Blog Posts Guidelines
[and Expert Content Instructions]

You MUST use them ALL. Advantages:

(1) they help upgrade your overall content marketing skills; plus, (2) they will determine if you qualify to work with us and our clients long-term, or not.

Scroll to Further Read below...

Table of Contents

Step #1 - Perform Expert Research

Step #2 - Create the Outline

Step #3 - Write the Table of Contents

Step #4 - Craft the introductory paragraph

Step #5 - Write the blog post

Step #6 - Add the final paragraph(s)

Step #7 - Format, Edit, and Proof-Read

Before Research, Do This:

Read the specific client brief document assigned to you.

NOTE: you will have to listen to the clients' (Zoom) call interview (if any) and read the transcript (if available), as it completes and expands on the brief received.

Step #1 - Perform Expert Research

Your ultimate job as a writer, in this starting phase, is to master unique and multiple research methods. Think beyond Google, YouTube, and social media.

You will develop and master a formula which impresses both clients, and writers.

That means your task is to perform better, faster and more in depth research on the topic you're going to write about (click here to read the how-to G doc), than anybody else on the content team or past hires/writers.

Your overall writing's quality and style (output) will reflect your research (input) and vice-versa.

That means the websites and materials you will find, collect and consume during your research phase, will directly impact the final content; it will also dictate if you keep working with the same client(s) for months and years, or get fired and risk your reputation and self-esteem.

The Google Search Operators, along with the search terms and keywords you make use of in the research process is so crucial to finding relevant and expert sources of information.

Read this >> Google Search Operators: 40 Commands to Know in 2021 (Improve Research, Competitive Analysis, and SEO)

TIP: Ensure you focus on gathering reliable information, from best expert sources & authority websites. Educate yourself on understanding these 3 components:

RESEARCH THE CLIENT & THEIR COMPETITORS

This includes you research about the things below, to gather competitive insights:

The clients' website/company top pages (about us/why us/team)
Their Mission, Vision, Value pages(s)
Their products/services page(s).
Previous blog posts & articles
Their competitors' websites, blogs and content.

IDENTIFY THE TARGET AUDIENCE (READERSHIP) & THEIR PAIN POINTS

This includes you understand whom you write to/for, so research accordingly by grasping:

The specific clients' target audience (their readership) you write for
The target audience's biggest pain points, needs, wants & challenges
Their CONTEXT and CONTENT needs (based on the Buyer's Journey, e.g. ToFu-MoFu-BoFu).

RESEARCH THE TOPIC & CONTENT (GAPS)

This requires you to research your topic/subject and do the following:

Custom-tailor the content to the specific target audience, and their needs.
Mimics the clients' writing style and brand voice (since you're a ghostwriter!)
Avoid any self-promo, hard-selling, hype, gimmicks and hard to understand language
Only have a call 2 action at the end, depending on the client brief and requirements.

IMPORTANT: Find Visuals (Graphs and Charts)

content-graphics-Add-Visuals-Where-Appropriate

Here's how:

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Avoid:

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Best practices:

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Tools:

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Last Step

In order to avoid any misunderstanding, and miscommunication, always double-check the client brief and your overall understanding before you move forward with writing.

It's better to ask before and save yourself lots of wasted time, effort and frustration.

Step #2 - Create the Outline

This is part of the research process, and requires you get organized like a pro.

Here's a TOOL (Fraser.io) which you can use to help with this and collect ALL the links & the information you need within minutes, not hours.

Read this >> How to Write the Best Blog Posts For Your Audience That Get Tons of Traffic

Step #3 - Write the Table of Contents

Use your outline and research findings to create a bullet-point table of contents that you will add below the introductory paragraph(s), to pique the readers interest and curiosity.

Here are a few examples you can replicate

Step #4 - Craft the introductory paragraph

Use your outline and research findings to create a bullet-point table of contents that you will add below the introductory paragraph(s), to pique the readers interest and curiosity.

Here are a few examples you can replicate

Step #5 - Write the blog post

Your job is to create the best blog post on the topic, and use as many of these copywriting techniques as possible - wherever and however you see it fit.

Here are a few examples you can replicate

Step #6 - Add the final paragraph(s)

Add a creative subhead (avoid 'Conclusion', unless client requires that) and the last paragraph (with call to action). A few short sentences.

Here are a few 'swipe files' you can use