How to Write a Good Blog Post

Last updated on: 16th May 2022

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Many people wonder how to write a good blog post, and I would like to share my method with you.
Although every step has more than one point of attention, you can write a good blog post in 3 easy steps.

Writing is personal, of course. Take these steps, my preparation and methods, and the blog post outline I describe here as a guideline.

From Raw to Refined to Optimized

Every blog post starts with a basic idea.
So if you want to write a blog post on health and fitness, write a blog post on personality development or write a blog post expressing an opinion, it’s all the same.

It all depends on the niche you’re blog targets, but you have to start with an idea no matter the niche.

What is a Niche?

A brief explanation of what a niche is might come in handy for those that do not have a blog yet (check out: how to start a blog).

A niche is a particular area within a larger category. You will have less, but more interested visitors. You also will have less competition.
Think of the difference between writing about pizzas or vegetarian pizza recipes.

Where to Write a Blog Post?

It also doesn’t matter if you write a blog post on WordPress, Wix, or other platforms.
I even found it helpful to write my first drafts in Grammarly instead of my content management system, WordPress, in case you are wondering.

Where to write a blog post doesn’t matter, at least not for the raw version.
Try it. It helps to minimize the distraction while writing.

My Raw Blog Post

My process starts with an elementary and raw version of the blog post. In this phase, I try not to bother too much about my writing or the paragraphs’ order.
I need to get everything from my head to ‘paper.’

I use a blog post template to keep myself on-topic as I tend to stray away from my main topic.
More about that template later.

Things I Pay Attention to in This Phase

First, I do some research about keywords and popular questions about the topic I am addressing.
Sometimes this gives me a better idea, and at least it provides me with extra context.
You can use different tools. SEMrush is great. Google itself also has a lot of information. Check out: Where to Find Infinite Content Ideas
Does the topic fit my niche?
Do I have a chance to rank at this topic (although I tend to ignore that when I want to write about something)?
Don’t worry about ranking too much. Focus on delivering good posts.
Does my topic address a problem or a question that people might have about it?
Do I have a solution or an answer?
Should I create a list (multiple answers or highlights) or write more in detail about it?

Templates and Outlines

The template or outline I use is simple.
After a few posts and reading more about the anatomy of a blog post, I created an outline for myself to keep on using.

If you wonder how to write a blog post fast, having templates for different articles is the answer.

Create templates for different types of posts

Try to create templates or outlines for at least these types of posts:

Your cornerstone or pilar posts (extensive posts about the niche you are in)
List posts (“37 tips for new bloggers” )
How-to posts (“How to write blog posts for money”)
Explanatory posts (“What is SEO and why should I care”)
Checklists (“12 performance checks for your website”)
News posts (“The Side Gig Longlist has reached a gazillion visits!”)
Reviews (“The pros and cons of WordPress”)
Personal stories (“What keeps me motivated”)

How to Write a Blog Post Outline?

Since every style is different, it might be helpful if you write a blog post template based on your most popular posts.

Pick out the essential parts and create a description for them. Then, put them all in a file and use that as a template to start new posts.

Keep educating yourself, and after every new bit you learn, update your templates.

It might look like this

Title
Intro

The Problem
– What is the problem
– Why is this a problem
– Did I have experience with that problem

Things I Found
– Helpful thing 1
– Useful thing 2
– Another Thing X

How to Deal with this Problem
– Tools
– Tips
– What I have tried

Conclusion

My Outline

I start with a list of ideas and keywords from my research to refine the blog post later.

Then I pick a title reflecting the topic. It will probably change later, so don’t waste too much time on it.

I open with a small intro. The first 40 characters need to be compelling or inviting.
Often I write a raw sentence and refine it later.

The first paragraph is about the problem. Then, I try to describe the problem or question so that my readers can identify with it.
In this part, I also try to include my own experiences.

The following paragraph is about possible solutions or answers. I include things to consider, comparisons, pros and cons, etcetera.

Depending on the post type, you might want to include different paragraphs with tips or additional information.

And now, it is time to write a conclusion, briefly summarizing what you wrote before, and add your preference, method, or opinion.

I close a post by addressing the reader, asking them if they found it helpful, and maybe sharing it.
Don’t underestimate how powerful call-to-actions are at the end of a post. You can help your readers to decide what they might want to do next.

Of course, I thank my readers and express how valuable they are to me before finally closing the post.

Don’t Force the Process

Some posts take longer than others, and trying to force yourself to finish them rarely leads to an excellent high-quality post. Instead, find a way to store drafts and research.
You can use your CMS (WordPress, for instance), Word, or another system.

I like to see my Trello boards as a backlog: How to Organize Your Blogging Workflow With Trello.

Refining the Blog Post

Now that I have emptied my brain, it is time to redact the post.
Some sentences may need rewriting, and the flow of the article might need improvements.

The Things I Pay Attention to in the Refining

In this phase, I refine my blog post with the following actions:

Proofread and edit my text to create a flow, or if you prefer, a story.
Next, I use my research to rewrite sentences or include keywords that I want to target.
Check my headings. Are they keyword-rich, logical, and nested correctly? H3 titles should have an H2 that incorporates them, h4 should be within an H3 block, etcetera.
I use Grammarly to correct my spelling, grammar, clarity, and tone of voice.
I want my posts to be friendly and engaging, but also informative and analytical is necessary.
The length of my blog posts should be about 800 to 1500 words for a regular post and 3000+ for cornerstone or pilar content.
I finalize the working title of the blog post, aligning it with the keywords I want to target.

Optimizing and Finalizing the Post

Now that the post is almost final, I start inserting internal links to my already written topics. I also determine if the post has references to affiliate programs I have joined.

Finalizing the post may not be the correct term, as I revisit and update the post frequently. What I mean by finalizing is preparing it for publication.
You should update your older posts regularly.

The last actions I perform are creating visuals for social media, checking if it meets all SEO requirements (Yoast), and creating Pinterest and Twitter tweets.

I always check my post on my mobile phone after publication. Somehow this causes me to (proof)read my post differently, which lets me find errors I missed in the first run.

How to Write a Blog Post for SEO

I see this question pop up in different posts. To be honest, I’m not sure yet, but I firmly believe that you should write for your readers and optimize for SEO.

Google is leaning toward favoring user-centric websites more and more. The best way of getting in favor is to do the same. Give your visitors a VIP treatment.

Conclusion

To recap what I have written above about how to write a good blog post:

(Keyword) Research the topic
Write out your thoughts without too many distractions. Use a template to keep yourself focused.
Proofread, edit, and correct the raw text until you are satisfied with it.
Insert internal and affiliate links.
Create or find visuals.
Publish.
Reread it.
Promote on Social Media.

What’s Next

As I wrote above, I would like to know if you found this post useful or helpful. Did I answer your questions about how to write a good blog post? If so, please share it with your followers.

How does your flow look? Would you mind sharing it in the comments?

Thank you for your visits! You are awesome!