Running a blog can be daunting. From coming up with ideas to researching and writing posts, running one takes considerable time and dedication. That’s why creating a post outline can be invaluable in aiding this endeavor.
No matter if you’re new to blogging or looking to speed things up, creating an outline can make life much simpler. An outline allows you to stay organized, write better posts, and even delegate tasks to others more efficiently.
In this post, we’ll cover why outlines are helpful for bloggers. Next, we’ll go through six easy steps on how to create one for yourself! Let’s get going! 🚀
📚 Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Choose a topic
- Do some extra research
- Pin down your key points and angle
- Pick your blog post format
- Organize your main points and takeaway
- Create a smooth narrative flow
Why it is essential to create a blog post outline
Before we discuss how to create a blog post outline, let’s first consider why its creation is necessary.
Outlining can greatly enhance the quality of your content. Outlining helps organize your ideas and flesh them out fully; rather than writing on the fly, outlining provides a plan to follow and is more likely to provide value to readers – helping your blog expand further!
If you find it challenging to produce regular blog content, creating an outline may make a world of difference. Planning posts ahead can give you a clear path and reduce writer’s block while helping keep you on schedule and increasing productivity. Having an effective post outline system also can increase productivity!
Outlines can be essential tools for bloggers focusing on search engine optimization (SEO). When structuring posts around key words like “how to create a blog post outline,” you’ll help your search rankings increase, increasing the odds that more people can find your content online.
Lastly, blog post outlines can be an invaluable asset if you work with multiple writers on your team, or plan to in the near future. Simply share an outline with each of them so that they stay true to your vision while providing consistent quality throughout.
How to create a blog post outline (in 6 steps).
Now let’s learn how to create a blog post outline in six simple steps!
Step 1: Choose Your Blog Topic
The first step to creating a successful blog is selecting an engaging blog topic. Make sure it fits within your niche – for instance, if your blog focuses on sustainable living, selecting topics related to professional basketball wouldn’t make much sense! Sticking to your niche builds trust among readers.
Additionally, it’s essential that you select a topic around keywords people are searching for – this way more readers will be able to find your post via search engines like Google’s Keyword Planner.
If you want to go deeper with keyword research, consider using a premium tool such as Ahrefs. When selecting keywords, aim for those with high search volume but low competition; if your niche is highly competitive consider narrowing or broadening it and using long-tail keywords instead.
Keyword research can also provide inspiration, as it presents potential ideas based on what was searched.
Step 2: Do further research about your subject
Once you have selected a powerful keyword for your blog post’s outline Next step is to conduct some additional research about your subject.
Begin by searching for your search term on Google. Look through the blog posts that appear in results. Look through these blog posts to find out the ones that are ranked highly.
The aim of this research is to figure out what you can do to make your piece stand out. The information you gain will assist you in brainstorming to choose the most important points and angles.
If you’re not sure of how to effectively research then you may want to look into AI SEO tools such as Outranking or WriterZen. These tools are helpful in analyzing the activities of your competitors and finding ways to enhance your content.
Step 3: Determine the most important points and angles
Next step in the process of creating an outline for your blog post is choosing your main factors along with your “angle” you want to choose to. The angle you choose is the unique viewpoint you’ll be sharing with your readers.
To determine your perspective to determine your angle, consider what you would like readers to know or do following having read your article. For instance, if you’re writing about the need to reduce single-use plastic, the main goal could be to inspire readers to make small changes to their lives.
Perhaps the study you conducted earlier provided you with your key areas and your angle.
Make note of your main points in a bulleted-list format and put them in a spot that is easy to access them, such as an Google Doc. Do not stress about organizing them now The objective is to get your thoughts on paper.
Step 4: Select a type of blog post or a framework
Once you’ve jotted down your key details and decided on the best angle for you and your strategy, you can now choose a type of blog post. This option will provide your blog post’s outline an organized structure to follow.
There are many popular types of blog posts you could consider:
- Tutorial article:Â In this type tutorial, you show readers step-by’s-step in how to accomplish something.
- roundup article:Â This format shares an assortment of tools and tips to your readers.
- Post that is a summary:Â Similar to a roundup, but usually provides little information on each item in the list.
- Explainer posts:Â This is the most flexible kind, in which you just explain an idea or concept in your post to readers.
Of course, this list of posts isn’t complete. Some types of content might not match your content or you may have some ideas of your own that you’re thinking of. Make sure you choose the right format for your blog that is compatible to your topic!
Step 5: Develop an outline for your most important elements and your takeaway
Now is the time to design a structure to the Blog post’s outline.
To make the blogging process easier, you should consider making a template for each blog article. This will let you easily add your main ideas and key points for subsequent posts.
Begin by identifying your primary headings. These headings can help you organize your outline and make it easier to separate the key elements. It is crucial to have clear headings especially for longer posts because it enhances the reading comprehension.
Furthermore, using headings may aid in creating an outline of your blog post. If your outline is built upon headings, the readers are able to browse your post more efficiently as in the one we discussed earlier.
Step 6: Establish your narrative arc
Then, consider the narrative flow of your blog post. Each blog post should include three major sections that include an introduction, a body and the conclusion.
If for example, you’re writing a tutorial Start your introduction by introducing the subject and the reasons why it’s important. It’s also a good opportunity to summarize your primary elements and the key points, so that readers know what they can be expecting.
Your “body” of your post will include the primary content such as the steps of a tutorial or items on the form of a listicle. In the final paragraph you will highlight the significance of the subject and keep readers informed of the most important elements and key takeaways.
If you’re not sure how to arrange your body, you can try the what/why/how method. You can ask yourself the following questions:
- What’s this blog post about?
- What is the significance of this to readers?
- What can they do? (for tutorials or tips)
Then, you must arrange your answers in the order you want them to appear.
A clear and concise story is crucial to help readers gain the most benefit from blogs. A well-written narrative enhances the value of your posts and also helps your posts get more visibility in results on search engines.
Once you’ve got your story written down it’s much easier to think of an appealing headline for your blog article. You’re now ready to write!
Conclusion
Making high-quality blog posts on a regular basis is not easy. If you’d like to speed up the process writing blog post outline can be very helpful. Begin by choosing a topic which is centered around a pertinent keyword, and then look at the competition’s activities. Then, you must decide on your perspective and what kind of article you’d like to write, such as a guide or an overview. Then, you can organize your main elements and create an organized narrative for your piece.
If you follow the steps below, you’ll have the ability to write blog posts that will be successful.
Have you got any questions about how to make an outline for your blog post? Tell us by leaving a comment below!
