SEO Checklist for Blog Posts: 15 Checks Before You Hit Publish

Before you write: 3 checks that save the post

1. One query per post. Write it down: "how to clean a tent", not "tents".
2. Check intent in a private window. Search the query. If the top results are step-by-step guides, write a guide. If they are product lists, a guide will struggle.
3. Check you have not already written it. In Search Console, open Performance, filter Query contains your main word, then click the Pages tab. If an old post already shows for it, update that post instead of writing a new one. Two posts on one query split the clicks.

The 15-point pre-publish checklist

Why some of these matter:

• Titles and descriptions: Google sets no character limit, but cuts them to fit the screen and may rewrite them (Google, title links; snippets). Put the important words first. Patterns to copy: title and meta swipe file.
• Author and date: Google's helpful content guidance asks whether it is clear who wrote the content and suggests bylines where readers would expect them (Google, Creating helpful content).
• Structured data: mark up only what is visible on the page (Google structured data guidelines). FAQ markup will not earn rich results for most sites: Google limited them to well-known government and health sites in 2023 (Google).
• Keywords: there is no keyword density target, and keyword stuffing is against Google's spam policies (SEO Starter Guide).

Worked example (fictional)

northwind-outdoors.com is about to publish "Tent cleaning tips".

• Before: title "Tent Cleaning Tips", slug /blog/2026/10/tent-cleaning-tips, intro about the founder's first camping trip, no links.
• After: title "How to Clean a Tent Without Ruining the Coating", slug /blog/how-to-clean-a-tent, first sentence "Clean a tent with lukewarm water, a sponge and a non-detergent soap, then dry it fully before you pack it.", a 6-step numbered list with photos, links to the tent care kit and the "how to waterproof a tent" post.

Same topic, same length. The second version answers the search in the first line and gives Google a clear reason to show it.

After you publish

1. Link to it from 2 to 3 older posts on related topics. This is the fastest way for Google to find a new post (internal linking playbook).
2. Request indexing in Search Console's URL Inspection for posts that matter. Skip it for the rest; your sitemap covers them.
3. Check it after 28 days. In Performance, filter Page to the post's URL. Look at queries and impressions. If it shows for a different query than planned, adjust the title and the first paragraph to match.

Update old posts instead of writing new ones

Every quarter, compare the last 3 months with the 3 months before by page. Posts that lost clicks are usually faster wins than new posts: update facts and screenshots, add the missing section, keep the URL. Change the visible "updated" date only when you made a real change.