Steps to Writing A Blog Post (That People Actually Love)

It’s no news that to create great blog posts, they must be optimized for SEO and LLMs.

But that alone can’t move the needle in this era where Google’s algorithm prioritizes content created to help users, rather than merely aiming for top search rankings.

Readers have also evolved. They’re no longer satisfied with keyword-stuffed articles that lack substance.

Instead, they want problem-solving content that addresses their needs and leaves a lasting impression. 

In essence, great blog posts are created with humans in mind. They offer a memorable reading experience, unique insights, and lasting impact.

So, how do you create such compelling content?

In this article, you’ll learn how to create content that:

• Captures readers’ hearts and minds
• Ranks well on Google and other LLMs like ChatGPT
• Stands out with its originality and depth

It’s going to be an interesting read. 

Let’s go! 

Steps to Write a Great Blog Post

Creating a helpful blog post is like constructing a skyscraper: each step supports the next.

Let’s walk you through the blueprint for creating content your readers will want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend.

Step 1 – Define your goals

Have you embarked on a journey without a destination in mind before?

You pack your bags and set off excitedly, but soon, you find yourself wandering aimlessly.

You circle back to the same spots, feeling like you’re progressing, but in reality, you’re just moving in circles.

This is what creating content without a clear goal feels like. Your blog post lacks direction and fails to resonate with readers. 

So, before you start writing, take a moment to ask yourself: 

• What do I want to achieve with this blog post? 
• What message do I want to convey? 
• Who is my target audience?
• What impact do I want to make on my readers?
• What action do I want my readers to take after reading this blog post?

Answering these questions will give you clarity, focus, and a roadmap for creating content that connects with your audience.

That’s why our content briefs at thruuu start with the blog post’s goal and directive.

Step 2 – Do Some Research

The depth of your research determines the quality of your content.

Our content writer researches like a trained detective — that’s why our blog posts are top-notch.

Your research should primarily identify the topic’s search intent, discover idea gaps in competitors’ pages, find relevant information, and identify unique angles to improve the content quality.

Interestingly, you can do all these with thruuu SERP analyzer.

This tool provides the SERP overview of your topic, highlights frequent terms to use in your content and how to use them, your competitor’s outline, People Also Ask questions, related searches, images used by competitors, and more.

Most importantly, on the right side of your dashboard, you can access AI tools that explore your competitors’ headings, the most frequent information found on top-ranking pages, and new ideas for challenging the norm.

By analyzing the SERP, you should know your topic search intent. If not, thruuu content brief tool can help you out.

Scroll back to the top of the SERP analysis dashboard and click “Open Content Brief.”

Check Search Intent/ Customer Journey under the Writer Directive menu. Click “AI Suggestion” to see the topic’s search intent.

The tool automatically performs a search intent analysis and explains what searchers seek.

You can also check other keyword research tools for SERP and search intent analysis.

Here are other simple tasks you should do in your research process:

• Check research reports
• Interview subject experts for new insights, 
• Interview your audience for pain point ideas in different use cases
• Analyze community forums like Reddit and Quora on discussions around the topic
• Check review platforms, especially for SaaS content
• Watch relevant videos, and 
• Read blogs to widen your scope of knowledge

Research thoroughly so that your content covers all the necessary information on a topic, making further research unnecessary for readers.

Let’s take it a step further.

Step 3 – Compile Your Research in a Brief (If You Work With a Writer)

Consolidate the information gathered in your research into a detailed content brief.

An SEO content brief is a detailed document that provides guidelines and instructions for creating specific content.

It outlines key elements such as the target audience, topic, goals, style, tone, keywords, and deadlines.

Using a brief in all our content creation process at thruuu gives us a smooth experience with our writer. 

Know that the brief doesn’t limit our writer’s creativity but acts as a roadmap that streamlines the creation process and enhances efficiency.

That’s because our content brief generator has a Writer Directive column, where we provide clear objectives for the article, provide SERP analysis to gain a competitive edge, include key topics and frequently asked questions, and more.

It also has an outline menu where we create the content outline.

Read on to understand better.

Step 4 – Develop a Structured Content Outline

An outline here isn’t just a random list of what you will cover; it’s the framework of how you’ll lead your readers from their problem to the solution.

Here are a few tips to note when creating your content outline:

• Organize main ideas and supporting points into headings. Use a structured format with main headings (H1), subheadings (H2), and further subheadings (H3 to H6) to organize your content logically
• Include long-tail keywords and questions (good for SEO)
• Only include subtopics that match the search intent. Don’t stuff your article with “What is,” “Why it’s important,” “Benefits,” and a million other sections that distract users from finding the answer they need (if not necessary). 
• Adjust your outline structure depending on your content type. For example, listicles use numbered or bulleted points, while ultimate guides provide comprehensive topic coverage.

But you don’t need to reinvent the wheel all the time.

thruuu content brief generator analyzes SERPs to generate tailored content outlines that match search intent.

It extracts the outline of the top-ranking pages, the most frequent headings, and questions. It also has an AI outline generator that creates outlines based solely on your keyword or competitors’ articles.

Step 5 – Use an Attention-Grabbing Title

Your blog post title should make a searcher stop and say, “Whoa, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for—I have to check this out!”

We aren’t talking about using click-bait titles here but titles that perfectly highlight your blog post as the solution hub to your audience’s problems.

Your titles can use emotional triggers and power words to capture attention and evoke emotion.

For example, the title of this blog post triggers curiosity, challenge, and aspiration.

“Steps to Writing A Blog Post (That People Actually Love).” Who wouldn’t love reading how to create a blog that people love?

Let’s examine different title examples based on their purposes:

Titles	Example
Curiosity triggers	How we use AI for blogging (without losing the human touch)
Urgency triggers	Exclusive content optimization tool offer: Only for the next 24 hours
Fear triggers	Avoid the top mistakes that could ruin your career
Success triggers	FAQ blog post: Easy copywriting technique to get fast SEO results
Trust triggers	Expert tips for validating your content ideas

Also, optimize your title for your primary keyword. 

A recent report shows that most title tags on Google’s first page contain all or part of the keyword for which they rank for.

Including your keyword in your page title helps search engines and users understand your content better.

Pro tips: 

• Your title should communicate the purpose of the article 
• Avoid titles that are too long
• Study your content type and see which title format works best. For example, listicle titles that include a number are effective.

Step 6 – Write a Compelling Opening Paragraph

Let’s start with this quote from Leigh McKenzie, Head of Growth at Backlinko and owner of UnderFit, on one of his secrets to writing a captivating blog post.

He said, 

“Your intro sets the tone for the whole piece. At Backlinko, we spend a ton of time optimizing intros because if you don’t hook readers immediately, they’re gone.”

According to the Ten Second Rule, “You only have ten seconds to make a first impression.”

The first 10 seconds of any blog post is the first few paragraphs of its introduction. If you miss it there, you’ve lost that visitor, not even in this age where the average time on a page is less than 60 seconds.

Here are a few tips for writing intros that hook your readers from the first line:

Explain Exactly Why the Reader is in the Right Place and Prove That You Know Enough to Help Them

We practice this intro strategy in most blog posts and record high dwell time for them.

Here is an example in our article “Writing Listicle Outline: The Best B2B Formats”

We started by showing proof that our strategy works.

Then, we presented our value proposition clearly ( a list of what the reader wants).

Entertain the Reader Enough That They Want to Read on 

You’ll need to use the unexpected—humor, a great story, or an unusual metaphor to do this. 

Here’s Rosanna Campbell showing us how to use a story to grab readers’ attention from the off.

She created an article on how to write a B2B blog intro. Instead of starting with the usual “In this article…” she introduced the content with a captivating story and then threw the jab at where she was heading.

Pro tip: Use short intros often. Don’t make your readers wade through 300 to 500 words of guff. Make it short and engaging, and clearly state your value proposition.

But if lengthy intros are your way of warming your writing muscle, that’s fine. Just remember to go back and summarize them. Your readers will thank you for that action. 

Step 7 – Expand on Your Main Content (if you write yourself)

The body of your content is the ideal place to flex your creativity muscles.

Did you notice we didn’t say “writing muscle”?

Yeah. Blog posts people love aren’t regurgitated junk or a wall of text.

Instead, they feature choice words to satisfy search intent. That’s how you should build the body of your content.

Firstly, train yourself to anticipate the follow-up questions readers would ask after reading your piece and answer them in your content. 

Simply put yourself in your readers’ shoes, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬, and perfectly walk them through the solution bridge.

Yaman Y. used the concept of “empathetic overthinkers” in her LinkedIn post to explain this point.

Also, in expanding your points, follow what Maria-Cristina Muntean of Chillital calls the “claim-evidence-impact structure.”

Here’s how she puts it,

“For each key point, I follow a ‘claim-evidence-impact’ structure: make my statement, back it with specific industry data or client outcomes, then connect it to the broader topic.” 

This strategy helps you show and not just write. It’s a way to validate and reinforce your points with real-time facts.

Next?

Don’t add fluff. See your content as a building, and each word is a brick. 

Rosanna Campbell explains it like this: “Make sure every statement you write a) actually means something, b) states that meaning clearly, and c) is genuinely helpful (or at least interesting).“

If you need to explain a complex idea, break it into smaller paragraphs and use bullet points and tables to improve clarity.

Lastly, naturally optimize your primary and secondary keywords in your content. 

As Google mentioned, “The most basic signal that information is relevant is when content contains the same keywords as your search query. For example, with web pages, if those keywords appear on the page, or if they appear in the headings or body of the text, the information might be more relevant.”

In summary:

• Put yourself in your readers’ shoes, think, and build your points to satisfy readers’ search intent.
• Use industry stats or case studies to back up your points
• Don’t add fluff words — every statement must be helpful to the reader
• Use smaller paragraphs and bullet points to break up complex ideas, and
• Naturally optimize your keywords in the body of the content

Step 8 – Incorporate Visual Elements to Enhance Engagement

Leigh McKenzie said something interesting about how he creates content that his client loves.

He said,

 “My biggest tip: make your post ridiculously easy to skim and engage with. Break up text with visuals—images, charts, memes, videos, quotes, callouts. The more interactive, the better.”

According to recent research, articles with images get 94% views as opposed to those without visuals.

Use images, videos, charts, and more to break down your points and explain complex ideas.

Most importantly, visuals add life to your blog and make it easier to digest.

If there have been no visuals since you started reading this post, you would probably be asleep by now.

Give yourself a thumbs-up for coming this far.

Step 9 – Add Links to External Resources and Internal Pages

Internal links help Google search bots understand your site structure and content and, most importantly, improve user experience.

Look for other pages on your site that help readers understand a concept being discussed and link to them.

You can also drive your readers to your money pages by adding internal links to your calls to action.

You should also link to trustworthy external sites that buttress your point, provide stats, feature research reports, or offer anything relevant to your content.

Don’t forget to use the right anchor texts for your links.

Google explained how to write anchor texts in its documentation on link best practices.

Step 10 – Add an FAQ Section

This section is optional, but it is a good idea if you want to explain related topics.

Collate relevant questions on the topic and provide a short and detailed answer.

Moreover, you can expand on some points not covered in the body of the content in the FAQ section.

Step 11 – Promote Your Blog Post

Ross Simmonds would always say, “Create once. Distribute forever.”

Once you click publish, it’s not finished. 

Repurpose that blog post into social media posts, infographics, carousels, videos, and other content formats.

Then, share them on social media, your newsletter, your YouTube channel, and other platforms.

Content alone isn’t king; distribution is what makes it reign.

You can pour hours into creating the perfect one-stop blog post, but if you don’t distribute on different platforms and formats, it’s like writing a bestseller that nobody knows exists.

Let’s see how to add unique touches to make your blog post stand out.

The 80-20 Approach to Writing for Search Engines and Humans

Google released a checklist in its Helpful Content Update to help vet your content quality and ensure it matches its requirements.

Among the long list, two questions stood out:

• If the content draws on other sources, does it avoid copying or rewriting those sources and provide substantial additional value and originality instead?
• Are you mainly summarizing what others have to say without adding much value?

What does this mean?

You can follow the norm but must add unique angles to stand out. 

Helpful content isn’t just about writing something good or what has already been covered — it’s about your content experience, unique value, and reader satisfaction.

That brings us to the 80-20 approach to writing a blog. 

We aren’t talking about the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule, which states that 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts and activities. 

Our emphasis is the duality between writing for SEO and humans.

This principle states that 80% of your blog post content should follow the trend while 20% must be unique, bringing new insights.

For example, this article’s first part (80%) provided a step-by-step process for writing a blog post, as almost every other article does.

Then, we have our unique section (the 20%), explaining how to write for search engines and humans. No other article covers this topic.

You should add unique insights to your content, especially in this AI era where AI tools churn out crap content at scale. 

Curious about how to get unique information to add to your content?

Explore the Idea of Co-Creation in Blog Writing

You can invite your audience to contribute ideas or sections, showcasing a community-driven approach to content creation.

This strategy allows you to get insights in different use cases as we did in our article about “How to Use AI for Blogging“.

We surveyed the thruuu users and included their recommandations.

Add Your Personal Journey or Struggles

Stories create deeper connections with your readers.

Instead of building a wall of traditional information that bores them, add stories about your personal experiences or struggles.

What makes most blog posts appear like a rehash of what already exists is the writer’s fear of injecting their personality and verve into the content.

Ooze out those personal experiences; your readers want them.

Add Expert Insights

Interview subject matter experts and add their unique insights to increase your content value.

For instance, we interviewed several content heads and marketing managers to generate new ideas on this topic, which is why this blog post is a valuable content asset.

Someone else may have relatable experience or knowledge about the topic that you lack.

You can schedule a call with proven experts or leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Ideally, you should interview subject matter experts before creating your content outline. They might offer a unique perspective.

Let’s take the last bite of the cake — how to leverage AI to speed up your content creation.

Best Tools to Write a Blog Post

You don’t need to remain a jack-of-all-trades when creating content.

AI tools can support your content creation process and improve your productivity.

Here are some tools you should have in place:

A website and a CMS Like WordPress

You can’t just write and publish the content into thin air. You need a website, and a CMS like WordPress is a good one to have.

WordPress provides an intuitive interface similar to familiar tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Word, making creating and editing posts without extensive technical knowledge easy.

It also allows easy media integration. You can add your images, videos, etc.

You can also add SEO plugins for better content optimization. 

Then, you can save your post as a draft, schedule publication, or publish immediately.

Keyword tools

You need a keyword research tool to find search queries your audience is looking for and secondary keywords to optimize.

You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, and more for your keyword research. These tools provide each keyword’s search volume, difficulty, CPC, search intent, etc.

However, you don’t need to invest in expensive tools and can start for free.

We use Google Search Console (and it’s free) for keyword research and getting content ideas.

For more context, check out this guide on the SEO tools we use for our SaaS business.

Content and Research Tools

Basic keyword research isn’t enough to find what content is worth creating.

You need content and research tools that analyse SERPs and your competitors to get content ideas that would move the needle. 

Tools like Marketmuse, Clearsope, thruuu make topic research and content optimization as easy as breathing.

Enter your keyword into thruuu SERP analyzer, and it will provide a detailed overview of the SERP.

You’ll see all the key topics related to that keyword, your competitors’ headings, fresh perspectives to enrich your content, and more. 

Upload the key topics into thruuu topic clustering tool and it will group them by SERP similarity and generate more relevant clusters.

AI Writing and Editing Tools

AI writing tools are not a replacement for human input and creativity. More so, blog posts produced from a robotic 30 prompts GPT are sometimes like trash.

Use AI writing tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude to automate redundant tasks such as analyzing research reports, strengthening points, comparing content with writing guides, detecting fluff words, and more.

Also, use editing tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, and others to perfect your content. These tools check for grammatical errors, punctuation, tone, and more.

For more context on content writing tools, read our guide on the essential free SEO content writing tools.