Blog posts on your business’s website are a proven way to drive traffic, expand your customer base, and boost SEO. And regularly updating your blog keeps your brand current and helps your business stay competitive in a growing market.
It’s important that your blog posts leave a lasting impression – if they make an impact, then readers are more likely to stay on your site and become customers. A strong introduction is essential for creating a successful blog post; it catches people’s interest and lets them know why they should keep reading.
But what about a strong ending? A strong ending is just as important as a powerful introduction – but for different reasons. While an introduction gets the reader’s attention, a conclusion gives them something to take away from the piece and emphasizes the importance of what they’ve just read.
In this guide, we’ll explain how you can end your blog posts on a strong note to encourage readers to further explore your website and take an action that benefits your business.
1. Include a Call to Action
A call to action (CTA) is a word or phrase that encourages an immediate response from a reader, such as making a purchase or subscribing to a newsletter. Ending a blog post with a CTA provides the next step for a potential customer who may be left wondering what to do now after they finish reading.
A CTA gives your blog post value and kickstarts the customer journey – for example, by prompting them to sign up to receive marketing emails or download a coupon. It can also prompt them to visit a different part of your website or make a purchase, like with the last line of this Trello blog post.
CTAs should be short, to the point, and persuasive. Some examples of common CTAs include:
- Click here to learn more about our company’s mission!
- Download our free guide here!
- Buy now!
- Click here to sign up for a free trial!
- Subscribe here to stay up to date!
What do all of these examples have in common? They create a sense of urgency and tell (rather than ask) the reader to take a specific action. CTAs provide direction for potential customers, and the more clicks they get, the more leads will move through the pipeline.
2. End with an Inspirational Message
Ending your blog post with an inspirational message, such as promoting the health benefits of tracking your daily steps, motivates them to pursue a goal and gives meaning to what you’re offering.
People will remember how they feel after they finish reading your blog post, so it’s important to end on a high note. If they feel inspired by your post, they’ll be more likely to read your other content and feel compelled to learn about your products and services.
3. Summarize Your Main Points
The conclusion of your blog post is a good place to summarize the main takeaways of your article, especially if the post’s on the longer side. This refreshes the key points for the reader (since they may have forgotten them by the end of the article).
If you choose to summarize your overall message in your conclusion, keep it concise and authoritative – avoid introducing any new information, which could leave your audience confused and questioning your direction. Ensure the summary is brief, relevant, and connects the most important points.
4. Offer Additional Content
If the reader enjoyed your blog post, there’s a good chance they’ll want to consume more of your content. To keep people engaged, use the end of your post to link out to other related areas of your site, such as videos, other blog posts, or product pages. You can also provide relevant external links, which helps boost SEO.
External links increase the “usefulness” of your page, which helps it to rank higher on search engine results pages. It also increases the overall value of your blog post by providing the reader with high-quality resources or evidence to further broaden their understanding of the topic.
This encourages them to positively associate your brand with the knowledge and information they’ve gained. For maximum impact, the pages you link to should be reputable and relate well to the surrounding content.
You can also provide downloadable materials at the end of a blog post. Downloadable content can be anything that might interest a potential customer – such as a how-to guide, webinar, or e-book. For example, at the end of this LinkedIn blog post, readers are encouraged to download and install its mobile app.
Downloadable content leaves your customers with a tangible reminder of your business and goes a long way to gaining prospects, boosting your credibility among your target audience, and ultimately increasing sales.
5. Spark a Discussion
If you use the conclusion of your blog post to spark a discussion in the comments section, readers are more likely to promote your content – either through word-of-mouth recommendations or by sharing it on social media. And once a post is shared, it opens up an entirely new market for your brand.
Encouraging a discussion also engages readers and increases the chances that they’ll come back to your blog and consume more content. But how do you start a conversation? Try ending your blog post with a thought-provoking question (even if that question is rhetorical) and encourage people to share their experiences in a comment.
Be sure to jump into the comments section and respond to any questions about your business and engage with readers. This lets your audience know that you’re committed to addressing their concerns and interacting with them, earning their trust and creating repeat customers.
6. Finish with a Relevant Quote
Ending a blog post with an inspiring quote can increase your credibility and make a lasting impact. Quotes can also motivate readers to reflect on what they’ve read and take action. If they find meaning and value in your content, then they’ll be more likely to send it to a friend, share it in a social media post, or leave a comment that sparks a conversation.
Using quotes from subject matter experts backs up your claims and increases your authority with readers. Just make sure to keep them short so that readers don’t lose interest and click off the page.
Conclusion
Are you ready to take your business’s content creation to the next level, grow your customer base, and increase conversions? Our business services can help ensure that you’re putting out top-quality content, and our editors are skilled at ensuring every blog post you publish makes a lasting impact and helps you achieve your goals.
We know the impact of great copy and have helped thousands of businesses to improve their written content – from blog posts to reports to product descriptions. Schedule a call with us and see for yourself today.
