Today I want to focus on what is one of the most important factors you need to hone in on to make your blog successful. And by successful, I mean help you generate leads and sales.

We are seeing blogging become so overwhelming and dare I say- boring?

There's SO much content out there it's easy to get lost in it all. So how do you go about making an effective blog? Why should you even try?

It comes down to the atmosphere of marketing today- give them useful content. Give them the answers. Tell them what you do, how you do it, etc. Transparency is key. Tell them the truth, even if it's dark and dirty- especially if it's dark and dirty.

The reaction you want your users to have when they read your content. ^^^

You know where you'll find the best content on the web right now? Medium. You know why? Because those scary brand guidelines about tone, words you can't say, etc., go right out the window and content comes direct from those with experience. It's a platform to share real thoughts, experiences and even feelings. I would encourage more people to write "medium-styled" content on their actual company blog. People connect with what is real- with people, not with what you sell.

I know I said dark and dirty before, but let's try to keep it relevant. Don't write some obscene story for the sake of getting eyes on it if it has absolutely nothing to do with your product or service.

Instead, follow these tips:

First- make buyer personas. Understand what they find entertaining and what their biggest pain points are. This will be your secret sauce.

Second- create a headline and subject. Put yourself in their shoes. Your users are busy and bombarded with content all day every day, why do they need to read your content? Cut to the chase. Make it to the point. Every headline should entertain or answer a pain point.

Third- create the actual content. Okay, you've got them hooked now you better live up to that promise in the content. Here's where writing well becomes important. Keep them engaged. Don't waste words. Use examples.
Lists and checklists get overused, but there's a reason. They are easy to digest. In addition to an easy-to-read format, keeping the tone conversational and use easy-to-understand metaphors to help easily convey the story or point you're trying to get across. This builds trust.

Now that you know what it takes to make your blog successful I'm sure you're thinking, 'Yeah, but when the heck am I going to get the time to do it?!' I know. One of the biggest struggles of making your blog successful is actually finding the time to write it.