INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
In recent years, advertising and marketing have gained prominence as essential tools for creating value and attracting target audiences Advertisements are now used not only to present products but also to engage audiences and foster loyalty The challenge lies in crafting text that effectively connects the writer with the intended audience, ensuring that it resonates within a specific discourse community Texts that fail to establish this relationship may struggle to engage readers Understanding the variations in textual structures across genres is crucial for effective communication While numerous resources on writing effective blogs are available online, there is a lack of research on the specific structure and elements that contribute to a blog's success or failure This study aims to explore the generic structure and key features of blogs to identify a formula for successful blog posts that attract target audiences, enhance customer loyalty, and drive traffic to products or services The findings will benefit copywriters, blog writers, and advertisers within this discourse community.
Aims and objectives of the study
This study investigates the generic structure potential (GSP) of instructional blog posts in both English and Vietnamese, with three specific objectives outlined to achieve this goal.
+ to explore the generic structure potential of instructional blog posts in English;
+ to explore the generic structure potential of instructional blog posts in Vietnamese;
+ to identify the similarities and differences between the generic structure potential of instructional blog posts in English and Vietnamese
With such objectives, the study attempts to seek the answers to the three research questions below:
RQ1: What is the generic structure potential of instructional blog posts in English?
RQ2: What is the generic structure potential of instructional blog posts in Vietnamese?
RQ3: What are the similarities and differences between instructional blog posts in English and Vietnamese in terms of generic structure potential?
Research methodology
This study utilizes the Systemic Functional theory of language to examine the unique rhetorical structures and identify the Generic Structure Potential (GSP) inherent in instructional blog posts According to Halliday and Hasan (1989), the key factor that differentiates any text from non-text is its textual unity, which consists of two main features: unity of structure at the macro level and unity of texture at the micro level The primary aim of this research is to analyze the generic structure, focusing solely on the macro level rather than the individual components of each element.
Scope of the study
This research analyzes instructional blog posts, a popular and effective type of content marketing that subtly generates demand and encourages purchases Grounded in the genre analysis theory by Halliday and Hasan (1985), the study aims to uncover the generic structure potential (GSP) of these posts and identify the obligatory elements that distinguish this genre from others.
The data is organized based on language usage and origin, specifically focusing on English and Vietnamese A macro-structure analysis of the blog posts is conducted to determine the GSP (Generalized Semantic Properties) for each language group.
The significance of the study
This study aims to identify the generic structure potential of blog posts in both English and Vietnamese By examining the common schematic structures of each language, the findings are intended to help copywriters, blog writers, and businesses improve the quality and promotional effectiveness of their blog content Additionally, the results may provide a valuable reference for future research in this area.
Structure of the thesis
This study is divided into three parts as follows:
- Chapter 1 is Introduction which states the rationale, objectives, methodology, scope, significance and structure of the study
- Chapter 2 provides Theoretical Framework and Literature Review , which provides explanation of concepts and related studies
- Chapter 3 is Methodology , which clarifies research methods, data collection procedure, analytical framework and data analysis procedure
- Chapter 4 presents Results and Discussions , which reports the analytical results of the study, answers three research questions based on the research outcome and literature review
- Chapter 5 is the Conclusion which recaps the main points of the study, discusses the Limitations and Implications for further studies.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND REVIEW OF
Generic Structure Potential (GSP) in SFL
In Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), genre is characterized as a "staged, goal-oriented purposeful activity" (Martin, 1984, p.25), emphasizing its connection to culturally-specific purposes Halliday and Hasan (1989) further define genre as a "type of discourse," prompting an exploration of its text structure Genres are shaped by their social purposes, which provide meaning to the activities they represent, leading to variations in the stages involved in achieving these purposes These stages create a framework for text organization, as individuals typically cannot convey all desired meanings simultaneously Consequently, the structured stages are essential for outlining the process of goal attainment within texts.
The concept of culture or genre is often seen as abstract and general, making it challenging to recognize directly in language Its encoding occurs through two forms of mediation: first, by identifying common staging organization or schematic structure, and second, through the register, which defines the genre potential of a culture by outlining the permissible configurations of register variables at a specific time (Eggins, 1994, p 35).
In the study of schematic structure, two fundamental concepts are constituency and labeling According to Eggins (1994), constituency describes the part/whole relationship among structural elements, where constituents are identified through functional labeling based on their roles In schematic structures, constituents can be classified as obligatory, optional, or recursive, with genres defined by their obligatory components Variations in schematic structures across different genres reflect the specific activities deemed purposeful within various cultures Consequently, texts belonging to the same genre exhibit similar organizational stages or schematic structures.
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), rooted in the ideas of Michael Halliday from the mid-nineteenth century, has garnered significant attention in the field of applied linguistics According to Eggins (2004), a key theoretical assertion of SFL is that language serves as a social semiotic resource, enabling individuals to construct meaning within various contexts.
‗functional-semantic‘ approach is categorized as follows:
+ That language use is functional
+ That its function is to make meanings
+ That these meanings are influenced by the social and cultural context in which they are exchanged
+ That the process of using language is a semiotic process, a process of making meanings by choosing (Eggins, 2004, p 3)
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), as explained by Eggins (2004), centers on the concepts of function, system, and the social semiotic nature of language This theory emphasizes how language serves various functions within social contexts, highlighting the interconnectedness of linguistic choices and their meanings.
The functionality of language highlights the reasons behind individuals' specific language choices in various contexts According to Halliday and Matthiesen, the significance of naming functional categories stems from their ability to interpret grammatical structures in relation to the overall meaning potential of language (2004, p 52).
The system in this model represents a set of contrasting features within a specific environment, where one option is selected based on prevailing conditions (Halliday & Webster, 2009) This highlights that any chosen language feature is merely one of many possibilities within a language system, encompassing both paradigmatic elements—choices within a context (Eggins, 2004)—and syntagmatic elements, which refer to the ordered sequence of these choices Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) views language as a "system network of meaning potential" (Morley, 1985), constructed from various systems that each showcase distinct features.
Halliday's perspective on language emphasizes its social nature, contrasting with other linguists who focus on psychological or aesthetic aspects According to Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), language acquisition occurs within social contexts, whether in formal settings like schools or informal interactions such as parent-child conversations (Halliday & Hasan, 1989) Additionally, language serves as a primary semiotic system, facilitating the understanding of various cultural sign systems (Malmkjør, 2010).
2.1.2 Genre and genre analysis in SFL
Numerous scholars have made significant contributions to the definition of genre, with notable works by Miller (1984), Martin (1984), Swales (1990), Eggins (1994), Bawarshi and Reiff (2010), and Bhatia (1993, 2004) Miller (1984) defines genre as "typified rhetorical actions based in recurrent situations," emphasizing that these situations are socially relevant events interpreted and acted upon in specific ways Martin (1984) views genre as a "staged, goal-oriented, purposeful activity" engaged in by cultural members Swales (1990) expands on this by describing genre as a class of communicative events with shared purposes recognized by specific professional or academic communities, shaping discourse structure and influencing content and style Eggins (1994) highlights that the primary determinant of genre membership is "purpose," while schematic structure and linguistic features serve as dimensions for realizing genres.
Bhatia (1993) emphasizes that social motives play a crucial role in defining genres, often referred to as communicative goals or purposes According to Bhatia (2004, p 23), genres are characterized by their language use within established communicative contexts, aimed at fulfilling specific communicative objectives tied to disciplinary or social institutions.
―stable structural forms‖ by restricting the use of lexico-grammatical and discoursal resources Genre is the same as notions such as prototype, schema, frame, typification, speech activity, etc
According to Hyland (2008), a genre consists of a collection of texts that share distinct characteristics, including recurring elements that represent language use in specific, repetitive contexts These common features enable members of a language community to easily recognize, comprehend, and produce texts within the same genre (p 543).
Bawarshi and Reiff (2010) assert that genres organize language to effectively present and respond to situations, allowing individuals to reinterpret their communicative contexts From a functional perspective, genres are classified based on their features and the specific purposes they serve The authors agree that the intended use of a text is crucial in determining its genre, with texts categorized according to their purposes By understanding these purposes, we can identify essential characteristics that help recreate the genre Figure 1 illustrates various genres along with their functions and lists commonly used text types associated with each genre.
The notion of genre and the classification of genres are summarized by Knapp & Watkins in Figure 1 below:
Figure 1 Categorization of genre (Knapp & Watkins, 1994, p 22)
Genre is a key component of Halliday's Systemic Functional Grammar (SFL), which emphasizes the connection between language and its functions in social contexts SFL views language as a social semiotic and defines genre as "a staged, goal-oriented, and purposeful social activity" that individuals engage in as part of their culture (Martin, 1984, p 25) According to SFL, genres reflect the cultural purposes of texts, which are expressed through their structural and realization patterns (Eggins, 2004) Thus, genre serves as a social process that interprets the organization and structure of language, revealing its social purpose within specific cultural contexts.
The concept of realization is crucial in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), as it elucidates the dynamic interplay between language and context Language serves to fulfill social purposes, while context facilitates specific linguistic interactions Halliday (1978) defines the "context of situation" as register, emphasizing that language acts as a medium for socialization and meaningful actions Building on this, Martin (1984) connects genre to register, highlighting their interdependent relationship; he argues that register operates at the situational level, whereas genre functions at the cultural level.
According to Halliday (1985), Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) identifies three types of meaning: ideational, interpersonal, and textual Ideational meaning pertains to the subject matter of texts, representing actions and corresponding to the field Interpersonal meaning focuses on the relationships established through language, reflecting interactions among participants and aligning with the tenor Lastly, textual meaning relates to the organization of information, describing how information flows within and between texts, which corresponds to the mode.
In conclusion, genre is a purposeful use of language which possesses specific schematic structure and linguistic features and serves to achieve particular communicative goals
Blog posts as a special kind of genre
The precise origin of blogging is unclear, but the term "weblog" was popularized by writer Jorn Barger in 1997 Initially, blogs emerged as a platform for sharing interesting information, characterized by three main features: chronological organization, links to relevant websites, and commentary on those links.
Blogs are characterized by key features such as reverse chronology, frequent updates, and a blend of links with personal commentary The Weblog Review assesses blogs based on design, consistency, and content, with a significant emphasis on content, accounting for 80-90% of the overall rating Blogs are categorized into fourteen distinct content-focused groups, including adult, anime, humor, and personal Additionally, Jill Walker (2003) highlights the diversity of media content in blogs, noting that while most are primarily textual, they can also take the form of subgenres like photoblogs, videoblogs, and audioblogs.
Rebecca Blood's influential blog post on the evolution of weblogs categorizes blogs into two main styles based on their content The first is the original filter-style, where bloggers act as editors and annotators of links The second is the more personal blog-style, characterized by a surge of self-expression from bloggers (Blood, 2000).
Blogs come in various formats, allowing bloggers to either select from predefined templates or create personalized layouts Despite these differences, the fundamental principles of blogging remain consistent across different platforms and individual blogs As blogger Meg Hourihan notes, "If we look beneath the content of weblogs, we can observe the common ground all bloggers share—the format."
Blogs are characterized by dated entries that start with the most recent, and most feature external links Each blog consists of "posts" that include a date, time stamp, permalink, and often a link for comments along with the author's name, particularly in multi-author blogs According to Hourihan (2002), the unique combination of links and commentary is what sets blogs apart, fostering connections that unite bloggers into a community.
When bloggers talk about blogging, two themes relevant to these questions are ubiquitous: self-expression and community development
Self-expression is a prominent theme for many bloggers, akin to the opportunities provided by television talk shows, allowing them to share their stories with a potentially vast audience Through their linking and commentary, bloggers cultivate a unique voice and attitude, explore past interests, and uncover new ones This digital platform serves as a forum for their thoughts and an experimental space for self-expression.
Relationship development and social control in blogging are outward-focused functions that utilize self-disclosure to forge connections and influence opinions This aligns with the overarching theme of community building, as blogs not only clarify and validate the author's identity but are also designed for an audience Bloggers prioritize maintaining traffic and link statistics, often encouraging reader engagement through comments or emails Some even invite readers to support them by purchasing items from their Amazon wish lists, demonstrating an awareness of their audience and a conscious effort to write for them.
Adespresso, a renowned American advertising platform established in 2013, emphasizes the importance of regular blog postings to cultivate a habitual readership To maintain high rankings, it's crucial to update top-performing posts consistently Additionally, blogs should be optimized for leads and sales by incorporating a clear call to action (CTA) and relevant product information that addresses specific problems, along with the company's headquarters Effective internal linking is essential for keeping users engaged as they navigate through the blog Lastly, integrating relevant keywords is vital for enhancing search visibility, ensuring each post attracts the most pertinent traffic to the site (Adespresso, 2016).
Blog posts are a unique genre of online content, primarily serving two purposes: self-expression and opinion influence They allow authors to share personal views and emotions, while also fostering relationships and shaping readers' perspectives Common characteristics of blogs include chronological order, regular updates, and a blend of links with personal commentary, accompanied by elements such as timestamps, author names, external links, and calls to action The content of blogs is diverse, predominantly textual, but can also be classified into subgenres like photo, video, and audio blogs.
2.2.1 Overview about content marketing and blogging
As we transition from Web 2.0 to Web 4.0, traditional marketing is losing its effectiveness, prompting marketers to seek innovative strategies to maintain brand popularity (Adespresso, 2016) Content marketing has emerged as a vital solution for copywriters, making the competitive landscape both challenging and engaging The Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as a technique that involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract a clearly defined audience, ultimately driving profitable customer actions This highlights the necessity for content to provide value, ensuring customers receive something of interest before making purchasing decisions Therefore, copywriters must focus on delivering value through their content to reach as many target audience members as possible Unlike traditional advertising, content marketing enhances the buying process by raising awareness and educating customers about previously unconsidered products.
Founded in 2007 as Junta4, the Content Marketing Institute has evolved into a premier global organization dedicated to content marketing education and training It specializes in guiding enterprise brands on how to effectively attract and retain customers through engaging, multichannel storytelling strategies.
2 What is content marketing? Retrieved from: https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content- marketing/
Content marketing differs from traditional product marketing, which typically focuses on sales materials and product-specific details Instead, it encompasses a variety of formats such as educational articles, blog posts, e-books, videos, entertainment, and webinars that address specific questions and offer unique insights This approach not only highlights the uniqueness of your product but also effectively engages and attracts customers.
Content marketing encompasses the creation and distribution of valuable information aimed at educating and entertaining audiences across multiple formats Popular formats include blog articles, videos, podcasts, social media posts, emails, webinars, infographics, cartoons, quizzes, calculators, assessments, and apps.
Blogging serves as the cornerstone of content marketing, as highlighted by Ruffolo (2017) It has evolved into a widely-used platform for accessing high-quality information at no cost While blogs often provide concise insights into industry topics, they also act as gateways to various content marketing mediums According to the Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, a blog is a regularly updated website or web page, typically managed by an individual or a small group, featuring informal and conversational writing styles To "blog" means to create or update content on such a platform Once published, blogs can be discovered through website links, emails, search engines, and social media profiles Users can easily navigate through related content, which is usually organized in reverse chronological order, showcasing the most recent posts first.
Blogging goes beyond simply updating your business website; it requires a strategic approach to content creation According to Guillory (2015), a diverse range of post lengths and types enhances a blog's appeal While 400 to 600 words is typically ideal for standard posts, in-depth or "skyscraper" content should aim for around 2,000 words, providing valuable and informative insights It's recommended to publish one or two of these comprehensive posts each month Various post formats, including how-to guides, product reviews, lists, best-of roundups, interviews, and tips, can further engage your audience and enrich your blog's content.
Previous Studies
Genre-based studies have effectively utilized GSP (Genre-Specific Patterns) to identify diverse texts within the same genre, highlighting various discourses such as shop interactions (Mitchell, 1975), research article introductions (Paltridge, 1993), modern popular songs (Teo, 1996), Elizabeth Arden's Intervene moisturizing cream advertisements (Nugroho, 2009), Nigerian folktales (Ewata, Oyebade & Onwu, 2018), and English introductory pages of Vietnamese institution websites (Tam, 2018) For instance, the analysis of Nigerian folktales demonstrates how GSP can be applied to uncover genre-specific characteristics.
[TT^OR]^CA^1^2^RS^1^2^[F]^(MR) The elements generated in the catalogue include: Title TT, Orientation
OR, Conflicting Action CA, Resolution RS, Finis F and Moral MR while
MR is an optional element, the remaining elements are obligatory
Several Internet genres have undergone detailed analysis, with Suen (2009) focusing on the unique characteristics of hotel homepages This study aims to identify the textual and visual elements that define this digital genre Utilizing Bhatia's (2004) framework alongside Kress and van Leeuwen's (1996) multimodal analysis, the research examines how images on hotel websites contribute to meaning in communication Specifically, it investigates the 'representational,' 'interpersonal,' and 'compositional' meanings conveyed by the images featured on these homepages.
Representational meanings convey how the world is depicted through narrative and conceptual imagery, while interpersonal meanings highlight the social dynamics among participants, influenced by factors such as contact, distance, perspective, and modality Compositional meanings explore the relationships between representational and interactive elements within an image, realized through systems of information value, framing, and salience The study focuses on 12 hotel homepages, analyzing textual moves, lexical-grammatical features, hyperlinks, and image usage to uncover these meanings.
Schmidt (2007) established a framework for analyzing blogging practices rooted in social structuration theory, highlighting three key structural elements: rules, relations, and code, with an emphasis on the significance of links in this analysis He employs the broader concept of communities of practice, as defined by Lave and Wenger (1991), to describe groups engaged in blogging Schmidt characterizes blogging practice as individual instances where bloggers utilize specific software to achieve distinct communicative goals Complementing this, Efimova and de Moor (2005) explore blog conversations within their socio-technical context, stressing the importance of external connections to other media and phenomena They argue that examining a single blog conversation can reveal diverse approaches to writing, linking, and commenting, highlighting the variability in conversational practices within the blogosphere.
Miller and Shepherd (2004) examine blogs as a form of social action, asserting that the blog-as-genre significantly contributes to self-expression Their research, grounded in genre theory, explores the semantic content, formal features, and social implications of blogs They highlight the challenges in defining a generic blog, noting the rapid evolution and diversity in blog usage despite their relatively short existence Ultimately, they argue that blogs occupy a unique space between the public and private spheres, serving the essential function of cultivating and validating personal identity.
Herring et al (2005) argue that blogs should be considered a hybrid genre, based on their analysis of 203 blogs, revealing that they are often updated, contain few links and comments, and primarily serve self-expression Lomborg (2009) builds on this idea by defining personal blogs through three dimensions: content, directionality, and style, differentiating them from other blog types Similarly, Puschmann examines corporate blogs using genre theory, highlighting the challenge of viewing blogs as a genre shaped by community norms, while emphasizing the importance of technology in transmitting necessary formal conventions.
To create an effective blog post, it is essential to include key elements such as a compelling title, engaging text, relevant tags or categories, and essential extra-textual information like the author, publication time, and URL Business blogging is increasingly beneficial, generating more leads for B2B companies compared to those that do not engage in blogging High-quality, in-depth, and actionable content that addresses readers' pain points is crucial for driving engagement and conversions Visual storytelling enhances blog posts, as 90% of people are visual learners, with articles containing images receiving 94% more views Additionally, video content is projected to account for 80% of online traffic, making it vital to incorporate videos into blog posts Unique cover images that encapsulate the post's content, along with visual elements such as infographics and LSI keywords, can further attract and retain readers Utilizing communication channels like social networks and forums, as well as providing an infinite scroll of related posts organized chronologically, will help keep readers engaged and encourage exploration of older, relevant content.
According to Meyer (2015), a successful blog post that attracts quality readers should incorporate anchor text links that clearly indicate what readers can expect upon clicking Additionally, the writer's commentary, often delivered with an irreverent or sarcastic tone, plays a crucial role; skilled editors typically condense this commentary into one or two sentences alongside the links, although it can also be presented in a separate essay This commentary reflects the author's personal opinion, relying less on factual reporting and data (Raven, 2017).
A blog post typically consists of three main components: (i) a head that serves as the title, (ii) a body that includes the writer's opinions, commentary, relevant facts, anchor texts linking to referenced sites, and SEO keywords that enhance visibility and help the content reach a broader audience, which is crucial for virality, and (iii) a head that features a comment section To optimize for search engines, blogs are often structured around specific SEO keywords, leading to adjustments in the writing to effectively integrate these terms.
Most previous research on blogs has concentrated on their role as social actions within a socio-technological framework While some studies have attempted to pinpoint the factors contributing to successful blog posts, there is a notable lack of analysis regarding their generic structure To address this gap, this paper utilizes Hasan's (1985) model to examine the Generic Structure Potential (GSP) of instructional blog posts.
METHODOLOGY
The data corpus
The analysis of 20 high-traffic instructional blog posts, equally divided between English and Vietnamese, reveals a focus on strategies for writing engaging content, boosting fanpage traffic, and optimizing product listings on Amazon With monthly views ranging from 100,000 to 7 million, these blogs serve dual purposes: they act as advertisements while providing valuable guidance to readers By subtly integrating their products, services, tools, or courses, these blogs effectively attract customers and enhance conversion rates.
The corpus is visually represented as the Table below:
English instructional blogs Vietnamese instructional blogs
Methods of the study
This study explores the generic structure potential of English blog posts by comparing corporate and personal blogs Utilizing a dominant qualitative approach, the research analyzed twenty blogs to identify their structural elements Following this, a quantitative method was applied to count and synthesize the occurrence of each element, categorizing them as obligatory, optional, or iterative The findings reveal the overall generic structure of the blogs and highlight significant differences in the presence of elements between the two categories Conclusions regarding the functions of the blogs and their structural variations were drawn from the analysis.
Analytical framework
The framework of this research was adapted from the studies of Blood
According to Blood and Vos (2018), the structure of blogs plays a crucial role in attracting readers and enhancing SEO performance Their findings, along with insights from other authors such as Hourihan (2002) and Adespresso, emphasize the importance of incorporating promotional elements that engage audiences effectively By optimizing blog structure and content, creators can significantly boost reader engagement and improve search engine rankings.
2016) a frame work including 13 elements are formed as follows:
1 Title presents the main content and will appear with the title tag on google search
2 Cover image is an illustration for the whole content of the post and acts as the first impression to readers This encourages readers to delve into the content below
3 Author’name is the blog owner in personal blog or the writer of the posts in corporation blog AU
4 Time of publication includes the day, month and year the post is uploaded and public TP
5 Introduction is the first part of the posts which presents the purpose of the post, introduce the topic or short story of the writer relating to the main content below
6 Visual Content includes images, video content, info graphics to illustrate for the details of the blog posts
7 Blogger’s commentary is the personal opinion of the author with a less reliance on reportage and data BC
8 Additional facts/ information are information, number, and/or quotation from other sources, supporting for the writer‘s opinion
9 Latent Semantic Indexing keyword are synonyms of or often appear in the same context with the key words in the title
10 Anchor text is a word or phrase covering the link of the referenced site The anchor text and the link provide further information to the content
Foot 11 Call to action is an exhortation or stimulus to encourage readers to do something and lead them to buy the product or service
CTA being offered, or at least get readers to more posts of the blog
12 Related/previous posts are sets of other posts uploaded before the current post or posts share the same topic RP
13 Comment section is the last part of the blog post where the reader can write the opinion about the post or ask some questions The blogger can respond to the comments and interact with the readers
Data analyzing procedure
After collecting the corpus, the analyzing procedure was established into four steps:
The analysis of each blog post focused on identifying 13 key elements outlined in the framework While these elements were not consistently present across the entire dataset, there remains the possibility of uncovering additional elements during the examination.
The classification of elements as obligatory or optional was determined by their frequency in the analyzed texts, with obligatory elements appearing in over 90% of cases, while optional elements were noted to occur only once Additionally, any elements that were repeated identically, regardless of their position within the text, were categorized as reiterative.
The analysis revealed significant differences in the use of elements between English and Vietnamese blog posts, highlighting the obligatory, optional, and reiterative components of each language The study identified which elements were most frequently utilized in both categories, providing insights into the distinctive characteristics of blogging styles in English and Vietnamese.
The overall generic structure potential of the entire corpus and each group was established by analyzing the presence of obligatory, optional, and iterative elements, along with their common placements within the texts.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
General findings
During the investigation process, there were 23 more elements detected adding to the number of the proposed elements to 36 The newly found elements are shown in Table 3 below:
1.Share button includes the social media that readers can share the posts on their personal wall
Contents shows the headings of the blog with clickable link so that readers can get an general view of the content and choose the parts that appeal to them
3.Heading is the heading of the each small section or in the heading of the blog
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The section on related terms offers definitions, examples, or explanations of key concepts presented in the title This part enhances the reader's understanding by providing a more comprehensive and detailed insight into the content.
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5.Note is what readers should take into consideration besides the aforementioned information
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6.Alt tag is the name written under the image which is recognized and recommended to readers via google image
7.Visual contents’ explanation is used in case of the visual contents refer to
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8.Key word are important words or phrases in the content that the author wants to emphasize
Our goal is to make this process as roadblock free as possible That way you can get motivated and continue to make progress KW
Story is about the experience of the blogger trigging to the current opinion or content
John mingles with the group but stands out from the crowd; he lacks the impulsive energy often seen in others and is free from the hidden insecurities that some fellow travelers exhibit.
When John’s wife died in 1982 he decided to leave his adopted home of Melbourne
In conclusion, it is essential to recap the main points discussed, pose a thought-provoking question, or present a challenge to the readers This section should not only deepen their understanding but also motivate them to apply the insights gained from the blog into actionable steps.
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Certain tags are essential for establishing your page's taxonomy, while others may not be critical but can provide a competitive edge by enabling rich snippets that competitors may overlook.
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12.Step are the detailed instruction and the process that reader can follow
1.Find a product that you want to sell on Amazon
2.List the product for sale on Amazon
3.Prepare the item to be shipped to a Fulfillment by Amazon warehouse
4.Box up your items and ship them to the warehouse location that Amazon assigns
13.List is a series of names, items, advice or L
14.Recommended further reading is the link under an anchor text to advertise for other posts in the blog This should related to the current content
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15.Advertisement is a subtle message to encourage readers to buy the product of the blog owner
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Advertisement is the same as Advertisement, but this is used to commerce other source or products from other site
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17.Frequently asked question provides questions related to the current topic and author‘s answer to them
Categories are the main topics covered on the blog, encompassing both broad themes and more specific subtopics Each category is descriptive and typically ranges from three to five words in length.
19.Tag is more specific and addresses what is discussed in the blog post A tag is often one or two word long, reflecting the keywords or points of the post
20 Give away content are downloadable bonus resources to satisfy readers and enhance their commitment to the blog
21 About the author is the information the about the writer, including name, profession, attribution and achievement
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22.Rate/like section is the number of like, share or star the post gets by the reader
23 Number of views is the number of turn of view to the post NV
The number of occurrences of each element (NC) and Frequency of each element (F) in the blogs are shown in Table 4 below:
Table 4 Occurrences and Frequencies of the elements
The frequency of each element is determined by summing the total occurrences of that element across phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and sections For instance, this includes calculating the frequency of anchor text, keywords, and Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) terms.
The indexing of keywords is calculated by tallying their occurrences across ten blog posts and averaging the results Similarly, the frequency of titles and headings is determined by the number of sentences they contain Other elements, such as explanations of related terms, notes, visual content descriptions, blogger commentary, steps, lists, experiential stories, examples, additional facts, advertisements, and FAQs, are assessed based on the number of paragraphs that include them Visual content frequency is measured by the count of images, infographics, and videos used Additionally, the frequency of elements like cover images, publication dates, author names, share buttons, introductions, tables of contents, conclusions, giveaway content, related posts, categories, tags, author bios, ratings/likes, view counts, and comment sections is based on how many sections they appear in throughout the article.
Table 4 categorizes elements into two groups: gray elements that directly inform blog post content and other elements that serve marketing purposes In English posts, there are two iterative elements—LSI and Ad—while Vietnamese posts feature one iterative element, LSI.
The analysis reveals a diverse occurrence of elements across blog posts, highlighting the flexibility and typicality of their usage As shown in Table 4, key components such as titles, headings, visual content, blogger commentary, and additional information appear in 94% of the 20 analyzed blog posts In contrast, elements like alt tags, visual content explanations, outside advertisements, giveaway content, categories, tags, and view counts are either absent or appear only once or twice in the sample.
In crafting effective blog posts, the frequency of elements such as headings, visual content, the blogger's commentary, and supplementary information is crucial, as they enhance reader engagement and structure Among these, latent semantic indexing keywords—synonyms or contextually related words and phrases—are the most frequently used, playing a vital role in optimizing content for search engines and improving overall visibility.
Determining whether an element is essential relies on its prevalence across blogs Elements that appear in over 90% of blogs within a category are classified as 'obligatory,' while those that appear less frequently are deemed optional Further details will be provided in the following sections.
The statistics of the average number of elements can be seen in Table 5
Table 5 Average number of the elements
Part Average number of elements (English)
Average number of elements (Vietnamese)
To determine the average number of elements in each section of blog posts, sum the occurrences of these elements across ten posts and divide the total by ten It's essential to recognize that the number of views and the share button can be positioned in either the header or the footer of the posts.
Qualitative findings
4.2.1 Generic structure potential of instructional blog posts in English 4.2.1.1 Head of English instructional blog posts
There are 5 potential elements in the head of the English instructional blog posts; particularly, 4 elements were predicted and appeared in the framework and 1 new element was identified
+ One obligatory element must occur in the head: Title (T)
+ 4 optional elements can occur in the head: cover image (CI), author’s name (AA), time of publication (TP) and share button (Sh)
The average number of elements in the head of examined English instructional blog posts is 3.4 (at least 1, at most 5) GSP of the head is presented as follows:
There is only one obligatory element so the main purpose of the head in English instructional blog post is informing
Following is the illustration of the head of an English instructional blog post with the fewest elements (1 element):
This post serves as a unique example featuring only one essential element, aimed primarily at conveying the main content Consequently, it experiences low traffic, attracting only 118,000 views per month, which is four times less than posts with more comprehensive elements.
Example 2 below indicates the head of English instructional blog post with the most elements (5 elements)
Example 2: T^CI^AU^TP^Sh•
This article offers readers a comprehensive overview of its content, including details about the author, publication date, and a share button The publication date is crucial as it indicates the post's relevance and updated quality, which is essential for instructional content in the rapidly changing digital landscape The share button enhances the post's visibility, driving traffic beyond the blog page Additionally, an engaging cover image increases the post's attractiveness With 527,000 views per month, this English instructional blog post outperforms others with fewer interactive elements, effectively informing readers while also serving a marketing purpose.
4.2.1.2 Body of the English instructional blog posts
The analysis of English instructional blog posts reveals 24 potential elements, with 6 identified within the established framework and an additional 18 uncovered during the analytical process.
+ 8 obligatory elements are: heading (H), visual content (VC), blogger’s commentary (BC), additional fact/ information (AF), latent semantic indexing keyword (LSI), anchor text (AT) advertisement (Ad) and conclusion (C)
The article outlines 16 optional elements that can enhance content, including an introduction (I), table of contents (TC), explanation of related terms (ET), notes (N), alt tags (ATg), visual content explanations (VCE), keywords (KW), experiential stories (ES), calls to action (CTA), giveaway content (GAC), examples (E), lists (L), steps (S), recommended further reading (RR), outside advertisements (OAd), and frequently asked questions (FAQ).
The average English instructional blog post contains 14.4 elements, with a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 19 elements The GSP of these blog posts is detailed in the following analysis.
[(I)^(TC)] [H^(ET)]^(N)^[VC^(ATg)^(VCE)]^BC^(E•)^(KW)^(ES)
^(CTA)^(GAC)^AF•LSI ^(S•)^(L)^(RR•)^AT•^Ad ^(OAd•)^ (FAQ•) ^C
In the GSP of the body of English instructional blog post, the fact that H,
The essential components of VC, BC, AF, LSI, AT, Ad, and C demonstrate their effectiveness in delivering valuable information to readers The consistent repetition of the mandatory elements LSI and Ad enhances the marketing aspect of the posts Ultimately, the English instructional blog successfully combines both educational and promotional functions.
Following is the illustration of the head of an English instructional blog post with the fewest elements:
Example 3: I^H^AF•^L^AT^LSI ^BC^Ad^VC
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