How to Format a Blog

According to a Nielsen Norman Group study, nearly 80% of people don’t actually read blogs, they scan them. You’ve got literal seconds to catch someone’s eye before they leave.

So no, formatting isn’t just a nice to have, it’s an important factor of your blog’s success. If you get it right your readers might stick around longer.

Know What Your Reader Wants

Before you even start typing, pause and ask yourself: What’s my reader looking for here?

Most people aren’t settling in to read "War and Peace". They’re hunting for answers, quick tips, and maybe a how-to that doesn’t feel like it was written in 10 seconds by ChatGPT. So when you format your blog post, it needs to respect that. Tutorials, thought pieces, and listicles all demand a different flow. Match your structure to the reader’s intent, and you’re already halfway there.

Related: How to Find Content Ideas for Your Blog

Skimmability Is the Name of the Game

People are busy. Their attention is split between tabs, texts, and toddlers throwing cereal across the room. So make your content skimmable! They should be able to get something from your article without needing to read it word for word.

Here’s how:

• Short paragraphs (3 lines max, most of the time)

• Bold subheadings that guide the eye

• Bulleted or numbered lists where it makes sense

• Whitespace, yes, give your words room to breathe

This helps someone feel less intimidated and keeps someone reading past the first glance.

Want Google to Like You? Format Format Format

Do you want Google to like you? Well, sure! We all want to be liked, and if Google likes you, it's a sign of a successful website. And how do you get Google to like you? Good blog formatting! Search engines need structure to understand your content, and formatting does exactly that.

Use your headers the right way. That means:

• H1 for your main blog title (just one, please)

• H2s for key sections

• H3s and H4s to break down ideas under those sections

You can learn more about heading tags here.

Also, don’t forget internal links. Sprinkle them in naturally, like I did above. Link to older blog posts, service pages, or anything that adds value. That’s how you build SEO and keep readers bouncing around your site instead of someone else’s.

Notice how the heading tags on our blog posts follow a natural progression from H1 - H4

A Few Layout Rules That Need Attention:

• White space is your friend. As I mentioned earlier, let your content breathe. Don’t cram your content tighter than a commuter bus at 8 a.m.

• Font matters. Sans-serif fonts (like Arial, Roboto, or Open Sans) are easy on the eyes. Aim for 16–18px body text with line spacing between 1.4 and 1.6.

• Keep your line width comfy. Between 45–75 characters per line hits the sweet spot. Any wider, and it’s a chore to read.

Should Your Blog Post Have Pictures?

Short answer is yes. It's a best SEO practice to use at least one relevant photo in your blog. No one came for your wall of text. Place images where they mean something:

• Explain a tricky concept with a diagram.

• Highlight a quote with a branded graphic.

• Use product shots near call-to-actions.

Note: Don’t forget to add alt text to the photo. This will boost SEO, it helps with accessibility and tells Google what the image is. It’s a small detail but says a lot about your site’s credibility.

Related: Why Blogging Is So Important for SEO

FAQs

How many headings should a blog post have?

As many as needed, but not more than necessary. A solid blog post only has one H1 (your title), a few H2s to divide main sections, and H3s to break down subpoints. The key is consistency and making it easy to skim. If you're finding yourself using too many heading tags, and your post isn't an in-depth guide, your blog might need some trimming.

Why is white space important in blog formatting?

White space gives your reader’s eyes a break. It improves focus, makes your content easier to scan, and gives your layout a clean, modern look.

Do images help with SEO, or just visuals?

Both. Well-placed images keep readers engaged and reduce bounce rates, but if you include descriptive alt text, they also boost SEO. Plus, visual learners will thank you.

What’s the ideal paragraph length for a blog post?

Short and sweet. Aim for 2 – 4 sentences per paragraph. If it looks like a block of text, it probably feels like one too. So that’s your cue to break it up.

Final Thoughts: How to Format a Blog

Some final thoughts. Your blog might look perfect on your laptop, but if it turns into a hot mess on a phone screen, guess what? People will leave, and they most likely won't come back. Yes a blog is about being informative but your readers want easy information.

Formatting is what makes your content easy to trust, easy to read, and easy to act on.

Google loves a well formatted blog and your SEO will increase because of it. So take the time; use your headers wisely, respect white space, think mobile-first, and add alt text.

But above all, nothing changes the fact that "content is king". If your content is uninformative or boring, it might be tough to bring in repeat readers. Happy writing and good luck on your marketing journey!

And if you want to read other informative blog articles just like this one, visit here.