Points Checklist Before You Publish

Pointschecklistb E F O R E Y O Uh I T P U B L I S Hu P T H E R E A

Pointschecklistb E F O R E Y O Uh I T P U B L I S Hu P T H E R E A

POI NTS CHECK LIST B E F O R E Y O U H I T P U B L I S H U P T H E R E A C H 37 Hi! I'm Shweta. I know how difficult it is to write an article. You need to scratch your head hard and type till your fingers bleed. What if you miss one small step and the final piece just don't work for you? You don't want it to happen to you right? Therefore, I've created this checklist against which you can match your article. If you want to read more about this topic, please visit my blog 32 H E L L O & W E L C O M E ! Does it clearly state the value it provides? It should talk about ONE main idea No jargons in the headline 1 I s i t c l e a r ? HEADLINE 3 Does it have a unique angle? Adding a number to the headline denotes a tangible takeaway from the post. add a number eg., 7 strategies to produce consistent content on your blog add a percentage, e.g., how to grow your traffic by 300% add term e.g., How I got 5000 subscribers in 30day 2 Is it specific? Criticising an established practice Offering some template or downloadable material Simplify complex information (Infographic) Don't criticise for the sake of it! However, don't keep mum if you are against a general practice or belief followed in your industry. Raising your voice will not only get you noticed but also build authority. 4 Did you check the length of the title? Twitter: 71-100 characters Facebook: 40 characters Google+: 60 characters LinkedIn: 80-120 characters Google/ Search Engine--- you can write 70 characters before Google truncates the matter with ellipses (...) Emails: 50 character Grab this nugget of free advice from Copyblogger- How to write magnetic headlines Fear - beware, blunder, collapse, dumb, fail Shocking stats or fact: surprising, awe-inspiring, jaw- dropping, unspeakable Evoking curiosity: know, how, what made it, Encouragement- awe-inspiring, defeat, delight, epic, guts Evoking Anger: annoying, bullshit, dirty, evil, dishonest 5 Did you use power words? Here is a list of 500 words you can use in your headline that can trigger emotions. Does your headline evoke any of these emotions? 6 The 50/50 rule 7 Is there any adjective in the headline? Did you spend enough time framing your headline? Create 10/12 versions Think about what your audience would type to find that information 8 Did you give them the reason to click? We add adjectives to the headlines and sentences to amplify the impact of the following word. Best, essential, gorgeous, great, horrific, horrifying, important, inspire, kickass, killer, lousy, mind-blowing, most, persuasive, simple, success, ultimate, useful, valuable Eg., 9 killer ideas for your new startup Show them the result. Eg., How to look five years younger Bonus Tip: Write the headline after writing the complete article. 9 Where have you placed the Keyword? Run it through Co-Schedule Headline Analyser Readers are influenced by the first and last three words of the headline. Eg., SEO strategy: the power of three Lastly, check your headline in the headline analyser tool. Coschedule rates your headline on various factors like number of words power words emotional words etc. 12 Your Introduction can be any of the following: Try to be succinct in your first line. Dense content looks scary! Don’t write more than â…” lines per paragraph. 1 1 I s y o u r 1 s t s e n t e n c e c o n c i s e ? INTRODUCTION A Hook personalisation a fact a quote a story 10 Run it through the headline analyser Check my blog post for more details A sub-head grabs attention with its big and bold size redirects the reader’s attention to your article. 1 3 H a v e y o u i n c l u d e d s u b h e a d i n g s ? Body 14 Is your Style of Writing apt for your audience? Who is your audience What should be your voice (formal or informal) Determine your tone: choice of words, grammar, sentence structure etc. 15 Is your article balanced? 16 Did you add Images? 20% Intro 20% Conclusion 60% Main Body (Check for skewness) Rename the image file before upload Resize the image so that it does not impact the speed of your site. Always add alt text, it helps search engines to index the image properly. 17 Did you add bullet points? Acts as a breather, and makes your article scannable and easy to consume. 18 Did you use 'you'? Talk about “Youâ€, Your Problemâ€, Your Situation†and “Your Storyâ€. Asking questions immediately prompts the brain to take action. Hence, it becomes more attentive while reading the text. 19 Did you ask questions in the article? 21 Is your conclusion concise? Guide them from where they should start Eliminate their concerns by clarifying doubts - like the time it may take to implement your advice show them success examples (who implemented your solution) that can instil confidence The conclusion is the best place to ask them to like, comment below, subscribe, download or whatever action you want them to take. 2 0 D i d y o u a d d a C a l l t o A c t i o n ? CONCLUSION 22 Does it help ease their concerns? Keep it crisp and concise in words. The conclusion should only discuss the summary or the main points you’ve discussed in the article. Never address new issues in the last. 23 Did you label it? Put a heading to your conclusion. It can be ‘Conclusion’, ‘Wrapping it up’, ‘Now What’, ‘Summary’ etc. 24 Ask a question Asking a question, in the end, prompts your readers to comment on your article. 1- What are your views on the post? 2- How did you come over this problem? (Encourage them to share their part of the story.) 3- What are your favourite tools, strategies that have worked for you. (If it is a list-article) Did you add this free plugin to your WordPress site? Allow your readers to share your thoughts with their Twitter audience in a single click. 2 6 C l i c k - t o - t w e e t POST-WRITING 27 Show related reads Add a free plugin, and you’re up to keep your audience sweet. 28 Linking to other posts internally check at how many places you can include internal links. Interlinking reduces the bounce rate and increases engagement on your site. It also helps in Search Engine Optimisation. check if you have linked to the correct page 29 Check all the linked sources Think what sweetener you may give to your readers Short and inspiring words: Live life king size Good, Better, Best! Let’s do it 25 End with a quote check if the source of information is authentic (check the DA of that site) don't refer to a study more than three years old Do you have a pallet of â…” chosen colours for your brand? Choose 2/3 fonts for your blog And, a consistent writing style 3 2 A r e y o u r v i s u a l s c o n s i s t e n t t h r o u g h o u t t h e b l o g ? BRAND CONSISTENCY 31 Did you include important data to give credence to your points? Download this list of 297 flabby words to avoid in your writing. Check for the following words in your text and chuck them off. 1-Adverbs Really, Actually, quickly. Most of the adverbs end in ‘ly’. 2- Vague words: About, nearly, things. 3- words that make you look unconfident According to me, I think, maybe. 30 Words to avoid 36 Keyword Density 35 Reading Score Did you run it through the free tool called Hemingway? Try to aim anything below 6. Take a note of this link below Create a free login and paste your article into the tool. It will give a density report that you can download also. 37 Did you check the size of your images? Did you check the size of your images? Here are the image dimensions that work for each platform. Facebook: 940x788 px Pinterest: 735x1102 px Instagram: 1080x1080 Twitter: 1024x512 px Check out this super helpful post on how to use one image for multiple social media sharing. networks/ Editing tools like Grammarly and SEO plugins like Yoast will scan your article for the passive voice. 34 Actively avoid the passive voice Don’t aim for a score of 100. When you are writing conversationally, you will end up breaking many grammar rules. Just make sure there are no critical errors in the article. 3 3 D i d y o u c h e c k c r i t i c a l G r a m m a r m i s t a k e s ?

Paper For Above instruction

Creating a well-crafted article or blog post requires meticulous attention to various elements that enhance readability, engagement, and SEO performance. This comprehensive checklist serves as a guide to ensure your content is optimized from the initial idea to the final publish. From crafting compelling headlines to effective post-writing strategies, adhering to these points will improve the quality and reach of your content.

Headline Clarity and Effectiveness: The headline should clearly communicate the main idea without jargon. It should have a unique angle, possibly including numbers or percentages to attract attention. The length must suit the platform's character limits, and it should evoke emotions or curiosity through power words. Including adjectives, reasons to click, and target keywords can significantly increase click-through rates. Always write the headline after completing the article for the best results, and run it through headline analyser tools like CoSchedule for optimization.

Introduction and Subheading Strategy: The introduction needs to be concise and engaging, possibly starting with a hook such as a quote, fact, or story. Incorporating subheadings highlights key sections and guides readers through the content. These subheadings should be bold, relevant, and informative, encouraging further reading.

Content Style and Structure: Tailor your writing style to your audience, maintaining a consistent tone—formal or informal—as appropriate. Balance your article with the right proportion of introduction, main content, and conclusion—typically around 20% intro, 60% body, and 20% conclusion. Use images with descriptive alt text, optimized size, and relevant filenames. Bullet points improve readability and allow skimming, while questions stimulate engagement.

Engagement and Calls to Action: Foster interaction by posing questions to your readers, encouraging comments, likes, sharing, and subscription actions. In the conclusion, summarize key points and include a compelling call to action, guiding your audience on what steps to take next.

Post-Writing Checks and Optimization: Link your article internally to relevant content, check all external sources for authenticity, and include inspiring or relevant quotes where appropriate. Use plugins and tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, and Yoast to scan for passive voice, grammar errors, keyword density, and readability. Verify image dimensions for each social platform to ensure consistency and speed. Eliminate vague, uncertain, or overused words, and avoid complex adverbs or vague phrases that weaken your message.

Brand Consistency and Visuals: Maintain brand consistency with a palette of colors, fonts, and a uniform writing style. Ensure visuals are aligned with your branding, and include data to support your points when necessary. Use credible sources and cite them properly, minimizing outdated references. Ensure visuals are optimized and consistent throughout your blog posts.

In conclusion, following this comprehensive checklist will help in creating high-quality, engaging, and SEO-optimized articles that resonate with your target audience and perform well across platforms. Continuous review and optimization are key to maintaining content excellence in the dynamic digital landscape.

References

  • Copyblogger. (2023). How to write magnetic headlines. Retrieved from https://copyblogger.com/
  • CoSchedule. (2023). Headline Analyzer Tool. Retrieved from https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer
  • Hemingway Editor. (2023). Proofreading and readability tool. Retrieved from http://hemingwayapp.com/
  • Yoast SEO. (2023). Plugin for WordPress. Retrieved from https://yoast.com/
  • Grammarly. (2023). Grammar and style checker. Retrieved from https://grammarly.com/
  • Neil Patel. (2022). Content marketing strategy. Retrieved from https://neilpatel.com/
  • Moz. (2023). SEO tips and guidelines. Retrieved from https://moz.com/
  • Buffer. (2022). Social media image sizes. Retrieved from https://buffer.com/library/social-media-image-sizes/
  • HubSpot. (2023). Blogging tips for beginners. Retrieved from https://blog.hubspot.com/
  • Search Engine Journal. (2023). Content optimization techniques. Retrieved from https://www.searchenginejournal.com/

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