How to Write an SEO Blog Post: 13 Key Tips (original) (raw)

Writing an SEO blog post used to mean one thing: optimizing for Google.

But the search landscape has changed dramatically because of AI.

Today, people also search for information using AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. Even Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode use AI to generate direct answers to user queries.

That means your blog post needs to rank in traditional search results and appear in AI answers.

The good news? Many traditional SEO best practices still apply in the AI search era. But there are also some new tactics to consider.

The tips below will show you exactly how to write SEO-friendly blog posts that reach users across the full spectrum of modern search experiences.

1. Choose a Target Keyword or Prompt

Select a target keyword or prompt for your blog post to help both search engines and AI systems understand what your content is about and when to surface it to users.

A target keyword (primary keyword) or prompt is the main term you want the page to rank for in traditional search and be associated with in AI answers.

But you can also optimize your blog post for related terms that connect to your primary keyword. This includes question variations people might ask, different phrasings of the same keyword, and related subtopics that naturally branch out from your main keyword (sometimes called "fan-out queries").

A great SEO blog post may rank for hundreds of different search queries in traditional search results and get cited across multiple AI-generated answers.

To find a primary keyword, use the Keyword Magic Tool.

Enter the primary topic your blog post will cover. Input your homepage URL and your target location. Then, click “Search.”

The tool will provide a table of keywords related to your search. Plus, a variety of metrics that can help you determine the best target keyword for your blog post.

Pay particular attention to the following columns:

• Intent: The main goal behind the user’s search (more on this later)
• Volume: The estimated average monthly Google searches for the keyword over the last 12-months. A target keyword should have decent search volume, so more people see your blog post.
• Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD%): How difficult it is for your specific website to rank well for the keyword based on your current website authority and relevance compared to competitors. The higher the percentage, the more challenging it may be to rank for the keyword.
• SERP Features: Various features that appear in the SERP results for the term (e.g., AI Overviews, People Also Ask, etc.). These may influence how you structure your blog post. Or what elements you include on the page.

Review the columns to determine the best target keyword for your post. You can also use the filters above the table to narrow down your choices.

For example, setting the “Personal KD%” filter to “Easy” or “Very Easy” will filter the table to the keywords with the lowest PKD%. Choosing one of these low-competition keywords increases the chances of your SEO blog post ranking well relatively quickly.

Alternatively, use the Prompt Research tool to find questions people ask AI systems. Just enter the topic your blog post will cover to get a list of topics and related prompts.

2. Meet Search Intent

Understand search intent before you write, as matching what users actually want improves the visibility of your content.

Search intent is the purpose behind the user’s query—what they’re hoping to find. Google ranks webpages that match searcher intent to provide a satisfying experience. Similarly, AI systems prioritize citing sources that directly satisfy the user's underlying need.

Discover intent by looking at the top-ranking results for a query.

For example, the keyword “how to crate train a puppy” has informational intent. Google ranks how-to blog posts at the top of results for this query.

And when you enter the same keyword into ChatGPT with web search enabled, the cited sources are primarily how-to guides.

Compare this to another example. When you search “best crates for puppies,” Google shows a comparison guide and a listicle-style blog post.

The search intent of your target keyword or prompt should influence the style or type of blog post you create.

Another way to find the search intent of your target query is to use Semrush’s Keyword Overview.

Enter your target term, your homepage URL, and your target location. Then, click “Search.”

You’ll find the main search intent type in the “Intent” box.

Scroll to the bottom to study the top-ranking pages to get a more thorough understanding of intent.

With search intent identified, you're ready to move through the rest of this SEO checklist for blog posts.

3. Start Writing a High-Quality, Well-Structured Blog Post

The quality and structure of your content influences how well your blog post performs in search engines and AI platforms.

If you’ve analyzed the top results for your keyword or prompt, you'll have noticed patterns in what type of content format performs best (e.g., how-to guides, listicles, comparison posts, opinion pieces, etc.)

Once you know what format to use, focus on making your content as helpful and polished as possible. This means nailing the following best practices:

• Crafting an intro with a strong hook: Draw readers in immediately by addressing their problem and stating that your blog post contains the solution
• Structuring your content with subheadings: Use H2s, H3s, and any other needed subheadings to organize your content into clear sections that make it easier for readers to scan and for AI to extract relevant information
• Starting each section with a direct answer: Lead with the key takeaway before diving into details—this helps readers find what they need quickly and makes your content easily citable
• Helping people grasp concepts: Use examples and simple language to make complex ideas easier to understand
• Keep your paragraphs short: Keep paragraphs to two to three sentences maximum, so your content feels approachable rather than overwhelming. Sticking to one idea per paragraph also lets AI systems extract answers from your content.

4. Include Fresh Information On Your Topic

Search engines and AI assistants value fresh, up-to-date information.

A recent study conducted by AirOps found that fresh content was one of the strongest predictors of AI visibility. In the research, brands that updated pages to include fresh information on a topic earned significantly more citations from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other answer engines.

And this makes sense. A user searching for a particular topic/query in these platforms expects current, relevant answers—not outdated information from years ago.

Display your publication or last updated date prominently on the page where readers can see it—typically near the title or author byline. AI assistants and search engines can use this metadata to evaluate recency.

If you’re curious about your current visibility in AI platforms, use Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit. It can help you identify which pages are getting cited and spot optimization opportunities.

5. Use Keywords or Prompts Throughout Your Blog Post

Use relevant keywords or prompts throughout your SEO blog post to signal to search engines and AI systems what your post is about.

But include terms naturally and without keyword stuffing. Here’s an example of what keyword stuffing looks like.

Here are some practical ways to incorporate keywords naturally:

• Use your primary keyword in key locations: Include it in your title, introduction, and naturally throughout the body where it fits the context
• Use variations of your primary keyword: Use different variations and synonyms of your main keyword rather than repeating the exact same phrase (e.g., "content marketing techniques," "marketing content tactics," “content marketing tips.”)
• Target question- or subtopic-keywords in subheadings: When it makes sense, use subtopic keywords as H2s and H3s to help both readers and AI systems quickly identify what each section covers

6. Add Visuals and Multimedia

Images, videos, and audio can make your blog post more engaging and may even be a requirement for appearing in search results.

For example, the below blog post from Chewy ranks for “how to crate train a puppy.” It incorporates a video tutorial to accompany the written content.

This not only makes the post engaging, it helps satisfy search intent. Because the user is looking for a how-to guide with details for each step of the process.

Using various types of media is also a great way to break up large blocks of text to provide a better user experience, which positively impacts SEO for blog posts.

So, follow image SEO best practices. Like compressing images and using modern image formats. To learn more, read our image SEO guide.

7. Create an Optimized Title Tag

Craft a compelling title tag for your blog post, as it's often one of the first things users see in search results and plays a key role in whether they click through to your content.

Plus, the title tag influences which keywords and prompts your blog post appears for.

Google may use your title tag in the SERPs as the blue, clickable hyperlink to your page. Like this:

Here are some tips for optimizing anSEO blog post’s title tag:

• Keep your title tag to 55 characters or less to avoid truncation
• Include your primary keyword or prompt as close to the beginning of your title as possible
• Ensure the title tag is unique from other pages on your site to ensure the proper page shows in search results
• Make sure your title is communicative and click-worthy

8. Write an Engaging Meta Description

A meta description gives users and search engines more information about the topics your blog post covers and may also appear beneath the title that shows in search results.

Like this:

Meta descriptions aren’t a direct Google ranking factor. But they present an opportunity to add keywords. And entice users to click through to the page.

Some best practices for meta descriptions are:

• Aim for around 105 characters to ensure your full description displays without getting cut off in search results
• Include related keywords/prompts or variations
• Include click-worthy information or a call to action (CTA)

9. Include a Detailed Author Bio

Author bios give users more information about the creator, like relevant industry experience or expertise in the subject matter.

Bios usually appear at the end of blog posts. Here’s an example:

Author bios help your blog post showcase two important quality signals: experience and expertise.

These are the first two items in E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust)—guidelines Google’s Search Quality Raters use to evaluate the quality of web content.

While author bios don't directly guarantee better rankings, Google does prioritize content that demonstrates genuine expertise. AI systems similarly prioritize content from credible, knowledgeable sources when deciding what to cite or reference.

To showcase expertise and experience in your author bios, do the following:

• Have industry experts create your content
• Include the author’s education, degrees, and/or certifications
• Highlight the author’s industry experience and the primary topics they write about
• Create author pages that link to all of the blog posts the experts have written for your website

10. Add Expert Insights

Content that's accurate, well-sourced, and enhanced with insights from real people can rank higher and perform better in AI results

Here are some practical ways to add expert insights:

• Hire an industry expert to write or contribute to your blog
• Interview an industry expert and quote their insights in your post
• Pull expert commentary from credible sources and cite it properly

11. Include Stats In Your Content

Statistics make your content more authoritative—and more likely to be cited by AI systems.

A while ago, a group of AI researchers tested 10,000 real-world search queries and found that adding statistics to content led to approximately 33% higher visibility in AI-powered search platforms.

Why do statistics drive visibility? They reinforce credibility and authority—exactly what AI systems look for when selecting sources to cite.

Here's how to use stats effectively:

• Include specific numbers. Instead of "many businesses," write "67% of businesses" with a source link.
• Cite original sources. Link to the research, study, or report where the data originated.
• Keep it concise. AI systems typically extract one or two sentences, so present your statistics clearly and briefly.
• Use recent data. Prioritize statistics from the last 12 months when possible to maintain freshness and relevance

12. Add Links to Other Relevant Content

Add internal links throughout your blog post to guide users to additional resources and help search engines understand the relationship between different pieces of content on your site.

Internal links are links within your own site. And search engines follow these links to discover pages.

The more content you have on your site, the easier it will be to find internal linking opportunities.

Here are some important best practices to follow when adding internal links:

• Prioritize relevance and natural linking. You should only link to pages that provide users with value.
• Pay attention to anchor text (the clickable text that appears with the link). It should be concise and accurately describe the content of the linked-to page.
• Don’t internally link to pages with 301 redirects. Search engine bots will follow the links on your blog, so only send them to the most up-to-date URLs.

13. Use a Short, SEO-Friendly URL

A URL is a page’s web address and should communicate to users what the page is about as well as where that page is located in your website’s hierarchy.

When publishing your blog post, your content management system (e.g., WordPress, Shopify, etc.) may generate a unique URL for your post that looks something like this: mydomain.com/post-id?=8394asddkfue

But a URL composed of random characters doesn’t give users very much information about the page. So, it’s important that you customize your blog post URLs.

Here’s an example of a bad versus good URL for SEO purposes.

And here are some best practices for creating SEO-friendly URLs:

• Use the HTTPS protocol, as this is a direct Google ranking factor
• Leverage subfolders to organize your content. Many sites use the subfolder /blog/ to organize their blog posts.
• Be concise. Long URLs are less user-friendly and not as shareable.
• Include your primary keyword in your URL slug

Optimize Your Blog Posts for Search Engines & AI Platforms

Now you know how to optimize blog posts for SEO in the AI era.

To make the optimization process easier, try Semrush One. The combined tools help you identify the right terms to target, analyze competitors, and ensure your content meets the standards that both search engines and AI platforms expect.

Ready to take your blog to the next level? Sign up for Semrush One today.