Blog SEO starts with keyword selection. Pick one primary keyword per post based on search volume, difficulty, and whether you can realistically rank for it. Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find terms with 200–2,000 monthly searches and manageable competition. Your title tag should include the keyword near the beginning and stay under 60 characters. The H1 should match or closely mirror the title tag, and your URL slug should be short and keyword-focused, like /blog/how-to-do-blog-seo instead of /blog/post-12345. Structure matters. Use H2 and H3 subheadings to break content into scannable sections that answer related questions. Google looks for clear hierarchy. Your intro paragraph should answer the query in 2–3 sentences so readers and crawlers immediately know the post is relevant. Aim for 800–1,500 words for most topics, but let search intent dictate length. A quick how-to might only need 600 words; a comprehensive comparison might need 2,000. Internal linking is where most blogs fail. Every post should link to 2–4 other relevant posts or pillar pages on your site. This distributes authority and helps Google understand your site's topical clusters. At Ottawa SEO, we map blog posts to pillar pages before writing, so each post reinforces a core topic like content marketing, technical SEO, or local search. Technical basics include image alt text with natural keyword usage, fast page load under 2.5 seconds, and mobile-responsive design. Use schema markup for articles if your CMS supports it. Publish consistently, whether that's weekly or monthly, because search engines reward sites that add fresh content regularly. Promotion matters as much as optimization. Share posts on LinkedIn or industry forums to generate early traffic signals. Build backlinks by reaching out to sites that covered similar topics and suggesting your post as an updated resource. Track rankings in Google Search Console and double down on posts that crack page two by updating them with newer data or expanding sections that underperform.