{"id":7809,"date":"2023-01-23T13:57:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-23T13:57:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/"},"modified":"2023-01-23T13:57:54","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T13:57:54","slug":"how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"How to write a checklist article: A 5-step checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Checklists are one of the simplest (yet most valuable) content types to create.<\/p>\n<p>You probably make checklists all the time without even knowing it.<\/p>\n<p>Shopping lists. Grocery lists. Chore lists. To-do lists for completing projects.<\/p>\n<p>So it makes sense to take that extremely familiar format, apply it to a common problem or task your audience faces, and publish it on your blog.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s content your readers can put to use immediately. So if you\u2019re looking for more ideas for <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/what-is-helpful-content-google-387360\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">helpful content<\/a> to add to your website, look no further and write a checklist article.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#How_is_a_checklist_blog_post_useful_for_SEO\" >How is a checklist blog post useful for SEO?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#Your_5-step_checklist_for_writing_a_checklist_article\" >Your 5-step checklist for writing a checklist article<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#1_Choose_an_actionable_topic_based_on_an_audience-specific_goal_or_problem\" >1. Choose an actionable topic based on an audience-specific goal or problem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#2_Tie_it_to_a_keyword\" >2. Tie it to a keyword<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#3_Create_an_outline_of_tasks\" >3. Create an outline of tasks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#4_Craft_engaging_task-oriented_headers\" >4. Craft engaging, task-oriented headers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#5_Include_insider_tips_and_how-tos_in_your_checklist\" >5. Include insider tips and how-tos in your checklist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#Bonus_Consider_creating_an_infographic_or_PDF_checklist_for_downloading\" >Bonus: Consider creating an infographic or PDF checklist for downloading<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/23\/how-to-write-a-checklist-article-a-5-step-checklist\/#Write_a_checklist_article_to_move_closer_to_your_SEO_and_marketing_goals\" >Write a checklist article to move closer to your SEO and marketing goals<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_is_a_checklist_blog_post_useful_for_SEO\"><\/span>How is a checklist blog post useful for SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When considering how a checklist blog post might help your SEO, think keywords.<\/p>\n<p>No matter your industry, your audience has problems and questions relevant to what you sell that they\u2019re researching on search engines.<\/p>\n<p>Problems like, \u201chow to plan Thanksgiving dinner,\u201d \u201chow to load film into a 35mm camera,\u201d or \u201chow to write a meta description.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you can find such a problem, one that\u2019s relevant to what you sell and can be helped or solved with a checklist, and tie that problem to a keyword you can win in search results\u2026<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a recipe for targeted leads coming your way.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example: This photography website is targeting beginner film photographers with an introductory checklist of the first steps for their new hobby.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>You can do the same thing, except position it for your industry and audience.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to write a checklist article for your blog (or your client\u2019s blog) that will be highly valuable and useful for your specific audience \u2013 because that\u2019s the kind of content that grows trust.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<div class=\"nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2\">\n<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 col-xl-4 pe-md-0 pb-2 pb-lg-0\">\n<p class=\"inline-form-text text-center mb-0\">Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-6  pe-lg-0\">\n<div class=\"form-nl-inline\">\n<div class=\"row g-0\">\n<div class=\"form-group col-12 col-lg-8 mb-0\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4 col-xl-4 mb-0\">\n<div class=\"d-none\">\n<p>Processing\u2026Please wait.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-dark inlineButton w-100 rounded-0 font-weight-bold\">SUBSCRIBE<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-2 col-xl-2 ps-1\">\n<p class=\"text-center mb-0\"><a class=\"nl-terms\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/termsofuse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">See terms.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_5-step_checklist_for_writing_a_checklist_article\"><\/span>Your 5-step checklist for writing a checklist article<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A checklist for writing a checklist? Why not. <\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to write your new checklist article, step by step, including how to tie your article to a keyword for SEO.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Choose_an_actionable_topic_based_on_an_audience-specific_goal_or_problem\"><\/span>1. Choose an actionable topic based on an audience-specific goal or problem<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Technically, any topic that helps the reader achieve a goal or solve a problem can be turned into a checklist.<\/p>\n<p>Just make sure the topic is:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Actionable<\/strong>, with clear steps needed to complete the action.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Audience-relevant<\/strong>, i.e., it\u2019s a goal or problem they\u2019re actually worried about.<\/p>\n<p>Most how-to topics can be turned into checklists because you must follow certain steps or do specific tasks to arrive at a particular result. The reader can \u201ccheck\u201d those off as they go. For example:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Topic<\/strong><strong>End goal<\/strong>How to bake breadBake a delicious loafHow to balance a checkbookManage finances smartlyHow to prep for a partyThrow an unforgettable get-together<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, you\u2019re creating a checklist because your reader needs to do something, but they don\u2019t necessarily know the right steps or actions to take to accomplish their task. You can help them do it with your checklist.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Tie_it_to_a_keyword\"><\/span>2. Tie it to a keyword<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you want to bring more traffic and leads to your website, you should optimize your checklist blog post with a keyword that maps to your topic.<\/p>\n<p>For example, say you sell party supplies and your topic is \u201cparty planning checklist.\u201d Could that also be your keyword to target in the blog post?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To find out, you should use an SEO tool (like Mangools KWFinder, Semrush, or Ahrefs) to research that topic\/keyword and find out its <strong>keyword difficulty<\/strong> (or KD, a measure of how hard it would be to rank for that keyword) and <strong>search volume<\/strong> (the average <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/why-its-worth-targeting-keywords-with-no-to-low-monthly-search-volume-319019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">number of searchers<\/a> who look up that keyword over a specific amount of time).<\/p>\n<p>If the keyword is indeed too difficult to rank for, you could search for variations or synonyms to target instead.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, if you look up \u201cparty planning checklist\u201d in Semrush, you\u2019ll see it has a KD of 69 (difficult).<\/p>\n<p>However, looking at the list of related terms, you\u2019ll see \u201cbachelorette party planning checklist\u201d has a KD of 29 (easy).\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>To target that second keyword, all you have to do is narrow your topic slightly. Write a good article, and you could rank on page one for that keyword and pull in your target audience.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Create_an_outline_of_tasks\"><\/span>3. Create an outline of tasks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Next, create an outline of the main tasks the reader will need to reach their goal. This is the bare bones of your checklist, so imagine writing them out in a list as if you\u2019re going to tick them off one by one. (This also serves as the outline of your article.)<\/p>\n<p>At this point, only jot down the most important or valuable tasks, and order them from most important to least important.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Why? As a general rule, you want to front-load blog posts with the most <a href=\"https:\/\/databox.com\/improve-average-time-on-page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">valuable information<\/a> so your readers stay engaged \u2013 or at least so they can quickly find the information that\u2019s most important to them and thus have a <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/what-is-quality-content-251071\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">satisfying content<\/a> experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That said, if the tasks need to be sequenced to make logical sense, order them that way. For instance, a checklist for party preparations probably needs to start with planning a menu of food and gathering supplies ahead of other tasks like decorating or making appetizers.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s exactly how this checklist from Social Tables is ordered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>On the other hand, this fall home maintenance checklist from Better Homes &amp; Gardens follows the order of importance of tasks:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Craft_engaging_task-oriented_headers\"><\/span>4. Craft engaging, task-oriented headers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once your article is outlined, you can start tweaking your headers to not just help pull the reader down the page, but also to emphasize the actions they need to take. And, of course, you\u2019ll need to insert your keyword in at least one header (ideally more than one) for SEO.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips to make your headers better.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Use the formula of \u2018verb + noun phrase<\/strong>\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you scroll up and down this article, you\u2019ll see I\u2019ve used the verb + noun phrase formula in all the H3s in my task list (e.g., Create [verb] an outline of tasks [noun phrase].<\/p>\n<p>Using this formula keeps the focus on each action needed to complete the checklist. This makes your list scannable and easy to read. Plus, it\u2019s motivating \u2013 you\u2019re literally commanding the reader to go do something.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Change up your verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To make each header even more unique and engaging, try changing up your verbs. For instance, in every H3 in my list, I could have repeated the verb \u201cwrite\u201d multiple times (\u201cwrite an outline,\u201d \u201cwrite engaging headers\u201d). Instead, I switch up the verbs to add variety and interest.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t be afraid to grab your thesaurus if you\u2019re struggling to come up with unique verbs, by the way \u2013 you\u2019ll just grow your vocabulary, which will improve your writing.<\/p>\n<p>This end-of-year financial checklist by Bankrate is a good example of the \u201cverb + noun phrase\u201d formula in action. They also use a good variety of verbs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Note that \u201creview\u201d is repeated a few times. Imagine if this entire checklist and all the action items said &#8220;review,&#8221; as in:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Review your progress.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Review your spending.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Review your beneficiaries.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>And so on. <\/p>\n<p>It would be pretty mind-numbing, right? Plus, it would make it harder to differentiate between tasks.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line: Plumb your vocabulary and make your action items more engaging \u2013 and more readable.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Include_insider_tips_and_how-tos_in_your_checklist\"><\/span>5. Include insider tips and how-tos in your checklist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Remember, your brand (or your client\u2019s brand) is supposed to be the expert on this topic and how to complete this checklist.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind:<\/p>\n<p>What pieces of information could you add that most people don\u2019t know about or consider? <\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s your insider advice for completing an action item faster or better? <\/p>\n<p>What would be helpful to know if you were the person using the checklist?<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t just regurgitate what others have said before you. Add some flavor from the brand\u2019s expert perspective, as if you were sitting with your audience and advising them personally about the topic.<\/p>\n<p>Not only will that make your checklist article more unique, but it will also make it much more helpful and useful.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Bankrate\u2019s financial checklist includes advice for each action item straight from the company\u2019s Chief Financial Analyst and includes quotes from him that directly address the reader. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not rote advice, but rather helpful information from a true expert interviewed for the blog post.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bonus_Consider_creating_an_infographic_or_PDF_checklist_for_downloading\"><\/span>Bonus: Consider creating an infographic or PDF checklist for downloading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A checklist is a great piece of content to consider repurposing and offering in different formats.<\/p>\n<p>First, if you create your checklist article thoughtfully, it\u2019s endlessly useful, so much so that your audience might want to download it to save, reference, or print later \u2013 such as in a handy and visually appealing PDF document.<\/p>\n<p>Offering a downloadable checklist inside your checklist article is a proven way to convert readers, by the way. Simply insert a few calls to action (CTAs) that link to a landing page where the reader can enter their email address to download the checklist. Done.<\/p>\n<p>A good example: Updater includes a button with a CTA to download the PDF version of their checklist for a first apartment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Second, a checklist article is endlessly shareable if you condense it down to a list of the action items \u2013 such as in a well-designed infographic. Include the infographic inside your checklist blog post for visual appeal, and share it on social media.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Venngage created a clean infographic for their image optimization checklist.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>For those reasons, think about getting the main content of your checklist designed in a few different formats, or choose one additional checklist format to create depending on your goals.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Write_a_checklist_article_to_move_closer_to_your_SEO_and_marketing_goals\"><\/span>Write a checklist article to move closer to your SEO and marketing goals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A checklist blog post is just plain useful content, which is what search engines want to serve their users.<\/p>\n<p>If you create yours around a relevant problem your audience has or a goal they want to meet, tie it to the right keyword, and write a unique and helpful list that demonstrates the brand\u2019s expertise, you\u2019ll absolutely see results.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, the humble checklist article is evergreen, which means, as long as you did your SEO research, you\u2019ll probably see it pull in traffic and leads for a long time after it\u2019s published.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re looking for increased brand awareness, SEO rankings, or trust grown with your readers, adding the checklist article format to your content roster is a great idea.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/checklist-content-391921\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to write a checklist article: A 5-step checklist<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search Engine Land<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Checklists are one of the simplest (yet most valuable) content types to create. You probably make checklists all the time without even knowing it. Shopping lists. Grocery lists. Chore lists. To-do lists for completing projects. So it makes sense to take that extremely familiar format, apply it to a common problem or task your audience faces, and publish it on your blog. That\u2019s content your readers can put to use immediately. So if you\u2019re looking for more ideas for helpful content to add to your website, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7809\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}