Blog Post Creation Guide for LLMs

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for creating engaging blog posts for Barry Hennessy’s technical writing. Use this to understand the context, structure requirements, and quality standards for generating new blog content.

IMPORTANT: Always read content/plans/AGENTS.md FIRST for site-wide guidelines on SEO, tone, quality standards, and brand positioning before using this post-specific guide.

NEVER edit, remove or rename content within

🎯 Post-Specific Context

Global Context: See content/plans/AGENTS.md for complete site-wide brand positioning, target audiences, content strategy, and business context.

Blog Post Purpose

Posts serve multiple functions within the overall content strategy:

Thought Leadership: Demonstrate deep expertise and unique insights
Lead Generation: Drive qualified traffic to consulting services through valuable content
Community Building: Create ongoing value for the engineering community
SEO Traffic: Generate organic search traffic for relevant technical keywords

Post-Specific Audience Focus

Primary: Senior developers and architects seeking deeper technical understanding
Secondary: Engineering leaders looking for practical leadership insights
Content Goals: Position posts as go-to resources for complex technical challenges

🏗️ Post Structure & Decisions

Core Decision Framework

1. Topic Selection

Decisions to Make:

What problem are engineers currently facing?
How does this relate to Barry’s expertise?
What unique insight can be provided?
How to tie into broader themes?

High-Level Goals:

Address real pain points
Provide actionable insights
Position Barry as a trusted advisor
Drive engagement and shares

2. Content Structure

Decisions to Make:

What narrative arc should the post follow?
How technical should the content be?
What examples and anecdotes to include?
How to balance theory with practice?

High-Level Goals:

Keep readers engaged throughout
Provide practical value
Encourage deeper thinking
Create memorable takeaways

3. Tone & Style

Decisions to Make:

How conversational should the writing be?
What level of expertise to assume?
How to handle complex topics?
What personal stories to include?

High-Level Goals:

Build connection with readers
Demonstrate deep understanding
Make complex topics accessible
Encourage reader participation

Post Types & Structures

Problem-Solution Posts

Hook: Present the problem dramatically
Background: Explain why it matters
Analysis: Break down the issue
Solution: Present the approach
Implementation: Show how to apply it
Results: Share outcomes and benefits
Conclusion: Call to action or reflection

Experience-Driven Posts

Hook: Personal anecdote or story
Context: Set the scene and stakes
Challenge: Describe the problem faced
Exploration: Different approaches considered
Decision: What was chosen and why
Implementation: How it was executed
Lessons: Key takeaways and insights
Conclusion: Broader implications

Framework Explanation Posts

Hook: Why the framework matters
Overview: High-level explanation
Components: Break down the pieces
Application: How to use it
Examples: Real-world case studies
Common Issues: Pitfalls to avoid
Advanced Usage: Going deeper
Conclusion: When and how to adopt

📝 Frontmatter Template

---
title: "Compelling Title That Includes Keywords"
date: 2025-01-15
description: "SEO-optimized description under 160 characters that encourages clicks"
tags:
  - primary-keyword
  - secondary-keyword
  - related-concept
type: posts
draft: false

# Optional enhancements
image: "optional-featured-image-path"
aliases:
  - /old-url-path
punctuation: "?"  # For titles ending with punctuation
slideshare: "optional-presentation-link"
---