Open Ended Questions: 6 Prompts to Transform Your Blog Posts

By Madison Hayes

Social Media Marketing Contributor

Published 20 January 2026

Open Ended Questions are one of the fastest ways to turn a vague blog idea into a clear, useful post that earns attention and drives action. Instead of staring at a blank page, you use a small set of prompts to uncover the real reader problem, the proof you need, and the next step you want them to take. That matters even more in influencer marketing, where content often has to persuade two audiences at once – creators and brands – while staying grounded in data. In this guide, you will get six prompts you can reuse for any topic, plus a practical workflow, example calculations, and two planning tables you can copy into your own process.

Open Ended Questions that sharpen your angle before you write

Before you outline, define the terms you will likely reference so your post stays precise and credible. In influencer and content marketing, readers often see the same acronyms used loosely, which creates confusion and weakens trust. Here are the core terms to lock down early, ideally in your first 10 percent of the draft:

• Reach – the number of unique people who saw content.
• Impressions – the total number of times content was displayed (one person can generate multiple impressions).
• Engagement rate – engagements divided by reach or impressions (you must state which). A common formula is: Engagement rate = engagements / impressions.
• CPM (cost per mille) – cost per 1,000 impressions. CPM = cost / impressions x 1000.
• CPV (cost per view) – cost per video view. CPV = cost / views.
• CPA (cost per acquisition) – cost per conversion (sale, signup, install). CPA = cost / conversions.
• Whitelisting – the brand runs paid ads through the creator account (often called creator licensing for ads).
• Usage rights – permission for the brand to reuse creator content (where, how long, and in what formats).
• Exclusivity – limits on the creator working with competitors for a period of time.

Concrete takeaway: write these definitions into your outline as placeholders. If you do not end up using a term, delete it. If you do use it, you will avoid mid draft ambiguity.

The 6 questions that transform a blog post from generic to useful

These prompts are designed to be answered in full sentences. The goal is not to sound clever. The goal is to surface decisions, tradeoffs, and proof. Use them in order, because each answer makes the next one easier.

1) What specific decision is the reader trying to make?

Most posts fail because they chase a topic instead of a decision. A decision is concrete: choose a creator, set a budget, pick a KPI, approve usage rights, or decide whether to whitelist. Write the decision as a single sentence that starts with a verb, like “Choose the right pricing model for a micro creator campaign.”

• Checklist: Identify the buyer (brand marketer, creator, agency), the moment (planning, negotiation, reporting), and the constraint (budget, timeline, compliance).
• Tip: If you cannot name the decision, your headline will drift and your CTA will feel random.

2) What does “better” mean here, and how will we measure it?

“Better content” can mean higher rankings, more email signups, more qualified leads, or fewer back and forth questions from clients. Pick one primary outcome and two secondary outcomes. Then map each to a metric you can actually observe.

• Example: Primary outcome – more demo requests. Metric – conversion rate from the post to the form. Secondary outcomes – time on page and scroll depth.
• Decision rule: If a metric cannot be measured within 30 days, treat it as a long term indicator, not the main success criterion.

3) What proof would make a skeptical reader believe this?

In influencer marketing, skepticism is healthy. Readers have seen inflated metrics, cherry picked screenshots, and vague “best practices.” Decide what proof you can provide: a calculation, a template, a benchmark table, a policy citation, or a before and after example.

One reliable form of proof is a simple, transparent calculation. For instance, if you discuss CPM, show the math:

• Example calculation: A creator charges $900 for a Reel that delivered 45,000 impressions. CPM = 900 / 45000 x 1000 = $20 CPM.
• Interpretation: $20 CPM might be efficient for a niche audience with high purchase intent, but expensive for broad awareness. Context matters, so you should state the goal.

For measurement standards, you can align definitions with the IAB, which publishes widely used guidelines for digital ad measurement: IAB guidelines.

4) What is the simplest process a reader can follow in 30 minutes?

Readers love frameworks, but only if they can use them quickly. Build a short process with clear inputs and outputs. In practice, that means you list what they need to gather, what they do with it, and what they should end up with.

• Inputs: campaign goal, target audience, budget range, timeline, required deliverables.
• Actions: choose KPI, estimate expected reach, set pricing model, write a brief, define usage rights.
• Output: a one page plan or a creator outreach message.

5) Where do people get this wrong, and what does it cost them?

A strong post names the failure modes. In influencer work, the cost is usually wasted spend, misleading reporting, or strained creator relationships. Pick 3 to 5 mistakes you see repeatedly and attach a consequence to each.

• Example: Optimizing for impressions when the goal is signups – you may get cheap reach but poor CPA.
• Example: Forgetting usage rights – the brand cannot legally repurpose the content for ads later, or pays a rush premium.

6) What should the reader do next, and what template helps them do it?

End with a next step that matches the decision from question 1. If your post teaches pricing, the next step might be building a rate range and a negotiation script. If it teaches creator selection, the next step might be a short audit checklist. Templates turn intent into action, which is why they also improve conversions.

Concrete takeaway: include one copy paste asset per post – a checklist, a table, a script, or a calculator.

A practical workflow: turn answers into an outline in 7 steps

Once you answer the six prompts, you can convert them into a publishable structure quickly. This workflow is built for marketers who need to ship, not just brainstorm. If you want more examples of how we structure data driven posts, browse the InfluencerDB Blog for formats you can model.

1. Write the decision statement at the top of your doc (one sentence).
2. List the audience constraints (budget, time, tools, approval process).
3. Choose one primary KPI and define it in plain English.
4. Collect proof assets (screenshots, calculations, policy links, benchmarks).
5. Draft the outline using 4 to 7 sections, each with one takeaway.
6. Add a worked example with real numbers (CPM, CPV, or CPA).
7. Write the CTA that matches the decision and includes the template.

Concrete takeaway: if you cannot complete steps 1 to 4, do not start drafting paragraphs yet. You will write faster after the thinking is done.

Table 1: Map each question to the section you should write

Open ended question	What it produces	Where it belongs in the post	Quick quality check
What decision is the reader making?	Clear angle and promise	Title, intro, conclusion	Can you write a one sentence takeaway?
How will we measure “better”?	Primary KPI and supporting metrics	Early definitions section	Is the KPI measurable within 30 days?
What proof will convince skepticism?	Benchmarks, formulas, citations	Middle sections and examples	Is the proof reproducible by the reader?
What process can they follow fast?	Step by step framework	Dedicated how to section	Could someone do it in 30 minutes?
Where do people get it wrong?	Common mistakes and warnings	Near the end, before CTA	Does each mistake include a consequence?
What should they do next?	CTA plus template	Conclusion	Is the next step aligned to the decision?

Table 2: Influencer content metrics and pricing math you can reuse

Even if your post is not “about pricing,” basic performance math makes your content more credible. Use the table below as a plug in reference, then add one worked example in your draft.

Metric or term	Plain meaning	Simple formula	When to use it
Engagement rate	How often people interact	Engagements / impressions	Comparing creative resonance across creators
CPM	Cost per 1,000 impressions	Cost / impressions x 1000	Awareness campaigns, benchmarking efficiency
CPV	Cost per video view	Cost / views	Video first platforms and top of funnel
CPA	Cost per conversion	Cost / conversions	Direct response and lead gen
Whitelisting	Brand runs ads from creator handle	N/A – contract term	Scaling winning creator content with paid
Usage rights	Permission to reuse content	N/A – scope and duration	Repurposing into ads, email, landing pages
Exclusivity	Creator cannot work with competitors	N/A – category and time window	Protecting positioning during a launch

Worked example: build a mini business case inside your post

To make your content actionable, include a short business case that shows how a reader would decide between two options. Keep it simple and transparent. Here is a model you can adapt to almost any influencer topic.

Scenario: You are choosing between two creators for a product launch. Creator A charges $1,200 for a TikTok video and estimates 60,000 views. Creator B charges $900 and estimates 30,000 views. You care about efficient reach, but you also want signups.

• CPV for A: 1200 / 60000 = $0.02
• CPV for B: 900 / 30000 = $0.03

On CPV alone, A looks better. However, you should add one more layer: expected conversions. If A historically drives a 0.4 percent click to signup rate and B drives 0.8 percent, the picture flips.

• Expected signups for A: 60000 x 0.004 = 240 signups. CPA = 1200 / 240 = $5.00
• Expected signups for B: 30000 x 0.008 = 240 signups. CPA = 900 / 240 = $3.75

Concrete takeaway: include at least two metrics in your example, not one. Single metric decisions are where bad campaigns come from.

Common mistakes when using prompts to plan content

Prompts can still produce bland writing if you treat them like a homework assignment. The fix is to force specificity and to show your work. These are the mistakes that most often weaken otherwise solid posts:

• Writing for “everyone” – your examples become generic, and your advice becomes obvious. Pick one primary reader.
• Hiding the assumptions – if you estimate CPM or conversion rate, say what you assumed and why.
• Overloading the intro – define a few key terms early, but do not front load the entire glossary.
• No decision at the end – readers finish informed but not equipped. Add a next step and a template.

If you cover influencer partnerships, remember that disclosure is not optional. The FTC explains endorsement rules and what “clear and conspicuous” disclosure means: FTC endorsement guidance.

Best practices: make each post easier to write and easier to trust

Once you have the six prompts, the next level is consistency. Readers return when they know what they will get: definitions, a framework, a worked example, and a clear CTA. These practices keep your content sharp without making it formulaic.

• Lead with the decision in the first paragraph, then preview the framework.
• Use one proof asset per section – a stat, a formula, a mini case, or a checklist.
• State what you are not covering – it builds trust and reduces scope creep.
• Separate reporting terms – always specify whether engagement rate uses reach or impressions.
• Document deal terms – whitelisting, usage rights, and exclusivity should be explicit in writing, not implied.

For platform specific definitions of metrics like reach and impressions, you can cross check Meta’s business help documentation: Meta Business Help Center.

Copy and paste template: answer the six prompts in one page

Use this as your pre writing worksheet. Fill it in, then turn each answer into a section header and bullets. You will draft faster and edit with less guesswork.

1. Decision: The reader is trying to __________.
2. Success metric: “Better” means __________ measured by __________.
3. Proof: I will include __________ (calculation, table, policy link, example).
4. 30 minute process: Inputs are __________. Steps are __________. Output is __________.
5. Mistakes: People fail when they __________, which leads to __________.
6. Next step: After reading, they should __________ using this template: __________.

Concrete takeaway: save this template in your notes app. The next time you have a blog idea, answer it before you open a blank document.