Previously I have explained the process of finding targeted keyword phrases that are researched to include the search volume, the level of competition and the monetization opportunities to fit your blog strengths and weaknesses.
Now that you have the list of targeted keyword phrases, the question is how you can optimize your blog for keywords that you have discovered. Blog page optimization is the process of making sure that your blog article functions in the most effective way possible in relation to search engines. Here are some rules to follow:
1. Write natural. Make sure your blog articles read well and have unique content. Your visitors are the priority number one. Write natural sounding content. You do not need to use your keyword phrase so aggressively that the article does not read well.
2. Get inbound links. Always work on getting relevant, high-quality inbound links from authority sites with keyword-rich anchor text.
3. One keyword phrase per article. Use different blog articles to optimize for different keyword phrases. You cannot optimize one blog article for several different keywords. More keyword phrases you add to the mix, more your blog article loses the focus..
4. Use overlaping keywords. In cases where keyword phrases share some of the same words you should try to optimize the blog page for more than one keyword. For example keyword phrase “blog marketing” can go along with “WordPress blog marketing” or “blog marketing services”. So including phrase “WordPress blog marketing services” in your blog article will help towards ranking to all 3 phrases.
5. Include variations of the main keyword. Instead of repeating the keyword phrase too many times throughout the blog article, try to include variations of the term and include a range of keywords and related phrases similar to your target keyword.
6. Include the exact keyword phrase.
- You should use the phrase in the post title
- You should use the phrase in the URL (how to optimize your permalinks)
- You should use the phrase within the first paragraph
- You should use the phrase in the body of the content
- You may bold or italicize the phrase in the article
- You may put the phrase in the headings or subheadings
- You may put the phrase in the bulleted list
7. Include a picture. Add a picture to the blog article and make sure the title and alt tags have the keyword phrase in them. Use a filename that includes the keyword phrase. You can also use descriptive text near the image by writing an image heading or image caption.
These 7 steps should hopefully set you on the way of creating new blog posts that will increase your blog visibility in the search engine results pages.
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{ 18 comments }
Thanks for the tips, especially #7. I’ll remember that instead of just plopping the picture in my post willy nilly without any alt text.
@Tracy, I am glad it helped!
By optimizing your images you will soon start seeing traffic from images.google.com. On one of my blogs, last month it has been number 7 on my top refers list, which is great.
Thanks for the useful tips particularly pt.6. I observed when I do a google search on any topic, I tend to see the first 200 characters from where google fetches the page.
So that’s key for SEO. Once again thanks for the tip.
@Santosh Puthran, doing tips from number 6 is key along with the inbound links. Just don’t overstuff it with your keyword. Thanks for comments!
I am thinking maybe #2 is my week spot
@Bobby, to start doing number 2, start including your link when writing comments on other blogs. That will be a good start building awareness of your blog.
STUMBLED!
I’m guilty of #3, but do the rest for each of my posts.
Good post.
@Geoserv, for new articles you write, try to be aware of it. Find a topic and stick to it, save the other topics for other posts.
I appreciate the step by step approach. Very informative! Thanks. I stumbled and subscribed to your blog feed.
Thanks for your comments!
number one is definitely the most important. having unique content is the only way to keep readers coming to your site.
I agree to a degree. Problem with only focusing on writing content is how do you expect people to find your content? If writing something very unique and useful you might rely on word-of-mouth and viral marketing, but you would still need to do some promotion to get the initial exposure before letting it go viral. So it is important to find a middle ground between writing content and promotion to maximise your blog potential.
Hi Marko,
Thanks for posting this article. I like number 3 “One keyword phrase per article”.
Its really important you choose good and right keyword while we write a post. I have written something in lines with this . I would also like to add here that all your post are interesting to read.
Cheers
Krish
It is so important to choose the right keyword, I am still trying to understand. Thanks for the article! Number 7 was a great tip!
I just have to tell you that I feel so fortunate to have subscribed to your blog. You write the best articles and share the greatest tips. I find myself anxiously awaiting an email that tells me there’s a new one to read. As for this post, I especially liked tip #6. Then again, they’re all good!
Kathy
@Kathy Nielsen – Thanks for the kind words. I hope you use and implement my tips on your own projects.
Great post!!!!
Been thinking seriously about writing how to articles for my blog but I'm afraid of them getting lost somewhere down the line as they're pushed further and further deep inside the blog.
Guess I have to start somehow.
Hey great post, really liked it.
One question, is it possible to have too many keywords in a post?
Say I am writing about the NCAA Basketball Tournament (going on right now)…would it be a good move to add every school I mention in the post in my keywords/tags? Or just better to go with basics such as NCAA Basketball, college basketball tournament, etc…?
Thanks,
Chris