--- 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: AI Black Magic 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. --- ## 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. --- ## 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.** --- ## 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. --- ## 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). --- ## 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). --- ## 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 ``` --- ## 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) ``` --- ## 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. --- ## 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. --- ## 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.