How to Write a Blog Post From Start to Finish | Neil Patel

Summary

In this video, Neil Patel shares his proven formula for writing successful blog posts that attract high traffic. He emphasizes the importance of a compelling title, a hooking introduction, well-structured body content with subheadings, and a conclusion that summarizes and prompts engagement. Additionally, he advises linking to other credible sources to enhance credibility and potentially gain backlinks.

Takeaways

• 📊 Neil Patel's blog post formula helps generate at least 37,000 visitors per post.
• ✍️ Start with a compelling title; eight out of ten people will read the headline, but only two out of ten will read the rest.
• 📰 Use magazine headlines as inspiration for creating catchy titles.
• 🧲 Hook readers with a bold statement in the introduction and provide an overview of the post's content.
• 🔖 Use subheadings in the body to make the content easy to skim and keep paragraphs around five to six lines.
• 🔗 Link out to other sites within the body to build credibility and appear more expert.
• 📝 Conclude the post by summarizing the content and end with a question to encourage engagement.
• 🛑 Label the conclusion clearly as 'Conclusion' and keep it straightforward.
• 📧 Send an email to people you link to, informing them and suggesting they share the post.
• 👥 Engaging readers through comments and questions can lead to increased sales and leads.

Q & A

What is the main reason Neil Patel uses a formula for writing blog posts?

Neil Patel uses a formula for writing blog posts because it helps him generate at least 37,000 visitors per blog post.

Why is it important to start a blog post with a compelling title?

A compelling title is important because eight out of ten people will read your headline, but only two out of ten will click through or read the rest of the article. A good headline is crucial for capturing readers' attention.

Where can one find inspiration for creating catchy blog post titles?

Inspiration for catchy blog post titles can be found by looking at magazine titles in a grocery store. These often use engaging headlines that attract readers' attention.

What should be included in the introduction of a blog post?

The introduction of a blog post should hook readers with a bold statement and provide a quick overview of what will be covered in the post.

How can subheadings improve the readability of a blog post?

Subheadings can improve readability by making the content easy to skim, which helps readers quickly find the information they are interested in.

What is the recommended length for paragraphs in a blog post?

Paragraphs in a blog post should be kept around five to six lines to ensure they are easy to read and not overwhelming for the reader.

Why does Neil Patel recommend linking to other websites in blog posts?

Linking to other websites increases credibility by citing sources, and it also flatters the linked site, which can lead to potential shares and increased traffic.

What should be included in the conclusion of a blog post?

The conclusion should summarize what the post was about and end with a question to encourage reader engagement and comments.

Why is ending a blog post with a question beneficial?

Ending a blog post with a question encourages readers to leave comments, creating engagement and increasing the likelihood of generating leads and sales.

What is a bonus tip Neil Patel provides for getting more traffic to a blog post?

A bonus tip is to email the people you link to in your blog post, informing them about the link and suggesting they share it. This can drive more traffic and create positive interactions.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Mastering the Art of Blog Writing

Neil Patel introduces his formula for crafting successful blog posts that attract a significant number of visitors. He emphasizes the importance of starting with a compelling title, as it is crucial for attracting readers. He suggests drawing inspiration from magazine headlines and testing multiple title variations. Patel also highlights the significance of a strong introduction that hooks readers with a bold statement and provides an overview of the content. The body of the blog should be easy to skim, with subheadings and concise paragraphs, and should include outbound links to other credible sources to enhance credibility. He concludes by advising bloggers to end their posts with a summary and a question to encourage reader engagement and comments.

05:01

🔗 The Power of Outbound Linking and Networking

Neil Patel continues by discussing the benefits of linking to other websites in blog posts, which not only adds credibility but also opens up opportunities for networking. He advises sending a courteous email to those whose work is linked, appreciating their content and inviting them to share the post. Patel suggests that this practice can lead to increased traffic and mutual benefits for both parties. He then promotes his digital marketing agency, Neil Patel Digital, for those seeking assistance with content creation or traffic generation, and encourages viewers to engage by asking questions or sharing the video.

Keywords

💡Blog Post

A blog post refers to an individual article or entry published on a blog. In the context of the video, the theme revolves around the creation and optimization of blog posts to attract readership and engagement. The script mentions generating 37,000 visitors per blog post, highlighting the importance of effective blog post writing.

💡Neil Patel

Neil Patel is a well-known digital marketing expert and entrepreneur. In the script, he introduces himself and offers insights on how to write a successful blog post. His name is used to establish credibility and authority on the topic being discussed.

💡Formula

In the video script, the term 'formula' refers to a specific method or strategy for writing blog posts that can consistently attract a large audience. The script emphasizes that following this formula is crucial for generating significant traffic to a blog.

💡Title

The title of a blog post is its headline or the main title that appears at the beginning of the post. According to the script, having a compelling title is essential because it determines whether readers will click through and read the rest of the content. The script advises on creating catchy titles inspired by magazine headlines.

💡Introduction

The introduction in a blog post serves as the opening section that aims to hook readers and set the stage for the content that follows. In the script, Patel emphasizes the importance of starting with a bold statement to capture the reader's attention and provide a brief overview of what the post will cover.

💡Subheadings

Subheadings are smaller headings used within the body of a blog post to organize and break down the content into more digestible sections. The script suggests using subheadings to make the content easy to skim and to improve readability, which is crucial for retaining readers.

💡Paragraphs

Paragraphs are blocks of text that form the body of a blog post. The script advises keeping paragraphs to a maximum of five to six lines to maintain a clear structure and make the post easier to read and understand.

💡Linking

Linking in the context of blog writing refers to including hyperlinks within the content that direct readers to other relevant sources or websites. The script highlights the importance of linking to other sites to enhance credibility and establish oneself as an expert by citing sources.

💡Conclusion

The conclusion of a blog post is the final section where the main points are summarized and a closing thought is provided. The script emphasizes ending the post with a question to encourage reader engagement and comments, which can lead to increased interaction and potential sales.

💡Engagement

Engagement in the context of blogging refers to the interaction between the author and the readers, typically through comments, shares, or other forms of participation. The script notes that engagement is crucial for converting blog readers into leads or customers.

💡Back-links

Back-links, or backlinks, are hyperlinks from one website to another. In the script, Patel suggests that linking to others and notifying them can lead to reciprocal sharing, which can drive more traffic to the blog and enhance the reputation of the blogger.

Highlights

Neil Patel shares a formula that helps him generate at least 37,000 visitors per blog post.

Start off with a compelling title; eight out of ten people will read the headline, but only two out of ten will read the rest of the article.

Use titles inspired by magazines; catchy titles like 'How To' and 'Listicles' work wonders.

Create multiple variations of your title and choose the best one with feedback from friends.

Hook readers with a bold statement in the introduction, providing a quick overview of the post's content.

Use subheadings in the body to make the content easy to skim.

Keep paragraphs short, around five to six lines.

Link out to other websites to enhance credibility and be perceived as an expert.

Wrap up your post with a conclusion that summarizes the post and ends with a question to encourage engagement.

Label your conclusion clearly as 'Conclusion' to make it easy for readers to find.

Conclusions are important as many readers scroll to the bottom first to check it before reading the entire post.

Linking out to other sites flatters the owners and can result in them sharing your content.

Send a simple email to people you link to, informing them and asking them to share your post.

Linking to other people can drive traffic and improve the appearance of your blog.

Engagement through comments increases the likelihood of generating leads or sales.

Transcripts

Have you ever read anyone on my blog post and found,

Hey! They all follow a similar format.

And you know what, it's not out of coincidence,

it's for a reason.

Because that formula helps me generate at least

37,000 visitors per blog post.

Do you wanna know that formula on

how I write the perfect blog post?

Hi everyone, I'm Neil Patel,

and today I'm gonna share with you,

how to write a blog post from start to finish.

(light upbeat music)

Now before we get started, I just wanna ask you guys

to subscribe to this channel.

That way we're in at least more marking tips like this,

you'll get notified.

Now, I have a question for you:

How many of you have written a blog post before?

If you have, leave a comment with "yes".

If you haven't, leave a comment with "no".

Because you know what, whether you have written a

blog post before or you haven't,

and I'm still curious in how many of you written one,

I'm gonna share with you the perfect formula

that I follow for my own blog.

It works for a B2C ,B2B, a personal blog or a

corporate blog, it works for everything.

I kid you not, it is the best formula out there.

First tip: Start off with a title.

Don't just start writing a blog post,

unless you have the exact title,

do not write your blog post.

Eight out of ten people will read your headline,

but only two out of ten will click through

or read the rest of your article.

Doesn't matter how amazing of a blog post you write,

if you don't write a good headline,

no one's gonna read the rest of your post.

All comes down to your headline or title,

or whatever you wanna call it.

If you need some creativity,

go to a grocery store and check out a magazine.

When you go to a grocery store when you're checking out,

you see all these magazines!

They have amazing titles with How To, Livspace,

articles like "Lose weight in 30 days",

"How to shed five pounds fast!"

Doesn't matter what kind of magazine they are,

whether it's a business magazine or

whether it's a fitness magazine,

or a gossip magazine, they all use catchy titles.

And that's what you need to do with your blog post.

And look for magazine for inspiration.

I stick with the basics.

I use How To a lot, I use Livspace posts,

those two things have worked wonders for me,

and they haven't got old.

So start with the title.

And you don't have to just create one variation of it.

You can create two or three variations,

and that's what I do and I ask people

hey, what do you like,

I'll ask a few friends,

then I pick the best one and that's what I go with.

The second step that you need to follow when

it comes to writing a blog post is the introduction.

In your introduction,

you need to hook people with a bold statement.

For example, I know this is a video,

but I hooked you by saying

"Hey do you want the formula that breaks down how I get

at least 37,000 visitors per blog post".

By hooking people in, they're gonna read the rest.

And with your introduction,

it's not just talking, hooking people in.

It's also about talking about what's gonna be

covered in the post.

Just give them a quick overview on what

you're gonna teach them,

is a great way to hook them in,

as well, to get them to go more into your blog post,

read more, and ideally, even leave a comment

at the end of your post.

Now that we got the introduction done,

let's get into your body.

Your body should include subheadings.

Keep in mind, you want your content easy to skim.

If people can't skim it, you're not gonna do well.

In your body, use subheadings,

and keep your paragraphs around five to six lines max.

In addition to that, when you're writing

your content in your body,

you'll notice that at least on neilpatel.com,

I link out to other people.

That's part of my formula,

it's not just about linking to your own site,

it's about linking to other sites.

Because what happens is when you link to other websites,

you open up your sources, you're citing them,

it creates more credibility for you,

makes you and your business look more as an expert,

and that's what you wanna be perceived at

when you're writing content.

Last but not least,

you wanna wrap up your post with a conclusion.

The conclusion summarizes what your post was about,

and you end your conclusion with a question.

By ending with the question,

more people are more likely to leave a comment.

When they leave a comment, it creates engagement.

By getting engagement, you're much more likely

to generate sales.

If people read your blog but they don't engage with you,

they're not likely than to become a lead,

or buy your products, or your services.

So it's really important you end with a question.

And here's what we found with conclusions.

Brazing Crazy Egg, we use a scroll mat feature,

and what we found through testing was,

a lot of people read blog posts,

when they first land on them,

they quickly scroll to the bottom,

check out the conclusion,

and then they go back up and read the rest,

assuming they like the conclusion.

So with your conclusion,

make sure you label it "Conclusion".

Don't get fancy, keep it simple.

Just call it a good ole' conclusion.

And that's my formula to writing blog posts!

It's not that hard.

Now one thing I did mention within this

whole process of writing blog posts,

that you need to link up to other sites.

And here's a bonus tip:

I know this goes a bit above just writing,

but very few people do it.

When you link up to other people,

it flatters them.

People love getting back-links,

because when you link out to someone,

it drives in more traffic.

Especially when you're linking to them in a positive way.

Hopefully you're not bashing people in your blog post.

Stay above that.

So when you link up to them, shoot them an e-mail.

"Hey Curtis,

I have to say I am a huge fan of your work,

so much so I linked out to you in my latest blog post.

You can check it out here.

Cheers, Neil.

P.S. If you shared it, it would make my day".

That's it.

A lot of people who get linked out to,

including me,

don't mind sharing articles on Twitter.

It drives the blog owner traffic,

and it makes the person you link to look great!

So that's it.

If you want more traffic to your blog,

you need help with the writing content

or generating traffic,

check out my ad agency Neil Patel Digital,

and of course,

if you just have any questions on writing or need help,

leave a comment below with your question,

and I'll answer it.

If you like the post, I would appreciate that as well.

Share it with your friends,

subscribe to my channel,

thank you for watching.