SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the key to making your blog the most viewed resource on a subject. The higher you can rank in search engine results, the more traffic you can drive to your website. If your blog is monetized, this means more money in your pocket. Optimizing your blog for SEO seems confusing to most people, but you can do it with a relatively easy process. Here are some blogging strategies for how to make your blog SEO-Friendly in four steps.
Research SEO Keywords Before You Write
To create content that will rank well, you’ll need to do some research before you write. Search engines search your content for keywords, which are words or phrases that someone would use to search for information on a specific topic. For example, someone looking for a Dodge Challenger would likely use the keywords, Dodge, Challenger, and car. If you want your content to be selected for the search results, you need to include these keywords in the blog post.
This means that you need to find the most appropriate keywords for the topic that you are writing about and incorporate them into the post. There are many online tools that you can use to do this. Every search engine has its own tools that catalog and rank keywords for different subjects, like Google’s Keyword Planner. Use these tools to find, at least, the top four keywords that you can use.
Integrate Keywords Organically
Once you have found your keywords, you can begin the writing process. You want to include each of the keywords at least twice. However, you want them to occur as naturally as possible in the content. Search engines dislike keyword stuffing, which is a method of placing a keyword too many times or in strange places in the content.
Plan Internal and External Links
Search engines also like content that is referenced by other sources on the internet. To make sure that your blog post is connected to other sources, plan several internal and external links. An internal link is a connection to a page on the same website as the blog post. External links are connections to pages on other websites. Try to have at least two internal links if you have them, and three external links. This creates a web of connections that not only help your ranking but also bring more people to your website.
Properly Prepare Images
Including images in your blog posts can be beneficial for your readers and SEO ranking, but they need to be prepared properly. There are two things that you need to do: fill out the alt-tag and create an appropriate file name. When you upload the image to your website, you will create the file name. Make sure that it has keywords in it. The alt-tag is an alternative to showing the picture. Since most systems can’t tell what is in the picture, they read the alt-tag instead. Use it to describe what is in the picture with keywords included.
Get Help When You Need It
SEO optimization gets easier with practice, but there is an easier way to make sure your blog posts rank well. Partner with a company that can create high-quality, SEO-friendly content. At KitleyTech, we can help you fill your blog with content that will raise your SEO ranking and drive traffic to your website. Contact us at (800) 274 2908 to discuss your blog’s needs with our team.
