How to Write Blog Posts for SEO? – A Complete Guide For Beginners

Writing a blog post is like capturing a photo and getting every single thing in the frame.

The most prominent method is to present it so that the audience understands your point of view.

A good blogger doesn't become one in a day, but learning slowly and steadily wins the race.

But what is the first question that comes to your mind?

How to write blog posts for SEO? – This is the most common question that I get from newbie bloggers in my DMs and Emails and, after receiving the same question from many people.

I decided to put all my 7 years of writing experience that has helped me generate thousands of dollars from my blogs.

Most importantly, I have shared the exact strategies that I use for my blogs, and at the end, I have also shared some advanced tips that I usually share with my teammates.

Now Before getting started let’s see the overview of the things this post covers

• A journey from writing 500 words to 5000 daily
• Things to avoid before writing the content
• How to write the blog post – Personal method
• Advanced writing tips – Pro Bloggers use

And lots more.

So let’s get started without any further delay.

Journey from writing 500 words to 5000 daily

I started my career as a content writer back in the year 2016 at the time content writing was new to me and I didn’t know much about it.

Not only that but I consider this the most challenging task for me because I don’t have a specific process for writing and my process of writing was very simple.

• Pick the topic
• Open the Google docs
• Start writing the content

But the problem with this process was after writing 100 words my mind blanked, and I felt frustrated, and it took me more than 3 days to complete an article.

How I have Improved my writing?

So I decided to overcome this, and after doing a lot of research and reading blogs about improving the writing I began to see the improvement.

But it only became possible for me when I built the habit of writing daily and eventually, I started offering content writing services to other bloggers, it significantly helped me to sharpen my skill set.

At some point, I began to write more than 5000 words daily but it’s only possible with practice and my dedication to content writing

I know many of you are at the same place where you pick a topic to write with excitement but end up getting frustrated and doubting yourself but don’t worry I am here to help you out.

• To build the mindset of the successful writer
• To develop the necessary skills for writing
• To gain the confidence in your writing

So make sure you read till the end, now let’s talk about the mindset of the writer that you need to know before begin writing the article.

Things to avoid before writing the content

After writing for more than hundreds of blog posts and millions of words online, I have seen some of the common patterns where newbie bloggers get stuck and fail at writing the content.

But you don’t have to be the one, here are the things that you need to avoid before writing any content

Overthinking

The biggest cause for any newbie blogger who is not able to write content is overthinking, they overthink every sentence they type, and sometimes they press the backspace key before the sentence gets even completed.

The reason behind this is they think about the things that matter at last

• Can I make this sentence even better?
• Should I write this sentence?
• Can I make it sound good?

They get into the loop of perfection and are never able to complete the blog post for their website and in the end, they feel “ content writing is not for me” which leads them to failure.

So you don’t have to overthink while writing the content, you need to write in the beginning and everything will get sorted at the end.

Writing and editing at the same time

The other mistakes that people make, writing and editing at the same time, and to be honest I also used to make these mistakes, it wasted my time and energy and distracted me from writing the content.

To avoid this – you simply need to understand that writing is a two-step process. The first is writing and the second is editing, and you follow both the process of writing the content, not only one.

Using the AI tools or ChatGPT

One thing that I am fortunate about is that in my time there were no AI tools – which meant fewer distractions and more hard work, but nowadays there are plenty of AI tools available in the market.

However I am not against any AI tools, but the thing is :

Many newbie bloggers think that they can make money from the blog without putting effort into writing the content, but let me say it loud

At first, you should focus on learning the skill of content writing instead of just wasting your time chasing the shortcuts to make money that leads to failure.

English is Not Good

I can understand that some people are not able to write the content in English, but many people are just making excuses and escaping from doing the actual work.

Not be the one at least you need to pat your back that you are aware that your English is not good, now you have the opportunity to work on it and improve it.

I also came from a non-English background, and I also faced difficulties in writing the content in English but one thing that has helped me is my learning attitude – I have learned about English

Still, I am working on my English to improve it, and you can do the same start working on it, and soon you will become good at writing content in English.

For the people – Who are not able to write the content in English, you can write in other languages but in the beginning, you have to focus on building the habit of writing or getting good at it.

Chasing perfection

You have heard this quote many times “Perfection is the enemy of progress” and it is true for writing as well, the more you chase perfection the more frustrated you will become.

To get rid of perfection, you simply need to focus on giving your best and not comparing yourself with anyone else.

No one is good at anything from the day they start it,  and learning is a gradual process you need to invest time in learning things, practice, and get better at it.

In short: You need to focus on giving your best and then focus on making everything perfect.

The main motive for sharing points is to build the right mindset from the start, everyone can teach you the technicalities but the things that matter most is mindset.

Now let’s jump into the main things – How to write a blog post for SEO

How to write blog posts for beginners?

First of all, let me make it clear that writing the content is not a one-time activity, you need to practice it regularly.

But to write the content, the first thing that you need is the topic or the keyword on which you will create your blog post, which brings us to our first point

Brainstorm the Ideas

The first step of writing the blog post is: finding the topic ideas on which you will write the content, and it is the most crucial step that you need to consider.

But if you don’t have the content ideas or are confused about which topics to write about, you can check out our keyword research guide for beginners.

Here are some of the ways to find the content ideas to write the content

• Check out the competitor sites, see their content
• Find the question using Quora & forum of your niche
• Use the keyword research tools to find content ideas

But if you already have a list of topics to write about, you can select one of them and move into the next steps of writing.

However, If you want me to cover one post on “how to find the content ideas”, please mention that in the comment section.

Now let’s move to the next point on our list

Finding the relevant keyword

Finding the topics to write the content is one thing but the next vital thing to consider is: finding the relevant keyword for your blog post.

Adding the relevant keyword in your content helps the search engine discover the topics of your content and help you rank higher on Google.

Now you may have the question: how to find the relevant keyword?

In this section, we will share the three methods that you can use to find the relevant keyword for your blog.

Google Related keyword

The best way to find the relevant keyword is to use Google, and many SEO professionals like Brain Dean, suggest something to find the relevant keywords

Here are the 3 steps to find the google related keywords

• Search your content ideas on Google for example – how to connect Bluetooth headphones

• Scroll down to the bottom, and you see the list of the keyword
• Now you can copy these relevant keywords and add them to your blog post.

Using the keyword research tool

Another method that you can use to find the relevant keyword is using the keyword research tools, for most keyword research purposes I use the ahrefs paid version, but you can use the free version as well.

Here are the steps to find the relevant keyword using the ahrefs free version of the keyword research tool.

• Visit the ahrefs keyword generator to find the keywords
• Type the content ideas, that you have
• You will see the list of keywords to add to your blog posts

Check the competitors

The method that I use mostly is to check the competitors, some of the things that you can check out

• Number of subheadings they have covered
• Types of keywords they have added
• Variations of keywords they are using

Checking the competitor will help you find the keyword that they are using in their content and getting the traffic to their sites and it is one of the best strategies to find the relevant keywords.

Creating the Outline (Content Structure)

90% of your content writing problem will get solved if you create the outline for your blog post, creating the outlines for the blog is like planning the road trip -where you decide the destination, the medium of travel, and most importantly set the budget.

The same goes with the content outlining you have to plan everything that you will cover in your article – from writing the title –  adding the subheading – and ending with a conclusion.

Some of the things to consider while outlining the content

• Always ensure to add the subheading
• Add the bullet points or table to break the sentence
• Add the images or infographics
• Add the important FAQs

If you want to see the example of the outline, you can check the below pic

Screenshot of the outline

Golden tip – You can use any tools for creating the outline but I generally use Google Docs to create the outline and write the content

Start writing the content

Once you have the outline for the content, it becomes easier for you to write the content, you need to fill in the heading and subheading of the outline.

Another thing that you need to consider is don’t try to complete the article in one go, taking some breaks between writing the article will refresh your mood, kill your frustration level, and help you get some new ideas and perspectives.

Most importantly when you are writing the content, just be the writer, not the editor, if you try to edit the content while writing, it will waste your precious time and you will not be able to complete the article on the same day.

Now let’s talk about some of the things that you should consider while writing the blog post for your blog

Things to consider while writing content

As you know writing is the medium of connecting your thoughts or ideas to your reader, but the things that play a very vital role in writing are: connecting with people and grabbing their attention

Here are a few things that you should consider to make your article more engaging to your readers

Explain as if your audience knows nothing about the topic:

↳ Use simple words, not fancy ones, so everyone gets what you say.

↳ Break your writing into small parts. It’s easier for people to understand.

↳ Make your content easy, even if someone new to the topic can grab it.

Establish a connection through your content (Really Important):

↳ Write like you’re talking to friends. It feels nice for readers.

↳ Share your own stories to connect with readers. It makes them like you more.

↳ Tell folks what you’ve learned from your journey. They’ll feel closer to you.

Write concise, clear sentences

↳ Give real help, not extra stuff that doesn’t matter.

↳ Split big parts into smaller sections with titles. It’s easier to read.

↳ Use pictures or graphs. They make things easier to understand.

Whenever you write the content, always implement the above point, as it helps you craft the content that converts and helps your reader get engaged with your blog post.

Believe it or not, I have been using the same strategies for my blog and it has given me tremendous results, and an increase in affiliate sales.

Now once you have completed the article, it’s time to optimize it, so let’s jump to the point of article optimizations.

Content optimization

The motive of writing the content is to help the reader solve their problem but it will only reach the reader when it gets optimized properly for the ranking.

Now let’ see how to optimize the content for SEO to get better ranking and drive traffic

Here are the steps to optimize your content for SEO 

• Title – Always add your main keyword to the title of your article
• Intro – Add the keyword in the first 100 words of your article
• Image – Add the images to make it more readable
• Subheading – Add the variation of the keyword on the subheading
• Bullet point – Use the bullet point to make your content readable
• Include keyword – add keyword throughout the content
• Create content that fulfills the intent of the users

If you want to learn more about optimizing the content for SEO, you need our guide on on-page SEO. It will give you a clear idea about optimizing the content that ranks in Google.

Edit the article like a PRO

Editing the articles makes it more engaging and attention-grabbing for the user, that’s the reason it’s important to edit the article before publishing.

And here are the things that you need to keep in mind while editing the article.

Cut down the useless stuff

What does it mean? It means you have to add a sentence that provides value to your reader, don’t add the words just to make your article longer.

Always try to make your sentence short, clear, and to the point, and value the time of your readers.

To put it simply – whenever you are editing think, about how can you make the sentence shorter and clearer for the audience

Read aloud

Reading your article aloud helps you realize where you are making mistakes, and it can be – grammatical errors, spelling errors, and many other mistakes.

These steps helped me a lot and I read the article 2-3 times before publishing it, it always gives some new ideas to add to the article and makes it even more valuable to the readers.

Most importantly, while you are reading your article put your phone or any distraction away and concentrate on improving your article.

Make it grammatically correct

Many newbie bloggers ignore these steps of editing but as per my experience of working on more than 100 websites, focusing on grammar issues is very important.

As you have heard many times – The first impression is the last, so it is important to make your first so good that people come to blog again.

For grammatical and spelling issues, you can use the free tool Grammarly, which will assist you with all the grammar and spelling errors and make your content more readable.

Don’t forget about the punctuation

I know it’s the small things but also matters in the online writing world, always use the right punctuation at the right time.

Adding punctuation can change the meaning of the sentence and that’s why you should consider this in your editing process.

For this process – You can get help from the Grammarly tool, or you can use the inbuilt editor of Google Docs

Now it’s come to the most interesting part of the article that you are waiting for – advanced tips for content writing.

Advanced tips for content writing

The title must be BLOCK letters

Whenever you are writing the title for your blog post, always ensure to make it a block letter as you can see in the below examples

• How to connect Bluetooth headphones – Wrong way
• How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones – Right way

I know it’s a small thing but it matters and sets the impression of your whole post, so make sure you take care of the small things.

Write with confidence

Write like you are a master of the topic that you are writing about, but that does not mean you need to fake it, you can collect and research about the topic – but your confidence should be visible in your content.

Most importantly you need to build the mindset that you know everything about the niche and you know more than most of the people.

Another thing is – confidence comes from knowledge so focus on gaining more information about the topic you are writing about, you can

• Watch the YouTube videos
• Read the forum of that niche
• Read the blog related to your niche

Let us understand this with an example, there is one question

Can I use Spotify on my desktop?

The first writer writes like this “May yes, you can use it”

and the second writer writes like this – Yes you can use it and I am using it daily on my PC

If see the sentence carefully you see that the first writer is not confident in their writing, but you look at the second writer he is so confident that the reader will trust him.

So focus on writing the content with confidence and be the best resource of your niche.

Always use the first person – I and we

Writing in the first person helps you build a more personal connection with your audience and they will feel more engaged with your content.

Additionally, it also helps them to learn from their own mistakes, stories, and insight, but always make sure that the professional and respectful tone, considering the first person overall enhances the reading experience.

Don’t add keywords in capital letters in content

I have seen some people think – that writing the keyword in the capital letter helps Google to identify the content faster, but it’s just a myth.

It impacts the user experience and they might get bounced from your site, so never use the keyword in capital letters in the content.

Another important thing – Don’t fill the content just with the keywords and focus on writing the content for the users.

Add reference and proof in your article

Adding the reference proof or stats helps the reader to trust you and they will treat you as a useful resource for their problems, and it’s also a good signal for Google.

Whenever you add the proof, ensure to add the external links to the resource that you are referring but another thing to consider while adding the link is always to link to the right and genuine source like Wikipedia.

You can also add the stats and data to make your point even more clear, people trust things that are backed with the data.

Change the Font style

Changing the font style means highlighting the important points, paragraphs, or steps with bold and italic font style as it puts more emphasis on the eye of the readers.

But that does not mean that you have to change the font style of everything that you write, always make sure to change the font style of the important points or steps.

Use the variations of the keyword

I know it sounds obvious but many bloggers make these mistakes and add the same keyword all over the content, and spam the content.

Adding the variations of the keyword helps you rank on different keywords, and it also increases the reading experience

So use the variation of the keywords in your content and increase your chances of ranking on more keywords.

Avoid using the Jargons

Jargons are the words and phrases that are difficult for your readers to understand and implement which can have a negative impact on your users.

So whenever you write the content always ensure to use the simple words and phrases that help your reader understand the topics without any trouble.

These are the points that you need to consider whenever you are writing a blog post for your blog or others the end I just wanted to say that

Writing is not a difficult task but most people make it difficult because they don’t know the right process or steps to write the content

But now you have everything you need to write the content that converts and ranks on Google and drives traffic to your sites.

Conclusion

Now you have everything it takes to write exceptional content, including my personal and advanced tips for writing, if you follow the steps correctly, you can write the content without any trouble and it is my guarantee.

But you can only become good at writing when you start writing it daily and build the habit, now take a pledge to write daily and improve your skill.

Let me know in the comment section how many you are taking a pledge to write daily and focus on improving your content writing skills.

Another thing – If you still have any queries or concerns regarding writing the blog post for SEO, please that as well in the comment section

How to Add Keywords to Your Google My Business

 If you own a local business and are wondering what is the right way to add keywords to your Google My Business account, you’re in the right place. Keywords are an important part of any digital marketing strategy, and incorporating them into your Google My Business account can help you attract more visitors.

Google My Business is a potent tool that can help you reach new customers, building your brand, and increase your online visibility. By knowing which keywords to add and how to add them to your Google My Business account, you can ensure that the right people see your business.

This article will talk about the process of adding keywords to your Google My Business account. By the end of this article, you can understand how to add the right keywords to your GMB account and how to use them to your advantage. 

However, before diving into how to add keywords, we will give a recap of what keywords are and how they help you target the right audience.

What are Keywords?

People start their search online with simple words or phrases, which they enter into the search engines to get the desired search results. 

If you want to find something on Google, how do you do it? 

You have to type what information you need in the search box. The words and phrases used by people to find the answer to their queries make keywords. Thus, adding keywords to Google My Business listings, similar to what people search for, will increase client traffic on your website when people search for the products or services you offer.

A keyword of 7 or more words is known as a long-tail keyword. A keyword consisting of 2-3 words is known as a short-tail keyword. 

How to do Keyword Targeting?

To optimize the content of a Google My Business listing, a business must first select keywords relevant to the services offered and the geographic area served. Here is an expert keyword guide by Attrock explaining all the tips and tools you can use to find relevant keywords for your local business.

Next, businesses can use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush to get the best possible keywords. These tools will show how often people search for specific keywords monthly and provide other valuable data to guide businesses in choosing the best keywords.

Keywords that specify the location (e.g., city, county, or state) are more likely to yield relevant results in local searches and should be included. In addition, localized keywords, such as “scaffolding services Chicago” or “scaffolders in Chicago,” can help customers find a company online if it is located in a specific city.

Once determined, your company’s Google My Business page should be optimized with the most relevant keywords. This entails adding keywords to the company’s name, address, website, and description and writing new posts with the keywords in the titles and descriptions. 

Importance of Keywords for Google My Business

Any Google My Business page needs to include relevant keywords. Learning how to use these terms is crucial to increasing your local business’s visibility on Google, as they are the terms people use to find local services.

You can make it easier for potential customers to find your business on Google by using the appropriate keywords in your listing. In addition, using keywords strategically can boost your site’s visibility in search engine results for people in your area. For instance, if you run a bakery, highlight that you sell cakes in your description.

Keywords are crucial when optimizing your listing for voice searches. Voice searches are rising in popularity because they are more natural and conversational than typed queries. Include conversational keywords like “bakery near me” to reflect how people search.

Having the right and highly compatible keywords in your business profile will make all the difference in the search engine ranking. You will be easily found by your target audience whenever they search for the products or services that you offer. You can check your SERP ranking with the help of these tracking tools. 

Finding the Right Keywords for Your GMB Listing

Google views local SEO as comparable to global SEO because both aim to provide users with the most relevant search engine results. Include relevant keywords in your professional profile. 

Google crawlers show listings that include search terms that talk about proximity, significance, and relevance. Proximity refers to the distance or closeness of your business’s physical location to the person looking for its services. You can use terms like ‘near me’, ‘near you’, in your keywords to denote proximity. 

Popularity, or “prominence,” is the extent to which people are aware of your company and its offerings. Social media backlinks, positive reviews, and other measurable online actions can boost this. When considered together, these factors can increase your position in relevant search results.

Identifying the best keywords for your Google My Business (GMB) listing can be quite challenging. Fortunately, we have a few tips and tricks that can assist you in identifying the most effective keywords for your GMB listing.

1. Research:

It is the first step in determining the appropriate keywords for your GMB listing. Consider the primary services and products you provide, the location of your business, and any specialties or areas of expertise that set you apart from the competition.

Utilize these identifying characteristics to generate a list of keywords that accurately describe your business.

2. Search Terms:

You should also consider the search terms that prospective customers may use to find your business. Consider your target customers’ language and terms when searching for business-related services and products. 

You can use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify relevant and popular keywords for your business.

Follow these steps to find the relevant keywords:

1. Open Chrome or Google Search Engine. 
2. Type in the words pertinent to your business, and the results will appear.  
3. Scroll to the bottom of the search engine result page, where you will find a “Related searches” section. This section has some phrases that people often use to search for the product or service related to your business.

Alternatively, you can use several tools available on the internet, both paid and free, to find the best keywords for your business. 

3. Competition:

It is essential to consider your industry’s competition. Consider the other businesses that are ranking for the keywords you’ve identified. Examine their GMB listing and search for keywords you may have missed. 

These keywords will help you outrank your competitors and attract potential customers to your business. You can use some paid tools that will help you find the keywords on which your competitor is ranking. 

By researching and identifying the appropriate keywords for your GMB listing, you can increase the number of leads and customers your business receives.

Best Practices to Add Keywords to Google Business Listing

Below are some best practices for adding keywords to your GMB Listing.

Add Keywords to the Description of Google Business Profile

Google’s algorithm gives importance to keywords, and keywords added in the right places will help improve the ranking of your GMB listing. 

You need to add relevant keywords in the description section. To add keywords to this section, pick keywords that give an overview of your products or services. It helps improve the relevance of your business profile for your prospects. Additionally, it helps achieve the top ranking on search engine results. 

If Possible, Ask Your Customers To Add Keywords In Reviews 

Reviews are one of the most powerful methods of improving your ranking on the search engine. For example, when asking your customers to review your business on Google, you can ask them to include keywords for better results. This step helps increase the keyword density for your business naturally. 

Being mindful is critical to save your profile from the eyes of the Google web spam team. Also, positive reviews are crucial since more positive reviews on your Google profile will help you get a better rank on the SERP. More engagement on your business profile gives it a better chance of ranking than your competitors. 

Keywords On Business Profile Posts

As already stated, you can add keywords to the posts you make on your business profile for better results. Google posts help you connect with your potential and current customers better, and adding keywords to them is the best thing you can do. 

While posting on your business profile, along with the text, you can use images and videos for better promotion. There are three different kinds of posts that you can create; 

• What’s New
• Offers, and 
• Events

Whenever you make a post, make sure that you add relevant keywords to it so that your business is easily found on Google. This way, the phrases or keywords that matter to you the most can be used to give you a better ranking. 

Do Not Add Keywords to the Name of your Business

Many people make the mistake of adding keywords to their business name on the business profile. Well, you should not do it. The experts caution against this practice since adding keywords to the name is considered keyword stuffing. Instead, keep the name as you have it registered to make it appear more authentic and genuine. 

Including unnecessary information in your business name on the listing is not allowed, and at times, profiles get suspended. Only include keywords that look natural to get the best benefits. 

Change Keywords When Not Getting The Desired Results

If you are not obtaining the desired results after using the keywords, or if the traffic on your website has not changed even after adding the keywords, you should consider changing the keywords used on your Google My Business Listing. 

Some Additional Tips

Try to find keywords that are directly associated with your topic. Even if you find a keyword that gets a lot of searches per month, if it has nothing to do with your business or isn’t localized, it won’t help.

Also, ensure to put your keywords closer to the beginning of your copy when writing the description. Put them to use as soon as possible; ideally, in the first sentence or two.

You must know that the old posts will eventually disappear from search results and to keep making impressions, you must make sure to post regularly and use relevant keywords.

If you still do not get the desired traffic, you can consider hiring a SEO Professional. They will identify the weak points and will help fix them.

Important Factors Besides Keywords to Optimize the GMB Listing

Google My Business (GMB) listings must be optimized for any digital marketing strategy. In addition to adding keywords to your Business Profile, you must also consider some specific factors in order to rank in the SERPs for more related searches.

Below mentioned are some steps you can take to improve your GMB listing:

Claim and Verify Your Listing

This is the first step to optimizing your GMB listing. This will help ensure that all the information about your business is correct and will give you control over how your business shows up in online searches.

Add Relevant Information

Once your listing has been verified, you should add all the relevant information about your business. This includes information like the hours of operation, how to contact the business, photos, and videos. Be sure to add all the relevant keywords to the descriptions.

Make Sure Your Photos and Videos are Optimized

Photos and videos are a big part of GMB listings. They tell possible customers what they can expect when they come to your business. So make sure to include keywords in the ALT-Text of your photos and videos of your business that are of good quality and show off its best features.

Post Often 

Posting about your business on GMB regularly is a great way to keep it in the minds of potential customers. Post new product or service information, share photos and videos, and answer customers’ questions.

Doing these things can improve your GMB listing and make your business more visible. By doing this, you’ll be able to get more leads and make more sales.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below mentioned are some commonly asked questions

• What is Keyword Stuffing? 

Keyword stuffing is adding numerous keywords everywhere in your business listing to make it rank at the top. It may give a ranking advantage to your business for some time, but ultimately, the practice will harm your ranking.

You should add keywords wisely to make your business rank high on the SERP and ensure that the position remains intact. 

• How Can I Search for the Keywords For Free? 

Several tools are available online to use to your advantage and search for relevant keywords for free. The best tools include MOZ Keyword Explorer, Question DB, Keyword Planner, Jaaxy, SEMrush, and many more. 

• How Many Keywords Can be Used as a Good Seo Practice? 

You should maintain a keyword density in the content to ensure that the keywords are used in the right proportion. Maintaining a density of 2-3% is the safest and the best solution to make your business rank at the top of the SERPs. 

The Bottom Line

Adding relevant information about your business and highly targeted keywords to your business profile is the key to ensuring your target audience discovers your business. 

Be mindful about using keywords, and make sure not to stuff it and end up making it look unnatural. Keep your business profile updated and engaged to keep it appearing at the top of the search engine.