1. Go to “File” > “Make a Copy” to Access
in Google Docs
2. Go to “File” > “Download As” >
“Microsoft Word” to Download as a Word Doc
Whether it’s “how to make chicken parm” or
“how to start a business,” people are searching “how to” do things on Google
all the time. And you can help those people out with a “how to” blog post.
“How to” blog posts provide your readers
with a step-by-step guide to doing, well, anything. These blogs are also an
amazing opportunity for your company to position itself as customer-focused and
selfless, as you’re laying out a tactical approach to fixing a problem or
addressing a need without asking for anything in return. This helps to make
your brand synonymous with trust.
Writing these posts can also help your blog
rank for Google’s featured snippet –
the box that appears in Google search results with a few dozen words answering
the question. You can see an example of this below.
“How to” blog posts are best for the
following blog posts:
●
Providing a way of
thinking about or approaching an obscure task [i.e. “How to Set & Achieve Marketing Objectives”].
●
Outlining
step-by-step instructions to an easily addressable task [i.e. “How to Block Websites on Chrome Desktop and Mobile”].
Keyword: [Enter Targeted Keyword]
Keyword MSV: [Enter Targeted
Keyword’s Monthly Search Volume]
Author: [Enter Author Name]
Due Date: [Enter Due Date]
Publish Date: [Enter Desired
Publish Date]
Buyer Persona: [Enter Targeted
Reader and/or Buyer Persona]
Make sure the title starts with “How to…” and runs for 60 characters or
less.
Introduction
Lead into the post with a short 100-200 word introduction. Be sure to
highlight:
●
The reason why what you’re talking about is important.
●
Who, what industry, or what sector of the industry this applies to.
●
What you’ll be covering [i.e. “in this post, we’ll explain why (term)
is important, explain how to (term), and provide 8 suggestions if you’re new to
(term)”].
What is [Term], and
Why Does it Matter?
Some readers may have no idea what it is you’re explaining how to do.
Obviously, if what you’re writing about is well-known, you can skip the
definition.
After defining the term, explain why it’s important for the reader to
understand the idea and/or know how to do what you’re writing about.
How to [Task]
This section should make up the bulk of the writing in your blog post.
It’s enormously important for each step to have
its own section header for optimal organization, clarity for the reader,
and search engine optimization. Additionally, breaking instructions up by
sections also lets you include visual aids for each step as needed in the form
of a GIF, image, or video.
It’s important to remember to be clear,
concise, and accurate in the steps you provide your readers. Any extra
“fluff” to the article may confuse them, resulting in some readers not
achieving the results they intended.
If what you’re explaining how to do is solve an equation (i.e. “How to
Calculate Break Even”), provide a step-by-step explanation and example of how
to calculate the rate, point, or number you’re explaining how to reach. Show
all of your work so the reader can follow along easily.
# Tips and
Reminders for [Term] (Optional)
If you’re breaking down a difficult concept or task, some readers may
still feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability to tackle it. Break down a
few suggestions on how to best approach the concept, and/or a few reminders
about it. This is not a list post, so keep this short list to three to five
pieces of advice.
If you feel the step-by-step approach is sufficient, you can choose not
to include this section.
Closing
Wrap up your amazing new blog post with a great closing. Remind your
readers of the key takeaway you want them to walk away with and consider
pointing them to other resources you have on your website.
Call-to-Action
Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog
post. This should be to a lead-generating piece of content or to a
sales-focused landing page for a demo or consultation. For example, if your
product or service helps your readers do what it is they searched “how to” do,
or if you have a template in your content resource library that does what they
searched “how to” do, that would be a perfect CTA for this post.
❏
Did you provide
clear, actionable steps to accomplishing the task your reader needed help with?
❏
Did you provide
relevant and accurate facts and stats to prove your understanding of the
concept?
❏
Did you emphasize
the importance of understanding this concept if it is not already well-known?
❏
Did you properly
cite and backlink your sources?
❏
Did you spell check
and proofread?
❏
Are there at least 1-2 images?
❏
Is the post
800-1,000 words at minimum?