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- Structuring Your Blogs
Writing a blog is a bit like building a house. A good structure makes it easy for anyone to enjoy your content, even if they just have a minute to spare or want to look into every detail.
Here’s a simple way to keep everyone happy:
Skimmers: Readers who just want the highlights.
Deep Readers: Those who love details and stories.
SEO: The search engines that help new readers find you.
Understand Who You're Writing For
Skimmers
These readers are like speed readers. They don’t have time for long paragraphs. They look for:
Headings and subheadings: To know what each section is about.
Bullet points and lists: To quickly grab the main ideas.
Short, punchy sentences: To get the gist fast.
Deep Readers
These are the folks who settle in for a longer read. They enjoy:
Detailed explanations: Step-by-step guides and clear examples.
Stories or real-life examples: To see how ideas work in the real world.
Extra insights: Data, tips, and thoughtful analysis.
SEO (Search Engines)
SEO helps your blog get discovered. Think of it as the blueprint that search engines follow to rank your blog. You need:
Keywords: The words people type into search engines.
Clear structure: A hierarchy of headings (like H1, H2, H3) so search engines know what’s important.
Links and images: These add value and help search engines understand your content better.
Now how do you write a blog that serves all three?
A clean, clear layout that naturally blends quick summaries with deeper insights.
1. Start with a Clear Outline
Begin by writing down the main points you want to cover. A clear outline makes your content organized from the start.
What to Do: List your main ideas or steps before writing.
Why It Helps:
For skimmers: They can see at a glance what the post will cover.
For deep readers: The outline serves as a roadmap for the detailed content.
For SEO: A well-structured plan helps search engines identify the key topics of your post.
Adding a clickable ‘Table of Contents’ also helps people looking for specific sub-topics and don’t have enough time to go through a 3000-word blog
Hubspot has a table of contents for ALL its blogs!
2. Use Descriptive Headings
Descriptive headlines are actionable. Even if someone skips the details, the headline should clearly communicate the core idea.
Main Title (H1): Make it clear and include a primary keyword.
Subheadings (H2/H3): Use actionable phrases that summarize the section.
How It Works:
For skimmers: They get the gist just by reading the headlines.
For deep readers: Headlines set expectations for detailed explanations.
For SEO: Keywords in your headlines improve search rankings.
Example: Instead of a vague heading like "Tasks," use "Step 1: List Your Daily Tasks to Boost Productivity."
This tells the reader exactly what to expect while naturally adding a keyword.
Here’s how I did it in one of the recent articles I worked on!
3. Write in Bite-Sized Chunks
Break your content into small, easy-to-read pieces.
What to Do: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered lists.
Why It Helps:
For skimmers: They can quickly pick up the main ideas.
For deep readers: Digesting detailed information in small chunks is easier.
For SEO: Clean formatting helps search engines index your content more effectively.
Example: Rather than one long paragraph on a process, break it down into a numbered list outlining each step. (The previous example fits this too!)
4. Blend Quick Summaries with Detailed Explanations
Provide a layered experience by starting each section with a quick summary and then offering more detail.
What to Do:
Start with a brief bullet point or sentence that captures the key idea.
Follow with a more detailed explanation, including examples or data.
Why It Helps:
For skimmers: They get a fast overview of the content.
For deep readers: They can choose to read further details if they wish.
For SEO: The layered approach makes your content rich and informative.
Example: In this comparison article, I started with a concise overview of the top 12 tools to give readers a quick snapshot (for skimmers), then provided detailed explanations for each one (for deep readers).
5. Use Keywords and Links Naturally
Integrate keywords and links without forcing them.
What to Do:
Include your main keyword in your title, subheadings, and body text naturally.
Add internal links to related posts and external links to reliable sources.
Why It Helps:
For skimmers: Keywords quickly indicate the topic.
For deep readers: Links offer a path to more in-depth information.
For SEO: Natural keyword placement and linking improve your search rankings.
Example: If your focus is “organize your day,” use that phrase naturally throughout the post and link to another article on time management techniques.
Here, while talking about Analytics and Reporting, I seamlessly linked to the brand's reporting and analytics feature page.
6. Keep It Simple and Flowing
Make sure your blog reads naturally from start to finish.
What to Do:
Write in clear, straightforward language.
Ensure each section flows logically into the next.
Why It Helps:
For skimmers: A clear flow lets them quickly understand the structure.
For deep readers: It maintains their engagement with a logical progression of ideas.
For SEO: A well-organized post is easier for search engines to crawl and rank.
Example: Begin with an introduction that outlines what the reader will learn, build each section step by step, and conclude with a summary that recaps the main points.
TL: DR;
Start with a clear outline
Use descriptive and actionable headlines
Write in bite-sized chunks
Blending quick summaries with detailed explanations,
Incorporate keywords and links naturally
Keep your language simple and flowing.
And Voila! You’ve created a blog that works for everyone.
Skimmers get the essential points at a glance.
Deep readers find detailed insights and practical examples.
Search engines reward you with better rankings.
Try these techniques in your next post and see how they improve your reader engagement and SEO performance.
Before You Go...
✍️ Writing Tip of the Week
Remove unnecessary words like “that.”
For example, instead of “The blog that I wrote,” try “The blog I wrote.” This simple edit tightens your writing instantly.
I’ll see you next Tuesday!
Stay Fully Content,
Nikita