When you hear the words keyword research, backlinking opportunities, meta descriptions and URL structures, do they sound like a foreign language?
As complicated as it may seem, search engine optimization (SEO) is what helps your blog receive the web traffic it deserves. Use our following SEO tips for writing a great blog post!
Write the Right Stuff
It can be tempting to want to jump right in with crafting your website’s content. However, writing a great blog post requires completing some background research, first.
Find out what topics are being searched on Google related to your industry and what questions are being asked by your target audience. Completing keyword research can be time-consuming, but without it, you may end up with a blog article that will not create any web traffic.
Once you get a keyword and topic chosen, it’s time to make a plan. Think about the structure of the article itself and consider what you want in its introduction, body and conclusion.
Make it easy for your readers to follow your article along, rather than force them to put its pieces together. Headlines, short paragraphs and non-complicated wording help make this happen and create a better user experience.
Link to the Right Sites
Sure, the content in your blog article needs to be 100% original, but that doesn’t mean you can’t link to other websites. Including hyperlinks to external sites can help build credibility regarding your content and provides blog readers with supplementary information.
Google rewards websites that link to reputable websites. Plus, the website you’re linking to may even return the favour to your website in the future!
Remember to link to other pages on your website or blog, too. Internally linking helps search engines create an accurate sitemap of your website, plus shows your audience that you have more valuable content to read. The longer they stay on your website, the better!
Use the Right Tools
Whether you’re an accountant, massage therapist, carpenter or travel agent, you need the right equipment or software to do your job properly.
To complete search engine optimization, you need the right tools, too. Unlike the equipment you need for your company, many SEO tools are completely free!
Installing a website analytics tool is the only way you can properly track your web traffic. Knowing information such as which pages receive the most traffic, what marketing tactic creates the most sales and how most visitors use your site (via mobile or desktop) can help immensely when you create your content marketing strategy. Analytics tools can also be used to help complete on-page SEO like meta descriptions, titles and URL structures.
A quick search on Google presents many different options regarding free SEO plugins. The ones I like the most are Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Yoast. For more detailed analytics, paid SEO tools are available as well or you can always outsource your search engine optimization.
Hire the Right Professional
As a small business owner, you can’t be expected to be a master of everything. It can be hard enough to keep with the latest information on the products and services that you offer!
The same goes for SEO. Search algorithms change constantly – hundreds of times per year, actually – so it’s understandable that keeping up with them can be next to impossible.
That’s not true when you’re an SEO specialist. Their main focus is to stay current with the latest SEO trends so that your business can get the web traffic it deserves.
Knowing how to write a great blog post can take time to master – just like SEO. If you’re finding that keeping your website optimized is too difficult, time-consuming or frustrating, look into hiring a professional to do the task for you. When you consider the amount of time you will save (that can then be spent doing what you do best), it is typically well worth the investment!
If you’re looking for an SEO specialist, a web designer or a copywriter in Toronto or the surrounding areas, contact us today for a free consultation! For more SEO tips on writing a great blog post, be sure to follow our blog.