Step 3: Create Your Content Outline
A great article starts with a great structure. In Step 3, you build the headings (H1, H2, H3) for your content.
The Goal
Create a logical outline that covers all the topics your competitors cover, plus your unique insights.
Ways to Build Your Outline
Option A: AI Generation (Recommended)
Click "AI Generate" to have Content Raptor analyze top competitors and build a complete outline for you automatically. This usually takes 10–30 seconds.
Option B: Import from URL
If you are optimizing an existing page, click "Import headings" to pull the current structure from your live page.
Option C: Start from Scratch
Build it manually using the "Add Heading" buttons.
Refining Your Outline
Once you have a draft outline:
- Review — Read through the headings. Do they flow logically?
- Edit — Click any text to rewrite it. Make headings descriptive
- Reorder — Drag and drop headings to rearrange sections
- Add/Remove — Use the + and Trash icons to adjust sections
A good outline typically has 4–8 H2 sections, each covering a distinct subtopic — enough to be comprehensive without overwhelming the reader. Use H3 headings to break up longer sections. In the next step, you can review competitor outlines in the Brief to confirm you've covered the main topics top-ranking pages include.
Tip: Focus on the structure (headings) here, not the paragraph content. The real writing happens in the editor after you complete the wizard.
Common Questions
How many headings should I have?
There is no fixed number, but most well-optimized articles have 4-8 H2 sections. Use H3 headings within sections that cover multiple sub-points. The AI-generated outline is usually a good starting point.
Can I edit the AI-generated outline?
Yes. The AI outline is a starting point. You can edit any heading text, reorder sections, add new headings, or remove ones that are not relevant to your approach.
What's Next?
- Step 4: Review Your Brief — Final check before writing