With the ever increasing need for SEO in blogging, it is essential for every professional to learn what good blog SEO entails. For beginners and seasoned bloggers alike, there are three things that you need to do to be able to succeed in what you do. They include the following…

1. Use the correct blogging platform

Although some people have succeeded in using platforms like TypePad and Joomla, WordPress is the best. This is because it is very powerful and simple to learn at the same time. It also comes with numerous SEO plugins that will help your website become more popular and appear on the front pages of search engine results.

2. Own a domain

Forget addresses like mycompany.wordpress.com. Such domains mean that you are building inbound links and trust to another party. Instead, you should blog using your own domain. This will come in handy when you decide to change your blogging platform as it will allow you to transfer every inbound link you have collected all the years.

3. Stay committed

You cannot expect to succeed as a blogger in one day. This is nothing like pay-per-click advertising. With PPC, it is usually gone once you stop paying. However, with a blog, you can still earn passively from posts you wrote years ago. They can also attract more traffic to your website even after many years.

So, what is good blog SEO?

If you are new to the term, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. In layman’s terms, it means that as a blogger, you need to make it easy for search engines to find your blog. Appearing first in Google searches is very important for any blogger as it attracts more traffic. It is usually common for people looking for answers on Google to view those results that appear on the first page.

How it works

For any search engine to deliver useful and relevant results to the user, spiders are put into use. These look for information, then investigate and analyze every web page and choose the high-quality ones that meet the criteria of the search being made at that instant. The search engine algorithm considers the relevance and popularity of the information, among many variables.

After following all these factors, search engines rank the pages before presenting the results as a list. The one that appears at the top is the most popular one that is considered the appropriate and best of all. Users always believe in the power of the search engine and with that in mind, believe that the first link will yield them better results. This is the biggest fear for bloggers. Every one of them wants their content to be the first on the search engine page so that they can maximize clicks.

The good thing, though, is that today, Google values user experience over anything else. This is why bloggers should consider putting their readers’ needs first. Google wants users to access the best content and not poorly written articles. As a blogger, always practise good blog SEO. Here’s how…

How to make a Blogger’s content SEO-friendly

1. Write valuable and searchable content

Google is always looking for quality content and thus, this is the most important aspect. If you are looking to have your content ranked on Google, it has to be valuable, deep, and very informational. This means that you cannot expect to see your article if is a short script. People need answers when they go online and Google knows this. That is why it will give priority to articles that have in-depth and highly valuable information.

Rich content will always command more clicks, and that is what Google will place at the top of their search list. Rather than stuff your post with keywords, go for descriptive and informative explanations of what you are willing to share with readers. Remember that you are writing for people and not the search engines.

2. Compose attractive, click-worthy titles

A compelling title is something that attracts the readers’ attention to an article. It determines whether a reader will be attracted enough to click on the site or not. This is why your titles should resonate with your target audience’s needs and not those of search engines.

3. Use relevant keywords

It is always important to use well-researched keywords. Just like with titles, these will attract more traffic to your website. For example, if you are writing about good blog SEO, just like this article, ‘blog SEO’ could be your keyword/s. People who want to learn more about this topic are likely to use that phrase as their search keyword.

A keyword should not contain a single word; it should be a phrase. This is because using a single word will make it too broad. If you use one word as the keyword, the chances are that your article will not appear on the first page of search engines. If you are wondering where to place the keyword in the article, here are some suggestions:

4. Consider your post title carefully

If anything, you should include the keyword in the title. Try to keep your title less than 55 characters because that is where Google usually cuts it off.

5. Include a meta description

A meta description has more to do with writing content that will attract the readers’ attention while they go through the search results. It is what will make them click on your post. This is why you need to include your keyword there to get the readers hooked on what you are trying to sell. The meta description should not go beyond 160 characters. Google usually bolds the keywords that you have used in your description to make them stand out when searched.

6. Add keywords throughout the post

You should always include the keyword at the beginning of your post while making the introduction. Also, before concluding, make certain to include it. If possible place it a few times throughout the post.

7. Write helpful headers

Headings are meant to help the writer organise their content so that it can appear easy for readers to follow through. Headings help readers know what is coming next while making sure they can keep track of where they have reached with the article. Remember that you should never force a keyword to fit in the headings. If you find out that it doesn’t work, don’t include it as there are plenty of places you can place it.

8. Create authority using shares and link-backs

A post is considered valuable by search engines due to the number of times other sites have linked back to it. So, if you have a post that other sites have linked to, Google will definitely notice that and push it up in their rankings. The only way you can make other websites link to your post is by creating great content. Any compelling information will definitely be shared, earn attraction and eventually get linked back to by other sites.

9. Divide your content with useful subheadings

There are two reasons why you should break up your content using subheadings. First, it makes it easier for the readers to browse, internalise and digest. The second thing is that it helps search engines to determine whether you have highlighted the important appearance of your keyword. Consider using heading tags to help break up different post sections.

10. Remember that images are very important for good blog SEO

When optimizing posts for given keywords, do not forget the images. Google considers image titles and alt tags in its rankings. These can easily be edited in WordPress through the add media button that is usually at the top of the page. Proceed to use a phrase that has your keyword in the alt section. Also, save your images using titles that match the keyword.

11. Use tools that make it easier to optimise a post

One popular tool is the WordPress plugin Yoast SEO. This tool is very efficient at helping with good blog SEO We use it. We love it! It helps the writer set keywords and prompts you to make changes that are SEO friendly in the whole post. Such a tool will help in increasing your website’s traffic. It works like an SEO detective. Once installed, a section under the edit window will appear on every post, prompting you to write your keyword, come up with an SEO title, and write your meta description. It also helps with a post’s readability.

12. Link to other blog posts

If you have been blogging about a single theme and after a while you notice that you have other related posts, it would be wise to begin linking to them. This will help you interlink the posts to one another. Google values links very much. Although it is tricky to control any external links, internal linking is easy and you can do it on your own.

For good blog SEO, the more you interlink blog posts, the more popular your website becomes. This means that you will grab Google’s attention. Interlinking also helps Google know what your post contains. When Google understands what your content is all about, it will start showing your posts in the search results list frequently. Interlinks also motivate readers to pay more attention to your blog.

Although practising good blog SEO will not give you instant growth, it will help you build a strong readers’ base. This foundation will ensure that over time, readers are pulled towards your site as it offers them the answers they need.

Can you add any tips or useful tools to help with SEO?