Be honest. You’ve asked yourself many times what are the types of blog posts that folks read.
After all, you’re doing this because you do want your words to matter, right? You do want folks to read your words and ideas and maybe even act on them.
So, what are the types of blog posts that always get read? Oh, and can you use these powerful types of articles on your own blog?
Let’s find out, shall we?
1. Lists, lists, lists
Example: 50 Ways to Become a Better Blogger
Writing a great list post demands two main ingredients: time and patience.
Lists are attractive to readers because their headlines explain in just a few seconds what they’ll receive in return for their attention.
You see them everywhere — and that’s because they work.
2. Good advice that helps your readers solve a problem
Example: Do Not Try This At Home: The Worst Blogging Strategy Ever
Your readers are struggling with a certain issue. You know how to fix it. You provide them with the kind of advice that will help them solve this issue.
What’s even better than this?
Writing about a problem your audience doesn’t even know exists. That right there’s a recipe for success.
3. Arguing against a popular point of view
Example: Are You a Blogger or Just Blogging?
People don’t like to have their world-views shattered. Jordan does a wonderful job destroying the myth that anyone can blog right from the opening lines of his post.
If you are good enough and confident in what you have to say and you change someone’s mind, you’ve got yourself a reader for life.
4. Any post with a killer headline
Example: How to Be a Boss at Blogging When You Have 0 Followers
Here’s the thing: your readers don’t have much time. They’re busy. They do not want to spend too long trying to figure out what your post is about. In fact, they’d like to know right away what your post is about.
Your headline should do most of the work for them. Sometimes a phenomenal headline is all it takes to get traffic and comments.
Of course, you’ll receive much greater rewards if the headline is matched by a great post, so always aim not just to deliver on the promise you make in your blog post’s title, but to over deliver.
5. A rags to riches, defeat to victory type of story
Example: The Story of a Writer
We all love the underdog winning. The buzzer beater. The guy who gets punched over and over again, yet doesn’t give up.
If you can share such a story, your readers will love you for it.
6. Best-of lists
Example: Are You New to The Art of Blogging?
To be honest, I’m a bit sneaky about this type of posts. Yes, you could do a classic best-of, hall-of-fame type of blog posts, or you could write a post that serves as an excuse to link to your best blog posts.
For instance, this:
The Art of Writing an Amazing Blog Post
This post allowed me to share what I considered to be my best blog posts across all my three blogs.
The truth is that people are constantly searching for the ‘best’ of everything; it’s a promise of quality. It also generates interest because ‘best’ is subjective — what’s best for you might be mediocre for others.
Ranked lists always seem to generate lots of traffic and comments.
What do you think are other types of blog posts that always seem to get people reading them?
Yes, I agree especially the #1
I’ve got a question. These definitely seem like great ideas, but I can’t help but feel that some, especially #2, come across as really “click-baity” headlines. And I could be wrong but I feel like people are starting to ignore such headlines for fear of getting nothing out of the experience. Is this a legitimate concern?
Well, my example has a click-baity title but the idea was that the post itself should offer good advice.
And people still click on thos headlines. They ignore bad titles, that’s for sure. Curiosity helped us become the dominant species on this planet.
But I do state in my other point, about headlines, that you need to over-deliver on your promise.
So the only thing you should be concerned about is not being good enough to provide your readers with content that is worth a brilliant headline.
I also agree and am trying my best to follow these ideas. Thanks for the post!
Nice one! One more legendary post!
Thank you!
Great advice Cristian! The list works well and the solution to readers problems is always a straight forward way to get clicks. My problem is reaching for the killer creative title, but it turns into an obscure weird title that no one cares about. It’s oddly difficult for me to stop making bad, ridiculous titles. I like stupid things, but it doesn’t help readers choose my posts above others (talking to myself).
Well, what do you mean bad titles? Give me a few examples, please.
“Greg Morse and Tyler Huckabee Are Trapped in a Tangent and Captain Marvel Can’t Save Them”
Well, I am reading your blog post, if that makes sense. Because I have no idea who Greg Morse or Tyler Huckabee are, if they even exist in the realm of men, so I had to go read your blog post. Anyway. Yeah, kind of a strange title.
Right, I thought maybe the audience would know the names or not know the names and be intrigued…but it’s so wordy. There’s also a point where I think nothing sounds good and it just needs to be published.
Well, try to play this curiosity card a bit more. Yes, we want to be intrigued by a title, far more than we want to know what it’s all about. A bit of mystery does wonders.
You could add some adjectives to those names, something that gives us an idea who those people are. For instance someone would interview me and write: “An Interview with blogger extraordinaire, Cristian Mihai.” Something like that. Actually, that happened, so…
Adjectives is a great idea to add context. Thanks!!!
How about this? Read my latest post so you don’t die in your next trail race!
Is that a headline or a threat? As a headline it could work: “Read This if You Don’t Want to Die During Your Next Trail Race!
😂
Sounds pretty catchy to me.
I totaly agree to #1 and #2….
Oh wow! This is great information. Thank you
My pleasure!
Thanks for the information. It is very helpful for people like me who do not mind writing, but are too spread out in their interests. I also consider writing an acquired skill, and is learning to enjoy it after many years using it just because my work and studies required it.
Great post here! I am going to save these for ideas when writing my headline for my posts. Do you happen to have a “bad headlines” article, or consider writing one?
Thank you! No, I do not have such an article, but maybe I’ll write one.
Very helpful! I look forward to
incorporating these types of blog posts in my blog! Thank you! (:
Thank you, Tiffany! For taking the time to read and comment.
Reblogged this on Plaisted Publishing House and commented:
How to get people to read your blogs… Does and Don’ts
Thank you for the reblog, Claire.
Reblogged this on Night Time Honors and commented:
Interesting. I like this style of Blogging.. :}
this is helpful! thanks!
You’re welcome!
Your advice is so simple and actionable, thank you!
Self affirmation blogs? You are better/smarter/ funnier/ than you think.
Hmmm… interesting.
You are definitely right about lists. I was originally just going to write humorous prose, but lists seem to draw in a lot more readers.
Really great advice as always! Thanks for sharing.
great advise and easy enough for any blogger of any genre to follow. 🙂
Thank you.
3. Arguing against a popular point of view
Unless you’re doing a political blog this may not work out. Whichever side you take you are bound to lose half your audience or the comments devolve into name calling and insults. This is why I do only non offensive wholesome humor cartoons on my blog and no political , religious or social commentary editorial cartoons. I happen to be a conservative Christian and used to post things of a political nature on facebook but found my viewership dropped by 70% so I never go there on my blog. I think my followers remain with me and followers are increasing by word of mouth because my silly, corny, funny cartoons are a relief from the daily political vomit to which we are exposed and perhaps they find my simple humor refreshing.
I’m doin’ ’em ALL! 😀
This has been helpful.
Very helpful. Reblogged this through my blog! https://innocentarticles.wordpress.com/2019/11/02/a-list-of-six-types-of-blog-posts-that-always-get-read-the-art-of-blogging/
Good
What an exceptional article, splenid!!
Thank you!
You’re very welcome.
Very helpful and easy to follow for beginners. Thank you
Timing of this post is perfect. I’m reviewing all my titles for their draw. Love your suggestions.
Thank you! I am glad that you enjoyed reading this post of mine.
I loved this list of advices, most of all the numbers 4 and 5.
I am a new Blogger. I have been blogging for only three months now, but I have discovered that I get more traffic when I post my poetry than my prose. I have also seen that poetry blogs get good traffic.
Thanx for writing this!
My pleasure, Samir. Thank you for reading.
so glad I read this
I like the lists I literally try to make all my posts into lists. I’ll also try the arguments, seem interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Anything with “Sex” in the title??
Good ideas. Thanks!
You’re right. These are the types of posts people click on. I know it, and yet I rarely do it. Lists and round-ups rarely occur to me because they’re just not what I like to write. But I really should focus on it more.
Blogging is oftentimes a balancing act. Try to figure out a way to write those kinds of posts that also makes you feel motivated and fulfilled.
Some rules can be bent like that.