“You are never gonna write that blog post introduction.”
“This is gonna be tricky!”
“Who would even want to read this?”
Type… backspace… type… backspace… repeat.
Writing a blog post introduction can be isolating. The FOMO (Fear of missing out) whenever we see a blank page, which only leads to fright and eventually timidity, is no fun.
Because it seems endless, the blank page is terrifying to many people. It’s empty, vast, and endless, but it also has no purpose. And as authors, it is our responsibility to give it depth. That, in and of itself, is chilling.- this is called “Atelodemiourgiopapyrophobia”
That is our standpoint on the introduction, anyway. But perhaps no one ever explained to you how simple the introduction to a blog post should be. Let me share five tips I’ve picked up for starting blog posts with you.
1. Don’t Be Stiff, Be a Friend!
Use a conversational style. Hey! A blog post is not an academic paper. Let your typed words be heard and linger in your reader’s ear. Speak to them. We may be in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) generation, but that doesn’t mean we should be writing like robots. Relax and be casual. Be a friend!
You can achieve conversational style introduction writing by trying the following:
- Show emotions by using descriptive words
- Use “I” and “You”
- Use a basic everyday word
- Mash together the words
Let’s get into it.
Formal | Conversational |
Please refrain from sharing this information until further notice. | Keep it on the down-low until we give you the green light. |
Enhance your productivity. | Get more done. |
Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee after lunch? | Do you wanna grab some lunch with me? |
As a top visual brand consultant, I use the persuasive potential of images to deliver game-changing messages. | I design logos and other brand images. I’ll help you make your brand more memorable. |
2. Ask an Intriguing Question
Will that even work?
What I did in the preceding sentence should be obvious. I allowed you to have your say in the matter.
Articles that ask the right questions demonstrate care for the reader, laying the groundwork for a lasting connection. A question can be a highly effective method of introduction. The author presents a hypothetical situation and asks the reader to respond by thinking about how they would feel in that situation, as well as how that situation might relate to their own life. By inviting the reader to bring their own value judgments and perspectives to the table right away, you’ve already won their attention.
Why don’t you try the following intriguing questions?
- Got a blogging question? Scroll down, and I’ll help you.
- Wanna get that 100% return?
- What makes you nostalgic?
3. Give Mind-Blowing Fun Fact
Do you know who hates fun facts? Because I don’t. Everybody loves a fun fact. I’m a diehard fan of “Friends” and I still want to hear fun facts about Monica. (I know!!!). To elicit an emotional response from a reader, some content strategies are more successful than others. If you want to persuade your readers’ rational side, facts are also helpful. A story can get people excited and motivated to take action, but facts can back up their decisions and explain why they should stick to them. The more emotional reader can feel more secure in her choice when supported by evidence.
Here are a few “Did you know?” nuggets that are equally fascinating and mind-blowing:
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Did you know that broken Kit Kats are used to make the filling?
Recyclers at the Kit Kat factory are pros. Kit Kat bars that develop flaws like air bubbles or other defects during manufacturing are not discarded. Instead, they’re processed into a filling by being ground into a fine paste, and the paste is then recycled into the making of new Kit Kat bars!
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Did you know that there were rap battles in Medieval England?
“Flying” was a medieval phenomenon that existed before rap battles. The practice of verbal sparring between antagonists was common in the Renaissance and the early Baroque eras.
4. Kill It With Quotes
“A writer is working when he’s staring out the window.” – Burton Rascoe
This is probably true. I’m on my desk, with a cup of now cold coffee, staring out my window, hoping for words to pop out.
Writing can be a killer, but when you get a quote, you help move stories forward. One objective is to have an immediate and significant effect on this blog. Using powerful quotations can help you make an impression on your reader. You can strengthen your arguments and add interest to your essays by making good use of quotations. Plus, an author can get some much-needed inspiration from quotations without being sidetracked for too long as they finish up their draft.
A few more additional quote whoppers for your introduction that are incredibly interesting:
“Blogging is just writing—writing using a particularly efficient type of publishing technology” – Simon Dumenco
“Don’t try to plan everything out to the very last detail. I’m a big believer in just getting it out there: create a minimal viable product or website, launch it, and get feedback.” -Neil Patel
5. Tease Your Reader
Less is often more. One of the things that keep readers turning pages is the writer’s ability to tease them. Let’s play off their anticipation and excitement this time. Teasing your readers is perfectly acceptable. The goal is to create suspense. Convince them to stick around.
A writer’s ability to tease their audience is broad. The following are the most typical method:
- Information hint
- Cliffhanger
- Dialogue
- Foreshadowing
This is not the only approach to writing effective blog post introductions, but it is one that many writers find useful. Please feel free to experiment with the five things you’ve never heard about when starting a blog post until you find a method that works for you. Put them together and let your imagination run wild.