As a content writer, I faced many problems while figuring out what readers actually see on the internet when searching for How-To questions. Over the year, I’ve figured out how to write a how-to guide to provide solutions to the audience on the internet.
So, if you are also facing a lack of understanding of your audience, then don’t worry! Here, I have shared my experience in making an effective guide for pals who are searching for a fix. Further, I’ve also put together some effective tips and tricks to get results easily.
What is a How-to Guide?
A how-to guide is a specially compiled document that provides a step-by-step guide on how to complete a certain task. Further, writers have to put each step in a logical order to make it easy for users to follow the steps. That’s the right way to deliver a specific solution for a problem right ahead of your audience.
Here are some important elements of a How-to Guide:
- Chronological Steps: A how-to guide contains steps for each task to be done in chronological order.
- Understandable Instructions: Concise instructions to make it easy for users to understand the instructions.
- Visual Resources: A proof or visual representation of doing the task is essential for a guide.
Key Statistics on How-to Guide
- 76% of the How-to Guide articles had been published by bloggers in 12 months.
- Publishes that include “How-to” and “Guide” words in titles usually get more organic traffic.
- 45% of bloggers post long-form content like ebooks and guides.
- The most popular content format for bloggers is How-to Guides to engage a massive audience.
- 5.7% of the total publications on the web will rank, including how-to guides.
How to Write a How-to Guide?
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to write a how-to guide to deliver a specific fix to a problem.
Step 1. Audience Research
Guides are written according to the audience’s preferences and needs to fulfil their desires and satisfy them with the solution. This can only be done through researching your audience and segmenting them into different categories to create effective guides.
If the audience is minor, then professional terms won’t engage the audience with your guide and mayn’t deliver the solutions. That’s why you should understand your specific audiences first to get the most out of them in the end.
Step 2. Understand the Process
Now, it’s time to understand the process of solving a problem in the right way. According to your Keyword research, you need to search about the process and identify the problem first to compile an effective fix for your targeted audiences.
For instance, if your keyword is How to Add Music to Instagram Story, then search about the process and divide the process into chronological steps. This is far more important because you can’t prepare a guide until you understand the process itself.
Step 3. Go for a Title
Thirdly, you need to go for a title that would engage a wider audience. Further, you must make sure that the title isn’t duplicated from another website or your competitors. So, you have to prepare a fresh, unique, informative, engaging title to drive the audience to your page.
To do so, you can check for title duplication in the search engine result pages to avoid repetition. In addition, repetition is not a preferred concept through Google. So, just avoid it. As I have made a title for the previous keyword, as How to Add Music to Instagram Story – Easy Steps.
Step 4. Create Steps
As you have understood the whole procedure after conducting research. Now, you should divide the solution into chronological steps to simplify the process further. In addition, make sure to include a single instruction in a single step to make it more understandable for your audience.
No matter if your guide is ending fewer or more words, without respecting your word count limits. Because your mission is to deliver a solution for a specific problem, your main focus should be on that.
Step 5. Simplify Your Language
Communication is the key to making a bond of instructions and effectively delivering instructions. Thus, simplify your language according to your target audiences. If your target audience is college students, then avoid using jargon and other professional words.
On the other hand, if your potential target audience is in the professional field, then you may include some jargon to make your conversation healthier. Simplifying doesn’t mean to use only easy words, but it means to use understandable words.
Step 6. Include Examples (Visuals)
Here, you need to include examples to showcase that you have also done the same on your device. Whether you want to create templates for your visual examples or want to make them simple, you can. This will increase the authority of the content.
42% of bloggers who use 10 images per content get strong results in rewards for their content. Therefore, you are also encouraged to include a visual representation of the process to get higher results in your guides. You can also compile a document on how to write a how-to guide.
Step 7. Proofread
Lastly, you have to proofread the guide once again before publication to not miss a single piece of information from the topic. On the other hand, if you have a proofreader, then send the document to him to consult, or you can also reread your document to make improvements.
Generally, the guide that is proofread gets higher results in rewards for smaller efforts. Therefore, you should proofread your documents or send someone to do so to make the most out of a guide after publishing the guide.
Tips and Tricks to Create an Effective How-to Guide
Here, I have compiled some tips and tricks to create an effective how-to guide to deliver solutions according to my experience.
- Don’t reassure your guide as a last resort.
- Don’t refer to it as the last option for users on the web.
- If you don’t know anything technical, then admit it and go straight for research.
- Use words like reliable, effective, and practical solutions or tips.
- Don’t speak sweeter for your own things.
- Describe the features instead of referring it the best solution.
- Include visual representations.
- Simplify your words by referring to an example.
The Closing Note
Well, that’s all about how to write a How-to Guide effectively to engage a wider audience and drive them to your blog. Further, I’ve compiled some tips and tricks to create an effective guide for your target audience to deliver a reliable solution.
I think you have got it all right. So, keep solving innovative problems and engaging audiences. Happy Guiding, and Stay Tuned for More Informative and Helpful Content, like:
