17 Tips on How to Write a Great Article Conclusion for Your Blog

We’re not going to lie: Writing great conclusions for your blog articles can be tough. You’ve already shared the meat of your content with your audience, so what else is left to say?

It’s important to nail your conclusions, though. We’ll explain why in a moment.

But first, you need to understand the conclusion’s purpose in your article. It’s designed to bring the article full circle and reinforce the statements you’ve made.

As a Knowledge Commerce professional, you know that your purpose is to teach others. You probably also know that the last word matters — a lot.

Think about an article as an analogy for an argument. You’re putting forth your own ideas on a subject to convince others of your point of view. You want them to use the information you’ve given to better themselves or others.

If they disagree with you, they won’t take your article seriously at all.

Consequently, you need a persuasive closing argument to wrap up your perspective and encourage your readers to take the desired next steps. Honing your copywriting skills can help, but you also need to understand the psychology behind the conclusion.

It’s harder than it looks, but we’ve gathered 17 tips to help you write slam-dunk conclusions every time you post an article on your blog.

Why Does an Article’s Conclusion Matter?

You probably already know the desired structure for an article:

1. Introduction

2. Supporting text

3. Conclusion


That’s it. You have lots of freedom when it comes to fulfilling those three essential parts, but the structure really matters.

People spend a lot of time on the Internet these days, but if they read every article they came across, they’d never leave the screen. What does that mean for you? It decreases the chances that your article will get read at all.

However, all hope isn’t lost.

Eye-tracking and heatmap studies have shown that people read online articles in myriad ways. A common trend looks like this:

1. Read the headline

2. Scan the introduction

3. Read subheadlines

4. Scan the conclusion


Why do people read like this? Because they want the gist of the article.

The headline tells them what to expect, the introduction eases them into the content, the subheadings help fill out their understanding of the content, and the conclusion wraps up the piece.

In many cases, they can learn most of what they want to know from the introduction and conclusion alone.

If you end your article with a sentence or two of useless fluff, you lose the opportunity to impress your reader. Worse, most entrepreneurs put their CTAs at the ends of their articles. If readers never scroll down to the conclusion, they never get the chance to convert.

Now that you understand why conclusions matter so much for your marketing strategy, let’s explore 17 tips to help you write better conclusions.

1. Restate the Article’s Thesis

This part of your article’s conclusion might take just a sentence or two, or you might need an entire paragraph. Either way, make sure you sum up the article’s primary takeaway in an engaging way.

We mentioned above that visitors might not read the majority of your article. However, if they skip to the conclusion, you want them to walk away with something of value.

In other words, your readers should learn something from what you write at the end of your blog post.

Your article’s thesis is the primary focal point of the piece. Why did you write the article? What point are you trying to make?

Restate it so your readers know exactly what you want to get across.

Remember, though, that many of your visitors will have read the entire thing. They’ll already know the ideas you put forth and the suggestions you made.

You don’t want to bore those constant readers, so keep the summary short. If you don’t give anything away, the people who skipped ahead might go back to read some of the finer points.

To that end, you can instill some curiosity. Reference some other part of the article so visitors will want to scroll back up and see what you’re talking about.

2. Answer the Pertinent Question: “So What?”

Think about the last novel you read or movie you watched. The climactic moment solved the mystery, revealed the villain, thwarted the antagonistic forces — in other words, the story was resolved.

However, the book or film didn’t end there, did it? There were at least one or two scenes afterward to wrap up the story and leave the reader or viewer satisfied.

This is known as a “So What?” moment. You took a journey with these characters, so the writer wants you to know why you spent all that time with them. What can you take away from the story?

An article conclusion works the same way. It wraps up the content, sure, but it also tells you why it matters. What should your readers take away from the information you’ve given them?

More importantly, why should they care?

If you can answer that question effectively, your readers will know they haven’t wasted their time.

3. Start With a “Conclusion” Heading

It might seem a little boring to call your conclusion what it is, but it’s also straightforward and direct. If you get too creative with your final subheading, readers might wonder if it’s really the end.

You’ll notice that we always use the subheading “Conclusion” here on the Kajabi blog. There’s a reason for that.

We want you to know that you’ve reached the end of the article. It’s like a signpost on a road trip. You know you’ve reached your destination.

It’s also very simple. There aren’t any guessing games. You don’t have to worry about wordplay.

These days, simplicity is underrated. We crave it because our lives are so jam-packed with information that we often feel overwhelmed.

When you can give your readers a break by simply stating what you mean, you’ll gain loyal followers.

4. Keep It Short and Sweet

Conclusions shouldn’t drag out the inevitable. They certainly shouldn’t be used to pad the word count or to prolong your visitors’ time on page.

If readers think you’re wasting their time, they won’t come back.

The best marketing strategies involve quick, easy-to-understand copy. Whether you’re writing an article conclusion or a Facebook Ad, you want to get to the point and wrap up before you’ve overstayed your welcome.

Create a style guide for your blog and establish a desirable conclusion length. The best article conclusions are typically between 50 and 250 words, but if you can err on the side of short, you’ll probably experience better results.

However, the conclusion should reflect the length of the article. If you’ve already written 3,000 words of content, your conclusion shouldn’t wrap up in 50 words. You need more screen space to fully summarize the article and to engage your reader.

5. Talk to Your Audience Conversationally

For some reason, writers often get very formal in their conclusions. They might think they need to sound smart or professional so their readers will take them seriously.

Don’t fall into this trap.

Your article’s conclusion should reflect the tone and voice you adopted for the rest of the article. Don’t change just because you’re wrapping things up.

In fact, it’s even more critical to remain conversational in the conclusion than it is in the rest of the piece. You’re trying to make friends with the reader, to show that you have the information he or she needs.

You can’t do that with stilted verbiage and five-dollar words.

The conclusion is a great place to insert trigger words. You want to inspire your audience to do something after they finish reading, whether they click over to a landing page or sign up for your email list.

6. Avoid Photographs and Graphics

You’ll notice that we use lots of images in our blog posts. That’s purposeful. Visual imagery engages your audience and keeps them moving through your articles.

However, images don’t belong in your article conclusion. The only exception is a button or other graphic that signals a CTA.

Put simply, images distract your reader more than anything else in the conclusion. You don’t need them to keep reading because there’s nothing else to read.

Instead, focus on engaging text. You don’t need graphs, photos, illustrations, or any other images here because you’re telling the reader what he or she should have gained from the article.

7. Include Disclaimers or Disclosures if Necessary

These days, entrepreneurs have to protect themselves. This means adding any necessary disclaimers or disclosures to the end of your article.

Let’s say, for example, that you’ve included affiliate links in the piece. Let readers know that you’ll benefit monetarily if they click on these links and buy the products associated with them.

The same goes for any products or services you’ve recommended. If you have an arrangement with the person who sells those products or services, be transparent and let your readers know.

Essentially, if you’ve included anything in your article for financial incentive (other than promoting your own digital products), disclose the relationship in the conclusion.

You might also want to add a disclaimer to protect yourself as well as your reader.

For instance, maybe you have written about a health or wellness topic. If you’re not a doctor (or even if you are), add a disclaimer that looks something like this:

The information provided in this article does not serve as a substitute for medical intervention.

It’s not just about protecting you. It’s also important to encourage your readers to seek professional advice in person.

Other industries that might need this type of disclaimer could include law, religion, fitness, and finance.

8. Restate the Article’s Main Points

In your article conclusion, go back over the main points (often the information you included in subheadings) and reiterate them. You’re summarizing the important information so your readers know what to take away from the piece.

We already talked about restating your thesis, but you also want to cover your sub-points. These might be steps to take, benefits of a particular practice, or supporting arguments. They’re the structure of your article.

Don’t go into any depth here. Just hit each point with as much brevity as possible. Readers who are interested in exploring those points in more depth can return to that part of the article.

9. Let Your Reader Know What to Do Next

It’s time to give your audience some next steps to take now that they’ve read your article. What should they do with the information you’ve provided?

In some ways, next steps and CTAs (discussed below) are similar. You probably want your reader to join your membership site or buy your latest course.

However, the next steps aren’t always about you or your business.

Maybe you have other articles related to this topic that you want your readers to check out. Consider linking to them in the conclusion.

Alternatively, perhaps you want readers to apply your advice in a specific way. Spell it out for them at the end of the piece.

Remember that consumers don’t always act unless they’re specifically told what to do. It’s not because we’re unable to make our own decisions, but because we don’t always know where to go next.

Now’s the time to give your readers a helping hand.

10. Ask an Insightful Question

Formulate a question for the very end of your article. It should come last and give readers an incentive to leave a comment or otherwise participate in the conversation.

Remember that your blog should inspire community. You want people to interact with you and with other readers.

If you ask a direct question, people will want to share their experiences and opinions. Many blog posts on the web garner hundreds or even thousands of comments because of such insightful questions.

Just make sure that it’s engaging and on-point. You don’t want to drift off-topic or ask such a complex question that readers don’t know where to start.

Your question can also help readers start thinking about their own journeys. What do they want to accomplish? How can your digital products help?

11. Add a CTA [h2]

The CTA can come anywhere in the conclusion (or even in a segment above the conclusion). It should tell the reader exactly what you want him or her to do.

Think of the CTA as your elevator pitch. You only have until the lift reaches the fifth floor to convince someone else in the cab to buy your product.

Since you have very little space and time, make your CTA snappy. Don’t just tell your reader what to do — explain why they should.

For instance, maybe you offer a free gift with every purchase of your mini-course. Use that extra bonus to incentivize your readers. They can get this free gift if they buy your course.

You could also use a CTA for your email list. Use coupons or a lead magnet as an incentive.

Whatever the case, you need to answer an important question in your CTA: “What’s in it for me?”

That’s what your readers are asking themselves. If you don’t give a strong enough incentive, those readers won’t convert.

12. Address Your Target Audience Directly

When you’re crafting your article conclusion, don’t be vague. Keep your buyer persona in the back of your mind with every word you type.

In other words, who are you talking to? And what verbiage would most appeal to that person?

Your article’s conclusion would look one way if you were writing to young, single women with bachelor’s degrees. It would look much different if your audience was married men and women with kids and advanced education.

You can even mention your target audience directly.

Let’s say that you’re writing to an audience of young mothers. Your conclusion might start something like this:

“If you’re struggling to parent successfully as a single mother…”

You’ve named your target audience right there in the conclusion. Consequently, your reader will identify strongly with the content.

13. Issue a Challenge

Who doesn’t love a challenge? If you want to liven up an otherwise hum-drum conclusion, consider challenging your audience to take on a particular goal or to reach a specific milestone.

Since you’re involved in Knowledge Commerce, you know your target audience wants to learn. That’s why they’re reading your article in the first place.

At this point, you can encourage them to reach their goals and better themselves by laying down the gauntlet. It just has to be specific.

Let’s say that you’re writing fitness tips for beginners. You could add something like this to your conclusion:

“I have a challenge for everyone reading this. Over the next seven days, do every exercise in this article at least once per day. Come back after the week is over and report your progress.”

This type of challenge serves two purposes:

1. Engaging the reader on a deep level; and

2. Inviting the reader back to the blog.


Each purpose can benefit you, the business owner, as well as the reader.

14. Sum Up Potential Benefits

We’ve mentioned before that, in marketing and advertising, it’s better to talk about benefits than features. A benefit shows a clear advantage for the reader, while a feature just illustrates a fact.

The same goes for your article conclusion. It’s a good idea to sum up your thesis and main points, but you also want to help the reader understand how he or she can specifically benefit.

Let’s go back to the article example of fitness for beginners. Benefits could include starting with simple exercises that don’t pose an injury risk, building up to more difficult movements, and improving range of motion.

In other words, you want your reader to walk away from your article thinking, “I can enjoy advantages if I put these tips into practice.”

You can sum up this point in a sentence or two. For the fitness article, it might look like this:

“Practice these eight exercises for the next seven days and experience improved range of motion, better endurance, and risk-free progress toward your fitness goals.”

It’s a bit like marketing copy, but you’re not selling anything other than ideas.

15. Hit a Pain Point

An article conclusion is also a great opportunity to hit your reader where it hurts — not physically, but metaphorically. We all have pain points we want to solve, and you’re offering the answer.

This article, for instance, teaches writers and entrepreneurs how to write better article conclusions. That’s pretty simple.

But what’s the pain point? Maybe you struggle with your conclusions every time you write a blog post. Perhaps you’re not getting great conversions even though your blog posts get lots of traffic.

In other words, you’re struggling with something. We’re trying to help.

When you address the pain point directly, you connect with the reader on a new level. He or she realizes you understand his or her frustrations and want to help.

16. Alternate Sentence and Paragraph Length

Conclusions aren’t usually the most exciting parts of an article. That’s why readers often skim them.

One way to keep them glued to the page is to make the copy itself more engaging. You could make one paragraph three sentences long, then add a subsequent paragraph that has one sentence with just five words.

17. Share an Exciting or Interesting Fact

Finally, your article’s conclusion should demonstrate that you don’t write conclusions just for the heck of it. You’re still imparting information.

Including an interesting or entertaining fact can help. Statistics work particularly well for this purpose.

Alternatively, you could disclose a personal fact about yourself. Maybe you’ve struggled to write article conclusions, but have only recently begun to improve them. Share that information with your audience if you’re writing about conclusions.

You’ll make a connection with your reader, show that you’ve been in his or her shoes, and keep the reader wanting more.

Article Conclusion Example

The best article conclusions boast most or all of the suggestions listed above. You can find many excellent article conclusion examples right here on the Kajabi blog.

Although our conclusions might vary from one article to the next, you’ll see patterns (especially with regard to the tips above). We don’t include every element in every conclusion, but we try to hit as many as possible.

Of course, you probably want to see it in action on someone else’s blog. That’s understandable.

With that in mind, let’s look at another example from elsewhere.

Neil Patel, one of the foremost marketing experts in the world, writes a long, in-depth article on some aspect of marketing for his personal blog every day. One common denominator is that he always writes fantastic conclusions.

Check out the conclusion to his recent article on headlines:

You’ll notice that the article conclusion exhibits many of the tips we’ve provided here:

• He labeled the conclusion.

• The first sentence reiterates the article’s thesis.

• The second sentence hits a pain point.

• In the third sentence, he explains why the preceding tips matter.

• He then goes on to explain how the reader will benefit.

• The article conclusion ends with a question for his audience.


You can learn a lot from studying other writers, such as this feature article conclusion sample. The faster you learn how to write a conclusion, the more conversions you’ll get from every article you write.

Use Kajabi To Turn Your Knowledge And Content Into Products You Can Sell

It’s hard to start a business by yourself. You need lots of stamina, willpower, and fortitude if you want to succeed.

However, you don’t have to go it alone. We don’t mean you need a partner — though one of those can help, too — but that you need a platform for your business that will set you up for success from the very beginning.

That’s exactly what Kajabi provides. We’ve grouped together all the tools you need to make your Knowledge Commerce business flourish.

You can sign up for our 28 Day Challenge and discover the Kajabi platform for yourself for free! In fact, you can start creating your own online course from the moment you sign up.

Conclusion

Article conclusions matter. Regardless of whether the article is going on your blog, in an email, or somewhere else entirely, it needs a well-crafted conclusion.

But you know that, right? You read this article.

There are lots of ways to spruce up your conclusion and make it more useful to your audience. We’ve described 17 of them here.

It’s important to note, however, that your audience is unique. Your conclusions should represent your brand, writing style, and company culture.

Maybe your conclusions will only be 50 words long. Perhaps they extend to 100 words or more.

The length doesn’t matter as much as the content. Keep it brief in relation to the article itself, but make sure you include enough meat to give your audience something of value.

And now, for the obligatory question:

What hacks have you discovered to help improve your own article conclusions?

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