17 types of blog posts you MUST have + Checklist

As Bloggers we ALL want more traffic. We try to write posts that our readers will love. Some types of posts have a longer term appeal and can be a source of traffic for months and even years to come. This type of content is evergreen and it can take many different forms. 

In this post I’m sharing 17 types of blog posts that you should have on your blog. If you can incorporate these you will be positioning your blog well for lots of traffic, so it’s well worth the time invested to create them.  

 

17 types of blog posts you MUST have on your blog

1. Detailed review

This post is just as it sounds, a thorough review of a product or service. For this post you really want to go all in out on the detail and try to make it THE BEST review on that product/service. Make sure you capitalise on search traffic by including the word ‘review’ in the title of the post. This post is a prime candidate for affiliate links.

Remember if you use Amazon and the reader clicks through and don’t buy, you will get affiliate commission on their purchases even if they buy something completely different. As soon as a potential customer enters Amazon through one of your links they get a cookie on their browser which links them to you as an affiliate. As long as that cookie is active you will earn commissions on anything that customer purchases. This cookie can either be a 24 hour cookie or a 90 day cookie.

The 24 hour one gives you the commission on anything they purchase for 24 hours. The 90 day cookie gives you the chance to earn commissions on sales that are made up to 90 days after a user clicks on your affiliate link. However, there are things which need to happen in order for this cookie to be placed on the user’s browser. If a reader goes through your affiliate link and buys something different within 24 hour window you will get that commission. Plus if they place the item you linked to in their basket within the 24 hour period, but don’t check out, this then turns into a 90 day window for commissions on that specific product only. 

2. A Complete guide

A Complete guide is an awesome post to create as it is packed full of value and offers a step by step guide through a certain topic. These posts should be epic, contain different media types, but substantial in length (4-5k) and might include videos in addition to photos. Remember it’s a ‘complete’ guide.

3. Tech tutorial/walkthrough

This can be a walk through/tutorial of any tech you use. So it could be a app on your phone, or  a web based programme or software. Even if you’re a family blogger and don’t blog about tech you might use a money management app on your phone for household finances or an app that has put you in touch with other local parents and so this would be a great opportunity to share the detail of that programme with your readers.  The format could be a picture and text walk through or a screen share video. I have a few tech tutorials, from many videos on how to use Canva, Social Oomph, Lightroom, iMovie, how to make a click to tweet image and lots more.

4. Tools and resource guide

This post can be written for any niche and you could even have multiple versions for different topics within your niche. For me it would be a blogging tool/resources guide. However, I could also have a photography equipment guide or one for live streaming. The possibilities are endless. As with the Detailed review post, this one is a great candidate for affiliate links. 

5. Before and after

This post will draw in the traffic if you pick a great topic. A topic where you can demonstrate a transformation is what we’re looking for here. Think before and after weight loss, or before and after you started to use a system or some software. You need to visually demonstrate the before and after, so screen shots and photographs should be included.

6. Disprove a myth

What’s the biggest myth in your industry? Clean eating is boring, Bloggers need massive traffic to earn an income, vegetarian food is bland, you get the picture. Pick your ‘myth’ and disprove it with your post. 

7. Your story

This is a must have for any blog. Remember, it’s readers have to connect with you to want to come back time and time again, so by sharing your story you’re giving them so much more information to find resonance with. Sharing your story can be so powerful and this is why it’s a must have post.  

8. Case study

A case study is a detailed deep dive into a specific topic. The focus could be on something you have done or a friend/client. Again weight loss could make a good case study, but it could be something like ‘How to pass your driving test in 5 days’. This post should be detailed and would include screen shots, timescales and be full of facts and figures.

If you want to join my mailing list and get access to my epic Blogger’s Resource vault of cheatsheets and downloads (INCLUDING THIS CHECKLIST) as a welcome gift, you can do that here.

9. Controversial post

This post might not be for the faint hearted, but you know the saying ‘faint heart never won fair maiden’! Sometimes you have to take a stand and polarise people. Stop being ‘beige’ and stand up for what you believe in and no doubt you will have people who disagree with you, BUT you’ll find ‘your’ people and they will love you for sharing your view so openly in the world. 

10. Comparison post

This is similar to a review post, but here you’re comparing two similar systems, items, programmes or products. So you will have detailed information on both and you will present the pros and cons in your post.

11. List post

This is a post type that i’m quite confident you will have. List posts are a staple for all blogs. They break up information so it’s easy to consume and they are also super easy to create too! Make sure you pick a great headline, so you’ll be creating a valuable resource for your readers.

12. Cheat sheet/checklist

Checklists and cheat sheets are the perfect freebie to add to any post to help build your email list. The topics could be literally *almost* anything. ‘Best beauty buy’ checklist, ’10 steps to building your Twitter followers’, literally anything. Day to night make up cheat sheet. I have a media kit creation checklist.

13. Infographic

Infographics are a great thing to create for your posts. You can also find infographics others have created to include in your post. To find infographics search infographic + KEYWORD and then use the embed code to pop it in your post. All you have to do is write a few paragraphs and you’re good to go! Stats infographics are a great option and are always well received. I have an infographic on this post, 13 things all bloggers should do on Twitter.

14. Definition post

The definition post is a really useful post to have on your blog, especially for newbies. A terms glossary for your niche or interest area is a great resource which people will keep referring to. I have an A-Z Blogging terms.  You could also include a print out of the list as an opt-in freebie to build your list too!

15. FAQ POST

A Frequently asked questions post can be a really useful addition for your audience, but it can also help you too. It can answer the questions you get asked a lot and so reduce people’s need to ask you again. You can also direct people to the post instead of rewriting the information multiple times. For me the questions I get asked all the time are things like; Which camera do I use, How do I prioritise, Which systems do I use to get stuff done, How do I automate, How do you hire a VA, etc. 

16. Expert advice

The expert advice post can be a really fun one to create. Find 3 experts in your niche and ask them a question. So for entrepreneurs it could be ‘the best piece of advice they have ever received’, for three vegetarians ‘how they got started and their biggest challenge’. People love learning about other’s lives and so they are usually popular posts. The chosen experts will also usually share the post with their audience, which will lead to more traffic.  

17. Beginner’s Guide

The Beginner’s Guide is similar the the complete guide, but for this one you are focused on people at the start of their journey only. So for me it could be ‘7 days to start a blog’, ‘the beginner’s guide to WordPress’. Everyone starts somewhere in any niche, and new people start every day which means you should have a constant supply of traffic to this post.

So, there you have it 17 types of blog posts that will create a strong content foundation for your blog and help you to build up recurring traffic. How many of these types of blog posts do you already have on your blog? Which is the first you’re going to write?