One of the most common issues I heard from business leaders in 2018 was how difficult it can be to create online content that gets traction.

With so much noise on our social platforms these days and the rising cost of online advertising, it can harder than ever for your content to be seen and stand out. Today, I just want to share a few quick tips about how to create a blog post that gets seen and shared.

In 2018, Mark Fisher Fitness’s most popular blog post was The Real Truth About Lifting and Bulking for Women, written by former MFF Trainer and super-human Elizabeth Stacey Ellis. (Learn more about Elizabeth here.)

I’ll use Elizabeth’s article as an example because it demonstrates all the key principles that you should follow when writing a blog.

For starters, I believe the ultimate formula for blog content is to address a specific audience about a specific pain point and offers actionable takeaways.

If you do that every time, your more likely for your content to resonate with it’s intended audience and be organically shared by them. Not to mention it will be more likely to get clicks when you support it with paid advertising.

In the example of this article, Elizabeth is speaking specifically to women who are interesting in lifting. She’s writing specifically about the myths and misconceptions that prevent many women from lifting. And she leaves them with a simple, and effective workout they can use right away.

She nails my ultimate formula 100%. Bravo, Elizabeth!

But that’s not all…

There are a few other things that make this post successful.

It has a great title that spells out exactly who her blog post is intended for and what pain point she intends to solve.

The key image for the post was set to one of Stacey, who is a woman who looks fit and healthy. It’s an image that is likely aspirational for the intended audience — something women who care about lifting will want to click on.

This one is important… She has a voice and perspective that connects with her intended audience. Even though Stacey in dispelling myths, the tone of the article isn’t “I know more than you, so I’m going to tell you how stupid it is that you think you’re going to accidentally get bulky as a woman.”

Her tone is one of compassion and understanding. She’s kind, relatable and informative. Women who read this are likely to want to read more about what Stacey has to say and that’s the #1 goal of our online content.

For a business, the whole purpose of creating online content is to attract potential customers. Ideally, our content adds value to the lives of our current or potential customers by helping to solve their problems, and it creates opportunities for them to engage with you to build a relationship built on trust and understanding.

You want your customers to know you, like you, and trust you so hopefully one day they buy from you.

One last thing. While I think this particular blog post is pretty timeless, it’s also worth mentioning that lifting for women has been sharply growing in popularity and that 2018 was a year when women were craving content to help connect with their personal power (both psychical and emotional).

So, while I don’t think this blog was particularly “trendy” it did have real cultural relevance in a year when women were searching for sources of strength.

That might feel like a long list of things to consider when writing a blog post, so I’ll make it even more simple.

I made you a checklist (You can thank me later).

Here are five yes or no questions to ask yourself when writing a blog post:

+ Does the article speak to a specific audience about a specific pain point?

+ Does the title clearly speak to that audience and that pain point?

+ Does the key image of the article resonate with the intended audience?

+ Does the author’s voice and perspective connect with the intended audience?

+ Does the topic have relevance right now?

Give it a try and see if this helps you write more compelling content in 2019.

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