How to Write a Blog Post: A Step-by-Step Guide [+ Free Blog Post Templates]

Review a step-by-step guide plus useful templates to learn how to write an effective blog post for your target audience and customers.

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6 FREE BLOG POST TEMPLATES

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Computer showing marketers how to write a blog post step by step to start a successful blog website

Updated: 01/31/24

Published: 01/31/24

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Anyone can connect with their audience through blogging and enjoy the myriad benefits that blogging provides: organic traffic from search engines, promotional content for social media, and recognition from a new audience you haven’t tapped into yet.

If you’ve heard about blogging but are a beginner and don’t know where to start, the time for excuses is over. Not only can you create an SEO-friendly blog , but I’ll cover how to write and manage your business's blog as well as provide helpful templates to simplify your blogging efforts.

What is a blog post?

How to start a blog, writing your first blog post, what makes a good blog post, blog post examples, how to write a blog post.

Let's get started with an important question.

Blogging may mean different things depending on your niche — so let’s begin with this definition.

A blog post is any article, news piece, or guide that's published in the blog section of a website. A blog post typically covers a specific topic or query, is educational in nature, ranges from 600 to 2,000+ words, and contains other media types such as images, videos, infographics, and interactive charts.

Blog posts allow you and your business to publish insights, thoughts, and stories on your website about any topic. They can help you boost brand awareness, credibility, conversions, and revenue. Most importantly, they can help you drive traffic to your website.

But in order to begin making posts for a blog — you have to learn how to start one, first. Let’s dive in.

  • Understand your audience.
  • Check out your competition.
  • Determine what topics you'll cover.
  • Identify your unique angle.
  • Name your blog.
  • Create your blog domain.
  • Choose a CMS and set up your blog.
  • Customize the look of your blog.
  • Write your first blog post.

1. Understand your audience.

Before you start writing your blog post, make sure you have a clear understanding of your target audience. To do so, take the following steps.

Ask yourself exploratory questions.

To discover your audience, ask questions like: Who are they? Are they like me, or do I know someone like them? What do they want to know about? What will resonate with them?

Jot down your notes in a notepad or a document. This is the time to brainstorm audience attributes from scratch, no matter how out of left field they may feel. You should also think about your audience's age, background, goals, and challenges at this stage.

how to write blog articles

6 Free Blog Post Templates

  • "How-to" Post
  • "What is" Post
  • Listicle Post

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Carry out market research.

Doing market research sounds like a big task, but in truth, it can be as simple as accessing a social media platform and browsing user and blog profiles that match with your potential audience.

Use market research tools to begin uncovering more specific information about your audience — or to confirm a hunch or a piece of information you already knew. For instance, if you wanted to create a blog about work-from-home hacks, you can make the reasonable assumption that your audience will be mostly Gen Zers and Millennials. But it’s important to confirm this information through research.

Create formal buyer personas.

Once you’ve brainstormed and carried out market research, it’s time to create formal buyer personas . It’s important because what you know about your buyer personas and their interests will inform the brainstorming process for blog posts.

"Buyer personas aren’t just for direct marketing. They can be a handy way to keep a human in mind while you’re writing. If you’ve got other marketing or sales teams handy, coordinate your personas," says Curtis del Principe, user acquisition manager at HubSpot. "Chances are that your existing customers are exactly the kind of people you want to attract with your writing in the first place. Your sales and service teams can also have great insight into these people’s needs and pain points."

For instance, if your readers are Millennials looking to start a business, you probably don't need to provide them with information about getting started on social media — most of them already have that down.

You might, however, want to give them information about how to adjust their social media approach (for example — from what may be a casual, personal approach to a more business-savvy, networking-focused approach). That kind of tweak is what helps you publish content about the topics your audience really wants and needs.

Don't have buyer personas in place for your business? Here are a few resources to help you get started:

  • Create Buyer Personas for Your Business [Free Template]
  • Guide: How to Create Detailed Buyer Personas for Your Business
  • [Free Tool] Make My Persona: Buyer Persona Generator

2. Check out your competition.

What better way to draw inspiration than to look at your well-established competition?

It’s worth taking a look at popular, highly reviewed blogs because their strategy and execution is what got them to grow in credibility. The purpose of doing this isn’t to copy these elements, but to gain better insight into what readers appreciate in a quality blog.

When you find a competitor’s blog, take the following steps:

Determine whether they’re actually a direct competitor.

A blog’s audience, niche, and specific slant determine whether they're actually your competitor. But the most important of these is their audience. If they serve a completely different public than you, then they’re likely not a competitor. That is why it’s important to define your buyer personas before taking other steps in the blog creation process.

Look at the blog’s branding, color palette, and theme.

Once you determine that they’re your competitor, it’s time to take note of their techniques so that you can capture a similar readership. Colors and themes play a huge role in whether you seem like part of a niche — for instance, a blog about eco-friendly products should likely use earthy tones instead of bright, unnatural colors such as neon yellow or pink.

Analyze the tone and writing style of the competition.

Take note of your competition’s copywriting. Is it something you feel like you can successfully emulate? Does it ring true to the type of blog you’d like to create? What do readers most respond to? For most, creating a tech blog might be an excellent idea, but if journalistic, review-based writing doesn’t work for you, then that might not be a good fit. Be aware of what you can feasibly execute or hire freelance writers.

3. Determine what topics you’ll cover.

Before you write anything, pick a topic you’d like to write about. The topic can be pretty general to start as you find your desired niche in blogging .

Here are some ways to choose topics to cover.

Find out which topics your competitors often cover.

One easy way to choose topics for your blog is to simply learn what other blogs are writing about. After you determine your competitors, go through their archive and category pages, and try to find out which topics they most often publish content about. From there, you can create a tentative list to explore further. You might find, for instance, that a competitor only covers surface-level information about a subject. In your blog, you can dive more deeply and offer more value to readers.

Choose topics you understand well.

No matter what type of blog you start, you want to ensure you know the topic well enough to write authoritatively about it. Rather than choosing a topic you’ll need to research as you write, think about those that come most naturally to you. What has your professional experience been like so far? What are your hobbies? What did you study in college? These can all give rise to potential topics you can cover in depth.

Ensure the topics are relevant to your readership.

You may find that you hold deep expertise in various topics, but how relevant are they to the audience you understood back in step one?

Del Principe suggests checking in with sales and service teams as well. "What kinds of things do they wish customers already knew? What kinds of questions do they get asked a thousand times? What kind of objections come up from potential customers, and how do they address them?"

If you’re not serving their needs, then you’d be shouting into a void — or, worse, attracting the wrong readership. For that reason, after identifying the topics you can feasibly write about, ask yourself whether those are subjects your audience would like to explore.

Do preliminary keyword research.

Keyword research is the process of searching for topics using a keyword research tool , then determining whether there is demand by looking at each topic’s (or keyword’s) search volume. If you found the perfect topics that are the perfect cross between your expertise and your reader’s needs, you’ve struck gold — but the gold will have no value unless people are searching for those terms. Only then can you capture the audience that is waiting out there.

4. Identify your unique angle.

What perspective do you bring that makes you stand out from the crowd? This is key to determining the trajectory of your blog’s future, and there are many avenues to choose in the process.

Here’s how you can find your unique selling proposition in crowded blogging niches:

Write a professional and personal bio.

Knowing your own history and experience is essential to determine your unique slant. To get started, write a professional bio that explains, at length, who you are and which experiences most inform your blogging efforts. While I could write a lengthy exposition about my childhood, that history isn’t essential unless I’m launching a blog about raising children.

What unique experience makes you a trusted expert or thought leader on the topic? You can use your answers to that question to find your angle. Use this information to populate your “About me” page on your blog and share more about yourself.

Determine the special problem you will solve for readers.

Your readers won’t trust you or return to you unless you actively help them solve a problem. As you try to find your angle, think about ways you can help your audience surmount challenges typically associated with the topics you’ve chosen for your blog. For instance, if you’re creating a blog about sustainability, then you might help readers learn how they can compost organic materials in their home.

Choose an editorial approach.

Will you share your opinions on trending debates? Teach your readers how to do something? Compare or share original research? The editorial approach you choose will in part be informed by the topics you cover on your blog and the problems you’re helping your readers solve. If your blog is about marketing trends and your goal is to keep marketers up-to-date on the latest changes, then your editorial approach should be journalistic in nature. This is only one example of how to choose a technique.

5. Name your blog.

This is your opportunity to get creative and make a name that gives readers an idea of what to expect from your blog. Some tips on how to choose your blog name include:

Keep your blog name easy to say and spell.

No need to get complicated at all with your name, though it might be tempting, since there are so many blogs out there. While choosing a unique name is essential, it’s also important to choose one that is easy to memorize for readers. It should also be simple to remember as an URL (which will come into play in the next step).

Link your blog name to your brand message.

The more related your blog’s name is to the topics you cover, the better. For instance, DIY MFA is all about writers doing their own Master of Fine Arts in writing at home. The brand’s message is all about delving deep into one’s writing practice without needing a formal degree. Try to do something similar for your own blog name: Alluding to your blog’s message, value proposition, and covered topics in one sweep.

Consider what your target audience is looking for.

Your blog name should tie directly into what your readers want to achieve, learn, or solve. DIY MFA is about writers who don’t have the money for graduate school, but who still want to develop their writing skills. The HubSpot Marketing blog is — you guessed it — about marketing trends and tips.

It’s okay if your blog name feels “too straightforward.” Straightforward names accurately communicate what you’re about and effectively attract the right audience.

If you still need more assistance, try using a blog name generator . One last tip: Make sure the name you come up with isn’t already taken, as it could lessen your visibility and confuse readers looking for your content.

6. Create your blog domain.

A domain is a part of the web address nomenclature someone would use to find your website or a page of your website online.

Your blog‘s domain will look like this: www.yourblog.com. The name between the two periods is up to you, as long as this domain name doesn’t yet exist on the internet.

Want to create a subdomain for your blog? If you already own a cooking business at www.yourcompany.com, you might create a blog that looks like this: blog.yourcompany.com. In other words, your blog's subdomain will live in its own section of yourcompany.com.

Some CMS platforms offer subdomains as a free service, where your blog lives on the CMS, rather than your business's website. For example, it might look like this: yourblog.contentmanagementsystem.com. However, to create a subdomain that belongs to your company website, register the subdomain with a website host .

Most website hosting services charge very little to host an original domain — in fact, website costs can be as inexpensive as $3 per month when you commit to a 36-month term.

Pro Tip: You can connect your custom domain to free hosting with HubSpot’s free CMS or in premium editions of CMS Hub. This includes access to built-in security features and a content delivery network.

Here are five other popular web hosting services to choose from:

7. Choose a CMS and set up your blog.

A CMS (content management system) is a software application that allows users to build and maintain a website without having to code it from scratch. CMS platforms can manage domains (where you create your website) and subdomains (where you create a webpage that connects to an existing website).

HubSpot customers host web content via CMS Hub . Another popular option is a self-hosted WordPress website on a hosting site such as WP Engine . Whether you create a domain or a subdomain to start your blog , you'll need to choose a web hosting service after you pick a CMS.

Pro Tip: You can get started for free with HubSpot’s free blog maker . Our free CMS offers everything you need to get started– including hosting, a visual editor, and hundreds of free and paid themes to choose from.

Screenshot 2024-01-22 at 3.10.53 PM

Start using HubSpot's Free Blog Making tool to publish blog posts.  

8. customize the look of your blog..

Once you have your domain name set up, customize the appearance of your blog to reflect the theme of the content you plan on creating and your brand.

For example, if you're writing about sustainability and the environment, green might be a color to keep in mind while designing your blog.

we are wildness blog appearance

Image Source

If you already manage a website and are writing the first post for that existing website, ensure the article is consistent with the website in appearance and subject matter. Two ways to do this are including your:

  • Logo : This can be your business‘s name and logo — it will remind blog readers of who’s publishing the content. (How heavily you want to brand your blog, however, is up to you.)
  • “About” Page : You might already have an “About” blurb describing yourself or your business. Your blog‘s "About" section is an extension of this higher-level statement. Think of it as your blog’s mission statement, which serves to support your company's goals.

9. Write your first blog post.

Once you have your blog set up, the only thing missing is the content. While the design and layout are fun and functionally necessary, it's the content that will draw your readers in and keep them coming back. So how do you actually go about writing one of these engaging and informational pieces?

You’ve got the technical and practical tidbits down — now it’s time to write your very first blog post. And nope, this isn’t the space to introduce yourself and your new blog (i.e. “Welcome to my blog! This is the topic I’ll be covering. Here are my social media handles. Will you please follow?”).

Start with “low-hanging fruit,” writing about a highly specific topic that serves a small segment of your target audience.

That seems unintuitive, right? If more people are searching for a term or a topic, that should mean more readers for you.

But that’s not true. If you choose a general and highly searched topic that’s been covered by major competitors or more established brands, it’s unlikely that your post will rank on the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs). Give your newly born blog a chance by choosing a topic that few bloggers have written about.

Let’s walk through this process.

1. Choose a topic you’re passionate and knowledgeable about.

Before you write anything, pick a topic for your blog post. The topic can be pretty general to start. For example, if you're a company that sells a CRM for small-to-enterprise businesses , your post might be about the importance of using a single software to keep your marketing, sales, and service teams aligned.

Pro tip : You may not want to jump into a “how-to” article for your first blog post.

Your credibility hasn’t been established yet. Before teaching others how to do something, you’ll first want to show that you’re a leader in your field and an authoritative source.

For instance, if you‘re a plumber writing your first post, you won’t yet write a post titled “How to Replace the Piping System in your Bathroom.” First, you’d write about modern faucet setups, or tell a particular success story you had rescuing a faucet before it flooded a customer's house.

Here are four other types of blog posts you could start with:

  • List (“Listicle”) : 5 ways to fix a leaky faucet
  • Curated Collection : 10 faucet and sink brands to consider today
  • SlideShare Presentation : 5 types of faucets to replace your old one (with pictures)
  • News Piece : New study shows X% of people don't replace their faucet frequently enough

If you're having trouble coming up with topic ideas, a good topic brainstorming session should help. In the post I’ve linked, my colleague walks you through a helpful process for turning one idea into many. Similar to the “leaky faucet” examples above, you would “iterate off old topics to come up with unique and compelling new topics.”

This can be done by:

  • Changing the topic scope
  • Adjusting your time frame
  • Choosing a new audience
  • Taking a positive/negative approach
  • Introducing a new format

And if you’re still stuck, let’s take a look at some first blog post idea examples.

First Blog Post Ideas

The difference between [niche topic] and [niche topic], explained by a [niche expert].

  • The Difference Between SEM and SEO, Explained by a Marketing Expert
  • The Difference Between Sedans and Coupes, Explained by a Car Mechanic
  • The Difference Between Baking and Broiling, Explained by a Professional Baker

The 10 Best and Worst [Niche Tools] for [Niche Activity]

  • The 10 Best and Worst Writing Software for Fiction Writing
  • The 10 Best and Worst CRMs for Nurturing Prospects
  • The 10 Best and Worst Family Cars for Cross-Country Roadtrips

8 [Niche Activity] Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)

  • 8 Non-Fiction Writing Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)
  • 8 Salmon Broiling Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)
  • 8 Car Maintenance Common Mistakes (+ Ways to Fix Them)

9 Proven Tips for [Niche Activity]

  • 9 Proven Tips for Checking Plumbing Problems under Your Kitchen Sink
  • 9 Proven Tips for Writing a Non-Fiction Bestseller
  • 9 Proven Tips for Doing DIY Car Maintenance

Why We/I Switched from [Niche Tool] to [Niche Tool] (Comparison)

  • Why We Switched from Pipedrive to HubSpot (Comparison)
  • Why I Switched from Microsoft Word to Scrivener (Comparison)
  • Why We Switched from iMacs to Surface Studio (Comparison)

[Niche Tool] vs [Niche Tool]: Which [Tool] is Best for You?

  • Zendesk vs Freshcaller: Which Call Software is Best for You?
  • Air Fryer vs Convection Oven: Which One is Best for You?
  • Mazda Miata vs Toyota Supra: Which Sports Car is Best for You?

The Ultimate Roundup of [Niche Activity] Tips and Tricks

  • The Ultimate Roundup of Novel Writing Tips and Tricks
  • The Ultimate Roundup of Macaroon Baking Tips and Tricks
  • The Ultimate Roundup of Solo Traveling Tips and Tricks

Want some real examples of blog posts? See what your first blog post can look like based on the topic you choose and the audience you're targeting.

2. Target a low-volume keyword to optimize around.

Finding a keyword with low searches in Google (I recommend sticking to about 10 to 150 monthly searches). These topics offer less competition and should therefore allow your new blog post to rank more easily.

To choose a topic, you can either do a traditional brainstorming session or carry out keyword research. I suggest the latter because you can actually see how many people are looking for that topic.

Now, don’t be intimidated by the term “ keyword research .” It’s not just for marketers, but for new bloggers, too. And it’s really easy to do.

To jumpstart your keyword research, first begin by identifying the general topic of your blog.

Say you’re a plumber. Your general, high-level topic might be “plumbing” (67K monthly searches).

Next, put this term into a keyword research tool such as:

  • Ubersuggest
  • Wordtracker

When you run this term through the tool, a list of related keywords will appear. Scan the list and choose one with a lower search volume. For this example, we’ll use “under sink plumbing” (1.4K monthly searches).

Run that keyword in the keyword research tool again. Look at the related keywords. Find one with a lower search volume. Do that again.

For this example, we’ll settle on “plumbing problems under kitchen sink” (10 monthly searches). That’s the topic for our first post.

TLDR ; Choose a low-volume, low-competition keyword that will ensure your first post ranks.

For more help on keyword research, here are more resources you can use:

  • How to Do Keyword Research for SEO: A Beginner's Guide
  • How to Perform Keyword Research and Rank
  • Top Tools For Finding Long-Tail Keywords

3. Google the term to understand your audience’s search intent.

You’ve got your topic — now, you need to check that the user’s search intent would be fulfilled by a blog post.

What does that mean?

If someone is looking for “plumbing problems under a kitchen sink,” they might be looking for a tutorial, a diagram, an article, or a product that can fix the issue. If they’re looking for the first three, you’re good — that can be covered in a blog post. A product, however, is different, and your blog post won’t rank.

How do you double-check search intent?

Google the term and look at the results. If other articles and blog posts rank for that term, you’re good to go. If you only find product pages or listicles from major publications, then find a new topic to cover in your first post.

Consider the term “under sink plumbing bathroom” (30 monthly searches). It seemed like a perfect fit because it had low monthly searches.

Upon Googling the term, I found product carousels, product pages from Home Depot and Lowes, and guides written by major publications. (You’ll also want to avoid topics that have been covered by major publications, at least for now.)

TLDR ; Before writing your first blog post about a low-volume topic, double-check the user intent by Googling the keyword. Also, don’t forget to take a look at who’s written about that topic so far. If you see a major brand, consider writing about another topic.

4. Find questions and terms related to that topic.

You’ve got a highly unique topic that’s been covered by just a few people so far. It’s time to flesh it out by covering related or adjacent topics.

Use the following tools:

  • Answer the Public : When you place your keyword into this tool, it will give you a list of questions related to that term.
  • Google : Google is your best friend. Search for the term and look under “People also ask” and “People also search for.” Be sure to touch upon those topics in the post.

You can also use these keyword research tools we mentioned above in step one.

5. Come up with a working title.

You might come up with a few different working titles — in other words, iterations of approaching that topic to help you focus your writing.

For example, you may decide to narrow your topic to “Tools for Fixing Leaky Faucets” or “Common Causes of Leaky Faucets.” A working title is specific and will guide your post so you can start writing.

Let's take a real post as an example: " How to Choose a Solid Topic for Your Next Blog Post ."

Appropriate, right? The topic, in this case, was probably “blogging.” Then the working title may have been something like, “The Process for Selecting a Blog Post Topic.” And the final title ended up being “How to Choose a Solid Topic for Your Next Blog Post.”

See that evolution from topic, to working title, to final title? Even though the working title may not end up being the final title (more on that in a moment), it still provides enough information so you can focus your blog post on something more specific than a generic, overwhelming topic.

6. Create an outline.

Sometimes, blog posts can have an overwhelming amount of information — for the reader and the writer. The trick is to organize the info in a way so readers aren‘t intimidated by length or amount of content. This organization can take multiple forms — sections, lists, tips — whatever’s most appropriate. But it must be organized!

Featured Resource: 6 Free Blog Post Templates

blog post template

Download These Templates for Free

Let's take a look at the post, " How to Use Snapchat: A Detailed Look Into HubSpot’s Snapchat Strategy. " There‘s a lot of content in the piece, so it’s broken up into a few sections using descriptive headers. The major sections are separated into subsections that go into more detail, making the content easier to read.

To complete this step, all you really need to do is outline your post. This way, before you start writing, you'll know which points you want to cover and the best order to do so. And to make things even easier, you can download and use our free blog post templates , which are pre-organized for six of the most common blogs. Just fill in the blanks!

7. Write an intro (and make it captivating).

We've written more specifically about writing captivating introductions in the post " How to Write an Introduction ," but let's review, shall we?

First, grab the reader‘s attention. If you lose the reader in the first few paragraphs — or even sentences — of the introduction, they’ll stop reading (even before they've given your post a fair shake). You can do this in a number of ways: tell a story or a joke, be empathetic, or grip the reader with an interesting fact or statistic.

Then, describe the purpose of your post and explain how it will address a problem the reader may be experiencing. This will give the reader a reason to continue reading and show them how the post will help them improve their work or lives.

Here‘s an example of an intro I think does a good job of attracting a reader’s attention right away:

“Blink. Blink. Blink. It's the dreaded cursor-on-a-blank-screen experience that all writers — amateur or professional, aspiring or experienced — know and dread. And of all times for it to occur, it seems to plague us the most when trying to write an introduction.”

8. Build out each section of your outline.

The next step — but not the last — is actually writing the content. We can't forget about that, of course.

Now that you have your outline or template, you're ready to fill in the blanks. Use your outline as a guide and expand on all points as needed. Write about what you already know, and if necessary, conduct additional research to gather more information, examples, and data to back up your points, while providing proper attribution when incorporating external sources. When you do, always try to find accurate and compelling data to use in your post.

If you‘re having trouble stringing sentences together, you’re not alone. Finding your “flow” can be challenging for a lot of folks. Luckily, there are a ton of tools you can lean on to help you improve your writing. Here are a few to get you started:

  • HubSpot's AI Blog Writer : Tools like HubSpot's AI Blog Writer can be a valuable asset for beginners and seasoned bloggers alike. It simplifies the process of creating SEO-friendly and engaging blog content, which is crucial for connecting with your audience and enjoying the benefits of blogging.
  • Power Thesaurus : Stuck on a word? Power Thesaurus is a crowdsourced tool that provides users with a number of alternative word choices from a community of writers.
  • ZenPen : If you're having trouble staying focused, check out this distraction-free writing tool. ZenPen creates a minimalist “writing zone” designed to help you get words down without having to fuss with formatting right away.
  • Cliché Finder : Feeling like your writing might be coming off a little cheesy? Identify instances where you can be more specific using this handy cliché tool.

You can also refer to our complete list of tools for improving your writing skills . And if you're looking for more direction, the following resources are chock-full of valuable writing advice:

  • Copywriting 101: 6 Traits of Excellent Copy Readers Will Remember
  • How to Write Compelling Copy: 7 Tips for Writing Content That Converts
  • How to Write With Clarity: 9 Tips for Simplifying Your Message
  • The Kurt Vonnegut Guide to Great Copywriting: 8 Rules That Apply to Anyone
  • Your Blog Posts Are Boring: 9 Tips for Making Your Writing More Interesting

9. Publish and promote your first post any way you can.

As a new blogger, you likely don’t have a social media following yet. Thankfully, you don’t need a huge following before you can create a promotion strategy.

A promotion strategy is your master plan for how you create, post, and engage with your social media content. It helps you take advantage of social and digital technologies to share your business, or in this case, your content. Having a solid promotional strategy offers your audience from different marketing channels more ways to find your blog posts.

Here are more blog post promotion resources:

  • 12 Tried-and-True Ways to Promote Your Blog Posts
  • 10 Sites You Can Use for Free Blog Promotion
  • 9 Link Building Email Outreach Templates That Actually Work
  • Inbound Link Building 101: 34 Ways to Build Backlinks for SEO
  • 11 Creative (But 100% White Hat!) Ways to Earn Backlinks

Before you write a blog, make sure you know the answers to questions like, “Why would someone keep reading this entire blog post?” and “What makes our audience come back for more?”

To start, a good blog post is interesting and educational. Blogs should answer questions and help readers resolve a challenge they're experiencing — and you have to do so in an interesting way.

It‘s not enough just to answer someone’s questions — you also have to provide actionable steps while being engaging. For instance, your introduction should hook the reader and make them want to continue reading your post. Then, use examples to keep your readers interested in what you have to say.

Remember, a good blog post is interesting to read and provides educational content to audience members.

Want to learn how to apply blogging and other forms of content marketing to your business?

Check out HubSpot Academy's free content marketing course .

Now, let's dive into some formatting guidelines to use before you publish your blog posts.

Blog Format Guidelines

  • Include H2s to arrange ideas.
  • Center your Images.
  • Add alt text.
  • Keep your sentences clear and concise.
  • Use media with purpose.

1. Include H2s to arrange ideas.

When you begin typing your blog content, it’s important that you divide paragraphs into sections that make it easier for the reader to find what they need.

If you’re just starting out, then focus on the overarching H2s you want to talk about, and you’ll be able to branch off into subheaders and more naturally as you continue.

2. Center your images.

This is a simple practice that can help your content look more professional with little effort. Centering your images keeps the reader’s attention drawn to the subject — not searching for elsewhere.

Centering also looks better when translating from PC to mobile devices. As formatting transitions to small screens or windows, a centered image will remain the focal point.

3. Add alt text.

So those images you centered earlier, make sure you have descriptive alt text for them, too.

Image alt text allows search engines, like Google, to crawl and rank your blog post better than pages lacking the element. It also leads readers to your blog post if the keywords included are what they searched for in the first place.

Besides SERP features, image alt text is beneficial to readers by providing more accessibility. Image alt text allows people to better visualize images when they can’t see them, and with assistive technology, can be auditorily read aloud for people to enjoy.

4. Keep your sentences short and concise.

When you begin working on the body of your blog post, make sure readers can clearly understand what you’re trying to accomplish.

You shouldn’t feel pressure to elongate your post with unnecessary details, and chances are that if you keep it concise, readers will derive more value from your work.

5. Use media with a purpose.

Break up the monotony of your blog post with some multimedia content where seen fit.

Your reader will enjoy visiting a blog page with images, videos, polls, audio or slideshows as opposed to a page of black and white text.

It also makes it more interactive and improves your on-page search engine optimization (SEO).

Now, do you want some real examples of blog posts? See what your first blog post can look like based on the topic you choose and the audience you're targeting.

  • List-Based Post
  • Thought Leadership Post
  • Curated Collection Post
  • SlideShare Presentation
  • Newsjacking Post
  • Infographic Post
  • How-to Post

1. List-Based Blog Post

List-based post example: 17 blogging mistakes to avoid in 2021, according to hubspot bloggers.

list based blog post example

List-based posts are sometimes called “listicles,” a mix of the words “list” and “article.” These are articles that deliver information in the form of a list. A listicle uses sub-headers to break down the blog post into individual pieces, helping readers skim and digest your content more easily.

As you can see in the example from our blog, listicles can offer various tips and methods for solving a problem.

2. Thought Leadership Post

Example: how hubspot's customers are shaping the next normal.

thought leadership blog post example

Thought leadership posts allow you to share your expertise on a particular subject matter and share firsthand knowledge with your readers.

These pieces — which can be written in the first person, like the post shown above — help you build trust with your audience so people take your blog seriously as you continue to write for it.

3. Curated Collection Post

Example: 8 examples of evolution in action.

An example blog blog post featuring a curated collection

Curated collections are a special type of listicle blog post. Rather than sharing tips or methods for doing something, this type of blog post shares a list of real examples that all have something in common in order to prove a larger point.

In the example post above, Listverse shares eight real examples of evolution in action among eight different animals — starting with the peppered moth.

4. Slide Presentation

Example: the hubspot culture code.

Example slides presentation, HubSpot Culture Code

HubSpot Slides is a presentation tool that helps publishers package a lot of information into easily shareable slides. Think of it like a PowerPoint, but for the web. With this in mind, SlideShare blog posts help you promote your SlideShare so that it can generate a steady stream of visitors.

Unlike blogs, slide decks don't often rank well on search engines, so they need a platform for getting their message out there to the people who are looking for it. By embedding and summarizing your SlideShare on a blog post, you can share a great deal of information and give it a chance to rank on Google at the same time.

Need some slideshow ideas? In the example above, we turned our company's “Culture Code” into a slides presentation that anyone can look through and take lessons from, and then promoted it in a blog post.

5. Newsjacking Post

Example: ivy goes mobile with new app for designers.

An example of a newsjacking blog post

“Newsjacking” is a nickname for “hijacking” your blog to break important news related to your industry. Therefore, the newsjack post is a type of article whose sole purpose is to garner consumers' attention and, while offering them timeless professional advice, prove your blog is a trusted resource for learning about the big things that happen in your industry.

The newsjack example above was published by Houzz, a home decor merchant and interior design resource, about a new mobile app that was launched just for interior designers. Houzz didn‘t launch the app, but the news of its launching is no less important to Houzz’s audience.

6. Infographic Post

Example: the key benefits of studying online [infographic].

An example from an infographic blog post

For example, when you're looking to share a lot of statistical information (without boring or confusing your readers), building this data into a well-designed, even engaging infographic can keep your readers engaged with your content. It also helps readers remember the information long after they leave your website.

7. How-to Post

Example: how to write a blog post: a step-by-step guide.

For this example, you need not look any further than the blog post you‘re reading right now! How-to guides like this one help solve a problem for your readers. They’re like a cookbook for your industry, walking your audience through a project step by step to improve their literacy on the subject.

The more posts like this you create, the more equipped your readers will be to work with you and invest in the services you offer.

8. Guest Post

Example: your bookmarkable guide to social media image sizes in 2021 [infographic].

Example of a guest blog post

Additionally, these posts give your blog variety in topic and viewpoint. If your customer has a problem you can't solve, a guest post is a great solution.

If you begin accepting guest posts, set up editorial guidelines to ensure they're up to the same standards as your posts.

So we’ve gone through the different types of blog posts you can make, but how do you consistently make quality blog posts that your viewers will enjoy?

How to Write a Blog Post Graphic

  • Draw from your buyer personas and what you know about your audience.
  • Pull from your content strategy and/or brainstormed topics.
  • Identify what's missing from the existing discourse.
  • Choose what type of blog post you're writing.
  • Generate a few different titles and choose the best one.
  • Create your outline and designate keyword-rich H2s and H3s.
  • Write your blog post!
  • Proofread your post.
  • Add images and other media elements to support your ideas.
  • Upload your post into your CMS.
  • Determine a conversion path (what you want your audience to do next).
  • Add calls to action to guide your audience to take action.
  • Link to other relevant blog posts within your content.
  • Optimize for on-page SEO.
  • Publish and promote the blog post.
  • Track the performance of the blog post over time.

1. Draw from your buyer personas and what you know about your audience.

Before you start writing your blog post, make sure you have a clear understanding of your target audience.

Ask questions like: What do they want to know about? What will resonate with them?

This is where the process of creating buyer personas comes in handy. Consider what you know about your buyer personas and their interests while you're coming up with a topic for your blog post.

For instance, if your readers are millennials looking to start a business, you probably don't need to provide them with information about getting started in social media — most of them already have that down.

If you haven’t developed buyer personas yet, I’ve found that it’s easiest to get started by gathering the information you already have about your audience and looking for trends. Sending out feedback surveys and interviewing followers can also be helpful.

Does your blog attract a specific age group? Does your audience live in a certain region? How do readers typically discover your content? Finding answers to these questions can help you get a better idea of who your buyer persona is.

2. Pull from your content strategy and/or brainstormed topics.

If you already have a pre-existing portfolio to look back on, it would benefit you to pull from those brainstormed post ideas or previous content strategy.

One thing that’s been helpful for me is specifically looking at content performance data when brainstorming ideas. In doing this, I’ve discovered which topics tend to resonate with my audience (and which ones don’t) and created content around them.

By focusing on your core blog topics, or clusters , you can establish yourself as a thought leader, gain the trust of your audience, rank better on search engines, and attract new readers.

3. Identify what’s missing from the existing discourse.

Fill in the gaps of the existing discourse in the topic of your choosing.

You want to meet a need that hasn’t already been met in your topic cluster. Otherwise, you run the risk of writing content for topics that are already over-saturated.

It’s hard to beat saturated search queries when you’re trying to rank against high authority publications — but not impossible if your content is answering the queries the competition hasn’t.

To discover what’s missing within a topic, I conduct a competitive analysis to see what my competitors offer in their content and how I can make my blog post better. Here are some things to look out for:

  • Unanswered user queries
  • Content depth
  • Content freshness
  • Media richness
  • User experience

If your competitors are lacking in any of these areas, you can use that to your advantage and focus on them when writing your blog post.

Another way to differentiate your blog is by offering original data, quotes, or perspectives. Some of my best performing posts have come from getting a unique quote from an industry expert.

4. Choose what type of blog post you’re writing.

There are several types of blog posts you can create, and they each have different formats to follow.

Six of the most common formats include:

  • The List-Based Post
  • The “What Is” Post
  • The Pillar Page Post (“Ultimate Guide”)
  • The Newsjacking Post
  • The Infographic Post
  • The “How-To” Post

Save time and download six blog post templates for free.

5. Generate a few different titles and choose the best one.

Your blog title should tell readers what to expect, yet it should leave them wanting to know more — confusing, right?

This is why when you’re coming up with a blog post title that you should brainstorm multiple ones instead of just one. I find it helpful to share these titles with a couple coworkers to get their feedback and see which one is most engaging to them.

I’ve also enlisted the help of ChatGPT to generate sample blog post titles by inputting a prompt like, “Write a list of blog titles about [topic].” Even if it doesn’t give you exactly what you want, it can still get ideas flowing.

6. Create your outline and designate keyword-rich H2s and H3s.

When outlining, you need to center your main ideas with keyword-rich H2s and H3s. These are going to be your headers and subheaders that readers typically search for, and the information that Google crawls when indexing and ranking content.

I use keyword research tools, like Ahrefs and Semrush , to find the best words for my blog post. To find the right keywords, I focus on the following elements:

  • Relevance to topic and search intent
  • How authoritative my blog is on the topic
  • The amount of search traffic my blog could gain

Remember, your outline should serve as a guide to make writing your blog post easier, so make sure you include all the important points you want to discuss and organize them in a logical flow.

7. Write your blog post!

I already told you how to build out your outline earlier in the post, so we'll quickly go over the main points once more.

You‘ve already outlined your main headings and subheadings, so now’s the time to add the body.

Write about what you already know, and if necessary, conduct additional research to gather more information, examples, and data to back up your points, while providing proper attribution when incorporating external sources. When you do, always try to find accurate and compelling data to use in your post.

This is also your opportunity to show personality in your writing. Blog posts don‘t have to be strictly informational, they can be filled with interesting anecdotes and even humor if it serves a purpose in expressing your ideas. It also factors into creating and maintaining your blog’s brand voice .

Don‘t be discouraged if you’re having trouble stringing sentences together, you're not alone. Finding your “flow” can be challenging, but there are many tools to ease the process. Software such as HubSpot's Free AI Blog Writer can help you generate copy for your blog post. You can even use it to outline and generate title ideas.

8. Proofread your post.

The editing process is an important part of blogging — don't overlook it. I tend to self-edit while I write, but it’s essential to get a second pair of eyes on your post before publishing.

Consider enlisting the help of The Ultimate Editing Checklist and ask a grammar-conscious co-worker to copy edit and proofread your post. I also really enjoy free grammar checkers, like Grammarly , to help proofread while I’m writing.

If you're looking to brush up on your self-editing skills, turn to these helpful posts for some tips and tricks to get you started:

  • How to Become a (Better) Editor: 13 Editorial Tips
  • How to Become a More Efficient Editor: 12 Ways to Speed Up the Editorial Process
  • 10 Simple Edits That'll Instantly Improve Any Piece of Writing

9. Add images and other media elements to support your ideas.

When you're finished checking for grammar, shift your focus to adding other elements to the blog post than text. There’s much more to making a good blog post than copy, here’s some following elements to add in support of your ideas:

Featured Image

Choose a visually appealing and relevant image for your post. As social networks treat content with images more prominently, visuals are more responsible than ever for the success of your blog content.

An example of a featured image on a blog post

For help selecting an image for your post, read " How to Select the Perfect Image for Your Next Blog Post " and pay close attention to the section about copyright law.

Visual Appearance

No one likes an unattractive blog post. And it‘s not just pictures that make a post visually appealing — it’s the formatting and organization of the post, too.

In a well-formatted and visually-appealing blog post, you'll notice that header and sub-headers are used to break up large blocks of text — and those headers are styled consistently.

Here's an example of what that looks like:

Visual appearance example in a blog post

Screenshots should always have a similar, defined border so they don‘t appear as if they’re floating in space — that style should stay consistent from post to post.

Maintaining this consistency makes your content look more professional and easier on the eyes.

Topics and Tags

Tags are specific, public-facing keywords that describe a post. They also allow readers to browse for more content in the same category on your blog. Refrain from adding a laundry list of tags to each post. Instead, put some thought into a blog tagging strategy.

Think of tags as “topics” or “categories,” and choose 10-20 tags that represent all the main topics you want to cover on your blog. Then stick to those.

10. Upload your post into your CMS.

You filled out your blog post with all the optimized content you can, now is the time to publish it in your content management system.

I also use this step as an opportunity to double check my post for any errors that were potentially missed during the proofreading process. It’s especially important to preview your post before publishing to make sure there aren’t any formatting issues.

You can opt to post your content immediately, save it as a draft, or schedule when you want it to be posted live in case you adhere to a posting schedule.

11. Determine a conversion path (what you want your audience to do next).

A conversion path is a process by which an anonymous website visitor becomes a known lead. It sounds simple enough, but creating an effective conversion path requires a clear understanding of your target audience and their needs.

Having a conversion path is important because when you share your content on the web, you should have an idea of what your audience should do next, or in other words, provide them with a path forward.

The HubSpot Flywheel model is a great example of this as it shows how our organization gains and maintains leads.

HubSpot Flywheel Model

12. Add calls to action to guide your audience to take action.

Call to action (CTA) are a part of a webpage, advertisement, or piece of content that encourages the audience to do something. You can add them to your blog post to guide your reader with “next steps” or a conversion path.

Different types of call to actions include asking readers to:

  • Subscribe to your newsletter to see when you publish more content.
  • Join an online community in your blog domain.
  • Learn more about a topic with downloadable content.
  • Try something for free or discount to convert readers to customers.

To get a better idea of how to make a CTA that readers want to click, we have a whole list of effective call to action examples for you to check out.

13. Link to other relevant blog posts within your content.

When you’re completing your blog post, you should link relevant content throughout it. An effective way to do this is to link within the same content cluster.

One thing I do to make finding relevant links easier is going to my search browser and typing “site:website.com: keyword.” By doing this, you can find all the posts you have published on that topic.

Keeping relevant content throughout your post can provide your readers with more helpful information, and potentially boost search engine rankings with corresponding longtail keywords .

But we’ll talk more about how to improve your ranking in the next step.

14. Optimize for on-page SEO.

After you finish writing, go back and optimize the on-page elements of your post.

Don‘t obsess over how many keywords to include. If there are opportunities to incorporate keywords you’re targeting, and it won‘t impact reader experience, do it. If you can make your URL shorter and more keyword-friendly, go for it. But don’t cram keywords or shoot for some arbitrary keyword density — Google's smarter than that!

Here's a little blog SEO reminder about what you should review and optimize:

Write your meta description.

Meta descriptions are the descriptions below the post‘s page title on Google’s search results pages. They provide searchers with a short summary of the post before clicking into it. They are ideally between 150-160 characters and start with a verb, such as “Learn,” “Read,” or “Discover.”

While meta descriptions no longer factor into Google‘s keyword ranking algorithm, they give searchers a snapshot of what they’ll get from reading the post and help improve your clickthrough rate from search.

Optimize your page title and headers.

Most blogging software uses your post title as your page title, which is the most important on-page SEO element at your disposal. But if you've followed our formula so far, you should already have a working title that will naturally include keywords or phrases your target audience is interested in.

Don‘t over-complicate your title by trying to fit in keywords where they don’t naturally belong. With that said, if there are clear opportunities to add keywords you‘re targeting to your post title and headers, feel free to take them. Also, try to keep your headlines short — ideally, under 65 characters — so they don’t get truncated in the search engine results.

"The first component of a good title is that it needs to be scannable. People aren’t reading every word of your thoughtfully crafted headline. If you’re following a search-focused strategy, make sure to include the keyword at the beginning," Del Principe says.

Consider anchor text best practices as you interlink to other pages.

Anchor text is the word or words that link to another page — either on your website or on another website. Carefully select which keywords you want to link to other pages on your site because search engines take that into consideration when ranking your page for certain keywords.

It‘s also important to consider which pages you link to. Consider linking pages that you want to rank for a specific keyword. You could end up getting it to rank on Google’s first page of results instead of its second page — and that isn’t small potatoes!

Write alt text for all of your images.

Alt text conveys the “why” of an image as it relates to the content of your blog post to Google. By adding alt text correlating to the topic clusters and keywords of the post, Google can better direct users’ searches to you.

Check that all images are compressed for page speed.

When Google crawls different websites, a page’s load speed holds weight in page ranking. Make sure the images you include throughout the page aren’t unnecessarily large to shorten the duration it takes to load.

Use apps like Squoosh to minimize the size of your images without losing the quality.

Ensure that your blog post is mobile friendly.

More than 60% of organic visits are carried out on a mobile device. As such, having a website with a responsive design is critical. In addition to making sure your website‘s visitors (including your blog’s visitors) have the best experience possible, optimizing for mobile will score your website some SEO points.

15. Publish and promote the blog post.

Share your post across all the marketing channels in your repertoire. The further the reach, the more of a possibility that readers will find it.

Channels to expand your blog post promotion strategy include:

  • Social Media Marketing : Sharing your content on the most popular social media networks like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc.
  • Email Marketing : Sharing the newest post with your email subscribers to find.
  • Boosted Posts or Paid Ads : Allocating budget toward advertisement on search engines inorganically.
  • Word of Mouth Marketing : Actively influencing people to read your content organically.

16. Track the performance of the blog post over time.

Your post is published for the world to see, make sure you’re keeping an eye on its performance over time so you can see if your blog post strategy is working well enough for your goals.

Here are some blog KPIs I like to keep track of:

  • Total traffic per post
  • Average CTR
  • Average SERP position
  • Traffic source breakdown
  • Number of search queries per post
  • Average comments per post
  • Social shares per post
  • New blog leads
  • Conversion rate

There’s a plethora of website traffic analysis tools that you can take advantage of to better understand your audience’s behavior on your blog posts.

Quick Blog Writing Tips

If you’re feeling stuck as a new writer, don’t give up. It gets easier with practice. Whether you’re struggling with writer's block or wanting some ways to add depth to your content, here are some quick tips I compiled to help take your blog writing to the next level:

If you don’t know where to start, start by telling a story.

When you’re facing writer’s block, start with what you know. Not only will sharing personal anecdotes help you get ideas flowing, but it can also keep your readers engaged with what you’re saying.

Stories can simplify complex concepts and make your content more relatable. Plus, they add a human touch and help set the tone for the rest of your blog post.

Include interesting quotes or facts for emphasis on the subject.

When you back up your ideas with unique, expert quotes or share facts from reliable sources, it shows that your blog post is well-researched and trustworthy.

If you don’t know where to start with finding quotes, think about the people you know and their expertise. For example, I’m lucky enough to have incredibly knowledgeable coworkers here at HubSpot that I can reach out to if I need a quote.

I’ve also reached out to connections on LinkedIn to see if they can provide a quote or know someone who can. HARO can also be a great resource if you need a quote in a pinch.

Make your content skimmable; break it into digestible chunks.

There’s nothing that turns readers off more than opening an article and seeing a large wall of text. Think about it: most internet users have a short attention span and tend to skim through content rather than reading every word.

That’s why I recommend breaking up your blog post into smaller chunks to make it more digestible. You can do this by utilizing subheadings (H2s, H3s, H4s, etc.), bullet points, and short paragraphs.

Not only does breaking up your content make your blog post more visually appealing, it also helps readers quickly find the information they’re looking for without getting lost in a sea of text.

Paint a full picture with images, graphics or video.

Aside from aesthetic appeal, visuals can help convey complex ideas in an easier way and help readers remember the information you share.

I recommend reading through your blog post and putting yourself in your reader’s shoes. Is there anything you wrote about that would be better explained with the support of an image or graphic?

For instance, whenever I write about the pros and cons of something, I like to create a graphic that shows those pros and cons in a side-by-side comparison.

I also look at search engines results when determining what images to add to my post. Does the SERP for the keyword you’re targeting have an image pack? See if you can add in images and optimize them with alt text to increase the chances of appearing in those results.

Each sentence should convey a single idea.

Keep it simple, stupid. There’s no reason to write overly complex sentences that confuse your readers. Instead, opt to convey your message in a simple and accessible manner. At the end of the day, readers just want to find the answers they’re looking for, and writing in a straightforward manner can effectively meet this need.

I like to use the Hemingway App to make sure that my writing doesn’t get too dense.

Use active voice.

Although your writing should captivate the reader, you should avoid overwhelming them with fluff. Using active voice can help keep your writing clear, concise, and energetic while still getting your point across.

For example, instead of saying something like “the product was loved by customers,” write “customers loved the product.”

Ready to blog?

Blogging can help you build brand awareness, become a thought-leader and expert in your industry, attract qualified leads, and boost conversions. Follow the steps and tips we covered above to begin publishing and enhancing your blog today.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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WEBSITE ESSENTIALS

How to write a blog post: a step-by-step guide

  • Cecilia Lazzaro Blasbalg
  • 13 min read

Get started by: Creating a website → | Getting a domain →

How to write a blog post

When you create a blog , you have the opportunity to dive deep into your favorite topics, highlight your expertise and build a community of readers interested in your work. Whether you want to learn how to make a website and blog from scratch, or make blogging part of your business strategy, publishing content online is an effective way to share your knowledge and ideas with the world.

That said, composing a winning entry takes practice. In this A-to-Z guide, you’ll learn how to write the perfect blog post—from choosing the right blog topics and picking the proper format for your articles, to selecting strategic images that generate interest and engagement. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll have a clear idea of how to create strong blog content that effectively communicates your ideas and stands out from other articles on the web, other types of websites and within the blogosphere .

Ready to get blogging? Get started with Wix today.

How to write a blog post in 13 steps

Brainstorm blog topics

Refine your topic with keyword research

Define your audience

Create an organized outline

Write engaging content

Craft an irresistible headline

Choose a blog template

Select a blog domain name

Pick relevant images

Implement calls-to-action

Optimize for SEO

Edit and publish your blog post

Promote the final article

01. Brainstorm blog topics

When writing a blog post, whether you're guest posting for someone else or writing for your own blog, you’ll want to cover topics that bring value to your readers and fall in line with their interests, as well as your own. Rather than trying to find the perfect topic right away, start by jotting down different ideas that come to mind.

There are several places you can look to spark new topic ideas:

Browse other blogs within your niche with competitor analysis . If you’re starting a travel blog , for example, simply Google “travel blog” to see what your competitors are writing about.

Use AI tools at your disposal to generate topic ideas

Use Google Trends to find out which topics are trending.

Look for current events and recent news stories related to your field.

Find out what people enjoy learning about by browsing online courses on Udemy , Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning .

Once you find some interesting ideas online, think about the unique ways you can approach those topics. Consider the various ways you can play around with topic ideas to come up with something that isn’t only trendy and relevant, but that’s also original and fresh. You'll also need to consider making sure your blog post is up to date and this will mean including relevant data and statistics related to the topic.

Let’s say, for instance, that you want to write about chocolate chip cookies. There are a few different angles you might consider taking here based on your target audience and potential for website traffic :

A how-to post that instructs readers how to do something with clearly ordered steps (e.g., “How to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch”)

A curated list that offers a set of recommendations for your readers (e.g., “The Top Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes”)

A tips and advice post that provides expert guidance and resources. (e.g., “Tips for Making Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies Extra Gooey”)

A definition-based blog post that helps explain the meaning of a term or topic (e.g., “What Are No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies?”)

A top trends article that highlights what’s currently popular (e.g., “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes From This Year”)

A personal or business update that lets you unveil something fresh or recently unknown (e.g., “My New Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Revealed”)

Get brainstorming with these best blog ideas , and check out our professional guide on how to start a blog for more helpful tips. You can also consider those close to you for feedback on your ideas, or branch out to a wider audience and get their thoughts.

an example of a story written on a fashion brand's blog

02. Refine your topic with keyword research

Part of writing a blog post involves keyword research. This crucial SEO practice is used as a marker to see which terms you can potentially rank high for in certain online searches.

Once you’ve chosen a direction for your blog post, and before you get started with the writing process, you’ll need to figure out the chances of its success on search engine result pages—which ultimately means getting more eyes on your content. In order to succeed, conduct keyword research to find the most relevant queries for your topic.

You can find keywords for your own articles by using various keyword research tools. If you’re new to blogging, you’ll probably want to start with free tools such as Ubersuggest and Google Keyword Planner . Afterwards, you may want to upgrade to more advanced tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs .

While conducting keyword research, keep in mind that the more specific the phrase, the more closely it will match your audience’s intent. On the other hand, broader keywords tend to have higher search volumes—meaning more people are searching for them each month.

Think about the benefits of opting for a broader phrase, like “chocolate chip cookies,” over a more precise phrase, like “how to make chocolate chip cookies.” Choosing the right keywords means striking a balance between high search volume and high intent.

Once you’ve selected your keywords, you can use them to shape the structure of your content. Google those phrases to find out which articles have successfully targeted those same keywords, and spend some time browsing their content. This will give you inspiration for your own article in terms of what to include and how to structure it. Don't forget to also tap into your own experience as an entrepreneur or writer, when choosing what to write about.

google query on how to make a chocolate chip cookie

03. Define your audience

Now that you know what you’ll be writing about , you need to find out who you’re writing for . Anticipating the kinds of people who will be reading your posts will help you create content that is interesting, engaging, full of relevance and shareable.

Of course, your audience largely depends on your type of blog . If you run a baking blog, you’ll probably be writing for an audience of people who love baking and are seeking recipe inspiration. Even more specifically, if you run a healthy baking blog, you’ll be writing for people who similarly love baking but who want to make their culinary creations healthier. It’s important to keep these nuances in mind when crafting your content, since your goal is to write articles that resonate strongly with readers.

So, how do you figure out your audience in the first place? Start by taking another look at the other blogs in your field. Consider who they seem to be writing for, and the kinds of assumptions they’re making about their readers’ interests and lifestyles. For example, you might find that most of the blogs address a particular gender or age group.

You can also use online forums to find the main questions asked by your audience, or visit Facebook groups to read what topics they like or talk about. This will help you create content that piques their interest, sparks their curiosity and answers their questions.

Whether you're starting a book blog , a fashion blog, travel blog or something else—defining your audience should come first.

04. Create an organized outline

The key to learning how to write a blog post is doing thorough research and planning before you create the article itself. After deciding on the topic and blog format , you’ll need to build the mold for your content. Creating an outline is critical, as it ensures your article will have a strong foundation that you can build on as you write your blog post.

Start by creating subheadings, which are the backbone of an organized outline, under which your paragraphs of text will sit. These small but mighty pieces of content help you break down your article into bite-sized sections, making it easier for you to write and more digestible for people to read.

If it’s a step-by-step guide or a list of tips, start building your outline by listing out all the main points clearly, as in the example below:

Outline: How to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch

1. Gather your ingredients

2. Mix and knead the dough

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

4. Scoop mounds of dough onto baking sheet

5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Add bulleted notes within your introduction and under each of your subheadings. This will help you formulate your main points.

If you find yourself getting stuck, use one of these blog post templates to guide you through the outline process.

05. Write engaging content

Now that you’ve sketched out the blog post, you can begin typing away (or, use AI to write your blog posts ). Keep in mind that blog posts, like many other types of writing, typically include three main elements: an introduction, the body text and a conclusion.

Let’s start with the introduction. In the first few sentences of your article, you should already grab your readers’ attention. Begin with a relevant quote or statistic, tell a short story, or share an interesting fact. Then, set the tone for the article by sharing a brief summary of what you’re going to talk about in the body text. This gives your readers a reason to keep going.

Next, fill in the body text. In your outline, these are the bullet points beneath each subheading. This is the meat of your blog post, so it should be clear and compelling. Avoid fluff and repetition, and instead offer deep value by sharing your knowledge, research, and insights.

A concluding section isn’t always necessary—in fact, our blog rarely uses one—but it can be useful in the case of storytelling or when wrapping up a very extensive article. You can tie your main points together using a short bulleted list, or by sharing some closing thoughts in a few sentences. No matter the case, you’ll want to end on an engaging note.

At this stage you'll also want to consider your writing style, this is usually determined by your blog audience. If you're targeting a professional business crowd so you might want to consider adopting a more formal writing style; if you're writing for bakers, something more light and fun might be the best style. Within this consider your tone too, blogs, even formal business ones, are meant to open up communication and inspire conversation. Make sure your tone is relevant to your writing style and audience, but also use welcoming and inspiring language where possible.

Other important concepts to consider in your content creation process are:

Viscosity : essentially the ease with which a reader can understand and flow through a piece of text. It is akin to the "fluidity" of the writing and how smoothly the ideas and information are conveyed to the reader. High viscosity in writing implies that the text is dense, complicated, and difficult to read, while low viscosity indicates that the writing is clear, concise, and easy to comprehend.

Rhythm: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, sentence structures, and the flow of words that create a musical or harmonious quality in the text. It's the cadence and beat that give the writing a sense of movement and can make the language more engaging and memorable.

Creativity : the ability to express oneself imaginatively and inventively through the written word. It involves using one's unique perspective, original ideas, emotion, pathos and artistic flair to craft compelling stories, poems, essays, or any form of written content. Creative writing allows writers to explore their thoughts, emotions, and observations in an innovative and expressive manner. Storytelling is a huge part of writing a blog post and shouldn't be neglected.

Sentence and clause structure: fundamental elements of grammar that govern how sentences are constructed in the English language. They determine the arrangement of words (verbs, adjectives), phrases, and clauses to convey meaning and ensure clarity in communication. Understanding sentence and clause structure is crucial for effective writing and communication.

06. Craft an irresistible headline

When writing a blog post, you don’t only need strong content; you’ll also want a powerful headline . A great headline entices readers and enhances your blog design , ensuring that they actually click on your article in the first place.

Learning how to write a catchy blog title doesn’t have to be hard. All you need to do is keep the following points in mind: clarity, specificity and offering an answer or solution.

Writing a good headline also depends on how well you put yourself in the shoes of your audience. Use the title to promise readers that your blog post will provide valuable insight that will benefit them in some way, whether by satisfying their intellectual curiosity, teaching them something new or helping them solve a problem. This will increase the chances that they’ll click on your article and read it. Just don't go over board and remember to avoid clickbait, which is writing a hyperbole headline just to get clicks through to an article.

Here are some examples of headlines that we are quite proud of, to give you a general idea for your own content:

Create a Powerful Free Landing Page in Under an Hour

20 Best Time Management Apps to Organize Your Life

How to Design an A+ School Website (With Examples)

Make a Change: Using Photography as a Tool to Raise Awareness

If you're looking for inspiration to get started, try out this blog post title generator .

07. Choose a blog template

Writing your blog post may be your first priority, but you’ll also want to package it in an appealing way. Having an article with strong visual appeal is crucial for striking the right chord with your readers. The best way to customize your blog's design is by starting with a free blog template .

Professional designers have created all these blog layouts, and they're fully customizable to reflect your blog's messaging and tone. For inspiration, check out these blog examples to see how others have transformed these templates into beautiful, content-rich powerhouses.

If you’re writing a blog about organic ingredients, for instance, using a natural color palette on your site will set the right tone for the type of topics you’ll be writing about. This same color palette should also be used for your blog logo , as well as on your social media platforms.

example of a travel blog that uses a modern blog template

08. Select a blog domain name

You should host your well-crafted blog on your domain site address in order for readers to discover it. When it comes to naming your blog , you can gather ideas from a blog name generator and see if the domain name is available.

Spend time thinking about how your blog and domain name fit in with the blog post topics you will cover. Make sure that your name reflects your blog’s persona, topic and niche.

Once you have finalized your name, choose your domain name (also referred to as a URL, for example, www.wix.com). Typically, your domain name will be the same as, or at least similar to the name of your blog.

09. Pick relevant images

Likewise, you should also enhance your blog post with a few great images that illustrate your main points. It’s important that your pictures add value to the subject, rather than serving as placeholders. Pay extra attention to your featured image—this will be the main visual below your blog’s title, and it’s what readers will see when they browse your articles from your blog’s homepage. Infographics are also great to insert within blog posts to reinforce key points or ket stats.

Also consider inserting videos into your blog posts, the best ones are those you've created to match the topic and intent of the video, but you can also use those from third parties, to improve the user experience and engagement rates on your articles.

With Wix, you can add a professional photo gallery to individual posts and embed your own pictures within your articles. You can also choose from an array of media content from Wix, Shutterstock and Unsplash directly within your site’s editor.

10. Implement calls-to-action

In the same way a blog is meant to inform people about specific topics, it can also be used as an important tool that motivates readers to take a certain action. This includes everything from subscribing to your blog to making a purchase.

This element is referred to as CTA, or call-to-action, and is presented as an embedded link or button that states your objective in an alluring manner. Some of the most common call-to-action examples for blogs include “Subscribe,” “Download our e-book” or “Sign up.”

Using CTAs can help you transform your website traffic into engagement and, eventually, profit. While your immediate goal is to get more readers, you may eventually want to monetize your blog further down the road.

11. Optimize for SEO

When it comes to SEO for bloggers , a strong SEO plan involves optimizing your content both before and after writing the blog post. Not only does this include doing keyword research prior to the outline phase (mentioned in step 3), but it also includes using those keywords to polish your final piece.

This begins with sprinkling relevant keywords throughout your article. Let’s say you’ve chosen to target the keyword “business strategies.” Use this exact phrase in your headline, throughout the body text and one to two subheadings if it’s a natural fit.

Next, include this keyword in your metadata. This is the preview text you’ll see for every article on Google, and it includes a title (known as the meta title) and short description (the meta description). You’ll also want to add the keywords to the URL of your article, as well as in the alt text of your blog post’s images. Use these SEO features to give your blog an overall performance boost. Lastly, and make sure you know exactly how long a blog post should be to best rank your post.

12. Edit and publish your blog post

With so many common blogging mistakes out there, you’ll need to thoroughly check your article for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, repetition and any other unprofessional content. Furthermore, make sure your ideas flow coherently throughout each section, signaling a clear and purposeful message to readers. You can read about other essential aspects of blogging in this comprehensive blog post checklist .

We recommend asking a friend or colleague to give your blog article a once over before it goes live, as part of your proofreading and fact checking process prior to publishing. Direct them to look for any discrepancies or ambiguity. It’s also important to emphasize quality over quantity in order to keep your readers interested and to establish your credibility. Then, once you’re happy with your written work, it’s time to hit publish.

13. Promote the final article

Once you’ve written and published the blog post, take the necessary steps to make sure it gets read. Two of the most effective ways to promote your blog post and get readers are email marketing and social media marketing.

Email remains one of the most reliable platforms for marketing, as it allows for a direct communication channel between you and your audience. This highly effective digital marketing strategy involves sending out customized emails to prospective users with the aim of converting them into loyal fans. If you’re interested in getting started, this powerful email marketing service can help you send custom newsletters for your blog.

Beyond emails, sharing your article on social media can also go a long way. For example, if you want to accrue a wide audience, promote your blog on Facebook or Instagram, which have one of the largest and most diverse user bases.

Whichever channels you choose, make sure to actively engage with followers on a day-to-day basis. This will ensure that you not only write a great blog post, but that you get people reading your article, too.

Looking to really get your blog off the ground? Take a look at our Build Your Own Blog online course to get you started.

Example of a book blog that's promoting a newsletter

How to structure a blog post checklist

Headline: clear, catchy and relevant, includes keywords where relevant for SEO

Introduction: hooks the reader, answers search intent where relevant, outline's the blogs purpose and main point

Subheadings: organizes content into digestible and readable sections, follows a logical flow

Body: provides valuable information while supporting points with examples, stats and other evidence, conversational tone

Visuals: includes relevant images, infographics or videos that enhance understanding and reader engagement

Engagement: encourages reader interaction (comments, shares)

Editing: checks for grammar and spelling errors, edited for coherence and style, fact checked

SEO: includes relevant keywords naturally, answers search intent

Readability: uses consistent font and formatting, short sentences

Links: includes internal and external links for additional context

Social sharing: includes social sharing buttons and shareable snippets of information

Review: read through the post one last time before publishing and after published

How to write a blog post FAQ

How to write my first blog post.

Writing your first blog post can be an exciting but daunting task. To make it easier follow these basic steps - choose a compelling topic, plan out your post, hook readers with a killer introduction, provide meaningful content, hone your conversational style and include visuals where you can.

What are 5 easy steps to writing a blog post?

How to write a blog post with ai, how to write a blog post as a beginner, related posts.

How to write catchy blog titles: 12 tips and examples

The ultimate blog post checklist

Blogging for beginners: 20+ tips to jumpstart your blog

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how to write blog articles

How to Write a Good Blog Post: A Complete Step-by-Step Process

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You pull up a blank document, ready to write a blog post, but the white emptiness stares back. How do you begin?

We’ve all been there, staring into that vast white space, wondering where to start. I’ve felt that subtle anxiety too. Yet, with the right approach, that daunting task can turn into a delightful journey. With an established process, writing becomes less about filling the space and more about connecting deeply with your readers.

Dive into the steps in this post and uncover the secrets to crafting a blog post that truly engages and resonates with your audience.

Table of Contents

How long does it take to write a great blog post?

Step 1: identify your topic, original research, topical research, competitive research, how-to guide, feature article, product review or comparison, link/article roundup, expert roundup, step 4: create an outline, introduction, body content, step 6: pen a headline, step 7: edit and proofread your content, step 8: add your meta data, step 9: publish your post, it’s all about practice.

As you get into writing blog posts, you might wonder how long you should take to write a good one. Are you taking too long? Should you spend more time?

Orbit Media Studios found that bloggers take an average of four hours and one minute to complete a blog post in their 2022 survey . For reference, these folks wrote an average of 1,416 words per blog post.

how to write blog articles

But think of this number as an estimate. It takes everyone a different amount of time to write a blog post based on factors like:

  • Personal writing speed: All bloggers write at a different pace, and they’re all valid.
  • Subject matter knowledge : It’s faster to write about a subject you know over one you don’t.
  • Topic complexity: Most people will need more time to write about piezoelectric ceramics than how to blow a bubble with gum.
  • Research requirements : It’ll take longer to put together a blog post that weaves together original interviews than one with a few online sources.

Plus, Orbit Media Studios discovered that bloggers who spend more time on their blog posts get more success. Thirty-three percent of respondents who spent six or more hours per blog post reported “strong results.” Compare that number to the 22% benchmark.

You’ll see that the first steps to writing a blog post involve careful preparation. Start by choosing a topic to write about.

Get as specific as possible when you pick your subject. Specificity lets you differentiate your content from blog posts on similar topics and helps you cover an idea in-depth. Let’s say you want to write about how to cook a steak — you could narrow that down to how to cook a T-bone steak on a grill.

After you decide on a topic, establish the angle you want to take. Going back to our example of how to cook a T-bone steak on a grill, you could come from a scientific angle. For your blog post, you could consult a scientist on why certain techniques make a better steak.

Step 2: Do your research

Now that you know what you want to write about, you can research your topic . Blog post research falls into three categories:

Original research comes from data you generate yourself by consulting other people. Not every blog post needs to have original research to have high-quality content, but it can contribute to truly unique writing.

Try these tactics to get one-of-a-kind sources for your post:

  • Surveys: Use a free tool like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to ask people questions on a large scale. Find people who know about your topic at your organization, subscribed to your mailing list on the subject, or in an online community.
  • Polls: Polls work well for asking a broad audience a single question. Many social media and communication apps have built-in poll features, such as Twitter and Slack.
  • Interviews: Ask experts on your subject for an interview over email, on a video call, or in person. Reach out to your colleagues and network to see if they know anyone. You can also use a service like Help a Reporter Out to get expert quotes.

how to write blog articles

Topical research is the research you conduct around the internet. Use your preferred search engine to find online sources with these traits:

  • Authoritative: The author or website should have plenty of experience or credentials on the topic. When applicable, they should use solid research to back up their claims.
  • Recent: Aim for resources written three or fewer years ago when possible.
  • Helpful: When your reader clicks through to your source, they should get value out of it and understand how it connects to your article.

This type of research often flies under the radar for newer blog post writers. Competitive research involves evaluating other articles on your subject. By understanding the other content out there on your topic, you can find ways to improve upon it.

Don’t just look for what ideas the other blog posts include. Instead, think about what they’re missing. Maybe they don’t cover a point you feel is important, or you could format your content more clearly than them.

Step 3: Choose the type of blog post you’ll write

With knowledge of your topic on hand, it’s time to decide how you’ll present it. Some popular blog post genres include:

List blog posts organize information into a list with headings naming each item. They often come in the form of numbered lists with a title featuring the number of items, such as “5 Ways to Fold a Towel.”

how to write blog articles

When you write a list blog post, you don’t have to make your list the only content. HelpScout’s 13 Best Practices for Improving Online Customer Service introduces online customer service, then digs into its items.

A checklist blog post provides a checklist for readers to follow to perform a task.

how to write blog articles

These posts often provide a simplified checklist to follow and then provide more details for each item, like our blog post checklist .

A how-to guide walks the reader through the steps it takes to perform an action.

how to write blog articles

These blog posts rely heavily on lists and images to help readers understand each part of the process. Melly Sews’s how-to guide to sewing a flat-felled seam uses both.

An interview blog post showcases an interview the author has with someone who has insights to share about the article topic.

how to write blog articles

You can go about one of these blog posts in two ways. Either list out your questions and answers in a Q&A format or use your interview answers to tell a story. Notion did the latter in Three-time YC founder and first-time mom finds flow in Notion .

A feature article brings together original research and interviews to explore a subject. Since features often involve interviews, they can overlap with interview blog posts.

how to write blog articles

Some blogs take a feature-first approach to posting, such as Microsoft’s Unlocked blog. One example of one of their features is Can an alphabet save a culture?

In the context of blog posts, an essay presents the author’s argument or opinion. The writer uses research and evidence to back up their points.

how to write blog articles

Media Strategies Aren’t as Crazy as They Seem from the Animalz blog features real-life examples that back up a unique perspective.

News posts share news from your community or company.

how to write blog articles

On business blogs, a lot of news posts relate to company and product updates, like SparkToro Now Has 50% More Podcasts from SparkToro.

A case study tells a success story about a product or service. It generally focuses on one event or customer.

how to write blog articles

This type of blog post requires original interviews with the customer involved so you can get their perspective on your work. With some products, you can share the results of how you helped the customer. Take Buffer, a social media scheduling tool, sharing posts from its customer in this case study as an example.

Product reviews and comparisons evaluate the usefulness of products for the reader. Reviews focus on a single product, while comparisons compare the features of multiple products.

how to write blog articles

Some of these product posts come in the form of a list ranking the best products in a category, like Zapier’s email newsletter software roundup .

Link and article roundups bring together links to online resources or articles on a specific subject.

how to write blog articles

Some of these roundups are more purchase-focused, such as Good On You’s roundup of eco-friendly fashion deals .

Expert roundup blog posts present opinions on a topic from multiple subject matter experts.

how to write blog articles

This format can overlap with other formats, like in Databox’s blog posts that synthesize expert opinions into lists. The Heroes of Business Transparency is one example.

Many people skip or rush through this step even though it’s just as important as the actual writing. A detailed blog post outline gives your article structure and lets you evaluate your overall argument before you write out the full post.

It also helps combat writer’s block. At the outline stage, you only have to get a basic idea down, taking off the pressure of writing a complete idea. Then, when you get to the writing stage, you’ll have your outline to reference when you don’t know what sentence to write next.

Follow these steps to write an outline:

  • List each section and subsection of your blog post. Each section could cover a list item, a point in your argument, a step in a process, etc.
  • Add up to three main points per section. Here’s where you’ll start forming the ideas you’ll cover. As you practice making outlines, you might find it helpful to get even more detailed at this stage.
  • Include any links and examples you want to include for your points. Place your sources where you plan to reference them so you can add them easily in the writing stage.

Here’s a hypothetical outline for a blog post by my cat on why I should feed her a second dinner:

how to write blog articles

You can go more in-depth with your points in your outline, but here’s how the formatting should look.

I recommend writing your outline in a separate document and copying any headers and links over to your draft document. It can be tempting to write your outline and fill out your draft from there, but your document will get disorganized quickly with this approach.

Step 5: Write your post

Onto the writing itself!

Make sure to follow web writing best practices when you write your content.

People read 25% slower onscreen, and they skim rather than read. Web text should be short, scannable, and structured as linked, topical pages. Nielsen Norman Group

Shortening or “chunking” your content helps readers skim, so try to keep your sentences to 25 words or fewer and paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Make sure to follow the style guide for your blog if you have one as well.

A blog post consists of three main sections that require different approaches:

Integrate your blog post’s angle and an emotional hook into your introduction. This technique establishes what makes your post unique from the start and draws in the reader.

how to write blog articles

For example, in this blog post, I’m trying to provide a comprehensive process so you never feel lost when writing. I explained that angle in the second paragraph of my intro.

As for the emotional hook, try putting yourself in the reader’s shoes or telling a story. I used the example of staring at a blank page wondering what to do next because I’ve been there and know others have, too.

You could also use the Animalz technique of using an unexpected hook and referencing it throughout your blog post. This method takes practice and careful thought, but that hard work really pays off.

Whichever hook you use, keep your introduction concise — about three paragraphs or fewer. An intro that goes on too long can lose the reader’s interest.

A quick side note: You don’t have to write your introduction first if it comes easier to you after you write the rest of your post. Mark it for later and revisit it when you have more context to work with.

Your body content consists of all the words between the introduction and conclusion.

As you write this part of your post, try to cover all the information important for your reader to know. If you have a word limit to stay within, consider linking out to resources on complicated sub-topics.

Speaking of linking, include links to other posts on your blog and trusted sources throughout your body content. Search engines prioritize websites that link relevant pages to each other. Plus, it works as a way to cite your sources when you use outside information.

Just make sure that any site you link to is relevant to your post. Adding links for linking’s sake will make it harder to establish authority and search engine performance.

Lastly, make sure your writing is crisp, clear, and concise by keeping paragraphs three sentences or less, and each sentence 25 words or less .

Here’s an example of a well-structured post’s body content.

how to write blog articles

Time for the grand finale. You have multiple ways to go about writing a conclusion, such as:

  • A summary: Summarize the key points you covered in your post.
  • A takeaway: Provide a takeaway from the ideas you presented in your post. You could go back to the angle you established at the beginning, for example.
  • A redirection: Connect your blog post to another post on your blog and direct your reader there for further reading.
  • A bonus tip: Offer one final tip for the reader to use as they apply the knowledge in your post.

When it feels appropriate, you can also add a call to action to subscribe to your newsletter, try your product, or perform another transactional action. Connect your call to action back to the rest of your conclusion so it doesn’t feel pigeonholed.

After you finish writing your first draft, give it a headline . You can write the headline before your post if you like — there’s no hard and fast rule. For this blog post, we’re writing the headline after the content so you have your draft on hand to inspire your headline.

Follow these steps to craft a top-notch headline for your article:

  • If you write blog posts with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, grab the top keyword for your article. This keyword should have a direct relation to your subject.
  • Write down 25 versions of your headline to give yourself plenty of choices to consider. Make sure your keyword feels like a natural part of each headline if you include it.
  • Narrow those 25 options to your five favorites.
  • Choose a “winner” from your five finalists.

CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer Studio can help you identify what headlines will hook readers and work for SEO. It has a Google Chrome extension and WordPress plugin. If you don’t have a plan that supports plugins, the extension provides a prompt alongside your WordPress headline.

how to write blog articles

Every blog post needs editing to shine, no matter how talented the writer is. Give your content plenty of this TLC to create quality results.

Start with a basic spelling and grammar check using your word processor’s tools. Then, you can use a tool like Grammarly or Hemingway for more in-depth fixes. While Grammarly performs an advanced spelling and grammar scan, Hemingway checks sentence structure, like so:

how to write blog articles

After you perform these checks, you should still read through your writing manually. Your human eyes will catch mistakes the computer misses. Plus, your editing should focus as much on the quality of your ideas as it does on your spelling and grammar.

We provided some tips to make the manual editing and proofreading process easier in an earlier WordPress blog post. I also suggest asking yourself these questions as you go through your content:

  • Do my logic and arguments make sense?
  • Did I use my SEO keywords? Did I insert them naturally?
  • Do I notice any words being used frequently that I can mix up with adjectives?
  • Did I vary my sentence structure for more dynamic reading?
  • Will my blog post be readable for my average reader?
  • Did I follow my blog’s style throughout the post?

Your blog post’s title tag, meta description, and URL all influence how people find and understand it.

The title tag and meta description are the title and description you see for a page in search results. By default, WordPress uses your headline as the title tag and your excerpt as the meta description. But, if they aren’t the proper length for search results, they can get cut off.

It’s best practice to write a separate title tag and meta description so you know they’ll look good. In WordPress, you can edit this data by changing your post’s code or using a plugin .

Yoast and All in One SEO are two popular plugin options. These plugins add a box below your content in the WordPress editor where you can manage your title tag and meta description. They also guide you through writing those search specs well.

how to write blog articles

Your URL slug is the unique string of words that appears at the end of your URL.

For example, this blog post’s URL is:

how to write blog articles

Its slug is:

how to write blog articles

That’s the part of the URL that’s different for each blog post.

WordPress pulls your URL slug from your headline, but that slug usually isn’t optimized for search results. According to Ahrefs , a good slug follows keywords and summarizes the essence of the blog post.

No need for a plugin or fancy coding to edit your URL slug. Go to the Block tab in the right-hand menu, then edit your URL using the URL option. Save your draft or update your blog post to save your new slug.

how to write blog articles

Now that you have your meta data set up, you can finalize your content for publishing. Copy and paste your blog post from your word processor to your WordPress post. The formatting will carry over to the block editor.

Or, you may have written your blog post within the blog post editor. I generally don’t recommend this approach in case you accidentally click “Publish,” but I know some writers get by just fine doing it. You do you.

If you paste your content from a Google Doc or another online text editor, go through your post and re-upload your images from your computer. The images you paste from another source are kept on your editor’s website, and you’ll want them on your WordPress site for safekeeping.

Once you establish a solid process for writing your blog posts, the next step to mastery is practice. As you adjust your system to your workflow, you’ll know what to do next instead of hoping words will magically appear on your blank page. And we’ll be with you as you practice. Just use this guide to help keep you on track.

how to write blog articles

Pair your airtight writing process with a good topic generation system , and you’ll become an unstoppable blogger. We can’t wait to see what you write!

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About the author, melissa king.

Melissa King writes actionable blog posts about content, marketing, and productivity for tech companies. Find more of her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

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How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive Guide

Today I’m going to show you how to write a blog post that gets:

Hundreds of comments.

Thousands of social shares.

And first page Google rankings.

Let’s dive right in.

How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive Guide

1. Find a (Proven) Topic

Blog post templates

2. Blog Post Templates

Create an awesome headline

3. Create an Awesome Headline

Craft a compelling intro

4. Craft a Compelling Intro

Write your post

5. Write Your Post

Add a conclusion

6. Add a Conclusion

Optimize for SEO

7. Optimize for SEO

Promote your content

8. Promote Your Content

Content transformation

9. Content Transformation

Chapter 1: find a (proven) topic.

Find a proven topic

Your blog post topic is HUGE.

Question is:

How do you find proven topics?

Use one of these 5 simple step-by-step strategies .

Udemy Courses

Udemy is a keyword research GOLDMINE.

Here’s why:

Udemy doesn’t just show you content that people are interested in.

Instead, you see content that people are paying for.

You can search for courses by category…

Udemy categories

…or by keyword.

Udemy search

Either way, you’ll find content that people are PAYING to access.

For example, let’s say you run a blog about graphic design.

Head over to the design category in Udemy…

Udemy design section

…and scroll down to their best-selling courses:

Udemy bestsellers

And within 5 seconds you have a list of proven topics:

  • 3D Modeling
  • Designing and coding WordPress themes
  • After Effects tutorial
  • How to use Adobe Illustrator

Amazon Table of Contents

First, search in Amazon for a keyword that describes your blog.

Amazon "SEO" search

Then, look for a book with lots of ratings.

(This shows you that people actually bought the book.)

Amazon book rating

Finally, click “Look Inside” to see the table of contents.

Amazon "Look inside"

And just like with Udemy, you get a list of topics presented to you on a silver platter:

Amazon – Table of contents

This leads us to…

Semrush “Top Pages”

Now it’s time to steal your competitor’s best topics.

First, grab a competitor and pop it into Semrush .

Semrush – Input website

Then, hit “Traffic Analytics > Top Pages”.

And you’ll see the exact content that’s worked best for that blog (in terms of direct, referral, social, search, and paid traffic):

Semrush – Top pages – Backlinko

BuzzSumo’s “Evergreen Score”

You already know that BuzzSumo is a GREAT tool for finding content ideas.

(In fact, BuzzSumo is one of my favorite content marketing tools .)

And they recently added a VERY cool feature that makes this tool even more useful:

“Evergreen Score”.

Here’s how it works:

First, type a keyword into BuzzSumo just like you normally would.

BuzzSumo – Search

By default, BuzzSumo shows you content that has lots of social shares.

BuzzSumo – Total engagement

But here’s the problem:

You can’t tell whether that content went viral for a day and quickly flamed out…

…or if it’s still racking up shares and links years later.

That’s where the Evergreen Score comes into play.

It shows you content that people share and link to MONTHS after it first went live:

BuzzSumo – Evergreen score

That way, you can publish content that brings you traffic for YEARS.

Conference Agendas

This is quickly becoming my FAVORITE ways to find killer topics.

First, head to a conference website in your niche.

Brighton SEO – Home

Go to the agenda page:

Brighton SEO – Menu

And you’ll see topics that people are (again) paying to learn more about:

Brighton SEO – Agenda

Pro Tip: Pop the conference agenda page into the Google Keyword Planner .

Put URL into GKP

Choose “This page only”:

Choose "This page only" in GKP

And you’ll get a list of targeted keyword ideas… straight from Google.

Google Keyword Planner (GKP) Results

Chapter 2: Blog Post Templates

Blog post templates

Now that you have a topic, it’s time to get started on your post.

And I have great news:

You don’t need to start from scratch, suffer from writer’s block, or stare at a blank white screen.

Instead, use one of the awesome blog post templates that I’m about to share with you.

#1: Expanded List Post

A regular list post… but better.

List posts are a blogging mainstay. And for good reason: they’re a collection of bite-sized tips that people can use to get a specific result. The issue is: traditional list posts usually leave out key details.

(Like how to put each tip into practice.)

Regular list posts

But the Expanded List Post is completely different.

With the Expanded List Post, you give LOTS of detail about each item on your list.

Expanded list post

Why It Works

Normal lists posts make people do a ton of extra work.

For example, let’s say the first tip from a list post is: “Eat Eggs at Breakfast”

Well, that leaves out A LOT of important info, like:

  • What time should I eat?
  • How do I cook the eggs (hard boiled vs. scrambled)
  • What about organic and free-range eggs?
  • Can I eat anything with the eggs?

Well, the Expanded List Post answers all of those questions and more.

That way, your reader doesn’t have to fill in the blanks.

Real Life Example

A while back I published: “ 19 NEW SEO Techniques ”.

Backlinko – SEO techniques

And this Expanded List Post is one of the most successful pieces of content that I’ve ever published.

To date, my post has 14k social shares and 1,150 comments:

SEO techniques – Shares and comments

And backlinks from over 1K domains:

Ahrefs – SEO techniques – Referring domains

Unlike most list posts, I gave people detailed steps for each and every tip:

Seed keywords – Steps

#2: The Branded Strategy Case Study

Your Branded Strategy Post solves a problem that your target audience struggles with.

And when you give this solution a “branded” name? You’re instantly seen as an industry expert.

There’s only one catch:

You need to prove that it works.

Enter: The Branded Strategy Case Study.

The branded strategy case study

Your branded name gives people something tangible to link to.

It also helps establish you as an authority in your niche.

(If you created your own strategy, you MUST be an expert.)

A few years ago I was having a hard time building my email list .

And after trying a bunch of different strategies, I finally found something that worked.

Offering people VERY targeted lead magnets.

Targeted lead magnets

So I decided to write a blog post about my experience.

Backlinko – Increase conversions

And I made sure to give my new strategy a name:

The Content Upgrade .

This simple little case study has racked up 4.82K backlinks from 851 domains.

Ahrefs – Increase conversions

And most of these links are a direct result of my unique, branded name:

"Content upgrade" branded name

#3: Tools of the Trade

A “Tools Of The Trade Post” is a list of tools that you recommend.

To be clear:

These tools DON’T have to be software.

A “tool” can be a morning routine, a foam roller or a B12 supplement.

As long as the tool helps your reader solve a problem, you’re good.

Tools of the trade

Strategies are hard.

Approaches are tricky.

But tools are EASY.

(In fact, the #1 question I get is: “Brian, what SEO tools do you recommend?”.)

Finding the right tool can be REALLY hard.

That’s where your “Tools of the Trade” post comes in.

It’s a hand-picked list of the best tools… all in one place.

A few years ago I published a blog post called: How to Learn SEO In Record Time .

Backlinko – Learn SEO fast

It was a list of “tools” (resources) to help people learn SEO.

Backlinko – Learn SEO fast – Chapters

It didn’t go viral or anything. But it got over 2K shares:

Learn SEO fast – Social shares

#4: The Ultimate Guide

A complete resource that covers EVERYTHING.

The Ultimate Guide

Your guide gives someone everything they need to know about a topic… in one place.

So there’s no need for people to read 18 different posts.

Once they find your guide, they have everything they need to know.

It’s also great for getting backlinks.

That’s because bloggers will link to your guide when they write about your topic:

SEO Tribunal link

The first guide I ever published at Backlinko was: “ Link Building for SEO: The Definitive Guide ”.

Backlinko – Link building

(Since then I’ve updated the guide at least 50 times.)

Because my guide is SUPER thorough, other SEO and content marketing blogs were happy to link to it:

SEJ – Backlink to Backlinko

And share it on social media:

Sharing the post on Twitter

#5: The Complete List

A Complete List is like an ultimate guide in list form.

So instead of a guide, you take every…

…And put it in one place.

The complete list

First off, Complete Lists have a legit “WOW” factor.

(A list of 200+ anything is impressive.)

Second, you’re curating scattered information on a single page.

In 2015 I published “ SEO Tools: The Complete List ”.

Backlinko – SEO tools post

It’s a MASSIVE list of over 175 SEO tools.

(Yup, I personally tried each and every one of them.)

But I didn’t just list a bunch of tools and call it a day.

I made sure to highlight my favorite tools:

Brian's favorite tools

And the post has been a traffic MAGNET for me.

In fact, 10,909 people visit that post every single month:

SEO Tools – Monthly visitors

Chapter 3: Create an Awesome Headline

Create an awesome headline

When it comes to writing a blog post, your headline can make or break your entire post .

So it’s important to nail this step.

And in this chapter, I’m going to show you how to write amazing blog post headlines.

Start Your Headline With These Phrases

BuzzSumo analyzed 100 million headlines .

BuzzSumo headline analysis study

So, what did they find?

That headlines that start with these 20 phrases tend to get the most shares:

Top phrases starting headlines (measured by average Facebook engagement)

For example, this post from my blog uses one of these tested phrases:

Backlinko – Actionable SEO tips

12-18 Words

Let’s look at another interesting finding from that BuzzSumo study.

They discovered that the sweet spot for headline length is between 12-18 words.

BuzzSumo chart

(At least when it comes to social shares.)

Add Brackets (And Parentheses)

This is one of my favorite headline hacks.

A study by OutBrain found that adding brackets to headlines can improve CTR up to 38%.

Brackets increase click through rate by 38%

And my real-world experience backs this up.

5 of my top 10 most popular posts have brackets or parentheses in the title:

Backlinko – Top content – Brackets

In B2B? Use These Proven Headline Phrases

If you’re in B2B (like me), you know that clickbait titles don’t work that well.

Fortunately, the BuzzSumo study I mentioned earlier also analyzed a subset of B2B post titles.

And they discovered that these 20 phrases work GREAT in B2B:

Top B2B headline phrases (measured by average LinkedIn shares)

Optimize for EMV

Every copywriter knows that emotional headlines get LOTS of clicks.

And now there’s data to back this up.

CoSchedule published a blog post headline study.

OkDork headlines

Specifically, they analyzed a million headlines for “EMV”.

(EMV=”Emotional Marketing Value”)

And they found a clear correlation between high EMV and social shares.

Average EMV score for headlines based on shares

You can measure your EMV score using this tool from the Advanced Marketing Institute:

Advanced Marketing Institute – Headline analyzer

Just pop your headline into the tool…

Headline Analyzer – Enter headline

…and you’ll get your EMV score.

Headline Analyzer – Results

I try to get my EMV score to at least 25%.

I even have a few headlines with an EMV score of 70%+.

Chapter 4: Craft a Compelling Intro

Craft a compelling intro

Topic? Check.

Headline? Check.

Now it’s time to grab your reader’s attention.

How? Your blog post introduction.

4-7 Sentences

Let’s face it:

No one likes long blog post introductions, like this:

Post with a long intro

That’s why I limit my intros to 4-7 lines… MAX.

For example, my intro from this post is only 6 lines:

YouTube channel growth intro

In my experience, 4-7 sentences are more than enough to hook people…

…and get them excited for the content they’re about to read.

PPP Formula

The PPP Formula is KILLING it for me right now.

(The “PPP” stands for: Preview, Proof, Preview.)

Here’s a visual of the formula:

The PPP formula

Now I’m going to break down each part of the PPP formula…

…and show you real-life examples of the formula in action.

First, you have the Preview.

This couldn’t be any more simple.

Just let your reader know EXACTLY what to expect.

That way, when someone lands on your post, they know they’re in the right place.

Here’s an example:

PPP formula – First preview

Next, it’s time for the Proof.

Here’s where you show people that you can deliver.

Specifically, you want to prove that you know your stuff.

You can show proof with:

  • Personal results
  • Years of experience
  • Number of clients
  • Credentials or certifications

PPP formula – Proof

Last up, we have the Preview… again.

The first preview was a high-level overview of your post.

The 2nd preview is a little bit different.

This preview is where you get specific about something from your post.

For example, in this intro, I preview the fact that the steps are actionable.

PPP formula – Second preview

I like to end my intros with a transition sentence.

In my experience, this transition helps push people to read the next section.

"Let's dive right in" transition

Chapter 5: Write Your Post

Write your post

Now it’s time to show you how to write SUPER engaging content.

Specifically, I’m going to share 6 strategies that can make your blog posts 10x better.

Starting with…

Short Paragraphs

Want people to read your content? AVOID giant walls of text.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

Wall of text

Instead, stick to paragraphs that are 1-2 sentences long.

Short paragraphs

Why is this important?

Short paragraphs are easier to read .

(Especially on mobile devices.)

Section Subheaders

I LOVE subheaders.

That’s because subheaders break your content up into easy-to-read chunks.

For example, my post “ The Complete SEO Checklist ” has A LOT of content.

Backlinko – SEO checklist

(In fact, that post is 4,328 words.)

So I broke up the content into lots of little chunks. And added a list of bullet point links that take you to each section:

Table of contents

In fact, this single post has 9 subheaders.

Active Voice

If I could give people ONE writing tip for writing blog posts it would be:

Use the active voice!

The passive voice is just… lame.

On the flip side, the active voice is crisp and clear.

Use the active voice

15-17px Font

You might have noticed that Medium.com posts are REALLY easy to read.

Medium readability

How do they do it?

They use 21px font.

If you’re using anything less than 15px, you’re losing lots of readers.

That’s why we use 18px font here at Backlinko.

Backlinko font size

Write Like You Talk

This is the holy grail of great writing.

But it’s not easy.

(Especially if you took English classes in high school.)

With that, here’s a tip:

Read your post out loud.

If it sounds weird, scrap that sentence.

This time, explain the same thing out loud.

You’ll probably find that the same sentence sounds A LOT better.

Lots of Visuals

Screenshots.

Infographics.

Don’t be afraid to use a ton of visuals in every post.

For example, this post from my blog has 95 visuals:

SEO Audit post screenshots

Chapter 6: Add a Conclusion

Add a conclusion

Let’s cap things off with your conclusion.

And let me be clear about something:

Your conclusion is VERY important.

(Especially if you want lots of people to comment on your post.)

Fortunately, I’ve developed a simple, 3-step formula for writing AWESOME conclusions.

It’s called “The TAC Formula”.

Here’s an overview of The TAC Formula:

The TAC formula

And now I’ll cover the detailed steps…

Start your conclusion off with the Transition.

Your transition is just like it sounds:

It transitions people from your blog content to the conclusion section.

"Now I'd like to hear from you" at the end of the post

Next, it’s time for the Ask.

Here’s where you ask your reader a VERY specific question.

In other words: don’t ask: “Let me know what you think”.

Instead, throw your reader a softball question that’s easy to answer.

For example:

Ask an easy question

Finally, end with a call to action.

You can ask your readers to comment…

Ask your readers to leave a comment

…or to share your content on social media.

Chapter 7: Optimize for SEO

Optimize for SEO

Next, optimize your post for SEO.

And the best way to do that?

Use the 5 on-page SEO strategies I’m about to show you.

There’s no doubt about it:

When it comes to SEO, short URLs work best .

Short URLs tend to outrank long URLs

There are two reasons that short URLs outperform long URLs.

First off, your URL helps Google understand your page’s topic.

In fact, Google officially recommends short, descriptive URLs.

URL best practices

Second, people use URLs to help them decide what to click on in the search results.

And if your URL is insanely long, people are less likely to click on it :

Short URL CTR

Speaking of…

Meta Description

Nope, search engines don’t use your meta description for SEO. That said: your meta description is a GREAT way to get more people to click on your result.

Specifically, you want your meta description to:

  • Include your target keyword (Google bolds keywords in the search results)
  • Use verbs, like “learn”, “find” and “buy”
  • Describe your content’s USP
  • Fit within the ~155 character limit

For example, you can see that my meta description from this post is designed to maximize clicks:

Post meta description

Keyword In Title Tag

This couldn’t be any simpler.

Just include your exact keyword in your title tag.

For example, my target keyword for my post “ 27 Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Website ” is: “increase traffic”.

So I included that keyword in my title tag:

Keyword in title tag

And WordPress page title:

Keyword in WordPress title

Keyword In Intro

Make sure to use your keyword once in your blog post intro:

Copywriting guide – Keyword in intro

Internal Links

Internal linking might be the most underrated SEO strategy on the planet.

That said, internal linking isn’t complicated.

Whenever you publish a new post, add 2-5 links to older posts:

Link to high-priority pages often

You can also go back to older posts and link to your NEW post.

For example, when I published “ The Definitive Guide to Keyword Research ”, I linked out to related content…

Keyword Research Guide: Linking out to related content

…and added a handful of internal links to the new guide:

Keyword Research checklist

Bonus Chapter: Promote Your Content

Promote your content

When it comes to blogging, promoting your post is even MORE important than the content itself.

In other words:

You can’t just share your post on Twitter and call it a day.

That’s why I recommend promoting your content with these 4 tested strategies.

Facebook Retargeting

Yup, Facebook’s organic reach is at an all-time low .

Facebook's organic reach is at an all-time low

You can still get in front of your fans… with boosted posts.

(And it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.)

In fact, I paid 56 cents per click on this boosted post:

Facebook boosted post

The secret?

Retargeting.

Here’s the exact process:

First, add Facebook’s ad pixel to your site.

Next, share your blog post on Facebook.

Share your post on Facebook

This will get you a handful of likes and comments… which pushes more people to engage with your post later on.

Now that you have some social proof, boost your post. And ONLY target people that visited your site in the last 30-60 days.

Facebook audience: ONLY target people that visited your site in the last 30-60 days

That’s all there is to it.

Email Newsletter

This is the ultimate content promotion superhack.

For example, I recently updated this post on my blog:

Backlinko – Email marketing guide

And to get the word out, I tweeted the post…

Email marketing guide – Update tweet

…and sent a newsletter to my email subscribers.

Which do you think got more clicks?

The newsletter.

In fact, the newsletter got 12.7x more clicks than my Tweet.

Number of clicks to blog post

With that, here are 3 things I do to get lots of clicks on every newsletter:

First, I keep the design super-duper simple.

Backlinko simple email design

No fancy graphics.

Just plain text and links to the post.

Second, I only link to ONE post per newsletter.

Link in email

Otherwise, your subscribers get “analysis paralysis”. And they don’t click on anything.

Finally, I only email my best stuff.

That way, when someone gets an email from me they say:

“Nice! Brian’s sending me something cool”.

Which has helped keep my open rates above 35%… even though I have over 200k email subscribers:

Email open rate

LinkedIn Organic

If you’re in B2B, you NEED to hop on LinkedIn .

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn organic reach right now is GREAT.

For example, here’s one of my older LinkedIn posts:

Recent LinkedIn post

And that single post got 56,872 views.

LinkedIn post with 56,872 views

Not every LinkedIn post does this well.

For example, this post was kind of a dud:

LinkedIn dud post

But 13k views is still WAY more than I’m getting on most other social networks.

Email Outreach

Outreach is still the best way to get your content in front of influential people.

But you can’t just spam people and expect it to work.

For example, I get generic emails like this all the time:

Generic outreach email

And I instantly delete them.

But when someone takes the time to send me a personalized message, I’ll at least check out their post.

Personalized outreach email

And if the post is a good fit for the Backlinko community, I’ll share it:

Brian email showing his Tweet of the post

Bonus Chapter: Content Transformation

Content transformation

Email newsletters.

YouTube video scripts.

Social media posts.

I used to write them all from scratch.

But over the last year or so, I’ve been trying a new content marketing technique:

Content Transformation.

Let me show you how it works with a real-life example…

Earlier this year I wanted to make a YouTube video about backlinks.

Back in the day, I’d open up a blank Google Doc and start on my outline.

But this time, I used Content Transformation.

And the process was MUCH faster.

Specifically, I wrote my video script based on this old guide from my blog:

Backlinks Guide

For example, I took this strategy from the guide…

Link Roundups article

…and reworked it for the video:

Link Roundups reworked for a YouTube video

Even though this video was mostly repurposed from existing content, it got 20k views in its first 30 days:

Backlinks – Video views

And it now has 278,532 total views:

Link building video – Views

Now It’s Your Turn

Now it’s your turn (How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive Guide)

I hope this guide showed you how to write a blog post.

Now I’d like to turn it over to you:

What’s the #1 tip from this post that you want to try first?

Are you going to start using brackets in your headlines? Or maybe you’re going to promote your content on LinkedIn.

Or maybe you have a question about something you read.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

I don’t know how you do it Brian but you’ve pulled it off again. Cracking post and brilliant idea regards Udemy and many other things I had not thought of. Great post as always Brian

Thanks Val. Glad you learned some new stuff.

We are just starting with our blog. This guide it’s really good checklist. Thank for great tips!

Hi Jedrek, happy to help. Good luck with the new blog!

Wow fantastic info Thanks Brian

You’re welcome, Reece.

Awesome post ! Awesome graphics ! Thanks for sharing those ideas, so informative and will be helpful for bloggers to write attractive blog posts like this one 👍

Your posts are so informative and easy to read, plus those graphics are gorgeous!

Thanks Justas. I agree: our designer did an awesome job with the graphics here.

“Write Like You Talk”. A great tip here. I’ll definitely try this particular tip in my next blog post to see how it goes. Thanks, Brian for this insightful article. You are a genius.

No worries. Happy to help 👍

One technique I use is the “voice typing” function on Google docs. This means I’m literally typing the way l speak because I’m speaking into the microphone. Not only can you punch out content quicker, but it comes across a lot more as if you are actually talking. This has improved my active voice scores on Yoast SEO, transition sentences, Flesch reading score etc etc. And it has increased my traffic also. Best part is that it’s free!

Nice. Good stuff, Dezza

Can not wait to read this thoroughly & digest all the valuable information. Thank you for putting it together like this.

Sounds good, Darshana.

Yet again a great insight into blog creation! Nice one!

Thanks Matt

Thanks for the post! I just shared it with our team of writers and am asking them to choose what aspects we can improve on.

One question. We mainly do content marketing and social selling for high-end B2B products. Many of our clients don’t want list posts. Do you think there’s a way to reposition listicles so that they’re more compelling to B2B clients?

Thanks, Alex

You’re welcome. I’d consider a guide format, like this one. In many ways, it’s a list post in a different package. Each chapter/section is a list of 4-5 tips.

Hey, Brian. I have been your fan since ages, and have followed your advice on how to optimize the content of my site. In fact, I left a few comments on your YouTube videos time by time.

After applying your tips as religiously as I could, it worked! Super stoked!

Thanks a lot, Brian. You’re the best and a gift.

Hi Mercyll, that’s great to hear. Keep rocking!

Some of those tips are really solid! Thank you 🙂

You’re welcome, Francois.

That Udemy strategy is pure genius – I never would have thought about that before.

Love the idea about using Udemy Courses for topics.

Using an active voice is tricky for a lot of people. I find it helps to draft a post and go back to it a few hours later – looking at it with fresh eyes. Then it’s easier to spot where you’re slipping into a passive voice.

Thank you yet again for your wonderful content!

Thanks Alison. One shortcut that’s helped me with the active voice: the shorter sentence is usually the active voice (in terms of character count).

For example: If you plan on writing a blog post vs. If you plan to write a blog post.

Thanks for the tip Brian

Hey Brian, I have a question. Why you are not using AMP at your Blog?

Hi Marek, I talk about that here: https://backlinko.com/mobile-seo-guide

“Should You Implement AMP?”

Amazing stuff Brian, as pretty much always. I like you angle of finding topics people are willing to pay for to learn. That must mean they’d be interested to read about it for free in an awesome blog post:) I’m gonna share on Twitter, because your formula works:)

Thanks Nikola

I don’t know where you get all these ideas and strange thing is that no one shares such tips on an internet.

I loved your blog posts as it makes super easy for any one who is struggling to write a post in detail.

Great work!!!

Thanks Wasim

Awesome Article As Usual Brian,

Quick Question About Chapter 1 and 2.

Does the Proven topic that is found In Chapter 1 would it work with any of the Blog post template or it all depends on the topic?

Agree that one should write in short Sentences and paragraphs because a lot of persons only skim blog content these days online before reading.

And I found that the subheaders are a great attention grabber when included in blog post especially when it is written with a strong benefit.

Very Action pack and fluff-free guide Brian keep up the Awesome work!

Hi Floyd, thank you. Ideally, you’d pick the template that’s the best fit for the topic. It’s more art and science for sure. But it does depend a lot on the topic. For example, a topic like “SEO tips” is perfect for The Expanded List Post.

That’s True…

Thanks For the tip…

Was just wondering if there are some template that’s strictly for certain types of topic..

but I think I Get the Idea..

As usual that’s indeed a great article! You started off with an interesting chapter to find the proven topics. In fact, I was unaware of the Udemy and Conference agendas. That was new for me. Every time I read your article, i learn at least one new tip.

Anyway keep up the awesome work.

Waiting for the Next article..:)

Nice! I actually have a post I’m really excited about coming up next. Stay tuned for that.

There are 9+ incredible blog posts in this one post. As far as which one to implement first? I’ll start at the top and make my way down.

Thanks so much!

Hi Ted, thank you! Yes, this is a massive guide. It took a while to put together for sure.

Hi Brian, Thank You sooo much for this most detailed and comprehensive post out there on blogging as a free giveaway ! I will for sure share this! WELL DONE!

Hi Michele, you’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed the new guide.

WOW is an incredible blog post … and every infographic with data that is pure gold. Thanks Brian.

You’re welcome, Bernardo.

You are awesome!

Dude! I wanna be like you when I grow up. You make my post looks pathetic. lol. Such GREAT information and valuable. I can’t believe this is free stuff. I hope that I can be as successful at building my audience as you have been. Kudos, and thanks so much.

LOL! Thanks Juvonia.

Hi brian, Your posts are so informative and easy to read, plus those graphics are gorgeous. Your article have been very useful and helpful for me.. ☺️

You’re welcome, Harjit.

Great post Brian. I can say for certain I am one of the first clicks whenever I receive your newsletter!

Looking forward to putting these into practice.

Thanks Paul. I’m happy to have you as part of the Backlinko community.

Sorry for the previous type-o. I meant to say, you make my posts LOOK pathetic. Do you teach an online course?

All good 🙂 Yes I do https://backlinko.com/seo-training

Awesome post Brian! I think I do most of these to some extent, but you’ve made me realize I need to do all of them better. The topic ideas were extra epic.

Thanks Nick. I made the topic ideas section a point of emphasis because I feel like the same ideas get tossed around all the time. It was time to shake things up, LOL.

Thanks for alot for the sharing the man, Now i have 5 month of content ready thanks to you 😀

I’ll share what exactly do i feel when I get an Email from you :- ‘Email Notification :- Brian Dean’ “What! New Content from Backlinko. Finally, I’ll be able to learn & implement something new!” Opens the Email -> “where is the link? let me click it without even reading the email.” Webpage Opens :- I’ll just skim through the topic…oh wait, this is new… more new ideas… how come i never thought about it. Yayy! Now i know what needs to be done… That was Easy !

(Although in reality, you made it look easy with your in-depth explanation)

Leaves a Comment expecting that I would receive an Email Notification when you’d reply to it….but that doesn’t happen 🙁

I really think you should integrate a way to send some sort of notification when you reply to someone’s comment.

HA! That’s awesome. And thanks for that suggestion. I know WordPress can have it so you get notifications when people reply to comments.

You are just an awesome blogger, how a man can write these types of content? Really grateful and thanks for sharing.

You’re welcome. 👍👍👍

You see Brian I love your tips and tutorials. I love the way you break the process down to tiny actionable bits with nice relatable examples.

Happy to help. To me, it’s all about examples.

This is a very important topic you have written.

How to write a blog post is a well searched keyword.

I’m 100% sure all the currently ranking articles will loose their rankings.

Because Brian Dean’s this article will be #1 in Google.

Mark my word.

Thanks Rintu. I definitely hope so for this post!

I am new to your website. I have subscribed your newsletter and today I landed here from your email. I always want to know how to write a blog post. This illustrative guide will definitely improve my blog stats.

Thanks and regards

Thank you 👍👍👍

Great article Brian! Love your writing and work! It definitely takes a while to go through and digest your guides, but you definitely nail it with your design and readability! Thank you!

You’re welcome, Mike. Yup, this guide is pretty thorough. But I’m happy with how it turned out.

I do not have a word to say, I am a person who is in a completely different career. But I now am learning DM for gaining knowledge. And I must say there is no better place to learn then Brian Dean. The knowledge and concepts you provide are phenomenal. you are an Inspiration. : )

Thanks Rajat. I was in the same boat back in the day. I used to be a registered dietitian and now I’m a blogger/SEO pro. Crazy times!

Same here. A biotechnologist building a DM career

This is great into. Do you have it in a pdf format?

Thanks Joe. Should have a PDF version in the next few weeks.

I can’t wait to get the PDF version of this post as we use to have from other posts 😉

Thanks, Brian;

I can’t just appreciate what you gave me enough, you bomb my brain with knowledge

(brain and Brian) Hmm, no difference at all <3

Hi Walid, PDF version is in the works. It takes a while.

I really love this article, Can you write thought leadership articles ? I want to learn more about it.

Thanks Varsha. I’m not a big thought leadership guy. I rather be an action leader 😂😂😂

I’ve been blogging for a decade and still I’m learning some great tips after all these years. Thanks Brian your newsletter is the only one I subscribe to.

I’m going to try the brackets in the headline by the way.

Hi Deb, thank you. I hope that tip helps!

Great comprehensive guide, I am starting a blog and this is so helpful, thank you Brian

Hi Sandra, you’re welcome. Keep me posted on how your new blog goes.

How do you set up such great design for your article? Is it custom html each time or some super complex template?

Hi Marco, it started as HTML but has sort of morphed into a template that’s designed to work on Backlinko.

I need to manage time to read your detailed article…

My question, is this article perfect for news type post that last live 1 or 2 weeks maximum ??

Hi Vivek, some of the strategies apply to news content. But they’re mostly for evergreen posts.

Great Post Brian. Your copywriting skill is really amazing.

I think the SEO optimization is apt. I recently started work on a blog and noticed that whenever I included specific keywords in my Meta description (even if I do not use the exact keyword in the title) I ranked above my competitors (who have a much higher DA) than my blog. I don’t really understand how or why.

Initially I have read that Google pays more attention to the SEO title and the Meta description is more of a CTA for the users. Perhaps the effect I am seeing is indirect (In that a higher CTR will definitely lead to an upwards movement in the SERPs).

I’ll appreciate it if you can shed more light on this for me.

I’d guess that it’s CTR-related. Google has said several times that they don’t really pay attention to meta descriptions for SEO… but users definitely do. So that’s my guess.

Again a good SEO guide with live examples, you made SEO really simple and actionable for everyone.

Great tips for finding topics. I especially like the conference subject suggestion. Thank you for sharing!

You’re welcome, Mystique

Hi Brian! your are a Monster of SEO!!!!! Congratulation for your precious post… Luca from Italy

Thanks Luca

HI Dean, you have solved 90% of the problem most people are facing when it comes to writing a blog post. I have learnt a lot from you, thanks for sharing.

Hi Anthony, you’re welcome. That’s true: it’s probably not possible to cover everything there is about writing a blog post on a single page. There’s a lot to it. But 90% is pretty darn good!

Hi, Brain, thanks for your great post, this teach me a lot I’m Keen, a freelancer SEOer from China. You are very popular in China marketing groups, people talk about you, learn from you and even nickname you :). Maybe you can translate your post to Chinese, let more SEO newbie know about you.

Hi Keen, thank you for your kind words. I appreciate that.

Hey Brian, Thanks again for another great post.

Would you believe this? I was searching Google ‘How to write a blog post’ and going through some of the results. After a while I Googled ‘How to write a blog post’ + backlinko, I know your posts are real meat.

I did not find any.

Surprising part: I was looking into my emails and noticed the subject ‘Blog Content’ and it was from you (Brian Dean).

How amazing!! You just published what I was searching. Thanks a bunch.

I’m looking to write blog posts on Artificial Intelligence. Any special tips apart from what was already published in the post?

LOL! That’s crazy. What are the odds, right?

I’d say that the strategies here apply to pretty much every topic. I pulled a lot of the techniques from me working with lots of blogs in several different industries.

Amazing. This article should be sold as an E-book. It’s loaded with valuable info! Thank you for the time you invested and shared. Awesomeness packed into one post.:)

Thanks Catherine. I appreciate that.

I was having a short break from studying Google Search exam. I clicked through your email….and thank you!

This is a complete outline on how to craft a blog post, how to optimize and promote it. Excellent stuff.

Thank you, Alessandro. I tried to make this guide as complete as possible. Glad to see that I’m on track.

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How to write a blog post that people will actually read and share

Written by by Brent Barnhart

Published on  September 16, 2019

Reading time  12 minutes

If you’re not 100% sure how to write a blog post that clicks with readers, don’t sweat it.

The reality? Blogging is a major struggle for most businesses out there.

And hey, we totally understand why.

From coming up with ideas to actually putting pen to paper digitally, a worthwhile blog post requires some serious effort.

That said, the benefits of blogging for business are worth racking your brain for. The correlation between businesses that blog scoring more traffic, conversions and leads is well-documented .

The takeaway? Learning how to write a blog post is an invaluable skill no matter what you’re selling.

That’s why we put together this guide breaking down the anatomy of a good blog post and how to write one yourself.

What makes a good blog post, anyway?

Before we get knee-deep into how to write a blog post, let’s talk about what the best blog posts have in common.

Although blogging is certainly a skill, you don’t need to be Shakespeare to start writing ’em.

Instead, simply consider the common threads between blog posts that actually get read and shared.

They solve a problem

Listen: people don’t wind up on blogs by accident.

When we seek out content, it’s because we have a problem that needs to be solved or a question that needs to be answered.

Perhaps you’re looking for the perfect ramen recipe. Maybe you’re looking for marketing tips.

Either way, we’re often hunting for content that provides a solution.

Heck, the Sprout Social blog is a shining example of what we’re talking about. We’ve put together hundreds of posts dedicated to solving problems and answering questions on behalf of marketers.

Sprout blog posts

But solving a problem or answering a question is only half the battle.

After all, there are dozens (or hundreds) of blog posts out there covering any given topic.

So not only should your blog post solve a problem, but also do so in a meaningful way.

This might mean breaking down a complex topic with a more digestible approach or going in-depth on a topic that needs addressing in detail.

Considering that most high-performing blog posts around over 1,000 words according to Orbit Media , conventional wisdom tells us that top-tier posts go beyond basic information and dig into specifics.

Sprout’s own “ Best Times to Post on Social Media ” is a great example, brimming with original data and graphs. That’s exactly why it’s one of our top-performing posts.

They’re easy to read

This might seem like a no-brainer, but readability is easy to overlook.

Spoiler alert: most readers have microscopic attention spans.

If your post puts ’em to sleep within the first few seconds, chances are they’ll look elsewhere for information. This is especially true in a day and age where people can simply watch a video in lieu of reading a blog post.

As a writer, it’s your job to find a balance between relaying in-depth information and keeping your audience’s attention.

You can’t expect folks to slog through a wall of text. Instead, you should make a point to avoid jargon and present your content in a style that doesn’t make you sound like a robot.

For example,  The Verge ‘s “ How to Choose a Fitness Tracker ” is a fairly straightforward example of a simple post that gets the job done. Written at a 9th-grade level and broken up by subheaders and images, the post is easy to scan and understand for just about anyone.

Meanwhile, this post from marketing expert Brittany Berger manages to deliver a valuable lesson in marketing with a simple sentence structure and conversational tone. Presented as playful with a distinct voice and plenty of visuals to break up the text, readers naturally move from line to line wondering what comes next.

Developing a writing style comes with practice. The beauty of blogging is that you aren’t typically tied to strict formatting guidelines of traditional writing “rules” that might make your content sound stuffy.

They’re optimized (but not  too optimized!)

Given the fierce competition among marketers and search engines alike, optimizing your content for SEO (and social!) is a must-do.

Optimization is yet another balancing act, though. From keyword stuffing to clickbait and beyond, writers can’t afford to sacrifice readability and quality for the sake of trying to score clicks.

But as proven by tons of bloggers out there, it’s possible to find that balance between writing for humans and search engines. For example, posts like “ How to Build Your Social Media Marketing Strategy ” are able to hit on crucial keywords in a way that’s natural and doesn’t distract the reader at all.

Learning how to write a blog post involves understanding how to use keywords in a non-spammy way

If you keep these three principles in mind each time you sit down to write a post, you’re already way ahead of the curve.

How to write better blog posts: Our foolproof framework

Okay, so how do you take these tips and put them into action when it comes time to write?

Good question!

Staring at the proverbial blank page is one of the worst feelings in the world for blog writers.

That’s why we recommend having some sort of framework in place when it comes time to write a blog post. This rings true whether you’re starting a post from scratch or are revising older content. Below is our list of tactics and tools to help get you going.

Choose a blog post format before you start writing

Instead of relying on a cut-and-paste blog post template that might come off as cookie-cutter to readers, we recommend simply picking a blog post format before you start writing a post.

Doing so will make it much easier to organize your ideas and actually start writing.

Below are three types of blog posts that typically get shared around. Although these certainly aren’t the only types of blog posts, they’re can be adapted to just about any topic with ease.

  • How-to’s , which live up to their namesake by explaining how to tackle a certain task or problem (ex: “ How to Get a Customer to Edit Their Negative Review “)
  • Listicles , which is simply a blog post formatted as a list (ex: “ The Business of DIY: 10 Things to Make and Sell Online “)
  • Question-based posts , which respond to or pose a question with Who, What, When, or Where? (ex: “ Why Netflix Cancelled Your Favorite Show ” or ex: “ When is the Best Time to Send Emails? “)

Let’s briefly break down each of these types of blog posts and why they work so well.

How-to blog posts

The concept of a how-to post is self-explanatory. Such posts provide an opportunity to take a deep dive into a specific topic. How-to posts have very specific search-intent and allow you to target niche audiences looking for expertise.

Given that many Google searches are centered around “how to” queries, it’s no surprise that many businesses use them as the foundation for their blogs. For example, brands like Campaign Monitor put together tons of how-to guides covering specific topics for their audience of email marketers.

"How-to" blog posts attack a specific problem for readers

Listicle blog posts

Popularized by the likes of Buzzfeed, list-style posts might seem a bit overdone or cliche.

However, it’s hard to ignore their popularity and  why they’re all the rage in the first place.

After all, listicles are easy to digest at a glance and can be skimmed by busy readers. Additionally, subheaders can help people zero in on key points without necessarily having to read an entire article.

Listicle formatting is easy for readers to skim

Additionally, lists are straightforward for writers to put together and can help break down larger topics into smaller pieces. For writers and readers alike, this sort of simplicity is a win-win.

Question-based blog posts

These types of posts address a specific question readers might have, helping writers hone in their focus on a single topic.

Unlike how-to posts, these types of blogs don’t necessarily teach readers how to do something but rather provide insight to the topic at hand.

These types of posts can be broad in scope but do well to pique the curiosity of the reader. This headline and post from The Takeout is a great example of a question-based blog that’s click-worthy at a glance. Even if you weren’t curious about meatless meats before, chances are you are now.

Question-based headlines do well to pique your readers' curiosity

Make sure your headline packs a punch

There’s an oft-cited claim that 80% of people will decide whether or not to read something based on its headline.

Meanwhile, 60% of people will actually share an article on social media without actually reading it.

In a day and age dominated by clickbait headlines , bloggers are tasked with writing compelling headlines that attract readers without pulling a bait-and-switch.

How do you make it happen, though? Most of the examples we’ve cited so far represent click-worthy, shareable content that you’d see passed around social based on their headlines.

Perhaps what’s most important is framing your article as presenting can’t-miss.

For example, “ The Most Important Social Media Metrics to Track ” doesn’t just cover any social metrics: it covers  the most important ones .

Or consider the “must” in “ 9 Skills Every Social Media Manager Must Have .” By presenting these skills as must-have, readers naturally want to see if their own skills match up the post.

See how that works?

To figure out whether or not your headline packs a punch, tools such as  CoSchedule’s headline analyzer can be a game-changer. In short, the tool assigns a score to your headlines based on readability, “power words” and other elements that drive people to read and share posts.

CoSchedule's headline analyzer can help hone in your blog post headlines so they pack a puch

This tool isn’t the be-all, end-all of headline writing but can definitely help you brainstorm ideas.

Double-check your content and formatting for readability

Conventional wisdom tells us that most people read at a 7th-grade level.

Translation? Businesses should strive to avoid language that’s too lofty, if possible.

Remember: you’re not writing a college essay. Rules such as “five to seven sentences per paragraph” that you learned in English class don’t exactly fly in the blogging world.

Tools such as the Hemingway Editor can help you identify opportunities to make your content more readable. The cut-and-paste app detects words and sentences that might be confusing to readers and highlights them throughout your text.

The Hemingway Editor can hep double-check that your blog posts are readable

Many writers also use tools like Grammarly to avoid common grammatical issues and awkward phrases. This is an especially useful tool if you’re new to blog writing or don’t often write long-form content.

We should note that while readability checkers are definitely useful, you shouldn’t expect anything you write to be totally “perfect” based on these tools. The checks they run represent just one set of guidelines, and as you develop a unique writing voice you’ll inevitably vary a bit from them.

Your audience matters too: for example, let’s say you’re writing about a technical subject are addressing a college-educated audience. A higher readability grade is just fine in these cases.

But also consider that it’s possible to cover technical topics without completely going over your readers’ head. Case in point,  Wired ‘s “ AI and the Future of Work ” touches on a topic for the tech-savvy but is written as an accessible 9th-grade level.

You’ve probably noticed by now that so much of figuring out how to write a blog post is a balancing act. The more you write, the easier it is to find those balances over time.

Format your post to be scroll-friendly

Formatting is a huge aspect of readability and shareability for your blog posts.

Think about how the format of your point can naturally draw your reader from one sentence to the next.

That’s why most bloggers restrict their paragraphs to no more than three sentences. This helps create a sense of flow and likewise won’t overwhelm anyone reading a post via mobile.

Posts should also be broken up frequently by subheaders, again making your content easy to scan. Many bloggers try to insert a subheader at least every 300 words.

Beyond subheaders, visuals are also a critical component of format and readability.

Considering that 65% of people consider themselves to be visual learners, don’t neglect the importance of giving your readers something to look at beyond text.

Note that we typically include a variety of examples, images and screenshots throughout our posts here at Sprout. Most bloggers include three to four images per blog post , but writers should feel free to include as many visuals as they see fit.

What sort of visuals are we talking about, though?

Going beyond stock photos or screenshots, consider how you can whip up a graphic or quote with the help of a tool like Canva .

Canva is a fantastic tool for creating images for your blog posts

Bear in mind that you can also use social embeds to break up your blog posts, too. For bloggers using WordPress, social links you copy-and-paste will immediately populate without issue.

Agencies, forget quick wins. It's time to play to your existing strengths. #ThinkActAdapt #AgencyLife https://t.co/qsRiFzlcGt — Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) September 10, 2019

Similarly, you can embed YouTube videos in your content as well.

The takeaway here is to find opportunities to keep your readers scrolling with the help of headers and visuals. Doing so not only helps make your pieces more entertaining but also provides a visual representation of whatever you’re blogging about.

Mind what optimization means for SEO

SEO is central to just about any blog strategy.

Of course, sacrificing readability for the sake of SEO is a common mistake among bloggers competing for keywords.

Again, the concept of balance rears its head. For starters, take the time to do proper keyword research via SEO tools and start with keywords you might realistically rank for.

If you’re using WordPress, tools such as  Yoast can help you tick the boxes of search optimization while ensuring that your content is reader-friendly.

Yoast suggestions are an important piece of optimizing your blog posts for SEO

Like the other tools highlighted above, you shouldn’t worry about your posts being absolutely “perfect” from an SEO perspective. Few posts will ever get the total green light from Yoast. Simply use such as tools as a guide to double-check that you aren’t missing any obvious opportunities for optimization.

Quick blog writing tips and tactics to keep in mind

By now you probably have a good idea of how to write a blog post.

Your job isn’t quite done yet, though.

Becoming a better blogger is an ongoing process that’s far from over once your posts go live. To wrap things up, here are some quick tips for bloggers to create high-performing, share-worthy content over time.

Analyze your top-performing blog posts

If you want to figure out which of your blog posts are your “best,” look no further than your analytics.

In addition to traffic for individual posts, consider how metrics such as bounce rate and clicks can clue you in the posts that readers interact with the most.

Google Analytics can help you keep track of your blog traffic and social shares

The same rules apply to metrics such as social shares and clicks. Through social analytics , you can discover common threads between the types of content that your readers share.

Don’t forget to promote your content on social media!

Given the hours involved in putting together a quality post, content distribution should be a top priority for each post you publish.

And consider how social media is central to promoting your blog to current and new readers alike. Through Sprout’s social media scheduling and publishing suite, you can schedule and reschedule your posts across social media to maximize your readership. Additionally, tools such as Viralpost ensure that your blog-centric posts go live when readers are most likely to see them.

Sprout publishing calendar

Be willing to practice and learn from other bloggers

This might be cliche, but becoming a better blogger doesn’t happen overnight.

Through consistent reading and writing, you can develop better writing habits and style all your own. When you spot a blog post that you find engaging, take the time to dig into  why it clicked with you.

Was it the writer’s voice? Was it the level of depth that the post went into? Paying attention to these points and emulating them in your own writing can put you on the path to more compelling content yourself.

How to find and pay blog writers

It’s totally understandable that for many brands and marketing teams, doing all the writing in house is a daunting task. In that case, you’re most likely looking for outside assistance in the form of freelance bloggers.

Onboarding and managing freelancers brings its own set of tasks, but can be well worth it to expand your publishing scale.

One of the most common questions when starting the search is how much you should be paying for a blog post. This can vary greatly based on expertise, the uniqueness of your content or brand niche, and the need to research or source images for the posts you’re requesting.

You might find a writer in the $25 to $150 range for one article on a simpler topic or shorter word count. Posts on more complex topics requiring detailed research, interviews or stats may start at $150 and go much higher depending on factors like the word count or experience level of the writer.

Ready to start writing better blog posts?

Writing a high-quality blog post isn’t a simple as it seems.

At the end of the day, your end goal should be to produce better content than what’s already out there.

Whether it’s through a distinct sense of style or in-depth information, you can figure out how to write a blog post that provides value to your readers.

With the help of these tips and plenty of practice, you can do exactly that sooner rather than later. Learn more about the fundamentals of a winning content marketing strategy to improve your blog.

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Build and grow stronger relationships on social

Sprout Social helps you understand and reach your audience, engage your community and measure performance with the only all-in-one social media management platform built for connection.

Make The Leap

How to write a blog post (10 foolproof tips).

Blogs may have started as online diaries in the 1990s , but they’ve undergone a massive transformation since then. Now, they’re a crucial content marketing tool for creators and brands of all sizes — and one of the best ways to get noticed online. 

Solo entrepreneurs use blog content to hook leads and establish themselves as thought leaders. Course creators use blogs to prove their expertise and create demand for their online courses. Large brands use blogs to make sure they’re top-of-mind for key industry search terms. If you’re reading this, you probably already have an idea of what personal or business goals blogging could help you reach.

In this article, we’ll break down how to write great blog posts that boost your website’s traffic and drive new customers to your online courses . These tips are great for beginners, but they’re also perfect for professional bloggers who want a refresher. In fact, we even discuss how we used the guide while writing this very article. (Woah, meta.) 

So let’s dive in and take your blogging skills to the next level. Here are some shortcuts, if you’re eager to jump ahead: 

  • How to write a good blog post: 10 tips

How to write a blog post outline

How to write a blog post introduction, how to write a blog post title, how to write a good a blog post: 10 tips, 1. carefully pick your topic.

The hardest part about blogging is picking what to write about. There’s no worse feeling than staring at a blank Google Doc and thinking: “Ugh, where do I even start?” On the flipside, knowing exactly what to write about is a great feeling.

So before putting fingers to keyboard, ask yourself these four questions:

  • What subject am I an expert in—and what themes interest me?
  • What has already been written about this subject? 
  • What new angle(s) could I bring to the discourse? 
  • What stories would my audience care about that I haven’t already blogged about? 

Usually, the core topics you’ll want to blog about will be tied to your business. (Or in some cases, your passions.) Lawyers write about law, marketers write about marketing, and life coaches write about life coaching. We all write about what we know best. 

Once you’ve got an established beat for your blog, you’ll want to stick to topic ideas that relate to your core subject area. This keeps your articles focused and relevant to your audience. Sticking to a niche and exploring it in depth across many articles will also help search engines like Google recognize you as an authority on the subject — so they’ll be more likely to surface your content to more people. 

2. Start with research

Once you’ve chosen a topic, do some basic research to see what others have written about the subject.  Don’t worry — you won’t need hyper-complicated search engine optimization (SEO) tactics. A cursory Google search is all it takes. 

Suppose you’re writing an article about the best cat treats for bad-tempered cats. You’d want to literally search Google for “the best cat treats for bad-tempered cats,” and read the first three or four articles that come up.

While you’re reading, ask yourself the following four questions: 

  • How is each article structured?
  • How long is each article? 
  • What tone are they using? 
  • What (if any) sources do they link? 

This won’t take long, but it’ll give you a sense for what’s ranking highly on Google and how authors of successful content address their target audiences — which very likely overlaps with yours. You’ll also come across some extra sources you can reference while writing your own blog post. Now, you’re ready to tame those angry cats. (And congrats — you’re also doing basic SEO keyword research!)

3. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes

When you’re planning a blog post, put yourself in your readers’ shoes by asking yourself these three questions: 

  • Who am I trying to reach? 
  • What do they already know about the subject I’m covering? 
  • What interests them (and what doesn’t)?

It might not be obvious why these questions are so valuable, but they’re really important for tailoring your blog posts. 

For example, imagine you’re creating a blog post about TikTok marketing to promote a course you’ve created, and wanted to include a section talking about how TikTok was different in 2019.  Audiences of marketing pros might want the extra historical context, but if you’re writing for beginners, you’d do better to focus on what works today. There isn’t a clear right answer until you know who you’re writing for. 

4. Find the hidden story 

An underlying story is the difference between a sharp, insightful blog post and an aimless puddle of words. Many new writers struggle with effective storytelling, but there’s a proven strategy you can use to ensure you’re telling a full story: focus on cause and effect . 

Once you’ve got your article title and some basic research to guide you, ask yourself these three questions: 

  • Where’s the basic starting point for this subject? 
  • What happens as a result? 
  • What might happen as a result? 

This will help you take a basic article topic and stretch it as far as it can possibly go. When we wrote this article, our basic starting point was explaining why blog posts are useful. This is the cause — and the effect is that our readers (hey, that’s you!) will become interested in writing their own blog. 

Then, we explained how to get started and pick the right topic for your blog post. The effect: you’ll probably want to learn tips for writing fast, efficiently, and clearly. Which brings us right to the next section.

5. Use simple language while writing

We’ll come right out and say it: big words don’t make you look smart. The occasional ten-dollar word is fine, but using too many will suffocate the story you’re trying to tell. When you’re writing your blog posts, focus on being clear and concise . Concision is tricky to explain, so let’s look at a good example and a bad example.

Imagine you’re blogging about cryptocurrency. To describe the blockchain, you might write that blockchains are “spreadsheets maintained across decentralized ‘peer-to-peer’ networks, [like] those used for torrenting pirated files,” as journalist Sohale Mortazavi does here . This definition is technical, sure, but it’s also simple and accessible. (Well, as simple and accessible as something like blockchain can be, anyway.)

On the flipside, you might describe Bitcoin as “a swarm of cyber hornets serving the goddess of wisdom, feeding on the fire of truth, exponentially growing ever smarter, faster, and stronger behind a wall of encrypted energy.” Yes, that is a real quote from Bitcoin believer Michael Saylor . And yes, it is very… complex writing. 

The point is: keep it simple. Avoid confusing metaphors, and write like you want your grandparents to understand you. It’ll help you write faster and more effectively. (And if you honestly think they could, then you’re doing great.)

6. Read your blog post out loud

Nobody’s first draft is perfect. In fact, it’s completely normal for your first draft of a blog post to have spelling errors, a few sentence fragments, and the odd section that just… doesn’t quite work. That doesn’t make you a bad writer — it makes you human. 

Before hitting publish, take proper time to edit your article. If you’re new to editing, the best way to catch any edits is reading your post out loud. When you’re skimming through a Google Doc, typos and chunks of awkward wording can slip past you. But when you’re reading out loud, every little mistake will make you cringe. (We did it with this article, too.)

7. Credit your sources

Whether you’re working in direct quotes from external sources or paraphrasing an article you’re using for research, make absolutely sure you’ve properly cited your sources . (Like we just did here!) Plagiarism, even the accidental kind, is a major faux pas among writers. And not only is it sloppy, it can actually impact your SEO ranking . You don’t want to be that person. 

8. Use a spell-checker 

If you’re using a text editor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you already have a basic spell-checker. But these tend to only catch surface-level spelling errors, like when you mean to write “through“ instead of “thorough.”

Spell-checkers are especially valuable if you’re not writing in your native language. The nuances and tiny idiosyncrasies of a new language take a lifetime to master, and there’s no shame in making the odd mistake.

Most spell-checkers are free tools or have free tiers, and there’s a number that you can install as extensions for your text editor or internet browser. Here’s a list that’ll get you started , if you’re eager to start crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s. 

9. Use alt-text

Alt-text (short for  “alternative text”) is a short description of images that appear in your blog posts. Your alt-text simply describes what the image shows. Alt-text for an image of a cat chasing a dog might literally read “close-up of a cat chasing a dog.” It’s that simple. 

But alt-text is vitally important for accessibility and SEO reasons. Screen readers used by the visually impaired use the alt-text in place of the image itself, so if you don’t use alt-text, a portion of your readers won’t know what visuals you’ve included. Alt-text also helps clarify the semantic meaning of the image, and it’s an extra signal to search engines that your blog post should rank more highly. 

Good alt-text is short and descriptive. Include any visible text that’s on your image (like words on a sign), and don’t stuff your alt-text full of keywords. Alt-text is an accessibility tool, so that just makes you look tacky. 

10. Link to examples and rich media

When you’re writing your blog post, make sure to add links to examples that are relevant to your article. External links show both your audience and Google that you’ve done your research, and they’re a key way to build strong SEO in your articles. 

The rule-of-thumb is that every time you reference something that’s not common knowledge, you should add a link. You can talk about high school being hard without requiring a link, but if you want to reference how the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand kick-started WWI , you should probably include a link. (Like we did here.)

You should also add links to rich media — pieces of content like Instagram posts and tweets — that further illustrate the points you’re making in your blog posts. This post you’re reading right now is about writing and the power of one’s voice, so we’ll use this space to link to a motivational quote from writer Angie Thomas . (Take note: this is us giving an example. We practice what we preach.)

A quote on Instagram from author Angie Thomas: "I wish when I was 15 that I realized my voice was important and that even my thoughts and my opinions had value."

Taking the time to create a blog post outline makes the process of actually writing your post a lot easier. With a strong outline, all you have to do is flesh out ideas and fill in the gaps.

Here’s how to get started. Once you’ve picked a topic, done research, and sketched out the story you want to tell, write down all of your headlines and subheadings. (Those’re the bolded titles of each section, like the one just above here.)  

Then, start taking bullet notes under each relevant headline of what you want to talk about — bringing in the research you’ve already done. Grouping your research before you start writing will make it easy to structure your ideas, and save you major time searching for that one quote you need to make your point.

What’s more, those subheadings provide natural transition points between different sections of the article. There’s no way you’ll accidentally write an endless wall of text because you already have a structure. And later on, the subheadings will make it easier for readers to find what they’re looking for, too.

(Using skimmable subheadings is also a smart SEO strategy, but that’s a whole other can of worms. We dive deep into it in our guide to SEO for course creators. So if you’re curious, this is where you should go next.)

Your introduction should be the very last part of your blog post that you write. This might seem counterintuitive, but seasoned writers know it’s a key way to save time while writing — and prevent a serious stress headache. So let’s explore why. 

The introduction and title set up everything that comes after them. And when you’ve got an empty Google Doc, you don’t actually know exactly which directions your article will go in. If you write an intro and title first, you might end up writing a totally different article. (Which just creates more work for you.)

Instead, do your research, write your outline, and jump right into the meat of your blog post. Once you’ve got a good first draft, come back to the introduction, and pick a title that fits with the actual article sitting in your Google Doc. 

(Note: this isn’t a beginner tip even slightly . As I’m writing this very sentence, the introduction section of this article is completely empty. I’ll figure it out later, like I said.)

Pick your title once you’ve finished writing (unless the right title is clear from the start). Your title should sum up what you’re going to talk about in the article, but still have some intrigue. It should be short and descriptive, instead of long and fluffy. 

If you’ve ever been on PubMed, you’ll know that there’s a million research articles with long titles like “Eating regulation styles, appearance schemas, and body satisfaction predict changes in body fat for emerging adults.” It’s crammed with keywords and information — and for academic research, that’s fine. 

But for a blog post, you probably want something a bit catchier. For the example above, you could title it, “The New Trends Determining Body Satisfaction.” This still hints at what’s in the article, but doesn’t show all the cards at once. That’s enough of a hook to pull readers in. Short and simple is the way to go. 

So, what’s next?

Now that you know how to write a killer blog post, you might be looking for ways to turn subjects you’re an expert on into profitable online courses. (Especially if you’re an entrepreneur or educator.)

That’s where Thinkific comes in. We make it easy to scale your business by offering self-guided online courses and membership sites. Our easy-to-use course design platform helps coaches, educators, and digital content creators  build engaging, custom eLearning experiences and grow sustainable online businesses. 

Try Thinkific for free and get the course creation, marketing, and selling tools you need to take your business up a notch. (No tech skills required!)

Luke is a content marketing strategist at Thinkific. While he likes to use a little alliteration in his work, he’s also aware that readers aren’t always in awe of his atrocious adjective additives.

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how to write blog articles

How to write a blog post that your audience will actually want to read

Your comprehensive guide to writing a compelling and high-quality blog post.

how to write blog articles

All you need to do to write a great blog post is find your readers, capture their interest, and provide them with all the information they might need in an informative and entertaining manner.

That task sounds so simple until the moment you set your fingers to the keyboard. Luckily the core intention of blog writing is simple — to connect readers to their desired information in the clearest way possible. By breaking that task down into steps, writing becomes a whole lot easier.

Despite challenges, blogging is a great way to reach your target audience and build traffic for your website. Blogging gives you a way to connect with your audience and talk about things that are important to them. It builds linking relationships with other websites and blogs in your field. It also provides a huge source of search engine-generated traffic, which can bring new people to your site.

You’ll need more than formulaic clickbait to capture the attention of readers and rank on search engine results pages (SERPs). Instead, you’ll have to create high-quality content that entertains and educates. Blog pages that readers stay on, read through, and follow links from perform better on search anyway. Use this quality-first approach to build a blog post that will drive traffic to your site and provide value to your readers.

Build a strategy for your blog post

Your content strategy helps you rank for search engine optimization (SEO) focused keywords and build backlinks . Build your strategy by finding keywords to target and optimizing content for them.

Do keyword research

Keyword research will help you determine what keywords you should target in your blog. Keyword research is also a great way to find inspiration and come up with blog post ideas for posts if you’re feeling stuck creatively.

To find promising keywords to target, start by looking at your own website and what search terms visitors use to find it. Perform a competitor analysis to see what keywords sites similar to yours are ranking for. From there, use a keyword research tool to look up similar keywords, related phrases, and any other terms related to your field that might be appropriate.

The most used keyword research and analytics tools to start with are: 

  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console

Some keywords might have a ton of search volume (how many people are searching for that keyword) but higher keyword difficulty (how much competition you have to rank for that keyword). Others, called long-tail keywords , might have a lower search volume but be more specific and easier to rank for. Those are valuable to you if you can target them. They may not reach as many people, but they are more likely to reach the right audience for you. 

Determine search intent for your keyword

Search intent is essential to keep in mind. You can rank first for a keyword, but if your blog post doesn’t match the reason people are searching that keyword, you still won’t reach your target audience. You need to answer these questions: 

  • Who is searching for this keyword? 
  • Why are they searching for this keyword?
  • What information do they need from the article they find with this keyword?

Search intent falls into four categories:

Informational. The most common search you will be targeting is a search for information. It may be a question people need answered or a term they want a definition for. Informational searches might include:

  • Who is Dolly Parton
  • Jolene Lyrics
  • Where is Dollywood

Commercial investigation. Searchers are looking for specific information, reviews, or advice before making a purchase: 

  • Dumplin’ CD vs. vinyl
  • Which Dolly Parton album to buy

Transactional. Searchers are looking to make a purchase immediately: 

  • Dolly Parton merch coupon
  • Buy Dolly Parton costume
  • Dolly Parton concert tickets

Navigational. Searchers are finding a specific website by entering it into a search engine instead of typing out the URL directly:

  • Dolly Parton official fansite login
  • Dolly Parton Twitter

Get information about the reader’s search intent by looking at keyword modifiers: words like “how to,” “why,” “compare,” or “buy.” This context tells you more about why searchers are looking up a specific topic. You can also look up related searches in a keyword research tool to gain more information. You’ll also want to look at the current SERP to see what articles are ranking and what type of information they contain.

Search intent also involves the experience level of a reader. Someone searching “What is funnel marketing” might be fairly new to the field and will need an article that gives them basic information about the topic. On the other hand, someone searching for “build KPI dashboard no-code” is clearly working in the field already and will want more advanced information.

Optimize your post for search 

Include your keyword clearly where it is relevant so visitors and search engines can understand what your content is about. Put your keyword in the title of the page, H2s, and the body text of your blog post when relevant.

Don’t just cram your keyword into a blog post regardless of context. This is called keyword stuffing . It will turn off readers and harm your search ranking. 

The other important things to look at when optimizing your post for search are:

  • Page URL . Keep your URL slug short ( generally three to six words ), relevant, and include your keyword in it.
  • Meta description and alt text . Make sure you’re setting these throughout your post and include the keyword where relevant. 
  • Internal links . Link to other relevant pages on your website and other blog posts that might be useful for a reader. That will help keep visitors on your site.
  • Authoritative links . Link to outside sources like studies from reputable studies, news agencies, and other pages relevant to your topic or field. These resources will help boost your credibility and provide additional context that makes your post easier to read and understand. 
  • Responsive design . Work with developers to make sure your blog design is responsive and optimized for mobile and other devices. Not only will your readers often be visiting on their mobile devices, but responsive design helps improve accessibility and search engine ranking. 

Decide on a format for your blog article

Blog posts can take many creative forms. Find inspiration and keep your audience engaged by trying out some of these different formats:

Teach your audience how to do something. You can write a step-by-step guide or a how-to article. It could be a beginner’s guide or an advanced technique you want to share with other experts. Guides are useful to readers and can bring in a high volume of consistent search traffic. 

Website SEO: the beginner's guide to ranking on Google

Explain how someone did something. These are great for promoting your service or product. People love to learn by example, and a case study can inspire the reader to try something new.

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Write a list! These types of posts are great for expressing an opinion and providing recommendations. They can inspire the reader by sharing great examples or inspirations. News: Has something important happened in your field? Explain it to your readers, give context, and provide sources. This type of post is good for short-term traffic boosts.

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Thought leadership

Explain a perspective or a big idea you have that impacts your field. Dive deep into an interesting topic. What are you passionate about? Provide your opinion, explore a topic from front to back, or examine a big-picture idea. 

90s jazz design: cups, controversy, and nostalgia

If there is someone in your field with expertise, interview them and write up your findings in a blog post. Write about their history, their unique experience, the way they found success, or their advice. Bringing in outside experts can also help bring their followers to your blog.

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Build a logical structure for your reader

A solid structure helps readers know what to expect so they can focus on the substance of your article. You are essentially telling a story with a beginning and end, with important points plotted out along the way. 

Headline: Let the reader know what to expect

A headline needs to be informative and intriguing, and the content of your article should match the expectation set up by your headline. 

A “How to” headline generally means the article should teach the reader something in steps. Therefore, your subsequent headers (H2s) should note the specific steps. To provoke interest, you can use superlatives — like best, definitive, ultimate, most, or easiest — when appropriate. 

Readers also tend to love lists with numbers, so including a number in your title drives clicks. Another easy tip to drive traffic is by headlining an article with a question and then answering it. Searchers tend to word things as questions — especially in today's world with voice search devices — so a headline as a question will perform better on search.

Use a tool like Headline Studio if you want help evaluating the quality of your headline ideas. 

Subheaders: Build a narrative for your reader

Next, build a structure for your article consisting of sections and subheadings. People reading online will often skim an article and its headers to find out if it has the content they are looking for. The headers should create a clear narrative on their own. 

Headers are also important for SEO — search algorithms crawl headers to understand the content of a page — and for accessibility to people using screen readers.

As a rule of thumb, headers should “ladder” through your article. The H1 is the title. H2s create the main structure of the blog post. H3s and H4s nest under those H2s to give clearer structure to each section. I used lyrics from Dolly Parton’s famous song “Jolene,” as an example of what building your header structure could look like:

H1 Title: I'm begging of you please don't take my man

Subheader: A request for Jolene

H2: Reasons I am concerned you may take my man

H3: He talks about you in his sleep

H3: Your beauty is beyond compare

H4: With flaming locks of auburn hair

H4: With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green

H4: Your smile is like a breath of spring

H4: Your voice is soft like summer rain

H2: Reasons you should not take my man

H3: You could have your choice of men

H3:   I could never love again

H2 Conclusion: My happiness depends on you

Introduction: Capture the reader’s interest

A blog post begins with an introduction. Your introduction should capture the reader’s attention and make them want to read the rest of your post. It begins with a hook to grab the reader’s interest and ends with a thesis that lets them know what information you will be giving them in the rest of your article.

Your hook is the first line or paragraph of your introduction that you use to capture the reader’s attention. It is called a hook because it “hooks” the reader’s attention like a fish on a line. You might start with an unexpected or contradictory statement, an interesting metaphor, a question, or a surprising fact or statistic. Quotes or anecdotes can create a personal connection to the reader.

Your hook leads naturally into your thesis, where you summarize the argument you are about to make toward the end of your introduction. Your thesis then explains the substance of your article that will keep them reading past the introduction. With your hook, you want to set clear expectations for the reader for the rest of your blog post. 

Sections: Fill out subheadings with relevant information

Your headers trace out a narrative — all you have to do is fill out the right information in each section. Begin each section with the main point in a sentence so they know what to expect, then build additional context in the rest of the section.

One guiding principle that can help you write clearer, more concise blog content is the MECE framework . It stands for mutually exclusive — content doesn’t repeat or overlap — and collectively exhaustive — content covers all of the needed information with no gaps. MECE was originally invented at McKinsey to help evaluate potential consultants on their logical thinking. Using this framework can help you communicate clearly and logically to your readers.

Conclusion: Give the reader a takeaway

Finish your draft with a conclusion that gives the reader clear next steps now that they have read your blog post. 

The conclusion shouldn’t summarize the article. Instead, it should give readers a thread they can continue to follow after they finish. What should the reader do or think about now that they have the information in your blog post? If you have a product or service to offer, this is where a call to action is appropriate to include.

Use clear and consistent language

The last step is to actually write your blog post. When writing for a blog, keep your writing clear and simple. Use short sentences and paragraphs, and keep your language concise and uncomplicated. 

Blog readers are often distracted or skimming an article looking for particular information, so you want your post to be very clear and easy to read. Use tools like Clearscope, Grammarly , or the Hemingway Editor to help refine your writing.

While clarity is key, there is still room for personality. Your voice as a writer might be formal and authoritative. It might be warm, helpful, and supportive. It might even be funny or tongue-in-cheek. Voice comes across in the details, such as the use of contractions, word choice, and frequency of idioms, so think about these things when you write. Don’t force it. Instead, keep it simple, write however feels natural, and let your voice evolve naturally over time as you get more comfortable writing.

Make a creative blog for your post to live on

A blog is not a single post. A blog is a collection of information and writing that builds an entire body of content. Ideally, the work you have done writing a blog post will be helpful for the reader, and they will want to continue exploring your website. Build a rich blog they can come back to over and over.

Start with a blog template and customize it to suit your audience. Take inspiration from the blog designs that you find appealing or enjoy navigating. Enrich your blog with photographs or illustrations, infographics, diagrams, or colorful designs. Create your own or find stock photos on one of the many marketplaces on the web.

As you build a readership, continue to analyze your audience’s behavior and measure your blog performance . Build hub-and-spoke content to establish your website as a source of expertise in your field. Refresh articles over time when they become outdated or lose traffic. Nurture your blog over time so you can build it into a valued source of information and entertainment for your readers.

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How to Write a Good Blog Post: Complete Guide

Last Updated: January 15, 2024 Approved

Finding Your Style

Opening the post, writing and organizing, editing and closing, managing your blog, expert interview, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Rut Nastiti . Rut Nastiti is a Social Media Manager at Innovations for Poverty Action based in Washington D.C. With over six years of professional experience, Rut uses her skills in online content creation, graphic design, public relations, and communications planning to lead Innovations for Poverty Action's social media policy and strategy initiatives. Rut received her Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Communication Arts from Wartburg College. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 85% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 60,146 times.

In our current digital age, blogging is a great way to reach a wide audience of readers. Maybe you want to blog about your love of cats, or the most recent presidential debate. Or maybe you are blogging to promote a product on social media. Whatever the reason, a good blog post takes time to craft and get just right so it will be worth reading.

Step 1 Research other blogs that are similar to your blog.

  • For example, if you’re creating a home and food blog, scroll through other popular home and food blogs. Notice the layout, content, and images on the other blogs. Pay attention to how long the posts are, the frequency of the posts, the writing style, and the subject matter.
  • If you’re creating a business blog, look at how other sites approach a certain business topic. Also, note if the site has an active comments board and how often the writers respond to reader comments.

Step 2 Consider who you’re writing to, or your audience.

  • If you are writing for a personal blog meant for only close friends and family, you can likely be as honest or casual as you’d like. You also won’t need to explain that Toby is your 4 year old son or Baxter is your cat.
  • Treat a personal blog like a conversation. Write like you are chatting with a close friend or family member. Avoid jargon, complicated sentences, or cliches. [3] X Research source The reader wants to feel like they are getting to know you, so don’t be afraid to put your unique voice front and center.
  • If you are writing for a personal blog that is meant for a larger audience, you can still write casually and honestly. But you may need to include references, a glossary, or explanations to ensure your readers can follow along.
  • Though business blogs or marketing blogs may be a bit more formal, they should still have a conversational tone. Above all, you want to avoid confusing or boring the reader.
  • For a business or marketing blog, think about what your readers expect from your blog. Are you providing information to your readers/buyers? Are you trying to persuade them to buy a certain product? [4] X Research source
  • It’s also important to think about the information your readers already have. If the majority of your readers are Millennials looking to start their own business, you probably don’t need to provide information about how to use social media. But you may want to give them information on how to adjust their approach to social media to be more business-savvy.

Step 3 Think about what you can say differently about a certain topic or issue.

  • For example, you are writing a blog post about how to make chocolate cake on your personal food blog. Of course, there are many recipes for chocolate cake online. So what makes your recipe stand out? Are you adding interesting ingredients like salt or candy? Or are you using a unique technique to make the chocolate cake?

Step 1 Choose your topic.

  • If you are writing a personal blog about fashion, you may want to consider a fashion issue or problem you are interested in discussing. This could be the lack of nice clothing for plus size women, the neon fall trend that won’t go away, or even your struggle with finding the right pair of jeans.
  • If you are writing a business blog, you may want to focus on a particular aspect of your business that might be interesting to your customers. For example, if you run a retail camera store, you may want to talk about the latest camera releases, or a more specific topic like your favorite digital camera on the market.

Step 2 Come up with a title.

  • Make the headline of your title strong, concrete, and punchy, which basically will attract your reader.
  • Don’t be afraid to have a bold title. The title is the first thing the reader will see on your blog, so make it attention-grabbing. [6] X Research source
  • It may be better to have a simple title, rather than a complicated or confusing one. Though you may want to be snappy or witty, often titles that are clear and easy to read are the most effective. [7] X Research source
  • For example, a blog post on your food blog about a chocolate cake recipe could have the title like: “My Amazing Salted Chocolate Cake Recipe”.
  • A blog post about finding the perfect pair of jeans could be: “Blue Jean Blues: Finding the Perfect Pair”. Or something shorter and simpler, like: “My Search for the Perfect Pair of Jeans.”
  • If you are writing a blog post on your favorite camera on the market, you could use a title like: “The Best Point and Shoots Out Right Now”. Or something more formal like: “My Top Ten Best Digital Cameras on the Market”.

Step 3 Write a captivating opening.

  • Identify a need. [9] X Research source Think about what problems or issues the reader would want to solve. Create an opening line that promises to answer this need. For example, on your food blog, you identify a need for your reader to learn how to properly ice a cake. Your opening sentences could be: “We’ve all been there. Your child’s birthday is set to start in an hour, but you can’t figure out how to ice the triple layer chocolate cake.”
  • Ask an intriguing question. Use a question that leaves little room for the reader to respond with anything but “yes”. Make the question seem interesting enough to the reader. For example, on your camera blog, you could begin with: “Looking for a digital camera that produces top quality images, but doesn’t weigh a ton? Ready to switch to a point and shoot, but shopping on a budget?” [10] X Research source
  • Say something unexpected. But make sure it still relates to the topic of your post. This could be a unique statement or phrase that you haven’t used often on your blog. The idea is to jolt the reader into paying attention. For example, if you often talk about cakes or cookies on your food blog, begin a post on pies with: “Okay readers, it’s time for me to do something radically different on here. I give you: lemon meringue pie.” [11] X Research source
  • Make a claim or promise. This technique works well for business blogs that are selling a product or providing product information to their readers. Just make sure you can back up your claim with solid content. For example, the camera post could begin with: “Today, I am going to help you buy the best digital camera you have ever owned.” [12] X Research source

Step 1 Organize your content.

  • Create an outline for the post. Break the topic down into sections, short paragraphs, or subtitles. [13] X Research source
  • If you are writing a blog post with a recipe, you may want to create a separate section for the recipe and then a separate section with the directions. Or if you are writing a post with a list, use numbers to organize the content.
  • Download free blog post templates online, which are pre-organized based on the most common blog post types. [14] X Research source

Step 2 Draw on outside sources and content.

  • You could include customer testimonials, expert quotes and industry research or data.
  • You could also include a seconding of your claim from another blogger who is considered an expert or tastemaker in the eyes of your audience.

Step 3 Break down the topic.

  • If you are writing a blog post with a recipe, breakdown each step in the recipe. Explain how the reader can whisk the eggs, combine the wet and dry ingredients, or place the cake in the oven. Be specific and go through each step in a logical order.
  • If you are writing a more opinionated post, like the best ten digital cameras, back up each camera with a personal note about your experience with each camera. Include your reasons why each camera is worth the reader’s attention.

Step 4 Keep the content concise and to the point.

  • Remember that your blog has an unlimited amount of space for posts and images. So don’t be afraid to focus on one aspect of a topic and then expand on another aspect in another blog post.

Step 1 Include a call to action.

  • You can also include a “tweet this quote” option on a quote from the post, or add a share button for Facebook or Twitter. [19] X Research source

Step 2 Add tags.

  • Think of tags as keywords, terms, or categories that relate to the post. Avoid a laundry list of terms and only include terms that apply to the topic of the post. [20] X Research source

Step 3 Add a feature image.

  • Focus on images that look interesting, are easy to understand, and trigger an emotion in the reader. [22] X Research source

Step 4 Revise the post.

  • If you are writing a personal blog post, it may be useful to read the post out loud. That way you can check that the voice sounds natural and casual.

Step 1 Publish the post at the right time.

  • Most blog experts argue that posts published on weekdays will get more exposure and traffic than posts published on weekends.
  • Public holidays are also not the best times for publishing a post as web traffic is usually already down during these times.
  • Figure out the best time of day for you to publish posts by testing out different publishing times with your audience.

Step 2 Update the post.

  • If you are updating your blog on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, keep it consistent so your readers know when to look for new content on your blog.

Step 3 Respond to reader comments.

  • Responding to reader comments also allows other readers to have conversations with each other on your blog. This builds reader loyalty, and creates a space where readers feel like they can talk and “belong”. It also gives the content of the post more depth by including other opinions and impressions from readers.

Rut Nastiti

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  • ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-a-good-blog.html
  • ↑ http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-blog-post-simple-formula-ht
  • ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/06/01/how-to-write-the-perfect-business-blog-post/
  • ↑ http://socialtriggers.com/perfect-blog-post/
  • ↑ http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/23/11-ways-to-open-a-post-and-get-reader-engagement/
  • ↑ http://offers.hubspot.com/blog-post-templates
  • ↑ http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/27/does-your-next-blog-post-matter/
  • ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/06/01/how-to-write-the-perfect-business-blog-post/2/
  • ↑ http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/12/how-to-craft-a-blog-post-10-crucial-points-to-pause/

About This Article

Rut Nastiti

To write a blog post, start with a short, bold title, like "My Amazing Chocolate Cake Recipe," so it grabs the reader's attention. Then, introduce your topic by asking a fascinating question or posing a problem your readers can relate to. Next, separate the main body of your post into short, easy to follow paragraphs. Finally, add a call to action in the conclusion, like asking readers to retweet the article. For tips on how to add tags to your blog post, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to write a good blog introduction

A content marketer shares her four-part formula for writing introductions—and creating more effective content..

Hero image with an icon of a blog post

The pressure is on. 

The spotlight is blazing, the microphone is on, and everyone is watching me expectantly. 

No, it's not an open mic night at the local coffee shop. It's just the inside of my brain every time I write a blog post introduction (like this one). Getting someone hooked from the get-go is essential if you want readers to see the content you worked so hard on to the end. 

At times, though, coming up with an interesting introduction feels like fishing in a dried-up well. For times like those, it helps to have a few formulas or thought starters up your sleeve to kickstart the process. 

Let's explore tips you can use the next time your creative brain has its OOO autoresponder on. 

What a blog post introduction needs to achieve

Understanding what an introduction needs to do helps you gauge whether you've hit the mark (and can call a draft "done"). I have three goals each time I start a blog post:

Excite readers and give them a reason to read more

Introduce a new perspective on the topic

Set expectations about what a reader will learn

Keep this in mind, though: your blog post intro should achieve these goals quickly. After you've written your introduction, read it through again and see if you can delete any sentences—or even paragraphs—without losing any meaning or effect.

A 4-part formula to make writing introductions easier

I've broken down the intro-writing process into four components. Review these best practices, try using the formula, and then adapt it to your writing style. 

First up: a line or two to catch someone's attention. If you struggle to come up with a great first sentence, wait until the draft is ready. Then write something that plays off an angle in the content.

Do use a personal story or analogy to make it interesting.

Don't state the obvious. Sentences along the lines of "We've all seen…" or "X is a well-established trend…" are redundant. 

Next, you need to let readers know why they should care about what you're about to say. Describe the issue, make a relatable joke, include an expert quote, or give some background on how the problem came to be. 

Do think about who will read the post and how the topic affects them. 

Don't lean on worn-out, over-dramatic, or outdated stats to build up the problem to be bigger than it is. 

3. Solution

Now it's time to address the reason someone would read your blog post in the first place—a solution. Set up the antidote to the problem, and go ahead and work your primary keyword in here. 

Do opt for clarity over cleverness here.

Don't abuse your keyword privileges by stuffing every search term into a sentence. 

4. Expectations

Finally, I like to include a sneak peek of what's coming up. Ideally, you can state what a reader will be able to do once they're through with reading. Readers want actionable content. 

Do focus on the positive outcome for the reader. 

Don't slip into the "five-paragraph essay" trap of saying "Today, I'll be writing about X,Y, and Z." 

Example blog post introductions

So far, we've just been talking the talk. It's time to see how four-part blog post openers work in the wild, putting my own writing under the microscope. 

Storytelling with ConvertKit

ConvertKit helps creators build their businesses, so I always try to put myself in the reader's shoes in the introductions . 

An example introduction from ConvertKit

My goal: Help creators see themselves in the story and say "hey, that's me!"

What I wrote: "Your podcast downloads are climbing up and up every week, and you just landed a dream guest. It feels like your podcast is growing—and that's a wonderful feeling."

My goal: Have readers think critically about their business. 

What I wrote: "Do you know what's really making all the difference, though? Could you pinpoint what percent of customers converted because of your podcast? Are you aware of which promotional channels are bringing in the most listeners?"

My goal: Reassure readers since it could be a sensitive or frustrating topic.

What I wrote: "If you don't, you aren't alone. Making sense of how your podcast helps you grow your business doesn't come easily for podcasters both new and experienced. You deserve to understand how your efforts are paying off, though. That way, you know what to double down on—and what to cut loose."

Expectations

My goal: Reiterate that the post wouldn't just be a list of metrics without any next-step guidance. 

What I wrote:  "With a little strategy and set up you'll be on your way to tracking podcast success like the savvy creator you are."

Ideal outcomes with Great Question

The brief for this blog post noted that customer research recruitment is a roadblock for teams, so I aimed to illustrate that "catch."

An example introduction from Great Question

My goal: Explain what you gain with research instead of saying "research is valuable."

What I wrote: "Customer research can offer a gold mine of insights. You gain new perspectives, confirm hunches, and get feedback on developments before you're too far down the rabbit hole."

My goal: Tease the ideal reality they could have, and introduce the monster standing in the way of the quest. 

What I wrote: " There's a catch, though—you need to have enough people participate."

My goal: Position research incentives as the hero in the story. 

What I wrote: "It would be great if customers wanted to be a part of your UX research out of the goodness of their hearts. Since that isn't a universally applicable strategy, we use customer research incentives to boost participation."

My goal: Preview upcoming sections that outline which incentives are best for various scenarios. 

What I wrote: "Instead of blindly throwing cash at a project, it's helpful to consider what type of incentive is best for your audience. Here's what you should know."

Intro inception with Zapier

The introduction from the current blog post

My goal: Address the pressure I was feeling during writing that readers can relate to. 

What I wrote: "The pressure is on. The spotlight is blazing, the microphone is on, and everyone is watching me expectantly. No, it's not an open mic night at the local coffee shop. It's just the inside of my brain every time I write a blog post introduction (like this one). Getting someone hooked from the get-go is essential if you want readers to see the content you worked so hard on to the end."

My goal: Use imagery in place of saying "writing is hard."

What I wrote: "At times, though, coming up with an interesting introduction feels like fishing in a dried-up well."

My goal: Introduce the way to work around a mental block. 

What I wrote: "For times like those, it helps to have a few formulas or thought starters up your sleeve to kickstart the process."

My goal: Help people understand when the information could come in handy. 

What I wrote: "Let's explore tips you can use the next time your creative brain has its OOO autoresponder on."

The best way to improve your writing is to write more

If you don't read your blog posts from two years ago and cringe a little, you aren't pushing your writing forward enough. You wouldn't be here if you weren't a passionate content marketer, so now all that's left to do is get out there and write.  

Related reading:

Content refreshing: How to update old content and boost your traffic

How to write SEO-driven blog content

How to create a content brief (with template)

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Steph Knapp is a freelance B2B + SaaS content marketer that loves educating and empowering curious humans. When she's not typing away, you'll find her volunteering at the animal shelter and obsessing over a new hobby every week.

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How to write a blog post in 2023: a step-by-step guide [Updated]

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How to write a blog post – 7 step process

1. brainstorm blog topics, 2. use keyword research to search the topic, 3. create an outline for your blog, 4. start writing the blog post, 5. edit your first draft, 6. optimize for seo, 7. promote the final article, the key takeaway.

In this article, you will have a clear idea of how to write strong blog content that actually shares your views and stands out from other articles on the web.

Blogging supports multiple purposes like enabling you to prove yourself as an authority in your niche . When you start a blog, you have the opportunity to highlight your expertise and build a community.

Written content is an essential component of a blog post. Whether you want to start a blog from scratch or remodify your blog page, know that publishing content online is an effective way to share your knowledge.

Here, we will make you understand how to write a blog post – from choosing the proper blog topics to selecting the appropriate format to publish the blog. 

But enough of that – let’s hop on today’s episode. 

Monetize my blog audience Got Your Content Ready? GRAPHY is all you need to get started!

Table of Contents

Before writing a blog post, you need to brainstorm on topics you wish to write about and the content that you love to consume online write on those topics. Whether you’re a guest blogger or have your website , finding the correct subject is a must. Relatively try to find the ideal topics by writing down different thoughts that come to mind.

There are several places you can look for new topic ideas:

  • Browse blog topics within your niche and see what your competitors are writing.
  • Research and look at current events and recent news stories related to your field.
  • Use Google Trends to find out trending topics and get new topics ideas.

Find out what your audiences enjoy knowing by browsing online course marketplaces .

Once you find some interesting blog topics ideas online, think of unique ways to write on those topics. Evaluate the various ways you can play around with topic ideas and then come up with original and fresh content.

Keyword search is an essential part of writing a blog post. This crucial SEO practice determines how to search the topics in your niche. To succeed, one must conduct keyword research to get more visibility. Use different keyword research tools to search keywords. If you’re new to blogging, use free tools such as answer the public, ubersuggest , and google keyword planner. While conducting keyword research, look for the more specific phrase it will match your audience’s goal. On the other hand, long-tail keywords tend to have higher search volumes.

However, choosing the right keywords means hitting a balance between high search volume and your purpose. Once you’ve selected your keywords, use them to shape the layout of your content. You can also google those phrases to find out how articles have targeted such keywords. It will inspire you and help you to structure your writing using keywords.

It is a must and a necessary step before you start writing your blog. However, when done well and having a framework in place allows you to concentrate on word choice and flow while you’re writing. More significantly, an outline helps to keep checking all the crucial points in your post in a rational order. While creating an outline , you can include:

  • All the major headings and sub-headings you wanted to have in your post.
  • Add bullet points for each section, describing what ideas and topics it will have.
  • Add key images and links wherever required.

It also helps to do some analysis during the outlining stage.

Finally, it’s essential to determine that your outline is your key tool. It is a primary road map to refer to when you are writing a blog post.

Actually seating down to write a blog post is an innovative and creative process. Everyone has a different approach overall.

Here are a few suggestions that will help you with how to write a blog post : 

  • Don’t think of doing self-editing while you’re writing the first draft. You will get plenty of time to go back and make changes. Just get all your ideas down from your brain.
  • Aim to write more words rather than too little. You can always later trim down your written content.
  • This is an important tip, always write your blog’s introduction and conclusion at the last. As writing an introduction takes a lot of time. However, when your entire post is ready, you have a better idea of how to best open and close the blog.

When you are a beginner and confused about how to write a blog post , these tips will boost you to kick-start your writing game.

It is the step where a lot of bloggers struggle especially beginners. The biggest mistake many people do is they write a blog post, check on its spelling mistakes, and hit the publish button.

Editing is not about spelling checks, it is way beyond it.

However, your blog post’s quality improves through an intensive editing process. Your first edit is called a rough draft, and you have to go through this process how much experience you have.

Here’s a summary of the most essential guidance you’ll want to keep in mind:

  • Don’t edit right after you’ve finished writing. Take some time, ideally a day or so.
  • Watch out for the basics, spelling, and grammar errors. It may look simple, but it takes time and shows your credibility.
  • Edit the entire post, and look over images, formats, and links. 
  • Give your post a final proofread and final read-through.

You should also keep in mind never to devote too much time to the editing and polishing process.

To include SEO in your blog, having an SEO plan is a must to optimize your content. It includes doing keyword research before the outline phase and including those keywords to shine your final piece.

It begins with spraying relevant keywords throughout your article.

Let’s explain to you in this way – you’ve selected to target the keyword “business strategies.” Use this identical phrase in your headline, in the body text, and in 1-2 subheaders as if it is a natural fit. Next, include this keyword in your meta description. It is the preview text you’ll see for articles on Google. Add the keywords to the URL of your writing and in the alt text to the blog post’s images. Use these SEO features to give your blog an overall performance growth. 

SEO is one of the essential elements when you are learning how to write a blog post.  

Once you’ve written and posted the blog post, take these essential steps to make sure your audiences read your post. Two of the most useful ways to boost your blog post and get readers are email marketing and social media marketing.

Email stays one of the most dedicated platforms for marketing, as it allows direct contact channels between you and your audience. It is a practical digital marketing strategy that involves sending out customized emails to users, and this helps them to convert audiences into loyal fans. You can even monetize your audience through your email by launching an info product using Graphy .

how to write a blog post

Also sharing your article on social media can help you target more audiences who are interested in reading your blogs. For example, you can promote your blog on Facebook or Instagram, which have one of the largest and most diverse user bases. Whichever channels you prefer, make sure you actively confront followers daily basis. It will assure that you not only write a great blog post but people also love reading your article.

These 7 are the most effective steps for beginners on how to write a blog post . Make sure you follow these steps, correct grammar, and have a consistent tone inside your blog. It is the key to maintaining reader attention. Finally, remember that blogging is all about passion, so show your love through your writing.

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how to write blog articles

Creating effective technical documentation

Author avatar

Effective feature documentation is important in enhancing a user's experience with the feature. Good documentation is like a piece of the puzzle that makes everything click — the key for encouraging feature adoption.

To support you in creating effective technical documentation, this article provides an overview of the core principles of technical writing. It also highlights the best practices for creating clear and accessible documentation. Applying these technical writing principles helps us maintain the high quality of content on MDN. Whether you're documenting your own project or product or contributing to technical content in various settings, you can improve the quality of your work by following these best practices.

Adopt clarity, conciseness, and consistency

These three Cs form the core principles of technical writing. They can take you a long way in producing quality documentation.

For achieving clarity in your writing, apply the following guidelines:

  • Use simple words and clear language. Keep in mind the audience, especially if it includes non-native English speakers.
  • Be clear about who needs to perform the action. Writing in active voice is not strictly required. However, you should use it when you want to be clear about who needs to perform the action. For example, clarify whether a function is triggered by an event or if the user needs to explicitly call the function.
  • Clearly introduce and explain new terms. This helps to lay the foundation for concepts that are covered later in the documentation.
Tip : Replace "it", "this", and "these" with proper nouns if they can refer to more than one thing in the given context.
  • Aim for one idea per sentence to improve readability.
  • Stick to one main idea per paragraph. Each sentence in a paragraph should logically connect to the one before it. Imagine if each sentence in a paragraph was a link in a chain. If you pick up the first link, the other links in the chain should follow, forming a continuous sequence. This is how the sentences should connect to each other, ensuring a seamless flow of a single idea.

Conciseness

Keep sentences short. This automatically increases the readability and clarity of your document. It also helps in quick comprehension. Long sentences can be more challenging to understand quickly due to their complex structures.

Tip : Based on common readability standards, aim for 15-20 words per sentence.

For additional insights on sentence length and readability strategies, see Simple sentences (on https://readabilityguidelines.co.uk ) and Popular readability formulas , including the Flesch-Kincaid index, on Wikipedia.

Consistency

Use the same terminology throughout your documentation to ensure a seamless reader experience. For example, if you start referring to "user agents" as browsers, stick with that term consistently. This avoids confusion that can arise from using words interchangeably, even when they share the same meaning.

Additionally, maintain consistent word casing and follow a uniform formatting style throughout your documentation. These practices not only enhance readability but also contribute to a professional presentation of your documentation.

Organize your content for maximum impact

Apply the same principles for organizing your content as you would for organizing your code: spend some time setting a clear goal and thinking about the desired structure for your documentation. Ensure that each subsection contributes to this goal incrementally.

Start with an introduction

In the introduction, first describe the feature you're documenting. Next, set the context by explaining why learning about the feature would be beneficial to the readers. This can include describing real-life scenarios where the feature can be useful. The more relevance you add to the topic, the easier it will be for readers to understand and engage with the content.

Progress logically

The following questions can help you ensure that your content is progressing logically:

  • Is your document structured to guide readers from foundational concepts to more advanced ones? Are there sections to introduce the " what " to establish a base before delving into the " why " and " how "? Consider whether the document structure mirrors the natural learning path for the topic. Aligning the document's structure with the natural progression of learning helps readers build their knowledge step-by-step and also enhances the overall learning experience.
  • Are there sufficient how-to guides or examples following the conceptual sections?
  • Consider the flow of the content. Is it following a logical sequence — from one sentence to the next, from one paragraph to the next, and from one section to the next? Does each section logically build on the information presented previously, avoiding abrupt jumps or gaps in the content?

Additionally, as you work on the draft, always ask yourself:

  • What reader questions am I addressing with this sentence?
  • Can I add a simplistic or real-life use case to explain this concept?

Include examples

Imagine sitting next to someone as you explain the concepts to them. Preempt their questions and address them in your writing. Use this approach to add as many relevant examples as possible.

When adding examples, don't restrict yourself to only code; include non-code scenarios to demonstrate a feature's utility. This helps readers understand the concepts better and also caters to different learning styles. Consider providing real-world scenarios or use cases to illustrate how the feature or concept applies in practical situations.

Optimize the document structure and length

Evaluate your documentation's structure to ensure it maintains a logical and balanced hierarchy.

  • Ensure that each section and subsection has a clear purpose and sufficient content.
  • Look for instances where a main section contains only one subsection (orphan), such as a single H3 section under an H2 section. This indicates that you need to reorganize your content or make some additions.
  • Check if there are lower-level headings such as H4 . Too many subsections can be overwhelming for readers, making it difficult for them to grasp the information. In such cases, consider presenting the content as a bulleted list instead to help readers retain the key points more effectively. This approach helps to simplify the hierarchy and also contributes to easier navigation.
  • While there should be sufficient content for each section, pay attention to the overall length. If any section becomes too extensive, it can be overwhelming for readers. Split large sections into multiple logical subsections or restructure the content into new sections and subsections. Grouping content into digestible pieces helps maintain focus and improve navigation for readers.

Proofread your writing

One aspect that cannot be stressed enough is the importance of self-reviewing and proofreading what you've written. Whether you're creating a large document or a short paragraph, this step is crucial.

Taking the time to fully review your work will help you identify sections that don't flow well or can be improved for clarity. During self-review, aim to spot and remove redundancy (repetition of ideas without adding value) and repetitiveness (overuse of words or phrases). These refinements will ensure your documentation is clear and coherent and conveys your ideas as intended.

Proofread and then take a break before you review again. Only then submit your work. While spell checkers can flag spelling errors, they might not flag incorrect use of words, such as an unintended use of "he" instead of "the". It's best to take a break and return with fresh eyes to catch any errors you might have missed. Pay close attention to identify inconsistencies in tone, style, tense, or formatting and make the necessary adjustments.

Additional tips

To improve the clarity and accessibility of your documentation, also keep the following guidelines and tips in mind. To go in-depth into any of the topics, feel free to consult our Writing style guide .

  • Bulleted vs numbered lists : Lists, in general, make documentation easier to scan. Use bulleted lists when there is no specific order of the items. Use numbered lists when the steps need to be followed in the specific order. Always include a lead-sentence before beginning a list to provide context.
  • Commas : Use a comma after an introductory clause to improve readability and to clarify the sentence structure. Use a comma to separate items in a list to ensure clarity.
  • Alt text : Always provide an alternative text for the images you add to content. This makes your documentation accessible to people using screen readers. In addition to images, ensure that video and audio files have accompanying descriptive texts.
  • Descriptive link text : Make sure each link text is clear even out of context and clearly indicates where the link leads. Descriptive link texts also help people using screen readers understand the destination of links. For example, use "Read our writing style guide to learn more" instead of "Click here to learn more".
  • Inclusive language : Make your documentation welcoming to everyone. Strive to use words that respect and acknowledge the diversity of your audience.

That's it for this article. I hope you found these tips helpful as a quick refresher on technical writing best practices. Remember that learning how to create effective and easy-to-use documentation is an ongoing process. It starts with understanding your audience and the goals of your documentation. By applying these technical writing principles and tips, you'll certainly be able to enhance the clarity and overall quality of your documentation.

Let me know if you learned something new or if there's any idea that resonated with you. I'd also like to hear if there are any best practices you use in your technical documentation workflow. Share with us on Mastodon or Discord .

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Black History Month 2024: African Americans and the Arts 

A woman reads a book

The national theme for Black History Month 2024 is “ African Americans and the Arts .”  

Black History Month 2024 is a time to recognize and highlight the achievements of Black artists and creators, and the role they played in U.S. history and in shaping our country today.  

To commemorate this year’s theme, we’ve gathered powerful quotes about learning, culture and equality from five historic Black American authors, teachers and artists who made a significant impact in the Arts, education ― and the nation.  

  Making history  

“Real education means to inspire people to live more abundantly, to learn to begin with life as they find it and make it better.” – Carter G. Woodson, Author, Journalist, Historian and Educator, 1875-1950  

Known as the “Father of Black History,” Carter G. Woodson was primarily self-taught in most subjects. In 1912, he became the second Black person to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard.   

He is the author of more than 30 books, including “T he Mis-Education of the Negro. ”  

Carter G. Woodson dedicated his life to teaching Black History and incorporating the subject of Black History in schools. He co-founded what is now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc. (ASALH) . In February 1926, Woodson launched the first Negro History Week , which has since been expanded into Black History Month.  

Carter G. Woodson

Providing a platform  

“I have created nothing really beautiful, really lasting, but if I can inspire one of these youngsters to develop the talent.” – Augusta Savage, Sculptor, 1892-1962  

An acclaimed and influential sculptor of the Harlem Renaissance, Augusta Savage was a teacher and an activist who fought for African American rights in the Arts. She was one out of only four women, and the only Black woman, commissioned for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. She exhibited one of her most famous works, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which she named after the hymn by James Weldon Johnson, sometimes referred to as the Black National Anthem. Her sculpture is also known as “ The Harp, ” renamed by the fair’s organizers.  

Photograph of Augusta Savage

Raising a voice  

“My mother said to me ‘My child listen, whatever you do in this world no matter how good it is you will never be able to please everybody. But what one should strive for is to do the very best humanly possible.’” – Marian Anderson, American Contralto, 1897-1993  

Marian Anderson broke barriers in the opera world. In 1939, she performed at the Lincoln Memorial in front of a crowd of 75,000 after the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) denied her access to the DAR Constitution Hall because of her race. And in 1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera. She sang the leading role as Ulrica in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera.  

how to write blog articles

Influencing the world  

“The artist’s role is to challenge convention, to push boundaries, and to open new doors of perception.” – Henry Ossawa Tanner, Painter, 1859-1937  

Henry Ossawa Tanner is known to be the first Black artist to gain world-wide fame and acclaim. In 1877, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts , where he was the only Black student. In 1891, Tanner moved to Paris to escape the racism he was confronted with in America. Here, he painted two of his most recognized works, “ The Banjo Lesson” and “ The Thankful Poor of 1894. ”    

In 1923, Henry O. Tanner was awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French government, France’s highest honor.  

Henry Ossawa Tanner

Rising up  

“Wisdom is higher than a fool can reach.” – Phillis Wheatley, Poet, 1753-1784  

At about seven years old, Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped from her home in West Africa and sold into slavery in Boston. She started writing poetry around the age of 12 and published her first poem, “ Messrs. Hussey and Coffin ,” in Rhode Island’s Newport Mercury newspaper in 1767.   

While her poetry spread in popularity ― so did the skepticism. Some did not believe an enslaved woman could have authored the poems. She defended her work to a panel of town leaders and became the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry. The panel’s attestation was included in the preface of her book.  

Phillis Wheatley corresponded with many artists, writers and activists, including a well-known 1 774 letter to Reverand Samson Occom about freedom and equality.  

Phillis Wheatley with pen and paper

Honoring Black History Month 2024  

Art plays a powerful role in helping us learn and evolve. Not only does it introduce us to a world of diverse experiences, but it helps us form stronger connections. These are just a few of the many Black creators who shaped U.S. history ― whose expressions opened many doors and minds.  

Black History Month is observed each year in February. To continue your learning, go on a journey with Dr. Jewrell Rivers, as he guides you through Black History in higher education. Read his article, “A Brief History: Black Americans in Higher Education.”  

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    How to Write a Blog Post in 10 Steps Written by MasterClass Last updated: Dec 15, 2021 • 5 min read Writing blog posts can help an entrepreneur promote a business or help novelists supplement their creative writing. Therefore, the time spent learning how to write a blog post can serve as an investment in your broader career. Learn From the Best

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