SEO Writing for Beginners: How to Create Blog Posts That Engage and Rank
I mean, if you want to, just hire me- I know how to do all of those things! Hey, small business besties. I know how tough it can be to start something from scratch and be tasked with learning new things to keep it moving upward. It’s rough out there, but that’s why I’m here. Today, I will walk you through the essentials of SEO writing for beginners and teach you how to write SEO-friendly blog posts while keeping your readers coming back for more.
The Basics of SEO
First, let’s get some FAQs out of the way before we delve into the why. What is search engine optimization (SEO)? SEO is the process of making your website or content (like a blog post on your website) easy for search engines like Google to find and understand. It involves using the right keywords to create high-quality content and organizing your site so that it is user-friendly for your visitors.
And since I know you’re going to ask: what is a keyword? A keyword or phrase are words we type into search engines when we’re looking for information. For example, if you wanted to bake some delicious chocolate chip cookies, you might type into a search engine, ‘best chocolate chip cookie recipe.’- That’s a keyword/phrase.
So, let’s put it all together for you fabulous SEO newbies! In SEO, these keywords and phrases are what you will include in your content so that search engines know what your content is about and can show it to the right people. Think of it as a bridge to get information—people are searching for information, and you provide the information they need. Easy peasy, right?
Why SEO-Friendly Blog Posts Matter
SEO-friendly blog posts don’t just matter; they’re essential for getting your content discovered by the right audience. When you optimize your blog with relevant keywords or phrases, and you provide valuable content and clear structure, your chances of that content ranking higher in search engines improve drastically.
But hang on! – don’t cash that check just yet. Optimizing your content is only the beginning. Your blog post must also keep your audience engaged and hold their attention, then encourage them to return. Visibility alone isn’t enough. Mastering this balance is at the heart of SEO blog writing best practices. So, when you combine SEO with compelling, reader-focused content, you can drive traffic and loyalty.
#1. Start with Keyword Research
The foundation of all great SEO blog posts will always be understanding your audience. You must know who you’re talking to to target the right keywords. For example, I used Google Keyword Planner to identify my keywords for this post. I just typed into the search engine, ‘SEO blog posts,’ and it spit out a bunch of different variations, but I settled on:
SEO writing for beginners (Primary)
Writing a blog for SEO
SEO-Friendly blog posts
SEO blog writing best practices
Pro Tip #1: A good rule of thumb is to take your primary keyword and sprinkle it naturally into the title, introduction, subheadings, and conclusion. Do the same with your secondary keywords in the body of the blog post.
Pro Tip #2: Choosing the right keywords: When selecting keywords for your blog posts, it’s super important to balance high, medium, and low-competition keywords strategically. For a detailed guide on choosing the best keywords, check out my blog post on How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your Content.
#2. Craft an Attention-Grabbing Headline
Your headline is incredibly important-it’s the first impression of your blog post. And because it’s the first impression, we want to use this opportunity to grab the attention of our potential readers. A good practice is using power words, numbers, and clarity to illuminate your subject. Also, as discussed before, this is prime real estate for your primary keyword. Here are some examples:
Small Business SEO: How to Get Your Website Seen by More Customers
The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Ranking Higher on Google
Boost Your Online Presence: SEO Essentials for Small Business
And as always, if you need help coming up with these head-turning headlines, I’m only a click away!
#3. Structure Your Post for Readability
Here is the honest truth about readers today: They skim more than they read, so your blog needs to be easy to navigate. Here’s some rules to follow:
Use short to medium-length paragraphs
Add subheadings with secondary keywords like “SEO blog writing best practices.”
Incorporate bullet points and numbered lists to break up text (kind of like I did here).
#4. Optimize Your Content for SEO
Since this is the whole point of this blog post, I will give you a list of quick reference tactics to keep your content SEO optimized.
Include your primary keyword 1-2% of the time
Use your secondary keywords in the headings and throughout the content
If you are adding pictures (and you should), optimize images by adding descriptive alt text (e.g., “Example of SEO-friendly blog writing.”)
Link to internal pages on your website (like services and related blog posts) and credible external resources.
Pro-Tip- Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Overloading your content with the same keyword over and over is known as ‘keyword stuffing,’ and search engines don’t like it one bit. It can really hurt your SEO efforts. Google wants content that reads naturally and provides value. Be creative! Instead of repeating the same keyword excessively, use variations, synonyms, and related terms to keep your content on the good foot. Quality content is king!!
#5. Write Engaging Content That Adds Value
SEO is one thing, but keeping your readers engaged and returning for more is another thing. It’s a balancing act between information and entertainment, and I promise you that once you get the hang of it, it’ll become second nature. Try these tactics:
Start strong: Begin with a hook that addresses your reader’s pain points or goals.
Use Storytelling: Share relatable anecdotes or examples to humanize your content.
Encourage Interaction: Include questions or prompts for readers to comment on.
#6: Conclusions, Calls-to-Action and Next Steps
If you’re like me, I always sigh stressfully at the thought of ending my blog posts. They always get me- but fear not! I have a plan for you. Here’s the truth- a great conclusion should always leave a strong impression and guide readers towards their next step. And don’t forget about your keywords! Here are some tips for creating a killer, SEO-friendly conclusion:
Summarize Key Points: Briefly reinforce the main takeaways to remind readers of the knowledge and value they’ve gained. For example, “Balancing SEO with engaging content is the key to successful blog writing.”
Include Clear Calls-to-Action (CTA’s): encourage readers to act with simple, direct prompts.
Inspire Action: use motivating language to inspire your audience to act- like this: ‘Start writing SEO-friendly content today and watch your audience grow.’
Use Your Keywords: use a slight variation of your primary keyword to keep the flow of the article natural.
Tie Your Keyword into the CTA: Include the keyword in your CTA to link it to actionable steps.
Keep It Subtle: Avoid forcing the keyword into the conclusion if it feels awkward. Focus on wrapping up the log with a strong summary and actionable advice.
Conclusion
Does finding the perfect balance between entertainment, information, and SEO optimization come naturally? Most likely, no! Just like anything, you must put it out there first, learn, then come back and do it better. However, by following these SEO best practices, you can jump ahead of the learning curve.
And if this feels like a lot of information, you’re not wrong- it is. You have to train up on many things to write engaging, valuable content that ranks. But here’s the beauty of being an SEO beginner: you’re only a beginner once. You got this, small business bestie! And as always, I’m here to help.
Happy SEO Blog Writing!
