When I first started my business, I had no clue how to write blog posts like a marketer – much less how to write viral blog posts.
I’d get all excited to share a new blog post online after spending days working on it, only to publish it and get these kinds of results:
- 2 page views
- 0 social shares
- 0 comments
And those two page views? Yeah… those were me frantically checking my post for any typos I might’ve missed.
Ouch.
It was fucking frustrating.
I mean, I knew I was a good writer.
So, why wasn’t my content spreading faster than avocado on toast at a hipster restaurant?
Well, I’ll tell you why:
I wasn’t approaching my blog posts from a marketing perspective.
They weren’t strategic at all.
So they weren’t getting any results – and they CERTAINLY weren’t going to help me build a business.
Maybe you can relate?
If so, don’t give up just yet.
Use my SPACE method for creating viral blog posts.
And no, I’m not talking about “MySpace” as in good ol’ Tom and passive aggressively removing people from your top 8.
(Although I’ve gotta admit… I definitely miss those days. MySpace revival, anyone?!)
SPACE is the criteria I’ve developed for writing blog posts from a marketing perspective.
(No time to read? Watch/listen instead by clicking the Play button on the video above!)
It’s what I use to create posts that get lots of traffic and shares online.
And it has helped me create a viral blog post and lots of blog content that has led to product sales, thousands of social shares, and loads of new email subscribers.
Let me be clear – this method is meant for writing blog post content with the intent of growing a business/online presence or getting paid $400+ per post as a freelance blogger.
So if you’re a blogger or freelancer, the SPACE method is for you.
Time to talk viral blog posts!
How to Write Viral Blog Posts Using the SPACE Method
Pin this infographic. Or else. *waves fist aggressively*
SPECIFIC
You need to know who your ideal reader is and tailor your content to them.
Your topic, your headline, your actual blog post content – create everything with that specific reader in mind.
Let’s go over an example.
Imagine that you run a blog where you share money-saving tips for broke college students.
You wouldn’t just write a blog post called “How to Save More Money.”
Instead, you’d want to be specific.
You could write “How to Save $_____ Per Month as a Broke College Student.”
By choosing a specific topic tailored to your audience, you’d make your content more likely to be clicked + read by your ideal reader.
You’d want to tailor your content to broke college students too. Because everyone loves content that’s tailored to their EXACT needs/situation.
Talk about the struggle of eating ramen noodles every day. Make a joke about needing beer money. Or say something else that really resonates with broke college students AND works with your brand.
One point to note before we move on:
Being specific depends on you knowing your blog niche and understanding who your ideal reader is.
If you don’t know those things, get on it.
Clarity as far as your niche/audience is KEY to creating blog content that drives business results.
PERSONALITY-FILLED
Bland and boring content might get some clicks, sure.
But it doesn’t create long-term fans.
Here’s what happens when your content is boring:
- Someone clicks on your blog post.
- They read your content.
- They think the content is good, but then they realize they could probably get the same information elsewhere.
- They leave your site without signing up for your email list or engaging with your brand.
On the other hand, here’s what happens when you showcase your personality and build a brand for yourself with your writing style:
- Someone clicks on your blog post.
- They read your content.
- They appreciate your writing style and think, “Whoa, this chick/dude is awesome! We would totally become BFFs if we met in person. I NEED to get my advice from this person because they reeeeeally “get” me!”
- They become a regular reader, sign up for your email list, immediately buy all of your products/services, and declare that you’ll become the godparent of their firstborn child.
…Okay, that last point got a little out of hand.
But you get the picture.
When your content is filled with personality, you create REAL connections with people.
Instead of just becoming another site to get information from, you become a friend.
And that’s the key to building a loyal, engaged community online.
You HAVE you showcase who you really are.
A word of warning:
Keep in mind that no matter what, not everyone is going to like you. Just like in real life.
I mean, there are a lot of writers I really enjoy that you might totally be annoyed by, and vice versa.
Everyone has different preferences.
AND THAT’S A GOOD THING.
It’s better to have a small but loyal audience of engaged fans that a large following that feels like they could get the same content from anyone else and it’d be no different.
So, don’t make your writing dull out of the fear of being judged or disliked.
Because if your content doesn’t show who you really are, you’re not going to be able to build a thriving brand and community around it.
ACTIONABLE
Fluff just doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to build a blog.
Give your readers plenty of actionable takeaways they can use to accomplish whatever your blog post is teaching.
One good way to do this is to incorporate step-by-step tutorials.
Walkthroughs with screenshots.
Images and/or videos that help illustrate your points.
For example, if you’re writing about how to dye your hair at home, you can create a video showing you going through the steps.
Or you can take pictures of each step and cover every last detail of the process.
Or you can create a helpful color theory chart that helps people decide on the best hair color for their eye color and skin tone.
Or you can do ALL of those things.
The point is this:
In-depth content is a lot more effective than surface-level content with just a few paragraphs including basic knowledge.
So, don’t just tell someone the basics of how to do something – show them how to do it.
And anytime you write a blog post, ask yourself:
How can I make this content even more helpful so that the reader can take action on this topic successfully?
Just this simple question can really help you amp up your content and make it more helpful for both your business and your readers.
COMPREHENSIVE
Pick a topic that you can cover pretty much every aspect of.
You don’t want the reader to leave with a bunch of questions that’ll have them searching for more answers on another site.
You want them to find all of the information they need in your post.
Often, this means writing a long-form blog post.
My most successful blog posts (for my own blog AND for clients) have been long-form.
1,500-2,500+ words is a good range to aim for.
Now, I’m not saying to stick to a set word count.
You definitely don’t want to add fluff and words JUST for the sake of creating something lengthy.
What I am saying is that you should pick a topic that lends itself to creating a long-form blog post if possible.
Long-form content, if it’s comprehensive and written the right way, tends to get better results.
EVERGREEN
This means your content is still going to be relevant much later on.
In other words, it doesn’t include advice that’s going to change next week, and it’s not based on trends or fads.
It’s content that your audience can keep coming back to and it’s STILL going to be helpful for them.
Is EVERY blog post you write going to meet this criteria?
Probably not.
Especially if you occasionally write shorter and/or more personal pieces.
And that’s okay.
But if you want to write some of the BEST damn content in your industry – content that drives traffic, social shares, email subscribers, and more business – make sure your blog post is:
Specific, Personality-filled, Actionable, Comprehensive, and Evergreen.
Want to learn more about blog post copywriting?
Enjoy! 🙂
Do you have any questions about how to write viral blog posts? Ask away in the comments below!