Running a blog with little no readers at all? Perhaps it’s time for some search engines optimization works. Listed below are some of the basic do and don’t when it comes to optimizing your blogs for search engines.
1. Do your homework – do keyword research to understand your audience and competitors
Studying your keywords improve your understanding in your industry trends. Good keyword research reveals what the audiences are looking for and how tough are your competitors, and thus, assist you to make better decision in setting SEO goals. Smart bloggers will always avoid direct competition with gigantic websites and aim for low-competition-high-demand keywords.
Keyword research can be done nicely, without breaking your wallet, by using the right combination of tools. Personally, I use these tools frequently to get the job done.
- SEO Book Keyword Tool (http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/) – SEO Book Keyword Tool is often used during preliminary stage. As the tool pulls huge amount of data from different sources, it’s easy to generate a huge list of keywords using SEO Book Keyword Tool.
- Keyword Discovery (http://www.keyworddiscovery.com) – Keyword Discovery is a keyword tools with high accuracy and comprehensive details. Free trial is available with Keyword Discovery but with limited features.
- Word Tracker (http://www.wordtracker.com) – Word Tracker is an industry well-known name. They provide similar service to Keyword Discovery that comes in both paid and free version.
- Adwords Keyword Tool (https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) – To estimate search volumes and to look for similar search terms that I overlooked.
- Google Trends (http://www.google.com/trends) – Tools often used in support of keywords comparative studies. Say that you got a list of 5 keywords from Keyword Discovery but you are not sure which is the best to go with – you can then use Google Trends to compare keywords growth trends and pick the one with best potentials.
- Google Insights (http://www.google.com/insights/search/) – Best for local and in-depth search studies - provide details search patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties. I often use Google Insights to select broad search terms.
- Yahoo Site Explorer (https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/) – Basically I use this for competitor analysis – to check the amount of competitor’s back links and pages indexed in search engines.
- Link Harvester (http://tools.seobook.com/link-tools/backlinks/backlinks.php) – Alternatively, I use Aaron Wall’s Link Harvester for competitor analysis. Link Harvester provides detail back links analysis and I like using it to study my major competitors.
2. Make sure your domain and URLs are keyword rich
If you are yet to select your blog domain, pick one that has your primary keyword in it. A keyword-rich domain name tells search engines how to categorize your blog. A blog’s domain like www.Daniel.com tells nothing to search engines; on the other hand, www.DanielMaineLobsters.com tells the search engine that this blog is related to lobsters, thus grouping the blog into the right search results.
For those who are already running a blog with right now, you still can improve your SEO scores by creating keyword rich URL. Bloggers often overlooked the permanlink options and left their blogpost URL poorly optimized. For example, a number based URL like http://www.exampleblog.com/?p=157 creates no SEO values at all; on the other hand, an URL like http://www.exampleblog.com/forex-trading-tutorial makes a lot more sense.
3. Optimize your blog title tags
A blog post or page title is often used as the title tag by default. As title tag is one of the most important on-page SEO factors, such approach is simply unsatisfactory. In case you are using WordPress, there are loads of plugin around that allows you to customize your title tags. All-In-One SEO Pack (http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/) and SEO Title Tag (http://www.netconcepts.com/seo-title-tag-plugin/) for example are two of the very best plugins you can get for free.
4. Use your heading tags correctly
It’s very often to see heading tags are misused in blogs.
Are you placing <h1> tag on your blog title – thus running the same <h1> tags on every single page in your blog? Are you applying heading tags <h2> and <h3> for unrelated words (like “Categories”, “Archieves”, “Calender”) at your sidebar? Are you using your non-keyword-related blog name as <h3> tags at your footer? Are you using sufficient heading tags in your blog posts – do you use keyword riched<h3> and <h4> tags?
These are some of the classic examples of how heading tags are misused by bloggers. Heading tags should be keyword rich and they suppose to tell inform search engines what your page is about. If you are having such mistakes, correct them immediately.
5. Create a XML sitemap
It is important to have your blog ‘reachable’ by search engine bots. A XML sitemap comes handy when you have a huge content based blog. It simply encourages the bots to crawl deeper and to understand about your blog better (thus, more pages indexed and better search engine rankings).
It’s simple to create a XML sitemap and I recommend using Arne’s Google Sitemap Generator (http://www.arnebrachhold.de/projects/wordpress-plugins/google-xml-sitemaps-generator/) for WordPress blog.
6. Avoid WWW/non-WWW canonical issue with Google
Okay, I admit that this is not something new but it’s definitely SEO 101.
In the past, Google views the WWW version and non-WWW version of a blog (or website) as two different editions. A lot of websites and blogs were penalized because the search engines (namely Google) see this as a content duplication violation (the same content on http://www.yourblog.com and http://yourblog.com).
While such problem is not common nowadays (as search engine algorithm revolt); it is, nevertheless, a good practice to ensure your blog is immune to such troubles. To avoid WWW/non-WWW canonical issue with Google, create a Google Webmaster Tools account and select which version (WWW or non-WWW) version of your blog is preferred.
Alternatively, you can avoid such problem by simply creating a 301 redirect code in your root .htaccess file. Example, this will redirect the non-WWW version of your blog to WWW version:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\.tycoonblogger\.com $
RewriteRule (.*) http://www. tycoonblogger.com/$1 [R=301,L]
7. Build inbound links from other related websites
Ask, beg, trade, buy, or even steal links from other related blogs and websites. Okay, I am just trying to be bold on the “stealing” part but this shows how important inbound links are to your SEO effort. Inbound links has to be keyword rich and preferably, comes in naturally.
Link exchange and link buying are the common link building methods implemented in competitive industries but there are risks (of penalized by search engines) behind such strategy. For long term benefits, you should build your link in a natural way. Writing link baiting posts, press release, publishing articles on other related blogs are some of the recommended methods.
8. Leverage the power of social media websites
There are several benefits in getting your blogpost popular at social media and networking websites. Having your blogpost ranks high at websites like Digg.com and Reddit.com will not only drive you more web traffics; but it will also increases dramatically your chances to be linked by others (as bloggers tend to link and quote popular posts from such websites).
9. Include keywords into image alt text whenever possible
Do not overlook the power of alternate text behind your image files especially if you are in a tough competition. Always insert descriptive keywords into your image alternate text so that the search engine bots understand what your blogpost is about.
10. Target a small number of keywords in one page
Do not, I repeat, do not try to rank your page for more than 10 different keywords. I know it is easy to get a set of 10-20 profitable keywords from your research but it’s reckless to aim for all these search terms from your homepage. Instead, the wise thing to do is always focus a small number of keywords in one post of page; and covers all your keywords with several posts or pages.
For instance, you are writing a blog about honeymoon and you obtained a sets of keywords related to “Hawaii”. As good SEO practice, you should write about “Hawaii Beaches”, “Honeymoon hotels in Hawaii”, “Gourmet restaurant in Hawaii”, and “Travel around Hawaii” in separated posts. By doing so, you will have different title tags, different heading tags, and incoming links (both onsite and offsite) – which in turn, separated well-optimized posts that focus on different niche topics. Search engines love such approach; and so does your readers – as it’s easier to find their needed information with such content grouping structure.
Wrapping things up: SEO is not rocket science – You can do it yourself!
Well, that’s all for my SEO advice. I hope my article above helps you understand the fact that it’s not hard to run your blogs with good SEO approaches and you don’t need scary budget to get the jobs done. Thanks for reading!
About the Author:
This guest post is written by Jerry of Web Hosting Secret Revealed. Jerry inspects and reviews web hosting companies based on his own usage experience. Readers looking for truthful web hosting reviews are recommended to read further at his blog.
Great list! I have used some of those tools too. Google Trends is one of my favorite research tools before I even purchase a domain!
There are some great tools here that I already use, some I don’t and will be checking into.
Just want to make a comment on linkbuilding; I never purchase links nor do I submit to directories as most are worthless links anyway. Stick to writing good content, interact with bloggers in your community/niche and you will get noticed.
.-= Keith@NeedInformation´s last blog ..Sunday Funny’s 12-27-09 =-.
This post is very much informative in context. I like to admire the way you explain the topic. Keyword luv helps me getting the quality link.
Really great tips Mr.Dan , i’ll to try on blog.. Hope this can blaze my visitor traffic too, like this great blog !!
.-= Hardian´s last blog ..Windows7 Sidebar For XP =-.
wonderful tips given. its very useful and helpful as well.thanks. keep sharing.
Great tips. These will come in handy.
.-= Hawaii Vacation´s last blog ..Hawaii Vacation-Kauai 2008 =-.
HI, Link Popularity refers to the number of links pointing TO your site FROM other sites on the Web.Building links is one of the most important factors in getting top placements on the major search engines.
Hi, Keywordluv and comment love is very helpful in link building. To become top link of SERP. we can post comment on dofollow blog for getting links.
The advice suggested is absolutely right and topical. But following it can take a lot of time and the result desired won’t be achieved. For example, of paramount importance for SEO are external links and key words. For your blog to get high rank in the search engine results, you need the right ratio of the main key word in the text and a definite number of external links to you with the same key word. And now imagine you’ve decided to create your blog where you tell about your holiday, interests and job. Instead of telling an interesting and light story, you’ll have to pay a close attention to what you are writing adding a definite word combination a definite number of times, and the article may lose its attraction. After that you should do quite a lot of work to put the links to your blog from other resources. Unfortunately, search engines force the owners of web resources to optimize the content and then penalize the sites which are under- or over-optimized.
Lol, that went through? Apparently WP-SpamFree likes 2 sentence comments instead of 4-5 sentence real value comments? Ah, whatever.
Noah,
This is the frst time I have problems with the spam filter. I will look into it…Anyway, thanks for stooping by and leaving a comment..
Your spam filter stinks man. Won’t let me post anything of worth.
.-= Noah@Marketing Blog´s last blog ..Free Weekly Business Coaching Call for Entrepreneurs =-.
this one is great. it will help me a lot.much useful for me.i will keep this point in mind..
.-= sabby@terrier dogs´s last blog ..Dog Lovers in Ingalls, Indiana =-.
I strongly agree all the things you mentioned in this post. Thanks for sharing this tips, I enjoyed reading it and looking forward for your next post. More power!
Great tips, I in particular like the info on Htags..
have you ever used the Keyword Questions tool located at http://labs.wordtracker.com/keyword-questions , for identifying long tail phrases?
Adam’s last blog post..Twitter, Travel, Maine and FollowFriday
Hi,
Very nice post.It is very useful post for the beginner of the blogging.You should plan all the thing before start the to write article for the blog.
Thanks for the sharing the information.
Lucky’s last blog post..Video Web Cam Chat – A New Era Of Communication For Businesses
You really write some excellent detailed articles here my friend, very nicely done. There are a few of these tools I am going to check out, Im addicted to webmaster tools and Twitter tools haha.
Extreme John’s last blog post..Über Twitter for Blackberry Review
A key point here for readers to note is that building your own backlinks is time consuming. Typically, when working on any of sites SEO, I’ll add a post then spend 30 mins to an hour getting links for it. Hard work but well worth the effort.
James’s last blog post..Roxburghe: Macdonald Hotels
Really useful. Will apply to my main site as well as blog.
Thanks
Pete.
Mortgage Deals’s last blog post..Billions Promised to Boost the Housing Market
Hi Dan,
Great tips. Regarding tip #4, if i understand correctly, tags should only be used for the post title and no where else? Therefore in most templates it should only be used in single.php?
LithiumMind’s last blog post..OnlyWire – Sumbit Post To Multiple Bookmarking Sites
Uh-oh, I need to make changes! I keep learning so much, I can’t keep up with you.
While it’s obvious that some of these methods can be applied to free blogs that don’t run their own blogging software and some methods only when you run your own, could you indicate which is which in future posts? Maybe as simple as putting an asterisk at the end of a tip that would require running your own software so that you can make the changes. Just a thought.
great tips, some of them i am already following and some i will add to my list to increase my pagerank
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