Enter your topic, pick a post type (how-to, listicle, review, comparison, ultimate guide, opinion or case study) and a target length. You get a ready-to-write H2/H3 outline with prompts for the introduction and conclusion, a word budget for every section, and an SEO title, meta description and URL slug.
Last updated:
Post type
How-to: a task ("start a vegetable garden"). Listicle: a plural noun ("budget travel apps"). Review: a product name.
Defaults to the topic. Used for title, H2s, meta and slug checks.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Blog Post Outline Generator
Choose a post type that matches the search intent: how-to, listicle, review, comparison, guide, opinion or case study.
Enter your topic, plus the second option for comparisons, and optionally your audience and focus keyword.
Set the number of steps or items and your target word count.
Press Generate outline and review the headings, prompts and word budgets.
Copy it as Markdown into your editor or CMS and replace the [brackets] with your content.
Which outline fits your keyword?
Post type
Search looks like
Core sections
Typical length
How-to
how to start a vegetable garden
What you need, numbered steps, mistakes, tips
1,200–2,000 words
Listicle
best budget travel apps
Top picks, criteria, one H2 per item, how to choose
1,500–3,000 words
Review
Kindle Paperwhite review
Verdict, specs, features, value, alternatives
1,200–2,500 words
Comparison
Trello vs Asana
At a glance, head-to-head rounds, which to choose
1,500–2,500 words
Ultimate guide
email marketing
Definition, concepts, getting started, best practices
2,500–5,000 words
Case study
how we doubled signups
Background, challenge, approach, results, lessons
1,000–2,000 words
Lengths are common ranges, not requirements. The right length is whatever fully answers the reader's question.
Default word budget
Part
Share
1,500-word post
2,500-word post
Introduction
8%
120 words
200 words
Body H2 sections
75%
1,125 words
1,875 words
FAQ (optional)
10%
150 words
250 words
Conclusion
7%
110 words
180 words
Without an FAQ, its share goes to the body sections. Reading time is estimated at about 238 words per minute, a commonly cited average for adult silent reading of non-fiction.
Tips for turning the outline into a post
Answer first. Put the direct answer or verdict in the first two or three sentences.
Write H2s readers would search for. Questions and clear labels beat clever wordplay.
Use the keyword naturally in the title, the first paragraph and one or two H2s; do not force it.
Add proof: screenshots, examples, data with sources and your own experience.
End with a next step: a related post, a download or a question for comments.
Frequently asked questions
How do I outline a blog post?
Start with the reader's question and the post type that answers it, then list the H2 sections in a logical order (background, steps or items, tips, FAQ), add H3 sub-points under the biggest sections, and finish with a conclusion and call to action. Give each section a rough word budget so the post stays balanced.
What is the difference between H2 and H3 headings?
H2s are the main sections of a post; H3s are sub-sections inside an H2, such as individual steps or features. The H1 is the post title and should appear only once. A clear heading hierarchy helps readers skim and helps search engines understand the structure.
How long should a blog post be?
There is no ideal length for every topic. Quick answers can be 800 words or less, typical how-tos and listicles run 1,200 to 2,000 words, and in-depth guides often exceed 3,000. Match the length to what it takes to fully answer the question, and check what already ranks for your keyword.
How are the word budgets calculated?
The introduction gets about 8% of the target, the conclusion about 7% and an FAQ section about 10%. The rest is shared by the body H2 sections, weighted so sections with more H3 sub-points get more words (weight = 1 + 0.35 × number of H3s). Values are rounded to the nearest 10 words.
Which post type should I choose?
Look at the search intent. 'How to…' queries want step-by-step how-tos; 'best…' queries want listicles; a product name plus 'review' wants a review; 'X vs Y' wants a comparison; broad topics suit an ultimate guide. Opinion pieces and case studies work well for building authority and links.
How long should a blog title and meta description be?
Search results usually show about 50 to 60 characters of a title and roughly 150 to 160 characters of a meta description before cutting them off, though the exact limit depends on pixel width and device. The tool shows character counts for both.
Does the generator write the post for me?
No. It builds the structure and prompts so you can write faster and more completely. The research, examples and opinions should be your own, which is also what makes a post useful and trustworthy.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.