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Creating a blog post outline before you begin writing makes your content better, more focused, and easier to write. Sounds too good to be true? Then think again!

Today let’s talk about how to write a blog post outline. Step by step, we’ll build a blog outline template. In other words, I will show you my step-by-step outlining process for a blog post.

Best of all, you’ll find that these steps will increase both the speed and the *fire emoji* quality of your blog writing! 

I’m going to convince your that you don’t just need to write an outline for every blog post, you want to (once you understand the benefits). 

The Reality Of Blogging

A basic misconception about blogging is that bloggers just sit down and, struck by inspiration, feverishly write down their thoughts, then spend the rest of the day enjoying life (*heavenly harp strings play in the background*). I think it’s fair to say that every blogger wishes this was true! Sign me up.

In reality however, blogging at high quantities consists of carefully planning your blog post topics, researching your keywords and writing a blog post outline for each new piece of content.

Now, it’s true that not *every* blogger writes an outline, or at least not for every blog post. Common sense implies that an outline is a good step for any form of writing, yet it’s still kind of the blogging equivalent of flossing.

We all know it’s good for us, but do you really notice if you skip this step? 

Why Create An Outline For Your Next Blog Post?

Fortunately for those who feel this step doesn’t come naturally, writing a blog outline is a skill that’s easy to learn by doing. I know you’ve probably heard about the need for outlining before. After all, outlining a piece of writing in advance is a concept as old as time (and everyone’s high school education).

Even if you simply create bullet points in a Google doc before you start, you’ll turn a blank page into an actual post a lot faster. And even better, it often means that the actual post itself is a lot better!

Write Faster

Every blogger wishes they could do more or do better. It’s natural to look at for blogging tips about keyword research or SEO to find your blogging power-up, but it’s actually within your writing process. 

While making a blog post outline may seem like the PERFECT step to skip to save a little time, writing one is actually a huge win for efficiency. Writing an outline before you start will save you time and make you a better blog writer in the long run.

Hand holding pen writing in notebook with text over image "8 steps to outline every blog post"

In a way, making an outline is what professional chefs call mise en place. A chef prepares every ingredient before service so they can focus on the most important part of being a chef, preparing and serving the food. 

When you make a blog outline, you basically do the same thing. You make sure that everything in your post is ready and the result will be a fast and smooth process.

Create More Relevant Blog Posts

With SEO changing and the increased importance given to search intent, the more focused you can make your article, the better.

After all, most people read blogs because they have a specific question in mind. What they are looking for is your solution to their problem. The skill of putting together a blog post that answers a question in a well structured and to the point way is absolutely essential for bloggers. 

Show Up In Search Engines

Finally, if you can create blog content that provides an in-depth answer to one of these questions, you will ultimately increase your chances of ranking in Google Search!

Your writing will naturally be more organized and articulate, which will make it easier to hold reader’s attention. I don’t have to tell you that Google loves seeing that!

Explaining your content to search engines is an important part of SEO and writing a clear and concise blog post makes this process a lot easier. Although a modern search engine like Google is really good at understanding your content, it won’t hurt to lend a helping hand!

1. Before You Start

After you’ve done your keyword research, get a sense of what you’re up against. If you want your post to rank, you have to make sure your post is better than what’s already out there. 

The first thing to do is to check the average word count. If you use a keyword research tool, this should be just a few clicks away. This is just to get an idea of what your final product needs to look like. 

Outline that says word count: Make sure your article is competitive in length or you may fall a few thousand words short of your competition. Use your keyword research tool to see how competitive page 1 of Google is in length. While you're looking at page 1, also look for a competitive edge over the pieces that are already ranking

If the average length of the first 10 posts is 5000+ words, chances of your 750-word post breaking through are small. Average word count is a ballpark number but meeting it makes your post more competitive. 

Example: The keywords of this blog post are “blog post outline” and the average word count of Google’s first page is 3337 words.

Screenshot of Keysearch with a red square drawn around word count

The tool you see above is called Keysearch, I highly recommend it. Use coupon code KSDISC to get 20% off every single month.

How To Analyze Your Competition

Blogging is a competitive business and it is important that you knowg how to create content that is better than what’s already out there. The more you analyze what’s currently ranking, the better chance you have of eventually outranking them!

It starts with going to Google and typing in your exact focus keyword. In the search results, check out the top ranking pages (first three of four results) that show up.

This is when you look at the strength of the articles that are already out there. Try to think of ways in which your post can add things that other posts aren’t addressing. Maybe they skip over certain steps? Try to come up with a way in which your post can stand out. 

Pro Tip!! Go through the entire article and pay special attention to the ‘extras’ that people put on the page. Are there custom graphics? Images? Videos? 

2. Condense Main Idea Into A Single Sentence

Every blog post starts with an idea – your main topic. This idea is then supported by key points in the following paragraphs. When writing, you want to have a clear idea of what each paragraph is building towards as this gives your writing a sense of direction and focus. 

Your main idea can take many forms but keep in mind that you should only have one idea per blog post. Whether you want to give a product review or persuade your target audience to do something, you should put your main idea into a single sentence.

Narrowing down your topic this way forces you to choose a certain angle from which you approach it. 

Avoid Chasing Two Rabbits

A very common blogging mistake is that bloggers try to combine different topics into one blog post. Let me show you some examples: 

  • Ways to enjoy autumn and what makes autumn special
  • Keysearch review and best budget keyword research tool 
  • Blog post outline and what makes good blog writing 

These are examples of the problem we’re talking about. These topics might all be related, but they’re not the same. Writing an article that tries to bridge both of these keywords and topics will confuse Google and result in a lower ranking potential. 

Outline that says thesis: Condense your main idea into a single sentence. A clear topic condensed into a single sentence, No confusion, Not bridging multiple topics, Answers a single question

Example: the keyword for this blog post “blog post outline,” but the question I’m answering for readers is “how do I write a good outline for articles.”  

If you find it difficult to limit your thesis to one sentence, try writing down the one question that your article aims to answer. Make it as specific as you possibly can as this will help you then make your main idea more concise.

Once you have your thesis down, you’re on the right track and it is time to come up with the supporting paragraphs.  

3. Brainstorm And Organize

After you develop your main idea, it’s time to come up with ideas for supporting paragraphs.

This is where I normally go all out and brainstorm as many ideas as I possibly can and nothing is off-limits. Blow the roof off this blog post outline. Think about any reason why your thesis is valid and write it down. 

Your main idea is the point of the article and the supporting paragraphs should be thought of as reasons why your main idea is valid. Basically, you give your idea in the introduction and spend the rest of the post explaining why you’re right! 

Brain Dump

When brainstorming, don’t just focus on the big picture. It’s OK to come up with details. After all, supporting paragraphs are supposed to be short and can therefore only discuss smaller points.

Outline that says brainstorm and ideation: Brainstorm and decide what to keep. Think about any reason why your thesis is valid and write it down, Focus on the big picture AND details, Think of facts as well as unique angles and insights that you have, Look critically at your ideas and critically pare down

After a while, you should have a long list of ideas and points that are loosely related to your main idea. Although your list might be long, not everything you wrote down is worth keeping. 

Remember that single sentence that contained your main point? Look back, be critical, and ask yourself: which items on your list are truly necessary to support the main point you’re trying to make?

Example: For this article, I wanted to show you how I go about outlining my posts before I write my first draft. Although it could have been helpful to talk about the exact definition of an outline or list the various blog outline templates that people use, those topics are not relevant since I want to share my process of outlining. 

4. Sort Results Into Subheadings And Paragraphs

After a brainstorm session, it’s normal to have a long incoherent list of points that are all more or less relevant. This is the moment where you put everything together and come up with the eventual structure of the blog post.

Although things on your list might be relevant to your main topic, that doesn’t mean they need to be in the article you’re writing. Remember, you’re only supposed to answer one specific question or provide a solution to one specific problem per article. This is why it’s so valuable to always write your thesis as a single sentence! 

The Outline Stage

Connecting loose ideas is the step that I normally work on first. Looking at your brainstorm list, which point can lead into which? Order your ideas so that there is a certain flow to your article.

Start by seeing if you can group items on your brainstorm list together. Do some of the things you wrote down while brainstorming have something in common? Can they perhaps be grouped together under a common heading? 

Outline that says subheadings and structure: Sort results into subheadings and paragraphs. Time to turn a blog of ideas into a clear silhouette of your article, Group similar items together, Think of the clearest sequence for the reader, Be as coherent and straightforward as possible

You can also come up with your headings by looking at which points you need to make in order to support your thesis. Always remember, each point you make in a subheading needs its own supporting paragraphs. 

Pro Tip!! Subheadings carry a lot of weight when it comes to SEO so why not put your keyword or one of your related keywords in them? Don’t waste this dose of easy SEO mojo! 

You now have an outline for your article which should make the writing process a lot easier. This doesn’t mean we’re done though…

5. Identify Where You Can Put Your Links

It is well known that links, both internal and external, are an important part of writing seo friendly blog posts. At the same time, putting in too many or irrelevant links can harm your rankings. All the more reason to spend some time thinking about which links you want to include and where to put them!

Outline that says links: Identify where you can put your links. Links, both internal and external, are an important way to help Google understand your article, Add relevant links to your website, Add relevant links to authority sites

So, look at your tentative outline. Are there claims on there that just cannot be made without backup? Finding studies or surveys before you start writing can help you stay focused on the writing process. 

Similarly, internal links deserve some attention. Internal links have many benefits to your site; they can boost click around, boost overall engagement and spread that all important ‘link juice’.

Think about your existing content. Which pieces are relevant to what you’re writing now?

Identifying any relevant content you have before you start writing will save quite a bit of time. A little preparation goes a long way! 

Don’t Forget External Linking

Let’s face it, you might be an expert in your field but that doesn’t mean you know everything. Sometimes, you have to make use of someone else’s authority. You can actually make the claims in your blog post more impactful by supporting them with studies or statistics.

Besides boosting the credibility of your article in the eyes of your viewers, including outbound links may also benefit your SEO.

6. Choose Where To Place Your Call To Action

Remember the importance of dealing with one topic per article? Having a clear understanding of the ultimate goal for your piecce of content will help you find the best place to put your Call To Action (CTA).

This goal can be anything, from something as insignificant as sharing insight to big steps such as promoting your course.

Ask yourself, what is this post trying to do? And more importanty, what do I want my readers to do after they’ve read it?

When ou’re trying to inspire peoplle to make big changes or buy an expensive product, you may need to devote more time building up to your eventual pitch. If you understand what your post is trying to accomplish you can find the natural place where to put your CTA.

Don’t just put your CTA at the end of your post. Keep in mind that your post will probably be read by two kinds of readers. 

There will be people who read the whole article and people that only scan the headlines and will not read past your introduction. So, it makes sense to put one at the beginning of your post as well. 

Outline that says CTA: Choose your call to action (CTA). All good content marketing leads the viewer somewhere, Decide where you'll place your invitation to take next steps, Find two natural points for your CTA

A Single CTA

Just because you can place your CTA in multiple places doesn’t mean you should include more than one.

When you place your CTA at the beginning of your post, you’re basically talking to people that haven’t had time to read your article yet. 

In other words, they are unable to decide whether to believe you based on the quality of your article. This is why I like teasing a CTA in the introduction to my blog posts and then driving the point home in the conclusion. That way you catch both kinds of readers.

There are many places in your post where you can put your CTA and you should do what feels right for your content. Just remember that it is a part of crafting a blog post outline. 

7. Outline Your Introduction

Now that you have laid out the content of your article, it is time to outline your introduction specifically. If you want people to read your article in its entirety, spending a little extra time on the intro can yield big results! 

Most readers will decide within a matter of seconds whether to read your article. It goes to say that the introduction is an important part of your article since this is where you need to grab your audience’s attention.

There are many different ways in which you can do this. A joke, an anecdote or a current development will all do as opening paragraphs.

Outline that says introduction: This is the most important part of your article. How will you get attention? What is the benefit of reading your post? Why are YOU delivering this advice?

Your introduction has a huge impact on whether your audience will read the whole of your article. As it is often the only thing people read, you want to make sure your introduction is as good as it can be! 

Never Skip The Why

Your introduction is where you first mention how your article can help the reader. You only have seconds so you want to make this extremely clear! After your attention-grabbing opening paragraph, transition into what your article is about and state the main benefit to your readers.

8. Come Up With The Title

Coming with titles for your blog posts is hard but it’s really worth spending some time on them! Your headdlines are one of the first things people see on Google or on social media so you want to make them as captivating as possible.

The title you come up with during the outlining step should just be considered a first draft. 

Here are a few tips if you get stuck: 

  • Force yourself to come up with 5 ideas, no matter how bad they feel 
  • Use a tool like a headline analyzer to help you come up with ideas 
  • Look at your blog post outline and ask yourself: why would I want to read this? 

You’ll get more ideas as you’re writing!

Outline that says title: Once your post is on the first page of Google, your title determines who clicks. Why should readers click on your link? What are you offering that they NEED?

Accept A Working Title

When I’m writing blog posts, I just pick a working title as I don’t want to be slowed down by the pressure of coming up with a good one. It’s the writing proccess that counts, I’ll come back to the title after I’m done writing. Why postpone writing until you find that perfect, catchy title? 

For example: this blog post had a number of titles before arriving where we are now. Some of them were “how to make a blog post outline and blog faster,” “how and why to make a blog post outline (+ template),” “the blog post outline routine you didn’t know you need.”

I know what you’re thinking: those working titles ain’t WORKIN’ at all. 

A first draft is just that, the first and a draft. Don’t postpone creating the first draft until inspiration strikes. 

Time To Start Writing Your Post! 

Now that you have completed your outline, it is time to start the writing process! With your outline, you know exactly what you want to write about, what approach you want to take and where to put the most relevant links. You’ll see that writing your first draft is a lot quicker now that you have a clear sense of  direction!

You now have a very clear idea what needs to go in each paragraph. Make sure you format your blog post in the correct way, or people might still be turned off despite your hard work. Keep your posts easy to read by using short paragraphs or even bullet points every now and then.

All that needs done now is filling the actual words!

Final Thoughts

Writing blog post otlines is something that probably has payoffs in the long run, but it’s hard to feel the benefit in real-time. I hope that these steps have swayed you and made you a believer in outlining. 

Making an outline is a huge timesaver when you write blog posts regularly. Anything you can do before you start writing will ultimately result in fewer distracctions during the writing process.

By thinking of the content before you start writing, you make sure only your relevant ideas are in there. Rather than getting lost in a vague relevant stream of consciouness, you never lose the big picture. 

When you make a blog post outline, you will see that the end result is a more structured blog post that takes only a fraction of the time it would normally take to write.

What are your hacks for speeding up writing? 

Let me know in the comments!