How to Write a Blog Post (+ The Perfect Structure)

Starting your own blog site is a dream come true for many. It presents an opportunity for you to make a name for yourself online, meet new people, and establish lifelong relationships with your audience. It also gives you a chance to broaden your horizons, learn, and share your life experiences.

However, it’s one thing to create your site where you hope to post frequently and connect with like-minded readers, and quite another to actually sit down and write a blog post.

Over 7 million blog posts are published daily, so how can you make yours stand out? How can you attract a wide audience and increase your readership?

The answer is simultaneously simple and quite complicated. All you need is quality content.

The definition of quality content can vary from blog post to blog post, depending on your specific niche and target market. However, there are some universal properties that all excellent blog posts have in common:

• They’re appealing to their target readers.
• They offer unique insights and information.
• They include plenty of visual content.
• They have a catchy headline that draws attention.
• They have the proper form and structure.
• They’re optimized for search engines.

If you’re just getting into the blogosphere, this list might seem overwhelming at first glance. But don’t worry, that’s precisely why this guide exists. We’ll cover everything about how to write a blog post, starting with how to come up with a headline and ending with how to increase your blog post’s visibility on search engines.

So, let’s get right down to it and discover how to write blog posts that draw attention and drive clicks.

Defining blog posts

Before you can understand how to write a blog, you need to understand what a blog post is. It’s not just a newspaper excerpt, and it’s not your diary. It’s a website where individuals and companies can share educational and entertaining content that keeps their readers engaged.

You can write blog content to share your opinions on specific topics, provide fascinating insights, and present your audiences with new perspectives and valuable knowledge. Whether you’re writing about your favorite recipes, the best technological solutions of the year, or anything in between, your blog posts should be designed to provide edutainment (education + entertainment).

You need to offer unique content that draws readers in and has them asking for more. And you need to continue providing this content.

8 easy steps to writing a killer blog post

Writing a blog that attracts audiences, increases engagement, and turns a profit can be challenging if you approach it head-on.

So, we’ve divided it into several steps that are easy to digest.

Approaching this process one step at a time will help you quickly and easily master the skill of writing killer blog posts. So, let’s take a look.

1. Do some target market research

As mentioned, your blog post cannot succeed unless you keep your audience in mind at all times. If you just keep writing blogs to the whole universe or pretend like you’re writing in a diary, your readers will notice. And they’ll feel left out.

So, to truly grab a reader’s attention, you’ll have to address them directly. The only way to do that is by knowing who your reader is.

Do some research and find out who your target audience is. Learn about their hobbies, interests, topic preferences, opinions, and more. The more you learn about your target readers, the easier it will be for you to write a blog post that piques their interest.

If you’re just starting out and don’t have an actual audience just yet, check out your niche competitors and see what kind of readers they’re attracting.

2. Plan out your blog post

After you’ve learned about the type of audience you’d like to attract, it’s time to plan out your blog. There’s no need to be too specific just yet. Some brainstorming and note-taking are all you need to do at this point.

Choose your preferred topic

Perhaps one of the most difficult steps of writing a killer blog post is coming up with a suitable topic. Where do you start?

How can you know if your audience will love it? (Short answer – you won’t know until you publish it.) The easiest way to write a high-quality blog post is by choosing a topic you’re passionate about. Scribble down a few ideas and general topics that interest you.

If you’re not passionate about your piece of writing, why should others be? Your readers are pretty smart, and they’re great at reading between the lines. If they don’t feel your genuine excitement about a specific topic, they won’t be excited themselves.

Some introspection is necessary for this step.

Don’t forget the keywords!

Once you’ve narrowed down your topic, it’s always a good idea to do some keyword research. This will be essential in boosting your organic marketing efforts and help you to rank higher on search engine result pages.

You can do keyword research the old-fashioned way and simply start guessing which words your audience would use to search for your topic. If you’re thinking about writing a blog post about “exercises to do at home,” some common keywords would likely be “cardio exercises at home,” “best workout routine at home,” “how to work out at home,” and the like.

You’re likely a master at googling things yourself, so just put yourself in the position of a person who would google your topic. That should give you an excellent insight into your target keywords.

Of course, you can also go the easier way and rely on keyword research tools. They will automate this process and help you pinpoint the exact keywords that are relevant to your topic.

Come up with an outline

With a suitable topic and relevant keywords, you can now start planning your blog post’s outline. Come up with a rough draft and jot down a few ideas.

Going back to the topic of “exercises at home,” you could plan out the specific things you’d like to discuss. You could have a paragraph about the overall importance of exercising, then go into the benefits of cardio vs. weightlifting, and finally, list and explain a few specific exercises. Talk about the necessary equipment for a home workout, and maybe even mention a particular diet for a complete health and fitness approach.

Use the keywords to your advantage and rely on them for coming up with a rough outline of your blog post.

Learn from your competitors

It’s always a good idea to check out the competition before you start writing a blog post. This will give you insight into how your competitors are handling a certain topic and how your shared audience responds to it.

Never copy your competition!

Only use them for inspiration and tips and for learning what you need to do to make your blog post different from theirs.

Get ready to put your ideas to (digital) paper

Once you’ve got all of the information you need to start writing a blog, it’s time to prepare for the actual writing process. That can be easier said than done.

Writing is a creative process, so encountering a creative block is not unheard of. The best thing you can do to get ready to document your ideas is to remove all distractions.

Ensure you have a comfortable, quiet place where you can write without anything taking your attention away.

3. Carefully consider your headline

You have the topic and the keywords, you’ve researched the competition, and now it’s time to come up with a great headline. Many people who see your blog post won’t get past the headline, and the headline might deter those who’d be interested in reading your blog.

So, if you want to increase your readership and attract wider audiences, you need a gripping headline that boosts social media shares and drives clicks. You can do so by leveraging social currency, providing practical value, or even giving a threat.

Social currency

Social currency essentially means following a trend. If a lot of people are doing something or are interested in something, others will follow along.

Blog post examples:

• The Most Popular Apps You Must Have on Your Phone
• Top 10 Morning Habits of Successful People You Need to Adopt

Practical value

Offering practical value in your headline can always attract readers. You simply need to make it clear that your blog post will be useful to your audience. Most “How to” articles aim to provide practical value.

Blog post examples:

• How to Make the Best Thanksgiving Dinner in Just 2 Hours
• Best Tips for Increasing Your Social Media Following

Threat

Threatening or warning readers with your headline sounds sketchy, but it’s very effective. It encourages them to take action and see what insights you can offer.

Blog post examples:

• Stop Leaking Your Private Information Online!
• Why You’ll Never Get That Promotion

4. Get started with your first draft

Now that you have the basic outline for your blog post and a working headline, you can start writing your first draft. Avoid using too much fluff and adding sentences just to make the word count. The quality of the text is much more important than the number of words you have. Keep your copy informational, entertaining, and valuable.

5. Pay very close attention to SEO

As you’re writing a blog post, you should always keep search engine optimization in mind. SEO will increase your blog’s visibility and help you rank higher on search engines, driving your site’s traffic and boosting your readership.

Crucial SEO tags

SEO tags help search engines understand what your content is about. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for search engine crawlers to “read” your blog and determine its value.

Crucial SEO tags to include are:

• Title tag
• Meta description tag
• Header tag
• Image alt tag
• Canonical tag
• Nofollow link tag
• Anchor text tag

Keywords

You’ll need to include relevant keywords in your copy if you want your target readers to find you. However, you’ll want to avoid keyword stuffing – it will harm your SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) ranking and deter many of your readers.

Include keywords and keyword phrases naturally in your text, and mention them in your headline and headers.

Links

Internal and external links are crucial for your SEO. Internal links will inform search engines about what type of blog you’re running. They can also work to keep your readers on your site longer.

On the other hand, external links to high-authority websites will improve your credibility and trustworthiness, both essential factors for your SERP ranking.

6. Add visual content

Blog posts without any visual content tend to become quite bland and boring. You need to break up the text with images, GIFs, and other media to keep the reader engaged and interested.

Of course, you can’t just add any random visual content – it has to make sense for your topic. It’s nonsensical to include images of cute puppies if you’re writing a blog on “exercises to do at home,” for example.

Meaningful visual content that’s relevant and adds value to your posts is the way to go.

7. Proofread and edit only after writing your blog post

The biggest mistake most new bloggers make is editing as they’re writing. It wastes time, diverts your attention, and causes creative blocks.

Instead, start editing and proofreading after you’ve already written the full copy. Better yet, give it a few hours, then go back to it later. You’ll have a fresher perspective, and you’ll find it easier to improve your text and make it sound better.

If you want to be taken seriously as a blogger, you need to ensure that your grammar and spelling are impeccable. You don’t have to be all prim and proper, but you’ll want to avoid having grammar grouches in your comment section. So, always edit and proofread before you upload your blog posts.

8. Blog post responsiveness is essential

Finally, you’ll need to ensure that your blog post is legible across devices. Your readers will be using different smartphones, PCs, and tablets when checking out your blog. And all of them need to be able to see it clearly, regardless of their device.

All text, images, videos, and more, need to be clear and adequately sized for any screen. Mobile optimization is essential for attracting readers and improving your SERP ranking, so don’t forget about it.

The perfect blog post structure

Now that we’ve gone over the steps to writing a killer blog post, let’s see the perfect blog post template that you should always follow.

Headline

A perfect blog post starts with a perfect headline. Make sure it’s catchy, clear, and that it encapsulates what your copy is all about. Include your primary keyword phrase in the headline to boost your SEO.

Here is the cheat sheet you can use that will help you to come up with headline ideas.

Date

Blog sites typically show posts in reverse chronological order, with the latest post appearing at the very top. It’s always a good idea to include the date of publishing on your blog post so that your readers have a nice overview of your most recent entries.

Author bio

An author’s bio is always a nice touch, and you can include it either immediately after your headline or right after the conclusion. Keep it short and sweet, mentioning only the essential details.

Author bios are a great way to inspire trust among your readers, especially when there’s more than one writer on your blog site.

Blog post category

A blog post category is a great way to keep your content nicely organized. If you’re running a health and fitness blog, you could include categories such as:

• Cardio exercises
• Weightlifting
• Strength training
• Quick workout routines
• Home workouts
• Diet

Whenever you upload new content, you’ll include it into a category, and your audience will see what they’ll be getting from it. It’s also helpful for search engine crawlers when they’re going over your blog.

Introduction

Your introduction will make or break your blog post. It will prompt your readers to close the tab and move on, or it will pique their interest and keep them engaged. So, make your introduction count.

Keep it clear and to the point, and shortly explain what your post will be about. Include the keyword at least once in the first two paragraphs for better SEO.

Body

The body of your blog post should deliver on the promise made by the headline and introduction. If your headline reads “exercises to do at home,” you should explain the suitable exercises in the body of your copy. Don’t just explain the health benefits of working out in general or talk about gym workouts. Focus on the main topic and elaborate.

Play around with different word counts to see what your audience responds to the best.

Subheadings

Even the shortest blog posts should include a subheading or two – it makes the copy easier to scan. When including subheadings, make sure they’re relevant to the main topic and that they contain the information they promise. For your “exercises to do at home” article, a subheading such as “easy cardio at home” should talk about cardio, not about weightlifting, not about diet, and not about home gym equipment.

Bullets and numbers

Including bullet points and numbered lists is an excellent option for longer blog posts. They break up the text nicely and help to separate ideas or steps into information that’s easy to digest.

Bolded/Highlighted text

To truly drive home the importance of something in your blog post, you could use bolded or highlighted text. But use it sparsely. It’s excellent for highlighting something, but the meaning is lost if everything is highlighted.

Links from reputable sources

Interlinking is essential for any blog site. It helps to connect all of your blog posts and allows you to keep your readers engaged with all of your content. Linking to other reputable sites also helps you to build credibility and authority in your niche.

However, don’t include a link in every single paragraph. It will only distract the readers and make you seem scammy.

Multimedia

As mentioned above, including visual content is an absolute necessity. It breaks up the text and makes it easier to read. It can also help you to explain yourself better and drive home your points.

A featured image will help you promote your blog post on social media and other channels.

Conclusion

Offering a quick summary is the perfect way to wrap up your blog post and go over the most critical points. A few sentences should suffice to remind the reader of what you’ve covered.

CTA

A CTA, or Call To Action, should be included after the summary. You should explicitly tell your readers what you want them to do after they’ve gone over your blog post. Examples could be to share your post on social media, leave a comment, or subscribe to your blog.

Blog post examples

Finally, let’s go over a few examples of blog posts and see the types of content you can publish on your blog.

Lists

Lists are some of the most popular types of blog posts you’ll come across:

• Top 5 Exercises to Do at Home
• Best Collaboration Tools for Remote Workers
• Top TV Series to Watch on Netflix
• My 5 Go-To Recipes for Winter Holidays
• 10 Items Every Girl Should Have in Her Closet

Comparisons

Everyone likes a good comparison, and you can create Vs. content about virtually anything:

• iPhone Vs. Samsung: Which Is the Better Smartphone?
• Cardio Vs. Strength Training: Pros and Cons
• Single-Use Plastics and Their Sustainable Alternatives
• The Differences Between Paid and Organic Marketing
• Is It Better to Rent or Buy a Home in LA?

Solutions

Offering solutions to your readers’ problems is one of the easiest ways to draw their attention:

• The Best Way to Overcome Insomnia
• The Easiest Workout Routine to Shed Excess Weight
• Improve Your Work-Life Balance With These Simple Tips
• Stop Your Dog from Destroying Your House While You’re Away
• How to Do Christmas Shopping on a Tight Budget

News and updates

If you upload daily blog posts, offering news and updates on trendy topics relevant to your niche can be a great choice:

• Working out at Home During COVID-19
• The Most Exciting Tech Advancements of 2020
• Upcoming Netflix Movies You Need to See
• The Best Places to Visit During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• All You Need to Know About the Latest iPhone

Informational guides

Informational guides are an excellent choice for blog posts. They’re educational and entertaining, and they’re often evergreen (content that stays relevant for long time or always):

• How to Handle Job Interviews Like a Pro
• Improve Your Organic Marketing With These Tips
• How to Develop a Workout Routine That Works for You
• How to Write a Blog Post
• 5 Steps to Lose Weight in 2 Weeks

The bottom line

Writing a blog post can be challenging, but if you’re well prepared and have a topic you’re passionate about, it can be a breeze. To write a killer blog post, you need to:

• Research your target market;
• Plan out your blog post;
• Come up with a great headline;
• Develop your first draft;
• Pay attention to SEO;
• Add visual content;
• Proofread everything;
• Make a mobile-optimized post;

So, get started and enjoy your blogging journey.