8 things you must check before hitting publish on your blog posts
Last updated: October 2026
Hitting the publish button on a new blog post can feel a little scary.
Heck, even after more than a decade of writing blog posts, I still wonder whether I’ve forgotten something. Maybe there’s a typo (super embarrassing when you get paid by clients to write - one charges me a Mars Bar 🫣). Then what if the links don’t work? Or, god forbid, I’ve written a load of stuff that makes absolutely no sense!
I have a list of things in my head that I check through before making a blog post live. But, unless you can get inside my head, that’s not especially helpful 😂
Don’t worry though, I’ve got your back…
What to check before hitting publish on your blog post
1. Check the URL
When you create a new blog post, you’ll get an auto-generated URL (the web address for the post). On Squarespace, that’s based on the original title of the blog post. For example, this blog post had the following auto-generated URL:
/things-you-must-check-before-hitting-publish-on-your-blog-posts
It’s not incorrect, but it is a bit long-winded, so I changed it to:
/things-to-check-before-publishing-blog-posts
Another thing to bear in mind is that saving a blog post midway through without a title will often generate a URL made up of a jumble of letters and numbers.
Double check:
Does the URL make sense to the reader?
Does it clearly relate to the content of the post?
Is it short and straightforward?
If you’ve changed the URL, have you set up a redirect from the old one?
2. Check your facts
Accurate information is important. It’s part of creating content that people can trust. So, if you’re writing about something factual, make sure you’ve checked the details before you hit publish.
Look at facts such as names, dates, numbers, quotes, links, instructions and specific information.
Double check:
Can you back up your claims?
Is the source reputable (eg. a recognised organisation, professional body or reliable publication)?
Is the information still current and relevant?
If you’ve referred to a source, have you linked to it where useful?
Are the links working?
If you’ve used AI to help with the post, have you checked the facts yourself?
3. Check you’ve optimised the post for search
Search engine optimisation can be as simple or complex as you want. I enjoy learning about the technical gubbins behind a website and find SEO fascinating - but there are still things beyond my comprehension.
To make things super simple, I always take things back to the reader. Is the post easy to read? Does it answer the question or problem that brought someone to it? Is the information clear and useful?
You can keep the search side of things simple too. What are people searching for that your blog post can answer? Yes, there are more sophisticated ways to research search queries, but understanding what someone is looking for is a good place to start.
Double check:
Does the title accurately reflect what the post delivers?
Read: Does your blog post deliver what the title promises?Is it clear what question, problem or need the post is addressing?
Have you used relevant words and phrases naturally throughout the post?
Is the page heading (H1) clear and relevant?
Is the meta description accurate and useful?
Does the URL make sense and reflect the content?
Have you described the images with alt text?
Further reading: How to write search-friendly blog posts
4. Check your photos and images
Images can make your content easier to understand and more engaging, but they do need a bit of attention before you publish.
They also have something called alt text. This is important for accessibility because screen readers can use it to describe images to people who can’t see them.
Large image files can also slow your page down, so make sure they’re an appropriate size and format for your website.
Double check:
Does each image add something useful to the post?
Have you added appropriate alt text where needed?
Are the images a sensible size and quality for your website?
Is the image filename meaningful (for example, company-name-logo.jpg rather than xheky.jpg)?
5. Check the content makes sense
I always do another read through just before hitting publish. That’s because I move things around during the editing process and, without that final check, I could have left something in the wrong place or changed the style of writing.
Double check:
Does the information flow in a sensible order?
Are there any overly complex sentences that you can shorten?
Are there any parts where you trip over words when reading aloud? If so, rewrite them.
Do you repeat certain words or phrases too many times?
Is there too much fluff and filler?
Does the blog post reflect your brand and personality?
6. Check your links
Sharing internal links on your blog posts helps readers uncover other relevant information on your website.
I share them naturally throughout a blog post (you’ll see where I’ve added ‘Further reading’). Rather than typing ‘click here’, I always aim to use the title of the blog post as the anchor text (the text you click). It makes more sense to the reader and gives them a clearer idea of what they’ll find when they click.
Double check:
Have you included links to other relevant pages or blog posts?
Have you used helpful anchor text, rather than ‘click here’?
Do the links work and point to the right page?
Are external links to reputable and relevant sources?
7. Check for missing details
This one can be difficult - how do you know what you’re missing?
I usually draw a mind map of everything I want to include in a blog post. As I’m writing, I’ll tick off the things I’ve mentioned - then, at the end, I can see anything I may have missed.
But missing details can also include things like useful next steps or not explaining technical jargon clearly enough.
Double check:
Have you given the reader a useful next step, if one is needed?
Have you covered everything you said you would (for example, if you say you’ll talk about six things and only mention three)?
Is there technical jargon without explanation (for example, at the beginning of this blog post, I wrote about a URL and then explained what that is)?
If you want people to get in touch, have you made it easy for them to do so?
8. Check for accuracy and consistency
Proofreading your own work is hard! Your brain knows what you wanted to say, so will often read what you meant to say rather than what you actually said.
To combat that, I read aloud (usually in my head, but often out loud) before hitting publish. I also find it helpful to copy the text somewhere else and see it in a different view. For example, I might write directly onto the blog area of my website but copy the text into a word document to read through again.
You’ll be surprised at how much your eye picks up by simply changing where you’re reading.
Double check:
Are there any spelling or grammatical errors?
Have you been consistent (for example, I had to keep checking whether I’d added a colon after typing ‘Double check’ each time)?
Are you being consistent with the font size and spacing?
Have you broken up text with headings, bullets and numbers (and been consistent)?
Have you used a consistent tense or person (for example, speaking in the past or present tense, or switching between I, we and they)?
Have you read the final version carefully to catch any errors?
Final thoughts
You don’t need to memorise all this before you hit publish. The more you write, the more these checks will become part of your usual process.
The aim isn’t to create the perfect blog post. It’s to make sure that what you’ve written is useful, accurate, easy to read and does what you intended it to do.
A few minutes spent checking your post before publishing can make a big difference to the person reading it - and can save you from buying a bulk pack of Mars Bars when you spot that glaring typo five minutes after you’ve shared it 😬
Need help working out what your content needs to do?
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I can help you work out what your customers need to know, what’s worth creating and what to focus on next.
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You may find these helpful next:
Does your blog post deliver what the title promises?
How to write search-friendly blog posts
How to write a blog post from start to finish
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