Thoughtful, data-driven search engine optimization (SEO) can transform your blog into a traffic and revenue driver for your business. This approach involves more than just keyword use — it’s about creating authoritative, updated content that answers a searcher’s query and includes all the information necessary for accurate search engine indexing. 

Read on to explore why blog SEO matters and how to ensure your articles reach the top of Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).

How does blogging help with SEO?

A blog is a library of articles that discuss your industry and product. In these pieces, you can target keywords, link internally, and address search intent, all of which can improve your site's visibility and SERP ranking. 

By adding SEO-focused blog content to your site, you’ll experience the following benefits.

Improved topical authority

Google prioritizes helpful, people-first content — meaning it’s more about answering the searcher’s query than using the right keywords. Sharing content that adequately answers the reader’s questions about the topic improves your topical authority, in turn boosting your SERP ranking.

Increased search visibility

When you build a library of authoritative articles about specific topics, it’s more likely that other websites will select your site when they’re looking for a source or reference to cite. These are called backlinks, one of many indicators Google uses to rank pages.

As more prominent sites backlink to your page, search platforms see your site as a reliable source of information. The more backlinks your blog articles get, the more Google will favor your pages in search results, leading to more search visibility for your entire site.

Valuable linking opportunities

Including internal links in each article has two main advantages: improved indexing and shared authority. Bots can crawl internal links to index pages faster and recognize which articles are interrelated, helping new pages appear in search results more quickly.

Search engine algorithms can also evaluate the "link juice" or authority passed through internal links. A link from a high-authority page can pass some of its ranking power to a newly published page, potentially improving visibility in search results.

Including reputable and authoritative external links in your content can enhance your credibility (just like backlinks do) to improve your SERP ranking. That said, use external links sparingly to avoid sending the reader elsewhere — try to answer their search intent and other relevant queries on your page. 

Key factors that affect SEO for bloggers

Google’s algorithm uses many different factors to rank web pages. Here are a few to keep in mind when you’re creating quality blog content. 

Search intent

Google monitors how often people click on a result for your site and whether they stay there. Further, the algorithm notes every time someone clicks a result and then navigates back to the SERP to click a different link. 

Since a search engine’s primary purpose is to answer a searcher's intent with the fewest possible clicks, they don’t want users to bounce back to the SERP. When someone does, the search engine notes that as an indication that the source wasn’t helpful, which can hurt your ranking.

Structure and readability

A clearly structured blog helps viewers and search engine crawlers explore it. This intuitive navigation encourages readers to stay on your site and helps crawlers index your content. 

To improve your page’s structure and readability, focus on the following principles:

• Intuitive — Improve navigation by including a search bar, featured articles, and article categories on your homepage. 
• Scannable — Use headings, subheadings, and lists to break your text into smaller chunks labeled by primary categories. Readers can use these structures to scan through the article and find the information they want.
• Accessible — Keep your content to a ninth-grade reading level or below and use accessible designs. This practice ensures your information is accessible to the broadest possible audience.
• Consistent — Write a style guide that establishes rules every article should follow. For example, you could create a word list that dictates how to write words with multiple accepted spellings like “e-commerce/ecommerce.”

Mobile responsiveness

Most search engine web crawlers scan content using a simulated mobile experience, so optimize your site to ensure it can render on smaller screens without becoming unreadable. 

To do this, use breakpoints to create responsive blog designs that automatically adjust your pages to different screen sizes. Then, test them thoroughly on different devices to ensure they work as intended.

Content freshness

Google favors up-to-date articles because they want searchers to receive accurate information. Users also tend to click on newer content because they want the latest news, trends, and advice. So, new or recently updated content will likely rank higher than pieces with outdated information.

Page speed

Google uses page loading speed as a factor to determine how optimized your page experiences are. To improve this speed, limit your use of videos, embeddable elements, and scripts. If you can keep page load speeds faster than your competitors, you might notice a slight improvement in your search rankings.

8 blog SEO best practices

So much goes into an effective blog SEO strategy, like keyword research, backlinking tactics, and content creation. Make the most of your efforts by following these eight best practices.

1. Define your target audience

Decide which target audience you want to attract with your blog articles. You might have just one group to focus on if you offer a niche product or service. But to reach several types of readers, identify which audience to target when outlining each article so you can write with them in mind. 

For instance, if you have a blog about project management software, you might target two different audiences: freelancers and marketing teams. An article targeting freelancers could cover how to use the software to manage assignments from multiple clients, while an article targeting teams could explain how the software improves cross-functional processes.

Writing to a specific audience has several SEO benefits, including:

• Focused keywords — Helps you tailor content to specific search queries, increasing your likelihood of appearing in those results.
• Improved engagement — Meets search intent, which improves your content’s relevance and shareability.
• Increased conversions — Addresses your audience’s pain points, which can turn more readers into customers.

2. Conduct thorough topic research

Use an SEO tool like Semrush or Ahrefs to thoroughly research article topic ideas. Pay close attention to the search intent of each topic — the main reason the person is making this search. The search intent could be informational (to learn more), navigational (finding a specific solution), or commercial (to make a purchase). 

Search intent is commonly indicated in the search query with keywords like “how to,” “buy,” and “best practices.” Google uses these words to match queries with results, so pay close attention to how they match up with the topics you’re researching.

Say you’re writing an article about the best savings accounts. Users searching for “high-interest savings accounts” likely want lists or reviews, while those searching for a “savings account comparison” probably want a side-by-side analysis. With this information, you can tailor your content to meet user expectations.

3. Implement on-page SEO techniques

Along with article quality, here are a few other components worth adding and optimizing to improve your site’s performance:

• Alt text — Add the “alt-text” attribute to every image to provide a description that text-to-speech tools can read to visually impaired site visitors.
• Structured data — Include schema markup on your pages to provide Google with valuable information they can use to create rich results.
• Meta tags — Provide meta descriptions and title tags that Google can use to explain your page on the SERP.

To streamline this part of the process, use Webflow’s SEO tools to add meta tags, apply structured data, and insert alt text without manually writing the markup.

4. Focus on quality over quantity

Prioritize quality over quantity when publishing content so Google views your work as authoritative and people-first. The goal is to offer something that answers the reader’s question in an engaging and easy to follow way. This practice increases the chance they’ll view more of your content — and it also means they’re more likely to share it with their peers. 

High-quality content can lead to more conversions, too, since you’re seen as an authoritative and reputable company in your industry. Plus, the longer the viewer is on your page, the more likely they are to click on a call to action (CTA) to get in touch or make a purchase. 

5. Use data to write original content

Leverage data to find original ways to frame your articles, whether you gain those insights from current customers directly or via SEO tool suggestions. Offering original content that fills competitor gaps and answers a searcher’s intent in a novel way makes your blog more attractive to link to, in turn building authoritative backlinks.

6. Publish evergreen content

Evergreen content is universal, timeless information that’s useful no matter when someone reads it, which means it’s more valuable in the long term. For example, an article about Agile development would make a great addition to a blog from a company selling project management software, because the basics of the Agile methodology aren’t likely to change. 

Writing with longevity in mind attracts consistent traffic over time due to its lasting relevance. And since this type of content often addresses fundamental topics that users search for repeatedly, it tends to rank well. 

7. Regularly update content

Periodically update your blog to maintain its accuracy and freshness in Google’s eyes. Addressing current topics encourages people to trust your site, reference it more often, and stay on pages longer, all of which improve your ranking. 

8. Include compelling CTAs

Providing helpful information and positioning your blog as the best place for it is great, but the real purpose of SEO writing is turning site visitors into customers. That’s where CTAs come in — these buttons often contain action-oriented phrases that encourage users to explore your offering.

With this in mind, place CTAs throughout your page, and wrap up each article with a compelling conclusion that connects to your product. For example, a coding software company may end an article about documentation best practices with the CTA, “Tidy up your documentation in seconds with our code clean-up feature!”

Boost your blog's SEO performance with Webflow 

Search engine-optimizing your blog is a great way to drive more traffic to your site and increase conversions. To get started, you’ll need a reliable content management system (CMS) that helps your teams build, manage, and optimize your blog. 

Webflow’s composable CMS enables SEO and content teams to create, update, and publish optimized content. Everyone involved in the content creation process can collaborate simultaneously in one platform, and comment and edit in a visual canvas. And you can use Webflow’s built-in SEO tools to add meta-tags, CTAs, and structured data to drive more organic traffic. 

Create an impactful and engaging blog today with Webflow.