INTRODUCTION:

Your “how to” blog post should teach the reader how to do something by breaking it down into a series of steps.

Begin your blog post by explaining what problem you are going to solve through your explanation and be sure to include any relevant keywords. Add in a personal story to establish your credibility on this topic. And make sure to end your blog post with a summary of what your reader will gain by following your lead.

Need some inspiration? Check out these “How-To” examples from the HubSpot blog:

• How to Write a Blog Post: A Simple Formula to Follow
• How to Do Keyword Research: A Beginner’s Guide
• How to Write an Effective Meta Description (Yes, They Still Matter)

BODY:

Now deliver what you promised in the first section. This is the longest part of the post, so make it easy to read. Use short paragraphs, bullet lists, and bold headings to set different sections apart.

Some common section headers include:

STEP 1: GETTING STARTED

STEP 2: DO YOUR BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON…

STEP 3: FIRST STEPS FOR…

STEP 4: ANALYZE AND REPEAT

STEP 5: WRAPPING UP

You can use bulleted lists, numbered list, or multiple headings. Include as many steps, numbers, or bullets that will allow you to discuss your topic thoroughly.

Here are some pointers to make the best possible body of your blog:

• Include visuals
• Include short explanatory phrases in your headers
• At the end, transition into your conclusion

CONCLUSION:

Now it’s time to say goodbye and wrap up your post. Remind your readers of your key takeaway, reiterate what your readers need to do to get the desired result, and ask a question about how they see the topic to encourage comments and conversation. Don’t forget to add a Call-to-Action to turn your blog post into a marketing machine!

Congratulations! What a lovely how-to post you’ve created.

The Buyer Journey is the process a potential customer goes through from the initial realisation stage, to the decision stage where they make the purchase. It’s imperative for content marketers to understand the Buyer Journey as only then will they truly be able to understand their customer’s approach, needs and values. To help you appeal to your ideal customer, we take you through the step-by-step process a buyer will go through on their journey.

AWARENESS STAGE

At the awareness stage, the potential buyer will be coming to the realisation that they are in need of a certain product by experiencing and expressing symptoms of a problem or opportunity.

The customer will be undertaking educational research to more clearly understand, frame and put a name to what they need, whether they view it as a problem or opportunity.

The content types that work best during the awareness stage include educational content, such as white papers.

CONSIDERATION STAGE

At the consideration stage, the potential buyer has defined and named their problem or opportunity. They are starting to research and understand the various available approaches and methods to help solve their problem or opportunity.

The content type that works best at the consideration stage includes expert guides and videos.

DECISION STAGE

At the decision stage, the potential buyer has decided what their strategy will be and has compiled a list of all available vendors and products. They’ll be continuing to research each of these vendors and products before ultimately making the final purchase decision.

The content types that appeal at the decision stage include case studies and product literature.

To find out more about Zest’s content services, get in touch with our dedicated team.