Are you spending hours australia phone number data polishing your blog content without getting satisfactory results? It's not inevitable! Know that for a text to please your readers and rank well on Google , it must be constructed thoughtfully! But then, how do you structure a blog article well ? I'll share my tips with you and explain the 11 steps to follow to organize your next post like a pro !
Quick read: how to structure a blog post in 11 stepsHere's a summary of the 11 steps to properly structuring a blog post ! This won't replace training in web writing , but you'll at least have all the tips you need to structure a text that meets the needs of Internet users and search engines.
Choosing the right themes
Find the keywords
Know your readership
Look for reliable sources of inspiration
Make a writing plan
Write the blog post
Optimize content
Add media
Provide internal and external links
Fill in the metadata
Reread its content
As you read on, you'll find more details on each of these 11 steps. You'll then be able to start writing your blog post right away!
Why is it necessary to structure a blog article?Illustrative image: Google results
Bloggers can easily be divided into two categories ! Some simply want to share their point of view or share their experiences . Others want to attract organic traffic and captivate their readers . If you fall into this second category, then you're probably interested in learning how to structure a blog post !
Indeed, the structure of your blog post is essential to achieve your goals . It allows you to:
respond quickly to the query intent ;
reduce the bounce rate;
keep your visitor's interest;
improve your conversion rate;
match Google's ranking criteria ;
increase your visibility on search engines;
increase your SEO traffic.
But then, how do you write a blog post that achieves all of your goals? Despite popular belief, it's not enough to dive headfirst into writing your content! There's some preliminary work to do and a specific way to proceed . Below, I invite you to discover the 11 steps I use to properly structure a blog post .
11 steps to properly structure a blog articleIllustrative image: 11 steps to properly structure a blog article
Here, I share with you my approach to writing an SEO blog post . Before even starting to write, I take the time to do a preliminary analysis . Then, I write following a precise methodology. Finally, I take care of the SEO optimization . Here are the 11 steps I follow to structure a blog post!
1. Choose the right themes
When choosing the right topics, you need to consider two factors: your area of expertise and your target audience . Your goal is to prove to Google that you are a leading expert in your industry and that you have comprehensive expertise on a specific topic. You also want to meet the needs and expectations of your audience .
To do this, I first start by thinking about all the topics that are relevant to the website I'm working on. If you're lacking inspiration, don't hesitate to get inspired by your SEO competition ! Then, I search Google for related search suggestions and other questions asked . Finally, I use the SEOQuantum tool to establish an effective topic cluster strategy .
Screenshot: Structuring blog articles with thematic clusters
After completing this analysis, you can compile all of this information into an editorial plan . This way, you can organize your upcoming actions and structure the work of your editorial teams. You can also use our SEO tool to create this document.
2. Find the keywords
Now that you know what topics you're going to cover in your upcoming blog posts, you need to do some keyword research . To do this, you can use tools like Ubersuggest , SEMRush , or Ranxplorer . It's also a good idea to look at Google's SERP for inspiration.
My advice is not to focus solely on high-volume keywords . These are often extremely competitive . It will therefore be difficult for you to rank your blog post on these complicated queries, especially if your website is not very well known. Don't hesitate to work on long tail and local queries to be visible on the first page of Google.
When writing your blog post, try to focus on a single keyword per text . However, if your content is comprehensive and well-optimized, it will likely appear across a whole group of related queries . So, even if you haven't targeted a keyword with a thousand monthly searches, you can still attract significant traffic thanks to dozens of words searched only ten times per month.
3. Know your readership
Remember that you're writing for humans , not for search engines. It's essential to clearly define your target reader so you can tailor your writing to their profile. Before writing your first blog post, I recommend doing a thorough SEO persona analysis .
Of course, your writing style should also match your brand image. That's why it's strongly recommended to establish an editorial line . You can then share it with your entire editorial team to harmonize the way you communicate on your blog .
By doing this, you'll be putting all the chances on your side to interest your reader, retain your traffic and improve your conversion rate . Once you've completed these first three steps, you can finally start writing your blog article!
4. Look for reliable sources of inspiration
You have your keyword in mind and are ready to write your content. You may already know your topic inside and out and not need any inspiration. However, it's always good to know what Google considers relevant .
So, I suggest you take a look at search engines to better understand search intent and see how your competitors have structured their content. This will also help you with the next step: creating a writing plan.
Additionally, to have a chance of ranking your blog post in the top position, you need to outperform your competitors . Therefore, take the time to find reliable sources before writing your first line. To find out if they are reliable, you can:
check the site’s reputation (with Majestic SEO or Ahref );
check the presence of legal notices and general terms and conditions (often in the footer );
make sure the writer is recognized in the field covered (a quick search on LinkedIn is a good way to do this);
quickly browse the entire blog to see if the themes are relevant to your topic;
see if the site appears on related searches .
5. Make a writing plan
Creating an editorial plan before writing is essential. It's important to note that this plan isn't rigid and you'll likely need to revisit it as you write. However, it helps structure the information and ensures that you're covering the entire topic .
5.1 Title (H1)
Choose a title that briefly describes the topic your blog post is about. It should offer a solution to the user, and your content should match that promise. Personally, to ensure the title is relevant, I only finalize it after I've finished writing my text.
5.2 Introduction (chapô)
The hook of your blog is what will make your visitor want to continue reading . To make it optimal, I recommend presenting a problem that the reader can identify with and offering them the solutions proposed later in the article. Once again, I only refine this element once my article is finished .
