Last time I suggested blogging as an excellent tool for search engine optimization, or SEO. Here are five easy but important rules to follow to maximise the results of your SEO blogging.
Content for two
A very important element of SEO blogging is always creating content for two recipients: human visitors and search engines. Finding the right balance is crucial; concentrate less on one and you may lose the other. Live users will come to your blog in search of information, therefore articles must be easy to read and on target. On the other hand, search engines will only scan for keywords, without understanding the message.
One of the basic tips to enriching your content is to omit pronouns (such as ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘he’, ‘she’, etc) and replace them with descriptive references. For example, the sentence ‘You can find it in our store’ can be easy transformed into ‘Our customers can buy wide range of [insert products here] by visiting our online store’.
Organise your page title
Search engines will read your page from top, therefore it is very important to try to keep your keywords at the start of your blog posts. For example, starting your posts with a date is less effective than starting with the title. You can edit your blog templates to ensure that the date goes below your title or even the post contents.
Use SEO-friendly URLs
A standard blog configuration may use numbering for links to individual entries rather than using the title in the URL. This is a missed opportunity for important keywords. Make sure to configure your blog so that URLs to individual entries include your keywords.
Use keywords in links
Links within your blog posts are very important: you should use them to cross-reference articles, and link your blog to other pages within your website. Links are also very important for search engines, and you can make use of this in a very simple manner. Instead of, say, using the phrase ‘Visit our website www.[yourdomainhere].ie’ as a link, use keywords that describe your business.
No duplicates
Duplicating content is treated as spam by search engines. If you want to copy text from your main website, summarise it and include a link to the source page. This will make your blog more credible.
Marcin Kulik is the owner of MK Design Studio, a creative web design agency based in Malahide Co Dublin.
E-mail: m.kulik@mkdesign.ie Web: www.mkdesign.ie
