Learn how to write a brief blog post in less than one hour. Even if you don't like writing, you too can create engaging blog posts to boost your content marketing efforts in 60 minutes or less.

1. How to write a
500-word blog
post in one hour
Jessica Weiss

2. It’s not as hard as you think
You probably have expertise on hundreds of topics that you’
ve developed over the years.
Well, guess what - each of those little nuggets of knowledge
can become a blog post that someone else will find useful.
And it won’t take long at all. Even if you don’t like to write, you
can create a 500-word blog post in just one hour.

3. Do you need outside research?
Depending on the topic you choose, you may need to do some
research beforehand (though many of the best blog posts
come straight from what you already know well).
If you need to find those extra facts & figures to support your
argument, set aside time to do that before you write.
Your one hour of writing will go much more smoothly if you
have everything you need at your fingertips.

4. 5 min
Brainstorm your thesis

5. Brainstorm your thesis
Your post is going to be a lot easier to write if you have a point
of view. Every post, even if it is a how-to tutorial, needs a
point of view.
What are you trying to convey to your reader? Can you frame
it in a new and engaging way? What’s your argument?
Determine your thesis before you start writing (5 min.) so you
can make a real statement with your blog.

6. 5 min
Write an outline

7. Write an outline
Remember the classic 5-paragraph essay from your school
days? It’s the perfect structure for a brief blog post.
Before you write, sketch out your post with the following:
● Introduction
● Body Paragraph Topic #1
● Body Paragraph Topic #2
● Body Paragraph Topic #3
● Conclusion
Don’t worry about headlines or section headers yet.

8. 30 min
Write the 3 body paragraphs

9. Take 10 min. to write each body paragraph
Spend 10 minutes on each body paragraph. No more, no less.
Each body paragraph should be approximately 100 words
(that’s only 5-6 sentences). So if you’re counting, that’s 2
minutes per sentence - plenty of time to flesh out your
thoughts.
You can go back and edit later, so just get your thoughts on
paper.
And remember to write in your own voice. Most blog posts
should be in a casual, authentic, and friendly tone (yours!)
versus something too formal or academic (there’s a time and
place for that).
The good news: writing in your own voice is faster than trying
to sound fancy!

10. 15 min
Write an introduction and conclusion

11. Write your intro & conclusion
Your introduction and conclusion should come easily now that
you have the body paragraphs fleshed out.
Tell the reader what they will learn (and why they should keep
reading) in the introduction. Keep it short & find your hook so
they don’t give up.
In the conclusion, explain why your topic is important, add
some outside context, and include a call-to-action if
appropriate.
Effective calls-to-action include asking for a signup on your
website, a follow on social media, or a visit to your other
content, for example.

12. 5 min
Write title and headers

13. Create an interesting title & headers
Titles are essential. If your title is boring, who’s to say that
someone will actually click and read your article in the first
place?
The good news is that there are many title generator tools
that can help you discover the best title for your piece:
● http://www.title-generator.com/
● https://www.portent.com/tools/title-maker
Headlines should be similarly engaging as they help people
and search engines learn what your blog is about. (Again,
these can always be revised but jot down as many ideas as
possible in the 5 minutes allotted).

14. Boom!
You’re done!

15. If you have some extra time to spend...
● Add supporting quotes and images
Pexels, Unsplash, Death to the Stock Photo are just 3 of
many free stock photo resources out there.
Then, add your own spin by editing them and adding text
in Canva (https://www.canva.com/).
● Edit for clarity
I love Hemingway (http://www.hemingwayapp.com/) for
editing. It tells you right away which of your sentences
are hard to read and can be improved for readability!

16. And last but not least
don’t forget to share your new post!

17. http://bit.ly/JessicaWeiss
@jweiss44