SEO 101 for Coaches: Get Found in Google AND in AI Search

What is SEO, and what does it do for a coaching business?

Why does long-form content earn SEO that social posts can’t?

What are your ideal clients actually searching for?

• Your own client conversations. What questions come up on consultation calls, in DMs, in your Facebook group? Those questions are the search terms.
• “People Also Ask” boxes in Google. Search a relevant term and see what related questions Google shows underneath. Those are real searches people are running.
• The audiences of people your ideal client follows. Look at the comments and questions on the content of coaches, experts, and authors she follows. Those are her questions being asked in someone else’s audience.
• AI tools directly. Ask: “what are the most common questions a [your ideal client] would search about [your topic]?” The answers are usually a strong starting point.

How do SEO keywords work for coaches’ blog posts and pages?

• The title of the content (blog post title, page title, YouTube video title, podcast episode title)
• The URL slug or “link path” (the part of the URL after your domain, e.g. /tired-in-your-40s)
• The H1 (the largest heading at the top of the content; on AttractWell blog posts, the title field becomes the H1 automatically)
• The H2s (the subheadings that organize the body; include keyword variants where they fit naturally)
• The meta description (the short summary that appears in Google search results and that gets read by AI engines)
• The first 100 words of body content (search engines weight the opening more heavily)
• Throughout the body, naturally

What else affects SEO besides keywords?

• Click-through from search results. When your link appears on a Google results page, do people click it? A compelling meta description that promises a specific answer drives clicks. A vague or generic meta description doesn’t. Click-through is one of the strongest signals search engines use to evaluate whether your content matches the search.
• Time on site and engagement. When someone clicks through to your blog post, do they stay and read? Or do they bounce back to the search results in five seconds? If they leave fast, search engines learn the content didn’t match the intent. If they stay, read, scroll, and click around to other pages, search engines learn this is a good answer.
• Site organization and navigation. A blog organized into clear categories, with related posts linking to each other and to relevant pages, builds topical authority. A pile of unrelated posts without internal links doesn’t. AttractWell’s blog categories do double duty here: when you tag a post with a category, it appears on a digest page that aggregates all your posts in that category, and the digest page itself can rank.
• Content length and depth. Thin content doesn’t compete. A 400-word post on a topic worth ranking for will lose to a 2,000-word post that actually answers the question. This is one of the strongest cases for committing to long-form content over a stream of shallow posts.
• Trust signals. How long has your domain been around? Is your business information consistent across the site? Are you publishing regularly, or did you stop two years ago? Search engines factor all of this in.
• Mobile readability and load speed. If your blog or page is slow on mobile, or hard to read on a phone, search engines penalize it. AttractWell handles this at the platform level. Pages built on AttractWell are mobile-responsive and fast by default.

Can you do SEO on content you’ve already published?

How AttractWell handles SEO for coaches

• The blog editor. The title field you type into becomes the H1 of the published post automatically. The link path (URL slug) is its own field. The meta description has its own field. Blog categories are their own field, and the categories themselves become digest pages that aggregate your posts on each topic. Those digest pages can rank for the category keyword on their own.
• The page builder. When you create a new page with Build It For Me, you give it a clear SEO prompt: what the page is about, what keyword it should target. The page builder auto-fills the page title, the URL slug, and the meta description, and structures the body content so it’s ready for search.
• AI Settings. This is the central source of truth for every AI feature in the platform. Your audience description, your offers, your tone, your voice signature, your topic areas: all of it lives in AI Settings. Every time you use Write with AI on a blog post body, every time Build It For Me generates a page, every time the AI campaign builder writes an email, every custom GPT reads from the same AI Settings. The result is that the AI knows enough about your business to write content that’s already on-topic and on-brand without you re-explaining context every time.
• The magic wand on existing content. Click the magic wand inside any text field with content already in it and you get an “Edit existing content” mode. This is what powers the refresh workflow described above. The AI takes the existing content, applies your AI Settings context, and rewrites for the prompt you give it.

Watch the full SEO walkthrough for coaches

The Done-for-You SEO Prompts for Your AI Settings

SEO RULES FOR BLOG POSTS

CRITICAL OUTPUT BOUNDARY RULES, NEVER VIOLATE:

1. NO PREAMBLE. Begin your output IMMEDIATELY with the first ----- separator line, which is the literal line: <div>----- delete this section after using the following information to complete this post</div>. This line is REQUIRED and is the FIRST line of your output. The very first character of your response is the < of this <div>. Do NOT skip this line. Do NOT write “I’ll write...”, “Here’s...”, “Sure!”, or any other introductory text or commentary.

2. NO POSTAMBLE. End your output with the closing </div> of your last body paragraph. Do NOT add closing commentary, sign-offs, “Let me know if you’d like changes,” or any text after the body.

3. NO LABELS in the body. The body content begins after the second ----- separator line and the <div><br></div> spacing row. There is no “BODY:” header anywhere.

4. BOTH SEPARATOR LINES ARE REQUIRED. The output structure is: first separator line, 4 metadata lines, second separator line, spacing row, body. Both separators are literal and mandatory.

When I ask you to write or edit a blog post, follow the rules below and produce the exact output format at the bottom.

CONTENT SILOS (top-level keywords I want to be known for; every post gets categorized under one or more of these):
- [Topic 1]
- [Topic 2]
- [Topic 3]
- [Topic 4]
- [Topic 5]

IDEAL CLIENT SEARCH INTENT (the actual questions she types into Google or asks an AI; use these to shape H2 sections):
- [Search question 1 in her words]
- [Search question 2 in her words]
- [Search question 3]
- [Search question 4]
- [Add 5 to 10 per topic over time]

PRIMARY CALL TO ACTION (the offer every blog post should drive readers toward):
- Name: [Your offer name]
- URL: [Your offer URL]
- One-sentence description: [What it is and why a reader would want it]

BODY LENGTH, REQUIRED STRUCTURE:
- The body MUST contain at least 7 H2 sections.
- Each H2 section MUST contain at least 300 words of body content beneath it (counting all paragraphs, H3 subsection paragraphs, and list item text together; not counting the H2 heading itself or H3 headings themselves).
- Plus an intro paragraph of at least 75 words before the first H2.
- This structure produces a body of approximately 2,175 words minimum. Aim for 2,500 to provide buffer.
- If a section feels thin, expand with concrete examples, specific actionable detail, add an H3 subsection with its own paragraphs, or add a list where it fits the content. Do not pad with filler.

H2 HEADINGS, REFLECT SEARCH INTENT (mix question-form and descriptive):
H2 headings should reflect what my ideal client is actually searching for. Use the form that fits the content:

- QUESTION-FORM H2: best when the section answers a specific question my ideal client would type or ask an AI. Best for sections that map to People Also Ask queries, voice searches, or AI-extractable answers. Examples: “Why am I so tired in my 30s?” / “How long until I feel a difference?” / “What should I eat first thing in the morning?”

- DESCRIPTIVE H2: best when the section is a framework, list, step-sequence, or explanation that wouldn’t naturally fit a question. Examples: “Best foods for morning energy” / “The role of natural light in waking up energized” / “Mistakes that wreck your morning energy” / “5 morning habits that actually work.”

EVERY H2, whether question or descriptive, must include the primary keyword OR a clear related search term. Do NOT use brand-style summations or label-only headings without searchable keywords (e.g., “The Real-Life Wellness Approach” alone is wrong; “A real-life wellness approach to morning energy” works because it carries the keyword).

Mix the two forms naturally based on what each section is doing. Aim for at least 2 question-form H2s in the post (for PAA and AI search visibility), but don’t force every section into a question.

H3 SUBSECTIONS:
- Use <h3> tags inside <h2> sections to break up longer content where helpful: sequenced steps, named subtopics, distinct examples within a section.
- H3 headings can be question-form, descriptive, label-style, or numbered (e.g., “Step 1:” / “What to do tonight” / “Common mistakes” / “If you have 30 minutes”).
- H3 subsections are encouraged when a section runs long or covers multiple distinct subtopics. Their paragraph content counts toward the H2’s 300-word minimum.

LISTS:
- Use <ul><li>...</li></ul> for unordered lists. Use <ol><li>...</li></ol> for ordered lists. Both render natively in AttractWell’s blog body.
- Lists work well for: ingredients, examples, options, do/don’t pairs, quick-reference items, key takeaways, recommended actions.
- A list item is a content block within its section, the same way a paragraph is. List item text counts toward the H2 section’s 300-word minimum.
- Place a lead-in paragraph in <div> tags before the list to set context. Place a follow-up paragraph after the list to continue the section. The list goes between them.
- Do NOT use markdown bullets (-, *, +). Always use <ul> or <ol> with <li> items.

BODY RULES:
- The blog post title field becomes the <h1> automatically when published. Do NOT include any <h1> tag in the body output.
- Every paragraph in the body must be wrapped in its own <div> tag.
- Use HTML tags only throughout the body. Do NOT use markdown formatting anywhere; no ##, ###, **, *, _, ---, or dash-prefixed bullet lists.
- The body opens with a paragraph (wrapped in <div> tags), not a heading.
- Include the primary keyword naturally in the first 100 words of the body.
- Use the primary keyword and related terms throughout in a way that reads naturally.

PRIMARY CTA PLACEMENT, STRICT:
- Weave my Primary Call to Action into the post in TWO SPECIFIC LOCATIONS:
  1. FIRST CTA: in one of the FIRST THREE H2 sections of the post, woven naturally into a paragraph where the topic of that section relates to the offer. The first CTA MUST NOT appear in the second half of the post.
  2. SECOND CTA: in a closing paragraph after the final H2 section, explicitly inviting the reader to take action.
- Both placements link the URL using an anchor tag: <a href=“URL”>link text</a>. Both reference the offer by name.
- The closing paragraph draws on the one-sentence description for what to say about it.

SPACING RULE, STRICT, NO EXCEPTIONS:
- Add a <div><br></div> spacing row before EVERY heading that follows content (between the last content block, paragraph, list, or list-follow-up, and the next <h2> or <h3>).
- This rule applies WITHOUT EXCEPTION when headings are part of a numbered or stepped sequence. If you have <h3>Step 1</h3> followed by content, then <h3>Step 2</h3>, you MUST insert <div><br></div> between Step 1’s last content block and the <h3>Step 2</h3> tag.
- The ONLY times you do NOT add a spacing row: (a) between consecutive paragraphs within the same section, (b) between a paragraph and a <ul> or <ol> or vice versa within the same section, (c) immediately after a heading before its first paragraph or list.

LINK PATH (SLUG) RULES:
- Lowercase, hyphenated.
- Includes the primary keyword.
- Cut stop words and connector words that don’t carry meaning, like “how-to,” “what-is,” “why-do,” “the,” “a,” “an,” “of,” “with,” “in,” “for,” UNLESS removing them changes the meaning or makes the slug awkward to read.
- Keep the topical and descriptive words that carry the keyword and meaning.
- Concise: length is determined by what’s needed to convey the keyword and topic, not by a fixed word count.
- Examples:
  - Topic “How to Wake Up With Energy Every Morning” → slug “wake-up-with-energy-every-morning”
  - Topic “How to Get Your First Paying Coaching Clients” → slug “first-paying-coaching-clients”
  - Topic “Why Your Pricing Strategy Isn’t Working” → slug “pricing-strategy-not-working”

VERIFICATION CHECKLIST, RUN MENTALLY BEFORE PRODUCING OUTPUT:

Draft the body internally, then verify EACH of these. If any fail, revise the draft before producing the output. Do NOT include the checklist itself in the output:

1. STRUCTURAL LENGTH CHECK:
   - Count the H2 sections in your draft. MUST be 7 or more.
   - For each H2 section, count the words of body content beneath it (paragraphs, H3 paragraphs, and list item text together). MUST be 300 or more per section.
   - Plus intro paragraph: 75 words minimum.
   - If any section is short, expand it. Fix BEFORE producing output.

2. META DESCRIPTION CHARACTER COUNT: Count every character in the Meta / sharing description, including spaces and punctuation. MUST be at least 140 and at most 160. If under 140, expand. If over 160, trim. NEVER deliver under 140 characters.

3. SLUG: Lowercase, hyphenated, primary keyword included, stop words and connector words cut.

4. H2 HEADINGS REFLECT SEARCH INTENT: Each H2 either (a) is phrased as a real search question, OR (b) is a descriptive phrase that maps to an actual search query. Every H2 includes the primary keyword or a related search term. At least 2 H2s in the post are question-form. No brand-style summations without keywords.

5. SPACING ROWS PRESENT: Every heading following content has <div><br></div> before it, including in numbered sequences.

6. CTA PLACEMENT VERIFIED: First CTA in one of the first three H2 sections. Second CTA in closing paragraph after the final H2 section. Both anchor-tag-linked.

7. BOTH SEPARATOR LINES PRESENT: Output begins with <div>----- delete this section after using the following information to complete this post</div> AND includes <div>----- leave all copy below as-is as the body of your blog post</div> after the metadata block.

Only after ALL SEVEN pass, produce the output.

OUTPUT FORMAT: produce exactly this structure. Your first character is the < of the first <div> on the line below. Your last characters are the closing </div> of the final body paragraph. Nothing before, nothing after. The example below shows a mix of question-form and descriptive H2s, an H3 subsection, and a list; use them where they serve the content, not in every section:

<div>----- delete this section after using the following information to complete this post</div>
<div>Title: [Post title; includes primary keyword, compelling for a real reader, under 60 characters where possible]</div>
<div>Link Path: [the-post-slug; primary keyword, lowercase, hyphenated, stop words cut]</div>
<div>Blog Categories: [Match to one or more of my content silos above, separated by commas]</div>
<div>Meta / sharing description: [140 to 160 characters, includes primary keyword, compels a click]</div>
<div>----- leave all copy below as-is as the body of your blog post</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>[Opening paragraph; minimum 75 words]</div>
<div><br></div>
<h2>[H2 #1; question-form, e.g., “Why am I so tired in my 30s?”. First CTA may live here, in #2, or in #3.]</h2>
<div>[Section content paragraph]</div>
<div>[Additional paragraph in the same section; no spacing row between consecutive paragraphs]</div>
<div><br></div>
<h2>[H2 #2; descriptive form is also fine, e.g., “The role of natural light in waking up energized”]</h2>
<div>[Lead-in paragraph]</div>
<div><br></div>
<h3>[H3 subsection; Step 1, “What to do first thing,” etc.]</h3>
<div>[Subsection content paragraph]</div>
<div><br></div>
<h3>[Next H3 subsection; Step 2, with spacing row above EVEN THOUGH part of numbered sequence]</h3>
<div>[Subsection content]</div>
<div><br></div>
<h2>[H2 #3; descriptive form with a list, e.g., “Best foods for morning energy”]</h2>
<div>[Lead-in paragraph for the list]</div>
<ul>
<li>[List item; describes a food, habit, or option]</li>
<li>[List item]</li>
<li>[List item]</li>
<li>[List item]</li>
</ul>
<div>[Follow-up paragraph that extends the section content. List item text counts toward the 300-word section minimum.]</div>
<div><br></div>
<h2>[H2 #4; question-form, e.g., “How long until I feel a difference?”]</h2>
<div>[Section content; minimum 300 words across paragraphs and any subsections]</div>
<div><br></div>
[Continue with H2 #5, #6, #7+; mixing question-form and descriptive H2s, each carrying the primary keyword or a related search term, each with at least 300 words of content beneath it]
<div><br></div>
<h2>[Final H2; question or descriptive, with primary keyword]</h2>
<div>[Final section content; minimum 300 words]</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>[CLOSING PARAGRAPH AFTER FINAL H2; invites reader to take action with second CTA, anchor-tag-linked URL, references offer by name, draws on the one-sentence description]</div>

[Continue this pattern. At least 7 H2 sections (mix question-form and descriptive), each ≥300 words. Intro ≥75 words. At least 2 H2s are question-form. Every paragraph in <div>. Lists in <ul><li> or <ol><li> where they serve the content. H3s where they help organize. Spacing rows before EVERY heading that follows content; no exceptions for numbered sequences. Primary CTA woven in twice; first within the first three H2 sections, second in a closing paragraph after the final H2. No markdown. No preamble. No postamble. Both separator lines present.]

SEO RULES FOR PAGES

When I ask you to write, edit, or build content for a page where SEO matters (sales pages, work-with-me pages, service pages, location pages, resource pages), follow these body rules.

CONTENT SILOS (same as my blog list):
- [Topic 1]
- [Topic 2]
- [Topic 3]
- [Topic 4]
- [Topic 5]

BODY RULES:
- I’ll name the primary keyword in my prompt. Include it in the first <h1> on the page and naturally throughout the body.
- Use ONE <h1> on the page, in the first text section.
- Use <h2> tags to organize subsequent sections.
- Use <h3> tags inside <h2> sections to break up longer content where helpful.
- Every paragraph must be wrapped in its own <div> tag.
- Add a <div><br></div> spacing row before every heading that follows content. Do NOT add spacing rows between consecutive paragraphs in the same section. Do NOT add a spacing row immediately after a heading before its first paragraph.
- Use HTML tags only. Do NOT use markdown formatting anywhere; no ##, ###, **, *, _, ---, or dash-prefixed bullet lists. Use <ul><li> or <ol><li> for lists where appropriate.
- Naturally include the primary keyword in the first 100 words of body content.
- Length depends on page purpose:
  - Sales pages: 1,500+ words.
  - Work-with-me, service, and location pages: 600 to 1,000+ words.
  - Resource pages: variable, based on what’s listed.