Writing your first blog post can be a daunting task, especially if you’re new to the world of SEO. Your first post is a way to introduce your startup to the online world. Take a look at these ten tips for making every word count.

Starting a business?

First, let me congratulate you! Especially if you’re like one of the 7.4% job seekers (in 2016) who decided to become their own bosses.

It’s a great feeling to finally hold up your own fort, isn’t it? That, and the fact that you’ve decided to pursue your real interests, is what makes your choice impressive.

Like what they say though (or at least Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben), “With great power comes great responsibility.”

This means you now have more responsibilities as an entrepreneur.

One of that is writing your first blog post.

Wait, what?

Why the sudden shift to writing and blogging?

Simple. Because your blog will be one of the most powerful marketing and branding tools you’ll ever have. (More on this below.)

And I’m here to share the whys and hows of blogging you should know.

So, keep reading!

Writing Your First Blog Post: The Undeniable Need To

First, let’s talk about why your start up needs a blog in the first place. This way, you can understand why you need to write – and how it can make or break your business.

To start off, did you know that more than 409 million web users read not five, not ten, not even twenty, but a whopping 23.7 billion pages each month?

Or that on average, people spend 2.5 hours on email? That’s already a lot of time, but they spend three times more than that on reading blog posts!

There’s also the fact that more than three-fifths of U.S. online shoppers bought something, thanks to a blog post.

Not enough reasons for you to believe in the power of blogging? Then how about this:

In 2016, one in every three Fortune 500 companies boasts of a public blog. Also, consider that experts forecasted digital advertising (including content marketing) spend in 2017 to reach a staggering $83 billion.

These are only a few of the many other stats that display the immense power of writing blogs. But they should be enough to make you realize its value.

So, Where and How Do You Start?

Your niche! In other words, the specific industry your business belongs in. The market your potential customers belong in.

As a tech entrepreneur, your interests may lie in Internet and data services. Or computer systems/software services. Perhaps video game or app development.

In any case, you want your blog to go hand in hand with your brand’s actual products, services, and offers. At the same time, you want your topics to have interest-gaining power, as well as high shareability (think about all those viral blog posts you’ve read!).

That means creating a list of blog post ideas (and writing them like a pro) that your readers may still have no idea about. Stuff that you take pride in being an expert on.

Think unusual hacks to speed up their Internet connection or the top 10 productivity programs that’ll make them say goodbye to delayed project completions. You may even include tips and tricks on that new video game everyone’s raving about (and you’ve already finished, of course).

As important as showcasing your expertise on these topics though is talking about subjects that people actually talk about. That’s why you also need to keep yourself in the loop for news and trends taking place in your niche.

The Fun Part: Curating Content to Display Your Expertise

Now that you have an idea on what to write about, next is to start mastering these five steps on how to format a blog.

1. Deliver a Hook

I’m not talking about Tyson-like left hooks. But you’d want the same kind of reeling power with the first sentence of your blog. Especially your first ever blog post.

There are a few tried and tested ways to give your first sentence that ability to pack a punch while still having relevance to the rest of your post.

For instance, you can ask a conversational question that leads to follow up questions. See what I did for my intro? That’s an example.

Or, you can begin with a thought-provoking question. Here’s a good one: “How much do you think marketers spend on content marketing every year?”

You can also cite a statistic, such as “Did you know that U.S. homebuyers spent a whopping $407,300 on average this April 2018?”

By the way, that statistic is a fact, and that’s what you want your blog posts to be.

In any case, you want your introduction – the first 100 words – to make readers want to read more. Surprise, even shock them. Reel them in (and not away) with your hook.

2. The Shorter the Paragraphs, The Better

Unless you’re writing a thesis or a serious technical piece, you want short paragraphs. Keep each paragraph to a maximum of three sentences. Make sure your sentences are also short but concise.

Also, avoid big words. I know, I could’ve used the word “highfalutin” in place of big. But that’s a mouthful, and I don’t want my readers focusing on that instead of the rest of my post…

3. Make It Pop with a Pop Culture Reference

That Spiderman reference I used in the intro? I’m pretty sure that made some of you smile, even laugh. It also made my introduction feel more human, didn’t it?

4. Your Brand is One-of-A-Kind, So Should Your Posts

Never, ever plagiarize. That’s a golden rule in writing.

You want to write fresh content, even if millions of other people have already talked about the topic. The important thing here is to write your content in a way that they have a unique spin.

That’s what insatiable blog posts are all about.

5. End with a Bang

Your blog post’s conclusion may be as hard (if not more so) than your introduction. You may go the easy way of summing up all your key points. But before you do, think about how boring that would be.

Because most other bloggers do that. That means doing the same kind of brings your “uniqueness” down.

So, why not use a call-to-action instead? Or, shoot them another thought-provoking question?

These are a couple of things you can do to end your post with a bang. You only need to be creative and you can make your readers want even more.

Wow Your Readers with that First Ever Blog Post

Here’s a final thought to think about (see what I’m doing here?):

Your headline may get the attention of 80% of readers. But only 20% of them will read the rest of your copy.

So, follow these tips when writing your first blog post. This way, you can increase your chances of getting all those visitors read it from start to finish.

And don’t forget to check out my other start up blog posts. I have more nuggets of wisdom to share with you, so feel free to consume them!