Search engine optimisation (SEO) can feel like a bit of a mystery when you’re just starting out—but it’s one of the most powerful tools for bringing consistent, organic traffic to your blog.
Whether you’re writing about travel, fashion, tech or your own life experiences, good SEO helps your content get discovered by the right people. Here’s a simple breakdown of how to improve SEO for your blog and get your posts ranking higher on Google.
1. Do proper keyword research
Before writing a blog post, you need to know what people are actually searching for. Keyword research helps you target topics with demand.
Tools to try:
- Google Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account)
- Ubersuggest
- Answer the Public
- Keywords Everywhere (browser extension)
Quick tip:
Aim for keywords with a decent search volume but lower competition—especially if your site is new.
2. Write for humans, optimise for search engines
Don’t just stuff keywords into your posts. Google prioritises quality, helpful content. That means:
- Clear structure with headings and bullet points
- Natural use of keywords (especially in titles, intros and subheadings)
- Engaging tone that keeps readers on the page
3. Use SEO-friendly URLs
Keep your blog post URLs short and focused. Ideally, your main keyword should appear in the URL.
✅ Example:yourblog.com/best-budget-travel-tips
❌ Not ideal:yourblog.com/post?id=3242-travelblog-seo-tips-v1
4. Add meta titles and descriptions
Your meta title and description are what show up in Google search results. Make them clear, compelling, and keyword-friendly.
- Meta title: Try to keep it under 60 characters.
- Meta description: Aim for 150–160 characters with a call to action or summary of your post.
5. Optimise your images
Large images can slow down your site and hurt your rankings. To keep your blog SEO-friendly:
- Compress images using tools like TinyPNG
- Add alt text that describes the image (Google uses this for context)
6. Internal linking is your friend
When you mention a topic you’ve written about before, link to that older blog post. This helps Google understand your site structure and keeps readers on your site longer.
7. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly
Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means your site needs to look and work great on phones. Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check.
8. Focus on page speed
Slow-loading sites = poor SEO. Improve your load time by:
- Minimising plugins
- Using a fast, lightweight theme
- Enabling browser caching and using a CDN (content delivery network)
9. Keep your content fresh
Google loves updated content. Revisit your older posts and:
- Update outdated stats
- Add new links or sections
- Improve formatting for better readability
10. Be patient and consistent
SEO takes time. You won’t see results overnight, but if you keep creating useful content and stick to good SEO practices, your blog will start to grow—organically and sustainably.
Improving your blog’s SEO isn’t about gaming the system—it’s about creating valuable, well-structured content that genuinely helps your readers. With the right mix of strategy and consistency, you can get your posts in front of more people and build long-term traffic.
