Blog Post SEO Checklist 2025: Easy tips to rank higher
So you’ve spent hours (or maybe days) crafting a blog post.
The research, the writing, the editing, it’s a whole process. Naturally, you want that post to do something, right? Like bring in traffic, show up on Google, or at least not disappear into the void.
Here’s the thing: it won’t do any of that if it’s not optimized for SEO.
Luckily, there’s a checklist you can follow to make sure every blog post you publish has a real shot at ranking and not just somewhere on page 6 of Google. I’ve broken it down step-by-step, based on what’s actually working right now.
Whether you’re just starting out or want a smarter SEO workflow, this guide has your back. Let’s dive in.
1. Choose the best SEO-friendly blogging platform
Choosing the right blogging platform is essential to your blog's growth and SEO success. Not all platforms are created equal when it comes to SEO features, and selecting one that supports SEO best practices can make a real difference in your traffic.
Look for platforms with:
SEO customization options: Edit meta tags, titles, and descriptions.
Fast loading speeds: Google favors faster sites.
Mobile responsiveness: Ensure your site is optimized for mobile devices.
SEO tool integrations: Platforms that work with SEO plugins or tools like Yoast and Google Analytics.
Some great SEO-friendly platforms include:
WordPress: Highly customizable with excellent SEO plugins.
Squarespace: User-friendly with solid SEO tools.
Wix: Offers built-in SEO features for beginners.
Ghost: Known for speed and clean design.
Blogger: Free and simple, with SEO options.
InBlog: A powerful CMS for businesses, offering good SEO features tailored for company blogs.
2. Start with smart keyword research
Before you even write a single word, you need to know what people are actually searching for. Otherwise, you’re guessing and guessing is not a strategy.
Why it matters:
Every day, there are billions of Google searches. And the top 5 results get almost 70% of all clicks. So yes, SEO is kinda the whole game.
Here’s what to do:
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMRush, or Ahrefs to find high-volume, low-competition keywords.
Focus on intent, don’t just pick the keywords with the biggest numbers. Think about what the person behind the search actually wants.
Try searching your keyword on Google and scroll to the bottom to check out the related searches. These are gold for finding related keywords to weave into your post.
Example: If your post is about “easy vegetarian meals,” related searches might include “30-minute vegetarian dinners” or “meatless meal prep ideas.” Use those phrases in subheadings or as additional sections to make your content more complete.
3. Understand search intent
Not every search means the same thing even if it uses the same words. For example:
Someone Googling “best hiking boots” is likely ready to buy.
Someone searching “how to break in hiking boots” just needs advice.
You need to match your content to the intent behind the keyword. Is the person looking to buy, learn, compare, or find something specific?
How to figure this out:
Google the keyword you’re targeting and check out the top results. What kind of pages show up? Guides? Product reviews? Tutorials?
Let that guide your content format and angle.
4. Use your keyword smartly
Once you’ve chosen your main keyword, place it in key parts of your blog post:
Title (the big headline at the top)
URL (the link to your post)
First 100 words
Headings (those H2 or H3 subheadings)
Example:
Instead of writing "This is my recipe", try "This is my easy green smoothie recipe."
5. Write a click-worthy meta title & description
The meta title and meta description are what people see on Google before clicking your post.
Meta title: About 60 characters
Meta description: About 155 characters
Make them clear, catchy, and include your keyword.
Example:
Title: Easy Green Smoothie Recipe | 5 Ingredients Only
Description: Try this quick, healthy green smoothie recipe made with just 5 simple ingredients. Perfect for busy mornings!
Learn more about how to write a good meta description to improve your click-through rates.
6. Structure your content
Google (and your readers) love well-organized content. Use:
Headings (H2, H3, etc.) to break things up
Short paragraphs : nobody wants to read a wall of text
Bullet points for lists (like this!)
Internal links (links to your own blog posts)
External links (to trustworthy websites)
Content has to be not too short, not too long (like 2,000 words). Cover the topic deeply without overwhelming your reader.
A study with BuzzSumo found that long posts got 56% more shares than short ones.
Example:
Writing a blog about blogging? Link to your earlier post about "Choosing a blog niche."
7. Write better headlines
Your headline is the first impression. Make it count.
Good headline tricks:
Use numbers: “7 Ways to eat healthier”
Ask a question: “Why can’t you sleep at night?”
Solve a problem: “Fix your credit score in 30 Days”
Use trigger words: “how,” “what,” “free,” “easy”
“80% of people only read the headline — make it worth it.” — Copyblogger
Also, headlines with 14–17 words often get shared more because they clearly explain what the post is about.
Instead of “How to write a blog post,” try “How to write a blog post that gets read, shared, and ranked on Google.”
8. Optimize your images
Images make your post look better, but they can also help your SEO:
Use descriptive filenames ( green-smoothie.jpg not IMG_1024.jpg)
Add alt text to describe what’s in the image
Compress your images so they don’t slow down your site (Inblog automatically handles this!)
9. Add images and videos (if you can) to your blog posts
Visuals make your blog posts more engaging, easier to understand, and more shareable. Images and videos break up long blocks of text, grab attention, and help illustrate your points clearly.
Here’s why it matters:
Images make your content more appealing and can improve time spent on the page.
Videos can explain things faster and keep readers engaged longer.
“Video posts get 48% more views.”
— Invesp
Both can help with SEO when you use proper filenames, alt text, and captions.
10. Add interactive stuff
People like to do stuff, not just read. That’s where interactive content comes in, things like:
Quizzes
Infographics
Interactive eBooks
Example: A “What kind of remote worker are you?” quiz could be a hit on a blog about remote jobs.
“88% of marketers say interactive content helps differentiate them from competitors.” — Unum
11. Mobile-friendly is a must
Today, most people read blogs on their smartphones, so having a mobile-friendly site is essential. To provide a great experience, make sure your blog:
Is responsive, automatically adjusting to any screen size.
Uses text that’s large enough to read easily without zooming.
Has buttons and links that are big enough and spaced well for easy tapping.
A poor mobile experience can frustrate visitors and drive them away. InBlog is fully mobile-optimized from the start, ensuring your blog looks great and works smoothly on all devices.
12. Fast loading
Page speed is crucial for both SEO and user experience. Slow-loading blogs frustrate visitors and lead to high bounce rate meaning people leave your site quickly.
To keep your blog fast, follow this checklist:
Use fast, reliable hosting to ensure quick server response.
Compress images so they load faster without losing quality.
Avoid heavy scripts or too many plugins that can slow down your site.
A fast blog keeps readers engaged and boosts your search rankings!
Popular speed testing tools:
Google PageSpeed Insights
Simply enter your URL, and it gives you a detailed report on both mobile and desktop speed, along with suggestions to improve.GTmetrix
Provides a comprehensive analysis of your page load time, total size, and recommendations to optimize.Pingdom Website Speed Test
Easy-to-use tool showing load time, performance grade, and bottlenecks.
13. Write short, SEO-friendly URLs
Your blog post’s URL might seem like a small detail but it has a real impact on SEO and click-through rates. A good URL tells both users and search engines what the page is about, without being cluttered or confusing.
Why it matters:
Short, clean URLs that include your main keyword are easier to read, more clickable in search results, and more likely to be shared.
For example:
Bad URL :
www.yoursite.com/blog/this-is-a-very-long-title-with-many-unnecessary-wordsGood URL :
www.yoursite.com/blog/seo-tips
InBlog makes it easy:
No need to manually rewrite your URLs, InBlog automatically generates SEO-friendly URLs based on your post title, trimming unnecessary words and optimizing for search engines. You can also customize them before publishing if you want to fine-tune.
Tip: Avoid stop words like “the,” “and,” “with” in your slug, and stick to lowercase letters and hyphens.
14. Use schema markup (optional but powerful)
Schema markup is a type of code you add to your blog that helps search engines like Google better understand the content on your pages. By using schema, you can enhance how your blog appears in search results with rich snippets, extra details like star ratings, cooking times, event dates, or author info.
These rich snippets can make your listing stand out, attract more clicks, and improve your visibility in search results.
While schema markup isn’t mandatory, it’s a powerful tool to boost your SEO and engagement.
For example, Dell’s product pages for items like computers, monitors, and other tech gear make use of schema markup.
This allows Google to show key details such as pricing ranges, stock status, shipping costs, and more, right within the search results.
15. Encourage engagement
Getting your readers involved is key to building a loyal audience and improving your blog’s performance. When people stay longer, leave comments, and share your posts on social media, Google sees that your content is valuable and relevant.
To boost engagement:
Ask questions that invite readers to share their thoughts or experiences.
Make it easy to comment by keeping your comment section user-friendly.
Example:
“Have you tried this smoothie? Let me know your favorite add-ins in the comments!”
Encouraging conversation not only builds community but also signals to search engines that your blog is worth ranking higher.
16. Add big, obvious share buttons
If you want people to share your content, you’ve got to make it ridiculously easy for them to do it. One of the simplest ways? Add big, clear social share buttons to your blog posts.
Don’t expect readers to copy and paste your URL or figure out how to share on their own, that’s friction, and friction kills sharing. The easier it is to share, the more likely people will do it.
Free tools to add share buttons:
ShareThis : A clean, customizable tool that works on almost any website.
Sassy Social Share : A popular WordPress plugin that makes it easy to add social buttons anywhere you want (top, bottom, floating on the side, etc.).
Make the buttons visible either at the top, bottom, or side of your posts and include platforms your audience actually uses (like Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.).
It’s a small tweak, but it can lead to way more exposure when even a few readers decide to hit “share.”
17. Follow EEAT guidelines
EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness : key factors Google uses to rank blogs.
How to improve your EEAT:
Share real-life experiences or case studies to show hands-on knowledge.
Link to trustworthy sources to back up your claims.
Be transparent: Mention who wrote the article and why they’re qualified.
“Google's ranking systems aim to reward original, high-quality content that demonstrates qualities of what we call E-E-A-T: expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.”
18. Use categories and tags to organize content
A clear content structure makes your blog easier to navigate for both your readers and search engines. That’s where categories and tags come in.
Categories are the main topics your blog covers. Think of them as broad sections like “Travel,” “Wellness,” or “Business tips.” Each post should belong to one (or maybe two) relevant categories.
Tags are more specific. They describe key elements within a post like “budget travel,” “yoga for beginners,” or “email marketing.”
Using both helps your readers quickly find related content, and it signals to Google how your site is organized. This improves user experience and boosts your SEO.
19. Get backlinks
A backlink is when another website links to your blog. In the eyes of Google, it’s like a vote of confidence, a signal that your content is trustworthy and valuable. Not only do backlinks help boost your search engine rankings, but they can also bring in new readers from the linking site.
How to get backlinks:
Write guest posts on other blogs in your niche, it’s a win-win: you get exposure and a link, they get free content.
Build genuine relationships with other writers and creators. When people know and trust you, they’re more likely to mention or link to your work.
Create standout content : posts that are super useful, original, or insightful naturally attract links over time.
So, don’t be shy about putting your content out there and forming connections. The more backlinks you earn, the more authority your blog builds.
20. Update old posts
SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” game. To keep your blog ranking high and relevant, it’s important to revisit your old posts every few months and:
Refresh outdated information to keep your content accurate and useful.
Add new statistics, examples, or links to the latest resources.
Improve titles and keywords if you notice they’re not performing well.
Regular updates show search engines that your blog is active and trustworthy, which can boost your rankings.
InBlog integrates with Google Search Console, so you can track your blog’s SEO performance directly and spot which posts need attention.
21. Delete “dead weight” pages
Not all content helps your SEO some of it can actually drag your site down. These are what we call "dead weight"pages: low-quality, outdated, or redundant pages that provide little to no value for users or search engines.
What counts as dead weight?
Empty category or tag pages
Outdated blog posts no one reads
Duplicate content
Low-effort posts (thin or AI-generated without editing)
Product pages that never convert
Archive or boilerplate pages
Old services or landing pages no longer relevant
Why this hurts SEO:
Google’s own Gary Illyes said:
“Don’t create low quality and no value add pages. It’s just not worth it... You just won’t get quality traffic. If you don’t get quality traffic then why are you burning resources on it?”
Too many low-value pages can dilute your site’s authority and waste crawl budget Google may struggle to find and index your best content.
What to do instead:
Audit your site regularly and remove, redirect, or consolidate underperforming pages. Focus on quality over quantity.
22. Repurpose your content
Creating a great blog post takes time so why let it live in just one place?
Repurposing means taking your blog content and turning it into other formats to reach more people. (Think of it like recycling, but for content.)
Here are some easy ideas:
Turn key points into a LinkedIn post or a Twitter thread
Create a carousel for Instagram using quotes or tips
Record a short YouTube video or podcast episode based on the blog
Make a checklist or infographic using your post summary
Example:
Your “easy green smoothie recipe” blog post can become:
A quick 30-second TikTok video showing the process
A Pinterest pin with the ingredients
A printable PDF recipe card
Why it matters: More formats = more visibility = more chances to rank and get traffic. Plus, different people prefer to consume content in different ways!
Example of repurposing :
Float : Maximize the impact of your case studies
Case studies are incredibly valuable, but often they just end up on a website or in a newsletter and get forgotten.
Stella Inabo from Float didn’t let that happen. After interviewing 10 customers, she and her team repurposed those stories across their entire marketing funnel.
They started by creating PDFs for the sales team to use for outreach and training. They also asked customers for permission to share interview clips, which they turned into videos and uploaded to YouTube for better SEO.
Float also worked with an SEO agency to extract keywords from those interviews, creating over 10 blog posts based on customer stories. They updated existing content with case study mentions and embedded videos to add social proof.
On social media, they repurposed the case studies into over 70 LinkedIn posts, carousels, text posts, videos, and quotes. Plus, they shared stories in their Slack community, which led to more customers requesting interviews.
You don’t need a huge budget to repurpose case studies effectively. With a bit of creativity, you can use them across multiple channels and see big results.
23. Use content distribution tools
Creating great content is just step one, getting it in front of people is just as important. That’s where content distribution tools come in. They help you schedule and share your blog posts across all your social media channels automatically.
What to do:
Use a content calendar to plan, schedule, and automate your posts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Pinterest. This saves time and keeps your content flowing, even when you’re busy.
Recommended Tools:
Buffer : Simple and effective for scheduling across multiple accounts.
Hootsuite : Powerful analytics and team features.
Later : Great for Instagram and visual content planning.
CoSchedule : Combines content calendar + blog + social automation in one place.
Why it works:
Maintains consistency, which is key for engagement and algorithm reach.
Helps you post at optimal times when your audience is most active.
Frees up your time so you can focus on creating instead of constantly posting.
Learn more about content distribution strategies to maximize your reach and engagement.
24. Distribute in content aggregators
One smart way is by sharing your posts on niche content aggregators and communities that curate high-quality articles.
What to do:
Submit your content to platforms where your target audience already hangs out, such as:
Zest (for marketers)
GrowthHackers
Indie Hackers
Reddit (look for niche subreddits relevant to your topic)
Flipboard
Hacker News (especially for developer and startup content)
Why it works:
These platforms are often overlooked but packed with highly engaged users actively seeking valuable content. Sharing your posts here can drive targeted traffic and build your authority within your niche.
Don’t just drop a link customize your pitch for each community. Explain why your content matters and how it benefits their audience.
Final thoughts :
By following this SEO checklist, you’re not just hitting “publish” and hoping for the best, you’re giving your content a real chance to rank, reach people, and make an impact.
You don’t have to do everything at once, but even a few smart tweaks can make a huge difference. So whether you’re brand new to blogging or just want to level up your strategy, keep this guide close by and come back to it as you grow.
You’ve got this !
Also, if you’re curious to dig a little deeper, I’d recommend checking out Everything You Need to Know About Blog SEO, it’s a great next step to keep improving your content.
