Are your blog posts not converting as well as you would want them to?

Do you want to know the secret of writing a blog post that draws more traffic? Then, you have landed in the right place.

In this post, we will share with you a step-by-step guide to create an awesome blog post that gets clicks and sales!

When writing a blog, ask yourself a few questions, like:

• “Why would someone be interested in reading this article”
• “Why would someone read this entire blog post”
• “What will make the reader come back for more”

Remember, a converting blog post is interesting, engaging, and educational. But, being interesting or engaging alone isn’t enough. It should also answer questions in readers’ minds and provide actionable steps to resolve their issues.

Before moving on to the tips and tricks of writing a blog post that converts, let’s have a look at what a blog post is.

What Is A Blog Post

A blog post is a piece of writing published in the blog section of a website to share information, analysis, and insights about any topic. It typically discusses a specific topic or issue with the intent to boost brand awareness and conversions of a business. A blog post generally ranges from 600 to over 2000 words and drives traffic to your website. A survey found that 75% of people prefer reading articles under 1,000 words.

Besides content, a blog also contains interactive media, such as images, infographics, and video clips.

Blog Formats:

There are many popular blog formats used to boost the SEO quality of a website. The six most common blog formats include:

• The “How-To” Post.
• The List-Based Post.
• The “What Is” Post.
• The Checklist/Cheat Sheet Post.
• The Newsjacking Post.
• The Infographic Post.

No matter which format you use, you only have a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention, make them click the link, and actually read the blog post. A well-crafted, easy-to-read blog will help you draw more traffic to your website.

So how to craft a blog to ensure that your content marketing efforts are not going in vain?

Follow the steps listed below, and you will be instantly able to write engaging and informational blog posts that convert.

1. Understand Your Target Audience

Before you start writing a blog post, you must clearly understand who your target reader is. Ask yourself questions like

• What are they looking for?
• What will resonate with them?

Instead of making random guesses about the audience, try to do industry research and competitor analysis. This will help you make data-driven decisions. Based on your research, decide a topic for your blog post.

For example, if you are targeting millennials seeking ways to start a business, you probably don’t need to explain how to get started with social media accounts. Most of them already have social media accounts and clarity on how it works. Nevertheless, you can explain the difference between personal and business accounts and how they can adjust to the latter.

2. Build Your Content Strategy

A great blog post doesn’t just happen. It is crucial to have a content strategy in place before you write anything. A content strategy is a roadmap that plans the exact steps you must follow to achieve desired results.

Before you start writing the blog, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are you going to write about?
• What do you want to achieve through the blog post?
• What is the appropriate time to publish it?
• What optimization will you do on the blog post?
• Which platforms will you use to share it ?
• How will you measure the influence of your blog post?

Knowing answers to these questions will help you develop an effective content strategy. If you start writing a post without proper planning, it will become a time-consuming task, and the result won’t be worth all the effort.

3. Come Up With a Compelling Title

Once you have selected a topic, the next thing is to choose an informative and captivating title. Remember, if your blog post lacks a catchy headline, it is highly likely not to be read or shared. It is human nature to judge a book by its cover and an online article by its title.

Initially, you will have a few different working titles for the topic. Shortlist one title that is most compelling and engaging for your target audience. This will also be the headline of your blog post.

Also, several headline analyzer tools are available online to help you write a more clickable and SEO-friendly title. These tools rate your title and suggest words to use and the word count limit for an optimal headline. Download the headline analyzer tool today, and you will be able to create almost perfect headlines.

From selecting a topic to a few working titles to one final title, this evolution allows you to focus your blog post on something more specific and targeted.

4. Write a Captivating Intro

The introduction of a blog post is the first impression. That’s why it is essential to write a captivating introduction that hooks the reader. If your reader loses interest in the first few sentences of the introductory paragraph, you will lose the reader.

Address your readers from sentence one by talking directly to them, using the word “you.” You can also directly ask your readers a question related to their problem. You can grab readers’ attention in several ways. For example,

• Start your blog intro with an interesting fact.
• Ask a meaningful question.
• Use an anecdote.
• Promise something the reader wants.

After grabbing attention, briefly explain what this blog post is about and how it will help resolve the reader’s problem. This will compel the reader to continue reading.

5. Use Bullet Points

Readers skim through the content before they decide to read it. Therefore, you must highlight the best parts of your blog post using headings and subheadings. This way, they can quickly decide that your content is worth their time.

Besides headings and subheadings, you can also use bullet points, as they are easy to skim through. Here are some formatting tips for using bullet points appropriately and adequately.

• Keep your bullets symmetrical.
• Keep bullet points short and precise.
• Think of bullets as mini-headlines. They are not long sentences or paragraphs.

Though bullet points offer an excellent way to spoon-feed readers, make sure they contain specific information worth highlighting.

6. Add Images

According to one study, blogs with visual content get 94% more views as compared to text-only content. This is because the human brain processes visual content a lot faster than text-based content.

Adding captivating images and infographics can help engage your reader effectively. Wondering how?

• Your audience doesn’t have time to read paragraphs after paragraphs.
• Images, especially infographics, make information easy to understand and almost at a single glance.
• Visual content can lead to better retention, even if seen only for a few seconds.

It is always a great idea to take your own photos or create your images. But if you think this could be too much for you, here’s the hack! There are tons of awesome free resources where you can find high-quality royalty-free images.

7. Insert a Call-To-Action

Last but not least, add a clear call-to-action (CTA) in the concluding paragraph of the blog post. It could be anything: asking your readers to leave a comment, share your blog post, book an appointment or buy your product. Make sure you clearly mention what exactly you want the readers to do.

8. Proofread and Edit Your Post

Once you are done writing the blog post, make sure it is properly proofread prior to publication. Proofread the content carefully to find out any typos or formatting issues. You can also ask a friend or colleague to edit and proofread your post. Do not risk your blog’s reputation by skipping the proofreading part.

Use free grammar check tools like Grammarly to be sure that there aren’t any grammar issues in your content. Also, make sure formatting is consistent throughout the blog.

9. Organize Your Content in an Outline

Besides proofreading, organizing your content is also crucial. Blog posts typically have an overwhelming amount of information stuffed in. This can deter the reader. Organize your blog post carefully, so that the audience is not intimidated by the length of the content or the amount of information. This is where an outline comes in!

Write an outline to give readers a rough idea of what the blog post contains. An outline doesn’t need to be very much detailed and lengthy. It should just give readers a rough idea of what is in the blog post that they should not miss. It can take multiple forms – sections, lists, or tips – whatever suits the most to your content.

Final Words!

Remember, a good blog post is interesting to read and provides informative content to the audience. A well-crafted post can help you promote your brand, attract organic leads, and increase conversions.

Follow the steps listed above, and start writing blog posts that will earn you way more conversions than you had before. Good Luck!

As soon as I entered my adulthood, the pressure of setting personal goals somehow made me stop to envision how I want to see myself in the future.

I am sure you all can relate with me because setting life goals and making efforts for their accomplishment comes naturally to all of us.

In case you are burning the midnight oil to realize your dreams, but your hard work is not repaying then dear fellows, you need to take some time to analyze your goals.

Goal setting is a rigorous process to strive for an ideal future and turning your vision into reality.

Be smart, concentrate on your efforts and avoid distractions.

Let’s delve into various types of personal development goals that will help you unlock your dreams and touch the horizon of success.

Types of Personal Goals

Top-performing athletes, successful businessmen, and achievers from every field have set some aims in life. They all worked for the accomplishment of those aims and objectives with their strategic planning.

Personal growth goals are also known as

• Short terms goals
• Long term goals
• Lifetime goals

Before you start moving towards your destination, devise a plan, set long term goals to keep your efforts and focus intact to reach and achieve your ultimate objectives.

For the achievement of long term goals, setting short term goals act as a milestone. They assist in knowing how long it will take to attain your aims with clear guidelines.

They are a source to give lifetime learning. When you achieve your short term goals, it gives you the confidence to move forward with more zeal and zest to obtain your final goals and turn your dreams into reality.

How to Set Goals for Yourself?

Goal setting makes us happy and empowers us, which increases our confidence to utilize our inherent talents and promotes feelings of satisfaction and good health.

You can set your goals by answering these questions.

What do you want in your life to make you happy and satisfied?

What are your career aspirations?

What kind of family life do you foresee for yourself?

You can master the art of goal setting by watching this YouTube video. It sums up everything for you in just 6 minutes to give you a road map for setting goals for yourself.

Examples of Personal Goals in Life You Can Write Them Down

Throughout our life, we try to be more proactive and productive to achieve our goals. Goals serve as a tool to measure one’s personal growth and progress in personal and professional domains.

Without further ado, let’s discuss 10 smart personal development goals for 2020 to improve your life.

Self Development Goals

1. Strive for health and fitness

Health is wealth. It is a universal truth and a voiced aspiration. Wake up early, go for a morning walk to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart attack, obesity, anxiety and bold pressure.

2. Be a good listener

Good listeners are often good communicators. They reflect care and trust. People also like them and enjoy their company.

3. Learn more to grow more

In today’s digital world, multiple resources are available to facilitate us from online learning courses to hone skills or to get benefit from digital libraries to quench our thirst for knowledge.

Learning is a gateway to reach favorable outcomes.

Personal Life Goals

4. Boost your stamina

Strong will power helps us in pulling off our life objectives. Good habits also play a vital role in building good stamina.

5. Say goodbye to stress

Stress is a major hurdle in growth. Face trials and tribulations bravely. Keep reminding yourself that you are stronger than your problems.

We can bid farewell to stress with continuous efforts and perseverance.

6. Set high standards and limit your limitations

It is imperative to set high standards for living a quality life and attaining financial stability.

Never allow your limitations to prevent you from going up the ladder of achievements.

Career Goals

7. Set specific and measurable goals

While setting career goals, don’t be focused only on being successful. Also, consider what and where you want to be in the future.

Set a timeframe for yourself to assess that you are on the right path to reach your target.

8. Tie activities to each objective

Every individual needs to take some actions to accomplish his aims and ambitions. Align your activities to your goals to make the whole process easier.

9. Visualize your success

The shared characteristic of achievers is that they all visualize their success. Psychologists say that if you envision yourself crossing the finish line, it makes you encounter all obstacles in your way.

Work Place Goals

10. Avoid negativity and nurture optimism

Try to get rid of negative vibes around you and cultivate ties with positive people. Don’t be reactive to unnecessary criticism. It will only waste your time and energy.

Promote goodwill gestures and optimism.

11. Practice gratitude and share knowledge with others

Appreciate everything around you, even the things you generally overlook. Make gratitude for your attitude.

Knowledge multiplies when shared with others. Help others with your experience and expertise.

12. Learn new skills and balance your work and professional life

Learning is a life long journey. Be determined to develop a commitment to sharpening your skills to face scholastic, career or personal challenges fiercely.

Life has no room for laziness. Work to live. Balance your work and personal life.

Family Goals

13. Place your family above everything

We all know that blood is thicker than water. Keep your family above any other relationship. Sharing starts at home. Spend time with your parents, siblings or children and establish a stronger bond with them.

14. Plan a trip

Go on a family vacation to spend some quality time and have fun together.

15. Take decisions at the right time

It is important to make the right decisions at the appropriate time to grow as a family.

Relationship Goals

16. Value Each other

Human beings want to love and to be loved. To have healthy intimate relationships, it is a must for both partners to respect each other and acknowledge the differences.

17. Prioritize your relationship

Do not put the needs of your relationship at the back burner because of your super busy life. Make your relationship your priority and make sure that your partner does not feel neglected.

18. Grow together

Togetherness is a bliss. Make each other feel that no matter how harsh the circumstances will be, you will hold hands through every thick and thin.

Friendship Goals

19. Spend time with your friends

Make new friends, but do not forget the old pals. Stay connected to strengthen your relationship. Take time to meet them for coffee or plan a movie together to relive the memories of the past.

20. Be Understanding

Don’t take your friends for granted. Value them as they are a source of joy and fun. Appreciate them for their victories and give them space whenever required. Stretch your helping hand to them whenever they need your support.

21. Don’t breach the trust

Trust is the base of every strong connection. Don’t lose trust. Be honest and true to your promises and commitments.

Educational Goals

22. Know yourself

Define your interests and talents. Align your learning with your passion and pursuits.

23. Explore new activities and devise your timetable

While setting targets, include time for acquiring some new skills to keep you enthusiastic and add freshness to your mind and body.

24. Accept failures and remain determined

Don’t be afraid of failures. Failure is a stepping stone to success. Learn from your mistakes and bounce back with more vigor to gain what you want to attain in your life.

Psychological & Spiritual Goals

25. Be adaptable and create happiness

The mind is the most powerful tool. It reflects your attitude and beliefs. Be positive and flexible and see the magic. Stay calm and make things happen.

26. Evaluate yourself

Self-evaluation is of paramount importance, but it does not mean that you need to put unnecessary pressure on yourself.

Keep trying and believe that slow and steady wins the race.

27. Converse with God

Establish a direct connection with the lord and share all your problems with him. He is listening to you and watching your actions. Consider him your best friend and practice the ways he likes.

Meditate regularly.

Financial Goals

28. Stick to your budget

It is a bit difficult but not impossible. Set your budget and write down every single penny you spend. Make sure that you will spend less than your earning and save something for the future.

29. Pay off debts

If you have to make some loan payments, conscientiously stay within your budget. Prepare a debt payment plan and look for ways to save money and clear the installments as early as possible.

30. Save for emergency fund

It is vital to keep some money for catering to any emergency needs without any hassle. It will also save you from accumulating more debt.

It is highly recommended to save at least 3 to 6 months expenses for you and your family in an emergency fund if you are the breadwinner of your family.

Bottom Line

The first stair to the ladder of success is setting goals. It makes you actively participate in personal and professional development and value your family, friends and relationships.

It enables you to take control of life to achieve maximum results. Goals are first set in mind and then with your action plan, you convert those into reality.

If you want to lead a purposeful life and be the best version of yourself, start setting goals and striving to gain them.

We all have studied multiple subjects at the college level, but we don’t need to put all the matter to work.

If you are looking for career growth, you will need to focus on your major. The phrase “stay in your line” has a more in-depth meaning than just a highway sign.

You need to develop your expertise and find the careers that best suit the knowledge and skills we have attained.

I know you can do any job easily, but you will be able to do the best in that job where your focus lies.

If you want to jump up a position at your workplace and achieve a dream position, here are some tips on how you can get to it!

Who Is The First One Said Stay in Your Lane

Though the origin of the phrase “stay in your lane” remains unknown, however, it vaulted up the headline in 2017.

This happened when the Conlin Coward show was on air Fox Sports 1. The CEO of a sports apparel, Lavar Ball told Kristine Leahy to “Stay on in your lane”. This was when the phrase was first noticed. 

What Does it Mean to Stay in Your Lane?

In literal meanings, it means to stay on your track while on the highway. However, metaphorically, it is often used as an admonishment or a piece of advice for those who simply can’t mind their own business.

It means, don’t tell others what to do and don’t budge into other’s plans and lives if you are not invited. Most importantly, this phrase is all about being the jack of all and master of none!

“Stay in your lane rather than worrying about what everyone else is doing.”

—Velt Kidd

10 Tips to Help You Stay in Your Lane

Staying in your lane is all about focusing on your business and your boundaries. Everyone cannot be on the front page. If you are someone who is having a hard time staying in their own lane, these 10 tips can help you mind your own business.

1. You don’t need to take the lead

If you need to promote your business and need a website, don’t try creating it yourself. You are already too invested in making your business grow and collecting ideas. Hire a designer, let them do the job. Your main focus should be on growing your business. Hire people who know how to get the job in a better way than you.

Be compassionate about the job or business you are into. Your company’s CEO worked their way to that position with patience. If that’s your destination, you can’t take the short cut. Also, don’t obsess about getting there. Work out solutions on how you can make a breakthrough in your career staying in your lane.

2. Don’t try to poke your head in other’s business

At offices, the element of jealousy or “reaching to the stars” (the CEO seat) is everyone’s dream. However, if you keep poking your nose into the CEO’s work and not focus on yours, you will do poorly in your domain and might never get that promotion!

The key is to stay consistent and focused in your cabin and keep getting better at it.

3. Stick to less

You are in a better place if you have less on your hands rather than a bulk of work that you can’t handle. Make a smart move and entirely focus on the fewer things you have to avail of maximum outcomes.  

The lesser you have to worry about, the more time you have to focus on your tasks. Make sure to meet the deadline and try to fulfill every commitment you make with your boss.

The quicker you can earn your boss’s trust, the more they will start assigning you tasks. As you can handle more tasks in your lane, for instance, staying after office timings to complete work, your efforts will be noticed!

This, in turn, will lead you to a higher position eventually as you will now seem more responsible and dedicated.

Brush up your majors and make rapid progress.

4. Slow and steady wins the race

Maybe you just recently joined a job where you are hired at the assistant level. Don’t start dreading too soon!

Be a fighter; resilience plays a significant role in your way to achieve career success. Fight your way through.

There will be hurdles and distractions, but you need to stick to your ambitions and beliefs. Getting influenced is easy; fighting it is hard.

You will eventually make it to the manager position, but there is nothing to fret about the delay. There are countless examples of people who started at the bottom and made it to the top.

5. Stay in your own lane

We know you might be good at several things, for instance, designing, directing and developing, but if you will do all that, who will be the boss?  Every person working under you needs clear instructions to get the work done. For a competitive output, a detailed input is required. Running a business isn’t easy and neither can you take over every position at your office. Make sure you direct everyone well enough to achieve your milestones sooner.

“Stay in your lane. If you’re good enough, people will move to you.”

— Russell Simmons

6. Do what you know is best

With the internet opening ways to a number of career panoramas, we can often get carried away. In such situations, minding your own business is the key to success in a career. Instead of veering from one unfamiliar platform to another, play to your experience as well as skills. 

You can’t be a freelancer, salesperson and handle office work altogether. You will eventually lose track of things and mess up. Focus on growing your career in one domain; at least you will be doing what you are best and that too with more zest!

7. Add value to your skills

Play to your strengths and learn to utilize your talent. Be open to new approaches, platforms and the progressing technology advancements. Use these to build up your knowledge. You should be able to make a positive impact on your workplace and acquire an insight into your career.  

8. Meld

Being able to feather in your experience, knowledge and skills is an art. This is what all successful career owners excel at. These are the characteristics on which your professional growth and direction depend.  Be open to applying a knowledge upgrade because this can take you a long way. Don’t get carried away, set your goal and missions, and see how you can benefit your career.

9. The grass is not greener on the other side

Most of us are of the idea that maybe if I check the other lanes, other employ’s or friends, it will be better than what I am doing right now. Remember, constant comparison or competition of who is better is never fruitful.

 You just start seeing more and more loopholes, which sometimes don’t even exist. You start losing the motivation, focus and the finish lines starts blurring out. Understand that what you have was in your fate, and you can always work your way through to get better results. 

10. Expand your lane

Expand your horizons. Back in the days, paperwork was in, but presently, all documentation are computerized. Upgrade yourself, introduce yourself to new technology.

For instance, you might be comfortable taking notes with a pen and paper, but the time requirement is now taking notes on your smartphone. Do it. Let people see you are capable of blending in.

Multi-tasking in your lane can help you jump up a position hence helping in your career growth!

Why Stay in Your Lane Makes A Career Success?

Career growth happens when you are putting all your focus on one thing and not beating about the bush. Being committed to your work is the essence of growing careers.

When you start focusing on a goal, which in this case is career success, you are challenging yourself.

You can handle one challenge at a time, so it is wise to build effective strategies for one thing at a time. Take things under your control rather than being controlled by them.

Final Word

The most important secret of career growth is being able to enjoy what you are doing. At the end of the day, it is not always about money.

Happiness leads to focus, creativity, a clearer approach and money will follow through.

You must be content with what you are doing and not just for the sake of it. Make resolutions to conquer your weaknesses and get rid of habits that deviate you from focusing.

It is important to note that there is always room for improvement no matter what position you are at right now.

Keep your eyes and ears open. Learn and never give up on your dream. Mind your own business to avoid conflicts and distractions.

Stay in your lane and watch your road!