When I first started writing blog posts, I knew next to nothing about SEO. I’d write headlines just because I liked the sound of them, and I had no concept of keyword selection. If I used internal linking, it was a happy accident.

According to a study by Small Business Trends, that’s not uncommon. Forty-five percent of small businesses aren’t sure what SEO means, yet 98 percent think being found on Google is important. With so many brands and publishers creating content, it’s imperative to make sure your work appears close to the top of relevant searches.

Thankfully, you don’t have to do it alone. Tools like Google AdWords keyword planner and Moz’s Keyword Explorer help users make sure you’re getting the most out…