If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re either new to blogging or looking to improve the formatting of your future blog posts. While creating valuable content is crucial, that’s only half the battle. It doesn’t matter how engaging your content is if you haven’t put enough thought into achieving the proper blog layout. If a reader comes across your disorganized WordPress theme, you’re likely to lose them before they even make it past the headline.
What can you do to create posts that capture your audience’s attention right from the start? Strive to include the following formatting styles proven to be successful in the blogging world.
Let’s take a look at these eight brilliant blog format layouts that drive engagement in 2021.
Format 1: The How-To Post
The how-to post has been one of the most popular blog formats for quite some time. Some may also know it as a tutorial post. You’ve likely seen countless informative articles like this with headlines such as “10 Steps to Doing…” or “20 Easy Ways to…” The headlines of these posts should make a promise to teach your audience something useful.
Pro Tip: Test the effectiveness of your how-to post title by taking advantage of the many free headline analyzer tools online.
After the headline, break down the article into subheadings with easy step-by-step procedures for your audience to follow. Walk them through each step to reach the desired outcome.
For more inspiration, take a look at this well-written how-to post:
Format 2: The List Post
Also known as the ‘Listicle,’ these blog posts break down information in the form of a list, a layout that is easily consumed by the reader.
Studies show that 73% of readers skim through blog posts, which is why it’s essential to break down your content for your audience and the primary reason that list posts work so well. Not to mention, lists are much easier to write than fleshing out long paragraphs.
According to this 2020 study done by OptinMonster, 36% of readers prefer listicle headlines over other styles, which says a lot about the blog formatting that draws viewers in and keeps them engaged.
Format 3: The Epic Post
Have you ever stumbled across a piece of long-form content that adds incredible value to the reader and blows your mind? These are likely epic posts, which are extensive in length and link out to other informative posts or websites, bringing a ton of helpful information into one piece. The epic post has its name for a reason – when done right, it often goes viral and gets shared all over Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms.
The king of epic blog posts is Neil Patel – you may have heard of him. While most bloggers won’t be able to keep up with the lengthy, informative content that he consistently produces, you should strive to include some epic posts like his in your WordPress blog. The kind of thorough research and dedication that goes into writing them helps deepen trust with your readers, which is a key to growing your following.
Pro Tip: Make use of infographics to get your point across by allowing your readers to see patterns and trends.
For an excellent example, check out this genius eye-catching epic blog post written by Jon Morrow of Smart Blogger:
Format 4: The Conversion Post
This style of article has a specific conversion goal in mind. When writing conversion content, you should be thinking about how your product or service can help your readers. You must know exactly who your target audience is and speak directly to them. Introduce a problem that they’re having and offer the solution to those pain points, guiding the reader to the end of the article.
You should always end your blog post with a strong “Call to Action.” Whether you run a personal or company blog, including a CTA is crucial. By doing so, you can ask your readers to do one of the following:
- Subscribe to your mailing list.
- Purchase your product or service.
- Read another one of your blog posts on a relative topic.
Format Type 5: The Guest Post
A great way to switch up your content is by having another blogger in your industry do a guest post on your blog. Not only will this create fresh content, but it may introduce new ideas to your audience that you never thought to write about yourself. The occasional well-written guest post can excite your audience and keep things from going stale.
Think about it. Even if you’re already a leader in your industry, bringing on another expert for a feature post can only increase trust with your readers. Give it a shot!
Format 6: Product Review
Product review posts generate a lot of sales for a reason – readers usually search for them when they’re about ready to make a purchase. Bloggers create these review posts for various reasons, such as:
- Wanting to position themselves as an influencer in a specific industry.
- Generating affiliate income.
- Gaining more search engine traffic.
Whatever the reason, the key to making an impact is writing an honest review. People can see right through a fake one that is just trying to get them to take out their credit card.
Writing a review post should follow these steps:
- Start with an overview of the product, including a brief verdict for all those skimmers out there.
2. Share the features and the benefits. Remember to focus on how the product will improve their life.
3. Give your honest opinion on some of the downsides of the product and who it isn’t suitable for.
4. Sum up your review with a more in-depth explanation of whether you recommend the product or not.
Format 7: The Rant Post
The rant post is generally an emotional one. If you’re going to take a shot at it, the most important thing is to learn to write one without looking like a jerk. This style better serves personal blogs than business blogs. The author usually takes a stance on a specific topic that they’re passionate about.
Things to remember:
- Avoid pointing fingers at any individuals or competitors.
- Make sure you have all of your facts straight.
- Take a positive tone rather than just coming off as negative or angry.
- Lastly, come up with a solution to the problem.
Have a look at this rant post that followed this protocol and generated buzz amongst industry professionals:
Format 8: A Case Study
A case study is more scientific and in-depth since you’re researching and writing about a particular product, individual, or theory. The goal is to provide readers with the information if a particular product or service will work for them too.
Follow these steps to write an effective case study that grabs the readers’ attention:
1. Write about a particular individual that your customer can relate to, whether it’s yourself or someone else.
2. Tell the entire story in its entirety from beginning to end.
3. Include real research and numbers to back up your findings.
Final Words
Including a variety of these blog format layouts will drive engagement. Test them out to find out what works for you and what your target audience wants to read.
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