You're ready. You've got ideas. You've got an editorial calendar ready to go. You're going to start blogging. Now what? Don't worry...we're letting you in on the secret to producing a successful blog.

Starting with Content

Create content that your readers are going to be interested in reading...which requires us to take a step back and think about our target audience. Who do you want to read your blog? Who will you be speaking to in your writing? Think about the topic ideas you have sorted out...now that you have defined the target audience, will they be interested? For example, if you have a topic idea about owning your second home but you want your target audience to be first-time homeowners, you may want to revise your topic. 'Owning your second home' is a great blog article...but not if it doesn't resonate with your target readers.

Using Formatting Tools

These days, everyone is in a hurry. They don't want to sit and read a 5 page document let alone a text block blog article. Don't be afraid to use the tools you have available! Most blog platforms (like WordPress), will have options built in for you to use. One example: lists - everyone loves lists!

• Bullet points
• are easy to read
• and skim through
• while still getting
• your key point across

Don't Forget your Headers

Breaking up text by using your H2, H3, H4, etc makes it easy for readers to jump through sections. Don't worry, some people will read the full article, others just want the Cliff Notes version. You can write a long article that is easily readable as long as you include proper formatting.

Bringing in Visual Aids

Images are such a great addition to your blog article! They help tell the story and will grab attention. They can be images showing off your paint colors or floor plans, or they can be more informational - like infographics. There are a few tools out there on the internet to help you create stellar graphics. One we really like is Canva. They have a variety of free templates you can use and include in your articles. With Canva, you can think of unique ways of displaying key pieces of information...like the example below:

    

Adding multiple photos within the content or as a gallery is a great way to engage the audience and help tell your story. One thing to be mindful of when adding images: make sure they are quality! You don't want to add an image that is so small, people have no idea what it is or why it is included.

Finishing Touches

Ok, you have your content, you formatted everything for quick reading, and you included quality visual elements...now it's time for refinement to get it ready for the world to see. Before hitting that beautiful 'publish' button, make sure you've checked these 3 things:

1. Have you added a relevant Category?

'Uncategorized' is the default Category for most WordPress blogs - don't let this be yours! You can change the default Category by going to Settings > Writing > select new Category by Default Post Category.*

2. Have you added relevant Tags?

These can be useful for searches on your blog and give the reader more information about the content.**

3. Have you checked your URL?

WordPress will take your article title and create a URL automatically. Some titles are really long and it doesn't make sense to include all the words in the URL. You can edit the last half of the article URL to make it more concise.

Time to Publish

If you've crossed your t's and dotted your i's, you're ready to go! Blogging can be a great addition to your website. You can share information about upcoming events, tips for picking the best floor plan, financing options, area amenities, and so much more! Take things to the next level and include keyword research to make sure you're ranking for some of the top searched phrases. 

*Categories can be thought of like folders. You can use multiple Categories on a post but make sure they are relevant and not over-done. Users can search your site for content by clicking on a Category or you can promote a Category with the Category link - i.e.: www.builderiq.net/resource-library/topics/content Categories can have a main topic and sub-topics. It all depends on how you want to organize your blog articles - but it is very important to organize your blog articles! View more information about organizing Categories

** Tags can be used to further define your article. Once it is under the main folder/Category, use Tags to break it down even more. Think of Tags like your keywords. For example, if an article is placed in the Content Category, the Tags might include: content strategy, content marketing, creating content, etc. You are not limited to how many Tags you include on an article. Users can search your content by clicking on a Tag. Tags are optional.