Not to be dramatic, but there’s more to publishing a blog post than just writing something clever and pressing ‘go’. If you want your blog content to rank, support your service pages, improve user experience, and do something useful for your business… then you need a proper blog post SEO checklist.
And no, not the generic kind that says “write high-quality content” and “add a keyword”. We’re talking about what actually moves the needle in 2025: things like how to structure a blog post for SEO, internal linking, long-tail keywords, user intent, and repurposing content across platforms.
So here it is. A no-nonsense checklist of what to do before and after publishing a blog post, built around the way we approach content at Gecko.
What To Do Before Publishing a Blog Post
1. Know What the Post Is For
Every post should have a purpose, and “because we haven’t blogged in a while” doesn’t count. Are you:
- Targeting a specific search query?
- Supporting a service page?
- Answering a common client question?
This sets the tone and structure from the start. Good blog content isn’t just helpful, it’s strategic and contributes to your wider SEO efforts. Planning early also helps you avoid creating duplicate or low-quality content that dilutes your rankings.
2. Match the Right Search Intent
Google cares less about how clever your writing is and more about whether it solves the searcher’s problem.
For example, if someone’s searching what to include in a blog post, they probably want a clear, practical list, not a think-piece on content marketing theory. Align your format with user intent to give Google and your reader what they’re looking for, which also improves your chances of showing up in rich snippets.
Consider using keyword research tools to verify intent and discover related search terms or relevant keywords you might not have included.
3. Write a Clear, Optimised Title
Don’t try to be too clever here. Your blog title should clearly reflect the topic and include your primary keyword, if possible. For example, this post’s H1, “The Blog Post SEO Checklist That Actually Works”, tells the reader exactly what they’re getting. Page titles still matter as a ranking signal - make them count.
4. Structure Your Blog Post for SEO (Not Just Style)
A good blog post isn’t just readable, it’s scannable.
Here’s how to structure a blog post for SEO:
- Use a single H1 (your blog title)
- Add H2s for major sections and H3s for sub-points
- Break up text with bullet points, quotes, images
- Include your keyword early, naturally, and sparingly
- Structure the body content clearly for both humans and search engines
Well-structured posts improve site structure and help reduce bounce rate by making the content more accessible, and they align better with mobile-first indexing standards.
Quick Tip: Structured body content with clearly defined headings can also increase your chance of being featured in enhanced search results like featured snippets.
5. Map Out Internal Links, Including to Service Pages
Internal linking isn’t just for navigation, it’s one of the most underrated SEO tools you’ve got. Before you publish, plan where this post should sit in your site’s content ecosystem.
Specifically:
- Link to relevant service pages within the blog (ideally near the top or where it naturally supports the content)
- Link out to relevant blogs, guides, and authoritative sources
- Decide where this blog should be linked from (e.g. resource hubs, other blogs, feature sections)
This helps guide users toward key conversion points, passes link equity, and signals to Google what your most important pages are.
If possible, include a few external links to credible websites or data sources. It shows quality and trustworthiness.
6. Make Sure Every Blog Has a CTA
No one wants a dead end. Whether it’s “read this next”, “get in touch”, or “download our guide”, make it clear what the reader should do next.
A blog post without a call-to-action is just... content floating in the void, not exactly great for click-through rates or conversions.
Tip: Use a consistent blog post template that includes a CTA block and social share buttons so you don’t forget the essentials each time.
7. Add Meta Data That Gets Clicks
Craft a compelling meta description that:
- Reflects the blog content honestly
- Includes your target keyword
- Encourages the user to click (“Discover the 13-point blog SEO checklist…”)
A good meta description can make or break your organic traffic from search results. Meta content also supports higher click-through rates, especially when paired with structured data and schema markup.
And while you're at it, make sure your featured image is relevant, properly formatted, and includes image optimization and alt text that supports your topic.
Quick Tip: tools like PageSpeed Insights can flag issues with large images or slow-loading visuals - all part of delivering a better user experience and meeting Core Web Vitals thresholds.
Bonus: How to Build a List of Keywords That Actually Matters
Before you write a single word, start with a solid list of keywords. Not just head terms, you want a mix of:
- Primary focus keywords (like “blog post SEO checklist”)
- Supporting long-tail keywords (e.g. “how to structure a blog post for SEO”)
- Related search queries your audience actually types into Google Search
We recommend tools like Keyword Magic Tool or even your own Google Search Console data to identify what’s already working and what’s worth targeting next.
Having the right target keywords in mind from the start ensures your blog aligns with real user demand and avoids duplicating existing content.
What To Do After Publishing a Blog Post
8. Link To It From Existing Content
Now that it’s live, go back to related blogs and pages and add links to this new one. This strengthens your site structure, helps Google crawl your site faster, and improves overall keyword rankings by increasing the number of links from sites that reference key content.
Quick Tip: You can also update old posts to reflect current offerings or reinforce service relevance. It’s a mini SEO upgrade that helps maintain high-quality backlinks internally.
Linking across your site consistently also helps support your XML sitemaps and gives Google a better picture of your overall content relationships.
9. Promote It More Than Once
You didn’t spend all that time writing it just to fire it out once on LinkedIn and move on.
Here’s how to promote a blog post properly:
- Share the blog in multiple LinkedIn formats (carousel, teaser, quote)
- Add a snippet into your email newsletter
- Turn it into short-form content for X, Instagram or Threads
- Share key points in presentations or pitch decks
- Give it to the sales team if it answers a common objection
Your blog is more than just a post. It's fuel for your whole search marketing engine.
Set clear key performance indicators around engagement and reach across each channel to monitor what’s working.
10. Submit It to Google via Search Console
Yes, still worth doing, especially if your site isn’t crawled frequently. Submitting it helps get it indexed faster and lets you track performance from day one using Google Search Console or even Bing Webmaster Tools if you're feeling extra thorough.
Make sure your site structure and sitemap are up to date so new posts don’t get buried. And yes, keep an eye on how Google’s search engine algorithm updates might affect your visibility and be ready to adapt.
11. Monitor, Measure, Tweak
A few weeks after going live, check:
- Is it ranking for your primary or secondary keywords?
- Is it gaining organic traffic?
- Are users staying on the page or bouncing quickly?
- Is it generating leads, or just pageviews?
Then improve it. A blog is never truly “done”, it’s a live asset. Use Google Analytics 4 and keyword research tools like Keyword Magic Tool to spot optimisation opportunities, refresh outdated stats, and expand content where needed.
Maintain a running list of keywords you’ve targeted so you can spot gaps or cannibalisation in your strategy.
Don’t Skip the Technical Bits
Even if your blog reads beautifully and looks the part, search engines still rely on a few technical signals to decide where (and whether) to rank it.
Here’s a mini tech checklist to keep your SEO efforts on track:
- Check your Page Titles and ensure they’re unique, descriptive, and keyword-aligned.
- Use a featured image that’s compressed, on-brand, and includes alt text describing the image in plain English (not just the filename). An image resizer can be used to compress the image.
- Run your post through PageSpeed Insights to flag anything slowing down performance, particularly unoptimised images.
- Make sure the blog is included in your XML sitemap so Google can easily find and index it.
- Monitor key metrics like bounce rate and average time on page via Google Analytics or GA4.
- Add the post URL to Google Search Console (and even Bing Webmaster Tools if you want bonus points) to request indexing and spot crawl issues.
None of these steps take long, but together they send all the right signals to search engines.
Final Thoughts: Blogs Should Do Something, Not Just Sit There
If your content isn’t ranking, converting, or supporting a wider strategy… then what’s the point?
Follow this blog post SEO checklist, and every piece you publish will start to actually work for you. Not just in search engines, but in conversations, conversions, and client confidence.
Remember, search engine algorithms are constantly evolving. What worked last year might not cut it today, and what works now could change in a Core Update next quarter. That’s why keeping your strategy flexible, data-informed, and user-focused is key to long-term success.
Want help creating content that ranks and supports your digital strategy? Let's chat.
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