One common question we receive at With Grace and Gold is: Is it really essential for me to have a blog — or to blog on behalf of my business? Truth be told, when we launched our business in 2014, blog content creation made a truly meaningful difference for our business growth and success. In Episode 090, we share how your blog and Pinterest can grow your business — and our step-by-step strategy for your growth. 

Even if blogging doesn’t come naturally, or if you aren’t quite sure what to blog about, perhaps knowing how blogging can serve your audience, boost your Search Engine Optimization, and help your business to grow can encourage you to consider blogging on behalf of your business. Today, we’re excited to share more about blogging for SEO! 

Blogging for SEO: Best Practices

Whether you’re a small business owner or a content creator hoping to boost your website’s visibility, we are so hopeful you’ll find today’s episode to be packed with valuable recommendations for optimizing your blog posts for search engines. By following these recommendations, you’ll improve your website’s visibility, attract more organic visitors, and reach your audience more effectively.

First, how does blogging play a role in Search Engine Optimization? With every high-quality, keyword-rich blog post you publish, you create an added layer of your website — an added way your website can serve your audience and be discovered via search engines.

So, how do you go about blogging with SEO in mind? Here are 10 steps for doing so:

1. Conduct keyword research. Keywords are the foundation of Search Engine Optimization. SEO keywords are the words and phrases people use to search for content via search engines. By identifying relevant keywords for your blog post, you can strategically incorporate them into your content, making it easier for search engines to understand the topic of your blog post, and therefore, rank your post higher on search engines. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush can help you discover popular keywords in your niche. Resources like Yoast SEO for WordPress can help you to how effectively you’ve composed content with your chosen keyword or key phrase in mind. 
2. Write compelling and beneficial blog content. While keywords are essential, it’s equally important to create valuable, high-quality content that engages your readers. Aim to provide useful information, solve problems, or answer common questions within your blog posts. When your content resonates with your audience, they are more likely to share it, link to it, and spend more time on your website—all of which are positive signals for search engines and can cause search engines to rank your blog post, and therefore your website, higher in search results. 
3. Optimize your meta tags. Meta tags are HTML elements that provide information about your web page to search engines. The two most important meta tags are the meta title and meta description. The meta title appears as the clickable headline in search engine results, while the meta description provides a brief summary of your page. Craft compelling meta tags that accurately represent your content and include relevant keywords to improve click-through rates and attract more organic traffic. If you’re a WordPress user, you can do so using the Yoast SEO Plugin.
4. Use descriptive URLs and headings. Search engines pay close attention to the structure of your blog posts. Ensure that your URLs and headings are descriptive and contain keywords whenever possible. For example, instead of using a generic URL like “withgraceandgold.com/blog/123456,” opt for a more descriptive one such as “withgraceandgold.com/blog/seo-blogging-best-practices.” This not only helps search engines understand the context of your content — but also improves your visitors’ experiences.
5. Optimize your images. Images play a significant role in enhancing the visual appeal of your blog posts. However, they can also impact your website’s loading speed if not optimized correctly. Compress your images to reduce their file size without compromising quality. Additionally, use descriptive file names and alt tags that include relevant keywords. This helps search engines index your images and improves accessibility for visually impaired users.
6. Build quality backlinks. Backlinks, or incoming links from other websites, are a powerful signal to search engines that your content is authoritative and trustworthy. Focus on building high-quality backlinks from reputable sources within your industry. This can be achieved through having your business listed in a credible business directory, guest blogging, or creating share-worthy content. Remember, quality always trumps quantity when it comes to backlinks.
7. Optimize for mobile devices. With the majority of internet users accessing the web through their smartphones, optimizing your blog for mobile devices is no longer an option — but a necessity. Search engines prioritize mobile-friendly websites in their rankings. Ensure your blog’s design is responsive and adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes. Test your blog’s loading speed on mobile devices and make any necessary improvements to provide a smooth browsing experience for your mobile users.
8. Utilize internal linking. Internal linking involves linking relevant pages or blog posts within your own website. This not only helps users navigate your site more easily but also allows search engines to discover and index your content more effectively. When creating new blog posts, strategically include links to relevant existing posts, essentially, creating a web of interconnected content that enhances both user experience and SEO.
9. Monitor and analyze your blog’s performance. To optimize your blog for SEO, it’s crucial to monitor its performance and make data-driven decisions. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics to track key metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rate, and average session duration. This data can provide valuable insights into how your blog is performing and help you identify areas for improvement. Google Analytics and Google Search Console are a couple of resources we share about in Episode 160: Your Checklist for a Conversion-Driven Website. 
10. Stay up to date with SEO best practices. SEO is an ever-evolving field. Follow reputable SEO blogs and experts to keep yourself informed about the changing landscape of search engine optimization.

Today, we shared 10 best practices for blogging for with SEO in mind. By following these best practices, you’ll improve your website’s visibility, attract more organic visitors, and reach your audience more effectively.

About Brand It, Build It Podcast, Hosted by Kelly Zugay

Hosted by Kelly Zugay, co-founder of With Grace and Gold, The Brand It, Build It Podcast is a leading small business marketing podcast for small business owners, creatives, and founders. Weekly, brief, actionable episodes will equip you to build a successful, sustainable small business. Since 2014, With Grace and Gold has provided award-winning custom brand and Showit web design and completely customizable Showit website templates for small businesses worldwide.