Formats
Overview
The format tells Machined what kind of article to write. A step-by-step how-to is structured very differently from a best-of list or a cost guide, and each format has its own structure.
By default, Machined chooses the format for you with Auto. You can refine the output further using Custom instructions.
Auto
With Auto, Machined looks at the articles ranking for your keyword before it writes, and uses the format that most of them share. If searchers are being shown cost guides, you get a cost guide. If they're being shown step-by-step guides, you get a how-to.
When the top results don't agree on a format, Machined picks one from your keyword and title.
Once the article is written, the article's info panel shows the format Machined chose, for example Format: How-to.
Available formats
If you already know what you want, choose one of the six formats instead of Auto. These are the main types of content that work for SEO.
| Format | What it's for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Guide | Explains a topic: what it is and what the reader needs to understand or decide | What is topical authority? |
| How-to | Numbered steps to complete a task, with what you need before you start | How to build a content cluster |
| Tips list | A list of ideas or tips, each with why it works and an example | 7 ways to get more local reviews |
| Best-of list | Ranks several products or options, with pros and cons, pricing, who each suits, and a comparison table | Best AI SEO tools for small teams |
| Comparison or review | Compares products side by side, or reviews one in depth, ending with a clear verdict | Surfer vs Clearscope |
| Cost guide | Gives a typical price range up front, then what changes the price and when to get a quote | How much does an emergency plumber cost |
Choosing a format
Single articles
In the New article sheet, the Format dropdown starts on Auto (recommended). Choose a different format to override it.
Clusters
Every article in a cluster starts on Auto. You can change the format per article, or for every article at once from the column header, in the General tab of the cluster table.
The format is chosen per article, so it isn't part of your project's writing defaults.
Heading case
You can choose how headings are capitalized:
- Sentence case: only the first word is capitalized (the default)
- Title case: each major word is capitalized
Heading case is set under Advanced settings → Model & output when creating a single article, in the Custom tab of the cluster table, or for the whole project in writing defaults.