16 Characteristics of A Blog (that grows + makes money)
This is my guide on the key characteristics of a blog that actually grows and does well.
This is how I make sure that my posts pop and my site grows like it should.
Because nothing stings more than spending all your time making great content, only to have it go unread. These are the key features I’ve found most impactful.
(and don’t worry, implementing these things is pretty simple)
So let’s wrap up this small talk – let’s get it.
Table of Contents Show
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8 Characteristics of A Great Blog Post
I organized this post into two main sections.
This first section covers the key characteristics of a great article. The second section covers the key features of a great website.
So let’s start by looking at the anatomy of a great blog post.
Get these things right and you’ll be ahead of the masses.
1. A Great Title
An article’s performance starts with a great title.
It’s often the first thing people see when searching for a topic.
It’s one of those things that will decide whether someone clicks on your post, or moves on to the next one.
So knowing how to stand out is important.
Here are some quick tips for making a great title:
Be clear and concise
Use compelling and evocative language
Be specific
Communicate the benefit or transformation the reader can expect
Use numbers
Use your keyword (towards the front)
Write for your target audience
Test what works and keep improving
2. A Good Structure
There are lots of different blog templates to write from.
But when choosing a blog structure, it’s best to format things in a way that simply makes the most sense for your keyword, its search intent and your content goals.
Here’s an example of how I like to format a lot of my (how-to) blogs.
You can download this Google Doc template I use for all my posts here (just Make A Copy to start editing).
You can also look at what other blogs are doing for your particular keyword topic (for inspiration).
(just don’t copy another site verbatim – add in your value to the market and differentiate)
Hot Tip: Check out Google’s People also ask questions and Related searches for your keyword. These can be good related topics to include.
3. Scannable
One of the quickest ways to lose a reader and lower your bounce rate (i.e., how quickly someone bounces from your site) is to make your post hard to read.
So an important characteristic of a blog is to make things scannable.
This means visitors can easily read your text and hop around to find the key points and sections.
Here are some ways I make my blogs more scannable:
Keep paragraphs short – avoid big blocks of text
Write concisely (delete the fluff – less is more)
Use lists and bullet points
Use bolded text
Use headings and subheadings (your H2s, H3s + H4s)
Use images and visuals (see the next point)
Highlight important words or ideas
Use white space – avoid overcrowding with too much blog clutter
Step away for clarity (then come back and proofread)
4. Use of Visuals
The verdict is in. And the expert’s advice is clear: use visuals in your blogs.
These can be images, charts, graphs, video and anything in between.
But why should we prioritize them?
Here are some core benefits:
Breaks up your text so it’s easier to read
Makes things more engaging for the reader
Makes things easier to understand (I’m definitely a visual learner)
Better organization (and it just looks prettier)
Hot Tip: Compress your images and videos to keep your pages fast. Remember, site speed is another important SEO and ranking factor.
5. Promotes Engagement
A great blog post involves the reader and invites discussion or participation.
A great blog promotes engagement.
There are a lot of ways to do this in your blog. But here are a few tips:
Invite the reader to leave comments
For example, let me know in the comments what you think makes a great blog!
Use quizzes, calculators or surveys
Use multimedia (such as video)
Offer free downloads
Include social sharing buttons
6. Great Content
This is one of the most important aspects of a great blog post.
Because it’s no secret, creating high-quality content that actually helps your readers is a core characteristic of a successful blog.
So here are some tips for ensuring your content is up to snuff:
Know your audience and speak to them directly
Address your reader’s pain points and provide effective solutions
Leverage your experiences to offer unique insights
Conduct thorough research and use reliable information and data
Seek feedback and for ways to improve (cultivate a learner’s mindset)
Iterate and improve as you grow and evolve as a blogger
7. Optimized for Ranking
Optimizing your blog posts is important for showing up in places like Google.
After all, this is how we get organic traffic and grow.
So how do we do this?
By implementing good SEO (search engine optimization) tactics.
(actually, most of the tips in this list will collectively support good SEO and ranking)
But here are a few quick tips to keep in mind (for keyword optimization):
Find and use good keywords
Include your keyword in your title, URL and intro
Don’t overuse your target keyword
8. Relevant Categories + Tags
Categories and tags are organizational tools for your blog posts.
You can think of these like your personal filing system – similar to how a library alphabetizes books and arranges things by subject matter.
Here’s a quick rundown of how categories and tags work:
Categories are your main niche topics – they’re usually more general
For example, this post’s category is filed under Creative Entrepreneurship
Tags are the more specific aspects of a category or post
For example, one this post’s tags is Blogging
Using relevant categories and tags will ensure your website architecture is organized and easily understood by the Google algorithm.
(it also makes it way easier for you and your readers to navigate and find relevant content)
So that wraps up my list of top blog characteristics.
Now let’s jump right into the next section (on website characteristics).
8 Characteristics of A Great Website
What makes a great website?
Many things – but these are (in my view and experience) the most important features.
1. Core Pages
One-page websites are definitely a thing – and they have their purpose (e.g., sales pages).
But for our blogging purposes, it’s important to expand on things.
Here are some key pages to consider including in your website:
About page (main menu)
Contact page (main menu)
Home page (main menu)
Blog (main menu)
Terms & Conditions (footer menu)
Affiliate disclosure (footer menu)
Privacy policy (footer menu)
2. Search Functionality
Having search functionality means you have a search bar clearly visible.
This helps readers explore your site more and search for specific content or keywords.
Luckily, it’s pretty simple to add this to a website.
For example, in Squarespace you just need to add a new “Block” and then select the “Search” asset under Filters & Lists.
Hot Tip: Turn all of your website content into an AI chatbot by integrating with a tool like Dante or HelpHub.
3. Good UX
UX stands for user experience. Good UX means your website is easy to use and navigate.
And it’s a key characteristic of a successful blog.
So here are some quick tips to make sure your user experience is on point:
Choose simple and readable fonts
Go with a minimalist design
Test and collect feedback
Have consistent branding and design elements
Have clear navigation
Make sure your site looks great on all devices
From my music to my writing, the one thing I always fall back on is the less is more principle.
Cut the fluff, stay minimal, and avoid congestion.
Like Coco Chanel says: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”
Hot Tip: Cookie compliance and privacy are important topics. That’s why most websites have a cookie consent. You can learn more here.
4. Clear Branding
The ultimate goal is for people to be able to recognize your content without even needing to look at the site name or author.
This takes time, but we can get the ball moving by being intentional with our website branding.
Here are some tips to have clear branding on your website:
Create a good logo
Choose a color palette and stay consistent with your color use
Define your brand tone and voice
Have a brand value proposition and mission
Match your branding image and colors across all platforms and socials
Create brand guidelines to follow (and to ensure consistency)
5. Optimization
SEO isn’t just for blog posts.
A great website is also optimized with relevant keywords and overall structure.
So here are some key ways to make sure your site is fully optimized:
Be mobile friendly and look good across all devices
Include your core brand keywords in your main page titles and copy
Ensure content is consistent and on brand
Use interlinking between relevant pages
Have clear navigation and a simple layout
Have a secure site with SSL certificate (i.e., the “s” in https://)
6. Social Integrations
If you’re making great content (as I’m sure you are), people will want to share it and follow you.
So another important feature of a great blog is having social integrations.
For example:
Include buttons for readers to easily share your content on Pinterest or Facebook
Include links to other active social media accounts (like I have in my main menu)
I see blogging as another gear in the social clock.
So connecting your site with your other content is a simple and effective way to boost professionalism, build your brand and grow your following.
7. Analytics
Analytics are everything.
Because data-based decisions take out the guesswork.
So another key characteristic of successful blogs is they’re integrated with some type of analytics tool.
I use Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
These give me insights into my traffic numbers, any site issues and which pages and keywords are performing best.
I use this information to fine-tune my future posts while optimizing everything else.
You can learn more about connecting your site to Google Analytics here and Google Search Console here.
8. Intentional Content
A great website has a clear focus. It has intentional content.
This is the last blog feature worth mentioning for this post.
Intentional content is writing with a specific purpose in mind and for a specific audience.
It’s creating content that’s on-brand, relevant and serves a specific use.
For example, I often discover sweet keyword opportunities while researching topics.
But sometimes, I realize those topics don’t quite fit within my blog’s current theme or focus.
So I have to scrap them.
Even though I could easily rank for a particular keyword and get more traffic, if the topic doesn’t make sense for my brand, it’ll stick out and look random to readers.
In the long-run, this would hurt my blog’s optimization and brand-building efforts.
So remember, always be intentional with your content and site building.
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