Content Production System - Positive Lifes Blog

Overview

This system enables scaling from 10 posts/month to 100+ posts/month while maintaining our 98.7% quality standard. Everything needed for world-class content production.

🎯 Content Standards (Non-Negotiable)

Quality Requirements

Minimum word count: 1,500 words (average: 1,800-2,500)
Readability: Flesch Reading Ease 60-70 (conversational, accessible)
Originality: 100% unique content (verified with Copyscape)
Research: Minimum 5 credible sources cited
SEO optimization: 100% compliance with SEO checklist
E-E-A-T: Demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust

Content Categories (All Posts Must Fit)

Health & Wellness - Medical, fitness, mental health
Nutrition & Food - Diet, recipes, supplements
Self-Growth & Mindset - Personal development, psychology
Parenting & Family - Child development, relationships
Tech & Knowledge - Technology, education, science
Spiritual & Motivational - Inspiration, spirituality, philosophy

📝 Writer Guidelines

Before Writing: Research Phase

Step 1: Keyword Research

Use Ahrefs/SEMrush to find primary keyword (search volume 500-10K/month)
Identify 3-5 related secondary keywords
Check keyword difficulty (target: 10-40 for quick wins)
Analyze top 10 ranking articles for the keyword

Step 2: Competitor Analysis

Read top 3 ranking articles completely
Note what they cover well
Identify gaps and missing information
Plan to create MORE comprehensive content

Step 3: Content Brief Creation

Define article purpose and target reader
Outline main sections (H2s)
List key points for each section
Gather credible sources (PubMed, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, NIH, etc.)

Writing Phase: Article Structure

---
Front Matter (YAML):
  - title: "Primary Keyword - Descriptive Title" (50-60 chars)
  - keywords: [primary, secondary, related, long-tail] (8-12 keywords)
  - seo_title: "SEO-Optimized Title with Primary Keyword" (50-60 chars)
  - meta_description: "Compelling 150-160 char description with keyword"
  - category: "health-wellness" (use correct category)
  - tags: ['tag1', 'tag2', 'tag3'] (3-5 tags)
  - reading_time: "8" (estimated minutes)
  - author: "Positive Lifes"
  - featured_image: /assets/images/featured/YYYY-MM-DD-slug.png
---

## Introduction (150-250 words)
- Hook: Compelling opening that addresses reader's pain/question
- Context: Why this topic matters
- Promise: What reader will learn
- Include primary keyword in first 100 words

## Main Content (1,200-2,000 words)

### [H2] Main Section 1
- [H3] Subsection 1.1
  - Clear, concise paragraphs (3-4 sentences max)
  - Use bullet points for lists
  - Include examples and evidence

- [H3] Subsection 1.2
  - Data and statistics (with sources)
  - Expert quotes when relevant
  - Practical, actionable advice

### [H2] Main Section 2
- Continue with logical flow
- Use transition sentences between sections
- Include FAQs if appropriate

### [H2] Key Takeaways / Action Steps
- Summarize main points
- Provide clear action steps
- Reinforce value delivered

## Conclusion (100-150 words)
- Recap main benefits
- Call to action (read related posts, subscribe, share)
- End with empowering statement

Writing Rules

DO: ✓ Write in active voice (80%+ of sentences) ✓ Use short paragraphs (3-4 sentences max) ✓ Include real examples and case studies ✓ Cite scientific sources with links ✓ Use conversational, friendly tone ✓ Include transition phrases between sections ✓ Break up text with subheadings every 250-300 words ✓ Use bold and italics for emphasis (sparingly) ✓ Include statistics and data points ✓ Answer the “why” and “how,” not just “what”

DON’T: ✗ Use jargon without explanation ✗ Make unsupported health claims ✗ Copy content from other sources ✗ Write long, dense paragraphs ✗ Use passive voice excessively ✗ Include fluff or filler content ✗ Forget to cite sources ✗ Use clickbait or misleading headlines ✗ Skip proofreading ✗ Ignore SEO best practices

SEO Writing Checklist

Keyword Optimization:

Primary keyword in title
Primary keyword in first paragraph (within 100 words)
Primary keyword in at least one H2 heading
Primary keyword in URL slug
Primary keyword in meta description
Primary keyword density: 0.5-1.5% (natural placement)
Secondary keywords distributed naturally
LSI (related) keywords included

On-Page SEO:

Title tag: 50-60 characters
Meta description: 150-160 characters (compelling, includes CTA)
URL slug: short, descriptive, includes keyword
H1 tag (only one, usually the title)
H2-H3 hierarchy (logical structure)
Image alt text (descriptive, includes keywords)
Internal links: 3-5 to relevant posts
External links: 2-3 to authoritative sources
FAQ schema markup (if applicable)

Content Quality:

Answers search intent completely
More comprehensive than competitors
Includes unique insights or data
Provides actionable advice
Easy to scan (headings, bullets, short paragraphs)
Grammatically correct (use Grammarly)
No spelling errors
Passes plagiarism check (Copyscape)

🔄 Editorial Workflow

Phase 1: Assignment (Day 1)

Editor assigns:

Topic and primary keyword
Content brief and outline
Due date
Required word count
Source requirements

Phase 2: Research & Writing (Day 2-3)

Writer delivers:

First draft in markdown format
Source citations included
SEO checklist completed
Word count met

Phase 3: First Edit (Day 4)

Content Editor reviews:

Content accuracy and completeness
Structure and flow
Tone and voice consistency
Evidence and citations
Submits to fact-checker if health/medical content

Phase 4: Fact-Checking (Day 4-5)

Fact-Checker verifies:

Medical/scientific claims
Statistics and data
Source credibility
Citations properly formatted

Phase 5: SEO Edit (Day 5)

SEO Specialist optimizes:

Keyword placement and density
Meta tags (title, description)
Heading structure
Internal linking
Schema markup

Phase 6: Copy Edit (Day 6)

Copy Editor fixes:

Grammar and spelling
Punctuation
Style consistency
Readability
Final quality check

Phase 7: Publication (Day 7)

Editor publishes:

Generates featured image (if not custom)
Schedules publication
Adds to content calendar
Promotes on social channels

📊 Content Calendar Template

Monthly Planning

Week 1: 15 posts (3/day Mon-Fri)
Week 2: 15 posts (3/day Mon-Fri)
Week 3: 15 posts (3/day Mon-Fri)
Week 4: 15 posts (3/day Mon-Fri)
Total: 60 posts/month

Content Mix (60 posts/month)

Health & Wellness: 20 posts (33%)
Nutrition & Food: 12 posts (20%)
Self-Growth & Mindset: 12 posts (20%)
Parenting & Family: 8 posts (13%)
Tech & Knowledge: 4 posts (7%)
Spiritual & Motivational: 4 posts (7%)

Content Types Mix

How-to Guides: 30% (18 posts)
Listicles: 25% (15 posts)
Ultimate Guides: 15% (9 posts)
Question-Answer: 15% (9 posts)
News/Trending: 10% (6 posts)
Expert Interviews: 5% (3 posts)

🎨 Featured Image Guidelines

Specifications

Dimensions: 1200x630 pixels (optimal for OG sharing)
Format: PNG (optimized) or WebP
File size: <50 KB (optimized)
Naming: YYYY-MM-DD-post-slug.png

Design Requirements

Category-specific gradient background
Post title prominently displayed (readable)
“Positive Lifes” branding
Clean, professional design
Text legible at small sizes (mobile)

Automated Generation

Use scripts/generate_featured_images.py for consistent branding.

✅ Quality Assurance Checklist

Before publication, every post must pass:

Content Quality:

Meets minimum 1,500 word count
Provides unique value vs. competitors
Includes actionable advice
Cites credible sources (3-5 minimum)
Answers search intent completely
Free of grammatical errors
Passes plagiarism check
Appropriate for target audience

Technical SEO:

Readability:

Brand Standards:

📈 Writer Performance Metrics

Weekly Metrics (per writer)

Articles delivered: Target 12-15/week
Average word count: Target 1,800+
Quality score: Target 95%+ (editorial review)
SEO compliance: Target 100%
On-time delivery: Target 95%+

Quality Scoring (100 points)

Content accuracy: 25 points
SEO optimization: 25 points
Readability: 20 points
Originality: 15 points
Engagement potential: 15 points

Bonus Criteria

Featured snippets earned: +5 points
Top 3 ranking within 30 days: +10 points
1,000+ social shares: +5 points
Reader engagement >4 min: +5 points

🎓 Resources for Writers

Required Reading

“Everybody Writes” by Ann Handley
“Made to Stick” by Chip & Dan Heath
Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines
Positive Lifes brand voice guide

Recommended Tools

Writing: Google Docs, Grammarly Premium
SEO: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Surfer SEO
Research: PubMed, Google Scholar, Answer the Public
Readability: Hemingway Editor, Readable.com
Plagiarism: Copyscape, Grammarly
Grammar: Grammarly, ProWritingAid

Training Modules

SEO Writing Fundamentals (2 hours)
Health Content Guidelines (1 hour)
Positive Lifes Brand Voice (1 hour)
Fact-Checking Best Practices (1 hour)
Advanced SEO Techniques (2 hours)

💰 Writer Compensation Structure

Base Rates (per 1,500-word article)

Entry Level: $50-75
Intermediate: $75-100
Expert: $100-150
Subject Matter Expert: $150-250

Bonus Structure

Quality score 95-97%: +$10
Quality score 98-100%: +$25
Featured snippet: +$20
Top 3 ranking (30 days): +$50
Viral article (10K+ shares): +$100

Volume Bonuses

12 articles/week: +$100/week
15 articles/week: +$200/week
20 articles/week: +$350/week

🚀 Scaling to 100+ Posts/Month

Month 4-6: 60 posts/month

Team: 5 writers, 2 editors, 1 fact-checker, 1 SEO specialist
Cost: ~$18K-$25K/month
Focus: Establish workflow, maintain quality

Month 7-9: 80 posts/month

Team: 7 writers, 2 editors, 1 fact-checker, 1 SEO specialist
Cost: ~$24K-$32K/month
Focus: Optimize systems, increase velocity

Month 10-12: 100+ posts/month

Team: 10 writers, 3 editors, 2 fact-checkers, 1 SEO specialist
Cost: ~$30K-$40K/month
Focus: Scale while maintaining quality

Last Updated: Phase 2 - Acceleration Version: 1.0 Owner: Content Team Lead