Writing content for your business is one thing—making sure people actually find it is another. While search engine optimization (SEO) might sound technical, much of it comes down to how you write and structure your content.
At Progress Planner, we’ve learned a thing or two about writing for SEO—our founders previously built Yoast SEO, the world’s most popular SEO plugin. Now, we help small business owners improve their websites step by step. These tips will get you started with making your content easier to find and more useful to your audience.
1. Start by writing for people, not search engines
A common trap when thinking about SEO is focusing so much on keywords that you forget who you’re really writing for—your potential customers. Search engines are designed to surface content that best answers someone’s question. The better your content does that, the better your chances of showing up.
Before you think about keywords, ask yourself: what problem is someone trying to solve when they land here? What information are they really looking for? Write in a way that feels natural and helpful. A simple test: read your text out loud. If it feels awkward, it probably needs adjusting.
Want more tips on connecting with your audience? Read our post on writing website copy that converts.
2. Use keywords where they matter most
While keywords shouldn’t dominate your writing, placing them in the right spots helps search engines understand what your content is about. A good rule of thumb: include your main keyword in your page title, first paragraph, a few headings, your meta description, and any image alt text.
That’s where Google looks first. For this post, we’re focusing on writing for SEO—it’s clear in all the right places, but we’re not forcing it into every other sentence. A little goes a long way.
3. Structure your content to make it easy to read
Search engines and people both prefer content that’s easy to scan. Nobody likes landing on a huge block of text. Proper structure makes a difference in how long someone sticks around—and that’s a signal Google pays attention to.
Break your content into clear sections with headings and subheadings. Keep paragraphs short and use bullet points or numbered lists where it helps the reader. Adding bold text to highlight key points can guide readers through your main message, especially on mobile screens.
Your homepage plays a big role in first impressions too—check out our guide to making a great first impression with your home page.
4. Write meta titles and descriptions that earn the click
Ranking in search is one thing—getting someone to click is another. That’s where your meta title and meta description come in. These are what show up on the search results page, so it’s worth taking a minute to craft them well.
Your title should include the main keyword and stay under 60 characters. Your meta description should be a clear, benefit-driven summary of what the reader will find, ideally under 150 characters. Think of it as a small pitch that earns the reader’s attention.
5. Add internal links to guide your readers
Internal linking helps search engines understand how your content fits together—and it keeps visitors exploring your site. When you mention a related topic you’ve written about elsewhere, link to it. Not only does this support your SEO, but it also helps your audience find more relevant information.
For example, if you’ve published a guide on writing website copy that converts, that’s the perfect place to add a link. These small connections strengthen your site’s structure and keep people engaged longer.
For example, if you’ve ever wondered how your website signals quality (or poor maintenance), we cover that in our blog post your website might be giving off the wrong signals—here’s why.
6. Don’t forget your images—they matter for SEO too
Images make your content more engaging, but they also play a role in search. Large, unoptimized images can slow your site down—a factor that hurts both user experience and rankings.
Whenever you add images, take a moment to:
- Use descriptive filenames (not IMG_3456.jpg)
- Write alt text that explains what’s in the image
- Compress images so your page loads quickly
Alt text also improves accessibility, which is another good reason to get into the habit.
7. Keep your content fresh and up-to-date
Search engines favor content that’s current and relevant. That means your older posts shouldn’t just sit untouched for years. A regular review can help you spot outdated information, broken links, or opportunities to add new insights.
Sometimes, a small update—like adding internal links or revising your headings—can give an old post a new lease on life and improve its performance in search. If you’re unsure what signs point to website neglect, read our post Neglecting your website? ‘Hello world!’ might be the first sign.
8. Make SEO part of your routine (and get help if you need it)
The hardest part of writing for SEO is making it a habit. It’s easy to write content, publish it, and move on—only to forget about the optimization part altogether. But small improvements, made consistently, add up.
That’s exactly what we help with inside Progress Planner Pro. Our content challenges walk you through steps like reviewing your old content, improving structure, and writing better meta descriptions—all designed to help your website perform better in search, without the overwhelm.
Don’t game the system
Writing search-friendly content isn’t about gaming the system—it’s about creating clear, helpful information that your audience actually wants to find. Focus on writing for people, use keywords wisely, and keep improving as you go.
Want help staying consistent? Join us in Progress Planner Pro and work through SEO content challenges designed for small business owners like you.
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