4-Step Formula for Unique, High-Converting Blog Posts
Writing blog posts seems like it should be an easy task.
You just have to put a few words down on a page - anyone can do it, right?
Well, sure, anyone can write a few words and press publish, but not everyone can create a blog post that drives action, whether that's downloads, signups, or sales.
Here's the thing: there is so much content out there.
In fact, stats claim that there are 4.4 million blog posts published every day.
That's a heck of a lot of words.
In order to write blog posts that are high-converting and stand out against the other 4 million odd other blog posts they're up against, you've got to add something special. Like a shot of Baileys to give your cup of hot chocolate that much-needed kick.
After 12 years of blogging, I've done it all.
I've written short, 200 word blog posts that don't really say much at all, I've tried to get creative with blog posts, I've published 4,000+ word blog posts, and I've done pretty much everything in between.
It's only in the past couple of years that I've really honed in on a formula that works in the SaaS world.
Blog Posts Have a Special Function in the SaaS World
When it comes to the SaaS industry, blog posts have a slightly different aim.
They are used to educate, inform, and drive people through the buying cycle.
SaaS products often tap into a need that people don't know they have - or, they do know they have a need, but they don't know what solutions are available to them.
When you think about this, blog posts for SaaS brands act as customer support, objection tacklers, demos, competitor comparisons, and more all wrapped up into one complete morsel of goodness.
They're not just a fun read to pass the time - they have a purpose.
But, in order to live up to their full potential, they have to include a few elements.
1. Relatable Stories
Storytelling has been a thing for thousands of years.
It's what connects us humans and helps us provide context to certain situations.
Without including an element of storytelling in your blog posts, you're basically just going to be reeling off a load of facts or instructions.
While this is okay in some instances (i.e. you're providing directions to use a tool or detailing information that readers want quickly), stories makes these facts and instructions stick for longer.
I'm not saying you need to get all Hemingway up in here.
Storytelling doesn't require you to start dropping purple prose in between your bullet points and subheaders.
In fact, it can come in a variety of shapes and forms:
Case studies - these show a real-life story in action and make a point hit much harder (a bit like that moment at the end of a raw and harrowing film when you see the words "based on a true story"). They allow readers to put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist and picture their life or business with your product
Screenshots and examples - I always pick out examples to show a point in action. For example, if I'm writing about landing pages, I'll include screenshots and examples of landing pages that illustrate the point I'm making
Analogies - if you don't have a case study or can't find an example, try and explain your point using an example from another industry or another situation that readers might be able to relate to
Gorgias turns customer experiences into compelling stories.
2. Stats and Quotes
The beauty of blog posts is that everyone can get their voice heard.
But this can also be a downside.
With so many different voices circling the web and the world and its dog claiming to be an expert, it's difficult to know what to trust.
This is why it's important to include stats, data, and quotes in your blog posts to ground the points you’re making and steep them in fact.
Stats might include percentages, research, studies, and experiments.
For example, if you're making a point about everyone using their phones so much more during Covid-19 lockdowns, use real-life numbers to back that up.
You can use sites like Statista and Marketing Profs to find relevant stats or simply run a Google search for "stats about [your topic]".
Quotes can also give legs to what you're saying.
Incorporating the words of an expert or a relevant party can take a point from vague to established in a matter of seconds. Basically, it won't feel like you've plucked an arbitrary idea from thin air.
I usually head to Twitter to find quotes.
I'll simply put out a call for responses and see what happens. If this isn't fruitful, you can find quotes from pre-written interviews with experts, podcasts, or by reaching out to handpicked influencers.
3. Opinion and Experience
There's a trend I've seen recently that permeates the top five or so results on Google for any search term: the posts cover the same points.
Sometimes, they're so similar, it's hard to know which one came first or if there was an element of plagiarism going on.
As a result, blog posts become same-y and boring, reeling out the same points over and over again.
If you want your blog post to stand out and, more importantly, resonate with readers, you've got to come at it with a different approach.
And the thing that makes your post different is YOU.
Think about all the experiences and expertise you've had as an individual or a brand.
Your story is like no one else's story, so use it!
Incorporate your own experiences into your blog post, write about what you know, and run your own first-hand research.
Not only will this make your blog post different from the rest, but it will elevate your expert status and position you as an authority on the topic.
Take a look at the following sentences. Which one is more compelling?
"More people than ever are spending time on social media thanks to the stay at home orders put in place to tackle Covid-19."
"The first thing I do in the morning is pick up my phone and scroll through my Twitter notifications. After speaking to fellow creatives, I'm not alone. Now I'm at home more often, I find myself reaching for my phone more than ever before."
Both sentences make the same point: more people are spending more time on social media, but they do it in different ways.
Using your first hand knowledge and experience can really spice up a point, taking it from dull to interesting in a second.
ConvertKit has a whole section of the blog that’s filled with personal experiences and expertise.
4. Keywords and Reader Questions
In order for a blog post to convert, it has to reach the right people.
This is where keywords come into play.
There was a time when keywords were considered dirty tactics in the blogging world. Back in 2012 I worked in marketing for a travel company where my main role was to stuff as many keywords into their website even if it sounded horrendous.
It still makes me shiver to this day, and it took me a good while to start considering keywords an essential part of content writing.
Not just because they help your posts show up on Google.
There's a bigger, more important reason than this.
They determine what your audience wants to read about and the intention of their search when they use that term.
This will help you write blog posts that tap into reader needs and are laser-focused on what exactly the searcher is looking for.
I use a two-pronged approach to finding keywords. As well as using standard keyword tools to find out which search terms are most popular, I also dig into the human side as well.
This means looking at the top questions in the "People Also Asked" section of Google's results, checking out questions on forums like Quora and Reddit, and using tools like AnswerThePublic and BuzzSumo to make sure I'm targeting the right keywords but also positioning them in a way that aligns with what readers are searching for.
High-Converting Blog Posts Take Time and Effort
Creating a high-converting blog post that doesn’t just blend in with the rest of the mush out there isn’t easy. A lot of brands think they can just whip up a quick regurgitated post and reap the rewards, only to find they get absolutely no traction.
But, once you start injecting your content with personal anecdotes, examples, and stats, and gear it towards the information your readers actually want to know - that’s when you’ll start seeing results.
