Optimizing Your Blog Articles for SEO

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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is on everyone’s lips all of the time. It is wonderful if you can write a blog article that uses sophisticated language, exciting language, and beautiful grammar and punctuation. However, it is also critical that it is optimized for the search engines. After all, people need to be able to find you.

Your approach to optimization

Sometimes, when it comes to writing, the hardest part is coming up with the first sentence. Once you have been able to come up with that first sentence, you just have to put one foot in front of the other after that and keep writing. If a blank piece of paper gives you a great deal of anxiety, you may want to create an outline from which to work or perhaps a template will work well for your blog articles. You understand that you need to blog. Not only because everyone else is doing it and their businesses are thriving but because you need to do it for the sake of your own business.

Creating a template for  your blog articles

Whether you create a template for your blog articles or you get someone else to do it for you, the point is that it will make your life a whole lot easier and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t do it. The SEO part of it (no matter what anyone else says) is extremely important and always will be. So, now all you have to do is follow some pretty straightforward, simple tips that will help you tremendously. If your blog articles are optimized, you will rank higher on the search engine pages and you will be noticed much more readily online.

  • Keywords first: Your keywords and key phrases are extremely important. If you have strategically placed keywords that yield the results that you are hoping for, you will be able to accomplish all sorts of great things.

  • Pay strict attention to the size of your blog posts: Your blog posts should be between 500 and 1,000 words (although closer to 500 than 1,000). Too short isn’t good and too long will cause your readers to give up on your post. Of course, you shouldn’t worry if your blog posts end up being longer than you thought they would be.

  • Always include anchor text terms: Anchor text is a key phrase that hyperlinks to your website. The concept is that you are planting an “anchor” that is connected to your website. After all, once you have gotten the person to visit your website, you can woo them properly.

  • Include a few keywords or key phrases: It is very important to strike a balance. Don’t overstuff your blog articles with too many keywords and make sure that the keywords or key phrases that you do use are really appropriate and really effective. You may have to give them some thought before you actually choose. It will definitely be worth the effort.

  • Provide some sort of incentive for your readers: People will respond to you if you offer them something. Of course, you shouldn’t think of it as bribing other people to read what you are sharing. It is just a matter of making it more interesting and expressing exactly how much you are capable of. Your readers will thank you later.

Conclusion

Writing a great-quality blog article is absolutely fundamental. You need to take some choice keywords and key phrases and leverage them to the hilt. Make sure that you do everything possible to maintain a high level of optimization with every blog that you write and post. It is also fundamental that you take that article and make sure that it has been optimized correctly so that other people can find you and begin to interact with you. It is your first step to building a meaningful and mutually beneficial relationship together.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a complimentary assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

Author

  • Michael Cohn

    Michael Cohn is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CompuKol Communications. He has decades of experience in IT and web technologies. Michael founded CompuKol Communications to help small businesses and entrepreneurs increase their visibility and reputation. CompuKol consults, creates, and implements communication strategies for small businesses to monopolize their markets with a unique business voice, vision, and visibility. Mr. Cohn earned a Master’s degree in project management from George Washington University in Washington, DC; and a Master’s degree in computer science and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

4 Responses

  1. Kevin Gallagher says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Are Your Blog Articles Search Ready?

    I don’t normally get involved when i see these kinds of posts but I just had to today. Creating content is not about how long it is or even the use of keywords.

    Is is about writing for your audience and answering a question they may have or to be educational. Write your content around topics your audience is interested in not around keywords.
    By Kevin Gallagher

  2. Toni Lawrence says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Small Business Accelerator
    Discussion: Are Your Blog Articles Search Ready?

    Excellent and informative article Michael. I have been blogging for others for a long time, and hope I utilize all your tips. I soon will be putting one out there of my own, and definitely plan to follow your lead. Thank you.
    By Toni Lawrence

  3. Toni Lawrence says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Are Your Blog Articles Search Ready?

    With the greatest respect, write for your audience not search engines. Unless you want a Google slap. Use outbound links to quality sites to add value to the user experience. SEO has changed for the better.
    By Doug Bailey

  4. Doug Bailey says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Email Marketing & Social Media
    Discussion: Are Your Blog Articles Search Ready?

    “You need to take some choice keywords and key phrases and leverage them to the hilt”. I respectfully disagree.

    This used to be acceptable SEO practice. It’s now considered Black Hat and will get the well known Google Slap. Or get the site deindexed.

    Google introduced Penguin, Panda and Hummingbird algorithm updates to rid the internet of spammy sites. Facebook is doing it too. A good thing for all of us.

    What works long term is providing valuable quality content that viewers find useful. Link out to great articles and authority sites. Do not try to manipulate or game the system.

    Add quality informative video. Blog with useful content.

    And your site will compete with the best of the best. This is the secure long term viewer and search engine friendly approach.
    By Doug Bailey