Blog Guidelines

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Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Posting Blogs on the KHMNLaw.com

June 2026 for SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

This procedure covers a blog post from draft through distribution. The 2026 update adds answer-engine optimization, the work of getting cited by ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Gemini, plus schema markup and stronger author trust signals. Legal content is treated as YMYL (Your Money or Your Life), so accuracy and authorship now carry real ranking weight, and AI answers increasingly sit above the traditional results.

1. Plan and Draft the Blog

  • Pick the one core question the post answers and write it at the top of your draft.
    • Everything in the post should serve that question.
  • Do quick research first. Confirm the target keyphrase and collect the real questions people ask.
    •  Look at Google autocomplete, People Also Ask, and GSC.
  • Open with a direct answer.
    • The first paragraph must answer the core question in plain language, with no preamble, so an AI assistant can lift it as a standalone answer.
  • Lead every section the same way.
    • The first sentence or two answer the heading, then you expand. AI engines pull from the opening lines.
  • H2 and H3 headings should usually be questions a reader would actually ask.
  • Keep paragraphs short and scannable.
    • Use a short list or a small table for facts that should be easy to extract.
  • Show real experience as a lawyer,
    • how something plays out in practice, not just what the statute says. This is the experience signal that Google and AI engines reward for legal topics.
  • Name (AND LINK) credible sources in the text and cite the controlling Minnesota authority by name rather than making vague claims.

2. SEO and AEO Optimization

  • Set the focus keyphrase from your research, localized where it fits (for example, “child custody in Blue Earth County”).
  • Meta title:
    • under 60 characters, with the keyphrase near the front.  Do not use firm name, use Yoast for AI help
  • Meta description:
    • under 155 characters, including the keyphrase and a reason to click. This drives click-through, not ranking, use Yoast for AI help.
  • URL slug:
    • Short, includes the keyphrase, no stop words or dates.
  • Assign a named, credentialed attorney as the author, never a generic “admin” account. Authorship is now an explicit Google quality signal for YMYL content.
    • Add Author: Lawyer L. Lawyerton, Family Law Attorney to the very top (below H1)
    • The name should link to the lawyer’s bio on Khmnlaw.com

3. WordPress Upload, Formatting, and Schema

  • Paste as plain text, then reformat in WordPress, so no styling carries over from Word or Google Docs.
  • Use H1 for the title only. Use H2 and H3 for structure.
  • Required: Add schema markup. This is the key new step.
    • FAQPage schema if the post has a question-and-answer section.
  • Show a visible “last updated” date on the post if it’s an update
  • Add an author bio box at the end that links to the attorney’s full bio page use the “” to get the shaded box.

4. Images and Media

  • Featured image:  Every blog needs an image.
    • Think about the look you want and ask ChatGPT for a detailed new image.
  • All images must be Webp.
  • Name the file to align with blog post
    • Example: howtomodifycustody.webp
  • ALT TEXT: Must include. Don’t stuff with keyphrase, but something that aligns with Blog
    • Example: Image of father modifying custody.

5. Internal and External Links

  • Internal link: to the relevant pillar page and two to four related posts in the same catagory cluster. This tells Google and AI engines which page is the authoritative hub.
    • Example: a blog about custody modification should link to the CUSTODY pillar page, and 2-4 pages in the same category.
  • Do not link to main page or unrelated content.
  • Use descriptive, varied anchor text. Never “click here” or a bare URL.
    • Example: When modifying custody, keep in mind that child support may change.  (link to Child Support)
  • ExternalLink: 1-3 authoritative, non-competitor sources, such as Minnesota courts, the MN Revisor’s statutes, .gov sites, or bar associations. Never link to a competitor law firm.
    • Set external links to open in a new tab.

6. Final Review, Freshness, and Publishing

  • Preview the post and check formatting, links, and image display.
  • Re-read the first paragraph and each section opener on its own. Does each answer its question without the surrounding text? That is the AEO test.
  • Choose one category and one tag. 
  • Set a refresh reminder. Most AI citations come from pages updated within the last year, so calendar a review in 6 to 12 months.
  • Publish

7. Post-Publish Distribution and Tracking

  • Share
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn with a short caption
    • Twitter
  • Post to your Google Business Profile and add a question and answer. 
    • This is a local signal that also helps AI answers.