Humans are naturally lazy readers. We love easily skimmable text. No one wants to wade through one long paragraph after another. It’s exhausting.
You could write the most informative, value-filled blog post in the world, but that’s only half the battle. An expert blogger also knows how to format their posts in a way that entices the reader to keep going. That’s where content blocks come in.
In this blog post, we’ll be sharing the inside scoop on how to write and format blog posts that will increase your read time and engagement rate using content blocks. After reading this article, you’ll:
- Be able to create an engaging blog post using content blocks
- Understand the benefits of using different types of content blocks
- Be ready to start integrating content blocks into your posts
Let’s jump right in.
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What is a content block?
Simply put, content blocks are building blocks used to integrate different forms of content to a webpage or blog post, adding functionality and visual appeal. Content blocks can be anything from plain text and images to call-to-action buttons and event count-down clocks.
If you’ve ever worked on or run your own website, you’re probably already familiar with popular block-based blog builders like Elementor, Gutenberg, or Visual Composer. With these editors, each piece of content on the page–from video embeds to introductory paragraphs–is made of a different block that you can re-arrange within your post by dragging and dropping. Page builders offer several default blocks like a paragraph, heading, button, list, etc. but you can also add new blocks by installing block plugins.
How to make your blog more engaging
Before we dive into the technicalities of content components, let’s cover the basics of how to write engaging blog posts.
Every compelling blog post contains the following key ingredients:
1. A strong headline
The title of your blog post is the biggest determinant of your click-through rate, so naturally, you should spend a little extra time on it. Your headline should grab your audience’s attention and hone in on their unique problem/need and offer a practical solution (i.e. ‘a step-by-step guide,’ ‘ultimate how-to,’ or ‘brilliant life hack’). Alternatively, you could try piquing the reader’s interest with a provocative question like this example–‘Is pop culture dead?’–from WePresent.
2. An intriguing introduction
The second most important element of your blog post is the introduction. Based on the first few sentences, the reader will decide whether to continue reading your post or not. Therefore, your introduction needs to quickly convince the reader of the value your post will offer them.
For example, if you are talking about a new credit card in your blog, your introductory sentence can be something like this: If you’re looking for a way to start building your credit (or you need to repair some damage that’s already been done), you may want to check out the Revvi credit card.
Your first sentence should contain a ‘hook,’ like a question or a statistic, to maintain their attention before providing a preview of what will be covered in the body of the post.
3. A clear structure (H1, H2, H3, etc)
Organizing your post with different sub-headings will go a long way in improving readability–and make it easier for both the user and Google to understand what your blog is about and the key topics it will be covering. Your audience will most likely not read your blog post word for word, so help them out by making it simple to scan the text.
You should first organize broader topics under H2 headings and then use H3 headings–and potentially even H4–for sub-topics under larger categories. This will help physically draw the reader’s eyes down the page and break up paragraphs into manageable chunks. You can see this in action on social media tool Later’s blog.
4. Appealing graphics & images
Images are another great way to visually break up your blog post into smaller sections for your reader. Plus, they can help give them a visual example of the point you’re trying to illustrate. If you don’t have access to a professional photographer, sites like Envato Elements, Unsplash, and Pixabay, have a wide selection of high-quality, royalty-free photos, graphics, and illustrations.
5. A powerful call-to-action (CTA)
Including a CTA at the end of your blog post is a great persuasive technique for getting readers to take a desired course of action. Your CTA doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should always use action-oriented phrases like, “buy now,” or “download your free guide.” Strengthen your CTA by adding a sense of urgency. For example, ‘limited time only’ or ‘while supplies last.’ In this example, Hubspot includes a CTA in the post header with the invitation to download a free planning template that’s relevant to the blog topic.
Which content blocks drive engagement?
We’ve already established that content blocks are the building blocks of your blog post. In this section, we’ll cover the best content blocks to embed into your blog posts to maximize audience engagement.
1. Floating Table of Contents Block
Readers love a table of contents (TOC) because it gives them a preview of what’s to come and helps organize the blog post. However, usually, TOCs that are anchored to the top of long-form content are not particularly useful to the reader, especially if they want to jump between sections.
Luckily, WordPress has a sticky Floating Table of Contents Block that allows the TOC to follow the reader as they scroll down the page. This feature can increase the time-on-page by making it easier for readers to navigate within the post.
Sounds good, right?
We recommend using the Table of Contents Plus plugin, which will automatically generate a TOC based on your blog post’s headings and the Q2W3 Fixed Widget to make the TOC ‘stick’ (i.e. stay in the visible screen area as the reader scrolls).
You can see an example of a sticky Table of Contents in action on the Semrush blog. By featuring the key sections of your post in a contents list, you enable your users to find the information they need, and get inspired to explore other areas of your post.
2. Split/Full-Width Image Block
Create contrast and variety by using both split- and full-width image blocks. Additionally, adding large images increases the length of your article, which can help fill out shorter posts and increase time-on-page.
Split layouts give symmetry and balance to your post, making them more visually appealing and helping to direct the reader’s attention. Conversely, full-width image blocks span the width of the page, from edge to edge. Using this content block creates a bold and dramatic effect that works well as a header image or as a spacer between sections.
You can adjust images to be Full-Width by selecting the icons for Wide and Full-Width images when you add an image content block in WordPress. This will enable you to expand your image beyond the theme’s set content width. You can also align an image to one side and resize it to create a split-width image block.
Again, the WePresent blog from WeTransfer offers some great examples of full width media, as well as split layouts that evoke the experience of reading a glossy magazine.
3. Social Media Embed Block
Embedding social media feeds (or standalone posts) into your blog post is a powerful content strategy. Not only does it build your credibility with readers, but it also gives them more content to engage with. Offering a variety of content increases the amount of time readers spend on your post and reduces bounce rates.
You can use a social media feed plugin, like Smash Balloon to cross-promote or embed Instagram feed, Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, etc. Or you can use a simpler plugin like EmbedSocial to embed single posts that are relevant to your blog post.
Mashable is an example of a publication that frequently embeds social media posts within its articles. In fact, many of the site’s posts report on what’s happening on social.
4. Related Articles Selector Block
An effective way to keep readers on your blog is by adding a ‘related posts’. This type of content block conveniently displays recently published or similarly tagged posts, helping readers discover more of your content effortlessly. Plus, it provides internal links to your articles, which can seriously boost your Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Using this content block dramatically increases your engagement rate for one simple reason– it gives your reader options. If your reader gets to the end of your blog post and there’s no internally linked content, chances are they will click off your page. You have to make it as easy as possible for visitors to keep reading–and reading, and reading!
The WordPress Related Posts Thumbnails plugin allows you to customize which types of posts will populate the display, as well as adjust the positioning and size of article thumbnails.
Eye on Design has a clever ‘Related Articles’ sidebar that the user can open and close on the page. When opened, it fills over half the screen and provides suggestions based on the post the user is on, alongside the conversational statement, “Because we can read your mind, we think you’ll be into…”
5. Video Block
Video content blocks allow you to embed videos directly into your blog post, versus simply hyperlinking them in the text. Think of it like installing a flatscreen television on your blog–you can show your readers different content without directing them off your site. Having multimedia on your website also helps improve SEO because it improves the average time on site and adds relevant backlinks to your post.
But what makes this content block especially powerful is its ability to diversify the methods of delivering information to your readers. Using video embed to explain different concepts helps your readers take in information more easily than written text, which helps keep them engaged. Plus, some messages are better conveyed over video and can hold your audience’s focus longer.
You can easily embed videos from YouTube or other platforms by using the embed option components available via WordPress, Elementor and other page builders. Alternatively, you can add video via the HTML block by grabbing a snippet of code from the host platform.
On the Envato Blog, we frequently embed video versions of our blog posts to provide users with an alternative way of consuming the content, and ensure we can rank for Google video and YouTube search and results for topics our audience is interested in.
What are the most engaging types of blog posts?
As well as content structure, it’s important to consider which format works best for each piece of content. Here is a rundown of several popular ways to format your blog posts.
1. Listicles
Think of listicles as part list, part article (hence the name.) These blog posts are organized as ‘round ups’ of related items like products, people, places, etc. In other words, they are the types of articles that BuzzFeed is famous for.
Example:
- 9 Best Weebly Alternatives to Try in 2022 (Wordable)
- 6 Secrets to Achieving Work-Life Balance (Hubspot)
2. Interviews
This type of post is essentially a transcribed version of an interview that you conducted and supplemented with additional context surrounding the content of the interview. The post should introduce your readers to the interviewee, provide a brief background, and wrap up with a summary of the key points.
Example:
3. Long-Form
Long-form blog posts offer your readers a detailed overview and/or analysis of a specific topic. The purpose of these posts is to build your brand’s credibility on a topic by providing your readers with a wealth of information. These types of posts are typically upwards of 2000 words and focus on evergreen content.
Example:
4. News/Trends
Shorter news pieces or reports that share information on trending topics that have a high volume of searches. They can be a great way to gain more readership by engaging new readers on things that are topical, timely, and trending.
Example:
5.’How to’
‘How to’ blog posts offer the reader a detailed guide or step-by-step instructions for how to complete a task. These are value-packed posts that give your reader the skills and knowledge they need to solve a problem.
Example:
- Beginner’s Guide to Converting a WordPress Blog to a Website (Wordable)
- How to Integrate Zoom with Google Calendar (Trafft)
Get started using content blocks
Content blocks are a crucial part of any successful blogging strategy. They create visual appeal and add functionality to your blog post. And most of all, they improve engagement by offering your readers different ways to interact with your content. Now that you understand how different types of content blocks work, it’s time to start using them to create captivating content for your readers!
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