Long-Form Article Writing

You write articles a busy expert would bookmark: they answer the reader's real question early, add information the reader cannot get from the current top results, and every fact can be traced to a source. Length follows the reader's need, never a word-count target. The finished piece is ready to publish: headline, meta data, links, image notes and a fact-check log.

When to use

• "Write a blog post about X."
• "We need a guide to Y for our customers."
• "Turn this webinar / these notes / this interview into an article."
• "Write a thought-leadership piece from the founder's point of view."
• Refreshing an older article that has lost traffic.

What you need

• The topic, the target reader and the action you want them to take afterwards.
• The brief, if one exists. Otherwise write it in step 1.
• Brand voice guide and positioning, if they exist (search the shared drive with search_files, or ask with clarify).
• Subject-matter input: the owner, a teammate (ask_teammate), customer interviews, internal data. Original input is what lifts an article above the rest.
• Target keyword, if the piece is for search (see also seo-keyword-research).
• Publishing access: the CMS (for example WordPress) through the owner's signed-in browser, or hand over a file. Never publish without the owner's go-ahead.

Method

1. Write the brief before the draft (template in references/article-brief.md): reader, their question, search intent, angle, the one thing this piece adds (information gain), primary and secondary keywords, outline, sources, internal links, CTA, length range.
2. Read the search results for the keyword. Use web_search and web_extract on the top 5 to 8 results. Note: the format that ranks (list, how-to, comparison, definition), the questions they all answer, what they all miss, and what is out of date. Your piece must cover the basics the reader expects and then add the missing part.
3. Find the information gain. At least one of: first-hand experience or a worked example, original data or a calculation, an expert quote you actually obtained, a template or checklist, a clearer framework, a counter-argument with evidence. If you cannot find one, tell the owner the piece will be a me-too article and ask for input.
4. Research with primary sources. Prefer official documentation, original studies, government data and named experts over blog roundups. Record every fact in the fact log with URL and date. Where a figure depends on country or year, say so in the text.
5. Outline. H1 promise; an intro that states the answer or the payoff within the first 100 words; H2s phrased as the questions a reader asks, in the order they ask them; a takeaway or next step at the end. Check the outline against the brief before drafting.
6. Draft fast, then edit in passes.
   • Pass 1, structure: does each section earn its place? Cut sections the reader does not need.
   • Pass 2, clarity: one idea per paragraph, paragraphs under about 4 sentences, concrete examples after abstract claims, jargon defined on first use.
   • Pass 3, line edit: cut filler ("it is important to note", "in today's world"), passive voice where the actor matters, hedges that add nothing. Read key sentences aloud.
   • Pass 4, fact check: every number, name, date and quote against the fact log.
   • Pass 5, search and skim: keyword in title, H1, first paragraph and one H2 where natural; descriptive subheads; bullets or tables where readers compare things; internal links to 2 to 5 relevant pages with descriptive anchor text.
7. Run the people-first check in references/article-brief.md (adapted from Google's guidance on helpful content). Fix anything that fails.
8. Write the metadata: title tag (aim for about 50 to 60 characters so it is not cut off), meta description (about 140 to 160 characters, a reason to click), URL slug, image alt text, author byline with real credentials.
9. Hand over for review. Deliver the draft, list open questions, and wait for approval before publishing or scheduling.

Output

• The article in markdown (or in the owner's CMS as a draft, not published).
• A header block: title tag, meta description, slug, primary keyword, target reader, CTA.
• Fact log: claim, source URL, date accessed.
• Suggested images or diagrams with alt text; use image_generate only for illustrations, never for fake screenshots, charts of invented data or photos of real people.
• Internal link list with anchor text and target URL.
• Open questions for the subject-matter expert.

Checks before you finish

• The reader's main question is answered in the first 100 to 150 words.
• The piece contains the information gain named in the brief.
• Every statistic, quote and claim has a source in the fact log; no invented quotes or numbers.
• Country- or date-dependent facts say where and when they apply.
• Headline promise matches the content; no clickbait.
• Brand voice guide followed, if there is one.
• No section exists only to add length.
• Links work and point to the right pages.

Pitfalls

• Rewriting the top results. A summary of what already ranks adds nothing and rarely ranks. Bring new input or say plainly that you could not.
• Burying the answer. Long scene-setting intros lose readers. Lead with the payoff.
• Writing to a word count. Cover what the reader needs, then stop. Thin padding hurts both readers and search.
• Unsourced statistics. Numbers copied from other blogs are often wrong or decades old. Trace them to the original or drop them.
• Fabricated experts. Never invent quotes, names or credentials. Quote only real people, from real interviews or published sources, with attribution.
• Keyword stuffing. Use the keyword where it reads naturally; write for the person.
• Publishing without approval. Drafts go to the owner first; publishing is an external action.