{"id":104795,"date":"2021-12-28T08:21:43","date_gmt":"2021-12-28T08:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/corp\/?p=104795"},"modified":"2025-03-25T08:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T08:28:10","slug":"how-to-writing-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/marketing\/content-marketing\/how-to-writing-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a How-to Article Step-by-Step (+Free Template)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever had to explain how Zoom video calls work to family-members or how to get from point A to point B to someone visiting your neighborhood?<\/p>\n

If so, you\u2019re already halfway to being able to write a helpful how-to article. But to get that extra bit of structure, flair, and inspiration you\u2019ll need to hold your reader’s attention, keep reading.<\/p>\n

Below, I\u2019ve put together an eight-step guide to writing the perfect how-to article online, along with some additional tips on writing and optimizing<\/a> \u200beye-catching
\nInformational articles for search engines and readers alike.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve even included a free-to-download how-to article template \u2013 the end result of years of testing and trials using Similarweb Web Intelligence<\/a> \u2013 to get you started.<\/p>\n <\/span>\n \n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\"\n>\n \n Download now\n <\/span>\n \n <\/path>\n <\/svg> <\/button>\n <\/div>\n \n

Remember, you can skip around this article to the parts that are most useful from your point of view. First, we\u2019re starting with the what behind the how.<\/p>\n

What is a how-to article?<\/h2>\n

Refreshingly, the name doesn\u2019t leave much to the imagination.<\/p>\n

A how-to article lays out exactly how to do something. A how-to \u200bblogger might walk readers through how to buy, use, or troubleshoot a product, or focus on a wider, more general topic instead, like how to bake a chocolate cake.<\/p>\n

What sets a how-to \u200barticle apart from the rest of the content on the internet is user intent<\/a>. People clicking on how-to guides aren\u2019t necessarily looking for info around what a topic is, or why they should be interested. They already know, and they already are \u2013 your job is to show them how.<\/p>\n

How to write a how-to article in 8 simple steps<\/h2>\n

A good article should provide practical and clear takeaways that the reader can put into practice. They should avoid jargon, and be made up of a list with easy-to-follow steps and bullet points in chronological order.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Choose a Topic<\/li>\n
  2. Put yourself in the audience\u2019s shoes<\/li>\n
  3. Research keywords<\/li>\n
  4. Plan your article\u2019s structure<\/li>\n
  5. Keep your steps snappy and straightforward<\/li>\n
  6. Give your guide a unique selling point<\/li>\n
  7. Set your page up for SEO success<\/li>\n
  8. Monitor your page\u2019s metrics \u2013 and keep optimizing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s start with step one.<\/p>\n

    1. Choose a topic<\/h3>\n

    The logic\u2019s infallible \u2013 you can\u2019t begin writing a how-to article if you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going to be writing about. So first, you\u2019ll need to select a topic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    The topic you pick will depend on what you want to achieve, your industry, and target audience<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    You might, for instance, be a company that sells a fairly technical product, so you\u2019d want to publish an article that offers honed, specific advice as to how to use it. In this case, the how-to guide services a specific business need \u2013 educating the customer. In this case, the topic will be dictated by your product catalog, for example:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • How to Assemble an IKEA Kallax<\/li>\n
    • How to Set Up a Samsung Neo TV<\/li>\n
    • How to Use an Amazon Echo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      At the opposite end of the spectrum, you could be publishing a how-to content offering additional tips around a more general subject, such as:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • How to Blow Up a Balloon<\/li>\n
      • How to Defrost a Chicken<\/li>\n
      • How to Change a Lightbulb<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        In the case of these examples, you\u2019re probably writing the content either to build your brand, or make money via display ads or affiliate marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        But still \u2013 that doesn\u2019t mean your choice of topic for your how-to article should be random. You should always pick topics that fit within your particular niche or industry.<\/strong> \u2018How to Blow Up a Balloon,\u2019 for instance, is a great choice of topic for a party supplies website \u2013 but not for one specializing in digital marketing.<\/p>\n

        So, think carefully about what you want to write about. If it ties into your brand\u2019s sector and niche, it\u2019s good. If it addresses a direct business or customer need, it\u2019s great. And if you have experience with the topic \u2013 and are passionate about writing it \u2013 it\u2019s even better! <\/a><\/span>Tweet this<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

        2. Put yourself in the audience\u2019s shoes<\/h3>\n

        Now you\u2019ve chosen what you\u2019re going to write about, you\u2019ll need to figure out who you\u2019re writing for<\/a>. You\u2019ll have to start thinking like your target audience \u2013 that is, the people who will read your how-to guide \u2013 and tailor the content accordingly.<\/p>\n