How to Write a Blog Post Outline – 9 Proven Steps

Are you facing challenges with beginning your blog posts? Well, you are not the only one. Looking at a blank document is an all too common problem for many writers, and in many cases, it can be traced back to an absence of a very important first step in the process—writing an outline.

Knowing how to write a blog post outline is crucial and indeed the very first step towards your blog post.

As highlighted by HubSpot, marketers who prioritize blogging are 13 times more likely to see a positive ROI. However, to reap these benefits, the content provided has to be structured, precise, and tailored towards SEO—and this is the difference that an outline can make.

In this guide, you will learn how to create a blog post outline that helps save time, eliminate writer’s block, and aids in the crafting of content that ranks high on search engines.

Regardless of whether you are a beginner or have been in the game for a while, this method will enhance your workflow and ensure that your blog posts are structured, captivating, and crafted to be highly ranked in search engines from the get-go.

Let’s get started!

What is a Blog Post Outline?

A blog post outline is a template that organizes thoughts, sections, and critical ideas to be covered in the article, providing a structure ahead of time.

Think of it as the architectural plan for your blog post—it assists in determining how the different pieces and sequences should link together, makes sure that you do not skip over important subtopics, and prevents you from going on long-winded tangents or being repetitive.

It is usually useful to organize your ideas before writing your content for the blog post, when to say it and how to say it. It generally includes :

• A working title
• Target audience or reader intent
• Primary and secondary keyword placements
• H1, H2, and H3 headings
• Bullet points or key notes under each section
• CTA (call-to-action) placement

Not only does writing a blog post outline help you build a strong SEO for your site, but there’s a lot more to it. Here is the complete guide with the top SEO tips and tricks for writing an effective blog post while maintaining an optimized SEO for your site.

Example of a Blog Post Outline Structure

Here is an illustration for understanding the most crucial step of this detailed guide on how to write a blog post outline. This is just a sample, and you can use this as a reference to structure your blog post.

How to Write a Blog Post Outline: Step-by-Step Guide

A good blog outline starts with H2s and bulleted lists, but it is much more than that. It requires some thought, understanding the SEO, the users, and their intent, and finally, crafting it in a manner that will offer the best experience to the reader.

Here are the detailed steps showing you how to write a blog post outline stepwise.

Step 1: Identify the Goal and Target Audience

What do you wish to achieve? Who is presumed to be reading your content? What are some questions that you are trying to answer? Initially, outline those. Answering these questions aids in determining the voice you will use, the structure, the breadth of your ideas, and other vital information.

An elementary blog will seek to advance concepts with more illustrations and examples, while an advanced one might offer sophisticated discussions regarding those topics.

Pro Tip

If you have a website, Google Search Console as well as other keyword tools will help you understand what questions people are asking and from where they are coming. That helps you understand what some things are that interest your audience.

Example

In the case of writing an article named “How to Start a Dropshipping Store”, it is vital to decide whether you are focusing on new learners or owners of basic, skilled small businesses. Based on that, the blog post outline will change a lot.

The illustration below demonstrates how you can write your blog post outline based on the various keywords, which are different for different readers depending on their needs, such as whether you want your blog for readers who are specifically interested in opening a large-scale store like Amazon, or simply a starting point for beginners.

Stat

Content Marketing Institute notes that 88% of high-performing marketers focus on audience comprehension ahead of content development.

Step 2: Conduct Comprehensive Keyword and SERP Research

Winning outlines stem from understanding people’s needs and the structure of high-ranking blogs. Start with the most important:

• The three articles that rank highest for your targeted keyword.
• “People Also Ask” inquiries.
• Related searches at Google’s footer.
• Reddit and Quora threads.
• YouTube topic-related video outlines.

Supplementary keywords can be gathered from Ahrefs, Semrush, or Ubersuggest.

Pro Tip

Discover deep “People Also Ask” follow-up chains with AlsoAsked.com and strategically craft your outline.

Example

“How to write a blog post outline” is often accompanied by benefits, stepwise outlining processes, common pitfalls, and real-life outline demonstrations.

Stat

Ahrefs states 96.55% of content receives zero traffic from Google. Often, it’s due to a poor alignment with user intent or a lack of proper keyword strategy.

Step 3: Write a Clear and SEO-Friendly Working Title

Your outline develops from the title, which offers direction to the format and tone of the entire article. A working title isn’t a final title — it’s a temporary placeholder that will assist you in keeping your blog on track. Place the main keyword near the start of the title.

Pro Tip

Score your SEO, clarity, and emotional impact using headline analyzers like CoSchedule and Sharethrough.

Example

• Basic: “Writing Blog Post Outlines”
• Better: “How to Write a Blog Post Outline (Step-by-Step Template for 2025)”

Your outline must contain a title and keyword direction, although it can be changed later.

Step 4: Create Your H1, H2, H3 Headings

This is the phase where you begin forming the outline. Organize your blog content and subcontent using the appropriate heading levels (H1 for the title, H2s for the major sections, and H3s for subpoints).

All H2s should reflect intent and variations of the keywords that are relevant to searches.

Pro Tip

Include “FAQ” style H2s that correspond with Google’s “people also ask” questions to increase the chance of ranking in a snippet.

Example

• H1: How to Write a Blog Post Outline
  • Introduction
  • H2: What is a Blog Post Outline?
  • H2: Why You Need a Blog Post Outline
  • H2: How to Write a Blog Post Outline – Step-by-Step Guide
    • H3: Step 1: Define Your Audience
    • H3: Step 2: Do Keyword Research
    • …
  • H2: What Are the Most Common Mistakes to Avoid?
  • H2: Downloadable Blog Post Outline Template
  • H2: Concluding Remarks
  • H2: FAQs
    • H3: FAQ Question 1
    • H3: FAQ Question 2
    • …

Step 5: Include Bullet Points

The section in bullet points may be further expanded upon, but they must be anchored on the initial thoughts documented. This would aid the author to maintain focus on the structured outline for your blog post, but elaborate more when it comes to the actual writing portion.

Pro Tip

ChatGPT and other AI-based systems can help in coming up with section-specific notes, but they must be verified, tailored, and edited before use.

Example

Reasons you should have a blog post outline:

• Organizes mental processes
• Saves time in drafting the piece
• Improves on-site SEO with well-structured content
• Matches user queries
• Minimizes workload for post-publication edits

Stat

Based on CoSchedule data, marketers who document their content strategy, including an outline, are 331% more successful than those who do not.

Step 6: Add Internal and External Links

Begin by thinking of places where you would be able to insert internal links to your other work and external ones to credible sources.

This will improve SEO for the page and increase trust for readers as a reliable source.

Tip

Link to 3-5 other relevant blogs using keyword-rich anchor text and include 2-3 trusted external links, also ensure these open in a new tab and use a nofollow tag if affiliate.

Example

When discussing your SEO strategy, remember to link out to your own “On-Page SEO Checklist” post and reference notable sources like Backlinko or HubSpot.

Step 7: Visual Templates for Images, Tables, or Screenshots

Consider the visuals you will include while writing. You can think about:

• Custom stepwise explanatory images
• Step-by-step diagrams
• Images with .webp for features
• Comparison tables

Working with user experience expectations, maintaining an engaging interface, and ensuring a well-structured layout are important.

Pro Tip

To create visual templates, see your blog’s feature protective image template and design with Canva for no cost.

Example

Add a placeholder like

• [Insert Screenshot of Sample Blog Outline Template Here]
• [Add Table Comparing “With vs Without Outline” Results]

Stat

According to Jeff Bullas, blog posts that feature images are viewed 94% more than posts that lack images.

Step 8: End your Blog with a Call To Action and Next Steps

Decide how you wish to end the post; focus on post components, and outline the next steps.

Will you:

• Provide a downloadable resource?
• Link to relevant products or services?
• Prompt readers to comment or share?

This enhances efficiency towards writing-focused goals.

Pro Tip

Adding soft calls to action virtually any place in the post outside of the designated area adds opportunity for engagement without sounding forceful.

Example

Enroll in our blog outlining course by clicking on the link below for a blog outline template and begin structuring your content immediately.

Step 9: Examine and Fine-Tune the Outline

Checking the blog post outline in the end will ensure the following:

• Logical progression is maintained
• Keywords are confirmed for alignment
• Content gaps are identified
• Sections that seem overly meaty or thin are evaluated
• Benchmarking against top competitors once more

Pro Tip

To check topic coverage and structure, read your outline aloud or paste it into SurferSEO’s content optimizer.

Example

You need to ask questions like, “Does this outline take the reader step by step from problem identification and solution provision without unnecessary details?”

Conclusion

Knowing how to write a blog post outline is an essential skill that enables content creation that ranks high, converts well, and establishes a connection with the audience.

Outlines are just as helpful for long-form guides as they are for lists; they save time and enhance the impact of the message. Writing outlines for your blog post beforehand is essential for effective communication.

Considering search intent and breaking down ideas improves the quality of content ultimately published. It also helps the entire experience run smoothly, anchored by understanding the audience, avoiding frequent oversights, and improving overall performance. 

Writing an outline for blogs is crucial for optimizing SEO and ensuring maximized conversions. Outlines will serve as pre-set frameworks enabling fluid and efficient content creation with sustained returns. 

Now that the fundamentals have been grasped, it is time to implement them. Use the provided strategy, grab a document, and start writing an outline for your blog posts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)