How to Write a How-To Post: 7 Simple Steps
How-to posts are always going to be popular. They’re great for readers – who are often Googling “how to X” – and they’re great for you, the writer, because they’re easy to put together.
So, open up a blank document and let’s get your how-to post underway…
Step #1: Pick a Good Topic and Goal
Any great blog post starts with a great idea. Your how-to post is no different.
Think about what people in your niche want to learn (and what you can easily explain in step-by-step format). That could be:
- How to tune a guitar (music or guitar blog)
- How to edit your writing (student or writing blog)
- How to spend less and save more (personal finance or self-development blog)
- How to make money from home (entrepreneurship or stay-at-home-parent blog)
- How to create a plugin for WordPress (blogging or web development blog)
Your how-to post comes with an implicit goal: if the reader follows your instructions, they should be able to accomplish something. Think about your audience – will they want a simple, straightforward goal, or something more complex?
Do it: Come up with a “how to” idea for your own niche and write it down. Don’t worry about perfecting the title just yet. (...)
