The blogging world (aka blogosphere) is so diverse! It’s not only the wide range of topics, there is also diversity in the types of blog content that is created and shared. When you’re starting a blog or working on growing an existing blog, you may wonder what type of blog post you should be creating and sharing.
Is there one type of blog post format that is better than another? Are there guidelines and standards that you should try to adhere to?
While there is no “right or wrong” way when it comes to blogging, it’s helpful to stay up-to-date on the latest trends so you know what’s performing well and what’s not.
Types of blog post formats
There are a wide variety of format types for blogs that you can use. Here are some of the most common:
1. Lists
List style blog posts are pretty common and they’re great for readers too. They provide a quick summary on each list item and can include a few links for more information. These blog posts also tend to be really easy to write too!
All you need to do is choose the topic, do some research and then create your list. Write a little bit about each point and include some links for more information. You’re actually reading a list post right now. For another example, take a look at this list post from maybeitsjustme.blog.
2. How to
‘How to’ blog posts are another popular blog post format. This is where you simply teach your readers how to do something. With a little SEO keyword research, these are smart posts to write because people hit the search engines all day long trying to find out how to do all different kinds of things. If you can teach them how to do it, you can draw them to your blog and show off your expertise.
Here are a couple examples from the .blog family of bloggers:
- How to Decorate a Christmas Table in a Rustic Way (foodandmood.blog)
- How to Care for your Cast Iron Skillet (fresheggsdaily.blog)
3. Interviews
Interviews are a great way to collaborate with other bloggers and experts in your niche. This can help you get your message in front of a new audience.
It’s also an effective way to get strong content on your blog without having to spend all your time putting it together. You can interview the person on video/audio and turn it into a blog post or you can simply send them the list of questions and have them send back their answers.
You can see an example of a blog post interview on trustyourgut.blog. The blog is focused on raising awareness around Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and inspiring hope and support for others living with similar conditions.
4. Opinions
Opinion blog posts are a great way to share your thoughts while helping your audience get to know you a little more. If you want to write a strong opinion piece, it helps to do your research before you start writing so you can back up your opinion.
5. Cheatsheets
Cheatsheet blog posts are also known as checklists. These are similar to ‘how to’ blog posts because they allow you to help your reader. These are great blog posts to create downloadable PDFs for as well.
6. Reviews
In a review post, you simply provide your opinions or experiences on a certain product or service. You can see an example at appetiteforwine.blog.
7. Roundups
A roundup blog post is similar to a list post except you’re typically gathering a list of content from other bloggers. For example, you gather a list of the best blog posts about how to groom your dog at home, with expert tips from dog groomer blogs. You put them together in a post, sharing the title, author, and a few sentences about the post.
Roundups can be helpful in growing your audience because you can let the other blogger know that you’ve included them on your roundup post. Many bloggers will want to share if they were highlighted or featured in a blog post.
One example that’s a little different is on AfterPay’s Blog. In this post, afterpay.blog did a roundup highlighting specific locations with links.
8. Personal stories
We believe that storytelling is an important part of blogging. Writing a blog allows you to connect with others, show your personality, and share your story with the world.
There’s no right or wrong way to tell your story, however, it does help to make sure you stick to stories that relate to the niche of your blog. You can share as much or as little as you’re comfortable with.
Here’s one example from goingsomewhere.blog.
9. Case studies
If you offer products or services on your blog, a case study can help you illustrate the benefits of working with you. In your blog post, you’ll give a specific example of a story of one of your clients and how you helped them. Showing readers the benefits instead of simply telling them how you can help, builds trust and credibility.
10. Videos
YouTube is the biggest search engine after Google. You can help grow your audience by creating videos on the same topics that you write blog posts about. This gives people one more way to connect with you and can help humanize your brand by letting people see and hear you.
Once you have your video on YouTube, you can embed it into your blog to double up your SEO efforts. Some bloggers like to include a transcript of the video in their blog post as well.
One example is Landingsandtakeoffs.blog.
What type of blog post should you share?
Don’t get overwhelmed by all the different types of blog post format options out there. Research shows that ‘how to’ posts, roundups, interviews and blog posts that include original research all perform above the benchmark.. However, it can be a good idea to mix up your posts by using different types of content.
Along with thinking about what type of blog post format you want to use, there are a few other things to keep in mind as you create your post.
First is the length of your post. Over the years, the average blog post has increased in word length and with good reason. While it used to be common for blog posts to be 300-500 words, Backlinko found the average word count of a top-ranked post in Google is now up to 1,890 words.
The next thing to keep in mind is the importance of using images, graphics, and videos to break up your post. Long blocks of texts are difficult to read online. It helps readers stay engaged when you break up the text and make it easy to digest.
Lastly, remember that some types of content are easier to put together than others. If you’re short on time and working to be consistent with your blog posts, choose what will be easiest for you to write while keeping it high-quality. Blogging takes time and effort and having a plan in place is key.
Choosing the right content plan for your blog
That’s a lot of information to process on blog content. If you’re just getting started it might seem a little overwhelming. You don’t have to jump in and do it all at once. Start with what you’re comfortable with and then try new formats as you go along.And remember, in the end, your blog is there to serve the purpose that you want. While the stats might say that you need 2,000+ word posts to perform well, Seth Godin proves that’s not always the case.
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