The other thing an outline will do is help you determine the real value of your blog post. Instead of sitting down and staring at a blank screen to start writing your blog post—you’ll instead take the time to research and create something unique that you know will be useful to your future readers. It’ll also show you what can be easily left out from this particular post (or better left for another day).
Now, we’re going to walk through my 8-step process to outline a blog post—using a real, working blog post outline to illustrate exactly how to do this along the way.
And remember, if you want to pick up my free blog post outline template to follow along, then head over here right now.
1. Determine the Key Takeaway for Your Readers
How to Write a Blog Post Outline and Determine Key Takeaway
When you get an idea for a blog post, a great first step is to determine your number one takeaway for readers.
What do you want your readers to learn or to remember once they’ve finished reading?
This is also a good time to think about what type of blog post you’re best served to write here.
The variety in types of blog posts you can use to accomplish your goal is pretty extensive today—and each of these blog post formats has slightly different functions.
Here are the most common types of blog posts:
How-to articles and tutorials (like my guide about find owner of cell phone number free philippines to make money blogging and how to write an eBook)
Lists or listicles (like my 32 ways to drive traffic to your blog)
Checklists (like my checklist of reasons why you should blog or not)
Reviews (like my reviews of the best web hosting plans, top monthly hosting plans, and honest Bluehost reviews)
Comparison posts (like my ConvertKit vs AWeber vs Mailchimp email tool comparison)
Infographics (like my infographic about how to start a blog)
Interviews (like on my podcast)
Deep research long-form blog posts (like my deep dive into picking a niche to blog about)
Roundup posts (like my list of top business books, books about blogging, and podcast hosting platforms)
Current events or news (like my recent blogging statistics research)
Controversial statements (like my just say no time management piece)
Expert advice (like my business advice roundup)
While there are arguably many other types of blog post formats you can use, these are the most popular.
Choosing the format of your post will help you narrow down what your big takeaway is.
For example, if you’re writing a review post, you’re letting your readers know if a product or service is worth their time and money.
The other thing an outline will do is help
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