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Whether it’s “How to Make a Video on Tik Tok” or “How to write an effective blog post”, people are searching how to do things on Google all the time. And you can help them find answers with such a post on your blog.
A “How To” post gives your readers a step-by-step guide to doing just about any task. These blogs are also an incredible opportunity for your business to position itself as a selfless, customer-focused company as you present a tactical approach to solving problems or addressing a need without asking for anything in return. This helps your company be synonymous with trust.
Writing these posts also helps the business blog rank through a Google featured snippet, that is, in the box that appears in Google search results with a few words that answer a question. You can see an example below.
A “How To” post is the best resource for addressing topics such as the following:
- Mathematical explanations, for example: “How to calculate the Net Promoter Score?”.
- Strategies for tackling a complex task, for example: “How to set and achieve marketing goals.”
- Summarize step-by-step instructions for an easily addressable task, for example: “How to repost on Instagram.”
Follow the blog post title rule for your “how to” article
Make sure the title begins with the phrase “How to …” and is less than 60 characters long.
Introduction
Go to the post with a short 100-200 word introduction. Don’t forget to highlight the following:
- The reason you are speaking.
- To whom, what industry or what sector does it apply.
- What topics you will cover, for example: “In this post, we will explain why (term) is important, tell you how (term) and provide you a few suggestions if you are new to (term).”
What is a Term and why is it important?
Some readers may have no idea what you are trying to explain. For this reason, it is important to consider the present section to develop the concept. In case it’s obvious, you can skip the definition.
After defining the term, explain why it is important that the reader understand this idea and/or know how to do what you are writing about.
How to do the homework
This section should make up the majority of the writing. It is very important that each step has its own heading for clarity for the reader and for search engine optimization. In addition, dividing the instructions into sections also allows you to include visual aids in each step if necessary; this can be through a GIF, image or video.
It is important that you remember to be clear, concise and precise in the steps you provide. Any additional “imprecision” in the article could confuse them, causing some readers to not achieve the results they expected.
If what you are explaining is the solution of an equation (for example: “How to find the breakeven point”), provide a step-by-step explanation and an example of how to calculate the desired rate, point, or metric. Try to be as detailed as possible.
Tips and reminders for [Term] (optional)
If you are tackling a complex concept or task, some readers may feel overwhelmed or unsure. Add some suggestions on how to better explain the concept and/or a few reminders about it. This is not a list, so it only includes three to five tips.
If you think the step-by-step approach is sufficient, you can choose not to include this section.
Closing your “How to” blog
End your post with a great ending. Develop the key conclusion you want your readers to stick with and recommend other resources on your website.
Take advantage of Call to action (CTA) and anchor text
Last but not least, put a call to action at the end of the post. This should be lead-generating content or a sales-focused landing page from a demo or query. You can also push your affiliate URL from here. An anchor text linking to another internal page from your website is a good practice and you can have them easily.
Checklist before publishing and finalizing your “How to” post
- Did you provide clear and practical steps to accomplish the task your reader needed help with?
- Provide relevant and accurate data and statistics to demonstrate your understanding of the concept?
- Highlight the importance of understanding this concept?
- Did you cite and link to your sources correctly?
- Did you check and correct the spelling?
- Is there at least one or two images?
- Is the post at least 800-1000 words long?