How to format a blog post (for search success)

When writing a blog post, it’s easy to overlook formatting. But how exactly should you format your blog posts to get more engagement and search success?

When it comes to writing the introduction, keep it simple, concise and tailored to your audience.

If you want a defined approach to formatting your introduction, you can use the Problem Solution Proof (PSP) introduction formula.

Using the PSP formula means you can get straight to the heart of the matter by outlining the problem, providing a solution and providing evidence of why your audience should trust you – all in just two paragraphs.

It also means there is room to place an image above the fold, making your post more visually appealing to visitors.

Once you’ve perfected your introduction, it’s time to consider how to structure the rest of the article.

The reality is that many people no longer read cover to cover. A study by Nielson suggested that only 16% of its test users read an article word for word.

So it is important to make your articles scannable to maximize engagement on your blog. The easiest way to do this is to use headers or, more specifically, H1 tags and others -tags.

Headings also have a secondary benefit, as they help provide an SEO-friendly structure to your article.

Here’s what it looks like in practice. You want to strive for a clear hierarchy.

In my opinion, your headlines should have two qualities:

• individually, they must have an impact and grab the reader’...