The Really Important Stuff in Blog Writing

“The really important stuff is at the top,” Dennis the Menace points out to Santa Claus. In corporate blogging training, I might point out the same thing.

Blog titles, as content writers in Indianapolis know, can be really important stuff. Titles have a triple function – engage readers, offer an overview of the topic of the post, and incorporate keyword phrases to attract search engine matches.

As a fellow blogger puts it in her Nicky Blog, when people read your headline, you can expect two kinds of responses:

– Oh wow, sounds interesting. I want to know more… OR – Ah, boring.

Since the first is obviously the desired response in blogging for business, Nicky explains, catchy headlines are a must. SEO experts say, she adds, that no more than 7-8 words and no fewer than four words should be used, with Google showing up to 69 characters.

As Santa’s looking through his list, Dennis can’t resist adding “But all the stuff in the middle is important, too!” “Let me guess,” says Santa with a smile. “All the stuff on the bottom is also really important.” Of course it is, Santa understands.

Freelance blog writers understand that, too. Even SEO marketing blogs with the catchiest of titles will disappoint readers unless the post itself delivers on the title’s promise, with new and interesting information that readers can use.

Whether you’re creating a Christmas list or blogging for business, the really important stuff is at the top, the middle, and the bottom as well!