1. Nail the Headline: Using proven headline formulas helps you tap into patterns that readers and search engines recognize—boosting click-through rates and improving your article’s visibility.

  • Use proven formulas:
    • “How to [Achieve X] in [Timeframe]”
    • “5 Expert Tips for [Solving Y]”
  • Front-load your primary keyword (e.g. “How to Winterize Your Lawn: [SiteName] Expert”).
  • Keep it under 60 characters so it won’t get cut off in search results.
  • Always include the feature name (News Site Expert) in the title. This helps with search, query, and for branding the sponsor as one of our experts.

    Examples:
  • How to Winterize Your Home’s Plumbing: 352 Today Expert’s 5-Step Guide
  • 10 Expert Tips from 352 Today Expert for Spring Lawn Revival
  • How to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half: 352 Today Expert Reveals Simple Hacks
  • 5 Signs Your Roof Needs Repair—352 Today Expert Advice
  • How to Master Remote Work Productivity, according to 352 Today Expert
  • 7 Common Indoor Air Quality Issues and 352 Today Expert Solutions
  • How to Plan a Stress-Free Family Road Trip: 352 Today Expert Checklist
  • 8 Budget-Friendly Home Decor Updates from 352 Today Expert
  • How to Boost Your Credit Score Fast: 352 Today Expert’s Proven Strategies
  • 6 DIY Pest Control Methods Recommended by 352 Today Expert

2. Open with a Strong Hook

  • First 1–2 sentences should:
    • Address the reader’s pain point (“Tired of soggy grass every spring?”)
    • Promise a clear outcome (“Here’s how our [SiteName] Expert helps you protect your lawn in minutes”).
  • Sprinkle your target keyword naturally in that intro paragraph.

3. Structure with Clear Subheadings: Break your content into scannable H2s and H3s:

  • “Step 1: Inspect Your Irrigation System”
  • “Step 2: Choose the Right Mulch”
  • Include secondary keywords in at least a couple of subheads for extra SEO lift.

4. Deliver Actionable, Step-by-Step Advice: Step-by-step advice distills complex information into clear, actionable steps—making it easier for readers to follow and apply than wading through a lengthy, long-form article.

  • Numbered lists and bullet points boost readability.
  • Keep each step concise—aim for 2–4 sentences.
  • Where possible, include real-world examples or mini case-studies.

5. Leverage Expert Voice & Credentials

  • Prominent Expert Byline:  Place a brief “About the Expert” right after your opening paragraph (or at the bottom, if your style guide prefers). Include name, title, key credential, and a one-line summary of experience.

About the Expert
Jane Doe, [SiteName] Expert in Organic Gardening, holds an M.S. in Horticulture from State University and has advised over 200 home gardeners on sustainable lawn care.

  • “Pro Tip” Callouts:  Sprinkle short, high-impact tips that jump off the page in styled boxes or blockquotes. They reinforce that these are distilled insights from a true specialist.

Example:

Pro Tip
Always aerate your lawn in early spring—before grass green-up begins—to maximize oxygen delivery to roots.
— Jane Doe, [SiteName] Expert

  • Pull-Quotes for Emphasis:  Highlight one memorable sentence as a pull-quote (large font) which both breaks up text and underscores your expert’s voice.

“A twice-weekly light watering competes with heavy, infrequent soakings every weekend—your grass will thank you.”
— Jane Doe, [SiteName] Expert

  • Real-World Examples / Mini Case Studies:  Illustrate advice with a client story or before/after scenario. This shows your expert not only knows theory but applies it in practice.

Case Study: Last fall, homeowner Mark in Springfield followed our [SiteName] Expert’s mulch-first strategy. By winter, his fescue patch was 30% thicker—saving him nearly $50 in repairs come spring!

6. Optimize Images for SEO & Engagement

  • Include at least one relevant image for every 300–500 words.
  • Images should be no larger than 1200 X 800 and attractive to the reader.  No text on image.
  • File names should be descriptive (e.g. winterize-lawn-mulch.jpg).
  • Alt text = a short, keyword-rich description (“Mulching lawn edges to prevent frost damage”).
  • Add captions to explain what’s shown and reinforce your point.
  • Compress images so pages load quickly.

7. Smart Internal Linking

  • Link to 2–3 related articles or category pages—for example, “Learn more about spring fertilizing here.”  This is a good place to link previous articles by this expert.
  • Use descriptive anchor text (avoid “click here”):  Here are a few examples of descriptive (SEO-friendly and user-friendly) anchor texts you might use when linking internally—each tells both readers and search engines exactly what they’ll get when they click:

Good: “Read our step-by-step guide to spring fertilization”
Links to: /spring-fertilization-guide

Good: “Explore tips for choosing the right mulch”
Links to: /how-to-choose-mulch

Good: “See before-and-after results from our winter lawn prep case study”
Links to: /winter-lawn-prep-case-study

Good: “Discover organic weed-control methods”
Links to: /organic-weed-control

Contrast that with generic anchors you want to avoid:

Bad: “Click here”

Bad: “Learn more”

Bad: “Read this article”

This keeps readers on-site longer and helps your site hierarchy.

8. Thoughtful External Linking

  • Cite one or two authoritative sources (e.g., USDA guidelines, industry studies).
  • Set these to open in a new tab so readers don’t leave your site entirely.
  • Use them sparingly—too many can dilute your page’s SEO value.

9. Close with a Clear Call-to-Action

  • Invite questions (“Have more lawn-care challenges? Submit your question to our [SiteName] Expert.”).  add this as a link inside the published article.
  • Or prompt social engagement (“Share your winter-proofing wins on Facebook or leave a comment below.”)
  • A well-placed CTA drives both engagement and future article ideas.

10. Quick On-Page SEO Touches

  • Make sure Alt Text clearly describes your image.
  • Make sure you include an excerpt that includes searchable terms for this Expert.
  • Include a headline that promotes engagement.
  • Make sure the first paragraph grabs the interest of the reader, while promoting searchable keywords.
  • Include a photo caption.

11. Publish the article in all relevant SECTIONS on the news site, including LOCAL, BUSINIESS, and any LIFESTYLE sections that make sense for the article. 

12.   Include the article on Top Stories inside your app.  This is the SECTION called ZZZ in your news sections in WordPress.1. Publish the article in all relevant SECTIONS on the news site, including LOCAL, BUSINIESS, and any LIFESTYLE sections that make sense for the article. 

13. Add Interactive or Lead-Generating Elements: Downloadable tips or checklist
Turn articles into PDF resources the business can brand and use to capture emails on their site.

Example: Download this How to publish an expert article checklist.