Do you know how to knot your necktie? Use widgets to customize your smartphone? Do you know how to execute a good basketball rebound at your average height? Can you recommend ways to travel the world on a limited budget?

Welcome to the world of how-to guides. Content is essential because it provides useful information, and this is why how-to articles are very popular. Consider the popularity of WikiHow and you’ll get the idea. Moreover, you’re doing others a great service as your blog becomes a go-to for people in need of do-it-yourself instructions. You’ve been on both sides of either following or giving instruction and that gives you an idea on how to craft a good how-to article.

From the name itself, a how-to article is written for the purpose of giving instructions on how to do something. It’s often written in a step by step order and no important instruction in the process is left out to ensure the maximum hands-on experience for the reader. If you plan to write this informational piece but don’t know how to begin, consider these steps:

1) Choose a topic

That old advice about writing what you know works well here. Everybody is good at something. Bank on your own skills and share it. Are you good at baking cheesecake? Troubleshooting your car? Arranging flowers? Any special interest or hobby will always find like-minded readers who share the same interest. But don’t stop at sharing a passion or hobby. People turn to how-to pieces to solve a problem or finish a task.

Always address a problem, and it should be a problem relevant to your niche or area of expertise. Consider the site iFixit to study examples of what makes a good how-to article. As an added reminder, topics can be broad, so you may want to narrow it down. People’s problems are often specific. If you’re writing about pet care, try to zoom in on a particular area like how to regulate your pet’s weight to prevent obesity.

2) Write a good, catchy headline

Think of a good headline that has essential keywords to help in search optimization. A good title must accurately define your content in a short phrase. Simple, direct titles often work. You can turn to instructional videos on YouTube and other online channels to find examples of concise titles that deliver results. Consider these titles:

“How to install a firewall.”

“How to make your own winter melon tea.”

“How to get the raise that you want.”

“How to stay safe against the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

“How to trade commodities using volume indicators.”

Notice how these titles all begin with “how-to”?  Consider it as a key phrase that helps Google to index your content according to the information it provides.

3) Research

This is one of the fun parts of doing a how-to article. You’ll have to go the extra mile to do research to further give weight and credibility to your piece. Your content must be grounded in facts and if you can support them with statistics, quotes, analysis, citations, references, and historical information, even better. You don’t only help your readers solve a problem, you’re also giving them extra information that makes your article a must-read.

Moreover, going out of your way to give them solid information sends them a signal of your sincerity to help them. Collect all the facts and information you have gathered and place them in a folder. Keep track of your sources for future reference. Sometimes, an editor will ask you where you got your information, and you should always be ready to cite your sources and links.