Publish content: 20 self-questions for you

Do you publish content online without self-reflection?  If it happens (even at least occasionally), you’re missing out.  Take a step back and analyze to avoid undesired outcomes.    

I once asked myself, what if a piece of my content goes viral?  This sounds great.  However, what if it ends up causing disaster?  For example, if you create the wrong type of content, you might end up with thousands of wrong followers who don’t convert!

Going viral is often associated with social media.  However, a blog article could also end up bringing a high volume of organic traffic.  Therefore, both types are best when they serve your niche.

During the early days of my blog, I decided to share self-improvement tips.  Further down the road, I niched down to self-improvement for bloggers and digital solopreneurs.

If you started blogging as a hobby, as I did, you might have made changes.  The activity evolves, and it’s natural to introduce new things.  However, being mindful from the start helps a lot.

In this post, I’ll focus on crucial self-questioning before publishing (mostly for articles).  Doing so helps to plan, and avoid mistakes.  While working smart, be proactive and minimize any risks that you can.  If you make videos, you may wish to read my other post about vlogger self-reflection.

Article publishing checklist for success

Some small actions support better success.  Ask yourself these things, and go in the right direction.  Working solo in my home office, I value such exercises for the better.

My checklist has 2 stages.  The pre-publish stage and the post-publish.  I’ve arranged the tasks in series, so you can use them in the same order.

Pre-publish stage:

1. Who’s your target audience?
2. What does your ideal client persona need?
3. What’s your goal?
4. Is the post evergreen or seasonal?
5. How relevant is the topic to your blog or other platform?
6. Which platform does the topic suit best?
7. Have you completed keyword research?
8. Have you planned your outline and content structure?
9. Have you gathered stats and facts to support your claims?
10. Have you proofread any text?
11. Have you added internal links?
12. Did you add relevant CTAs based on your goals?
13. Have you added your voice, style, and originality?
14. Have you edited any images and videos?
15. How visually appealing is your work?

Post-publish stage:

1. Will you go for organic traffic, paid ads, or both to promote?
2. Have you prepared an email for your subscribers yet?
3. Have you blocked time to respond to comments?  
4. Did you remember to check insights to evaluate performance?
5. Based on any sales generated, were your set goals met?

Know your target audience

Have your ideal readers in mind.  Who they are, and what their interests are.  What do they need to solve?

You might have segments in your email list, based on different interests.  For example, within the same niche, there may be differences.  Some articles address certain personas better than others.

Different ideal persona needs 

Different readers can be at different stages.  For example, a new blogger needs resources to get started.  On the other hand, one with more experience might be more focused on growing their platforms.  

My most common example is the type of freebie my email subscribers opted in for.  With self-improvement, working smart is key.  My popular freebie is for boosting productivity.  I use it to group, tag, or segment my email list, sending relevant emails.

Remember your set goal

The essence of self-questioning before publishing is to stay consistent with your goals.  It might sound obvious, however, when working solo, anyone could overlook something.  Self-reflection and using a checklist help to avoid it.

I’ve seen the benefits of taking a step back and reviewing my content.  For example, when proofreading alone, reading backward helps to see any mistakes.  This improves over time and with practice.  Asking someone else to check is a great help, if ever available.

SEO tasks to perform

Keyword research has always been a must.  Over time, and with AI affecting SERPs, there will be ongoing changes.  I do, however, still personally see the benefits of good keyword research (time of writing).  

You can’t rely on one source of traffic.  Diversifying your options is best.  Use, not only SEO but grow your email list.  Leverage social media as well, so that you don’t fully depend on one type.

Your personality should shine through

Depending on your goals, you might value having originality or not.  If you do, ensure that your writing voice appears.  It’s something that readers, generally, appreciate.  

In an online world, where AI easily creates generic content, showing true personality has value.  It helps to build trust and better authority.  Show yourself as you are, for consistent genuineness instead of faking it.  

AI is a great helpful tool.  Being convenient and time-saving, do benefit from it.  However, take the time to review and edit.  For example, I use it for research and finding ideas, not for writing.

Proudly promote your article 

After hitting publish, there’s still some more to do.  Share your post.  You’ve spent time creating it, so ensure that it’s seen.  Find ideas about where to promote them for free.

I share on social media, and let my email subscribers know.  Never used paid ads for my blog, as I prefer working on organic traffic.  However, boosting your posts can be helpful if you decide that you need it.

Your new articles offer additional tips to readers.  Don’t hesitate to let the world know about them.  Work smart by resharing, updating, and repurposing existing work as well.

Gather feedback and check stats

Through feedback, you can find that you missed out on something.  If so, use it for the future.  Take note of what to include in your topic idea list, or update any relevant existing articles.  Read about the benefits of getting feedback.

After getting eyes on your article, measure the success.  Use platform stats to check.  Google Analytics provides free valuable insights.  

Make self-reflection and questioning a part of your routine.  Incorporate these habits into your blogging life.  Take advantage, maximizing desired results, while avoiding any potential blunders.

Conclusion

Publish content to grow your blog.  Before and after publishing, self-question yourself to see if you’ve missed out on something.  Use my listed questions as a checklist to ensure better results.