4-Part Anatomy of an Excellent Blog Post

Over the past month we’ve talked about blog posts. Maybe not the sexiest topic, but certainly one that’ll help you generate the leads for 2021 and now 2022 that you need to get back what you lost in 2020.

Generating leads from the best potential clients is important – and hard – work. You have to do more than just put in the time. That’s the easy part. You actually have to know what you’re doing too. Let’s see if we can make that eas(ier) for you…

How to research for an excellent blog post

Here’s a how-to for creating a great blog post, whether it’s cornerstone content centered on copy or a real wedding post built around images. Before you get started you have to do some basic background work though:

Write down your buyers’ biggest concerns/fears/problems/doubts/anxieties. Basically, what keeps them up at night or creates an argument amongst the decision-makers. I suggest you ask 20 of your best clients directly: “What was your biggest concern about hiring a [insert what you do].” This kind of question is best asked in a longer series of questions so it doesn’t come out of the blue or appear pointed.

Write out the solutions you offer for these concerns. Go 1:1, and be methodical about it. Use a spreadsheet. If your buyer is concerned about photos taking forever to edit, write out “4-6 week guaranteed turnaround.” If your buyer is scared the flowers will wilt on their summer date, write out “refrigerated on site until the last minute.” Etc.

Write out how your solutions are different from what vendors in your comp set do. This is your unique selling position, and I’ve written about it before in detail. Here’s the shortcut: “Others (do this). Instead (I/we do this). So you (get this).” This will help you focus on the things you do differently and how it helps your clients.

How to create the post

Now that you’re ready with the right kind of information to present to your readers/potential clients, let’s get started with the four steps:

Pick a topic that’s going to resonate with your best clients

If you read last week’s blog post, you know that you’ve got to include a problem or conflict of some kind and then follow a plotline that’s familiar. Start with the biggest problem or concern, then work down the list from there.

If it’s a real wedding, the story of that wedding should address how you and your clients overcame that concern. If it’s a piece of cornerstone content, the post should dive into or solve the big problem.

Create a transformational story

Don’t just provide information, tell about transformation. Follow one of the seven main plot lines, and focus on the “comedy” one most for wedding couples. Be sure to include the concern you know will resonate most with your best clients. Also, include the perfect solutions you offer.

If possible, show how you do them differently (and better) than others in your comp set. For example, if your clients are concerned about the details getting taken care of on the big day, then show images of you lining up the place settings with a ruler. If it’s a piece of cornerstone content then you can write about what’s in your day-of toolkit, including that ruler. Etc.

Pick photos that tell the story for skimmers

If you’re doing a real wedding post, pick 50-60 images that show a beginning, middle and end for the plot. Introduce the characters with them, set the scene of the story, bring up the concern/conflict if possible, show how you and/or the clients and/or other vendors overcame the issues, and finish with a celebration of the transformation. Think of your story like a graphic novel storyboard.

If it’s a piece of cornerstone content, feel free to use wedding images and non-wedding images. Incorporate behind-the-scenes, candid shots, images from phones and drawings, sketches, or diagrams. Think of this like a case study filled with images, which readers (and Google) love.

Optimize the post

While we recommend writing your blog post to meet the needs of your ideal clients first, you still need to follow best practices for SEO after you’ve created the post. We know enough about SEO to be dangerous, so take these tips from wedding industry SEO expert Sara Dunn.

Now you know how to create an extraordinary blog post. Are you ready to write your next one? We sure hope so.

 
Looking for some help?

If you see how important they are but don’t have the skill, interest, or time reach out to us for help. In addition to website copywriting, we offer blog writing services for real weddings and cornerstone content. Reach out to [email protected].

We hope the blogging information over the past month has been helpful. If you’ve not read the other posts check our blog here.