How to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associates Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links, which will reward me monetarily or otherwise when you use them to make qualifying purchases. For more information, please review the legal disclosures found here.
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they’re a good writer because they did well in English class, I’d be a rich woman. While I don’t doubt their writing skills, writing for the web is an entirely different ball game.
The whole point is to increase traffic to your website. If you employ the same tactics as writing an English essay, you’re not going to get the results you want.
Successful content marketing requires strategy and technical know-how. More specifically, it means understanding search engine optimization (SEO) best practices and how users consume content online.
The good news is, correctly optimizing a website or blog post for search engines is something you can learn. This article will walk you through how to write SEO-friendly blog posts. Once you get the basics down, you have a much better chance of directing traffic to your site, improving engagement, and driving conversions.
Let’s get started!
How to Optimize a Blog Post for Search Engines
There are a lot of misconceptions about blogging. One of the biggest is that it’s easy. In reality, writing a blog post takes more than hammering out a few paragraphs and hitting publish. If you want it to perform well, it’s going to take some work.
Related: 3 Reasons Your Business Should Have a Blog
01. Plan First, Write Later
You may be eager to dive into the writing stage, but writing SEO-friendly blog posts starts in the planning stages. Taking the time to plan makes the execution so much easier.
Determine Your Intent
Content marketing can require a pretty significant time investment. To make sure your efforts aren’t going to waste, it’s important to flesh out the intent behind your content.
What does that mean, exactly? I promise it’s not complicated!
It’s as simple as this:
Never write a blog post just to push out content. It should always have a purpose.
When planning out your blog post, be sure to ask yourself:
What is this blog post about?
What is the goal behind this blog post?
What benefit will this blog post provide readers?
Answering these three questions helps you discover the intent behind your article, which will be a huge help during the planning and writing stages.
In short, a clearly defined purpose is like having a north star to help you navigate the process.
Perform Keyword Research
One of the most recognizable elements of search engine optimization is using keywords. But, you can’t just throw any old keyword into your blog post. Understanding which keywords to use starts with figuring out what your target audience actually wants to read.
Doing research on their interests, questions they have, or problems they want to solve is the first step. As you discover what kind of topics to cover, you’ll be able to pull out relevant keywords.
When it comes to writing SEO-friendly blog posts, your keywords should be the perfect balance of:
What your audience wants to read or know about
The relevancy to your business, industry, or niche
What you can rank for
A great tool for finding topics and corresponding keywords is Answer the Public. You can type in a topic and discover exactly what people are asking about it.
You can see what a search for “content marketing” yields below.
Answer The Public is a really easy way to generate topic ideas. Looking at the example above, you could pull out topics like:
How can content marketing help a business?
How to improve content marketing
Why content marketing is effective?
What is content marketing?
Once you have a few topic ideas, you can plug in “content marketing” in an SEO tool like SEMRush, Moz, or UberSuggest to find keywords and phrases. These tools will help you find your primary keyword as well as some variations to use.
If your website or blog has a low domain authority, it can be helpful to target less competitive keywords to start. As your domain authority starts to grow, you can start using more competitive options.
Related: What is SEO & Why Does It Matter?
Create an Outline
Before you start writing in earnest, take some time to draft an outline. Creating an outline helps you optimize your article for SEO while organizing your thoughts and developing the structure.
Regardless of the topic, every blog post should have:
An introduction (focused on your blog topic)
A body (the main message of your blog post)
A conclusion (a summary of the most important concepts)
Answer the Public is really helpful for creating an outline as well. You can use the questions people are asking about your topic as headings and subheadings.
Let’s go back to that “content marketing” example.
Based on the results, I could write a blog post called, “How Can Content Marketing Help a Business?” I could also use some of the other results to develop my outline.
For example, I could add the following questions as headings:
What is content marketing?
Why is content marketing effective?
How content marketing helps SEO?
If you keep scrolling down, you’ll see results in other formats, including alphabetical.
This section is also really great for pulling out various keywords and developing an outline. In this case, I could touch on content marketing channels and campaigns under the heading “what is content marketing.”
“Content marketing benefits” could be its own heading, as it’s the meat of the article. Under that section, I would include subheads like “create brand awareness,” “boost search result rankings,” and “position your business as an industry authority.”
Taking the time to create an outline makes it so much easier to optimize a blog post for SEO. It also saves you time while writing because you know exactly what to include.
02. Write a Click-Worthy Headline
This is arguably one of the most important parts of optimizing blog posts for search engines. Headlines are what drive clicks and traffic to your site. Even if you write the best, most informative article on the planet, a bad headline can keep it from getting read.
In addition to enticing users to click through to your article, the headline impacts how a blog post appears on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
In short, your headline matters — like, a lot.
No pressure, right?
Writing a click-worthy headline with SEO in mind takes practice. The key is to write something that grabs attention and uses your main keyword.
Here a few techniques that can help you get more conversions:
Incorporate numbers (ex: 9 Ways to Skyrocket Your Blog Traffic in 2021)
Use power words (ex: 3 EASY Strategies to BOOST Your Search Engine Rankings)
Mention your offer (ex: How to Price Your Freelance Writing Services + a Free Guide!)
Include a teaser (ex: We Tried the New [Product/App]: Here’s What Happened)
Once you’ve got a list of headlines, pop them into a tool like CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer. This particular one analyzes the headline and generates a score based on different data. Once you’ve analyzed 3-5 headlines, you can pick the one that scores the best.
03. Write Your Blog Post
Before we get into how to optimize blog post copy for SEO, let’s first talk about word count.
How Long Should a Blog Post Be for SEO?
There’s no hard or fast rule for how long a blog post should be, but there are best practices if you want to get good results.
To get even the smallest SEO benefits, blog posts should be a minimum of 300 words. Long-form content (blog posts between 1,000 and 1,500 words) performs even better. While that’s a good target to shoot for, Hubspot suggests the ideal length for blog content is 2,100 to 2,400 words.
Why does long-form content have a better SEO performance? Two words: context clues. Long blog posts contain more clues that help Google determine what the content is about.
While word count plays a role in how your article performs, don’t let it be the driving force behind the writing process. Focus instead on providing high-quality, value-driven content with SEO best practices in mind.
Here’s how. ↓
Use Headings Correctly
Headings are incredibly important when writing an SEO-friendly blog post because they help readers and search engines understand your content. They’re the signposts that tell readers what an article is about. They also help define the important parts of your content and show how things are connected.
Despite their importance, many people fail to use headings correctly — or at all.
I see a lot of instances where someone will simply bold the text that should be a heading. While it does help readers identify different sections, it doesn’t help your SEO.
Another mistake many make is thinking that they should use the H1 tag as a heading in the article. The H1 tag is actually reserved for the title (headline) of the blog post. So, any headings in the body copy should start with an H2 tag.
Here’s how heading tags work when writing a blog post:
H1 = The title of the blog post
H2 = Important points (Main headings)
H3, H4, etc. = Supporting information to the main points (Subheads)
Using headings correctly will improve user experience and boost your search rankings because they help search engine bots understand what your article is about. And, if you use keywords in your headings —as you should — it will help bots prioritize your content.
Write Short Paragraphs
When it comes to user experience, short paragraphs are a must. Large chunks of text are not only intimidating to readers but can also be hard on the eyes. Short paragraphs make it easy for readers who prefer to scan and better optimizes the article for mobile users. Keep paragraphs short at 2-3 sentences.
Taking advantage of different formatting options is also a good idea. Using styling options like bold, italic, underline, as well as bulleted lists helps keep things visually interesting.
Sprinkle In Keywords Strategically
Using keywords throughout your article is a good thing. You should also incorporate variations of your keyword to keep your content from getting too repetitive.
Where to use SEO keywords in your blog post:
Headlines (title tags)
Headings
Body copy
Conclusion
Whatever you do, avoid keyword stuffing at all costs.
The keywords you include in a blog post should be natural to read. Avoid repeating keywords unnecessarily or using them out of context. Both can have negative impacts on search rankings and user experience.
Add Links Where It Makes Sense
There are two types of links: internal and external (outbound). Both are important to writing SEO-friendly blog posts. Using internal and outbound links can improve search rankings by building “link equity.” Essentially, linking to relevant and authoritative content boosts SEO and can increase page/domain authority.
Best practices for links:
Set internal links to open in the same window
Set external links to open in a new window
Use anchor text that provides an idea of what the page is about
Consider the relevancy of the content you’re linking too
Link to high-quality, authoritative sites and avoid linking to spammy sites
Use “nofollow” tags if you’re concerned about being penalized for the link
Internal links are one of those things that often get forgotten by new and inexperienced content marketers. Linking to similar and related existing content on your site can help keep users on it longer and increase page views. When used strategically, internal links help guide the user journey.
It can be really helpful to create a reference list of “pillar” content for your website. Having a list of blog posts and their URLs makes it easy to pick out relevant articles and set up internal links. It’s also a great way to direct users to pages and articles you want to increase conversions for.
04. Optimize Visuals for SEO
Adding visuals like photos, videos, and infographics not only makes your blog post more interesting to read but also improves the quality. Ensuring those visuals are optimized for SEO takes just a few minutes. Unfortunately, many people skip this step.
It’s really as simple as using thoughtful file names and filling in the Alt Text with descriptive words. Bonus points if you use keywords.
Let’s go back to the example from earlier about writing a blog about content marketing.
If I wanted to add a graphic showing the top content marketing channels, I wouldn’t name the file img001.jpg. I would use something more descriptive, like top-marketing-channels-2021. For the Alt Text, I’d probably write the same thing, minus the dashes.
05. Optimize Metadata
There are three distinct areas of metadata to optimize:
The URL
Meta title
Meta description
You can see all three of these meta tags in action in the example below.
Metadata is critical when optimizing blog posts for search engines. All three play a function in how a blog post appears in SERPs and getting users to click through to your site.
To put it into perspective, metadata impacts traffic and engagement — both of which have a direct impact on SEO and search rankings.
“Your title tag determines (with a few exceptions) your display title in SERPs, and is a search visitor's first experience of your site. Even if your site ranks well, a good title can be the make-or-break factor in determining whether or not someone clicks on your link.” — Moz
Most content management systems (CMS) have a dedicated spot for meta tags. If you use WordPress, installing a plugin like Yoast SEO or All In One SEO makes entering metadata simple. You’ll just fill in each section of metadata, as outlined below.
URL Structure
The URL directs users to your blog post. A lot of times your CMS will populate a default URL structure. When that happens, it usually just converts the title of the blog post to a URL, adding “-” in between the words.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s always a good idea to double-check the URL to make sure it’s optimized for search engines.
Below are some best practices for URL structures:
Use “-” to separate individual words (ex: “what-is-seo”)
Remove unnecessary numbers (ex: change “3-easy-seo-strategies” to “easy-seo-strategies”)
Remove unnecessary words to shorten the URL (ex: “how-to-write-seo-friendly-blog-posts” vs. “write-seo-friendly-blog-posts”
Include the primary keyword in your URL (ex: a blog about content marketing tips would use something like “best-content-marketing-tips” in its URL.)
Meta Title Tag
Fill in the meta title tag with a click-worthy headline that incorporates your keyword. Keep in mind that you only have about 60-70 characters to work with, including spaces. If your original title fits, feel free to use it as the title tag. If not, consider swapping it out with a shorter version. This is also an easy way to A/B test different headlines.
Meta Description Tag
The description tag is a short overview of the blog post. Meta descriptions are usually less than 200 characters, so you have to be succinct. Make the meta description clear and compelling to encourage users to click through to your site.
06. Complete Miscellaneous Tasks
Before you publish a blog post, remember to take care of extra tasks.
Add a featured image
Select tags and categories
Add an affiliate or sponsored post disclosure
Completing these extra tasks will give your blog post a little extra boost and make sure you’re following FTC guidelines.
Add a Featured Image
What’s a featured image? It’s the image, graphic, or thumbnail that corresponds with the blog post. Depending on your website layout or theme, the featured image will be displayed with the title of the article in your blog feed. It will also show up at the top of the article and when it’s shared on social media.
It may be surprising, but featured images are essential to writing SEO-friendly blog posts. Still, many people tend to overlook featured images.
They’re an excellent way to optimize a blog post for SEO and user experience because they:
Attract readers with enticing images that pique their curiosity
Increase the value of a post by helping readers understand what it’s about
Boost SEO by using keywords in the caption and alt text
A featured image doesn’t have to be super fancy. You can use a design tool like Canva to whip something up in just a couple of minutes.
Select Relevant Categories & Tags
A good rule of thumb is to have 5-10 different blog categories total; anything more than that is excessive and can be confusing. However, you can add sub-categories and tags to organize your content into even smaller groups.
The better organized your content is, the easier it is for Google and search engines to understand what it’s about. It also keeps users engaged and on your site longer, which helps boosts search rankings.
You can see an example of categories at work on my own blog. Below is a screenshot of one of my highest ranking blog posts, “Where to Find a Copywriter,” which is categorized under “copywriting.”
As far as how many categories to select for an individual blog post, there’s no magic number. Each individual post should fit at least one of your main categories. It’s okay to select multiple categories, but try to keep it to a minimum or use sub-categories when you can.
Tags are another story. CMS platforms like WordPress typically don’t limit the number of tags you can use. That said, tags are meant to help users find related content on a site. In this case, less is more. A good target is 3-5 per post, but no more than 10.
If you need help setting up categories and tags for your blog, Yoast has a great article with some best practices.
Add a Disclosure
If you plan to include affiliate links or write sponsored blog posts, it’s absolutely crucial that you have a disclosure notifying readers. Failing to include an affiliate disclosure goes against FTC guidelines and you could get fined.
Here are three best practices to follow:
Disclosures should appear in an easy-to-see place
Disclosures should be clear and concise
Include a link to your detailed privacy policy and disclosure
When writing a disclosure, don’t overthink it. Simply notify readers that a post is sponsored or contains affiliate links, how it affects them, and where they can find more information.
Mine goes like this:
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associates Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links, which will reward me monetarily or otherwise when you use them to make qualifying purchases. For more information, please review the legal disclosures found here.
You’ll want to make sure you abide by the rules of any affiliate programs you participate in. In my case, as an Amazon Associates Affiliate, I’m required to disclose that I’m part of the program.
For more info on FTC disclosures, check out this handy guide, which explains everything you need to know.
07. Hit Publish
When you’ve finished writing a blog post and optimizing it for SEO, it’s almost time to publish it. I say almost because it can be highly beneficial to step away from the draft and give it a once over with fresh eyes.
Give it an hour or even 24; then come back and check:
Spelling and grammar - Grammarly is an awesome tool to have at your disposal. With the Chrome extension, you can use Grammarly with most CMS providers, email, Google Drive, etc.
Link structure - Are internal and external links working and opening correctly?
Readability - Can readers easily scan the article and understand what it’s about? Does it have a conversational tone or is it too jargon-heavy? Are you using enough whitespace, lists, and images?
Keywords - Have you used keywords appropriately and in strategic places? Did you fill in the metadata and double-check the URL structure?
Once you’ve confirmed the post is ready, go ahead and publish it or schedule it for a later date.
When is the Best Time to Publish a New Blog Post?
As far as the best time to publish a blog post, well, that depends.
If you’re looking solely for traffic, marketing guru Neil Patel suggests publishing a post around 11 AM on a Monday. If your goal is engagement (aka comments and shares), studies suggest Saturday morning is the best time to publish a blog post.
Don’t let the timing of your blog post stress you out too much, though.
Blog posts have a much longer shelf life than emails or social media posts. You can easily call attention to it again by sharing it with your email list and on social media.
Be sure to go back and interlink to the new post in content you’ve already published too. That way, you can encourage pageviews from users already on your site.
Related: 5 Reasons Your Business Needs an Email List
08. Update Blog Posts Regularly
Your job isn’t done after you’ve published an SEO-friendly blog post. Now it’s time to make sure it stays optimized for maximum SEO benefits!
Google prioritizes relevant, up-to-date content. Keep your blog posts fresh by updating them when it makes sense.
It could be as simple as swapping out old links with more current articles. Or it could be more complicated, such as rewriting a tutorial to include new steps or information.
For example, this blog post I wrote on how to start a blog includes information on web hosts and pricing. I’ve made sure to keep it updated with the most current pricing and switched out the photos that accompany the tutorial so they match the provider’s new branding.
The title of that blog post also includes the year (How to Start a Blog in 2021). So, I make sure to update the blog’s headline and metadata annually to reflect the current year.
Here are some ways you can update blog posts and keep them optimized for search engines:
Change the title/headline
Swap out feature images
Rewrite the introduction
Update old links
Add links to new content on your site
Remove broken links
Add videos, infographics, or new images
Add quotes from experts
Target new keywords
It’s also a good idea to review your blog articles’ performance regularly. If you notice any posts that are underperforming, try updating them with new keywords and information to see if you can improve their rankings.
Be Consistent
There you have it; everything you need to know to optimize a blog post for search engines!
Now that you know what elements search engines love and how to use them effectively, you can start crafting SEO-friendly blog posts.
That said, remember that SEO takes time to gain traction. Be patient and give your content time to start driving results. Analyzing your website analytics regularly will help you track performance and figure out what’s working. Use what you learn from your stats to make tweaks until you find a winning strategy.
Want to incorporate blogging in your content marketing strategy but don’t have the time or resources? I’d love to help! Get in touch to learn more.
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