“If you build it, they will come” is not a business strategy.
For getting better search rankings, you’ll have to use some strategies and tactics so Google can find you.
According to Adam Clarke’s SEO 2022, there are “two powerful lessons for achieving top rankings in Google:
- If you want to stay at the top of Google, never rely on one tactic.
- Always ensure your search engine strategies rely on SEO best practices.”
But what are the tactics?
We’ve put together 10 SEO tips to help you optimize your blog posts like a pro.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization”.
It’s the process designed to improve the visibility and positioning of web pages in organic search.
Remember that content is king. The content that will appear in search engines will be mainly your blog posts. So better to optimize the articles for SEO.
SEO On-Page vs SEO Off-Page
While on-page SEO refers to the techniques used on parts of your website to improve the position in a search engine, off-page SEO refers to the page ranking factors that occur off your website, such as backlinks from another site.
Here are some on-page tactics:
- Using keywords in your page title and page copy.
- Optimizing the meta description.
- Using HTML code and alt tags.
Examples of off-page tactics are:
- Guest blogging
- Guesting on a podcast
- Participating in a Forum industry community.
In this article we will focus on on-page SEO. In particular, how to use on-page SEO tactics to get perfectly optimized blog posts.
10 Tips For Writing Effective SEO Blog Posts:
Creating amazing and useful content for your blog have some benefits.
Related Content: 5 Benefits Of Blogging For Your Business.
1. Do a Proper Keyword Research
A proper keyword research helps you figure out which words and phrases people are searching for in Google.
We say “words” and “phrases” because we have to differentiate short-tail keywords from long-tail keywords.
Short-tail keywords: 1-2 words long.
Long-tail keywords: 4-5 words long.
Short-tail keywords were all the rage in the last years, but not anymore. If you wish your company to have more impact on SEO results, you should use long-tail keywords.
Think about the keywords your audience is looking for, and then optimize your article around those keywords.
We recommend using tools like:
- SEMRush for in-depth keyword data, competition analysis and keyword position tracking…
- Yoast SEO plugin that will help you use your keywords in your URL, title tag, image alt text, and meta description. There’s a free version!
Be aware of the keyword cannibalization—Having multiple blog posts targeting the same keywords. So don’t target the same keywords twice!
2. Write a Long And Easy To Read
If you are wondering how long your blog post should be, we will give you a common sense reply. As long as you need it to be.
Said that, statistics tell us that long articles (More than 1500 words) rank better than short articles (300 words). The explanation behind this is because the long articles go more into detail.
The photo below shows how the first 10 top-ranking posts are over 2.000 words.
Yoast SEO plugin that we mentioned before will help you with readability. It will inform you if you are using too many long sentences, passive voice, and other features, so you can improve your text before publishing it.
3. Write an Effective Post Title
This is one of the most important on-page SEO factors.
Your purpose is to write a post title that catches the attention of the reader while being relevant to the search query.
Things to take into consideration:
- The title should have 65 characters or less
- Get the keywords as close to the beginning of the headline as possible.
Not sure how to write a good post title? Check out Portent’s Content Idea Generator.
4. Use Heading Tags to Show What Your Article is About
For WordPress users, this is an easy task.
To get your content ranking, use the following headers:
H1 – Write one (and only one) H1. It should be the post title.
H2 – Write as many H2 as you need to break your content into chunks. Remember that sub-headings help the reader to understand your content right away.
H3, H4… – Long articles will need to use these to keep your content even more readable.
Ultimately, try to get your keywords in at least one sub-header.
5. Include Internal Links in Every Blog Post
When you have written enough blog posts, most likely you’ll notice that the post you are writing can be linked to old ones.
Not only keep your readers engaged longer, but also makes it easier for search engines to find your article.
6. Write a Meta Description That Includes Your Keyword
A meta description is a short text that shows up below the URL on search engines results and below your title in a social media post.
Once again, with Yoast SEO plugin, it will be very easy to add a meta description.
Keep it to 155 characters and mention your keyword. A short description of your blog post will work wonders.
7. Add Alt Text to Your Images
First off, we want you to know that images (and videos) are far more engaging on search engines than plain text. Remember to use Copyright Free Images, such as the ones you can find in Canva.
Related Content: 3 Free Tools for Creating Stunning Visual Content
Search engines can’t see images, only text.
So you need to optimize your images for SEO.
How?
When you upload an image, WordPress allows you to add the Alt Text (Alternative Text). You have to write a short description of your image. It contains your keyword.
While the caption is optional, the alt text is crucial for SEO. It’s not visible on your website.
8. Optimize Your Blog Posts for Featured Snippets
The featured snippet is a highlighted search result that appear on the top. Its aim is to answer user questions as quickly as possible.
There are several rules that can help your content become a featured snippet:
- When you answer the questions with lists of instructions.
- Your page is well structured.
- When you provide clear and direct answers.
- When you remove superficial information.
Once you’ve written an effective SEO blog post, check out the following tips:
9. Make Sure You Have a Mobile-Friendly Website
90.9 percent of users use mobile devices to go online at least some of the time, according to Datareportal.
With this information, your job is to make sure your visitors have a good experience on your site.
Not sure if your website is mobile-friendly? Enter your website URL here.
10. Connect Your Site To Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a web service by Google which allows users to check indexing status and optimize visibility of their websites.
Set up your Google Search Console asap. It’s crucial in order to measure your site’s traffic. You get notifications if your site is amiss.
Conclusion
It is important that you use the above tactics if you want to write effective SEO blog posts. And, of course, drive traffic to your site!
As you can see, optimizing them for SEO isn’t difficult.
Now, keep in mind that the first thing you should consider when writing a blog post (even before you think about SEO) is how you are going to help your audience.
These SEO tactics should be included in your overall strategy. Let us know if you need any help in elaborating a digital marketing strategy for your business. Click here for more information.