When it comes to blogging, a strong blog post checklist can make the difference between a post that gets clicked and a post that gathers dust in the quiet corners of your website. I’m a big believer that good blogs come down to a mix of creativity and strategy. Your post could be mind-blowingly creative, but if no one’s reading it, what’s the point? Therefore, every blog I write for a client goes through the same process before it goes live. It’s what helps prepare each post to bring in traffic for a long time.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at eight things I do for every client blog (including my own) before before I ever hit “publish”.

1. Review for Voice and Clarity

The first thing I do with every client post is make sure it sounds like them. Your voice connects you to your readers. It has to sound authentic, not like a robot wrote it. I personally enjoy using AI to outline blog posts, but the bulk of the writing is *all human*. Either way you do it, it’s important to cut things that are too repetitive, simplify your language (I’m talking 8th-grade reading level), and make sure your message is clear from start to finish.

FIELD NOTE: I often read the post out loud—a trick I picked up while studying English in college. This makes it easier to catch awkward or unclear sentences.

2. Optimize the Keyword Placement

At the same time that I’m adjusting for voice and clarity, I’m also focusing on keywords. The beginning of my blog writing process involves keyword research. I research terms that your ideal client is actually looking for, and use those terms as I’m writing the post. I work the main keyword into the title, the first paragraph, and at least one subheading. Then I add related phrases naturally throughout the post. My goal is to help Google understand what the post is about without making it sound like it was written by a robot.

3. Format for Readability

Even the best content can lose people if it’s hard to read. That’s why formatting is such a big part of this blog post checklist. Here are some ways that I do that (that you can also find in this post):

• Break long paragraphs into smaller chunks
• Add subheadings to guide the reader
• Use bullet points where it makes sense
• Sprinkle in bolded and italicized text

I also preview the final layout and make adjustments as needed. Have you ever seen blog posts that are just a wall of text? Absolutely overwhelming. Short paragraphs and good spacing keep people from leaving the page quickly.

4. Add Internal and External Links

Internal Links

Let’s chat about links. I love adding internal links to your other blog posts or service pages so readers can keep exploring your site. Have you ever started reading a blog post, only to find yourself down a rabbit hole, 17 blog posts later? You can thank internal linking. It’s a small step, but it’s key to serving your audience’s needs and keeping them on your site longer.

External Links

In addition to internal links, I also include external links when they add value to the post. If you’re a wedding vendor, linking to other vendors’ websites is a great way to do this. External linking gives your content more depth and shows Google that your site connects to other relevant sources in your niche.

FIELD NOTE: Make sure your external links open in a new tab! You don’t want to be leading people away from your site too easily.

5. Write a Compelling Meta Description

This is one of those often-overlooked steps that makes a big difference. A meta description is the short snippet that shows up under your title in Google search results. Try to keep it under 156 characters, include your keyword, and write it like a mini sales pitch.

The key is to summarize what the post includes while making people want to click through. Something like:

“Before you hit publish, make sure your post checks every box. Steal my blog post checklist to help your blogs stand out and get seen.”

If your meta description reads like a real human wrote it, people are much more likely to click through.

6. Optimize Images

Images matter more than you may realize. They keep readers engaged and make your post easier to share on Pinterest or social media. And, of course, they also play a role in SEO.

Every image I upload is renamed with a descriptive, keyword-friendly file name before uploading (e.g., “spring-wedding-invitations.jpg,” not “IMG_1234”). I also add alt text that describes what’s in the photo and includes a keyword (if it fits naturally).

Finally, I compress each and every image to keep your site running fast. If your page is too slow, people won’t stick around. That can hurt rankings, so this part of the blog post checklist is non-negotiable.

FIELD NOTE: My favorite site for compressing images is TinyPNG.

7. Check the Call to Action and Flow

Every post should lead your reader somewhere, whether that’s filling out your contact form, reading another blog, or downloading a freebie. I always check to make sure the call to action feels natural and makes sense for the post.

Then I read through the entire post again for flow. I always ask myself these questions:

• Does the post answer what I set out to answer?
• Does the message continue through to the end, or does it stray off topic?
• Have I tried to fit too much into this one post?

When your posts flow logically, people read longer. And longer reading time tells Google your post is valuable.

8. Final SEO and Quality Review

Before anything goes live, I run through one last quality check. I review headings and the URL slug to make sure everything aligns with the keyword. I confirm the meta description, double-check spacing, and make sure the formatting feels clean and consistent.

This is also where I make final tweaks to transitions or phrasing if something feels off. It’s the last chance to polish every detail so the post looks cohesive and reads effortlessly. Once it passes that final review, it’s ready to go live!

FIELD NOTE: If you’re using WordPress (my blog platform of choice), you can install a free plugin called Yoast to help you with this step.

Why I Swear by This Blog Post Checklist

Every post that goes live for my clients has gone through this checklist from start to finish. It makes a difference between blogs that just take up space on your website and blogs that perform well.

This process may take time, but it’s what makes blogs work for you long after they’re published. And if you’d rather not spend your time tweaking titles, checking links, and fine-tuning details, that’s exactly what I’m here for! I’ll take care of the research, writing, and optimization so you can focus on what you do best. Learn more about my blogging services here.