Simply writing a compelling and captivating blog post will no longer cut it in today’s online world. As content continues to grow and the number of posts continues to rise, it is imperative that readers land on your site. One method marketers have identified to help this happen is through Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
SEO is the process of organically attracting readers to your site and boosting your website’s visibility. Additionally, SEO consists of improving both the quality and the quantity of website traffic to a specific web page from search engines. Essentially, SEO helps drive people to your site, thus allowing you to actively engage with potential clients and followers.
SEO is becoming more imperative, especially in the world of blogging; however, it can also be a confusing concept to grasp. It can seem daunting to navigate. I recommend taking THIS free course from Hubspot Academy in which you can learn exactly what website optimization is, and how to enhance SEO for your own personal website through lessons, videos, and quizzes.
Although there are different ways to approach SEO, Delta Marketing notes the following as important SEO techniques of 2022:
· understand your site’s core web vitals
· support long-tail keyword phrases
· create new content
It is important to understand your site’s make-up, especially since we know that 75% of searchers never go past the first page of search results. Therefore, it is KEY to figure out how to remain on the first page of search engine result pages.
One method to help with this is to use keywords effectively. A keyword is informative and descriptive and can be used in information retrieval systems to indicate what a particular piece of writing is about. It is best to try to brainstorm what kinds of language potential readers might use to ask questions and then create a list of potential keywords for your specific topic.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your focus on just one or two keywords per piece of content. This will keep the scope and focus narrow enough to place keywords in strategic locations.
One thing you want to AVOID when writing is keyword stuffing.
Keyword stuffing is a technique in which a brand ‘stuffs’ a webpage with the same target term in hopes of having the term rank higher in search engines. This can be done by repeating terms or phrases too many times, inserting blocks of the same keyword, or using keywords that are irrelevant to the topic of the page. Keyword stuffing creates an awful experience for users, which is directly in contrast to one of SEO’s primary goals.
One of the best places to start when wanting to enhance SEO is to focus on creating the most pleasant reading experience possible.
The reading experience includes factors like readability, formatting, and page speed. It is important to write in a clear, concise, and cohesive manner so that readers are engaged. By utilizing headings and subheadings, you can appeal to readers—they will be able to skim the content quickly to find exactly what they’re looking for. Furthermore, by including visual elements, such as images and videos, you can appeal to readers. Just be sure to keep image file sizes small, so as not to negatively affect page speed.
By focusing on what the reader wants to know and organizing the information in such a way that achieves this goal, you will be well on your way to achieving optimal search engine visibility.
Overall, SEO is necessary to anyone looking to increase their online visibility, so be sure to implement these techniques,
Happy blogging!