Blog meta tags and technical SEO checklist (WordPress, Blogger, Google Sites)

Blog meta tags and technical SEO checklist (WordPress, Blogger, Google Sites)

Last updated on December 09, 2025

Daniil Poletaev

Daniil Poletaev

CEO @BlogBowl

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Why meta tags and technical SEO still matter in 2025

Your best content can underperform if search engines can’t read, interpret, and present it correctly. In 2025, blog meta tags and technical SEO are still the levers that influence how Google and AI assistants discover, rank, and display your posts - especially title links, snippets, canonicalization, indexability, and structured data. Clean signals mean better eligibility, richer results, and higher click-through rates.

"Sites that follow the Search Essentials are more likely to show up in Google's search results." - Source

What you’ll learn in this checklist (titles, descriptions, canonicals, robots, schema, sitemaps)

  • Titles that rank and get clicks: how to write title tags that align with intent and avoid truncation

  • Meta descriptions that boost CTR without keyword stuffing

  • Canonical tags to consolidate duplicate URLs and protect rankings

  • Robots directives (meta robots and robots.txt) to control crawling and indexing safely

  • Core schema for blogs (Organization, WebSite, Article, Breadcrumb) to unlock rich results

  • Sitemaps (XML + image/video where relevant) and how to submit/monitor in Search Console

  • Platform-by-platform steps for WordPress, Blogger (Blogspot), and Google Sites

  • Quick QA checks to catch indexability and snippet issues before they cost you traffic

Who this is for: WordPress, Blogger (Blogspot), and Google Sites users

  • WordPress: You want a practical, low-friction “seo for blog posts” workflow using reliable plugins and lightweight themes, without turning your site into a maintenance project.

  • Blogger (Blogspot): You need “seo for blogger blogspot” basics - clean titles, descriptions, and index controls - with workarounds where the platform is limited.

  • Google Sites: You want a simple path to indexable pages, solid titles/descriptions, and a sitemap submission routine even with fewer customization options.

  • Teams using BlogBowl or similar tools: You want blog content SEO handled automatically - titles, schema, sitemaps, and internal linking - so you can focus on writing.

The 80/20 of blog meta tags: what moves rankings and clicks

  • Title tag = primary ranking and CTR lever

    • Front-load primary intent; keep it clear, unique, and under ~60 characters where possible.

  • Meta description = CTR nudge

    • Summarize benefit + key terms naturally; aim for ~150–160 characters. Not a ranking factor - but a proven click driver.

  • Canonical tag = authority consolidation

    • Prevent duplicate URLs (UTM variations, category/tag archives) from splitting signals. Canonicals help Google focus on the right URL.

  • Robots controls = indexability insurance

    • Use meta robots (index, follow) prudently; avoid accidental noindex on live posts. Keep robots.txt lean - don’t block CSS/JS needed for rendering.

  • Schema (Article, Organization, WebSite, Breadcrumb) = eligibility for richer search display

    • Helps Google understand entities and page type, improving how your “google blog writing” appears in SERPs.

  • Sitemaps = faster discovery and debugging

    • Clean, auto-updating XML sitemaps make it easier for Google to find fresh posts and for you to catch coverage issues in Search Console.

These elements are the backbone of a “best SEO blog” setup: they influence what gets indexed, which URL ranks, and how your snippet earns the click.

How to use this guide: skim first, then complete your platform’s section and the final QA

  • Skim the whole checklist first

    • Get familiar with the essentials - titles, descriptions, canonicals, robots, schema, sitemaps - and why each matters to blog content SEO.

  • Complete your platform’s steps

    • WordPress: Configure your SEO plugin, theme settings, and schema. Validate titles, canonicals, and sitemaps.

    • Blogger (Blogspot): Set custom title/description, ensure clean permalinks, and control indexability.

    • Google Sites: Confirm page titles/descriptions, connect a custom domain if possible, and submit the sitemap through Search Console.

  • Run the final QA pass on every post

    • Title present, unique, and intent-matched

    • Meta description concise and compelling

    • Canonical points to the preferred URL

    • Page is indexable (no accidental noindex; not blocked by robots.txt)

    • Article/Breadcrumb schema valid

    • Included in XML sitemap and submitted to Search Console

  • Optional: Automate with BlogBowl

    • BlogBowl can auto-generate SEO-friendly titles, descriptions, schema, sitemaps, and internal links - ideal if you want “google article writing” consistency at scale without manual overhead.

The essential blog meta tags (with templates that boost CTR)

Meta tags are the “visible handshake” between your content and searchers. Done right, they lift click-through rates and help search engines choose the right URL, snippet, and social card. Below is the practical 80/20 for blog content SEO - what to write, where to place it, and how to validate it fast.

Title tags: character and pixel limits, intent-first phrasing, keyword placement

Your title tag is the single biggest on-page lever for both rankings and clicks. Lead with intent, keep it unique per post, and avoid truncation.

  • Intent-first phrasing: Put the core query up front and promise a clear outcome or benefit.

  • Natural keyword placement: Include the primary keyword early without stuffing.

  • Avoid boilerplate: Keep site name for the end - or omit it on ultra-tight titles.

Tip:

  • Aim for ≈55–60 characters. On desktop, titles truncate near 580–600 px. Longer titles may still work if important words are front-loaded.

"The highest conversion rates occur on pages loading between 0–2 seconds; conversion rate declines with each additional second." - Source

Why it matters here: fast pages show more of your title and snippet sooner, reduce pogo-sticking, and support higher CTR from SERPs.

Meta descriptions: promise + benefit + CTA; when Google rewrites them

Descriptions aren’t a ranking factor, but they strongly influence clicks. Write them for humans - promise value, highlight a benefit, and end with a micro-CTA.

  • Formula: Promise + Key benefit + Specific outcome + CTA (e.g., “compare, download, learn in minutes”).

  • When Google rewrites: If your description is missing, duplicated, too long, or mismatched with a query, Google may pull a dynamic snippet from the page. That’s okay - your job is to provide a concise default that sells the click.

Tip:

  • Aim for ≈150–160 characters. Desktop snippets often truncate around 920–980 px. Put the strongest value first.

Robots meta: index/noindex, follow/nofollow, max-image-preview, and when to use them

Robots directives control indexing and link discovery. Use them to prevent thin or duplicate pages from entering the index and to enable richer previews.

  • index/noindex: Use noindex on thin archives, test pages, and tag pages you don’t want ranking.

  • follow/nofollow: Use follow by default; nofollow for untrusted or user-generated outbound links (or annotate per-link).

  • max-image-preview: Use max-image-preview: large to enable richer image snippets where eligible.

Tip:

  • Don’t block CSS/JS in robots.txt - Google needs them to render your page accurately.

Canonical tags: consolidating duplicates and parameters (UTM, session IDs)

Canonicals help search engines pick the one URL to rank when duplicates exist (e.g., tracking parameters, paginated views, or near-duplicates).

  • Self-canonical on primary posts.

  • Point variants (e.g., ?utm_source, session IDs) to the clean URL.

  • Avoid conflicting signals: Don’t pair rel=canonical to A while redirecting to B.

Tip:

  • If two pages truly serve the same intent, canonicalize the weaker one to the stronger, then add internal links to reinforce the preferred URL.

Social cards: Open Graph and Twitter tags to improve shares and secondary traffic

Open Graph (Facebook/LinkedIn) and Twitter Card tags control how your post looks when shared - title, description, and image. Strong social cards earn more clicks from shares, newsletters, and messaging apps.

  • og:title, og:description, og:url, og:image

  • twitter:card (summary_large_image), twitter:title, twitter:description, twitter:image

  • Use a 1200×630 image (or platform-recommended) with crisp text and brand cues.

Tip:

  • Keep OG/Twitter titles aligned to your HTML title but not necessarily identical - social readers respond well to benefit-led phrasing.

Copy/paste templates by platform (WordPress, Blogger, Google Sites)

Use these reusable snippets and patterns to move fast without sacrificing quality.

# WORDPRESS (Yoast SEO / Rank Math) TITLE & DESCRIPTION TEMPLATES # Yoast SEO
Title template: %%title%% | %%sitename%%
Meta description: %%excerpt%% # Rank Math
Title template: %title% %sep% %sitename%
Meta description: %excerpt% # Notes:
# - Let the plugin output canonical and robots automatically for posts.
# - Override per-post when needed (e.g., noindex on thin archives).
<!-- BLOGGER (BLOGSPOT) - Add to Theme > Edit HTML in <head> -->
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'> <title><data:blog.pageName/> | <data:blog.title/></title> <meta name="description" expr:content='data:post.snippet'/> <link rel="canonical" expr:href='data:blog.canonicalUrl'/> <meta name="robots" content="index, follow, max-image-preview:large"/> <!-- Open Graph --> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" expr:content='data:blog.pageName &quot; | &quot; + data:blog.title'/> <meta property="og:description" expr:content='data:post.snippet'/> <meta property="og:url" expr:content='data:blog.canonicalUrl'/> <meta property="og:image" expr:content='data:post.firstImageUrl'/> <!-- Twitter --> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" expr:content='data:blog.pageName &quot; | &quot; + data:blog.title'/> <meta name="twitter:description" expr:content='data:post.snippet'/> <meta name="twitter:image" expr:content='data:post.firstImageUrl'/>
</b:if>
# GOOGLE SITES (WORKFLOW)
# - Set Page title and Description in Pages > Properties.
# - Use a custom domain for clean canonicals.
# - Submit the Sites-generated sitemap in Google Search Console.
# - For social cards, ensure a high-quality featured image is present on the page.

Preview & validate: SERP snippet tools and social share debuggers

Before you publish, preview how your post will appear - both in Google and across social networks.

  • SERP previews:

    • Use your SEO plugin’s snippet editor (Yoast/Rank Math) to check length, truncation, and mobile/desktop variants.

    • Confirm primary keyword visibility in the first ~50–55 characters.

  • Social debuggers:

    • Facebook Sharing Debugger and LinkedIn Post Inspector refresh cached OG data.

    • X/Twitter Card Validator validates summary_large_image rendering.

  • Technical checks:

    • View source to confirm one canonical per page and a single, consistent robots meta tag.

    • Ensure OG and Twitter tags reference an absolute URL for images (HTTPS, publicly accessible).

How BlogBowl helps:

  • BlogBowl auto-generates SEO-friendly titles, meta descriptions, canonicals, robots, and OG/Twitter tags for every post. You can override per article, but the defaults are tuned for “blog meta tags” best practices - ideal for fast, consistent “seo for blog posts” on WordPress, Blogger (Blogspot), and Google Sites.

WordPress: step-by-step technical SEO checklist

Stylized WordPress SEO flow diagram showing post → plugin templates → schema → sitemap → Search Console

Configure basics

  • Set search-friendly permalinks

    • Settings → Permalinks → Post name. Keep URLs short and descriptive.

  • Enable HTTPS and preferred domain

    • Force HTTPS, set canonical host (www vs non-www) at your host or CDN; update WordPress Address and Site Address.

  • Choose a lightweight, fast theme

    • Use performance-first themes (e.g., GeneratePress, Astra, Block themes). Avoid bundled sliders and heavy builders.

Titles & meta (Yoast/Rank Math)

  • Global templates + per-post overrides

    • Set title/meta templates that front-load intent; override on key pages and posts.

  • Prevent duplicate titles; tidy archives

    • Disable automatic title duplication in archives; write unique archives or noindex them if thin.

Canonicals & indexation

  • Auto-canonical on posts/pages

    • Let the SEO plugin set self-referencing canonicals for single posts and pages.

  • Noindex thin/tag archives if needed

    • Apply noindex to tag archives, date archives, search results, or pagination pages that shouldn’t rank.

Schema markup

  • Article, Organization, Breadcrumb, ImageObject

    • Enable in your SEO plugin; set Organization/Logo/Social profiles globally.

  • Validate with Rich Results Test

    • Test representative URLs to confirm Article and Breadcrumb are valid.

json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "{{post_title}}", "datePublished": "{{date_published}}", "dateModified": "{{date_modified}}", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "{{author_name}}" }, "image": [ "{{featured_image_url}}" ], "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "{{canonical_url}}" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "{{site_name}}", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "{{site_logo_url}}" } } }


### Sitemaps
- Auto-generate and submit in Search Console - Ensure /sitemap.xml (or plugin path) is reachable; submit in Google Search Console and monitor Coverage/Pages reports. ### Robots
- Allow important sections; block admin and feeds you don’t need indexed - Keep /wp-admin/ blocked; don’t block /wp-includes/ assets. Avoid disallowing CSS/JS. Noindex low-value feeds or internal utility pages via meta robots. ### Media performance
- WebP/AVIF, lazy-load, responsive sizes, CDN - Serve next-gen formats, ensure srcset/sizes, enable native lazy loading, and use a CDN. Compress aggressively while retaining clarity. ### Pagination & categories
- Category strategy; avoid thin paginated pages - Use descriptive category names and intro copy. Link to pillars from category pages. Consider noindex for deep paginated pages with little unique value. ### Final checks
- Lighthouse/PSI, Mobile-Friendly, snippet preview - Run PageSpeed Insights/Lighthouse for Core Web Vitals. - Verify mobile usability. - Use your SEO plugin’s snippet preview to check title/description truncation and keyword visibility. ### Optional: do it in one click with BlogBowl (automated titles, schema, images, internal links)
- BlogBowl auto-publishes SEO-optimized posts with titles/meta, JSON-LD schema, optimized images, internal linking, sitemaps, and indexation-ready settings - ideal if you want results without manual configuration. ## Blogger (Blogspot): meta tags and technical SEO setup ![Abstract Blogger SEO settings panel illustration: HTTPS, custom domain, search preferences, and robots toggles](https://blogbowl-ai-prod.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/pages/1/topics/1602/images/e35477be-2fcb-4fec-8d0f-33bd72816a17.webp) ### Turn on essentials
- HTTPS + custom domain - In Settings → HTTPS, enable “HTTPS Availability” and “HTTPS Redirect.” - Connect a custom domain for trust, cleaner URLs, and better canonical signals.
- Search preferences: enable meta description - Settings → Meta tags → Enable search description, then write a concise site-wide description. ### Titles & descriptions
- Write per-post descriptions; keep concise - In the Post editor → Search description: write a ~150–160 character summary with a clear benefit and intent. ### Canonicalization
- Ensure rel=canonical points to the post URL (built-in, verify) - Blogger outputs canonicals for posts by default; view source to confirm it points to the clean post URL (no parameters). ### Custom robots.txt and robots headers
- Allow posts; block search pages/labels if thin - Settings → Crawlers and indexing → Enable custom robots.txt and custom robots header tags. - Block /search (dynamic label/search pages) from indexing; keep posts and pages indexable. ### Schema
- Add Article JSON-LD to theme (before </head>) - Theme → Edit HTML. Paste a minimal Article schema that references your post title, author, dates, image, and canonical URL. json
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "{{post.title}}", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "{{post.author}}" }, "datePublished": "{{post.publishedDate}}", "dateModified": "{{post.modifiedDate}}", "image": ["{{post.featuredImageUrl}}"], "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "{{post.canonicalUrl}}" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "{{site.name}}", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "{{site.logoUrl}}" } }
}

Sitemaps

  • Use default sitemap: /sitemap.xml or /atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

    • Add multiple Atom sitemap lines if you have more than 500 posts.

  • Submit to Search Console

    • In Google Search Console → Sitemaps, submit sitemap.xml (and additional Atom feeds if needed).

Images & speed

  • Compress, WebP where possible, describe alt text

    • Upload optimized images; use WebP if available. Add descriptive alt text and keep file sizes small for faster loads.

# Sample robots.txt for Blogger
User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: / Sitemap: https://{{your-domain}}/sitemap.xml
# If using Atom feed pagination for large blogs, you can also submit:
# https://{{your-domain}}/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

Google Sites: what you can and can’t control (and how to still win)

Comparison of Google Sites controls vs BlogBowl automation for SEO

Reality check: limited head access and structured data

Google Sites is purpose-built for simplicity - great for speed, not so great for granular SEO. You don’t get direct head edits for advanced meta tags or JSON-LD, and manual sitemap controls are limited. The upside: clean HTML, fast loads, and fewer ways to break things. The playbook here is to maximize what you can control and use smart workarounds for the rest.

What you can control

  • Clear page titles (H1) and section headings (H2/H3)

    • Use intent-driven, scannable headings. Front-load key phrases naturally.

  • Descriptive URLs on custom domain

    • Map your Google Site to a custom domain for memorable, trustworthy URLs and clearer canonical signals.

  • Alt text for images; lightweight media

    • Add descriptive alt text and keep images small, using compressed formats where possible to maintain speed.

Indexation & discovery

  • Verify in Search Console; submit site property

    • Verify your custom domain or domain property so you can monitor coverage, page indexing, and enhancements.

  • Link from your main domain navigation for crawl discovery

    • Add prominent links to and from your main site. Cross-linking improves discovery and passes context.

Sitemaps & schema workarounds

  • Sites lacks manual sitemaps/structured data; rely on internal linking, navigation, and external references

    • Use clear menus, footer links, and hub pages to expose all content.

    • Publish supporting content on platforms you control (e.g., your main site, documentation, or social profiles) that link into your Google Site to speed discovery and provide corroboration.

When to switch or augment with BlogBowl

  • Use BlogBowl for the blog (full meta/schema/sitemaps) and embed/links from Google Sites

    • Keep Google Sites for pages and lightweight microsites. Run your blog on BlogBowl to get automated titles/meta, schema, canonical tags, XML sitemaps, internal linking, newsletter, and analytics.

    • Link to BlogBowl posts from your Google Site navigation and key pages. This hybrid setup preserves simplicity while unlocking complete SEO control for your content engine.

Canonicalization, duplication, and pagination

Canonicalization keeps your authority on the right URL. Done poorly, duplicates split link equity and confuse crawlers; done well, they consolidate signals and protect rankings.

Common duplication sources

  • HTTP/HTTPS, www/non-www, and trailing slashes

    • Force a single canonical host and slash style via 301s at the server/CDN.

  • UTM parameters and session IDs

    • Marketing links often add ?utm_source=… or ?ref=…. Canonical back to the clean URL so signals consolidate.

  • Tag/category archives vs single posts

    • Archives can mirror post excerpts or full content. If thin or duplicative, consider noindex and use excerpts only.

  • Printer-friendly or AMP variants

    • Printer/AMP versions must canonical back to the primary article URL.

  • Staging/preview URLs, case/uppercase variants, and parameters like ?replytocom

    • Block staging with auth, normalize case, canonicalize parameterized pages.

Implementing rel=canonical correctly

  • Point to the preferred URL; avoid canonical loops and contradictions

    • The preferred page should self-canonical.

    • Consolidated pages must canonical to the preferred page (not to themselves).

    • Avoid redirecting to a URL that then canonicalizes somewhere else.

  • Align internal links and sitemaps with the canonical

    • Link to the preferred URL internally; list only canonical URLs in XML sitemaps.

  • Don’t use canonicals to mask fundamentally different content

    • Canonical is a hint for near-duplicates, not for merging unrelated pages.

Syndication and republishing

  • Use cross-domain canonicals when your article appears elsewhere

    • Ask partners to add on the republished version.

    • Publish on your site first; keep titles similar and include an attribution note to reduce ambiguity.

Pagination

  • Consolidate signals to page 1 via internal links; noindex thin pages when necessary

    • Since rel="prev/next" is no longer used by Google, keep each paginated URL self-canonical.

    • Link prominently to page 1 (and key posts) from paginated pages to concentrate authority.

    • If deep paginated pages are thin or low-value, consider noindex (but ensure users can still navigate).

    • Prefer “view all” pages when performance allows.

Content hygiene

  • De-duplicate near-identical posts; merge and redirect

    • Choose the strongest URL, consolidate content, 301 the rest, and update internal links.

    • Audit parameters and archives quarterly to catch new duplicates early.

Robots, sitemaps, and index control (platform matrix)

Robots, sitemaps, and index settings control what search engines can access, how they discover URLs, and which pages are eligible to rank. Use the matrix and templates below to configure each platform safely.

Robots.txt best practices by platform

  • WordPress: block /wp-admin/, allow core assets

    • Keep /wp-admin/ disallowed; allow admin-ajax.php. Don’t block CSS/JS needed to render pages.

  • Blogger: block /search, allow posts

    • Disallow label/search result pages if thin. Keep post URLs crawlable.

  • Google Sites: limited control; rely on Search Console settings

    • No direct robots.txt editing; use clean navigation, and manage indexing in Search Console where possible.

XML sitemaps

  • WordPress SEO plugin vs native

    • WordPress 5.5+ includes a native sitemap, but SEO plugins (Yoast/Rank Math) provide richer control. Submit only one sitemap index if using a plugin.

  • Blogger auto-sitemap endpoints

    • Use /sitemap.xml or paginate Atom feeds for large sites: /atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

  • Google Sites alternatives

    • Limited sitemap control; rely on clear internal linking and submit the property in Search Console for discovery.

"Sitemaps are not mandatory for your website to appear in Google Search results; however, they can significantly aid Google in discovering and understanding your site's content." - Source

Noindex safely

  • When to noindex thin archives, pagination, test pages

    • Noindex tag/date/search archives if thin or duplicative.

    • Keep core category pages indexable when they add value (intro copy, curated links).

    • Noindex staging/test pages; block with authentication when possible.

Submit and monitor

  • Search Console: Sitemaps and Page indexing reports

    • Submit your primary sitemap index.

    • Check Page indexing to resolve “Crawled – currently not indexed,” “Alternate page with proper canonical tag,” and soft 404s.

    • Revalidate after fixes and watch trend lines over time.

Platform feature matrix

Platform

robots.txt control

Sitemap availability

Per-page noindex

Canonical control

Schema flexibility

WordPress

Yes (file or plugin)

Yes (native or plugin index)

Yes (SEO plugins)

Yes (plugins/self-canonical)

High (plugins/custom JSON-LD)

Blogger (Blogspot)

Yes (custom robots.txt)

Yes (/sitemap.xml + Atom feeds)

Partial (robots headers per post)

Partial (built-in; limited override)

Partial (theme edits for JSON-LD)

Google Sites

Partial/No (no direct edit)

Partial (limited; rely on GSC)

No (no per-page meta robots)

No (no custom canonicals)

Low (no custom head/JSON-LD)

Robots.txt templates

txt

WordPress robots.txt

User-agent: * Disallow: /wp-admin/ Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php

Don’t block CSS/JS needed for rendering.

If using an SEO plugin, prefer its sitemap index:

Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml

Otherwise, native WP 5.5+:

Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml


```txt
# Blogger (Blogspot) robots.txt
User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: / # Primary auto-sitemap:
Sitemap: https://your-domain.com/sitemap.xml
# For large blogs, also submit Atom feeds (in GSC, not necessarily here):
# https://your-domain.com/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500
# https://your-domain.com/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=501&max-results=500

Use this matrix and the templates to set precise crawl controls, keep your XML sitemaps clean, and ensure only your best URLs are indexed - foundational moves for reliable SEO for blog posts on WordPress, “seo for blogger blogspot,” and simple Google Sites setups.

Speed and Core Web Vitals for blogs

Infographic of Core Web Vitals targets across the page lifecycle (LCP, INP, CLS)

"Good thresholds: LCP ≤ 2.5s, INP ≤ 200ms, CLS ≤ 0.1 (measured at the 75th percentile across devices)." - Source

Targets that matter in 2025: LCP, INP (replacing FID), and CLS

  • LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Time to render the main content. Target ≤ 2.5s.

  • INP (Interaction to Next Paint): Overall interaction latency replacing FID. Target ≤ 200ms.

  • CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Visual stability. Target ≤ 0.1.

Quick wins

  • Compress images (WebP/AVIF), responsive sizes, lazyload

    • Serve next-gen formats, generate srcset/sizes, and use native loading="lazy" for below-the-fold media.

  • Defer non-critical JS; limit heavy plugins/widgets

    • Defer or async third-party scripts; audit and remove unused libraries.

  • Preload key fonts; reduce render-blocking CSS

    • Preload primary text fonts; inline critical CSS and defer the rest.

Platform-specific tips

  • WordPress: caching, CDN, critical CSS

    • Use page caching and object caching; deliver via CDN; generate critical CSS; minimize plugin count and avoid heavy builders.

  • Blogger: lean templates, minimal third-party scripts

    • Choose lightweight themes; keep widgets to essentials; compress images before upload.

  • Google Sites: keep pages light, optimize media

    • Limit embedded widgets; compress imagery and video; split long pages into logical sections.

Measure and iterate

  • Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights, Chrome UX Report, Search Console CWV report

    • Validate lab and field data. Fix regressions early and re-test after each change.

Pre-publish QA and ongoing monitoring

Per-post preflight

  • Title tests (intent-first), meta description, slug hygiene

    • Front-load the primary intent; keep titles ≈55–60 chars; use clean, hyphenated slugs.

  • Canonical correct; robots meta set; OG/Twitter present

    • Self-canonical on main URL; use index,follow unless intentionally blocking; ensure social cards render.

  • Internal links added; external references cited

    • Link to pillar pages and related posts; cite authoritative sources where relevant.

  • Image alt text, compression, dimensions

    • Descriptive alt text; WebP/AVIF where possible; use responsive sizes and lazy loading.

Validation tools

  • URL Inspection, Rich Results Test, social debuggers

    • Confirm indexability, canonical, schema validity, and social previews before publishing.

Post-publish

  • Submit URL in Search Console; check coverage

    • Request indexing and review Page indexing status.

  • Track impressions, CTR, average position; iterate titles

    • Revisit titles/meta after 2–4 weeks to lift CTR while preserving intent.

Quarterly hygiene

  • Fix broken links; refresh evergreen posts; redirect retired URLs

    • Update facts, screenshots, and examples; consolidate overlapping content and 301 the weaker URLs.

Automate the boring parts

  • Use BlogBowl to auto-insert schema, internal links, media, and refreshes

    • BlogBowl handles titles/meta, JSON-LD, internal linking, and image optimization at scale, so you can focus on new content.

Per-post QA checklist (quick reference)

Item

Why it matters

Tool/Where to check

Title tag (intent-first)

Drives clicks and communicates relevance

SEO plugin snippet preview; live SERP preview tools

Meta description

Improves CTR with a clear benefit + CTA

SEO plugin snippet preview

Slug hygiene

Short, readable URLs aid sharing and clarity

CMS editor (Permalink/Slug field)

Canonical URL

Consolidates signals to the preferred URL

View Source; URL Inspection → Inspect page

Robots meta

Ensures page is indexable when intended

View Source; URL Inspection

Open Graph/Twitter tags

Better social previews and secondary traffic

Facebook Sharing Debugger; X Card Validator

Internal links added

Boosts crawl depth and topical authority

On-page review; internal link suggestions

External references cited

Enhances credibility and context

On-page review

Image alt/compression/dimensions

Accessibility + LCP improvements

Media library; Lighthouse/PSI waterfall

Schema (Article/Breadcrumb)

Eligibility for rich results

Rich Results Test; URL Inspection → Enhancements

Indexable and not blocked

Prevents accidental exclusion

URL Inspection → Page indexing

Included in sitemap

Faster discovery and easier monitoring

/sitemap.xml; Search Console → Sitemaps

Mobile rendering

Majority of traffic; mobile-first indexing

Mobile-friendly test; device preview

Core Web Vitals quick check

Catch LCP/INP/CLS regressions

Lighthouse/PSI; Search Console → CWV report

Snippet appearance

Avoids truncation; highlights key value

SEO plugin preview; SERP emulator

404s/redirects sanity

Clean navigation; no soft 404s

Screaming Frog or site crawl; manual spot-check

Ads/widgets weight

Prevents CLS/INP issues

Lighthouse/PSI diagnostics

Post-publish indexing

Confirms discovery and eligibility

Search Console → Request Indexing; Page indexing

Performance tracking

Iterate titles/meta and internal links

Search Console → Performance (queries/pages)

Change log

Document edits for faster QA later

Editorial notes; CMS revisions

Conclusion: grow faster with BlogBowl’s automated blog SEO

Recap: meta tags + technical SEO = crawlability, relevance, and rich results

Strong blog meta tags and a clean technical setup do the heavy lifting for discoverability:

  • Crawlability: Robots, sitemaps, and index controls ensure the right URLs get found and indexed.

  • Relevance: Title tags, meta descriptions, and canonicals align your content to search intent and consolidate authority.

  • Rich results: Valid schema (Article, Organization, Breadcrumb, ImageObject) helps Google and AI systems understand your content and display it more prominently.

Together, these turn good “seo for blog posts” into durable visibility - higher CTRs, fewer duplicate-URL headaches, and content that scales.

Why BlogBowl: automated titles/descriptions, schema, sitemaps, internal links, AI articles, and analytics

BlogBowl removes the tedious parts of blog content SEO so you can focus on strategy and storytelling:

  • Automated meta: High-quality title tags and meta descriptions that match user intent

  • Smart canonicals and index controls: Consolidate duplicates and avoid accidental noindex

  • Built-in schema: Article, Organization, Breadcrumb, ImageObject - validated out of the box

  • Sitemaps + Search Console–ready: Always-fresh XML sitemaps, optimized for discovery

  • Internal linking automation: Contextual links that reinforce topical authority

  • AI-powered content: Daily SEO-optimized articles, on-brand images, and embedded videos

  • Performance-first templates: Fast, mobile-friendly themes that pass Core Web Vitals

  • Integrated analytics and newsletter: Track what performs and grow your audience in one place

  • Multi-blog and multi-author: Scale your “best SEO blog” operations without extra overhead

Next steps: start a free trial at blogbowl.io and launch an SEO-optimized blog in under 60 seconds

Ready to turn this checklist into results without manual grind? Launch a BlogBowl blog, connect your domain, and publish with automated SEO baked in.

Get started: https://www.blogbowl.io

Build momentum fast - titles, descriptions, schema, sitemaps, internal links, and analytics are handled for you. You focus on the ideas; BlogBowl handles the ranking signals.

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Written by

Daniil Poletaev
Daniil Poletaev

Hey! I’m the maker of Blogbowl - a developer who loves building simple tools that solve annoying problems (like setting up a blog from scratch for the 10th time 😅). When I’m not pushing commits or tweaking templates, you’ll probably find me sipping coffee, reading product launch stories, or pretending to refactor code that already works. I built BlogBowl to help SaaS founders, indie hackers, and devs skip the boring setup and just start writing and ranking in Google & LLMs. Hope you enjoy using it as much as I enjoyed building it!

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