How to Write a Blog Article (Whipplewood)¶

Owner: Bella | Updated: 2026-02-05

Purpose¶

Write and publish blog articles for Whipplewood. Articles are written in monthly batches so the client can review all at once, then scheduled weekly.

When to Use¶

Start of each month when preparing the month's content batch.

1. Confirm Direction (Content Calendar)¶

Purpose: The Content Calendar has already been approved by the client. Pull your topics for the month.

Open the Content Calendar
For each article this month, pull:
Publish week/date
Topic
SME/Expert (who to reference)
Status
Notes
Decide target reader + search intent for each article

2. Deep Research¶

Purpose: Build authoritative, well-sourced content.

Research using browser
Preferred sources (use when possible):
IRS.gov
Treasury.gov
DOL.gov (Department of Labor)
State tax authority sites
Other reputable sources are fine (industry publications, news, etc.)
NEVER quote competitor accounting/tax firms as sources
Capture notes + source URLs in your working folder

Source rules:

Source Type	OK to Quote?
Government (IRS, Treasury, DOL)	Yes - preferred
Industry publications, news	Yes
General business sources	Yes
Competitor accounting/tax firms	NO - never

3. Write the Article¶

Purpose: Create the complete article. You can write directly in WordPress or draft elsewhere first.

Which site?

Topic Type	Goes To
Assurance, Audit, Attest	WW CPAs (whipplewoodcpas.com)
Tax, Consulting	WW MF (whipplewood.com)

Requirements¶

1,200–2,200 words
Hero image at TOP of content (image must align with article topic)
At least 3 external sources cited
At least 3 internal links to other WW blog posts

Internal Linking Rule¶

Before linking to an old blog post, verify the information is still accurate and relevant. Old articles may be outdated.

Article Structure¶

Intro (hook + what reader will learn)
Key details (the meat)
Implications (why it matters)
Detailed sections (H2/H3 breakdown)
Next steps (actionable takeaways)
CTA (Contact WhippleWood)

Options for Writing¶

Write directly in WordPress (visual editor)
Write in Google Docs/Word, then copy to WordPress
Write HTML and paste into WordPress code editor

Quality Checklist (Before Submitting Draft)¶

Aligns with WhippleWood brand voice (see brand voice documentation)
Does NOT sound AI-generated (natural, human tone)
All facts are verified (no made-up information)
No repetitive information (if repeating for SEO, do it subtly)
Hero image matches article topic

4. SEO Package¶

Purpose: Optimize for search. Have these ready when creating your WordPress post.

Field	Where It Goes	Requirement
Article Title	Post title	< 60 characters, include main keyword
SEO Title	Yoast → Edit snippet	< 60 characters (can differ from article title)
Meta Description	Yoast → Edit snippet	~155 characters, include keywords + value/CTA
URL Slug	Permalink	Lowercase, hyphens, no dates (e.g., `estimated-tax-payments`)

5. Upload to WordPress (Draft)¶

Purpose: Get the article into WordPress as a draft for Ryan to review.

5a. Log in to WordPress Admin¶

Go to the correct site:
WW CPAs: https://whipplewoodcpas.com/wp-admin/
WW MF: https://whipplewoodmf.com/wp-admin/

5b. Create New Post¶

Go to Posts → Add New
Enter the article title
Set the URL slug (click "Edit" next to permalink)

5c. Add Content¶

Add your content (paste or write directly)
If pasting HTML: use Code Editor view (⋮ menu → Code editor)
Verify formatting looks correct in Visual Editor

5d. Set Featured Image¶

In right sidebar → Featured Image → Set featured image
Upload or select the hero image
Set Object Fit to "Cover" if option appears

5e. Set Categories + Team Members¶

Check the appropriate Category (Tax, Accounting, Business, etc.)
Scroll to Team Members field → select the SME/Expert

5f. Set SEO Fields (Yoast)¶

Scroll to Yoast SEO section → Edit snippet
Set SEO Title (< 60 chars)
Set Meta description (~155 chars)
Verify slug is correct

5g. Save Draft + Get Public Preview Link¶

Click Save Draft
Get a public preview link (shareable without login):
Click Preview dropdown → Enable public preview (or similar)
Copy the public preview URL
Update Content Calendar: Status = "Draft Ready", add preview link

6. Send to Client for Review¶

Purpose: Client reviews all articles for the month before publishing.

See also: Client Content Review SOP for how to handle client interactions, feedback, and pushback.

Copy your article to the designated folder (provided by Ryan)
Save as Microsoft Word format (.docx)
One file per article
Post in #ww-content-review Slack channel:
Word file (or link to folder)
Public preview link for each article
If preview link fails → provide editable doc immediately

7. Apply Client Feedback¶

Purpose: Incorporate client's changes. Think carefully about each piece of feedback. Aim for no more than one round of revisions.

See: Client Content Review SOP for detailed guidance on responding to feedback, when to push back, and how to request expert quotes.

Read all client feedback
Apply relevant feedback to WordPress draft
After making changes, update preview link if needed
Notify client that changes are applied

Quick decision guide:

Feedback Type	Action
Factual error, compliance concern	Fix immediately
Brand/voice preference	Accommodate
Content structure criticism	Explain rationale, adjust if warranted
SEO/readability pushback	Defend with reasoning (we are the experts)

If no response from client: - 3 days: Follow up in Slack, notify Ryan - 7 days: Let Ryan know so he can mention in the next weekly call - Use judgment based on Content Calendar deadlines

If you disagree with feedback:

Do NOT respond directly to client
Message Ryan first with your reasoning
Ryan will review your response before you reply to client

8. Schedule for Publish¶

Purpose: Once client approves, schedule the article for its publish date.

Client has approved the article
In WordPress, click Publish → Schedule
Set the publish date/time from Content Calendar
Click Schedule

Purpose: Social media team needs the live article link to promote it.

After article goes live, copy the published URL
Send to social media team (Slack channel TBD)
Include: Article title, URL, key points for social posts

10. Final: Update Tracking¶

Purpose: Keep Content Calendar current so everyone knows article status.

Open Content Calendar
Update your article's row:
Status = "Published"
Published URL = live article link
Publish Date = actual publish date
Confirm all fields are complete

Done When¶

All articles for the month published on schedule
Social team notified for each article
Content Calendar fully updated

If Stuck¶

Can't find authoritative source → Ask Ryan
Can't log in to WordPress → Ask Ryan for credentials
Not sure which category → Check similar published articles
SME/Expert unclear → Ask Ryan
Client feedback unclear → Ask for clarification in Slack
Disagree with client feedback → Talk to Ryan FIRST (see Client Content Review SOP)
Not sure how to respond to client → See Client Content Review SOP
WordPress formatting broken → Check for extra HTML tags
Can't get public preview link → Ask Ryan for help

FAQ¶

Q: How many articles per month? A: Typically 4 (one per week). Check Content Calendar for exact count.

Q: Can I use non-government sources? A: Yes, but prefer government sources when available. Never quote competitor accounting/tax firms.

Q: What if the topic is too broad? A: Flag in Slack. Ryan may split into a series or narrow the scope.

Q: What if client requests changes I disagree with? A: Do NOT respond to client directly. Message Ryan first with your reasoning. He'll review before you reply.

Q: Where do images come from? A: Ask Ryan for image sourcing guidelines. Image must match the article topic.

Q: What's the difference between Draft and Pending status? A: Draft = still working. Pending = ready for review. Use Draft unless told otherwise.

Q: Do I need outline approval before writing? A: No. Write all articles and save as drafts. Ryan reviews on draft.

Q: Which site does my article go on? A: Assurance/Audit/Attest topics → WW CPAs. Tax/Consulting topics → WW MF.

Q: How many sources do I need? A: At least 3 external sources and 3 internal links per article.

Q: What if an old blog post I want to link to has outdated info? A: Do not link to it. Find a different article or skip that internal link. Flag the outdated article to Ryan.

Q: What makes a good WhippleWood article? A: Natural voice (not AI-sounding), fact-checked, no repetition, aligns with brand voice, relevant images.

Q: Client hasn't responded to my review request. What do I do? A: 3 days: follow up + notify Ryan. 7 days: Ryan will mention in weekly call. Use judgment based on publish deadline.