A blog post is an informative article that should persuade your reader to engage further with your business online. 

That engagement could be to buy a product, subscribe to a service or complete a form or to read more blogs. Every blog post you write should have a clear purpose. This purpose will help you structure a clear post and inform the readers’ ongoing engagement with your business.

Crafting convincing copy is an art which takes practice to master. The following techniques will help you get started.

 Write a compelling intro. This is the first sentence of your blog. Journalists call this the ‘lead’ and authors use this effectively too. That first sentence must grab your readers’ attention and make them want to read more. A good lead is short and simple. Avoid cliches, puns or attempts to be clever, too.

Here are some examples:

• “The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead.” — William Zinsser, On Writing Well
• “It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.” — George Orwell, 1984

Walk in your readers’ shoes. Writing with empathy will create a genuine connection with your reader and they’ll be more willing to be convinced because they feel good about you.  We have an entire post about writing with empathy which explains more about how to do this.

Ask rhetorical questions. These questions don’t need to be answered but will get your reader thinking. Advertising copywriters use this method very effectively.

• Where the bloody hell are you?
• Kids grow up so quickly, don’t they?
•  

 Use facts and stats. Citing evidence to back the point you’re making is an effective way to make a convincing case. Always make sure you’re referencing a credible source. The large consulting firms are a good place to start as they pump out white papers and articles to convince their customers of their expertise in a particular domain. If you do this, it’s good practice to provide a link to the source you’re referencing and if you use copy directly from a third-party report, use it as a quote, “like this”.

 It’s not all words. Images, graphics and videos are effective ways to make your point. Canva is an excellent tool that creates professional graphics. Its Pro service also has a photo library.

Close strongly. The close of a blog post is the book end to your strong lead. The conclusion should summarise your post effectively but also include a clear call to action so your readers can continue to engage.  Good calls to action include:

• Buy now
• Learn more
• Subscribe for free

Now it’s over to you to start writing. Remember, it takes practice to become a master of convincing copywriting. If you’re finding it hard to get started, check out our tips on beating writer’s block.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen Cresswell is a former newspaper journalist and is passionate about writing. Her business provides copywriting, editing and proofreading services to clients so that their stories can make a difference.

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