12 ways to write a blog post and make it insanely popular

For years now, people are disturbed about how difficult it is to write amazing blog posts. And yeah, let’s be honest… it’s REALLY freaking hard to get noticed out there.

So, we created a little guide to help out our members who are the beginning and aspiring bloggers. It breaks down 12 “recipes” that make writing great posts as easy as pie.

And today, we are posting a list of ideas for blog posts and examples of how to structure them.

1. The Explainer (a.k.a., The “How To” Post)

This is a super-practical post that teaches readers how to achieve a specific goal. If you pick the right topic for your post, The Explainer has the potential to attract a ton of social shares. (Example)

2. The Buffet (a.k.a., The List Blog Post)

This post is a collection of related points on a given topic or theme organized as a list. Every year many of the most popular posts on the web are list-based posts, so a Buffet post on the right topic always has the potential to go viral. (Example)

3. The Name Dropper (a.k.a., The “Egobait” Post)

This post celebrates a selected group of individuals for their notable qualities, talents or achievements. Designed to be shared by the people featured in the post, it usually performs well on social media. (Example)

4. The Inquisitor (a.k.a., The Expert Roundup)

This post is a compilation of expert opinions on a single topic or question. A good post of this type will attract shares from participants and also help the author build valuable relationships with them once the post is published. (Example)

5. The Curator (a.k.a., The Resource List)

This post is a carefully curated list of valuable resources relating to a specific topic or goal. Serving as a handy “index” to the best resources on a given topic, it’s great for attracting links and subsequently, search traffic. (Example)

6. The Monster (a.k.a., The Ultimate Guide)

This post is a long-form guide to a specific topic that is exhaustive in both scope and detail. Executed well, The Monster will quickly become the definitive resource on a topic and attract links and search traffic accordingly. (Example)

7. The Illuminator (a.k.a., The “Why?” Post – Type #1)

This post provides valuable insight on a tricky topic or thorny problem. It has a strong bonding effect with readers and also helps to establish the authority of the author. (Example)

8. The Contrarian (a.k.a., The “Why?” Post – Type #2)

This post makes a surprising but persuasive argument that intentionally contradicts the accepted wisdom on a topic. Again, this is primarily a bonding post – readers are drawn to strong opinions well-argued. (Example)

9. The Insider (a.k.a., The Case Study)

This post uses a real-world example backed by actual data to yield insights about a specific topic or goal. People love evidence so Insider posts often attract links and search traffic but also build the writer’s authority. (Example)

10. The Jester (a.k.a., The Humorous Post)

This post uses humour to explore a topic in an entertaining and sometimes provocative way. It’s perhaps one of the best ways to bond with readers but is also one of the trickier recipes to pull off. (Example)

11. The Trailblazer (a.k.a., The Thought Leadership Post)

This post uses the author’s insight and vision to change the way people think about a topic. The ultimate post for building authority, this is also a great “calling card” when connecting with other influencers. (Example)

12. The Storyteller (a.k.a., The “Three-Act” Post)

This post uses a powerful personal story to teach more universal principles and provide inspiration. The toughest recipe of all to write but one that can bond with readers like no other. (Example)