If you’re going to do one thing right on your blog, make sure you start strong. When you nail your blog post intro, you hook your readers. High traffic and engagement numbers follow.

But how does it happen? Can you do it well? With a little common sense and creativity, it’s easier than you think. If you can remember just two steps, you can get it done.

Start With An Invitation. Make It Memorable.

Just as with any other party, start your blog post with an invitation. Make it compelling and personal. Use it to address the reader directly and tell them what to expect.

Ultimately, this your invitation should be a more developed follow up to your headline. It leads the reader down a path to the rest of your content.

As you set your invitation, get creative and make readers curious about the details. Don’t show them everything right away so that they’ll want to stick with you to learn more.

Add Humor, Personality, Or Both

Nothing reflects better on your company than a well-told joke. Once you know what you want to say in your invitation, consider adding humor. It can give a more down-to-earth impression of your brand or business culture, and seem more welcoming.

Along these same lines, don’t be afraid to let some of your personality shine through. What does this look like? Think about the kinds of things your company represents.

Are you casual? Sometimes shocking? Playful? Does a certain kind of music embody your mission? Show that and more.

Two Steps Keep Readers Around

Revealing who you are from the earliest parts of your blog is one of the best ways to keep your readership and engagement numbers high. It helps people want to get to know you for the long term. Sure, it may take a little longer to get it right. It’s worth it.

Getting Started

Three Proven Tips To Help You Start A Freelance Writing Career With No Experience

by Deborah Cameron

September 18, 2019

Are you looking to write professionally but don’t have formal, paid experience? Believe it or not, there are proven steps that beginning writers can take in order to build their client base.

Freelance careers aren’t created overnight. They’re made with determination and a willingness to use feedback to hone their craft and serve clients better. Here are some of the first steps you can take to get going.

Develop A Regular Writing Schedule

If you’re planning to earn serious money from freelance writing it is best to treat it like a regular job with consistent hours. The choice for the hours can depend entirely on your schedule and work habits. If you have more time to work on weekends then go for it. If early mornings are your thing, do that instead. You get the idea.

The key isn’t when you write, it is working at it regularly and communicating with clients reliably. Ultimately, that kind of writing discipline will go a long way towards building solid, lucrative client relationships.

Build And Prove Your Skills

Identify outlets for your writing that will help you improve your skills and show others what you can do. Initially, if these outlets pay anything at all it won’t be much. And they’re not likely to have a byline. But they will help establish your solid reputation.

Ideas for places to prove yourself are plentiful. They include starting your own personal blog, participating in a writing internship, looking for beginning writer jobs on online job websites, and offering to barter your services to other small businesses.

Once you have solid examples of your work, add them into an online portfolio so you can show off the experience you’ve gained.

Pay Attention To Feedback On Your Work

Wherever possible, try to get unbiased feedback on your work. Some websites for beginning writers may even have formal feedback processes. Thoroughly consider any feedback you receive, especially if the person providing it has professional writing experience. This will help you build your skills and serve clients better as you grow your freelance business.

Starting Strong: Writing A Great Intro For Your Blog Post