Launch Your Niche Blog with Three Search-Ready Posts
The capstone project for Blogging That Builds an Audience — a free Marketing course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.
- Free
- 6 steps
- Pass mark 65%
- Graded within minutes
- Beginner-friendly
The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.
What you will submit
A live, publicly accessible niche blog (free or paid) with About and Contact pages, three search-focused posts of 800+ words with internal links, and a 'Start here' post containing your 10-post content plan and distribution notes.
What to do, step by step
- Choose your niche using the Lesson 1 method: write at least 30 questions your audience actually searches (use Google autocomplete and 'People also ask'), then pick the 3 strongest questions as your first post topics.
- Set up your blog free on Blogger or WordPress.com (or self-hosted if you already pay for hosting). Give it a clear niche-matching name and publish an About page (who you are, who the blog helps) and a Contact page with a working email.
- Write and publish 3 posts of at least 800 words each. Each post must fully answer one search question, contain the target phrase in the title, first paragraph, and at least one subheading, include concrete Nigerian details (real ₦ figures, named places or platforms), and use compressed images with alt text where images appear.
- Add internal links: each of your 3 posts must link to at least one of the other posts using descriptive anchor text (not 'click here').
- Publish a short fourth post titled 'Start here' (or similar) that states your niche in one sentence, lists the titles of your next 10 planned posts from your question list, and names the channel (WhatsApp status, a specific Facebook group, X, or Nairaland) where you shared each of your 3 live posts.
- Share at least one post on WhatsApp status or in one relevant community as taught in Lesson 5, then submit your blog's homepage URL. The blog must be publicly accessible without a password.
Files to work with
Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 6 KBHow it is graded
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Blog setup and focus: live and publicly accessible, clear searchable niche evident from the name and content, About and Contact pages present | 20% |
| Post quality: three posts of 800+ words that each fully answer one real search question with concrete Nigerian detail (₦ figures, named places/platforms) and honest, non-hypey claims | 35% |
| On-page SEO: target phrase in title, first paragraph, and a subheading of each post; proper heading structure; descriptive internal links between the posts | 25% |
| Plan and distribution: 'Start here' post states the niche, lists 10 planned post titles from a real question list, and names where each live post was shared | 20% |
You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.
Before you submit: make your link public
If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to finish Blogging That Builds an Audience before submitting the project?
Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Blogging That Builds an Audience is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.
How is the project graded?
An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.
Can I resubmit if I fail?
Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.
What do I actually submit?
A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.
Is the certificate real?
Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.
More Marketing projects
- Digital Marketing Campaign for a Local Business
Digital Marketing Essentials
- Your 30-Day Content Plan, Sample Posts & One-Page Client Proposal
Social Media Management
- A 30-day content plan for a real or sample Nigerian business
Content Creation for Business
- Build a Complete Copy Pack for One Product
Copywriting & Sales Writing
Ready to earn this certificate?
Blogging That Builds an Audience is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.
Start learning free