How Long Does It Take to Write a Blog Post?
A Blogger’s 7 Step Process Revealed
Blogging is a must if you want to increase SEO and drive more traffic to your website. In fact, blogging can increase repeat web traffic by over 500%! So, you know your site needs a blog, but do you know how much time it takes to write the perfect post? I am revealing my 7 step blogging process to create an SEO-optimized, engaging, and entertaining blog every time. I am also giving you the estimated time that it takes to complete each step. In this example, I am assuming we are writing a 1,000-word blog post because this is the recommended word count for blogs to reach peak SEO performance. Now, let’s see if you have time to fit blogging into your schedule!
1. Initial Blogging Consult – Choosing a Blog Theme
Before you can start writing your blog post, you have to choose a topic and theme. I like to carve out at least 30 minutes for a brainstorming session and discussion with my blogging clients. When choosing a blog topic, make sure it fits into an overall theme for the month or works into planned promotions for your business. For example, an interior designer could write a blog post about home staging tips during the summer, which is the most popular season to move.
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes
2. Research Your Blog Topic
Once you’ve settled upon your chosen blog topic, make sure to do your research, even if it’s on a subject you know very well. A big part of creating engaging blog posts is to provide relevant resources and information. Make sure your readers will learn something from your blog. Also, this is a great time to collect outbound links. Outbound links are like the footnotes of the blogging world. These can link out to your reference resources as well as to past posts you created. The average blog should have 5 outbound links like this one.
Estimated Time: 1 Hour
3. Create a Blog Outline with Headings
Now that you have your blog research done, you can start work on creating an outline. You will outline your blog just like you did back in school, but this time you should pay extra attention to the headings you create. Blog titles (H1 headings) and subheadings (H2 headings) will make your piece easier to read and help build your SEO ranking. Engaging and eye-catching titles will help rake up clicks, and subheadings will be much appreciated by the blog skimmers out there. When you include the proper keywords in your headings, Google will take notice and push your post to the top of the search results. Don’t skip this step! A large wall of text is the last thing people want to read on the internet.
Estimated Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes
4. Write Your Blog Body Copy
Finally, you can get started writing the body copy of your blog post. This process should go by quickly since you put in the time to research and outline your work. I find the best way to write a blog is to carve out a set amount of time free from distractions. Text and email alerts will break your train of thought and cost you valuable writing time. Writing speed will vary between writers, but I like to set aside at least 2 hours to write the main body of my blogs.
Estimated Time: 2 Hours
5. Get Your Blog Edited
Pro tip: never ever publish your blog without first editing it. It can be exciting to finally finish the blog, and you will want to get it up on your site and out to the world as soon as possible. Publishing without editing, though, can lead to your blog getting noticed for the wrong reasons. The last thing you want is a comment section full of complaints about typos. Sloppy writing will reduce your credibility as a source, and your audience may not come back for more after a bad first experience. Make sure to set aside editing time the day after you finish writing your blog, or get a second pair of eyes to edit it for you!
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes
6. Upload and Format Your Blog on Your Website
Now that the writing is done, you need to get your blog uploaded and formatted on your website. Posting a blog does involve going on the backend of your site, which can be scary for those of us who don’t get along with technology. However, most hosting sites like Squarespace and WordPress make the blog upload process pretty straightforward. Don’t forget to format your headings properly and add a few photos to help illustrate your point, showcase your product, or capture attention.
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes
7. Relax and Watch the SEO Build
You did it! You got your blog written and out into the world. So, now what? Well, now you wait for your blog to get noticed, shared, and read. It’s an excellent first step to share your blog with your audience. You can send it in an email newsletter, post it on social media, or share it within networking groups. After that, sit back and watch your blog post grow. Unlike social media posts which are pretty short-lived, blogs gain traction and build SEO as they age. Typically, it takes a blog around 3 months before getting recommended by Google in search results and seen organically online. If you created a well-written post, though, it will continue to grow and gain traction as long as it’s online!
Estimated Time: 3 Months
The Total Time It Takes to Write One Blog Post
Now you know the 7 steps to blog writing and how much time it takes to complete each one. So, did you add up the time it takes to write one 1,000-word blog post? By my calculation, it takes 6 hours to complete a blog post from start to finish. For some, 6 hours may seem totally doable. But for many small business owners looking to start a blog, 6 hours on top of their other roles may feel impossible. Don’t worry. You can do it! My advice is to create a plan, break up the blogging steps, and schedule your time.
Time Count: 6 Hours
Blog, Edit, Repeat!
To create a functional blogging plan, you need to decide how many blogs you need to post each month. There are recommendations on the number of blogs you should post, but I think consistency is key. For busy entrepreneurs, decide how much time you want to devote to blogging first. Then, see how many blogs you can fit into that allotted time.
Want to Get Blogs on Your Website in Less Time?
Do you want to get a month’s worth of blogs on your website in just 30 minutes? Schedule a blogging consultation with me, and let me do the hard work for you!
Let me write your blog for you and share your voice.
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