How to Optimize Blog Posts for Search Engines as a Novice

My first blog post took me six hours to write and got exactly 12 views in its first month—11 of which were probably me checking if it was still live.

My second post? I spent eight hours on it, including two hours trying to figure out what “meta descriptions” were. It got 23 views.

Then I learned about SEO optimization, and everything changed.

My tenth post, optimized using the checklist I’m about to share with you, got 847 views in its first month. Same writing quality, same blog, same author (me). The only difference was that I finally understood how to optimize content for search engines.

Here’s the truth: SEO isn’t some mysterious dark art that requires a computer science degree. It’s a checklist. A systematic process you can follow for every single post you publish.

I’ve used this exact process to rank hundreds of blog posts on Google’s first page. And I’m going to walk you through it step by step, assuming you know absolutely nothing about SEO.

Before You Write: Keyword Research (The Foundation)

The biggest mistake I see beginners make is writing first, then trying to optimize later. That’s backwards.

SEO optimization starts before you type a single word of your actual post. It starts with keyword research—figuring out what people are actually searching for.

Step 1: Find Your Primary Keyword (10 minutes)

Your primary keyword is the main search term you want this post to rank for.

How to find it:

Method 1: Google Autocomplete

1. Go to Google
2. Type in your topic idea
3. Look at what Google suggests

Example: I type “how to start a podcast” and Google suggests:

• how to start a podcast for free
• how to start a podcast on Spotify
• how to start a podcast and make money
• how to start a podcast for beginners

Each of these is a potential primary keyword.

Method 2: Answer the Public

1. Go to AnswerThePublic.com (free)
2. Enter your topic
3. Look at the questions people are asking

Method 3: Check Search Volume

1. Use Ubersuggest (free) or Google Keyword Planner
2. Enter your potential keywords
3. Look for keywords with:
   • 500-5,000 monthly searches (sweet spot for beginners)
   • Low to medium competition
   • Clear search intent (you know exactly what the searcher wants)

What I look for:

• Search volume: 1,000-3,000/month (enough traffic to matter, not so much that competition is fierce)
• Keyword difficulty: Under 40 (on Ubersuggest’s scale)
• Commercial intent: Can I monetize content around this keyword?

Example from my own blog: I wanted to write about email marketing. “Email marketing” has 90,000 monthly searches but is dominated by huge sites. “Email marketing for small business” has 2,400 searches and much lower competition. That became my primary keyword.

Step 2: Identify Secondary Keywords (5 minutes)

Secondary keywords are related terms you’ll naturally include in your post.

How to find them:

1. Google your primary keyword
2. Scroll to the bottom of the search results
3. Look at “Searches related to [your keyword]”

These are variations and related terms people are searching for. Include 2-4 of these naturally in your post.

Example: Primary keyword: “how to start a podcast for beginners”

Secondary keywords (from “related searches”):

• podcast equipment for beginners
• best podcast hosting platforms
• how to record a podcast
• podcast editing software

I’ll naturally mention these topics in my post, which helps it rank for multiple related searches.

While You Write: On-Page Optimization (The Checklist)

Now you’re ready to write. Here’s exactly what to do as you create your post.

1. Craft Your Title (Primary Keyword + Hook)

Your title needs to accomplish two things:

1. Include your primary keyword
2. Make people want to click

Formula that works: [Number] + [Adjective] + [Primary Keyword] + [Promise]

Examples:

• “7 Simple Ways to Start a Podcast for Beginners (Even If You’re Shy)”
• “How to Start a Podcast for Beginners: Complete Guide for 2026”
• “Start a Podcast for Beginners in 30 Minutes (Step-by-Step)”

What I avoid:

• Keyword stuffing: “Start Podcast Beginners How to Start Podcast for Beginners Guide”
• Being too clever: “Your Audio Journey Begins Here” (doesn’t include keyword)
• Vague promises: “Everything You Need to Know About Podcasting” (too broad)

My title for this post: “How to Optimize Blog Posts for Search Engines as a Novice”

• Primary keyword: “optimize blog posts”
• Hook: “as a Novice” (tells beginners this is for them)
• Promise: You’ll learn how to optimize (implied in the title)

2. Write Your Introduction (Hook + Keyword)

Your introduction should:

• Hook the reader in the first sentence
• Include your primary keyword in the first 100 words
• Promise what the post will deliver

Template: [Relatable problem] → [Your experience with that problem] → [Promise of solution]

Example: “Trying to rank your blog posts on Google feels impossible when you’re starting out. I spent six months publishing content that got zero traffic because I didn’t understand SEO. Then I learned this simple optimization process, and my traffic increased by 400% in three months. Here’s exactly what I did.”

Notice the primary keyword (“rank your blog posts”) appears naturally in the first sentence.

3. Structure with Headers (H2 and H3)

Google uses your headers to understand what your post is about. So do readers scanning your content.

Rules for headers:

• Use H2 for main sections
• Use H3 for subsections under H2s
• Include your primary keyword in at least one H2
• Include secondary keywords in other H2s when natural

Example structure for a podcast post:

H2: How to Start a Podcast for Beginners (primary keyword) H3: Choose Your Podcast Topic H3: Select Podcast Equipment for Beginners (secondary keyword)

H2: Best Podcast Hosting Platforms (secondary keyword) H3: Buzzsprout H3: Anchor

H2: How to Record Your First Episode H3: Setting Up Your Recording Space H3: Podcast Editing Software (secondary keyword)

See how keywords appear naturally in headers without forcing them?

4. Optimize Your Content (Natural Keyword Usage)

How often should you use your primary keyword?

There’s no magic number, but I aim for:

• Title: Once
• First paragraph: Once
• H2 headers: 1-2 times
• Throughout content: Every 200-300 words naturally
• Conclusion: Once

More important than frequency: context.

Google is smart enough to understand synonyms and related terms. If your primary keyword is “start a podcast,” you can also use:

• “launch a podcast”
• “begin podcasting”
• “create a podcast”

This is called “semantic SEO,” and it’s way more effective than repeating the exact same phrase 47 times.

What I actually do: I write naturally first, then do a Ctrl+F search for my primary keyword. If it appears 3-5 times in a 1,500-word post, I’m good. If it’s zero, I add it. If it’s 15 times, I remove some.

5. Add Internal Links (3-5 Per Post)

Internal links are links from one post on your blog to another post on your blog.

Why they matter:

• Helps Google understand your site structure
• Keeps readers on your site longer
• Passes SEO value between your posts

How to do it: As you write, link to other relevant posts on your blog using descriptive anchor text.

Example: “Before you start optimizing, make sure you’ve chosen the right niche for your blog.”

The phrase “chosen the right niche” links to my post about niche selection.

Rules:

• Use descriptive anchor text (not “click here”)
• Link to relevant posts only
• Don’t overdo it (3-5 links per post is plenty)

If you’re brand new and have no other posts yet: Leave placeholders. Write “[link to post about X]” and come back to add the link once you’ve published that post.

6. Add External Links (2-3 Per Post)

External links are links from your blog to other websites.

Why they matter:

• Shows Google you’ve done research
• Adds credibility to your claims
• Provides value to readers

What to link to:

• Studies and statistics
• Tools you mention
• Authoritative sources in your niche

Example: “According to a study by HubSpot, blogs that publish 16+ posts per month get 3.5x more traffic than blogs that publish 0-4 posts.”

The phrase “study by HubSpot” links to the actual study.

Rules:

• Link to reputable sources (not random blogs)
• Use “open in new tab” so readers don’t leave your site
• Don’t link to competitors ranking for your same keyword

7. Optimize Images (Alt Text + File Names)

Every image needs two things:

1. Descriptive file name (before uploading)

• Bad: IMG_1234.jpg
• Good: podcast-equipment-for-beginners.jpg

2. Alt text (after uploading) This describes the image for screen readers and Google.

How to write alt text: Describe what’s in the image, including your keyword if natural.

Example: Image of a microphone and headphones

• Alt text: “Podcast equipment for beginners including microphone and headphones”

Pro tip: Don’t keyword stuff alt text. “Podcast equipment for beginners best podcast equipment podcast microphone” is spammy. Just describe the image naturally.

After You Write: Technical Optimization (The Final Polish)

You’ve written your post. Now it’s time for the technical SEO stuff.

8. Write Your Meta Description

This is the short description that appears under your title in Google search results.

Rules:

• 150-160 characters (Google cuts off longer ones)
• Include your primary keyword
• Make it compelling (this is your ad copy)
• Include a call to action

Template: [Promise] + [Benefit] + [Call to action]

Example for this post: “Learn how to optimize blog posts for search engines with this simple checklist. No technical skills required—just follow these 12 steps. Start ranking on Google today.”

Where to add it: If you’re using Yoast or Rank Math, there’s a meta description field below your post editor. If not, you’ll need an SEO plugin.

9. Optimize Your URL Slug

Your URL slug is the part after your domain name.

Example: yourblog.com/how-to-optimize-blog-posts ← this part is the slug

Rules:

• Include your primary keyword
• Keep it short (3-6 words)
• Use hyphens, not underscores
• Remove stop words (a, the, and, etc.)

Bad slug: yourblog.com/how-to-optimize-your-blog-posts-for-search-engines-as-a-complete-novice

Good slug: yourblog.com/optimize-blog-posts-seo

In WordPress: The slug is automatically generated from your title, but you can edit it. Look for “Permalink” above your post editor.

10. Add Schema Markup (FAQ Schema)

Schema markup is code that helps Google understand your content better. It can get you rich snippets in search results (those boxes with extra information).

The easiest schema to add: FAQ schema

If your post includes frequently asked questions, add FAQ schema.

How to do it: If you’re using Yoast or Rank Math, there’s usually an FAQ block you can add. Just enter your questions and answers, and the plugin handles the code.

Example: I added 4 FAQs to this post. If Google decides to show them, my search result will be bigger and more prominent than results without FAQs.

11. Check Readability

Google wants to rank content that people actually read and understand.

Readability tips:

• Keep paragraphs short (3-4 lines max)
• Use bullet points and numbered lists
• Break up text with headers
• Write at an 8th-grade reading level (use Hemingway Editor to check)

Yoast has a readability checker that flags issues like:

• Paragraphs too long
• Sentences too complex
• Not enough subheadings

Aim for green or orange on readability. Don’t obsess over perfect scores.

12. Preview Your Post in Search Results

Before you hit publish, preview how your post will look in Google search results.

In Yoast or Rank Math: There’s a preview showing your title, URL, and meta description as they’ll appear in Google.

Check:

• Does it look compelling?
• Is the title cut off? (Shorten it)
• Is the meta description cut off? (Shorten it)
• Would you click on this result?

If the answer to that last question is “no,” revise until it’s “yes.”

My Actual Pre-Publish Checklist

Before I publish any post, I run through this checklist:

• Primary keyword in title
• Primary keyword in first paragraph
• Primary keyword in at least one H2
• 3-5 internal links added
• 2-3 external links to reputable sources
• All images have descriptive file names and alt text
• Meta description written (150-160 characters)
• URL slug optimized
• FAQ schema added (if applicable)
• Readability score is green or orange in Yoast
• Preview looks good in search results

If I can check all these boxes, I hit publish.

What Happens After You Publish

SEO isn’t instant. Here’s the realistic timeline:

Week 1: Google discovers your post (submit it manually via Google Search Console to speed this up)

Weeks 2-4: Google indexes your post and starts testing where it should rank

Months 2-3: Your post starts appearing in search results, usually on pages 2-5

Months 4-6: If your content is good and optimization is solid, you’ll start climbing toward page 1

Months 6-12: Established rankings. You’ll either be on page 1 or you won’t.

What to do while you wait: Keep publishing. One optimized post won’t change your life. Twenty optimized posts will start to move the needle.

The Biggest SEO Optimization Mistakes

I’ve made all of these mistakes. Learn from my pain:

1. Keyword stuffing Using your keyword 30 times in a 500-word post doesn’t help. It hurts. Google penalizes this.

2. Ignoring search intent If people searching “best running shoes” want product reviews, don’t write a history of running shoes. Match what searchers actually want.

3. Optimizing for keywords with no traffic Ranking #1 for a keyword that gets 10 searches per month won’t help your blog. Do keyword research first.

4. Forgetting about mobile Over 60% of searches happen on mobile. Make sure your blog is mobile-friendly.

5. Publishing and forgetting SEO isn’t “set it and forget it.” Update old posts, fix broken links, add new information. I update my top-performing posts every 6-12 months.

The Real Secret to SEO Success

Here’s what nobody tells you about SEO:

Optimization is important, but it’s not the most important thing.

The most important thing is creating content that actually answers people’s questions better than anything else currently ranking.

I’ve seen perfectly optimized garbage rank on page 5. I’ve seen mediocre-optimized brilliance rank on page 1.

Use this checklist to make sure Google can understand and rank your content. But spend most of your energy making your content genuinely helpful, thorough, and well-written.

SEO gets people to your post. Quality keeps them there and makes them share it.

Do both, and you’ll rank.

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About the author: Sarah Chen is a digital marketing consultant and SEO specialist who has ranked over 300 blog posts on Google’s first page across multiple niches. She’s been optimizing content for search engines since 2018 and currently manages blogs that generate over 500,000 monthly organic visitors.