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

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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:

Its slug is:

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.

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.

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 An Essay Style Blog Post

As the Virtual Marketing Officer predicted in an  early 2009 post , social and digital content marketing  has become a very important—even critical—marketing investment for you and your law firm marketing team.

Publishing to the web is easy, writing well is not.

It’s easy to publish to the web. All you need is a blog or social media account. It is not, however, easy to write well. Writing well means not only avoiding spelling and grammar mistakes, it includes not BORING readers to death. Luckily there is a fairly straightforward fix for boring content: learn to write a basic essay. (Or, refresh your memory…)

If you work these 8 steps below you will have a better chance of producing something people will read. And, you’ll get better in the process. The more often you write, the more natural it becomes, and you won’t even have to think twice about writing an excellent post or article that connects and communicates with your audience.

How to write an essay in 8 steps

(1) Pick the topic: Preferably, you are genuinely interested in writing about the topic. If you like the topic, others will “feel” your interest and be interested. The topic should also have a human angle. Even if you are writing on a piece of legislation, ruling, or other dry topic, you must conjure up the human side. For example, a cyber security topic could include a story about a business owner or IT director. A new employment law might allow you to fictionalize a workplace scenario. Or, a television show episode might illustrate a pertinent topic related to your practice.

(2) Be the expert: If you’re not an expert on the topic, do the research and become familiar with the issues. Think about the common problems or objections people have with this topic. Then, ask yourself a dozen questions about the topic and answer them in writing. This activity will lead you to exactly what is important and what is humanly relatable.

(3) Pin down the main point: Your thesis, hook, or main idea captures the essence of why readers should care and why they should read your content. You must write this in one sentence, summing up concisely where you’re going to go with your essay and why. It’s practically impossible to write a good blog post or article without this type of anchor. The sentence you write does not necessarily make it into the article; rather, it serves you, the writer, as you develop your article. When you feel yourself getting sidetracked, e.g., introducing a B or C plot line, you go back to the thesis statement. Does the extra plot line help readers understand your main point? Probably not. I’m an experienced writer, and I do it all the time. As I write, I think of one or two other things to “add.” Yet, they rarely aid understanding. In most cases they would confuse the reader. But, if it’s something really good, I make a note and use it for another day, another topic.

(4) Build your outline: Make a list of facts, ideas, and examples that support your main point. Don’t worry about writing paragraphs; write a simple statement on each in a series of single ideas that support your thesis. Then, play with their order. Move them around: What is most important or least important? You’ll fill in the details later.

(5) Write the introduction: Now that you have the key pieces in place, it’s time to write. Start with the opening paragraph or lead. The opening is where the reader will decide whether or not your article or post is worth their time. Is there a story that illustrates what you are writing about? That will be your best lead. It can be a personal anecdote—a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature—that illustrates your main point. Or, for a legal topic, you could use a case study, a current news story, a business example (it can be fictitious), or the results of a recent survey to illustrate your opening. The idea here is to create human drama, something the reader might relate to. Avoid simply reporting details in the first paragraph. In cases where the topic is current, the media has already reported on it. Don’t waste your time rehashing. But, if you must get the details front-loaded, try describing the situation in conversational terms. Honestly, there is nothing less inviting than an opening paragraph that reads like this:

On January 7, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the court held that (add more legal jargon here), which reverses the U.S. Circuit Court’s ruling in the case that applies the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act (FSIA) (case site here), on behalf of (full name of company) (full name of state where incorporated) (Date/Year).

Obviously, if your only audience is the legal profession, then go for it. But don’t expect a client to read it.

(6) Fill in the details: Each of the points in your outline (step 4) is a paragraph or two. Use subheadings that tell the reader in one or two words the main point of each section.

(7)  Cut: Remove  non-essential words . There are dozens of books and educational videos on how to do this. I’m not suggesting that you take out your personal voice, which for lawyers can involve legalese or flowery language; rather, look at every word and decide if it adds or detracts from the understanding and clarity of what you are attempting to communicate.

(8) Review your work: The best way to ensure you’ve written something worth reading is to read it aloud. Does it flow? Have you made your point? Is it free of spelling and grammar errors? Don’t depend on spell check. After you’ve done that, ask someone else with a fresh set of eyes to review it for you.

You may also want to read this post: Content Ideas for Lawyers 

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You may also like, do it yourself search optimization | part ii, the state of digital marketing: information overload, six can’t-miss plays to supercharge your online marketing..

The part “How to write an essay style blog post in 15 steps” is very interesting and helpful. Please, don’t get offended, but in such a bulky article you didn’t mentioned different types of essays. As we know different types of essays and essay-like blogs have their own definite features that differentiate them out of all the other genres. In this article https://abcessays.com/en/essays describes almost all the types of essays and given tips as to their writing. For me it was very helpful, I hope you will like it also))

My students always have an assignment to do a blog post. They usually search for examples of past students, but i will always think that it is the best to be original

I appreciate the extensive information you provided and the blog excellent fit with the “How to write an essay style blog post in 15 steps” . If you’re interested in sharing your work, I urge you to go on the link below. Link: https://assignmenthelpz.com/

Master the art of essay-style blog posts with this enlightening guide! Learn how to structure and write engaging content that captivates readers. Whether you’re a blogger or a content creator, these tips will enhance your essay writing prowess significantly. Happy writing!”

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Blog Examples for Beginners: How to Write Your First Blog Post

Many new bloggers struggle with creating their first piece of content. The key is to start with a simple, straightforward sample blog post that showcases your writing style and the topics you're passionate about.

Choose a subject you know well, create an outline to organize your thoughts, and then let the words flow.

Remember, your first post doesn't have to be perfect - the goal is to get comfortable with the writing process and share your unique perspective with the world.

Back in 2009, with fingers shaking, I hit publish on my very first blog post. I was fearful of what people would think. Would I get a negative comment? That left me with many questions.

It was hard enough figuring out how to start a blog , but now I had to find a way to share my thoughts consistently.

Would anyone find what I had to say valuable? Was I just contributing to the noise online? Did my message matter?

Maybe you have some of those same fears and doubts. If so, you’re in the right place. I have a simple first example of a blog post you can use. Follow these four simple steps and launch your blog to the world.

First Blog Entry Examples (with Template)

Before we get into the 4-step first blog post template, we need to answer two important questions first:

• Question 1. What tool will I use to start writing my blog posts?
• Question 2. How can I come up with a good idea to make a great post?

Where to Write Your Blog Posts

So, let’s talk about some blog writing tools you can use. It doesn’t matter where you write your blog posts as long as you have a simple repeatable process to follow. Here are six of my favorite writing tools.

1. Directly in WordPress

If your blog is powered by WordPress , you can always write your blog articles there. It keeps things easy and less complicated for you. Regardless of which writing tool you use, you’re going to need to eventually copy it into WordPress. Since you are just getting started, WordPress might be the best tool to begin with.

2. Google Docs

The nice thing about writing in Google Docs is that you have another place where your content is stored. That way if you ever lost your work , you have a backup. I also like to use Google Docs because it makes it easy to collaborate with others.

Google Docs is a great writing tool if you want to use add-on tools to make your writing easier. For example, I personally like to use two add-ons. The first one is Grammarly , which will check your grammar and spelling as you write. Even though I have an editor that combs over every blog post, it’s nice to have a built-in grammar checker as you write your draft post.

The second add-on is the SEMrush SEO Writing Assistant.

While outside the scope of this post, learning SEO (search engine optimization) is a great skill to learn as a blogger. It can give you a competitive edge over your competition. SEMrush’s add-on offers keyword suggestions I might want to include in my article to get more search engine traffic.

3. CoSchedule

I’ve been a fan of CoSchedule for a few years now. I even wrote a blog post review on my experience with it. Basically, it’s an all-in-one calendar for content, social media, email marketing, and more.

It can be a bit expensive for bloggers just starting out, but if you want to manage all of your projects in one place, it’s a great tool.

Have you heard of Kajabi ? It’s not just a blog writing tool but has many other powerful functions to support your blog business. I primarily use Kajabi to host all of my online courses, membership site, landing pages, and online store. If you want to sell digital products and build a blog, you can do both with Kajabi.

Kajabi would replace your monthly hosting cost and WordPress. Blogging for beginners on Kajabi is pretty straight forward. As you can tell from the image below, you have a title and body section. Create your headline, write your blog entry, and hit publish.

5. Microsoft Word

This is the tool of choice for many bloggers when starting out. Most people are familiar with Word since it was the tool they used to write their papers in school. One word of warning: be careful about using copy and paste into WordPress. Sometimes the formatting doesn’t transfer correctly. Always paste your text into the text side (or HTML side) and not on the visual editor.

6. Evernote

Another popular writing tool is Evernote . The benefits of Evernote are two-fold. First, you can access it online and offline. If you are flying on a plane, you can work on your blog post even without internet access. Later, your document will automatically sync with the cloud.

Secondly, you can easily share it with others. Similar to Google Drive, you can share a link to your note or notebook in Evernote and collaborate together.

Remember this. Writing your post can happen anywhere. You can start with one of the six tools mentioned above, or go with your own. It comes down to personal preference. Whatever tool helps you be consistent with your writing is what matters most.

Blog Post Ideas for Beginners

Maybe your challenge is not where to do your writing, but what to blog about . Regularly coming up with blog post topics doesn’t have to be difficult. I believe your first blog post ideas should come from a place of passion.

Set a timer for five minutes. Write out as many answers as you can think of to the following series of questions:

• Why am I starting this blog in the first place?
• Who do I most want to help?
• What lessons from my own life can I share with others?
• What are the top three to five things someone should know in my niche in order to be successful?
• How will this blog help others?

The 4-Step Blog Post Template for Your First Blog Entry

Next you want to go ahead and write your blog sample. After working with thousands of new bloggers, I’ve created a simple 4-step template to help you write your first blog post fast.

Here are a few blog introduction examples that are my favorite:

• Step 1. Create a catchy headline
• Step 2. Write the outline before you start writing
• Step 3: Edit your blog post draft
• Step 4: Promote your blog post to the world

Step 1. Create a Catchy Headline

Post titles are super important for any blogger. Treat them like newspaper headlines. A headline on a newspaper makes or breaks the sale of that paper. Your headline should be catchy, interesting, and leave just a bit of curiosity.

When it comes to deciding on a headline, choose one of the following three strategies:

• The magic of list posts
• The power of “how-to” posts
• The blog announcement post

The magic of list posts. It’s been proven over time that we love lists. We want to know not only what’s on the list but what didn’t get included. We click on the headline because we know the article is scannable and we can see what is included in the list.

Here are a few examples you can use to create your own headline:

• 5 Quick Tips for __________
• 10 Things You Should Never Do When _________
• 5 Ways to __________ (without being pushy)
• 5 great things to do with __________
• 7 ways to be a ________ ninja
• 10 Reasons Not to _____
• 7 _____ Danger Signs
• 7 things _____ Should Never Do
• 21 Secrets the _____ Experts Don’t Want You to Know
• 10 ______ Facts You Need to Know

The power of “how-to” posts . Another strategy that will give you tons of blog post ideas is to cover the most important “how-tos” in your niche. Readers love practical posts that lead them to action. It feels like time well spent if I can take concrete action on something I just learned.

A few examples might be:

• How to recover from a _____________
• How NOT to get ____________
• How to Get _____ in Half the Time
• How to Beat the Fear of _____
• How _________ Will Save You Time, Money, and Stress
• How to clean ____________
• How to maintain _____________
• How to take care of _____________
• How to repair the __________________

The blog announcement post. The last strategy I want to share with you is a post you would typically only write once. This post will be a foundational article you will refer back to for years to come.

The two early strategies (list posts and how-to posts) are the formats I use 90% of the time week in and week out. You’re welcome to start with one of them to get your first post published if you would like.

The blog post announcement post is easy enough to write because it doesn’t require much guesswork. In a moment, I will share with you a simple writing outline you can use.

As far as a headline, go with something like: “How (name of your blog) Will Help You (insert the goal, promise or purpose of your blog).”

If you are still at a loss of how to create a catchy headline, then consider using the headline analyzer tool from CoSchedule. This tool will analyze your headline and give you a score. Don’t worry about trying to score a 100 on your headline. I usually try to get at least a 70.

Step 2. Write the Outline Before You Start Writing

Many aspiring bloggers are excited until it’s time to sit down and write. Why does it feel like all of my energy and creativity gets sucked about when it’s time to write?

See Post: 4 Proven Ways of How to Start a Blog Post

Other bloggers say they just want for inspiration to strike before they sit down to write. If that was true for me, I’d be waiting a long time.

Don’t wait till you feel like writing. Most writers I know don’t like writing, they like having written . There’s a big difference. Never forget the words of Harvard psychologist Jerome Bruner who said:

“You’re more likely to act yourself into a feeling than feel yourself into action.”

If you’ve successfully accomplished the last step of deciding on a headline, it makes writing much easier. The headline creates the outline for you. Once you’ve nailed down the outline, all that’s left is to fill in the text.

Let’s look at how to create an outline from each of our three examples above.

Create an outline for your list post. If you’ve chosen a list post headline, then you must first decide how many make your list. You can do as few as three or as many as 101. It really comes down to the purpose of the post.

I usually start by opening up my writing tool of choice and brainstorming as many examples as I can think of. Once I’ve created the list, I have my number and I have my outline.

Create an outline for your how-to post . If you decided to go with a how-to post, then the process will be slightly different. First, start with a beginner’s mind. It’s easy to skip a few steps because you think they are assumed.

We all have the curse of knowledge. We simply forget what it’s like to be a beginner.

When outlining a how-to post, you want to think in terms of steps. What’s the very first step I should take? Once I complete that step, what’s next? Repeat the same process until all of the steps are out of your head and on paper (or screen).

Now, you may end up combining steps and that’s okay. A how-to post will have a minimum of three steps. The maximum number of steps depends on the topic you have chosen.

Create an outline for your blog announcement post. If you chose option number three, then there is a specific format you should follow.

WARNING : Be careful not to make your first blog post about you .

Yes, you will be introducing yourself and maybe even sharing your story. But never forget that your blog is for others. You want to help, serve, or inspire.

The good news is that I already have an outline you should follow. The body of your blog post will include these subheadlines:

• State the goal of your blog
• How this blog will help
• Who you are

The opening of your blog post should state the goal of your blog . Why are you starting this blog in the first place? Is there a mission or cause behind your desire to start this blog?

Next, talk about how your blog will help the reader. What are some of the specific ways you plan to help others? Will you be publishing a weekly blog post? Will you launch a podcast? Will your blog include videos?

Finally, fully introduce you and your story. Always remember that you are not the hero of the blog. Your target audience is the hero. You are just the guide. Because of that, we don’t lead by touting our credentials or why we are qualified to help.

Still, people will want to know who is behind the blog so feel free to share your story. But lead with serving and helping first.

Once your outline is ready, just focus on writing a paragraph or two for each point in your outline. Once you do, you have a rough draft ready to go. Now, it’s time to edit.

Step 3. Edit Your Blog Post Draft

Blogging is a different way of writing than when you were in English class. It’s more conversational for starters. Also, we break a few of the rules along the way.

Follow this list of basic guidelines and you’ll be a pro in no time:

• Use bullets – My number one tip is to break up your content to make it easy to consume on the computer or mobile device.
• Subheadings – We already covered this in the outline section, but add lots of subheadings
• Short sentences – Keep your sentences short. Enough said.
• Short paragraphs – Notice how many of the paragraphs in this blog post are two or three sentences, max. Make your content easy to scan.
• Relevant Images – Add images to your post to make it more engaging
• Look for grammar errors – I like to use Grammarly to help me with my grammatical construction.
• Add a call to action – Add ways for readers to join your email list sprinkled throughout your blog posts.
• Publish your post – Get your blog post out to the world! Don’t worry about mistakes! You can always come back and fix them later.

Step 4. Promote Your Blog Post to the World

Once your post is live, it’s time to share your post with the world. I know this can be a scary feeling when first starting out.

My best tip is to not focus on yourself, but focus on how your blog will help others.

An ideal place to start is social media. What social media accounts are you already using? Share your blog post there first. Remember, you can do it in a non-pushy way.

If you’re not sure what to write, a have a sample script below you can use:

“Hey friends, I’ve decided to start a blog with the goal of helping others. I’ve just published my first post!

It would mean the world to me if you would click the link, read this post, and then come back here and share your thoughts with me. Thanks!”

Now, you don’t want to hit up your social media newsfeed daily to push people over to your blog post. We want to be helpful, not annoying.

You can also enlist some friends to help get the word out. Come up with a list of 10-20 friends who you would consider to be supportive. Be sure this list includes friends and not just acquaintances. Otherwise, this exercise will not work.

Send them a message on Facebook Messenger. Let them know you recently launched a blog and it would mean the world to you if they would share it on social media.

To make this easy for them, you’ve already typed up a script they can post. It goes like this:

“Hey, guys! My friend Sally, just launched a blog designed to help overwhelmed moms claim back control of their lives. You should check it out here: LINK”

The point of all of this is to get referral traffic to your site. They have friends you don’t have. They can reach people you cannot reach.

Blog Writing Examples

Congrats on getting your first blog post published! Would it be helpful to see a few examples? Let’s take a look at a few first blog post examples.

Example #1: CPA Career Coach

My first blog was launched in 2009 and it was designed to help accounting and finance professionals find meaning in their work. My first post had three parts.

Part 1. An Opening Story

Part 2. The List Post Outline (4 Major Points)

Part 3. How This Blog Will Help You & Who I Am

Let’s take a look at one more example.

Example #2: Personal Branding Blog

A few years later, I launched JonathanMilligan.com. The goal of the new blog was to help people discover their purpose and be more productive. Here’s the outline I used:

Part 1. Who This Blog is For

Part 2. How This Blog Will Help You

Part 3. Who I Am

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some blog post examples for students.

Here are some blog post examples that could be great for students to write:

• A day in the life of a student, documenting your typical schedule, classes, extracurriculars, and study habits.
• Your biggest challenges as a student and how you've worked to overcome them, sharing strategies that have helped you succeed academically and personally.
• A review or analysis of something you've studied recently that fascinated you, like a book, historical event, scientific concept, or work of art.
• Reflections on a meaningful volunteer, work, research or travel experience and what you learned from it that ties into your studies and future goals.

What are some personal blog examples for beginners?

Here are a few personal blog post ideas that are great for beginners:

• An introduction post sharing some interesting facts about yourself, your background, hobbies, and why you decided to start a blog.
• A post about a recent memorable experience like a trip, event, or personal accomplishment, including photos and key details.
• A list-style post compiling your favorite books, movies, recipes, productivity tips, or anything else you're passionate about.
• A reflective post discussing a challenge you've faced, lesson you've learned, or aspiration you have for the future and your personal growth.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! You should now be well on your way to blogging your passion and sharing your message with the world. You got this!

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• Essay Database >
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• Essay on Literature

Blogging Essay Samples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Literature , Journalism , Blogging , Audience , Media , Public Relations , News , Information

Published: 03/02/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

A blog is an informational or a site of discussion that is published and appears on the World Wide Web. A blog comprises posts, arranged in a chronological order. The word blog means to add or maintain content to a blog. An example of a blog is twitter. On the argument, “blogging and commentary on new stories provides a useful, narrative source of essential information”, one can barely oppose (Vivian, 2012). Many blogs are useful sources of information. The majority of the blogs are interactive and give an allowance of visitors to post comments and also text each other via GUI widgets that are on the blogs (Rowse 2012). In this sense, blogging is seen as a form of a Social Networking Service. Bloggers not only produce content to post on certain blogs, they help build social relations with other bloggers and readers. Some blogs provide commentaries on particular subjects, while others act as personal online diaries (Stone 2002). Typically, a blog brings together images, texts and links to other blogs. The fact that bloggers are able to comment on interactive formats is important as it also adds up as a source of information. On the second argument, “blogging is an annoying exercise and takes away from legitimate discourse regarding issues, and is typically riddled with bias”, there is a partial truth (Vivian, 2012). Many institutions see blogging as a mean of pushing information to the public directly. Other critics worry that bloggers neither respect the copyright, nor the role the mass media plays in presenting society with quality news. Blogging is not full of biases suggested by the second statement since one can decide what to post on a certain blog. Usually, a blog allows someone to vent their feelings by typing in the text where everyone can read what is going through one’s mind (Stone 2002). Of these, two statements, the second fails in expressing the demerits of blogging completely. Blogging is not annoying; on the contrary, it may be a way many people use to unwind when they are under stress. It may only be annoying since it may take long to post and update an entry on the blog (Vivian, 2012). The first statement is true since blogging is essential, especially when it comes to providing information. Employers can update their employees and even students can get help with their studies.

Print Media:

A number of issues like internal and external pressures affect the decisions a journalist makes on the stories to cover ways of interpreting certain issues and the emphasis to be placed on them (Cho 2012). It is these pressures that sometimes lead to unethical reporting, or bias. Journalists have to achieve relevance in the information they provide, and therefore, are forced to go for ways that apply news values that are attractive and can maintain an audience. Factors such as negativity, where people find bad information being more newsworthy than good information. Moreover, the fact that unexpected news has more impact than an event out of the ordinary makes news-gathering impose certain effects on the audience. The nature of certain pieces of news is an event that is beyond the control of a journalist. Journalists and editors, therefore are faced with the challenge of being the best in their code of ethics (Vivian, 2012). Researchers have suggested that the audience may interpret news as a risk signal. The news value of a story is determined by the amount of change it can cause and the relevance of the change for an individual or group. Certain factors as these, much as journalists would want to manage them affect news and the receptiveness of the news to an audience (Rowse 2012). Journalists are captives of the personal values and biases they bring to work. The value of a journalist is proven by their personal attributes and attitudes. Journalists have a responsibility to inform the crowd, and put to passion what they do. Journalism has many hurdles and is being said to come to a decline (Cho 2012). Journalists are naturally expected to be role models and to have good values. However, they are enslaved by these values at their work places. For example, a journalist may have to cover an investigative story that tackles a certain vice in society. It means that that journalist may have to use a fake identity to get through with the investigation and adapt into the lifestyle of that vice being investigated (Cho 2012). One journalist may find it easier to let go of his values and consider covering the story with more ease (Rowse 2012). Another may find it hard to let go of his values and let the story go. It may be inconveniencing since it may mean giving up one’s career as a journalist. On the other hand, if the career is kept, a journalist will feel that his values have been demeaned. Such a factor would qualify journalism to be a task since the values may enslave a journalist making them ineffective at their workplace (Vivian, 2012). There are concerns, however, that there is a need to work in journalism, research, as well as to apply stronger sociological reviews on the work journalists do (Rowse 2012).

References:

Cho, J. Blog, Inc. (2012) Blogging for Passion, Profit and to Create Community. San Francisco. Rowse, D. (2012) Pro Blogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey. Stone, B. (2002) Blogging: Genius Strategies for Instant Web Content. New Riders Publishing, Indianapolis. Vivian, J. (2012) The Media of Mass Communication. Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated, Boston,

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WPBeginner » Blog » Tutorials » How to Write a Great Blog Post (Structure + Examples)

How to Write a Great Blog Post (Structure + Examples)

Last updated on August 2nd, 2024 by Editorial Staff | Reviewed by: Syed Balkhi

Writing a blog post can be challenging, especially when you’re staring at a blank screen. We’ve been there too, even after writing countless posts.

Over time, we’ve learned that a well-structured post is often more effective than perfectly crafted prose. Good structure guides your writing and keeps readers engaged.

We’ve developed an approach that helps us organize our thoughts and create reader-friendly content. It’s a method we use for all our posts, from quick tips to in-depth guides.

In this article, we’ll share our process for structuring blog posts. Whether you’re new to blogging or looking to refine your skills, you’ll find practical tips you can apply right away.

Why Is Structure So Important in Blog Posts?

According to our blogging statistics research , there are over 600 million blogs. With so much competition, you’ll need to do everything in your power to make your blogs stand out.

You might be a world-class writer, but without a clear structure, your blog posts may still be difficult to read.

A well-structured blog leads the reader from one point to the next in a logical way that’s easy to follow and understand. Many people simply skim blogs, so the right structure also helps people find the parts they’re interested in reading.

A clear structure doesn’t just help visitors understand your content. Search engine bots will also find it easier to crawl your blogs and then show them to the right people. This will improve your search engine rankings and get more visitors to your WordPress blog .

With that in mind, let’s look at how you can write a well-structured blog post, even if you’re a complete beginner. Simply use the quick links below to jump straight to the topic you want to read about:

• Start With the Right Blog Post Topic
• Create a Descriptive and Compelling Headline
• Write a Clear and Concise Introduction
• Break Up Content with Headings
• Add a Table of Contents
• Keep Paragraphs and Sentences Short
• Add Images, Video, and Other Media
• Wrap Up Blog Posts With a Conclusion
• End With a Compelling Call To Action (CTA)
• Preview Your Blog Post and Do Some Final Touchups

1. Start With the Right Blog Post Topic

Before you do anything else, the first thing you need to do is pick the right topic to talk about in your blog post.

If you run a personal blog and you just want to share stories or anecdotes on your website, then the blog post topic ideas can be anything you want. But if your goal is to build an audience and ultimately make money from your blog, then the first step is to do some keyword research.

Keyword research means finding what kind of search terms people use on search engines to find topics related to your blog’s niche. For example, WPBeginner is all about WordPress, so we’re constantly on the lookout for WordPress-related queries.

If you’re not sure where to find these keywords, you can use a tool like WPBeginner’s free keyword generator and enter one keyword related to your niche.

So, if you run a blog about coffee, you can use terms like ‘how to make coffee.’ The keyword research tool will then generate some keyword suggestions based on your entry:

For more information, you can read our guide on how to do keyword research for your blog and how to see keywords people use to find your website .

Another thing you can do is an SEO content gap analysis, which can be handy if your niche has some pretty established blogs and it can be difficult to compete against them.

Content gap analysis means finding what topics are missing from your website. You can compare the content you have versus what your competitors have as well as what the target audience is looking for.

From there, you can generate some blog post ideas to fill those gaps.

You can read our step-by-step guide on doing SEO content gap analysis for more information.

2. Create a Descriptive and Compelling Headline

Once you have a blog post topic, then you can think about the blog post’s headline.

Your post’s headline is usually the first thing people see. No matter how good your blog’s content is, you’ll struggle to get readers with a boring title.

A compelling headline will catch a person’s attention no matter whether they spot it on social media , an RSS feed , in their search engine results, or some other location.

That said, the headline should describe what the post is about, while also making people want to read it.

With countless blogs on the internet, it’s hard to cut through the noise. While there’s no magic formula for creating the perfect headline, BuzzSumo analyzed over 100 million articles and concluded that the ideal headline length is between 11 words and 65 characters.

If you include numbers in your headlines, then research suggests people prefer to share headlines that have single-digit numbers.

BuzzSumo also found that more people engage with headlines that include the current year.

Even simply adding a year to the end of a title may be enough to increase your blog traffic .

People are also more likely to share headlines that suggest newness, so you may want to try including phrases like ‘for the first time.’

Another trick is teasing must-have information by saying things like ‘need to know,’ ‘you need to,’ or ‘the best.’

If you’re writing a ‘how to’ post, then think about the problem your blog solves. What might someone type into a search engine when they’re facing this problem? This is often a great starting point for a compelling ‘how to’ headline.

After drafting a title, you can enter it into a headline analyzer such as AIOSEO . This plugin will use real data to score your headline and suggest ways to improve it. In this way, even beginners can write a compelling blog headline.

If you don’t want to install a plugin, then you can use WPBeginner’s free Headline Analyzer .

For more information, please see our guides on how to use a headline analyzer in WordPress to improve SEO titles and SEO title vs H1 post title .

3. Write a Clear and Concise Introduction

Every great blog post needs a clear introduction that tells visitors what the post is about. This helps people decide whether they’re interested in the topic.

Just like the headline, it’s not enough to simply state what the blog is about. You also need to make the visitor want to carry on reading.

People don’t want to waste time on blogs they’re not interested in. Having said that, your introduction should be short and to the point. Ideally, you should aim for 1-3 paragraphs.

When it comes to creating a tight, focused introduction, a good trick is to try and include your blog’s keyword as early as possible. By sticking to this goal, you’ll be less likely to go off-topic.

Depending on the kind of blog you’re writing, you may get good results by sharing interesting or surprising statistics in the introduction. This example from MonsterInsights is guaranteed to catch the attention of any online store owner who wants to get more sales.

Another option is to talk about a problem and promise a solution.

This RafflePress post discusses a problem the user may have: promoting your business on Instagram can be expensive, and not everyone has a big budget.

It then promises a solution: get noticed on Instagram for free.

Many introductions also use FOMO or fear of missing out. By adding time pressure, you can make people want to read the post now, rather than risk missing out on a giveaway, event, trip, or anything else the post is talking about.

This travel blog takes a pretty standard ‘Top Places to Visit’ listicle and turns it into a race against time.

We’ve also seen blogs draw the reader in by sharing a humorous personal story. If this anecdote resonates with the target audience, then it can be a powerful hook.

For example, this introduction makes it very clear that the author knows exactly what the reader is going through.

No matter what approach you take, if you’re going to hook your audience, then you need to know all about them. The best way to learn about your audience is by using Google Analytics.

For step-by-step instructions, please see our guide on how to install Google Analytics . If you’re already a GA user, you may also want to see our ultimate guide to Google Analytics 4 .

4. Break Up Content with Headings

No matter how good your writing is, all your hard work will go to waste if readers can’t concentrate on more than a few paragraphs.

That’s why we recommend using headings to break your post into bite-sized chunks.

Headings help readers skim the post and find the content they’re interested in reading. It also makes it easier for them to revisit sections they want to read again.

Before you start writing, it’s a good idea to map out all the headings you’ll use and the content you’ll add to each section. This will keep you focused as you write the post.

Ideally, your headings should summarize each major point you want to make. In fact, readers should be able to understand the flow of your blog simply by scanning the headings.

Let’s look at an example. Here, we have some tips on how to store coffee beans correctly. Although each paragraph provides useful extra information, you can get all the tips just by reading the headings.

After creating your headings, organize them so your content flows logically. For example, if you’re writing a fitness blog then you shouldn’t tell readers how many times to repeat an exercise before showing them how to do it.

When it’s time to add these headings to your WordPress website , there are six built-in heading tags that you can use.

Similar to bullet points and numbered lists , you can use these headings to create a nested structure of headings and subheadings.

However, we recommend keeping the heading hierarchy as simple as possible, to avoid confusing your readers. This means using H2 headings for main sections, and then H3 for subsections, and so on.

Pro Tip: Need help with your blog post outline? Check out our expert guide on how to write a blog post outline for more information.

5. Add a Table of Contents

A table of contents lists the post’s main points and provides links to specific sections. This gives visitors an overview of what the blog covers while allowing them to jump straight to the content they’re interested in.

This can keep visitors on your website for longer, even if they’re only interested in part of a blog post.

A table of contents can even improve your WordPress SEO , as Google often uses the table to automatically add ‘jump to section’ links in search results.

The easiest way to add a table of contents to your WordPress blog is by using AIOSEO.

AIOSEO is the best WordPress SEO plugin and comes with a built-in table of contents block.

This block saves you a ton of time by automatically generating a table of contents based on the post’s headings, while also allowing you to customize the table.

For complete step-by-step instructions, please see our guide on how to create a table of contents in WordPress posts and pages .

6. Keep Paragraphs and Sentences Short

Imagine opening a blog post just to find a wall of text. Chances are, you’d leave the page immediately. That said, it’s important to break your blog into short paragraphs and sentences. These are easier to skim and look much less daunting, especially on mobile devices.

A good trick is to avoid long and complicated words, intricate metaphors, and flowery language. All of that to say: keep it simple. You’ll lose people if you try to be too clever.

Ideally, you should aim to make a single point per sentence, using as few words as possible.

Often, you can break grammatical rules if it gets your point across in fewer words. This may mean starting sentences with things like ‘Or,’ ‘And,’ or ‘But,’ or using more casual language and fragments rather than full sentences.

You should also organize your sentences and paragraphs to give the reader the most important information first, and then go into finer detail from there. This makes it easier for the reader to skip sections they’re not interested in.

In this TrustPulse blog, the writer starts by explaining what eCommerce email marketing is. Then, they give Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign as examples of popular email providers.

The next paragraph talks about why email marketing is important, before exploring specific features. As you can see, the section starts with the most important point and then gets more and more detailed.

7. Add Images, Video, and Other Media

Visitors don’t want to feel like they’re reading a novel when they visit your blog. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to add visual content like photos, infographics, screenshots, graphs, and diagrams.

Immediately, this breaks up your text, but it also helps visitors see what each section is about, at a glance. Each piece of visual content is also another opportunity to grab the reader’s attention as they scroll through your post.

It even seems like blogs with visual content are more popular. According to our blogging statistics research , posts with more than seven images get 116% more organic traffic compared to posts that have no images. Similarly, blogs with videos get 83% more traffic than those without video.

If you’re writing ‘how to’ blogs, then images help visitors understand what they need to do. For example, this PushEngage blog uses screenshots to show readers what to click next in order to create a landing page in WordPress .

If you’re promoting an affiliate product , then visuals like images and videos are a great way to show that product in action. This can often get you more affiliate revenue.

Let’s look at an example. This post about soil-less indoor garden kits shows lots of photos of the different kits available to buy on Amazon, complete with Amazon affiliate links.

Just be aware that lots of high-resolution media can add to your site’s loading time, so it’s important to optimize your images and other media. Readers will also need to scroll past any media they’re not interested in, which can be particularly frustrating for smartphone and tablet users.

With that being said, all visuals should add value for the reader.

8. Wrap Up Blog Posts With a Conclusion

A good conclusion summarizes all the points you’ve made throughout the blog, without introducing any new information.

Depending on the topic, you may sometimes want to suggest an actionable solution or share your top pick of all the products, WordPress plugins , travel destinations, and anything else you’ve compared or reviewed throughout the blog.

However, as a general rule conclusions tend to be pretty short, so don’t worry if your conclusion is one or two sentences.

9. End With a Compelling Call To Action (CTA)

When the reader reaches the end of the post, you need to tell them what to do next. This should be an action that keeps them engaged with your blog or gets them to convert, which is known as a call to action .

In the following Easy Digital Downloads post, you can see several calls to action on the page.

A good call to action is clear, asks for the user to take precise action, and has a sense of urgency. For example, you might ask them to download a PDF or subscribe to your email newsletter .

Even if you use the same call to action, it’s a good idea to customize it for the individual post. In the following image, the interior design blog Decorilla uses its standard call to action, which encourages readers to schedule a free consultation using a booking form .

However, they’ve tweaked the messaging to suit the blog’s topic, which is how to decorate a child’s bedroom.

If you’re not sure what call to action to use, then ask yourself why you’re writing this blog. If you want to get more comments , then you might ask readers to share their opinion or answer a question by posting it in the comment section.

You might even offer a reward for commenting, such as entering the reader into a giveaway or contest . For example, the example below gives readers a list of books and asks them to comment on which one they want to win.

Another option is to suggest some posts the visitor might want to read next.

For the best results, include links that relate to the current blog in some way, which is exactly what AffiliateWP does on their affiliate marketing blog.

10. Preview Your Blog Post and Do Some Final Touchups

Once you have a blog post draft with all the images ready, you need to make sure that everything looks right. This means there are no grammar or spelling errors , the images look clear, your content is easy to understand, and so on.

What you can do is preview the blog post before publishing it. Simply click the ‘Preview’ button on your block editor, like so:

Then, you can use a grammar checker tool to check for language-related errors in your content. We have some recommended tools you can check out in our list of the best online grammar checkers for WordPress .

Besides that, you may want to use a plagiarism checker and an AI detector as well. Google is not a fan of duplicate content, especially ones taken from other sites. Make sure your content sounds as original and unique as possible to maintain your blog authority.

Bonus Tips to Take Your Blogging to the Next Level

Now that you know how to structure a great blog post, here are some more tips to improve your blog:

• Check out our list of best blog examples for fresh ideas and inspiration from successful bloggers.
• Learn how to effectively attract and manage guest bloggers in WordPress to diversify your content and grow your audience.
• Discover how to display estimated post reading time in your WordPress posts , helping readers decide if they have time to dive in.
• Master the art of scheduling your posts in WordPress to maintain a consistent publishing schedule.
• Learn how to add and improve readability scores in WordPress posts to make your content more accessible to a wider audience.
• Find out how to easily find and remove stolen content in WordPress with these effective methods.

We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to write a great blog post. You may also want to explore the best blogging niches to make money online and our expert opinion on whether blogging is dead .

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our  YouTube Channel  for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on  Twitter  and Facebook .

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Reader Interactions

8 comments leave a reply.

Syed Balkhi says

Aug 16, 2024 at 2:24 pm

Hey WPBeginner readers, Did you know you can win exciting prizes by commenting on WPBeginner? Every month, our top blog commenters will win HUGE rewards, including premium WordPress plugin licenses and cash prizes. You can get more details about the contest from here . Start sharing your thoughts below to stand a chance to win!

Mrteesurez says

Apr 4, 2024 at 5:27 pm

Thanks for this post. You have put together tips and effective way to write a great blog post. Knowing how to post does not the same as knowing how to write a good posts.

WPBeginner Support says

Apr 9, 2024 at 9:42 am

You’re welcome!

Jiří Vaněk says

Nov 29, 2023 at 7:02 pm

Thank you for all the advice, not just in this article. I started writing my blog 14 months ago, and I’ve been really enjoying it so far. I’ve spent hundreds of hours on it and applied so many things from your tutorials. I’ve learned a lot here about how to have a better blog. You’re amazing.

Nov 30, 2023 at 10:43 am

Elizabeth Steyn says

Jun 13, 2023 at 12:45 am

Thank you so much for this info. I am a first time blogger and I just don’t know what I’m doing at the moment. My blog is not up and running yet, but I’ve drafted my first 2 blog posts. This info gives me the opportunity to look at my drafts and edit them into something people would want to read. I think I will be fine in future following these guidelines. Thank you!

Jun 13, 2023 at 10:19 am

You’re welcome, we hope you find our other articles helpful as well!

Jun 30, 2023 at 3:51 pm

Same just started my blog also

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How to write an academic blog post

Learn how to write a good blog post, including 10 top tips.

Blogs can be a great way for academic authors to reach audiences they might not otherwise have access to. Read on to learn how to write an academic blog post and discover expert tips.

Why write academic blog posts?

“Blogging has become a really huge [and] popular way of disseminating research […], talking to each other as a community, and sharing knowledge.”

Inger Mewburn, Managing editor of the  Thesis Whisperer blog

There are many benefits of writing academic blog posts, they:

Provide an opportunity to test an idea, concept or style of presentation. This can help you improve your communication skills, and the way you present information.

Help your research reach a wider audience, including the general public. Blog posts make your research sharable on social media (such as Twitter and Facebook), helping to drive people to your research, increase readership, and eventually citations.

Allow you to use your writing skills to extract the essential information from your paper or thought process, to create a concise, readable blog post. This is a very valuable skill for researchers to have.

Of course, there are also some reasons people decide against writing academic blog posts. Blogging can be time-consuming, especially if you’re the one setting up and running the blog. If you’re worried about your lack time resource, you could consider pitching your idea to a well-established blog. This way you would write an individual post, rather than regularly writing blog posts to build up your blog library

Examples of academic blogs

Before you start writing your own blog post, it’s worth looking at some examples for inspiration.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy  – an academic research blog where authors publishing in the journal are also invited to write a blog post to go with their article. You can  read insights  from the editor who set up this initiative.

Patter  – another blog offering a wealth of support on academic research and writing, edited by Professor Pat Thomson.

The Thesis Whisperer  – an academic support blog edited by Inger Mewburn which covers all sorts of topics on research support. This also includes general writing advice and presenting and publishing tips.

Regional Studies Association blog  – a space for society members to share ideas and insights from their research.

How to structure your academic blog posts

There is not a set academic blog structure. The more informal nature of blogs allows you to choose a more creative approach than you typically can, when writing an academic article. But you still must make sure your ideas flow and the blog structure make sense.

Here are some things to remember when thinking about the structure of an academic blog:

Organize your key points so that the most important ideas are earlier on. Unfortunately, you can’t rely on people to reach the end of your article, so you want to catch their attention as early as possible.

Because blogs are online content, you can easily use links, images, videos and other multimedia to help the reader understand what you’re saying. Think about the best way to showcase your blog post.

Keep your paragraphs short, use lists and headings to structure your writing and break up your text into sections. This will help keep your readers engaged.

How do you write an academic blog post? Here are some top tips

Pick your topic, set your aims

Before you start writing your blog post be clear and specific on the topic and why you’re writing it. You might want to cover what you learned from a recent conference you attended or write a lay summary of a journal article you’ve published.

Choose the right platform

Once you know your topic and what you want to get out of writing the blog post, choose the platform which will meet your aims. Do you want to allow for discussion and engagement? Write for a blog which allows for comments – though make sure you’re prepared to respond to these. Do you want to reach a particular audience? Then write for a blog with this readership.

Use an effective title

For a blog post you want to use a catchy title, encouraging people to click through. But at the same time, make sure it isn’t misleading and accurately reflects the content of the post. Snappy titles e.g., ’10 tips on ….’, ‘5 things I learned about…’ can often appeal to the time-short reader.

Know your audience

Who do you want to reach? Is it researchers in your field? Those from outside your area of specialty? The general public? Policy makers or the media? Keeping your audience at the forefront of your mind is essential in every decision – from choosing the title to selecting images that will resonate.

Translate your language

An academic blog post is different to an academic journal article. Often, they are intended for a wider audience, including those outside of academia so you need to tailor language to your audience. As journal and blog editor Per Carlbring notes, “do not use unnecessary technical expressions – it’s a difficult art to explain complicated principles in an easy way.”

Again, blogs are typically a lot more concise and briefer than journal articles. So, translate your arguments into the essential points.

Make it visual

Use appropriate videos or pictures to help break the text up and make your blog post more engaging to the audience. Make sure you have appropriate permissions to use any images, giving credit to the artist where necessary.

Think about the whole picture

Your blog post is a publication, so make sure it fits in with the rest of your research ensuring you cite it appropriately and bear in mind any intellectual property issues. If your research has not yet been published, bear in mind any risks with giving information away.

Include your social media handles

Remember to include links to your social media accounts, whether that’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or any other academic networking channel. By adding these to your blog posts it will help you build up your online research profile.

Be aware of your digital footprint

It is not uncommon for employers to look up potential candidates online. So, ensure your tone is professional and don’t include anything you wouldn’t want to be quoted on.

Take a look at our Research Communication Services  for more help in communicating your research to your audience in an engaging way.

Hear more about academic blogging and other essentials for researchers from  Inger Mewburn, Managing editor of the  Thesis Whisperer blog , in our  podcast discussing 4 skills for researchers of the future .

Sign up for the  Research Insights newsletter to keep up to date with the research published in your field.

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Our global portfolio of books and journals  contains countless insights into research impact, whilst increasing awareness and understanding. The collection also provides practical tips for researchers around the world.

Browse our  Research Impact Collection  today.

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A blog is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Essays might delve into the role of blogs in modern communication, the evolution of blogs, the impact of blogging on journalism, or discuss notable bloggers and online communities. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to Blog you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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There's lots of great information across the web for aspiring crypto investors or for those who want to learn about the advancement of blockchain technologies in general. We've assembled a list of our favorites to help you zero in on the information you're looking for faster. Subscribe to these great blogs and accelerate your blockchain learning curve! The industry giants like Coinbase, CCN and a myriad of cryptocurrency-focused news sites are a great source for specific information, but we wanted […]

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In the vast expanse of family blogs, one that stands out amidst a tapestry of both acclaim and controversy is none other than the Duggar Family Blog. This digital chronicle weaves together the lives of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their impressive brood of 19 children, offering a distinctive peek into a lifestyle seamlessly entwined with conservative values, unwavering faith, and the intricacies of managing a colossal, close-knit family in the contemporary world. More than a mere virtual scrapbook, […]

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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..

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

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

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

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.  

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Steph Knapp

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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Writing an Effective Blog Post

Use the guide below to learn about the elements of a blog post and how to gain an audience.

What blog posts can do Elements of a blog post Why having an audience matters and how to get one

What blog posts can do

Blogging, or writing short entries on a website, can allow you to offer opinions, share ideas, or do independent reporting, but most importantly, blogging can help writers have conversations with readers. What makes blogs so different from journalism, as the authors of The Elements of Blogging: Expanding the Conversation of Journalism suggest, is the discussion between writer and reader. Blogs can be a forum for writers to get feedback on half–formed ideas and emerging stances, and through comments, readers can talk with and back to writers and build communities. But what draws readers in? Read through the material below to learn how paying attention to a range of blog elements (including clear headlines, engaging pictures, and distinctive ledes) will help you build an audience.

Elements of a blog post

In The Elements of Blogging, Mark Leccese and Jerry Lanson dissect blog posts in order to identify and examine their key parts. Below are some of the elements they highlight as well as some examples from local blogs.

Headlines (Titles)

A headline or title not only helps draw in readers’ attention with an interesting hook, but by containing keywords that Google and other search engines use, the right headline can bring anyone to your blog. As Leccese and Lanson note, search engines work by creating indexes of the words they find on the web. By using keywords in your headline, there is a greater chance that more browsers will find your blog. Headlines, however, are more than just keywords. They need to be short, 10 words or less, and intriguing. Look at the headline on this article from University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Limnology’s blog .

Through this blog, the Center for Limnology communicates with university colleagues, Madison residents, and students about current fresh water research and reflections. In this post center staff member Adam Hinterthuer writes about the presence of an invasive species in Lake Mendota. The post’s clear, engaging title uses keywords so that this post appears in the first several search results for anyone looking for information about “zebra mussels” and “lake mendota.” When possible, your headlines should be in the present tense, and you shouldn’t repeat the headline in the first lines of the post.

The first sentence of a post should have a conversational tone and articulate the main point of the blog post. Internet readers can easily navigate away from a post, so making your lede interesting and to the point is important. Look at the opening lines from University of Wisconsin–Madison Antrhopology professor John Hawks’ blog post “Bringing together climate and ancient DNA to look at a micro–instance of extinction”:

Ed Yong describes the results of a cool new study of mammoth extinction on Saint Paul Island, in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia: “The Lonely, Thirsty, Final Days of the Doomed Alaskan Mammoths”.

Hawks’ post opens with his main point: how scientists determined when and how mammoths went extinct on the island and why it is a interesting case study of extinction. The assessment of the study as “cool” is conversational, and immediately mentioning this study suggests to the reader that this post will both summarize and highlight the methods scientists used. The title of the study itself is intriguing, invoking a dramatic scene. Even though both the study’s title and the content of the post could easily be in hyper scientific jargon, Hawks’ opening sentence previews his particularly accessible approach for talking to the public about science.

Pictures not only break up text on a page, but they can also help make your point clearer. Pictures tell stories, but they need to be part of the discussion. Include captions by your images that explain how the image adds to the point you are making. For example, look at these two images from Professor Elizabeth Hennessy’s post “Global Visions: Rethinking the Globe and How we Teach it” published by University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Edge Effect digital magazine:

The blog post is an instructor’s reflection, summary, and analysis of an environmental humanities course and the resource website developed by the students as a final project. These images effectively communicate what the blog is saying about our knowledge of the world, which in greatest part is from maps. In teaching this class, Hennessy strove to have her students consider that “global space is a historical product rather than a planetary scale,” and thus, global space needs to be understood from the stand point that the “global” is produced by “histories of exploration and imperialism, uneven economic development, scientific inquiry, and environmental change.” The 17th century map that opens the blog and the telegraph cable map embedded further into the text emphasize history and imperialism’s role in thinking about what “global” means.

Hennessy’s caption for the telegraph map not only connects the image to her point, but it also provides copyright information. If you use photos on your blog you must give credit to the source. The Creative Commons on Flicker and Wikimedia Commons both have public domain images you can use while giving the photographer credit.

The photo on the above Center for Limnology post is interestingly composed and serves as an object lesson for the post as a whole.

Links give extra information to your readers. In Hennessy’s post, she often links to the site her students created and to the specific syllabi that encompass each of the four frames for understanding “the global” that her class analyzed. Having links that provide a direct route to information and resources allows your blog to make the most out of being on the web.

Block quotes

Block quoting gives readers’ eyes a break and bolsters the author’s credibility. Using a source’s words instead rephrasing shows that your points are well supported.

Final Words

Writing a good take–away can, as Leccese and Lanson point out, help readers remember and engage with your post. For the most part, Hawk’s blog summarizes and applauds the study of mammoths on Saint Paul Island, but he ends the post by saying:

However, I hesitate on one point. I would not so quickly assume there was never a short or intermittent presence of humans on the island, and that humans may have been involved in the mammoth extinction.

Questioning the study and the impact of humans is a provocative alternative view. It makes readers think more critically about the study and develop their own opinion, and in doing so, Hawk’s post invites a conversation.

A Note on Organization

Effective posts make at most two or three focused points and provide evidence to support them. Each of the three examples offered exemplify clear, brief points. “Global Visions” reflects on the class and the four frames of understanding “the global” the class used. Numbering in your post can help you as a writer limit your points and can help your reader understand the organization of your post. By clearly identifying what you want to analyze or argue and by providing support for your main points with research, anecdotes, or examples, you can establish a clear focus.

Why having an audience matters and how to get one

Blogs have the unique capability to allow readers and writers to interact. Thinking carefully about how to not only get readers to your blog, but also how to foster community and conversation are important elements of writing a blog. People often find blogs on the web through social media. UW–Madison student Ashley Hampton’s Raw in College lifestyle and food blog has reached nearly a million hits in part because it is linked to Hampton’s twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts. Once readers have found a blog, they might check it once a week to see what’s new, but posting on Facebook about recent entries will help establish an audience.

Allowing comments on your blog will bring readers back because by engaging in conversation you build a network of people who are interested in your blog’s topic and want to continue thinking about it with others. Sometimes it can be hard to build up your comment section, so don’t be afraid to ask friends or family members to comment and get the discussion going. You could also end your post in a question.

Happy blogging!

Works Cited and Consulted

Lanson, Jerry. Writing for Others, Writing for Ourselves: Telling Stories in an Age of Blogging. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011.

Leccese Mark, and Jerry Lanson. The Elements of Blogging: Expanding the Conversation of Journalism. Focal Press, 2016.

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Writing a Rhetorical Précis to Analyze Nonfiction Texts

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10 Brilliant Examples of How to Open Your Blog Post With a Bang

“The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead. And if the second sentence doesn’t induce him to continue to the third sentence, it’s equally dead. Of such a progression of sentences, each tugging the reader forward until … safely hooked, a writer constructs that fateful unit: the lead.” — William Zinsser, On Writing Well

With respect, I must disagree with Mr. Zinsser. We all know the most important part of any article is the title . Without a compelling title, your reader won’t even get to the first sentence. After the title, however, the first few sentences of your article are certainly the most important part.

Journalists call this critical, introductory section the “lede,” and when properly executed, it’s the bridge that carries your reader from an attention-grabbing headline to the body of your blog post. If you want to get it right, try one of these 10 clever ways to open your next blog post with a bang.

1. Be Short and Direct

Minimalists rejoice. Less is more in some cases. This method seems to be especially useful for list posts with a compelling and descriptive title.

Example From: 7 Ways to Get Your Blog Posts Shared On Facebook by Dan Zarella “Want to maximize sharing of your content on Facebook? Here are seven tips that are sure to help.”

2. The Quirky/Funny Opening Sentence or Paragraph

A little personality goes a long way, especially on a business blog. So don’t be afraid to let loose now and again. When done tastefully (and sometimes not so tastefully), it’s bound to make people take notice.

Example From: Who The Hell Are YOU? by Naomi Dunford “It will please some of you to know that I almost titled this article ‘What’s My Name, Bitch?’ it will please the rest of you to know that I realized not everyone spends as much time watching hardcore porn as I do and begrudgingly decided against it.”

3. Ask a Thought-Provoking Question

When someone asks you a question, you almost can’t help but think of an answer . Your reader will do the same thing, and you’ll immediately engage them in a conversation. Be careful though. Avoid any questions that can be answered with “no” or “who cares.” In other words, always make your question relevant to your reader’s needs.

Example From: How to Make People Love You When You’re Not Around – Be A VIP ! by David Wright “What do people say about you when you’re not around?”

4. Ask a Multiple Choice Question

A variation on the question technique above, the multiple-choice question is another great way to engage your reader. I don’t know about you, but I love multiple-choice questions. It’s like responding to a poll. As above, make your question relevant to your reader and the article itself.

Example From: How to Change Your Mindset for Growth by Ali Luke “Pop quiz. Which of these do you agree with? Intelligence is fixed at birth. Some people are creative, others aren’t. You can become a world-class expert through enough practice, whatever your starting point. You can change your personality. “If you agreed with the first two statements, you’re coming from a fixed mindset. If you agreed with the second two, you’ve got a growth mindset.”

5. Share a Shocking Fact or Statistic

If you’ve ever read the cover of a supermarket tabloid like the National Enquirer , or the New York Post , you know how powerful this approach can be. Sensationalism sells, especially when it’s true.

Example From: ‘ Infomania’ worse than mairjuana “Workers distracted by email and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers, new research has claimed.”

6. Share Something Personal

This is a great way to establish a deeper connection with your readers. Assuming that’s your thing. Use with caution, however. This is not something that should be used as a “tactic,” but rather as a true expression of your own personality and desire for transparency. Also, if you have a history of writing posts that are all business, you may want to ease into a post that delves into personal stuff.

Example From: How Cancer Changed My Blog by Karl Staib “I was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer. Yes, the dreaded c word. It’s probably not what you are thinking. I don’t look at this health issue as an anchor. I look at this as an opportunity for growth.”

7. Withhold a Compelling Piece of Information

Sometimes known as “the tease,” this approach is a little sneaky, but especially powerful. The trick is to withhold a key piece of information till later in the piece so the reader is compelled to keep reading.

Example From: How to Pull Readers Into Your Content Instantly by Derek Halpern “How’d you like to learn how to pull your audience into your content by taking advantage of an innate human behavior? “What if I said that every TV network, movie, blog, book, and other forms of media use this same tactic? “Better yet, what if I showed you how to leverage this tactic to attract more subscribers and earn more sales?”

8. Debunk Conventional Wisdom

This is one of my personal favorites. The blogosphere is often criticized as being one big “echo-chamber.” That may or may not be true, but the bottom line is, any time you write something that goes against the status quo, it’s bound to get some attention. Just be sure the rest of your article can back it up.

Example From: 11 Smart Tips for Brilliant Writing by Dean Rieck “Do you sound smarter when you use big words?” “According to a study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, the answer is no.”

9. Lead With a Success Story

What’s more compelling and inspiring than reading about someone else’s path to success? This is a tried and true approach to hooking your reader. It’s also great for linkbait (but that’s another article). The cool thing about this is the success story doesn’t even have to be your own.

Example From: 10 Simple Tips To Get 250,000 Page Views Per Month by Niall Harbison “When we started our business 16 months ago we decided to use a blog as the central marketing tool for our business. We did it because we didn’t really have any money for advertising and we never really believed that attending networking events would work for us. We placed the blog at the center of our website and only had one commodity on our hands to make it a success….time. “It’s been a long journey but 16 months later we now get 250,000 pageviews to our site per month, in the last year we have brought in over $500,000 in business as a direct result of the blog and the business operates in 2 countries and our content has been picked up all over the world.”

10. Start With a Reader’s Question

Reader questions are great. Mainly because you can usually be sure other people share the same question. Also, it’s so much easier to address a specific question rather than have to pull content out of your own head.

Example From: How to Create More Content for Your Blog and Kill 2 Birds With 1 Stone by Darren Rowse “Darren, do you have any tips for creating more content for my blog? I have grown my blog to become reasonably successful but as it grows find myself with more and more requests and questions from readers that take me away from writing content. What should I do?” —William “Hi William and thanks for the question. I do have one tip that comes to mind that I hope you find useful. It certainly helped me keep my inbox load light and create more content!”

11. Unadvertised Bonus Opening: Share a Quote

As a post opener, quotes are one of the best. When done well, they not only add credibility to your work, but they also form a solid foundation upon which you can build the rest of the article. For an example, just go back to the top of this post.

The next time you’re stuck on how to open a blog post, roll out one of these eleven beauties, and you’ll be well on your way to clicking the publish button.

There are 139 brilliant comments

Good points! Thank you for sharing it. 🙂

Was working on a new article and then got stuck crafting a hook

Guess what I found searching the web for help? This blogpost 😊

Thank you so much for putting this tips and examples together. They were super helpful to me!

I really like your article since I’m about to launch a website for my new company and will be posting blogs to increase traffic. It’s a great idea to start a blog article with a thought-provoking question since it will grab the reader’s interest instantly.

I am always having trouble on thinking of the perfect title for my article or subject line. I often end up using the keyword focus, which is not always interesting to the readers.

Whenever I read a blog entry, I immediately go to the main body of the text and skip the introductory paragraph.

That were some really great examples! Super Simple yet fun to read. Thank you!

I found this post very informative and helpful. There is a knowledgeable topic for them, the contents of your blog is really amazing.

Thank you for a great article! Very informative with some useful and practical ideas. Love the examples.

What a great article just at the right time! The most difficult niches can become the easiest to penetrate through such wisdom. Thank you so much.

I really find this article helpful because I’m planning to open a website for my planned business soon, and I’m going to posts blogs on it to drive more traffic to the site. Your tip and starting a blog post with a thought-provoking question is such a wise idea because I agree that it would catch the reader’s attention quickly. I’ll try to look for more tips on how to start a business blog, but thanks a lot for this!

Thank you so much, these tips will really help me in the opening of my new blogs. There were some important points which i was missing but you reminded me, thanks for that.

This was awesome I’m trying to start my own blog and I thank you for the ideas

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Good job writing them in this blog post 😉

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WEBSITE ESSENTIALS

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

• Cecilia Lazzaro Blasbalg
• 16 min read

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

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 .

As bloggers ourselves, we've learn a thing or two about writing blog posts over the years. Sharing the knowledge and experience to other bloggers is important to us. Blogging can be a powerful tool for personal and professional growth, both for an individual and a business. We know how impactful it can be and it all starts with the blog post or posts that you write. Every blogger writes their posts differently and has a different process for planning and writing them. But there are some tips we have in mind, that can help everyone delving into the world of blogging.

Ready to get blogging? Get started with Wix today.

What is a blog post?

A blog post is a piece of content published on a blog, typically consisting of text, images, videos or other multimedia elements. Blog posts cover a wide range of topics and can vary in length and format. They are often informal, conversational and engaging, providing information, insights, opinions or entertainment to the blog's audience. Blog posts can serve various purposes, including educating, entertaining, inspiring or promoting discussion.

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.

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.

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

Turning something you love and know a lot about into blog posts is a great strategy to attract readers: they’ll come for the knowledge, but they’ll stay for your authentic outlook and first-hand experiences.

Hanna Kimelblat , Blogger and Growth Marketing Expert at Wix

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.

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.

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, what is a blog post example, what is the format of blog writing, what are some tools that can help with writer's block when planning blog posts, how do i make sure my blog post resonates with my audience, 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 Create a Blog Post Structure That Engages Readers 4 Practical Steps to Nailing Your Content Structure (and Why it Matters More Today)

Like it or not, you’ll need to learn how to create a blog post structure that captures the attention of your readers, keeps them engaged throughout your article and delivers in a way that actually helps them solve the problem they’re here to fix. Here’s how to nail your blog post structure, regardless of the niche you’re blogging about.

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Want solid proof that blog post structure matters a lot ? Let’s do a little thought experiment… have you made it part of the way through reading a blog post and just felt a bit lost? Perhaps you’ve had the thought… “hurry up and get to the point already!”

Or maybe you’ve wondered whether or not a blogger simply forgot to include half the article by mistake, because it ended so abruptly?

All of these issues indicate a clear problem with the blog post structure at-hand.

The structure of your blog post is like the walls and roof of a house—it’s important to build those features from the moment you start a blog . Without having your walls and roof firmly and securely in place, you could have fancy wallpaper and nice decorations… but nobody will actually want to live there. It’s the same with a blog post. You could have brilliant ideas and an amazing way with words… but without an effective blog post structure, the whole thing will come crashing down.

How to Create a Blog Post Structure That Engages Readers in 4 Easy Steps

• Why is Having a Blog Post Structure So Important?
• Simple Blog Post Structures That Work Every Time
• Writing Powerful Introductions and Conclusions
• Clever Ways to Make Your Blog Post Structures More Advanced

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Now, let’s lay the foundation by talking about  why learning how to create a blog post structure—that matches the expectations of your readers—is worthy of your time & attention this year.

1. Why is Having a Blog Post Structure so Important?

Getting your blog post structure dialed in properly (for your target audience ) has a lot of advantages over the long haul for the future growth of your blog . It means that:

• Your post will offer a much better reading experience : Your readers will stick around till the end instead of wandering off partway through
• Your post will be truly valuable : It’ll offer well-organized, thorough content that readers will want to share and come back to again and again
• You won’t have to spend so much time figuring out what to write : If you often sit staring at the screen (or out of the window) while writing a post, wondering where the hell to go next, then spending a few minutes learning about structure could make a huge difference
• You won’t need to do much editing : Instead of cutting out whole paragraphs or even sections that simply don’t fit your post, you’ll be writing material that’s going to work in the context of your post as a whole
• You’ll be able to provide more depth and insights for your readers : A good, detailed post structure will push you to make your content as useful and valuable as possible, which serendipitously keeps readers coming back for more—and that reassures them that your paid offers will be just as well-organized

You can use plenty of tried and tested blog post structures to lay out your articles. Once you know what they are, you’ll see them being used on other blogs—over and over again.

Tip: Some bloggers worry that following a specific blog post structure will inhibit their creativity. Once you try structuring your posts well from the start, you’ll find it frees you up to be more creative. You may even find that specific structures help prompt you toward new ideas for your blog.

We’re going to first look at two simple, yet extremely effective blog post structures to draw some inspiration from in your writing process. After that, we’ll dig into some easy, powerful ways to extend these simple structures into a more finessed result. Finally, we’ll talk about how to tastefully borrow inspiration from features you may admire on my blog here… to incorporate into your blog post structure over time.

2. Simple Blog Post Structures That Work Every Time

In its most basic form, every piece of writing has a beginning, middle, and end (or at least, it certainly should). With blog posts, we often call these core structural components the introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Normally, the introduction and conclusion will be quite short. For a 1,000-word post, the three parts might break down into something like this:

• Introduction: 100 – 200 words
• Main body: 700 – 850 words
• Conclusion 50 – 100 words

Each of the blog post structures we’ll be covering in this guide makes use of these three basic components because the vast majority of readers are already primed to expect these structural elements as a matter of habit. If you’re interested in crafting alluring headlines, check out my ultimate guide: How to Write a Headline (That Captures Attention) .

Easy Blog Post Structure #1: The List Post

Let’s look at one of the most popular types of blog post structures in the wild today—the list post (or listicle), a format I do very well here on my blog. For example, here’s a screenshot from my list of the Best Affiliate Programs for Bloggers :

Now, here’s how this content structure breaks down from the perspective of utilizing our three core structural elements:

• Introduction : In the introduction to a list post, you explain the problem or topic you’re discussing. This is also where you want to draw the reader in by hooking their interest. (We’ll come onto some specific tips for introductions shortly.) You’ll want a line introducing the list at the end of the introduction. For instance, “ Here are my favorite X places to visit in Chicago.”
• Main Body : The main body of your list post should have numbered points. These will normally start at #1 (though you could write a “top X” post that begins with the highest number and counts down to #1). Each of your numbered points should ideally be structured in the same way. If you have a lot of points, you might want to write a list, so each point is just a sentence or two. If you have a smaller number of points, it normally makes sense to have a subheading for each point, followed by a paragraph or two of explanation.
• Conclusion : At the end of the list, you’ll want to include a paragraph or two that sums up. It’s really common to see newer bloggers missing off the conclusion on list posts. If you don’t have a conclusion, and your post simply ends with the final item on the list, that can feel jarring for readers – as if you’ve accidentally forgotten to finish the post. Your conclusion could be as simple as a line saying, “Which of these ideas did you like best?” or “Which of these will you try this week?”

Fear not. Later in this guide, we’ll discuss some more specific insights and actionable steps for writing useful conclusions.

4 Different Types of List Blog Post Structures You Can Follow

One great thing about the list-driven blog post structure is that it’s endlessly versatile. You could use it for things like:

• A top 10 list of tools or resources on a particular topic related to your niche
• A weekly round-up of your favorite recent blog posts, podcast episodes, or videos
• A list of ideas or tips for a particular topic, which the reader could pick and choose from
• A “how to” post that gives instructions on how to accomplish something specific, which should be ordered chronologically (in the order the reader will need to carry out the steps)

On some blogs, pretty much every post is a list post… yet there is still plenty of variety.

Easy Blog Post Structure #2: The Essay-Style Post

The essay-style post is another popular (and very effective) content structure to follow. This post typically makes one key point or discusses a single topic, sometimes broken down into sections. Here’s an example of a recent essay-style blog post from the prolific author and marketer Seth Godin:

This straightforward blog post structure can be a very useful tool for a few different types of objectives, including:

• Personal blogging, where you may be writing about a specific event in your life
• Writing a “why” post (like The trap of busy by prolific author and marketer Seth Godin)
• Writing a “what is” post (like What is a Blog? here in my own blogging resources section)

An essay-style blog post is structured like this:

• Introduction : This is where you introduce your key topic or maybe pose a question to the reader
• Main Body : For an essay-style blog post structure, you’ll want to split the main body of your content into several sections. Usually, you’ll need between 2 and 4 subheadings. These should break your core point into smaller pieces so that you can cover different aspects of it. Ideally, you want each section to be roughly the same length. It doesn’t matter if they vary a bit, but you’ll want to avoid having two really short sections and two long ones. With a list post, you should try to structure each section similarly. This isn’t necessary with an essay-style post, where your sections might each look quite different. For instance, one or two sections might include lists or step-by-step instructions.
• Conclusion : In the conclusion, you’ll want to reiterate your main point or the key thing you want your reader to remember and give them something to do next

In contrast to a list article, one of the best features of an essay-style blog post structure is that it naturally allows for a more creative flow of your own ideas as the writer.

That’s not to say your essay-style blog post can’t benefit from a little structure enhancements around the edges though. I’m a major advocate of leveraging formatting tools to your advantage throughout your overall layout to keep your readers engaged and draw their attention to important takeaways in your article.

3. Writing Powerful Introductions and Conclusions

Whatever type of blog post structure you choose, it will need a clear introduction and conclusion.

Trust me, I know these can be tough to get right. Even experienced bloggers sometimes spend a long time agonizing over them. Here are some practical tips to help with writing more effective introductions and conclusions (to enhance your blog content):

Writing Introductions that Hook the Reader (and Draw Them in)

The first few sentences of any blog post should strive to accomplish two crucial tasks:

• Grab the reader’s attention
• Set the post up so the reader knows what to expect

Some easy yet highly effective ways to start your introduction are:

• With a question : For example, How to Start a Food Blog  begins with “Want to learn how to start a food blog, but have no clue how to go about it?”
• With an interesting or famous quotation : This can be a good way to kick off your post if you’re not quite sure how to start or if you’re writing something that’s designed to be inspiring or motivating.
• With an eye-catching statistic or fact : 10 Blog SEO Strategies opens with, “Now that we’re in 2024, a whopping 93% of online experiences start with a search engine, and for 92.04% of those users, Google is their search engine of choice.”
• With an acknowledgment of the main problem your reader is facing : 7 Best Free Web Hosting Plans  begins with, “When it comes to finding the best free web hosting plans to get your blog off the ground completely free, there are quite a few confusing  (to put it nicely)  options out there.”

The rest of your introduction should set the stage for the key points to come in the rest of your post, which is the real magic of thoughtfully curating your blog post structure.  You might explain why the topic matters, or you could empathize with the reader’s challenge (that brought them to your post in the first place).

Often, it’s a great idea to use your introduction to tell the reader what they’ll learn throughout the post or paint a clear picture of what they’ll be able to accomplish by the time they’ve read it.

Writing Conclusions That Encourage Your Reader to Take Action

The conclusion to your post doesn’t need to summarize everything you’ve written. Some of the most influential blog post conclusions are short and concise.

Instead, lean into a blog post structure that utilizes the conclusion as a destination to reiterate the key point(s) you want to impart to your readers. Your conclusion should also ideally suggest a very clear next action step to take—often referred to as a “ call-to-action .”

A few great strategies for writing a highly effective blog post conclusion are to:

• Encourage readers to take action on what they’ve just read : This is particularly useful if this action will help you in some way. How to Start a Food Blog ends with “Start your food blog today, and with a healthy dose of hard work, creativity, and the willingness to experiment, you’ll see results quickly.”
• Invite readers to leave a comment : You could write something like, “Which of these tips will you try first? Let us know in the comments.” Or “Do you have any tips to add to our list? Share them in the comments.”
• Suggest another post on your blog that readers might enjoy : How to Start a Travel Blog  ends with “Want more tips on growing your blog readership fast? Be sure to check out my guide: 10 Blog Marketing Strategies (to Grow Quickly) …” which serves up a useful, relevant second article for interested readers to check out next.
• Encourage readers to buy one of your products or check out your services. This works particularly well if your post ties in with the same topic. For instance, if your post is a list of tips for self-editing your own writing, you might end it with, “Need an extra pair of eyes on your writing? Check out my editing and proofreading services.”

4. Clever Ways to Make Your Blog Post Structures More Advanced

Before you go too far with any particular blog post structure, I’d encourage you to ensure you’re nailing all the basics. That includes these best practices:

• Checking that your article has a strong introduction that doesn’t run too long : It’s important to hook the reader, but you don’t want to end up going off on a tangent before you’ve truly gotten into the main body of your post.
• Making sure you have a conclusion for your post : This might just be a sentence or two, but it’s important to any smart blog post structure that you have something there. Your conclusion lets you round off the post and give the reader something to remember. This is also a great opportunity to prompt the reader to take action—you could encourage them to join your email list, download a free resource, share your post on social media, check out one of your paid products, schedule a no-obligation introductory call with you, or whatever you most want them to do.
• Including subheadings in your blog post structure : For a list-style structure, these should be numbered, but for an essay post, they generally shouldn’t. Subheadings are like signposts to the reader, telling them what’s coming up. They’re really helpful for readers who are skimming to find an answer to a specific question and for readers who might otherwise feel lost in lots of dense paragraphs of text.

Once you’re confident you have a great grasp of the basics, make your content structures more complex. Both the list post and essay-style post structures are wonderfully versatile, and there’s a lot you can do to extend the usefulness of your posts with these structures.

Here are some great places to start adding a little more nuance to your blog post structure—and benefit readers immensely along the way:

Add Extra Value and Consistency to Your Post Structure by Including Subsections

One very easy way to add extra value to the structure of your blog posts is to include one (or more) subsections within each of your main sections or list items throughout the article.

Here’s an example from 16 Best Web Hosting Plans for Bloggers , with the subsections indicated using red arrows:

With many posts, you can easily add a “quick tip” at the end of each section to inject a little additional value into your blog post structure. Another simple option is to highlight some “Further Reading” or offer a clickable link to “Go Further,” which gives you a ready-made opportunity to include links to other blog posts, paid products, or affiliate offers.

With a list post that shares your favorite software or tools, useful extra sections include “Pricing,” “Pros,” “Cons,” or “Alternatives” to help direct readers toward important information.

If you want some more inspiration, check out these examples of articles (here on my blog) that use clever headings throughout their blog post structure to keep readers attention on the most important takeaways to focus on in each article:

• 23 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms to Use (Free and Cheap)
• 10 Best Monthly Web Hosting Plans (Month-to-Month Payment) for Bloggers
• 11 Best Free Blogging Sites to Build Your Blog for Free: Tested, Compared, Reviewed
• How Much Does Web Hosting Cost? 7 Hosting Costs Compared
• 25 Bluehost Reviews: An Honest Compilation (Including Performance Statistics)

Remember that these sections make it easy for readers to take in the information you’re sharing and figure out which tips or tools might work best for them. As a bonus, these blog post structure features also help make your content look more visually interesting and appealing.

Add Visual Intrigue to Your Posts by Including an Image in Each Subsection

Another great way to make your blog post structures more engaging is to add images throughout your content. You’re probably already including an image at the top of your post to draw the reader in, but long posts, in particular, benefit from having more images to break things up.

One simple way to do this is to add an image at the start of each subsection or list item within your post. Here’s an example from 27 Best Blogging Courses for All Bloggers to Grow :

You don’t necessarily have to add images at the beginning of every subsection, though. Feel free to get creative with it. You may choose to have an introductory paragraph first, then the image, and then dive into the rest of the subsection.

Cover a Topic In-Depth By Breaking a List Post into Separate Parts

Sometimes, you might have a topic that doesn’t work as one single list. You can create a more complex post structure using subheadings to divide your post into two or more separate parts.

At its most basic, this technique could mean having a “Why” section before you jump into the list as 31 Best WordPress Themes for Bloggers does with the section “Why WordPress Themes?”

If you have a list that can naturally be split into groups, you can use this technique to divide the list itself into different parts.

Here’s an example from my recently updated compilation of 40 Blogging Tips to Grow Your Audience , which is split into four main sections:

Each part of the post has a subheading, an introduction, and then a set of tips like this:

Splitting a long list up like this helps the reader absorb the ideas, as tips related to the same area of blogging are all grouped together. It’s still a continuous list, as the numbering carries on each time (i.e., the section pictured in the screenshot above starts with item #28 on the list).

Another way you might split up a list post is by creating two separate lists and restarting the numbering. You can see this technique in action in How to Name a Blog (the Smart Way) , where there’s a list of 10 quick and easy tips, followed by a separate list of six detailed techniques, then a final list of 40 examples

Help Readers Find What They Need (with a Table of Contents)

If you have a long post, another great way to add to the structure is to create a WordPress table of contents before launching into your list of items. This helps readers to jump straight to the parts that interest them most or to get back to where they left off in a long how-to post.

Here’s an example from my ultimate guide about How to Start a Blog (and Make Money) :

The absolute best argument to begin incorporating a table of contents into your default blog post structure is that readers will be able to click on any of those links (subsections) to jump straight down to the right part of the post that they’re most interested in reading about.

You can use a simple WordPress plugin (like AutoListicle ) to create a table of contents that organizes the main points of your blog post—or you can even create it yourself with anchor links if you’re comfortable using a little light HTML code on your blog. Check out this tutorial of mine to see how to make one for yourself in just a few minutes.

Wrapping Up: Use a More Thoughtful Blog Post Structure Today

If you’re still figuring out what happens when you choose to thoughtfully curate your blog post structure moving forward, let’s take a step back.

Let’s begin with just the basics of enhancing the structure of one article:

• First, choose an existing post on your blog : Make sure it has an introduction, a few useful subheadings, and an actionable conclusion
• Next, pick one way to add extra structure to that post : Maybe you’ll include a “top tip” for each section, add an image directly beneath each subheading, or inject a table of contents for readers to more easily navigate the key takeaways throughout your article

With the next new article you write for your blog, spend a little bit of time thinking about which features here could contribute to the most effective blog post structure for communicating your ideas & takeaways before you begin.

In my experience, by doing this work upfront, you’ll find that the writing comes more easily (and quickly), your content will come together more cohesively, and it’ll make more of an impact on your readers, too.

For more tips on writing great content that helps transform your readers, check out my ultimate writing guide: How to Write a Blog Post (+ My Free Blog Post Template) .

This guide is packed with actionable tips for enhancing your blog posts and making them as effective as possible for your readers.

Hi I'm Ryan Robinson

I'm a blogger, but I'm not my blog. I am not my business either. Occasional podcaster and very-much-recovering side project addict. Co-Founder at RightBlogger . Join me here, on ryrob.com to learn how to start a blog and build a purpose-connected business. Be sure to take my free blogging tools for a spin... especially my wildly popular free keyword research tool & AI article writer . They rule. Somehow, I also find time to write for publications like Fast Company , Forbes , Entrepreneur , The Next Web , Business Insider , and more. Let’s chat on Twitter (X?) and YouTube about our feelings (and business, of course).

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11 replies to “How to Create a Blog Post Structure That Engages Readers (and Why Structure Matters So Much)”

How can I join or register?

Do you mean, how can you download my blog post template? If so, you can head over here (and submit the form with your name/email) to pick it up right away: https://www.ryrob.com/blog-post-template/

Great stuff sir!

Really it helps a lot to a new blogger like me.

I found most of your articles are super lengthy. And I know it is a strategic key to your success. But here, I have a question.

“A page of 1500 words has nearly 30 backlinks and on another side, a 4000-word article has only 5 or no backlinks.”

Which post ranks high on Google? In simple words Backlinks VS page content.

Thanks for the kind words! Unfortunately, I don’t believe there’s a super simple answer to your question… there are definitely a LOT more factors involved (how competitive the search terms are, what the search intent is for an average reader, on-page SEO factors with both your article and the overall site, how much monthly search volume there is, etc). So, there’s no worthwhile answer as simple / straightforward as you’re hoping for.

That being said, here’s my quick take:

For a keyword phrase with low-medium competition: I’d take my chances with super long-form content and a small number of quality backlinks.

For a keyword phrase with medium or high competition: Give me the shorter-form piece, but make sure it earns a substantial number of quality links (relatively quickly).

I have got very nice ideas about the structure of blog post and how to make it user-friendly, thanks

You’re so welcome, Dipak! Good luck with your blog 🙂

I am an avid reader of your blog post for last 6 months. These write-up always stimulate me to upgrading and learning new things.

Waiting for the next…

Ah, thank you for the kind words, Ruhi! 🙏

This is such an informative article! Thank you for providing such valuable content for free. I’m definitely going to be reccomending your site to fellow bloggers and site creators!

Ah, thanks so much for the kind words Courtney. Good luck with your blog as well 🙂

Great article! Excellently signified the importance of blog structure!

• Essay Editor

Different Types of Structure in Writing

Understanding writing structures can help you share and illustrate your ideas better. Whether you're working on an essay, blog post, or research paper, how you organize your thoughts is key. Let's look at some common types of structures in writing and how they can improve your work.

Chronological Writing Structure

A chronological writing structure puts information in the order of time. It works well for history stories, life stories, or any tale that follows a timeline. For example, if you're writing about how a new gadget was made, you might start with the first idea, then talk about how it was built, and end with how it's used now or what might happen next.

This structure of writing helps readers follow events step by step, making big stories or processes easier to understand. Think about telling the story of social media:

• Early 2000s: MySpace and Friendster become popular
• 2004: Facebook starts for college students
• 2006: Twitter enters the scene
• 2010s: Instagram and Snapchat grow big
• Now: TikTok and new platforms appear

By putting events in order, you create a path that's easy for readers to follow.

Logical Writing Structure

A logical writing structure organizes ideas based on how they connect, not by time. This method works great for school writing or explaining a complex idea. Each paragraph builds on the one before it, creating a clear chain of thoughts.

For instance, if you're writing about climate change, you might start by explaining what it is, then show proof it's happening, talk about what causes it, describe how it affects nature, and finally suggest ways to fix it or make it less bad. This structure of writing helps guide your reader through your thinking, making your point clearer and easier to follow.

Argumentative Writing Structure

When you need to make a strong case for or against something, the argumentative writing structure is your best choice. This structure usually has a clear main point, facts to support it, other views and why they're wrong, and a strong ending.

For example, if you're arguing that gym class is important in schools, you might state your main idea, show studies that prove it helps kids focus and stay healthy, talk about why some people might disagree and why they're wrong, and end by restating your main point. This structure helps you present a fair, well-thought-out argument that's more likely to convince your readers.

Comparison and Contrast Writing Structure

The comparison and contrast structure is useful when you want to show how things are alike and different. This type of structure in writing can be organized in two ways:

• Point-by-point: Talk about each aspect of both subjects together.
• Block method: Talk about all aspects of one subject before moving on to the next.

This structure helps readers see the connections between different subjects more clearly.

Problem and Solution Writing Structure

This structure is great for talking about issues and how to fix them. It usually follows this pattern:

• Introduce the problem
• Explain why it matters
• Suggest one or more solutions
• Look at how well the solutions might work

For instance, if you're writing about reducing plastic waste, you might:

• Introduce the problem of plastic pollution
• Explain how it harms nature and people's health
• Suggest solutions like not using single-use plastics, making recycling better, and creating plastics that are biodegradable
• Think about how easy these solutions are to do and how much they might help

This approach helps readers easily understand problems and possible ways to solve them.

Cause and Effect Writing Structure

The cause-and-effect structure looks at how things are connected. You can write it two ways:

• Start with why something happened and then talk about what it led to
• Begin with what happened and then explain why it happened

This way of writing helps readers see how different events or trends are linked.

Categorical Writing Structure

When you have many important topics to cover, the categorical structure works well. This method puts information into different groups or themes. For example, if you're writing about types of clean energy, you might have groups like solar power, wind energy, water power, earth heat power, and plant energy. In each group, you'd give similar kinds of information. This structure helps readers easily find and understand complex topics.

Sequence Writing Structure

The sequence structure is great for explaining how to do things or giving instructions. It shows information step by step.

For instance, if you're explaining how to bake a cake, you might write it like this:

• Get all the ingredients
• Turn on the oven
• Mix the dry ingredients
• Mix the wet ingredients
• Put the wet and dry ingredients together
• Pour the batter into a pan
• Bake and let it cool

This structure makes sure readers can follow along easily, which is perfect for how-to guides or explaining tricky processes.

Narrative Writing Structure

The narrative structure is how most stories are told. It usually follows this pattern:

• Introduction (setting the scene)
• Rising action (building tension)
• Climax (the peak of the story)
• Falling action (resolving conflicts)
• Resolution (tying up loose ends)

This structure helps create interesting stories that keep readers wanting to know what happens next.

Knowing these different types of structures in writing can really help you share your ideas better. By picking the right structure for what you want to say, you can make sure your thoughts make sense and keep readers interested.

Remember, these structures aren't strict rules but helpful tools to organize your ideas. Feel free to mix them up or change them as you need. As you practice, you'll get better at knowing which structure of writing works best for each thing you write.

If you're looking to refine your writing further, consider using tools like Aithor . This writing assistant can help you organize your thoughts, suggest improvements, and ensure your writing is clear and engaging, regardless of the structure you choose.

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Home > Blog > How To Write an Outline for Essays

How To Write an Outline for Essays

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Updated: August 13, 2024
• Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing

Think of an outline for an essay as a guide that will shape your writing. Persuasive essays need to be thought out carefully, with body paragraphs planned out in detail. It isn’t advisable to go into an essay blind – it won’t have a logical order, and your draft won’t make much sense.

If you’ve never written an outline before, read on. We’re covering how to incorporate it into your writing process and list some essay outline examples to help you get started.

What Is an Outline for an Essay?

An essay outline is like a roadmap for your writing journey. It guides you from the introduction section to the conclusion in a clear and organized way. It’s the bare bones of what you’re going to write about, allowing you to set out your key points and showing you how you’re going to structure them in the body paragraphs.

Laying out the main points and subpoints in an argumentative essay outline or other types of essays you’ll cover will help you ensure there is logical flow and all the necessary aspects of your topic are covered.

Creating an outline might seem like an extra step, but it can save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run. It allows you to see the big picture before you dive into writing, making it easier to stay on track and avoid wandering off-topic.

Plus, with a solid outline, you can spot any gaps in your argument or areas that need more research before you start the essay writing process.

So, whether you’re tackling a high school assignment, crafting a complex research paper , or diving into expository essays, starting with an outline is a smart move. It helps you stay focused on the topic and confident in where you’re going with your paper.

So now that you know what is an outline for an essay, let’s discuss how it can help you during the writing process in more detail.

How Can an Essay Outline Help You During the Writing Process?

Good essays are a measure of academic success, according to the Honor Society . Hence, you need to ensure that your essays are well-researched and well-written. Effective essay outlines are an easy way to make your writing process much easier when writing a paper.

Here’s why an essay outline is helpful.

1. Organizes Your Thoughts

An outline acts as a map for your essay. It helps you organize your thoughts and ideas so everything flows logically. By planning out your main points and supporting all your details in advance, you can make sure your essays or research papers make sense from start to finish.

2. Saves Time

Taking a little time to create an outline, including your body paragraphs, intro, and conclusion, can save you a ton of time later. With a clear plan in place, you can write faster and avoid getting stuck or going off on tangents.

3. Ensures Coherence and Clarity in Your Writing

A good essay outline makes sure your essay stays clear and easy to follow. It helps you move from one idea to the next in a logical way so your readers can understand your argument or story without getting lost.

4. Helps Identify Gaps and Weaknesses

When you outline your essay, you can spot any gaps in your research or weak points in an argumentative essay, for example. This lets you fix these issues early on, making your overall essay stronger. This is particularly important for an expository essay outline, where you need to weave arguments throughout.

5. Creates a Balanced Structure

An outline helps you balance your essay. You can make sure each section gets enough attention and that no part is too long or too short.

6. Reduces Your Stress Levels

Having a clear plan can reduce the stress of writing. Knowing what you need to write next keeps you focused and helps prevent writer’s block.

7. Improves Overall Quality

In the end, a well-made outline leads to a better essay. It helps you present your ideas in a structured, persuasive, and polished way, making a strong impression on your readers. It’s the foundation that helps you build a compelling and well-organized essay.

How To Do an Outline for an Essay That’s a Thesis Statement

Wondering how to do an outline for an essay that’s a thesis statement? We’ve got you covered! When you write an essay outline, you’re forced to think about the main points you want to cover. This process helps you narrow down your focus and get a clearer idea of your main argument.

As you organize your ideas and see how they fit together, you can start to see the big picture of your essay. This big picture is what your thesis statement is all about.

Your thesis statement is the heart of your essay—it tells your reader what your main point is and sets the direction for your whole paper. By outlining first, you make sure that your thesis statement is strong and clearly reflects the main ideas you’ll be discussing.

Plus, if you find that your ideas aren’t quite lining up as you outline, you can tweak your thesis statement to match your essay’s direction better. It’s much easier to make these adjustments early on rather than having to rewrite large parts of your essay later.

Creating an outline not only helps you organize your essay but also ensures your thesis statement is clear, focused, and on point.

Outline Examples for Essays: 3 Most Common Essay Types

To help you start writing your essay outline, here are three outline examples for essays of different types.

1. A Descriptive Essay Outline Example

Creating a clear outline for a descriptive essay helps ensure your writing is organized and engaging. Here’s an example of a descriptive essay you might write at college.

Example Outline: The Library at My University

I. Introduction

• Hook: “Stepping into the university library is like entering a sanctuary of knowledge.”
• Background info: Brief introduction to the library’s significance
• Thesis statement: “The university library is my favorite place due to its peaceful atmosphere, extensive resources, and inspiring architecture.”

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Atmosphere

• Topic sentence: “The library offers a serene atmosphere for studying.”
• Details: Quiet study areas, comfortable seating, natural light
• Sensory descriptions: The silence, the soft rustling of pages

B. Resources

• Topic sentence: “The library provides a wealth of resources.”
• Details: Vast book collections, digital databases, research assistance
• Sensory descriptions: The smell of old books, the glow of computer screens

C. The Architecture

• Topic sentence: “The architecture of the library is inspiring.”
• Details: High ceilings, large windows, modern design
• Sensory descriptions: The grandeur of the building, the brightness of the space

III. Conclusion

• Restate thesis: “The library’s atmosphere, resources, and design make it an ideal study spot.”
• Closing thought: “It’s a place where learning comes alive.”

2. A Narrative Essay Outline Example

Creating a clear outline for a narrative essay helps ensure your story is well-organized and engaging. Here’s an example focused on a more academic topic.

Example Outline: My First Science Fair

• Hook: “I’ll never forget the excitement of my first science fair.”
• Background info: Brief introduction to the event and its significance
• Thesis statement: “Participating in my first science fair taught me valuable lessons about perseverance, creativity, and teamwork.”

A. Preparing for the Fair

• Topic sentence: “Preparation was a journey of discovery.”
• Details: Choosing the project, researching, and building the model
• Sensory descriptions: The smell of glue, the feel of experiment materials

B. The Day of the Fair

• Topic sentence: “The day of the fair was filled with excitement and nerves.”
• Details: Setting up the display, presenting to judges, and interacting with other participants
• Sensory descriptions: The buzz of conversations, the bright fair lights

C. The Results and Reflection

• Topic sentence: “The results taught me valuable lessons.”
• Details: Waiting for the results, receiving feedback, winning an award
• Sensory descriptions: The anxiety of waiting, the joy of recognition
• Restate thesis: “The science fair experience was unforgettable and educational.”
• Closing thought: “It sparked a lifelong interest in science and learning.”

3. An Expository Essay Outline Example

Creating a clear outline for an expository essay helps ensure your content is well-organized and informative. Here’s an example focused on an academic topic.

Example Outline: The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers

• Hook: “In today’s digital age, social media has become a significant part of teenagers’ lives.”
• Background info: Brief introduction to the topic and its relevance
• Thesis statement: “Social media influences teenagers’ social interactions, self-esteem, and academic performance in both positive and negative ways.”

A. Social Interactions

• Topic sentence: “Social media affects how teenagers interact with their peers.”
• Details: Communication methods, peer pressure, forming relationships
• Examples: Messaging apps, online communities, influence of trends

B. Self-Esteem

• Topic sentence: “Social media impacts teenagers’ perceptions of themselves.”
• Details: Comparisons, feedback loops, self-expression
• Examples: Likes, comments, body image issues

C. Academic Performance

• Topic sentence: “Social media usage can affect teenagers’ academic achievements.”
• Details: Distractions, study habits, access to information
• Examples: Procrastination, online research, and educational resources
• Restate thesis: “Social media’s influence on teenagers is complex, impacting their social interactions, self-esteem, and academic performance.”
• Closing thought: “Understanding these influences is crucial for navigating the digital world responsibly.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do i need to create an outline for my essay.

Think of an essay outline as your roadmap. It helps you organize your thoughts and ensure your essay flows logically from start to finish. Without an outline, your essay may lack a clear structure, making it difficult for readers to follow your arguments or narrative.

By planning your main points and supporting details ahead of time, you can save time, maintain focus, and create a cohesive and well-structured essay.

What should be included in an essay outline?

An effective essay outline typically includes:

• Introduction: Include a hook, background information, and thesis statement.
• Body paragraphs: Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence, followed by details, examples, and sensory descriptions where applicable.
• Conclusion: Restate the thesis and provide a closing thought that leaves a lasting impression.

This structure ensures that your essay is well-organized and covers all necessary aspects of your topic, whether you’re writing a persuasive essay, narrative, or expository piece.

Can an outline help me refine my thesis statement?

Absolutely! When you create an outline, you’re forced to clarify your main points and how they support your thesis. This process helps you identify any weak arguments or gaps in your research early on. By outlining first, you can ensure that your thesis statement is strong, focused, and reflective of the ideas you’ll develop throughout your essay.

This approach not only enhances the coherence of your writing but also sets a clear direction for your entire paper.

Get Help With Smodin AI: Your Outline Generator

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With Smodin AI, you can conduct AI-powered research to access comprehensive and accurate information instantly, aiding your research process. Create elegantly structured content with in-text citations and references formatted in MLA or APA styles, ensuring your work meets academic standards.

Experience how Smodin AI can elevate your writing to new heights. Empower your writing process with smart tools and expert guidance. Get started with Smodin AI today and discover the difference in your writing quality.

• Pebble Beach

The Tuthill GT One is your roadgoing flat-six race car fantasy

Affordable well, that's another story.

If you're the type with a Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion fetish, deep pockets and good connections, you may just be in luck. Boutique builder and restoration provider Tuthill Porsche is going to build 22 examples of this carbon-fiber GT One road car — emphasis on road, there. Of the various homologation cars that were produced to comply with GT1 series rules, Tuthill said all were compromised to be better platforms for their competitive aspirations. The GT One sets itself apart by being a street car first. 

Tuthill went out of the way to avoid using the "P" word in its announcement (Check there for more — albeit small — photos) but it's quite evident that this car is both meant to embody the original 911 GT1 and powered by one of its descendants' flat-sixes. You can get the 4.0-liter in both normally aspirated and boosted variants, making "more than" 500 and 600 horsepower, respectively. Both are mated to exhaust systems by Inconel and can be built with either a 7-speed dual-clutch or manual transmission. 

Under the custom carbon body, panels and door bars, there's a double wishbone suspension setup both front and rear. You'll also find a full FIA-style roll cage. That said, the GT One is not set up from the factory for time attack sessions. As noted above, the GT One carries on Tuthill's legacy of building racy-looking cars with street comfort in mind. And while this 2,700-pound machine will certainly offer more than its fair share of performance, turbocharged or not, Tuthill is holding off on offering a track-geared aero package, saying only that one may be developed — implying that demand is not necessarily expected, but will be considered. 

And while the carbon ceramic brake package may again signal that track performance is a priority, consider Tuthill's choice of standard tire: the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. It's one of our favorite summer performance tires, but one intended to be used primarily on the street. Accessible though it may appear, with fewer than 25 slated for production, chances are they're already spoken for. Bummer. 

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay- Steps with Examples

Being a student and writing essays is not something everybody enjoys, but in my personal opinion as a writer, anyone can find contentment and pleasure in writing, especially when it comes to argumentative essays. While they may seem tricky to navigate, they offer this unique opportunity to express your opinions and make your voice heard. Consider this a growing process—once you overcome the challenges of writing argumentative essays, you will learn the art of agreeing or disagreeing with popular opinions and defending your stance. As far as the essay is concerned, I will show you how to master this process on how to write an argumentative essay.

When is an Argumentative Essay Written?

You will likely be required to write argumentative essays throughout your academic life, from high school to university. These assignments will present opportunities to develop and showcase your critical thinking and persuasive writing skills. Here are some scenarios where you might encounter the need to write argumentative essays:

Academic Assignments

Often assigned in school or college courses to help students develop critical thinking and persuasive writing skills. These assignments encourage students to research thoroughly, form coherent arguments, and present their viewpoints convincingly.

Debates and Discussions

Serve as the basis for presenting and defending viewpoints in academic or competitive settings. Argumentative essays provide a structured way to organize thoughts and evidence, helping participants articulate their arguments effectively during debates.

Opinion Pieces

Commonly used in newspapers, magazines, and online publications to influence public opinion on current issues. These essays allow writers to present their stance on controversial topics, backed by evidence and reasoning, to sway readers' views.

Policy Proposals

Utilized in government and policy-related fields to propose and defend specific policy changes or solutions to societal problems. Argumentative essays in this context present well-researched arguments to persuade policymakers and stakeholders of the necessity and viability of the proposed changes.

Persuasive Speeches

Prepared as a foundation for delivering persuasive speeches. Writing an argumentative essay helps speakers organize their thoughts and evidence logically, providing a solid framework for their oral presentations.

What is the Structure of an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay uses factual evidence and logical support to convince the reader of a particular point of view. Here's a breakdown of the structure and what goes into each part of an argumentative essay:

Basic Argumentative Essay Structure

1.Introduction

Purpose: Introduce the topic, present the thesis, and set up the argument.

Hook: A sentence to grab the reader’s attention.

Background Information: Brief context about the topic.

Thesis Statement: The main argument or claim.

2.Body Paragraphs

Purpose: Present arguments and evidence to support the thesis and refute opposing arguments.

Topic Sentence: Introduces the main idea of the paragraph.

Evidence and Analysis: Present facts, statistics, quotes, or examples to support the argument.

Counterarguments and Rebuttals: Address opposing views and explain why they are invalid or less significant.

3.Conclusion

Purpose: Summarize the arguments, restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented, and offer final thoughts.

Restate Thesis: Reiterate the main argument.

Summarize Key Points: Highlight the main points made in the body paragraphs.

Final Thought: A closing statement that underscores the importance of the topic

How to Write an Argumentative Essay [4 Steps with Examples]

As an experienced writer, I've come to understand the structure of argumentative essays quite well. But what I found truly challenging when I first started was nailing the right approach. Many beginners, myself included at one point, fall into traps like letting personal biases creep in or thinking that being argumentative means being aggressive. Trust me, that's not the case at all!

In this section, I'm going to lay out an effective approach on how to write an argumentative essay step by step for beginners. I'll break it down in a way that I wish someone had done for me when I was starting out. Plus, I'll share some insider tips on tools like WPS Office that I've come to rely on to streamline my writing process. So let's learn how to write an argumentative essay with a few examples.

1.Brainstorming

When I sit down to craft an argumentative essay, my first step is to engage in a comprehensive brainstorming session. This is your opportunity to let your creativity run wild and explore every angle of your topic. Write down every idea that comes to you, whether it supports or opposes your topic. Remember, at this stage, there are no bad ideas.

Now, while there's nothing wrong with the classic pen and paper approach, I've found that using WPS Office takes my brainstorming to a whole new level. It's not just about having a digital notepad; the AI features often toss out ideas that I might never have thought of on my own. It's like having a creative partner who never gets tired! Let me show you how I use it:

Let's say our topic is "Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?"

Step 1: Open WPS Office and type "@AI" on a blank document to activate WPS AI.

Step 2: Click on the "Brainstorm" option and enter your prompt. Make sure it's detailed and clearly explains what you want. Here's an example of an effective prompt:

"Generate a list of arguments both for and against the idea that electric cars are better for the environment. Consider factors like emissions, manufacturing processes, battery disposal, and energy sources"

Step 3: WPS AI will generate several arguments on both sides. If you want more, simply click "Rewrite”.

Jot down any valuable arguments before hitting "Rewrite", as you might not see the same ones again.

With these arguments in hand, you'll likely find yourself leaning towards one side of the debate. Armed with a variety of points and counterpoints, you'll be well-equipped to write an effective argumentative essay. Remember, a strong argumentative essay is built on a foundation of thorough preparation and diverse ideas.

2.Preparing

Now that we've generated our initial arguments and counterarguments, it's time to dive deeper into research to strengthen our position. Let's continue with our example topic: "Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?"

Let's continue with our example topic: "Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?" Our next step is to select the most impactful supporting arguments and conduct in-depth research to substantiate them with solid evidence. Simultaneously, we'll identify the strongest counterarguments and explore ways to address or neutralize them through our research.

All of this might seem a little overwhelming, but with the help of WPS AI, the research phase becomes significantly more manageable. As we gather research papers, we can upload them to WPS Office and quickly gain insights using the AI features.

Here's how to leverage WPS AI for efficient research:

Step 1: Open your research paper PDFs in WPS Office, then click on the WPS AI widget in the top right corner.

Step 2: In the WPS AI panel that appears on the right side of your screen, click "Upload" to add your PDF.

Step 3: Once processed, WPS AI will provide you with key insights from the PDF at a glance.

Step 4: For more specific information, click on the "Inquiry" tab and use the WPS AI chatbot to ask further questions about the PDF contents.

As you conduct your research, begin organizing your findings into an outline. Remember to structure your outline according to the elements we discussed in previous sections. This will ensure your outline contains all the necessary components for an effective argumentative essay.

3.First Drafting

Now that we have our research and outline ready, it's time to start writing our first draft. This is where your essay really starts to take shape. Don't worry about perfection at this stage—the goal is to get your ideas down coherently.

Using the outline we prepared during our research, you'll find it easier to organize your thoughts for your essay. To make things simpler, use WPS Office editing tools. When I write my essay, I always ensure it is properly formatted, giving it a cleaner look and helping me focus better.

Now, simply start your draft on WPS Office with an introduction, followed by a body paragraph, and conclude with a strong summary that reviews your main points and leaves the reader with something to think about.

Once you have your draft ready, make use of WPS Office's AI features, which can help you improve writing, shorten or elongate your paragraphs, and much more. Let's say you've written your first body paragraph, and it's a bit too long. So, let's shorten it with WPS AI:

Step 1: Select the paragraph you want to shorten, then click on the WPS AI icon in the hover menu.

Step 2: From the list of options, simply click on "Make shorter" to shorten your paragraph.

Step 3: WPS AI will display the shorter version on a small screen. Click on "Replace" to replace the original text with the shorter version.

4.Revising & Proofreading

Congratulations on completing your first draft! However, there is one crucial step remaining: revising and proofreading.  Revising and proofreading are where good essays become great essays.

A method I find most effective for revising my essay is reading it aloud. This technique helps in identifying awkward phrasing and run-on sentences that may go unnoticed when reading silently. As you read, ask yourself:

Does my introduction effectively grab the reader's attention and clearly state my thesis?

Do my body paragraphs each focus on a single main idea that supports my thesis?

Have I provided enough evidence to support each of my arguments?

Have I addressed potential counterarguments?

Does my conclusion effectively summarize my main points and leave a lasting impression?

You might find that you need to make some structural changes. For instance, you might realize that your second body paragraph would be more effective if it came first. Don't be afraid to move things around!

Once you have made the necessary changes to your essay, the next step is to ensure it does not have any grammatical errors. For this, I use WPS AI's spell check feature. With just a single click, WPS AI spell check ensures that my essay is complete and ready to be submitted!

Bonus Tips: How to Polish your argumentative Essay with WPS AI

WPS Office is already a premium choice among students, offering all the features needed to write a perfect essay. With WPS Office, students can write better without payment issues, annoying ads, or difficulty navigating the tools. It's a free tool with advanced features, including WPS AI, which supports the entire writing process.

1.Check for Grammar and Spelling:

WPS AI carefully scans your essay for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, ensuring that your writing is polished and professional. This feature not only helps you avoid common errors but also enhances the readability and credibility of your work.

2.Seek Style and Tone Adjustments:

WPS AI offers suggestions to improve the style and tone of your writing, making it more engaging and suitable for your target audience. Whether your essay requires a formal academic tone or a more conversational approach, WPS AI tailors its recommendations to fit your needs, ensuring your writing is coherent and compelling.

Here's an example of WPS AI's 'Improve Writing' feature in action, enhancing the formality and persuasiveness of my body paragraph for the reader.

3.Writing Assistance:

From the initial brainstorming phase to the final touches, WPS AI provides comprehensive writing assistance. It helps you structure your arguments logically, develop clear and concise thesis statements, and refine your conclusions. WPS AI also offers suggestions for enhancing clarity and coherence, making the writing process smoother and more efficient.

With the assistance of WPS AI's 'Continue Writing' feature, we can extend our essays by seamlessly incorporating additional sections that complement the existing content's flow and tone.

FAQs about Writing an Argumentative Essay

1. what’s the difference between an expository essay and an argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay is typically more extensive and requires independent research to establish a unique claim regarding a specific topic. It includes a thesis statement that presents a debatable assertion, which must be supported by objective evidence. In contrast, an expository essay strives for objectivity but does not propose an original argument. Instead, it aims to clarify and explain a topic straightforwardly, such as a process or concept. Generally, expository essays are shorter and do not rely as heavily on research.

2. When do I need to cite sources?

In a college environment, accurately citing sources is vital for essays, research papers, and other academic assignments, but this requirement does not extend to exams or in-class tasks. Proper citations are needed for direct quotes, paraphrased material, and summaries, and it is necessary to provide complete source information in a bibliography or reference list. Following the specified citation style, such as APA or MLA, is essential for maintaining academic integrity. Whenever you utilize information or ideas from another work in college-level writing, proper citation is required to acknowledge the original source.

3. What is an Argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay is a type of writing that asserts a specific stance on a debatable issue, backing it up with reasoning and evidence. The main objective is to convince the reader to accept or seriously consider the author's viewpoint. This essay usually contains a clear thesis statement and develops arguments while addressing opposing views to reinforce its position. Ultimately, it seeks to encourage critical engagement with the topic at hand.

Excel the Art of Persuasion With WPS Office

Argumentative essays are possibly the most thought-provoking when it comes to writing, presenting a higher difficulty level. Despite the challenge on how to write an argumentative essay, they are also the most fun to write, as they allow you to express your opinions in a highly opinionated form. WPS Office strives to enhance your writing experience, and as a writer, I can vouch for this. WPS Office not only offers advanced tools like WPS AI to help refine and improve your writing skills but also provides options to make your work as presentable as you want it to be. Download WPS Office today to experience the difference.

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15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.