Astro Blog - Phase 3: Writing

Priority Legend:

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

⚠️ CRITICAL: Read astro-blog/references/human-voice.md BEFORE writing to avoid AI patterns.

Writing Guidelines

⭐ Human Voice (CRITICAL - Every Article)

• Paragraph variety - Mix 3 styles: (1) Answer-first for key points, (2) Narrative for stories/examples, (3) Build-up for engagement. NOT all answer-first (=robotic)
• Component density check - Article should feel natural, NOT template-like. If reader can "see the formula", you've overused components
• Intentional imperfection - 2-4 typing errors per article: thier, recieve, definately, enviroment, seperate, occured. NOT grammar errors (no "They was")

Common AI patterns to AVOID:

• Starting every paragraph with answer/conclusion
• Transition phrases: "Moreover," "Furthermore," "Additionally," "In conclusion,"
• Meta-commentary: "It's important to note," "It's worth mentioning," "Let's explore,"
• Overuse of "comprehensive," "robust," "delve into," "landscape," "realm"

⭐ Readability Standards (Every Article)

• Paragraph length - Max 100 words, prefer 50-80 words (2-3 sentences). Mobile-friendly
• Sentence variety - Mix lengths: Short (5-10 words), Medium (15-20 words), Long (25-30 words). Avoid monotony
• Readability targets - Hemingway Grade 6-8 (max 10), Flesch Reading Ease 60-70, <20% sentences >25 words, <10% passive voice
• Technical definitions - First mention of technical term: bold + 15-25 word definition. Example: "Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials."
• List preference - 3+ related items = use list format (NOT prose). Scannability + LLM extraction

⭐ Featured Snippet Optimization (Every Article)

Paragraph snippets (40-60 words): Place immediately after relevant H2. Format:

## How much do solar panels cost in the UK?

Solar panels cost £5,000-£8,000 for a typical UK home in 2026. This includes panels, inverter, and installation. A 4kW system (standard 3-bed house) costs £6,500 on average and saves £600/year on electricity bills.

Character count: 280-320 chars. Structure: Answer → Evidence → Context

List snippets:

• 5-8 items - Google truncates at 8
• Parallel structure - Each item starts same way (verb, noun, "How to")
• Bolded labels - Item name: Description (10-15 words)

Example:

## What are the types of solar panels?

1. **Monocrystalline panels:** Highest efficiency (18-22%), best for limited roof space, premium price
2. **Polycrystalline panels:** Mid-range efficiency (15-17%), good value, blue appearance
3. **Thin-film panels:** Flexible, lowest efficiency (10-12%), cheapest option

Table snippets:

• 3-4 columns max - Mobile rendering limit
• 5-7 rows max - Snippet height limit
• Specific data - NO "varies", "depends", "contact for quote". Use exact numbers or ranges
• Bold final row - For "Best for" or "Our recommendation"

⭐ Citations & Entity (Every Article)

• All statistics sourced - Every number/stat has citation. Format: "Solar panels save £600/year on average (Energy Saving Trust, 2026)." Link "Energy Saving Trust" to source
• Entity salience - Main entity (service/product) prominent in: First 100 words, first sentence after each H2, meta description
• Semantic keywords - Use related terms naturally. Example: Solar panels article uses: photovoltaic, PV system, inverter, installation, renewable energy. NO keyword stuffing

🎯 Engagement (High-Value Articles)

• Bucket brigades - 2-4 (standard) or 5-8 (pillar). Curiosity transitions that hold attention. Examples: "Here's the thing:", "But wait—there's more:", "The bottom line?", "Want to know the secret?"
• EngagementHooks - 0-2 (standard) or 2-4 (pillar) MAX. Use sparingly. These are formatted callout boxes with surprising stats or contrarian statements

Output Required

Provide:

1. Full article draft following structure from Phase 2
2. Human voice with paragraph variety and intentional imperfections
3. Proper citations for all statistics
4. Featured snippet optimization for key H2s

Next Step

After completing writing, use astro-blog-technical skill for Phase 4.