Keyword Research and Intent

Begin with keyword research. Identify what people in your industry are searching for. Use long-tail keywords (multi-word phrases) because they’re often less competitive and more specific. Understand the user’s intent: are they trying to learn something, comparing options, or seeking to solve a problem? Your content should clearly address that intent. Once you’ve selected your main keyword(s), include related keywords naturally throughout the post.

Structure & Headings

Use a clear structure: introduction, body (with sub-sections), and conclusion. Use headings and subheadings appropriately (H1, H2, H3 etc.). The title (H1) should include your main keyword. Subheadings help both readers to skim and search engines to understand the content hierarchy. Keep paragraphs short for readability. Use lists or bullet points where helpful.

Metadata: Titles, Meta Descriptions & URLs

• Title Tag (Meta Title): This is the clickable title shown in search engine results. Keep it under about 60 characters. Include your main keyword and make it compelling.

• Meta Description: The summary shown beneath the title in search results. Aim for around 150-160 characters. Include the main keyword, and make it interesting enough to encourage clicks.

• URL Slug: Make your URL clean, short and readable. Include the keyword. Avoid unnecessary words or stop-words where possible.

Alt Text & Image Metadata

Images are more than just visual interest. Handled well, they support SEO and accessibility.

• Every image should include an alt attribute, whether with descriptive text or, in the case of decorative images, left empty. 

• Alt text should describe the essential information or function of the image (not merely what it looks like).

• Keep alt text concise. A good rule of thumb is about 100-125 characters or less. Longer description if required should be given elsewhere in your content. 

• Avoid starting with phrases like “Image of…” or “Picture of…” — screen readers already identify that it’s an image.

• Use descriptive, relevant filenames (before uploading images). This helps search engines and content management systems. 

Content & Readability

• Make your content genuinely useful: solve problems, answer questions, give examples.

• Use your primary keyword early (within the first 100 words or so, if possible) but in a natural way. Include secondary/related keywords throughout.

• Include internal links (to other relevant posts on your site) and credible external links.

• Write in plain, clear English. Use short sentences. Break up large blocks of text with headings, lists, images. Ensure the text flows logically.

Technical & Performance Factors

• Optimise page loading speed: compress images, use modern formats where possible, avoid unnecessarily large files.

• Ensure mobile-friendliness: check layout, image scaling, font sizes etc. Many users will access via mobile devices.

• Use schema or structured data if relevant (e.g. for blog posts, breadcrumbs). This helps search engines better understand your content.

Post-Publish Review & Updates

• Before publishing, review for spelling, grammar, broken links, correct metadata (title, description, slugs), alt texts, formatting.

• After publishing, monitor performance: which posts get traffic, which don’t. Use analytics to see what works.

• Update older posts: refresh information, improve metadata or alt texts if needed, adjust for changes in keyword trends.

Digital Landscope’s Feedback & Review Process

At Digital Landscope, we believe “publish and forget” is not enough. We offer a feedback and review service to help ensure your blog posts truly deliver. Whether it’s checking your metadata (titles, descriptions, URL structure), reviewing alt text and image naming, assessing structure and readability, or making sure your content aligns with SEO best practices — we’ll give you actionable feedback so your posts are up to scratch. One last finishing note – be careful with using AI tools, yes they can carry out the research, but it shouldn’t be a copy paste job as this will not be in your brand voice and represent your website effectively, when using LLM’s, they will need very heavily edited.

Let’s get started with increasing your topical authority with these best practices for SEO-friendly blo posts, align with your strategy and tell Google and other search engines you are the expert in your industry.