How to write the first blog posts that resonate with people

Quick navigation:

Why should you write blog posts in the first place
How to write blog posts that resonate with people
What to write about when you’re starting a blog
A step-by-step writing process for your blog posts

We live in a world where the importance of written communication increased dramatically. We heavily rely on technology and digital contact. From the way we keep in touch with the dear ones to how we approach the people we admire and increase our chances to create a digital presence — we often use tools where writing is king.

For the past 10+ years, I’ve been wearing the communication and storytelling hat daily and put my writing to the test while working in multiple roles: freelancer, volunteer, marketer, copywriter, community builder. Along the way, I had a hard time finding reliable solutions regarding improving my writing skills and making the most out of them on the Internet.

After all the ups and downs I experienced, I managed to narrow down a few things that can help you start your blog and get over the stress of writing your first blog post.

What follows is not a rigid framework, so feel free to take whatever fits you. However, I encourage you to at least test some of the ideas before assuming that they will not work. You might be surprised.

Why should you write blog posts in the first place

Keeping our communication in writing is far more convenient and comfortable since we can do it from our home, office, or on the road, compared to the effort of meeting a person face-to-face.

Writing is so integrated into our daily lives that we no longer question why we prefer this way of communication instead of others.

Writing is such a self-conscious act because it forces us to think: What do we believe in, so deeply, that we’ll write it down and share it with others?
— Claire Lew (@clairejlew) July 26, 2018

Even though writing short messages can help us transmit instant information to others, writing in-depth, long-form content comes with big advantages.

1. Writing can help you gain more clarity

Putting everything on paper (both digital and offline) helps you draw a clearer picture of your thoughts.

When you can observe what you wrote, it’s easier to find the red thread. You can take notes, underline repetitive snippets, and notice flaws and inconsistencies in your ideas.

2. Writing improves communication skills

Having a chance to fine-tune your ideas, put order and articulate your thoughts will translate into better written (and verbal) communication skills.

Publishing your writing will put pressure (the good kind) on having a start and an end to your stories, being compelling, and making sure those on the other end understand you. This skill will come in handy in all aspects of your personal and professional life.

3. Your blog posts can bring people together

Expressing your ideas can impact the world and even change it for the better. Your unique point of view can attract people who share the same core values and want to join your community. Nothing beats the feeling of sharing a common understanding with other individuals.

Blog writing can also help you impact other people’s lives through your bold and courageous ideas. Your different perspectives can mobilize people towards a meaningful goal. Your words can capture attention and transform a bunch of random people into followers, believers, maybe even collaborators.

As a blogger, you need to be open-minded in understanding a wide range of arguments because it will help you craft better articles. It does not mean that you should start pleasing people and create blog posts that serve all kinds of needs. On the contrary, you should stick to your beliefs and interests.

4. Writing can be liberating

Writing is an act of freedom through which you can showcase the real you without strings attached. In so many senses, we live the best time of our lives. The simple act of having the chance to create a digital voice and spread your ideas means a lot.

People used this form of communication for a long time and continuously adjusted it to the needs of the time, from sending a letter from the war to writing pre-defined SMS. The need to express ourselves through writing lies within us and only gets stronger.

Writing is not just for storytellers, poets, copywriters, etc. No. We all have the potential to write amazing stories that say something about who we are. The ultimate goal of good writing is to put a piece of ourselves out there and invite others to take a look.

Next, I’ll share the main ideas to keep in mind when writing your first blog posts.

How to write blog posts that resonate with people

There’s a thin line between what you need to know to become better with writing blog posts and all the information on the Internet.

My recommendation is always to be authentic, trust your skills and shape your particular way of writing.

people always ask me how to be a better writer. my answer is always the same: read, read, READ. reading teaches by example, shows you the curiosity of others and is proven to increase brain function/connectivity.
— paul jarvis (@pjrvs) June 18, 2018

Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes, and it’s definitely true. What’s often left unsaid is that starting is the first step and often the hardest challenge.

Once you kick off and develop a writing habit, you will craft your skills and become a better blogger from one day to another.

As in life, the best results come with time, hard work, and determination, so don’t try to find shortcuts.

From my experience as a digital communicator, professional copywriter, and active storyteller, I dare to suggest a few writing tips you should consider.

If you start integrating them into your daily writing routine, you will write better articles on your blog and website and gain confidence and joy in doing it.

1. Use your speaking voice in writing

Create an emotional connection with the reader and guide him as a good old pal through the story. Write the way you talk, and don’t be afraid to be genuine in crafting every message.

People often feel that they have to adopt a persona when posting online, but that’s not true. Copying others will only create a dissonance between who you really are and youfrom the Internet. People are smart and feel fakeness, and once they observe that you are not credible, they will never come back.

2. Write with responsibility

Be true to yourself and share from your own experience. Own it. No matter if you’re in your 20s, be brave to write about how you feel, about your hobbies, your struggles at the moment. Similar people will resonate with you.

Responsibility also means being transparent and honest regarding your blog posts. Don’t make things up, don’t cheat, don’t offer half-truths. Blogging is serious, and you should treat your audience accordingly, especially if you want to be more than yet another www out there.

3. Write for yourself first

Express your personality and way of thinking through your writing. You are the first to read that blog post, so make sure it resonates with your inner why and aligns with your beliefs and values.

Don’t write it as if 1000 people will read it; write it like speaking with one person. If what you share is real and comes from your experience, your visitors will notice, and they will return in the future.

“I love meeting my readers, but I am so aware that the person who writes the books that they read is the best version of me — the most hopeful, the most helpful version of me. In my day-to-day life, I am as confused, & stupid, & pessimistic as anybody.” https://t.co/aug6SNQdrK
— Lucy Bellwood is on Tour (@LuBellWoo) June 22, 2018

Put yourself in their shoes and see how you feel: does the blog post feel authentic, reliable, meaningful, or is it just a bunch of lines without a clear goal?

What to write about when you’re starting a blog

You might think that there’s an answer for everything, so there’s nothing much left to cover. I beg to differ.

Even though it’s true that we are exposed to a massive load of information, it doesn’t mean that nuances are not important. In fact, we live a time where we genuinely need them.

Differences are the engine of the world, and once we accept and internalize them, we will definitely live more meaningful lives.

When it comes to blog posts, since you are in your early days, I have a few suggestions regarding how to pack your content.

Of course, there are far more, but I highly believe that you need to narrow the gap and start with just a limited set of options because it will give you direction and purpose. Constraints can be liberating.

1. Write personal stories

Share what makes you-you. Experiences, wins, failures, mistakes, beliefs —anything that says something meaningful about the person behind the scenes.

If you are a creative person, be generous and write about your creative process, how you get things done, what keeps your wheels spinning, what brings you joy when things are hard to handle. Don’t shy away from sharing the downsides, struggles, and pain—others might go through similar experiences and need a helping hand.

2. Give a twist to common topics

If you are knowledgeable in a particular field, you might have a different perspective on things than the majority. Go ahead and share it with the world, and you might change the way people see or approach things.

Invest time and energy to pack everything to suit your style of writing. You might even be surprised to see that many people resonate with your approach.

3. Share bold statements

Showcase the values you stand for by writing opinionated articles. Boldly express your personality and invite people to share their own thoughts on the matter.

Document what you experience during the writing process because it will help you get a clear perspective on the next step and how you should continue publishing new blog posts.

A step-by-step writing process for your blog posts

First of all, good writing means good reading. There’s no other way around. People who don’t read a lot have a tough time writing well.

It’s the same principle that applies to other forms of creative work as well. Take photographers, for instance. Good artists travel, meet people in person, spend time in solitude, are active folks who have a deeper understanding of how the world works.

“Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.” — Yehuda Berg

A simple yet effective process to put the above advice in practice is to do the following exercise. Don’t overthink every single step from the bellow list; just go through it and see where it takes you.

Choose a topic that you are interested in or have know-how. It can be anything as long as you manifest excitement and a dose of genuine curiosity. Or, on the other hand, you gathered plenty of experience that could be useful for others.
Write one paragraph about your idea. This way, you have a summary at your fingertips, and you can get back to it during the process.
Define a clear structure to help you keep the red thread:
1. → Intro (the central idea that you will explore in the article),
2. → Main sections (headings and the core message)
3. → Conclusion (an insight you hope people will react to or sleep on)
Write a rough first draft. Don’t take it too seriously; just throw all the thoughts you have in mind related to the topic.
Edit what you wrote without mercy and get the garbage out. Read it out loud and see if it makes sense if you can cut some sidenotes, or maybe you can rephrase ideas and make them easier to grasp.
Go in-depth. Start adding layers of information to complete your ideas and make sure all match the red thread.
Ask for a second opinion. Give these pieces of content to close friends or family and ask them what made them memorable, touched them and how, and what was hard to understand or to follow. Kindly ask them to provide these answers in writing to help them articulate their thoughts.
Edit again. Try to integrate the feedback you received in the best possible way, without pleasing everyone or changing the main idea. It’s your call to filter and keep the must-have only.
Publish. Celebrate the fact that you published your first blog posts on your terms. Yaaay!

Writing is an excellent way of expressing your unique personality and a crucial skill you want to master on your blog. On top of that, it’s a form of freedom hard to beat by other forms of communication.

You can always explore new perspectives and discover a new world through writing digital content. It’s not a matter of how many words you use; it’s how you craft them to touch people’s hearts, as Seth Godin reminds us: “I wonder why anyone would hesitate to be generous with their writing.”