Your blog post structure is just as important as the content itself.
Poor structure can limit the performance of great content by dampening user experience and creating readability challenges, resulting in higher bounce rates and a general “I ain’t reading that” attitude.
No doubt you’ve experienced this on your web travels, finding your way to a webpage or blog that seems to have not had “format this content” in its checklist.
In those moments, do you suffer through to find the gold nugget of information, or do you find a different source of that information that’s easier to read?
I always choose the second option.
A dual approach to readability and rankability ensures that your content is optimised for both users and search engines. In this post, I’ll go over ways you can do just that and help you structure your posts with confidence.
Start Strong With a Clear, Compelling Introduction
The opener to your blog post is a vital component of the stickiness of your content.
Introductions are essential for search engines and readers. Search engines use them to understand the context of your content. This is why many SEO tools tell you to add your primary keyword at the start of your introduction.
Users, on the other hand, are not concerned with keywords. An introduction serves as the primary way to hook the reader, and I agree with this.
A good structure to achieve this is:
- Hook -> context -> promise.
You first hook the user with controversy, a question, or another engaging sentence, provide context as to why what you’re covering is important, and then promise outcomes from the post.
Nothing new here.
However, I also urge you to consider search intent. More specifically, ensure you match the user’s search intent as soon as possible within the introduction.
Why?
A thought experiment – think back to when you’ve ever looked up a recipe. How annoying is it when you have to scroll halfway down the page to find what you need?
That structure, lack of initial matching of intent, and dragging out of the answer are great for capturing long-tail keywords, but SUCKS for user experience. There are many better ways to create blog posts that capture long-tail keywords.
However, let’s return to our better structure. First, create immediate relevance to the search intent behind your post, and then reap the rewards: lower bounce rates, increased engagement, and an internal moral boost knowing you didn’t string users along with 1,500 words before giving them the actual content.
Use Headings to Guide the Reader
Headings aren’t just for visuals; they’re strategic in breaking up the flow of content, creating scannability, and generally help users understand, at a glance, what is included within the main content.
Bonus points if you include a list of contents at the start of your posts so that users can see this at a glance without scrolling.
Omitting headers can cause reading fatigue, especially if your content is lengthy. It’s like opening a novel page where you’re not sure where to find what you’re looking for.
Many users treat blog pages as reference points, opting to revisit the information at a later date. Headers enable users to quickly locate what they need when they return.
Similarly, question-style H2s and a general header hierarchy, incorporating H2s and H3s, help search engines understand your content and support the capture of featured snippets for SEO. Turning FAQs into blog posts is an excellent option, as they naturally create long-tail headers.
Write In Short Paragraphs With Scannable Formatting
We’ve already touched upon breaking up content with headers, but doing so with the actual paragraphs themselves is essential.
I very rarely adopt a “you must” stance on topics related to content creation, but avoiding overly long sentences and unformatted content is truly a “you must” requirement.
Poor formatting and overwhelming blocks of content can quickly intimidate users, leading to higher bounce rates and reduced overall engagement.
It also makes scanning your content impossible, which will also contribute to higher bounce rates as users may not be able to see the content they want to engage with at a glance.
A general rule of thumb is to keep paragraphs to four sentences at most, five sparingly.
If there are more than five, consider reformatting or rewording that section to improve clarity. You can also experiment with different sentence structures and lengths to evoke a range of emotions within your content.
Finally, utilise formatting options where relevant.
Things like:
- Bullet points
- H3s and H4s
- Images
- Dividers
These elements can further strengthen your blog post structure and improve scanability. I spread these out throughout my content. For example, I’ll avoid having back-to-back sections with the same formatting option.
This helps keep content dynamic and feeling fresh.
Incorporate Internal Links and CTAs Strategically
Internal linking is beneficial for SEO and deepening topical relevance, but it’s also invaluable for preempting what content readers will want next.
When discussing complex topics or exploring a subject with multiple nuances, it stands to reason that a user may want to learn more about it. Contextual internal links help naturally guide their reading without interfering with the format of the post they’re currently on.
Call to Actions (CTAs) offer a definitive breakpoint or end of the post, where the link isn’t necessarily contextual, as it is a blatant “next step” guidance.
Forgetting to implement both of these elements is a common mistake I see with business blogs. Internal linking is powerful, but not implementing a main call to action removes any immediate conversion potential the blog had.
For example, you may conclude your blog posts with a strong call to action to another post, a service page, or a downloadable resource. For longer posts, you may include a mid-page break in the form of a CTA, with options including a lead magnet, newsletter sign-up, or contact redirect.
Together, these links help reduce the friction associated with finding more information or taking next steps, while benefiting your blog’s SEO through topical relevancy between content.
End With a Strong Wrap-up (But Not a Generic Conclusion)
Perhaps this is just a me thing, but I’ve never been a fan of the “conclusion” approach. A standard conclusion header typically emphasises a recap of the post.
Main points are reiterated but subtly reframed in a “now it’s up to you” context. I find that these conclusions have a few issues:
- Readers may see “conclusion” and opt to leave the post entirely before reading, as they don’t need a recap
- This section itself doesn’t provide any value for users who have read the content
- It’s somewhat more complex to implement a strong CTA into the post naturally after a recap
Am I saying you shouldn’t have a conclusion in your post?
No.
But what I am saying is, you shouldn’t have a “conclusion”.
Reframing your conclusion as a continuation of the main content creates more opportunity to capture or maintain reader engagement. Specifically, I prefer to treat conclusions as a main CTA section, with an action-focused takeaway where relevant.
A smaller recap can also be beneficial, if kept to one or two lines.
This approach rounds out the post, captures keywords through the conclusion header, and guides the reader to next steps or actions you want them to take.
As an example of this, well…
Just carry on reading and I’ll show you what I mean.
Optimising Your Blog Post Structure
Keeping this formatting guide in mind when creating new content will not only help you keep readers in mind but also make writing easier.
I generally find that a lack of initial formatting leaves me scrambling to start posts, where to put what links and so on.
Streamline your creation process, optimise your content for readers and SEO, and create strong brand uniformity through your blog with a strong post structure.
Looking for help creating a structure for your blog or reoptimising older posts? Get in touch, and we can put our optimisation hats on and create a beautiful blog structure together.
FAQ: Blog Post Structure
How many headings should a blog post have?
There’s no hard rule on how many headings you should have in your post.
I find it much easier to create content when the headers are in place before I start. This helps plan out the post and ensure that the main point isn’t being dragged out.
I, however, typically write more per heading than the average person. Having at least one H2 every 300-400 words is a good foundation to start, but this differs depending on the topic, writing style, and the depth of general information.
If you can’t break up the content with a new header, consider adding a different formatting option, like those I mentioned in this post, ot help break up the flow.
Where should I place internal links in my blog posts?
Aim for 2-3 internal links per post, unless the post is a pillar post.
Pillar posts are generally much longer than standard posts and act as a hub for specific clusters. It’s usual for each header to be its own post, which leads to more internal linking opportunities.
2-3 for regular posts is a good starting point. It’s not a hard rule, though. If your content is perfectly written to include four contextual links, then go for it.
I generally view the post from a reader’s perspective, and a wall of internal links can often be off-putting.
What’s the difference between blog structure and blog style?
Blog structure is the elements of your post that determine how the post is organised and the flow of the content. This includes introductions, headers, where images are placed, and the formatting options you use, among other details.
Blog style instead focuses on how you communicate with your audience. This typically includes tone of voice, vocabulary, and other considerations focused on the written content of the blog.
Style, in most cases, should be cemented before you write any blogs.
As a business, your brand guidelines should include sections on how you communicate with your audience, the general business tone of voice, and dos and don’ts for vocabulary use.
