What makes a clickworthy blog post in 2021?
If you’re creating blog content for your business, you probably wonder from time to time whether people even still read blogs?
I mean, there are so many shiny new things to experiment with – Instagram reels, YouTube videos, TikTok…
If you’re in that headspace, you'll be interested in this research from Hubspot...
In their latest survey, they asked this: "Have you ever purchased something from a company after reading a blog post from them?"
Wanna know how many people said yes?
🚀 56% 🚀
Here are my thoughts on this finding...
The truth is a blog post alone isn't going to do all the selling for you. You see, most people need to engage with your brand a few times before buying...
BUUUUT the great thing about blogs is they appeal to people who are seriously thinking about buying (so write with them in mind 😉)
When people are getting ready to buy something or book a service, they’ll consume loads of content about that thing. So if you’re on their reader at this stage of the customer journey, chances are these people will be really bloody interested in reading your blog. And these are the exact people we want to delight!
When you think about that Hubspot stat above, together with my thoughts on where blogging fits in your content strategy, it makes sense that so many people would remember purchasing something after reading a blog. Because blogging is well aligned with the purchase phase.
So here is your first tip: write posts with information potential buyers are looking for (think service comparisons, case studies, product guides, etc) and include links to purchase or booking forms.
Here's a real example of a blog leading to a purchase...
My client was thinking of introducing a new architectural consultation service, but didn’t have a sales page or socials about the new offering. We decided to test it out by mentioning the new service in a blog post.
The consultation service offering was the perfect solution for the topic of the blog post, and a booking request come through straight away! 🙌 The customer who made the booking had been following the architect for a while, and the blog was the final touchpoint they needed to go ahead.
Okay, now we have cleared up that blogs still work. Here is what’s working best for my clients at the moment.
Click-worthy blog idea #1: Behind the scenes
Instead of telling people what to do, show them how you do things in a real and relatable way. Think of ways you can bring them into your world while providing helpful advice.
People love a peek behind the scenes! And there are so many ways you can do this, while still providing valuable information.
Here’s a couple of ideas to inspire you:
The most popular post for a mortgage broker I work for was how he manages his own mortgage.
Another client of mine (another architect) wrote this post that takes readers inside her own home. It’s super relatable, but also filled with tips for renovating a post-war home.
So how would this work in your business? Let’s toss around a few ideas…
If you’re an accountant, you could write a post about how your business structure has changed as your business has grown. Writing generic posts about something like business structure can be dry and hard to wrap your head around. Linking the concepts back to a real business makes them way easier to understand! And this kind of post also tells your story in a new way.
Are you a naturopath? Run mini challenges that you complete yourself and document how it went (e.g. taking a new supplement for 30 days; changing your diet to match a new exercise regime; etc). This will give people confidence that your advice is tried and tested.
If you have a skin clinic, share a time when you experienced a skin breakout to make your followers feel okay about having bad skin days. This normalise any feelings of embarrassment clients might ahead of their first appointment.
Click-worthy blog idea #2: Interviews and round-ups
Yep, these are still working – and they’re a great way to get exposure to new people ! 👍
Reach out to people aligned with your brand and see if they’re interested in being interviewed on your blog.
If you’re a landscape architect, you could interview a designer of great outdoor furniture.
If you’re a social media co-ordinator, feature the people behind your favourite social media accounts or chats with representatives from your preferred social media tools.
You can also share links out to other local businesses your community would be interested in. My client Family Clean helps time-poor families who want more quality time. So this post on kid-friendly cafes (that aren’t daggy) taps into the idea of family-friendly quality time and builds connection with other local businesses. We update it regularly and it always gets great traction!
Send the post link to your interviewee, so they can share it with their audience. This is a great way to get your blog in front of new people who are well aligned with your brand.
Click-worthy blog idea #3: Interviews and round-ups
Have you trialled something in your business?
Is there a project you can reflect on?
Or perhaps you could send quarterly recaps on what is working or new trends?
Let’s say you’re an architect, you could share reflections on new materials you’ve been working with and what you think of them.
If you’re a fitness instructor and you ran a 28-day challenge, you can share a reflection on what worked for your clients to keep them motivated and ideas you have to make the next one even better (with a prompt to join the waitlist for the next one – because we’re all about conversions 🤗)
I personally enjoy Kirsty Fanton’s annual reflection on how her business performed.
By now you might be sensing a trend – the content that’s working right now is not generic how-to posts.
It’s content that is unique to your brand: content that no-one else can steal because it’s all about you. And it doesn’t have to be shiny and perfect (so don’t get hung up on perfectionism).
If you can bring people into your world, they’re more likely to trust you and buy from you. Especially if they’re at the consideration stage – they want to like you.
They don’t want to keep researching their options, because going with you will be the easiest option if you can just show them your personality and expertise.