9 Steps to Writing a Great Blog Post (That People Actually Want to Read)

Type a few hundred words and publish it somewhere - boom, you have a blog post, right?

If a blog post is published and no one reads it, is it still a blog post?

Anyone can write a blog post, but not everyone can create something that people will want to read.

In this article, you’ll learn how to write blog posts that actually get readers.

Let's get started.

Step 1: Find a proven theme

Mature topics tend to be topics that people want to read about.

If you’re familiar with the niche, this shouldn’t be a big deal. You probably already have a lot of ideas you want to cover, so open up a Google Doc and write them down (you can also use Notepad to simulate a Google Doc).

Otherwise, there’s no better way to find effective topics than to write “topics people are searching for.” After all, if there’s a topic people search for every month, then it ’s likely something they want to read about.

Here’s how to find those topics:

1. Go to Ahrefs Keywords Explorer
2. Enter a keyword related to your website or niche
3. Switch to the report with the same words (Matching terms report)
4. Switch tab to question

Do a little shopping and look for topics that interest you, make a list, 5 to 10 should be enough to start with.

Ideally they should also have some traffic potential, and our metric “traffic potential” is an estimate of the amount of search traffic you might get if you were ranked #1 for that topic. You can get an idea of whether a topic has traffic potential by looking at the TP column.

Step 2: Decide on the angle of your blog post

With over 4.4 million new blog posts published every day, your blog post has to stand out. Otherwise it won’t be found and no one will read it.

The key factor here is novelty.

According to Julian Shapiro, there are five novel categories:

1. Counterintuitive: “Oh, I never realized the world worked this way.”
2. Counter-narrative: “Wow, someone told me that this isn’t how the world works!”
3. Shock and Awe: "This is crazy, I never believed it before."
4. Elegant Expression: "Beautiful. I couldn't have expressed it better."
5. Make people feel seen: “Yes! That’s exactly how I feel!”

For example, see this blog post by financial writer Morgan Housel :

He said something contrary to what most people thought (opinion). The best ideas or "truths" are not necessarily the best for readers, but the best stories are likely to win the hearts of readers. This was very persuasive for his financial field, in fact, it stood out from the other articles these people read (other news-based, fact-oriented).

Morgan always does this, he rarely writes directly about financial topics. Instead he always looks at the topic from the perspective of history, biology, anthropology, psychology, etc. This makes his articles unique and his angles always stand out.

This is what you have to do. So take some time to come up with an angle that is unique and fresh to your target audience and start with these questions:

• Do you have personal experience with this topic? For example, if you have successfully implemented the keto diet, you can write about your experience and how you did it.
• Can you interview an expert? For example, you could interview an expert about the latest research and findings in the world of keto.
• Can you crowdfund ideas and thoughts? For example, if you write about making keto-friendly ice cream, you could crowdfund the recipe.
• Can you provide data or use science to support your article? Consider conducting a study (if possible) or looking through scientific research papers.
• Can you think in reverse? Don’t be the devil’s advocate just for the sake of being the devil’s advocate, but if you truly have a point of view that is contrary to everyone else’s, this can be a good angle to take.

Translator's Note

If you’re writing a blog with SEO in mind, then you have to match search intent. Search intent is the reason behind a search query , which can be figured out by looking at the pages that currently rank high.

Specifically, we need to understand the three Cs of search intent.

• Content Type — Is there one dominant content type on the SERP, such as a blog post, product page, video, or landing page? If you followed step one, this is most likely a blog post.
• Content Format — Is there a predominant content format on the SERPs, such as a guide, list, news article, opinion piece, or review?
• Content angle — Is there a dominant angle on the SERPs, such as the latest content or content for beginners?

For example, let’s look at the topic of “date ideas.”

• Content Type – They are all blog posts.
• Content Format – They are all list-style content.
• Content Angle – One potential angle is “fun date ideas”.

If you were writing about this topic, you might want to create something similar.

But please note that this is not a rule, but a guideline. Even if your article ranks highly on Google, it still has to stand out from the other articles that are ranking. So, it comes back to finding a new and unique angle for your article. If you can create one that is better than the other top-ranking articles, then do it.

Step 3: Create an Outline

The hardest part of writing is facing the blank page. It's possible to sit in front of your computer for six hours and not write anything. It can happen to anyone.

Creating an outline can “solve” this problem. When you have an outline, you are not writing from scratch. Instead, you are filling in the “gaps”.

Even better, you don’t have to create an outline from scratch either; spend enough time online and you’ll find that most blog posts follow a similar structure.

So don’t be afraid to use a template. For example, we use this template for almost all of our bullet point posts:

Once you have a skeleton structure, the next step is to figure out what you need to fill in, especially H2, H3, H4, etc. Here are some ideas to help you:

A. Use your personal experience and expertise

Nothing beats your own experience and expertise, and if you know there is a right way to do something, use that knowledge to create your outline.

For example, I've been breakdancing for over 10 years, and if I were to write a blog post about how to six-step, I wouldn't even have to do any research, I could just pour the information out of my brain.

B. Analyze content gap opportunities

If there are subtopics that almost all of the top-ranking pages cover, then they’re likely important to readers.

Here’s how to find those subtopics:

1. Paste a few of the top-ranking URLs for your main topic into Ahrefs’ Content Gap tool.
2. Leave the bottom blank
3. Click to display keywords
4. Set cross filter to 3 and 4 targets

Here you’ll see how these pages rank for subtopics, such as:

• What is Inbound Marketing
• Inbound Marketing Strategy
• Inbound Marketing Case Studies

And there's more.

If you’re writing a blog post about “Inbound Marketing,” they’d probably make great H2s.

Please note that your goal is not to copy and rewrite the top-ranking pages; the Internet is full of that kind of cookie-cutter content that no one is interested in.

Your goal is simply to use the top-ranking pages as inspiration, and if they make great points, you can consider incorporating them into your article. If they say something completely wrong, that’s even better. Take advantage of the opportunity and correct misconceptions.

Step 4: Write Your First Draft

With your outline in hand, it’s time to fill this skeleton out into a rough draft.

I write primarily in Google Docs, and one immediate benefit is that I can turn the headings I create into actual headings. I just click the “Style” drop-down on the menu and adjust them:

You can also see your outline on the side.

From here, using your title as a guide, write your first draft. The focus at this stage is to “get it out,” which means:

• Avoid any distractions while writing.
• Don’t engage in self-censorship during the writing process.
• Not having to repeatedly readjust your outline can help your writing flow more smoothly.
• Don’t rewrite the same sentence 10 times because it “doesn’t read right” 😅.

I know, I know, it’s easier said than done. Still, try to minimize distractions so you can edit more fully later. The point of this phase is to get everything down on paper (or screen) so you have something concrete to work with, and as writer Shannon Hale writes:

I’m writing my first draft while reminding myself that I’m just shoveling sand into a box for subsequent castle construction.

One “trick” you might consider is using the Pomodoro Technique . This is my go-to if I’m stuck, distracted, or procrastinating.

The basic concept is to set a timer for 25 minutes, write as much as you can, then take a 5-minute break and repeat the whole process. You can use a Chrome extension like Marinara to automate your Pomodoros.

Expert Tip

Are you having trouble writing your opening statement because you don't know how to write it? Use the PAS formula to get started. Here's how it works: 1. State the problem ( Problem )

1. Dig into more pain points (what readers feel) to stimulate ( A gitate) questions
2. Provide a potential solution

Here’s what it looks like:

Step 5: Polish and Edit Your Post

"I have rewritten it, usually several times, and almost every word. My pencils outlast my erasers."

**Vladimir Nabokov, **Novelist

Here’s the surprise: even though this activity is called “writing,” the magic doesn’t lie there. Rather, it’s during the editing phase that the real blog post emerges.

After you complete the first draft, it's time to edit, polish, adjust and rewrite.

My advice is to wait a day or two before editing. Why? Because when you first finish a draft, you’ve invested so much emotion into it. This time lag will help to remove that emotion so you can really edit with fresh eyes.

Here are some things you can do during the editing process:

• Use Grammarly — to check for grammatical errors.
• Read your draft out loud — catch any stray lines.
• Break up long sentences — Turn sentences with endless “ands” and “thats” into short, punchy ones.
• Add formatting where relevant — images, GIFs, bullet points, numbered lists, bold, italics, etc. to make your article easier to read.
• Add spice to the “flow” — Whenever you have the chance, consider adding transitions and suspense so that the rhythm of your essay isn’t static.

You should also pay extra attention to your introduction, as this will influence your reader's decision as to whether or not to continue reading.

Once you've finished self-editing, get feedback from others. It's great to have an editor who can look over your draft, but a friend or colleague will definitely work too.

The important thing here is to have an unbiased pair of eyes look at your work.

A third party can point out things you can’t spot on your own, like holes in logic and poor processes.

When they’re done, incorporate their feedback into the content. Use their ideas and opinions as a basis to create the best work you can.

Take a moment to think about each point they make, put your ego aside, and really try to see things from a third party's perspective. Which ones do you agree with, which ones are you unsure about, and which ones you absolutely disagree with?

Make edits based on suggestions you believe in, and leave out things you strongly disagree with (but be sure to have a valid reason for doing so). If you're on the fence, it depends on how much you trust the person giving you feedback.

Also, be careful not to adopt a third party's writing style that comes as a surprise, especially if they provide lengthy feedback or you incorporate many of their suggestions at once. Likewise, if you can, take a break from the draft process and work on something else. Then when you come back, try to rewrite that section in your own voice and style.

Now is the time to rewrite sentences until they "sound right," or to recalibrate ideas over and over again until they finally flow as smoothly as they can.

Keep getting feedback and revising your draft until you are happy with the final product.

Step 6: Create a Stunning Headline

“On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.”

David Ogilvy, Advertising Tycoon

Your headline is one of the most important aspects of your blog post, it determines whether people click and read it, so you should spend some time polishing it until it is persuasive.

Don’t stop at your first headline, come up with a few and see which one works best. The notorious viral site Upworthy creates 25 headlines for every article it publishes.

I’m not asking you to create a headline like this, but it can be a fruitful exercise. As Ed Sheeran said, “It helps to clear the tap.”

Speaking of which, here are some tips for writing better headlines:

• Use “power words” – Words like “remarkable” and “noteworthy” help to elicit an emotional response, and using one or two can make a headline more eye-catching.
• Add Brackets - Brackets strengthen the title tag by adding “icing on the cake.”

Step 7: Optimize your on-page SEO

Even if you don’t write your blog with SEO in mind, you still want search engines like Google to find and rank your posts. After all, Google is still one of the main ways people discover new content to read online.

It’s a good idea to follow simple SEO best practices for every blog post you publish. At a basic level, you should:

• Include the topic in the title - You probably naturally included this when brainstorming. After all, if you're writing about intermittent fasting, it'd be hard not to mention it. Don't worry if you didn't, though; a close synonym will work just fine.
• Write a compelling meta description — This isn’t a Google ranking factor, but it helps “sell” your article in search results.
• Use short and descriptive URLs — This type of URL makes it easy for searchers to understand the topic of your article. The easiest way to do this is to use your topic as a permalink.
• Add alt text to your images – Google uses alt text to understand images, create a concise and accurate text for each image.
• Link to internal and external resources — Cite others where relevant, which is helpful for readers who want to learn more.

If you’re using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, installing a plugin like Yoast or RankMath can help you get started quickly.

Recommended reading : On-Page SEO: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

Step 8: Publish your article

Finally, you’re ready to publish your article!

Upload your posts to a CMS, or if you use WordPress and have some budget, consider using Wordable . This allows you to upload from Google Docs to WordPress with one click, which makes it really easy.

Then take one more quick look to make sure everything looks good, and finally hit “Publish”!

Step 9: Promote your article

In fact, the blogging industry is so competitive today that no matter how good your content is, it won’t be discovered until you get out there and let people know about it.

Consider using the following strategies to promote your content:

• Share with your audience — You may think you don’t have an “audience,” especially if you’re just starting out. But you have friends, family, coworkers, and followers on your social media accounts. Share it with them! They’ll become your biggest supporters, and then over time, as you build an audience (like an email list), you can share your articles with them, too.
• Email people mentioned in your content — Find the emails of those people you quoted or linked to and contact them, they will be happy to know they were mentioned.
• Share your content in relevant communities - Facebook groups, Slack communities, Discord, Reddit, and forums. If you are a member of any community, consider sharing your content there. But remember, don’t spam!

Recommended reading : 12 promotion strategies to get more attention for your content

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this post has shown you that writing a blog post that people will want to read doesn’t have to be a difficult process and that you can do it, too.

Get started now, that blog post isn’t going to write itself.

Have any questions or ideas? Let me know on Twitter.

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