Ever notice how certain types of blog posts tend to almost always get wildly popular among the readers?
Obviously, this popularity is going to be based on a variety of factors, such as the author’s writing style and the topic. However, sometimes blog posts gain traction because the readers just love the style of post, such as a rant or a helpful “how to” post. And that’s why I’ve pulled together 10 types of blog posts that get results along with full examples of each of these posts.
Note: Although some of these examples are on “internet marketing”, I’ve paid special attention to include examples on wide range of niches and topics. So that you can clearly see these “top 10 blog post” types are NOT limited to a certain niche or topic.
Read on…
Post #1: The Step-By-Step “How To” Post
This is just what it sounds like – you offer “how to” instruction to your readers in a step-by-step format. Basically, you solve a problem by explaining to your readers how to complete a specific process.
Let me give you an example…
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Title: How to Create Content That Pulls In Google Traffic
If you want your articles to get traffic from Google, then need to learn how to create content that’s optimized for the search engines.
That means that when someone searches for a particular keyword in Google or another search engine, your article appears at the top of the results.
Here’s how…
Step 1: Do Your Keyword Research
You can’t just guess what your prospects are typing into the search engines. Instead, you need to use a tool like KeywordTracker.com that will tell you for sure. Simply enter a broad keyword (like “homeschooling” or “online marketing” or “gardening”), and this tool will display hundreds if not thousands of related searches.
Take note, however: the words that get the most traffic are also hard to rank for. That’s because dozens if not hundreds of other marketers are all clamoring for the top spots and their fair share of the traffic.
The solution?
Focus on the longtail keywords – these are the four or five word phrases that don’t get as much traffic, but they also don’t have much competition. Thus you can get top spots on the search engines with them.
Once you’ve compiled a list of keywords, move on…
Step 2: Write an Article Around a Keyword
Your next step is to choose one keyword and then write an article around it. You should include your keyword in the title of your article, as well as two times for every 100 words of content.
Example: If your keyword is “housetraining a poodle,” then your article title might be: “The Secrets of Housetraining a Poodle.”
Step 3: Make Sure Humans Will Enjoy Your Article
Finally, remember ultimately humans are going to read your article – so make sure all your optimizing didn’t make it clunky, awkward or otherwise difficult to read.
And there you have it – how to optimize your content in three quick and easy steps. All you have to do is start writing today, and then watch your traffic grow every time you publish an article online!
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Post #2: The Top 10 Tips Post
People LOVE tips. That’s why popular magazines like Reader’s Digest always carry “tips” articles. And that’s why authors write entire books that are nothing but tips (e.g., “101 Tips for Landing Your Dream Job”).
Now you can tap into the popularity of tips by creating your own “Top 10 Tips” article for your blog.
Here’s an example…
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Title: Top 10 Puppy Housetraining Tips
You just brought that cute and cuddly little puppy home. And even though you want to give your puppy a couple days to just get settled in, you still need to start the task of housetraining from the moment your bring your puppy home.
Here are 10 tips for accomplishing the task…
1. Get a kennel. You puppy can sleep in this kennel, as well as spend time in there when you’re unable to watch her.
2. Feed the puppy at consistent times. If you feed your puppy on a regular schedule, then your puppy will start eliminating on a regular schedule.
3. Bring the puppy outside often. Some puppies (especially toys and other small pups) have small bladders – and that means they need to go outside often. As a general rule of thumb, figure your puppy can hold her bladder one hour for every month of her age (e.g., a two month old can hold her bladder for two hours). But vigorous play can decrease this time, so stay vigilant.
4. Praise the pup when she does the right thing. Yep, throw her a little party when she poops or pees outdoors – let her know you’re happy!
5. Stop your puppy if you catch her in the act of making a mistake. If you catch your pup directly in the middle of eliminating indoors, say “no” loudly to scare her… and then immediately rush her outside.
6. Don’t scold the puppy if you find a mess after the fact. She won’t know why you’re scolding her, so your efforts are wasted. Just clean it up – which brings us to the next point…
7. Clean up a mess with enzymatic spray. A good spray is Nature’s Miracle, which breaks down the odor completely so that your pup won’t return to the same place to eliminate.
8. Don’t withhold water. Some people think the way to make a pup go less is by withholding water. Wrong – that’s the way to make your pup sick. So don’t even consider this as a housetraining tool, because it’s cruel.
9. Learn to watch for the signs that your pup needs to go out. Usually these signs include sniffing and circling. If you see them, rush that pup outdoors!
10. Supervise, supervise, supervise! Don’t even give your pup a chance to make a mistake. If you can’t supervise, then kennel her.
If you follow these 10 tips, you’ll find that housetraining goes much more quickly and smoothly. Just stay consistent and stay on course until the job is done!
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Post #3: The News Story Post
This blog post isn’t just about you linking to a niche-relevant news story. In order to make this post truly worthwhile to your readers, you also need to add your own commentary.
You need to tell your readers why they should care and/or how the news affects them.
Here’s an example…
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Title: Caffeine Disrupts Sleep for “Morning People” But Not “Night Owls”
Did you see the news? “Morning people” experience more sleep problems from caffeine than the so-called “night owls.” Here’s the story:
Since you’re a bodybuilder, you probably already use caffeine in some of your stacks. Not only does it give you a nice boost to help you eke out those last few reps on a set, but it also has some thermogenic properties.
However, bodybuilders also need their sleep.
Your muscles grow while you rest, not while you’re working out. And so if you’re tossing and turning all night, you’re robbing your body of the rest it needs to repair itself.
Bottom line: If you’re a night owl, feel free to continue to enjoy those cups of coffee or even adding the caffeine pill to your supplement stack.
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Post #4: The Controversial Post
The idea here is to take a stand on a hot, controversial topic.
Yes, it’s possible that picking sides might have you polarizing your audience. But if you do it right, then you’ll draw your most targeted prospects even closer to you.
And either way, you may drum up a little buzz and publicity for your blog.
For example…
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Title: Marketers: Stop Lying to Your Customers!
There are a lot of marketers who should be ashamed to call themselves marketers. Because honest business owners who care about their customers don’t lie to these customers.
And yet we see people lying in every corner of the niche. I’m sure you’ve seen it too. Lies like:
- Sales letter stories about people overcoming problems – but turns out the entire story is just a figment of the copywriter’s imagination!
- “Sale ends at midnight” – except you come back three days later and the dang sale is still going on.
- Fake screenshots.
- Made-up testimonials.
… And dozens of other brazen lies.
The marketers’ excuses?
They say everyone else does it. They say it’s not a lie, it’s just an exaggeration. They say their prospects know that marketing is all about telling a good tale.
You know what?
I’m tired of it. And I refuse to buy anything from anyone who tells me even the tiniest “white lie,” “fib” or “exaggeration”… all in the name of making a buck.
If you want to spin tales, start writing fiction books. Otherwise, get honest and fly right, or you might very well see your name on my upcoming Wall of Shame…
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Post #5: The “Responding to Criticism” Post
Once you start getting popular in your niche, you’re bound to have a few people start criticizing you.
That’s normal – you become a target as your visibility raises in the niche. And usually your critics are just your competitors anyway, trying to carve out a bigger piece of the niche for themselves.
However, you can turn criticism into an opportunity by creating a blog post which addresses this criticism.
For example…
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Title: Joe Blow rips my fat-loss system…
Maybe you read my colleague Joe Blow’s recent blog post, where he criticizes my “Fat Burner Plus” fat-loss system. And maybe you’ve wondered if he’s right.
Truth is, Joe is certainly entitled to his opinion. He puts out a lot of great information, for which he certainly gets my respect. However, I do want to clear up three points that Joe got wrong.
Specifically:
> Joe says Fat Burner Plus doesn’t come with recipes.
This is FALSE. While the main book doesn’t include the recipes, you do get an entire two-volume set of delicious recipes with the package. Joe probably merely overlooked these extra bonus goodies.
> Joe says Fat Burner Plus will make women “bulky.”
This is also FALSE. Fat Burner Plus requires everyone to lift weights to maintain if not build muscle – but it doesn’t make anyone bulk up. This is the same workout that the Hollywood’s most beautiful models and actresses use to look sleek and sexy.
> Joe Says Fat Burner Plus doesn’t work.
This is absolutely FALSE. In fact, I’m going to prove it to you. If you order Fat Burner Plus today, I’ll give you a whopping 50% discount. And since it comes with a 90 day money back guarantee, you’ll get every penny back if it doesn’t work!
Fair enough? Then click here to order now – because you deserve to look great this beach season!
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Post #6: The “Top Mistakes to Avoid” Post
This is a popular style of post, simply because no one likes to make mistakes. And so if you can teach people how to avoid mistakes (thus saving them time and/or money and/or frustration), they’ll eagerly consume your content.
Here’s an example…
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Title: Top Three Gardening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Every spring it’s the same thing. You get excited about the upcoming growing season. You have high hopes. But by early summer your veggies aren’t looking so hot. And you’re wondering what happened.
Here are three common mistakes that can ruin your vegetable garden…
Mistake #1: Not testing the soil. You can buy a soil kit tester at any nursery, or you can even bring a sample in to your local cooperative extension office. Either way, you need to know what the soil’s pH level is in different parts of your garden. Then you either need to change the pH level, or plant vegetables suitable for that particular level.
Mistake #2: Planting too early in the spring. I know, you’re excited! But if you plant too early, the ground may be too soggy. And that can lead to rot. Plus planting too early also makes your veggies more likely to encounter a killing frost. You can avoid this by checking the last average frost dates in your area and then planting a week or two later.
Mistake #3: Not adding compost in the fall. That’s right, it’s crucial for you to add a nutrient-rich compost to your gardens in the fall. You’ll also want to add more compost during planting time. Just keep in mind that natural compost takes time to change the soil’s nutrient levels.
Bottom line: I know you’re excited to get planting, but don’t let your excitement lead to the above mistakes. Here’s to a great season!
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Post #7: The Resources Post
Here’s yet another style of posts that readers tend to really enjoy. That’s because you save your readers time by pulling together a list of the best books, tools or other resources (free and paid) that you recommend that everyone in the niche use.
Here’s an example…
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Title: The Top Five Resources Every Online Marketer Ought to Use
Do you have an online business? If so, then here are five resources you ought to add to your online marketing arsenal…
Resource 1: WordPress.org.
Here’s the place to get a powerful, flexible blog platform. Best of all, it’s totally free. And it comes with thousands of different themes and plugins you can use to customize your blog and make it even more powerful.
Resource 2: Imstitute.com.
This site provides a wealth of marketing and business information, with much of it being fee. You can also find PLR content, training manuals, online courses and even personal coaching on the site. Highly recommended.
Resource 3: Amazon Kindle Marketplace.
If you sell information, then clearly you should be uploading your content to the Amazon Kindle marketplace. But it’s also a great place to further your own education, as there are hundreds if not thousands of great business and marketing books – some of which are available for just a buck or two.
Resource 4: MarketSamurai.com.
If you optimize content for the search engines, then you need to know what your market is inputting into the search engines. Market Samurai does exactly that for you. It’s also just a great way to crawl inside your prospects’ heads!
Resource 5: PRWeb.com.
Not only does this site distribute press releases for you, it also gives you plenty of information about how to create high-impact releases that get results.
Are these the only five resources I use and recommend?
Of course NOT.
And that’s why every Friday for the next month I’ll be posting yet another list of my highly recommended resources, so stay tuned!
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Post #8: The Case Study Post
This is a great post to use if you’re promoting a product. That’s because a case study provides actual proof that a product or service works just the way you said it would.
Here’s an example…
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Title: How Steven Landed His Dream Job in Just Three Weeks
Steven’s story probably starts out sounding a lot like yours. He spent nearly nine months sending out resumes, going to interviews, calling employers, networking online and doing everything else he could think of to land a job.
But nothing worked. Steven’s phone never rang. Someone else always got the job. Seemed like Steven couldn’t even get on the “short list” with these prospective employers.
But all that changed when Steven invested in the “Career Builder” personal coaching class. Here’s what happened:
Week 1: Steven used the course and a critique from his personal coach to tweak his resume. He then started sending these resumes out according to his coach’s instructions, to 40 companies in all.
Week 2: Steven and his personal coach worked on interview skills all week. He learned how to handle the trick questions, how to avoid traps and how to paint himself as a positive, hard-working team player.
Week 3: The resume worked, because 22 of the 40 resumes he sent out resulted in phone calls and interviews. He picked five of his favorite companies and set up interviews for that week. Three of these companies offered him a job. And now Steven makes 25% more money than he did at his last job – and he’s working in his dream job!
Steven’s success isn’t just a fluke. If you go to the Career Builder website, you’ll see stories just like Steven’s retold countless times. And now you too can enjoy success by clicking here to join the next Career Builder personal coaching class.
Do it now, because your dream job is waiting for you!
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Post #9: The Product Review Post
Just as the name of this post suggests, this is where you review a product for your readers. The key to a great product review is to discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of the offer.
Take a look at this example…
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Title: Is Cesar Milan’s “Be the Pack Leader” book right for you?
You’ve been eyeing “Be the Pack Leader” and thinking about buying it, right? But before you do, take a minute and read my review. As you’ll find out, this book isn’t for everyone…
First off, let me cover the good points of this book:
- It’s a Cesar Milan book. Milan is known as the “Dog Whisperer” – and for good reason! Point is, Milan is an expert in dog behavior, so you know he won’t steer you wrong.
- This book shares his dog-training foundation. Milan always stresses that you need to offer exercise, discipline and affection (in that order). And in this book he shows you exactly how and when to do all three of these things.
- The book talks about mastering the walk. If you know anything about Milan, then you know the foundation of this training is the “pack walk.” This book tells you everything you need to know about mastering this walk with your dog.
Sounds good so far, right? But there are a couple downsides to this book. Namely:
- It’s not a training book. If you’re looking for a book that you can use to teach your dog how to sit, this isn’t it. As Milan always say, he’s not a trainer. Indeed, he’s more focused on improving the owner’s training, which will naturally improve the dog’s behavior.
- There’s some repetition. If you’ve read other Milan books before, or if you watch his TV show, the you’re going to find some parts of this book a bit repetitive.
Bottom line: I highly recommend this book. However, this isn’t for someone who’s looking for practical instruction on obedience training. And it’s also not for someone who’s unwilling to change himself. But if you don’t fit into those two categories, then I absolutely recommend you click here to buy this book today!
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Post #10: The Direct-Sale Promotional Post
You’re probably going to post useful “how to” and other informational posts on your blog most of the time. But occasionally you’ll want to tell your readers about an offer and its benefits. That’s where the direct-sale promotional post comes in.
Here’s an example…
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Title: The Classic Mustang Restoration Manual is Here!
If you own a 1960’s Mustang, then I have some great news for you: The Classic Mustang Restoration Manual is now available to all Mustang enthusiasts!
If you’ve been struggling to restore your Mustang yourself, then you know how difficult it is to get reliable information. Mainly you end up relying on a forum, where some 16 year old is giving you instructions on how to bleed your brakes or do a complete frame-off restoration. And it’s not until you’re halfway through the procedure when you realize you got some BAD advice!
That’s dangerous. It can devalue your car. And you could end up with safety issues.
The solution?
The Classic Mustang Restoration Manual, which was created by five expert classic-car restorers, including bodywork guys and mechanics.
Here’s what you get:
- Full step-by-step frame-off restoration instructions, including clear, detailed photos of every step!
- A set of 10 videos showing you the most critical procedures, such as cleaning the carburetor and repairing the body!
- A complete list of where to get genuine parts at an affordable price!
And much more!
If you have a 1960’s Mustang, then you need this book. Period. So click here to get yours now – and you’ll be cruising in no time!
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Conclusion
Congratulations – you now know the 10 top blog posts that get results! Best of all, you can re-use these blog styles as often as you want. And every time you post fresh content using one of these formats, you’ll see a boost in excitement, comments and trackbacks.
So try it out for yourself and see – you’ll be surprised what these posts can do for your blog!
