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articles writing blog

How to Write a Good Blog Post: A Complete Step-by-Step Process

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You pull up a blank document, ready to write a blog post, but the white emptiness stares back. How do you begin?

We’ve all been there, staring into that vast white space, wondering where to start. I’ve felt that subtle anxiety too. Yet, with the right approach, that daunting task can turn into a delightful journey. With an established process, writing becomes less about filling the space and more about connecting deeply with your readers.

Dive into the steps in this post and uncover the secrets to crafting a blog post that truly engages and resonates with your audience.

Table of Contents

How long does it take to write a great blog post?

Step 1: identify your topic, original research, topical research, competitive research, how-to guide, feature article, product review or comparison, link/article roundup, expert roundup, step 4: create an outline, introduction, body content, step 6: pen a headline, step 7: edit and proofread your content, step 8: add your meta data, step 9: publish your post, it’s all about practice.

As you get into writing blog posts, you might wonder how long you should take to write a good one. Are you taking too long? Should you spend more time?

Orbit Media Studios found that bloggers take an average of four hours and one minute to complete a blog post in their 2022 survey . For reference, these folks wrote an average of 1,416 words per blog post.

articles writing blog

But think of this number as an estimate. It takes everyone a different amount of time to write a blog post based on factors like:

  • Personal writing speed: All bloggers write at a different pace, and they’re all valid.
  • Subject matter knowledge : It’s faster to write about a subject you know over one you don’t.
  • Topic complexity: Most people will need more time to write about piezoelectric ceramics than how to blow a bubble with gum.
  • Research requirements : It’ll take longer to put together a blog post that weaves together original interviews than one with a few online sources.

Plus, Orbit Media Studios discovered that bloggers who spend more time on their blog posts get more success. Thirty-three percent of respondents who spent six or more hours per blog post reported “strong results.” Compare that number to the 22% benchmark.

You’ll see that the first steps to writing a blog post involve careful preparation. Start by choosing a topic to write about.

Get as specific as possible when you pick your subject. Specificity lets you differentiate your content from blog posts on similar topics and helps you cover an idea in-depth. Let’s say you want to write about how to cook a steak — you could narrow that down to how to cook a T-bone steak on a grill.

After you decide on a topic, establish the angle you want to take. Going back to our example of how to cook a T-bone steak on a grill, you could come from a scientific angle. For your blog post, you could consult a scientist on why certain techniques make a better steak.

Step 2: Do your research

Now that you know what you want to write about, you can research your topic . Blog post research falls into three categories:

Original research comes from data you generate yourself by consulting other people. Not every blog post needs to have original research to have high-quality content, but it can contribute to truly unique writing.

Try these tactics to get one-of-a-kind sources for your post:

  • Surveys: Use a free tool like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to ask people questions on a large scale. Find people who know about your topic at your organization, subscribed to your mailing list on the subject, or in an online community.
  • Polls: Polls work well for asking a broad audience a single question. Many social media and communication apps have built-in poll features, such as Twitter and Slack.
  • Interviews: Ask experts on your subject for an interview over email, on a video call, or in person. Reach out to your colleagues and network to see if they know anyone. You can also use a service like Help a Reporter Out to get expert quotes.

articles writing blog

Topical research is the research you conduct around the internet. Use your preferred search engine to find online sources with these traits:

  • Authoritative: The author or website should have plenty of experience or credentials on the topic. When applicable, they should use solid research to back up their claims.
  • Recent: Aim for resources written three or fewer years ago when possible.
  • Helpful: When your reader clicks through to your source, they should get value out of it and understand how it connects to your article.

This type of research often flies under the radar for newer blog post writers. Competitive research involves evaluating other articles on your subject. By understanding the other content out there on your topic, you can find ways to improve upon it.

Don’t just look for what ideas the other blog posts include. Instead, think about what they’re missing. Maybe they don’t cover a point you feel is important, or you could format your content more clearly than them.

Step 3: Choose the type of blog post you’ll write

With knowledge of your topic on hand, it’s time to decide how you’ll present it. Some popular blog post genres include:

List blog posts organize information into a list with headings naming each item. They often come in the form of numbered lists with a title featuring the number of items, such as “5 Ways to Fold a Towel.”

articles writing blog

When you write a list blog post, you don’t have to make your list the only content. HelpScout’s 13 Best Practices for Improving Online Customer Service introduces online customer service, then digs into its items.

A checklist blog post provides a checklist for readers to follow to perform a task.

articles writing blog

These posts often provide a simplified checklist to follow and then provide more details for each item, like our blog post checklist .

A how-to guide walks the reader through the steps it takes to perform an action.

articles writing blog

These blog posts rely heavily on lists and images to help readers understand each part of the process. Melly Sews’s how-to guide to sewing a flat-felled seam uses both.

An interview blog post showcases an interview the author has with someone who has insights to share about the article topic.

articles writing blog

You can go about one of these blog posts in two ways. Either list out your questions and answers in a Q&A format or use your interview answers to tell a story. Notion did the latter in Three-time YC founder and first-time mom finds flow in Notion .

A feature article brings together original research and interviews to explore a subject. Since features often involve interviews, they can overlap with interview blog posts.

articles writing blog

Some blogs take a feature-first approach to posting, such as Microsoft’s Unlocked blog. One example of one of their features is Can an alphabet save a culture?

In the context of blog posts, an essay presents the author’s argument or opinion. The writer uses research and evidence to back up their points.

articles writing blog

Media Strategies Aren’t as Crazy as They Seem from the Animalz blog features real-life examples that back up a unique perspective.

News posts share news from your community or company.

articles writing blog

On business blogs, a lot of news posts relate to company and product updates, like SparkToro Now Has 50% More Podcasts from SparkToro.

A case study tells a success story about a product or service. It generally focuses on one event or customer.

articles writing blog

This type of blog post requires original interviews with the customer involved so you can get their perspective on your work. With some products, you can share the results of how you helped the customer. Take Buffer, a social media scheduling tool, sharing posts from its customer in this case study as an example.

Product reviews and comparisons evaluate the usefulness of products for the reader. Reviews focus on a single product, while comparisons compare the features of multiple products.

articles writing blog

Some of these product posts come in the form of a list ranking the best products in a category, like Zapier’s email newsletter software roundup .

Link and article roundups bring together links to online resources or articles on a specific subject.

articles writing blog

Some of these roundups are more purchase-focused, such as Good On You’s roundup of eco-friendly fashion deals .

Expert roundup blog posts present opinions on a topic from multiple subject matter experts.

articles writing blog

This format can overlap with other formats, like in Databox’s blog posts that synthesize expert opinions into lists. The Heroes of Business Transparency is one example.

Many people skip or rush through this step even though it’s just as important as the actual writing. A detailed blog post outline gives your article structure and lets you evaluate your overall argument before you write out the full post.

It also helps combat writer’s block. At the outline stage, you only have to get a basic idea down, taking off the pressure of writing a complete idea. Then, when you get to the writing stage, you’ll have your outline to reference when you don’t know what sentence to write next.

Follow these steps to write an outline:

  • List each section and subsection of your blog post. Each section could cover a list item, a point in your argument, a step in a process, etc.
  • Add up to three main points per section. Here’s where you’ll start forming the ideas you’ll cover. As you practice making outlines, you might find it helpful to get even more detailed at this stage.
  • Include any links and examples you want to include for your points. Place your sources where you plan to reference them so you can add them easily in the writing stage.

Here’s a hypothetical outline for a blog post by my cat on why I should feed her a second dinner:

articles writing blog

You can go more in-depth with your points in your outline, but here’s how the formatting should look.

I recommend writing your outline in a separate document and copying any headers and links over to your draft document. It can be tempting to write your outline and fill out your draft from there, but your document will get disorganized quickly with this approach.

Step 5: Write your post

Onto the writing itself!

Make sure to follow web writing best practices when you write your content.

People read 25% slower onscreen, and they skim rather than read. Web text should be short, scannable, and structured as linked, topical pages. Nielsen Norman Group

Shortening or “chunking” your content helps readers skim, so try to keep your sentences to 25 words or fewer and paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Make sure to follow the style guide for your blog if you have one as well.

A blog post consists of three main sections that require different approaches:

Integrate your blog post’s angle and an emotional hook into your introduction. This technique establishes what makes your post unique from the start and draws in the reader.

articles writing blog

For example, in this blog post, I’m trying to provide a comprehensive process so you never feel lost when writing. I explained that angle in the second paragraph of my intro.

As for the emotional hook, try putting yourself in the reader’s shoes or telling a story. I used the example of staring at a blank page wondering what to do next because I’ve been there and know others have, too.

You could also use the Animalz technique of using an unexpected hook and referencing it throughout your blog post. This method takes practice and careful thought, but that hard work really pays off.

Whichever hook you use, keep your introduction concise — about three paragraphs or fewer. An intro that goes on too long can lose the reader’s interest.

A quick side note: You don’t have to write your introduction first if it comes easier to you after you write the rest of your post. Mark it for later and revisit it when you have more context to work with.

Your body content consists of all the words between the introduction and conclusion.

As you write this part of your post, try to cover all the information important for your reader to know. If you have a word limit to stay within, consider linking out to resources on complicated sub-topics.

Speaking of linking, include links to other posts on your blog and trusted sources throughout your body content. Search engines prioritize websites that link relevant pages to each other. Plus, it works as a way to cite your sources when you use outside information.

Just make sure that any site you link to is relevant to your post. Adding links for linking’s sake will make it harder to establish authority and search engine performance.

Lastly, make sure your writing is crisp, clear, and concise by keeping paragraphs three sentences or less, and each sentence 25 words or less .

Here’s an example of a well-structured post’s body content.

articles writing blog

Time for the grand finale. You have multiple ways to go about writing a conclusion, such as:

  • A summary: Summarize the key points you covered in your post.
  • A takeaway: Provide a takeaway from the ideas you presented in your post. You could go back to the angle you established at the beginning, for example.
  • A redirection: Connect your blog post to another post on your blog and direct your reader there for further reading.
  • A bonus tip: Offer one final tip for the reader to use as they apply the knowledge in your post.

When it feels appropriate, you can also add a call to action to subscribe to your newsletter, try your product, or perform another transactional action. Connect your call to action back to the rest of your conclusion so it doesn’t feel pigeonholed.

After you finish writing your first draft, give it a headline . You can write the headline before your post if you like — there’s no hard and fast rule. For this blog post, we’re writing the headline after the content so you have your draft on hand to inspire your headline.

Follow these steps to craft a top-notch headline for your article:

  • If you write blog posts with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, grab the top keyword for your article. This keyword should have a direct relation to your subject.
  • Write down 25 versions of your headline to give yourself plenty of choices to consider. Make sure your keyword feels like a natural part of each headline if you include it.
  • Narrow those 25 options to your five favorites.
  • Choose a “winner” from your five finalists.

CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer Studio can help you identify what headlines will hook readers and work for SEO. It has a Google Chrome extension and WordPress plugin. If you don’t have a plan that supports plugins, the extension provides a prompt alongside your WordPress headline.

articles writing blog

Every blog post needs editing to shine, no matter how talented the writer is. Give your content plenty of this TLC to create quality results.

Start with a basic spelling and grammar check using your word processor’s tools. Then, you can use a tool like Grammarly or Hemingway for more in-depth fixes. While Grammarly performs an advanced spelling and grammar scan, Hemingway checks sentence structure, like so:

articles writing blog

After you perform these checks, you should still read through your writing manually. Your human eyes will catch mistakes the computer misses. Plus, your editing should focus as much on the quality of your ideas as it does on your spelling and grammar.

We provided some tips to make the manual editing and proofreading process easier in an earlier WordPress blog post. I also suggest asking yourself these questions as you go through your content:

  • Do my logic and arguments make sense?
  • Did I use my SEO keywords? Did I insert them naturally?
  • Do I notice any words being used frequently that I can mix up with adjectives?
  • Did I vary my sentence structure for more dynamic reading?
  • Will my blog post be readable for my average reader?
  • Did I follow my blog’s style throughout the post?

Your blog post’s title tag, meta description, and URL all influence how people find and understand it.

The title tag and meta description are the title and description you see for a page in search results. By default, WordPress uses your headline as the title tag and your excerpt as the meta description. But, if they aren’t the proper length for search results, they can get cut off.

It’s best practice to write a separate title tag and meta description so you know they’ll look good. In WordPress, you can edit this data by changing your post’s code or using a plugin .

Yoast and All in One SEO are two popular plugin options. These plugins add a box below your content in the WordPress editor where you can manage your title tag and meta description. They also guide you through writing those search specs well.

articles writing blog

Your URL slug is the unique string of words that appears at the end of your URL.

For example, this blog post’s URL is:

articles writing blog

Its slug is:

articles writing blog

That’s the part of the URL that’s different for each blog post.

WordPress pulls your URL slug from your headline, but that slug usually isn’t optimized for search results. According to Ahrefs , a good slug follows keywords and summarizes the essence of the blog post.

No need for a plugin or fancy coding to edit your URL slug. Go to the Block tab in the right-hand menu, then edit your URL using the URL option. Save your draft or update your blog post to save your new slug.

articles writing blog

Now that you have your meta data set up, you can finalize your content for publishing. Copy and paste your blog post from your word processor to your WordPress post. The formatting will carry over to the block editor.

Or, you may have written your blog post within the blog post editor. I generally don’t recommend this approach in case you accidentally click “Publish,” but I know some writers get by just fine doing it. You do you.

If you paste your content from a Google Doc or another online text editor, go through your post and re-upload your images from your computer. The images you paste from another source are kept on your editor’s website, and you’ll want them on your WordPress site for safekeeping.

Once you establish a solid process for writing your blog posts, the next step to mastery is practice. As you adjust your system to your workflow, you’ll know what to do next instead of hoping words will magically appear on your blank page. And we’ll be with you as you practice. Just use this guide to help keep you on track.

articles writing blog

Pair your airtight writing process with a good topic generation system , and you’ll become an unstoppable blogger. We can’t wait to see what you write!

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About the author, melissa king.

Melissa King writes actionable blog posts about content, marketing, and productivity for tech companies. Find more of her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

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WEBSITE ESSENTIALS

How to write a blog post: a step-by-step guide

  • Cecilia Lazzaro Blasbalg
  • 13 min read

Get started by: Creating a website → | Getting a domain →

How to write a blog post

When you create a blog , you have the opportunity to dive deep into your favorite topics, highlight your expertise and build a community of readers interested in your work. Whether you want to learn how to make a website and blog from scratch, or make blogging part of your business strategy, publishing content online is an effective way to share your knowledge and ideas with the world.

That said, composing a winning entry takes practice. In this A-to-Z guide, you’ll learn how to write the perfect blog post—from choosing the right blog topics and picking the proper format for your articles, to selecting strategic images that generate interest and engagement. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll have a clear idea of how to create strong blog content that effectively communicates your ideas and stands out from other articles on the web, other types of websites and within the blogosphere .

Ready to get blogging? Get started with Wix today.

How to write a blog post in 13 steps

Brainstorm blog topics

Refine your topic with keyword research

Define your audience

Create an organized outline

Write engaging content

Craft an irresistible headline

Choose a blog template

Select a blog domain name

Pick relevant images

Implement calls-to-action

Optimize for SEO

Edit and publish your blog post

Promote the final article

01. Brainstorm blog topics

When writing a blog post, whether you're guest posting for someone else or writing for your own blog, you’ll want to cover topics that bring value to your readers and fall in line with their interests, as well as your own. Rather than trying to find the perfect topic right away, start by jotting down different ideas that come to mind.

There are several places you can look to spark new topic ideas:

Browse other blogs within your niche with competitor analysis . If you’re starting a travel blog , for example, simply Google “travel blog” to see what your competitors are writing about.

Use AI tools at your disposal to generate topic ideas

Use Google Trends to find out which topics are trending.

Look for current events and recent news stories related to your field.

Find out what people enjoy learning about by browsing online courses on Udemy , Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning .

Once you find some interesting ideas online, think about the unique ways you can approach those topics. Consider the various ways you can play around with topic ideas to come up with something that isn’t only trendy and relevant, but that’s also original and fresh. You'll also need to consider making sure your blog post is up to date and this will mean including relevant data and statistics related to the topic.

Let’s say, for instance, that you want to write about chocolate chip cookies. There are a few different angles you might consider taking here based on your target audience and potential for website traffic :

A how-to post that instructs readers how to do something with clearly ordered steps (e.g., “How to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch”)

A curated list that offers a set of recommendations for your readers (e.g., “The Top Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes”)

A tips and advice post that provides expert guidance and resources. (e.g., “Tips for Making Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies Extra Gooey”)

A definition-based blog post that helps explain the meaning of a term or topic (e.g., “What Are No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies?”)

A top trends article that highlights what’s currently popular (e.g., “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes From This Year”)

A personal or business update that lets you unveil something fresh or recently unknown (e.g., “My New Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Revealed”)

Get brainstorming with these best blog ideas , and check out our professional guide on how to start a blog for more helpful tips. You can also consider those close to you for feedback on your ideas, or branch out to a wider audience and get their thoughts.

an example of a story written on a fashion brand's blog

02. Refine your topic with keyword research

Part of writing a blog post involves keyword research. This crucial SEO practice is used as a marker to see which terms you can potentially rank high for in certain online searches.

Once you’ve chosen a direction for your blog post, and before you get started with the writing process, you’ll need to figure out the chances of its success on search engine result pages—which ultimately means getting more eyes on your content. In order to succeed, conduct keyword research to find the most relevant queries for your topic.

You can find keywords for your own articles by using various keyword research tools. If you’re new to blogging, you’ll probably want to start with free tools such as Ubersuggest and Google Keyword Planner . Afterwards, you may want to upgrade to more advanced tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs .

While conducting keyword research, keep in mind that the more specific the phrase, the more closely it will match your audience’s intent. On the other hand, broader keywords tend to have higher search volumes—meaning more people are searching for them each month.

Think about the benefits of opting for a broader phrase, like “chocolate chip cookies,” over a more precise phrase, like “how to make chocolate chip cookies.” Choosing the right keywords means striking a balance between high search volume and high intent.

Once you’ve selected your keywords, you can use them to shape the structure of your content. Google those phrases to find out which articles have successfully targeted those same keywords, and spend some time browsing their content. This will give you inspiration for your own article in terms of what to include and how to structure it. Don't forget to also tap into your own experience as an entrepreneur or writer, when choosing what to write about.

google query on how to make a chocolate chip cookie

03. Define your audience

Now that you know what you’ll be writing about , you need to find out who you’re writing for . Anticipating the kinds of people who will be reading your posts will help you create content that is interesting, engaging, full of relevance and shareable.

Of course, your audience largely depends on your type of blog . If you run a baking blog, you’ll probably be writing for an audience of people who love baking and are seeking recipe inspiration. Even more specifically, if you run a healthy baking blog, you’ll be writing for people who similarly love baking but who want to make their culinary creations healthier. It’s important to keep these nuances in mind when crafting your content, since your goal is to write articles that resonate strongly with readers.

So, how do you figure out your audience in the first place? Start by taking another look at the other blogs in your field. Consider who they seem to be writing for, and the kinds of assumptions they’re making about their readers’ interests and lifestyles. For example, you might find that most of the blogs address a particular gender or age group.

You can also use online forums to find the main questions asked by your audience, or visit Facebook groups to read what topics they like or talk about. This will help you create content that piques their interest, sparks their curiosity and answers their questions.

Whether you're starting a book blog , a fashion blog, travel blog or something else—defining your audience should come first.

04. Create an organized outline

The key to learning how to write a blog post is doing thorough research and planning before you create the article itself. After deciding on the topic and blog format , you’ll need to build the mold for your content. Creating an outline is critical, as it ensures your article will have a strong foundation that you can build on as you write your blog post.

Start by creating subheadings, which are the backbone of an organized outline, under which your paragraphs of text will sit. These small but mighty pieces of content help you break down your article into bite-sized sections, making it easier for you to write and more digestible for people to read.

If it’s a step-by-step guide or a list of tips, start building your outline by listing out all the main points clearly, as in the example below:

Outline: How to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch

1. Gather your ingredients

2. Mix and knead the dough

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

4. Scoop mounds of dough onto baking sheet

5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Add bulleted notes within your introduction and under each of your subheadings. This will help you formulate your main points.

If you find yourself getting stuck, use one of these blog post templates to guide you through the outline process.

05. Write engaging content

Now that you’ve sketched out the blog post, you can begin typing away (or, use AI to write your blog posts ). Keep in mind that blog posts, like many other types of writing, typically include three main elements: an introduction, the body text and a conclusion.

Let’s start with the introduction. In the first few sentences of your article, you should already grab your readers’ attention. Begin with a relevant quote or statistic, tell a short story, or share an interesting fact. Then, set the tone for the article by sharing a brief summary of what you’re going to talk about in the body text. This gives your readers a reason to keep going.

Next, fill in the body text. In your outline, these are the bullet points beneath each subheading. This is the meat of your blog post, so it should be clear and compelling. Avoid fluff and repetition, and instead offer deep value by sharing your knowledge, research, and insights.

A concluding section isn’t always necessary—in fact, our blog rarely uses one—but it can be useful in the case of storytelling or when wrapping up a very extensive article. You can tie your main points together using a short bulleted list, or by sharing some closing thoughts in a few sentences. No matter the case, you’ll want to end on an engaging note.

At this stage you'll also want to consider your writing style, this is usually determined by your blog audience. If you're targeting a professional business crowd so you might want to consider adopting a more formal writing style; if you're writing for bakers, something more light and fun might be the best style. Within this consider your tone too, blogs, even formal business ones, are meant to open up communication and inspire conversation. Make sure your tone is relevant to your writing style and audience, but also use welcoming and inspiring language where possible.

Other important concepts to consider in your content creation process are:

Viscosity : essentially the ease with which a reader can understand and flow through a piece of text. It is akin to the "fluidity" of the writing and how smoothly the ideas and information are conveyed to the reader. High viscosity in writing implies that the text is dense, complicated, and difficult to read, while low viscosity indicates that the writing is clear, concise, and easy to comprehend.

Rhythm: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, sentence structures, and the flow of words that create a musical or harmonious quality in the text. It's the cadence and beat that give the writing a sense of movement and can make the language more engaging and memorable.

Creativity : the ability to express oneself imaginatively and inventively through the written word. It involves using one's unique perspective, original ideas, emotion, pathos and artistic flair to craft compelling stories, poems, essays, or any form of written content. Creative writing allows writers to explore their thoughts, emotions, and observations in an innovative and expressive manner. Storytelling is a huge part of writing a blog post and shouldn't be neglected.

Sentence and clause structure: fundamental elements of grammar that govern how sentences are constructed in the English language. They determine the arrangement of words (verbs, adjectives), phrases, and clauses to convey meaning and ensure clarity in communication. Understanding sentence and clause structure is crucial for effective writing and communication.

06. Craft an irresistible headline

When writing a blog post, you don’t only need strong content; you’ll also want a powerful headline . A great headline entices readers and enhances your blog design , ensuring that they actually click on your article in the first place.

Learning how to write a catchy blog title doesn’t have to be hard. All you need to do is keep the following points in mind: clarity, specificity and offering an answer or solution.

Writing a good headline also depends on how well you put yourself in the shoes of your audience. Use the title to promise readers that your blog post will provide valuable insight that will benefit them in some way, whether by satisfying their intellectual curiosity, teaching them something new or helping them solve a problem. This will increase the chances that they’ll click on your article and read it. Just don't go over board and remember to avoid clickbait, which is writing a hyperbole headline just to get clicks through to an article.

Here are some examples of headlines that we are quite proud of, to give you a general idea for your own content:

Create a Powerful Free Landing Page in Under an Hour

20 Best Time Management Apps to Organize Your Life

How to Design an A+ School Website (With Examples)

Make a Change: Using Photography as a Tool to Raise Awareness

If you're looking for inspiration to get started, try out this blog post title generator .

07. Choose a blog template

Writing your blog post may be your first priority, but you’ll also want to package it in an appealing way. Having an article with strong visual appeal is crucial for striking the right chord with your readers. The best way to customize your blog's design is by starting with a free blog template .

Professional designers have created all these blog layouts, and they're fully customizable to reflect your blog's messaging and tone. For inspiration, check out these blog examples to see how others have transformed these templates into beautiful, content-rich powerhouses.

If you’re writing a blog about organic ingredients, for instance, using a natural color palette on your site will set the right tone for the type of topics you’ll be writing about. This same color palette should also be used for your blog logo , as well as on your social media platforms.

example of a travel blog that uses a modern blog template

08. Select a blog domain name

You should host your well-crafted blog on your domain site address in order for readers to discover it. When it comes to naming your blog , you can gather ideas from a blog name generator and see if the domain name is available.

Spend time thinking about how your blog and domain name fit in with the blog post topics you will cover. Make sure that your name reflects your blog’s persona, topic and niche.

Once you have finalized your name, choose your domain name (also referred to as a URL, for example, www.wix.com). Typically, your domain name will be the same as, or at least similar to the name of your blog.

09. Pick relevant images

Likewise, you should also enhance your blog post with a few great images that illustrate your main points. It’s important that your pictures add value to the subject, rather than serving as placeholders. Pay extra attention to your featured image—this will be the main visual below your blog’s title, and it’s what readers will see when they browse your articles from your blog’s homepage. Infographics are also great to insert within blog posts to reinforce key points or ket stats.

Also consider inserting videos into your blog posts, the best ones are those you've created to match the topic and intent of the video, but you can also use those from third parties, to improve the user experience and engagement rates on your articles.

With Wix, you can add a professional photo gallery to individual posts and embed your own pictures within your articles. You can also choose from an array of media content from Wix, Shutterstock and Unsplash directly within your site’s editor.

10. Implement calls-to-action

In the same way a blog is meant to inform people about specific topics, it can also be used as an important tool that motivates readers to take a certain action. This includes everything from subscribing to your blog to making a purchase.

This element is referred to as CTA, or call-to-action, and is presented as an embedded link or button that states your objective in an alluring manner. Some of the most common call-to-action examples for blogs include “Subscribe,” “Download our e-book” or “Sign up.”

Using CTAs can help you transform your website traffic into engagement and, eventually, profit. While your immediate goal is to get more readers, you may eventually want to monetize your blog further down the road.

11. Optimize for SEO

When it comes to SEO for bloggers , a strong SEO plan involves optimizing your content both before and after writing the blog post. Not only does this include doing keyword research prior to the outline phase (mentioned in step 3), but it also includes using those keywords to polish your final piece.

This begins with sprinkling relevant keywords throughout your article. Let’s say you’ve chosen to target the keyword “business strategies.” Use this exact phrase in your headline, throughout the body text and one to two subheadings if it’s a natural fit.

Next, include this keyword in your metadata. This is the preview text you’ll see for every article on Google, and it includes a title (known as the meta title) and short description (the meta description). You’ll also want to add the keywords to the URL of your article, as well as in the alt text of your blog post’s images. Use these SEO features to give your blog an overall performance boost. Lastly, and make sure you know exactly how long a blog post should be to best rank your post.

12. Edit and publish your blog post

With so many common blogging mistakes out there, you’ll need to thoroughly check your article for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, repetition and any other unprofessional content. Furthermore, make sure your ideas flow coherently throughout each section, signaling a clear and purposeful message to readers. You can read about other essential aspects of blogging in this comprehensive blog post checklist .

We recommend asking a friend or colleague to give your blog article a once over before it goes live, as part of your proofreading and fact checking process prior to publishing. Direct them to look for any discrepancies or ambiguity. It’s also important to emphasize quality over quantity in order to keep your readers interested and to establish your credibility. Then, once you’re happy with your written work, it’s time to hit publish.

13. Promote the final article

Once you’ve written and published the blog post, take the necessary steps to make sure it gets read. Two of the most effective ways to promote your blog post and get readers are email marketing and social media marketing.

Email remains one of the most reliable platforms for marketing, as it allows for a direct communication channel between you and your audience. This highly effective digital marketing strategy involves sending out customized emails to prospective users with the aim of converting them into loyal fans. If you’re interested in getting started, this powerful email marketing service can help you send custom newsletters for your blog.

Beyond emails, sharing your article on social media can also go a long way. For example, if you want to accrue a wide audience, promote your blog on Facebook or Instagram, which have one of the largest and most diverse user bases.

Whichever channels you choose, make sure to actively engage with followers on a day-to-day basis. This will ensure that you not only write a great blog post, but that you get people reading your article, too.

Looking to really get your blog off the ground? Take a look at our Build Your Own Blog online course to get you started.

Example of a book blog that's promoting a newsletter

How to structure a blog post checklist

Headline: clear, catchy and relevant, includes keywords where relevant for SEO

Introduction: hooks the reader, answers search intent where relevant, outline's the blogs purpose and main point

Subheadings: organizes content into digestible and readable sections, follows a logical flow

Body: provides valuable information while supporting points with examples, stats and other evidence, conversational tone

Visuals: includes relevant images, infographics or videos that enhance understanding and reader engagement

Engagement: encourages reader interaction (comments, shares)

Editing: checks for grammar and spelling errors, edited for coherence and style, fact checked

SEO: includes relevant keywords naturally, answers search intent

Readability: uses consistent font and formatting, short sentences

Links: includes internal and external links for additional context

Social sharing: includes social sharing buttons and shareable snippets of information

Review: read through the post one last time before publishing and after published

How to write a blog post FAQ

How to write my first blog post.

Writing your first blog post can be an exciting but daunting task. To make it easier follow these basic steps - choose a compelling topic, plan out your post, hook readers with a killer introduction, provide meaningful content, hone your conversational style and include visuals where you can.

What are 5 easy steps to writing a blog post?

How to write a blog post with ai, how to write a blog post as a beginner, related posts.

How to write catchy blog titles: 12 tips and examples

The ultimate blog post checklist

Blogging for beginners: 20+ tips to jumpstart your blog

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articles writing blog

USC American Language Institute

articles writing blog

How to Write a Blog Article

By natalie grace sipula.

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[6 minute read]

Writing is hard. From a pretty young age, I have greatly enjoyed expressing myself through creative writing, and as I got older, I started to enjoy academic writing as well. I would write poetry about things I observed in my day-to-day life, short stories or fragments of prose, and even entered a few essay-writing competitions. Something I noticed pretty early on about writing is that writing the things that come to your mind without method or intent is a lot easier than writing for an audience. I prefer writing while keeping the reader in mind more because writing only for myself lets me pick up bad writing habits, such as not carefully considering my word choice, as the only person interpreting the writing would be me. But writing creatively for a reader is pretty difficult, and academic-style writing for a reader can be exhausting because most college students already have to do that so much for their classes. A form of writing that I had not previously considered before coming to college, however, was blog writing. When I started working at the USC American Language Institute, I tried out writing for a blog for the very first time. One blog that I wrote about rereading Harry Potter with an older perspective challenged me to consider the perspective of both myself and my audience.

articles writing blog

Writing for a blog is a great way to open your creative energy and write to a wider audience while also being able to maintain a level of informality and free expression to your writing. A blog article could be about anything–your daily routine, a hobby you love doing, your journey writing other things, or aspects of your social life. It is a happy medium between writing creatively or academically for others and dabbling in creative writing or journaling for yourself. This can be good because it allows you to practice writing with a sense of accountability, while also having fun. I have written a few blog articles since coming to college, and I found that I had a great time writing them and was actually proud of my work after the fact. I also realized that I was less judgmental of my own writing when writing a blog article, which made it easier for me to actually finish a writing project I started on. For me, the most difficult part of writing a blog article is narrowing down exactly what it is you want to write about.

What can you write about?

Have you ever had that feeling where you are inspired to write something and then as soon as you sit down in front of your journal or computer screen, your mind goes blank? Or when you know of a lot of things you think you might be interested in writing about, but aren’t sure where to start? This is a very common problem writers encounter, but with some consideration and time, it can be overcome. Some common blog topics to inspire you are: life advice about a specific situation or circumstance, a recipe or instructions on how to do/make something, a list of recommendations, a funny or shocking story and a lesson learned from it, hobbies or goals and how to accomplish them, and so much more.

articles writing blog

Blogs can also take on a variety of different tones, and oftentimes the website layout of a blog reflects this. Some examples of blogs with different tones and audiences are The Financial Diet , which focuses on personal finances and life advice, Buzzfeed , which centers on pop culture, Spoon Fork Bacon , a food blog, Humans of New York , a blog detailing stranger’s personal stories, A Cup of Jo , a lifestyle blog, and Advice From a Twenty Something , which focuses on lifestyle and wellness for young women. For some publications a bit more close to a student’s interest, you can check out The Daily Trojan or even ALI’s own blog, the ALI Life and Times ! 

Some tips for writing a good blog

Include narrative details–tell a story!

Something that I notice more than anything else when reading blog articles is that sometimes people forget that even though blogs are a bit more conversational than other writing, they can be elevated by embedding creative detail in the article. If you are describing a funny incident at work that happened to you, don’t just recount the facts. Think of your writing in the same way you would tell a story about your life to a close friend; describe how you felt about the incident, include sensory details about what you heard, saw, or smelled during the incident, and how the incident played a role in your life and the wider message of the blog. Including these things in your article will make it infinitely more interesting for the reader, and also allow you to try out your creative writing skills in the process.

articles writing blog

Write about something that you genuinely care about

Make sure to choose a topic for your blog that you love to talk about–it could be funny, sad, reflective, or passionate, but above all should be something you care about. When you write about topics or issues that you have a lot to say about, your message will come across more strongly to your readers, and it will be more enjoyable for you to write!

How can the ALI English Programs help you become an author?

Not sure how to get started writing? One of the easiest ways to learn what you like about writing and what writing styles you admire is to read a variety of authors, and to also practice your own writing! The American Language Institute offers two informal conversational programs to help you with this. In ALI Book Clubs , students read a new short story every week and come to discuss what they thought about it. In ALI Writing Labs , students can learn about various professional writing topics, such as writing cover letters, resumes, or professional emails. Students will also get advice on their own writing. If you think you would like to submit a blog article to the ALI Life and Times, we take submissions from non-native speaking students who would like to practice writing! We will work with you to edit your article if you have questions as well. For more information, email [email protected]

Featured Image by  NeONBRAND  on  Unsplash

Natalie is a rising junior studying Philosophy, Politics, and Law and Spanish, and she plans to pursue a career in criminal or immigration law.  She is originally from Cleveland, OH and is a Presidential Scholar studying in Thematic Option. Natalie is an active member of Phi Alpha Delta (Director of Professionalism), Trojan Scholars Society, USC Model UN, QuestBridge Scholars (University Relations Chair), Spanglish tutoring program, and Grupo Folklórico de USC. Growing up she was dedicated to theatre, including studying and performing at Cleveland Play House. She is a volunteer camp counselor with Mi Pueblo Culture Camp in Cleveland. Since arriving in Los Angeles she has enjoyed volunteering with Angel City Pit Bulls animal shelter and in her free time enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and learning to play the acoustic guitar!

Academic and Professional English Language Instruction

How to Write a Blog Post Outline: A Simple Formula to Follow [+Tips from Our Blog Team]

Ginny Mineo

Published: December 02, 2022

What makes a blog post bad? The most pervasive problem we find is poor flow. The post jumps from one idea to the next or the post reads like a stream of consciousness – except it’s not a stylistic choice.

writing a blog post outline

One way to prevent this is by creating an outline for your blog post.

Below is my method for outlining posts and organizing my thoughts to create a cohesive, logical piece.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Blog Post Outline

Outlining tips from hubspot bloggers, blog post outline example.

Start a Blog with HubSpot's Free Blog Maker

  • Nail your working title.
  • Write down as many distinct takeaways from the article as you can.
  • Break up those takeaways into larger sections.
  • Add more takeaways to some sections.
  • Revise, remove, and reorganize details in each section.
  • Include links to your examples and/or data.
  • If any details come to you that you don't want to forget, add them in.

1. Write down as many distinct takeaways from the article as you can.

Start with a brain dump.

Write down all the things you want your readers to get out of the article. These won't always be the main sections of your article – it's just all the things you want your readers to know by the end of reading your post.

This is the only time in the whole process you're not worried about organization – just let your ideas flow naturally. You need to get out all of your wild and crazy ideas now so they won't muck up your post later in the process.

For example, say my article is on using images to generate leaders on Twitter, I'd probably want readers to know:

  • What sets a good image apart from a bad one on Twitter
  • Where they can find images to use legally
  • How they can create images on their own
  • What sizes they need to make images
  • How often they should tweet images
  • How to actually upload an image to Twitter
  • How they can generate a lead on Twitter
  • How long their tweet should be with the image in it
  • What results they should expect to get

Notice how these are really unfiltered and all over the place. That's OK. We'll rein it all in in the next step.

2. Break up those takeaways into larger sections.

Now, we'll take that jumble of ideas and place them into overarching sections.

Think of it like sorting laundry – each thought belongs to a different pile. From your brainstorm, you should come up with a few big themes.

Sometimes, one of your brainstorming bullets will be a theme in itself, but usually, several bullets will fall under one overarching theme. You may also realize that there's a theme that you may not have any bullets for, but the post definitely calls for it.

Many recommend sticking to three or four large sections, but it really depends on what type of post you're writing. If you're writing a comprehensive guide, you might need more.

If it's a quick how-to post, fewer sections would be ideal.

Using the same example, here’s how I’d bucket my ideas into the following buckets:

3. Fill out the remaining sections.

At this point, your outline may still look bare in some areas.

You may have some sections with multiple bullet points and some without any. Now's the time to fill in those gaps.

What did you miss in your initial brainstorm? Thinking about what's missing is always hard, but it will help improve your final post significantly.

During this step, conduct some competitive research to see what other publications have covered on the topic and what readers are responding to.

Below shows how my outline evolved. I italicized all the things I added, and the outline is becoming closer and closer to being a post:

  • Images work really well on Twitter (find study)
  • Should you tag people in images
  • Should you use photo collages
  • What colors you should use to stand out
  • Which metrics to look at
  • How to find them in your analytics
  • How to adjust the above to get better results

Essentially, you're re-doing the second step, but in a more focused manner.

4. Revise, remove, and reorganize details in each section.

Now comes the fun part: editing your outline.

You've already done the hard part of actually thinking of your ideas. Now, you're tightening up your outline to include only the most relevant information, revising the sub-bullets to actually make sense, and reorganizing the sub-bullets to tell the most logical story.

First, let me show you what I'd cut – shown in bold.

  • How to generate a lead on Twitter
  • How to actually upload an image to Twitter (This is a pretty basic step that someone would already know if they're reading this post.)
  • Where they can find images to use legally 
  • What colors you should use to stand out (Don't believe there's hard data on this, just speculation. Let's cut it.)
  • What results they should expect to get (The study in the first part should cover this bullet point.)

Next, we'll reorganize the remainder of the sub-bullets and rework them to sound like actual takeaways. We'll also turn some of the sub-bullets into sub-sub-bullets. Here's what this outline looks like now:

  • Images tend to work really well on Twitter (find study)
  • How lead generation fits in with the rest of your Twitter strategy
  • Creating it on your own
  • Finding images to use legally
  • Sizing images for Twitter
  • Tagging people in images
  • Using Photo Collages
  • How long the tweet should be with the image in
  • How to choose the right image
  • Optimizing the image for Twitter
  • Optimizing the rest of your tweet
  • How to adjust your strategy to get better results

Ta-da! A much more comprehensive outline that makes your post easy to write.

5. Include links to your examples and/or data.

This is purely a time-saving trick.

After you've fully fleshed out and then trimmed your outline, you should look for examples and data to support these claims.

Once you find a source to support your arguments, just add them as a note underneath the section. That way, when you go to write it, you don’t have to go digging.

6. Nail your working title.

Now that your outline is fleshed out, you can create a headline that summarizes the purpose of your article into something action-driven and eye-catching.

Some components of a great title include:

  • Action verbs
  • Descriptive adjectives

The goal here is to have a title that gives you a very clear idea of what the whole piece is about.   You can make it sound catchy later .  

Review my final outline in the next section.

  • Images tend to work really well on Twitter
  • Reference Anchorman line: "Come and see how good I look."

In addition to the steps outlined above, our HubSpot writers are sharing additional tips they’ve collected over the years.

If you’re struggling to think of sections for your blog posts, Senior Marketing Manager Basha Coleman  suggests checking the “People Also Ask” section on the Google SERPS.

This section will have questions related to your initial search query. Take our example article. When you Google “using images to generate leads on twitter,” these are the questions that come up in the People Also Ask search feature.

people also ask: do tweets with images get more engagement, how do i get lead generation ads on twitter, can you use images in twitter

Don't forget to share this post!

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Master the Art: How to Write a Blog Post that Captivates Your Readers

articles writing blog

In today’s world, content is king, and the ability to create high-quality, engaging, and informative articles is becoming increasingly important. From what does a blog post look like to write a blog post, every step of the writing process requires strategy, craft, and careful consideration. In this article, we will guide you step by step through the process of crafting an article, helping you turn your ideas into compelling and influential content. We will discuss the importance of planning and research, offer tips on blog writing, and explain how SEO can enhance your article’s visibility in search engines. Whether you are an experienced writer or just beginning your journey in article writing, these principles and tips will help you enhance your skills and create content that will attract and engage your target audience. For instance, if you’re wondering how to write a blog article or write blog posts, we’ve got you covered. To provide more clarity, we will also include a blog writing example. Let’s get started!

  • How to Choose an Effective Topic

The task involves searching for a relevant and popular topic that will be interesting to read, as well as compiling a list of topics indicating priorities from the most popular to the less popular ones. If you are well acquainted with the niche, selecting a topic for a blog post should not pose a problem. You might even find that you can easily write blog posts on a variety of topics within your niche. However, if you encounter difficulties in choosing a topic, you can use keyword selection tools to aid in your blog writing. For example, if many people month after month are searching for how to write a blog post, they are likely interested in reading materials on that topic. After all, the popularity of blog posts can often be an indicator of reader interest.

Choosing Relevant Reading Topics: Searching for a Verified and Popular Topic

To successfully search for a relevant reading topic, the following steps should be performed:

Study of the Niche and Interests

Keyword selection, popularity analysis, information availability check, ranking and list compilation.

By finding a verified and popular topic, you can enjoy reading materials that interest a large number of people.

  • Unique Advantages of the Article and its Attractiveness to the Target Audience

targeting

When we analyze our article in the context of competitive struggle, we can identify a number of unique advantages that make it particularly attractive to target users. Let’s consider several key aspects:

Graphic Design

Quotes and expert mentions, statistical data, writing style, use of lists, headings, and subheadings, use of numbers.

Overall, these factors help to create an article that will be attractive to the target audience and can compete with other materials in this niche.

planning

  • Creating a Detailed Plan or Outline for the Article

This is a critically important stage in the writing process. This process provides a logical structure and sequence for your article, helps to organize ideas and theses, and also allows for a more efficient use of your time for writing.

Identify Subtopics

Formulate key theses, structure the article, distribute main points and supporting details, work on the introduction and conclusion, review and refine the plan.

In the end, you will have a detailed plan that will simplify the process of writing the article and help maintain the logic and consistency of your text.

  • Starting the First Draft After Creating a Detailed Article Plan

draft-article

Once you have created a detailed plan for the article, it’s time to start working on the first draft. This is the step where you actually start writing and translating your ideas from the plan into a full-fledged text. Here are some recommendations for this stage:

Start with an Introduction

Follow your plan, write freely, use your own voice, don’t be afraid to rewrite, finish with a conclusion.

Remember, the first draft is just the beginning. You can always come back and improve it, make corrections, and edit the text. The most important thing at this stage is to get started and get all your ideas written down.

  • Polishing and Editing Your Post

copyright

After you have written the first draft of the article, it’s time to polish and edit it. This stage requires a careful and attentive approach, as it is here that you give the article its final, professional look. Here are some tips to help you with this:

Let the Text “Rest”

Check grammar and spelling, ensure logical consistency, work on style, read out loud, get feedback, return to editing.

Editing is a process of art and patience, so don’t rush. Achieving a quality result is more important than just quickly finishing the work.

  • Create a Stunning Title

coming-soon

Creating a compelling and appealing title for your article is a key stage that can significantly affect its success. The title is the first thing people see when they encounter your article, and it can play a decisive role in their decision to read it or scroll past. Here are some tips for creating a stunning title:

Make it Specific

Use powerful and engaging words, keep it as short as necessary, use numbers and facts, ask questions, promote benefits, test and refine.

Remember, your goal is to attract readers’ attention and encourage them to continue reading. Thus, devote enough time to create a stunning title for your article.

  • Add SEO to Your Page

seo-content

Adding Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial step in the process of creating an article. This will help your article rank higher in search results, attracting more readers. Here are some tips on how to add SEO to your article page:

Use Keywords

Create quality content, optimize meta tags, use internal and external links, optimize images, improve page load speed.

Remember that SEO is a long-term strategy and it may take time to see results. However, investing time and effort in your articles’ SEO can significantly increase their visibility and traffic.

In conclusion, creating an article is not just a writing process. It’s a series of stages, starting with research and planning, and ending with detailed editing and SEO optimization. Each of these stages plays an important role in the process of creating an article that is appealing to your target audience and effective in achieving your goals.

Writing an article requires meticulousness and attention to detail, but by applying these principles and tips, you can create content that is effective and attractive. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new approaches, as this is how you can find your unique voice and style that will make your articles truly stand out.

Remember that quality article writing is not only about disseminating information but also about connecting with your readers, solving their problems, and inspiring them. Pour your heart and soul into your articles, and your readers will appreciate it. Good luck on your journey to creating stunning articles!

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Writing an Effective Blog Post

Use the guide below to learn about the elements of a blog post and how to gain an audience.

What blog posts can do Elements of a blog post Why having an audience matters and how to get one

What blog posts can do

Blogging, or writing short entries on a website, can allow you to offer opinions, share ideas, or do independent reporting, but most importantly, blogging can help writers have conversations with readers. What makes blogs so different from journalism, as the authors of The Elements of Blogging: Expanding the Conversation of Journalism suggest, is the discussion between writer and reader. Blogs can be a forum for writers to get feedback on half–formed ideas and emerging stances, and through comments, readers can talk with and back to writers and build communities. But what draws readers in? Read through the material below to learn how paying attention to a range of blog elements (including clear headlines, engaging pictures, and distinctive ledes) will help you build an audience.

Elements of a blog post

In The Elements of Blogging, Mark Leccese and Jerry Lanson dissect blog posts in order to identify and examine their key parts. Below are some of the elements they highlight as well as some examples from local blogs.

Headlines (Titles)

A headline or title not only helps draw in readers’ attention with an interesting hook, but by containing keywords that Google and other search engines use, the right headline can bring anyone to your blog. As Leccese and Lanson note, search engines work by creating indexes of the words they find on the web. By using keywords in your headline, there is a greater chance that more browsers will find your blog. Headlines, however, are more than just keywords. They need to be short, 10 words or less, and intriguing. Look at the headline on this article from University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Limnology’s blog .

articles writing blog

Through this blog, the Center for Limnology communicates with university colleagues, Madison residents, and students about current fresh water research and reflections. In this post center staff member Adam Hinterthuer writes about the presence of an invasive species in Lake Mendota. The post’s clear, engaging title uses keywords so that this post appears in the first several search results for anyone looking for information about “zebra mussels” and “lake mendota.” When possible, your headlines should be in the present tense, and you shouldn’t repeat the headline in the first lines of the post.

The first sentence of a post should have a conversational tone and articulate the main point of the blog post. Internet readers can easily navigate away from a post, so making your lede interesting and to the point is important. Look at the opening lines from University of Wisconsin–Madison Antrhopology professor John Hawks’ blog post “Bringing together climate and ancient DNA to look at a micro–instance of extinction”:

Ed Yong describes the results of a cool new study of mammoth extinction on Saint Paul Island, in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia: “The Lonely, Thirsty, Final Days of the Doomed Alaskan Mammoths”.

Hawks’ post opens with his main point: how scientists determined when and how mammoths went extinct on the island and why it is a interesting case study of extinction. The assessment of the study as “cool” is conversational, and immediately mentioning this study suggests to the reader that this post will both summarize and highlight the methods scientists used. The title of the study itself is intriguing, invoking a dramatic scene. Even though both the study’s title and the content of the post could easily be in hyper scientific jargon, Hawks’ opening sentence previews his particularly accessible approach for talking to the public about science.

Pictures not only break up text on a page, but they can also help make your point clearer. Pictures tell stories, but they need to be part of the discussion. Include captions by your images that explain how the image adds to the point you are making. For example, look at these two images from Professor Elizabeth Hennessy’s post “Global Visions: Rethinking the Globe and How we Teach it” published by University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Edge Effect digital magazine:

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The blog post is an instructor’s reflection, summary, and analysis of an environmental humanities course and the resource website developed by the students as a final project. These images effectively communicate what the blog is saying about our knowledge of the world, which in greatest part is from maps. In teaching this class, Hennessy strove to have her students consider that “global space is a historical product rather than a planetary scale,” and thus, global space needs to be understood from the stand point that the “global” is produced by “histories of exploration and imperialism, uneven economic development, scientific inquiry, and environmental change.” The 17th century map that opens the blog and the telegraph cable map embedded further into the text emphasize history and imperialism’s role in thinking about what “global” means.

Hennessy’s caption for the telegraph map not only connects the image to her point, but it also provides copyright information. If you use photos on your blog you must give credit to the source. The Creative Commons on Flicker and Wikimedia Commons both have public domain images you can use while giving the photographer credit.

The photo on the above Center for Limnology post is interestingly composed and serves as an object lesson for the post as a whole.

Links give extra information to your readers. In Hennessy’s post, she often links to the site her students created and to the specific syllabi that encompass each of the four frames for understanding “the global” that her class analyzed. Having links that provide a direct route to information and resources allows your blog to make the most out of being on the web.

Block quotes

Block quoting gives readers’ eyes a break and bolsters the author’s credibility. Using a source’s words instead rephrasing shows that your points are well supported.

Final Words

Writing a good take–away can, as Leccese and Lanson point out, help readers remember and engage with your post. For the most part, Hawk’s blog summarizes and applauds the study of mammoths on Saint Paul Island, but he ends the post by saying:

However, I hesitate on one point. I would not so quickly assume there was never a short or intermittent presence of humans on the island, and that humans may have been involved in the mammoth extinction.

Questioning the study and the impact of humans is a provocative alternative view. It makes readers think more critically about the study and develop their own opinion, and in doing so, Hawk’s post invites a conversation.

A Note on Organization

Effective posts make at most two or three focused points and provide evidence to support them. Each of the three examples offered exemplify clear, brief points. “Global Visions” reflects on the class and the four frames of understanding “the global” the class used. Numbering in your post can help you as a writer limit your points and can help your reader understand the organization of your post. By clearly identifying what you want to analyze or argue and by providing support for your main points with research, anecdotes, or examples, you can establish a clear focus.

Why having an audience matters and how to get one

Blogs have the unique capability to allow readers and writers to interact. Thinking carefully about how to not only get readers to your blog, but also how to foster community and conversation are important elements of writing a blog. People often find blogs on the web through social media. UW–Madison student Ashley Hampton’s Raw in College lifestyle and food blog has reached nearly a million hits in part because it is linked to Hampton’s twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts. Once readers have found a blog, they might check it once a week to see what’s new, but posting on Facebook about recent entries will help establish an audience.

Allowing comments on your blog will bring readers back because by engaging in conversation you build a network of people who are interested in your blog’s topic and want to continue thinking about it with others. Sometimes it can be hard to build up your comment section, so don’t be afraid to ask friends or family members to comment and get the discussion going. You could also end your post in a question.

Happy blogging!

Works Cited and Consulted

Lanson, Jerry. Writing for Others, Writing for Ourselves: Telling Stories in an Age of Blogging. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011.

Leccese Mark, and Jerry Lanson. The Elements of Blogging: Expanding the Conversation of Journalism. Focal Press, 2016.

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Academic and Professional Writing

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Analysis Papers

Reading Poetry

A Short Guide to Close Reading for Literary Analysis

Using Literary Quotations

Play Reviews

Writing a Rhetorical Précis to Analyze Nonfiction Texts

Incorporating Interview Data

Grant Proposals

Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics

Additional Resources for Grants and Proposal Writing

Job Materials and Application Essays

Writing Personal Statements for Ph.D. Programs

  • Before you begin: useful tips for writing your essay
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  • Get more help with your essay
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Resume Writing Tips

CV Writing Tips

Cover Letters

Business Letters

Proposals and Dissertations

Resources for Proposal Writers

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Research Papers

Planning and Writing Research Papers

Quoting and Paraphrasing

Writing Annotated Bibliographies

Creating Poster Presentations

Writing an Abstract for Your Research Paper

Thank-You Notes

Advice for Students Writing Thank-You Notes to Donors

Reading for a Review

Critical Reviews

Writing a Review of Literature

Scientific Reports

Scientific Report Format

Sample Lab Assignment

Writing for the Web

Writing for Social Media: A Guide for Academics

Make a Living Writing

COACHING + PUBLISHING

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FORMATTING + DESIGN

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FREELANCE COMMUNITY

  • Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference?

Blog-article convergence

Client confusion, how writers can earn more, some suggested steps:, writing an article vs. blog: what to charge, getting the win.

articles writing blog

There’s a lot of confusion out there in the freelance-writing world today about blog posts and articles. Also, about what each of those types of writing should pay.

Recently, I got a lot of response to my call for freelance writers to stop writing blog posts . Many writers were confused about just what the difference is.

So let’s discuss. Because things are changing. And understanding the differences between these two writing forms will help you earn more.

For years, blog posts and nonfiction articles were distinctly different:

Then something happened, and over the past couple of years, the lines started blurring.

Blog posts started to get more and more like articles. As a bazillion blogs crowded the Internet, the bar began to raise.

Blog posts began to have more interviews. They presented interesting data. Posts got longer as bloggers sought to stand out and deliver more value, until 1,000 words has become fairly standard, and 2,000-word posts are not uncommon. SEO keywords’ value lessened as Google cracked down on keyword-stuffed content. Also, as blogs got more professional, many hired editors.

On the article-writing side, there was also movement. Many print magazines began posting copies of their articles online. Suddenly, magazine headlines needed to drive traffic, just like blog-post headlines, and headline styles evolved. They published more opinion-driven pieces from thought leaders. Some also put up blogs where they let writers hit the ‘publish’ button on their own.

Wordcounts shortened for print, as ad revenue migrated online. Some magazines went online-only. Their style got breezier and more casual.

To sum up, the two types of writing began to merge into one. Definitions got squishy, and now there’s a lot of confusion.

Except about one thing: Blog posts tend to pay crap, and articles tend to pay better.

Uneducated clients who don’t really know these two forms have been busy muddying up the conversation about them for years. That’s made it hard for writers to define writing projects and bid them appropriately.

There are plenty of clients out there who call the 300-word quickie posts they want ‘articles,’ but still want to pay $5 for them.

There are also many clients who’d like you to write 1,000-word blog posts with two interviews and a research stat, but they’d like to pay $20 because “it’s a blog post.”

Your job as a freelance writer is to cut through the bull and get to what the assignment really is — then, talk about what that gig should really pay.

The fact is, clients are always going to try to get things cheap. It’s up to writers to educate clients about what they’re asking for, and what’s fair pay for what they want you to write.

The good news is, the convergence of blog posts and articles should offer writers better pay opportunities. Blog posts are growing up — they’re increasingly not the ugly stepsister of articles. So they ought to pay more like the articles they often are.

But it’s up to the writer to take the steps to capitalize on this change in the marketplace.

  • Define it. When a client tells you they want articles, or they want blog posts, ask them to define what they mean. Are there interviews involved? How many? What’s the piece length?
  • Sway them. Sell them on the idea that what they want is considered an article by pro writers. It’ll instantly boost your rates. Make your case for why it’s an article gig.
  •  Sell articles. When you’re talking to clients who don’t quite know what they want, sell them on the idea that you should be writing an article for them, rather than a blog post, if they want their content marketing to be successful. Share the news of how Google is frowning on short keyword-driven posts.
  • Sell blog upgrades. If they want posts for an existing blog, sell them on the value of taking their blog to the next level, to more of a reported-story, magazine-type feel, and what that could do for their reputation and visibility.

Where most writers are lucky to get $100 a post for blog posts — and I recommend you try to make that your floor for blog writing — article rates are usually much better. I’ve written many at $300-$500, and many more at $600-$2,000, depending on length and complexity.

Many smaller daily papers pay in the $75-$100 range for short articles, but have the advantage of giving you more impressive clips for your portfolio. You also get the bonus of learning to report a story, which lays the groundwork for getting better-paying articles in future, from businesses or magazines.

The fact is, articles and article-style blog posts convey more authority. They impress more of your client’s customers. The projects will be more successful, and those clients will be more likely to hire you back to write more. It’s a classic win-win — you can charge more at the start, and will likely end up getting more work from the client, too, because they’ll be happier with the results they get.

This all sets you up to go after better-paying magazine markets, too, if you have that goal in your 2021 to-do list.

If you’re daunted by the idea of writing article-style blog posts or full-blown articles, learn more about writing articles .

The idea of finding experts, doing interviews, or vetting research freaks out some writers, I know. But trust me, you can learn this stuff. I learned it all on the job, by trial and error.

Do you have advice on article writing vs. blog writing? Let’s discuss on Facebook .

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  • 50+ Best Examples of Popular Blogs in 2023

Ogi Djuraskovic

We’ve created this article with a simple mission, to share with new bloggers some examples of successful and popular blogs on the web. 

Hopefully, these niche blog examples will motivate you to start your own blog .  

The best blogs share similar properties that make them successful: 

  • These bloggers post engaging and useful content that attracts visitors.
  • Popular blog writers know how to communicate with their target audience.
  • Top-rated online blogs have plenty of traffic and build a community around them. 
  • Many blogs can become a lucrative source of income for talented bloggers.

However, the quality of the content itself is sometimes not enough, meaning that most popular blogs also pay attention to design.

If you’re looking for the best blog examples to inspire you, you’re on the right page. We have covered a wide variety of top personal blogs and sorted them by niches. Read on!

52 examples of the most popular personal blogs in different niches

We chose some of the most currently popular niches and selected several blog examples for each niche. We researched every blog to learn more about CMS’es and the themes that they’re using.

Finally, we included the sources of income for every blog, which can help you to understand how blogs make money .

This list should inspire you to create your own personal blog in a niche that you are passionate about. This is an opportunity to learn from the best in the online business .

If you feel like your blog deserves to be on this list, contact us .

Best lifestyle blog examples

Best mom blog examples, best health and fitness blog examples, best food blog examples, best fashion blog examples, best travel blog examples.

  • Best tech and gaming blog examples

Best eco and green blog examples

Best relationship blog examples, best education and career blog examples, best diy blog examples, best photography blog examples, best marketing and social media blog examples.

Best lifestyle blog examples

1. Apartment Therapy Apartment Therapy is a blog focusing on interior design. It was launched by Maxwell Ryan in 2001. Ryan is an interior designer who turned to blogging (using the moniker “the apartment therapist”). The blog has reached 20 million followers and has expanded into a full-scale media company.

Main topics covered: Lifestyle and interior design, design tips, DIY how-tos, shopping guides. Built with: Next.js The main source of income: product sales, affiliate links

2. Say Yes Say Yes is an award-winning blog created by Liz Stanley in 2006. Although it could be classified as a mom blog as well, since Liz is a mother of three, it goes beyond that, offering useful advice about other topics, including food, and travel.

Main topics covered: Family, travel, food, lifestyle, DIY Built with: WordPress – custom theme The main source of income: sponsored articles, affiliate links, social media

3. Bright Bazaar Bright Bazaar was created by Will Taylor, a journalist-turned-interior designer in 2009. Apart from wonderful home tours and design findings, Will shares other exciting details about his lifestyle, including his outfits, recipes, and life in New York City.

Main topics covered: Interior design, fashion, food, NYC life, travel Built with: CheerUp Child (WordPress theme) The main source of income: affiliate links, book sales

4. A Cup of Jo A weekend hobby for Joanna Goddard turned into a full-time job. She started A Cup of Jo in 2007 and became a superstar lifestyle blogger. In fact, the site is barely a personal blog anymore, as Jo now has a team of professional writers who share her interests, such as style, design, food, and motherhood.

Main topics covered: Style, design, food, motherhood, travel, relationships Built with: A Cup of Jo (custom WordPress theme designed for this site) The main source of income: product sales, affiliate links

Best mom blog examples

5. Megan the Vegan Mom Megan, the founder of “Megan the Vegan Mom”, blogs about her daily life as a vegan mom. She is a strong advocate of veganism as a former veterinarian who shares an immense love for pets. Along with topics about motherhood, Megan likes to write about parties, lifestyle, and fashion.

Main topics covered: Vegan parenting, vegan recipes, restaurant reviews, lifestyle. Built with: Squarespace The main source of income: affiliate links, sponsorships

6. Rookie Moms Rookie Moms focuses on various products and activities for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Like the name says, the site is aimed at new moms who don’t have much experience with parenthood.

Main topics covered: baby gear, pregnancy, babies, toddlers, mom life Built with: Pretty Lifestyle (WordPress theme) The main source of income: product sales

7. Tech Savvy Mama Tech Savvy Mama was founded in 2008 by former teacher and technology specialist Leticia Barr, who also happens to be a mother of two. She mostly focuses on aspects of parenting that are related to the digital age and technological development.

Main topics covered: technology, lifestyle, education, causes, gift guides Built with: Foodie Pro (WordPress theme) The main source of income: affiliate links, product sales

8. At Home With Natalie Natalie is a lifestyle blogger from North Carolina. More importantly, she is a mother of six, meaning that she has a lot of parenthood experience that she likes to share. Her blog is also an eCommerce site where you can shop for various Etsy products, courses, and books.

Main topics covered: motherhood, party themes, DIY projects, recipes Built with: Redwood (WordPress theme) The main source of income: product sales, brand collaborations

Best health and fitness blog examples

9. My Fitness Pal My Fitness Pal is an online platform that helps people lose weight. The site also offers a great set of mobile apps that allow users to keep track of their weight, exercise regularly, and more. The site also has a lively blog section where users can learn more about all things related to fitness.

Main topics covered: weight loss, fitness, nutrition, recipes, inspiration Built with: WordPress, custom theme by Matthew Woodard The main source of income: product and subscription sales

10. Nerd Fitness This site targets “nerds, misfits and mutants,” and helps them to get in shape through home workouts and private coaching. Nerd Fitness has 25 team members led by Jim Bathurst, an award-winning personal trainer. The site also comes with an educational blog where you can learn more about working out.

Main topics covered: weight loss, working out Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: products and subscription sales

11. Love Sweat Fitness Created in 2014 by Katie Dunlop, LSF focuses on providing fitness services to women. The site also features an app with fitness plans, workout plans, and more. There’s also a blog section where you can read more about fitness, nutrition, and participate in the community of LSF members.

Main topics covered: lifestyle, fitness, nutrition, travel Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: product sales, subscription sales

12. Fit Bottomed Girls Fit Bottomed Girls started as a blog in 2008, only to expand into other mediums, including a book, a podcast, and more. This blog nurtures body positivity, and it was founded by two certified fitness professionals — Jennipher Walters and Kristen Seymour.

Main topics covered: fitness, motherhood, food, philosophy Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: coaching, ads

Best food blog examples

13. Smitten Kitchen Smitten Kitchen is an award-winning blog by Deb Perelman. The blog revolves around one place — Deb’s kitchen, where she experiments and comes up with unique recipes that she shares with the world. Her site has a nice feature called “Surprise me!” where a random recipe is suggested. Great for people wondering what to eat!

Main topics covered: recipes, food, travel Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: ads, book sales

14. Rainbow Plant Life Nisha was a lawyer who wanted to focus on her other interests, so she decided to start a blog where she shares all kinds of vegan recipes. Apart from this successful blog, Nisha also boasts more than 400,000 followers on social media (including her YouTube channel).

Main topics covered: recipes, food, photography, lifestyle Built with: Squarespace The main source of income: ads, product sales

15. Our Food Stories Laura Muthesius and Nora Eisermann decided to start a blog after Laura discovered her food allergies. That’s why Our Food Stories features plenty of innovative recipes. The Berlin-based duo mixed their passions (food styling and photography) to make a successful and original food blog.

Main topics covered: recipes, travel, interior design Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: book sales, sponsorships, ads

16. Cookie and Kate Named after Kate’s dog Cookie, the popular food blog features vegetarian recipes. Kate decided to pursue her passion for food in 2010 when she started her blog. The recipes are divided into several categories, making her blog very intuitive. She also wrote a cookbook that you can purchase on her site!

Main topics covered: recipes Built with: Magazine Pro (WordPress theme) The main source of income: ads, book sales

Best fashion blog examples

17. Sincerely Jules Sincerely Jules was created in 2009 when Jules started writing inspirational posts, daily thoughts, and more. However, she became famous for sharing her fashion ideas, turning her blog into a top international fashion sensation. Jules is now one of the leading influencers in the fashion industry.

Main topics covered: fashion, lifestyle Built with: Sage Starter (WordPress theme) The main source of income: product sales

18. Color me Courtney Courtney Quinn is a fashion and makeup blogger from NYC. She shares her colorful world in her blog called Color Me Courtney, where you can also find various makeup tutorials, lifestyle posts, and more.

Main topics covered: fashion, makeup, lifestyle, travel Built with: WordPress (custom theme) Main source of income: product sales

19. Camila Coelho Camila Coelho is a Brazilian travel and fashion blogger (her blog is in English as well). She is the founder of Elaluz perfumes and the Camila Coelho collection.

Main topics covered: fashion, beauty, travel, wellness Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: affiliate links, product sales

20. Style and Error Style & Error is a men’s fashion blog by Thomas Stubbs, a famous stylist, editor, and writer. Apart from his blog, he also works as a Fashion Editor with British GQ and is an Editor at Large for The Rake magazine. Also, Stubbs is the main man behind the styles of many male celebrities.

Main topics covered: fashion for men Built with: Squarespace The main source of income: stylist for celebrities

Best travel blog examples

21. PS I’m on my way Trisha is a Philippines-born blogger who shares her adventures from travels around the globe. Being a digital nomad, she always has an interesting story to tell or impressions to share about various places. Moreover, the blog has useful information for people who want to travel, including posts about visas, travel budgets, solo travel, and more.

Main topics covered: travel, living abroad, female wellness Built with: Wanderland (WordPress theme) Main source of income: travel coaching, travel courses, retreat sales

22. Travels of Adam Adam is a professional gay blogger who likes to share his travel stories. Many of them are useful for gay men wanting to travel to different places in the world. Apart from traveling, he also writes about a wide array of topics, including festivals, art, films, music, and books.

Main topics covered: travel, gay life, languages, festivals, books, films, music, fashion, op-eds, tech, art Built with: The Bootstrap (WordPress theme) The main source of income: ads, featured posts

23. Helen in Wonderlust Helen is a travel writer and adventurer. She is also a professional Yogi. Although she has traveled all over the world, Africa seems to be her favorite continent, and it’s the main focus of her writing. Helen also owns a tour company called Rock My Adventure.

Main topics covered: travels, travel tips Built with: 15Zine Child (WordPress theme) The main source of income: selling trips to Africa

24. Hand Luggage Only Hand Luggage Only was created in 2014 by UK duo Yaya and Lloyd during their college years at the University of Cambridge. They already had a lot of experience sharing their travel stories separately, so they decided to join forces and make a great blog about their adventures.

Main topics covered: photography, travel, food, life hacks Built with: Applique (WordPress theme) The main source of income: ads

Best gaming blog examples

gaming blog examples

25. Wolf’s gaming blog Scottish-born gamer Baden Ronnie shares his game reviews and opinions, focusing on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and VR games. He promises honest reviews with no “PR bulls**t.” Ronnie has been an active gamer since the age of seven and now uses his experience to help people choose what games to play.

Main topics covered: game reviews, interviews, gaming gear Built with: Chronicle (WordPress theme) The main source of income: donations

26. What’s Eric playing Eric is a software engineer who loves board games, and his blog mainly focuses on that type of entertainment. He mostly reviews board games and uses BGG’s rating system to share his opinion about the titles that he covers.

Main topics covered: board games, reviews Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: donations, contributions

27. Ask Dave Taylor Dave Taylor is your “tech guy.” Whenever you stumble upon an issue with your tech equipment (hardware or software), he is the one to ask. The site was started by Dave but now features an entire team. The blog section mainly focuses on providing useful pieces of advice for common tech problems.

Main topics covered: tech support Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: donations, book sales

28. Tech Crack Founded and managed by Romit Sharma, TechCrack covers all things related to technology, including gadgets, apps, gaming, business, news, and more. There’s even an attractive how-to section with useful advice for tech lovers. Romit has been an active blogger since 2012 when he started the TechCrack blog.

Main topics covered: tech, gaming, apps, gadgets, business Built with: Blogger The main source of income: ads, guest posts

Best eco and green blog examples

29. Eartheasy Eartheasy is actually an online shop that sells various gardening products. However, it also comes with a fantastic blog section where you can learn more about the latest trends in gardening. The site was founded by Greg Seaman who is now accompanied by a team of professionals with one goal in mind – to improve quality of life with useful advice and products that offer sustainable living options.

Main topics covered: gardening, green home, food Built with: BigCommerce The main source of income: product sales

30. Going Zero Waste Going Zero Waste is an eco-friendly blog started by Kathryn Kellogg, an advocate for a plastic-free and sustainable lifestyle. She blogs about zero waste, and her site is a perfect place to start if you want to join this movement. The site also features a book called 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste.

Main topics covered: eco-friendly and sustainable living Built with: Gutentag (WordPress theme) The main source of income: product sales, affiliate marketing

31. My Plastic-Free Life Beth Terry started her blog after learning more about the terrible consequences of plastic pollution. She advocates plastic-free living and provides useful information on how to reduce plastic use in our lives. The blog also focuses on various eco-friendly services, such as restaurants, green businesses, and more.

Main topics covered: plastic-free lifestyle, eco-friendly products and services Built with: Twenty Twelve Child (WordPress theme) The main source of income: book sales

32. Tree Hugger Tree Hugger is the ultimate blog for an eco-friendly lifestyle. It offers advice and inspiration for green and sustainable life. The site was established in 2004 and has more than 20,000 articles on the topic, written by 100+ industry experts.

Main topics covered: eco-friendly & green lifestyle, home, garden, environment, business & policy, news Built with: from scratch (no CMS) The main source of income: ads through articles

Best relationship blog examples

33. The Gottman Institute The Gottman Institute was founded by John and Julie Gottman, a married couple and professional PhD’s with a successful marriage and 40+ years of research experience. The Gottman Institute is the ultimate blog for everyone seeking relationship advice. The site features a blog section where you can read more about relationships, parenting, dating, and more

Main topics covered: relationships, parenting, dating Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: product sales, workshops, courses

34. Created With Love Tyler and Michelle are a married couple and founders of Created With Love. Every relationship experiences ups and downs, and the couple decided to share their experience and give advice by starting the blog in 2014.

Main topics covered: relationship tips, date night Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: product sales, subscriptions

35. Love in 90 Days Dr. Diana Kirschner offers useful relationship advice on her site Love in 90 Days. She has helped thousands of couples find and establish great romantic relationships. The site features a free masterclass, coaching sessions with Dr. Kirscher, and a useful blog where you can get tips on dating, finding a soulmate, and dating advice for women.

Main topics covered: love, relationships, dating, online dating Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: coaching, book sales

36. Love and Life Toolbox Love and Life Toolbox is an ultimate blog/guide for people seeking useful advice about relationships and emotional health. The site was founded by Lisa Brookes Kift, a marriage, and family therapist. Lisa has significant experience in MFT and has contributed to popular media, including CNN, Men’s Health, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Main topics covered: relationships, emotional health Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: ebook and course sales

Best education and career blog examples

37. Teach Thought Teach Thought offers posts that focus on innovation in K-12 education. Teachers interested in growing and improving their skills can find useful pieces of advice in this blog. The blog was founded in 2012 by Terry Heick, an author and a former teacher interested in reshaping K-12 teaching.

Main topics covered: education, learning, critical thinking, technology Built with: JNews Child (WordPress theme) The main source of income: ads, workshops

38. Teach Junkie Teach Junkie is a blog founded by Leslie, who is the main author on the site. However, she allows content contributors, meaning her blog is actually a community of teachers who want to improve and learn new techniques. The blog is categorized into grades and different subjects, including science, languages, math, art, and more.

Main topics covered: education, teaching, DIY Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: guest posts

39. Corporette Corporette is actually a fashion and lifestyle blog, but it focuses on women with corporate career paths, such as bankers, lawyers, and consultants. The site was founded in 2008 by Kat Griffin, a professional litigator for a Wall Street law firm.

Main topics covered: fashion, career, lifestyle Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: affiliate links

40. Penelope Trunk Penelope Trunk is a founder of four start-ups and a writer. She uses her free time to write about career advice and her personal experiences as a part of every company she has worked for. Trunk also focuses on writing educational and op-ed pieces.

Main topics covered: career, education Built with: Enfold Child (WordPress theme) The main source of income: coaching, courses

Best DIY blog examples

41. Remodelaholic Cassity and her family are a creative bunch that doesn’t leave anything in their house untouched. She shares plenty of DIY projects that can help you to remodel your house and make it more stylish and comfortable.

Main topics covered: DIY, interior design, holidays, recipes Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: ads, product sales

42. Collective Gen Collective Gen is a blog founded in 2008 by the owner and Editor-in-Chief Geneva Vanderzeil. She is a photographer, maker, stylist, and, above all, an author sharing her thoughts and ideas regarding style, home, life, and travel. The blog also features plenty of DIY projects for creative minds!

Main topics covered: DIY, interior design, travel, life Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: book sales

43. Addicted 2 DIY The name says it all! Addicted 2 DIY is a blog that focuses on all kinds of do-it-yourself projects. Working on a small budget, ex paramedic/firefighter Katie decided to share her DIY work with the world. These days, her husband and kids also help her with all kinds of projects around the house. Apart from useful blogs, Katie also shares printable plans and writes reviews for all kinds of tools.

Main topics covered: DIY, tool reviews, recipes Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: product sales, ads

44. Vintage Revivals Vintage Revivals was founded by Mandi, a creative soul with plenty of ideas to share. She focuses on filling entire spaces with DIY stuff, meaning her whole house is one big, innovative, and beautiful playground.

Main topics covered: DIY, interior design Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: product sales

Best photography blog examples

45. Joe McNally’s Blog Joe McNally is a superstar among photographers. This award-winning artist has worked in 70+ countries and is often considered the best of his generation. Moreover, he has worked with many popular companies, including ESPN, Adidas, Sony, and more. His blog mostly consists of various photographs and stories from his work. McNally covers different spheres, including fashion, portraits, sports, dance, healthcare, and industrial.

Main topics covered: photography Built with: PhotoShelter The main source of income: product sales

46. 1x 1x is a popular photography site featuring hundreds of contributors. What makes it stand out from the crowd is a great blog section that focuses on everything related to the industry. You can read about various photographers, techniques, and contests.

Main topics covered: photography Built with: from scratch (no CMS) The main source of income: book sales

47. Light Stalking Light Stalking is a site that focuses on photography. It has been proclaimed a top-10 photography blog by Wefollow, Klout, and Feedspot. The blog was founded by Rob Wood, who is currently the Main Editor and has a team of professional photographers/writers who share unique content with site visitors.

Main topics covered: photography, videography, gear Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: product sales

48. The Phoblographer The Phoblographer is an ultimate photography blog that contains everything amateurs and professionals need to know. The site features useful gear reviews, inspiration, educational articles, and more. It was established by Chris Gampat, an experienced photographer who has worked as a paparazzi, photojournalist, as well as a portrait and wedding photographer.

Main topics covered: photography gear reviews, tips, inspiration, education, news Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: ads, affiliate links

Best marketing and social media blog examples

49. Jon Loomer Loomer launched JonLoomer.com 11 days before he was laid off in 2011. At that time, he didn’t realize that he was building what would be one of the most successful social media marketing blogs in the world. His site focuses on training advanced Facebook marketers and showing various tips and tricks for running successful SMM campaigns.

Main topics covered: social media, marketing Built with: WordPress (custom theme) Main source of income: courses, membership fees

50. Awario Awario was created in 2015 with the goal of helping businesses and individuals improve their presence on social media. Awario is actually a tool that helps thousands of customers reach their SMM and analytics-related goals. The blog section offers a wide array of topics, including market research, marketing, competitor analysis, and SMM.

Main topics covered: marketing and analytics Built with: from scratch (no CMS) The main source of income: membership fees (for Awario services)

51. Mari Smith Mari Smith is an experienced marketer with a professional team around her. This team helps businesses grow using digital marketing techniques. The site also features a blog where Mari writes about Facebook and Instagram as marketing tools.

Main topics covered: marketing, Facebook, Instagram Built with: WordPress (custom theme) The main source of income: marketing services

52. Ask Aaron Lee Aaron Lee is a social media expert whose work has been featured on sites such as Inc, Forbes, Success.com, and The Huffington Post. This young entrepreneur from Malaysia wanted to share his knowledge via his blog for free. The blog currently has more than 60,000 subscribers.

Main topics covered: social media, marketing Built with: Wellness Pro (WordPress theme) The main source of income: marketing services

What makes a blog successful?

All of the blogs shared above have one thing in common — they are widely successful.

That’s because the majority of them follow the same formula. Moreover, they were able to adopt new trends and adapt to their readership.

So, what’s the secret formula to success? Here’s a short overview.

Having an engaged readership and an online community

Imagine having a very expensive car that runs on fuel but has no fuel tank.

That’s what a great blog would look like with no engaged readership. Your readers are the ones who drive the success of your blog by reading, commenting, sharing, and more.

Being active on social media

Connect your blog to social media and post engaging content to attract new followers and readers.

You don’t have to be active on all media. Instead, try using analytics tools to see where your potential readers could be the most active. For example, photographer bloggers will focus on platforms such as Instagram.

Properly selected niche

If you select a niche that’s not too broad or too narrow, you’ll be able to attract just the right amount of readers to whom you’ll be able to sell targeted products and services.

Publishing consistently

With tens of thousands of blog posts published daily, your blog can fall into oblivion if you don’t update it regularly with fresh content. In fact, consistency is often a stumbling block for many new bloggers who want immediate fame and fortune.

Having a good blog design

Unintuitive and cluttered design can become a real obstacle in attracting new visitors and readers. A strong design , on the other hand, will help you to gain trust as soon as someone lands on your blog.

Starting your personal blog

Starting a personal blog has never been easier. It’s actually a three-step procedure that you can complete even if you don’t have a single clue on how to set up a blog or make a website .

Choose a name for your blog

This will help you find a suitable domain name , which is pretty important for SEO . Keep in mind that you’ll be able to attract readers with an attractive name that targets your niche.

Think of your blog name as a business name .

Recommended quick domain search tool:

Open an account on a blogging platform.

There are plenty of blogging platforms out there that can help you to create your blog quickly and easily using various presets. The current leader is WordPress.org, which we recommend for first-time bloggers.

Find a web hosting provider

You’ll need a web hosting service for your blog, and we recommend that you use Bluehost as the safest and most popular option at the moment.

Bluehost offers a free domain for one year, as well as a free SSL certificate. Most importantly, there’s professional 24/7 customer support, which makes it very beginner-friendly. -> Learn more about Bluehost .

Bluehost website

  • Free domain name
  • 63% off regular price
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Set up a blog with a one-click 

Feel free to write about anything that you are knowledgeable about. However, make sure that your niche is wide enough to attract a lot of visitors who share your interests.

There are several ways to monetize your blog , and the most popular are: 1. Offer coaching services. 2. Sell products related to your niche. 3. Sell online courses related to your niche. 4. Set up Google Ads to allow banners on your blog. 5. Write an ebook and sell it. 6. Use your blog for affiliate marketing and sponsorships.

Right now, the most profitable blog niches are technology, digital marketing, finance and investment, fashion, travel, movies & music, health, food, news, and personal development. However, even if you’re not interested in these niches, it doesn’t mean your blog is going to be a failure. You just have to be sure that your blog can reach and engage enough readers to be a success.

There’s no ultimate formula for choosing a name. However, there are several tricks that can help you to narrow down your decision, and we have covered them in our post dedicated to naming blogs .

Content planning plays an essential role in creating a successful blog. We’ve covered the entire process here , so make sure to check it out.

The 50+ blogs included in this article met all of our content and design standards. If your goal was to find inspiration for your new blog, we hope that our list helped you to achieve it.

Ultimately, it’s important to remember several key rules that’ll make you a successful blogger, so let’s review them:

  • Choose a profitable niche.
  • Be consistent.
  • Make sure your blog has an attractive design.

The last rule is truly what matters when it comes to blogging. As long as you have a real desire to write about the things that you love, people will feel the energy you have invested in and appreciate your work!

24 comments on “50+ Best Examples of Popular Blogs in 2023”

Thanks for writing such an informative blog which will surely be a great help for the students.

Thank you John!

Thank you for such a detailed introduction.

You’re welcome Dawn!

Awesome stuff !

Thanks Sophie!

Thank you for the list and tips! I’m always trying to improve my newborn photography blog. It takes time and practice to produce more quality content people can connect with.

Thanks Isabel…all the best with your new blog!

Thanks for the information!

You’re welcome Rose!

Hello! That’s what we focus on, definitely niche marketing and we love writing blogs!

Glad to hear that Emma!

Wow, I really loved this page. As a beginner, it really empowered me a lot.

Glad you like it Cynthia. Thanks!

Hey! Thanks for this list. There are some amazing blogs. Btw. Thanks for your free guide on how to start a blog. I Will probably make a blog about cooking in the next week 🙂

Hey I’m so happy to hear that you find our blogging guide useful!!!

Cooking blog sounds great! We even have a guide specifically for those who want to start a food blog – check it out here . But also if you’re busy or simply don’t feel comfortable with a whole DIY thing, we can create a blog for you (see more here ) without any charges! If you’re interested in learning more about this free offer write to us at [email protected]

Thanks for sharing information, its going to help me a lot in Academic Blogging. I really appreciate it.

Love these tips on starting a niche blog. That’s what we focus on, definitely niche marketing and we love writing blogs!

Thanks, you have made a wonderful post. I love and appreciate your commitment.

This is such a cool list! I especially love Jeff Goins’ articles because his marketing ideas will surely help you become better in your niche. There’s so much to learn from him! 🙂

Thanks Mr. Black! Jeff does have some great marketing strategies which will come handy to any new blogger.

It’s great to see you guys mentioned Jasmine Star! I’ve been following her blog for the last two years – I particularly like her photography, and I dare to claim that her ideas influenced a lot the way I do my Instagram

Thanks Lory! Jasmine is one of our favorites too 🙂

yeah its great that you mentioned her

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Blog vs. Article: What's The Difference Anyway?

articles writing blog

Written by Christian Rigg

articles writing blog

While many people use these terms interchangeably, blogs and articles are not the same. Understanding the role each has to play in your marketing strategy will help you deliver better content, improve your SEO, and reach more potential customers to drive conversion.

Why business owners and writers get confused

If you’re unsure how blog posts and articles differ, you’re not alone. In fact, misunderstanding the difference has led many companies to blur the lines, making it difficult to untangle the mess.

Part of this is financially motivated: blog posts are seen as less time-consuming to write and thus less costly. As a result, they are overemphasized in marketing strategies, and content which ought to be written as an article is often briefed as a blog.

This undercuts the broader appeal typical of blogs while watering down the authority of articles that appear on them.

What is a blog?

One way to approach this question is through etymology: where does the word come from? As it turns out, blog is a portmanteau, a new word formed from two older ones: web and log.

This is a useful way to think about your blog: as a kind of log or journal for your business. It’s a personal expression, a collection of anecdotes and updates that help readers connect with your business without drowning them in technical details.

In one word, a blog is narrative : it allows a business to tell its story in a relatable way.

What is an article?

An article is a more formal piece of writing. It is informational and focuses on providing evidence for some claim that’s been made—by your product, for example.

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An article should be well-researched and follow a logical, rather than narrative, structure. Articles often feature what’s called deductive reasoning : they begin with a set of premises and end with a reasoned conclusion. The goal is to provide your audience with hard evidence to support your points.

6 key differences between blogs and articles

Whether you’re writing your own content or purchasing articles from a writer, it’s important to understand the differences between blogs and articles.

1. Point of view

A blog post is often written in the first person using I or we . This fits into the narrative structure of the blog: you’re having a conversation with your readers, describing an episode in the life of your brand.

An article is almost always written in the third person, although scientific articles may use the first-person plural (we). This emphasizes the author’s objectivity as they present facts and reasoned arguments.

2. Voice or tone

In a nutshell, blog posts tend to be informal, casual, and conversational, whereas articles tend to be formal, professional, and discursive.

Your company’s blog is a way to build a relationship with your audience, helping them to understand the who behind the what while demonstrating your brand’s personality, goals, and interests.

Articles, on the other hand, are written for a technical audience, using a neutral and passive tone of voice to remove the author from consideration.

3. Where it's published

Blogs have two objectives: to bring new customers to your website by appearing in search engine results, and to reinforce your relationship with existing customers. Both of these goals are served by publishing content on a company’s website, which is where you’ll find most blogs.

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Articles may be published on your website, providing information and evidence, although they will tend to be scattered throughout the site, rather than in a single feed. They may also appear in external publications: newspapers, magazines, and periodicals.

4. The length or word count

It’s generally accepted that blog posts are shorter than articles, although the correct length for each is a hotly debated SEO topic.

In general, blog posts start at 300 words and go up to—but rarely beyond—2000 words.

A complete and well-researched article with a reasoned argument and all the necessary evidence can reach 5000 words or more. This is one good reason why articles have no place on a blog: no casual reader is interested in sifting through that much information.

5. Research

As opinion or narrative pieces, blog posts have less stringent research standards than articles. Consider, for example, a blog post entitled 10 unusual tips for working comfortably from home, versus an article, How crisis and quarantine have reshaped global work trends .

Both pieces deal with adaptation to new professional circumstances, but one would clearly require more research and a structured argument. The blog post may provide a few anecdotal statistics; the article, on the other hand, is making a claim and will need plenty of research to back it up.

6. Reader engagement

Blogs are made to be discussed and shared. Their short, punchy, subjective nature lends itself to social media shares, and readers are often encouraged to leave questions and comments.

Articles are rarely discussed except in academic and technical circles. If the author has done their job and the research and reasoning are sound, only experts will have the knowledge and motivation to pick them apart.

What writers should know

Hopefully you now have a better idea of what type of content should grace your blog and what type should be reserved for articles.

If you’re writing your own content, though, striking the right balance isn’t always easy; and if you’ve hired unskilled writers, you may find they don’t properly understand the difference, either.

If you’re still uncertain of how to proceed or just want to be sure you’re taking the best approach, Eleven can help your business structure its content and publish share-worthy blog posts and pertinent articles.

To get started, drop us a line or read more about Eleven.

Christian Rigg

Christian is Eleven Writing's Head of Operations. He is also a seasoned writer and editor and works closely with the editorial team to produce high-quality content for Eleven's clients. He holds a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Archaeology but found a lasting passion in content writing and marketing. When he's not coaching writers and smoothing workflows, he can usually be found cycling the shores of the French and Italian rivieras.

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Article Writing Format, Objective, Common Mistakes, and Samples

Pankaj dhiman.

  • Created on December 11, 2023

Article Writing: How to Write an Article, Objective, Mistakes and Article Writing Examples

Explore the art of effective article writing in our latest blog. Uncover the essential elements of format, objectives, and real-life examples that illuminate the path to impactful content creation. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, this concise guide provides valuable insights to enhance your article-writing skills.

What is Article Writing ?

Article writing is a form of creative expression and communication that involves crafting informative or persuasive pieces for various purposes. Typically found in newspapers, magazines , blogs, and websites, articles aim to convey information, share opinions, or discuss specific topics.

Successful article writing requires a blend of research, analysis, and a compelling writing style to engage and inform readers. Writers often adhere to a specific structure, including an introduction, body, and conclusion, ensuring coherence and clarity.

Whether journalistic, academic, or promotional, articles play a crucial role in disseminating knowledge, sparking discussions, and influencing public opinion.

Must Read : Notice Writing: How to write, Format, Examples

Objective of Article Writing

The primary objective of article writing is to inform, engage, and persuade readers on a particular subject or issue.

Through well-crafted content, articles aim to provide valuable information, insights, or opinions that contribute to the reader’s understanding of a topic.

Educational articles seek to impart knowledge, offering explanations, analyses, and interpretations to enhance the reader’s awareness.

I n journalism, articles often strive to report news objectively, presenting facts clearly and concisely. Opinion pieces, on the other hand, aim to sway readers’ perspectives by presenting a compelling viewpoint supported by evidence or reasoning.

Additionally, articles can serve promotional purposes, promoting products, services, or ideas.

Regardless of the genre, the overarching objective is to captivate the audience, stimulate critical thinking, and convey information effectively.

Must Read : Descriptive Writing | Definition, Format, Examples & Secret Tips

Format of Article Writing

Article Writing Format – Article writing typically follows a structured format to ensure clarity, coherence, and reader engagement. While variations exist depending on the publication or purpose, a standard format often includes the following elements:

Title: A concise and attention-grabbing title that reflects the main theme or focus of the article.

Introduction: The opening paragraph should provide a brief overview of the topic, capturing the reader’s interest and introducing the main idea or argument.

Subheadings: Use subheadings to organize the content into sections. This helps readers navigate and understand the flow of the article.

Body: The body of the article contains the main content, supporting details, arguments, and evidence. It is divided into paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the topic.

Conclusion: Summarize the key points and restate the main message in the conclusion. You may also offer insights, suggestions, or a call to action depending on the purpose of the article .

Must Read: Directed Writing: Format, Topics, Benefits, and Examples

Article Writing Sample 

Sample 1- title: “exploring the wonders of space: a journey beyond our world”.

Introduction:

Embarking on a journey through the cosmos is a captivating adventure that opens up new realms of knowledge and imagination. This article aims to introduce secondary students to the wonders of space exploration, offering a glimpse into the mysteries of the universe and the exciting discoveries that await us.

The Marvel of Solar Systems:

Our universe is home to an astounding variety of solar systems, each with its unique planets, moons, and celestial bodies. Secondary students can delve into the fascinating study of these systems, discovering the diverse conditions that make each one a captivating cosmic wonder.

Black Holes: Cosmic Mysteries Unveiled:

Black holes, enigmatic phenomena with intense gravitational pull, have intrigued scientists for decades. Secondary students can explore the concepts of event horizons, singularity, and the intriguing ways black holes shape the fabric of space-time. Discovering the mysteries of these cosmic entities sparks curiosity and a deeper understanding of the universe’s fundamental forces.

Space Exploration and Human Achievements:

Journeying beyond our planet, space exploration has been marked by monumental human achievements. From the Apollo moon landings to the Mars rovers, secondary students can marvel at the milestones of space exploration. Studying these endeavors not only inspires a sense of wonder but also highlights the remarkable capabilities of human innovation and determination.

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life:

The quest to find extraterrestrial life fuels the imagination of scientists and stargazers alike. Secondary students can delve into astrobiology, exploring the conditions necessary for life and the ongoing efforts to detect signs of life beyond Earth. Contemplating the possibility of extraterrestrial existence adds an exciting dimension to the study of space.

Conclusion:

As secondary students embark on the celestial journey through space exploration, they are not only expanding their scientific knowledge but also nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity about the vast universe.

From the intricacies of solar systems to the mysteries of black holes and the quest for extraterrestrial life, the wonders of space captivate the imagination and inspire a lifelong love for the mysteries of the cosmos.

Must Read: IGCSE Journal Writing: A Complete Guide for Students

Sample 2- Title: “The Impact of Technology on Education”

In the digital age, technology has revolutionized every aspect of our lives, including education. This article explores the profound impact of technology on the learning experience for secondary students. From interactive lessons to online resources , the integration of technology has brought both challenges and opportunities to the forefront.

Interactive Learning Platforms:

The advent of interactive learning platforms has transformed traditional classrooms into dynamic spaces. Secondary students now have access to engaging multimedia content, interactive quizzes, and virtual simulations that cater to diverse learning styles. These platforms foster a more participatory and personalized learning environment.

Online Resources for Research and Learning:

The internet has become a treasure trove of information, allowing students to delve into subjects beyond the confines of textbooks. Online resources, such as educational websites, e-books, and video lectures, provide students with additional learning materials , encouraging independent research and a deeper understanding of topics.

Start Learning – Free IGCSE Resources

Challenges of Digital Distractions:

However, the influx of technology in education brings its own set of challenges. The omnipresence of smartphones and social media poses the risk of digital distractions in the classroom. It is crucial for students to strike a balance between utilizing technology for learning and managing screen time to maintain focus.

Preparing for the Future:

As secondary students navigate the intersection of education and technology, they are also acquiring essential skills for the future. Proficiency in digital literacy, critical thinking, and adaptability are becoming increasingly vital. The ability to harness technology effectively positions students for success in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

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In conclusion, the impact of technology on secondary education is undeniable. While it brings innovative learning opportunities, students must also be mindful of the potential distractions. Striking a balance between leveraging technology for education and managing its drawbacks is key. Ultimately, the integration of technology prepares secondary students for the challenges and opportunities that await them in the digital future.

Article Writing Tips

Establish a Clear Purpose: Before you start writing, establish the purpose of your article . Having a specific goal in mind will help you structure your content and make sure that it speaks to your audience, whether that goal is to inform, entertain, convince, or educate.

Grab Your Readers’ Attention Right Away: Grab the interest of your readers from the outset. Write a catchy headline and an interesting introduction that piques readers’ interest or solves a dilemma. A compelling start entices readers to read and consider the remainder of your piece.

Establish a Conversational Tone: Encourage a dialogue-style writing style. Steer clear of excessively formal language and establish a personal connection with your readers. Let your personality come through while staying professional, just like you would if you were speaking with a friend.

Employ Visual Elements: To improve your article, include relevant charts, infographics, or images. Images not only help to illustrate your points and give your content more depth, but they also break up the text and make it easier for readers to read.

Create a Strong and Memorable Ending: Bring your article to a successful and lasting close. Provide your readers with something to think about, restate your main point, and summarise the most important points. A strong conclusion gives your article a sense of closure and highlights its importance.

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Article Writing Common Mistakes

Lack of clarity and focus:.

Failing to establish a clear purpose or focus for your article can result in confusion. Ensure that your main message is evident throughout the piece, and each section contributes to the overall theme.

Weak Introduction:

An uninspiring or unclear introduction can lead readers to lose interest quickly. Craft an engaging introduction that grabs attention and sets the tone for the rest of the article.

Poor Organization:

Lack of structure or a logical flow can make your article difficult to follow. Use headings, subheadings, and paragraphs to organize your content coherently. A well-organized structure aids reader comprehension.

Overuse of Jargon:

While some industries or topics may have specialized terminology, excessive use of jargon can alienate readers. Strive for clarity, and explain technical terms when necessary to make your content accessible to a broader audience.

Neglecting Proofreading:

Spelling and grammatical errors can detract from the professionalism of your writing. Always proofread your article to catch typos, and grammatical mistakes, and ensure overall clarity.

Article Writing Conclusion 

In conclusion, effective blog article writing is a blend of creativity, structure, and audience awareness. A compelling introduction sets the tone, captivating readers from the start. Clear organization, free of common mistakes, ensures a seamless flow, keeping readers engaged. Visual elements enhance the content, breaking up text and providing additional context.

A conversational tone fosters a connection with the audience, making the information more accessible. Crafting a memorable conclusion reinforces the key message and leaves readers with a lasting impression. 

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February 21, 2024

Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

Engaging the fine motor system to produce letters by hand has positive effects on learning and memory

By Charlotte Hu

Student handwriting notes in class

FG Trade/Getty Images

Handwriting notes in class might seem like an anachronism as smartphones and other digital technology subsume every aspect of learning across schools and universities. But a steady stream of research continues to suggest that taking notes the traditional way—with pen and paper or even stylus and tablet—is still the best way to learn, especially for young children. And now scientists are finally zeroing in on why.

A recent study in Frontiers in Psychology monitored brain activity in students taking notes and found that those writing by hand had higher levels of electrical activity across a wide range of interconnected brain regions responsible for movement, vision, sensory processing and memory. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that has many experts speaking up about the importance of teaching children to handwrite words and draw pictures.

Differences in Brain Activity

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The new research, by Audrey van der Meer and Ruud van der Weel at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), builds on a foundational 2014 study . That work suggested that people taking notes by computer were typing without thinking, says van der Meer , a professor of neuropsychology at NTNU. “It’s very tempting to type down everything that the lecturer is saying,” she says. “It kind of goes in through your ears and comes out through your fingertips, but you don’t process the incoming information.” But when taking notes by hand, it’s often impossible to write everything down; students have to actively pay attention to the incoming information and process it—prioritize it, consolidate it and try to relate it to things they’ve learned before. This conscious action of building onto existing knowledge can make it easier to stay engaged and grasp new concepts .

To understand specific brain activity differences during the two note-taking approaches, the NTNU researchers tweaked the 2014 study’s basic setup. They sewed electrodes into a hairnet with 256 sensors that recorded the brain activity of 36 students as they wrote or typed 15 words from the game Pictionary that were displayed on a screen.

When students wrote the words by hand, the sensors picked up widespread connectivity across many brain regions. Typing, however, led to minimal activity, if any, in the same areas. Handwriting activated connection patterns spanning visual regions, regions that receive and process sensory information and the motor cortex. The latter handles body movement and sensorimotor integration, which helps the brain use environmental inputs to inform a person’s next action.

“When you are typing, the same simple movement of your fingers is involved in producing every letter, whereas when you’re writing by hand, you immediately feel that the bodily feeling of producing A is entirely different from producing a B,” van der Meer says. She notes that children who have learned to read and write by tapping on a digital tablet “often have difficulty distinguishing letters that look a lot like each other or that are mirror images of each other, like the b and the d.”

Reinforcing Memory and Learning Pathways

Sophia Vinci-Booher , an assistant professor of educational neuroscience at Vanderbilt University who was not involved in the new study, says its findings are exciting and consistent with past research. “You can see that in tasks that really lock the motor and sensory systems together, such as in handwriting, there’s this really clear tie between this motor action being accomplished and the visual and conceptual recognition being created,” she says. “As you’re drawing a letter or writing a word, you’re taking this perceptual understanding of something and using your motor system to create it.” That creation is then fed back into the visual system, where it’s processed again—strengthening the connection between an action and the images or words associated with it. It’s similar to imagining something and then creating it: when you materialize something from your imagination (by writing it, drawing it or building it), this reinforces the imagined concept and helps it stick in your memory.

The phenomenon of boosting memory by producing something tangible has been well studied. Previous research has found that when people are asked to write, draw or act out a word that they’re reading, they have to focus more on what they’re doing with the received information. Transferring verbal information to a different form, such as a written format, also involves activating motor programs in the brain to create a specific sequence of hand motions, explains Yadurshana Sivashankar , a cognitive neuroscience graduate student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario who studies movement and memory. But handwriting requires more of the brain’s motor programs than typing. “When you’re writing the word ‘the,’ the actual movements of the hand relate to the structures of the word to some extent,” says Sivashankar, who was not involved in the new study.

For example, participants in a 2021 study by Sivashankar memorized a list of action verbs more accurately if they performed the corresponding action than if they performed an unrelated action or none at all. “Drawing information and enacting information is helpful because you have to think about information and you have to produce something that’s meaningful,” she says. And by transforming the information, you pave and deepen these interconnections across the brain’s vast neural networks, making it “much easier to access that information.”

The Importance of Handwriting Lessons for Kids

Across many contexts, studies have shown that kids appear to learn better when they’re asked to produce letters or other visual items using their fingers and hands in a coordinated way—one that can’t be replicated by clicking a mouse or tapping buttons on a screen or keyboard. Vinci-Booher’s research has also found that the action of handwriting appears to engage different brain regions at different levels than other standard learning experiences, such as reading or observing. Her work has also shown that handwriting improves letter recognition in preschool children, and the effects of learning through writing “last longer than other learning experiences that might engage attention at a similar level,” Vinci-Booher says. Additionally, she thinks it’s possible that engaging the motor system is how children learn how to break “ mirror invariance ” (registering mirror images as identical) and begin to decipher things such as the difference between the lowercase b and p.

Vinci-Booher says the new study opens up bigger questions about the way we learn, such as how brain region connections change over time and when these connections are most important in learning. She and other experts say, however, that the new findings don’t mean technology is a disadvantage in the classroom. Laptops, smartphones and other such devices can be more efficient for writing essays or conducting research and can offer more equitable access to educational resources. Problems occur when people rely on technology too much , Sivashankar says. People are increasingly delegating thought processes to digital devices, an act called “ cognitive offloading ”—using smartphones to remember tasks, taking a photo instead of memorizing information or depending on a GPS to navigate. “It’s helpful, but we think the constant offloading means it’s less work for the brain,” Sivashankar says. “If we’re not actively using these areas, then they are going to deteriorate over time, whether it’s memory or motor skills.”

Van der Meer says some officials in Norway are inching toward implementing completely digital schools . She claims first grade teachers there have told her their incoming students barely know how to hold a pencil now—which suggests they weren’t coloring pictures or assembling puzzles in nursery school. Van der Meer says they’re missing out on opportunities that can help stimulate their growing brains.

“I think there’s a very strong case for engaging children in drawing and handwriting activities, especially in preschool and kindergarten when they’re first learning about letters,” Vinci-Booher says. “There’s something about engaging the fine motor system and production activities that really impacts learning.”

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The Most Important Writing Exercise I’ve Ever Assigned

An illustration of several houses. One person walks away from a house with a second person isolated in a window.

By Rachel Kadish

Ms. Kadish is the author of the novel “The Weight of Ink.”

“Write down a phrase you find abhorrent — something you yourself would never say.”

My students looked startled, but they cooperated. They knew I wouldn’t collect this exercise; what they wrote would be private unless they chose to share it. All that was required of them was participation.

In silence they jotted down a few words. So far, so good. We hadn’t yet reached the hard request: Spend 10 minutes writing a monologue in the first person that’s spoken by a fictitious character who makes the upsetting statement. This portion typically elicits nervous glances. When that happens, I remind students that their statement doesn’t represent them and that speaking as if they’re someone else is a basic skill of fiction writers. The troubling statement, I explain, must appear in the monologue, and it shouldn’t be minimized, nor should students feel the need to forgive or account for it. What’s required is simply that somewhere in the monologue there be an instant — even a fleeting phrase — in which we can feel empathy for the speaker. Perhaps she’s sick with worry over an ill grandchild. Perhaps he’s haunted by a love he let slip away. Perhaps she’s sleepless over how to keep her business afloat and her employees paid. Done right, the exercise delivers a one-two punch: repugnance for a behavior or worldview coupled with recognition of shared humanity.

For more than two decades, I’ve taught versions of this fiction-writing exercise. I’ve used it in universities, middle schools and private workshops, with 7-year-olds and 70-year-olds. But in recent years openness to this exercise and to the imaginative leap it’s designed to teach has shrunk to a pinprick. As our country’s public conversation has gotten angrier, I’ve noticed that students’ approach to the exercise has become more brittle, regardless of whether students lean right or left.

Each semester, I wonder whether the aperture through which we allow empathy has so drastically narrowed as to foreclose a full view of our fellow human beings. Maybe there are times so contentious or so painful that people simply withdraw to their own silos. I’ve certainly felt that inward pull myself. There are times when a leap into someone else’s perspective feels impossible.

But leaping is the job of the writer, and there’s no point it doing it halfway. Good fiction pulls off a magic trick of absurd power: It makes us care. Responding to the travails of invented characters — Ahab or Amaranta, Sethe or Stevens, Zooey or Zorba — we might tear up or laugh, or our hearts might pound. As readers, we become invested in these people, which is very different from agreeing with or even liking them. In the best literature, characters are so vivid, complicated, contradictory and even maddening that we’ll follow them far from our preconceptions; sometimes we don’t return.

Unflinching empathy, which is the muscle the lesson is designed to exercise, is a prerequisite for literature strong enough to wrestle with the real world. On the page it allows us to spot signs of humanity; off the page it can teach us to start a conversation with the strangest of strangers, to thrive alongside difference. It can even affect those life-or-death choices we make instinctively in a crisis. This kind of empathy has nothing to do with being nice, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Even within the safety of the page, it’s tempting to dodge empathy’s challenge, instead demonizing villains and idealizing heroes, but that’s when the needle on art’s moral compass goes inert. Then we’re navigating blind: confident that we know what the bad people look like and that they’re not us — and therefore we’re at no risk of error.

Our best writers, in contrast, portray humans in their full complexity. This is what Gish Jen is doing in the short story “Who’s Irish?” and Rohinton Mistry in the novel “A Fine Balance.” Line by line, these writers illuminate the inner worlds of characters who cause harm — which is not the same as forgiving them. No one would ever say that Toni Morrison forgives the character Cholly Breedlove, who rapes his daughter in “The Bluest Eye.” What Ms. Morrison accomplishes instead is the boldest act of moral and emotional understanding I’ve ever seen on the page.

In the classroom exercise, the upsetting phrases my students scribble might be personal (“You’ll never be a writer,” “You’re ugly”) or religious or political. Once a student wrote a phrase condemning abortion as another student across the table wrote a phrase defending it. Sometimes there are stereotypes, slurs — whatever the students choose to grapple with. Of course, it’s disturbing to step into the shoes of someone whose words or deeds repel us. Writing these monologues, my graduate students, who know what “first person” means, will dodge and write in third, with the distanced “he said” instead of “I said.”

But if they can withstand the challenges of first person, sometimes something happens. They emerge shaken and eager to expand on what they’ve written. I look up from tidying my notes to discover students lingering after dismissal with that alert expression that says the exercise made them feel something they needed to feel.

Over the years, as my students’ statements became more political and as jargon (“deplorables,” “snowflakes”) supplanted the language of personal experience, I adapted the exercise. Worrying that I’d been too sanguine about possible pitfalls, I made it entirely silent, so no student would have to hear another’s troubling statement or fear being judged for their own. Any students who wanted to share their monologues with me could stay after class rather than read to the group. Later, I added another caveat: If your troubling statement is so offensive, you can’t imagine the person who says it as a full human being, choose something less troubling. Next, I narrowed the parameters: No politics. The pandemic’s virtual classes made risk taking harder; I moved the exercise deeper into the semester so students would feel more at ease.

After one session, a student stayed behind in the virtual meeting room. She’d failed to include empathy in her monologue about a character whose politics she abhorred. Her omission bothered her. I was impressed by her honesty. She’d constructed a caricature and recognized it. Most of us don’t.

For years, I’ve quietly completed the exercise alongside my students. Some days nothing sparks. When it goes well, though, the experience is disquieting. The hard part, it turns out, isn’t the empathy itself but what follows: the annihilating notion that people whose fears or joys or humor I appreciate may themselves be indifferent to all my cherished conceptions of the world.

Then the 10-minute timer sounds, and I haul myself back to the business of the classroom — shaken by the vastness of the world but more curious about the people in it. I put my trust in that curiosity. What better choice does any of us have? And in the sanctuary of my classroom I keep trying, handing along what literature handed me: the small, sturdy magic trick any of us can work, as long as we’re willing to risk it.

Rachel Kadish is the author of the novel “The Weight of Ink.”

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A man walks through knee-high water on a sidewalk next to a car parked at the curb with water over its wheels.

El Niño is starting to lose strength after fueling a hot, stormy year, but it’s still powerful − an atmospheric scientist explains what’s ahead for 2024

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Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York

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Wild weather has been roiling North America for the past few months, thanks in part to a strong El Niño that sent temperatures surging in 2023. The climate phenomenon fed atmospheric rivers drenching the West Coast and contributed to summer’s extreme heat in the South and Midwest and fall’s wet storms across the East .

That strong El Niño is now starting to weaken and will likely be gone by late spring 2024.

So, what does that mean for the months ahead – and for the 2024 hurricane season?

What is El Niño?

Let’s start with a quick look at what an El Niño is.

El Niño and its opposite, La Niña, are climate patterns that influence weather around the world. El Niño tends to raise global temperatures, as we saw in 2023, while La Niña events tend to be slightly cooler. The two result in global temperatures fluctuating above and below the warming trend set by climate change .

El Niño starts as warm water builds up along the equator in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, off South America.

A colored map shows temperature differences with a warm area just west of South America along the equator.

Typically, tropical Pacific winds blow from the east, exposing cold water along the equator and building up warm water in the western Pacific. Every three to seven years or so , however, these winds relax or turn to blow from the west. When that happens, warm water rushes to the east. The warmer-than-normal water drives more rainfall and alters winds around the world. This is El Niño .

The water stays warm for several months until, ultimately, it cools or is driven away from the equator by the return of the trade winds.

When the eastern Pacific region along the equator becomes abnormally cold, La Niña has emerged, and global weather patterns change again.

What to expect from El Niño in 2024

While the 2023-24 El Niño event likely peaked in December , it is still strong.

For the rest of winter, forecasts suggest that strong El Niño conditions will likely continue to favor unusual warmth in Canada and the northern United States and occasional stormy conditions across the southern states.

Two maps of typical winter conditions under El Nino and La Nina show the Southwest wetter and the Northwest and upper Midwest generally warmer under El Nino.

El Niño is likely to end in late spring or early summer, shifting briefly to neutral. There’s a good chance we will see La Niña conditions this fall. But forecasting when that happens and what comes next is harder.

How an El Niño ends

While it’s easy to tell when an El Niño event reaches its peak, predicting when one will end depends on how the wind blows, and everyday weather affects the winds.

The warm area of surface water that defines El Niño typically becomes more shallow toward spring. In mid-May 1998, at the end of an even stronger El Niño event , there was a time when people fishing in the warm surface water in the eastern tropical Pacific could have touched the cold water layer a few feet below by just jumping in. At that point, it took only a moderate breeze to pull the cold water to the surface, ending the El Niño event.

But exactly when a strong El Niño event reverses varies. A big 1983 El Niño didn’t end until July. And the El Niño in 1987 retreated into the central Pacific but did not fully reverse until December.

As of early February 2024, strong westerly winds were driving warm water from west to east across the equatorial Pacific.

These winds tend to make El Niño last a little longer. However, they’re also likely to drive what little warm water remains along the equator out of the tropics, up and down the coasts of the Americas. The more warm water that is expelled, the greater the chances of full reversal to La Niña conditions in the fall.

Summer and the hurricane risk

Among the more important El Niño effects is its tendency to reduce Atlantic hurricane activity .

El Niño’s Pacific Ocean heat affects upper level winds that blow across the Gulf of Mexico and the tropical Atlantic Ocean. That increases wind shear - the change in wind speed and direction with height – which can tear hurricanes apart.

The 2024 hurricane season likely won’t have El Niño around to help weaken storms. But that doesn’t necessarily mean an active season.

During the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season , El Niño’s effect on the winds was more than offset by abnormally warm Atlantic waters, which fuel hurricanes. The season ended with more storms than average.

The strange El Niño of 2023-24

Although the 2023-24 El Niño event wasn’t the strongest in recent decades, many aspects of it have been unusual.

It followed three years of La Niña conditions, which is unusually long. It also emerged quickly, from March to May 2023. The combination led to weather extremes unseen since perhaps the 1870s .

Two cars are trapped up to their widows in a mudslide that poured through a Los Angeles neighborhood. One car is parked in its driveway,

La Niña cools the tropics but stores warm water in the western Pacific. It also warms the middle latitude oceans by weakening the winds and allowing more sunshine through. After three years of La Niña, the rapid emergence of El Niño helped make the Earth’s surface warmer than in any recent year .

  • Extreme weather
  • Pacific Ocean
  • El Niño Southern Oscillation
  • Atmospheric rivers
  • Extreme storms
  • 2023 U.S. heat wave

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'Someone is writing a dissent': Ex-prosecutor says SCOTUS silence on immunity is bad for Trump

I t's been more than two weeks since a DC Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected former President Donald Trump's claim of absolute broad immunity from criminal prosecution, yet the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) still hasn't said whether it would even consider taking up the case. One legal expert thinks that's an ominous sign for Trump.

CNN reported that SCOTUS justices have met three times recently, including on Friday, though it wasn't clear what cases were discussed during those meetings. However, Randall Eliason, who is a former federal prosecutor and a George Washington University law professor, told the network that the Court's delay in announcing its next steps on the immunity case doesn't bode well for the former president.

"I think [a rejection is] the most likely reason," Eliason said when trying to explain the delay. "Someone is writing a dissent."

READ MORE: Jack Smith just tore apart Trump's 'startling' absolute immunity argument

Trump sought to have SCOTUS overrule the DC Circuit panel's 57-page ruling that he could still be prosecuted for crimes as a former president, arguing that presidents ought to have total immunity, even for acts that "cross the line." But the fact that the 6-3 conservative SCOTUS majority has yet to weigh in could mean that judges don't share the former president's point of view. Steve Vladeck, who is a Supreme Court analyst for CNN and a law professor at the University of Texas, said that a decision in Trump's benefit seems more unlikely with each passing day.

"The longer it takes the court to act on former President Trump’s application, the less likely it seems that the court’s ruling will be a precursor to some additional process," Vladeck said. "Instead, delay will increasingly augur in favor of some kind of conclusive resolution."

Should SCOTUS deny a writ of certiorari that it will take the case, the lower court's ruling would stand, meaning that the judiciary would be in agreement on the immunity question. The ball would then be back in US District Judge Tanya Chutkan's court, who may move to schedule a trial after the Court rejects Trump's immunity bid.

Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner recently opined that should US District Judge Aileen Cannon end up pushing back Trump's classified documents trial in the Southern District of Florida due to lingering pre-trial questions, that would open up a "perfect opportunity" for Chutkan to book Cannon's original May 20 trial date for Trump in DC.

READ MORE: Chutkan slams Trump in latest ruling rejecting immunity argument: No 'divine right of kings'

Related Articles:

・ Ex-Watergate prosecutor: 'Trump tactic of veiled threats' on SCOTUS justices 'will backfire'

・ Why Brett Kavanaugh already shot down Trump’s immunity-from-prosecution claim — 2 decades ago

・ Ex-federal prosecutor says Trump-appointed SCOTUS justice will shoot down immunity appeal

 Supreme Court 2022, Image via Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States

  • Artificial Intelligence

Google Chrome’s new AI can finish your sentences for you

The experimental ai feature is available in english for us-based chrome users, providing suggestions for completing online reviews, forms, messages, and more..

By Jess Weatherbed , a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.

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Illustrations depicting aspects of Google’s “Help me write” tool for Chrome.

Google has started rolling out “Help me write” — an experimental Gemini-powered generative AI feature for its Chrome browser that aims to help users write or refine text based on webpage content. Following the stable release of Chrome M122 on Tuesday, the new writing assistant is now available to try out on Mac and Windows PCs for English-speaking Chrome users in the US.

“Help me write” focuses on providing writing suggestions for shortform content, such as filling in digital surveys and reviews, enquiring about product information, or drafting descriptions for items being sold online. Google says the tool can “understand the context of the webpage you’re on” to pull relevant information into its suggestions — for example, highlighting key features mentioned on the product page for items you’re leaving a review on.

An example screenshot of Google Chrome’s “help me write” feature showing a message requesting to return a faulty bike helmet.

The “Help me write” feature has undergone some visual changes since it was first announced for Gmail during Google’s I/O event last May , now appearing as a floating application window beside the webpage text fields that are being filled with separate options to adjust length and tone. The Chrome release offers similar functionality to what Microsoft released for Edge and Bing search last year .

Users in the US will need to enable Chrome’s Experimental AI to use the feature, which can be found by clicking on Settings within the three-dot drop-down menu on Chrome desktop and then navigating to the Experimental AI page. From there, click on “Try out experimental AI features” and select “Help me write” and then “relaunch.” Users can then navigate to a webpage on Chrome and right-click on an open text field to use the writing assistant feature.

The Google support page includes a disclaimer that tells users not to provide personal information like their name, phone, address, social security number, or credit card information to the feature and that the tool shouldn’t be used on websites that contain personal or sensitive information. But if you do input such information, Google says that “Chrome will not use it for model training purposes.”

An example screenshot of Google Chrome’s “help me write” feature showing an ad for a used air fryer.

I’m not convinced the “Help me write” tool will prove very useful for most people — it’s not exactly a must-have feature driving the adoption of Edge and Copilot over the last year. The use cases provided by Google seem reasonable if the feature spits out the exact copy you need, but any time spent writing the prompts and adjusting the resulting text to suit your needs diminishes any time-saving benefits it may have provided. I can see some benefits for disabled users or people who aren’t completely fluent in English, but there’s also plenty to be concerned about — the ease with which this tool could be used to leave fake or disingenuous product reviews being one of them.

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  • Best practices
  • AI and machine learning
  • Microsoft Copilot for Security

Get the most out of Microsoft Copilot for Security with good prompt engineering

  • By Rod Trent, Senior Program Manager, Cybersecurity and AI, Microsoft
  • Microsoft Defender
  • Microsoft Defender XDR
  • Microsoft Sentinel

The process of writing, refining, and optimizing inputs—or “prompts”—to encourage generative AI systems to create specific, high-quality outputs is called prompt engineering . It helps generative AI models organize better responses to a wide range of queries—from the simple to the highly technical. The basic rule is that good prompts equal good results.

Prompt engineering is a way to “program” generative AI models in natural language, without requiring coding experience or deep knowledge of datasets, statistics, and modeling techniques. Prompt engineers play a pivotal role in crafting queries that help generative AI models learn not just the language, but also the nuance and intent behind the query. A high-quality, thorough, and knowledgeable prompt in turn influences the quality of AI-generated content, whether it’s images, code, data summaries, or text.

Prompt engineering is important because it allows AI models to produce more accurate and relevant outputs. By creating precise and comprehensive prompts, an AI model is better able to synthesize the task it is performing and generate responses that are more useful to humans.

The benefits of prompt engineering include:

Icon of an odometer.

Improving the speed and efficiency of generative AI tasks, such as writing complex queries, summarizing data, and generating content.

Graphic icon of two text bubbles.

Enhancing the skills and confidence of generative AI users—especially novices—by providing guidance and feedback in natural language.

Graphic icon of three building blocks.

Leveraging the power of foundation models, which are large language models built on transformer architecture and packed with information, to produce optimal outputs with few revisions.

Icon of a sliding graph chart.

Helping mitigate biases, confusion, and errors in generative AI outputs by fine-tuning effective prompts.

Icon of a bridge.

Helping bridge the gap between raw queries and meaningful AI-generated responses—and reduce the need for manual review and post-generation editing.

Why good prompts are important

Prompt engineering is a skill that can be learned and improved over time by experimenting with different prompts and observing the results. There are also tools and resources that can help people with prompt engineering, such as prompt libraries, prompt generators, or prompt evaluators.

The following examples demonstrate the importance of clarity, specificity, and context in crafting effective prompts for generative AI.

Examples of poor prompts for Copilot for Security.

How to use prompts in security

Prompting is very important in Copilot, as it is the main way to query the generative AI system and get the desired outputs. Prompting is the process of writing, refining, and optimizing inputs—or “prompts”—to encourage Copilot for Security to create specific, high-quality outputs.

Example of an optimal prompt providing specific instructions for the “top Microsoft Sentinel incidents created overnight.”

Effective prompts give Copilot for Security adequate and useful parameters to generate valuable responses. Security analysts or researchers should include the following elements when writing a prompt:

  • Goal : Specific, security-related information that you need.
  • Context : Why you need this information or how you’ll use it.
  • Expectations : Format or target audience you want the response tailored to.
  • Source : Known information, data source(s), or plugins Copilot for Security should use.

By creating precise and comprehensive prompts, Copilot for Security can better understand the task it is performing and generate responses that are more useful to humans. Prompting also helps mitigate biases, confusion, and errors in Copilot for Security outputs by fine-tuning effective prompts.

Output of the “top 5 Microsoft Sentinel Incidents created overnight” prompt output showing list of the requested incidents.

Save time with top prompts

Featured prompts are a set of predefined prompts that are designed to help you accomplish common security-related tasks with Copilot for Security. They are based on best practices and feedback from security experts and customers.

You can also access the featured prompts by typing a forward slash (/) in the prompt bar and selecting the one that matches your objective. For example, you can use the featured prompt “Analyze a script or command” to get information on a suspicious script or command.

Some of the featured prompts available in Copilot for Security are:

  • Analyze a script or command : This prompt helps you analyze and interpret a command or script. It identifies the script language, the purpose of the script, the potential risks, and the recommended actions.
  • Summarize a security article : This prompt helps you summarize a security article or blog post. It extracts the main points, the key takeaways, and the implications for your organization.
  • Generate a security query : This prompt helps you generate a security query for a specific data source, such as Microsoft Sentinel , Microsoft Defender XDR , or Microsoft Azure Monitor. It converts your natural language request into a query language, such as Kusto Query Language (KQL) or Microsoft Graph API.
  • Generate a security report : This prompt helps you generate a security report for a specific audience, such as executives, managers, or analysts. It uses the information from your previous prompts and responses to create a concise and informative report.

Example of the “featured prompts” tab within Microsoft Security for Copilot.

Use promptbooks to save time

A promptbook is a collection of prompts that have been put together to accomplish a specific security-related task—such as incident investigation, threat actor profile, suspicious script analysis, or vulnerability impact assessment. You can use the existing promptbooks as templates or examples and modify them to suit your needs.

Dashboard view of Promptbook examples in Microsoft Copilot for Security.

Using promptbooks in Copilot is a way to accomplish specific security-related tasks with a series of prompts that run in sequence. Each promptbook requires a specific input—such as an incident number, a threat actor name, or a script string—and then generates a response based on the input and the previous prompts. For example, the incident investigation promptbook can help you summarize an incident, assess its impact, and provide remediation steps.

Some of the promptbooks available in Copilot for Security are:

  • Incident investigation : This promptbook helps you investigate an incident by using either the Microsoft Sentinel or Microsoft Defender XDR plugin. It generates an executive report for a nontechnical audience that summarizes the investigation.
  • Threat actor profile : This promptbook helps you get an executive summary about a specific threat actor. It searches for any existing threat intelligence articles about the actor, including known tools, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators, and provides remediation suggestions.
  • Suspicious script analysis : This promptbook helps you analyze and interpret a command or script. It identifies the script language, the purpose of the script, the potential risks, and the recommended actions.
  • Vulnerability impact assessment : This promptbook helps you assess the impact of a publicly disclosed vulnerability on your organization. It provides information on the vulnerability, the affected products, the exploitation status, and the mitigation steps.

To use a promptbook, you can either type an asterisk (*) in the prompt bar and select the promptbook you want to use or select the Promptbooks button above the prompt area. Then you can provide the required input and wait for Copilot for Security to generate the response. You can also ask follow-up questions or provide feedback in the same session.

Dashboard view of how to access and search for Promptbooks within Microsoft Copilot for Security.

Common Copilot prompts

The following list of prompts is an excerpt of the Top 10 prompts infographic , which provides prompts utilized and recommended by customers and partners with great success. Use them to spark ideas for creating your own prompts.

Ten examples of suggested prompts within Microsoft Copilot for Security.

Get started with prompts in Copilot

We know creating precise and comprehensive prompts produces accurate, relevant responses. By understanding the fundamentals of good prompt engineering, security analysts can improve the speed and efficiency of generative AI tasks, mitigate biases, reduce output errors, and more—all without requiring coding experience or deep knowledge of datasets, statistics, and modeling techniques. The prompt engineering best practices described here, along with featured prompts and promptbooks included in Copilot for Security, can help security teams utilize the power of generative AI to improve their workflow, focus on higher-level tasks, and minimize tedious work.

Learn more about Microsoft Copilot for Security .

To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our  website.  Bookmark the  Security blog  to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn ( Microsoft Security ) and X ( @MSFTSecurity ) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.

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    How long does it take to write a great blog post? Step 1: Identify your topic Step 2: Do your research Original research Topical research Competitive research Step 3: Choose the type of blog post you'll write List Checklist How-to guide Interview Feature article Essay News post Case study Product review or comparison Link/article roundup

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    How-to In a how-to blog post, the blogger explains the steps the reader needs to take to complete a task. Recipe blog posts are a popular example of a how-to blog post. List-based Also known as a "listicle," a portmanteau of list and article, a list-based blog post is one that's organized as a list of related entries.

  5. How to Write a Blog Post (That People Actually Want to Read ...

    Step 1. Find a proven topic A proven topic is a topic that people want to read about. If you're familiar with the niche, then this shouldn't be a biggie. You probably already have a lot of ideas you want to cover. Open Google Docs and write all of them down (use a notepad if you prefer analog).

  6. How to write a blog post: a step-by-step guide

    How to write a blog post in 13 steps Brainstorm blog topics Refine your topic with keyword research Define your audience Create an organized outline Write engaging content Craft an irresistible headline Choose a blog template Select a blog domain name Pick relevant images Implement calls-to-action Optimize for SEO Edit and publish your blog post

  7. How to Write a Blog Post in 10 Steps

    Written by MasterClass Last updated: Dec 15, 2021 • 5 min read Writing blog posts can help an entrepreneur promote a business or help novelists supplement their creative writing. Therefore, the time spent learning how to write a blog post can serve as an investment in your broader career.

  8. How to Write a Blog Article

    A blog article could be about anything-your daily routine, a hobby you love doing, your journey writing other things, or aspects of your social life. It is a happy medium between writing creatively or academically for others and dabbling in creative writing or journaling for yourself.

  9. How to Write a Blog Post Step by Step

    Perform keyword research (step two explains how) For a data-led approach to blog post ideation, try Semrush's Topic Research tool. Click " + Enter domain to find content on .". Enter a broad topic idea. And your country and domain. Then, click " Get content ideas .". The tool will provide a variety of content ideas.

  10. How to Write a Blog Post Outline: A Simple Formula to Follow [+Tips

    How to Write a Blog Post Outline. Nail your working title. Write down as many distinct takeaways from the article as you can. Break up those takeaways into larger sections. Add more takeaways to some sections. Revise, remove, and reorganize details in each section. Include links to your examples and/or data.

  11. How to Write a Blog: Tips, Examples, and Writing Techniques

    Keyword Selection. Use keyword selection tools such as Google Trends, Keyword Planner, or Semrush. Enter the main keywords related to your niche and study the popularity of their search queries. You might start with queries like write blog post or example of a blog writing to identify popular trends in the blogging field.

  12. How to Write an Awesome Blog Post in 5 Steps

    How to Write a Blog Post, Step 1: Planning. First, a disclaimer - the entire process of writing a blog post often takes more than a couple of hours, even if you can type eighty words per minute and your writing skills are sharp. From the seed of the blog post idea to finally hitting "Publish," you might spend several days or maybe even a ...

  13. How to Create a Blog: A Beginner's Guide

    The success of a blog hinges on a lot of things like writing skills, interesting topics, and more—but regular updates are the real key. If you can't commit to a schedule, don't bother.

  14. 55 Best Blog Examples to Inspire Your Blog Journey in 2024

    A blog is a website or page that is a part of a larger website. Typically, it features articles written in a conversational style with accompanying pictures or videos. Blogging has gained immense popularity due to its enjoyable and adaptable nature, allowing for self-expression and social connections. In addition, it serves as a platform for enhancing writing skills and promoting businesses.

  15. 121 Blog Ideas and Topics to Write About

    So, you should find plenty of blog topics to write about. 5. Use Google Trends. Google Trends is a free tool that shows you trending search queries and topics for writing blogs. To get blog article ideas, go to Google Trends and search a topic. If you want, you can change the location and time period.

  16. How to Write an Article: A Step-by-Step Guide

    An article is a piece of writing that provides information, presents ideas, or discusses a topic in a structured manner. You'll find articles in newspapers, magazines, blogs, websites, and other publications. In fact, you're reading one right now. In this step-by-step guide, we'll focus on how to write an article for content marketing ...

  17. Writing an Effective Blog Post

    Ledes. The first sentence of a post should have a conversational tone and articulate the main point of the blog post. Internet readers can easily navigate away from a post, so making your lede interesting and to the point is important. Look at the opening lines from University of Wisconsin-Madison Antrhopology professor John Hawks' blog ...

  18. Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What's the Difference?

    Where most writers are lucky to get $100 a post for blog posts — and I recommend you try to make that your floor for blog writing — article rates are usually much better. I've written many at $300-$500, and many more at $600-$2,000, depending on length and complexity. Many smaller daily papers pay in the $75-$100 range for short articles ...

  19. 50+ Best Blog Examples (2023): Popular Blog Writing Examples

    24 Comments Category: Blogging We've created this article with a simple mission, to share with new bloggers some examples of successful and popular blogs on the web. Hopefully, these niche blog examples will motivate you to start your own blog . The best blogs share similar properties that make them successful:

  20. Blog vs. Article: What's the Difference Anyway?

    6 key differences between blogs and articles. Whether you're writing your own content or purchasing articles from a writer, it's important to understand the differences between blogs and articles. 1. Point of view. A blog post is often written in the first person using I or we. This fits into the narrative structure of the blog: you're ...

  21. Mastering Article Writing: Format, Objective, Examples

    8:09 am Blog Article Writing: How to Write an Article, Objective, Mistakes and Article Writing Examples Explore the art of effective article writing in our latest blog. Uncover the essential elements of format, objectives, and real-life examples that illuminate the path to impactful content creation.

  22. Grammarly Blog: Your Ultimate Writing Resource

    Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. The Grammarly blog is filled with writing tips and advice and information on grammar rules to help you write your best, wherever you write.

  23. 10 Best AI Blog Writers (& Content Generators) in 2024

    1. Jasper. Jasper is a prime example of AI-powered writing tools. It's a comprehensive AI blog writer that stands out due to its easy-to-use interface and a robust set of tools, including text and image generation, integration with Chrome extensions like Grammarly, revisions, auto-save, document sharing, and more.

  24. Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

    Charlotte Hu is a science and technology journalist based in Brooklyn, N.Y. She's interested in stories at the intersection of science and society. Her work has appeared in Popular Science ...

  25. Opinion

    "Write down a phrase you find abhorrent — something you yourself would never say." My students looked startled, but they cooperated. They knew I wouldn't collect this exercise; what they ...

  26. What to expect from El Niño in 2024

    Want to write? Write an article and join a growing community of more than 178,800 academics and researchers from 4,893 institutions. Register now. Editorial Policies; Community standards;

  27. Summarize With AI: A Comprehensive Guide

    If it's a longer work, like a book, you only need to mention the title, as the AI should be able to reference it from the internet. If it's a website or an online article, you can paste the URL in the prompt window. The writing prompt doesn't have to be complicated, but it should include everything the AI needs to know.

  28. 'Someone is writing a dissent': Ex-prosecutor says SCOTUS silence ...

    I t's been more than two weeks since a DC Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected former President Donald Trump's claim of absolute broad immunity from criminal prosecution, yet the Supreme Court ...

  29. Google's 'Help me write' tool can now finish your sentences in Chrome

    By Jess Weatherbed, a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.

  30. How to use prompts in Microsoft Copilot for Security

    Prompting is the process of writing, refining, and optimizing inputs—or "prompts"—to encourage Copilot for Security to create specific, high-quality outputs. ... Summarize a security article: This prompt helps you summarize a security article or blog post. It extracts the main points, the key takeaways, and the implications for your ...