If you’re like most in the accounting profession, you’re probably a numbers person. So what could you possibly need to know about writing a blog post?
Blogs are an integral part of a strong digital marketing strategy, with numerous benefits specific to accounting firms. In addition to leading prospects to your firm’s website, blogs can help you build brand awareness and strengthen credibility. That’s why the majority of Allinial Global member firms are already leveraging blogs as part of their content strategy.
Many of these firms rely upon staff for assistance with content creation and subject matter expertise. Even if writing isn’t your forte or part of your usual job responsibilities, it’s helpful to know your way around a good blog post.
On that note, we thought we’d share some practical tips to help you hit the mark. No matter what you’re writing about, you can strengthen your post by including three key elements.
1. An effective title or headline. A strong title accomplishes two important tasks: communicating what the post is about and capturing your audience’s attention and interest. As the first thing readers are likely to see, the title of your blog post should draw your audience in and entice them to continue reading. What makes this challenging is the fact that titles must also be succinct—typically 50–70 characters—and accurate, because your audience won’t appreciate being misled. So choose your words carefully and try to pique the reader’s curiosity, stir emotion, or generate interest by promising a benefit or a compelling story.
2. Savvy formatting. You may have been rewarded for writing long essays in school, but in the blogosphere, long blocks of uninterrupted text are a big no-no. Organizing your post into short paragraphs with headings, numbered lists, bullets, and graphics will help readers navigate the text and boost your search engine optimization and blog traffic. According to Semrush, posts with at least one image get twice the traffic of text-only posts, and posts with at least one list per every 500 words of plain text get 70% more traffic than posts without lists. As you write, think about how you can use formatting elements to break up the text and make your post more appealing to the reader.
3. A clear call to action (CTA). Don’t end your blog post abruptly or leave the reader hanging. Close with a clear call to action that creates a sense of urgency and tells your reader exactly what you want them to do. Whether you’d like them to download your content, follow you on social media, or sign up for an event or mailing list, your CTA should encourage your audience to engage with your firm and remind them of the knowledge and value you offer. Closing without a clear CTA is a huge missed opportunity to move prospects down the marketing funnel and drive engagement with your brand.
With a strong title, savvy formatting, and a clear call to action, you’ll be well on your way to creating content that you can be proud of. And if you’d like to take your writing game to the next level, check out Anne Handley’s book, Everybody Writes. Highly recommended within the marketing community, Everybody Writes will help you tell better stories, improve the clarity of your writing, and optimize your content to capture the limited attention spans of readers in the digital age.
