Yoast SEO Alternative for Blogger: How to Optimize Without Plugins (2026 Guide)

If you are using Blogger (Blogspot), one thing becomes clear very quickly: there is no Yoast SEO plugin for you.

And honestly? That isn’t nearly as big a problem as people make it sound.

Thousands of Blogger blogs rank on Google every day—without Yoast, Rank Math, or any plugin at all. The truth is simple: SEO doesn’t depend on plugins. Plugins only make things easier; they don’t create rankings.

In this guide, I will show you real Yoast SEO alternatives for Blogger and explain how to fully optimize your posts manually, step-by-step.

No gimmicks. No outdated tricks. Only actionable methods that are proven effective.

Why Yoast SEO Doesn’t Exist for Blogger

Yoast was created for WordPress, which supports PHP-based plugins. Blogger, on the other hand, is a hosted Google platform—you cannot install external plugins.

But here is the important part: Google owns Blogger.

That means Blogger already has the core technical SEO built-in:

✅ Clean HTML Formatting
✅ Fast Google Hosting
✅ Automatic Sitemap Generation
✅ Strong Crawling Support

The only thing missing is guidance. That is where manual optimization comes in to replace the plugin.

The Real Alternatives to Yoast SEO For Blogger

Instead of a plugin, you use specific tools and settings. Here are the 3 best alternatives:

1. Blogger Built-in SEO Settings

Most bloggers never touch these, and that is why they struggle. Inside your dashboard at Settings → Meta tags, you can control:

Meta descriptions
Search visibility
Custom robots.txt

These options replace nearly 60% of what the Yoast plugin does.

2. Google Search Console (Your Real Tool)

Yoast simply connects your site to Search Console. As a Blogger user, you can do this directly. Use Search Console to:

Submit your sitemap (sitemap.xml)
Fix indexing errors
Track which keywords you are ranking for

3. Keyword Research Tools (Ahrefs / Ubersuggest)

Yoast gives keyword suggestions, but dedicated tools do it 10x better. Use a free tool like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner to find low-competition keywords, then place them in your post manually.

How to Do On-Page SEO in Blogger (The Manual Method)

Let’s break this down exactly how Yoast works—and how you replace it manually.

Step 1: SEO Title Optimization

Yoast checks if your title is too long. In Blogger, you must check this yourself.

Go to: Post Settings → Title
The Rule: Keep it under 60 characters and put your keyword at the beginning.

Example: ❌ Bad: Here are some tips to help you rank your blog faster on Google Search ✅ Better: Blogger SEO Tips: How to Rank Faster on Google

Step 2: The Meta Description (Crucial!)

In WordPress, Yoast forces you to write this. In Blogger, it is hidden in the sidebar.

Go to: Post Sidebar → Search Description
The Rule: Write 150 characters summarizing the post. Include your main keyword once.

Step 3: URL (Permalink) Optimization

Blogger auto-generates messy URLs. You must edit them before you hit publish.

Go to: Permalink → Custom Permalink
The Rule: Use short, keyword-rich URLs. No years, no extra words.

Example: ❌ .../2026/01/how-to-optimize-your-blog-post.html ✅ .../2026/01/blogger-seo-guide.html

Step 4: Heading Structure (H2 & H3)

Never use "Bold" or "Large Text" for your subheadings. Google bots don't understand font size; they understand HTML tags.

Post Title: This is your H1 (Automatic).
Main Sections: Change "Paragraph" to Major Heading (H2).
Sub-points: Change to Heading (H3).

Step 5: Image SEO (Alt Text)

Yoast warns you about missing Alt text. In Blogger, you have to remember it yourself.

How to do it: Click on your image → Select the Gear Icon ⚙️ → Fill in the "Alt Text" box.
Why: This helps your images rank in Google Images, bringing you extra traffic.

Step 6: Smart Internal Linking

Yoast suggests links, but you can do it better.

Link to 2-3 other posts on your own blog.
Pro Tip: Don't use "Click Here." Use descriptive text like "Check out my guide on Robots.txt settings."

Final Verdict: Do You Need Yoast?

Let’s be honest. No plugin can:

Write better content than you.
Understand your personal experience.
Build trust with your readers.

Google doesn’t rank plugins. Google ranks solutions.

If your article solves a problem better than a WordPress site—even without Yoast—it will rank.

Your Turn: Go check your last 3 posts. Did you fill in the "Search Description"? If not, go fix them now and watch your impressions grow!

Start Searching?