If you want your website to attract clients, SEO blog writing is one of the most effective ways to get found by people already searching for what you offer.
Writing a blog that ranks and brings in the right audience takes more than just keywords. This guide walks you through a step-by-step process to write content that will rank in search, build trust with your audience, and bring in clients.
When I started blogging, it wasn’t because I loved writing or had an endless supply of thoughts to share.
I started blogging because I needed clients.
I needed a way to get in front of the people who were already searching for what I had to offer, without relying on social media.
When I took my personal training business online in 2020, I knew I didn’t want to play the social media game. It felt unpredictable, noisy, and honestly, like a terrible use of my time.
I wanted a strategy that worked with my introvert energy, something that helped me build relationships with potential clients without having to post daily just to stay visible.
That’s what blogging became for me:
➡️ A way for clients to find me on Google.
➡️ A way to connect with them before we ever had a conversation.
➡️ A way to grow my business without relying on Instagram trends.
At first, I followed the standard Search Engine Optimization (SEO) advice: start with keywords, optimize everything, and hope for the best.
And while that helped, the blog posts that performed best, the ones that built trust with my audience and actually brought in leads, weren’t just optimized for search. They were written for people first.
Over time, I refined my approach. Instead of starting with SEO, I built my blog around three things:
- The topics I wanted to be known for
- The questions my audience was already asking
- Writing in a way that felt natural and built connection
SEO came last, not first.
That shift made all the difference.
If you want your blog to bring in clients, write for people first, optimize second.
That’s how you build a blog that doesn’t just bring in traffic but brings in the right people, the ones who trust you before they even reach out.
Here’s how to do it.
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This is a juicy post! To make your life easier, I’ve put together the SEO Kickstart Kit, a collection of five essential SEO checklists, including a Mastering Your Blog checklist that helps you organize and apply everything you’ll learned in this post.
Is A Blog Necessary For SEO?
If you want your website to bring in new clients, people need to be able to find it. And that means showing up in search engine results.
But here’s the thing: Google can’t rank what doesn’t exist.
A website with just a homepage, a contact page, and a few service pages isn’t enough. It doesn’t give search engines, or searchers, much to go on.
By regularly adding useful, relevant content to your blog, you’re creating more ways for people to discover you, more ways for Google to understand what you do, and more reasons for visitors to binge your content.
Here’s how blogging actively improves your search rankings and attracts the right audience:
- Topical Authority: Google prioritizes websites that demonstrate expertise on a subject. A blog allows you to create a deep, searchable library of content that proves you know your stuff.
- Keyword Visibility: Each blog post is an opportunity to rank for the words and phrases your audience is already searching for. More high-quality content means more chances to appear on the search engine results pages.
- Freshness & Relevance: Search engines favor sites that consistently provide useful, up-to-date content. Your blog helps you stay relevant in Google’s eyes.
- Engagement & Retention: A blog gives people a reason to stay on your site, explore more of your content, and come back for more. The longer they stay, the stronger the signal to Google that your website is valuable.
Can you rank well without a blog? The unfortunate truth is, probably not.
Pay attention as you interact with search results. Do the top-ranked results for YOUR search queries have a blog (or other long-form content) on their website??
The 3 Jobs Of A Blog Post: Attract, Connect, Convert
Every blog post should do three things: attract visitors, connect with them, and convert them into subscribers, leads or clients.
1) Attract: How to Write an SEO Blog Post That Calls in Your Ideal Audience
Your blog is your opportunity to show up in search results when your audience is actively looking for answers. But to attract the right readers, the ones most likely to become clients, you need to write about the topics that matter to them and align with your expertise.
That’s where content pillars come in.
Step 1: Choose 3-5 Core Areas You Want to Be Known For
Instead of writing about anything and everything, your blog should focus on 3-5 key areas that establish your authority and make it easy for Google and potential clients to understand what you do.
These become your content pillars and your blog’s high-level categories. They will guide the specific topics you’ll cover with individual blog posts.
To define these pillars, ask yourself:
- What core topics relate to your services and expertise? Think about the areas where you bring the most value.
- What do you want to be known as an expert in?
- What words and phrases do you want to be associated with in search results?
Limit yourself to 3-5 pillars.
This makes your content more strategic and helps Google recognize your website as an authority in your niche.
The stronger your content is within a specific topic area, the more likely Google is to rank your site for related searches.
Everything you write should connect back to one of these core areas. This reinforces your expertise (your topical authority!) and makes your blog a valuable resource for potential clients.
Once you’ve defined your pillars, the next step is choosing specific blog topics that match what your audience is already searching for.
Step 2: Brainstorm Topics That People Are Searching For
A great blog post answers a real question your audience is already asking and creates an opportunity for them to find and trust you.
Before someone is ready to hire you, they’re searching for solutions, sometimes before they even realize what service they need or that your solution even exists. Your blog should help bridge that gap.
Ask yourself:
- What are your ideal clients Googling at 2 AM?
- What problems are popping into their head first thing in the morning?
- What problems do they need help solving before they realize you offer the solution?
Think about the early stages of their journey, when they don’t yet know what service they need.
What questions come up in consultations or client conversations? If people ask you the same things repeatedly, those are topics worth turning into blog posts.
When your blog is built around what your audience is already searching for, it stops being just content and starts working as a tool that brings in the right people and builds connection before you ever speak to them.
See also: 5 Seriously Smart Ways to Figure Out What Your Audience is Searching For
📢 Your blog isn’t a dumping ground for random thoughts.
Every post should be written with purpose.
Before you start writing, make sure your post checks these three boxes:
- Aligns with your expertise. Your blog should position you as an authority in your field. If a topic isn’t something you want to be known for, it doesn’t belong on your site.
- Supports your offers. Your content should naturally lead readers toward your paid services or products. Blog posts don’t have to be sales pages, but they should connect to what you do.
- Answers real questions. If no one is searching for it, why are you writing it? A strong blog strategy is based on what your audience is actually looking for—not just what you feel like talking about.
Step 3: Select A Focus Keyword
Topics aren’t keywords.
Before you start writing, you need to choose one main SEO keyword, the primary search term your blog post will be optimized for.
This keyword should:
- Reflect the main topic of your post
- Be something people are actively searching for
- Align with your expertise and services
Turn a topic into an SEO keyword by performing keyword research to make sure the word or phrase worth targeting by checking its search demand.
A quick and easy way to do this is with Google’s built-in search features.
Start typing your keyword into the Google search bar. If Google suggests completions, that means people are actively searching for it.
If nothing comes up, try tweaking the phrasing to match how people naturally search.
If you want to take it a step further, tools like Ubersuggest or SEMrush can show search volume and competition.
These can be really helpful, but diving into them is beyond what we’ll cover here.
A little keyword research upfront helps ensure your blog post actually gets found, so it’s worth taking a few extra minutes to check. Once you’ve got your SEO keyword nailed down, you’re ready to write.
Step 4: Write the Blog Post
Now that you’ve got your focus keyword, it’s time to start writing.
Start with a Clear Structure
A well-structured post makes it easier to write and easier to read.
Most blog posts follow a simple flow:
- Introduction: Hook the reader by addressing the problem or question they came to solve.
- Main Content: Break it into clear sections with subheadings so readers can skim (because they will).
- Conclusion: Wrap it up and direct them to the next step, whether that’s another post, a resource, or working with you.
Write Like a Human, Not a Textbook
Your blog should sound like you, not a college essay or a Wikipedia entry. Keep your writing clear, conversational, and easy to follow, just like you’d explain something to a client.
- Use simple, natural language. If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it that way.
- Write with your audience in mind. What do they already know? What do they need to know? Keep it relevant.
Pro Tip: Write With The Goal To Conclude The Search
The best blog posts don’t just answer a question. They fully satisfy the searcher’s intent so they don’t have to go back to Google for more information.
Before hitting publish, ask yourself:
- Does this post fully answer the original question?
- Are there obvious follow-up questions I haven’t addressed?
- Would a reader still need to search for more details elsewhere?
If your post leaves gaps, searchers will bounce back to Google, and Google notices.
A comprehensive post keeps readers on your site, which signals to search engines that your content deserves to rank.
Step 5: Optimize for Discoverability and Readability
Once your draft is written, the next step is making sure it’s easy to read and optimized to get found in search.
Break Up Your Content
Online readers skim. If your post looks like a solid wall of text, people will bounce before they even start reading.
- Use short paragraphs (1-3 sentences max).
- Break up sections with subheadings (H2 and H3 tags) so readers can jump to what matters most.
- Use bullet points and numbered lists to make key takeaways stand out.
- Add images, infographics, or screenshots to make your content more engaging.
Use Your SEO Keyword in the Right Places
Google scans your post to understand what it’s about, and where you use your keyword matters. Make sure your focus keyword appears in:
- The blog post title (the H1 heading for your blog post)
- The SEO title and meta description (which help Google understand your work AND control how your post appears in the search results)
- At least one subheading (if it sounds natural, otherwise use keyword variations in your subheadings)
- Naturally throughout the content (without forcing it)
You don’t need to overdo it. Google’s algorithm is smart enough to understand synonyms and context.
The goal is to make it easy for both search engines and humans to know what your post is about.
Write a Strong, Click-Worthy Title
Your blog title should be clear, specific, and compelling enough that someone scrolling through search results wants to click on it.
A good blog post title:
- Includes your focus keyword near the beginning
- Clearly tells the reader what they’ll get from the post
- Creates curiosity without being clickbait
📢 Before we move on, I want to make sure this was crystal clear:
We didn’t start with SEO. We didn’t start by chasing keywords.
We started with your expertise and the questions your clients are actually asking.
SEO isn’t about Google. It’s about understanding what your customer needs, how they’re searching for it and how you can position yourself to get in front of them with your relevant solutions.
Focus on that, and you’ll get far better results than if you waste time trying to “hack” an algorithm.
2) Connect: Build Trust and Show Expertise
Attracting the right readers is one thing, making them trust you is another.
A strong blog doesn’t just teach; it makes people feel confident that they’re in the right place and that you know what you’ve actually been in their shoes.
Google prioritizes E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), and so do your readers.
Your blog should demonstrate all four in a way that makes people feel like they’ve landed exactly where they need to be.
How to Build Emotional Connection Through Your Blog
People don’t connect with content. They connect with the person behind it.
The best way to build “know, like and trust” with your audience is to not only show that you’re wicked smart, but to also convey that you understand them.
- Demonstrate Expertise: I’m not talking about credentials. I’m talking about sharing experiences, insights, and real-world examples that make it clear you know what you’re talking about.
- Use Images & Video: Walls of text don’t create connection–but a picture of your face does. Break things up with photos and embed videos,
- Tell Stories: Share real-life examples that make your content relatable. If your audience can see themselves in what you’re saying, they’re more likely to trust you.
How To Build Literal Connection Through Your Blog
Links don’t just connect ideas, they create the structure of your website. A well-linked blog makes it easier for readers to navigate and helps Google understand how your content fits together.
Internal Links: Keep Readers Engaged
- Link to related posts so readers stay on your site.
- Connect content naturally. If you mention a strategy covered elsewhere, link to it.
- Guide readers to the next step, whether that’s another post, a service page, or a resource.
External Links: Build Credibility
- Cite trustworthy and authoritative sources to back up claims.
- Show Google your content is well-researched.
- Earn reader trust by citing your work.
Backlinks: Earn Trust by Association
- Backlinks from trusted sites act as votes of confidence.
- Google rewards backlinks with higher rankings.
- A link from a high-authority, high-traffic site brings in more readers.
Pro Tip: Include an Author Bio in your blog template
Your author bio is a trust signal for both Google and your readers.
It shows search engines and visitors that your insights come from real experience and expertise, not just opinions.
A strong author bio includes:
- A short introduction: Who you are and how you help people.
- Your credibility markers: Relevant background, experience, or credentials.
- A clear next step: How readers can connect with you or work with you.
- A professional headshot: Adds a personal touch and builds trust.
Keep it concise, just 2-4 sentences.
And to save time, add your bio to your blog template so it’s automatically included in every post.
Scroll to the bottom of this post to see an example!
3) Convert: Guide Readers to Take the Next Step
A blog post that educates is great. A blog post that gets people to take action is even better.
If someone finds your post, reads it, and clicks away without doing anything next, that’s a missed opportunity.
Your content should naturally guide readers toward a next step, whether that’s reading another post, signing up for your email list , or reaching out to work with you.
How to Convert Readers
The key is a clear, relevant call to action (CTA).
Your CTA should make sense based on what the reader just learned.
If someone is reading about SEO basics, asking them to book a full SEO audit might be too much too soon.
But offering a free SEO checklist?
That fits.
Make Your CTA Stand Out
A CTA won’t work if no one notices it. Make sure it’s easy to see and compelling enough to click.
- Use buttons, bold text, or contrasting colors so it stands out.
- Be specific. Instead of “Click here,” say, “Download the free SEO checklist.”
- Place CTAs where they make sense. Don’t just put one at the end. Add a mid-post CTA for readers who don’t scroll all the way down.
A strong blog post gives readers value and a reason to take action. If they found your post helpful, help them take the next step.
Spread the Word – Get More Eyes on Your Content
Hitting publish isn’t enough. If you want people to read your post in the short term, you need to get it in front of them.
Waiting for Google to send traffic your way is a long game.
In the meantime? Take an active role in promoting your content.
Get more eyes on your blog post:
- Send it to your email list: Your blog isn’t just for new visitors. Your existing audience will benefit from it too.
- Post it on social media: Pull out key takeaways, quotes, or insights and share them in engaging formats.
- Send it directly to individuals: If you know someone who would benefit from the post, send it to them.
- Share in groups (where allowed): Don’t just drop a link. Contribute to conversations and provide value.
- Repurpose it into a YouTube video: Reaching people on multiple platforms extends the life of your content.
The more places your content shows up, the more traffic (and potential clients) it can bring in.
Pro Tip: Submit To Google Search Console (SUPER IMPORTANT FOR SMALL WEBSITES!!!)
Make sure Google sees your work, because if Google doesn’t see it, it can’t rank it.
After publishing your post, submit the URL to Google Search Console to speed up indexing.
This tells Google, “Hey, there’s fresh content here,” so it can be crawled and added to search results faster.
To do this:
- Go to Google Search Console.
- Enter your blog post URL in the URL Inspection Tool at the top of the screen and click submit.
- After Google lets you know “Your URL is not on Google”, click Request Indexing.
This step will add your work to a priority crawl queue so that your post doesn’t sit in search engine limbo, waiting to be discovered.
Blogging FAQs
How Long Should My Blog Post Be?
There’s a lot of bad advice about blog length.
Some people claim every post needs to be at least 500 words, but that number is completely made up.
Google’s official stance? There’s no minimum word count.
But in practice:
- Longer content does tends to rank better. A study by Backlinko found that the average first-page result on Google contains about 1,447 words.
- Quality matters more than length. A well-written, detailed 800-word post should outperform a rambling 2,000-word post with no real value.
- Check what’s already ranking. Google your keyword and see how long the top posts are. If they average 1,800 words, a 500-word post probably won’t cut it.
If writing long posts feels overwhelming, it’s okay to start small–just set your expectations accordingly. A short blog post is better than no blog post, and you can always add more later.
How Often Do I Need to Blog?
There’s no perfect posting schedule. The best frequency is the one you can actually stick to.
That said, a few things to keep in mind:
- Google wants to see a body of work. If your site is new, publishing consistently, even if it’s just once a month, helps build authority.
- Quality over quantity. One well-written post a month is better than a rushed post every week.
- More content means more chances to rank. The sooner you publish useful content, the sooner Google can index and rank it.
Ultimately, choose a schedule you can maintain without sacrificing quality.
Why Don’t My Blog Posts Show Up in Google Search Results?
If you just hit publish and can’t find your post on Google, here’s why:
- Your website is new. It takes time to build authority and trust with search engines.
- Your blog post is new. It can take weeks or months for content to gain traction in search results.
- You haven’t submitted it to Google Search Console. If Google doesn’t know your post exists, it won’t rank it.
- The keyword is highly competitive. If you’re targeting a competitive keyword, your post may need more authority and backlinks to rank.
- Your SEO needs work. Poor structure, weak optimization, or thin content won’t perform well in search.
How Long Will It Take My Blog Post to Rank on Google?
It depends on your website’s authority and the competition for your keyword.
The competition around your target keywords: If you’re targeting highly competitive terms, it will take more effort to rank.
Your topical authority: The more you prove your expertise on a topic, the quicker you’ll gain traction.
The quality of your content: Well-researched, genuinely helpful content performs better.
For established websites: You might see ranking movement in three to six months, but movement doesn’t always mean first-page visibility. Competition, backlinks, and content quality all play a role.
For new websites: If your site is brand new, expect six to twelve months before seeing real traction. Google needs time to understand your content and assess its authority.
SEO is a long game.
Consistency and patience win.
How Do I Know If My Blog Strategy Is Working?
SEO takes time, so how do you know if your efforts are paying off?
- Check Google Search Console. See what keywords your posts are ranking for, how often they appear in search, and how many clicks they’re getting.
- Use Google Analytics. Track visitor behavior:
- How long are people staying on your blog?
- Are they clicking through to other pages?
- Are they leaving right away?
- Look at conversions. Are blog readers signing up for emails, booking calls, or engaging with your content?
Adjust as needed. If certain posts underperform, update them with fresh insights, better formatting, or stronger calls to action.
See also: How Do You Know If Your SEO Is “Working”?
What If I’m Not a Great Writer?
You don’t need to be a professional writer to create blog posts that rank and bring in clients.
- Use AI strategically. ChatGPT can help outline posts or refine sections, but don’t let it flatten your voice.
- Start small. Done is better than perfect. You can always improve posts later.
- Repurpose content you already have. If you’ve written Instagram captions, email newsletters, or client FAQs, use them as a starting point.
See also: How To Repurpose Your Instagram Captions for Your Blog
Want To Make This Even Easier?
SEO blog writing isn’t just about getting traffic.
It’s about bringing in people who will go on to become your customers and clients.
The people who are actively looking for what you do and are more likely to become clients.
But to do that, your blog needs to do more than rank.
It needs to establish your authority, build trust with readers, and give them a next step.
If you’ve made it this far, you already have the blueprint to make that happen.
The next step?
Putting it into action.
To make it easier, I’ve put together the SEO Kickstart Kit, a collection of five essential SEO checklists, including a Mastering Your Blog checklist that helps you organize and apply everything you’ve learned in this post.
👉 Download the SEO Kickstart Kit now and start turning your blog into a client-generating machine.
