How To Write Your First Blog Post [In 7 Easy Steps]

Writing the first post on a blog can be an extremely intimidating prospect.

But I’m here to show you why it doesn’t have to be.

I’ll also give you an easy 7-step process to follow so you can publish with confidence, making sure your first blog post hits the mark (and doesn’t embarrass you later!).

Let’s go!

How To Write Your First Blog Post [In 7 Easy Steps]

I remember the first time I hit “publish” on the first post on a blog. It was back in 2013 and I’d just decided to become a professional blogger.

I can still remember the heady mix of joy and fear that accompanied me hitting that publish button.

But in fact, once the post was live, I felt a distinct sense of anticlimax.

Why?

Because no one was reading it.

Always remember: a new blog is invisible to Google. Nobody will find it in the search engines.

Hence, nobody will read the first post on a blog for a very long time (unless you share it on your social media).

Another thing to remember: a blog is a living document. Even if your first post IS terrible (and if you follow my steps it won’t be), you have plenty of time to go back and improve it.

Basically, you’re safe. I hope that take some of the pressure off.

Another thing that makes it easier to get started is having a clear process to follow. Let’s take a look at how to write your first blog post in 7 easy steps.

#1. Start with keywords in mind

Your first blog post should never be an “about me/introductory” type of post all about yourself (well, not unless you’re creating your blog as a personal journal, or maybe if you’re a celebrity).

Instead, your first blog post should cover a topic that’s directly relevant to the product or service you intend to sell. After all, we’re talking about profitable blogging here, not hobby blogging.

I always tell my clients to start thinking about SEO from the very beginning of their blogging journey.

That means you need to think about the words and phrases people will type into Google to end up landing on your blog.

For example, if you’re selling your services as a blogger coach, then your first post should be related to teaching people about a certain aspect of blogging.

The best way to get started is by typing a broad search term that’s relevant to your business into Google and looking at the questions that come up in the People also ask section.

These questions or represent things other people are searching for that relate to your business. Any one of them could be a valid choice as the main keyword for your first blog post. They’re also good choices because as “long tail keywords”, they’re usually easier to rank.

I’d recommend choosing a question starting with “how to XYZ”. These keywords typically provide good scope for creating a detailed instructional blog post, while also helping you build up initial authority in your niche and showcase your knowledge.

#2. Analyze the competition

Another key step in the keyword-first blogging process is checking out what your competitors are doing. Never copy your competitors, but let them be your guides.

You should always do this for every new blog post you write, but it’s especially important for the first post on a blog.

The easiest way to do it is just to Google your main target keyword (that you chose in step #1), and look at the top 10 search results. What sort of articles are ranking for this keyword? And what sort of websites are they on?

Can you find lots of “how to” guides showing up? If so, it’s a good sign Google wants this sort of content and is rewarding it by ranking it high in search.

Always keep in mind, Google’s job is to give the searcher the best possible content to answer their query. Your job is to make sure that content is on your blog. The first post on a blog is a great way to hit the ground running.

#3. Get the search intent right

The job of your blog post is to give the searcher what they’re looking for.

The four main types of search intent:

1. Navigational – the user wants to find something (e.g. “Facebook login”)
2. Informational – the user wants to learn about something (e.g. “how to brew specialty coffee”)
3. Commercial – the user wants to research a potential purchase idea and compare options (e.g. “best SEO tools for bloggers”)
4. Transactional – the user wants to purchase something (e.g. “buy MacBook Pro 14 inch”)

It’s not always clear exactly what search intent is, so the best way to to Google your target keyword and check what sort of posts are ranking in the top 10 results. You should follow a similar format.

#4. Structure your blog post so Google understands it

To rank your blog post, search engines first have to understand what it’s all about. That means structuring your blog post in a specific way. Here’s a very simple formula to follow.

Include your main target keyword in the following locations:

• Post title
• URL slug
• First 10% of the body text (first paragraph)
• Meta description
• One H2 header

That should be enough to inform search engines of the topic of your blog post. Make sure you don’t keyword stuff and only use keywords where they fit naturally into the flow of the text.

#5. Plan the next 5 posts around the first

It’s best to plan your blog posts in topic clusters, which means finding a bunch of related keywords and writing a blog posts around a specific topic.

That way, your internal linking structure will be stronger and your blog post will have more authority. So once you’ve published the first post on a blog, choose five related topic areas for the next post.

In general, you should always think in topic clusters rather than just random keywords (although each blog post still needs its own target keyword).

#6. Use smart tools to fine-tune your writing

Not confident about your writing? These tools can help.

• Grammarly – Great for improving your grammar, flow, and sentence structure
• Jasper AI – writing assistant designed specifically for bloggers and marketers, with lots of pre-built prompts
• ChatGPT – useful free tool for outlining, and producing other components of a blog post.
• Rank Math – provides useful guidelines for getting your SEO right, along with other handy tools
• Hemingway – helps you convert complex sentences into simple ones

#7. Be patient

Finally, once you’ve written the first post on a blog, your next job is to be patient. One blog post is not enough to show up on search engines.

The best thing you can do is to publish it and immediately move onto the next one. Keep building out topic clusters and publishing content, and eventually you’ll start to see progress in the rankings.

Final Thoughts

One of the biggest hurdles as a beginner blogger is figuring out how to write your first blog post.

But once you’ve published the first post on a blog, all the rest will be much easier. Take it from somebody who’s been doing this for over 10 years.

If you still feel anxious, remember these two important tips:

1. No one will read your first blog post for a while, because Google needs time to rank a new website. Unless you share it on social media, of course!
2. A blog is a living document, so you can go back and update/improve the first blog post whenever you want.

Are you ready to start a profitable blog but would prefer professional guidance? I’m now offering blogger coaching services so you can do it the efficient way (rather than wasting many months, as I did in the past).