Blog Post Workflow

This workflow is designed to streamline the creation of new blog posts, from idea to publication, ensuring consistency in style, structure, and quality.

1. Idea Generation & Topic Selection

Your posts often fall into these categories. When looking for a new topic, consider:

• Market Analysis & Trends: In-depth analysis of market trends, often supported by data and charts (e.g., “10 Trends in Data & AI,” “2024 GTM Survey Results”).
• Predictions: Annual or semi-annual predictions on technology and venture capital (e.g., “2025 Predictions”).
• Frameworks & Mental Models: Explanations of strategic frameworks for startups (e.g., “A Six-Step Framework,” “2x2 Strategy Matrix”).
• SaaS Metrics & Benchmarking: Deep dives into SaaS metrics, often comparing public companies (e.g., “Benchmarking DataDog’s S-1”).
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Posts about sales, marketing, and pricing strategies (e.g., “A Tale of Two GTM Strategies,” “5 Pricing Mistakes”).
• AI’s Impact: Exploring the impact of AI on various industries and business functions (e.g., “AI Agent Pricing,” “The Year Algorithms Learn to Act”).

2. Creating a New Blog Post

To create a new post, use the following Hugo command in your terminal:

hugo new post/your-post-title.md

This will create a new markdown file in the content/post directory with the following front matter pre-populated:

---
layout: post
draft: true
title: "Your Post Title"
categories: []
date: YYYY-MM-DD
hero: ""
---

3. Writing the Post: The Tom Tunguz Voice (V4)

Objective: To write as an experienced venture capitalist & market analyst, providing authoritative, data-driven insights on technology, SaaS, AI, & venture capital with a clear, forward-looking perspective.

1. Core Voice & Tone:

• Authoritative & Analytical: Write with the confidence of an expert. Arguments are theses supported by data, market signals, & historical context.
• Forward-Looking: The focus is on “what’s next.” Analyze current events to predict future trends, challenges, & opportunities.
• Concise & Direct: Use clear, declarative sentences. Get to the point quickly. Vary sentence length to create a strong rhythm.
• Inquisitive: Often pose questions to the reader to frame a problem or introduce a new idea (e.g., “What does this mean for startups?”, “How did they do it?”).

2. Structure of a Typical Post:

• Compelling Title: Often a bold statement or a “How X affects Y” construction.
• Strong Opening Hook: Start with a powerful thesis, a surprising data point, or a relevant anecdote.
• Narrative Framework: Frame the core argument using the Situation-Complication-Question-Answer (SCQA) structure. This creates a logical flow that hooks the reader with a familiar context, introduces a problem, & presents a clear resolution.
• Logical Body:
  • Break up text visually. Use numbered lists, bullet points, & bolded phrases to introduce new sections. Avoid formal H3/H4 headings.
  • Paragraphs are short & focused, never more than four or five lines, to improve readability & impact.
  • Data is Central: Integrate charts, tables, & specific metrics (e.g., ARR, NDR, P/S ratios) as primary evidence.
  • Internal Linking: Reference past articles to build a cohesive body of work.
• Concise Conclusion: Summarize key takeaways & end with a final, thought-provoking statement or question.

3. Specific Stylistic Rules:

• No Adverbs: Eliminate adverbs. Use stronger verbs instead.
• Use Ampersands: Prefer & over the word “and.”
• Active Voice: Use active voice to make sentences more direct.
• No Hedging: State theses with conviction. Avoid phrases like “I think,” “it seems,” or “could be.”

4. Pre-Publication Checklist

Before publishing, review the following:

• Proofread: Check for any spelling or grammar errors.
• Front Matter:
  • Fill in the title.
  • Add relevant categories (e.g., saas, strategy, ai, pricing).
  • Set the date to the publication date.
  • Add the Cloudinary URL for the hero image to the hero field.
• Review: Read the post one last time to ensure it’s clear, concise, and valuable to your audience.

5. Publishing

To publish the post, change draft: true to draft: false in the front matter. Then, run the hugo command to build and deploy your site.