SEO for Beginners: How to Get Your Personal Blog Found on Google

You did it. You planned, you wrote, you designed, and you finally hit “Publish” on your brand-new personal blog, portfolio, or website. It’s a huge accomplishment, and it’s officially out there for the world to see.

But after a few days, you might be hearing… silence. Where are all the visitors?

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Building a website is the first crucial step, but helping people find it is the next. This is where Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, comes in. It might sound technical and intimidating, but at its heart, SEO is simply the process of making it easier for search engines like Google to find your site and show it to the right people.

Think of it this way: your website is a brand-new book in a giant, global library. SEO is how you give that book a clear title, a compelling summary on the back cover, and a well-organized table of contents. It helps the librarian (Google) understand exactly what your book is about and who would be most interested in reading it.

This guide will walk you through five simple, actionable steps you can take today to improve your blog’s SEO and start getting found. No technical degree required.

Part 1: The Foundation – Speaking Your Audience’s Language (Keyword Research for Humans)

Before you can optimize anything, you need to know what words people are actually typing into Google to find content like yours. This is called keyword research, but don’t let the term scare you. It’s really an act of empathy—of putting yourself in your audience’s shoes.  

Your goal is to “expect your readers’ search terms”. Here’s how to start without any fancy tools:  

• Actionable Tip 1: Start with What You Know. Grab a piece of paper and brainstorm. What words or phrases would you search for to find your own content? Ask friends or family what they would type in. If you’re a freelance graphic designer, you might start with “graphic design portfolio,” “logo designer for small business,” or “how to hire a freelance designer”. These are your “seed” keywords.  
• Actionable Tip 2: Use Google’s Free Clues. Google itself is your best research assistant. Go to the search bar and start typing one of your seed keywords. The list of suggestions that appears as you type (Google Autocomplete) is a goldmine of ideas based on what real people are searching for. Additionally, after you search, scroll down to the “People also ask” and “Related searches” sections at the bottom of the page. These reveal the specific questions and topics your audience is interested in.  
• Actionable Tip 3: Target “Long-Tail Keywords”. It’s tempting to try and rank for a broad, popular term like “artist.” But you’ll be competing with millions of established websites. Instead, focus on more specific, multi-word phrases called “long-tail keywords.” For example, instead of “artist,” you could target “abstract landscape painter in London” or “custom pet portrait artist for hire”. These phrases have less competition and attract visitors who are much more specific and motivated in their search.  

Part 2: Your 5-Point On-Page SEO Checklist for Instant Impact

Once you have a few keywords in mind for a specific blog post or page, it’s time to put them to work. “On-page” SEO refers to the optimizations you make directly on your website’s pages. Here is a simple checklist of the five most important places to focus on for immediate impact.

1. Craft Magnetic Page Titles The page title (or “title tag”) is the blue, clickable headline that appears in Google search results. It’s often the first thing a potential visitor will see, so it needs to be compelling.  

• What to do: Place your most important keyword near the beginning of the title. Keep the total length to around 60 characters to prevent it from being cut off in search results.  
• Why it matters: A clear, keyword-rich title tells both Google and users exactly what your page is about, dramatically increasing the chances they’ll click.

2. Write a Compelling “Ad” (Meta Description) The meta description is the short snippet of text (about 155 characters) that appears under your title in search results. Think of it as the ad copy for your page.  

• What to do: Write a clear, engaging summary of what the reader will find on the page. Include your keyword naturally, but focus on persuading the user to click. Ask a question or highlight a key benefit.  
• Why it matters: While not a direct ranking factor anymore, a great meta description significantly improves your click-through rate, bringing more traffic to your site from the search results page.

3. Structure Content with Clear Headings (H1, H2) Just like headings and subheadings in a newspaper, H1 and H2 tags organize your content and make it easy to read.

• What to do: Use one—and only one—H1 tag for the main title of your blog post or page. Use H2 tags for your main subheadings. Make sure your primary keyword appears in your H1 and in at least one H2.  
• Why it matters: Headings provide a clear structure that helps readers scan your content and helps Google understand the hierarchy and topics of your information, which is crucial for both readability and SEO.  

4. Make Your Images Work for You (Alt Text) Every image on your site can be an SEO asset. “Alt text” is a short, written description of an image that you add in your website’s backend.

• What to do: For every image you upload, write a concise, descriptive alt text. For example, instead of “image123.jpg,” write “professional artist painting an abstract landscape in a bright studio”.  
• Why it matters: Alt text makes your site accessible to visually impaired users who use screen readers. It also gives Google crucial context about your images, helping them rank in Google Image Search and reinforcing the topic of your page.  

5. Build Bridges in Your Content (Internal Linking) Internal linking is simply the practice of linking from one page on your website to another relevant page on your own website.

• What to do: As you write a new blog post, look for opportunities to link to other articles you’ve already published. For example, if you’re writing about your design process, you could link to a specific project in your portfolio.  
• Why it matters: Internal links keep visitors on your site longer, encouraging them to explore more of your content. They also help Google discover all the pages on your site and understand how they relate to each other, which can boost the authority of your most important pages.

Part 3: The Golden Rule – Write for People, Not Robots

If you only remember one thing from this guide, let it be this: create high-quality, helpful content.

Ultimately, Google’s goal is to provide its users with the best possible answer to their question. All the technical tweaks in the world won’t help a poorly written or unhelpful blog post. Before you publish, ask yourself:  

• Does this post thoroughly answer the question my target keyword implies?
• Is this content original, insightful, and more valuable than what’s already out there?
• Is it well-written, easy to read, and free of errors?

Focus on demonstrating your unique experience, expertise, and passion. Google refers to this as E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), and it’s becoming increasingly important. When you write what you know and genuinely aim to help your reader, you are building the foundation for long-term SEO success.  

Your Website Deserves an Audience

Getting started with SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on these foundational steps—understanding your audience’s language, using the 5-point on-page checklist, and prioritizing high-quality content—you can make a significant difference in your website’s visibility.

You’ve put in the hard work to create a beautiful blog or portfolio. Now it’s time to make sure the right people can find it. We know that as a personal brand builder, your time is valuable. If you’d rather focus on your craft while we handle the technical side, we’re here to help.

A great website deserves to be seen. Ask about our SEO starter packages.