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Outline: How It Works

In this guide, learn how to use FOMO.ai's Outline feature to create a blog's skeleton with defined sections, templates, and key takeaways.

Updated over 3 months ago

Outline is the second stage in the Content Team workflow. This feature helps you create a comprehensive structure for your blog post, defining all sections from introduction to conclusion. A well-constructed outline ensures your final content is organized, comprehensive, and aligned with your content goals.

Accessing the Outline Feature

You can enter the Outline phase in three ways:

1. From Prewriting: Click "Generate Outline" at the end of the Prewriting phase.

2. From Content Team Dashboard: Click "Review Outline" for any keyword with "Outline Created" status.

3. From Later Stages: For keywords that have progressed beyond Outline (Draft/Publish/Promote), click on the keyword title and navigate to the Outline tab

Good to Know: You can return to the Outline stage even after proceeding to later stages. This allows you to make structural changes if needed, though significant changes may require regenerating your outline from scratch.

Understanding Outline Components

Each section in your outline contains these key elements:

  • Title Type: The HTML heading tag (H1/H2/H3) that defines the section's hierarchy

  • Title Text: The heading text that will appear in your finished blog

  • Keyword: The primary or secondary keyword associated with this section

  • Template: The format type for this section (see below)

  • Key Takeaways: Three bullet points summarizing what the section will cover

Section Templates

Each section can use one of these template types:

  • introduction: Sets the stage for the article, introduces main topics, and states the article's purpose

  • text-blocks: Forms the main body with 2-3 paragraphs of content

  • text-with-image: Combines text blocks with relevant images to enhance understanding

  • bullet-points: Breaks down information into easily digestible items for better readability

  • faq: Addresses common questions related to the topic

  • conclusion: Wraps up the article with a summary and call-to-action

Good to Know: Varying your section templates creates more engaging content. For example, breaking up several text-block sections with a bullet-point section helps maintain reader interest and improves scannability.

Modifying Your Outline

Editing Sections

To edit any section:

1. Click the "Edit" button on the section you want to modify.

2. Update any of the fields as needed.

3. Use the Add Takeaway/Remove buttons to add or remove key takeaways.

4. Click "Save" when finished.

Reordering Sections

To change a section's position:

  1. Hover over the two lines on the left side of the section.

  2. When the cursor changes to a hand icon, click and hold.

  3. Drag the section to its new position.

  4. Release to place the section.

Removing Sections

To delete a section:

1. Click the trash bin icon next to the section.

2. Confirm deletion in the pop-up dialog.

3. Click "Delete" to permanently remove the section.

Adding New Sections

To add a new section:

  1. Click the "Actions" button in the top-right corner.

  2. Select "Add New Section" from the dropdown.

  3. The new section will appear at the end of the outline.

  4. Edit the section details as needed.

  5. Reposition the section if desired.

Good to know: Your outline is the heart of your blog generation. Spend a good amount of time making sure that the key takeaways, templates, etc. are in line with your expectations. This will ensure you have to do minimal work during the draft generation process.

Using AI Feedback

The AI Feedback feature allows you to provide guidance for regenerating the entire outline:

1. Click the "Actions" button in the top-right corner.

2. Select "Provide AI Feedback" from the dropdown.

3. Enter your feedback in the text field.

4. Click "Regenerate with Feedback" to create a new outline based on your input.

Effective AI Feedback Examples:

  • "Change cats to dogs throughout this outline"

  • "Convert all headings to title case"

  • "Add a new FAQ section at the bottom of the outline"

  • "Make the tone more professional"

  • "Include more statistics in the key takeaways"

Good to Know: AI Feedback completely regenerates your outline based on your instructions. It's best to use this feature at the beginning of your outline review process before making manual edits, as those edits would be lost when regenerating.

Saving to Google Drive

First-Time Connection

If this is your first time saving to Google Drive:


1. Click "Connect to Google Drive" at the bottom of the Outline screen.

2. Select the Google account you use with FOMO.ai.

3. Review and accept the permissions by clicking "Continue".

4. You'll be redirected back to Content Team.

5. Click the "Review" icon beside your keyword to return to the Outline.

Saving Your Outline

Once connected to Google Drive:

1. Click "Save to Drive" at the bottom of the Outline screen.

2. Wait for the confirmation message.

3. Click "Open FOMO.AI folder" to view your saved outline (optional).

Accessing Saved Outlines

Your outline is saved in a specific folder structure:

  • FOMO.ai (main folder)

    • [Your Company Name] (subfolder)

      • [Keyword] (subfolder)

        • Outline files (with timestamps)

Each time you save an outline, a new version is created with the current timestamp, allowing you to track changes over time.

Best Practices

  • Balance keyword distribution: Ensure relevant keywords are distributed appropriately across sections

  • Vary section templates: Use different section types to create engaging, dynamic content

  • Review key takeaways carefully: These guide the content generation in the draft phase

  • Consider reader flow: Arrange sections in a logical progression that guides the reader through your topic

  • Use specific headings: Clear, descriptive headings improve both readability and SEO

  • Save versions regularly: Preserve your work by saving to Google Drive after significant changes

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