Search engine optimization: how to do it quickly, easily, and do it the right way on your blog.
The easiest way to make absolutely sure that you are using keywords appropriately and effectively is to do it in moderation.
It really is that simple.
For some reason, bloggers and article writers are still loading up their content with keywords, making the content difficult to read by humans and obvious to the search engines that they’re keyword stuffing.
Keyword stuffing.
It’s not cool.
It doesn’t work.
It will affect how your blog post and site rank on search engines and the effect is negative.
Really.
If your content contains so many keywords that it’s unreadable, search engines will instantly recognize what you are trying to do and you will be penalized.
And that means your rank (placement on the search results page) will drop faster than a lead balloon!
Having said that, it is important that you include relevant and targeted keywords in your content so that it helps your page or post appear in the search engines. Don’t ruin the user experience because this is one of many factors for ranking on search engines.
If you want your blog to be seen by more people, and you want to tap into the massive number of people who use Google, you absolutely need to integrate keywords into your blog content.
What kind of keywords?
I’m glad you asked.
Long-tail keywords!
Long tail keywords are a group of 3 or more keywords that form a phrase. For example, “home based business ideas” or “low carb meal plans” are search phrases typed in by many people who understand that by narrowing their search from 1 keyword to 3 or more, they’re more likely to get the results they want.
Imagine trying to rank for the word “low carb” or “weight loss”. You’d struggle to even show up in the first 100 pages of the search results!
But using long tail keyword phrases that drill down into your market (and are more likely what someone would type in the search engines) will help you to maximize exposure and reduce the number of other sites and blogs you’re competing against.
An easy way to generate long tail keyword ideas is to visit Google and start entering in keywords relating to your market, such as “low carb”.
See what shows up as suggested keyword phrases when you’ve entered in a few words. This will give you terrific, targeted phrases while ensuring that you’re using keyword phrases commonly used by search engine users.
But, Wait! There’s More!
Don’t stop! Once you have a list of possible long tail keyword phrases, enter those into Google and drill down even further.
Make sure you note all of the possibilities that appear and pretty soon you’ll have a nice little file of relevant and highly-targeted keywords to use in your content and as titles for your blog posts. You can do this on YouTube, too.
You could take it even a step further and enter those keyword phrases into Google Keyword Planner in order to determine estimated traffic based on specific terms:
https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner
And finally, because you’re a blogger and you know the value of using WordPress as your blogging platform, install one of the more popular SEO plugins to easily set up meta descriptions, sitemaps and all of that other fun stuff!
One that I like is All in One SEO Pack. https://wordpress.org/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/
Many bloggers like Yoast SEO plugin. I don’t care for it because it conflicts with other plugins that I use and unless you’re kind of techie (I am) you will miss some of the more important settings that are automatically ‘on’ and should be ‘off’.
Pro Tip: Make sure you install and customize the SEO plugin right away with the Site Title, Meta Tags and Description. Then do the same for each page and post. You will maximize your search engine visibility.
And…if you're looking for help with your blog in terms of driving traffic, making money, or even at the beginning and wondering just how to set it up…I created a Blog Coaching Program that may be perfect for you. Check it out here: >>>Blog Coaching Program<<<
