Like preparing a gourmet meal, creating a winning blog begins with knowing which ingredients will achieve the most successful result. It’s one part art and one part “science” – at least in terms of following a proven, evidence-based approach that has been shown to yield success.
“Best practices” for social media marketing demonstrate that certain key blog components will increase the likelihood that your blog will be noticed, read and acted upon. Most importantly, these “ingredients” will help ensure that your blog is an effective tool for engaging your prospects, building your brand reputation and achieving your growth goals.
Your Title Is the Window to Your Content
Sometimes just an afterthought, your blog’s title is actually one of its most important ingredients. Your title functions as the “window” to your content. When your customers read your title, what do they think? Does your blog’s title “sell” the value of its contents to your target audience? Is your title interesting, inviting and compelling? Does it make your customers want to read more, or does it leave them wanting to move on?
According to Rebekah Radice, author of the article “Unlock the Keys to Absolutely Irresistible Blog Titles,” blog titles have incredible power. As she says, “Within seconds, the right words can challenge readers to take action, and ignite a flurry of social media activity. Unfortunately, the majority of readers will never make it to your content with 80 percent saying that based on title, they won’t get past the headline. That makes your title the difference between a click-through and a click away.”
With that in mind, she offers some useful ideas for achieving those “irresistible blog titles.”
Tips for Achieving the “Irresistible Title”
- Make it Personal – A blog title that speaks to a personal need or situation can be very effective.
- Make Life Easier (or better) – Think about your product or service from the consumer’s perspective. What problem does it solve and how can you best get that point across in an easy and efficient manner?
- Encourage Action (and interaction) – Blog titles should encourage action and inspire your reader to click-through. Are you asking questions, gaining valuable insight from your current subscribers?
- Lose the Jargon – Lose the jargon, including industry terms, and focus instead on making your blog title one that is reader and consumer friendly.
- Be Interesting – What makes your blog post intriguing? Is it news that hasn’t been shared or a tip that readers can’t find anywhere else?
- Be Original – Put your own unique spin on blog content as well as your title. There’s always room for your unique perspective.
- Be Honest – Always make sure your blog post title is in alignment with your content. Misleading blog post titles create distrust and frustration, two lasting feelings that no blogger wants their readers to walk away with.
- Speak Directly to Your Audience – Know your audience and do your research to understand their needs, problems and preferences.
- Stay on Point – Blog titles tell a story about what’s to come. What story does your blog title tell? Is it consistent with the body of your article?
- Be 100% Clear – Take away the uncertainty and be 100 percent clear in what you’re offering in your content.
And Don’t Forget Your Blogging Basics to Achieve the Desired Effect
Once you understand, with whom you are communicating and what their primary needs and motivations are, the following blogging basics can help you organize your key content in a way that captures attention and promotes action. After you’ve settled on your “irresistible title,” be sure to incorporate these key blogging best practices:
- A Summation of the Focus and Value — Include a brief introductory paragraph that summarizes your content, its value to readers and encourages them to read further.
- Descriptive Subheads and a Bulleted Format — This approach will make your message easier to follow and will also break up the tedious “wall to wall” text that often drives potential readers away.
- Appropriate Visual Imagery — Pertinent visual images can attract attention, add interest to your blog and also reinforce the message you are attempting to communicate. Whether it’s a resort-like photo of an independent living environment or a beautiful garden to symbolize the peace and comfort of a memory care community, photos and graphics can significantly enhance the appeal of your message.
- Key Words That Get You Noticed — Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is constantly changing and evolving, but it is still important to insert keywords that your customers may be searching for. Just don’t overdo it at the risk of disrupting your content or being penalized in your search rankings by latest SEO algorithms.
- A Call to Action — As a key element in any sales and marketing initiative, the call to action should motivate your customers to take “the next step,” however you define it. Just make sure that “the next step” delivers real value to your customers.
- Social Media Sharing Options — You want your blog to be read, shared and acted upon – in numbers! Therefore, make sure your blog contains a tool that enables your readers to share your content with their own social networks.
Expert Help is Available to Make Your Community Grow
If you are a senior living provider considering the need for assistance in developing an effectively integrated social media strategy to power your community’s growth plans, be sure to look for an experienced organization that operates exclusively in the unique senior living marketplace and has the specialized expertise, extensive experience and award-winning results to succeed. Our outstanding team of social media, SEO, strategic marketing and creative design professionals will help you create a comprehensive, evidence-based growth strategy based on the most current and effective tools available today. We invite you to contact us today at 833-240-0655.