How to Write List Blog Posts

Hi There.
Thanks for Downloading HubSpot’s Blog Post Templates!
Copy and paste the template of your choice into a new document.
↓↓↓
How to Use These Blog Post Templates
1) Select the blog post templatetypeyouwant to use for your assignment (there is a
tableof content below).
2) Copythe contents of each templateinto a fresh document in case youneed to access
thetemplateagain.
3) Fillin the[bracketed]copywith information about your blog post,and delete
italicized instructions after reading them.
4) Delete,add, or alterany headings,section, or content that yousee fit. Remember
these templatesshouldbe adjusted for your audience.
5) Review thechecklist, upload yourblog post into your CMS, and hit publish!
Table of Contents
1) “How to” Blog Post Template
2) InfographicBlog Post Template
3) List Blog Post Template
4) Newsjacking Blog Post Template
5) Pillar PageBlog Post Template
6) “What is” Blog Post Template

Manage your company’s content
in HubSpot CMS.
Publish blog posts and landing pages to help
your business thrive online.
Get HubSpot CMS Hub
(Keep scrolling to templates)
↓↓↓

How to Write a “How to” Blog Post
Whether it’s “how tomake chickenparm” or “how tostart a business,”people are searching“how to”
do thingson Google all the time. Andyoucanhelp those people outwith a “how to”blog post.
“How to”blog posts provide yourreaders with a step-by-step guide to doing,well, anything. These
blogs are also an amazing opportunityfor yourcompanyto position itself as customer-focusedand
selfless, as you’re laying out a tactical approachto fixinga problem or addressing a need withoutasking
foranything in return. This helps to make yourbrandsynonymouswith trust.
Writing these postscanalso help yourblog rank forGoogle’s featuredsnippet – the boxthat appears in
Google searchresults witha few dozenwordsansweringthe question. Youcansee anexample of this
below.
“How to”blog posts are best for the followingblog posts:
● Math and equation explanations [i.e. “How toCalculate Net Promoter Score”].
● Providinga way ofthinking about orapproachingan obscuretask [i.e. “How to Set & Achieve
Marketing Objectives”].
● Outlining step-by-step instructionsto aneasily addressable task [i.e. “How toBlock Websites
onChrome Desktop and Mobile”].

Outline: [Blog Post Title]
Keyword: [Enter Targeted Keyword]
Keyword MSV:[Enter Targeted Keyword’s Monthly SearchVolume]
Author: [Enter AuthorName]
Due Date:[EnterDue Date]
Publish Date:[Enter Desired PublishDate]
BuyerPersona: [Enter Targeted Reader and/orBuyer Persona]
[Blog Post Title]
Makesurethetitlestartswith“How to…” and runsfor60 charactersorless.
Introduction
Lead into thepostwith a short100-200 wordintroduction.Besureto highlight:
● Thereasonwhywhatyou’retalkingaboutis important.
● Who,whatindustry,orwhatsectorof theindustrythis appliesto.
● Whatyou’ll be covering [i.e.“inthispost, we’ll explainwhy(term)isimportant,explainhow to
(term),and provide8 suggestionsif you’re new to (term)”].
What is [Term], and Why Does it Matter?
Somereadersmayhavenoidea whatitisyou’re explaininghow todo.Obviously, if whatyou’rewriting
about is well-known,youcanskip thedefinition.
Afterdefiningtheterm,explainwhyit’simportantforthereadertounderstandtheidea and/orknow how
to do whatyou’rewritingabout.
How to [Task]
Thissection should makeup thebulkof thewriting inyour blog post. It’senormouslyimportantforeach
step to have itsown sectionheaderforoptimal organization,clarityforthereader,and searchengine
optimization.Additionally,breakinginstructionsup by sectionsalsoletsyou includevisual aidsforeach
step asneeded intheformof a GIF,image,or video.

It’s importanttoremembertobe clear,concise,andaccurateinthestepsyou provideyourreaders.Any
extra “fluff”tothearticlemayconfusethem,resultinginsomereadersnotachievingtheresultsthey
intended.
If whatyou’re explaininghow todois solveanequation (i.e.“How to CalculateBreakEven”),providea
step-by-step explanationandexampleof how tocalculatetherate,point,ornumberyou’re explaininghow
to reach.Show all of your workso thereadercanfollow alongeasily.
# Tips and Reminders for [Term] (Optional)
If you’re breakingdowna difficultconceptortask,somereadersmaystill feel overwhelmedand unsure of
theirabilityto tackleit. Breakdowna few suggestionsonhow to bestapproachtheconcept,and/ora few
remindersaboutit.Thisis not a list post,so keep thisshortlist to threeto fivepiecesof advice.
If you feel thestep-by-step approachis sufficient,youcanchoosenot to includethis section.
Closing
Wrap up your amazingnew blogpostwitha greatclosing.Remind yourreadersof thekeytakeawayyou
wantthemtowalkawaywithand considerpointingthemtootherresourcesyou haveonyour website.
Call-to-Action
Last but not least,placea call-to-actionatthebottomof your blog post.Thisshould be to a lead-
generatingpieceof contentor to a sales-focused landingpagefora demoorconsultation.Forexample,if
your productor servicehelpsyourreadersdowhatitisthey searched “how to”do,orif you havea
templateinyourcontentresourcelibrarythatdoeswhattheysearched “how to”do,thatwould bea
perfectCTAforthis post.
Checklist Before Publishing
❏ Did youprovide clear, actionable steps to accomplishingthe task yourreader needed help
with?
❏ Did youprovide relevant and accuratefactsand stats to proveyour understandingofthe
concept?
❏ Did youemphasize the importance ofunderstandingthis conceptif it is not already well-
known?

❏ Did youproperly cite andbacklink your sources?
❏ Did youspell checkand proofread?
❏ Arethere at least 1-2 images?
❏ Isthe post800-1,000 wordsatminimum?

How to Write an InfographicBlog Post
Infographicsarean opportunityto combine beautiful and on-branddesignswith compelling copyfrom
yourmarketing team.
Forinfographic blog posts,the infographic itself shoulddo most ofthe talking and take upthe bulk of
the real estate in the blog body.However,there’s still the need for copybeforeand sometimes even
after the infographic to help set up and elaborate onthe ideas within the image, and to help the post
rank onsearch engines.
Below is a template outline foryouto plan the copyfor yourinfographic post.If you’relooking for
templates to help you design youractual infographic, clickhere for15free infographic templates.

[Blog Post Title]
Makesurethetitleruns for60 charactersorlessand endswith“[Infographic]”inbrackets.
Introduction
Lead up to theinfographicwitha short100-200word introduction.Besuretohighlight:
● Whattheinfographicwill becovering[i.e.“Theinfographicbelow containsthefivebiggest
takeawaysfromournew reportonindustrytrendsandwhattheycould meanforyou”].
Infographic
Upload theimageof yourinfographic.Makesurethealt-textfortheinfographicimageisyourdesired
keyword.
What This Means For You (Optional)
For thewordsmithsonyour marketingteam,aninfographiccanbefrustrating,asitleaveslittletonoroom
forelaborationof ideaspresented intheimage.Yourinfographiccontainssomecombinationof statistics,
examples,and/orstep-by-stepinstructions,and someof theseneed morethanjusta lineortwo of copy to
get thefull pointacross.
If you feel it’snecessary,copythewordingfromtheoriginal infographicintothissection and add more
context,backlinks,sources,and information.Youcanalsousethis asanopportunitytohelp thepostrank,
assearchenginescancrawl thetextinthebody of a blog post.

However,if you feel yourinfographicgetsthe pointacrosson its ownand doesn’tneed elaboration,feel
freeto skip thissection.
Closing
Providesomeclosingcontextpertainingtothe infographicand summarizeitsimplications.
Call-to-Action
generatingpieceof contentor to a sales-focused landingpagefora demoorconsultation.
❏ Do youtee upthe infographic with wordingrelated tothe copyin the infographic?
❏ Ifneeded, did you elaborate onthe infographic with more copybelow the image?
❏ Did youprovide alt-text forthe infographic image?
❏ Did youprovide relevant and accurateexamples and statistics tofurther explain this concept,if
needed?

How to Write a List Blog Post
We all love countdowns,rankings,andlists – includingyourreaders. This presents an unignorable
opportunityforyour blog team: list posts.
List blog postsare exactly whatthey soundlike – a blog postlisting offexamples, resources,or tips
pertaining to a topic yourreaders will love, are interested in, or wouldbenefit from knowingmore
about.List posts canrange from as low as three toas highas 100+,thoughthesweet spot that most
bloggers gravitate towards tendsto be between five and20.
Anotherperk ofthe list approachto blog postsis that it is appropriate forevery stage forthe buyer’s
journey.Asan example, a digital marketing agency couldsee successwithan awareness post titled
“The 10 Social Media Trends YourCompanyCan’t Ignore”and witha decision stage posttitled “3
Qualities to LookForin a Marketing Agency.”
Need some suggestionsforyour list post? Youcan list out any ofthe following:
● Examples [8 ofthe Best Professional BioExamples We've Ever Seen [+ BioTemplates]]
● Steps [3Steps toDo YourBest Work, No Matter Where YouAre in YourCareer]
● Tips [19Tips to Leave the PerfectSales Voicemail]
● Ways to DoSomething [10 ImpressiveWays to Start a CoverLetter [+ Examples]]
● Ideas [31 Secret Santa Gift Ideas YourCoworkersWill Love]
● Statistics [23Remarkable Twitter Statistics to Be Awareof in 2019]
● Facts[9Interesting FactsAboutList Posts]
● Myths [The 20 Most DangerousSales Myths YouShouldn't Fall For]

[Blog Post Title]
Makesurethetitlestartswitha numberand runsfor60 charactersorless.
Introduction
● Whatyou’ll be covering [i.e.“inthis post, we’ll provide[#] examplesof (term)and whythey’reso
emblematicof (term)”].
Why is [Term] Important? (Optional)
Provideyourreaderswitha few reasonswhytheyshould careaboutthetermorthe conceptyou’rewriting
about. If this is a consumer-level concept,talkabouttheimplicationsthiscould haveontheirfamilies,
finances,personalhappiness,etc.If you’rewritingforanaudienceof professionals,mentiontheimpactthis
termor concepthasonprofit,efficiency,and/orcustomer satisfaction.Tomakethemostof thissection,
makesureit includesatleastonestatistic,quote, or outside reference.
If you feel thetopicis universallyunderstood andrespected,youmaynotneed toincludethissection and
could benefitbygoing right to thelist.
# Examples/Tips/Ideas/Resources for [Term]
Afterthequick introductionand potential explanationof thetopic’simportance,there’snomoretimeto
waste.Jump rightinto the list!

Eachof your examplesshould befollowed byadditionalcopyexplainingwhyyou’reincludingthemonyour
list.Theexplanationcould beanywherefroma couplesentences(if youhavea longlist) to a couple
paragraphs(if youhavea short list).Makesureyou organizeyour list so thateachexampleorsubcategory
hasits ownsection header.
If your list is madeup of examplesfromreal peopleorbusinesses,taketheopportunitytoembed evidence
of theexamplewithanimage,a video,ora social media postof thatexample.Thisaddsadditional context
asto whyyou’re includingeachexampleonyourlistand helpsbreakup anotherwisetext-heavyblogpost
withothertypesof content.
Closing
wantthemtowalkawaywithand whateverythingonyourlisthasin commonor suggests to thereader.
Call-to-Action
❏ Did youprovide at least three examples, suggestions,or tips that directly speak to the topic
you’re writing about?
❏ Ifexamples are from real companies or people, did you embed images, video,and/or a social
media postof that example to strengthenyour point?
❏ Did youprovide relevant and accurateexamples and statistics tofurther explain this concept?

How to Write a Newsjacking Blog Post
This justin -- people love reading the newsonline, andif there’s an opportunityforyouto write about a
piece of newsthat canor does directlyimpactyour target audience, youshouldtake it.
Newsjackingrefers to the practice ofcapitalizing on the popularity ofa news story toamplify yoursales
and marketing success.The term was popularizeddue to David Meerman Scott'sbook Newsjacking:
How to Inject Your Ideasintoa BreakingNewsStoryand GenerateTonsof Media Coverage.
There are twodifferent approachesto newsjacking:the immediate rundownofwhat’shappening and
the look back ofwhat happened(alongside what to expectafter the initial newsbreak settles).
Alternatively, youcouldpublish an initial post to alert readers ofthe breaking news, and then edit once
more details arise.
One thingto note with newsjacking:ifthe topic is or couldbe perceived as sensitive, be verycareful
with yourwriting andpositioning. Yourdecision to coverthe story and/orthe approachyoutake in your
post couldbe controversialand negatively impact yourbrand.

Linkto OriginalStory:[InsertLink if Available]
[Blog Post Title]
Makesurethetitleclearlyidentifiesthebreakingnewsstoryand runsfor60 charactersorless.
Introduction
● Thequick factsasthey areknown,witha linktotheoriginal story if available.
● Whatyou’ll be covering [i.e. “inthispost, we’ll explainwhathasreportedlyhappened,how itmay
affectyourcompany,and providefourtipsforwhattodo next.”].
What Happened
Fleshout thestory in moredetail thanintheintrowithmorebackground,information,and sources.Keep
thefirst partof thissection factual,and if youfeel compelled to,inputyouropinionon thestory afterwards.
Insertingyouropinion canbea questionablemove,so makesureyou get theokayfromappropriate
stakeholdersbeforepublishingopinions –particularlyonsensitivenewsstories.
What’s Happening Now/Next [Optional]
If the storyis still breaking,you maywanttoleavethisblank.However,if thedusthassettled and you
havereliableinformationonwhattherippleeffectsof thisnewsstorywill be,mentionthemheresoreaders
know whatto expect.

What This Means For You
If the storyyou’re coveringimpactsa largeraudiencethanyournichereadership(say,a new government
regulationimpactingmanyindustries),narrowdownthescopeof theimplicationsof thiseventto your
specificreader.Maybeyou’rewritingforthehardwareindustry,and newtraderegulationswill impact
shipmentsand pricesof raw materialstomanufacturers.Inthatcase,talkabouthow thenew law canor
could disruptorimpactthatpartof a reader’sbusiness.
What You Can/Could/Should Do Now [Optional]
Again,giving adviceinthewakeof or in theaftermathof a breakingnewseventisn’talwaysthebestidea.
However,if you’re abletolinkto legitimatesourceson whatthebest courseof actionis, you can.Here,
academicand governmentsiteswould bea fairplacetodraw nextstepsfrom.
If you dowishto provideyour ownopinionon whattodo next,makeitclearthatthesenextstepsare
suggestions asto whata readermayconsiderdoing–not requirements.
Closing
wantthemtowalkawaywithand remindthemtocheckbackinto this pagewithanyupdatesif the story
is ongoing.
Call-to-Action
generatingpieceof contentor to a sales-focused landingpagefora demoorconsultation.Fora
newsjackingpiece, considerputtinga CTAfor your blog subscriptionso readerscanstayup-to-datewith
related storiesthatyoucover.
❏ Did youprovide a clear, factual approachto explaining this situation to readers?
❏ Did youprovide relevant and accuratefactsand stats to backup yourwriting?
❏ Ifyou offeran opinion,is it fleshed out andjustifiable?

❏ Does yourstory offera unique angle, fact,or approachthat readers wouldnot be able to access
elsewhere?
❏ Did youset a reminder to revisit this post periodically andupdate it withnew information
if/whenit becomes available?
❏ Ifthere are long-term implications ofthis story, doyou provide actionable insights or next steps
that will help readers navigate andunderstand the situation in the long run?

How to Write a Pillar Blog Post
A pillar page is intended to be theauthoritative resourcefora given topic onthe internet. While some
blogs are instructional how-toguidesor lists ofincredible examples, a pillar page shouldbe the ultimate
guide that any reader wouldever need to know abouta topic...ever.
Youcansupporta pillar page with other related blog poststhat link out tothis pillar page,knownas
“cluster”posts. (Quicknote: if this pillar-clustermodel isnew toyou, learnall aboutwhatitisand how the
HubSpot teamrolled itout it on our blog here.)
Yourpillar pages shouldbe the most in-depthwriting you’ve ever compiled on a subjectonyourblog to
date. This is becauseyou’ll have multiple places onthe post to workin your keywordand backlink from
reputable sources,showingsearch engines you’rethe place to pointto for a given topic.
Ifyou think the pages will be longer than yourusual posts, you’reright – one of HubSpot’spillar pages
takes anestimated 45minutes to read! However, that’s definitely an outlier. Yourpillar page length,
pending onthe depth ofthe subjectmatter, can range anywhere from2,000 -5,000 words.Becauseof
this length, it’s recommendedthat youinclude at least one piece ofinteractive contentin yourpillar
page – suchas an embedded video or social media post– tobreak upthis text-heavy post.
Here are a few examples ofpillar pages we’re proudof here at HubSpot.Youmay notice that we linked
to all ofthe other blog posts wewrote in this topic cluster – something you shoulddo,too.
● The Ultimate Guide toVideo Marketing
● The Ultimate Guide toEntrepreneurship
● The Ultimate Guide toSoftware as a Service

[Blog Post Title]
Makesurethetitlecontainsyour keyword and runsfor60 charactersorless.
Introduction
● Whatyou’ll be covering [i.e.“inthispost, we’ll provideanall-encompassingrundownof (term),
includinganexplanationof why(term)isimportant,how to(term),and 8 suggestionsif you’re new
to (term)”].
Note: Choosethe Sections from the Bank Below That You Think
Will Fit Well in Your Pillar Page
Below area few sectionsthatwould dowell ina pillarpage.Dependingonyourtopic,pickthe sectionsthat
you thinkwould do best onyour page.
Keep inmind –the bankbelow contains suggestedsections.If you believeyourpillarpageneedsa section
thatis not listed below,you should absolutelyincludeit.
You’ll alsonoticea promptattheend of eachsectionto linkto a supportingclusterpost.For example,if
you’re writingTheUltimateGuidetoCooking and includea sectionabout cooking pizza,you maywantto

linkto your blog postabout Italianfood inthatsectionto strengthenyouron-pageand websiteSEO.These
pagesshould behyperlinked naturallyatsomepointinthebodyof thatsection.
What is [Term] (and Why Does it Matter)?
Somereadersmightbenew to whatyou’rewriting about. Obviously, if whatyou’re writingabout is well-
known,you canskip thedefinitionand head straighttowhyitmatters.
Explainingwhythetermorconceptmattersisimportantforthereadertounderstand how todooruse
whatit isyou’re writing about. Talkaboutthepersonal and/orbusinessimplicationsof understanding,
employing,orusing thetopic you’re writingabout.
SupportingClusterPost to Include:[InsertHyperlink for Reference]
The History of [Term]
Elaborateonthebackground of whatyou’re writingabout and how theconcepthasdeveloped fromits
inceptionto today.
Terms to Know
List out and definea few of thekeytermspertainingtoyourtopic, especiallyif they’rementioned
elsewhereinthepost.
The Pros and Cons of [Term]
If your topic hashighsand lowsto it, outlinethose plusesand minuseshere.
# Examples of [Term]
Proof pointsareimmenselyhelpful forreaders.Let’ssayyou’recovering thetopic of productplacement.
Thissection could include5 - 10 videosof productplacementinfilmandtelevisionsoreaderscanseethe
idea of it inaction.

How to [Task/Term]
If your pillarpageisdedicated toa concept thatrequiresorbenefitsfroma step-by-step process,outline
thosestepsin thissection.
It’s importanttobe clear, concise,andaccurateinthestepsyouprovideyour reader.Anyextra “fluff”to
thearticlemayconfusesomeone,resultinginsomereadersnotachievingtheresultstheyintended.
If whatyou’re explaininghow todois solveanequation (i.e.“How to CalculateBreakEven).providea step-
by-step explanationand exampleof how to calculatetherate,point,ornumberyou’reexplaining how to
reach.Show all of your workso thereadercanfollow alongeffortlessly.
# Tips and Reminders for [Term]
Whenbreakingdowna difficultconceptortask,somereadersmaystill feeloverwhelmed andunsureof
theirabilityto understand it.Breakdowna few bestpracticesonhow tobest approachtheconcept,and/or
a few remindersaboutit.
Analyzing [Term]
If your topic pertainstobusinessor businesses,give anoverview of how and whyto analyzeyourtopicand
how to differentiatebetweengood and bad intheresultsof thatanalysis.
Resources for [Term]
Providefurtherreadingorresourcesforpeoplejustgetting started whomaywantadditional information.
Thissection could includeindustryblogs, books, social media accountsforthought leaders,and/or
suggestions forsupport/assistance.

Closing
Call-to-Action
❏ Did youprovide a thorough,all-encompassing rundownofthetopic you’re writing about?
❏ Did youprovide relevant examples andaccuratefacts andstats toprove yourunderstandingof
the concept?
❏ Did youlink to all ofyour supportingblogposts in the cluster?
❏ Did yougo back tothose posts and link to this pillar page?
❏ Arethere at least 2-3images?
❏ Isthe post2,000 wordsatminimum?
❏ Isthere at least one piece ofinteractive contentembedded in the body(video, social media
post,calculator, podcast,audiofile)?

How to Write a “What is” Blog Post
How often doyou findyourself typing “whatis [blank]”into Google? Weekly? Daily? Hourly?
Sometimes, yourreaders justneed a quickanswer to a question.Enter: the “whatis” blogpost. This is
the opportunityfor youto answerthat question – and providefurther details onthe topic forthe
readers that want them (and,of course,tohelp your postrank better).
Writing these postscanalso help yourbe chosenfor Google’s featuredsnippet –the box that appears
in Google searchresults witha few dozenwordsansweringthe question people search for.Youcansee
an example ofthis below.
Asyou may be able to tell fromthe example above, the “whatis” blog post canalso take the form ofa
“whenis,” “whois,” or“whyis” blog. Youcan follow the same general guidelines forthese postsas you
wouldfora “whatis” post.
“What is” blog postsare best forthe following blogpost ideas:
● Defining a term and/or a concept[i.e. “Whatis Marketing?”].
● Math and equation explanations [i.e. “What is First Call Resolution?”].

[Blog Post Title]
Makesurethetitlestartswith“Whatis…”and runsfor60 charactersorless.
Introduction
● Whatyou’ll be covering [i.e.“inthispost, we’ll define(term),show a few examplesof how it’sused
in businesstoday,and provide8 bestpracticesforgettingstarted with(term)inyour company”].
What is [Term]?
Answerthequestionposed by thetitle of this postdirectlybelow thisheader.Thiswill increaseyour
chancesof rankingforthefeatured snippetonGoogleforthisphraseand providereaderswithan
immediateanswer.Keepthelengthof thisdefinition –atleastin thisverybasic introduction – between50
and 60 words.
Afterthebrief definition,divefurtherintothe conceptand add morecontextand explanationif needed.
Why is [Term] Important?
Provideyourreaderswitha few reasonswhytheyshould careaboutthetermorthe conceptyou’rewriting
about. If this is a consumer-level concept,talkabouttheimplicationsthiscould haveontheirbusinesses,
finances,personalhappiness,etc.If you’rewritingforanaudienceof professionals,mentiontheimpactthis

termor concepthasonprofit,efficiency,and/orcustomersatisfaction.Tomakethemostof thissection,
makesureit includesatleastonestatistic,quote, or outside reference.
Include at Least One of These Next Three Sections
How to Calculate [Term] (Optional)
Note: Thissectiononlyappliesforpostsabout mathandequations.
Providea step-by-step explanation andexampleof how tocalculatetherate,point,ornumberyou’re
providinga definitionfor.
# Real Examples of [Term] (Optional)
If you feel likeitwould benefityour readers,lista few examplesof theconceptyou’reexplaininginaction.
You canelevatethissectionby embeddingimages,videos,and/orsocial media posts.
Remember,thispostis not a list post– so try to keep thislistbetweenthreeand fiveexamplesif youdo
decideto includeit.
# Tips and Reminders for [Term] (Optional)
Whenbreakingdowna difficultconceptordefinition,somereadersmaystill feeloverwhelmedand unsure
of theirabilityto addressit.Breakdowna few bestpracticesonhow toapproachtheconcept,and/ora few
remindersaboutit.Again, thisis not a list post,so keep thisshortlistto threetofive piecesof advice.
Closing

Call-to-Action
❏ Did youdefine the term and/or explain the conceptin terms that your buyerpersona would
understand?
❏ Did youprovide relevant and accurateexamples and statistics tofurther explain this concept?

How to Write List Blog Posts

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to How to Write List Blog Posts

Similar to How to Write List Blog Posts (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

How to Write List Blog Posts