10 non-SEO tips to improve your blog engagement
Hot take: You don’t have to be a search engine optimisation (SEO) ninja to improve your blog engagement.
Sure, SEO strategies can get you increased visibility in Google results. Each of our copywriting packages includes full SEO implementation for this reason.
But we’re professional copywriters who write engaging and effective online content for a living. We’re willing to bet that if you’re reading this, you probably aren’t. And that’s okay.
We’ve worked with plenty of business owners who don’t have a clue about SEO. They feel overwhelmed by the idea of getting to grips with something so complex and important. And with good reason: The average person spends 6-12 months perfecting their SEO skills.
If you don’t have the time or energy to master SEO techniques, these 10 non-SEO tips to improve blog engagement are for you:
- 1. Write attention-grabbing titles.
- 2. Answer questions your ideal clients are asking.
- 3. Keep paragraphs short.
- 4. Make your blog posts more visually appealing.
- 5. Tell readers what to do by adding calls-to-action (CTAs).
- 6. Put your voice into your blog posts.
- 7. Offer valuable resources.
- 8. Highlight social proof.
- 9. Promote your blog across other marketing channels.
- 10. Upload once a week.
1. Write attention-grabbing titles
Your blog post title is the first thing people will read. Strong headlines that grab the reader’s attention are key to increasing blog engagement. Crucially, you should create titles tailored to your specific audience.
Let’s say your blog post is about nutrition and you’re writing for post-menopausal women. Your title should be clear and accessible, showcasing your expertise and avoiding industry jargon.
For example, ‘5 hormone-balancing foods for women post-menopause.’
The best titles use simple, direct language and pique the reader’s curiosity. Someone should see your headline and feel compelled to click and explore your blog post further.
A word of caution: don’t venture into the realm of clickbait by writing titles that don’t accurately reflect the content of your post. Your headline might tempt people to click, but they won’t hang around if your content doesn’t deliver what the title promised.
Quick tip: Incorporate numbers or questions into your headlines to improve blog engagement. For instance, ‘11 strategies to boost your happiness today’ or ‘What’s the fastest way to increase productivity?’
2. Answer questions your ideal clients are asking
There are 5.9 million Google searches every minute. A lot of people are using Google to find information. Some of those people are your ideal clients. When they Google their burning questions, make sure you’re the one providing the answer in a handy blog post.
Answering questions your ideal clients ask Google is a fantastic way to increase your blog engagement. This way, you’ll write content people actually want to read. You’re also more likely to appear in Google results without doing strategic SEO work.
You can probably already think of several questions clients regularly ask you. Make a list of these questions and then write a blog post answering each one.
For example, if you’re a photographer, you’ve probably heard questions like these many times:
- How long will it take to get my photos back after my shoot?
- What if I don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera?
- Can I create a bespoke photography package?
Turn each of these questions into an insightful blog post to boost blog engagement.
3. Keep paragraphs short
Picture it: you’ve just arrived on someone’s website. You’re ready to read their blog post. But you’re instantly met with a giant wall of text. Argh.
You scroll down, but there’s more text than blank space. Because you can’t be bothered to get deeper into the post, you click away. You find another article that’s easier to read.
Many people don’t have time to read through a dense blog post. In fact, Hubspot says 43% of people skim blog posts instead of reading them.
These readers don’t want to hear about your life story. They just want the information they’re looking for, and fast. Cater to these people and increase blog engagement by keeping paragraphs short.
Our rule of thumb is to keep paragraphs around three lines, or four at the very most. Anything over three lines can look heavy and off-putting for readers, especially on mobile. (Hello person who is currently reading this on their phone!)
When in doubt, remember: Short and sweet is the way to go.
4. Make your blog posts more visually appealing
Another great way to avoid the wall-of-text issue is by adding images and other types of media. Incorporate relevant photos, animations, infographics, or videos to break up the text.
Visuals can also illuminate complex information, making it more accessible to readers.
Let’s say you’re a life coach and you’re writing a blog post titled ‘5 strategies for better work-life balance.’ You could incorporate visuals like:
- Captivating images that represent the theme. For example, a woman multitasking with a laptop and a yoga mat nearby.
- Quote graphics that highlight key insights or motivational quotes. For example, the text ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ overlaid on a calming background image.
- Actionable worksheets or templates. For example, if one of your strategies is about time blocking, include a weekly planner template readers can download to help organise their schedules.
A major part of improving blog engagement is enhancing the user experience for your target audience. Including visual elements will make your blog posts more appealing and engaging as a result.
5. Tell readers what to do by adding calls-to-action
When someone finishes reading your blog post, what would you like them to do? Book a call? Read about your services? Become an email subscriber?
Prompt readers to take action by including clear and relevant calls-to-action throughout your blog posts. A CTA could be ‘Follow me on Instagram,’ ‘Read my story,’ or simply ‘Book now!’
Add compelling CTAs throughout your blog posts and especially at the end. It’s one of the easiest ways to improve your blog engagement.
If you don’t put a CTA at the bottom of your post, people will simply click away from your website after reading your content. And we can’t have that.
Ensure your CTA buttons make it obvious where readers will go when they click. We’re all about adding personality to your web copy (as you’ll see in tip #6). But take care that you don’t trade personality for clarity and risk less blog engagement.
For instance, a button linked to your offer page that says ‘wahoo yes!’ doesn’t explain what happens when someone clicks.
Instead, a button saying something ‘take me to the details’ will keep things nice and simple.
You can always add the playful text just above or below the button to keep the feeling of fun. (Designers often call this ‘eyebrow’ or ‘teardrop’ text.)
6. Put your voice into your blog posts
We’ve already looked at writing content that answers your ideal clients’ questions. Another super important way to boost blog engagement is to put more of your voice in your copy.
You want people to read your blog posts and think ‘hey, I resonate with this person/brand/business.’ Injecting your unique voice into your content will make it more relatable and memorable. Relatable, memorable content is more likely to engage readers and help you build a connection with your audience.
If you’re worried about coming across as too informal, remember that brand messaging is all about striking the right tone. You can add personality and authenticity without sacrificing professionalism.
For example, we love to keep things friendly and down-to-earth in our copy with a ‘hey’ or a ‘let’s team up!’ But we balance these more conversational elements with a clear, professional tone throughout.
7. Offer valuable resources
If you want to encourage more people to engage with your blog posts, you need to make sure there’s something in it for them. Incentivise blog engagement by offering readers useful resources.
You might provide downloadable checklists, templates, or guides that complement your blog content and services. Whether you charge for them or provide them at no cost, handy resources can offer additional value to your readers, inspiring them to take action.
Take our resources, for instance. In The Finer Library, our resource hub for all things blogging and copywriting, we offer two free power guides. We also send our email subscribers free copy tips so they can uplevel their writing.
8. Highlight social proof
Have you ever booked a hotel because of the excellent reviews? Or hired a service provider who came highly recommended by a friend?
These are examples of social proof. It’s the idea that you’ll adjust your buying behaviour based on what others are saying and doing.
Social proof for your business can come in many forms, from influencer shout-outs to reviews and testimonials. Here are some ways to include social proof in your blog posts:
- Weave in testimonials from satisfied clients. 88% of people trust reviews as much as personal recommendations.
- Write in-depth case studies that showcase real-life examples of how you’ve helped your clients.
- Embed social media posts or screenshots featuring positive feedback or endorsements. You might highlight tweets or Facebook reviews that praise your services.
By highlighting social proof in your content, you can build credibility and trust with your audience, improving blog engagement.
9. Promote your blog across other marketing channels
Why wait for people to find your blog via Google when you can promote it on your marketing channels?
Share links to your blog posts via social media, email newsletters, and other platforms to reach a wider audience and improve blog engagement.
Don’t just mention your new blog posts once. There’s an ocean of content out there: Facebook users make 293,000 status updates every minute. 100 million people use the Instagram Stories feature each day.
A single status update or email about your latest blog post will vanish in this content flood.
That’s why it’s a good idea to promote blog posts multiple times on the same marketing channel.
Quick tip: You’ve spent hours writing your blog posts. Why not repurpose the content into social media posts? Download our free power guide, ‘How to repurpose your blog across all marketing channels,’ to learn how.
10. Upload once a week
How often are you uploading new blog posts to your website? You can be honest – this is a judgement-free zone. Once a fortnight? Once a month? Whenever you have the time?
The truth is that blogging once every few weeks is unlikely to produce a notable increase in web traffic.
To improve your blog engagement, you’ll need to upload at least one blog post a week.
If you can blog multiple times a week, fantastic! SEO guru Neil Patel found that posting one more post per week increased traffic by 18.6%.
Don’t increase your posting frequency if it means uploading subpar content, though.
The quality of your blog posts – how informative, engaging, and relevant they are to your target audience – should be your number one concern in improving blog engagement.
Ultimately, your posting schedule depends on the resources and time you have to create consistently high-quality content.
Unsure if you can keep up with a multiple-posts-per-week schedule? Start with one quality post a week and go from there.
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About Finer Things Editorial
Finer Things Editorial is a high-end copy studio for female founders who want their voices to be bigger and bolder. Our head-turning copy transforms women’s businesses the way they transform their clients’ lives. With finessed messaging and carefully crafted words, these women attract dream clients instead of chasing them.
