Website Content for SEO:
Write Better Blog Posts in 7 Simple Steps
By Kristie Parker
“The deck’s peeling. It makes our house look old,” my husband said.
He painted it just last year. Just paint. Nothing else.
“I have to do it again. It’ll take a few hours, but I don’t want to have to do it every year.”
He power washed, sanded, painted and sealed it.
“Wow. It looks brand new. It was worth it,” he said, gratified.
If you’re going to put time into something, do it right so you get the most out of it.
When you create content, spend a few extra minutes optimizing it for SEO.
That’s how you get your website in front of more customers.
Learn to polish your website content by adding the right keywords, using clear headings, and linking to other pages on your site and you’ll be planting an SEO orchard that will provide for years.
The long game is the shortcut.
Table of Contents
This Guide is for You if You Struggle to Write Website Content that Actually Ranks on Google
What is website content?
Website content is new stuff you add to your website over time. For our purposes I’ll be using “content” and “blog posts” interchangeably, just know that the same advice goes for articles, how-to guides, case studies, portfolio pages, etc.
When you create content that satisfies both people and search engines you drive traffic to your website.
You see, entire websites don’t rank for keywords—pages do. A lot of websites (including ours) get more organic traffic to other pages than the homepage. Each new page you add is an opportunity to rank for another valuable keyword.
Turn everyday client questions into can’t-miss content
The good news is you’re writing what you know. So even if you don’t see yourself as a good writer, just think of conversations you have with clients every day. You can even write actual conversations, like I did in the intro.
It can be as simple as offering an expert tip, or an explanation of something you find yourself repeating over and over.
Your Clients: How much will it cost to remodel my closet?
You: Well, it depends on the size, the specific features you’re looking for, and whether it’s a walk-in or not.
Aha!
Your blog post could be titled: “How Much Does a Closet Remodel Cost? Budget-Friendly to Luxury Options.”
Fill it with details about what you’ve learned or been surprised to find out about small closets, walk-ins, built-ins, custom features. Share your expertise like you would with a client sitting across from you.
Adding content helps your customers discover your business, see your expertise, and feel confident choosing you.
Rhiannon Carnohan @rhiannoncarnohan, posted on 1/20/25, rhiannoncarnohan.com
Make Your Blog Post MVP Material
Come out swinging with these exact steps to take your content from immediately-dumped-in-the-internet-landfill to “Woah, look at the views on this baby!”
And just in case you’re wondering if these tips actually work, check out this data on a post I published before and after I zhushed it up with keywords, headings and links.
An impression is a metric that counts the number of times a user sees a website in search results.
Step #1 Find a Topic Your Audience Cares About
Start with the questions your clients are already asking
Before you can start writing you need an idea. A topic your audience actually cares about. This might take a few minutes of brainstorming.
A great place to start is with the questions or stories your customers are already curious about.
Think about it: People search for answers by entering their questions in Google’s search bar. When you answer these questions in your content, you have a chance to rank for that question and earn search engine traffic.
So what mistakes are your customers making and how can you help them avoid those mistakes in the future? What tips do you have that would make their lives easier?
Do you have some FAQs you can expand on?
Example:
You’re a house painter, and a client asks, “What color should I paint my beach house?” Boom—that’s your next blog post.
Check out your competition
Take off the fake pizza delivery uniform. We’re spying online.
Relax, we’re not plagiarizing, we’re looking for topic inspiration. What are your competitor’s writing about? Do you have a fresh perspective, a unique story, or a surprising tip that could make the topic your own?
Even better, could you dive deeper into a subject they barely scratched the surface on?
Once you’ve explored what your competitors are up to, you can turn to AI tools for even more idea generation.
Plug-and-play AI prompt
Use ChatGPT or the AI tool of your choice to generate content ideas.
Save time by copy and pasting this prompt (be sure to fill in the bracketed parts!) from Wes McDowell’s tutorial “The Ultimate Guide To Blow Up Your Business With ChatGPT (2025)”
The prompt: I run a business in the [your industry] sector, focusing on [brief description of your business]. We want to make our online content more varied and interesting to better connect with our audience and boost our online presence.
We’re looking to create [articles/blog posts/how-to guides etc]. I need your help to come up with 30 creative and relevant content ideas that fit our industry and really appeal to our target audience, who are [describe your audience].
Between client questions, your competitor’s content, and AI to generate potential topics you’ll find some real gems. Once you’ve zeroed in on one, it’s time to choose your keyword.
You’re looking for blog advice.
But while you're here...
Contact us today to talk about your new website design.
Step #2 Choose Your Keyword
What’s the #1 SEO mistake?
The reason most web pages don’t get any SEO traffic is because they target the wrong keyword (or no keyword at all). Sometimes people choose keywords that no one is searching (not very helpful for driving traffic), but, more often, they choose keywords that EVERYONE is searching and there’s too much competition. It’s much better to be specific.
Here’s how to avoid the trap of choosing keywords that are too broad
Keyword Example 1:
- “coffee shops” (too broad, lots of competition)
- “coffee shops hyde park tampa” (targets a local audience, less competition)
Keyword Example 2:
- “commercial kitchen” (too broad)
- “restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist”
Your keyword can be long
Each of your blog posts should have a unique keyword. Don’t use the same keyword for two different pieces of content.
Where to use your keyword
Include your primary keyword (or a close variation of it) in:
- Your post title
- The first 100 words of the post
- At least one subheading
- Anywhere it makes sense organically. Don’t force it.
Then add related keywords throughout your post. Using our example of closet remodel costs you might make sure to include phrases like, “affordable closet remodel,” “luxury closet design,” and “custom closet pricing.”
Next, let’s talk about turning your keyword into a blog post that’s full of useful content.
Businesses who blog get 55% more visitors
than businesses who don’t.
Step #3 Write a Blog Post that Ranks
When you add helpful, valuable content to your website, you’re showing your potential customers that you’re an authority in your industry and that you’re generous with your knowledge, so later, when they are looking to hire someone. They’ll think of you first.
“A blog is not a direct sales tool. It’s a place to start a conversation and earn an opportunity to sell over time.” – Henneke Duistermaat, Enchanting Marketing
Steal these 5 blog titles that highlight your expertise and help you tap into what your audience actually wants to know:
- The difference between [Option A] and [Option B]
- Top 5 mistakes people make when [doing X]
- The one thing no one tells you about [your industry]
- Folks who say "[blanket industry axiom you disagree with]" don’t get how [niche] really works in [current year]
Write your title using your keyword
Putting your keyword in the title helps Google understand your post and makes it easier for people to find. When your title matches what they’re searching for, they’re more likely to click—and that’s the first step to getting seen.
Let’s say we’re the house painter again. And we chose that client’s question, “What color should I paint my beach house?” as our topic.
From there we chose “exterior paint colors for beach houses” as the keyword.
So, using 2 of the 5 ideas above, our post could be titled:
- “Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Choosing Exterior Paint Colors For Beach Houses”
- “The One Thing Nobody Tells You About Picking Exterior Paint Colors for Beach Houses”
Now it’s time to write your full-blown blog post. You may be wondering…
Can’t AI write my content?
Kind of.
It sure is tempting to just ask ChatGPT to “whip up a blog post for [insert your industry here],” but do that and you’re gonna end up with more fluff than a life-size carnival teddy bear.
You won’t stand out. With search engines or real people.
Wake up your audience with your own words and real-life experience.
If you want to use AI to write your post, treat it like an assistant. You’ll need to use detailed prompts and then add some of your own opinions, advice or a relatable story.
For a hybrid of DIY and AI, try this Simple Blog Post Template (with prompt included!) The link should open a Google Doc and ask if you’d like to make a copy. Save it to your own Drive and get started.
Using the template speeds up content writing and gets rid of the staring-at-a-blank-screen anxiety. Fill it out, then edit the response so you can make it sound like you.
If you’re writing a case study or portfolio page, use our Event/Before & After Project Template. Same thing here, the link should open a Google Doc and ask if you’d like to make a copy. Save it to your own Drive and get started.
Whatever you do, the goal is the same:
- Share what you know
- Help your audience
They’ll feel a natural pull to return the favor. It’s the psychology of reciprocity.
Remember, the long game is the shortcut.
Plant that SEO orchard.
A post packed with pearls takes more than 15 minutes to write, but has the potential to generate traffic for years.
Plus, helping other people feels good.
Make content easy to read
Here’s how:
- Keep paragraphs short.
- Use various sentence lengths. Even one word.
- Write concise vivid headings.
- Subheadings.
- Bulleted lists.
- Bold important words.
How Long Should Your Post Be?
- You have the room to fully explore your topic and provide clear answers
- Google favors content that answers search queries thoroughly. Longer posts can show search engines you’re providing comprehensive answers, which helps boost your ranking.
- When readers stay longer on your page—because they’re engaged with your content—it signals to Google that your post is valuable. This improves your chances of ranking higher in search results.
- 1,000-1,500 words give you enough space to naturally include your main keyword and related keywords without stuffing them awkwardly.
When you’re done, run your post through a tool like Word Counter for a quick check. For reference, the post you’re reading is roughly 2,800 words.
Step #4 Write Headings for SEO
Google scans heading to understand what your content is about. Headings and subheadings also make your post more scannable for distracted humans.
Use your keyword in the main heading and at least one subheading.
Step #5 Internal Links
Link-building is known to be a crucial factor in your website’s SEO, which helps it show up higher in search results.
Internal links are when you click on some text (usually bold, underlined or a different color) or an image on your site, and it takes you to a different page on the same website.
When you link from one page to another, you’re not just helping visitors find useful content, you’re also showing search engines how your website is organized.
For example, a post with tips on how to buy a website domain can link to a detailed guide on how to protect your domain from online predators. See what I did there?
Tips:
- Don’t overdo it, add links where it feels natural.
- Use phrases that describe the page you’re linking to. Don’t use generic phrases like, “click here.” If you’re a wedding photographer you may have a sentence that links to your pricing page, “Check out our wedding photography packages to find the perfect fit for your big day.”
Step #6 External Links
External links point from your website to another website. By linking to relevant, valuable content, you show search engines you care about providing a well-rounded, trustworthy experience for your audience, and they reward you for that.
So, include an external link or two if it makes sense organically. You can link to a stat, product or relevant article. Semrush goes deep into external link detail in this post.
Step #7 Images
Include original visuals, screenshots and before and after photos to make you stand out.
Instead of leaving the file name as the auto-generated img1234.jpg try renaming the file to something that describes the image. This is good practice since visually impaired people can’t see your image but they can read the text associated with it. Bonus points for including your keyword in the file name.
You can use stock images too, just make sure they’re from a royalty-free website, some we like are Pexels and Unsplash. Just don’t go grabbing stuff off the internet unless you’re one of those weirdos who like paying fines.
AI-generated images are hit-or-miss, at least for now. Use your judgement.
Your SEO Checklist
- Keyword in title, intro, and subheadings
- Headings for each key idea
- 3+ internal links
- 1+ external link
- 1+ image
It Takes Time For Newness to Become Familiar
Now you’re ready to write content that actually brings traffic to your website.
Getting started is the hardest part—always is, right? But once you’re rolling, it gets easier.
Think about the first time you tried anything new—awkward, frustrating, takes time to improve. Writing content works the same way. The more you do it, the more natural it feels.
So, cheers to getting started, sticking with it, and seeing the payoff: more traffic, new leads, and long-term growth. You’ve got this.
Note:
This guide is written with small business owners in mind. We’ve focused on the content creation process, assuming that your website designer (that’s us!) will handle the more technical SEO elements like image alt text, custom titles, meta descriptions, and heading hierarchy to ensure your posts are well-optimized for search engines.
Kristie Parker
Kristie is the co-owner of Bungalow Web Design. She pretends to be a real adult by writing copy for small business websites from her actual bungalow in Tampa, Florida. When she's not web designing, you can find her in the gym, air frying something, or tucking into a Joyce Carol Oates novel with a dirty martini and orange cat nearby.
Kristie Parker
Kristie is the co-owner of Bungalow Web Design. She pretends to be a real adult by writing copy for small business websites from her actual bungalow in Tampa, Florida. When she's not web designing, you can find her in the gym, air frying something, or tucking into a Joyce Carol Oates novel with a dirty martini and orange cat nearby.