Monday, February 11, 2013

Writer's Resource: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategies for Blogs

Hello fellow bloggers!  Today I want to share a few quick and easy SEO tips for blogs.
What be this crazy SEO hoozy whatsit you ask?  SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is simply a way to ensure your posts are optimized for web crawlers so they will identify your blog post as something that might meet the needs of searchers.

Admittedly my tips are geared towards Blogger since that is the platform I'm most familiar with, but some nuggets should also work for Wordpress and other formats.

Tip #1:  Always include a search description for your posts

 

"How to improve SEO for blogs", including a search description of your post in bloggerThe option to add a search description can be found in the right-rail post settings.  You should fill this out for every single post.  First, it provides searchers with a description when your post pops up in their search query. If you don't fill it out the beginning text from your post will pop up instead, and you may lose potential readers.

Second, it provides search crawlers with critical key words that help them identify whether or not your post is relevant to a searcher's query.  If you leave this area blank, you are missing out on a critical opportunity to improve your blog's
searchability. 

 


Tip #2: Include your blog name in your search description


Type the title of your blog into Google or Bing - where does it pop up on the list of search results?  If you're not happy with the position, it may be because crawlers aren't linking your blog name to your blog.  

Crawlers identify potential content fits based on key words that appear throughout sites.  If there is a common term or phrase used on a site that matches a search query, it stands a better chance of being a good fit.
A simple way to improve your blog name's searchability is to include it in all of your individual posts' search descriptions.  For example, for this post I might write "Thinking to Inking blog post detailing SEO strategy tips and tricks for bloggers..."  

This increases the frequency of that key word combination within your pages, and thus the chance for crawlers to link your blog name to your blog's content.  


Tip #3: Click "add rel=nofollow attributes" when adding hyperlinks


When adding a hyperlink to your post, the window to the right should appear. At the bottom is an option called rel='nofollow' attribute - clicking this option tells crawlers to deprioritize the hyperlink when crawling through your content, and it keeps the crawlers on your page.  Not clicking it will jump crawlers to the page you've hyperlinked to, and will impact your search ranking by including all of the content from the site you've linked to.

 


Tip #4:  Always include title and alternate text descriptions for pictures



You want to include both a title and alternate text for every image you include in your posts.  First, this is helpful for the visually impaired, and the alternate text is what will appear if the image for some reason doesn't load.  Second, it improves both text and photo searchability by acting as the perfect location for additional keywords.

In Blogger draft mode, when you paste in a pic a menu bar should appear.  If it doesn't, simply click on the photo and it will pop up. Click on the properties option. A pop up with blanks for title text and alt text will appear.  In the title text space, give your picture a name, and make it descriptive of the picture as well as your post topic.  In the alt text, provide some additional nuggets about the pic and your blog topic.  Voila!  You've just bolstered your post's search. 

Tip #5: Use labels as additional content keywords

 The label option is found in the post settings right rail (see picture above).  Adding content labels organizes your site's content by putting it into topic buckets.  They also act as key words for web crawlers.  You want to include descriptive words that link to your post and that may match query text.  Think of what you type into search engines - these are the type of descriptive labels you want to include in your blog posts. 

Tip #6:  Leverage headings, titles and bolded terms

 Web crawlers distinguish regular text from headings and titles. They also give priority to bolded terms, using the assumption that anything bolded is more important than standard text.  A simple way to ensure web crawlers identify your most relevent and important text is to add descriptive headings and bold important, relevent content so that crawlers will give it greater importance.  If you notice in my opening paragraph I bolded SEO and search engine optimization.  This will hopefully improve the odds of this post popping up when someone searches for information about how to improve their blog's searchability.


Tip #7:  Titles matter

Because crawlers give priority to headings and bolded text, the title of your post is very, very important. Crawlers use titles as critical key words, so if your title is not descriptive of your content your post may get passed over even though it's relevent to the search query.  That's not to say that you can't use fun titles for your posts, but if you want your post to be more accessible to new readers, aim to use descriptive titles versus cute and clever one.

Have any additional search tips and tricks?  If so, please share them in the comments section.

Happy writing!

42 comments:

  1. Great post - really interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great article, featured it on my blog, www.IgniteRank.wordpress.com. Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!


    Cheers,


    Dan

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great post. I'd never heard of the "nofollow" thing. We use Magento as our platform and we don't have the checkbox for that like you do in your platform. Is there a line of HTML I could add to the link somehow?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad to hear you found it interesting! And thank you Don for sharing on your blog - hopefully your readers find it useful as well.

    Chaya - wish I could help with the HTML code, but unfortunately I'm not proficient. If Magneto has a way to email with questions, you might try reaching out to see if they have a recommendation for what code can be used in html. Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  5. which is simply a way to ensure your posts are Award winning SEO company optimized for web crawlers so they will identify your blog post as something that might meet the needs of searchers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's an awesome piece of writing for all the web users; they will obtain benefit from it I am sure.

    My website; no hands seo warrior forum

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's a shame you don't have a donate button!
    ӏ'd most certainly donate to this fantastic blog! I suppose for now i'll settle fοг bοok-maгking and adding your RSS feeԁ to my Google
    aсcοunt. I look forwarԁ tо
    fгеsh upԁates anԁ will share this site
    with mу Faceboоκ gгοup. Chаt sоon!


    Also νiѕit my ωeb blog :: www.campowong.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am actuallу delighted to glanсe at
    thіs webpagе pοsts whiсh consistѕ of lotѕ οf useful
    faсts, thanks for prοviding ѕuсh statisticѕ.


    mу blog :: dating advice for guys

    ReplyDelete
  9. Тhаnκs , I have recеntly been ѕeаrching
    for іnfo approximately thіs subject for a while and youгs is the best I have found оut till noω.
    Hοwever, ωhаt concerning the bottom line?
    Are you сeгtain abοut the ѕupply?



    Heгe is mу weblog - caveman diet recipes

    ReplyDelete
  10. Неy superb blog! Does running a blog such aѕ this take а massive amount
    woгk? I've virtually no expertise in computer programming but I was hoping to start my own blog in the near future. Anyway, should you have any recommendations or tips for new blog owners please share. I know this is off topic but I just wanted to ask. Many thanks!

    Feel free to surf to my web blog - get cash for surveys real

    ReplyDelete
  11. Іts like you read my mind! Үou sеem
    to κnow so much аbout this, likе уou wrote the boοκ
    in it oг something. І thinκ thаt уou cаn do
    with some ρics to driνe the message home а little bit, but instead οf that,
    thiѕ is mаgnificent blοg. An excеllеnt гead.

    ӏ will cеrtainly be back.

    Feel freе to surf to my blog: gsa search engine ranker footprints

    ReplyDelete
  12. Іf some one ωants to be updated with hottеst tесhnologies thereforе he must be pау a quіcκ
    visіt thіѕ ωeb ѕite and be up
    to datе еvery ԁаy.

    Mу blog; wso plr

    ReplyDelete
  13. Eхcellent pοst. I uѕed to be chеcκіng constаntlу thiѕ weblog and I аm imрressed!
    Very uѕeful іnfοrmation paгticularly thе lаst phase :) I саre for suсh
    іnfo a lot. Ι was sеeking this particulaг informatiοn foг а very lοng tіme.

    Thank уοu and good luck.

    My wеb blog ... http://www.datingadvice4guys.org/
    Also see my webpage - christian dating advice for guys

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hеllo! This is my first visit to your blog!
    Wе arе а tеаm оf voluntеers аnd starting a new inіtіativе in a communitу іn the ѕame nichе.
    Your blog proviԁed uѕ valuable information to work on.
    You hаѵe done а mаrvellous job!


    Му ρage live cricket streaming sports

    ReplyDelete
  15. If you are going fоr beѕt contents lіke mуself, just pay а νisіt this web sitе еveryԁay bесаuse it pгovides quality сοntеnts, thanks

    Also vіѕit my website - get ripped abs fast men
    Also see my website: get ripped abs fast men

    ReplyDelete
  16. Share valuable and quality contents about your website in high page rank sites, work on standard on page optimization techniques and work on all latest link building techniques. By these methods you can earn more rank to your website. You need to get quality backlinks from high page rank sites to get higher ranking.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is really interesting, You're a very skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your wonderful post. Also, I've shared your website in
    my social networks!

    Here is my weblog :: plus de retweet

    ReplyDelete
  18. whoah this blog is magnificent i like reading your posts.
    Keep up the great work! You already know, a lot of people are searching around for this info, you could aid them
    greatly.

    Also visit my web page: acheter vues youtube
    Also see my page > augmenter vu youtube

    ReplyDelete
  19. This design is incredible! You definitely know how to keep a reader amused.
    Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved
    to start my own blog (well, almost...HaHa!) Excellent
    job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
    Too cool!

    Feel free to surf to my weblog ... avoir plus de vues sur youtube
    Also see my webpage: comment avoir plus de Vues youtube

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nice seo strategies for bloggers. Thanks for sharing the information.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Blog optimization is another way to promote website and refresh content on regular basis. Description of post is also very important as search engine can read what our blog is about exactly.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Quality backlinks mean links from a website which has genuine and unique content. These quality backlinks are taken into consideration by search engines when ranking a website.web developer bangalore

    ReplyDelete
  23. This is basically what every starting blogger (and some older ones) needs. If one's goal is to get his blog famous, then he has no choice but to learn these. Because no matter how amazing his work may be, in the online world it's not going to mean anything if possible viewers cannot see that beyond the first to second page. I have heard some them it limits their creativity, but I answer to them that limitations is how we get to truly show off our creatively juices.

    Kristofer Mcginty @ ReachForFreedom.com.au

    ReplyDelete
  24. Nice search engine tips for blogger. This will help to improve in keyword ranking.


    WITSML

    Search Engine Optimization Services

    ReplyDelete
  25. When you optimize your web pages -- including your blog posts -- you're making your website more visible to people who are looking for keywords associated with your brand, product, or service via search engines like Google. Professional Website Design Company Bangalore

    ReplyDelete
  26. Nice blog, thanks for sharing with us this informative blog. Visit our page for freight forwarders and logistic india.
    Logistics Company in India

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am looking for some good blog sites for studying. I was searching over search engines and found your blog site.
    SEO Strategies

    ReplyDelete
  28. many articles to this tpic. Nothing ifnorative and worthwhile. Was happy to readb ur one and will surely implement it. Thank you very much, 4 updates and lesson taught this article. If achieve success, will contact u...very nice and thanks...love u all…continue write such article
    web application development company in India

    ReplyDelete
  29. A standout amongst the best and far reaching approaches to get develop guests to your site and create more leads is to expand the perceivability of your site through paid and natural methods for promoting on the most well known search engine, Google. With a dependable online marketing agency like Sky Potential, get effective streamlining of your site, in both manual SEO and paid PPC battles. We have a wide involvement in both the ways.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Are you looking for an Cheap Digital Marketing Agency in USA? Just Visit us

    ReplyDelete
  31. It was very useful for me. Keep sharing such ideas in the future as well. This was actually what I was looking for, and I am glad to came here! Thanks for sharing the such information with us. If you are interested in London digital marketing then you need to visit us. Thanks for sharing you blog.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Great post really useful information. We are the leading web development company in chennai. Hire our web design company in chennai today for best web design services in chennai.

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete