So you wanna start a blog but have no idea how to write one? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! I sprinkle some blogging/Pinterest tips into my usual content. You know, for funsies. So this week, we are covering my personal blog post checklist, which is perfect for beginners.
My strategy has developed and changed with time, but the formula I use now has stuck. We are gonna go step-by-step through said formula 😊.
Buckle up, and let’s dive into my blog post checklist.
This post might contain affiliate links i.e. I will get a small commission if you purchase an item through them. Your support means the world to me ♥.
Why listen to me?
So, I am no pro at blogging. I taught myself everything I know through countless YouTube videos. I built my own website (for those who don’t know, I studied animal science, so web creating wasn’t exactly up my alley), figured out SEO, and everything in between.
That being said, I’ve been blogging for over a year, my statistics aren’t crap, and I do make some money. All in all, my strategy is doing something for me.
My Blog Post Checklist For Beginners
1. Topic Research
Before I write a blog post, I study the trends within my niche. However, it is not a hard set rule – nothing really is. For instance, I share monthly recaps of my personal life, goals, and progress. These posts don’t get a lot of clicks, but it makes me happy.
Mostly, I try to stick within trending content. When the season changes, I lean into seasonal topics. When self-care topics spike, I write about them. It’s the same with productivity, vision boards, etc.
How do I know what’s trending?
- Pinterest Trends. I analyze the trends my audience enjoys every week. Navigate to Pinterest Trends and check out the trending subjects in your niche and the growing trends.
- Social Media. Trends usually start on social media before they flow over to Pinterest. Take note of the trends on social media and get a head start and more clicks.
2. SEO Research
You have probably heard the word (or acronym for that matter) SEO everywhere. Well, it’s because it’s a crucial part of your blog post checklist.
SEO stands for search engine optimization. Google, Bing, Pinterest, etc, are search engines. They scan, find, and suggest content related to the search in question by finding keywords.
So, your job is to identify those keywords while keeping in mind the competition. You ideally want a highly searched keyword with low competition, i.e., low keyword difficulty. This way, your content will rank more easily.
My keyword research strategy?
- I start with Google’s incognito mode.
- Open an incognito window, type in Google USA, and open the first link. Now, Google won’t base its results on your search history.
- Type in keywords related to your blog post and check which suggestions automatically appear in the drop-down of suggestions. That’s what people are looking for.
- Bonus tip: Place an underscore in front of your keyword in the search box to get more suggestions.
- Pinterest
- I use Pinterest in the same way as Google. Just check the suggestions Pinterest wants to add to your keyword.
- Semrush
- Semrush is a tool that helps identify keywords. Put the keywords you identified into the Semrush search bar. It analyzes the search volume and the competition to give you a keyword difficulty. A low competition and a high search volume is what you are looking for.
- It also suggests other keyword phrases you can consider.
- I use the free version. Semrush grants a certain number of free searches every day.
My keywords for this post are ‘blog post checklist’. It has a 17% keyword difficulty – essentially that means I’ll easily rank on Google without needing too many backlinks.
3. Pick Your Title
I spend a good amount of time on the titles of my blog posts. It’s the thing that’s gonna drive clicks, so optimization is crucial.
First, keywords. Yup, you’re going to hear me repeat ‘keywords’ a lot in this post. Make sure your long-tailed-keyword (3-4 words long) is in your title, preferably at the start. However, I often add a couple of words in front of my keywords. For instance, in this post, ‘The Ultimate’ is not part of my keywords.
Why do I add words in front of it when SEO experts will tell you to add it at the start?
- Easy. Emotion. Readers aren’t robots. Relate to your reader with emotional or powerful words. Things like ‘ultimate’, ‘perfect’, ‘unique’, ‘cheap’, etc.
- I also mostly write lists or step-by-step content. People tend to skim through posts. So, write your blog post in a skimmable way, i.e., with lists and headings.
Bonus tip: I use a plug-in called Heading Analyzer. It checks for emotional, powerful, and common words to make sure it is optimized. It also tells you if your word count is too long.
4. Outline Your Post
Grab your notebook and a cup of coffee, and start brain-dumping. My outlines are truly horrendous and boring, lol.
I usually just jolt down the main points I want to include. So, basically bullet points in my worst handwriting.
5. Write Your First Draft In Google Docs
I never write a blog post directly onto my blog. Google Docs for the win.
I find that it saves a lot of time. You can write anywhere and see your post as a whole instead of in blocks. Not to mention, Grammarly works smoothly on Google Docs.
Your first draft is meant to be messy, with room for improvement. I usually just let the words flow and write down anything that comes to mind.
Hot tips:
- Make sure to distribute your chosen keywords evenly throughout your post without it feeling forced.
- Install the Grammarly plugin to improve your grammar and readability. It’s been a real lifesaver for me (English isn’t my first language).
- Include bullet points, headings, and sub-headings for easier readability.
- Use bold text and italics to draw the reader’s attention to important sections.
- Write with personality. I prefer informal blog posts – it resonates with readers when they feel like they know the writer.
- Add a call to action at the end. Mine goes something like this: Become part of the family for weekly updates, VIP access to my FREE resource library, and an exclusive 15% discount code on my Etsy store as a thank you for signing up!
6. Clean Up The Mess
What do I mean by this?
- Go through your first draft.
- Improve readability – transition words (however, therefore, because, etc) are a great way to do this.
- Check your grammar, sentence construction, and spelling with Grammarly.
- Add and remove sections.
7. Copy And Paste Into Elementor
I use Elementor (a plug-in for WordPress) instead of WordPress’s built-in feature. Elementor is a drag-and-drop, user-friendly interface that helps you design your website and structure good-looking posts.
I find it easier to use, however, I’ve been told it can make your website slower. But I can’t say if that’s true.
I copy and paste title for title and section for section into separate blocks. Do not just copy and paste the whole post into a block and call it a day. Drag the title element every time you are adding a title. The same goes for text, etc.
Start solely with the headings and text. Be sure to check that you use h2 and h3 tags. In case you don’t know:
- H1 is your title
- H2 is any ‘main heading’ afterwards
- H3 is a sub-heading of H2
- And so forth.
8. Color Your Post
These are things you add as extra to your post. I call it either the technicalities or coloring your post.
They include:
- Images (with optimized alt text, etc)
- External and internal links
- HTML codes for ads
- Shortcodes – I use a shortcode for my newsletter sign-up block and popular posts list (like the one below).
- Affiliate links or links to your products.
- Additional plug-in features – for instance, your Instagram feed, etc.
- Choose a cover image for your post (you guessed it, with optimized alt text).
- Write an excerpt for the post – I’ll be honest, I don’t really do this, lol.
9. SEO Check… Again
Two words, well one word and an acronym: Yoast SEO!
Yoast SEO is by far one of my most crucial plug-ins. It gives your post an SEO and readability score. After finishing coloring in, open the Yoast tab and write your keywords (yup, here we go again) into the little box. Yoast will then check your post.
You want a green smiley face with most boxes ticked off. I say ‘most’ because I never tick off every single box. For instance, they want you to distribute your keywords into your headings. It won’t look right if I force the keywords ‘blog post checklist’ into these headings. So, I leave it. I shouldn’t, but I do. Sue me, SEO police…
What kind of things do you want to check off?
- Evenly distribute keywords (in moderation) throughout your post.
- Image alt text that includes your keywords.
- Internal and external links.
- Meta description (the small paragraph that will show on Google) with the keywords.
- And much more! Let me know if you want a deep-dive into these (btw that was a call to action)
10. Hit Publish And Check Post
Schedule or publish your post. I am more of a write and publish girl than a schedule girly.
But once your post is live, check it.
- Click on the links you added and make sure none are broken or go to the wrong place.
- Read through it again – check your spacing, pacing, and skimmability.
11. Marketing. Marketing. Marketing.
Don’t expect your posts to be found on Google. I am only starting to get Google clicks almost two years into this. And it is in the vast minority.
However, Pinterest is another story – focus on it. Pin your post the moment it goes live. I cannot cover everything that goes into Pinterest in this post, unfortunately. It’s a ball-game of its own.
But lucky for you, I already covered my entire Pinterest strategy here.
12. Recycle Your Content
You’re not done when you’ve hit publish. Recycle your content.
Some people prefer to consume audible or visual content instead of reading. Ironically, I am one of those people. Recycle your content into infographics or carousels for Instagram, create short reels that sum it up, film an entire YouTube video on it, or cover it on a podcast.
I am still in the process of learning how to recycle my content. However, I still highly recommend diversifying your traffic and widening your audience.
What Do I Use?
I am as frugal as they come, so spending money isn’t exactly something I enjoy. But I do pay for a couple of features:
- Bluehost – my hosting platform. I swear by them! They are affordable, and their service is amazing. My fee includes:
- Renewal of my .com domain
- Renewal of my domain privacy and protection and
- Renewal of my WordPress Basic Hosting
- Astra – It is the theme I use on this blog, aka my layout and look (the aesthetic, if you will). It gives so much more flexibility at only $49 a YEAR. 10/10 recommend.
- Canva – I use Canva Pro almost daily. It makes creating pins and graphics so much easier. I’ll never be able to go back.
- CapCut – I use it to edit my reels and TikTok videos. I used the free version for the longest time but wanted to add automatic captions to my videos. A lot of people watch videos with their sound off; that’s why I wanted to compensate for them.
I use a plethora of free tools as well. Let me know in the comments if you want a complete breakdown!
Conclusion
I hope this blog post checklist gave you a little insight into how to break down a daunting task. Take it step by step, and never feel overwhelmed again.
Remember, it’s supposed to be fun. Well, unless you’re writing alt text – I hate that part, lol. I would love to write more on blogging, so please fill the comment section with questions ♥.
Become part of the family for weekly updates, VIP access to my FREE resource library, and an exclusive 15% discount code on my Etsy store as a thank you for signing up!
Have a great day wherever you are in the world!
Love, Steph ♥
