You can use a typing keyword expander to make it easier to create the Jekyll syntax.

Some of the Jekyll syntax can be slow to create. Using a utility such as aText can make creating content a lot of faster. You get aText from the App Store on a Mac for about $5.

To import the shortcut keys I'm using, see the shortcuts.zip file. After unzipping this file, you can import it into aText.

There are alternatives to aText, such as Typeitforme. But aText seems to work the best. Read more about it on Lifehacker.