Crafting the perfect blog post is no easy feat. Writing content that engages readers and reflects your brand’s unique voice can feel overwhelming. But with a step-by-step blog post writing template and the right approach, you can create quality content that will help your content stand out from the crowd.

This blog post template will help you develop your articles from start to finish, giving you the confidence to create content that your readers will love. You’ll learn how to research, structure, write, and publish your post so that it reaches its potential. You’ll also get tips on how to optimise it for SEO and share it on channels, so that you get the most out of your content.

Get ready to create blog posts that will draw readers in and make them come back for more!

Researching Your Topic

Your blog post will only be as good as the research behind it. Before you start writing make sure you have the facts to back up your content. Researching your topic is the first step in creating a blog post that will engage your readers and build your authority as a blogger.

When researching your topic you also need to keep your reader/ideal client in mind. If you really want to get to write and engage with them consider the following:

• who is your target audience/ideal client/reader?
• what are their interests and pain points?
• what are their hobbies and everyday struggles?
• what can your blog post teach them?
• what do they care about?
• what do they read?
• where do they hang out online?
• what keywords will your post be optimized for?

Your research will also help you stay on topic and avoid the dreaded ‘blogging paralysis’ where you’re too afraid to start writing. When you know exactly what needs to go into your post, it becomes much easier to start writing.

Armed with this information, you’ll be able to create a post your readers will love. It’ll be helpful, interesting, and valuable to them.

Structuring Your Blog Post

After the research phase is complete create a clear outline of what your blog post will cover. With an outline, you can easily stay on topic and avoid writing a disorganised or overly lengthy blog post.

When structuring your blog post, focus on answering the following questions:

• what is the main takeaway the reader should get from reading your blog post?
• what is the core argument or point you want to make?
• what are the major supporting ideas or points you’ll include in your post?

Once you have a clear outline of your blog post, it becomes much easier to start writing. You’ll also find that your post is easy to edit and improve upon, even after you’ve written the first draft. Keep your reader in mind every step of the way.

Aim for a blog post around 800-1,000 words, as readers are less likely to read long posts but you need to have substance to your article. If your post is too lengthy, it will become difficult for readers to navigate your content and find the information they’re looking for. Long articles can also be intimidating, turn readers away and make them less likely to come back to your content again.

Writing Your Blog Post

Now that you’ve done all your research and have a clear outline of your post, it’s time to start writing! There are a few key things to keep in mind as you write your blog post, so that it comes out as clear, concise, and engaging as possible.

Consider the following when you start writing:

• what is the emotional tone of your blog post?
• what is the mood or feeling you want to evoke in your readers when they read your blog post?
• what is the most engaging and relevant title for your article?
• what are some interesting information/facts you can use?

Chop, chop, get writing and ensure your post:

• is on topic. Nothing turns readers off more than reading blog posts that don’t seem to have a point or any clear direction.
• has a clear structure with a strong introduction, where you hook readers and draw them into your post.
• has a core discussion or point, and then finish with a conclusion that reinforces your main idea.
• includes short paragraphs and sentences. Shorter, more concise writing is easier to read and comprehend. Avoid overly complex language or jargon that only a select few would understand.
• is engaging and personal. Your readers are reading your content because they want to learn from you.
• talks to your audience and addresses their needs and interests. Be authentic and be yourself. You’re creating content for your readers because you have something to say and knowledge to share. Let that shine through in your writing.

Editing and Proofreading Your Blog Post

Even the most experienced bloggers make mistakes when writing, and that’s okay! Writing blog posts is a skill that takes time to perfect, so don’t be too hard on yourself. However, it’s important to make sure your post is as error-free as possible, so it doesn’t distract readers from the helpful content you’re trying to share.

Editing and proofreading your blog post are essential steps that shouldn’t be forgetten when creating content. It will help you catch errors like typos, missing words, and formatting problems that can turn readers off. There are a few ways you can edit your post:

• reading your blog post out loud is a quick way to catch any mistakes or anything you missed
• hire a proofreader or editor if you don’t feel comfortable editing your own work
• use online editing tools such as Grammarly or Hemingway App, that are designed to help you quickly find and fix common mistakes.

Balancing Act: optimising for SEO & the reader

When you’re creating your blog post, you’ll want to keep SEO (search engine optimisation) and your reader in mind. This will help your post rank higher in search engine results, so your article is found, but meaningful to your readers too. Don’t write just for the bots!

When optimising for SEO be guided by the following:

• what are the core topics your post covers?
• what are the main keywords related to this topic?
• how can you incorporate these keywords into your post without being too obvious or spammy?
• what are some engaging, keyword driven titles for your blog post?

When you’ve finished considering the above, it’s time to optimise it for search engines. This will ensure your post is easily found by readers and has a higher chance of going viral.

To optimise your articles for search engines:

• keep your blog post around 800-1,000 words. It will allow readers to get through the content, give Google enough content to rank, but also allows you to share your knowledge.
• use strong headings with keywords. Headings act like topic sentences in a paper and are good for SEO. They allow bots and readers know they’ve found what they’re looking for, making it easy to navigate your posts.
• include your keywords naturally. Keywords in your content will help optimise your blog post but don’t force or overdo it with keywords. Include them naturally, just like you would if you were talking to a friend.

Publishing Your Post

Now that you’ve written your post, edited and proofread it and optimised for SEO, the only thing left to do is publish it!

Ensure you publish your blog post at a time when your readers are likely to be paying attention (during the holidays isn’t a great time). Different audiences are online at different times throughout the day. Publishing your post when most of your readers will be paying attention is key to making the most out of your content.

Share Your Article

Don’t pop your article on your website and hope people find it. Share it on your business social media channels, to your mailing list, collaborate with others and ask them to share it too, and even share it on your personal social channels.

When sharing your blog post, don’t just post a link to your blog. Instead, engage your readers and build a relationship with them by sharing your post in a more creative and interesting way.

Post interesting photos or visuals, short videos, or engaging GIFs that are related to your post. Be sure to include your blog’s title and a short description of the post so readers know what it’s all about.

Finally, well that’s it, there are no more steps. Now off you go, and make a start. And if you are still daunted, you can:

• download the tried and tested blog post template from my site, which will guide you through what to write in each section of your blog
• read the 8 steps to creating copy that converts for your business.

Thanks for reading and feel free to email me any questions you may have.