9 Blog Post Templates for SEO, Content Marketing, and PR

Starting a blog and don’t know what content to publish? Or maybe have run out of ideas about what else to write? 

This compilation of the best blog content formats with templates will help you:

  • come up with new content formats to add to your content plan
  • decide what content type you need to produce for each stage of your customer journey
  • learn how content types correlate with SEO, marketing, and PR.

Before you start reading, make sure to download the PDF file with all the templates to keep them at hand.

Really quick before you start writing anything

You can skip this part if you know how to make your content satisfy your target audience’s needs and appear higher in search results. 

Do keyword research

A blog post that has no traffic potential is useless in most cases. And why write something that nobody would see and appreciate? That’s why you need keywords that can drive significant traffic to your site. 

Here is the most comprehensive guide on keyword research to help you find these keywords. Remember that your whole content strategy will depend on your keyword pool, so be diligent here.

Grasp the search intent

Once you’ve chosen keywords, you need to understand what a user wants while typing in this or that search query – the intent behind the keyword. It will help you decide on the content type. 

Here is how: Notionally, there are 4 types of search intent – informational, commercial, navigational, and transactional. Each of them correlates with a certain stage of a customer journey. And for each search intent, there are proper content types. 

Thus, informational keywords target the top-of-funnel content (guides, checklists, glossary posts, etc.) and beyond-funnel content (insider tips, product update posts, company news, etc). Commercial and navigational keywords target the middle-of-funnel content (product reviews, product comparisons, and case studies) and transactional bottom-of-funnel content (product reviews and case studies).

Here is a cheat sheet showing how your customer journey is intertwined with your content strategy.

customer joyrney and content funnel

For more detail, read our complete guide on search intent.

Run SERP analysis 

Once you’ve got keywords and understand what your target audience wants, you need to check out your competition. 

Quickly investigate what content types are at the top of the SERP by entering your query in the search bar and scanning the first  search results. Are they mainly listicles, how-to guides, or product pages? Take notes. 

Then go to Rank Tracker’s SERP Analysis Tool to check if you can really compete with others for a place under the sun and what is required for that. 

Download Rank Tracker

Now let’s finally see the templates.

1. Guide

  • Search intent: informational
  • Traffic: top-of-funnel
  • Keywords: short-tail (high traffic potential, high difficulty)

Guides are the most popular type of blog post. It’s these step-by-step tutorials that teach people (to do) something and help them achieve their desired goals. 

To create a GOOD guide, one needs expertise. Or at least a thorough research of the topic. The matter is that you need to instruct readers in such a way that they not only just understand your point but also see the results of following your guide.

Now, let’s look at the structure of this content type: its title, introduction, text body, and conclusion. 

Title

Your guide’s title should always include a target keyword. Mention the issue that exists, the solution you offer, and the result a user will get. Preferably, add the number of steps required. 

The common title patterns are:

  • How to [keyword] with [a proposed solution]
  • How to [achieve result] with [keyword]
  • An ultimate/complete/essential guide on [keyword] for [target audience]
  • A step-by-step tutorial on [keyword]
  • X steps to [desired result/keyword] 

Introduction

Don’t go for long introductions. Briefly mention the problem and how your article is going to solve it. It’s also great to mention the target audience to make the introduction more appealing.

As for on-page optimization, include your keyword phrase in the intro naturally.

Body

Body structure will depend on the type of guide you are going to write. If it’s a step-by-step guide, the structure will be simple.

  • H2: What is [key concept]? (An optional subheading before you proceed to the steps themselves)
  • H2: Step #1
  • H2: Step #2
  • H2: Step #3

If it’s an ultimate guide on a topic, subheadings may be the following:

  • H2: What is [key concept]?
  • H2: How does [key concept] work?
  • H2: What are the [key concept] types?
  • H2: What are the common mistakes associated with [key concept]?

A pro tip

Use Content Editor of WebSite Auditor to generate subheading ideas based on what your competitors have published. 

content editor


Download WebSite Auditor

Conclusion

Write a brief summary of what was said in the article. It may go as a numbered/bullet list or just your thoughts on the concept described above. 

To engage visitors, encourage them to share their thoughts in the comments.

Features

  • A call to action (CTA). Within the text, try to nudge your visitors into taking some action on your site. Add a CTA to invite visitors to read other related articles, subscribe to newsletters, follow you on social media, or buy your product/service. Don’t be afraid to do that several times if the article is long enough.
  • All sorts of visual aid. Infographics, screenshots, and videos will help you explain complicated stuff to your visitors and make the text more digestible. In the realm of dynamic content creation, an innovative tool that has gained popularity in recent years is the text to video generator. This tool seamlessly transforms written content into engaging visual narratives, offering an interactive way to enhance comprehension and captivate your audience.
Guide template for blogs

Examples 

2. Listicle

  • Search intent: informational, commercial
  • Traffic: top- and middle-of-funnel
  • Keywords: short-tail (high traffic potential, high difficulty)

The second most popular content type is a listicle. It's literally a list of some items: tips, apps, tools, myths, trends, mistakes, things to do, places to go, etc. 

The beauty of this type of content is that it doesn’t require deep knowledge of a subject from a writer. You can create a great viral listicle even without too much digging. 

So, if you suddenly find yourself pressed for time and with no fresh ideas in mind, write a listicle. It always works out well. 

Title

Traditionally, you should include your main keyword in the title. Besides, add the number of items that will be listed. As a rule, the bigger the number, the more catchy your headline is. Just take a look: 3 Blog Templates vs 9 Blog Templates – what would you choose? So, you should opt for a more extensive listicle at least for the sake of a catchier title and so that users get exhaustive information on a topic, of course.

Specifying a year/month to show the relevance of the compilation is also a great idea. Thus, you can attract even more traffic to your page. Compare: Top 5 SEO Tools in 2022 vs Top 5 SEO Tools

Common patterns for listicle titles are:

  • Top X [key concept] in [current/next year]
  • X best [key concept] for [target audience, desired result]
  • You can’t [get the desired result] without these X [key concept]

Introduction

Choose the shortest intro over a longer one. People search for lists to get instant gratification. They have no time for wading through some hefty text. 

Don’t forget to add a keyword here, however, it should look natural. 

Body

The structure will be simple: each new item = subheading. However, here you need to maintain consistency across all the points. For example, you can provide a short overview of each item first and then proceed to the details.

  • H2: Optional subheading needed to develop a topic
  • H2: Item 1 (overview + details)
  • H2: Item 2 (overview + details)
  • H2: Item 3 (overview + details)

Conclusion

Don’t forget to write your concluding words. You may answer the question you asked in the title or intro. For example, if you asked the question “So, what are the best places to go in Atlanta?”, your conclusion can be “There are a dozen amazing places in Atlanta for any budget and taste. Go to A and B if you are an adventure lover and if you are a nature enthusiast, C and D are the places that will win your heart.

You can also invite users to add more points to your list in the comments. It will make your post more engaging.

Features

  • Visual aids. Pictures, photos, and videos will come with a bang in listicles. 
  • Add links to each item listed if applicable. It’s a sign of good manners to provide links to listed items. 
  • Self-presentation. If you/your product is on the list, place yourself at the beginning of it and prove you are #1. 
  • Add a call to action. Listicles have commercial potential, so try to convert your visitors and push them further into a funnel.
listicle post template for blog

Examples

3. Case study

  • Search intent: commercial/navigational
  • Traffic: middle-of-funnel
  • Keywords: both long- and short-tail (average traffic potential, relatively high difficulty)

Case studies are a rather specific type of content and extremely efficient in terms of SEO, sales, and PR. They drive traffic and gain backlinks, encourage users to buy, and are a great way to build a brand reputation.

In essence, these are real-life examples that show how these or that results were achieved with the help of your services or your products. They are supposed to “show off” the value of your offer. That’s why case studies are especially beneficial for SEO agencies and individual professionals.

Title 

Usually, content writers title such content in two ways: 

  • How [target audience] [achieved the desired results] in [period of time]
  • [Brand] Case Study: How to [achieve the desired results] in [period of time]

They also say two numbers in a title attract more attention, so use some numbers to denote the results and/or the time it took to achieve them. For example, “How [your client] grew revenue by X% in just X months using [your product/service]”

Introduction

Case studies love a good introduction part (unlike listicles, where you can totally neglect it).

Here, speak in brief about the things that interest your audience: the exact problem that existed, how you decided to cope with it, and your results.

Body 

  • H2: TL;DR part: client’s name, industry, the product/service used, and quick result stats.
  • H2: Who is the object (customer)?
  • H2: What are their problems and goals?
  • H2: What is the solution found? How did you help your customer?
  •      H3: Step 1 and the benefits it brought
  •      H3: Step 2 and the benefits it brought
  •      H3: Step 3 and the benefits it brought
  • H2: What are the results? (in detail)

Conclusion

Write a quick summary and give advice to those who face similar issues. Use a CTA to encourage readers to buy/use your product or service. 

Features 

  • Quotes and comments of your case study subject. You should let your clients tell the story. Thus, your case study will be more credible.
  • Screenshots and infographics. Graphs, charts, and screenshots act as proof of case study reliability. They also benefit the readability of your text.
case study template for blog

Examples

4. Product review

  • Search intent: commercial/transactional
  • Traffic: bottom-of-funnel
  • Keywords: long-tail (average traffic potential, low difficulty)

A product review is an opinion or/and objective assessment of a product or service. Netizens love searching for this type of post when deciding on what product or service to buy. 

Obviously, you can’t review your own or your competitors’ products. So, usually, it’s always 3rd party reviewers who choose such type of content. 

Title

As a rule, product review titles are all similar in their structure: it’s always an object + the word review, e.g., SEO PowerSuite Tools Review.

You can also add a question or conclusion as well, e.g., SEO PowerSuite Review: Is It Really Worth the Money? or SEO PowerSuite Review: It Is Really Worth the Money.

Introduction

Introduction for product reviews is vital. Describe why and for how long you’ve been using a service or product. Besides that, tell readers what features you are going to expand on in your review. 

Body 

Product review structures are pretty simple and repetitive.

  • H2: What is the product and why people might need it
  • H2: Feature 1, e.g. ease of use
  • H2: Feature 2, e.g. technical characteristics
  • H2: Feature 3, e.g. pricing

Conclusion

Deliver the verdict. There should be a bottom line of whether you would recommend the product or service. It’s also a good idea to include a pros and cons table to summarize your experience. 

Features

  • TL;DR at the beginning if your review is too detailed and long.
  • Combining reviews with affiliate marketing to get a commission. You may leave affiliate links in your content and get a passive income. 
product review post template for blog

Examples

5. Product comparison

  • Search intent: commercial/transactional
  • Traffic: bottom-of-funnel
  • Keywords: long-tail (average traffic potential, low difficulty)

This is the type of blog post where you compare two or more products to find out which one is the best. As a rule, these products or services are of the same category, very close in functionality – in a word, direct competitors. 

You can compare products as a 3rd party independent reviewer. You can also compare your own product with competitors’ (to show off your advantages, of course). 

Title

The most common pattern met across the internet is the following: 

  • A vs. B: [a Question] (who is the winner, who does [action] better, etc.

Introduction

Here you need to introduce both subjects of comparison and mention all the aspects you are going to break down: size, color, price, etc.

Body

There will be a more complicated structure as you need to describe and compare not 1 but 2 and more subjects.

You can go several ways: describe one product’s features one by one and then proceed to the second product. There is a variation of this approach: you can also provide reasons why the first product is better and then describe the beneficial features of the second product. Another way is to take one comparison point and compare two products within it.

H2: Product 1

  • H3: Feature 1
  • H3: Feature 2
  • H3: Feature 3

H2: Product 2

  • H3: Feature 1
  • H3: Feature 2 
  • H3: Feature 3

 

H2: Product 1: why it’s better

  • H3: Feature 1
  • H3: Feature 2

H2: Product 2: why it’s better

  • H3: Feature 3
  • H3: Feature 4

 

 

H2: Feature 1

  • H3: Product 1
  • H3: Product 2

H2: Feature 2

  • H3: Product 1
  • H3: Product 2

H2: Feature 3

  • H3: Product 1
  • H3: Product 2

Conclusion 

In your conclusion, you should recommend which product, service, or company is the best choice for a particular task, outcome, or budget.

Features

  • Comparison charts. All sorts of tables are welcome in product comparison posts. They make information more understandable and easily perceived.
  • Rating stars. Include them in the TL;DR or in the conclusion. 
product comparison template for blog

Examples

6. Glossary post

  • Search intent: informational
  • Traffic: top-of-funnel
  • Keywords: short-tail (high traffic potential, high difficulty)

By glossary post, I mean a post for a niche-related term and a term related to your product/service exclusively. For example, What is PageRank requires a glossary post, as well as What is inLink Rank.

As a rule, such posts get their own category on a blog or site – a Wiki, FAQ, Glossary, or whatever you call it. 

Glossary posts are loved by brands as they drive a lot of beginners to their sites, so it's a great way to collect the top-of-funnel traffic. 

Title

There is a common title pattern for glossary posts, which is quite simple:

  • What is [key concept]

However, you can make it more descriptive, depending on what aspects you cover in your post: 

  • [Key concept]: [Aspects] (Definition, Examples, Pros and Cons, Symptoms, etc.) 

Introduction

Go for a short intro that tells users what aspects you are going to disclose in your post. There is no need for a long detailed introduction.

Body

You should describe all the basics without making the post too long. It’s a definition post, not an ultimate guide. The structure is free here, there is no single pattern for that. For each niche, it may be specific though.

Possible headings:

  • H2: What [concept] is 
  • H2: Where and when [concept is used]
  • H2: Some related tips

Conclusion

Sum up the important information given in a text and add a CTA. Just like with an introduction, there is no need to write long conclusions.

Features

  • Links to related articles and landing pages. It’s great for internal linking – you can link from glossary posts to more in-depth articles. There also can be the other way around – instead of explaining each term over and over again in your articles, you can provide links to these definitions. 
glossary post template

Examples

7. Expert roundup

  • Search intent: informational
  • Traffic: top-of-funnel
  • Keywords: short-tail (high traffic potential, high difficulty)

An expert roundup post features several experts’ citations on a topic. 

It’s one of the most interesting content types on the web. Expert roundups help you establish relationships with big names in the industry, promoting your own name. Plus, these experts will provide you with pieces of ready-made text, which you later need to shape into a beautiful post. That will save a bit of time for more important tasks. 

Note that you can either reach out to the selected experts directly or take their quotes from their already published materials and social media. 

Title 

Usually, expert roundups are titled in one of the following ways:

  • Experts give advice on [key concept]
  • What experts think of [key concept] 

There are always words like experts, doctors, engineers – any professionals related to your topic. 

Introduction

You tell a bit about the subject matter and then mention the experts that shared their knowledge specially for this article.

Body 

Again, only your imagination is the limit when it comes to your post structure. The most frequently used ones are to put quotes within your context or to base your points on their words.

H2: Statement #1

Expert quote #1

H2: Statement #2

Expert quote #2

Contradicting expert quote #3

H2: The 1st expert’s advice 

H2: The 2nd expert’s advice

H2: The 3rd expert’s advice

  

 

 

Conclusion

Write a brief conclusion and point to another resource – some related articles or a newsletter subscription form. The matter is that expert roundup posts get shared a lot on social media, they’ll often be read by people who don’t know you yet. What you need is to push them deeper into your funnel.

Features

  • Different point of views on the question. Contradictory opinions are always interesting to read.
  • Photos and social media links for each expert. That’s good manners. 
expert roundup template

Examples

8. Company news 

  • Search intent: informational
  • Traffic: beyond-funnel
  • Keywords: any

Company news is like a press release, but for your own blog or category on a site. It’s less strict, and not so formal – you tell what’s new in your company and how it will change the lives of your users. Thus, on the one hand, you talk about yourself but on the other hand, you highlight how you can benefit users even more.

If it’s a new business partnership or integration or anything you would like people to know about, it belongs to the News section of your blog. You can also find such posts placed in a separate subsection Newsroom/News.

Title

There is no specific pattern you should follow as it always will be something different. But you can check out some examples:

  • We reached [certain milestone] with [reason]
  • New [data] tells us [something interesting]
  • New partnership with [x] that will [make your life somehow better]

Introduction

Briefly, tell users what you are going to disclose in the post and engage users to read it. 

Body

  • H2: Describe the news (not in many words - quite briefly)
  • H2: Expand on who is involved, when and where it happened, and why it is important
  • H2: Tell how it will benefit users

Conclusion

Draw a quick conclusion. Also, you can ask readers to stay tuned. 

Features

  • Quotes of the company’s employee who is responsible for this part of the job (head of customer support, business analyst, owner, etc. )
  • A CTA to invite users to take action on your site: sign up for a newsletter, try a demo, contact customer support, etc. 
  • Social share buttons to encourage users to spread the news.
  • Pitching your news to reporters if you decide not to create separate press releases.
company news template for blog

Examples

9. Product update announcement 

  • Search intent: informational
  • Traffic: beyond-funnel
  • Keywords: any

Product updates are almost always the result of users’ requests. So, when companies improve their products, they need to announce that. This way, a company can say, “We care and we try to be better for you”. 

So, in a product update post, you need to tell users how this or that update makes your customer’s life easier, and what problems it solves. And not that you are so cool and hardworking – no. 

Title

Make your title clear. Use the signal words new, introduce, meet, announce, etc.

  • Introducing [product name] for [purpose]
  • Do [action] with our new [feature]

Introduction

Write a couple of sentences about the problem that existed and that you can now solve it with this or that new feature. Tell users what you hope to accomplish with it.

Body

  • H2: Details of a new feature 
  • H2: How exactly it will help users 
  • H2: Provide instruction on how to use this new feature

Conclusion

Instead of a conclusion, write a strong CTA to push readers to try out this new feature. Also, offer to contact customer support for troubleshooting or if any questions arise. 

Features

  • Visuals to enhance your text. Include photos of a new product, GIFs of how the new feature works, and a short video explainer. 
  • Links to related news or other relevant articles within your blog. 
  • A link to a contact form that goes straight to your marketing team, if you think there’s a chance reporters will want to reach out. 
  • Testimonials from beta testers. If there was a group of users who tried out your new feature before it was released, share their opinion.
product update template for blog

Examples

Why do you need to use them all?

The great thing about having a wide variety of content types on your blog is that it gives you lots of different ways to address readers. 

It also provides you with a chance to target a large range of keywords in your niche, improving your blog’s SEO and thus ranking higher on Google. Let alone it’s your opportunity to improve your brand authority. 

Now, tell us what content you prefer. Do you have suggestions on what other types of content should have been included in this list? Feel free to share your thoughts in our Facebook community and on social media. We are always happy to hear from you.


 
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