How can I boost SEO for my Mediumish blog with metadata

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Table of contents

Why metadata matters for SEO

Metadata is the set of descriptive tags and structured content that sit in the head of your HTML or as machine-readable blocks. For search engines and social platforms, metadata is often the first (and sometimes only) context they get about a page. That means good metadata helps search engines understand your content, pick the right snippet for search results, and create attractive link previews for social sharing.

For a Mediumish-style blog — usually lightweight, content-first, and minimal in layout — metadata is the easiest leverage point to improve visibility without redesigning the whole site. Proper metadata clarifies topic, author, and intended audience to Google and other services. It also increases click-through rate (CTR) by influencing the title and description users see in search results and on social feeds.

Think of metadata as an elevator pitch for the page: search engines parse it to decide where to place the page in results, and users scan it before clicking. A well-crafted title tag and description can make the difference between a visit and a pass. Structured data then provides a second layer: it tells engines exactly what kind of content you have (article, how-to, FAQ), enabling enhanced features like rich results and knowledge panels.

What metadata to use for a Mediumish blog

Not all metadata is equal. There are a few core pieces you should add and maintain for every post on your Mediumish blog. Below we explain each, why it matters, and how to implement it in a clean, minimal way that fits a Mediumish theme.

HTML meta tags (title, description)

Title and meta description are the most visible metadata elements. The title tag defines the headline Google shows (unless it rewrites it). The meta description is the short summary that appears under the title in search results. Together they influence ranking indirectly (through CTR) and provide primary signals about topic relevance.

Keep titles concise and descriptive, ideally 50–60 characters so they are not truncated in results. Use the meta description to summarize the article intent in 120–155 characters. Both should include the main keyword naturally, but avoid keyword stuffing — clarity and usefulness matter more than exact matches.

For Mediumish blogs where templates are small, generate title and description per post. If your platform supports front matter or post metadata, place these values there and render them into the head of your HTML using template variables.

Open Graph and Twitter cards

Open Graph (OG) tags and Twitter card tags are the metadata used by social networks to generate link previews. When someone shares an article, social platforms look for these tags to build a card with title, description, and image. Without them, platforms guess — and guesses are often ugly or misleading.

Use OG tags to control the image, title, and description shown on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and others. Twitter has its own card types but also honors OG tags as a fallback. For maximum control include both OG and Twitter tags.

Choose a clear, legible preview image sized to the recommended dimensions (e.g., 1200 × 630 px for Open Graph). For Mediumish blogs that emphasize text, a simple branded image with the article title and author photo works very well.

Structured data and JSON-LD

Structured data is machine-readable markup that explains the content's type and properties. Google recommends JSON-LD for structured data because it is easy to add and maintain. Depending on the content, you can use schema types like Article, BlogPosting, HowTo, FAQPage, or BreadcrumbList to unlock rich result features.

For Mediumish posts, the common useful schema types are BlogPosting (for the article), BreadcrumbList (to show location), and FAQPage (if you have frequently asked questions). Adding structured data does not guarantee rich results, but it increases the chance and helps search engines confidently understand your content structure.

Keep structured data accurate and consistent with visible content. If you declare an author name or publish date in JSON-LD, those values should match what users see. Google may remove rich features if there are mismatches or spammy claims.

Practical examples and templates

Below are ready-to-use examples you can copy into your Mediumish post template. Each example is minimal and crafted to match a lightweight blog head section. Replace placeholder text with actual values from your post.

Basic head with title and meta description

<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>How to write evergreen blog posts for beginners</title>
<meta name="description" content="Short summary of the article that entices clicks and explains the main benefit in 120 to 155 characters.">

Place these inside the <head> of your template (or the platform head injection area). Keep encoding and viewport tags too if your template omits them.

Open Graph and Twitter card example

<meta property="og:title" content="How to write evergreen blog posts for beginners">
<meta property="og:description" content="Step-by-step tips for creating evergreen posts that attract search traffic and backlinks.">
<meta property="og:type" content="article">
<meta property="og:url" content="https://example.com/article-slug">
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/images/article-og.jpg">
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image">
<meta name="twitter:title" content="How to write evergreen blog posts for beginners">
<meta name="twitter:description" content="Step-by-step tips for creating evergreen posts that attract search traffic and backlinks.">
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://example.com/images/article-og.jpg">

Use absolute URLs for images and canonical links. The image should be accessible by crawlers (no blocked paths).

JSON-LD BlogPosting example

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BlogPosting",
  "headline": "How to write evergreen blog posts for beginners",
  "description": "Step-by-step tips for creating evergreen posts that attract search traffic and backlinks.",
  "url": "https://example.com/article-slug",
  "image": "https://example.com/images/article-og.jpg",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Author"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Example Blog",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://example.com/images/logo.png"
    }
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-01-15",
  "dateModified": "2025-01-16"
}
</script>

Add BreadcrumbList JSON-LD if your template uses categories or hierarchical URLs. This helps Google render breadcrumb links in search results.

FAQ JSON-LD (for bots)

Below is a compact FAQ JSON-LD block. Place this in the head or at the end of the body. It is intended for consumption by search engines and should reflect the actual FAQ content visible on the page. 

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What meta tags matter most for SEO?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Title tag and meta description are the most visible; structured data can help unlock rich results."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Do I need Open Graph tags for every post?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Yes, Open Graph tags are recommended to control social previews and improve CTR on social platforms."
      }
    }
  ]
}
</script>

Ensure your visible FAQ matches the questions in JSON-LD. Mismatches can lead to manual actions or ignored markup.

Small table: recommended image sizes

Platform Recommended image size Notes
Open Graph (Facebook, LinkedIn) 1200 × 630 px Use wide image, high contrast text if adding overlay
Twitter Large Card 1200 × 628 px Similar to OG; crop may differ on some devices
Article header (site) 1200 × 800 px Higher height works on article pages; OG will still use the main image

Common mistakes to avoid

Even small mistakes can reduce the effectiveness of metadata. One common error is using duplicate title tags across posts. Each post should have a unique, descriptive title. Duplicate titles make it harder for search engines to determine which page to show for queries and can lead to lower CTR.

Another frequent slip is neglecting the preview image or using an image that’s blocked by robots.txt. Social platforms will either pick a random image or show nothing, which looks unprofessional. Always use absolute image URLs and verify they are accessible.

Overusing schema types or adding irrelevant structured data is also risky. Only mark up content that exists and is visible to users. For example, don’t mark up a review if there is no genuine review content on the page.

Measuring impact and testing

After implementing metadata and structured data, measure results. Use Google Search Console to monitor impressions, clicks, and average position. Check the Performance report before and after changes to see CTR and ranking changes for targeted queries.

For social previews, use tools like the Facebook Sharing Debugger and Twitter Card Validator to preview how your page will appear when shared. These tools also force a cache refresh so you can test corrections immediately.

Run an A/B test for title and description if your platform supports it, or rotate variants manually over several weeks. Small improvements in CTR compound over time and can significantly boost organic traffic for evergreen posts.

FAQ

How often should I update metadata?

Update metadata whenever you significantly change content, target audience, or keywords. For evergreen posts a quarterly review is a good cadence: check if the title, description, and image still match intent and whether structured data remains accurate.

Will JSON-LD guarantee rich results?

No. JSON-LD does not guarantee rich results. It only increases the chance because it helps search engines understand the content. Google uses many signals to decide whether to render rich features.

Where should I host OG images for best performance?

Host images on the same domain as your site or on a fast CDN. This reduces latency and avoids cross-domain issues. Also make sure images are optimized (webp or compressed jpeg) and served with caching headers.

This guide focused on metadata, Open Graph, and structured data tailored for a Mediumish style blog. Implement these cautiously and test results using Search Console and social debuggers. Proper metadata is one of the highest-ROI edits you can make to a lightweight content-focused site — it improves clarity for machines and appeal for humans, and that combination directly helps search performance over time.

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