Best Practices for Blogging

In 2026, blogging has evolved from a text-only medium to a multi-channel strategy centered on Trust (E-E-A-T) and AI Search Visibility (GEO). While traditional SEO remains foundational, successful blogs now prioritize human experience to compete with AI-generated content.

1. AI-Era Strategy (Generative Engine Optimization)

• "Answer-First" Structure: Place a direct, 40–60 word answer to the primary query immediately under your H1. This makes your content easily citable by AI summary tools like Google's AI Overviews.

• Modular Knowledge Blocks: Treat every H2 and H3 section as a standalone "atomic" answer. If a section doesn't make sense in isolation, it is less likely to be retrieved by AI engines.

• Structured Data (Schema): Use Schema.org markup—specifically Article, FAQPage, Person, and HowTo—to help machines verify your credentials and understand content relationships.

2. Content & Readability Standards

• Focus on E-E-A-T: Emphasize Experience by including firsthand insights, original data, or personal case studies. AI cannot replicate lived experience, making it your primary competitive edge.

• Optimal Post Length: There is no "perfect" word count; depth is more important than length.

  • Pillar Pages/Guides: 1,500–3,000+ words.

  • Standard Informational Posts: 1,000–1,500 words.

  • News/Updates: 400–800 words.

• Skimmability: Use bullet points, bolded key phrases, and short paragraphs (2–3 sentences max) to cater to the 8.25-second human attention span.

3. Maintenance & Technical Health

• The "Corpus of Content" Model: Focus on a limited group of 50–200 high-value keywords rather than trying to rank for everything.

• Prioritize Regular Refreshes: Bloggers who update old posts are 2.5x more likely to see strong results. Update stats, fix broken links, and refresh publication dates every 6–12 months to signal relevance to both users and AI.

• Core Web Vitals: Ensure a Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) under 2.5 seconds. Slow-loading or unstable pages (high CLS) are frequently skipped by AI and traditional search crawlers.

4. Multi-Platform Distribution

• Repurpose Strategically: Turn a single blog post into a LinkedIn thread, an email newsletter, or a short-form video. This "Search Everywhere" approach captures users on social platforms and AI assistants.

• Consistent Cadence: Quality trumps frequency, but consistency builds trust. For most business blogs, 1–2 high-quality posts per week is an effective starting point.