Frameworks of a Blog [Blog Writing Series #2]
In Part 1, we covered how you can come up with ideas and complete research for a blog. Check that out if you haven’t yet so that you’re doing things in proper order.
Assuming that we now have some of the content we want to write about in a really raw format, we can start considering what framework we’re going to use as we package it up for our readers.
Writing a blog is considerably different—and easier—than writing a thesis for your doctorate.
Writing a blog is not like writing a book or most other forms of writing, because we’re aiming to accomplish a few different things with a blog that aren’t necessarily true for those other formats. In a blog, we want to:
Create something catchy, interesting, and enticing that people would click on
Write something that will help our SEO and our overall website rank
Write something that will actually benefit our readers as they seek to learn about something
Each one of these is important, and I wouldn’t even really say any one of them is more important than the other.
Without all 3, our blog isn’t going to be as useful as it ought to be. And if it’s worth the time to write a blog, it’s worth the time to do it right.
In most industries, blogging should feel more like talking to a friend than attending a lecture.
We want to be an authority in our writing, but we want to be approachable. What this means is that being more casual and less formal can be a huge strength. Later on in the Blog Writing Series, there will be an article dedicated to finding your voice as a writer based on who you are writing to.
But before we can even really begin doing that, we first need to figure out what type of blog we’re writing.
Choosing the right format from the list below is going to make your life so much easier. Try not to get pigeonholed into always writing the same one the more you write. Experiment and track what performs best. This, again, will help you to make decisions based on data and not just feelings.
Don’t be afraid to go back and do more research if you realize you don’t have all the info you need after selecting a framework.
Without further ado, here are 12 of the most popular frameworks a blog can be written in:
1. A vs B
This framework is about pitting two things against each other. It could be two physical products, two types of services, even two differing philosophies on how to approach something. There’s really no end to what you can compare and how you can compare it: be that the pros and cons of each, the backstory for each comparable, whatever.
2. Common Myths
In any industry, there’s going to be misinformation being spread about something. In a competitive industry, you might even have salespeople or marketing departments from other companies trying to spread half-truths that parade as gospel. In this blog framework, your goal is to state what these myths are, and expand upon them in further detail and why your reader might not have the full picture.
For best results with this framework, you want to present a really strong case for your differing opinion, or provide alternative facts, so work hard to make sure your arguments are bulletproof.
3. Frequently Asked Questions
This format is super simple because it can be written without as much concern about the flow between arguments. Instead of trying to write a single cohesive article on one topic, you can sort of be sporadic with what you’re answering and just go down them question by question and answer by answer. Slap an introduction and a conclusion on there, and you’re done. This one really is that simple.
4. Step-by-Step Guide
Even if what you’re training people on is dead simple, sometimes having a step-by-step guide on how to do something can be really, really useful. Especially for anyone that’s new to your industry, something that seems rudimentary to everyone else might be a little confusing to the newbie. And when it seems rudimentary, they’re often afraid to ask questions and might just do it wrong for a long time without realizing it! A step-by-step guide is really helpful in a variety of circumstances. Just make sure your instructions either take into account the different products and people that might be involved, or that you’re specific about who it is intended for in the very outset of the article.
5. Extensive Guide
This is similar to a step-by-step guide, except it’s probably 3x-5x the length of your average blog (think 3000 words or more) and goes into way more detail, sidebars, tidbits, quick facts, pro tips, and more than you might cover elsewhere. It might also include multiple links to external resources that have even more information than you cover in your piece.
6. Argument or Editorial
Writing an argument is probably easier than you think; you just need to be aware that by making a definitive statement about a controversial topic, you’re opening yourself up to opposition, so you must be prepared. To write an editorial argument, all you need is an opinion you feel strongly about. After doing some research on a particular topic, you’ve probably come across a number of opinions, and might be starting to form your own based on the trends you’ve observed. In an argumentative article, you’re not looking to slander or start a war: you’re just looking to say “Here’s the truth as I see it, and here are all the reasons why I believe it’s true.” As much as you can, try to call out and address specific push-back you might get from anyone who holds the opposite belief. If you call it out right then and there in your article, you retain more of the power in the argument. And if it needs to be said: don’t write an argumentative piece on something you aren’t convinced is true.
7. Metaphor or Experience
This one won’t make sense in every circumstance, but once in a while you either have a unique story or experience with a good take-home moral, or you recognize the ability to make a comparison between a common experience and whatever it is your article is about. Intrinsically, as humans, we’re always looking for patterns and parallels between experiences. It’s how we make sense of the world around us. Writing an article that is a metaphor for a concept you’re trying to teach—especially if that concept is full of nuance and important details—can be really effective in communicating efficiently.
8. Secret Revealed
This is a very similar blog framework to some of those mentioned above, and in many ways it’s more of a title than a framework, but if you can frame your article to finally make-known something that isn’t talked about or general knowledge in your industry, this is a really clever way to get clicks and start crafting an enticing blog that people can’t help but read. If your company has a super unique approach, patented idea, specific engineering practice, or some other objective thing that sets them apart from everyone else, this is the perfect time to employ the secret revealed framework.
9. Quick Tricks
Don’t overthink this one, because that would defeat the entire purpose. If you have a list of (at least) 7 facts or pieces of knowledge that are bite-sized and somewhat miscellaneous, a blog that groups them together can be a good way to still get some mileage out of them. Lengthen those quick tricks when you can, and consider bolding the most important aspects of each so that skim-readers (a significant portion of your audience) can still get the stuff they need before moving on.
10. Hot-topic Commentary
If there’s something really big happening in your industry right now, you should rush to get a blog out on it. Whether you’re just re-capping what’s happened for anyone who is out of the loop, or you’re pulling together various sources that have all weighed in (with links to their articles or they’ll be mad), or you’re providing insight of your own (the best!), this can be a really great way to drive clicks to your blog because people are already interested.
12. Profiles or Interviews
On the surface this one seems easy, but to do it effectively—especially with people who are not used to speaking or writing in newsworthy snippets—will require a bit more work on your end. Craft some careful questions that will lead to some really interesting answers, and send those to your interviewee ahead of time so they can prepare. If you wanna go the extra mile, do a pre-interview where you basically pick their brain and learn what it is they want to communicate. This will usually come about fairly organically, and you’ll leave the conversation thinking back on your most important takeaway. From there, write LEADING questions that will intentionally pull out the answers you’re looking for from your interviewee, then go back and have that interview. Writing it out, after that, is just a matter of pulling out the best quotes and providing relevant backstory to keep the flow smooth.
13. History of X
Speaking of providing backstories, this is what this entire blog framework is intended to do. Don’t think you have to start chronologically though: many times, these articles are super boring and get closed really fast. If you can find a creative way to keep the most relevant, interesting information up at the top and intersperse the slightly-less-thrilling content throughout, you’ll have an absolutely phenomenal History of Something blog. (Also, if you figure out how to do this successfully and repeatedly, please teach me how because I am not really good at it yet.)
14. Money
This one is last on the list because it can require the most mental gymnastics to pull off. Any time you can write how something is related to money (earning your customer more money, saving them money, saving their customer money, cheaper alternatives, whatever), you’re probably in for a good article. Of course, we can’t shoehorn anything too much or else we’ll lose the trust of our audience. But if you can craft an effective, money-related slant into your blog, I have confidence it’ll perform well.
In conclusion:
Hopefully you can see how these frameworks really are going to make your life easier. Plug in your information to these various approaches and watch as the article almost writes itself.
Writing a blog is overwhelming if you’ve never done it, but these 14 frameworks will do a lot of your heavy lifting.
Have I missed anything? Let me know so I can add it to the list!
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