A Content Marketing Checklist for Blogs

The Benefits of a Content Marketing Checklist for Blogs

Believe us, we know the feeling! You have an awesome idea for a blog post and can’t wait to write and post it. Before you forget your idea you sit down, crank out your blog post, schedule it for posting, and voila! Your awesome blog post is out there for all to enjoy. But did you remember to make your post all that it can be? Many bloggers overlook opportunities for making their posts go further. Our content marketing checklist for blogs will show you what to do.

Our content marketing checklist for blogs lists 25 simple questions any blogger can ask themselves before publishing their posts. Just like any good story, a good blog post has to grab your attention, arouse interest which leads to desire and action. If you want or need to reach the largest possible audience you will need to do at least some promotion as well. You can simply follow the steps in our content marketing checklist for blogs from beginning to end, or just those parts where you need to improve your posts.

We already mentioned the B2B Business Blogging Benefits in an earlier blog post. Now we want to show you how to create an effective content marketing post. From the creation of an attention-grabbing headline and intriguing introduction, writing the body of your blog post, and bringing it to a successful conclusion our content marketing checklist for blogs gives you step-by-step instructions. We even give you some valuable tips for promoting your blog post.

25 Things to Consider for Effective Blogging

Headline – Attention

1. Is my headline clear, precise, and interesting enough?

2. Is my headline evoking any emotions?

3. Does my headline contain keywords or phrases that someone would type in search engines like Google and is less than 70 characters long? (In order not to get truncated on Google SERPs).

4. Does my headline use an H1 header tag?

Introduction – Interest

5. Does it give a good overview of what the post is all about?

6. Is it short enough (one to two paragraphs) and is it triggering people’s desire to read through the entire post?

Body – Desire

7. Are my paragraphs short enough (usually 5-7 lines long)?

8. Am I using subheadings with the correct header tags? (Usually, H2, H3, and H4 are more than enough)

9. Am I engaging the reader by using a more personal writing style? (i.e. describing a personal experience, asking questions, etc.)

10. Do I format my post correctly using bullets, lists, italics, bold, quotes, etc.?

11. Do I enhance my content by including media such as images, infographics, video, audio, etc.?

12. Is my content concise and to the point without fluff or fancy and boring expressions?

13. Am I appealing to emotions such as anger, humor, or curiosity?

14. Do I link to other authoritative websites?

15. Do I increase my credibility by mentioning other people’s quotes and opinions?

Conclusion – Action

16. Do I summarize my post in one or two short paragraphs?

17. Do I end my post with a question? (to generate comments and invite readers to a conversation)

18. Is my conclusion enticing enough to encourage people reading my post? (for those who scroll down to the conclusion before actually reading the post)

Promoting Your Blog Post

19. Am I publishing my post to social media on the ideal day and time? (take a look at the Best Times to Post on Social Media in 2019 according to Sprout Social to get some ideas)

20. Do I have an email collection mechanism set up on my blog? (email newsletter or subscriber options)

21. Am I able to offer something valuable (like a free ebook or membership) in exchange for a visitor’s email?

22. Do I have social sharing functionality throughout my post?

23. Do I use social media meta tags when sharing my content on social networks?

24. Do I mention my sources and influencers when sharing?

25. Do I share my content more than once?

Need Help With Your Blogging?

As you can see from our content marketing checklist for blogs this is not rocket science. Most of you are probably already doing some of this. But we understand how easy it can be to miss a step or two in the excitement. This is the main reason we wanted to share this list with you. We use it ourselves, and it does work!

But what if you are just not into blogging? It is a personal inclination for some people and a time constraint for others. This is another reason many small businesses do not blog at all. There is another solution! There are many talented writers and bloggers out there that can create effective and engaging content. If you don’t feel up to creating your own blog content spend a little money and have someone do it for you!

The Design of Your Blog Counts

Of course, it does help to have a well-designed blog to start. You can have awesome and relevant content, but it will not do you much good if your actual blog lacks mobile-first functionality and appeal. Modern and increasingly mobile consumers are getting ever more demanding and sophisticated. They expect a lot from your blog, and you better deliver.

Our innovative web design team can help you develop just about any type of blog. We are experts at carefully crafting custom mobile-first blogs and websites to suit (almost) any budget. From designing new WordPress blogs, redesigning or updating an existing blog, to creating a multilingual blog for your business we work directly with the client to prepare them for the ever more demanding mobile consumer. Why not get started by requesting your free blog design estimate?

And if you are still not sure what you need to get your blog and content up to par, don’t worry! Simply reach out and contact us. Our expert team will listen to you, answer your questions, and find the best way to remove the obstacles in the way of your blogging goals. It is one of our specialties, after all!

Is Blogging Part of Your Content Marketing Strategy?

Are you blogging? How is that working out for you and your brand? Is it helping your business and search rankings? Or do you feel that you are simply wasting your time and effort? If so, where do you feel you are falling short? Please leave your comments below so our audience can benefit as well, and grab our feed so you don’t miss our next post! And feel free to share our content marketing checklist for blogs with your audience!

Thank you! We appreciate your help to end bad business websites, one pixel at a time!

By ESPRESSO Team Highly Caffeinated Digital Creatives @ESPRESSOcreates