When it comes to blog posts there are a few winning formulas that stand out to readers. It's no wonder you probably see these again and again, they work.
Rather than trying a bunch of things and seeing what sticks, go with what is already seeing success. These nine posts see more considerable success in getting readers to click than many others.
If you've been struggling with getting some traction, use these as a guide. Rotate them through your content calendar on a consistent basis and see what resonates the most with your readers.
How to Post
This one is kinda obvious, but it's popular for a reason. People are always looking for solutions to problems online. They will go to their search site and type in "how to..." In an ideal world, you want your site to be right on the first page of those results with the answer. You can create a number of how to posts on a variety of topics within your niche.
List Post
List posts also tend to become more viral. Readers like getting solid information all in one place. 7 Types of Blog Posts, 85 Top Vacation Spots, 23 of the Best Yoga Moves, all of these styles of posts are going to be clicked on more often than their counterparts. See where you can create a solid list that will help your readers.
Round-Up Post
If you're struggling to come up with 4-5 posts a month consider a round-up post. This style of post pulls information from other places online and highlights tips, advice, content, sales, strategies, etc., from different sources on one particular topic that will help educate your audience. You can do these relatively frequently on a rotating number of topics.
Best Of Post
Highlight your content by sharing a best of post. It's easy to start, collect 3-5 different posts on a particular topic, case study, review, etc., and bundle them into one post. Highlight the links and then write a quick blurb on what each post contains. As you get more content, create best of series and feature them in a sidebar or an email newsletter, for example. These types of posts are also great for keeping readers on your site longer.
Prediction Post
It doesn't matter what industry you're in, there are always changes afoot. So why not offer up a few predictions for the coming months or years in your industry. It gets readers interested and thinking first, but it also helps to set yourself apart as an authority in your niche. Having more of these types of 'thought pieces' are frequently shared and can raise your profile too.
Contest Post
People love contests so why not consider giving something away? The prize doesn't have to be something massive or expensive, but rather something your readers would enjoy or find useful. Sometimes a gift card can be your best friend! You can also offer a contest specifically around your product or service if you'd like. Give away a free hour or two of your service or a free product if it's feasible.
Quiz Post
Another big winner with readers is a quiz post. Think of a site like Buzzfeed. In the early days, they built their platform around creating all sorts of quizzes. Just because you're a business, it doesn't mean you can't copy this strategy every once in a while. You can create quizzes covering anything from fun topics or guide people along a particular track of which of your products or services could work best for them.
Ultimate Guide Post
The ultimate guide post concept centers around the idea of creating a few 'pillars' of evergreen content on your site that are long form, incredibly informative, and stand the test of time. These types of posts give your readers everything they need to know on a particular topic in one place. These can also have a viral element since many are often shared and referred to again and again. It takes time to create these, but if you knock it out of the park, you can find a real winner with your readers.
People to Follow Post
One solid method of getting traffic back to your site is through the traffic of others. You can tap into this by creating a people to follow post. Every industry has dozens of people who are offering great advice online, tap into that with this type of post. Highlight 25 people in your industry to follow on social media. And then let them know so they will share it with their audiences as well.
These types posts are a great place to get started.
You'll see that successful brands follow the same formulas when creating content; they aren't reinventing the wheel.
So do a similar thing on your own scale, and you can grow your audience by giving your readers the type of content they love to see.
