You’ve written a great blog post—now what? This blog post checklist will guide you through the steps for formatting and posting your blog on WordPress, ensuring it’s SEO-optimized and ready to engage your readers. This isn’t a blog writing checklist, though! While writing great content is essential, if your post isn’t formatted correctly or optimized with the right keywords in the right places, it will get buried in search results.
Search engines, like Google, rely on indexing—the process of scanning and ranking your content. If your blog isn’t formatted well or optimized for SEO, search engines might not index it properly, which means fewer people will ever see it. For tips on writing a great blog, check out our post on What Is the Big 5? Your Foolproof B2B Content Marketing Strategy. But if you want to learn how to format, optimize, and post your blog effectively—this checklist has you covered!
Before we dive in, we know there might be some unfamiliar terms along the way. Don’t worry! If anything seems confusing, click over to our SEO terms and definitions post, or just scroll to the bottom of the post, where we’ve included a helpful list of terms and definitions to guide you through.
1. Start with Your Main Title (H1)
The title at the top of the page, which is your H1 title, is the first thing readers and search engines see. It should include your primary keyword, which helps people know exactly what your post is about. For example, if your keyword is “Blog Post Checklist,” your title could be “The Ultimate Blog Post Checklist for WordPress.”
In WordPress, the title you add at the top automatically becomes your H1, so you don’t need to set it manually. Just make sure your keyword is in there!
Note: Include an image here showing where to add the H1 title in WordPress.
Read More: How to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts That Reflect Your Brand
2. Use H2 Headings for Sections
Use H2 headings (secondary headings) to organize your content into easy-to-read sections. H2s act as the main subheadings in your post. They help break up the text and guide your reader through the post.
Try to use both primary and secondary keywords in these H2 headings. For instance, in a post about blog writing checklists, a relevant H2 could be “How to Optimize Blog Posts for SEO.” These keywords not only help with search engine optimization but also make your content more discoverable to readers searching for specific solutions.
3. Add Subsections with H3s
Sometimes, you’ll need to divide your H2 sections into smaller, more detailed parts. That’s where H3 headings come in. For example, under an H2 like “How to Optimize Blog Posts for SEO,” you might have an H3 titled “Optimizing Blog Titles for SEO” and another H3 called “Best Practices for Blog Post URLs.” This further breaks down the topic into specific, actionable steps, helping your readers easily find the information they need.
Using H3s not only improves the scannability of your content but also helps search engines better understand the structure and relevance of each section. By breaking down your content this way, you ensure that both your audience and search engines can easily digest and navigate your post.
4. Include Internal and External Links
Links are powerful for both SEO and user experience. There are two types of links to add:
- Internal Links: These links point to other content on your website. For example, if you’re writing about “how to write a blog post for SEO,” link to a related post, like “SEO Tips for Beginners.” Aim for 4-5 internal links in every post. This keeps readers on your site longer and signals to search engines that your content is interconnected.
- External Links: These links direct readers to high-quality resources outside your website. Adding external links shows search engines that your content is well-researched and credible.
When adding links to a blog post, use keyword-optimized anchor text, ideally featuring the primary keyword of the post you’re linking to. This reinforces the relevance of the linked content and improves SEO. Never link to the words “click here.”
Pro Tip: When you link internally, always go back to the other blog post you linked to and add a link back to the current one. This “link loop” boosts your site’s authority and potential for better rankings on the search engine results page (SERP).
5. Optimize Images
Images make your blog more engaging and can also help with blog optimization. Here’s how to optimize them:
- Use descriptive file names: Instead of “IMG1234.jpg,” rename your images to include keywords like “blog-post-checklist.jpg.”
- Add alt text: Alt text is a short description of the image for search engines and visually impaired readers. Include your keyword naturally here, but make sure it describes the image accurately.
When creating images for your blog, we recommend using tools like Adobe Express, Canva, or Stencil. These platforms make it easy to create visually appealing blog graphics that align with your brand.
Aim to use 2-3 images in a 1000-word post to break up long text blocks. You can also use pull quotes—short, impactful quotes from your post that stand out visually.
The image above is an example of what this could look like in the WordPress media library.
6. Align H1, SEO Title, and Slug
Consistency across your H1, SEO Title, and slug is critical for SEO. These three elements should all feature your primary keyword to ensure search engines recognize what your post is about. Here’s how to align them:
- H1: This is your main blog title, such as “10 Small Business Bookkeeping Tips to Save Your Business Money in 2024.”
- SEO Title: This is the title that appears in search engine results and should include the primary keyword without being overly long. In this case, “10 Small Business Bookkeeping Tips.”
- Slug: The slug is the part of the URL that comes after your domain name (e.g., company.com/small-business-bookkeeping-tips). It’s best practice to keep the slug short and only use the primary keyword, even if your H1 title is longer.
By keeping these three elements consistent and featuring your keyword at the beginning, you increase the likelihood that search engines will properly index and rank your post.
Read More: Best AI Writing Tools for Marketing Content: ChatGPT vs. CoPilot vs. Claude
7. Fill in Your SEO Title and Meta Description
Your SEO Title and meta description play a crucial role in how your post appears in search engine results. Use your primary keyword in the SEO Title, keeping it under 60 characters to ensure it displays fully. For the meta description, craft a concise, engaging summary (155-160 characters) that encourages clicks, and include your keyword naturally. These fields help improve your post’s visibility and click-through rate, so make them compelling!
In the image above, you can see an example of what this would look like in Yoast.
8. Set the Correct Post Date
If you’re scheduling your post to publish later, make sure to set the correct post date in WordPress. The post date matters for SEO, as search engines may view older posts differently. Additionally, when sharing the post on social media or linking to it, you want the date to reflect when the content was created or last updated. Double-check the date before hitting “schedule” or “publish” to ensure it’s accurate.
9. Include an Author Name and Bio
To enhance credibility and show expertise, always include the author’s name and a short bio at the end of the post. This is great for Google’s E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), which is essential for SEO. Including author details shows readers (and search engines) that a real expert is behind the content, which boosts your blog’s reliability.
A typical bio could include a sentence or two about the author’s background, role at the company, and a link to their social media or other posts they’ve written. For example:
Written by Jane Doe, Digital Marketing Manager at [Your Company]. Jane has over 10 years of experience in content marketing and SEO strategy. Connect with her on [LinkedIn].
Read More: What is Google’s E-E-A-T? Improve Your Website’s Credibility to Boost Rankings
10. Keep Your Post Readable
Readability is just as important as SEO. Here’s how to ensure your post is reader-friendly:
- Short paragraphs: Aim for 2-3 sentences per paragraph. Long blocks of text can overwhelm readers and reduce engagement.
- Bullet points and lists: Use bullet points or numbered lists to break up information, making it easier to digest. This is a key tactic for any blog writing checklist.
- Pull quotes: Highlight important takeaways with pull quotes to make your content more engaging.
Keep your language simple and clear, avoiding jargon to ensure your message is accessible to a broad audience.
11. Use Categories to Organize Your Content
Categories in WordPress help organize your blog posts by grouping related content together. Think of categories as broad topics that describe the overall theme of your blog post. For example, if you’re writing a post about SEO tips for small businesses, you might place it under a category like “SEO Strategies” or “Small Business Marketing.”
Why Categories Are Important:
- Improved User Experience: Categories make it easier for visitors to browse related content. When someone clicks on a category, they’ll see all posts tagged under that topic, which helps keep them engaged on your site.
- SEO Benefits: Search engines use categories to understand the overall structure and themes of your site. When your blog is well-organized, it helps search engines index and rank your content more effectively.
- Content Management: For you, categories make it easier to manage and track posts. Over time, they help you identify which topics resonate most with your audience, allowing you to adjust your content strategy accordingly.
Pro Tip: Avoid using too many categories. Stick to a handful of broad categories that cover your main topics, and avoid creating too many specific ones. This keeps your site organized and easy to navigate.
Make sure each blog post is assigned to one or two relevant categories, ensuring it’s both user-friendly and SEO-optimized!
12. Do Final Checks Before Publishing
Before you hit publish, double-check your work:
- Is your primary keyword used naturally at least five times throughout the post?
- Did you consistently use H1, SEO title, and the slug with your primary keyword?
- Did you use H1, H2, and H3 headings to structure the post?
- Are there 4-5 internal links and at least one external link?
- Have you optimized your images with descriptive file names and alt text?
- Did you set the correct post date?
- Have you filled in your SEO title and meta description?
- Did you include an author bio for credibility?
By following this SEO blog checklist, you’ll ensure that your blog post is not only engaging for readers but also optimized to rank well in search engine results. Every step, from structuring your headings to optimizing images and keywords, contributes to the overall visibility and performance of your content.
When you take the time to implement these best practices, you can feel confident that your blog is set up for success both in attracting visitors and boosting your search engine rankings.
Let’s Work Together to Master Your Marketing
At Wayfind, we use this blog post checklist ourselves, and it’s the same tool we share with our marketing coaching clients to help them confidently build and optimize their content. Marketing can feel overwhelming, but with the right strategies, it becomes manageable—and you can be the hero of your marketing story.
If you’re looking for a marketing coach or need expert support to navigate the complex world of B2B marketing, we’re here for you. We’d love to understand your marketing challenges, offer insights, and help you take control of your marketing strategy, whether it’s through personalized coaching or as your full-service agency partner. Let’s work together to turn your marketing frustrations into opportunities for growth!
Blog Post Terms and Definitions
Here are some terms from the checklist that may be new to you:
- Alt Text – A short description of an image for search engines and visually impaired readers. It helps your images rank in search results.
- Anchor Text – The clickable text in a hyperlink. It’s important to use keyword-optimized anchor text, ideally including the primary keyword of the post you’re linking to, to strengthen your SEO.
- Checklist for Writing a Blog Post – A guide that includes all the necessary steps to format and optimize your post, like this one!
- E-E-A-T – An acronym for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These factors help search engines determine the quality of content.
- External Links – Links to high-quality resources outside of your site. These add credibility and help with SEO.
- H1 (Heading 1) – The main title of your blog post. It tells readers and search engines what your post is about.
- H2 (Heading 2) – Subheadings that break your post into sections. They help with readability and SEO.
- H3 (Heading 3) – Subsections under H2 headings. These make your content more organized.
- Indexing – The process search engines use to analyze and rank your website’s content in search results.
- Internal Links – Links to other posts or pages on your website. These improve SEO and keep readers on your site longer.
- Meta Description – A short summary that appears under your SEO title in search engine results. It encourages people to click on your post.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – The practice of optimizing your content and website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- SEO Title – The title that appears in search engine results. It’s different from your H1 and should be optimized for clicks.
- SERP (Search Engine Results Page) – The page that displays search results after a user enters a query into a search engine like Google.
- Slug – The part of the URL that comes after the domain (e.g., company.com/blog-post-checklist). It should be short and include the primary keyword.
- Yoast SEO – A plugin that helps you optimize your blog posts for SEO. It provides real-time feedback on your keyword use and SEO settings.
