If you’re tired of copy-pasting blog posts between Google Docs and your CMS, spending more time on formatting than writing, or fighting with “SEO tools” that promise the moon and deliver a checklist, this guide’s for you. We’ll walk through how to publish SEO-optimized blog posts directly to your CMS using Letterdrop, cut through the fluff, and focus on what actually saves you time and helps your content get found.
This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid unnecessary complexity so you can focus on creating good stuff people (and search engines) actually want.
Why Publish Directly to Your CMS?
Let’s get real: managing content should be straightforward, but for most teams, it’s not. Maybe you’re stuck emailing drafts, losing track of versions, or pasting into a clunky CMS editor that messes up your formatting. Every extra step means more room for mistakes and less time spent on writing.
Publishing directly to your CMS from your content platform cuts out a lot of pain:
- No more copying and pasting. What you see in the editor is what goes live.
- Fewer formatting disasters. No weird line breaks or missing images.
- One source of truth. You’re not chasing down the “final” version in someone’s inbox.
But not every tool handles this well—or at all. That’s where Letterdrop comes in.
Letterdrop: What It Actually Does Well (and What It Doesn’t)
Letterdrop is a content operations platform that promises to streamline content creation, collaboration, and publishing. Here’s what you actually get:
Where Letterdrop shines: - Real SEO optimization features: It gives you actionable suggestions based on what’s ranking, not just a generic checklist. - Workflow management: Assign, edit, and approve content in one place. No more wrangling Google Docs links. - Direct CMS integrations: Supports WordPress, Webflow, HubSpot, Contentful, Ghost, and a few others. You publish with a click.
Stuff to ignore (or be wary of): - AI writing tools: They’re improving, but don’t expect magic. Use them for outlines or first drafts, not finished posts. - Automated “SEO scoring”: It’s often just a nudge to add more keywords. Trust your own judgment and real keyword research.
If your CMS isn’t supported, you’ll still need to copy-paste or use a workaround. And if you’re super particular about custom blocks or non-standard formatting, some manual tweaks may be needed after publishing.
Step-by-Step: Publishing SEO-Optimized Posts with Letterdrop
Let’s walk through the process—from drafting to pushing your content live. I’ll flag where you can save time, and where to look out for gotchas.
1. Set Up Your Letterdrop Account and CMS Integration
What to do: - Sign up for Letterdrop (free trials are available, but serious features are paid). - Go to “Integrations” and connect your CMS. You’ll need admin access. - For WordPress, you’ll usually need an API key or plugin. - For Webflow, HubSpot, or Contentful, you’ll authenticate with OAuth.
What to watch for: - Double-check user permissions—if you can’t publish from Letterdrop, you might not have the right CMS access. - Not all CMS fields map perfectly (e.g., custom fields in WordPress). Test with a dummy post first.
Pro tip: Do this set-up once and document the steps for your team. It saves headaches later.
2. Draft Your Content in Letterdrop
What to do: - Start a new post in Letterdrop’s editor. It’s built for writers—clean, distraction-free, and supports basic formatting. - Use built-in collaboration—assign writers, ask for feedback, and track changes.
What works: - Comments and suggestions are pretty smooth—no juggling Google Docs. - Version history is reliable, so you can roll back if someone deletes half your post by accident.
What to ignore: - Letterdrop’s AI writing tools can help brainstorm or break writer’s block, but don’t expect high-quality finished drafts.
3. Optimize for SEO—But Don’t Obsess
Letterdrop offers SEO tools, but let’s be honest: most “SEO optimization” features are overrated. Here’s what’s actually useful:
Use these: - Keyword recommendations: Letterdrop analyzes what’s ranking for your topic and suggests relevant keywords. Use these as a gut check—not gospel. - Internal linking suggestions: Helps you link to other posts on your site, which Google likes (and so do readers). - Meta title and description editing: Do these in Letterdrop so you don’t forget.
Skip or take with a grain of salt: - “SEO score” meters: These are rarely the difference between page 1 and page 5. Focus on writing something worth reading. - Overstuffing keywords: If it sounds weird when you read it out loud, you’ve gone too far.
Pro tip: Always preview how your post will look in Google’s results. Letterdrop has a simple preview tool—use it to catch awkward cut-offs.
4. Add Images, Formatting, and Calls to Action
What to do: - Drag and drop images into the editor. Letterdrop handles basic image optimization (file size, alt text prompts). - Use H2s, bulleted lists, and short paragraphs. Not just for SEO—readers appreciate it. - Add calls to action (CTAs), like newsletter signups or product links, using Letterdrop’s built-in blocks or by pasting in embed codes.
What works: - Letterdrop’s editor is less glitchy than most CMSes. What you see is usually what you get on your site. - Alt text suggestions are genuinely helpful if you forget accessibility basics.
What to watch for: - Custom embed codes (like fancy forms) might not always render right after publishing. Double-check live.
5. Review, Approve, and Publish Directly to Your CMS
What to do: - Use Letterdrop’s approval workflows—assign final review to editors or stakeholders. - Preview the post as it’ll appear on your CMS. Letterdrop pulls in your theme’s styles for a close match. - Hit “Publish”—Letterdrop pushes the post (and images) straight to your CMS.
What works: - You can schedule posts to go live at a specific time—no need to log into your CMS again. - Letterdrop keeps a log of what was published, when, and by whom.
What to watch for: - Some CMSes (especially WordPress with heavy plugins/themes) can mangle formatting. Always check the live post for surprises. - Updating a post after publishing? You can sync changes from Letterdrop, but double-check for overwritten custom tweaks made in the CMS.
6. Measure Results—But Don’t Chase Vanity Metrics
Letterdrop integrates with Google Analytics and Search Console, so you can see how your published posts are doing. But don’t get lost in the weeds.
Focus on: - Which posts bring real traffic (not just impressions)? - What topics lead to signups or sales? - Are your posts getting picked up by other sites (backlinks)?
Ignore: - Obsessing over “SEO scores” or traffic spikes from bots. Quality > quantity.
Pro tip: Set aside time each month to review what’s working, then adjust your content plan. Don’t stress about every dip or spike.
What to Skip (Lessons From the Trenches)
- Don’t overcomplicate your workflow. The more tools you add, the more things break. Stick to what solves your actual problems.
- Don’t chase every SEO “hack.” Search engines get smarter every year. Write for people first, then clean up the basics.
- Don’t expect automation to do your thinking. Tools are only as smart as the humans using them.
Keep It Simple—And Keep Publishing
Content publishing shouldn’t feel like a maze of logins, tabs, and endless checklists. With the right setup, you can draft, optimize, and publish straight to your CMS—skipping the busywork and focusing on writing posts that actually matter.
Set up Letterdrop, get your workflow dialed, and remember: most “advanced” features are optional. Start simple, keep iterating, and don’t let perfect be the enemy of done. The real win is hitting publish on content you’re proud of—and seeing it actually hit your site without a hitch.