blog-post

name	blog-post
description	Writes SEO-optimized long-form blog posts with outline approval, meta descriptions, internal link suggestions, featured image briefs, and a pre-publish SEO checklist. Use when a user needs a blog article for their website, wants to rank for specific keywords, or needs content marketing pieces that drive organic traffic.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Blog Post

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Write a long-form blog post optimized for search engine rankings
• Create a content marketing article designed to drive organic traffic
• Produce a listicle, how-to guide, or thought leadership piece for a website
• Generate a complete blog post package (outline, post, meta description, image brief, SEO checklist)

DO NOT use this skill for short social media copy, email newsletters, landing page copy, or content that does not live on a blog. This is for full-length, SEO-focused blog articles only.

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Core Principle

EVERY BLOG POST MUST ANSWER A SPECIFIC SEARCH INTENT BETTER THAN ANYTHING CURRENTLY ON PAGE ONE — WRITING FOR HUMANS FIRST AND SEARCH ENGINES SECOND.

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Phase 1: Brief

Before writing anything, gather the five inputs that shape the entire post. No brief, no outline.

Required Inputs

Ask the user for each of these. If they do not provide one, use the default.

Input	What to Ask	Default
Target keyword	"What keyword or phrase should this post rank for?"	No default — must be provided
Audience	"Who is reading this? Role, experience level, what they care about."	Entrepreneurs and small business owners
Angle / unique perspective	"What makes YOUR take on this different? A personal experience, proprietary data, contrarian view?"	First-hand practitioner perspective
Word count target	"How long should this post be?"	1,500-2,000 words
Internal links	"Share URLs or titles of existing posts on your site that I should link to."	None — skip internal linking if not provided

Brief Template

Present this to the user before moving to Phase 2:

## Blog Post Brief

**Target keyword:** content repurposing system
**Secondary keywords:** repurpose content, content repurposing workflow, repurpose blog posts
**Search intent:** How-to (reader wants a step-by-step system they can implement)
**Audience:** Solo content creators publishing 1-2x per week who want more reach without more writing
**Angle:** Author built a system that turns one blog post into 8 pieces across 4 platforms in under 2 hours
**Word count:** 2,000 words
**Internal links to include:**
- /blog/social-media-scheduling-guide
- /blog/email-newsletter-tips

GATE: Do not proceed to Phase 2 until the user confirms or adjusts the brief.

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Phase 2: Outline

Build a complete heading structure with key points under each section. The outline IS the blueprint — everything in Phase 3 follows it exactly.

Outline Rules

1. H1 contains the target keyword, written for humans (not keyword-stuffed)
2. H2s cover the major sections — aim for 4-7 H2s depending on word count
3. H3s break down complex H2 sections — use only when a section covers 2+ distinct sub-topics
4. Key points under each heading — 2-4 bullet points describing what that section will cover
5. Estimated word count next to each H2 so the user can see balance across sections

Outline Format

Use this structure for every outline:

**H1:** [Title with target keyword]

**H2: [Section Title]** (~[word count] words)
- [Key point 1]
- [Key point 2]
- [Key point 3]

**H2: [Section Title]** (~[word count] words)
  **H3: [Sub-topic]**
  - [Key point]
  **H3: [Sub-topic]**
  - [Key point]

See Example 1 and Example 2 below for complete outline samples.

GATE: Present the outline and wait for user approval. Do not write the full post until the user says the outline is good. If the user requests changes, revise the outline and present it again.

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Phase 3: Write

With an approved outline, write the full post. Follow these SEO and structural rules for every section.

Post Structure

Every blog post follows this architecture:

1. Intro Hook (first 100-150 words)

• Open with a specific pain point, surprising stat, or bold claim — not "In today's world..."
• State what the reader will learn and why it matters to them
• Include the target keyword naturally within the first 100 words
• End the intro with a transition into the first body section

2. Body Sections (bulk of the word count)

• Follow the approved outline heading by heading
• Use short paragraphs (2-4 sentences max)
• Include at least one of these per H2 section: a concrete example, a data point, a direct quote, or a step-by-step instruction
• Use bullet lists and numbered lists to break up walls of text
• Place internal links where they add genuine value (not forced)

3. Conclusion + CTA (final 100-150 words)

• Summarize the one key takeaway in a single sentence
• Tell the reader what to do RIGHT NOW (not "consider" or "think about")
• CTA matches the business goal: subscribe, download, book a call, try the method, read the next post

SEO Elements to Weave In

While writing, embed these elements naturally:

Element	Rule
Target keyword in H1	Must appear in the H1 exactly once
Keyword in first 100 words	Place it naturally in the opening paragraph
Keyword in at least 1 H2	Use it or a close variant in one subheading
Keyword density	0.5-1.5% of total word count — never force it
Secondary keywords	Sprinkle 2-3 related terms throughout the body
Internal links	Place user-provided links where contextually relevant, using descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
Alt text suggestions	For any image reference, include a suggested alt text in brackets: [Alt: description including keyword if natural]

Meta Description

Write a meta description immediately after the post body:

• Length: 150-160 characters (hard limit)
• Structure: [Benefit or hook] + [What the post covers] + [Implicit or explicit CTA]
• Include the target keyword naturally
• Write for the click — this is the ad copy that appears in search results

Example:

**Meta description (155 chars):** Learn how to build a content repurposing system that turns one blog post into 8 platform-ready pieces. Step-by-step framework inside.

Internal Link Placements

If the user provided internal links in Phase 1, show where each one was placed:

## Internal Links Placed

1. /blog/social-media-scheduling-guide — linked in "Tools That Make Repurposing Faster" section, anchor text: "social media scheduling guide"
2. /blog/email-newsletter-tips — linked in "Email Newsletter" H3, anchor text: "writing email newsletters that convert"

If the user did not provide internal links, suggest 3-5 topic ideas for posts they could write and interlink with this article (see Example 2 for a sample).

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Phase 4: Polish

After the full post is written, deliver three finishing elements.

1. Featured Image Brief

Provide a creative brief for the blog's featured image (for a designer or AI image tool):

## Featured Image Brief

**Concept:** [Visual description tied to the post topic]
**Style:** Minimalist flat design, 2-3 brand colors, white background
**Dimensions:** 1200x630px (optimized for social sharing and Open Graph)
**Text overlay (optional):** [Short title or none]
**Alt text:** [Descriptive alt text including target keyword if natural]

See Example 1 and Example 2 for complete featured image briefs.

2. SEO Pre-Publish Checklist

Present this checklist. Every item must pass before the post is ready.

## SEO Pre-Publish Checklist

### Keyword Optimization
- [ ] Target keyword appears in the H1
- [ ] Target keyword appears in the first 100 words
- [ ] Target keyword appears in at least one H2
- [ ] Keyword density is between 0.5% and 1.5%
- [ ] 2-3 secondary keywords are used naturally in the body
- [ ] Meta description includes the target keyword

### Structure and Readability
- [ ] H1 > H2 > H3 hierarchy is correct (no skipped levels)
- [ ] No H2 or H3 is orphaned (every heading has body content below it)
- [ ] Paragraphs are 2-4 sentences max
- [ ] At least one list (bulleted or numbered) per 500 words
- [ ] Intro hooks the reader in the first 2 sentences (no "In today's world..." openers)

### Meta and Technical
- [ ] Meta description is 150-160 characters
- [ ] Meta description includes a benefit and implicit CTA
- [ ] All images have alt text suggestions
- [ ] Internal links use descriptive anchor text (not "click here" or "read more")
- [ ] No broken or placeholder links

### Content Quality
- [ ] Every claim is backed by a specific example, data point, or actionable step
- [ ] The post answers the search intent stated in the brief
- [ ] The conclusion has a clear, single CTA
- [ ] Word count meets the target from the brief (+/- 10%)

3. Readability Check

Provide a brief assessment covering: estimated reading level (target 8th grade), average sentence length, passive voice percentage (target under 5%), and whether any single section exceeds 600 words (recommend splitting if so).

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Example 1: "How to Build a Content Repurposing System" (2,000 words)

Brief:

• Target keyword: content repurposing system
• Audience: Solo content creators who publish weekly
• Angle: Author's personal system that produces 8 pieces from 1 post in under 2 hours
• Word count: 2,000
• Internal links: /blog/social-media-scheduling-guide, /blog/email-newsletter-tips

Outline excerpt:

H1: How to Build a Content Repurposing System That Saves You 10 Hours a Week
H2: Why Most Content Dies After One Post (~200 words)
H2: The 4-Step Content Repurposing Framework (~500 words)
H2: Platform-by-Platform Breakdown (~600 words)
  H3: Twitter/X Threads
  H3: LinkedIn Posts
  H3: Email Newsletter
  H3: Short-Form Video
H2: Tools That Make Repurposing Faster (~300 words)
H2: Common Mistakes That Kill Your Repurposing Results (~200 words)
H2: Your First Repurposing Sprint — Start This Week (~200 words)

Meta description:

Learn how to build a content repurposing system that turns one blog post into 8 platform-ready pieces. Step-by-step framework inside.

Featured image brief:

Concept: Single blog post icon branching into 8 format icons (thread, post, email, video, carousel, story, podcast note, infographic)
Style: Minimalist flat design, brand colors on white
Dimensions: 1200x630px
Alt text: Content repurposing system — turning one blog post into 8 pieces of content

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Example 2: "5 Invoice Mistakes Freelancers Make" (1,500-word listicle)

Brief:

• Target keyword: invoice mistakes freelancers
• Audience: Freelancers and solopreneurs who send invoices manually
• Angle: Real mistakes the author made (or saw clients make) that cost money
• Word count: 1,500
• Internal links: none provided

Outline excerpt:

H1: 5 Invoice Mistakes Freelancers Make (And How to Fix Each One)
H2: Mistake 1 — Not Including Payment Terms (~250 words)
H2: Mistake 2 — Sending Invoices Late (~250 words)
H2: Mistake 3 — Using Vague Line Items (~250 words)
H2: Mistake 4 — Forgetting to Charge for Revisions (~250 words)
H2: Mistake 5 — Not Following Up on Overdue Invoices (~250 words)
H2: The 60-Second Invoice Audit (~150 words)

Meta description:

Avoid these 5 invoice mistakes that cost freelancers thousands in late payments and lost revenue. Fix each one with a simple template.

Featured image brief:

Concept: A stylized invoice document with 5 red "X" marks crossed out, replaced by green checkmarks — representing mistakes being fixed
Style: Clean line illustration, red and green accent colors on white
Dimensions: 1200x630px
Alt text: 5 invoice mistakes freelancers make — common billing errors and how to fix them

Suggested internal link opportunities:

1. "How to Set Your Freelance Rates" — link from Mistake 3 (vague line items)
2. "The Best Invoicing Tools for Solopreneurs" — link from the Invoice Audit section
3. "Freelancer Payment Terms Template" — link from Mistake 1 (payment terms)

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Anti-Patterns

NEVER do these when writing a blog post:

• Keyword stuffing — forcing the keyword into every paragraph or exceeding 1.5% density. Readers notice and search engines penalize it.
• Thin content — delivering 500 words when you promised 1,500. Every section needs examples, data, or actionable steps.
• Skipping the outline gate — writing the full post without approval leads to major rewrites. Always get structure approved first.
• Generic intros — "In today's digital world..." wastes the most valuable real estate in the post. Hook with specifics.
• Wall-of-text paragraphs — anything over 4 sentences gets skimmed. Break it up.
• Clickbait meta descriptions — do not promise "secrets" or "hacks" the post does not deliver.
• "Click here" anchor text — internal links must use descriptive anchor text.
• Orphaned headings — an H2 or H3 with no body content below it hurts structure signals.
• Multiple CTAs in the conclusion — one CTA, not three.

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Recovery

• No target keyword: Ask what question their ideal customer types into Google. If they still cannot identify one, suggest 3 keyword ideas based on their business and pick one together.
• No internal links: Skip internal linking. Provide 3-5 suggested post topics to build a content cluster around the target keyword.
• Outline rejected twice: Ask what specifically feels wrong — angle, depth, structure, or audience mismatch. Isolate the issue before rewriting.
• Word count under 800: Warn that sub-800-word posts rarely rank. Recommend 1,200 minimum. If they insist, proceed but note it in the readability assessment.
• Word count over 3,000: Confirm they need that depth. Suggest splitting into a 2-part series if the outline exceeds 7 H2 sections.
• Keyword but no angle: Suggest 3 angles (personal experience, data-driven, contrarian take). Default to practitioner perspective.
• If 3 outline revisions fail: Stop and reassess. Ask the user to share a blog post they admire so you can reverse-engineer structure and tone.

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Delivery and File Output

When the post is complete, present the deliverables in this order:

1. Full blog post (H1 through conclusion + CTA)
2. Meta description
3. Internal link placements (or suggested opportunities)
4. Featured image brief
5. SEO pre-publish checklist (with all items checked/unchecked)
6. Readability assessment

If the user provides a file path or asks to save, write the complete post to a file:

blog/
└── [slug-from-h1].md

Include the meta description, image brief, and checklist as sections at the bottom of the file, separated by --- dividers.