Content marketing is crucial for businesses to establish an online presence. Besides posting content on social media, you should write a blog post at least once a month or twice a week to stay ahead of your competitors.
But how do you do this if you don’t like to write or if your mind goes blank when sitting in front of your computer?
Writing a Blog Post Using the 5 Ws
Even though I’m a longtime writer, I often confront this problem. My mind gets stuck on how to approach translating my ideas into words. To solve this problem, I go back to the basics of what I was taught as a journalist: the 5 Ws.
- Who was Involved?
- What happened?
- Where did it happen?
- When did it take place?
- Why or How did it happen?
When writing for a newspaper, you must identify those questions in the first two paragraphs maximum.
Usually, it’s best if the five Ws are answered in the first paragraph. If you do not hook your reader by the second paragraph, you’ve lost them. People want to know immediately what valuable information they will get from taking time out of their busy day to read your article.
The same goes for writing blog posts. In this digital age, people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. So you’ve got to get right to the point.
[bctt tweet=”… people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. So you’ve got to get right to the point. #blogging #contentmarketing” username=”cjscribe”]
Customize the 5 Ws for Your Blog Post
While the five Ws work well for a journalist who wants to get the basics of an important news story, some questions may have to be answered differently for a blog post about your business.
To break it down for a business blog post, ask yourself:
- Who is your audience?
- What do you want them to know?
- Where may not apply, but if it does, add it.
- When do you do What?
- Why is it important to do it, and How do you do it?
Answering these questions does not necessarily take place in this order. For instance, in a business blog post, you want your reader to know what information you will share and why it is essential in the first couple of paragraphs. Also, the headline can immediately inform your audience what you will teach them, such as the headline for this post: How to Easily Write a Blog Post.
I’ll use the writing of this blog post as an example of the five Ws.
What is my subject? Answer: How to make writing a blog post easier. That’s mentioned in the headline and the first paragraph, along with When: Once a week.
Who is also stated in the first paragraph: Business Owners.
The answer to Why is in the first sentence of this post: It’s one of the best ways to create a Web Presence.
How? I posed the question in the second paragraph and answered it partly in the fourth paragraph: Use the Five Ws.
The five Ws will get you started writing and may even release that writer’s block to find yourself with a finished post in no time.
If that’s not the case, continue reading to find out how to fill out the central part of a blog post.
Bullet Point Your Ideas
An easy way to figure out what will comprise the body of your article is by outlining it with bullet points. For example, I summarize this post, including the beginning, as follows:
• Subject: How to quickly write a blog post
• Problem: Some people aren’t natural-born writers, suffer from writer’s block, don’t like it, or don’t have the time to do it
• How to Solve the Problem: Give them easy ways to draft and write a post
• Step 1: Answer the Five Ws
• Step 2: Outline your post with bullet points
• Step 3: Fill in each bullet point with more details to illustrate your primary points
Now, this may seem quite simplistic, but I’ve already completed my article on how to write a blog post using the method outlined above.
To Summarize
In conclusion, creating a Web Presence for your business through content marketing is a crucial part of your marketing strategy. Writing blog posts is an excellent way to attract your target audience and boost your Website’s SEO, but it can be challenging if you’re not a natural-born writer or suffer from writer’s block. However, by answering the five Ws and using bullet points to outline and fill in the details, you can overcome these difficulties and write compelling blog posts that engage your audience. Remember to keep your writing concise, informative, and valuable to your readers, and you’ll be well on your way to building a successful Web Presence for your business.
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