Everyone can blog; however, not all blogs are the same. With over 2 million blog posts written daily and close to 505 million blogs online as of 2018, one can say that blogging is here to stay.

Have you thought of why some blogs are popular with a large following in the hundreds of thousands or million views per month? People write blogs for different reasons, including entertainment, fun, education, networking, business, and as a revenue stream.

How can your blog post stand out as a professional blogger? Regardless of the reasons for blogging or the number of daily blog posts, we all enjoy reading great blogs compared to inferior ones.

The question is what makes a good professional blog post? First, learn the answers to the question then implement them in your blog posts. Next, consistency and quality will make your blogs stand out amidst the millions in your niche. Incorporating these six tips as part of your best practices is a beginning.

Tip#1. Know and Write For Your Audience

Every blog has an audience, that is, the most likely visitors to the blog. Have you ever asked yourself who is your audience? Know and write for your specific audience. Work to find your voice. If your niche is parenting, then parents or soon to be parents are those who are interested in your message. Create valuable blog content that addresses their needs in a friendly and professional manner. 

Tip#2.     Produce-Packed Content with Quality Images

The phrase, content is king, is the call of the wild in SEO Marketing. As a professional blogger, your primary focus is always to offer your audience valuable information. This information is designed to educate, help them make informed decisions, and a call to action.

Everything about your blog post starting from the title, the paragraph headings to the conclusion must offer value to your visitors. In addition, avoid writing fluff or wordy, run-on sentences.

Less is best. Even in long-form content, be concise and offer value to the readers. Each sentence and paragraph must contain practical and applicable information, or you will lose your reader.

One approach in the creation of a blog post is to outline the message with an introduction, thesis content, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the content, it is essential to present new information while avoiding wordiness and repetition. Always check for clarity, grammar, word choice, and flow.

Clear, striking images attract and draw the reader into your content. When searching for images, be conscious of usage rights. Make sure the images will not at risk for copyright infringement by selecting only those images labeled for reuse.

Tip#3.  Always Close Each Post with a Call to Action

After taking the time to construct a quality post, that is educational, informative, and stimulating, ask your audience to take action. Ending your blog post with a call to action makes your blog more interactive and engaging. Depending on the blogs and their intent, a call to action will lead to higher conversion.  The call to action can be as simple as a question.  This method asks your audience’s view or opinion of the blog post content and can lead to better engagement.

Tip #4.  Use a clear, friendly, and professional voice.

Everyone agrees that the online business world is expanding. With every post, there is a message conveyed to the audience, and it matters. When constructing a blog post, great bloggers use a clear, friendly, and professional voice that readers can easily understand. This makes the post relevant, relatable and connects with readers on an emotional level.

Some of the benefits of using a bright, friendly, and professional voice include

• Enhances readers’/audience experience

• Encourages better engagement and interaction

• Promotes the organization/blog brand image and reputation

Tip #5.  Support your ideas with relevant research and citations.

Everyone with internet access and a computer can blog. Professional bloggers know how to affect and leverage their followers with content.

To earn and build people’s trust, they go the extra mile to make sure their content is referenced with credible, primary sources. In addition, the material does not contain libel or copyright infringement and includes a disclaimer page. 

Also, as a professional blogger, many followers make decisions based on your blog recommendations. It is always important to support your ideas and blog messages with relevant research and citations from authoritative sources. Always cite the source of any quote or phrase used from another blog in your blog posts.   

Tip #6.  Put yourself in their shoes.

Every blog has a motive or intent behind it. As a professional blogger, when constructing a post, it is essential to know and work toward implementing their voice in your blog posts.

For most business blogs, educating and informing the prospects and customers about the products or services remains the primary goal. Subsequently, your blog posts must always align with objectives to encourage opportunities and loyalty.

The value of a professional blog post is in the content. The key is to be relevant to the audience and anyone else that may cross its path. This goes beyond the present. Blog posts are evergreen and can remain well into the future. Building your reputation, one blog at a time will help you become an excellent blogger known as a leader in content creation.