## **📖 What This Article Covers**

This guide explains how to create a blog post outline using the AI features in Content Genius, and clarifies key publishing terminology — including what **Parent** means when you publish a blog post.

## **🗺️ How to Access Content Genius**

To get started, navigate to Content Genius from the left sidebar:

1. Log in to your Search Atlas account.
2. Click **Content** in the left sidebar.
3. Select **Content Genius** from the sub-menu. The URL will update to **/content/seo-content-assistant**.

## **🤖 How to Generate a Blog Post Outline with AI**

Content Genius uses AI to build structured blog outlines based on your target keyword. Follow these steps:

1. Open **Content Genius** (Left sidebar → Content → Content Genius) and create a new document or open an existing one.
2. Enter your **target keyword** in the keyword field at the top of the editor.
3. Click the **AI Outline** button (or the equivalent AI generation option in the toolbar).
4. The AI will generate a structured outline including suggested headings (H2s and H3s) based on top-ranking content for your keyword.
5. Review the outline. You can **accept all sections**, remove sections you do not need, or drag and drop headings to reorder them.
6. Once satisfied, click **Write an article** (or write your own content under each heading) to build out the full article.

**Tip:** The AI outline is based on real SERP data, so the suggested headings reflect what is already ranking well for your keyword. Use it as a starting point and customise to match your brand voice.

## **📝 Understanding Blog Post Outline Sections**

When the AI generates your outline, you will see the following structural elements:

- **Title (H1):** The main headline of your blog post. There should be only one per article.
- **H2 Headings:** Major sections that divide your content into key topics.
- **H3 Headings:** Sub-sections that sit beneath an H2, providing more detail on a specific point.
- **Introduction and Conclusion:** Some outlines include placeholders for opening and closing paragraphs.

## **🌐 What Does 'Parent' Mean When Publishing?**

When you are ready to publish your blog post, you may see a field labelled **Parent**. Here is what it means:

The **Parent** field sets the **URL hierarchy** of your published post within your connected website. It defines which page or section sits one level above your new post in the site structure.

- **No Parent (root level):** Your post will publish at the top level of your domain (e.g., **yourdomain.com/my-blog-post**).
- **Parent set to a category or page:** Your post will nest under that page in the URL structure (e.g., **yourdomain.com/blog/my-blog-post**).

Choosing the correct Parent helps maintain a clean, logical site architecture, which is important for both user experience and SEO. If you are publishing a standard blog post, setting the Parent to your main **Blog** or **Posts** page is the most common choice.

**Note:** The Parent field only appears when your Search Atlas account is connected to a WordPress site or a supported CMS integration. If you do not see it, your workspace may use a different publishing workflow.

## **🚀 Publishing Your Blog Post**

Once your outline and content are ready:

1. Click the **Publish** button in the top-right corner of the Content Genius editor.
2. Select your connected site from the dropdown (if you have more than one).
3. Set the **Parent** page if required (see above).
4. Choose to publish **immediately** or **schedule** for a future date and time.
5. Click **Confirm** to send the post live or to the scheduled queue.

## **💡 Tips for Better AI Outlines**

- Use a **specific, long-tail keyword** for more focused outlines (e.g., "best running shoes for flat feet" rather than "running shoes").
- Run an **On-Page Audit** (Left sidebar → Content Assistant v3 → On-Page Audit) before writing to understand gaps in existing content.
- Use **Content Planner** (Left sidebar → Content → Content Planner) to plan a series of related posts and maintain topical authority.

## **🆘 Need More Help?**

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.