How to Write a Blog Post Outline: Easy (With Template)
Ever marveled at how top bloggers consistently churn out high-quality posts with impressive speed? Let’s explore the blueprint they use to effortlessly craft hundreds of well-structured, highly-readable articles.
If you want to know how to write a blog post outline, you came to the right place. Let’s dive in.
It’s no doubt, a well-crafted outline streamlines the blog writing process.
We’ll explore the steps necessary to create an effective blog post outline from brainstorming techniques and research strategies, to AI tools for outlining assistance.
The power of an engaging hook cannot be underestimated; hence, we will cover tips on crafting captivating opening sentences. Furthermore, glean insights from professional bloggers who leverage Google search results to improve their outlines.
Finally, our example blog post outline and customizable blank template will provide you with practical resources to apply these concepts directly in your own work. You’ll come away with the know-how to write a blog post outline you’re proud of.
By mastering how to write a blog post outline, you’ll also elevate the quality of your content while optimizing efficiency in its creation.
The Importance of an Outline
Crafting a blog outline in your content management system is essential for creating engaging and informative content for your audience. It organizes thoughts effectively, ensures valuable information density, and improves SEO performance.
Outlining blog posts also lets you concentrate on delivering meaningful content to your readers!
Benefits of Outlining Your Blog Posts
- Organization: An outline provides a clear structure that guides you through each section of your blog post, making it easier to maintain coherence and logical flow.
- Ease of Writing: With an organized framework in place, you’ll find it simpler to start writing and stay focused on delivering high-quality content.
- Better SEO Performance: A well-planned blog post outline enables you to strategically incorporate relevant keywords into your headings and subheadings, ultimately boosting search engine rankings.
- Neil Patel’s guide on how to write a blog post outline emphasizes the importance of outlining as part of his recommended blogging best practices.
How to Write a Post Outline
Let’s get a plan in place… Here are the steps I use to create an effective outline. You can use it for your next post.
Step 1: Choose a Working Title
To create an effective outline, begin by developing a working title that captures the essence of your topic. Next, break down this main idea into key points or sections using bulleted lists. This method will help cover every aspect while keeping ideas organized coherently within their respective categories.
For example:
- Working Title: How to Write a Blog Post Outline
- Bulleted List:
- Step 1: Brainstorming Ideas and Key Points.
- Step 2: Conducting Research for Your Outline.
- Add more steps as needed.
Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Key Points
Once you have a working title, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas and key points related to your topic. Jot down any ideas that come to mind and identify the main topics you want to cover in your post.
I sometimes use AI tools like ChatGpt for brainstorming ideas. There are tons of them out there and more are being developed daily!
Start by brainstorming ideas related to your primary topic, such as “how to write a blog post outline.”
Consider what key points you want to cover and break them down into overarching sections or subheadings. This process will help guide the writing process, ensuring valuable information density in the final product.
Identify Main Topics within Your Subject Matter
An effective way of brainstorming is by listing down all possible topics connected to your main subject matter.
passive income strategies, tools for digital success, or opportunities for entrepreneurs
By identifying these main themes early on in the outlining stage, you can create a more cohesive structure that addresses multiple aspects of your niche.
Create Subheadings That Address Specific Aspects
Once you have identified the main topics within your subject matter, divide each point into specific aspects using subheadings. These headings should be informative yet concise enough not to overwhelm readers with too much detail at once. For example:
- The Power of Passive Income: Strategies for Financial Freedom.
- Digital Tools Every Online Entrepreneur Needs in Their Arsenal.
- Finding Opportunities: How Motivated Adults Can Start an Online Business Today.
This approach allows readers interested only in certain areas to still find value while also encouraging others to explore the entire piece in depth.
Keep in mind your target audience personas during the creation process, ensuring that the content is tailored to their needs and preferences effectively.
By brainstorming ideas and key points, you can begin to identify the main topics within your subject matter that will be addressed in more detail. Once this is done, it’s time to move on to conducting research for your outline which includes keyword research strategies, analyzing reader personas, and exploring competitor content.
Conduct Research for Your Outline
Thorough research plays an important role in developing a comprehensive blog post outline.
By conducting keyword research, analyzing reader personas, and exploring competitor content on similar topics, you can create an engaging and informative piece that resonates with your target audience.
Keyword Research Strategies
To optimize your blog posts for search engines and attract more readers, it’s crucial to include relevant keywords. Start by brainstorming terms related to your primary topic and use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs Keywords Explorer to identify high-volume keywords with low competition.
Incorporate these strategically throughout your outline without sacrificing readability.
Analyze Reader Personas
Understanding the needs of your reader personas is essential when crafting a compelling blog post outline. Consider their pain points, interests, demographics, and online behavior patterns as you develop key points within each section.
This will ensure that the final product addresses their concerns while providing the valuable information they’re seeking.
Explore Competitor Content
In addition to conducting original research on your chosen topic area, it’s also beneficial to explore what other bloggers have written about similar subjects.
Analyze top-performing articles from competitors using tools like BuzzSumo or Ahrefs Content Explorer – paying close attention not only to how they structure their content, but also to the types of insights they share. This knowledge allows you to craft superior outlines which outshine the competition, ultimately driving traffic to your site.
Exploring the subject of your outline is indispensable for success, enabling you to discover what audiences are expecting and how others have tackled analogous themes. Utilizing AI tools can help streamline this process even further by providing templates that simplify outlining tasks.
Step 3: Create a Bulleted List of Subtopics
Once you have your main topics identified, create a bulleted list of subtopics that address specific aspects of each main topic. This will help you stay organized and ensure that you cover all the important points in your post.
Step 4: Conduct Keyword Research and Analyze Reader Personas
Before you start writing, it’s important to conduct keyword research and analyze reader personas. This will help you understand what your audience is looking for and ensure that your post is optimized for search engines.
Step 5: Utilize AI Tools or Templates
If you’re struggling with writer’s block during the outlining process or feeling overwhelmed by balancing different sections within your piece, consider using AI tools to help streamline your workflow.
These resources offer helpful guidance when structuring outlines, ensuring a coherent and logical flow throughout your entire article.
HubSpot’s Fill-in-the-blank Template
HubSpot’s free fill-in-the-blank template is an excellent resource that provides a customizable outline to guide you through each step of crafting a compelling blog post. This template can be a great time-saver and help to create better content by simply filling in the details about your topic.
You can find those templates here.
In addition to these tools and templates, reaching out to peers for feedback can be invaluable in refining and perfecting your blog post outline.
Sharing drafts with fellow bloggers or online entrepreneurs allows them to provide constructive criticism on how effectively you’ve organized thoughts and whether key points have been adequately addressed. By incorporating their insights into revisions, it becomes easier than ever before to create high-quality content that resonates with motivated adults looking to start an online business or build their digital presence.
Step 6: Include an Engaging Hook
Finally, make sure to include an engaging hook at the beginning of your post. This will help grab your reader’s attention and keep them engaged throughout the rest of your article.
A compelling hook entices readers and encourages them to read your entire blog post. Make sure to incorporate a captivating opening sentence or paragraph that sets the tone for the rest of your content.
For example, if you are discussing personal experiences and expertise in sharing a unique recipe for ramen with others, you could begin with an anecdote about discovering your love for noodles while traveling in Japan. This immediately grabs attention and piques curiosity, making readers want to know more.
Crafting a Captivating Opening Sentence
To create an effective hook, consider using one of these techniques:
- Anecdotes: Share a personal story related to your topic that resonates with readers.
- Rhetorical questions: Pose thought-provoking questions that encourage reflection on the subject matter.
- Facts or statistics: Present surprising data or facts relevant to your topic; this can be found through thorough research like exploring resources such as Statista.
- Intriguing statements: Use bold claims or controversial opinions (with evidence) that challenge conventional wisdom.
Examples of Effective Hooks
Beyond our ramen example earlier, here are some additional examples showcasing different types of hooks:
- Anecdote: “I still remember my first encounter with online marketing – it was like stepping into another world.”
- Rhetorical question: “Have you ever wondered how top bloggers consistently churn out high-quality content that keeps readers coming back for more?”
- Facts or statistics: “According to a recent study, 77% of internet users read blogs regularly – but only a fraction of them ever make it past the first few sentences.”
- Intriguing statement: “Most people believe starting an online business is difficult and time-consuming, but I’m here to tell you they’re wrong.”
An effective hook is essential for creating an engaging blog post, and with the right tips from professional bloggers, your content can be even more successful.
By understanding how to leverage “People Also Ask” in Google search results as well as other expert advice, you will have all the tools necessary to craft a powerful outline that stands out from the rest.
Blog Outline Tips from Professional Bloggers
Incorporating tips from professional bloggers can further enhance the quality of your blog post outline. For instance, HubSpot writers recommend checking the “People Also Ask” section on Google SERPs for inspiration and insights into what readers are looking for.
By understanding what else your readers are searching for, you’ll be able to produce content that appeals to them.
Other expert advice to improve outlines
- Create a working title: A temporary title helps focus your writing process and serves as a guidepost throughout content creation. As you develop the piece, feel free to refine it until it accurately reflects the final product.
- Draft a bulleted list: Organize key points using bullets or numbers before expanding them into full paragraphs. This approach simplifies complex concepts while providing structure during the drafting stage.
- Edit ruthlessly: Once you’ve completed an initial draft based on your outline, take time to review and revise thoroughly. Trim unnecessary words or phrases while also ensuring each paragraph flows seamlessly into the next one.
By implementing these strategies shared by successful bloggers, online entrepreneurs like yourself will be well on their way to crafting engaging, informative blog posts that attract and retain readership.
By following the tips from professional bloggers, you can create an effective blog post outline and make sure your content stands out. Consider the following blank template to get started!
Blank Outline Template Ready for Customization
Let’s look at a simple but highly effective template you can use for just about any topic.
This customizable template allows you to easily insert your own headings, subheadings, and content while ensuring a coherent flow throughout your blog post. Remember to incorporate SEO keywords for optimal search engine performance.
Title: [Catchy and Engaging Blog Post Title] (How to Write a Blog Post Outline)
Introduction:
- Hook: [An interesting or attention-grabbing statement]
- Background information: [Provide context on the topic]
- Purpose of the blog post: [Explain what the reader will learn or gain]
- Preview of main points: [Briefly list the main sections of the post]
Section 1: [Main Point #1]
- Topic sentence: [Introduce the main point]
- Supporting point 1: [Elaborate on your topic with relevant details or examples]
- Supporting point 2: [Add more evidence or clarification]
- Supporting point 3: [Continue to build on the main point]
Section 2: [Main Point #2]
- Topic sentence: [Introduce the main point]
- Supporting point 1: [Provide related information or examples]
- Supporting point 2: [Expand on the main point]
- Supporting point 3: [Further develop the topic]
(Optional) Additional Sections:
- Continue with the same format as the previous sections, depending on the number of main points you have for your blog post.
Conclusion:
- Restate the purpose of the blog post: [Remind the reader what they learned or gained]
- Recap of main points: [Briefly summarize the main sections]
- Call-to-action: [Encourage readers to take a specific action or engage with your content]
- Closing thoughts: [Leave readers with a final thought or sentiment]
(Optional) Additional Resources:
- Resource 1: [Link to related content or helpful external resources]
- Resource 2: [Add more resources as needed]
Key Takeaways
By following these steps on how to write a blog post outline, you can create an effective outline your readers will enjoy. Remember to stay focused on your main topic, organize your subtopics in a logical way, and always include an engaging hook to keep your readers interested.
Incorporating this structured approach into your blog post outlining process will set you on the path to creating high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience.
The importance of a blog post outline cannot be overstated, as it provides structure and organization to the piece. By brainstorming ideas and key points, you can create an effective framework for your content that will keep readers engaged.
Happy writing!
FAQ
What’s the purpose of a blog post outline?
An outline organizes thoughts, streamlines writing, and improves content flow, making it easier to create a high-quality blog post.
What are the main parts of an outline?
Introduction, main points with subheadings, conclusion, and any additional elements, like images or quotes.
How do I pick the right subheadings?
Identify the key aspects of your topic and ensure they are focused, relevant, and support your main idea.
Can an outline help with writer’s block?
Yes, having a clear roadmap in the form of an outline can minimize writer’s block and facilitate smoother writing.
Are outlines just for blog posts?
No, outlines can be used for various writing projects, like articles, reports, or even books, to improve organization and clarity.
