Choose what type of blog post you’re writing
Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2025 1:21 pm
Blog posts come in many forms — there’s no one-size-fits-all structure. Choosing a format helps guide how you present the information. Of course, if you just start writing, the type may determine itself.
Here are some of the most common formats:
The List-Based Post (Listicle): Example: 7 Simple Ways to Build Better Habits
The “What Is” Post (Definitions or Explainers): Example: What Is Email Segmentation (and Why It Matters)
The Pillar Page Post (“Ultimate Guide”): Example: The Ultimate Guide to Content Strategy
The Newsjacking luxembourg telemarketing database Post: Example: What [Popular Movie] Teaches Us About Brand Nostalgia
The “How-To” Post (Tutorials or Instructions): Example: How to Launch a Lead Magnet in 24 Hours
Opinion / Thought Leadership Post: Example: Why “Authenticity” in Marketing Is Missing the Point
Curated Collection/Roundup Post: Example: 10 Smart Marketers You Should Follow on LinkedIn
Case Study / Storytelling Post: Example: How We Increased Webinar Signups by 312% (Without Paid Ads)
Comparison Post: Example: Substack vs. WordPress: Which Platform Is Right for Your Blog?
FAQ / Problem-Solving Post: Example: Should You Start a Blog in 2025? (Spoiler: Yes)
Behind-the-Scenes or Personal Post: Example: What Writing a Blog Post Every Week Taught Me About Focus
And, you might just find your own rhythm blends a few of these together from time to time. Mine do!
Save time and download blog post templates for free.
2. Choose a topic you and your audience both care about.
Your topic can be more general to start. If your company sells a CRM for small-to-enterprise businesses, your post might cover using a single software to align your marketing, sales, and service teams.
Some people argue against writing a “how-to” as your first blog post because you don’t have credibility yet.
I disagree. How-to posts are some of the easiest to write when it’s about things you know well. And if your audience wants to know, then dive on in.
That said, I have two problems with how-to posts:
They can get prohibitively long…because where do you stop??
AI makes it easier to get the how-to answers without doing a lot of digging.
So what should you do instead?
I encourage you to think about how you approach the problem and share that.
What mistakes do people make?
If you teach them how to think about things, you’re delivering more value and showing how you think, which means they’ll reach out to you when it’s time to call in an expert.
Pro tip: Still stuck on topics? Do a free writing exercise where you set a timer, say 10 minutes, and jot down all the topics you can think about and then narrow them down to one that’s interesting to you.
Here are some of the most common formats:
The List-Based Post (Listicle): Example: 7 Simple Ways to Build Better Habits
The “What Is” Post (Definitions or Explainers): Example: What Is Email Segmentation (and Why It Matters)
The Pillar Page Post (“Ultimate Guide”): Example: The Ultimate Guide to Content Strategy
The Newsjacking luxembourg telemarketing database Post: Example: What [Popular Movie] Teaches Us About Brand Nostalgia
The “How-To” Post (Tutorials or Instructions): Example: How to Launch a Lead Magnet in 24 Hours
Opinion / Thought Leadership Post: Example: Why “Authenticity” in Marketing Is Missing the Point
Curated Collection/Roundup Post: Example: 10 Smart Marketers You Should Follow on LinkedIn
Case Study / Storytelling Post: Example: How We Increased Webinar Signups by 312% (Without Paid Ads)
Comparison Post: Example: Substack vs. WordPress: Which Platform Is Right for Your Blog?
FAQ / Problem-Solving Post: Example: Should You Start a Blog in 2025? (Spoiler: Yes)
Behind-the-Scenes or Personal Post: Example: What Writing a Blog Post Every Week Taught Me About Focus
And, you might just find your own rhythm blends a few of these together from time to time. Mine do!
Save time and download blog post templates for free.
2. Choose a topic you and your audience both care about.
Your topic can be more general to start. If your company sells a CRM for small-to-enterprise businesses, your post might cover using a single software to align your marketing, sales, and service teams.
Some people argue against writing a “how-to” as your first blog post because you don’t have credibility yet.
I disagree. How-to posts are some of the easiest to write when it’s about things you know well. And if your audience wants to know, then dive on in.
That said, I have two problems with how-to posts:
They can get prohibitively long…because where do you stop??
AI makes it easier to get the how-to answers without doing a lot of digging.
So what should you do instead?
I encourage you to think about how you approach the problem and share that.
What mistakes do people make?
If you teach them how to think about things, you’re delivering more value and showing how you think, which means they’ll reach out to you when it’s time to call in an expert.
Pro tip: Still stuck on topics? Do a free writing exercise where you set a timer, say 10 minutes, and jot down all the topics you can think about and then narrow them down to one that’s interesting to you.