Blog Posting Guidelines for Repurposing Long-Form Videos

Before You Start Writing
1. Upload the video to Google Drive
2. Watch the video
3. Transcribe the video

Writing and Editing Phase
4. Edit the transcript
5. Add title and headings
6. Include images 
7. Insert relevant links 
8. Add source context (video, post, brief)
9. Proofread and QA your work

After You Finish Writing
10. Publish on WordPress
11. Categorize and keyword-tag
12. Apply SEO Plugins (RankMath and  LinkWhisper)

Additional Steps
13. Determine article length
14. Choose where to publish
15. What to do when writing for offsite publications
16. Email and DM the client 
17. Post in the 43K group

Execution Process

1. Upload the Video to Google Drive

After creating the task on BaseCamp or a similar project management tool, upload the video to the designated folder and sub-folder on our Google Drive, as outlined in the guide for this task.

2. Watch the Video

Before you transcribe a video, it's really important to watch the video first. Here's why: watching helps you understand what's happening, where to put pauses and emphasis, who is talking, if the sound is good, what the words mean, how to fill in missing parts, get what the speaker wants to say, check if the content is okay, and match up the words with the video timing.

In short, watching ensures you get the GCT (goals, content, targeting) right, vital for an accurate and meaningful transcription.

3. Transcribe the Video

Use Descript for a smooth transcription. It’s a top choice for audio and video editing with excellent transcription features. Check our guide on transcribing pillar content with Descript.

Keep in mind, Descript's auto-transcription is mostly accurate but may falter in tough audio scenarios. Always review and refine your transcription to ensure top quality.

4. Edit the Transcript

This is one of the most important steps in repurposing because the quality of your repurposed article depends a lot on how well you edit the transcript.

ChatGPT can help refine your transcript by suggesting changes, fixing errors, and offering word alternatives. Here’s how to use it:

1. Prepare the transcript, whether it's from automated software like Descript or created manually. This includes removing filler words, ensuring each dialogue is assigned to the correct speaker, and going through the transcript, breaking it down into logical chunks based on the topic being discussed.  
   
   
2. Start a conversation with ChatGPT by including the transcript in your input. Instead of giving the entire transcript at once, it's better to work with one part at a time, which you identified while preparing it. This makes it easier to identify and fix errors as you go.
   
   Clearly tell ChatGPT that you're seeking editing help. Also provide context, for example, you can specify if you need the transcript to be more concise, maintain a particular tone or follow a specific style guide.
   
   
3. If there are missing words or errors in transcript, ChatGPT can help fix them. For example, enter the prompt "Can you suggest corrections or improvements for this transcript?"
   
   
4. Iterate if necessary: For longer transcripts, you may need several rounds of interaction with ChatGPT to refine the text and achieve the desired level of accuracy. If any suggestion is unclear, ask ChatGPT for more information or examples.
   
   
5. Review the entire edited transcript for accuracy, consistency and coherence before finalizing.
   
   
6. Further polishing: Highlight your content's key elements. Use bold for standout statements, italicize “quotes from others,” and use headlines for structure. Summarize main points at the end for impact.

Although ChatGPT offers great editing help, it isn't infallible. Trust your expertise to make final decisions, ensuring the transcript fits your needs.

Be cautious with sensitive information. ChatGPT remembers past interactions, so it's wise to exclude confidential details from your editing requests.

5. Give the Article a Snappy Title and Headings

Pick an appropriate title that would rank well. Then, organize with impactful headings. You can use ChatGPT for title ideas, ensuring they match the Goals, Content, Targeting (GCT).

An example of a great heading is Logan Young’s “I Have 602 Sales Reps Making Just Over $1 a Day.” This title highlights stats and their impact - it also shows how the article can benefit the readers.

In the body, stick to H2s and H3s for headings in WordPress. H2s are subheadings for H1s - which is typically the main title; and H3s are subheadings for H2s.

The headings should always:

• Be brief and grab attention, as readers often skim.
• Motivate readers to read on.
• Sum up the following section's main idea.
• Contain a main keyword.
• Be used sparingly to avoid clutter. Check for heading abuse (that’s common with AI-generated articles)

Adjust the number of headings based on top search results, using tools like Surfer or Frase for SEO advantage.

6. Include Interesting Pictures

Take screenshots that show what you’re trying to convey. Placing a colored box around important numbers is the best way to draw a reader’s attention.

• Green for positive things, e.g. what something should look like, or what the reader should add.
• Red for negative things, e.g. what something should not look like, or what the reader should delete.

Important note on uploading images: When uploading images, always add them to the site's media library via the upload tool (look for the plus (+) icon). 

Don’t paste directly from external sources like Google Docs to prevent display errors or broken links. This ensures your visuals stay clear and accessible.

DO NOT use stock images or ones lifted from Google Images.

7. Link to Thought-Provoking Content With Relevant Anchor Text

Anchor text highlights a clickable hyperlink. Collect useful articles during research to embed in your content, ensuring the links are relevant and descriptive.

When linking, make sure to avoid using the “Click Here” anchor text. Instead, use text that portrays what the link is about, like how Joshua Crouch of Relentless Digital Took $25,000 from Matt Howard of Travis and Sons Plumbing.

Avoid excessive self-promotion to prevent being seen as a spammer. While it's okay to have a URL in every paragraph or subtopic for emphasis, refrain from using affiliate links or overtly commercial content.

DO NOT use the same link twice in an article.

DO NOT include native links, instead use a relevant anchor text

DO NOT link to other sites unless it's an affiliate, partner, or client, since that bleeds link juice (which hurts our SEO). 

We avoid linking to top-level domains unless they're for a client or one of our properties.

We DO want to include relevant article links throughout and at the end of our article. For instance, in a piece about cross-posting on Facebook, we'll hyperlink "cross-posting" to a blog post detailing various cross-posting methods (e.g., Twitter, Facebook pages, LinkedIn). 

We'll also include links to related terms, maintaining a natural frequency seen in typical blogs.

Links should only be used for specific article pages or affiliate codes. 

Each article should connect to broader, related topics. For instance, if discussing "Common Mistakes When Applying for a Job," it should link to a VA job application page and embed a relevant YouTube video.

8. Add the Source Context or Source Video

Make sure to embed the source context or video in the article to serve as a reference for readers and prevent any confusion regarding vague statements. 

Also include a brief sentence providing context, like where it came from or the relevant situation. This helps readers understand the article's background and relevance, improving their overall reading experience.

9. Proofread and QA Your Article

Proofreading and editing your article is essential for refining and enhancing your content. Follow these steps:

 For additional help,

10. Post on WordPress

Creating a blog post on WordPress is simple - follow this task guide. 

11. Categorize Your Post and Add Keywords

Before publishing on WordPress, categorize your article appropriately using its advanced category system. This keeps your content organized and easy to discover using the search feature.

Keywords (or “tags” as WordPress calls them) are special words you can reference in your article to help the search function find your post when someone is searching for a specific term. 

You can include up to five relevant keywords or "tags" to describe your content. Doing this helps improve visibility and SEO. Using proper nouns from your article as tags is effective.

12. Apply SEO Plugins

a) RankMath is a very easy to use plugin that gives you actionable steps to quickly improve your on-page SEO.

The button is located at the top right on an article's edit page.

It breaks down improvement tips into four categories: Basic SEO, Additional, Title Readability, and Content Readability.

Click each dropdown to see where to improve.

Similarly, there is also a button to open a separate webpage to select 'Inbound' links from other posts or pages on the website. The method of selecting the links is similar to selecting the outbound links described above.

B) Use LinkWhisper Plugin to Add Links

When editing an article on our WordPress sites, you'll find the LinkWhisper plugin at the bottom of the page. It suggests relevant internal links, creating a cohesive network of related content. This enhances both SEO and user navigation.

Check the box to the left of the links you want to include and then click "insert links into post."

Additionally, there's a button that opens a separate page for choosing 'inbound' links from other website posts or pages, following a similar process.