Similar to how personality spices up your writing, the format of your blog also gives readers a change of pace.
When I say “format,” I’m not referring to headers, bolding, bullet points and whatnot — though these certainly help readers move through your blog with ease. I’m talking about the type of blog.
Let’s go over a few popular examples to help you grasp the concept.
1. Question Answering
This is where I urge new bloggers to start. Simply answer questions your audience is asking. This type of blog is uncomplicated and to-the-point. Bonus: It can be used in every stage of the buyer’s journey.
2. Community Post
This can be a pat-on-the-back to an employee that’s done an incredible job, a post about a non-profit organization your company supports, or an event your company participated in. These blogs are great reader-engagement tools and humanize your company.
3. The How-To
The how-to blog post is in the same family line as its question-answering predecessor. This is a step-by-step explanation of how to perform a task. When writing this type of blog, make every step very clear. There’s nothing more frustrating that a how-to that gets you lost in the process.
4. Lists
Numbered lists (think Buzzfeed) are one of the most read blog formats. And the reason is simply — they are easy to consume! People don’t like to work for anything, especially not the written word. If you want something to get read, a list format is your best option.
While there are many more types of posts in the blogosphere, these have shown proven results time and again. Can you guess what type of blog this is?
5. Industry News
Was a new product just released? Did one company buy out another? Industry news is always a good opportunity for a blog post. The key to this type of blog is that it must be timely. Try to post something on the industry event within a week of it happening.
6. Q&A
Interview posts offer a different point of view for your readers — a perfect way to keep them interested in your blog. And, depending on who you’re interviewing, you may be able to market the piece on both of your social media accounts, which may in turn help you garner more followers.
Have another type of blog post you find particularly useful? Share it with us!
