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5 Types of Blog Posts That Drive Traffic
So you started a blog… now what? What types of blog posts should you write?
You’re not alone if you’ve spent hours staring at your blinking cursor on a blank blog post, wondering what on earth you should write about.
Starting a blog is the easy part, but figuring out how to actually write incredible blog posts that drive traffic to your site can be hard.
That’s why I put together this list of the 5 types of blog posts all new bloggers should write. These are tried and true blog post formats that are guaranteed to help you get traffic to your blog and build an audience of loyal readers.
Related: First Blog Post Ideas: What to Write About First
Haven’t Started a Blog Yet?
Check out my step-by-step guide on how to start a blog which will show you exactly to start your blog in under an hour!
You can also sign up for Blogging Bootcamp, my free email course that has helped hundreds of subscribers start their blogs…
Blogging has an extremely low start-up cost: You really only need to pay for web hosting (I recommend getting it through Bluehost because it’s only $2.95 a month) and a domain name for your blog. (And you get your domain name FREE with Bluehost, which saves you about $15-20.)
For the complete guide on how to start your blog at a low cost, sign up for my free email course or check out my guide on how to start a blog here.
You may also find these posts about starting a blog helpful:
- How Much Does It Cost to Start a Blog?
- 7 Blog Niches That Make Money and Get Traffic
- Blog Name Ideas: How to Choose a Blog Name
- 6 Things to Do Before Starting a Blog
What Makes a Good Blog Post?
In order to make your blog posts really shine, be sure that you…
- Give your blog post an attention-grabbing and click-worthy title
- Use headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points to break up the text
- Write a minimum of 1,000 words (the longer the better!)
- Provide helpful, actionable solutions to your readers’ problems
If you need help coming up with ideas for blog posts, be sure to read How to Find Blog Post Ideas: 7 Simple Ways for some extremely useful tips.
Here are the best types of blog posts you can write on your new blog:
1. The Foundational Post
This is one of the most important types of blog posts you can have.
A foundational post is an in-depth, highly detailed blog post related to the topic of your blog. It’s also known as “cornerstone content” for your blog.
For example, this blog is all about blogging, so one of my foundational posts is my detailed How to Start a Blog guide.
Other examples of foundational posts:
- The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking Southeast Asia (destination travel blog)
- How to Start a Photography Business (photography blog)
- The Beginner’s Guide to Homeschooling (homeschool blog)
Obviously, foundational posts should be tailored to your blog niche. Try to make your foundational content as relevant, helpful, and detailed as possible, and link to your foundational posts often in your other blog posts.
2. The Tips and Tricks Post
Sharing tips and tricks with your readers is a great way to provide value and create blog posts that will be really popular.
The goal with this type of post is to share “quick wins” with your readers that they can implement easily to achieve their desired results.
One of my tips and tricks posts is 6 Things to Do Before Starting a Blog.
Other examples of tips and tricks posts:
- 10 Tips for a Stress-Free Day at Disney World
- 5 Simple Tricks That Will Improve Your Productivity
- 15 Genius Strategies for Growing Your Blog Traffic
3. The List Post
A list post is exactly what it sounds like! A big list of ideas, habits, tips, items, etc.
Everyone likes list posts because of their perceived value. They put a bunch of great ideas into one place, which is super convenient. This type of blog post always seems to do well being shared on social media.
One of my popular list posts is The Ultimate List of 200+ Blog Income Reports. This is a massive resource that is a very comprehensive list.
Other examples of list posts:
- 22 Creative Ways to Save More Money
- 7 Habits of Wealthy Individuals
- 100 Blog Post Ideas for Lifestyle Bloggers
4. The How To Post
How to guides and tutorials are really popular because they help your reader solve a problem and learn something new. Think about how many times you’ve Googled or searched on Pinterest for how to do something.
Other people are doing the same thing, and you can help them by writing a really great how to post that solves their problem and shows them how to achieve whatever their desired outcome is in a clear and concise way.
One of my popular how to posts is my tutorial on How to Start an Email List.
Other examples of how to posts:
- How I Got Rid of $50,000 in Debt in One Year
- How to Make DIY Bath Bombs
- How to Self-Publish Your First Book
5. The Round Up Post
Round up posts are blog posts are, as the name suggests, blog posts where you round up a bunch of related content and put it all in one place.
You could round up your favorite tools and resources, interview other bloggers in your niche on a certain topic and compile their responses into a blog post, create a round up of content from other bloggers, or round up your own best blog posts.
The options are endless with a round up post!
One of mine is Best Black Friday Deals for Bloggers. I have to update this post every year, but it’s a great round up for Black Friday sales.
Other examples of round up posts:
- 20 Secret Travel Tips from Travel Experts
- 31 Frightfully Good Halloween Dessert Recipes
- 25 Festive DIY Christmas Wreaths You’ll Love
More Resources for New Bloggers
These are some of the best types of blog posts to write to get more traffic.
I follow these blog post formats on all of my blogs and I have found that writing these types of blog posts are a great way to get traffic!
If you are a new blogger, try out some of these blog post ideas!
For more tips and strategies for new bloggers, I highly recommend checking out the following online courses for bloggers:
- Pinteresting Strategies: How to get traffic to your blog from Pinterest.
- Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing: How to make money with your blog!
I have taken both of these courses and had great results so I highly recommend them. If you’re ready to take your blog to the next level and increase your traffic and income, these are good investments.
Good luck and happy blogging!