When it comes to best blogging practices, one of my favourite resources is Copyblogger. In fact, I took the format of this headline from some of their blog-writing tips: “[Fill in the Blank] That Everyone Ought to Know About”, because I trust that since it came from them, it might help my blog get some extra attention.

And that’s really the goal, isn’t it? Getting the most eyes on your blog, the most comments—and of course, ‘going viral’.

A lot of the affiliates that we work with in the Share Results network use blogs to generate traffic, and create a buzz around the product that they’re promoting.

We love blogging at Share Results, and because it’s a team effort, it’s always a lot of fun to bounce ideas off each other, and come up with some pieces that we feel are really going to be effective for our readers.

Most recently, our writing team teamed up with our SEO experts to present a training seminar on Best Blogging Practices. We got a lot of great feedback on this training, so we thought we’d include these tips on our blog to help out some of our blogging affiliates, and anyone else involved in blogging.

1. Make Sure Your Headline Rocks
In a world of RSS and Twitter feeds, where the headline of your blog is all you have to pique a reader’s attention, it’s so important that it be a good one. Take one of Copyblogger’s most recent blogs, for example: The Mr. Rogers Guide to Blogging from the Heart. I mean, as a blogger, I could barely click on the link fast enough. (Not to mention, I have a bit of special spot in my heart for Mr. Rogers). And really, that’s the effect you want to have every time.

A tip that I recommend when it comes to writing great headlines is, summarize your wow-factor. If one of the merchants you are promoting has a product that you have tried and made you look ten years younger, I suggest you get that in your headline—it’s your wow factor!

2. Hook Your Reader with a Great Lead
Ok. So you’ve managed to garner some reader excitement with your great wow-factor headline; next in line is your lead paragraph. In terms of best blogging practices, after the headline, your lead paragraph is the second most important element of your post. Readers are busy, and there is an abundance of really great blogs out there, so if they’ve given your blog a chance, based on your great headline, then the goal of your lead is to hook them into reading your whole blog.

Say something bold, get personal, expand on your wow-factor, but at all costs, engage your reader. Report on some unbelievable new research that is affecting the industry, the most interesting aspect of a product you’re promoting or state a product benefit that you know will be of interest to them. Whether you like to use humor, or prefer a more serious approach, be like Mr. Rogers, and convince your reader that what you’re about to share in your blog has real value, and that you care.

3. Keywords, Anchor Texting and Inter-Linking
Keywords are essential for obtaining blog traffic from search engines. Keywords should be incorporated into your headline, and then every 75-100 words in the blog post. In this blog, for example, I am using the keyword, “Best Blogging Practices”. You will find that keyword as part of my headline, and then I have used it throughout the rest of my blog. For best blogging practices, you also should bold your keyword on the second mention.

In addition to using keywords, interlinking to other blog posts should be done with every entry. You can use your own blog for this, and even link out to other blogs. You want to use an anchor text to link to the blog that uses your keyword from your article title, or if not, then a related keyword to the text of the entry.

4. Closing with a Strong Call to Action
A good call to action will not only prompt a reader to take the steps you are suggesting, but will get them to take that action NOW. You may want a reader to visit a merchant’s website, sign up to your newsletter, take a demo of your affiliate marketing software solution, or simply provide their feedback. Whatever it is, make it ridiculously clear what they are suppose to do, and what will happen when they do so.

Statistics show that incorporating “Click Here” into your Call to Action is the most effective way of getting readers to take the step you are suggesting. It’s even better if “click here” is at the end of the sentence, like this: “To sign up to my affiliate newsletter, click here.” But here’s the trick. Whatever link you use in your “Click Here” link in your Call to Action, HAS to also be used in the body of your blog, and must also be relevant to the page you are linking to. And a final word of caution here, I don’t recommend using this approach each and every time, as it can get a bit dry and predictable. So make sure to switch it up!

These are some of the best blogging practices that we try hard to incorporate into our Share Results blog. We’d love to know what practices have worked best for your blog. Tell us about them here! (That’s your cue to take action now!).