Many beginning bloggers have great ideas but aren’t sure how to structure a blog post. So after they spend several hours writing, their post seems like gibberish, with ideas all over the place. What if there was a simple structure a blogger could use?
There is. Before you write your blog post, think about your audience’s needs. Readers come to your site because they want an answer to a question or a solution to a problem. Show that you understand their situation, give them a short answer, and then encourage them to read more for additional details.
This structure works. Your readers feels you understand their needs and will provide the necessary information. Let’s explore how to use this structure in more detail.
The Introduction to a Blog Post
Whether someone asks a question or uses a key phrase, they seek information. If they land on your page, you want them to feel confident they will find that info. So structure your introduction to build their confidence.
Your intro should have three parts, consisting of these paragraphs:
- The pain point
- A short answer
- A transition to the heart of the post
Pain point is a marketing term for a problem that the business aims to solve. The phrase refers to a problem or concern a consumer has. Once the pain point has been identified, the business’s goal is to solve the target audience’s problem.
Even if your blog is not a service or marketing blog, your readers still have a pain point. means finding out what your target audience or reader wants to know but has more impact.
So your first paragraph must show that you know what they are looking for. Keep it short—simply let them know they have landed on a useful page.
In the second paragraph, give them the answer. Keep it to two to three sentences.
Readers will keep reading, confident they will learn more.
The third paragraph is a transition paragraph that connects the answer to the detailed explanation. Give a quick summary of what else they will learn and invite them to read on.
Organizing the Middle of the Post
Hopefully, your introduction has hooked the reader into reading the rest of the blog post. Your content dictates how the body of your post will be structured.
Direction Posts
For example, if you give the reader directions, you will organize your post in steps.
A post explaining how to locate a verb in a sentence would have a section that gives the steps.
- Read the sentence.
- Add a time word such as yesterday and reread the sentence.
- Any words that must be changed to make the sentence sound right are verbs.
- If yesterday does not work, try another time word, such as tomorrow.
Your post might then explain why this method works, either as part of the steps or in a separate section.
Comparison Posts
A comparison post can be organized in two ways. First, if the comparison between the items is short, organize them by paragraph.
Say you want to give a two to three sentence comparison of two products. If you want to briefly compare two online communities for writers—NaNoWriMo and Scribophile. A short paragraph on each community would do.
However, an in-depth comparison between Microsoft Word’s editor and Grammarly might require comparisons for each feature. Such an article might compare grammar, punctuation, and writing style features.
Explanation Posts
Organize a post that explains why the reader should do something with the reasons. You should begin with your strongest reason and work your way down.
For example, in a post about reasons not to use an AI writer, you might have a paragraph about how the programs are inaccurate and another that discusses how much time it takes to go back and make the corrections.
Then you could have a paragraph that explores the program’s strengths and how it could be used on a limited basis.
Ending the Post
The end of your post could be
- a summary,
- repetition of the main points,
- a closing example or anecdote.
It should also have a call-to-action, which is something you want the reader to do. This could be a sales pitch for a product, a suggestion for additional information, or a simple request for comments.
A Better Structure Results in Helpful Content
For effective SEO, your blog post must have a clear structure. A good structure leads to a blog that matches reader intent. People will only share your post on social media (or make a purchase) if you answer their question.
Before you start writing, create a clear text structure. Consider the overall structure of your post as you write. Your blog article will be more likely to ease the reader’s pain point if you stick to these suggestions.
A well-organized post enables readers to find the answer they were looking for. It’s more likely that readers will find the answer to their query if they can understand the information you present. And Google will reward you if people read your post through and sharing it on social media.
Bottom Line
There is an old (and lame) joke that teachers sometimes say about organizing a paper: tell them what you will tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them. Although an oversimplification, there is a grain of truth in it.
Other features of blog writing, including short paragraphs, using headings, and creating links, are important and worth discussing in a future post. Hopefully, this post has given you what you need to know to structure a blog post.
And let’s not forget editing, something we discuss in this post. And if you want more writing tips, check out 5 Writing Tips Writers Should Know.
Finally, did you notice anything about the structure of this post? If so, leave a comment.
