Blog Post Checklist: What to Do Before You Hit Publish
If you’re a content creator, you know that crafting high-quality content isn’t just about writing—it’s about optimizing, formatting, + preparing your post for maximum reach.
And if you’re a parent entrepreneur, that requirement for quality content creation can feel like a drag when you’re up against the fullness of everyday life.
If you’ve been an OrganicFamilyCEO community member for a while, you know that we prioritize doubling down on the most efficient strategies + saying sayonara to the rest. Your time is too precious to waste in parenthood. (And if you’re new here, welcome!)
Before you hit publish, taking a few extra steps to ensure your blog post is polished, engaging + ready to perform well is worth it. Because once you’ve invested your time here once, your post is equipped to generate traffic, leads, + ultimately SALES for you forever more after that.
Without further ado, here’s your ultimate pre-publish checklist to help you make the most of your hard work.
1. Craft a Strong, Click-Worthy Title
Your blog post title is the first thing potential readers see, so it needs to be compelling + keyword-rich. Ensure it:
- Includes relevant keywords for search engine optimization (SEO).
- Grabs attention + entices readers to click.
For example, instead of “Blog Post Checklist” as the title of this post, I’ve expanded it to include exactly what you’re getting when you read through my content inside → “Blog Post Checklist: What to Do Before You Hit Publish“.
The idea of judging a book by its cover? That applies here: readers judge a post by its title. Make it clickworthy + persuasive.
2. Structure Your Content for Readability
No one likes reading giant blocks of text, so break up your written content with:
- Headings + subheadings.
- Short paragraphs (3-5 lines each maximum).
- Bullet points or numbered lists when appropriate.
Yes, this is different from what we labored over learning in school. Perfectionists, take a deep breath! You’re allowed to break those rules for the sake of readability.
And you should: because nobody is going to benefit from your education if they don’t read it + nobody is going to benefit from your products or services if they don’t have the opportunity to learn about it from the calls-to-action you put at the end of every post (more on that in a minute!).
Think about your own reading habits when you browse content. Typically, readers will skim the first few mini-paragraphs to get a sense of perceived value.
If you don’t think a post will continue to benefit you — + benefit you quickly — you’ll bail. And so will your readers if you don’t make it easy for them to consume + enjoy your content.
3. Link to Relevant Past Content (Internal Linking)
A great way to keep readers engaged on your site is by linking to related blog posts. This improves your blog’s SEO + encourages visitors to explore more of your content.
Don’t be afraid to reference + hyperlink another relevant blog or business’ past content outside of your own. Yes, you read that right.
While your goal is to keep as much traffic pointed to your site as possible, you present as a more credible source to your readers when you show you 1) have done your research + 2) you have confidence in sharing the stage with other like-minded brands they might enjoy.
You’ll build trust over the long term, which is essential for stronger sales. And, trust me, there are enough blog views to go around!
Tip: If you’re on WordPress, try the Yoast SEO plugin.
4. Add a Call-to-Action (CTA)
Ask yourself: What do you want your readers to do after reading?
Encourage them to take a single action:
- Leave a comment.
- Ask a question.
- Share the post on social media.
- Sign up for your email list.
- Save their spot in a free training or workshop.
- Click your unique shopping link to an affiliate or promotional discount.
The opportunities are endless. You just did all of this involved work to share relevant, engaging content + now it’s time to take advantage of the chance to connect with your community + convert it into a win for you (new subscriber, affiliate commission, valuable feedback, etc.). Do it!
5. Optimize Your Images
Make sure every image you upload:
- Is high-quality.
- Aligns with your brand style.
- Has a descriptive file name with keywords (e.g., “parent-entrepreneur-blog-checklist.jpg” instead of “IMG_1234.jpg”).
- Includes an alt text description for accessibility + SEO benefits.
Don’t forget the alt text!
For most WordPress themes, the alt text will be added to the “description” automatically when someone pins an image from your site. Descriptions are powerful on search engines like Pinterest, especially when you add keywords, compelling text, + a call to action. You can gain + keep more traffic this way!
Here’s the description for this blog post’s image “alt text”:
Blog Post Checklist: What to Do Before You Hit Publish | If you want to grow your blog as part of your content marketing strategy, but need an efficient pre-publish blog post checklist, then this post is for you! It includes 10 tips for bloggers, which will help your work be seen by more people + help you publish blog posts in less time! Click through to check out all of the steps.
If you pin any image from this blog post on Pinterest, you will see this text pop up in the pin description underneath.
Alt text is just as important for Google SEO, too, because it helps the search engine understand the content of images, which can improve your website’s visibility in search results.
When people type in keywords for something they want to learn more about + your image is titled with those keywords in the alt text, your blog post rises to the top of the suggestion list. Win!
6. Set a Featured Image
If your platform (like WordPress) supports featured images, set one. This will ensure your blog post looks visually appealing when shared.
You know when someone shares an article + the first image tends to pop up next to the title? This is that image!
7. Proofread + Edit Thoroughly
Even the best writers make mistakes. To catch errors:
- Read your post aloud.
- Use grammar-checking tools. (We love Grammarly.)
- Have someone else review it, if possible.
For the LOVE of all things good in this world, PLEASE do not skip proofreading. You risk your credibility when your posts are grammatically incorrect. And if your audience is a stickler for word choice + spelling, then you risk your authority altogether.
Am I being dramatic? No.
Being conversational or having a more casual tone to your writing still requires you to be clear.
Think about the type of relationship exchange you want to have with your audience. If your blog serves to educate + inspire, then your professionalism is required on the page just as much as in your brand images, product + service delivery, customer service experience, + more.
8. Ensure SEO Best Practices are in Place
To increase your post’s visibility in search engines, check that you:
- Have a target keyword naturally integrated.
- Include the keyword in the title, URL, + meta description.
- Use proper header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.).
What exactly is a “target keyword”?
A target keyword in SEO is the main word or phrase you want a blog post to rank for in search engine results. It represents the search term that your ideal audience is likely to type into Google/Pinterest when looking for content like yours.
For example, if you’re writing a blog post about “best organic baby food brands,” your target keyword might be “organic baby food” or “best organic baby food brands.” You would strategically place this keyword in your blog’s title, headings, meta description, URL, + throughout the content to help search engines understand what your post is about.
Psst… Guess where else you tuck your target keyword? In that “alt text” we talked about earlier!
9. Preview Your Post Before Publishing
Before making your post live, preview it to check:
- Formatting consistency.
- Mobile responsiveness. Turn your phone vertical + horizontal to check both views.
10. Break Up Your Sections with Images + Feature Blocks
After ensuring your content is clear + best formatted for SEO, take an aerial view of your post layout to determine where visual breaks could be beneficial.
Human eyes can get tired reading through long forms, so breaking up the longer text document with intermittent images, quote blocks, opt-in forms, etc. can help give visual breaks that keep your reader moving through your page, not jumping off of it.
Zoom out to view your full post layout.
Click to “preview” your blog post in desktop mode, then use Ctrl + “-” to zoom out on your internet browser. Keep tapping the “-” symbol until you can see the majority of your post all on the screen at once without needing to scroll.
From here, you can determine where some visual breaks could best fit. Use the Ctrl + “+” to return back to your regular browser window size.
You’re helping your readers rest, not quit.
What questions do you have about blog post publishing?
By following these steps before you hit publish, you set your blog post up for success. But your job isn’t done yet! Stick around for the next post where I detail what to do after your post goes live.
