience

Introductions for blog posts can be tough, especially when you just want to get to the meat of the piece. Consider using some of the following tips to knock your intros out of the park every time.

Write the Introduction Last

This is a really useful one that can save you a ton of time later. Lots of writers intuitively think they should start with the introduction, and that would make sense. However, as many writers know, the piece’s direction often changes soon after you’ve put pen to paper (or…fingers to keyboard).

If that happens — and if you’ve written the intro first — the piece might end up looking a lot different than what the original introduction suggests, forcing you to rewrite the intro from scratch.

Writing the beginning at the end means you’ve got a complete sense of the final content and how you can transform and utilize it in a strong introduction. You’ve already finely developed your key points and takeaways and they’re better suited to frame the piece in the intro.

Make It Clear What the Post Will Be About

This might seem obvious, but lots of people come from writing backgrounds in which the introduction serves to lead readers in without revealing too much about the content. For those writing fiction or even some long-form journalism, a piece is supposed to be a journey and the ending a surprise. In those cases, introducing all the main points right in the intro would defeat the purpose.

But, in the world of content marketing — where attention spans are low and content options are almost boundless — time is precious. A great blog post introduction hooks the reader as soon as possible by making it clear from the very beginning that the piece is worth their time. Think of your introduction as a thesis statement that outlines your magnum opus.

Decide if It’s Something You’d Want To Read

This one’s tough and requires you to be self-critical. Reread the introduction and decide if it actually makes you want to read the rest of the blog article. You’ll need to consider how compelling, clear and thoughtful the writing is and whether there’s enough there to convince you that the rest of the article is worthwhile.

It also requires you to really understand who your target audience is and what they’re looking for. Writers aren’t always covering topics they themselves find interesting, but their audience might consider the subject matter essential to their business. It’s important for you to put yourself in your audience’s shoes and decide if your introduction suggests that the piece contains great content.

Keep It Short and Sweet

This one depends on the type of content. But, in the content marketing world, we’re talking about the fluffy, meandering and unclear introductions that feel like an essay. Literally.

Nothing is a bigger buzzkill for readers than intros that never get to the point — or the ones that leave them feeling confused and maybe even a little annoyed. Intros of that type are sure to get readers to click away from the page and look elsewhere for the information they’re hunting for.

Avoid this by clearing away any fluff and including only the information needed to draw readers in. Make sure any anecdotes, quotes and pop culture references are super relevant and don’t drag on. A general rule of thumb is to keep intros to around 100 words. That’s usually long enough to convey the key information while getting to the point in a succinct way. And, always remember that a short sentence is better than a long-winded one.

Be Provocative (But With Caution)

This one depends on a lot of things. We all know provocation works, and a provocative introduction can get people to read when they otherwise wouldn’t. If you know your audience will appreciate a little flare, then provoke away! But, do it with caution. Readers can sometimes get annoyed when the title or introduction of a piece is provocative but the rest of the content is anything but, and that can even cause them to lose trust in the brand.

Introductions are one of the most important parts of any blog article. A good blog introduction piques the reader’s curiosity, clues them into the content contained in the rest of the piece and gets them excited to learn more. Without a great introduction, the rest of the content will really suffer.

Editor’s Note: Updated March 2023.

Dan Haverty

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Dan Haverty is a Senior Editorial Specialist at Brafton. Currently based in Boston, he also spent time living in Ireland and Washington, DC. When he isn’t writing, Dan enjoys reading, cooking and hiking, and he recently became an avid yoga practitioner.

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Blog Introduction Examples: 5 Good, 5 Bad (& How to Be Awesome)

Why are effective blog introductions so important, the purpose of the blog post introduction, best practices for writing a blog post introduction, blogger's toolkit: 5 great introductions, blogger's trash bin: 5 horrible introductions, the secret to writing killer blog introductions.

Can your average blog introduction hook a reader within thirty-seven seconds? If not, it doesn’t matter how compelling the rest of your post is, because the reader is already gone.

The short attention span of the modern internet user and the abundance of blog posts available are why it’s vital to write engaging blog post introductions. If the reader isn’t gripped within a few seconds of opening your blog post, there are hundreds of others where they can try to find the answer to their question. 

I have been writing and following blogs for many years now, and it's surprising to me how many people are really bad at the intro. It's either boring and uninspiring, or it gives away all the information upfront.

In this article, we will explore the best practices of writing blog post intros, their purpose, and how to hit a home run with them every time.

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Before we go through some best practices, let's get on the same page as to the purpose of the intro. And, to really understand where the intro fits, we must first zoom out and see the blog post as a whole.

First, consider the journey of a person discovering your article. If your ideal reader lands on your blog post, where did they find it?

Many people may come through social media, and if you're great at SEO, they'll find your article through search engines. In either case, let's take a look at what they see before clicking over into your article.

Search engine results pages and social media posts both tend to show readers the same few things: The blog title and either your meta description or a snippet of your introduction. You need to have a strong title and meta description to capture the click, but once they’re on your post, you have one job: Keep them there.

That’s where the blog introduction comes into play.

Now that someone has clicked through to your blog post, your job is not done. It's just beginning.

Regardless of whether the traffic to your post has come from a social media post, search, or somewhere else entirely, the prime point of engagement is now the introduction. 

And the introduction's purpose is also singular: sell the read.

Just as your title and meta description must sell the click, the introduction must sell the read. If your introduction is boring, people are going to bounce. They may skim. But, they for sure aren't going to be engaged with your content.

A captivating blog introduction consists of content that intrigues, teases, and maybe even annoys or offends the reader - whatever it takes to make them want to read the rest of the article. 

All the energy must go to making it compelling - compel the reader to read.

An Example of a Horrible Blog Introduction

Do you like panning for gold? My team recently traveled to the most remote area of Alaska to dig for gold. We found the biggest gold nugget I've ever seen, four pounds worth! In this article, I'll tell you all about the trip.

An Example of a Compelling Introduction

Do you like panning for gold? This last winter, a team of eight rugged mountain men trekked through howling winds and blinding snow into the most remote area of Alaska. The goal: to hopefully find some gold. After two months of crushing disappointment, this group of prospectors stumbled upon the biggest find of their lives! Three weeks later, the team emerged to tell their story. In this article, I'll tell you all about it.

Which story do you want to read?

The first one is boring, and you know the secret - they found a 4-pound gold nugget. In the second example, there is drama and mystery. It makes you read the rest at least to find out what they found.

Your introduction needs to build anticipation, whether you're writing about prospecting or selling insurance. If you can't make the introduction a little mysterious or interesting, the rest of the article doesn't really matter, because very few people will actually read it.

Do tease the substance of the article. Don't give it away too soon.

I read articles all the time that basically tell you everything in the intro. If you give away the entire story in the first few sentences, why should anyone read the next thousand-plus words—or explore any of the CTAs you’ve included in the post? 

Your introduction needs to tease the information, but the last thing it needs to do is give it away. Build the mystery, and you'll increase engagement.

Do disarm your audience. Don't be salesy.

Audiences want real, honest information. Your introduction needs to disarm your reader, especially if you're going to be talking about yourself. If your product or service is going to be a focal point of the piece, you need to disarm your audience. There's nothing worse than reading an intro from a braggadocios brand. 

You know the kind - their service or product is the perfect angel, and all of their competitors pale in comparison. Here's the truth Sherlock, your competitors are saying the same thing about you.

If I hear another company talk about how they provide better support, or that their software is more reliable, etc. etc.  Everyone is saying the same thing!

If your content is going to talk about you, you need to knock down the guards of your audience. They will have their guard up, knowing that you're horribly biased just like everyone else. And, they'll read all of your talking points through that lens - if they read it at all.

Your introduction (and the rest of your content, for that matter) needs to disarm. If your content is going to talk about your service, why not add in a little disclaimer - like, "we're not the best fit for everyone." 

For Lean Labs, one of our go-to statements is "we're not the biggest, we're not the fastest, we're not the best, and we're not the cheapest." 

Do we really admit we're not the best? 

Yep! If you want the best, you'll pay a much higher premium than working with us.

Are we not the fastest? 

No! If you want fast, go somewhere else.

Are we not a large agency? 

No! If you want to work with a lot of entry-level employees, go find a big agency. They have plenty of them (if they haven't laid them all off recently).

Are we not the cheapest? 

Nope! We're really good at what we do, and we charge accordingly.

What's the Point? Disarmament. 

If I'm willing to tell you there are better, faster, bigger, and even cheaper agencies out there - will you believe me when I tell you where we are the best fit? Maybe not, but you'll be much more likely to believe me than if I talked about how great we were compared to everyone else.

Do take a stand. Don't be wishy-washy.

If you want to be interesting, you have to take a stand! But taking a stand alone is not enough: You have to take that stand firmly and back it up. 

For example, if your introduction goes against a commonly-held opinion, that's really interesting. I'll read to figure out why. If you waffle back and forth instead of making a solid statement, though, that’s nowhere near as interesting. It actually makes you appear indecisive and unreliable.

In other words: If you're wishy-washy, who cares what you have to say?

Do be controversial. Don't fake it.

Everyone loves a bit of controversy. It’s why people gossip, watch reality television, and scroll through lists of “unpopular opinion” takes online. But controversy only works if it’s real. If your “controversial” blog intros are all drama and no substance, you’re doing something wrong. 

Nothing makes me blackball a blog faster than having a really interesting introduction tease something really controversial, and then read it to find it's really nothing controversial at all.

"I may get fired for sharing this information with you!" 

What is it?

"You can save 10% or more by switching to Geico."

There's nothing that gets reads like being controversial. But, if you're going to go controversial in your introduction, do it for real. Don't fake it for views. That's called clickbait, and it's annoying.

Do raise the stakes. Don't be fluffy.

Writing a novel? Get used to hearing your publisher ask, "what are the stakes?"

Your hero is boring if there isn't a lot at stake. If the stakes are too low in your article, the same rule applies. If what you have to say doesn't matter, why am I reading your article? And, if there is nothing at stake, why are you writing it?

What's at stake for this article? Well, if you write horrible introductions, no one will care about your content. If no one cares about your content, your marketing will suffer. If your marketing suffers, you'll lose to your competitors. If you lose to your competitors, you'll eventually lose your job. If you lose your job, you won't be able to pay your car payment, they will repo your car, you will get evicted, you will get hungry, you will... 

Maybe that's being a little too extreme - but you get the point.

If the stakes were, you'll feel better about your intros... no one will care.

Related: How to Become the Undisputed Leader in Your Market

Introductions are critical to an article, but that doesn't mean you have to brainstorm a new kind of lead for every article. If you build a toolkit of great openings, you can apply the right opening for the right kind of article.

Here are five of my favorites:

1. The Controversial Opening

What is the conventional opinion? If your content will challenge anything, your introduction needs to trumpet that challenge. It doesn't need to explain the challenge in full, it needs to open the loop that the conventional paradigm may be wrong. To accomplish this, you don't need to explore what's wrong with the conventional paradigm, but you do need to explore the results of that erroneous mindset.

For example, if the conventional knowledge is that running is the best cardio workout, your introduction doesn't need to explore why that's wrong. But, you can explore the ramifications of the paradigm. Because everyone believes this, there are a lot of people with bad knees and backs, hobbling through their later years. And then the article can tease a challenge - could there be a better way that is both better cardio and easier on the body? 

If you write it right, they’ll have to read to find out.

Example: Contently

2. The Mystery

Much like the prospector example, if you can build a mystery with your introduction, and open a massive loop that they just have to close, your engagement will skyrocket. This is one of my favorite openings.

Example: Influencer Marketing Hub

3. The What If

Steal from Steve Jobs and get the audience daydreaming. 

What if you could have a device that was an iPod, a personal assistant, and a phone all in one? 

What if you could have 1,000 songs in your pocket?

What if eight guys could spend three months in Alaska and come out with $6 Million worth of gold?

For the "what if" intro to work, you have to be coy enough to both keep the result a mystery, and also make the audience think, "did they figure out how to do it?"

When Steve Jobs was saying his "what if" statements, every single person watching was thinking, "did they find a way to do it?" That's what you want your audience to be thinking in your "what if" intros.

Example: Seth Godin’s blog

4. The Pain vs. Gain

This is an awesome opening, especially for articles that are about something you've learned through testing or experience. The introduction describes the pain and builds empathy - giving your audience something to relate to. The Gain is promised, not revealed, so that the audience wants to read the article.

For example, if your article is about learning a valuable lesson from almost falling off a roller coaster, the introduction will fall flat if it reveals the lesson you learned. Instead, talk about the pain of not knowing the lesson, and learning it.

Explore the pain of the before state - what was life like when you didn't know this particular thing. What kind of harm, pain, or damage was that causing? What were the feelings associated with learning it?

The more you can raise the stakes in this intro, the more compelling it becomes.

Example: Neil Patel’s blog

5. The Exchange

This introduction works great if the information you are going to share in the article has a direct, immediate benefit for the reader. Then, the introduction sells the article by promising the benefit in exchange for the read.

Describe the benefit, and the feeling of achieving it. Then, tease that the article is going to give that benefit. This is kind of like, "give me 5 minutes, and I'm going to show you how to tie your shoe all by yourself."

The introduction should talk about the pain of not being able to do/get/achieve X. Then, offer the benefit of reversing that pain in exchange for the read. "If you read this article to the end, you'll be able to X without Y."

Example: HubSpot blog

If you're using these openings, please stop. Your readers are begging you.

1. The Carnival Barker Opening

Step right up! This will amaze you, shock you, will make you rich! 

If you can read your introduction and sound like a carnival barker, rewrite it. It's bad copy, and your readers will bounce.

2. The Have You Ever Opening

Have you ever wanted X? Then, this article is for you!

This isn’t as repellant as the carnival barker opening, but it certainly doesn’t do much to compel me to read on.

3. The Petty Peer Pressure Opening

We offer website design, and everyone is getting their websites redesigned. Smart companies are hiring us. If you're smart, you will do the same. This article will show you how to do what everyone else is doing. Don't be stupid and be the only one not doing it. Seriously, read this article. If not, you'll be all alone, not doing what everyone else is doing - which is getting a new website.

4. The Over-Promise, Under-Deliver Opening

Four camels walked into a bar... you won't believe what happened next!

(Inside the article: the fifth one ducked and didn't hit his head on the bar. Nothing to see here.)

Don't promise the world and deliver a cup of dirt.

5. The Running Start

This is for all those who just can't seem to get to the point. You don't know who you are.

When you get finished with your article, go back to the introduction. How long did it take you to get the point? When I say point, I mean the point of the article. 

What did you promise in your blog title? How many sentences did you write before you started delivering on that promise?

A lot of people take running starts to their articles. They back up, and talk about something kind of relevant to the title, and write a few paragraphs before actually getting down to brass tacks.

Get to the point already!

If you really want to crush your introductions, you need to have a common practice where you consider the following things:

What does the title promise?

What is the intent of the reader? What do they want?

What's in it for the reader?

Why should they care?

If you can connect all of those dots into a compelling introduction, your engagement will go through the roof. If you're giving away too much information, if you're not connecting with these four points, or if you're just boring, the rest of the article doesn't matter. 

Of course, writing a compelling blog introduction—or an entire compelling article—is just the beginning of your content marketing journey. If you want to see major traffic increases and watch your conversion rate skyrocket, you’ll need an entire growth marketing engine behind your blog-writing efforts.

Check out our Growth Marketing Playbook today to get started building the strategy that can help you 10x your business’s growth.

Ryan's experience ranges from higher education to SMBs and tech startups. When not doing digital marketing, he's sure to be enjoying some kind of nerdy pastime.

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Copyblogger

How to Write a Blog Post Introduction That Grabs and Holds Attention

Now that you’ve studied headline writing , it’s time to learn how to write a blog post introduction. Your blog post introduction is the second most important part of your content.

Master copywriter Eugene Schwartz often spent an entire week on the first 50 words of a sales piece — the headline and the opening paragraph.

Sound excessive? Only if you’re new to business blogging . It’s how you practice writing copy and content that gets results.

Why you need to write a blog post introduction that works

Just imagine how disappointed you’d be after crafting a killer headline for your post, only to lose readers with an opening that failed to carry the momentum.

A great headline mixed with a weak opening is like inviting someone into your house, only to slam the door in their face as they approach.

Of course that’s not the impression you want to give with your blog posts. You want to create a welcoming environment that shows readers they’re in the right place (which is why it’s also smart to review a blog post checklist before you publish).

5 easy ways to open your blog post with a bang

So, here are five ways to open your blog post that you can incorporate into your writing habits today.

They’ll help you capture your reader’s interest and pull them deeper into your content .

1. Ask a question

Opening your post with a question is a rhetorical device (hence, the “rhetorical question”) that creates curiosity and gets the reader thinking.

Thinking equals active engagement with your writing, and that’s a very good thing. If your reader needs to ponder a piece of information you’ve presented, they’ll likely want to keep reading to see if their ideas match the rest of your content.

2. Share an anecdote or a quote

Anecdotes are quick stories that can make people laugh , and as you learn to write better content , they can immediately establish the main point of your post.

A relevant quote from a recognizable authority can also work wonders when holding attention in those crucial opening seconds.

This appeals to our attraction to what’s familiar or related to our interests. If your blog post introduction references someone or something your reader already likes, they’ll feel more confident that they’ll like your content as well. The more you know who you’re writing for , the better this tip will work.

Want us to scale your traffic?

For the first time, The Copyblogger methodology is now available to a select few clients. We know it works. We’ve been doing it since 2006.

3. Invoke the mind’s eye to write a blog post introduction

Producing a mental image in a reader’s mind is one of the most powerful things you can ever do as a writer, so don’t forget about it when blogging .

Expressly engaging the imagination is a powerful opening technique. Activate the mind’s eye of the reader by using words like “imagine,” “picture this,” “do you remember when,” etc.

This technique also helps ensure you only write to one person. When you want to guide someone to keep reading , they should feel that you’re having an intimate conversation with them, not talking to a crowd.

4. Use an analogy, a metaphor, or a simile

Analogies , metaphors , and similes are some of the most powerful devices available when it comes to telling a story in a single sentence.

As you continue to study how to write a blog post introduction, you’ll find this is a great way to capture a reader’s attention.

But analogies, metaphors, and similes do more than just grab attention. They also provoke mental imagery that allow readers to tell a story to themselves. As you learn more about persuasive writing , you’ll discover there’s no better way to convince someone to arrive at the conclusion you’d like them to reach.

5. Cite a persuasive statistic

Starting off with an interesting factoid that the reader just can’t ignore is also a great technique to master when you’re learning how to write a blog post introduction.

People love discovering new data, but only if it is unique, startling, or even shocking. The statistic should also be directly relevant to the point of your post (otherwise you’ll commit one of the blogging mistakes I mention here ).

If your reader believes they’ll learn something new, you have an opportunity to stand out as a source of educational content they’ll want to follow.

Blog post introduction examples

One of the best tips for beginner writers is to study other content creators. You can critically examine what they get right … and what they get wrong.

Since this post is all about writing blog post introductions that work, let’s look at some examples that attract and hook readers.

The #1 Conversion Killer in Your Copy (And How to Beat It) Sonia Simone gets right to the point here. She opens the blog post with a question related to a problem the reader cares about … and then amplifies the issue with more detailed questions.

Next, she uncovers the root of the problem with a striking metaphor, the “troll under the bridge.” All of these elements lead to a relatable story for consumers.

8 Strange Rituals of Productive Writers Ever wonder what writers at work are really like? Think they might have strange rituals and routines? This blog post introduction taps into your curiosity and delivers.

Kelton Reid even adds an unusual story about baseball player Ichiro Suzuki. The reader simultaneously wants to find out more about how Suzuki cares for his baseball bat, as well as why it could be helpful for aspiring writers.

The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words When you’re learning how to write a blog post introduction, think about referencing a piece of fiction your audience knows and loves. This example refers to the classic film The Princess Bride.

The big idea here is to find a cultural hook that will draw readers into your content. I wrote this post, so my next goal was to tap into confusion about spelling and grammar. It’s a one-two punch that’s irresistible. 

Bonus tip: What’s next after you learn how to write a blog post introduction?

The third most important part of your blog post is the closing. A smart way to close is to tie back into your opening.

So, take a few minutes to review this post for which of the five techniques I didn’t use in the opening.

Want to learn more about blogging that works? Grab our free ebook below!

Brian Clark

Brian Clark is the founder of Copyblogger, the midlife personal growth newsletter Further, Unemployable, an educational community that provides smart strategies for freelancers and solopreneurs , and Creative Affiliate, affiliate marketing advice for creators .

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Reader Interactions

Reader comments (463).

September 19, 2006 at 11:43 am

Great post (consider it saved for later).

I think you missed #5… I had to go back and double check for the simile, though, as it was near the top. 😛

September 7, 2010 at 9:58 am

For #5, I was looking for an example of the shocking statistic.

August 15, 2011 at 11:00 pm

Same here! Lead by example 😉

September 19, 2006 at 11:49 am

Thanks for these tips! I always forget how powerful simple words can be 😉

September 19, 2006 at 11:58 am

Or you can just post a photo of a monkey.

People love monkey’s (see: every other tv commercial).

In all seriousness, great post Brian. #3 is my all-time favorite copywriting tip.

September 19, 2006 at 12:04 pm

I think that you used all five.

1 = “What’s the second most important part of your blog post after the title?”

2 = the link to “crafting a killer headline”

3 = “Just imagine how disappointed you’d be…”

4 = “like inviting someone into your house, only to slam the door in their face”

5 = “often spent an entire week on the first 50 words of a sales piece”

>>double check for the simile…

That one’s a bit tricky, but it’s actually an analogy.

Here’s a simile from a song that just popped up in my iPod shuffle:

I hold the microphone like a grudge.

Eric B. & Rakim I Ain’t No Joke

September 19, 2006 at 12:14 pm

Stats? Point made, point taken. Might I add, scanability? Just by reading the headings and subheadings I get the point… which is great for browsers (as in people). And then if you’re an interested reader you can go back to the points and read in detail.

September 19, 2006 at 12:16 pm

It has been a pleasure reading your tips/secrets/suggestions/hints/guides/lists for the last 3 months. I have learned so much. Although I may have elements in my posts that already meet your guidelines, none are quite as thorough, so it is always valuable to keep your emails handy. Today’s was an excellent example, so I had to thank you.

September 19, 2006 at 12:32 pm

How’s this for a shocking statistic!?

[BTW whatever happened to the ill-fated interrobang that was supposed to change our grammatic lives? I remember being enchanted with the idea in 6th grade, but I haven’t heard anything of it since…]

In 2001, Ikea conducted a random survey of 620 customers across the US to uncover their organizational and lifestyle habits.

What they discovered was a somewhat dismaying (in my opinion) and most assuredly shocking statistic:

31% of the respondants got MORE SATISFACTION from cleaning a closet than from having sex.

September 19, 2006 at 1:08 pm

How about use a number, like “5 ways to …”

People like actionable titles.

September 19, 2006 at 1:13 pm

“A great headline mixed with a lame opening is like inviting someone into your house, only to slam the door in their face as they approach.”

Wouldn’t it be more like inviting someone into your home only to show them to the basement? Or inviting them through your front door only to show them out the back door?

September 19, 2006 at 1:19 pm

Todd, well… I don’t know.

The analogy I used worked for me because a reader who clicks away before getting “in” to the meat of your content has never really made it through the door at all.

So your bad opening really is “closing the door” on the reader, metaphorically speaking of course. 🙂

September 19, 2006 at 2:07 pm

I have a 6th one for you. Use a cartoon!

Since I illustrate my posts with my cartoons, I try to use them to make the post more interesting. I’ve played around with the placement, and based on the readers I’ve talked with it seems to be working. Most seem to go Headline > Cartoon > Opening paragraph. I try to make the drawing interesting enough to make them want to read (or continue reading).

Then again, I could just be fooling myself 😉 I’m learning and making it up as I go along.

September 19, 2006 at 2:11 pm

Tony, I agree. A captivating photo or illustration can really help. I need to use more of them here myself.

September 19, 2006 at 3:34 pm

I hate to say it but I didn’t read your intro, I just went to the 5 points. It’s good to know that you used all of them though 🙂

September 19, 2006 at 3:45 pm

Ha ha ha… that happens a lot with list posts, which is another reason I made the closing reference the opening. 🙂

September 19, 2006 at 4:08 pm

Is asking the question at the end an example of a good way to close a blog post? I guess it is since I’m commenting and will probably link to it 🙂

September 19, 2006 at 5:44 pm

man…you’re just too good!

September 19, 2006 at 6:19 pm

This was an important post. I like to tease folks in my openings. I guess that’s number…um…

September 19, 2006 at 6:59 pm

1, 3 or 4 Char, unless it’s a Paris Hilton post, in which case it’s 2. 🙂

September 19, 2006 at 7:59 pm

#1 is my favorite opener and I’d agree with Schwartz (and who wouldn’t), the first paragraph sets up EVERYTHING else that follows. It gives the reader the proper context from which to proceed.

September 19, 2006 at 8:24 pm

Great post, Brian. I consider this to be more of a “checklist” post than a “list” post because it’s a great pre-flight checklist for EVERY blog post. It’s important to remember that taking the time to make sure your post is polished goes a long way towards getting it read (and, as importantly, linked to).

Keep up the rockin’ work –

September 19, 2006 at 8:49 pm

Don’t you ever run out of great material? Thanks again for the simple truth. As others have suggested, photos/images can also have enormous impact. This would be an interesting test: Just post a headline and an image and see what happens. Anyone ever try it?

September 19, 2006 at 9:48 pm

I found you through Problogger Group Writing Project. You are good! I’ll be back.

Thanks, Steve

September 19, 2006 at 11:18 pm

Your blog has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. As of tomorrow it will be required reading for all staff members.

Thanks for the great work.

September 19, 2006 at 11:31 pm

I don’t like posts which start catchy, yet empty.

I like posts which tell me, up front, what I’ll learn from reading the rest of the stuff.

Get to the point, right up front. Then you can tease me to read more.

But first I have to know why I should invest in reading your text.

Thanks for letting me vent. 😉

September 20, 2006 at 12:21 am

Great post, I too came via Problogger, and I will definitely be returning.

September 20, 2006 at 12:42 am

Some good points in the post. I think until one gets established it is worth noting every point on how to grab readers attention. Once established people tend to read posts regardless.

September 20, 2006 at 2:09 am

No. 1 – opening with a question always works good for me.

September 20, 2006 at 3:44 am

Love your tips! Following your tips have led me to a tighter and leaner writing.

Maybe you could do 5 simple ways to *end* your posts with a bang next 🙂

September 20, 2006 at 4:26 am

Brian, great post.

And Rosano is right too.

Sometimes people stop at the first picture, or subhead. If you provide numbered points, they might as well stop at the first to see what you have to offer.

For example, because you use h3 tags for your points, what I immediately notice is 1. Ask a question, after the title.

That aside, there is logically no where else to capture reader’s attention other than the headline and opening paragraph.

Just another list to print and stick on the wall. 😉

September 20, 2006 at 6:18 am

Advanced journalists are taught never to use the question lead (#1). As an example:

“Do you ever wonder about paper clips?”

If the answer is “no,” then you’ve lost the reader already.

While I freely admit that blog writing isn’t necessarily journalism, I believe the concept still applies.

September 20, 2006 at 6:27 am

Dale, it doesn’t.

In blogging, as in copywriting, you have to know your audience. Unlike general journalism, you should always know what kind of question will catch your intended audience’s attention, or you’re missing something very important.

September 20, 2006 at 7:17 am

Great post. I have been trying to find ways to boost readership for my site and I just found this site, so I will look around here to see what I can dig up. Hopefully, my writing will improve… sigh…

September 20, 2006 at 9:31 am

Brian, great post. I linked to it on my blog network’s wiki. I also agree with John in that I want to know up front what’s relevant. I think you can do that with your tips. I find my posts getting shorter as time goes by (it’s the Seth Godin influence) and, practicing what you preach, I hope more relevant.

September 20, 2006 at 10:06 am

Brian, great post. Here’s what I think – a thousand blog posts have already shared the same or extremely similar tips to your above – but you are a master at framing the words and ideas so as to stick in people’s minds and impel them to discuss. Thus it’s original and fresh and rewarding all at once. Thank you!

My Yoda PEZ dispenser bows reverently to you :).

September 20, 2006 at 11:26 am

Good tips and great post. I always think that using simple words is more efecttive. Thank you for the advise.

September 20, 2006 at 12:00 pm

Nice articles for blog posting , please also provide more articles on blog posting

September 22, 2006 at 5:28 am

Hei Brian. Brilliant tips that remind me of school and the essay writing as these exact same ones we were adviced to apply in our writing. Take care. =)

September 22, 2006 at 7:45 am

I am so bad at writing headline that I have to write my peice and then go back and figure out what to call it. headlines are hard because you only get a few words.

September 23, 2006 at 9:22 pm

The thing is that statistics aren’t shocking anymore. Everyone knows that 41.7% of them are inaccurate.

October 3, 2006 at 4:28 pm

Thanks for this post. I’m seriously interested in improving my blog(s), so will be checking back often. I’ve always liked the power of questions, but now I’m going to add quotes and shocking statistics to my real estate blog.

October 15, 2006 at 1:10 am

I like your idea about your title asking a question. i think i will try that thanks.

November 19, 2006 at 6:04 am

I’ve been sneaking in and out of here for a while now, you are really very good. These tips also do not just work for writing alone, they work for speaking as well.

By re-modelling your tips for speaking, I could begin to sound like an authority in the topic 🙂 Any copyright issues to this 🙂

Don’t mind my sense of humor. Just to let you know that I really find your site useful…both as a writer and a speaker.

November 29, 2006 at 2:15 pm

As a total novice in the art of blogging (corporate or otherwise!) I am delighted I’ve stumbled across your site!

I have been asking numerous questions for a while….those that know anything seem to know that we should be blogging….but nobody could tell me how!

You’ve answered the numerous questions I had, and made me realise how much I didn’t know that I didn’t know (if you get what I mean!!).

You are ace…..thank you.

Needless to say, I have subscribed. And shall be recommending others to do so too.

December 11, 2006 at 8:50 am

This is my first time reading your blog. Thanks for the useful tips. I realised that the tips for blogging are pretty much the same as tips for good writing! Will be adding your blog to my blogroll as I think my readers can benefit from reading your blog. cheers.

December 14, 2006 at 12:24 am

mm.. it is my first also. But it is shocking, questioning, invoking minds. Thanks for this information

March 4, 2007 at 6:57 pm

Thank you so much – these are excellent tips. My blog is only a few months old, but these tips have helped me to better structure and provide information. I like the idea about sharing an ancedote or quote. I blog about “how to marketing”. Your infomation is on target – it has made a difference for me. http://www.bizmarketingsolutions.biz

March 18, 2007 at 3:34 am

This is great stuff. Thank you for your valuable tips, I’m going back to the drawing board to implement some of these strategies on my own blogs.

March 29, 2007 at 4:08 pm

I agree. Loads of blogs carry “useless” information though. Don’t expect people to come unless you have interesting content.

April 2, 2007 at 7:55 pm

These tips actually summarize the best methods of catching the eye of a visitor. Everyone should respect these! Good post!

May 16, 2007 at 12:52 pm

Hey, cool blog. I found you through Jason Boog’s Publishing Spot.

June 6, 2007 at 11:04 am

Vintage Copyblogger.

I was reading the list, and remembering where you had used them.

Finally, a guru who practices what he preaches.

One question – Did you write the opening first or the list? Haha.

Shypy = Reader no 18687

June 21, 2007 at 4:13 pm

Well , these are amazing 5 tips. Thanks for them.

July 7, 2007 at 6:16 pm

July 11, 2007 at 1:40 pm

Great post. I also found the comments informative and esp. liked the comment by Mike giving illustrations to the 5 openings.

July 13, 2007 at 6:55 pm

I know this is a rather old article but I wanted to thank you for such a useful post, it’s an amazing guide not only to writing an informative posts but also to *composing* it the right way, which unfortunately many bloggers fail.

July 14, 2007 at 8:20 am

You have taken time to write this tricky post,i liked it .”Invoke the Mind’s Eye” ….its too catchy,

July 18, 2007 at 7:21 pm

I’d add personalization to the good openings list. “Joe Jones came home to an eviction notice …” “My pal Al made $1,000 just by …” “My wife walked in red-faced, holding a traffic ticket …”

Starting off with a quote or a question are among the cliches most good writers try to avoid when writing leads. Anything can work, of course, but for these two I think you really want to ponder other approaches.

When someone asks a question in a headline or a lead, I wonder why they’re me asking me.

Stats are another suspect opening in my book.

July 18, 2007 at 8:12 pm

“Personalization” is a story, or anecdote, Glenn. See number 2.

As for your other comments, well, you sound like a wannabe journalist. And we’re not talking journalism here.

Good luck with your blog.

August 2, 2007 at 9:12 am

Do you like art blogs? It just so happens I’ve been blogging about a month now and use FeedBlitz for my subscription system also. I like your suggestion of placing a Subscribe to Nancy Standlee Art Blog at the end of each post. Please tell me how to do that, please, please? I’ve already subscribed to your blog so I can’t use that as a bargaining chip. I hope you like art blogs! See you around, ns

August 2, 2007 at 9:17 am

Nancy, you just create a new page on your blog, paste the code Feedblitz gives you into that page to create an email subscribe form, and link to the page from the bottom of each post.

Hope this helps!

August 2, 2007 at 9:57 am

These are very good suggestions on how to give your posts an extra “zing”. Thank you for sharing!

http://streetjesus.blogspot.com

August 4, 2007 at 12:45 am

Thanks again for the recommendations , great for helping me starting my new/first site.

September 8, 2007 at 1:51 pm

Awesome post! You definitely have a way with words.

September 15, 2007 at 1:21 am

Great post, you taught me something! =)

October 9, 2007 at 8:14 pm

Thanks a lot for the tips, especially the one on”using an analogy, metaphor or simile”. I have a blog called Eclectic Grooves which is primarily based on music. Can you take a look on my blog and give me some honest feedback on it? For ex: what type of elements are strong as well as what things could use some improvement. I have been running this site for almost a year and haven’t received much traffic. Please offer any suggestions for increasing the traffic of my blog.

http://eclectic-grooves.blogspot.com

Thanks, Kevin

October 24, 2007 at 7:45 pm

Do you mind giving some tips on ENDING with a BANG?

November 2, 2007 at 5:17 pm

WOW…I absolutely loved and appreciated your tips. I am just getting started in the “Blogging” world and found your tips to be very informative. Thank you!

November 21, 2007 at 11:59 am

I am a Blog virgin- you have shown me the way! I’ll be up late tonight working on some great material! thanks guys 🙂

November 22, 2007 at 9:57 am

How about the very first post of your brand new blog??????????? Im starting one and im stuck the last,,, hours,, thinking on the title and the first welcome post!! The blog belongs to the company i work and im in charge of it! So any tips?

November 25, 2007 at 4:49 pm

Good points, very often I get tangled up in design and technology with the content suffering.

November 30, 2007 at 9:36 am

These are basically the same techniques you learn in English classes about writing a hook for an intro to a paper, but way less boring–you should really consider compiling some of the posts on this site into a college textbook.

November 30, 2007 at 1:50 pm

i love this site.

January 2, 2008 at 3:36 am

I start the post like that but seem to lose my way in the middle it will definitely help.Thanks for another nice post.

January 2, 2008 at 3:37 am

This blog is becoming my teacher for blogging.Nice ways to write a post.

January 14, 2008 at 11:33 am

Thanks for the tips, will implement on my blog

February 9, 2008 at 5:12 am

An Useful article. Thanks for it….and I hope the theme you use on this blog is free 🙂

February 12, 2008 at 3:00 pm

it is a pleasue to read this tips ,it is very intersting ,thanks for sharing information

February 15, 2008 at 2:59 pm

Like Eugene Schwartz, I spend a great deal of time writing a blog article. I think about every sentence I write.

I wonder, how long does it take Brian to write an article?

April 7, 2008 at 1:47 am

These are basically the same techniques you learn in English classes about writing a hook for an intro to a paper.

May 1, 2008 at 3:56 am

“Chantallyne entre fogones!” Thanks for the information. I think it’s wonderful to learn “blogging” on the Net, while i practise my english writing! Because, I’m french, I’m learning english to can write a spanish blog! Life is wonderful!!!…

May 13, 2008 at 5:44 pm

WOW- great advice I’m a blogging virgin- but not for long! thanks again James.

May 25, 2008 at 8:17 am

Interesting post.

July 15, 2008 at 5:00 pm

I keep coming back to this post to help me put some pep into my copy

thanks again guys 😉

August 5, 2008 at 1:51 pm

haha.. nice post.. with nice closing lines.. this surely will help me post better.. thnx

August 27, 2008 at 8:19 pm

Spending a week on the first 50 words is a situation that is all too familiar 🙁 … Great job implementing your own advice by the way!

The point with which I agree the most is your bonus tip, the ending tied to the beginning works really well not only in blogs but in other types of writing as well. In fact, I saw a stand up comedian last night who did it in his gig and I thought, “wow, what a great way to wrap up the show.”

August 28, 2008 at 12:31 am

I have a question If I create a blog then what is the use of that? Any specific reason to open a blog. Can we earn from the blog?

October 14, 2008 at 7:24 am

Nice tips.These little things work great.Let me try them.

October 31, 2008 at 12:51 am

I hope all these points will work out. I will also implement all these five points. Thanks for knowledge sharing.

November 7, 2008 at 12:18 pm

December 6, 2008 at 5:41 pm

I’m a reporter and in media we have very little time to capture reader imagination. So it really has to happen in the first paragraph or your cause is lost!

December 18, 2008 at 5:23 pm

I’ll be honest with you…i didn’t know that i would be interested in this blog….however, these simple ways and everything else have me coming back…the reason….I can sure use this in my posts….thanks again

December 24, 2008 at 4:16 pm

Have been reading your blog for a while, Very Interesting & creative!

December 31, 2008 at 10:30 am

Hi Roberta, This is my visit to this website and I have well understood why this site is among the top 100 blogs in Technorati. I am not able to leave the site because every time I finish reading a post great post I see the popular posts section in the right which interests me to read more and I am not regretting at all. Thsi post was a great one too.

Regards Laksh

January 2, 2009 at 11:18 am

Good stuff. Ironic how today we must all become writers if we are to participate in the new media. Another copywriting tip that comes to mind: use simple words. This doesn’t mean dumbing something down. It means writing with words that tend to be shorter, simpler and clearer, not deploying a communication strategy that is consistent with and sustains the external branding elements of your overall strategy.

January 16, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Ok I’m addicted to this site now. I can’t stop reading all of these great posts. My head is spinning in an attempt to take all these steps down for my future posts. Thanks!

February 3, 2009 at 11:59 pm

The combination between the first and the third is my favorite. To measure the result, you have to feel it yourself. What do you think?

February 10, 2009 at 12:44 am

#1 and 5 works best I think.

February 11, 2009 at 12:06 am

I’m sitting here grinning. I’m about to add a blog to my website so finding this one … was meant to be! I can’t write more, because I want to read more of the posts! LOL

February 22, 2009 at 4:49 pm

I am so new to all of this writing stuff. This is an extremely helpful article. Can you tell that I usually just start writing what ever comes to mind without really even thinking about what’s going to keep the readers attention?

I’m going to study theses suggestions very closely and start implementing the ideas into my posts.

Thanks for a great article. By the way which of the two suggestions did I use in my comment?

February 24, 2009 at 11:04 pm

Yes – you are so right – it is about how you say it. Writing carefully is the key to doubling your visitors.

March 3, 2009 at 1:43 pm

Usually i get straight to the point and give the material that matters quickly. Even if my posts are short.

March 12, 2009 at 1:45 am

Thank you for your post. I’m going to try this immediately, and hope it works! I post just earlier to a different post, and am trying like crazy to build a viral blog and content system. thanks, [email protected]

March 28, 2009 at 2:57 am

I love lists. Make all of your blog posts lists.

April 4, 2009 at 8:18 am

I have just finished a great book by direct mail king Drayton Bird. The general principals of good copy seem to have changed little over the last 30 years.

The beauty of current digital media is that it is measurable beyond our wildest dreams.

This is a great site with good principles, some really magnetic blog titles included that really pull the reader in.

April 5, 2009 at 1:30 pm

Great article. I think it’s important to look at the way the newspapers have been doing it for years. It’s always the same, and for good reason.

April 9, 2009 at 11:43 am

I have been a fan of copy blogger for a while now and i must say my online writing skill was honed at this site.

Sure going to apply one or two of the tips in this article immediately.

Thanks for staying true.

April 19, 2009 at 5:22 pm

I found your blog online today, and this article about how to start your blog was so helpfull, since i just launched my blog today. Thanks for the advice and i’ll keep on reading your blog regularly. Feel free to give me any tips you can 🙂

May 2, 2009 at 8:22 am

Out of your 5 tips, which do you think is the most effective?

I’m sure you know my preference. Great post!

May 2, 2009 at 12:01 pm

I see what you did there. Clever!

June 2, 2009 at 9:18 am

Brian, awesome post!! I think the WORST “sin” we can commit as entreprenuers is boring our market…. We can literally bore them to death and never recover! One of the most successful (i.e. profitable) “blog posts” I have ever done was called, “Market Like a Hooker” and drove people back to my website to download the ONLY business report based on the marketing tactics of prostitutes and drug dealers. It was fun and caught attention!! Thanks again, I am loving copyblogger!

June 16, 2009 at 5:14 pm

“meditate on this I will” 😀

June 16, 2009 at 8:20 pm

This is great advice. I feel everyone should blog like they speak and be as personable as possible. Having your own voice. But like writing, the more you blog ,the better you get!

June 16, 2009 at 9:32 pm

Great ideas for blogging. You have touched some good points here.

June 22, 2009 at 8:40 am

Asking a question is always a good opener. It makes the reader want to keep going.

June 29, 2009 at 11:32 pm

I like to use an openning question also in blog post.

July 19, 2009 at 7:57 pm

I like the shocking statistic method, personally, but asking a shocking question is just as good!

Your advice on writing is a great refresher for us old journalism majors. Thanks!

July 24, 2009 at 7:48 pm

Great info on how to write a good blog. I look forward on reading more info here

July 31, 2009 at 1:54 pm

Often I use the first one (Asking a Question).

Thanks for the tips! 🙂

August 12, 2009 at 1:48 am

Thanks for another dose of greatness!

August 17, 2009 at 3:37 am

Your tips are like dry grass that rekindles a dying fire. Wonderful!

August 23, 2009 at 4:19 pm

thanks for this article.. Sometimes many pictures may draw off the attention.

August 24, 2009 at 2:51 pm

I like the idea. Now looking over my posts I am not sure I do that. But I will have to start implementing that into my writing. I don’t know why I never put that together myself. It has the simple AIDA principle all through it.

Attention, Interest, Decision, Action.

I think I have just found my favorite blog 🙂

August 27, 2009 at 7:57 am

It blows my mind how simple and easy it can be to write in a way that intrigues, attracts and maintains interest. Yet so many of us fail to do it. I would like to delve deeper into the issue of why we do not do it? Are we taught in school how to write in a boring and mild fashion? Are we so worried about what other people are going to think of our ideas, opinions or outlandish comments? Or are we all in too much of a rush to get our content out there and meet our blogging “schedule” that it just feels better or post than to post something of relevance?

I would say I am a victim of all three. Shame, shame, shame. Forget quantity and post quality. Right?

September 21, 2009 at 5:33 pm

Nice looking themes !

September 23, 2009 at 2:23 pm

“A great headline mixed with a lame opening is like inviting someone into your house, only to slam the door in their face as they approach.”

Wouldn’t it be more like inviting someone into your home only to show them to the basement? Or inviting them through your front door only to show them out the back door?

September 26, 2009 at 6:09 am

But how to let others find your blog ?

October 1, 2009 at 10:10 pm

Great information for new bloggers. Thanks for the post, insight, and help. Now I just need to rewrite all of my blog entries.

October 2, 2009 at 11:11 pm

Thanks for these tips! I always forget how powerful simple words can be

October 3, 2009 at 9:56 am

Great post to keep as a reference. It confirms part of my idea and give new insights.

October 3, 2009 at 10:43 am

Opening the blog with a bang is a great thing. I have had success with the question type opening. i have noticed that all the posts I open with questions gets comments which those trying to solve a problem gets little or no comments. Most of the comments I get are “Ya I agree” type

October 8, 2009 at 5:20 am

I never actually thought of the opening of a blog post as being as important as it really is. The question idea is perfect because it grabs their attention right out of the shoot. Thanks for the great tips in this post.

October 13, 2009 at 1:04 am

Great Post! I did use the 2nd one a bit… will be trying em out… 🙂

October 13, 2009 at 4:03 pm

Love it. I’m going to use this on my next post.

October 15, 2009 at 1:00 pm

The best opening draws a reader in and quickly lets them know what they’re about to read.

A question makes them think and curious to find the answer in your article. A quote supports your argument, making what you’re about to say more credible.

An analogy helps the reader to really understand something, since they connect the dots with an example they understand, rather than only having something abstract to figure out.

Thanks for sharing these simple but effective tips. I try to incorporate these in all my articles on my site Lifebeat, hopefully making them enticing, remarkable, and personable.

November 26, 2009 at 10:21 am

I think, while writing a blog post, it hardly matters what you like, but, it is that what others like. So, before writing any post, I get an idea by searching through Google keyword analysis tool that what people are looking for and more eager to know. Then, I usually go for that.

November 27, 2009 at 12:48 am

Great tips! I try to use them all in every single one of my posts. Need some interest and controversy.

November 30, 2009 at 6:54 pm

Great article, I’m new to blogging and thought about paying someone to post for me, but won’t need to now, thanks!

December 12, 2009 at 5:22 pm

Thanks for all blog tips, in my opinion are all very important and new for me!

January 7, 2010 at 11:11 am

Wow! You really did make this one easy. I’m always amazed at how simple things can be once they’re laid out by someone else….

January 19, 2010 at 3:40 am

You got me man… When I finished reading the last paragraph I literally went back to beginning to check your 5 points out… nice work

January 20, 2010 at 4:58 pm

Really good post. Many people focus on the title, but the first few lines really have to engage the reader. Especially in these days where people’s attentions spans are decreasing to 140 chars or less!

January 25, 2010 at 1:08 pm

Thanks for laying it out so simple. You gave me a nice foundation to work from .

January 30, 2010 at 1:14 am

AS a blogger, you’re going to write about some points. Obviously your post is about something p- one thing that your readers may need. Therefore, it’s obvious that you ask them a question to provoke a need in what you tell them. So, I don’t see any problem with asking questions.

Actually, it’s very usefu l to remind them of the importantce of what you’re going to elaborate for your readers.

February 25, 2010 at 10:24 am

You sure do talk a lot of sense in a short timeframe! I like that.

Personally I use the communication cycle to think out what I am going to say in my posts. But you’re right, one always needs a starter.

March 8, 2010 at 7:12 am

Very useful & cool tip.. thank you mate

March 17, 2010 at 12:54 pm

I always think you should end with a call to action, same as with any marketing or sales piece. Invite the reader to subscribe, or go see a similar post, or check out such-and-such a page. Don’t let them get away… 🙂

March 17, 2010 at 1:00 pm

I am not sure if I’d ever get an answer for this one or not. But i can try at least. I couldn’t understand your last ‘note’, ‘tie back the ending to your opening’. I feel that my ending is my weakest point when I write any article. I am sorry to say this but I could not find a satisfying answer about this until now. But now that I’ve found it, somehow, I don’t understand. Could you be so nice to clarify your point? I sure hope you do.

March 23, 2010 at 7:54 am

Thanks for the tips. I am also wondering, what do you think of blogging for a small local company? Would you say its a worthwhile activity? The only reason I ask is because I run a local courier firm and don’t know if it would be worth spending time updating our blog regularly, or if my efforts would be better spent elsewhere?

March 24, 2010 at 10:47 am

I realized after seeing this article, one of them makes anecdotes to post. A very interesting idea that could be offered to the reader.

April 3, 2010 at 5:33 pm

Hi, wonderfull post very helpfull for newbies . I’ve also seen that meta tags will increase the visibility of the page in gogle and it works like charm for me . since i have to generate lots of tags for individual posts. I’ve found a wesite where you can generate meta tags for many pages at a time automatically

here’s the link–> http://www.techgyo.com/2010/04/techgyo-automatic-meta-tag-maker-for.html

April 4, 2010 at 10:34 pm

Great .. 5 steps are very simple to be weighted and Ways to Open Your Blog Post With a Bang. I am happy with the article, very informative

April 11, 2010 at 10:10 am

Thanks so much for all your advice…this is a great one

April 11, 2010 at 9:29 pm

Explanation is very simple and perfect .. The information contained made me a better understanding to create an open post.

April 26, 2010 at 4:28 pm

Thanks so much for all your advice…this is a great one

April 28, 2010 at 7:14 am

I think no 5. Cite a Shocking Statistic, is best match for my niche: health. But, I want to try ask a question for opening my next post.

April 30, 2010 at 12:41 pm

Awesome tips! You never disappoint!

May 5, 2010 at 6:54 pm

I didn’t see a shocking statistic but this is great advice and spot on! Another trick is the loop around. Get your reader’s attention but don’t answer the question immediately – tease them and say something like “but more about that in just a moment, first….” that keeps their attention but be sure to stay on subject or you will lose them. Great advice. Just bookmarked this article.

May 7, 2010 at 12:54 am

I’ve used all of these techniques at one time or another for articles I’ve written but the bonus tip is used without fail every time… great post.

May 9, 2010 at 1:53 pm

These are great tips to help write an article or blog post. With so much out there to read on the internet a writer definitely needs to engage the readers attention quickly or they will click away. Excellent article writing advice. Thankyou!

May 10, 2010 at 9:43 am

Good post, thanks. I’d agree with your summary, but I’d urge caution on tip 4. It’s very easy to get yourself into a muddle with metaphors and similes, so always check that your copy makes sense!

May 14, 2010 at 11:00 am

I think the bonus tip is a must for any piece, whether it’s an article or blog post. I’m a huge fan of the engaging question to close a post. It’s a great way to spur a reader into making a comment.

Just like this.

May 19, 2010 at 1:31 pm

Why is it bad form to start a post with a question?

I’ve been teaching at a college for 23 years and use questioning as a way of engaging an audience. The question should be relevant even if the thread is tenuous, or you risk ‘closing the door’ a tad early.

After reading your list of killer tactics I was disappointed however that you didn’t mention images/picture as a way of engaging a readers ‘minds eye’. I know that you did agree with Tony D. Clark’s (14) comments about cartoons/images.

As the old saying goes “A pictures worth a thousand words”.

Statistically speaking, about 33% (or is it 41.7% – Triticale) of people are visual learners, so my posts will alway have picture to engage with that group. I may be self serving to some extent because I also think in pictures.

It seems that I’m drawn to the excellent quality of the blogging information written here and prompted to try and add some value to the article by commenting.

So asking a question can’t be bad form can it? Any more than adding pictures.

May 22, 2010 at 9:23 am

Love it. I’m going to try this on my next post. Thanks!

June 12, 2010 at 8:03 am

Reading and re-reading your posts (both contributing writers and guest posts) is always a breath of fresh air. When I get lazy about posting regularly or stagnate in my writing I can always come here and find a bit of inspiration.

Love this blog!!!!

June 18, 2010 at 4:37 pm

Ouch. Another thing I’ve been slipping up on.

Great copy looks so smooth and effortless. I guess it’s like a magician’s presentation… Years of dedication behind those seemingly simple lines.

June 18, 2010 at 6:23 pm

I really like your mix of practical advice with recognising the emotional make-up of people. This is a sensible combination, because the readers of blogs are humans, not inanimate objects, and I think this can be forgotten in the rush to use all the technology available today.

June 22, 2010 at 6:22 pm

Great tips as always! I really love this blog!

June 23, 2010 at 10:59 am

June 23, 2010 at 3:13 pm

Fantastic post for easy ways to keep your blog interesting. I will definitely incorporate this. Thanks a lot!

July 22, 2010 at 6:59 am

July 27, 2010 at 12:40 pm

I’ve used all of these techniques at one time or another for articles I’ve written but the bonus tip is used without fail every time… great post.

August 3, 2010 at 1:06 am

This is good information for both experienced and amateur bloggers.

August 7, 2010 at 3:32 pm

Good post, thanks. I’d agree with your summary, but I’d urge caution on tip 4. It’s very easy to get yourself into a muddle with metaphors and similes, so always check that your copy makes sense!

August 22, 2010 at 1:21 pm

I’ve been blogging for more than 6 months now but the tips you have shared are just a new insights that i gained through blog hopping.

September 7, 2010 at 9:54 am

Thank you for the sound advice. I hope you will give more examples on your next piece.

September 8, 2010 at 12:23 pm

The advice on this blog is easy to apply and very sensible. Besides – it’s well written. How refreshing!

September 9, 2010 at 6:55 pm

I am here again. I was not able to print this the last time, I will do today.

Thank you again.

jef menguin inspirational speaker, Philippines

September 15, 2010 at 1:34 am

Thanks for your post.I’ll try your tips on my blog post.

September 15, 2010 at 7:52 pm

I thought copyblogger was on Thesis? Anyway, Schwartz is a legend. You can’t beat his clarity and directness. Likewise I truly appreciate your insights and lessons. One of the downfalls I often experience is not having someone else proof my work. That can be a serious limitation.

September 16, 2010 at 10:20 am

It’s nice to know successful blogger sharing what is good for those who are new in blogging venture.

September 26, 2010 at 2:29 am

I really don’t think you left out anything, but if I had to choose it would probably be number 5.

September 27, 2010 at 3:38 pm

Brian, you have some great ideas!  I remember my college Comp 1 teacher going over these points (and my speech teacher, come to think of it) but I suppose I never thought I would be able to apply these concepts to blogging. I guess those classes were valuable after all.

You have reintroduced me to concepts that I learned years ago and opened my eyes to the fabulous opening possibilities. I’m a new blogger, so I’m always looking for ways to improve my posts and make them more interesting. Your posts are always very helpful and insightful.  Thank you for posting.

September 29, 2010 at 5:18 pm

‘Shocking stats” seem to be a big winner……they always capture my attention. Not too many interesting or shocking stats on the topic of photo restoration tho 🙂

October 11, 2010 at 5:07 pm

I’ve been blogging for more than 6 months now but the tips you have shared are just a new insights that i gained through blog hopping.

October 15, 2010 at 3:31 am

This is very good informative post. I will definitely try to incorporate into my next project. I think structure and heading of the blog is the most important!

November 5, 2010 at 11:53 am

You missed the most obvious:

Create a headline giving a short numbered list.

You can’t fool me copyblogger.

November 5, 2010 at 12:26 pm

I think you missed the opening sentence of the post. 😉

November 24, 2010 at 10:50 am

This is a very good post on ways to open a blog post. Bookmarked on Delicious.

December 28, 2010 at 9:34 am

You know your reading a good post when it was written 4 years earlier and it still holds true to this day. Some great tips not only for me but the readers of my blog too. Now to go share this with my readers!

December 29, 2010 at 1:59 pm

This blog post is “evergreen” in its nature. It will last forever. I learned a lot from your post.

February 2, 2011 at 5:50 am

I love the quote or anecdote idea. It makes a lot of sense and I’m going to start incorporating the idea in my writing. Thank for the great ideas!

February 2, 2011 at 10:22 am

Great post thanks. One way to make an ad, a webpage or anything else for that matter is to think about it like this. The headline should grab attention and make them want to read the first sentence. The first sentence should be written to make them want to read the second and so on all the way through the letter or whatever the piece is.

February 5, 2011 at 11:29 pm

Imagine something you did 4 years ago still makes a positive impact on others in your industry. Brian: no imagination necessary – you have done it with this post.

February 14, 2011 at 8:17 am

What an awesome post.

I just sumbled on this thing while I was writing a comment on today’s post.

Hard to beleive that this post will be 5 years old this year!

It’s perpetually timeless and will NEVER go out of date!

February 17, 2011 at 10:35 pm

Some articles are timeless and are relevant years after their initial publication. It is good to be able to continuing commenting on such articles. If the post is relevant, and people are interested in commenting, then the author has everything to gain by keeping comments open. And that is why I continue to return to this site.

March 20, 2011 at 10:07 pm

Truer words were never spoken, or typed. I had several courses on writing in high school and college, and they all would stress the importance of the headline, opening paragraph and conclusion. The headline grabs attention, the into makes them want to read more, and the conclusion makes them want to come hack for more later (or take a specific action).

April 13, 2011 at 2:58 am

Quite possibly the highest quality/length ratio article I’ve read online. I’m saying it is dense with quality if that isn’t clear in the previous sentence. I love how you exemplified the article’s point in the end so I could look back up towards the top and realize that the techniques worked brilliantly on me. It is always better to experience something than to just read about it.

April 25, 2011 at 12:04 am

Very informing information. I have also had great success when I make my posts all about them and not me. This is my favorite blog to read. Thank you!

April 29, 2011 at 1:08 pm

Number 5# Wheres the statistics to capture the reader instantly?

I like this post because I have used analogys in my post all the time. I also try to create a picture-like telling a story. Using pictures brings realism towards the right side of our brains as if we were part of the adventure.

April 29, 2011 at 1:11 pm

I like quotes. ‘To be or not to be, that is the question.’

May 8, 2011 at 11:22 pm

I do agree with the writer of this article; In all my write-ups i have always relied on the strength of Anecdote and it has never failed me, not even once. Nice post – Keep it up!

May 31, 2011 at 9:10 am

Hi Brian, I think headline is one of the most critical factors to consider in doing business online. Since most people just browsing online, we have to write an attractive headline so that they read for the rest of the article.

June 17, 2011 at 10:40 pm

I found the information very helpful. I don’t particularly have a place in my personal blog for statistics, my blog is more for enjoyment, but the rest of it I will try to put to use. Thanks!!

July 4, 2011 at 4:46 pm

Asking question is what I do most of the time; I notice that it has that effect of drawing me in wanting me to figure out the answer, but I’m also going to start incorporating the other 4 pointers mentioned.

July 20, 2011 at 10:20 pm

Great post! I wish I knew this sooner! The “ask your reader a question” part is truly a missed point all this time. 🙂

August 3, 2011 at 5:50 am

I guess that the principles are the same as a rhetorical speech. I love the parable of slamming the door in the face. haha. Thanks for a good article.

August 27, 2011 at 9:18 pm

Looks promising. I’m going to use these tips while drafting future pots for my blog. And then let’s how they goes. Currently I’m not using any of techniques you recommended in my blog posts, in some of my posts I may have used point number 5 only.

September 15, 2011 at 6:28 pm

All of these points make perfect sense. It amazes me how often I am disappointed after clicking a link because the headline was so remarkable. I’m going to save this post and share it with people that seem to miss these points in their posts. I really like the concept of tapping into the reader’s mind’s eye; such a simple way to achieve this, too. Thanks for sharing!

October 13, 2011 at 7:08 pm

Couldn’t agree more!

This article contains all what’s needed for posting great blogs.

September 17, 2011 at 11:28 am

I am still relatively new to the world of blogging so these tips are brilliant for me. I am loving your posts…as I’ve only just discovered this site. Makes total sense, so I have printed these 5 tips and put them up above my computer screen just to remind me whilst I get in the habit!

October 2, 2011 at 5:07 pm

To ad a little something to point number 3. Invoke the Mind’s Eye , I highly recommend that you use NLP ( Neurolinguistic Programming ) , basicaly is like when someone tells you something ( a phrase ) an totally gets your attention, but then you hear the same phrase from another person telling it in a different way and you didn’t even notice that he or she was talking to you; That is because some people are visual ( e.g. Visualize the idea ), some are auditory ( e.g. Let’s talk about ), some are kinesthetic ( e.g. Get a feel for… ) and some are digital ( e.g. a Viable solution to… ). So you have to use words that capture the mayority of your audience attention, and then your article is going to attract masses. Have you ever wonder why that one article has 100,000 views and the other 30 you wrote have 400, maybe without knowing about it you use NLP in your system. Try it out and see how it works, Use it in your content , Title, and keywords…

October 21, 2011 at 10:02 pm

I see many sites using fewer words and more graphics. For example, a chart with just a few words necessary to explain the numbers in the chart. This is a good way to produce impressive looking pages which hold the attention of the reader as (s)he is digesting the chart.

October 23, 2011 at 8:38 pm

Thanks a lot! Could you please tell me what software your blog is hosted on? I’ve been doing some writing on my Facebook profile, but would like to start up a blog of my own. I’ll be greatly relieved to receive a reply. 🙂

November 5, 2011 at 7:49 am

Thanks for the post great content over here,I have started blogging recently, and analysing your blog content to improve my skills, Thanks a lot I am following you

November 25, 2011 at 5:23 am

Great post. I can see why it’s so popular. Btw, may I add one more method to start a great post is to state an assumption and admit you were wrong. For example: I thought the sky was blue… I was wrong. Etc( I’m sure you can think of a better example than me) but this has worked quite well for me;) Say hi sometimes on my blog

March 16, 2012 at 6:05 pm

[…]The information and facts talked about inside the post are several of the very best available […]

March 17, 2012 at 10:14 pm

How do you follow up the first paragraph after hooking a reader in so strongly to make sure they don’t quickly leave? There is a very small window to keep the reader on the page especially if the reason they were drawn in was a big bang.

March 22, 2012 at 10:22 am

I think simply offering a supporting statement is going to work. If you opened with a question, try to offer part of the answer to satisfy your readers’ curiosity. Don’t give everything away so you readers have more reason to stick around longer.

March 22, 2012 at 10:17 am

Thanks for the very informative post! I believe asking questions works more effectively. It makes your readers involved at the very start.

March 24, 2012 at 7:54 am

I’d say all of these points are what happens when you’re just writing from your heart; saying what you have to say. If you write only when you’re really inspired, you’re not likely saying something other than what shocks people. Think analogies/metaphors come naturally, when writing from your heart, as well; because they are a produce of that natural passion. Same thing goes for “mind’s eye”. As for anecdotes, I think that comes naturally as well; it’s just comes out of you when you’re telling a story.

April 21, 2012 at 10:50 pm

Very good written article. It will be valuable to anybody who usess it, including yours truly :). Keep up the good work – looking forward to more posts.

August 11, 2022 at 9:59 am

Starting with a question is an easy way to foster genuine engagement, right off of the bat. I tend to lead with a question when doing so feels like an intuitive way to snare the reader’s attention span quickly and seamlessly.

Citing stats also works. Numbers draw people in to read the remainder of your blog post.

When ideas seem to evade you, just be natural in introducing your post. Don’t be a robot. Don’t try anything. Simply lead in to your post authentically; that will do the trick. People become interested in genuine bloggers because so many bloggers try to pull you in with less genuine, manipulative tactics. Relaxing to lead in makes your blog and delivery different, and more attractive.

August 12, 2022 at 10:59 pm

Thank you. Always a struggle getting started and having that title that pulls readers in.

August 15, 2022 at 5:20 am

Brain, Awesome! Thanks for the post great content. I’ve been reading many articles about creating awesome blog posts from Introduction to Conclusion. Especially, I’m following Neil Patel (Ubbersuggest) and Brain (Backlinko) for blogging and SEO. But this post helped me answer many questions in my mind. It would help everyone who wants to improve their blogging skills. Looking forward to more interesting posts.

August 15, 2022 at 5:38 am

I have been writing for years, but with Copyblogger there is always something to learn. Interesting ideas and techniques. Thank you!

August 16, 2022 at 7:27 am

That’s some great writing Brian. Thanks a lot. Be it intro or any part of the article, I think the motive of a web writer is, or should be, to draw the reader to the next sentence. Some call it ‘foreshadowing’, and others ‘compelling writing’. However, I like to call it ‘propelling writing’, the kind that propels you from one sentence to the next.

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7 Ways to Write Blog Introductions Your Readers & Google Will Love

Discover how to write blog introductions that engage readers, support your SEO, and help Google better understand the topic of the page.

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A blog introduction carries quite a bit of responsibility. These couple of lines of copy must intrigue the person enough that they’ll gladly devote their attention to the rest of the page.

The blog intro must also reassure readers that they’ll find what they’re looking for on the page. What’s more, it should help Google understand what the page is about.

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Here, you’ll find seven simple ways to write awesome blog introductions quickly, hook readers from the opening line, and support your SEO goals in the process.

Why You Have to Start a Blog Post With a Bang (and Why It’s Good for Your SEO, Too)

The meat of your content — the information the person is searching for — lies far beyond the introduction.

It’s that list of tips that they want. Or the in-depth explanation of whatever issue they’re facing.

Or perhaps it’s the walkthrough showing a person how to complete a particular task that they’ve been searching Google for.

But it’s hard to imagine that readers would come to the content for the introduction.

Then why do the first sentences you use at the start of your blog post matter so much?

Why is there so much fuss about blog introductions (and why are they so difficult to write)?

For one, the introduction is what makes the rest of your content work.

Let’s Look at Blog Introductions From a Copywriting Point of View

Copywriters know the power of the opening lines. Whether it’s an ad, product overview, webpage copy, or content marketing asset, they know that the first lines they write will make or break the copy.

Here’s why.

A Captivating Opening Invites Readers to Stay on the Page

A good introduction draws a person in and entices them to continue reading.

By the way, this statement is equally true for all kinds of writing – from fiction, sales copy to creating marketing-driven content.

The introduction’s job is to intrigue a reader enough so they will want to continue reading. It also needs to set the tone for the content to come and communicate that the page contains the information they’ve been looking for.

It Connects the Reader With You

Blog opening works much like the start of a conversation. The opening paragraph can also show your personality and helps you connect with the reader on an emotional level.

I often open blog posts by stating the common woes with the problem I’m writing about. For example, I opened a post about A/B testing with these words:

“Scary, huh?

You’ve promised to increase that new landing page’s conversions and now everyone’s watching your hands.

The idea seemed so simple, at the time, didn’t it? You just needed to replicate A/B tests that worked for others and voila… more conversions guaranteed.

But it didn’t work, did it?

Implemented one by one, other people’s split tests brought no result whatsoever…”

A Good Blog Introduction Makes a Promise

It talks about the benefits of reading the content and excites the reader to do it.

You see this aspect of good introductions often, actually. Every time someone ends the introductions with a statement like “In this post, you’ll discover…”, they make a promise and entice a reader to stay on the page.

Then There’s SEO…

Granted, optimization has little significance when you’re writing the ad copy. But when it comes to content marketing , most of what we write must also rank well in Google.

This means that we have to:

• Communicate the topic of the content clearly from the start.
• Ensure that Google understands it and indexes the post correctly.

A strong blog opening can help with the above.

First of all, you can (and absolutely should) include the target keyword or its variation in the opening lines.

This way, you will communicate the topic to Google and reassure the search engine that this content is about what the headline claims it to be.

Plus, you can weave relevant keywords in the introduction to provide additional context to explain the page’s topic even better.

But there’s something else — something you may not realize about introductions and their effect on SEO.

A good introduction will convince someone to keep reading. That’s a great benefit in itself because it means that the person will see and possibly enjoy the content you’ve written.

That one thing alone can lead to some amazing business results:

• The person might sign up for your email list, after all. Sure, conversions to a newsletter are low, typically. But if you add a lead magnet to your post, your chances of getting new signup can grow exponentially.
• The person might also go check out your product. They might, possibly, sign up for a demo, make a purchase, you name it. But, again, direct conversions from blog content aren’t spectacularly high. Having said that, many strategies can help convert blog traffic into sales.

Even the simplest outcome of them reading your copy – gaining awareness about your brand – is a fantastic result of them reading the copy.

But there is an SEO benefit of having users stay on a page – sending strong user engagement signals.

To explain this, we must change our perspective a little and look at the issue from Google’s perspective. The search engine’s objective is clear: To provide searchers with the most relevant and useful information.

Google (and other search engines, too) want to rank the most useful content first and use the user engagement as a way to establish that usefulness.

Having readers stay longer on a page will increase your engagement metrics and will positively affect the SEO.

And that’s something a captivating blog introduction can help you with as well.

Here’s how to write blog introductions that achieve all those benefits and more.

7 Ways to Start a Blog Post to Captivate Readers and Boost SEO

1. start with an interesting statistic.

Maybe you prefer to use statistics somewhere in the copy, not in its opening sentence. And it makes sense.

Stats are convincing information that can be used to convince a reader and back up any arguments a writer is making.

But stats can also spike a reader’s interest and capture their attention. This is particularly true if a fact or stat you use is shocking or presents an unexpected take on something the reader knows about.

Here’s another example from a post I wrote a couple of years ago:

“Intimidating, isn’t it?

Last year, 16% of marketers said they publish content every day and 26% admitted doing it a couple of times a week. Another 17% confirmed to be firing up new stuff to the blog at least once a week.

And this year, 76% of them admitted that they plan to increase their efforts!”

2. Ask the Reader a Direct Question About the Problem the Post is Addressing

Asking a question is the simplest way to start a blog post, engage a reader, and weave keywords in the introduction.

And you can do this in multiple ways:

• Ask directly whether a person struggles with the problem you’re trying to help them solve in the content: “Are you struggling with writing blog introductions?” With certain problems, it can pack a serious punch.
• Paint a picture of the person’s current situation : “Are you trying to improve your organic traffic with other departments still undermining your efforts?”
• Ask users whether they want the solution you offer:  “Do you want to start writing better introductions almost instantly?”

3. Tell Readers How You’ve Solved the Problem

You can make this type of blog introduction sound like a short tale or a testimonial.

For example:

“In 2019, our agency nearly failed because of [PROBLEM].

Today, our revenue is X times higher than ever before, and [OTHER BENEFITS]. And that’s all because we did one thing right – [SOLUTION]”

It’s a relatively simple opening. But because it references the problem and what happened after implementing the solution, it can spike a reader’s interest and convince them to read more.

What’s more, by referencing both the problem and solution, you provide all the information to Google to know exactly what the page is about.

4. Paint a Picture in the Reader’s Mind

Your readers come to your content for something. They have a problem, and they see you as someone who might help.

You can play on their needs in the introduction. It’s one way to make the opening more relevant and engaging.

Pose a question about something your reader may want or need; for example:

“What if I told you that to rank your content well, you don’t have to rely on luck or Google’s mood on the day?”

Or tell their story and present the situation from the reader’s perspective:

“Oh, I bet you know the feeling so well.

You slaved over that new piece of content. Hit the keys so hard that your fingers nearly started to bleed.

Finally, you hit publish, and…

… there’s nothing.

Zero. Nada.

Well, the next days brought a trickle of traffic. But that breakthrough you were hoping for didn’t happen.

F****k!”

5. Confront Their Mistakes

This is a slight variation of the blog introduction above.

Sometimes, you just have to tell the person what they did wrong (or even that they have made a mistake, actually). You have to encourage them to confront their mistakes.

I don’t mean insulting your reader.

But a gentle confrontation can grab a reader’s attention, convince them that you know what you’re talking about, and get them to read the rest of the copy.

An added SEO bonus is that you’ll most likely also reveal the page’s topic quite clearly by referencing their mistake.

6. State the Topic of the Post

Look, this isn’t a strategy you want to overuse. But it can help if you’re stuck with writing that blog intro.

It’s the simplest way to start a blog post, actually, where you simply tell a reader what the content is all about.

“This post is about generating leads with live chat. Discover the best practices for using live chat for lead generation and learn how to convert more website visitors into leads.”

As said, it’s not a blog opening you should be using often.

It’s boring, after all. It’s not going to make your blog look particularly exciting, especially to someone who’s going to view more than that article.

But it’s perfect if you’re feeling stuck and need to write that opening fast.

7. List All the Questions a Reader Might Have About the Problem

When readers begin searching for advice, they, typically, have experienced the problem for some time already. As a result, they may have a whole bunch of questions about it.

They might want to know more generic information about it or think of a particular use case that they want to investigate further, and so on.

Listing all those questions in the opening not only will make the introduction more relevant, but it will also cover a whole range of relevant keywords.

Key Takeaways

A strong blog opening can engage readers and convince them to keep reading.

It will also reassure them about the content’s relevance to their problem.

Finally, a good blog introduction will also assist your SEO efforts in two ways:

• It will help Google understand the topic of the page and index it correctly.
• By enticing readers to stay on the page longer, the blog intro will also help boost user engagement and send quality signals to Google.

More Resources:

• 25+ Unique Blog Post Ideas to Engage Your Readers
• 20 Places You Should Be Sharing Your Content
• Content Marketing: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

Image Credits

All screenshots taken by author, June 2021

Pawel Grabowski is a content writer and founder of a content marketing agency for SaaS. He specializes in helping SaaS ...

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How to Write Blog Post Introduction (4 Principles + 6 Examples)

Capturing attention in a blog post is difficult, but you do have some advantages:

• Those who came to your blog post did so with “intent,” either from search or from social or direct. You can infer this intent and lock them in with an initial statement that shows they’re in the right place.
• There are some proven copywriting frameworks (I’ll walk through later in the piece) for capturing attention and then moving down to interest and desire.
• People expect to strain a little bit in a blog post before reaching a moment of clarity. They typically have high motivation to learn, so they can fight through a little bit of murkiness.

Common ways to capture attention in blog posts include:

• Shocking statistics
• Stories that grab attention
• Relevant quotations

Capturing attention is part art and part science.

2. State an uncontroversial subject with a complication

I’m getting into the weeds a bit here, but there’s a great book on business writing called “The Pyramid Principle. ”

In it, author Barbara Minto spends a whole chapter on effective introductions.

Her point is that the introduction should both capture attention and set the context for the argument to follow. 

Her words: 

“Limit the introduction to what the reader will agree is true. The introduction is meant to tell the reader only what he already knows. Sometimes, of course, you won’t know whether he already knows something; at other times, you may be certain that indeed he does not know it. If the point being made can easily be checked by an objective observer and deemed to be a true statement, then your reader can be presumed to ‘know’ it in the sense that he will not question its truth.”

Take, for example, my introduction above. I started it out with this sentence:

“In many ways, the success of an individual blog post hinges on its introduction.”

This is mostly uncontroversial, though the extent to which it’s true could be questioned. So I followed up in the next sentence (the complication):

“Soon there will be billions of blog posts to choose from.”

This presents both a statement and a logical “challenge” to the statement. Blog post introductions are important. There are many things people can pay attention to. Therefore, learn how to write a compelling blog introduction so that readers will choose your content.

From that, I can flow into the rest of the article explaining how to write compelling blog introductions.

3. Get to the point as quickly as possible

Tommy Walker , the founder of The Content Studio , calls verbose blog introductions “clearing your throat.” Most people use the blog introduction as a device to think through what they want to say, which is fine in draft mode. 

But when published, this should be edited and chopped up.

When I wrote at CXL , Peep taught me that I could almost always cut a few hundred words from the introduction and just get to the point. Like, one or two sentences to lead someone into the piece. For example:

Shave the fluff. Get to the point.

4. Set the stage for the impending argument and structure

The point of the first sentence is to get them to read the second sentence. The point of the second sentence is to get them to read the third sentence. And the point of the blog post is to transfer knowledge.

Each step of the essay should set up the impending structure of the argument you hope to transfer. How this works in principle will depend on the information or argument you hope to transfer.

In my case here, I set up the piece to explore both the principles of a good blog introduction as well as a list of blog introduction examples. List posts are generally the easiest format of essay to write. You can even use an AI essay writer to get past writer’s block when writing complex structures.

For more complex structure examples, look to writers at The Atlantic as an example:

4 Good Blog Introduction Examples

Let’s cover a few great blog post introductions from various sources. I’ll also explain what I like about them.

1. The Atlantic

The Atlantic is admirable for so many reasons. People flock to The Atlantic for great storytelling and journalism, but they always start their pieces with a one sentence statement about the piece.

Take, for example, this piece on marriage.

While the eventual body of the essay contains a story-based intro, the initial introduction tells readers example what they’re going to achieve by continuing to invest time in reading it:

CXL is where I cut my teeth in content marketing. I (and the bloggers I worked with) were forced to write a comprehensive “best in the world piece,” but also to cut the fluff. It started in the introduction.

Take this wonderful piece by Shanelle Mullin for example. The essay is on a complex topic with many misunderstandings (“growth marketing”), but she cues up the piece brilliantly and simply.

She starts with historical context, agitates through a complication (the misunderstanding of the nature of “growth”), and promises value all in a few short paragraphs.

3. New Yorker

The New Yorker, known for its long form journalism and prose, is also effective at succinctly bringing you into the story.

They use a tactic similar to The Atlantic. While the eventual story may unfold gradually, they pull you in with a great headline and a one sentence summary of the piece that makes you want to continue reading:

HubSpot is a content marketing machine, so it’s no surprise they do introductions well.

Because they’re principally acquiring readers via search engine, they can infer a level of intent and understanding of the topic. The introduction doesn’t need to be eminently interesting, but instead has to immediately tell the reader “you’re in the right place for your answer.”

3 Bad Blog Introduction Examples

Now, let’s cover a few bad blog introduction examples and how they could be improved:

1. Alex Birkett’s blog

Yes, very meta. I’ll give you one from my personal site. I’m a rambler at heart. It’s hard for me to chop down my copy. I like writing 5,000 word blog posts. But that doesn’t always make it easy on the reader.

Take this example from my essay on brand awareness . The introduction is a mile long. You can tell I’m almost thinking out loud here:

How would I improve it? Chop out half the words and explain my deductive reasoning in the section below the introduction. Instead, I would write the introduction to be uncontroversial and introduce the problem.

“Everyone wants to improve brand awareness. The problem is no one has defined what “brand awareness means,” and everyone seems to have a different definition. In this piece, I’ll attempt to define “brand awareness” in a way that is useful across all marketing teams so we can have a shared metric and language to describe our goals.”

Easy and simple.

2. Towards Data Science

First, let me say: I love the Towards Data Science blog and have gotten tons of value from it.

But sometimes, the writing can be a bit convoluted. Here’s an example from a piece with the headline “machine learning for marketers” (great and simple headline).

The introduction is just…long. Especially for an audience that doesn’t necessarily have the technical chops to understand why machine learning is important in the first place, they spend a ton of time on obtuse stuff like demographics, trends, statistics, and voice of customer.

All of these could be great arguments in body of the essay itself, but the introduction doesn’t compel me to keep reading.

I’d shorten it up a ton:

The proliferation of machine learning has made it much easier to accomplish tasks that just a few years ago were time consuming and expensive. Marketers especially can benefit from machine learning, but it’s not easy to know where to start. In this essay, we’ll cover X ways marketers can use machine learning to improve efficiency and ROI and get more done faster.

3. Writesonic

One ironic bad blog post introduction is by Writesonic in their article on…blog post introductions.

The writing is fine. The rest of the essay is great. There are even some nuggets of story and hooks that make you want to learn.

But it’s just. too. long.

I’d shorten this bad boy quite a bit. Create a central thesis. Agitate the problem to create a hook. Then explain how you’ll meet the promise readers want to achieve.

Let me also say quickly that Writesonic is a great tool. I’ve written about Writesonic alternatives as well as Jasper vs Writesonic in the past. Still love them.

4 Tools to Help Write Blog Introductions

• Hypotenuse AI
• Copywriting Frameworks

1. Jasper AI

Jasper is an AI writing tool that helps you write better blog introductions through artificial intelligence (built on OpenAI). It does this by analyzing your introduction and, through their various templates and prompts, improving it on various dimensions.

You can also use Jasper to generate ideas for introductions.

Here’s how I could have used Jasper to generate an intro idea quickly:

Outside of introductions, Jasper is an incredible all-purpose content writer. You can use it to write a blog in its entirety. I often use it to outline a blog post before I begin writing it, as well as to chop up and improve my writing at the paragraph level.

Copy AI is another AI copywriting software. Similar to Jasper, it is built on OpenAI. But it relies much more on pre-built templates than the open format and command structure Jasper uses.

One of my favorite free tools they have for writing blog introductions is their paragraph rewriter:

3. Hypotenuse AI

Hypotenuse AI is another AI writing assistant. This one is great at bulk copywriting and spinning, so you can write the same introduction 100 different ways.

While this isn’t my preferred way to write an introduction, it can definitely help if you’re engaging in high scale content creation.

4. Copywriting Frameworks

The most effective tool for copywriting might simply be understanding and embedding copywriting frameworks into your blog introductions.

There are many copywriting frameworks, including:

• AIDA (attention – interest – desire – action)
• PAS (problem – agitate – solution)
• BAB (before – after – bridge)

And probably 100 more.

Different copywriting frameworks can be used in different contexts. For example, AIDA is a great framework for sales copywriting, but PAS might be simpler to use in a quick introduction. For example, one could write:

Writing blog introductions is one of the most difficult parts of writing content. If you’re able to write a compelling blog introduction, you can improve your SEO, conversion rates, and reader satisfaction. In this post, I’ll teach you three easy frameworks for writing blog post introductions.

It opens up with the key problem. Then it agitates that problem by showing the world that could exist if the reader could write great blog introductions. Finally, I give a solution (read the rest of this post so you, too, can write great blog post intros).

Blog introductions are important for setting the tone and structure of your article. A great introduction will capture attention, set up the argument, and be short and to the point.

There are many tools that can help you write great blog introductions like some of the best copy AI alternatives for 2023 , including AI writing assistants, copywriting frameworks, and more.

By following the tips in this post, you’ll be able to write introductions that’ll improve your SEO, drive traffic, increase conversion rates, capture the reader’s trust and attention, and more.

Obviously, there are nuanced style components to doing this that you’ll have to make your own. You can’t simply follow a formula. Write like you talk. Establish presence that no one else can mimic.

But do so in a structured way, so you can set up the blog post in a proper way where the reader is anticipating your answer to the question they’re asking.

What are your favorite tips for writing great blog introductions? Let me know in the comments below.

Alex Birkett

Alex is a co-founder of Omniscient Digital. He loves experimentation, building things, and adventurous sports (scuba diving, skiing, and jiu jitsu primarily). He lives in Austin, Texas with his dog Biscuit.

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Find Keyword Ideas in Seconds

Boost SEO results with powerful keyword research

How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive Guide

Written by Brian Dean

Today I’m going to show you how to write a blog post that gets:

Hundreds of comments.

Thousands of social shares.

And first page Google rankings.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Find a (Proven) Topic

2. Blog Post Templates

3. Create an Awesome Headline

4. Craft a Compelling Intro

5. Write Your Post

6. Add a Conclusion

7. Optimize for SEO

8. Promote Your Content

9. Content Transformation

Chapter 1: find a (proven) topic.

Your blog post topic is HUGE.

Question is:

How do you find proven topics?

Use one of these 5 simple step-by-step strategies .

Udemy Courses

Udemy is a keyword research GOLDMINE.

Here’s why:

Udemy doesn’t just show you content that people are interested in.

Instead, you see content that people are paying for.

You can search for courses by category…

…or by keyword.

Either way, you’ll find content that people are PAYING to access.

For example, let’s say you run a blog about graphic design.

Head over to the design category in Udemy…

…and scroll down to their best-selling courses:

And within 5 seconds you have a list of proven topics:

• 3D Modeling
• Designing and coding WordPress themes
• After Effects tutorial
• How to use Adobe Illustrator

Amazon Table of Contents

First, search in Amazon for a keyword that describes your blog.

Then, look for a book with lots of ratings.

(This shows you that people actually bought the book.)

Finally, click “Look Inside” to see the table of contents.

And just like with Udemy, you get a list of topics presented to you on a silver platter:

This leads us to…

Semrush “Top Pages”

Now it’s time to steal your competitor’s best topics.

First, grab a competitor and pop it into Semrush .

Then, hit “Traffic Analytics > Top Pages”.

And you’ll see the exact content that’s worked best for that blog (in terms of direct, referral, social, search, and paid traffic):

BuzzSumo’s “Evergreen Score”

You already know that BuzzSumo is a GREAT tool for finding content ideas.

(In fact, BuzzSumo is one of my favorite content marketing tools .)

And they recently added a VERY cool feature that makes this tool even more useful:

“Evergreen Score”.

Here’s how it works:

First, type a keyword into BuzzSumo just like you normally would.

By default, BuzzSumo shows you content that has lots of social shares.

But here’s the problem:

You can’t tell whether that content went viral for a day and quickly flamed out…

…or if it’s still racking up shares and links years later.

That’s where the Evergreen Score comes into play.

It shows you content that people share and link to MONTHS after it first went live:

That way, you can publish content that brings you traffic for YEARS.

Conference Agendas

This is quickly becoming my FAVORITE ways to find killer topics.

First, head to a conference website in your niche.

Go to the agenda page:

And you’ll see topics that people are (again) paying to learn more about:

Pro Tip: Pop the conference agenda page into the Google Keyword Planner .

Choose “This page only”:

And you’ll get a list of targeted keyword ideas… straight from Google.

Chapter 2: Blog Post Templates

Now that you have a topic, it’s time to get started on your post.

And I have great news:

You don’t need to start from scratch, suffer from writer’s block, or stare at a blank white screen.

Instead, use one of the awesome blog post templates that I’m about to share with you.

#1: Expanded List Post

A regular list post… but better.

List posts are a blogging mainstay. And for good reason: they’re a collection of bite-sized tips that people can use to get a specific result. The issue is: traditional list posts usually leave out key details.

(Like how to put each tip into practice.)

But the Expanded List Post is completely different.

With the Expanded List Post, you give LOTS of detail about each item on your list.

Why It Works

Normal lists posts make people do a ton of extra work.

For example, let’s say the first tip from a list post is: “Eat Eggs at Breakfast”

Well, that leaves out A LOT of important info, like:

• What time should I eat?
• How do I cook the eggs (hard boiled vs. scrambled)
• What about organic and free-range eggs?
• Can I eat anything with the eggs?

Well, the Expanded List Post answers all of those questions and more.

That way, your reader doesn’t have to fill in the blanks.

Real Life Example

A while back I published: “ 19 NEW SEO Techniques ”.

And this Expanded List Post is one of the most successful pieces of content that I’ve ever published.

To date, my post has 14k social shares and 1,150 comments:

And backlinks from over 1K domains:

Unlike most list posts, I gave people detailed steps for each and every tip:

#2: The Branded Strategy Case Study

Your Branded Strategy Post solves a problem that your target audience struggles with.

And when you give this solution a “branded” name? You’re instantly seen as an industry expert.

There’s only one catch:

You need to prove that it works.

Enter: The Branded Strategy Case Study.

Your branded name gives people something tangible to link to.

It also helps establish you as an authority in your niche.

(If you created your own strategy, you MUST be an expert.)

A few years ago I was having a hard time building my email list .

And after trying a bunch of different strategies, I finally found something that worked.

Offering people VERY targeted lead magnets.

So I decided to write a blog post about my experience.

And I made sure to give my new strategy a name:

The Content Upgrade .

This simple little case study has racked up 4.82K backlinks from 851 domains.

And most of these links are a direct result of my unique, branded name:

#3: Tools of the Trade

A “Tools Of The Trade Post” is a list of tools that you recommend.

To be clear:

These tools DON’T have to be software.

A “tool” can be a morning routine, a foam roller or a B12 supplement.

As long as the tool helps your reader solve a problem, you’re good.

Strategies are hard.

Approaches are tricky.

But tools are EASY.

(In fact, the #1 question I get is: “Brian, what SEO tools do you recommend?”.)

Finding the right tool can be REALLY hard.

That’s where your “Tools of the Trade” post comes in.

It’s a hand-picked list of the best tools… all in one place.

A few years ago I published a blog post called: How to Learn SEO In Record Time .

It was a list of “tools” (resources) to help people learn SEO.

It didn’t go viral or anything. But it got over 2K shares:

#4: The Ultimate Guide

A complete resource that covers EVERYTHING.

Your guide gives someone everything they need to know about a topic… in one place.

So there’s no need for people to read 18 different posts.

Once they find your guide, they have everything they need to know.

It’s also great for getting backlinks.

That’s because bloggers will link to your guide when they write about your topic:

The first guide I ever published at Backlinko was: “ Link Building for SEO: The Definitive Guide ”.

(Since then I’ve updated the guide at least 50 times.)

Because my guide is SUPER thorough, other SEO and content marketing blogs were happy to link to it:

And share it on social media:

#5: The Complete List

A Complete List is like an ultimate guide in list form.

So instead of a guide, you take every…

…And put it in one place.

First off, Complete Lists have a legit “WOW” factor.

(A list of 200+ anything is impressive.)

Second, you’re curating scattered information on a single page.

In 2015 I published “ SEO Tools: The Complete List ”.

It’s a MASSIVE list of over 175 SEO tools.

(Yup, I personally tried each and every one of them.)

But I didn’t just list a bunch of tools and call it a day.

I made sure to highlight my favorite tools:

And the post has been a traffic MAGNET for me.

In fact, 10,909 people visit that post every single month:

Chapter 3: Create an Awesome Headline

When it comes to writing a blog post, your headline can make or break your entire post .

So it’s important to nail this step.

And in this chapter, I’m going to show you how to write amazing blog post headlines.

Start Your Headline With These Phrases

BuzzSumo analyzed 100 million headlines .

So, what did they find?

That headlines that start with these 20 phrases tend to get the most shares:

For example, this post from my blog uses one of these tested phrases:

12-18 Words

Let’s look at another interesting finding from that BuzzSumo study.

They discovered that the sweet spot for headline length is between 12-18 words.

(At least when it comes to social shares.)

Add Brackets (And Parentheses)

This is one of my favorite headline hacks.

A study by OutBrain found that adding brackets to headlines can improve CTR up to 38%.

And my real-world experience backs this up.

5 of my top 10 most popular posts have brackets or parentheses in the title:

In B2B? Use These Proven Headline Phrases

If you’re in B2B (like me), you know that clickbait titles don’t work that well.

Fortunately, the BuzzSumo study I mentioned earlier also analyzed a subset of B2B post titles.

And they discovered that these 20 phrases work GREAT in B2B:

Optimize for EMV

Every copywriter knows that emotional headlines get LOTS of clicks.

And now there’s data to back this up.

CoSchedule published a blog post headline study.

Specifically, they analyzed a million headlines for “EMV”.

(EMV=”Emotional Marketing Value”)

And they found a clear correlation between high EMV and social shares.

You can measure your EMV score using this tool from the Advanced Marketing Institute:

Just pop your headline into the tool…

…and you’ll get your EMV score.

I try to get my EMV score to at least 25%.

I even have a few headlines with an EMV score of 70%+.

Chapter 4: Craft a Compelling Intro

Topic? Check.

Headline? Check.

Now it’s time to grab your reader’s attention.

How? Your blog post introduction.

4-7 Sentences

Let’s face it:

No one likes long blog post introductions, like this:

That’s why I limit my intros to 4-7 lines… MAX.

For example, my intro from this post is only 6 lines:

In my experience, 4-7 sentences are more than enough to hook people…

…and get them excited for the content they’re about to read.

PPP Formula

The PPP Formula is KILLING it for me right now.

(The “PPP” stands for: Preview, Proof, Preview.)

Here’s a visual of the formula:

Now I’m going to break down each part of the PPP formula…

…and show you real-life examples of the formula in action.

First, you have the Preview.

This couldn’t be any more simple.

Just let your reader know EXACTLY what to expect.

That way, when someone lands on your post, they know they’re in the right place.

Here’s an example:

Next, it’s time for the Proof.

Here’s where you show people that you can deliver.

Specifically, you want to prove that you know your stuff.

You can show proof with:

• Personal results
• Years of experience
• Number of clients
• Credentials or certifications

Last up, we have the Preview… again.

The first preview was a high-level overview of your post.

The 2nd preview is a little bit different.

This preview is where you get specific about something from your post.

For example, in this intro, I preview the fact that the steps are actionable.

I like to end my intros with a transition sentence.

In my experience, this transition helps push people to read the next section.

Chapter 5: Write Your Post

Now it’s time to show you how to write SUPER engaging content.

Specifically, I’m going to share 6 strategies that can make your blog posts 10x better.

Starting with…

Short Paragraphs

Want people to read your content? AVOID giant walls of text.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

Instead, stick to paragraphs that are 1-2 sentences long.

Why is this important?

Short paragraphs are easier to read .

(Especially on mobile devices.)

Section Subheaders

I LOVE subheaders.

That’s because subheaders break your content up into easy-to-read chunks.

For example, my post “ The Complete SEO Checklist ” has A LOT of content.

(In fact, that post is 4,328 words.)

So I broke up the content into lots of little chunks. And added a list of bullet point links that take you to each section:

In fact, this single post has 9 subheaders.

Active Voice

If I could give people ONE writing tip for writing blog posts it would be:

Use the active voice!

The passive voice is just… lame.

On the flip side, the active voice is crisp and clear.

15-17px Font

You might have noticed that Medium.com posts are REALLY easy to read.

How do they do it?

They use 21px font.

If you’re using anything less than 15px, you’re losing lots of readers.

That’s why we use 18px font here at Backlinko.

Write Like You Talk

This is the holy grail of great writing.

But it’s not easy.

(Especially if you took English classes in high school.)

With that, here’s a tip:

Read your post out loud.

If it sounds weird, scrap that sentence.

This time, explain the same thing out loud.

You’ll probably find that the same sentence sounds A LOT better.

Lots of Visuals

Screenshots.

Infographics.

Don’t be afraid to use a ton of visuals in every post.

For example, this post from my blog has 95 visuals:

Chapter 6: Add a Conclusion

Let’s cap things off with your conclusion.

And let me be clear about something:

Your conclusion is VERY important.

(Especially if you want lots of people to comment on your post.)

Fortunately, I’ve developed a simple, 3-step formula for writing AWESOME conclusions.

It’s called “The TAC Formula”.

Here’s an overview of The TAC Formula:

And now I’ll cover the detailed steps…

Start your conclusion off with the Transition.

Your transition is just like it sounds:

It transitions people from your blog content to the conclusion section.

Next, it’s time for the Ask.

Here’s where you ask your reader a VERY specific question.

In other words: don’t ask: “Let me know what you think”.

Instead, throw your reader a softball question that’s easy to answer.

For example:

Finally, end with a call to action.

You can ask your readers to comment…

…or to share your content on social media.

Chapter 7: Optimize for SEO

Next, optimize your post for SEO.

And the best way to do that?

Use the 5 on-page SEO strategies I’m about to show you.

There’s no doubt about it:

When it comes to SEO, short URLs work best .

There are two reasons that short URLs outperform long URLs.

First off, your URL helps Google understand your page’s topic.

In fact, Google officially recommends short, descriptive URLs.

Second, people use URLs to help them decide what to click on in the search results.

And if your URL is insanely long, people are less likely to click on it :

Speaking of…

Meta Description

Nope, search engines don’t use your meta description for SEO. That said: your meta description is a GREAT way to get more people to click on your result.

Specifically, you want your meta description to:

• Include your target keyword (Google bolds keywords in the search results)
• Use verbs, like “learn”, “find” and “buy”
• Describe your content’s USP
• Fit within the ~155 character limit

For example, you can see that my meta description from this post is designed to maximize clicks:

Keyword In Title Tag

This couldn’t be any simpler.

Just include your exact keyword in your title tag.

For example, my target keyword for my post “ 27 Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Website ” is: “increase traffic”.

So I included that keyword in my title tag:

And WordPress page title:

Keyword In Intro

Make sure to use your keyword once in your blog post intro:

Internal Links

Internal linking might be the most underrated SEO strategy on the planet.

That said, internal linking isn’t complicated.

Whenever you publish a new post, add 2-5 links to older posts:

You can also go back to older posts and link to your NEW post.

For example, when I published “ The Definitive Guide to Keyword Research ”, I linked out to related content…

…and added a handful of internal links to the new guide:

Bonus Chapter: Promote Your Content

When it comes to blogging, promoting your post is even MORE important than the content itself.

In other words:

You can’t just share your post on Twitter and call it a day.

That’s why I recommend promoting your content with these 4 tested strategies.

Facebook Retargeting

Yup, Facebook’s organic reach is at an all-time low .

You can still get in front of your fans… with boosted posts.

(And it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.)

In fact, I paid 56 cents per click on this boosted post:

The secret?

Retargeting.

Here’s the exact process:

First, add Facebook’s ad pixel to your site.

Next, share your blog post on Facebook.

This will get you a handful of likes and comments… which pushes more people to engage with your post later on.

Now that you have some social proof, boost your post. And ONLY target people that visited your site in the last 30-60 days.

That’s all there is to it.

Email Newsletter

This is the ultimate content promotion superhack.

For example, I recently updated this post on my blog:

And to get the word out, I tweeted the post…

…and sent a newsletter to my email subscribers.

Which do you think got more clicks?

The newsletter.

In fact, the newsletter got 12.7x more clicks than my Tweet.

With that, here are 3 things I do to get lots of clicks on every newsletter:

First, I keep the design super-duper simple.

No fancy graphics.

Just plain text and links to the post.

Second, I only link to ONE post per newsletter.

Otherwise, your subscribers get “analysis paralysis”. And they don’t click on anything.

Finally, I only email my best stuff.

That way, when someone gets an email from me they say:

“Nice! Brian’s sending me something cool”.

Which has helped keep my open rates above 35%… even though I have over 200k email subscribers:

LinkedIn Organic

If you’re in B2B, you NEED to hop on LinkedIn .

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn organic reach right now is GREAT.

For example, here’s one of my older LinkedIn posts:

And that single post got 56,872 views.

Not every LinkedIn post does this well.

For example, this post was kind of a dud:

But 13k views is still WAY more than I’m getting on most other social networks.

Email Outreach

Outreach is still the best way to get your content in front of influential people.

But you can’t just spam people and expect it to work.

For example, I get generic emails like this all the time:

And I instantly delete them.

But when someone takes the time to send me a personalized message, I’ll at least check out their post.

And if the post is a good fit for the Backlinko community, I’ll share it:

Bonus Chapter: Content Transformation

Email newsletters.

YouTube video scripts.

Social media posts.

I used to write them all from scratch.

But over the last year or so, I’ve been trying a new content marketing technique:

Content Transformation.

Let me show you how it works with a real-life example…

Earlier this year I wanted to make a YouTube video about backlinks.

Back in the day, I’d open up a blank Google Doc and start on my outline.

But this time, I used Content Transformation.

And the process was MUCH faster.

Specifically, I wrote my video script based on this old guide from my blog:

For example, I took this strategy from the guide…

…and reworked it for the video:

Even though this video was mostly repurposed from existing content, it got 20k views in its first 30 days:

And it now has 278,532 total views:

Now It’s Your Turn

I hope this guide showed you how to write a blog post.

Now I’d like to turn it over to you:

What’s the #1 tip from this post that you want to try first?

Are you going to start using brackets in your headlines? Or maybe you’re going to promote your content on LinkedIn.

Or maybe you have a question about something you read.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

I don’t know how you do it Brian but you’ve pulled it off again. Cracking post and brilliant idea regards Udemy and many other things I had not thought of. Great post as always Brian

Thanks Val. Glad you learned some new stuff.

We are just starting with our blog. This guide it’s really good checklist. Thank for great tips!

Hi Jedrek, happy to help. Good luck with the new blog!

Wow fantastic info Thanks Brian

You’re welcome, Reece.

Awesome post ! Awesome graphics ! Thanks for sharing those ideas, so informative and will be helpful for bloggers to write attractive blog posts like this one 👍

Your posts are so informative and easy to read, plus those graphics are gorgeous!

Thanks Justas. I agree: our designer did an awesome job with the graphics here.

“Write Like You Talk”. A great tip here. I’ll definitely try this particular tip in my next blog post to see how it goes. Thanks, Brian for this insightful article. You are a genius.

No worries. Happy to help 👍

One technique I use is the “voice typing” function on Google docs. This means I’m literally typing the way l speak because I’m speaking into the microphone. Not only can you punch out content quicker, but it comes across a lot more as if you are actually talking. This has improved my active voice scores on Yoast SEO, transition sentences, Flesch reading score etc etc. And it has increased my traffic also. Best part is that it’s free!

Nice. Good stuff, Dezza

Can not wait to read this thoroughly & digest all the valuable information. Thank you for putting it together like this.

Sounds good, Darshana.

Yet again a great insight into blog creation! Nice one!

Thanks Matt

Thanks for the post! I just shared it with our team of writers and am asking them to choose what aspects we can improve on.

One question. We mainly do content marketing and social selling for high-end B2B products. Many of our clients don’t want list posts. Do you think there’s a way to reposition listicles so that they’re more compelling to B2B clients?

Thanks, Alex

You’re welcome. I’d consider a guide format, like this one. In many ways, it’s a list post in a different package. Each chapter/section is a list of 4-5 tips.

Hey, Brian. I have been your fan since ages, and have followed your advice on how to optimize the content of my site. In fact, I left a few comments on your YouTube videos time by time.

After applying your tips as religiously as I could, it worked! Super stoked!

Thanks a lot, Brian. You’re the best and a gift.

Hi Mercyll, that’s great to hear. Keep rocking!

Some of those tips are really solid! Thank you 🙂

You’re welcome, Francois.

That Udemy strategy is pure genius – I never would have thought about that before.

Love the idea about using Udemy Courses for topics.

Using an active voice is tricky for a lot of people. I find it helps to draft a post and go back to it a few hours later – looking at it with fresh eyes. Then it’s easier to spot where you’re slipping into a passive voice.

Thank you yet again for your wonderful content!

Thanks Alison. One shortcut that’s helped me with the active voice: the shorter sentence is usually the active voice (in terms of character count).

For example: If you plan on writing a blog post vs. If you plan to write a blog post.

Thanks for the tip Brian

Hey Brian, I have a question. Why you are not using AMP at your Blog?

Hi Marek, I talk about that here: https://backlinko.com/mobile-seo-guide

“Should You Implement AMP?”

Amazing stuff Brian, as pretty much always. I like you angle of finding topics people are willing to pay for to learn. That must mean they’d be interested to read about it for free in an awesome blog post:) I’m gonna share on Twitter, because your formula works:)

Thanks Nikola

I don’t know where you get all these ideas and strange thing is that no one shares such tips on an internet.

I loved your blog posts as it makes super easy for any one who is struggling to write a post in detail.

Great work!!!

Thanks Wasim

Awesome Article As Usual Brian,

Quick Question About Chapter 1 and 2.

Does the Proven topic that is found In Chapter 1 would it work with any of the Blog post template or it all depends on the topic?

Agree that one should write in short Sentences and paragraphs because a lot of persons only skim blog content these days online before reading.

And I found that the subheaders are a great attention grabber when included in blog post especially when it is written with a strong benefit.

Very Action pack and fluff-free guide Brian keep up the Awesome work!

Hi Floyd, thank you. Ideally, you’d pick the template that’s the best fit for the topic. It’s more art and science for sure. But it does depend a lot on the topic. For example, a topic like “SEO tips” is perfect for The Expanded List Post.

That’s True…

Thanks For the tip…

Was just wondering if there are some template that’s strictly for certain types of topic..

but I think I Get the Idea..

As usual that’s indeed a great article! You started off with an interesting chapter to find the proven topics. In fact, I was unaware of the Udemy and Conference agendas. That was new for me. Every time I read your article, i learn at least one new tip.

Anyway keep up the awesome work.

Waiting for the Next article..:)

Nice! I actually have a post I’m really excited about coming up next. Stay tuned for that.

There are 9+ incredible blog posts in this one post. As far as which one to implement first? I’ll start at the top and make my way down.

Thanks so much!

Hi Ted, thank you! Yes, this is a massive guide. It took a while to put together for sure.

Hi Brian, Thank You sooo much for this most detailed and comprehensive post out there on blogging as a free giveaway ! I will for sure share this! WELL DONE!

Hi Michele, you’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed the new guide.

WOW is an incredible blog post … and every infographic with data that is pure gold. Thanks Brian.

You’re welcome, Bernardo.

You are awesome!

Dude! I wanna be like you when I grow up. You make my post looks pathetic. lol. Such GREAT information and valuable. I can’t believe this is free stuff. I hope that I can be as successful at building my audience as you have been. Kudos, and thanks so much.

LOL! Thanks Juvonia.

Hi brian, Your posts are so informative and easy to read, plus those graphics are gorgeous. Your article have been very useful and helpful for me.. ☺️

You’re welcome, Harjit.

Great post Brian. I can say for certain I am one of the first clicks whenever I receive your newsletter!

Looking forward to putting these into practice.

Thanks Paul. I’m happy to have you as part of the Backlinko community.

Sorry for the previous type-o. I meant to say, you make my posts LOOK pathetic. Do you teach an online course?

All good 🙂 Yes I do https://backlinko.com/seo-training

Awesome post Brian! I think I do most of these to some extent, but you’ve made me realize I need to do all of them better. The topic ideas were extra epic.

Thanks Nick. I made the topic ideas section a point of emphasis because I feel like the same ideas get tossed around all the time. It was time to shake things up, LOL.

Thanks for alot for the sharing the man, Now i have 5 month of content ready thanks to you 😀

I’ll share what exactly do i feel when I get an Email from you :- ‘Email Notification :- Brian Dean’ “What! New Content from Backlinko. Finally, I’ll be able to learn & implement something new!” Opens the Email -> “where is the link? let me click it without even reading the email.” Webpage Opens :- I’ll just skim through the topic…oh wait, this is new… more new ideas… how come i never thought about it. Yayy! Now i know what needs to be done… That was Easy !

(Although in reality, you made it look easy with your in-depth explanation)

Leaves a Comment expecting that I would receive an Email Notification when you’d reply to it….but that doesn’t happen 🙁

I really think you should integrate a way to send some sort of notification when you reply to someone’s comment.

HA! That’s awesome. And thanks for that suggestion. I know WordPress can have it so you get notifications when people reply to comments.

You are just an awesome blogger, how a man can write these types of content? Really grateful and thanks for sharing.

You’re welcome. 👍👍👍

You see Brian I love your tips and tutorials. I love the way you break the process down to tiny actionable bits with nice relatable examples.

Happy to help. To me, it’s all about examples.

This is a very important topic you have written.

How to write a blog post is a well searched keyword.

I’m 100% sure all the currently ranking articles will loose their rankings.

Because Brian Dean’s this article will be #1 in Google.

Mark my word.

Thanks Rintu. I definitely hope so for this post!

I am new to your website. I have subscribed your newsletter and today I landed here from your email. I always want to know how to write a blog post. This illustrative guide will definitely improve my blog stats.

Thanks and regards

Thank you 👍👍👍

Great article Brian! Love your writing and work! It definitely takes a while to go through and digest your guides, but you definitely nail it with your design and readability! Thank you!

You’re welcome, Mike. Yup, this guide is pretty thorough. But I’m happy with how it turned out.

I do not have a word to say, I am a person who is in a completely different career. But I now am learning DM for gaining knowledge. And I must say there is no better place to learn then Brian Dean. The knowledge and concepts you provide are phenomenal. you are an Inspiration. : )

Thanks Rajat. I was in the same boat back in the day. I used to be a registered dietitian and now I’m a blogger/SEO pro. Crazy times!

Same here. A biotechnologist building a DM career

This is great into. Do you have it in a pdf format?

Thanks Joe. Should have a PDF version in the next few weeks.

I can’t wait to get the PDF version of this post as we use to have from other posts 😉

Thanks, Brian;

I can’t just appreciate what you gave me enough, you bomb my brain with knowledge

(brain and Brian) Hmm, no difference at all <3

Hi Walid, PDF version is in the works. It takes a while.

I really love this article, Can you write thought leadership articles ? I want to learn more about it.

Thanks Varsha. I’m not a big thought leadership guy. I rather be an action leader 😂😂😂

I’ve been blogging for a decade and still I’m learning some great tips after all these years. Thanks Brian your newsletter is the only one I subscribe to.

I’m going to try the brackets in the headline by the way.

Hi Deb, thank you. I hope that tip helps!

Great comprehensive guide, I am starting a blog and this is so helpful, thank you Brian

Hi Sandra, you’re welcome. Keep me posted on how your new blog goes.

How do you set up such great design for your article? Is it custom html each time or some super complex template?

Hi Marco, it started as HTML but has sort of morphed into a template that’s designed to work on Backlinko.

I need to manage time to read your detailed article…

My question, is this article perfect for news type post that last live 1 or 2 weeks maximum ??

Hi Vivek, some of the strategies apply to news content. But they’re mostly for evergreen posts.

Great Post Brian. Your copywriting skill is really amazing.

I think the SEO optimization is apt. I recently started work on a blog and noticed that whenever I included specific keywords in my Meta description (even if I do not use the exact keyword in the title) I ranked above my competitors (who have a much higher DA) than my blog. I don’t really understand how or why.

Initially I have read that Google pays more attention to the SEO title and the Meta description is more of a CTA for the users. Perhaps the effect I am seeing is indirect (In that a higher CTR will definitely lead to an upwards movement in the SERPs).

I’ll appreciate it if you can shed more light on this for me.

I’d guess that it’s CTR-related. Google has said several times that they don’t really pay attention to meta descriptions for SEO… but users definitely do. So that’s my guess.

Again a good SEO guide with live examples, you made SEO really simple and actionable for everyone.

Great tips for finding topics. I especially like the conference subject suggestion. Thank you for sharing!

You’re welcome, Mystique

Hi Brian! your are a Monster of SEO!!!!! Congratulation for your precious post… Luca from Italy

Thanks Luca

HI Dean, you have solved 90% of the problem most people are facing when it comes to writing a blog post. I have learnt a lot from you, thanks for sharing.

Hi Anthony, you’re welcome. That’s true: it’s probably not possible to cover everything there is about writing a blog post on a single page. There’s a lot to it. But 90% is pretty darn good!

Hi, Brain, thanks for your great post, this teach me a lot I’m Keen, a freelancer SEOer from China. You are very popular in China marketing groups, people talk about you, learn from you and even nickname you :). Maybe you can translate your post to Chinese, let more SEO newbie know about you.

Hi Keen, thank you for your kind words. I appreciate that.

Hey Brian, Thanks again for another great post.

Would you believe this? I was searching Google ‘How to write a blog post’ and going through some of the results. After a while I Googled ‘How to write a blog post’ + backlinko, I know your posts are real meat.

I did not find any.

Surprising part: I was looking into my emails and noticed the subject ‘Blog Content’ and it was from you (Brian Dean).

How amazing!! You just published what I was searching. Thanks a bunch.

I’m looking to write blog posts on Artificial Intelligence. Any special tips apart from what was already published in the post?

LOL! That’s crazy. What are the odds, right?

I’d say that the strategies here apply to pretty much every topic. I pulled a lot of the techniques from me working with lots of blogs in several different industries.

Amazing. This article should be sold as an E-book. It’s loaded with valuable info! Thank you for the time you invested and shared. Awesomeness packed into one post.:)

Thanks Catherine. I appreciate that.

I was having a short break from studying Google Search exam. I clicked through your email….and thank you!

This is a complete outline on how to craft a blog post, how to optimize and promote it. Excellent stuff.

Thank you, Alessandro. I tried to make this guide as complete as possible. Glad to see that I’m on track.

Leave a Comment

6 Steps To Writing Captivating Blog Post Intros Every Time

What do you do when your million-dollar blog post idea strikes?

You scramble to your computer, giddy with excitement, and type as fast as your little fingers are capable. If there were competitions for typing, you’d be taking home the gold.

When all your ideas are down on paper, you breathe a sigh of relief, read through your post one more time, and hit “publish.”

Only . . . where’s the engagement? No one seems to be making it past the headline , and you’re about ready to swear off any further ideas and ditch the whole blogging thing altogether.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. Do you want to get readers past the headline? Do you want them to read your first sentence, and your second, and your third until they reach the end and can’t help but leave a comment or hit that “share” button?

It’s possible, and it all starts with a killer introduction. Use this 6-step formula to captivate your readers from the start every time.

Step 1: Address your readers from sentence one

You want people to connect with your content, and you can accomplish that by talking directly to them. Use the word “you,” or directly ask your readers a question.

Through this technique, you create an emotional bond with your audience that they can’t ignore.

On the other hand, when you launch by talking about your own stories and successes, it’s easier to lose readers because they aren’t personally invested in your blog post.

Instead of launching with your own story, pull the reader into it by addressing them right away.

Let’s take an example from Adam Connell. In his post, “ The Essential Guide To Must Have WordPress Plugins ,” Adam gets around to telling his own story, but only after pulling the reader in.

Imagine he opened with this line:

I’ve built my fair share of websites and tested a lot of plugins in the past. This has led me to creating my own list of go-to WordPress plugins.

It doesn’t exactly capture a reader’s attention off-the-bat, does it? Now take a look at the intro Adam actually wrote:

Have you ever installed WordPress and wondered what plugins you should be installing? You’re not alone. There are thousands of plugins you could install which means it can be challenging to choose. I’ve built my fair share of websites and tested a lot of plugins in the past. This has led me to creating my own   list of go-to WordPress plugins .

Now that he’s addressed us and made us part of the story, we feel invested in it, and his own experiences become more credible and interesting to us.

Step 2: Launch by describing an emotion

You want people to feel something with your content, and that’s where describing emotions can come in handy.

The idea here is to identify how your readers feel and get them to say, “This guy understands me. What else does he have in store for me?”

Emotions push your readers to continue reading.

Just some types of emotions you might describe include:

• Frustration
• Uncertainty

Most bloggers are already taking this step without realizing it, and it’s actually a lot easier to incorporate into your copy than it sounds. Let’s take a few examples to get a good idea of how to apply this step.

In Elna Cain’s post “How To Do Guest Blogging Right And Grow Your Audience By Leaps And Bounds,” she writes:

Are you brimming with excitement over your new blog?

That’s her intro sentence, and doesn’t it make you want to read more? Of course you’re excited over your new blog! She gets you, and you want to know more about what she has in store for bettering your blog.

Though Elna uses the term “excitement” in her opening statement, you don’t explicitly have to call out an emotion. Here’s an example from Sarah Peterson:

Do you hear that? The sound of crickets in your comment section. The radio silence on your Twitter feed. The deafening sound of a lack of engagement on your blog.

Can you spot what emotion she’s describing?

It’s loneliness.

Sarah never had to come out and say you were lonely, but she elicits a feeling of loneliness anyway.

Step 3: Identify your readers’ problem

Every blog post you write should aim to solve a problem, such as by educating, informing, or entertaining someone. After all, who’s going to read your content if it’s not going to help them?

By explicitly identifying your readers’ problem, they already know that you’re going to help solve it, and that’s going to keep them engaged. Better yet, you’ll captivate the people who didn’t even realize they had a problem worth solving in the first place!

This problem might be lack of knowledge, poor results, wasted time, wasted money, etc.

Let’s take an example from Adam’s post, “How to Get Better Results from Your Content Marketing Efforts.”

We all want our content to get results. We want more eye-balls on our content and we want that content to convert. But how can we get the results that we want to get?

Here, our problem is poor results from our content.

Here’s another example from Adam’s post “18 Powerful WordPress Plugins For Bloggers And Content Marketers.”

Have you ever wondered which WordPress plugins could help your content marketing efforts?

Side note: Don’t you love how Adam has incorporated all of our first three steps into one sentence? He addresses the reader by using the term “you,” he describes an emotion (wonder), and he identifies a problem (lack of knowledge in WordPress plugins) all in under 15 words.

Step 4: Play off their hopes and dreams

Now that you’ve identified your reader’s problems, build the excitement by playing off their hopes and dreams. It’s okay to tease your readers a bit at this point. It’s all about building anticipation.

Pose a question about what your readers might want. Tell a story about results successful people have seen in the past. Give a number to how much time or money they dream of saving.

There are numerous ways to apply this step, but it’s easier if I show you a few examples.

Let’s start with a simple one from George Meszaros :

Have you ever wondered how some bloggers seem to be propelled towards success as if a mystical force is just “making it happen” while others just never quite seem to make it? You’re not alone. We all dream of making it big and having an audience that hangs on our every word while singing our praises to everyone they meet.

Here, he literally spells out what his readers dream of.

Here’s another example from Blogging Wizard’s Adam Connell:

Have you ever wanted to rapidly increase your email subscribers? Not just by a few sign ups a day, I’m talking about a 529% increase in conversions.

By now you’re thinking, “Holy cow! I want a 529% increase in conversions!” And now he’s roped you in, and you’re hooked.

See how to work the magic?

Step 5: Promise something the reader wants

You’ve identified what your readers want, and it’s time to promise that they’ll get it. This is typically a short phrase, such as:

• It’s possible!
• I’ll show you how.
• It’s easier than you think.

Feel free to word it however you want, but nonetheless, readers should know that you’re going to make their dreams come true.

In Adam’s post “A Step-by-Step Guide to Increasing Your Blog’s Traffic,” he uses the phrase, “You can make it work” to bring readers’ desires to life. Take a look:

You want to drive more traffic to your blog, but how do you get started? There are a huge number of tactics that you can use, some work better than others, and some require more time to get working. But the truth is that   even if you’ve found traffic generation challenging, you can make it work,   and I’ll show you how.

Here’s another creative example by Mary Fernandez from SmartBlogger :

…your list hasn’t grown much at all in the past week, or the past month. And it’s annoying as all heck. You groan. All this hard work, and what do I have to show for it? Know what? You aren’t alone in feeling this way. But all you need to grow your email list at hyper speed is to get the word out in an entirely different way…a way that most bloggers haven’t even considered.

Step 6: Transition by hinting at how to solve their problem

Finally, show your readers how you’ll fulfill your promise. This will lead them into your blog post’s body seamlessly to keep them reading. Typically, this will be something along the lines of, “Follow these tips…” or “Read on to learn how…” but you can certainly get creative.

Here’s a strong transition by Eugene Mota, which helps guide us into the body of his post without missing a beat:

…So I decided to take this approach and put it to the test. I wrote a new post on my blog and outreached to 21 of the top guys in the content marketing world. Then I followed Adam’s formula step by step. And….I got an 80% engagement rate! Let me take you quickly through the specific steps I took in order to achieve this result.

Here’s another simple example from my own blog post, “7 New Social Media Management Tools to Try in 2016.”

… If you’ve already tested out popular social media management tools, chances are you haven’t even scratched the surface of what’s out there. Perhaps consider the following social media management tools for your team in 2016.

You’ve learned the six steps to this blog post introduction formula, but if you’re a bit overwhelmed at this point, don’t fret! It’s actually a lot easier to put these steps together than it sounds. Remember, you can combine steps, and most of them can be short, simple phrases.

Let’s take some examples from two bloggers to see how they’ve put each step together into a cohesive introduction.

Our first example comes from Adam Connell’s post, “ How to Achieve Incredible Results with Blogger Outreach .”

Another example comes from blogger Sophie Lizard on her blog, Be a Freelance Blogger . (Fun fact: I came up with this formula after studying Sophie’s introductions.)

Want another example? I used the same formula in my introduction. Can you spot where I used each step?

By no means is this the only formula for writing blog post introductions, but it is one that works . Feel free to play around with these six steps until you find a style that works for you. Combine steps together, skip over a step if you need to, or add your own steps.

Over to you

Now it’s time to practice! Take this six-step formula with you the next time you write a blog post, and let us know how it goes.

Alicia Rades is a professional blogger who specializes in blogging, freelancing, and lifestyle topics. Alicia is also a USA Today best selling author.

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How to Write a Good Blog Post: A Complete Step-by-Step Process

You pull up a blank document, ready to write a blog post, but the white emptiness stares back. How do you begin?

We’ve all been there, staring into that vast white space, wondering where to start. I’ve felt that subtle anxiety too. Yet, with the right approach, that daunting task can turn into a delightful journey. With an established process, writing becomes less about filling the space and more about connecting deeply with your readers.

Dive into the steps in this post and uncover the secrets to crafting a blog post that truly engages and resonates with your audience.

Table of Contents

How long does it take to write a great blog post?

Step 1: identify your topic, original research, topical research, competitive research, how-to guide, feature article, product review or comparison, link/article roundup, expert roundup, step 4: create an outline, introduction, body content, step 6: pen a headline, step 7: edit and proofread your content, step 8: add your meta data, step 9: publish your post, it’s all about practice.

As you get into writing blog posts, you might wonder how long you should take to write a good one. Are you taking too long? Should you spend more time?

Orbit Media Studios found that bloggers take an average of four hours and one minute to complete a blog post in their 2022 survey . For reference, these folks wrote an average of 1,416 words per blog post.

But think of this number as an estimate. It takes everyone a different amount of time to write a blog post based on factors like:

• Personal writing speed: All bloggers write at a different pace, and they’re all valid.
• Subject matter knowledge : It’s faster to write about a subject you know over one you don’t.
• Topic complexity: Most people will need more time to write about piezoelectric ceramics than how to blow a bubble with gum.
• Research requirements : It’ll take longer to put together a blog post that weaves together original interviews than one with a few online sources.

Plus, Orbit Media Studios discovered that bloggers who spend more time on their blog posts get more success. Thirty-three percent of respondents who spent six or more hours per blog post reported “strong results.” Compare that number to the 22% benchmark.

You’ll see that the first steps to writing a blog post involve careful preparation. Start by choosing a topic to write about.

Get as specific as possible when you pick your subject. Specificity lets you differentiate your content from blog posts on similar topics and helps you cover an idea in-depth. Let’s say you want to write about how to cook a steak — you could narrow that down to how to cook a T-bone steak on a grill.

After you decide on a topic, establish the angle you want to take. Going back to our example of how to cook a T-bone steak on a grill, you could come from a scientific angle. For your blog post, you could consult a scientist on why certain techniques make a better steak.

Step 2: Do your research

Now that you know what you want to write about, you can research your topic . Blog post research falls into three categories:

Original research comes from data you generate yourself by consulting other people. Not every blog post needs to have original research to have high-quality content, but it can contribute to truly unique writing.

Try these tactics to get one-of-a-kind sources for your post:

• Surveys: Use a free tool like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to ask people questions on a large scale. Find people who know about your topic at your organization, subscribed to your mailing list on the subject, or in an online community.
• Polls: Polls work well for asking a broad audience a single question. Many social media and communication apps have built-in poll features, such as Twitter and Slack.
• Interviews: Ask experts on your subject for an interview over email, on a video call, or in person. Reach out to your colleagues and network to see if they know anyone. You can also use a service like Help a Reporter Out to get expert quotes.

Topical research is the research you conduct around the internet. Use your preferred search engine to find online sources with these traits:

• Authoritative: The author or website should have plenty of experience or credentials on the topic. When applicable, they should use solid research to back up their claims.
• Recent: Aim for resources written three or fewer years ago when possible.
• Helpful: When your reader clicks through to your source, they should get value out of it and understand how it connects to your article.

This type of research often flies under the radar for newer blog post writers. Competitive research involves evaluating other articles on your subject. By understanding the other content out there on your topic, you can find ways to improve upon it.

Don’t just look for what ideas the other blog posts include. Instead, think about what they’re missing. Maybe they don’t cover a point you feel is important, or you could format your content more clearly than them.

Step 3: Choose the type of blog post you’ll write

With knowledge of your topic on hand, it’s time to decide how you’ll present it. Some popular blog post genres include:

List blog posts organize information into a list with headings naming each item. They often come in the form of numbered lists with a title featuring the number of items, such as “5 Ways to Fold a Towel.”

When you write a list blog post, you don’t have to make your list the only content. HelpScout’s 13 Best Practices for Improving Online Customer Service introduces online customer service, then digs into its items.

A checklist blog post provides a checklist for readers to follow to perform a task.

These posts often provide a simplified checklist to follow and then provide more details for each item, like our blog post checklist .

A how-to guide walks the reader through the steps it takes to perform an action.

These blog posts rely heavily on lists and images to help readers understand each part of the process. Melly Sews’s how-to guide to sewing a flat-felled seam uses both.

An interview blog post showcases an interview the author has with someone who has insights to share about the article topic.

You can go about one of these blog posts in two ways. Either list out your questions and answers in a Q&A format or use your interview answers to tell a story. Notion did the latter in Three-time YC founder and first-time mom finds flow in Notion .

A feature article brings together original research and interviews to explore a subject. Since features often involve interviews, they can overlap with interview blog posts.

Some blogs take a feature-first approach to posting, such as Microsoft’s Unlocked blog. One example of one of their features is Can an alphabet save a culture?

In the context of blog posts, an essay presents the author’s argument or opinion. The writer uses research and evidence to back up their points.

Media Strategies Aren’t as Crazy as They Seem from the Animalz blog features real-life examples that back up a unique perspective.

News posts share news from your community or company.

On business blogs, a lot of news posts relate to company and product updates, like SparkToro Now Has 50% More Podcasts from SparkToro.

A case study tells a success story about a product or service. It generally focuses on one event or customer.

This type of blog post requires original interviews with the customer involved so you can get their perspective on your work. With some products, you can share the results of how you helped the customer. Take Buffer, a social media scheduling tool, sharing posts from its customer in this case study as an example.

Product reviews and comparisons evaluate the usefulness of products for the reader. Reviews focus on a single product, while comparisons compare the features of multiple products.

Some of these product posts come in the form of a list ranking the best products in a category, like Zapier’s email newsletter software roundup .

Link and article roundups bring together links to online resources or articles on a specific subject.

Some of these roundups are more purchase-focused, such as Good On You’s roundup of eco-friendly fashion deals .

Expert roundup blog posts present opinions on a topic from multiple subject matter experts.

This format can overlap with other formats, like in Databox’s blog posts that synthesize expert opinions into lists. The Heroes of Business Transparency is one example.

Many people skip or rush through this step even though it’s just as important as the actual writing. A detailed blog post outline gives your article structure and lets you evaluate your overall argument before you write out the full post.

It also helps combat writer’s block. At the outline stage, you only have to get a basic idea down, taking off the pressure of writing a complete idea. Then, when you get to the writing stage, you’ll have your outline to reference when you don’t know what sentence to write next.

Follow these steps to write an outline:

• List each section and subsection of your blog post. Each section could cover a list item, a point in your argument, a step in a process, etc.
• Add up to three main points per section. Here’s where you’ll start forming the ideas you’ll cover. As you practice making outlines, you might find it helpful to get even more detailed at this stage.
• Include any links and examples you want to include for your points. Place your sources where you plan to reference them so you can add them easily in the writing stage.

Here’s a hypothetical outline for a blog post by my cat on why I should feed her a second dinner:

You can go more in-depth with your points in your outline, but here’s how the formatting should look.

I recommend writing your outline in a separate document and copying any headers and links over to your draft document. It can be tempting to write your outline and fill out your draft from there, but your document will get disorganized quickly with this approach.

Step 5: Write your post

Onto the writing itself!

Make sure to follow web writing best practices when you write your content.

People read 25% slower onscreen, and they skim rather than read. Web text should be short, scannable, and structured as linked, topical pages. Nielsen Norman Group

Shortening or “chunking” your content helps readers skim, so try to keep your sentences to 25 words or fewer and paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Make sure to follow the style guide for your blog if you have one as well.

A blog post consists of three main sections that require different approaches:

Integrate your blog post’s angle and an emotional hook into your introduction. This technique establishes what makes your post unique from the start and draws in the reader.

For example, in this blog post, I’m trying to provide a comprehensive process so you never feel lost when writing. I explained that angle in the second paragraph of my intro.

As for the emotional hook, try putting yourself in the reader’s shoes or telling a story. I used the example of staring at a blank page wondering what to do next because I’ve been there and know others have, too.

You could also use the Animalz technique of using an unexpected hook and referencing it throughout your blog post. This method takes practice and careful thought, but that hard work really pays off.

Whichever hook you use, keep your introduction concise — about three paragraphs or fewer. An intro that goes on too long can lose the reader’s interest.

A quick side note: You don’t have to write your introduction first if it comes easier to you after you write the rest of your post. Mark it for later and revisit it when you have more context to work with.

Your body content consists of all the words between the introduction and conclusion.

As you write this part of your post, try to cover all the information important for your reader to know. If you have a word limit to stay within, consider linking out to resources on complicated sub-topics.

Speaking of linking, include links to other posts on your blog and trusted sources throughout your body content. Search engines prioritize websites that link relevant pages to each other. Plus, it works as a way to cite your sources when you use outside information.

Just make sure that any site you link to is relevant to your post. Adding links for linking’s sake will make it harder to establish authority and search engine performance.

Lastly, make sure your writing is crisp, clear, and concise by keeping paragraphs three sentences or less, and each sentence 25 words or less .

Here’s an example of a well-structured post’s body content.

Time for the grand finale. You have multiple ways to go about writing a conclusion, such as:

• A summary: Summarize the key points you covered in your post.
• A takeaway: Provide a takeaway from the ideas you presented in your post. You could go back to the angle you established at the beginning, for example.
• A redirection: Connect your blog post to another post on your blog and direct your reader there for further reading.
• A bonus tip: Offer one final tip for the reader to use as they apply the knowledge in your post.

When it feels appropriate, you can also add a call to action to subscribe to your newsletter, try your product, or perform another transactional action. Connect your call to action back to the rest of your conclusion so it doesn’t feel pigeonholed.

After you finish writing your first draft, give it a headline . You can write the headline before your post if you like — there’s no hard and fast rule. For this blog post, we’re writing the headline after the content so you have your draft on hand to inspire your headline.

Follow these steps to craft a top-notch headline for your article:

• If you write blog posts with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, grab the top keyword for your article. This keyword should have a direct relation to your subject.
• Write down 25 versions of your headline to give yourself plenty of choices to consider. Make sure your keyword feels like a natural part of each headline if you include it.
• Narrow those 25 options to your five favorites.
• Choose a “winner” from your five finalists.

CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer Studio can help you identify what headlines will hook readers and work for SEO. It has a Google Chrome extension and WordPress plugin. If you don’t have a plan that supports plugins, the extension provides a prompt alongside your WordPress headline.

Every blog post needs editing to shine, no matter how talented the writer is. Give your content plenty of this TLC to create quality results.

Start with a basic spelling and grammar check using your word processor’s tools. Then, you can use a tool like Grammarly or Hemingway for more in-depth fixes. While Grammarly performs an advanced spelling and grammar scan, Hemingway checks sentence structure, like so:

After you perform these checks, you should still read through your writing manually. Your human eyes will catch mistakes the computer misses. Plus, your editing should focus as much on the quality of your ideas as it does on your spelling and grammar.

We provided some tips to make the manual editing and proofreading process easier in an earlier WordPress blog post. I also suggest asking yourself these questions as you go through your content:

• Do my logic and arguments make sense?
• Did I use my SEO keywords? Did I insert them naturally?
• Do I notice any words being used frequently that I can mix up with adjectives?
• Did I vary my sentence structure for more dynamic reading?
• Will my blog post be readable for my average reader?
• Did I follow my blog’s style throughout the post?

Your blog post’s title tag, meta description, and URL all influence how people find and understand it.

The title tag and meta description are the title and description you see for a page in search results. By default, WordPress uses your headline as the title tag and your excerpt as the meta description. But, if they aren’t the proper length for search results, they can get cut off.

It’s best practice to write a separate title tag and meta description so you know they’ll look good. In WordPress, you can edit this data by changing your post’s code or using a plugin .

Yoast and All in One SEO are two popular plugin options. These plugins add a box below your content in the WordPress editor where you can manage your title tag and meta description. They also guide you through writing those search specs well.

Your URL slug is the unique string of words that appears at the end of your URL.

For example, this blog post’s URL is:

Its slug is:

That’s the part of the URL that’s different for each blog post.

WordPress pulls your URL slug from your headline, but that slug usually isn’t optimized for search results. According to Ahrefs , a good slug follows keywords and summarizes the essence of the blog post.

No need for a plugin or fancy coding to edit your URL slug. Go to the Block tab in the right-hand menu, then edit your URL using the URL option. Save your draft or update your blog post to save your new slug.

Now that you have your meta data set up, you can finalize your content for publishing. Copy and paste your blog post from your word processor to your WordPress post. The formatting will carry over to the block editor.

Or, you may have written your blog post within the blog post editor. I generally don’t recommend this approach in case you accidentally click “Publish,” but I know some writers get by just fine doing it. You do you.

If you paste your content from a Google Doc or another online text editor, go through your post and re-upload your images from your computer. The images you paste from another source are kept on your editor’s website, and you’ll want them on your WordPress site for safekeeping.

Once you establish a solid process for writing your blog posts, the next step to mastery is practice. As you adjust your system to your workflow, you’ll know what to do next instead of hoping words will magically appear on your blank page. And we’ll be with you as you practice. Just use this guide to help keep you on track.

Pair your airtight writing process with a good topic generation system , and you’ll become an unstoppable blogger. We can’t wait to see what you write!

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About the author, melissa king.

Melissa King writes actionable blog posts about content, marketing, and productivity for tech companies. Find more of her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

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How to Write a Blog Post: A Step-by-Step Guide [+ Free Blog Post Templates]

Review a step-by-step guide plus useful templates to learn how to write an effective blog post for your target audience and customers.

6 FREE BLOG POST TEMPLATES

Save time creating blog posts with these free templates.

Updated: 04/03/24

Published: 04/03/24

Anyone can connect with their audience through blogging and enjoy the myriad benefits that blogging provides: organic traffic from search engines, promotional content for social media, and recognition from a new audience you haven’t tapped into yet.

If you’ve heard about blogging but are a beginner and don’t know where to start, the time for excuses is over. Not only can you create an SEO-friendly blog , but I’ll cover how to write and manage your business's blog as well as provide helpful templates to simplify your blogging efforts.

What is a blog post?

How to start a blog, writing your first blog post, what makes a good blog post, blog post examples, how to write a blog post.

Let's get started with an important question.

Blogging may mean different things depending on your niche — so let’s begin with this definition.

A blog post is any article, news piece, or guide that's published in the blog section of a website. A blog post typically covers a specific topic or query, is educational in nature, ranges from 600 to 2,000+ words, and contains other media types such as images, videos, infographics, and interactive charts.

Blog posts allow you and your business to publish insights, thoughts, and stories on your website about any topic. They can help you boost brand awareness, credibility, conversions, and revenue. Most importantly, they can help you drive traffic to your website.

But in order to begin making posts for a blog — you have to learn how to start one, first. Let’s dive in.

• Understand your audience.
• Check out your competition.
• Determine what topics you'll cover.
• Identify your unique angle.
• Name your blog.
• Create your blog domain.
• Choose a CMS and set up your blog.
• Customize the look of your blog.
• Write your first blog post.

1. Understand your audience.

Before you start writing your blog post, make sure you have a clear understanding of your target audience. To do so, take the following steps.

Ask yourself exploratory questions.

To discover your audience, ask questions like: Who are they? Are they like me, or do I know someone like them? What do they want to know about? What will resonate with them?

Jot down your notes in a notepad or a document. This is the time to brainstorm audience attributes from scratch, no matter how out of left field they may feel. You should also think about your audience's age, background, goals, and challenges at this stage.

6 Free Blog Post Templates

• "How-to" Post
• "What is" Post
• Listicle Post

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Carry out market research.

Doing market research sounds like a big task, but in truth, it can be as simple as accessing a social media platform and browsing user and blog profiles that match with your potential audience.

Use market research tools to begin uncovering more specific information about your audience — or to confirm a hunch or a piece of information you already knew. For instance, if you wanted to create a blog about work-from-home hacks, you can make the reasonable assumption that your audience will be mostly Gen Zers and Millennials. But it’s important to confirm this information through research.

Create formal buyer personas.

Once you’ve brainstormed and carried out market research, it’s time to create formal buyer personas . It’s important because what you know about your buyer personas and their interests will inform the brainstorming process for blog posts.

"Buyer personas aren’t just for direct marketing. They can be a handy way to keep a human in mind while you’re writing. If you’ve got other marketing or sales teams handy, coordinate your personas," says Curtis del Principe, user acquisition manager at HubSpot. "Chances are that your existing customers are exactly the kind of people you want to attract with your writing in the first place. Your sales and service teams can also have great insight into these people’s needs and pain points."

For instance, if your readers are Millennials looking to start a business, you probably don't need to provide them with information about getting started on social media — most of them already have that down.

You might, however, want to give them information about how to adjust their social media approach (for example — from what may be a casual, personal approach to a more business-savvy, networking-focused approach). That kind of tweak is what helps you publish content about the topics your audience really wants and needs.

Don't have buyer personas in place for your business? Here are a few resources to help you get started:

• Create Buyer Personas for Your Business [Free Template]
• Guide: How to Create Detailed Buyer Personas for Your Business
• [Free Tool] Make My Persona: Buyer Persona Generator

2. Check out your competition.

What better way to draw inspiration than to look at your well-established competition?

It’s worth taking a look at popular, highly reviewed blogs because their strategy and execution is what got them to grow in credibility. The purpose of doing this isn’t to copy these elements, but to gain better insight into what readers appreciate in a quality blog.

When you find a competitor’s blog, take the following steps:

Determine whether they’re actually a direct competitor.

A blog’s audience, niche, and specific slant determine whether they're actually your competitor. But the most important of these is their audience. If they serve a completely different public than you, then they’re likely not a competitor. That is why it’s important to define your buyer personas before taking other steps in the blog creation process.

Look at the blog’s branding, color palette, and theme.

Once you determine that they’re your competitor, it’s time to take note of their techniques so that you can capture a similar readership. Colors and themes play a huge role in whether you seem like part of a niche — for instance, a blog about eco-friendly products should likely use earthy tones instead of bright, unnatural colors such as neon yellow or pink.

Analyze the tone and writing style of the competition.

Take note of your competition’s copywriting. Is it something you feel like you can successfully emulate? Does it ring true to the type of blog you’d like to create? What do readers most respond to? For most, creating a tech blog might be an excellent idea, but if journalistic, review-based writing doesn’t work for you, then that might not be a good fit. Be aware of what you can feasibly execute or hire freelance writers.

3. Determine what topics you’ll cover.

Before you write anything, pick a topic you’d like to write about. The topic can be pretty general to start as you find your desired niche in blogging .

Here are some ways to choose topics to cover.

Find out which topics your competitors often cover.

One easy way to choose topics for your blog is to simply learn what other blogs are writing about. After you determine your competitors, go through their archive and category pages, and try to find out which topics they most often publish content about. From there, you can create a tentative list to explore further. You might find, for instance, that a competitor only covers surface-level information about a subject. In your blog, you can dive more deeply and offer more value to readers.

Choose topics you understand well.

No matter what type of blog you start, you want to ensure you know the topic well enough to write authoritatively about it. Rather than choosing a topic you’ll need to research as you write, think about those that come most naturally to you. What has your professional experience been like so far? What are your hobbies? What did you study in college? These can all give rise to potential topics you can cover in depth.

Ensure the topics are relevant to your readership.

You may find that you hold deep expertise in various topics, but how relevant are they to the audience you understood back in step one?

Del Principe suggests checking in with sales and service teams as well. "What kinds of things do they wish customers already knew? What kinds of questions do they get asked a thousand times? What kind of objections come up from potential customers, and how do they address them?"

If you’re not serving their needs, then you’d be shouting into a void — or, worse, attracting the wrong readership. For that reason, after identifying the topics you can feasibly write about, ask yourself whether those are subjects your audience would like to explore.

Do preliminary keyword research.

Keyword research is the process of searching for topics using a keyword research tool , then determining whether there is demand by looking at each topic’s (or keyword’s) search volume. If you found the perfect topics that are the perfect cross between your expertise and your reader’s needs, you’ve struck gold — but the gold will have no value unless people are searching for those terms. Only then can you capture the audience that is waiting out there.

4. Identify your unique angle.

What perspective do you bring that makes you stand out from the crowd? This is key to determining the trajectory of your blog’s future, and there are many avenues to choose in the process.

Here’s how you can find your unique selling proposition in crowded blogging niches:

Write a professional and personal bio.

Knowing your own history and experience is essential to determine your unique slant. To get started, write a professional bio that explains, at length, who you are and which experiences most inform your blogging efforts. While I could write a lengthy exposition about my childhood, that history isn’t essential unless I’m launching a blog about raising children.

What unique experience makes you a trusted expert or thought leader on the topic? You can use your answers to that question to find your angle. Use this information to populate your “About me” page on your blog and share more about yourself.

Determine the special problem you will solve for readers.

Your readers won’t trust you or return to you unless you actively help them solve a problem. As you try to find your angle, think about ways you can help your audience surmount challenges typically associated with the topics you’ve chosen for your blog. For instance, if you’re creating a blog about sustainability, then you might help readers learn how they can compost organic materials in their home.

Choose an editorial approach.

Will you share your opinions on trending debates? Teach your readers how to do something? Compare or share original research? The editorial approach you choose will in part be informed by the topics you cover on your blog and the problems you’re helping your readers solve. If your blog is about marketing trends and your goal is to keep marketers up-to-date on the latest changes, then your editorial approach should be journalistic in nature. This is only one example of how to choose a technique.

5. Name your blog.

This is your opportunity to get creative and make a name that gives readers an idea of what to expect from your blog. Some tips on how to choose your blog name include:

Keep your blog name easy to say and spell.

No need to get complicated at all with your name, though it might be tempting, since there are so many blogs out there. While choosing a unique name is essential, it’s also important to choose one that is easy to memorize for readers. It should also be simple to remember as an URL (which will come into play in the next step).

Link your blog name to your brand message.

The more related your blog’s name is to the topics you cover, the better. For instance, DIY MFA is all about writers doing their own Master of Fine Arts in writing at home. The brand’s message is all about delving deep into one’s writing practice without needing a formal degree. Try to do something similar for your own blog name: Alluding to your blog’s message, value proposition, and covered topics in one sweep.

Consider what your target audience is looking for.

Your blog name should tie directly into what your readers want to achieve, learn, or solve. DIY MFA is about writers who don’t have the money for graduate school, but who still want to develop their writing skills. The HubSpot Marketing blog is — you guessed it — about marketing trends and tips.

It’s okay if your blog name feels “too straightforward.” Straightforward names accurately communicate what you’re about and effectively attract the right audience.

If you still need more assistance, try using a blog name generator . One last tip: Make sure the name you come up with isn’t already taken, as it could lessen your visibility and confuse readers looking for your content.

6. Create your blog domain.

A domain is a part of the web address nomenclature someone would use to find your website or a page of your website online.

Your blog‘s domain will look like this: www.yourblog.com. The name between the two periods is up to you, as long as this domain name doesn’t yet exist on the internet.

Want to create a subdomain for your blog? If you already own a cooking business at www.yourcompany.com, you might create a blog that looks like this: blog.yourcompany.com. In other words, your blog's subdomain will live in its own section of yourcompany.com.

Some CMS platforms offer subdomains as a free service, where your blog lives on the CMS, rather than your business's website. For example, it might look like this: yourblog.contentmanagementsystem.com. However, to create a subdomain that belongs to your company website, register the subdomain with a website host .

Most website hosting services charge very little to host an original domain — in fact, website costs can be as inexpensive as $3 per month when you commit to a 36-month term.

Pro Tip: You can connect your custom domain to free hosting with HubSpot’s free CMS or in premium editions of Content Hub. This includes access to built-in security features and a content delivery network.

Here are five other popular web hosting services to choose from:

7. Choose a CMS and set up your blog.

A CMS (content management system) is a software application that allows users to build and maintain a website without having to code it from scratch. CMS platforms can manage domains (where you create your website) and subdomains (where you create a webpage that connects to an existing website).

HubSpot customers host web content via Content Hub . Another popular option is a self-hosted WordPress website on a hosting site such as WP Engine . Whether you create a domain or a subdomain to start your blog , you'll need to choose a web hosting service after you pick a CMS.

Pro Tip: You can get started for free with HubSpot’s free blog maker . Our free CMS offers everything you need to get started– including hosting, a visual editor, and hundreds of free and paid themes to choose from.

Start using HubSpot's Free Blog Making tool to publish blog posts.  

8. customize the look of your blog..

Once you have your domain name set up, customize the appearance of your blog to reflect the theme of the content you plan on creating and your brand.

For example, if you're writing about sustainability and the environment, green might be a color to keep in mind while designing your blog.

Image Source

If you already manage a website and are writing the first post for that existing website, ensure the article is consistent with the website in appearance and subject matter. Two ways to do this are including your:

• Logo : This can be your business‘s name and logo — it will remind blog readers of who’s publishing the content. (How heavily you want to brand your blog, however, is up to you.)
• “About” Page : You might already have an “About” blurb describing yourself or your business. Your blog‘s "About" section is an extension of this higher-level statement. Think of it as your blog’s mission statement, which serves to support your company's goals.

9. Write your first blog post.

Once you have your blog set up, the only thing missing is the content. While the design and layout are fun and functionally necessary, it's the content that will draw your readers in and keep them coming back. So how do you actually go about writing one of these engaging and informational pieces?

You’ve got the technical and practical tidbits down — now it’s time to write your very first blog post. And nope, this isn’t the space to introduce yourself and your new blog (i.e. “Welcome to my blog! This is the topic I’ll be covering. Here are my social media handles. Will you please follow?”).

Start with “low-hanging fruit,” writing about a highly specific topic that serves a small segment of your target audience.

That seems unintuitive, right? If more people are searching for a term or a topic, that should mean more readers for you.

But that’s not true. If you choose a general and highly searched topic that’s been covered by major competitors or more established brands, it’s unlikely that your post will rank on the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs). Give your newly born blog a chance by choosing a topic that few bloggers have written about.

If you need help, you can also use AI to help you create a blog post quickly. 

1. Choose a topic you’re passionate and knowledgeable about.

Before you write anything, pick a topic for your blog post. The topic can be pretty general to start. For example, if you're a company that sells a CRM for small-to-enterprise businesses , your post might be about the importance of using a single software to keep your marketing, sales, and service teams aligned.

Pro tip : You may not want to jump into a “how-to” article for your first blog post.

Your credibility hasn’t been established yet. Before teaching others how to do something, you’ll first want to show that you’re a leader in your field and an authoritative source.

For instance, if you‘re a plumber writing your first post, you won’t yet write a post titled “How to Replace the Piping System in your Bathroom.” First, you’d write about modern faucet setups, or tell a particular success story you had rescuing a faucet before it flooded a customer's house.

Here are four other types of blog posts you could start with:

• List (“Listicle”) : 5 ways to fix a leaky faucet
• Curated Collection : 10 faucet and sink brands to consider today
• SlideShare Presentation : 5 types of faucets to replace your old one (with pictures)
• News Piece : New study shows X% of people don't replace their faucet frequently enough

If you're having trouble coming up with topic ideas, a good topic brainstorming session should help. In the post I’ve linked, my colleague walks you through a helpful process for turning one idea into many. Similar to the “leaky faucet” examples above, you would “iterate off old topics to come up with unique and compelling new topics.”

This can be done by:

• Changing the topic scope
• Adjusting your time frame
• Choosing a new audience
• Taking a positive/negative approach
• Introducing a new format

And if you’re still stuck, let’s take a look at some first blog post idea examples.

First Blog Post Ideas

The difference between [niche topic] and [niche topic], explained by a [niche expert].

• The Difference Between SEM and SEO, Explained by a Marketing Expert
• The Difference Between Sedans and Coupes, Explained by a Car Mechanic
• The Difference Between Baking and Broiling, Explained by a Professional Baker

The 10 Best and Worst [Niche Tools] for [Niche Activity]

• The 10 Best and Worst Writing Software for Fiction Writing
• The 10 Best and Worst CRMs for Nurturing Prospects
• The 10 Best and Worst Family Cars for Cross-Country Roadtrips

8 [Niche Activity] Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)

• 8 Non-Fiction Writing Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)
• 8 Salmon Broiling Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)
• 8 Car Maintenance Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)

9 Proven Tips for [Niche Activity]

• 9 Proven Tips for Checking Plumbing Problems under Your Kitchen Sink
• 9 Proven Tips for Writing a Non-Fiction Bestseller
• 9 Proven Tips for Doing DIY Car Maintenance

Why We/I Switched from [Niche Tool] to [Niche Tool] (Comparison)

• Why We Switched from Pipedrive to HubSpot (Comparison)
• Why I Switched from Microsoft Word to Scrivener (Comparison)
• Why We Switched from iMacs to Surface Studio (Comparison)

[Niche Tool] vs [Niche Tool]: Which [Tool] is Best for You?

• Zendesk vs Freshcaller: Which Call Software is Best for You?
• Air Fryer vs Convection Oven: Which One is Best for You?
• Mazda Miata vs Toyota Supra: Which Sports Car is Best for You?

The Ultimate Roundup of [Niche Activity] Tips and Tricks

• The Ultimate Roundup of Novel Writing Tips and Tricks
• The Ultimate Roundup of Macaroon Baking Tips and Tricks
• The Ultimate Roundup of Solo Traveling Tips and Tricks

Want some real examples of blog posts? See what your first blog post can look like based on the topic you choose and the audience you're targeting.

2. Target a low-volume keyword to optimize around.

Finding a keyword with low searches in Google (I recommend sticking to about 10 to 150 monthly searches). These topics offer less competition and should therefore allow your new blog post to rank more easily.

To choose a topic, you can either do a traditional brainstorming session or carry out keyword research. I suggest the latter because you can actually see how many people are looking for that topic.

Now, don’t be intimidated by the term “ keyword research .” It’s not just for marketers, but for new bloggers, too. And it’s really easy to do.

To jumpstart your keyword research, first begin by identifying the general topic of your blog.

Say you’re a plumber. Your general, high-level topic might be “plumbing” (67K monthly searches).

Next, put this term into a keyword research tool such as:

• Ubersuggest
• Wordtracker

When you run this term through the tool, a list of related keywords will appear. Scan the list and choose one with a lower search volume. For this example, we’ll use “under sink plumbing” (1.4K monthly searches).

Run that keyword in the keyword research tool again. Look at the related keywords. Find one with a lower search volume. Do that again.

For this example, we’ll settle on “plumbing problems under kitchen sink” (10 monthly searches). That’s the topic for our first post.

TLDR ; Choose a low-volume, low-competition keyword that will ensure your first post ranks.

For more help on keyword research, here are more resources you can use:

• How to Do Keyword Research for SEO: A Beginner's Guide
• How to Perform Keyword Research and Rank
• Top Tools For Finding Long-Tail Keywords

3. Google the term to understand your audience’s search intent.

You’ve got your topic — now, you need to check that the user’s search intent would be fulfilled by a blog post.

What does that mean?

If someone is looking for “plumbing problems under a kitchen sink,” they might be looking for a tutorial, a diagram, an article, or a product that can fix the issue. If they’re looking for the first three, you’re good — that can be covered in a blog post. A product, however, is different, and your blog post won’t rank.

How do you double-check search intent?

Google the term and look at the results. If other articles and blog posts rank for that term, you’re good to go. If you only find product pages or listicles from major publications, then find a new topic to cover in your first post.

Consider the term “under sink plumbing bathroom” (30 monthly searches). It seemed like a perfect fit because it had low monthly searches.

Upon Googling the term, I found product carousels, product pages from Home Depot and Lowes, and guides written by major publications. (You’ll also want to avoid topics that have been covered by major publications, at least for now.)

TLDR ; Before writing your first blog post about a low-volume topic, double-check the user intent by Googling the keyword. Also, don’t forget to take a look at who’s written about that topic so far. If you see a major brand, consider writing about another topic.

4. Find questions and terms related to that topic.

You’ve got a highly unique topic that’s been covered by just a few people so far. It’s time to flesh it out by covering related or adjacent topics.

Use the following tools:

• Answer the Public : When you place your keyword into this tool, it will give you a list of questions related to that term.
• Google : Google is your best friend. Search for the term and look under “People also ask” and “People also search for.” Be sure to touch upon those topics in the post.

You can also use these keyword research tools we mentioned above in step one.

5. Come up with a working title.

You might come up with a few different working titles — in other words, iterations of approaching that topic to help you focus your writing.

For example, you may decide to narrow your topic to “Tools for Fixing Leaky Faucets” or “Common Causes of Leaky Faucets.” A working title is specific and will guide your post so you can start writing.

Let's take a real post as an example: " How to Choose a Solid Topic for Your Next Blog Post ."

Appropriate, right? The topic, in this case, was probably “blogging.” Then the working title may have been something like, “The Process for Selecting a Blog Post Topic.” And the final title ended up being “How to Choose a Solid Topic for Your Next Blog Post.”

See that evolution from topic, to working title, to final title? Even though the working title may not end up being the final title (more on that in a moment), it still provides enough information so you can focus your blog post on something more specific than a generic, overwhelming topic.

6. Create an outline.

Sometimes, blog posts can have an overwhelming amount of information — for the reader and the writer. The trick is to organize the info in a way so readers aren‘t intimidated by length or amount of content. This organization can take multiple forms — sections, lists, tips — whatever’s most appropriate. But it must be organized!

Featured Resource: 6 Free Blog Post Templates

Download These Templates for Free

Let's take a look at the post, " How to Use Snapchat: A Detailed Look Into HubSpot’s Snapchat Strategy. " There‘s a lot of content in the piece, so it’s broken up into a few sections using descriptive headers. The major sections are separated into subsections that go into more detail, making the content easier to read.

To complete this step, all you really need to do is outline your post. This way, before you start writing, you'll know which points you want to cover and the best order to do so. And to make things even easier, you can download and use our free blog post templates , which are pre-organized for six of the most common blogs. Just fill in the blanks!

7. Write an intro (and make it captivating).

We've written more specifically about writing captivating introductions in the post " How to Write an Introduction ," but let's review, shall we?

First, grab the reader‘s attention. If you lose the reader in the first few paragraphs — or even sentences — of the introduction, they’ll stop reading (even before they've given your post a fair shake). You can do this in a number of ways: tell a story or a joke, be empathetic, or grip the reader with an interesting fact or statistic.

Then, describe the purpose of your post and explain how it will address a problem the reader may be experiencing. This will give the reader a reason to continue reading and show them how the post will help them improve their work or lives.

Here‘s an example of an intro I think does a good job of attracting a reader’s attention right away:

“Blink. Blink. Blink. It's the dreaded cursor-on-a-blank-screen experience that all writers — amateur or professional, aspiring or experienced — know and dread. And of all times for it to occur, it seems to plague us the most when trying to write an introduction.”

8. Build out each section of your outline.

The next step — but not the last — is actually writing the content. We can't forget about that, of course.

Now that you have your outline or template, you're ready to fill in the blanks. Use your outline as a guide and expand on all points as needed. Write about what you already know, and if necessary, conduct additional research to gather more information, examples, and data to back up your points, while providing proper attribution when incorporating external sources. When you do, always try to find accurate and compelling data to use in your post.

If you‘re having trouble stringing sentences together, you’re not alone. Finding your “flow” can be challenging for a lot of folks. Luckily, there are a ton of tools you can lean on to help you improve your writing. Here are a few to get you started:

• HubSpot's AI Blog Writer : Tools like HubSpot's AI Blog Writer can be a valuable asset for beginners and seasoned bloggers alike. It simplifies the process of creating SEO-friendly and engaging blog content, which is crucial for connecting with your audience and enjoying the benefits of blogging.
• Power Thesaurus : Stuck on a word? Power Thesaurus is a crowdsourced tool that provides users with a number of alternative word choices from a community of writers.
• ZenPen : If you're having trouble staying focused, check out this distraction-free writing tool. ZenPen creates a minimalist “writing zone” designed to help you get words down without having to fuss with formatting right away.
• Cliché Finder : Feeling like your writing might be coming off a little cheesy? Identify instances where you can be more specific using this handy cliché tool.

You can also refer to our complete list of tools for improving your writing skills . And if you're looking for more direction, the following resources are chock-full of valuable writing advice:

• Copywriting 101: 6 Traits of Excellent Copy Readers Will Remember
• How to Write Compelling Copy: 7 Tips for Writing Content That Converts
• How to Write With Clarity: 9 Tips for Simplifying Your Message
• The Kurt Vonnegut Guide to Great Copywriting: 8 Rules That Apply to Anyone
• Your Blog Posts Are Boring: 9 Tips for Making Your Writing More Interesting

9. Publish and promote your first post any way you can.

As a new blogger, you likely don’t have a social media following yet. Thankfully, you don’t need a huge following before you can create a promotion strategy.

A promotion strategy is your master plan for how you create, post, and engage with your social media content. It helps you take advantage of social and digital technologies to share your business, or in this case, your content. Having a solid promotional strategy offers your audience from different marketing channels more ways to find your blog posts.

Here are more blog post promotion resources:

• 12 Tried-and-True Ways to Promote Your Blog Posts
• 10 Sites You Can Use for Free Blog Promotion
• 9 Link Building Email Outreach Templates That Actually Work
• Inbound Link Building 101: 34 Ways to Build Backlinks for SEO
• 11 Creative (But 100% White Hat!) Ways to Earn Backlinks

Before you write a blog, make sure you know the answers to questions like, “Why would someone keep reading this entire blog post?” and “What makes our audience come back for more?”

To start, a good blog post is interesting and educational. Blogs should answer questions and help readers resolve a challenge they're experiencing — and you have to do so in an interesting way.

It‘s not enough just to answer someone’s questions — you also have to provide actionable steps while being engaging. For instance, your introduction should hook the reader and make them want to continue reading your post. Then, use examples to keep your readers interested in what you have to say.

Remember, a good blog post is interesting to read and provides educational content to audience members.

Want to learn how to apply blogging and other forms of content marketing to your business?

Check out HubSpot Academy's free content marketing course .

Now, let's dive into some formatting guidelines to use before you publish your blog posts.

Blog Format Guidelines

• Include H2s to arrange ideas.
• Center your Images.
• Add alt text.
• Keep your sentences clear and concise.
• Use media with purpose.

1. Include H2s to arrange ideas.

When you begin typing your blog content, it’s important that you divide paragraphs into sections that make it easier for the reader to find what they need.

If you’re just starting out, then focus on the overarching H2s you want to talk about, and you’ll be able to branch off into subheaders and more naturally as you continue.

2. Center your images.

This is a simple practice that can help your content look more professional with little effort. Centering your images keeps the reader’s attention drawn to the subject — not searching for elsewhere.

Centering also looks better when translating from PC to mobile devices. As formatting transitions to small screens or windows, a centered image will remain the focal point.

3. Add alt text.

So those images you centered earlier, make sure you have descriptive alt text for them, too.

Image alt text allows search engines, like Google, to crawl and rank your blog post better than pages lacking the element. It also leads readers to your blog post if the keywords included are what they searched for in the first place.

Besides SERP features, image alt text is beneficial to readers by providing more accessibility. Image alt text allows people to better visualize images when they can’t see them, and with assistive technology, can be auditorily read aloud for people to enjoy.

4. Keep your sentences short and concise.

When you begin working on the body of your blog post, make sure readers can clearly understand what you’re trying to accomplish.

You shouldn’t feel pressure to elongate your post with unnecessary details, and chances are that if you keep it concise, readers will derive more value from your work.

5. Use media with a purpose.

Break up the monotony of your blog post with some multimedia content where seen fit.

Your reader will enjoy visiting a blog page with images, videos, polls, audio or slideshows as opposed to a page of black and white text.

It also makes it more interactive and improves your on-page search engine optimization (SEO).

Now, do you want some real examples of blog posts? See what your first blog post can look like based on the topic you choose and the audience you're targeting.

• List-Based Post
• Thought Leadership Post
• Curated Collection Post
• SlideShare Presentation
• Newsjacking Post
• Infographic Post
• How-to Post

1. List-Based Blog Post

List-based post example: 17 blogging mistakes to avoid in 2021, according to hubspot bloggers.

List-based posts are sometimes called “listicles,” a mix of the words “list” and “article.” These are articles that deliver information in the form of a list. A listicle uses sub-headers to break down the blog post into individual pieces, helping readers skim and digest your content more easily.

As you can see in the example from our blog, listicles can offer various tips and methods for solving a problem.

2. Thought Leadership Post

Example: how hubspot's customers are shaping the next normal.

Thought leadership posts allow you to share your expertise on a particular subject matter and share firsthand knowledge with your readers.

These pieces — which can be written in the first person, like the post shown above — help you build trust with your audience so people take your blog seriously as you continue to write for it.

3. Curated Collection Post

Example: 8 examples of evolution in action.

Curated collections are a special type of listicle blog post. Rather than sharing tips or methods for doing something, this type of blog post shares a list of real examples that all have something in common in order to prove a larger point.

In the example post above, Listverse shares eight real examples of evolution in action among eight different animals — starting with the peppered moth.

4. Slide Presentation

Example: the hubspot culture code.

HubSpot Slides is a presentation tool that helps publishers package a lot of information into easily shareable slides. Think of it like a PowerPoint, but for the web. With this in mind, SlideShare blog posts help you promote your SlideShare so that it can generate a steady stream of visitors.

Unlike blogs, slide decks don't often rank well on search engines, so they need a platform for getting their message out there to the people who are looking for it. By embedding and summarizing your SlideShare on a blog post, you can share a great deal of information and give it a chance to rank on Google at the same time.

Need some slideshow ideas? In the example above, we turned our company's “Culture Code” into a slides presentation that anyone can look through and take lessons from, and then promoted it in a blog post.

5. Newsjacking Post

Example: ivy goes mobile with new app for designers.

“Newsjacking” is a nickname for “hijacking” your blog to break important news related to your industry. Therefore, the newsjack post is a type of article whose sole purpose is to garner consumers' attention and, while offering them timeless professional advice, prove your blog is a trusted resource for learning about the big things that happen in your industry.

The newsjack example above was published by Houzz, a home decor merchant and interior design resource, about a new mobile app that was launched just for interior designers. Houzz didn‘t launch the app, but the news of its launching is no less important to Houzz’s audience.

6. Infographic Post

Example: the key benefits of studying online [infographic].

For example, when you're looking to share a lot of statistical information (without boring or confusing your readers), building this data into a well-designed, even engaging infographic can keep your readers engaged with your content. It also helps readers remember the information long after they leave your website.

7. How-to Post

Example: how to write a blog post: a step-by-step guide.

For this example, you need not look any further than the blog post you‘re reading right now! How-to guides like this one help solve a problem for your readers. They’re like a cookbook for your industry, walking your audience through a project step by step to improve their literacy on the subject.

The more posts like this you create, the more equipped your readers will be to work with you and invest in the services you offer.

8. Guest Post

Example: your bookmarkable guide to social media image sizes in 2021 [infographic].

Additionally, these posts give your blog variety in topic and viewpoint. If your customer has a problem you can't solve, a guest post is a great solution.

If you begin accepting guest posts, set up editorial guidelines to ensure they're up to the same standards as your posts.

So we’ve gone through the different types of blog posts you can make, but how do you consistently make quality blog posts that your viewers will enjoy?

• Draw from your buyer personas and what you know about your audience.
• Pull from your content strategy and/or brainstormed topics.
• Identify what's missing from the existing discourse.
• Choose what type of blog post you're writing.
• Generate a few different titles and choose the best one.
• Create your outline and designate keyword-rich H2s and H3s.
• Write your blog post!
• Proofread your post.
• Add images and other media elements to support your ideas.
• Upload your post into your CMS.
• Determine a conversion path (what you want your audience to do next).
• Add calls to action to guide your audience to take action.
• Link to other relevant blog posts within your content.
• Optimize for on-page SEO.
• Publish and promote the blog post.
• Track the performance of the blog post over time.

1. Draw from your buyer personas and what you know about your audience.

Before you start writing your blog post, make sure you have a clear understanding of your target audience.

Ask questions like: What do they want to know about? What will resonate with them?

This is where the process of creating buyer personas comes in handy. Consider what you know about your buyer personas and their interests while you're coming up with a topic for your blog post.

For instance, if your readers are millennials looking to start a business, you probably don't need to provide them with information about getting started in social media — most of them already have that down.

If you haven’t developed buyer personas yet, I’ve found that it’s easiest to get started by gathering the information you already have about your audience and looking for trends. Sending out feedback surveys and interviewing followers can also be helpful.

Does your blog attract a specific age group? Does your audience live in a certain region? How do readers typically discover your content? Finding answers to these questions can help you get a better idea of who your buyer persona is.

2. Pull from your content strategy and/or brainstormed topics.

If you already have a pre-existing portfolio to look back on, it would benefit you to pull from those brainstormed post ideas or previous content strategy.

One thing that’s been helpful for me is specifically looking at content performance data when brainstorming ideas. In doing this, I’ve discovered which topics tend to resonate with my audience (and which ones don’t) and created content around them.

By focusing on your core blog topics, or clusters , you can establish yourself as a thought leader, gain the trust of your audience, rank better on search engines, and attract new readers.

3. Identify what’s missing from the existing discourse.

Fill in the gaps of the existing discourse in the topic of your choosing.

You want to meet a need that hasn’t already been met in your topic cluster. Otherwise, you run the risk of writing content for topics that are already over-saturated.

It’s hard to beat saturated search queries when you’re trying to rank against high authority publications — but not impossible if your content is answering the queries the competition hasn’t.

To discover what’s missing within a topic, I conduct a competitive analysis to see what my competitors offer in their content and how I can make my blog post better. Here are some things to look out for:

• Unanswered user queries
• Content depth
• Content freshness
• Media richness
• User experience

If your competitors are lacking in any of these areas, you can use that to your advantage and focus on them when writing your blog post.

Another way to differentiate your blog is by offering original data, quotes, or perspectives. Some of my best performing posts have come from getting a unique quote from an industry expert.

4. Choose what type of blog post you’re writing.

There are several types of blog posts you can create, and they each have different formats to follow.

Six of the most common formats include:

• The List-Based Post
• The “What Is” Post
• The Pillar Page Post (“Ultimate Guide”)
• The Newsjacking Post
• The Infographic Post
• The “How-To” Post

Save time and download six blog post templates for free.

5. Generate a few different titles and choose the best one.

Your blog title should tell readers what to expect, yet it should leave them wanting to know more — confusing, right?

This is why when you’re coming up with a blog post title that you should brainstorm multiple ones instead of just one. I find it helpful to share these titles with a couple coworkers to get their feedback and see which one is most engaging to them.

I’ve also enlisted the help of ChatGPT to generate sample blog post titles by inputting a prompt like, “Write a list of blog titles about [topic].” Even if it doesn’t give you exactly what you want, it can still get ideas flowing.

6. Create your outline and designate keyword-rich H2s and H3s.

When outlining, you need to center your main ideas with keyword-rich H2s and H3s. These are going to be your headers and subheaders that readers typically search for, and the information that Google crawls when indexing and ranking content.

I use keyword research tools, like Ahrefs and Semrush , to find the best words for my blog post. To find the right keywords, I focus on the following elements:

• Relevance to topic and search intent
• How authoritative my blog is on the topic
• The amount of search traffic my blog could gain

Remember, your outline should serve as a guide to make writing your blog post easier, so make sure you include all the important points you want to discuss and organize them in a logical flow.

7. Write your blog post!

I already told you how to build out your outline earlier in the post, so we'll quickly go over the main points once more.

You‘ve already outlined your main headings and subheadings, so now’s the time to add the body.

Write about what you already know, and if necessary, conduct additional research to gather more information, examples, and data to back up your points, while providing proper attribution when incorporating external sources. When you do, always try to find accurate and compelling data to use in your post.

This is also your opportunity to show personality in your writing. Blog posts don‘t have to be strictly informational, they can be filled with interesting anecdotes and even humor if it serves a purpose in expressing your ideas. It also factors into creating and maintaining your blog’s brand voice .

Don‘t be discouraged if you’re having trouble stringing sentences together, you're not alone. Finding your “flow” can be challenging, but there are many tools to ease the process. Software such as HubSpot's Free AI Blog Writer can help you generate copy for your blog post. You can even use it to outline and generate title ideas.

8. Proofread your post.

The editing process is an important part of blogging — don't overlook it. I tend to self-edit while I write, but it’s essential to get a second pair of eyes on your post before publishing.

Consider enlisting the help of The Ultimate Editing Checklist and ask a grammar-conscious co-worker to copy edit and proofread your post. I also really enjoy free grammar checkers, like Grammarly , to help proofread while I’m writing.

If you're looking to brush up on your self-editing skills, turn to these helpful posts for some tips and tricks to get you started:

• How to Become a (Better) Editor: 13 Editorial Tips
• How to Become a More Efficient Editor: 12 Ways to Speed Up the Editorial Process
• 10 Simple Edits That'll Instantly Improve Any Piece of Writing

9. Add images and other media elements to support your ideas.

When you're finished checking for grammar, shift your focus to adding other elements to the blog post than text. There’s much more to making a good blog post than copy, here’s some following elements to add in support of your ideas:

Featured Image

Choose a visually appealing and relevant image for your post. As social networks treat content with images more prominently, visuals are more responsible than ever for the success of your blog content.

For help selecting an image for your post, read " How to Select the Perfect Image for Your Next Blog Post " and pay close attention to the section about copyright law.

Visual Appearance

No one likes an unattractive blog post. And it‘s not just pictures that make a post visually appealing — it’s the formatting and organization of the post, too.

In a well-formatted and visually-appealing blog post, you'll notice that header and sub-headers are used to break up large blocks of text — and those headers are styled consistently.

Here's an example of what that looks like:

Screenshots should always have a similar, defined border so they don‘t appear as if they’re floating in space — that style should stay consistent from post to post.

Maintaining this consistency makes your content look more professional and easier on the eyes.

Topics and Tags

Tags are specific, public-facing keywords that describe a post. They also allow readers to browse for more content in the same category on your blog. Refrain from adding a laundry list of tags to each post. Instead, put some thought into a blog tagging strategy.

Think of tags as “topics” or “categories,” and choose 10-20 tags that represent all the main topics you want to cover on your blog. Then stick to those.

10. Upload your post into your CMS.

You filled out your blog post with all the optimized content you can, now is the time to publish it in your content management system.

I also use this step as an opportunity to double check my post for any errors that were potentially missed during the proofreading process. It’s especially important to preview your post before publishing to make sure there aren’t any formatting issues.

You can opt to post your content immediately, save it as a draft, or schedule when you want it to be posted live in case you adhere to a posting schedule.

11. Determine a conversion path (what you want your audience to do next).

A conversion path is a process by which an anonymous website visitor becomes a known lead. It sounds simple enough, but creating an effective conversion path requires a clear understanding of your target audience and their needs.

Having a conversion path is important because when you share your content on the web, you should have an idea of what your audience should do next, or in other words, provide them with a path forward.

The HubSpot Flywheel model is a great example of this as it shows how our organization gains and maintains leads.

12. Add calls to action to guide your audience to take action.

Call to action (CTA) are a part of a webpage, advertisement, or piece of content that encourages the audience to do something. You can add them to your blog post to guide your reader with “next steps” or a conversion path.

Different types of call to actions include asking readers to:

• Subscribe to your newsletter to see when you publish more content.
• Join an online community in your blog domain.
• Learn more about a topic with downloadable content.
• Try something for free or discount to convert readers to customers.

To get a better idea of how to make a CTA that readers want to click, we have a whole list of effective call to action examples for you to check out.

13. Link to other relevant blog posts within your content.

When you’re completing your blog post, you should link relevant content throughout it. An effective way to do this is to link within the same content cluster.

One thing I do to make finding relevant links easier is going to my search browser and typing “site:website.com: keyword.” By doing this, you can find all the posts you have published on that topic.

Keeping relevant content throughout your post can provide your readers with more helpful information, and potentially boost search engine rankings with corresponding longtail keywords .

But we’ll talk more about how to improve your ranking in the next step.

14. Optimize for on-page SEO.

After you finish writing, go back and optimize the on-page elements of your post.

Don‘t obsess over how many keywords to include. If there are opportunities to incorporate keywords you’re targeting, and it won‘t impact reader experience, do it. If you can make your URL shorter and more keyword-friendly, go for it. But don’t cram keywords or shoot for some arbitrary keyword density — Google's smarter than that!

Here's a little blog SEO reminder about what you should review and optimize:

Write your meta description.

Meta descriptions are the descriptions below the post‘s page title on Google’s search results pages. They provide searchers with a short summary of the post before clicking into it. They are ideally between 150-160 characters and start with a verb, such as “Learn,” “Read,” or “Discover.”

While meta descriptions no longer factor into Google‘s keyword ranking algorithm, they give searchers a snapshot of what they’ll get from reading the post and help improve your clickthrough rate from search.

Optimize your page title and headers.

Most blogging software uses your post title as your page title, which is the most important on-page SEO element at your disposal. But if you've followed our formula so far, you should already have a working title that will naturally include keywords or phrases your target audience is interested in.

Don‘t over-complicate your title by trying to fit in keywords where they don’t naturally belong. With that said, if there are clear opportunities to add keywords you‘re targeting to your post title and headers, feel free to take them. Also, try to keep your headlines short — ideally, under 65 characters — so they don’t get truncated in the search engine results.

"The first component of a good title is that it needs to be scannable. People aren’t reading every word of your thoughtfully crafted headline. If you’re following a search-focused strategy, make sure to include the keyword at the beginning," Del Principe says.

Consider anchor text best practices as you interlink to other pages.

Anchor text is the word or words that link to another page — either on your website or on another website. Carefully select which keywords you want to link to other pages on your site because search engines take that into consideration when ranking your page for certain keywords.

It‘s also important to consider which pages you link to. Consider linking pages that you want to rank for a specific keyword. You could end up getting it to rank on Google’s first page of results instead of its second page — and that isn’t small potatoes!

Write alt text for all of your images.

Alt text conveys the “why” of an image as it relates to the content of your blog post to Google. By adding alt text correlating to the topic clusters and keywords of the post, Google can better direct users’ searches to you.

Check that all images are compressed for page speed.

When Google crawls different websites, a page’s load speed holds weight in page ranking. Make sure the images you include throughout the page aren’t unnecessarily large to shorten the duration it takes to load.

Use apps like Squoosh to minimize the size of your images without losing the quality.

Ensure that your blog post is mobile friendly.

More than 60% of organic visits are carried out on a mobile device. As such, having a website with a responsive design is critical. In addition to making sure your website‘s visitors (including your blog’s visitors) have the best experience possible, optimizing for mobile will score your website some SEO points.

15. Publish and promote the blog post.

Share your post across all the marketing channels in your repertoire. The further the reach, the more of a possibility that readers will find it.

Channels to expand your blog post promotion strategy include:

• Social Media Marketing : Sharing your content on the most popular social media networks like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc.
• Email Marketing : Sharing the newest post with your email subscribers to find.
• Boosted Posts or Paid Ads : Allocating budget toward advertisement on search engines inorganically.
• Word of Mouth Marketing : Actively influencing people to read your content organically.

16. Track the performance of the blog post over time.

Your post is published for the world to see, make sure you’re keeping an eye on its performance over time so you can see if your blog post strategy is working well enough for your goals.

Here are some blog KPIs I like to keep track of:

• Total traffic per post
• Average CTR
• Average SERP position
• Traffic source breakdown
• Number of search queries per post
• Average comments per post
• Social shares per post
• New blog leads
• Conversion rate

There’s a plethora of website traffic analysis tools that you can take advantage of to better understand your audience’s behavior on your blog posts.

Quick Blog Writing Tips

If you’re feeling stuck as a new writer, don’t give up. It gets easier with practice. Whether you’re struggling with writer's block or wanting some ways to add depth to your content, here are some quick tips I compiled to help take your blog writing to the next level:

If you don’t know where to start, start by telling a story.

When you’re facing writer’s block, start with what you know. Not only will sharing personal anecdotes help you get ideas flowing, but it can also keep your readers engaged with what you’re saying.

Stories can simplify complex concepts and make your content more relatable. Plus, they add a human touch and help set the tone for the rest of your blog post.

Include interesting quotes or facts for emphasis on the subject.

When you back up your ideas with unique, expert quotes or share facts from reliable sources, it shows that your blog post is well-researched and trustworthy.

If you don’t know where to start with finding quotes, think about the people you know and their expertise. For example, I’m lucky enough to have incredibly knowledgeable coworkers here at HubSpot that I can reach out to if I need a quote.

I’ve also reached out to connections on LinkedIn to see if they can provide a quote or know someone who can. HARO can also be a great resource if you need a quote in a pinch.

Make your content skimmable; break it into digestible chunks.

There’s nothing that turns readers off more than opening an article and seeing a large wall of text. Think about it: most internet users have a short attention span and tend to skim through content rather than reading every word.

That’s why I recommend breaking up your blog post into smaller chunks to make it more digestible. You can do this by utilizing subheadings (H2s, H3s, H4s, etc.), bullet points, and short paragraphs.

Not only does breaking up your content make your blog post more visually appealing, it also helps readers quickly find the information they’re looking for without getting lost in a sea of text.

Paint a full picture with images, graphics or video.

Aside from aesthetic appeal, visuals can help convey complex ideas in an easier way and help readers remember the information you share.

I recommend reading through your blog post and putting yourself in your reader’s shoes. Is there anything you wrote about that would be better explained with the support of an image or graphic?

For instance, whenever I write about the pros and cons of something, I like to create a graphic that shows those pros and cons in a side-by-side comparison.

I also look at search engines results when determining what images to add to my post. Does the SERP for the keyword you’re targeting have an image pack? See if you can add in images and optimize them with alt text to increase the chances of appearing in those results.

Each sentence should convey a single idea.

Keep it simple, stupid. There’s no reason to write overly complex sentences that confuse your readers. Instead, opt to convey your message in a simple and accessible manner. At the end of the day, readers just want to find the answers they’re looking for, and writing in a straightforward manner can effectively meet this need.

I like to use the Hemingway App to make sure that my writing doesn’t get too dense.

Use active voice.

Although your writing should captivate the reader, you should avoid overwhelming them with fluff. Using active voice can help keep your writing clear, concise, and energetic while still getting your point across.

For example, instead of saying something like “the product was loved by customers,” write “customers loved the product.”

Ready to blog?

Blogging can help you build brand awareness, become a thought-leader and expert in your industry, attract qualified leads, and boost conversions. Follow the steps and tips we covered above to begin publishing and enhancing your blog today.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Blog Intros: Examples and Tips to Hook Readers Instantly

Gather around the hearth, kids! We will have a great time together today, playing around with ideas and understanding the difference between “meh” and “great” when it comes to blog articles. After all, we all want more traffic and engagement, and it seems the elusive blog post intro plays a massive part in the alchemy of content writing. At the end of this session, you will emerge with your backpacks full of fun blog introduction examples and tips, ready to adapt them to your awesome blogs and maybe conquer a slice of the Internet. So let’s start with an easy game: twenty questions! We’re joking; there are only two.  

What is a Blog Introduction?

Before going into the details of blog post introductions, we have to remind everyone that you need to pay attention to the blog post’s title and meta description above all else, especially when you are a beginner blogger thirsty for organic traffic. As you probably know by now, it is not enough to create a blog and populate it with hot, intriguing, fun, or controversial topics; what you write about matters as much as how you write your articles.

So, going back to your blog post introduction, it is your elevator pitch. It is the selling strategy for the rest of your article. In the lack of a great introduction to hook readers, the engagement rates might not rise to your expectations, even if the information is excellent.

That’s it. As professional content writers know, those first one hundred (or less) words you write in the beginning can make it or break it for you. But here’s a kicker: some people blog about their lives, while others about technology or business. So the question becomes…

Do All Blogs Need an Introduction?

Yes! We don’t want to thicken the plot anymore at this point, so we will say it like it is. You need to adapt your blog post introduction to the type of blog you write and the audience you have. Sometimes, a blog introduction can take the shape of only one phrase. Other times, you need to write an entire paragraph, as we usually do. The other thing about death and taxes is that all blog posts need a catchy introduction to determine people to make that journey with you until the end.

How to Write a Blog Intro: Examples and Tips

Now, this is a suspenseful twist, isn’t it? Luckily, we have a few blog introduction examples, tips, and best practices for you to consider!

1. Tease the topic of your article but don’t give it all away

Would you read a book spoiling the end on the first page? Sometimes, it is less about the destination than the journey, but the stakes should be high. First, you should create a little mystery for your readers, engage them in a story, and invite them to accompany you on this journey. Then, they might learn something new at its end, bask in a positive feeling, be curious about a specific topic, etc.

Suppose you built a business website ; in this case, your articles address young entrepreneurs, freelancers, professionals, other businesses like yours, etc. How do you tease a topic without giving it all away?

EXAMPLE: Do you watch other companies nailing it at social media advertising while your campaigns look like a hamster on a wheel, going fast but nowhere?

The article coming next after this introduction will probably talk about new trends in SM advertising, targeting strategies, campaigns that work, etc. The good thing about this blog post introduction is that it teases the subject while doing a few more other things:

It uses a metaphor, setting the tone and compelling the audience to go further to see how you continue;

It asks a question, which is great because now readers want the answer to it;

The introduction sets familiar places and issues for many solo entrepreneurs and startups: how does one succeed in social media advertising these days without burning budgets while going exactly nowhere?

2. Get personal, but not too salesy

If great blogs and bloggers have something in common, that something is that they treat audiences as close friends. And what do friends do when they meet? They talk about their problems, share their pain points, have fun, share ideas, and make plans. So, as we advance with our business blog introduction examples, let’s see how you can put your virtual friends on the same page to spark a conversation:

EXAMPLE: We need one breakthrough, just one small breakthrough, and we can boost our businesses like no other!  

Your blog post could get personal, sharing your story about the tributes and tribulations in building a successful business in the last years. It can also be a how-to guide on business development, a rehash of what marketing can do for a business or a serious case study about how a company achieved success against all odds. However, the introduction puts the readers in a familiar place: yes, at some point or another, we all thought that we only needed THAT BIG IDEA to make it.

3. Spark some controversy, but don’t overdo it

This world has enough controversy as it is, but it doesn’t mean you cannot treat controversial topics with respect, very well-done homework, and a significant dose of reason. You can be a bit dramatic in introducing your blog post, but make sure you deliver on the drama. At the end of your hot article, people should ask more questions, argue on the theme, and develop actionable solutions, not turn into the insult fest you usually witness on social media. Clickbait is a no-no.

EXAMPLE: The World Economic Forum lists “analytical thinking and innovation” as top hiring skills for 2025. So how hard is it for you to find the right people for the right jobs now?

Such an introduction does spark debate among CEOs, entrepreneurs, and freelancers who have issues hiring talented people or finding the right jobs for their skills.

In the context of a global talent shortage – an actual statistical fact – matching employers with the right employees is more complicated than ever. Throw in some stats about the current educational system and how it prepares the young generation for the jobs of tomorrow, and you have a full-blown controversy on your blog.'

This introduction touches on other blog introduction tips and tricks:

Start with a well-known fact or a statistic and build around it;

Begin your blog post with a quote and engage people in a conversation;

Ask questions.

Sparking conflict, controversy, and debate is probably one of the best ways to achieve and maintain user engagement. Just don’t promise them you will reveal a super-secret that will change their lives only to write how you bought a losing lottery ticket. Take this advice to heart whether you create a business blog, write lifestyle articles , debate politics, economics, fashion, celebrities, etc.  

More Blog Introduction Examples and Tips to Consider

Whether you write about cooking, digital marketing, or makeup, the principles are the same. Once you have created a blog – as an independent online asset or part of a company’s website – you have to deliver on your promise of great content.

However, since you have to compete against bigger, more experienced, and more authoritative blogs out there, your title, introduction, body, and conclusion have to stand out from the crowd. Since today’s topic is about blog introduction examples and tips, let’s see some more:

If your article’s point goes against a commonly shared belief, practice, or opinion, make a stand, argue it, and let readers discover why you swim against the current.

EXAMPLE: Specialists agree that this marketing tool seems to be the knight in shining armor we were all waiting for to save us. But is it? Some numbers beg to differ, and I don’t believe we can ignore them.

Those who are good at storytelling prefer starting with a story, with some threads and loops they tie and close at the end.

EXAMPLE: A few years ago, some brave men and women set on a quest to unravel the mysteries of AI-based marketing. Now, they resurfaced, and their conclusions are something to reckon with. This is their story.  

Another excellent way to spark curiosity and controversy is to use the “What if” introduction, Steve Jobs-style.

EXAMPLE: What if you could use a household device to create food, resources, and even transplant organs? The 3D printer might be our answer to life, the universe, and everything.

The idea is to offer your users a clear “why” for them to keep reading your article. Be friendly, keep them close, make them scratch their heads in wonder, ruffle some feathers if you have to, and always be genuine.

You can get your inspiration from many blog introduction examples you read every day. However, if you have a couple of bloggers you love, read their articles with a more critical eye: how do they write their introductions? How do they hook you to stay till the end? Can you top them and write even more engaging introductions?

Blog Introduction Examples to Avoid

Now that we saw a couple of do’s when it comes to blog post introductions, let’s see some don’ts! First, here are some ideas that make blog introductions “meh.”

You are tooting your own horn. “We are great. We are the only ones who can deliver X to you. You want this product now” type of introduction. Nobody likes when others brag, especially if the bragging object is mundane.  

The intro is all about clickbait and circus announcements. “Read this article to get rich or learn X secret. The content will shock you, amaze you, and change your life. You will not believe what you see. Nobody in the world, but you, will have this information.” Just don’t.

Your punchlines kill your jokes. If your opening is about two chatbots entering a bar, you’d better have a fantastic article, not a dry, nobody-cares-about guide on using some random app.

You promise things that you cannot deliver. If your introduction tells people, they will learn about some novel and straight-out-of-sci-fi-movies techniques to jump-start their career, don’t reheat the same soup other experts in the field have already cooked and sold.

The intro is an excuse for petty-pressuring the audience. “Our readers are smarter than their readers, and if you don’t do what we say you should do, it means you are not smart, and you will be a failure” – and what they have to do is set up a company email.  

Granted, these examples were extreme to some extent; still, you get our point: always deliver on your elevator pitch, don’t engage in topics you cannot handle at a stellar level, and disappoint people by creating false expectations.

We hope you enjoyed our blog introduction examples and tips. And we sure hope we rose to your expectations with this article. But we admit we’re not perfect, and everyone has infinite opportunities to learn and grow! So not, it is your time to shine! Set up your blog and deliver awesome, engaging content!

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How to Write Great Blog Introductions (And Why Most Are Bad)

Here is a blog introduction example from a post on finding a sales CRM (#1):

And then, here’s another introduction from a blog post on the same topic (#2):

I’m going to ask you which you prefer, but just hang on a second. Because I don’t really care which intro you  prefer, the two introductions above aren’t for you.

They’re for sales managers at B2B enterprise sales organizations.

So just put yourself in their shoes for a bit.

It’s a Wednesday evening, you’re browsing your emails and social feeds on the train ride home from work. Your team is doing okay, but they should be doing better. You’re stressed, but not any more so than any other day.

You want to exceed your targets this quarter. You just hit them last quarter which the bosses were cool with but not super thrilled like you want them to be. You want a raise, you want your bonus. But none of this is new.

You’re 41, you’ve been doing this for 20 years. You first got into sales when you were fresh out of college and love it, now you lead sales teams. You know a lot about sales. Like a hell of a lot. Like, two decades worth.

You also know stuff is changing all the time. 20 years ago when you started there weren’t 400 competitors to Salesforce, now there are, and you know choosing the right one, that your reps actually use, is important and could help your career.

Your challenge in sales at the moment is that your team’s reporting is completely messed up and you think adding a new CRM to the mix will help with this.

Now let’s revisit the situation.

You see an article about sales CRMs on your commute home from work. You don’t have much time, but the headline piques your interest because you’re tired of the CRM your team is using (they’re not using it enough, a common problem) and you’re thinking about switching.

It’s one of 400 other things you’re thinking of doing.

Which Blog Introduction is Better?

Now, read those intros again.

Which one makes you feel like the author gets you?

There’s a right answer and it’s #2.

The second blog introduction is better. I’m not going to mince words, it’s just better.

Here’s why.

The first gives this elaborate high school paper style intro that says the most obvious things that the intended reader already knows.

(Remember in high school when you had to write a paper on, say, dogs, and you’d start with a sentence like “For centuries, dogs have been a great companion animal to humans.” That’s what I’m talking about.)

If you’re a 41 year old sales manager that has been doing this for 20 years, you don’t need to be told things like:

“Most growing businesses will need a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system at some point in their lives.”

Taking care of your customers is one of the most important tasks for any business.

Saying that makes you (and your company) look stupid.

Imagine going up to Jony Ive and saying something like “Design is an important part of building products consumers love.”  You don’t need to tell him that!

But worse, it makes you look like a total fool . He designed the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. He knows design is important.

And your intended reader, the sales manager (the person who will make the purchase decision on a new CRM), knows that “Taking care of your customers is one of the most important tasks for any business.”

Blog posts that start off with high school paper intros immediately give away that the author doesn’t know you. That implies to some extent that they don’t really care  about you. They don’t get you.

So why should you trust them?

Why should you keep reading?

Why should you  opt in to their list or request a demo or contact sales?

Does this company really understand your needs?

If so, why did they have to tell you (a 20 year sales veteran) that most businesses will need a CRM at some point?

Better Blog Introductions Use the Specificity Strategy

The second blog introduction above doesn’t suffer from this high school intro syndrome.

Because it follows the strategy we use for writing blog posts in general: The Specificity Strategy .

It gets to the heart of a real, specific   problem  that real  sales managers face in real  life: their reps aren’t using their CRM. That’s an actual problem sales managers have. Specific blog content is good blog content.

(You can discover these problems with extensive user research .)

The introduction nails it, and as a result will immediately hook the target customer who is nodding along as they’re reading more.

Take a long hard look at your blog introductions and ask yourself if they are written for your target audience or written for a high school teacher reading a student’s paper on this topic.

If you’re trying to add high school students to your email list then so be it, but if you’re trying to sell a B2B product to industry veterans, then you might want to be more careful.

Blog Introduction Example: Bad

Let’s discuss a few examples so you can sense patterns of good versus bad blog post introductions. Let’s start with bad, so you know what to avoid.

Rhetorical questions that are too rhetorical:  Content marketers giving advice on writing blog introductions love to tell you to start post with a question. Our problem with this is that really good, in depth pieces rarely start like this. What starts with questions? Scammy, cliche late night TV ads. And bad blog posts. The vast majority of the time the question is so basic it’s not one the target customer or reader would actually ask.

Here’s a B2C example: a blog post titled “How to Lose Weight” that starts with a question: “Do you have trouble losing weight?” The answer is “Yes of course! That’s why I’m reading this article!”

The question is unnecessary filler. It’s the sign of more cliches to come. How should the author start the post instead? He actually has a great option at the end of his first paragraph:  Get ready for weight loss without hunger .

Now we’re talking!

It’s specific (as we mentioned above) and it’s unique. There are multiple options in his second and third paragraphs as well:

He could have started with a number of sentences in these and the post would immediately have sounded a lot more specific and original.

Blog Introduction Example: Good

In contrast, here’s an example of another article that ranks for “How to lose weight” that has a good introduction.

What’s nice about this opening is that immediately there is a contrarian view presented:  most lack any scientific evidence . The second sentence promises that this post will solve this problem. This combination shows that the author has some know how on this topic. It gives you a great first impression of what’s in store in this post. It’s not going to be the same old regurgitated nonsense.

So if someone is Googling this term (or comes across it on social media) and opens on this post (in addition to others) the first thing they get is a sense of originality to this post: “Ok this is the one with the strategies backed by science.” This is how you grab a reader’s attention and convince them there is a great article to follow.

Note: We do more extensive writing tear downs like the one above with video commentary in our content marketing course . Learn more about it here.

How to Write a Blog Introduction

Here is a formula you can use to write good blog introductions basically every time.

Step 1: Describe to yourself who the reader is. Create a simple persona like any marketing exercise. Scroll up to the sales veteran example at the beginning for an example.

Step 2: Think of how they are encountering your post. Did they get there via search engine or social media?

Step 3: Think of what makes your post specific or original . This is the hard part. It will force you to answer some tough questions. Namely: is there anything specific and original about your post or is it the same old content everyone else writes? If it’s the latter you’ll have trouble writing a good introduction.

Step 4: Pick a few angles of specificity or originality to start with and try them out. Get to the heart of the matter. Don’t waste your time with questions and other background filler. Write the most direct statements about why your post is good (specific or original). If you’re writing for your own blog, consider starting with a personal story (original). If you’re writing for another blog, state the exact specific angle this post is taking.

Struggling to produce great content?

• Our Agency – We have a fully done-for-you content marketing agency, where we identify what blog posts will drive conversions, produce your content and drive traffic to it. You can learn more about it here .
• Our Content Marketing Course  – Individuals looking to learn how to write better and come up with a cohesive content strategy that drives results can join our private course and community, taught via case studies, here  or see this video walkthrough:

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10 Brilliant Examples of How to Open Your Blog Post With a Bang

“The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead. And if the second sentence doesn’t induce him to continue to the third sentence, it’s equally dead. Of such a progression of sentences, each tugging the reader forward until … safely hooked, a writer constructs that fateful unit: the lead.” — William Zinsser, On Writing Well

With respect, I must disagree with Mr. Zinsser. We all know the most important part of any article is the title . Without a compelling title, your reader won’t even get to the first sentence. After the title, however, the first few sentences of your article are certainly the most important part.

Journalists call this critical, introductory section the “lede,” and when properly executed, it’s the bridge that carries your reader from an attention-grabbing headline to the body of your blog post. If you want to get it right, try one of these 10 clever ways to open your next blog post with a bang.

1. Be Short and Direct

Minimalists rejoice. Less is more in some cases. This method seems to be especially useful for list posts with a compelling and descriptive title.

Example From: 7 Ways to Get Your Blog Posts Shared On Facebook by Dan Zarella “Want to maximize sharing of your content on Facebook? Here are seven tips that are sure to help.”

2. The Quirky/Funny Opening Sentence or Paragraph

A little personality goes a long way, especially on a business blog. So don’t be afraid to let loose now and again. When done tastefully (and sometimes not so tastefully), it’s bound to make people take notice.

Example From: Who The Hell Are YOU? by Naomi Dunford “It will please some of you to know that I almost titled this article ‘What’s My Name, Bitch?’ it will please the rest of you to know that I realized not everyone spends as much time watching hardcore porn as I do and begrudgingly decided against it.”

3. Ask a Thought-Provoking Question

When someone asks you a question, you almost can’t help but think of an answer . Your reader will do the same thing, and you’ll immediately engage them in a conversation. Be careful though. Avoid any questions that can be answered with “no” or “who cares.” In other words, always make your question relevant to your reader’s needs.

Example From: How to Make People Love You When You’re Not Around – Be A VIP ! by David Wright “What do people say about you when you’re not around?”

4. Ask a Multiple Choice Question

A variation on the question technique above, the multiple-choice question is another great way to engage your reader. I don’t know about you, but I love multiple-choice questions. It’s like responding to a poll. As above, make your question relevant to your reader and the article itself.

Example From: How to Change Your Mindset for Growth by Ali Luke “Pop quiz. Which of these do you agree with? Intelligence is fixed at birth. Some people are creative, others aren’t. You can become a world-class expert through enough practice, whatever your starting point. You can change your personality. “If you agreed with the first two statements, you’re coming from a fixed mindset. If you agreed with the second two, you’ve got a growth mindset.”

5. Share a Shocking Fact or Statistic

If you’ve ever read the cover of a supermarket tabloid like the National Enquirer , or the New York Post , you know how powerful this approach can be. Sensationalism sells, especially when it’s true.

Example From: ‘ Infomania’ worse than mairjuana “Workers distracted by email and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers, new research has claimed.”

6. Share Something Personal

This is a great way to establish a deeper connection with your readers. Assuming that’s your thing. Use with caution, however. This is not something that should be used as a “tactic,” but rather as a true expression of your own personality and desire for transparency. Also, if you have a history of writing posts that are all business, you may want to ease into a post that delves into personal stuff.

Example From: How Cancer Changed My Blog by Karl Staib “I was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer. Yes, the dreaded c word. It’s probably not what you are thinking. I don’t look at this health issue as an anchor. I look at this as an opportunity for growth.”

7. Withhold a Compelling Piece of Information

Sometimes known as “the tease,” this approach is a little sneaky, but especially powerful. The trick is to withhold a key piece of information till later in the piece so the reader is compelled to keep reading.

Example From: How to Pull Readers Into Your Content Instantly by Derek Halpern “How’d you like to learn how to pull your audience into your content by taking advantage of an innate human behavior? “What if I said that every TV network, movie, blog, book, and other forms of media use this same tactic? “Better yet, what if I showed you how to leverage this tactic to attract more subscribers and earn more sales?”

8. Debunk Conventional Wisdom

This is one of my personal favorites. The blogosphere is often criticized as being one big “echo-chamber.” That may or may not be true, but the bottom line is, any time you write something that goes against the status quo, it’s bound to get some attention. Just be sure the rest of your article can back it up.

Example From: 11 Smart Tips for Brilliant Writing by Dean Rieck “Do you sound smarter when you use big words?” “According to a study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, the answer is no.”

9. Lead With a Success Story

What’s more compelling and inspiring than reading about someone else’s path to success? This is a tried and true approach to hooking your reader. It’s also great for linkbait (but that’s another article). The cool thing about this is the success story doesn’t even have to be your own.

Example From: 10 Simple Tips To Get 250,000 Page Views Per Month by Niall Harbison “When we started our business 16 months ago we decided to use a blog as the central marketing tool for our business. We did it because we didn’t really have any money for advertising and we never really believed that attending networking events would work for us. We placed the blog at the center of our website and only had one commodity on our hands to make it a success….time. “It’s been a long journey but 16 months later we now get 250,000 pageviews to our site per month, in the last year we have brought in over $500,000 in business as a direct result of the blog and the business operates in 2 countries and our content has been picked up all over the world.”

10. Start With a Reader’s Question

Reader questions are great. Mainly because you can usually be sure other people share the same question. Also, it’s so much easier to address a specific question rather than have to pull content out of your own head.

Example From: How to Create More Content for Your Blog and Kill 2 Birds With 1 Stone by Darren Rowse “Darren, do you have any tips for creating more content for my blog? I have grown my blog to become reasonably successful but as it grows find myself with more and more requests and questions from readers that take me away from writing content. What should I do?” —William “Hi William and thanks for the question. I do have one tip that comes to mind that I hope you find useful. It certainly helped me keep my inbox load light and create more content!”

11. Unadvertised Bonus Opening: Share a Quote

As a post opener, quotes are one of the best. When done well, they not only add credibility to your work, but they also form a solid foundation upon which you can build the rest of the article. For an example, just go back to the top of this post.

The next time you’re stuck on how to open a blog post, roll out one of these eleven beauties, and you’ll be well on your way to clicking the publish button.

There are 139 brilliant comments

Good points! Thank you for sharing it. 🙂

Was working on a new article and then got stuck crafting a hook

Guess what I found searching the web for help? This blogpost 😊

Thank you so much for putting this tips and examples together. They were super helpful to me!

I really like your article since I’m about to launch a website for my new company and will be posting blogs to increase traffic. It’s a great idea to start a blog article with a thought-provoking question since it will grab the reader’s interest instantly.

I am always having trouble on thinking of the perfect title for my article or subject line. I often end up using the keyword focus, which is not always interesting to the readers.

Whenever I read a blog entry, I immediately go to the main body of the text and skip the introductory paragraph.

That were some really great examples! Super Simple yet fun to read. Thank you!

I found this post very informative and helpful. There is a knowledgeable topic for them, the contents of your blog is really amazing.

Thank you for a great article! Very informative with some useful and practical ideas. Love the examples.

What a great article just at the right time! The most difficult niches can become the easiest to penetrate through such wisdom. Thank you so much.

I really find this article helpful because I’m planning to open a website for my planned business soon, and I’m going to posts blogs on it to drive more traffic to the site. Your tip and starting a blog post with a thought-provoking question is such a wise idea because I agree that it would catch the reader’s attention quickly. I’ll try to look for more tips on how to start a business blog, but thanks a lot for this!

Thank you so much, these tips will really help me in the opening of my new blogs. There were some important points which i was missing but you reminded me, thanks for that.

This was awesome I’m trying to start my own blog and I thank you for the ideas

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Good job writing them in this blog post 😉

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Introduction Generator

Generate compelling introductions for your articles, essays, novels, and more.

AI-powered Introduction Generator

Looking for a tool that can help you generate an entire article that is coherent and contextually relevant? Try our Blog Post Generator to create ready-to-publish content that are already optimized for maximum clarity and engagement.

Your generated introduction will appear here.

Introduction

An Introduction Generator is a groundbreaking tool that helps writers in various fields - from blog posts and essays to novels and business proposals. This AI-powered technology works by creating interesting introductions specifically for your topic with just a click. You simply enter the title or subject of your content, and you'll receive a set of well-crafted introduction paragraphs.

One such powerful tool in this space is Junia AI 's Introduction Generator . Designed with the latest AI-technology, it generates high-quality introductions that not only save time but also elevate the standard of your writing.

The key benefits of using Junia AI's Introduction Generator are:

• Enhanced efficiency
• Improved quality
• Greater engagement with readers
• Increased creativity
• Boost in content traffic

The Role of Introductions in Different Types of Content

Introductions are like the front door of your content – they welcome readers in. Whether you're writing an essay, a blog post , a novel, or a business proposal, the introduction plays a crucial role in setting the tone and capturing attention.

Here's how introductions work in different types of content:

1. Essay Introductions

In essays, the introduction is where you present your main argument or thesis. It's also an opportunity to grab readers' interest with a thought-provoking question or a bold statement.

For example:

"As sea levels rise and Arctic ice melts, the evidence of global warming can no longer be ignored."

2. Blog Introductions

Blogs are all about personality and relevance. A good blog introduction often starts with a relatable story or anecdote to hook readers right from the beginning.

Here's an example:

"The moment my feet touched the cobblestone streets of Rome, I knew my adventure had truly begun."

By sharing personal experiences, you can create a connection with your audience and makes them eager to read more about your travels.

3. Novel Openings

In novels, the opening lines are like a sneak peek into the world you've created. They should spark curiosity and make readers curious about what comes next.

Here's how 'The Last Sunset' starts:

"Amelia stood at the edge of civilization, the vast desert stretching before her like an unturned page."

With this vivid description, the author paints a picture in the reader's mind and leaves them wanting to know more about Amelia and her journey.

4. Business Proposal Introductions

Business proposals need to make a strong impression right from the start. An effective introduction in this context should establish your credibility and highlight the value you can offer.

For instance:

"In today's competitive market, ABC Corp’s innovative approach to digital marketing stands out as a beacon of efficiency."

This introduction immediately grabs the attention of potential clients by addressing a pressing need or opportunity they may have.

5. Academic Research Introductions

In academic research papers, the introduction serves as a roadmap for the study. It outlines the research questions and hypotheses, providing clarity on what the paper aims to achieve.

Here's an example of how an academic introduction could begin:

"This study examines the underexplored impact of social media on language acquisition among teenagers."

By stating the specific focus of the research, the introduction sets clear expectations for readers and highlights the significance of the study.

Each example shows how introductions are tailored to different types of content, making them relevant and enticing enough to keep readers engaged.

AI-Powered Natural Language Processing: The Secret Sauce Behind High-Quality Introductions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the foundation of modern introduction generators like Junia AI. One of the main AI technologies driving these tools is Natural Language Processing (NLP). NLP enables software to comprehend, analyze, and produce human language in a meaningful way . It's what enables an Introduction Generator to generate introductions that are relevant to the context and interesting to readers.

How NLP Works in an Introduction Generator

When you enter your title or topic into an Introduction Generator, the NLP technology goes to work. It examines the input, grasps its meaning, and generates an introduction that fits the topic. This ensures that your introductions are not just generic paragraphs but tailored pieces designed to capture your reader’s interest right from the start.

Continuous Improvement with Machine Learning

Another layer of complexity comes with Machine Learning (ML), another part of AI. With ML algorithms, introduction generators go beyond content creation; they learn from it. These algorithms identify patterns and constantly enhance the quality of generated introductions based on real-time feedback. This means that over time, these tools become better at creating high-quality introductions that are customized to your specific requirements.

In essence, it's this combination of AI’s Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning capabilities that make introduction generators such invaluable tools for content creators. They don't just save time; they elevate the quality of your written work by ensuring each piece begins with a compelling introduction.

Advantages of Using an Introduction Generator like Junia AI

When you use an Introduction Generator like Junia AI, it offers more than just convenience. Here are the main benefits that can improve your writing process:

• Time Efficiency : As a writer or content creator, every minute counts. Junia AI's Introduction Generator quickly creates introductions, saving you valuable time. This allows you to focus more on researching, writing, and improving the main content, which is crucial for depth and detail.
• Improved Quality and Professionalism : An introduction is a crucial part that sets the tone for your entire piece. Junia AI makes sure this first impression is polished and professional. The introductions generated are not only interesting but also customized to match the quality you aim for in your writing.
• Higher Reader Engagement : The right opening can grab your audience's attention right away. With well-written openings provided by Junia AI, readers are more likely to stay interested in your content, leading to better retention rates and overall satisfaction.
• Boosted Creativity and Idea Generation : Sometimes, starting is the most difficult part. Junia AI acts as a partner in brainstorming, giving you a base on which ideas can develop. It sparks creativity by suggesting different angles and perspectives you might not have thought of before.

By incorporating these benefits into your workflow, Junia AI's Introduction Generator becomes more than just a tool; it's a collaborator that improves the quality of your content while making your creative process smoother.

Tips for Using Introduction Generators Effectively

Using an Introduction Generator can be a game-changer in your content creation process, but it's crucial to use these tools effectively to get the most out of them.

1. Customize the Output

The first rule of thumb is to treat the output from an introduction generator as a starting point for customization . Don't see it as the final product. These tools are meant to give you a strong foundation that you can then modify and adapt to your own style and the specific needs of your audience. Remember, automated tools can't fully replicate human creativity and nuanced understanding of context, so adding your personal touch is essential .

2. Review and Edit Carefully

To ensure consistency with the rest of your content, take an active role in proofreading and editing the generated introductions. Pay attention to:

• Consistency in tone and style throughout the text.
• Relevance and alignment with the main body of content.
• Clarity of message and avoidance of ambiguity.
• Readability - read the introduction aloud to assess its flow and readability. Make any necessary adjustments to enhance the overall coherence and impact.

By doing this, you can maintain a smooth flow of information and keep your readers interested from start to finish.

Incorporating these practices in your writing routine can help you make the most of introduction generators and improve your content overall.

Choosing the Right Introduction Generator for Your Needs

Selecting the ideal Introduction Generator for your writing projects involves careful consideration of several factors. You need a tool that not only streamlines your workflow but also aligns with your content goals and quality standards. Here are key criteria to evaluate:

1. Accuracy and Relevance

Ensure the generator produces introductions that accurately reflect your topic and resonate with your target audience.

2. Customization Options

Look for tools offering customization features, allowing you to tailor the output to your voice and style preferences.

3. Ease of Use

A user-friendly interface is crucial for a seamless experience. Opt for generators that simplify the creative process with intuitive controls.

4. Output Quality

The best introduction generators provide well-structured, coherent, and engaging content that requires minimal editing.

5. Feedback Incorporation

Choose a generator capable of learning from user feedback, thus improving over time.

6. Support and Resources

Consider whether there's quality customer support and resources like tutorials or community forums.

Given these criteria, Junia AI's Introduction Generator stands out as a top choice for writers. It is renowned for its:

• High-quality output that often surpasses expectations
• Advanced AI technology ensuring relevance and coherence
• Positive user reviews attesting to its effectiveness
• Robust feature set catering to a diverse range of writing needs

Writers seeking an edge in crafting compelling introductions will find Junia AI to be an invaluable asset in their toolkit.

Using AI technology like Junia AI's Introduction Generator can greatly enhance your ability to create effective introductions. Here's why it's worth considering:

• Efficiency : These tools make writing introductions faster and easier.
• Quality : With machine learning algorithms, the intros you generate will continuously improve, sounding more professional and polished.
• Engagement : Well-crafted introductions grab readers' attention and make them more likely to continue reading.

By using Junia AI's Introduction Generator, you can experience these benefits for yourself. This tool demonstrates how AI can transform the writing process, providing a valuable resource for writers who want to captivate their audience from the very beginning.

Give it a try and discover how AI can revolutionize your approach to writing!

Frequently asked questions

• What is an Introduction Generator? An Introduction Generator is a groundbreaking tool that helps in creating engaging and impactful introductions for various types of content using AI technology.
• What is the role of introductions in different types of content? Introductions serve as the front door of your content, setting the tone and capturing the audience's attention. They are essential for essays, blogs, novels, business proposals, academic research papers, and more.
• How does an AI Introduction Generator work? An AI Introduction Generator works by using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to analyze the input, understand its meaning, and generate contextually relevant and engaging introductions for various types of content.
• What are some reasons to choose Junia AI's AI Introduction Generator? Junia AI's AI Introduction Generator offers time efficiency, improved quality and professionalism, higher reader engagement, and boosted creativity and idea generation. It is a valuable tool for content creators looking to enhance their writing process.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write a Successful Book Chapter for an Academic Publication?

If you are an academic or a researcher working towards a PhD degree or engaged in various tasks in a university or academic institution the idea of writing a book chapter would have definitely crossed your mind. Receiving an invitation to write an academic book chapter is indeed a great honor, and going onto write it is a milestone that every writer aims to achieve in their career. Writing a successful academic book chapter requires careful planning and execution by the author. In this article we will look at how to write an academic book chapter along with a few key steps that must be followed during the writing process.  

Table of Contents

• What is an academic book chapter? 

Information collection

Finalizing chapter structure, attractive chapter title, a strong introduction, detailing out the chapter, summarizing the chapter, what is an academic book chapter.

An academic book chapter is a distinct section of a book having its own title or a chapter number. A book consists of several chapters, each of which focuses on a particular topic or sub-argument that is linked to the overall theme of the book. In other words, each chapter should have a sound argument that is consistent with the central theme or argument of the book. Each chapter should therefore be an inter-connected part to the rest of the chapters and to the overall book. 

It is important to understand that an academic book chapter is very different from a thesis chapter. While a book chapter has as its audience anyone who may be interested in the particular topic, the audience for a thesis chapter is primarily the thesis examiner. For the same reason, a thesis examiner will closely read the entire chapter and thesis, but this may not be the case for a book chapter. As mentioned earlier, a book chapter deals with a specific topic with an important idea or argument related to the central theme of the book and hence it is a separate division of a book. On the other hand, a thesis chapter does not stand separately but will have multiple arguments and relies on the other chapters to make it a complete whole. The length of each academic book chapter normally varies and there is no standard rule as to the length of chapters. However, on a general note, chapter length usually varies from 3500 to 5000 words.  

Key steps to follow when writing an academic book chapter

Integrating the following steps as you plan to write an academic book chapter can help you achieve excellent results.  

It is important that sufficient research is carried out and the author has a thorough understanding of the available literature in the field. Collecting relevant information and being up to date with all aspects on the topic that you are going to write about is one of first steps in writing an academic book chapter. Presenting information in a visually attractive manner and using various tools like mind maps can help in structuring the key arguments better.  

An academic book chapter also requires a good outline. For example, you must have a title, a well worded introduction, informative paras that make up the main body, a chapter summary and a neat transition to the succeeding chapter. Try to make the outline clear and concise, organize your ideas effectively and ensure there is a logical flow.  

This is a critical element and goes a long way in getting people to read your chapter or even pick up the book. Strive to make the title or heading of your chapter interesting and impactful, potential readers should be attracted to the title by itself, going on to pick up the book just by the vigor of the title itself.  

Having a well written introduction can be invaluable in ensuring that audiences will be compelled to read further. Engaging your reader with an anecdote or a dialogue or through a fictional account or plot can be useful devices to anchor the introduction on.  

Ideally as you elaborate on your chapter with the key points as you begin, it is a good idea to provide evidence for your statements and arguments. Try to highlight these in about 4 to 5 paragraphs linking it to the chapter details. 

A concise summary is a must as you come to the end of your chapter. Remember, here you are reflecting on the main content of the chapter and helping the reader to take away some key aspects of the arguments that you have presented in the chapter.  

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

Measuring academic success: definition & strategies for excellence.

• Publish or Perish – Understanding the Importance of Scholarly Publications in Academia
• What is a Literature Review? How to Write It (with Examples)
• Paperpal’s New AI Research Finder Empowers Authors to Research, Write, Cite, All in One Place

Academic Editing: How to Self-Edit Academic Text With Paperpal 

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Comprehensive Guide on How to Structure a Dissertation Introduction (2024)

May 14, 2024 | 0 comments

May 14, 2024 | Blog | 0 comments

Writing a dissertation can be daunting, but one of the most crucial elements of this academic journey is structuring your dissertation introduction effectively. The dissertation introduction sets the stage for the rest of your research and provides a roadmap for readers to understand the purpose and scope of your study.

Before you begin writing your dissertation, it is important to start with the basics, such as the title page, table of contents, and appendix. These elements help organize and format your dissertation clearly and coherently. Additionally, including figures and tables in your dissertation can enhance your research’s readability and visual appeal.

This article will discuss how to structure a dissertation introduction to effectively introduce your topic, provide context for your research, and outline the key themes and arguments you will explore throughout your study. 

Following these guidelines ensures that your dissertation introduction effectively sets the stage for the rest of your research. 

Read Also: How To Write A Thesis Or Dissertation Introduction Chapter

Purpose and Focus of Dissertation Introduction

The introduction serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it justifies your dissertation by explaining why your research is important and how it contributes to the academic community. The dissertation may answer your research question, providing valuable insights and advancements in your field. Throughout your dissertation, you should ensure that your introduction sets the stage for the reader, offering a clear understanding of the topic’s relevance and significance. This section should leave the reader with a sense of anticipation for the rest of the dissertation, making them eager to delve into your findings and analysis.

Additionally, the introduction is crucial in structuring your dissertation by laying out key elements such as the list of figures, word count, and page numbers. Make sure to check that your introduction aligns with the overall structure, including appropriate heading and proper referencing in the bibliography. It is essential to guide the reader smoothly into the main body of your work, leading seamlessly into sections like the results section. A well-crafted introduction ensures the reader is well-prepared for the detailed discussions and analyses that follow, providing a coherent roadmap of your research journey.

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Timing and Drafting

It is recommended that you write the introduction chapter after you complete the literature review or narrow down your topic and identify your research question(s). This approach provides you with a comprehensive understanding of the existing literature and the gap your research aims to fill. 

When considering the dissertation structure, it’s a good idea to draft the introduction early on, even when submitting your research proposal, as this helps guide the direction of your overall research. By doing so, you set a foundation that outlines the context and significance of your original research.

Keep in mind that while writing a bachelor’s or master’s thesis, the introduction is sometimes used interchangeably with the proposal’s initial sections, ensuring consistency in your research narrative.

Think of a dissertation as the longest piece of writing you will undertake, and the introduction plays a pivotal role in setting the stage for your piece of research. Your introduction should not only present the summary of the dissertation but also its relation to your research.

When structuring your dissertation, make sure to choose the introduction and conclusion placements wisely, ensuring they cohesively frame the entire document. Be prepared to revise and edit the introduction multiple times as your ideas evolve and take shape, ensuring they align with the actual dissertation content. This iterative process ensures that your introduction accurately reflects the scope and direction of your research, providing a clear roadmap for the reader.

Read also: How To Write A Masters Thesis Right Amaze Your Committee

Key Components

A well-structured dissertation introduction typically includes the following elements:

• Background Information: Provide context on the topic and explain why it is important and timely.
• Research Question(s) and Hypothesis: Clearly state the research question(s) you aim to address and formulate a hypothesis if required.
• Theoretical Framework: Discuss the existing literature and theories related to your topic, identifying gaps or controversies.
• Significance and Value: Explain how your research contributes to the field and why it matters to the academic and/or scientific communities.
• Aims and Objectives: Outline the specific goals and objectives of your research, linking them to your research question(s).
• Methodology Overview: Provide a brief overview of your research methods, especially if your dissertation does not have a separate methodology chapter.
• Outline of the Dissertation: Give a summary of what each chapter of your dissertation will cover, helping readers navigate your work.

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Background Information

The background information section of your dissertation serves multiple purposes. It provides context and sets the stage for your research, helping readers understand the relevance and significance of your chosen topic. This section should include the following elements:

• Contextual Information: Provide an overview of the topic’s history and evolution, including key events, developments, and theories related to your research question.
• Empirical Foundations: Highlight the empirical underpinnings of your topic, demonstrating your knowledge and passion for the subject matter.
• Theoretical Linkages: Explicitly connect your research to relevant theories, concepts, and approaches. Show how your work builds upon and contributes to existing academic studies.
• Research Focus: Clearly articulate the focus of your research, explaining why it is important and how it relates to your theoretical concerns and research question.

Keep the background section concise and focused, typically within one to two pages. It should provide just enough information for readers to understand the context and significance of your research without overwhelming them with excessive details.

Research Question(s) and Hypothesis

The research question(s) and hypothesis are central elements of your dissertation. They guide your research and provide a clear direction for your study. Here’s how to structure this section effectively:

• Research Question(s): Clearly articulate the research question(s) you aim to address. Ensure they are interesting, researchable, and contribute something novel.
• Hypothesis: The hypothesis is a specific statement that predicts the outcome of your research. It is often used in quantitative studies and may not be necessary for qualitative research. If you include a hypothesis, ensure it is supported by your research question(s) and the existing literature.
• Directionality: Explain the predictions or expected outcomes of your research to help readers understand the direction of your study.

Read Also: How To Formulate Research Questions For Masters Dissertation

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework chapter is a crucial “blueprint” for your dissertation. It involves the following key components:

• Definition and Explanation of Concepts: Clearly define the key concepts and theories relevant to your research.
• Context and Background: Provide the historical context and developments related to your topic, including any gaps or controversies in the existing literature.
• Published Literature: Discuss the importance and relevance of published literature to your research, citing relevant sources to support your arguments.
• Alignment with Dissertation: Show how the chosen theories and concepts align with your dissertation topic, demonstrating their significance and applicability to your research.

Keep your theoretical framework concise and focused, saving the detailed explanations for the subsequent chapters.

Significance and Value

Articulating the significance and value of your research is essential for several reasons:

• Guiding Your Research: Writing about the significance helps you refine your research questions and objectives, ensuring they are well-defined and focused.
• Attracting Funding: A well-written significance section can convince potential funders of the value of your work, increasing the chances of securing support.
• Opening Up Future Research: By stating the significance of your study, you indicate potential avenues for future research and demonstrate the value of your contribution to the field.

Read Also: The Importance Of Creating A Comprehensive Dissertation Research Plan

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives section provides a foundation for your research, giving it clarity and direction. Here’s how to structure it effectively:

• Aims: Clearly state the overall goal and purpose of your dissertation. Write it in a way that makes it identifiable when achieved, typically as a single sentence or short paragraph.
• Objectives: Outline the specific, achievable, and realistic steps you will take to accomplish your aim. Ensure they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound).

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Methodology Overview

The methodology overview provides a snapshot of your research methods, helping readers understand your data collection and analysis approaches. Here’s what to include:

• Research Overview: Reiterate your research topic and objectives. Research Design: Explain the structure of your project and what each part aims to accomplish.
• Data Collection: Describe the methods of collecting data, such as surveys, interviews, or observations.
• Data Analysis: Discuss how you interpreted and made sense of the collected data, including any statistical or qualitative analysis techniques employed.

Outline of the Dissertation

The dissertation outline provides a roadmap for your readers, helping them navigate your work effectively. Here’s how to structure it:

• Introduction: Provide background information, context, and the main focus of your study.
• Literature Review: Critically analyze existing literature related to your topic, identifying gaps and linking it to your research question.
• Methodology: Describe your research methods and their alignment with your research questions.
• Results: Present the outcomes of your research, including any statistical or qualitative findings. Discussion: Interpret your results, draw conclusions, and discuss the implications of your research.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main findings, contributions, and potential future directions.

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Writing Tips

Here are some tips to enhance the effectiveness of your dissertation introduction:

• Catchy Opening: Start with a compelling opening sentence or paragraph that captures the reader’s attention.
• Context and Relevance: Provide sufficient background information to situate your research in a broader context and clarify why your topic matters.
• Clear and Concise Language: Use straightforward language throughout the introduction, avoiding jargon or complex terminology.
• Avoid Overlapping: Focus on providing an overview and avoid going into excessive detail. Leave the in-depth discussion for the subsequent chapters.
• Cite Key Sources: Include relevant citations to demonstrate your understanding of the field and show how your research builds on existing literature.
• Maintain a Neutral Tone: The introduction should be objective and impartial, presenting your research question and aims without bias.
• Seek Feedback: Ask a friend or colleague to read your introduction and provide feedback. A fresh perspective can help identify areas for improvement.
• Edit and Revise: Don’t be afraid to rewrite and edit your introduction multiple times. It’s a dynamic process; you’ll likely refine it as your ideas develop and your research takes shape.

Read Also: How to Write a Standout Research Statement for Graduate School Applications

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In Conclusion

The introduction chapter is a chance to engage your readers and provide a roadmap for your dissertation. It should give them a clear understanding of your topic, its significance, and the direction your research will take.

Following the tips and guidelines outlined above, you can craft an introduction that sets the stage for the rest of your dissertation.

How to Structure a Dissertation Introduction FAQs

How long should a dissertation introduction be.

A well-structured dissertation introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count of your dissertation . This means that for a 10,000-word dissertation , the introduction should be around 500-1000 words.

What is the correct format of a dissertation ?

The correct format of a BASICLIST[ dissertation ] usually includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results and discussion, conclusion, and references. Each section should flow logically to ensure a coherent argument.

How do I start my dissertation ?

Craft a compelling title reflecting your research’s essence to start your dissertation. Then, introduce the topic, provide background information, and clearly state your research aims and objectives at the beginning of your introduction.

How many pages is a dissertation introduction ?

The length of a dissertation introduction in terms of pages can vary based on formatting requirements. However, it is recommended that the introduction be concise and informative, usually spanning 1-2 pages.

With a deep understanding of the student experience, I craft blog content that resonates with young learners. My articles offer practical advice and actionable strategies to help students achieve a healthy and successful academic life.

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Why US offshore wind power is struggling – the good, the bad and the opportunity

Director of the Center for Energy Innovation, UMass Lowell

Disclosure statement

Christopher Niezrecki is Director of UMass Lowell’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Wind Energy Science Technology and Research (WindSTAR), which receives funding from the National Science Foundation and several energy-related companies.

University of Massachusetts provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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America’s first large-scale offshore wind farms began sending power to the Northeast in early 2024, but a wave of wind farm project cancellations and rising costs have left many people with doubts about the industry’s future in the U.S.

Several big hitters, including Ørsted, Equinor, BP and Avangrid, have canceled contracts or sought to renegotiate them in recent months. Pulling out meant the companies faced cancellation penalties ranging from US$16 million to several hundred million dollars per project. It also resulted in Siemens Energy, the world’s largest maker of offshore wind turbines, anticipating financial losses in 2024 of around $2.2 billion.

Altogether, projects that had been canceled by the end of 2023 were expected to total more than 12 gigawatts of power , representing more than half of the capacity in the project pipeline.

So, what happened, and can the U.S. offshore wind industry recover?

I lead UMass Lowell’s Center for Wind Energy Science Technology and Research WindSTAR and Center for Energy Innovation and follow the industry closely. The offshore wind industry’s troubles are complicated, but it’s far from dead in the U.S., and some policy changes may help it find firmer footing.

Long approval process’s cascade of challenges

Getting offshore wind projects permitted and approved in the U.S. takes years and is fraught with uncertainty for developers, more so than in Europe or Asia.

Before a company bids on a U.S. project, the developer must plan the procurement of the entire wind farm, including making reservations to purchase components such as turbines and cables, construction equipment and ships. The bid must also be cost-competitive, so companies have a tendency to bid low and not anticipate unexpected costs, which adds to financial uncertainty and risk.

The winning U.S. bidder then purchases an expensive ocean lease , costing in the hundreds of millions of dollars . But it has no right to build a wind project yet.

Before starting to build, the developer must conduct site assessments to determine what kind of foundations are possible and identify the scale of the project. The developer must consummate an agreement to sell the power it produces, identify a point of interconnection to the power grid, and then prepare a construction and operation plan, which is subject to further environmental review . All of that takes about five years, and it’s only the beginning.

For a project to move forward, developers may need to secure dozens of permits from local, tribal, state, regional and federal agencies. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which has jurisdiction over leasing and management of the seabed, must consult with agencies that have regulatory responsibilities over different aspects in the ocean, such as the armed forces, Environmental Protection Agency and National Marine Fisheries Service, as well as groups including commercial and recreational fishing, Indigenous groups, shipping, harbor managers and property owners.

For Vineyard Wind I – which began sending power from five of its 62 planned wind turbines off Martha’s Vineyard in early 2024 – the time from BOEM’s lease auction to getting its first electricity to the grid was about nine years.

Costs can balloon during the regulatory delays

Until recently, these contracts didn’t include any mechanisms to adjust for rising supply costs during the long approval time, adding to the risk for developers.

From the time today’s projects were bid to the time they were approved for construction, the world dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, global supply chain problems, increased financing costs and the war in Ukraine. Steep increases in commodity prices, including for steel and copper , as well as in construction and operating costs, made many contracts signed years earlier no longer financially viable.

New and re-bid contracts are now allowing for price adjustments after the environmental approvals have been given, which is making projects more attractive to developers in the U.S. Many of the companies that canceled projects are now rebidding.

The regulatory process is becoming more streamlined , but it still takes about six years, while other countries are building projects at a faster pace and larger scale.

Shipping rules, power connections

Another significant hurdle for offshore wind development in the U.S. involves a century-old law known as the Jones Act .

The Jones Act requires vessels carrying cargo between U.S. points to be U.S.-built, U.S.-operated and U.S.-owned. It was written to boost the shipping industry after World War I. However, there are only three offshore wind turbine installation vessels in the world that are large enough for the turbines proposed for U.S. projects, and none are compliant with the Jones Act.

That means wind turbine components must be transported by smaller barges from U.S. ports and then installed by a foreign installation vessel waiting offshore, which raises the cost and likelihood of delays.

Dominion Energy is building a new ship, the Charybdis , that will comply with the Jones Act . But a typical offshore wind farm needs over 25 different types of vessels – for crew transfers, surveying, environmental monitoring, cable-laying, heavy lifting and many other roles.

The nation also lacks a well-trained workforce for manufacturing, construction and operation of offshore wind farms.

For power to flow from offshore wind farms, the electricity grid also requires significant upgrades. The Department of Energy is working on regional transmission plans , but permitting will undoubtedly be slow.

Lawsuits, disinformation add to the challenges

Numerous lawsuits from advocacy groups that oppose offshore wind projects have further slowed development.

Wealthy homeowners have tried to stop wind farms that might appear in their ocean view. Astroturfing groups that claim to be advocates of the environment, but are actually supported by fossil fuel industry interests , have launched disinformation campaigns .

In 2023, many Republican politicians and conservative groups immediately cast blame for whale deaths off the coast of New York and New Jersey on the offshore wind developers, but the evidence points instead to increased ship traffic collisions and entanglements with fishing gear.

Such disinformation can reduce public support and slow projects’ progress.

Efforts to keep the offshore wind industry going

The Biden administration set a goal to install 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030, but recent estimates indicate that the actual number will be closer to half that .

Despite the challenges, developers have reason to move ahead.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides incentives, including federal tax credits for the development of clean energy projects and for developers that build port facilities in locations that previously relied on fossil fuel industries. Most coastal state governments are also facilitating projects by allowing for a price readjustment after environmental approvals have been given. They view offshore wind as an opportunity for economic growth.

These financial benefits can make building an offshore wind industry more attractive to companies that need market stability and a pipeline of projects to help lower costs – projects that can create jobs and boost economic growth and a cleaner environment.

• Renewable energy
• Clean energy
• Wind energy
• Offshore wind
• Federal regulations
• Offshore wind farms

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32 Free Language Learning Websites to Try in 2024

A tight budget is no longer an excuse to not learn a language. Not when the internet is at our fingertips!

Websites and smartphone apps have brought the world closer to us—and its thousands of languages.

The benefits of learning a new language no longer have to come with a hefty price tag—or any price tag at all!

Whether you prefer flashcards or face-to-face interaction, want to learn Amharic or Zulu, are a novice or near-native, here are 32 free language learning websites you can use to fine-tune your language skills without spending a cent.

General Language Learning Websites

• 1. Live Lingua
• 2. Learn a Language
• 3. Open Culture

4. Internet Polyglot

5. omniglot, 6. languageguide.org, video-based language learning websites, 7. easy languages, 9. languagepod101.com, 10. youtube, massively open online courses (moocs), 11. mit open courseware, 13. coursera, free language exchange websites, 15. the polyglot club, language learning websites for reading skills, 17. readlang, 18. lingua.com, language learning websites for writing skills, 19. mylanguageexchange.com, free websites for getting language help, 21. hinative, free websites for vocabulary and flashcards, 23. duolingo, 24. memrise, 25. digital dialects, free learning websites for specific languages, 26. french: the french experiment, 27. german: deutschakademie, 28. spanish: 123 teach me, 29. chinese: chinese-tools.com, 30. portuguese: learn portuguese with rafa, 31. japanese: nhk world, 32. arabic: arabic online, how to learn a language with free websites, and one more thing....

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When most of us think about taking a language course, we picture a classroom full of wobbly desks, and potentially a three- or four-digit tuition fee.

These free language learning websites offer online courses and other general knowledge about a wide variety of languages, so you can keep the structure and formality of a traditional course but skip the fees.

1.  Live Lingua

Available languages: Arabic, French, Japanese, Russian, Cantonese, Tagalog and many more.

It’s not hard to believe. There are thousands of free e-books, audio recordings and foreign language video materials available in over 130 different languages.

It’s also one of the most user-friendly websites hosting the US Foreign Service Institute’s public domain language courses , which were developed by the US Department of State for expert language learning and are now freely available on various sites across the web.

See our full review of all of Live Lingua’s offerings here .

2.  Learn a Language

Available languages: English, Spanish, German, Chinese, Greek, Norwegian and more.

You can learn over 1,400 words in your target language for free with their vocabulary lists and verb conjugation charts, and there’s plenty more free learning to be done in the actual courses.

3.  Open Culture

Available languages: Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Icelandic, Korean, Swedish and many more.

When it comes to languages, they’re not bluffing.

Their free courses and materials contain language learning resources from governments, universities and respected private institutions worldwide, so you can find free lessons without sacrificing quality.

Available languages: Dutch, German, Japanese, Ukrainian, Spanish, French and many more.

This allows you to choose what language you’re learning and the language you’re learning it in .

Do you already speak Spanish and want to get started on Portuguese? Select “Spanish” for your language, and start with a composite mental exercise to strengthen one language while building another .

Available languages: Arabic, Hebrew, Gaelic, Gujarati, Korean, Thai and many, many more.

This online encyclopedia of languages and writing systems is like the Wikipedia of all things linguistics.

Not only does it provide linguistic and cultural information on hundreds of world languages, but it also offers some of its own free video lessons.

Available languages: Spanish, Turkish, Korean, Portuguese, Hindi, Polish and more.

The lessons are perfect for both audio and visual learners because they incorporate images with each audio file. Some exercises are already set to an advanced level by default, but you can adjust the difficulty level in the settings.

When it’s time to test your knowledge, you can do so with both the speaking and listening challenges.

Turning on the TV is great for language learning .

If you want your brain to soak up the sights and sounds of actual everyday speech and how it’s used in your target language, tune in and kick back for some quality input-based learning with these free websites.

Available languages: Catalan, French, Italian, Russian, Dutch, Czech and more.

The videos feature on-the-street interviews with locals , who discuss language, culture and life in general. Note the name—you don’t need advanced-level skills to enjoy the material!

Not only can these videos help you practice listening to authentic spoken language, but they can also give you valuable insight into local culture.

Videos include subtitles in the target language and English. While not all the language channels are active anymore, there’s still a lot of pre-existing content for learners of a number of languages.

Available languages: Spanish, Korean, Gujarati, Arabic and many more.

This is an especially exciting resource if you’re learning a less commonly studied language with limited video materials available.

Tuning into your favorite Albanian or Nepali TV station can easily compensate for the lack of other learning materials online.

Available languages: Afrikaans, Cantonese, Filipino, Greek, Italian, Turkish and many more.

It’s typically updated with new lessons every week, with material for beginner to advanced learners and including grammar, vocabulary, everyday conversations and culture.

You’ll be directed to language-specific sites once you enter your email and pick a language. Some offerings include SpanishPod101 , FrenchPod101 , GermanPod101 , ChineseClass101 and RussianPod101 , among many others.

While there is the option to pay for additional content and learning tools, LanguagePod101.com has thousands of professionally produced audio and videos for free.

Available languages: Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and many, many more.

Beyond language learning channels by a wide variety of teachers in an even bigger array of languages , there’s also the option of finding movies, TV shows, commercials, talks and more.

YouTube is also a fantastic resource if you’re studying a less common language. The channel Wikitongues , for example, contains numerous videos of rare languages and unique regional dialects.

After checking the main site for whatever you’re looking for, you can also look through YouTube’s Movies & TV section . Some options here do require payment, but some are free (typically with ads).

Many world universities are making lesson materials and entire courses online for free. Here are some of the best MOOCs for learning a language.

Available languages: Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German and other related topics.

Under the “Global Studies and Languages” section of the website, you’ll find courses ranging from Chinese II to Contemporary French Politics.

The courses are designed to help you engage with the language and its greater cultural context . Courses are available to download.

Available languages: Japanese, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Italian and related topics.

You might take a dedicated language class or a topic course in your target language if you’re more advanced. For example, you could sign up to take an algebra class entirely in Spanish!

Some courses have certificates you can get for completing them. In general, it does cost money to get a verified certificate, so make sure you check the details before you sign up. Additionally, you may be able to get college credit , depending on your course.

Available languages: Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, Russian and more.

Many courses will be geared toward beginners (like First Step Korean ) and others will engage more generally with language learning (like Miracles of Human Language ).

Note that not all courses are free, but many are. Additionally, you can take them at much the same rate you would an actual university course (a few months) or speed up the process and go at your own pace.

Whatever you find here, it’s coming from a respected university or educational institute, and if it’s not on offer now, sign up to get an alert when it is.

Available languages: French, Irish, Japanese, Swedish, Spanish, Chinese and more.

Best of all, if you complete all modules and score at least 80% on all your course assignments, you’ll be rewarded with a fancy (and free) certificate !

The biggest secret to effective language learning isn’t a secret at all: You’ve gotta talk! And who better to talk with than a native speaker?

It’s okay if you can’t hop on a plane this weekend—instead, just click over to one of these websites, where you can connect with native speakers of your target language for free.

Available languages: Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish, Danish, French, Estonian and many more.

You can find language exchange partners, submit written texts for correction, hang out in chat rooms, browse through target language videos and attend language events and meetups .

If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the link above, you’ll also find “from scratch” introduction courses to many common and not-so-common languages.

Available languages: Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, German and more.

Tandem allows you to exchange audio calls, video calls, texts and voice messages .

Tandem can even hook you up with text translations in the app if you need extra support to chat more easily, making Tandem a great choice for beginning learners.

See our complete Tandem review here .

As one of the major language skills, reading is a great way to both grow your abilities and practice what you’ve already learned.

These free sites can help make reading in a foreign language simpler and more efficient.

Available languages: Spanish, German, French, Russian, Polish, Norwegian and many more.

Once you’ve installed it, you can go to any website in your target language and click any word you don’t know for an instant translation. Words you click are saved so you can practice them with flashcards.

Readlang also has some great content to get you started on the right path if you don’t feel like sourcing your own. You can filter the library selections by difficulty level, word count and category, too.

Available languages: Czech, Danish, Spanish, French, Turkish, Polish and more.

Readings are usually brief, and each is accompanied by questions to test your comprehension. Once you complete the questions, the website will suggest additional texts you might enjoy, making it easy to keep your reading practice going.

If you prefer printed exercises, Lingua.com also offers printable PDFs that feature both the reading, associated questions and answers to the questions.

Writing in your target language will help you learn proper digital communication and give you practice producing the language on your own.

Try out one of these websites to take your writing abilities for a spin for free.

Available languages: Arabic, Hawaiian, Icelandic, Persian, Spanish, Chinese and many more.

This website focuses on connecting users for an email-based pen pal relationship , and they provide helpful tips to make sure you both get the most out of the exchange.

You can browse for pen pals by language or country. An advanced search provides an even broader array of criteria, like city, age, gender and more.

Available languages: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, German and more.

There are several subreddits in foreign languages, so you can snag the writing (and reading) practice you’re looking for.

And let’s be real—someone will be prepared to correct your grammar. This is the internet, after all.

Most foreign language forums are subreddits for foreign countries —like the Italy subreddit , the Mexico subreddit or the Brasil subreddit —but there may be subreddits for learners of certain languages too, such as r/LearnJapanese or r/German .

Perhaps you’re not ready to fork out money for a private tutor , or you don’t have the time to attend language classes.

Sometimes, though, you’ll run into questions you just can’t answer on your own—that’s where these sites will come in handy.

Available languages: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Turkish and more.

Rather than giving you flashcards and courses or even facilitating Skype sessions, HiNative allows you to ask questions to native speakers of the language you’re learning.

Whether it’s about the difference between two confusing words, getting a pronunciation check or figuring out how and when to use the subjunctive, just send a text and wait for a response.

For more information, here’s our full review of HiNative .

Available languages: German, Korean, Hindi, Russian, Basque, Serbian and many, many more.

Designed for language learners to find native-speaking teachers and exchange partners via Skype or the online classroom, the free version of their service includes great benefits, including access to their learner community.

This access allows you to connect with other learners, ask questions and receive corrections from native speakers of your target language.

If you're looking to invest a little more to have a private tutor or teacher at some point, you can do that on italki too .

You can also read more about italki in our complete review .

Learning vocabulary is essential for language learning success, and these websites will help you do so—efficiently!—for free.

Available languages: Japanese, Portuguese, Arabic, Welsh, Hebrew, German and more.

They use a gaming strategy to make sure you retain more of what you learn, and the truly dedicated will be rewarded by being asked to translate sentences of increasingly comical ridiculousness as they work up through the levels of their language.

To learn more, see our complete Duolingo review here .

Available languages: Spanish, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Mongolian, Yoruba and more.

You can use the cards provided by Memrise and its users, or you can create your own mnemonic devices by composing and finding images for your own cards.

Somehow, repetition doesn’t seem so repetitive when you can turn all your flashcards into irreverent memes and personal in-jokes tailored to you and your own brain.

See our full review of Memrise here .

Available languages: Afrikaans, Filipino, Japanese, French, Hungarian, Polish and more.

Listen to the voice as it names fruits, click them and drag them into a basket, or match English phrases to those in your target language.

It’s a simple platform free of distraction, and it offers that old-school vibe for the Nintendo kids who still have a knack for learning in 16-bit.

If you already know which language you’re going to study , perhaps one of these free language-specific sites can help you get started.

This site is full of incredible digital artwork and helpful French content . Alongside 15 free lessons for beginners, there’s user-friendly stories (like “The Three Little Pigs”) complete with French, English translations and adorable illustrations.

You can find more free online French lessons here .

Note that the website is fully in German—but if you scroll down to the sections titles “Gratis Online-Deutschkurs” (Free Online German Course) and “Gratis Deutsch Audiokurs A1” (Free German Audio Course A1), you should be able to find your way around.

For more resources, check out our in-depth post about how to learn German for free .

Lessons include grammar explanations, review quizzes and native speaker audio. You can find content for absolute beginners all the way up to intermediate level Spanish.

There are more tips and resources in our full guide to learning Spanish for free .

There’s also a Chinese dictionary, multiple phrasebook and writing lessons, as well as plenty of information about Chinese culture, like calligraphy, astrology and traveling in China.

Our guide to learning Mandarin online for free will give you even more resources to explore. 

There’s a whole host of Portuguese information on this site—including further resources for your studies.

Check out our full blog post to explore more free Portuguese learning resources .

There are dozens of short lessons, typically including audio for pronunciation, a script and grammar tips.

If you’re more of an app person, check out this post on free Japanese apps for more budget-friendly options.

You can start learning Arabic on this easy-to-use website from the European Union.

Arabic Online aims to help beginners familiarize themselves with the language , and it offers several paid courses beyond the beginner level.

Using free resources to learn your target language may take a bit of extra organizing on your part in order to get the most out of the experience. You can and should:

• Try several websites. After all, they’re free! Testing various sites can help you find those that best match your needs and interests—like one or two per category. View it as your own personal version of “The Bachelor,” but (hopefully) with significantly less drama.
• Pay attention to level. While some websites can accommodate all levels, others focus more specifically on beginning, intermediate or advanced learners. Finding one that works with your level will help you use it to maximum effect without being demotivating or hindering your progress.
• Pair multiple websites. This gives you a variety of approaches to your target language. Plus, you’re more likely to develop all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) and end up with more language confidence.

If you’re trying out free language learning websites because you’re hesitant about committing to a costly course, remember that most paid online language classes have free trials that you should absolutely take advantage of!

Once you’ve figured out how you like to learn with the free sites listed above, it may be beneficial to continue or supplement your language studies with a paid course— here are our current favorites , so you don’t have to go it alone.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

The free language learning websites above prove that money is no obstacle for determined language learners.

Now all you need to do is make the time to study, and you’re all set to start heading towards fluency!

If you dig the idea of learning on your own time from the comfort of your smart device with real-life authentic language content, you'll love using FluentU .

With FluentU, you'll learn real languages—as they're spoken by native speakers. FluentU has a wide variety of videos as you can see here:

FluentU App Browse Screen.

FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.

Didn't catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.

Interactive, dual-language subtitles.

You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU's "learn mode." Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU Has Quizzes for Every Video

And FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You get a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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