Top tips to help you blog like a professional

But the kingdom is overrun with jesters, and the king is easily bored. So, how do you create content that matters?

Producing professional blogs is something we as business owners are told we must do to inspire, entertain and engage our audiences. Yet blogging doesn’t come naturally to us all. There are a few key points that will get you blogging like a pro.

1) Who, what, what, why, how?

Before you start any piece of content, whether it’s a blog or a video series, it’s important to ask yourself the following questions: Who are you talking to? What do you want them to learn and take away? What do you want them to then do with that information? Why should they care? How will you measure success and use your findings to improve your content the next time round?

2) Look for a unique angle

It’s oh so tempting to just regurgitate articles you find on Google. Instead, incorporate your own experience, data, expert quotes and tone of voice to make your blog instantly recognisable, engaging and informative. If in doubt, ask your audience about their biggest blockers and use your content to offer a solution.

3) Build internal links

Internal linking is good for SEO and a great way to continue the story, keep your audience on-site for longer and drive them towards that all-important sale. Look for ways to link between blogs and different pages on your website. If it feels like something needs explaining further, don’t link away from your site, turn this into an opportunity to create another blog and link there.

4) Include headings

Splitting your blogs into sections with headings will help you keep structured and to the point. Getting your headings right and tagged with H2 in your html will also help Google decipher your content more effectively and will boost SEO. Use keywords and key phrases in your headings where appropriate.

5) Clear call to actions

Finish your blog with a clear and catchy call to action that either takes your audience to another valuable piece of content or, ideally, to a sales page. Be immediate, engaging and value-driven in your call to actions for the best results.

Sophie Turton, director at The Joyful Web is leading a Brighton Chamber Bite-sized Learning: How to blog like a pro on 31 July. For more information about Brighton Chamber networking and training events visit www.businessinbrighton.org.uk/events