Astro Blog - Phase 2: Structure

Priority Legend:

• •⭐ ALWAYS - Every article, non-negotiable
• •🎯 HIGH-VALUE - Competitive keywords, commercial/pillar content

⚠️ CRITICAL: Read astro-blog/references/human-voice.md NOW before planning structure to avoid AI-like patterns

Content Structure Planning

⭐ Core Structure (Every Article)

• • H2 section density - 3-4 sections (standard 1000-1500w) OR 5-8 sections (pillar 3000-5000w)
• • H2s are questions - Prefer specific questions users actually ask. Example: "How much does solar panel installation cost in the UK?" NOT "Pricing Overview"
• • H3 subheadings - Use only for H2 sections >400 words. Max 3-4 H3s per H2. Keeps content scannable
• • TOC required - If article >800 words, add table of contents after intro
• • Component density limits - Max 5-7 components (standard) or 8-12 (pillar). Components = QueryAnswer, TL;DR, ExpertInsight, EngagementHook, etc.
• • Visual breaks - No more than 3 paragraphs (150-300 words) without image/list/table/component

⭐ Above-the-Fold Optimization (Every Article)

Must appear without scrolling:

• • Desktop layout (1920x1080) - H1 (80-120px) + Hero image (400-500px) + QueryAnswer (150-200px) = ~850px total
• • Mobile layout (375x667) - H1 (100-140px) + Hero 4:3 ratio (280-300px) + QueryAnswer first sentence (120-160px) = ~600px total
• • Hero image optimization - Eager loading (loading="eager"), <100KB filesize, descriptive filename (solar-panels-uk-2026.webp)
• • QueryAnswer placement - Immediately after hero image, contains direct answer in first 40-60 words

⭐ Required Components

• • QueryAnswer - Direct answer <120 words with specific numbers. Example: "Solar panels cost £5,000-£8,000 in the UK (2026). A typical 4kW system saves £600/year..."
• • TL;DR - If >1000 words, exactly 3 key takeaways in bullet list
• • ExpertInsight - 1-2 (standard) or 2-3 (pillar). Practical insider tips, NOT generic advice
• • Author Bio - 50-80 words at end. Format: [Experience] + [Credentials] + [Social proof] + [Location/specialization] + LinkedIn link

⭐ Internal Linking (Every Article)

• • Minimum links - 2-4 (standard) or 8-12 (pillar) contextual internal links
• • First link placement - Within first 100 words to related article
• • Descriptive anchors - "solar panel installation costs" NOT "click here" or "this article"

🎯 Pillar-Cluster Linking (Pillar/Cluster Articles Only)

• • Bidirectional links - Pillar links to ALL clusters (woven into sections). Each cluster links back to pillar (intro or conclusion). Related clusters link to each other
• • Contextual integration - Links woven into prose with context. NOT listed at end. Example: "Understanding solar panel installation costs helps budget for the broader solar investment strategy."
• • Publication order - Publish pillar first (establishes authority), then add 1-2 cluster articles per month

⭐ External Links (Every Article)

Minimum 4 external links:

• • 1 citation link - Academic/research supporting a claim (journal, .ac.uk, official study)
• • 1 authority link - Industry authority site (trade body, gov.uk, certification body)
• • 1 reputation link - High-authority mention (Which?, BBC, Guardian, LinkedIn profile)
• • 1 contextual link - Related resource that adds value for reader
• • Authority sites - Prefer: gov.uk, .ac.uk, Which?, trade bodies, professional LinkedIn profiles
• • Context sentences - Every link needs explanatory sentence. NO "source" or "here" as anchor text
• • Rel attributes - All external links: rel="noopener noreferrer". Affiliate links add: rel="nofollow sponsored"

⭐ Images & Video (Every Article)

• • Image count - 3-5 images (standard) or 6-10 images (pillar). Roughly every 250-350 words
• • Descriptive filenames - solar-panel-installation-uk-2026.webp NOT IMG_1234.jpg or image-1.webp
• • Image captions - REQUIRED for: screenshots, before/after comparisons, case studies, charts/graphs
• • Video - 0-1 video (standard) or 1-2 videos (pillar). Use facade loading (thumbnail + play button, loads on click). Include min 3 chapter timestamps

🎯 Conversion Elements (Commercial/Transactional)

• • Content upgrade - REQUIRED for commercial/transactional. Offer gated PDF checklist, template, or detailed guide related to article topic
• • Interactive tool - REQUIRED for transactional, strongly recommended for commercial. Calculator generates 22% of leads
• • Social proof - 2-3 elements: Volume metrics ("500+ installations"), trust seals (MCS, Which?, certifications), testimonials with names
• • Review integration - Display review snippets near QueryAnswer AND before primary CTA. Increases traffic 100%+

Output Required

Provide full article outline with:

1. •H2 sections (3-4 standard, 5-8 pillar) - all as questions
2. •Component placement - Where each component appears
3. •Internal link targets - 2-4 links (standard), 8-12 (pillar)
4. •Image descriptions - What images needed and where
5. •CTA placement - Where CTAs appear in flow

Next Step

After completing structure, use astro-blog-write skill for Phase 3.