Content Marketing · Class 3
Write it clearly, design it well, tell a story.
Digital Marketing Program · Canadian College
Class 3 · 2 hours
By the end of class you can
Explain what makes a blog work for a business.
Write text that is easy to read.
Write a short blog post with a call to action.
From online diary to business tool.
01 · History
Click each date.
A "log of the web"
Jorn Barger's site Robot Wisdom listed links to other websites, newest at the top. He called it a weblog.
"We blog"
Peter Merholz split the word into "we blog". The same year, Blogger let anyone make a blog without code.
Anyone can publish
WordPress, LiveJournal and Xanga made publishing easy. Businesses started blogging too.
Part of the website
Most business websites now have a blog. It brings visitors and builds trust.
Source: your reading (Section 2). Figure 4.2.1: Robot Wisdom, Jorn Barger.
01 · Blogging today
Blogging = writing content regularly for a website to promote a person, business, place, event or idea.
Consistent
A regular schedule. No new posts = no readers.
Part of the site
Most blogs live inside a bigger business website.
Evergreen
Content that stays useful for a long time.
Source: your reading (Section 2).
01 · Blogs that convert
Call to action (CTA) = a link or button that asks the reader to act now.
Conversion = the reader does the action you want.
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Free guide: 10 content ideas
Download nowIllustrations based on Figures 4.3.2–4.3.4 (Stukent), your reading.
01 · Blogs that convert
Few people type your web address.
Direct traffic
People type the URL. Now less than half of all traffic.
Search
People find your post on Google.
Referral
People click a link on another site or on social media.
Source: your reading (Section 3).
01 · Game
Will this post still be useful in 2 years?
Readable, simple and easy to share.
02 · Readability
Flesch reading ease: 0 = very hard, 100 = very easy.
Blogs aim for 70–80
39.6 · College level
"The space tourism venture said in a social media post that its team at Spaceport America would be working to identify the next opportunity…"
Associated Press article
81.6 · Grade 6 level
"Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets and other particles. When the water droplets get heavy, they fall to the ground."
Times for Kids article
Source: your reading (Section 4), Figures 4.4.1–4.4.3.
02 · Simplicity
Simplicity = less is more. Get to the point.
Short paragraphs
4 sentences or fewer.
Short sentences
20 words or fewer.
Active voice
"We fixed it", not "It was fixed".
The headline comes first. If it is too complex, people skip the post.
Source: your reading (Section 4).
02 · Practice
Tap each card after the class suggests a better version.
02 · Shareability
Shareable = likely to be sent to others, by social, email or text.
1. Relatable
Useful, funny, new or emotional. Most shared types:
2. Easy to share
Remove the effort:
Social share buttons
A share counter
Pre-written social posts
Source: your reading (Section 4).
02 · Quick check
A blog post has a Flesch score of 35. What does it mean?
Lower scores are harder. Blogs should aim for 70–80.
Which headline is best for a blog?
It is simple, specific and tells the reader what they get.
Which sentence uses active voice?
In active voice, the subject (our team) does the action.
Great writing on a bad page is wasted.
03 · User experience
UX (user experience) = how easy and pleasant a website is to use.
Valuable · the centre
It helps the business and makes customers happy. It is the result of the other six.
Useful
It gives people a real reason to visit.
Desirable
People like it and feel a connection with it.
Accessible
People with disabilities can use it too.
Credible
It looks modern and trustworthy. A site not updated for years is not.
Findable
Menus, links and downloads are easy to find.
Usable
It is easy to use on any browser or device.
Tap each hexagon.
Source: Peter Morville's User Experience Honeycomb, Figure 4.5.1 (your reading).
03 · Blog layout
Consistent branding
Same fonts and colours on every post. Example: Shopify's blog.
Many kinds of media
Images, videos, lists, quotes. Example: Wix how-to posts.
Headlines
Headings and subheadings make posts easy to scan.
White space
Give text room to breathe. Example: The New York Times.
Source: your reading (Section 5).
03 · Desktop vs mobile
Different screens
Phones are about 320px wide. Desktops are over 756px.
Responsive design
The site changes size and layout to fit any screen.
Check the data
Compare mobile and desktop visits in your analytics.
Source: your reading (Section 5), "nearly 63% of all web traffic".
Creativity makes a blog worth reading.
04 · Storytelling
Storytelling = content with a plot, characters, a point of view, and a problem that gets solved.
Stories create emotion.
Emotion makes people share → more traffic.
Source: your reading (Section 7). Video: TED official YouTube channel.
04 · Storytelling · Canada and USA
Wealthsimple Magazine · Toronto
"Money Diaries": real people talk openly about their money and their lives.
StarTalk · USA
Neil deGrasse Tyson explains space so anyone can enjoy it.
The lesson
Write for people outside your topic, not only experts.
Sources: Skyword, "How Wealthsimple's content marketing makes finance accessible"; your reading (Section 7).
04 · Generative AI
Don't let AI write the whole post. Use it in 3 places.
Source: your reading (Section 8), citing Harvard Division of Continuing Education.
04 · Game
Drag each card into a box, or tap a card and then tap a box.
In-class assignment · 40 min · Individual
300–400 words for a real business. Easy to read, with a clear next step.
Pick a business
Use your Class 2 business, or a new one.
Write the post
An evergreen topic, simple headline, 3 subheadings.
Check and finish
Flesch score 60+, and one call to action.
In-class assignment · Steps
Plan: business, audience, and an evergreen topic. Write 3 headlines and choose the simplest.
Write 300–400 words: a short intro, 3 subheadings, paragraphs of 4 sentences or fewer, active voice.
Add: one call to action, plus one image or media idea and one shareable element.
Check: Flesch reading ease score (aim 60+). Write the score at the end.
Upload: CM3_FirstName_LastName (.docx or .pdf)
Time left
Take these home
A business blog needs consistency and a call to action.
Short sentences and white space make people read.
Tell stories. Use AI to start, not to finish.