There is much written about the power of the pen.

Treaties, marriages, joint ventures and promotions are all sealed with a sweep of the pen, quill or keystroke.

In the blogosphere, words have the power to shift its axis, so it is understandable that every blogger is seeking an effective tool to create great copy.

While the meaning is of the utmost importance, the pillar upon which the message rests determines how high it will reach and how long it will dominate the surrounding landscape.

What pillars do you have in place to promote your best posts?

From Pillar to Post

This template is designed to assist you in creating an effective pillar article that will solidify your growing readership.

Your pillar articles are in their own way the foundation of your blog. They are the “How To” or instructional posts that represent your core knowledge.

While one size will never fit all – and Rome was definitely not built in a day – taking a structured approach like the one below will give your message a firm foundation.

A. Topic

1. Know your audience – It is important that you take the time to identify your readership. It may be useful to give them a typical profile or persona, so that you can visualise the person at the other end of your post.
2. Identify your audience’s interests, needs and wants – It is important to find the balance between what you want to write about and what your audience wants to read. Use tools like Google Analytics and site-based polls to determine if you are hitting the mark.
3. Identify the aspects of your blogging focus that respond to these interests, needs and wants – Develop a spreadsheet of post concepts, including titles and key points, in each of your topic areas. Put them to the test of a benefits analysis to determine if they are truly responding to your readership’s needs.
4. Look for opportunities to link your pillar article to the products or services that you also offer. In my case, my core articles often focus upon the subject matter in my inspirational eBooks. This isn’t about writing a sales letter, but about communicating your messages via multiple media.
5. “Find the overlap between your passions and the topics that social media users already love.” This quote from John Morrow’s article in Copyblogger, “How to Create a Post that People Really Digg”, encourages even the gardeners and matchbox collectors amongst us to write posts that others will read and rate.

Example:

(1) Primary School Teachers + (2) Cheap, interactive and relevant resources + (3) Environmental Awareness + (4) eBooks + (5) Saving the Planet / Free Electronic Content

B. Title

1. Catch your readers’ attention through keywords, syntax and imagery. Straight titles work better than obscure ones, but if your topic is dry, add a dash of something more interesting to catch people’s attention.
2. Deliver on the promise made in your title. The key here is to only mention “sex” if that is what you are blogging about. Enough said.
3. Use one of Copyblogger’s “Ten Sure-fire Headline Formulas that Work”, (How to… The Secret of… Are you… Who Else Wants etc.), as these tried and tested titles really do work.
4. Match your title to a relevant picture or photograph. Research suggests that thoughtful scenes and beautiful faces work best. For great shots get skilled at searching iStockphoto and Flickr.

Example:

How Throwing Away an eBook Can Help Save the Planet … Linked to a picture of a discarded book in a meadow bursting with flowers…

C. Introduction

1. Give your readers the gist of the story, without spelling out the conclusion. I’m not a fan of the inverted article, with the conclusion as the opener. Instead, draw the reader in by hinting at the good stuff within.
2. Make it personal. Readers are looking for relevance, so use an anecdote or ask them a question.
3. Don’t waffle. Simple is usually better, so deliver a punchy point by the end of the first paragraph.

Example:
The first time I downloaded an eBook I felt as virtuous as a founding member of Greenpeace, for my reading material would not require the sacrifice of a tree or end up in a landfill. But then I discovered how throwing away an eBook could contribute to saving the planet on a much greater scale. By applying all of my years of environmental research and activity to the creation of an easy-to-read, practical manual, I could spread my message and save the trees at the same time. And by throwing it out into cyberspace without charging a cent, I was effectively chopping down the last barrier to support of this worthy cause…

D. Body

1. Use eye-catching sub-headings. This is where you can let your imagination loose, so experiment with humour and pop culture references that appeal to both your audience and social media users.
2. Make keywords and key phrases bold. Studies show that the vast majority of readers scan posts, so focus their attention on words of interest.
3. Use up to, but no more than, three internal links and three external links. There is no real rule on this that I am aware of, but some posts tend to look like a hit and run victim for all of the blue and black text.
4. Quote from or refer to authorities in the field, recognising them appropriately.
5. Balance fact with personal opinion. Most online readers aren’t interested in prolonged navel-gazing or aloof dissertations. If you are unsure about your own approach, avoid anything that smacks of email blabber or textbook instruction and aim for the middle ground.
6. If you are using an analogy to spell out your message, make sure it is obvious enough that you don’t have to point it out too bluntly. Limit yourself to one analogy per post and pull back on other imagery to avoid sensory overload.

E. List

Conclude your post with some practical tips. This is the “How To” element that gives your reader something practical to apply. When constructing your list, consider the following:

1. Introduce the list by reminding the reader of the focus. What is the outcome that the post supports? To save the planet? To improve their writing? To make more friends? This is also a good reminder for you, as it will quickly reveal if you have gone off on a tangent during your post.
2. Keep each tip focused on things the reader can achieve. The trick here is to begin each point with a verb, (an action word), such as “build”, “engage” or “explore”.
3. Explain each tip and offer an example. Don’t assume that your reader always knows how to apply the advice. An example not only makes it easier to understand but also reality-tests your tip!
4. Begin and conclude the list with your strongest points. The first point makes them read on and the last point is the one they will remember best.
5. Follow up your list with an interesting quote or statement, if appropriate. Sometimes your list says it all, but other times a final comment can personalise your post and ease the reader out of the article.

Footnotes to Consider

The reality is that a template is only a foundation and you will need to apply it appropriately.

Here are some final suggestions to take into account before you unleash you pillar post on the reading public:

Not every article needs to be a PILLAR article (i.e. an article that explains how to do something or that represents your core knowledge.) Pillar articles are time-consuming and can be difficult to create, so pepper them with micro-posts as appropriate, but aim for a pillar article a week.

Get your pillar articles on the social media radar. These articles should represent your best work, so use your social traffic networks to get them Stumbled, Dugg etc. Don’t have a network? Form one with a group of like-minded, friendly bloggers. Set some rules to ensure the system isn’t abused and benefit from some cross-promotion.

Don’t regurgitate a post that someone else has written. There are endless, cloned articles on core topics covered by Problogger, Copyblogger and the other blogging elite. The gurus’ pillar articles are well known and instantly recognisable so never attempt to pass their work off as your own. Instead, look for a unique angle to explore or feature the expert’s article in your post and attempt to add something extra to the conversation.

Balance the coverage of your core topics. If you can divide your subject matter up into core areas, such as a) Favourite Books, b) Writing Techniques and c) Getting Published, try to circulate through these topics. This gives your blog variety and your audience’s reaction will soon tell you what they want more of!

Only write “How To” articles on topics you are experienced in and genuinely understand. Half-hearted or misguided advice will kill off your audience in a single post. Make what you know and love interesting and engaging and your readers will multiply.

“The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbors, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all.”
Francois Marie Arouet VOLTAIRE
French philosopher and writer (1694-1778)