My Five-Step Framework to go from Blog Post Idea to Published Post in One Hour
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When I first started blogging, it felt like everything took forever. Choosing a topic, writing a blog post, editing it to death, formatting, publishing, promoting… Each step seemed to take hours.
With a little practice (and a little less overthinking) I’ve developed a smooth workflow that allows me to take a blog post from idea to published within an hour. Whether you are a beginner blogger like me or you’re on the fence about starting a blog, I hope this will inspire you to get writing!
1. Choose Your Blog Post Topic and 3-5 Main Points
Blog posts usually follow a similar format to a traditional five-paragraph essay. Choose a topic that teaches or conveys something and come up with supporting points. 3-5 is a great starting number. Outline your topic and main points and write down a neat list so you can flesh them out in the next step.
2. Dictate and Transcribe Your Blog Post
Open up the voice notes app in your phone, and record yourself speaking out what the blog post will say.
My process has evolved, but I realized early on that I prefer speaking my blog posts instead of trying to type as fast as my thoughts. I also find its easier for me to communicate in a relaxed, conversational tone when I’m speaking.
For a while, I used my phone's voice-to-text feature and had it type straight into Google Docs, but now I use a program called Descript to transcribe voice notes. Either method works, but voice-to-text is a great way to get started for free.
3. Edit Your Blog Post
Of course, there will be some mistakes in the transcription and you may look back and realize you want to clarify certain points and cut others out. This step will likely take the longest as you polish your words and try to make it as concise as possible. Don’t overthink this step. There is no perfect combination of words, so choose some and pray it will bless someone.
4. Format the Blog Post
Once I’m happy with my words, I paste them into my blogging platform. I use SquareSpace because it is incredibly user-friendly and it allows me to put the focus on writing and posting instead of spending hours formatting and trying to perfect my layout.
During this step, I focus on making my post skimable. I make sure the headings stand out and bold some phrases. This is also the step where I add photos, any affiliate links and choose a lead magnet (freebie) to include. I want each post to have an opportunity for me to make money and an opportunity for someone to stay connected through my email list.
5. Publish & Promote the Blog Post
Hit publish or schedule the publishing date for sometime in the future. I like to batch-create and schedule as much as possible.
I spread the word by sending out an email and creating 5-10 Pinterest pins. I used to also promote blog posts on Instagram, but I found it takes much more time than I want to invest in a busy season of motherhood, and Instagram users are often less likely to leave the app and read a blog post.
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I hope you’ve been inspired by this simple five-step process. With practice, you can get your blog post ideas written and published in under one hour.
Above all else, my biggest time waster has been overthinking. I spent hours trying to choose the right blogging platform. Hours trying to choose a niche, name and brand colours for blogs I never started, and hours editing blog posts that never saw the light of day because I was looking for the perfect words.
Now, I see the value in hitting “publish” on an imperfect post that it can serve someone instead of hoarding a million half-written blogs in my Google Docs.
Are you struggling to start your blog? Download my Build a Blog Checklist so you can stop overthinking the steps and finally take action on your blog!
