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Blog Post Organization and Writing Templates

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The blog post templates below was provided by Hubspot.  

How to Write a “How to” Blog Post

Whether it’s “how to make chicken parm” or “how to start a business,” people are searching “how to” do things on Google all the time. And you can help those people out with a “how to” blog post.

“How to” blog posts provide your readers with a step-by-step guide to doing, well, anything. These blogs are also an amazing opportunity for your company to position itself as customer-focused and selfless, as you’re laying out a tactical approach to fixing a problem or addressing a need without asking for anything in return. This helps to make your brand synonymous with trust.

Writing these posts can also help your blog rank for Google’s featured snippet – the box that appears in Google search results with a few dozen words answering the question. You can see an example of this below. “How to” blog posts are best for the following blog posts:

  • Explanations for a process
  • Providing a way of thinking about or approaching a difficult task
  • Outlining step-by-step instructions to an easily addressable task

Outline: [Blog Post Title]

  • Keyword: [Enter Targeted Keyword]
  • Keyword MSV: [Enter Targeted Keyword’s Monthly Search Volume]
  • Author: [Enter Author Name]
  • Due Date: [Enter Due Date]
  • Publish Date: [Enter Desired Publish Date]
  • Buyer Persona: [Enter Targeted Reader and/or Buyer Persona]

[Blog Post Title]

Make sure the title starts with “How to…” and runs for 60 characters or less.

Introduction

Lead into the post with a short 100-200 word introduction. Be sure to highlight:

  • The reason why what you’re talking about is important.
  • Who, what industry, or what sector of the industry this applies to.
  • What you’ll be covering [i.e. “in this post, we’ll explain why (term) is important, explain how to (term), and provide 8 suggestions if you’re new to (term)”].

What is [Term], and Why Does it Matter?

Some readers may have no idea what it is you’re explaining how to do. Obviously, if what you’re writing about is well-known, you can skip the definition.

After defining the term, explain why it’s important for the reader to understand the idea and/or know how to do what you’re writing about.

How to [Task]

This section should make up the bulk of the writing in your blog post. It’s enormously important for each step to have its own section header for optimal organization, clarity for the reader, and search engine optimization. Additionally, breaking instructions up by sections also lets you include visual aids for each step as needed in the form of a GIF, image, or video.

It’s important to remember to be clear, concise, and accurate in the steps you provide your readers. Any extra “fluff” to the article may confuse them, resulting in some readers not achieving the results they intended.

If what you’re explaining how to do is solve an equation (i.e. “How to Calculate Break Even”), provide a step-by-step explanation and example of how to calculate the rate, point, or number you’re explaining how to reach. Show all of your work so the reader can follow along easily.

# Tips and Reminders for [Term] (Optional)

If you’re breaking down a difficult concept or task, some readers may still feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability to tackle it. Break down a few suggestions on how to best approach the concept, and/or a few reminders about it. This is not a list post, so keep this short list to three to five pieces of advice.

If you feel the step-by-step approach is sufficient, you can choose not to include this section.

Closing

Wrap up your amazing new blog post with a great closing. Remind your readers of the key takeaway you want them to walk away with and consider pointing them to other resources you have on your website.

Call-to-Action

Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog post. This should be to a lead-generating piece of content or to a sales-focused landing page for a demo or consultation. For example, if your product or service helps your readers do what it is they searched “how to” do, or if you have a template in your content resource library that does what they searched “how to” do, that would be a perfect CTA for this post.

Checklist Before Publishing

  • Did you provide clear, actionable steps to accomplishing the task your reader needed help with?
  • Did you provide relevant and accurate facts and stats to prove your understanding of the concept?
  • Did you emphasize the importance of understanding this concept if it is not already well-known?
  • Did you properly cite and backlink your sources?
  • Did you spell check and proofread?
  • Are there at least 1-2 images?
  • Is the post 800-1,000 words at minimum?

How to Write a List Blog Post

We all love countdowns, rankings, and lists – including your readers. This presents an un-ignorable opportunity for your blog team: list posts.

 

List blog posts are exactly what they sound like – a blog post listing off examples, resources, or tips pertaining to a topic your readers will love, are interested in, or would benefit from knowing more about. List posts can range from as low as three to as high as 100+, though the sweet spot that most bloggers gravitate towards tends to be between five and 20. 

 

Another perk of the list approach to blog posts is that it is appropriate for every stage for the buyer’s journey. As an example, a digital marketing agency could see success with an awareness post titled “The 10 Social Media Trends Your Company Can’t Ignore” and with a decision stage post titled “3 Qualities to Look For in a Marketing Agency.”

Need some suggestions for your list post? You can list out any of the following:

Outline: [Blog Post Title]

  • Keyword: [Enter Targeted Keyword]
  • Keyword MSV: [Enter Targeted Keyword’s Monthly Search Volume]
  • Author: [Enter Author Name]
  • Due Date: [Enter Due Date]
  • Publish Date: [Enter Desired Publish Date]
  • Buyer Persona: [Enter Targeted Reader and/or Buyer Persona]

[Blog Post Title]

Make sure the title starts with a number and runs for 60 characters or less.

Introduction

Lead into the post with a short 100-200 word introduction. Be sure to highlight:

  • The reason why what you’re talking about is important.
  • Who, what industry, or what sector of the industry this applies to.
  • What you’ll be covering [i.e. “in this post, we’ll provide [#] examples of (term) and why they’re so emblematic of (term)”].

Why is [Term] Important? (Optional)

Provide your readers with a few reasons why they should care about the term or the concept you’re writing about. If this is a consumer-level concept, talk about the implications this could have on their families, finances, personal happiness, etc. If you’re writing for an audience of professionals, mention the impact this term or concept has on profit, efficiency, and/or customer satisfaction. To make the most of this section, make sure it includes at least one statistic, quote, or outside reference.

If you feel the topic is universally understood and respected, you may not need to include this section and could benefit by going right to the list.

# Examples/Tips/Ideas/Resources for [Term]

After the quick introduction and potential explanation of the topic’s importance, there’s no more time to waste. Jump right into the list!

Each of your examples should be followed by additional copy explaining why you’re including them on your list. The explanation could be anywhere from a couple sentences (if you have a long list) to a couple paragraphs (if you have a short list). Make sure you organize your list so that each example or subcategory has its own section header.

If your list is made up of examples from real people or businesses, take the opportunity to embed evidence of the example with an image, a video, or a social media post of that example. This adds additional context as to why you’re including each example on your list and helps break up an otherwise text-heavy blog post with other types of content.

Closing

Wrap up your amazing new blog post with a great closing. Remind your readers of the key takeaway you want them to walk away with and what everything on your list has in common or suggests to the reader.

Call-to-Action

Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog post. This should be to a lead-generating piece of content or to a sales-focused landing page for a demo or consultation. 

Checklist Before Publishing

  • Did you provide at least three examples, suggestions, or tips that directly speak to the topic you’re writing about?
  • If examples are from real companies or people, did you embed images, video, and/or a social media post of that example to strengthen your point?
  • Did you provide relevant and accurate examples and statistics to further explain this concept?
  • Did you properly cite and backlink your sources?
  • Did you spell check and proofread?
  • Are there at least 1-2 images?
  • Is the post 800-1,000 words at minimum?

How to Write a Pillar Blog Post

A pillar page is intended to be the authoritative resource for a given topic on the internet. While some blogs are instructional how-to guides or lists of incredible examples, a pillar page should be the ultimate guide that any reader would ever need to know about a topic...ever.

You can support a pillar page with other related blog posts that link out to this pillar page, known as “cluster” posts. (Quick note: if this pillar-cluster model is new to you, learn all about what it is and how the HubSpot team rolled it out it on our blog here.)

Your pillar pages should be the most in-depth writing you’ve ever compiled on a subject on your blog to date. This is because you’ll have multiple places on the post to work in your keyword and backlink from reputable sources, showing search engines you’re the place to point to for a given topic.

If you think the pages will be longer than your usual posts, you’re right – one of HubSpot’s pillar pages takes an estimated 45 minutes to read! However, that’s definitely an outlier. Your pillar page length, pending on the depth of the subject matter, can range anywhere from 2,000 - 5,000 words. Because of this length, it’s recommended that you include at least one piece of interactive content in your pillar page – such as an embedded video or social media post – to break up this text-heavy post.

Here are a few examples of pillar pages we’re proud of here at HubSpot. You may notice that we linked to all of the other blog posts we wrote in this topic cluster – something you should do, too.

Outline: [Blog Post Title]

  • Keyword: [Enter Targeted Keyword]
  • Keyword MSV: [Enter Targeted Keyword’s Monthly Search Volume]
  • Author: [Enter Author Name]
  • Due Date: [Enter Due Date]
  • Publish Date: [Enter Desired Publish Date]
  • Buyer Persona: [Enter Targeted Reader and/or Buyer Persona]

[Blog Post Title]

Make sure the title contains your keyword and runs for 60 characters or less.

Introduction

Lead into the post with a short 100-200 word introduction. Be sure to highlight:

  • The reason why what you’re talking about is important.
  • Who, what industry, or what sector of the industry this applies to.
  • What you’ll be covering [i.e. “in this post, we’ll provide an all-encompassing rundown of (term), including an explanation of why (term) is important, how to (term), and 8 suggestions if you’re new to (term)”].

Note: Choose the Sections from the Bank Below That You Think Will Fit Well in Your Pillar Page

Below are a few sections that would do well in a pillar page. Depending on your topic, pick the sections that you think would do best on your page.  

Keep in mind – the bank below contains suggested sections. If you believe your pillar page needs a section that is not listed below, you should absolutely include it.

You’ll also notice a prompt at the end of each section to link to a supporting cluster post. For example, if you’re writing The Ultimate Guide to Cooking and include a section about cooking pizza, you may want to link to your blog post about Italian food in that section to strengthen your on-page and website SEO. These pages should be hyperlinked naturally at some point in the body of that section.  

What is [Term] (and Why Does it Matter)?

Some readers might be new to what you’re writing about. Obviously, if what you’re writing about is well-known, you can skip the definition and head straight to why it matters.

Explaining why the term or concept matters is important for the reader to understand how to do or use what it is you’re writing about. Talk about the personal and/or business implications of understanding, employing, or using the topic you’re writing about.

The History of [Term]

Elaborate on the background of what you’re writing about and how the concept has developed from its inception to today.

Terms to Know

List out and define a few of the key terms pertaining to your topic, especially if they’re mentioned elsewhere in the post.

The Pros and Cons of [Term]

If your topic has highs and lows to it, outline those pluses and minuses here.

# Examples of [Term]

Proof points are immensely helpful for readers. Let’s say you’re covering the topic of product placement. This section could include 5 - 10 videos of product placement in film and television so readers can see the idea of it in action. 

How to [Task/Term]

If your pillar page is dedicated to a concept that requires or benefits from a step-by-step process, outline those steps in this section.

It’s important to be clear, concise, and accurate in the steps you provide your reader. Any extra “fluff” to the article may confuse someone, resulting in some readers not achieving the results they intended.

If what you’re explaining how to do is solve an equation (i.e. “How to Calculate Break Even). provide a step-by-step explanation and example of how to calculate the rate, point, or number you’re explaining how to reach. Show all of your work so the reader can follow along effortlessly.

# Tips and Reminders for [Term]

When breaking down a difficult concept or task, some readers may still feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability to understand it. Break down a few best practices on how to best approach the concept, and/or a few reminders about it.

Analyzing [Term]

If your topic pertains to business or businesses, give an overview of how and why to analyze your topic and how to differentiate between good and bad in the results of that analysis.

Resources for [Term]

Provide further reading or resources for people just getting started who may want additional information. This section could include industry blogs, books, social media accounts for thought leaders, and/or suggestions for support/assistance.

Closing

Wrap up your amazing new blog post with a great closing. Remind your readers of the key takeaway you want them to walk away with and consider pointing them to other resources you have on your website.

Call-to-Action

Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog post. This should be to a lead-generating piece of content or to a sales-focused landing page for a demo or consultation.

Checklist Before Publishing

  • Did you provide a thorough, all-encompassing rundown of the topic you’re writing about?
  • Did you provide relevant examples and accurate facts and stats to prove your understanding of the concept?
  • Did you properly cite and backlink your sources?
  • Did you link to all of your supporting blog posts in the cluster?
  • Did you go back to those posts and link to this pillar page?
  • Did you spell check and proofread?
  • Are there at least 2-3 images?
  • Is the post 2,000 words at minimum?

Is there at least one piece of interactive content embedded in the body (video, social media post, calculator, podcast, audio file)?

How to Write a “What is” Blog Post

How often do you find yourself typing “what is [blank]” into Google? Weekly? Daily? Hourly?

Sometimes, your readers just need a quick answer to a question. Enter: the “what is” blog post. This is the opportunity for you to answer that question – and provide further details on the topic for the readers that want them (and, of course, to help your post rank better).

Writing these posts can also help your be chosen for Google’s featured snippet – the box that appears in Google search results with a few dozen words answering the question people search for. You can see an example of this below

As you may be able to tell from the example above, the “what is” blog post can also take the form of a “when is,” “who is,” or “why is” blog. You can follow the same general guidelines for these posts as you would for a “what is” post.

“What is” blog posts are best for the following blog post ideas:

Defining a term and/or a concept [i.e. “What is Marketing?”].

Math and equation explanations [i.e. “What is First Call Resolution?”].

Outline: [Blog Post Title]

  • Keyword: [Enter Targeted Keyword]
  • Keyword MSV: [Enter Targeted Keyword’s Monthly Search Volume]
  • Author: [Enter Author Name]
  • Due Date: [Enter Due Date]
  • Publish Date: [Enter Desired Publish Date]
  • Buyer Persona: [Enter Targeted Reader and/or Buyer Persona]

[Blog Post Title]

Make sure the title starts with “What is…” and runs for 60 characters or less.

Introduction

Lead into the post with a short 100-200 word introduction. Be sure to highlight:

The reason why what you’re talking about is important.

  • Who, what industry, or what sector of the industry this applies to.
  • What you’ll be covering [i.e. “in this post, we’ll define (term), show a few examples of how it’s used in business today, and provide 8 best practices for getting started with (term) in your company”].

What is [Term]?

Answer the question posed by the title of this post directly below this header. This will increase your chances of ranking for the featured snippet on Google for this phrase and provide readers with an immediate answer. Keep the length of this definition – at least in this very basic introduction – between 50 and 60 words.

After the brief definition, dive further into the concept and add more context and explanation if needed.

Why is [Term] Important?

Provide your readers with a few reasons why they should care about the term or the concept you’re writing about. If this is a consumer-level concept, talk about the implications this could have on their businesses, finances, personal happiness, etc. If you’re writing for an audience of professionals, mention the impact this term or concept has on profit, efficiency, and/or customer satisfaction. To make the most of this section, make sure it includes at least one statistic, quote, or outside reference.

Include at Least One of These Next Three Sections

How to Calculate [Term] (Optional)

Note: This section only applies for posts about math and equations.

Provide a step-by-step explanation and example of how to calculate the rate, point, or number you’re providing a definition for.

# Real Examples of [Term] (Optional)

If you feel like it would benefit your readers, list a few examples of the concept you’re explaining in action. You can elevate this section by embedding images, videos, and/or social media posts.

Remember, this post is not a list post – so try to keep this list between three and five examples if you do decide to include it.

# Tips and Reminders for [Term] (Optional)

When breaking down a difficult concept or definition, some readers may still feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability to address it. Break down a few best practices on how to approach the concept, and/or a few reminders about it. Again, this is not a list post, so keep this short list to three to five pieces of advice.

Closing

Wrap up your amazing new blog post with a great closing. Remind your readers of the key takeaway you want them to walk away with and consider pointing them to other resources you have on your website.

Call-to-Action

Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog post. This should be to a lead-generating piece of content or to a sales-focused landing page for a demo or consultation. 

Checklist Before Publishing

  • Did you define the term and/or explain the concept in terms that your buyer persona would understand?
  • Did you provide relevant and accurate examples and statistics to further explain this concept?
  • Did you properly cite and backlink your sources?
  • Did you spell check and proofread?
  • Are there at least 1-2 images?
  • Is the post 800-1,000 words at minimum?