SEO optimize your blog

Here’s the skinny on SEO for bloggers. If you’re writing a blog then these are the things you must do to SEO optimize your posts. Do them every time you publish. Don’t put it off and say you’ll go on an SEO blitz later. It doesn’t work that way. Follow these steps before you publish and you’ll be golden.

SEO Checklist:

1. Keyword research

Find out what people really want to know about and write accordingly. You can look at trending topics, traffic vs. competition, most global monthly searches, just make sure you look.

2. H tags

Include your keyword in each H tag. Most blogging platforms allow you to do this easily yourself, or they’ll do it for you.

3. Post title

Put your keyword here – preferably closer to the front of the title.

4. Keyword density

Ideally try to aim for 2-5% keyword density. Write for your readers, not the robots. Make it readable but still include the keyword in the first and last sentences, and somewhere in between.

5. Importance

Make sure your keyword appears in bold and/or underlined somewhere in your post.

6. Synonyms

This is an easy way to keep on topic without over saturating your copy with the search term. Remember that if it looks like you’re just dumping your copy full of keywords for the sake of SEO, the search engines will likely catch on.

7. Alt tags

Take advantage of images. The alt tag is just one more way you can optimize the page.

8. Links

If your post includes links, make sure that the anchor text contains your keyword instead of just saying, “click here.”

9. File names

Save all files with appropriate keywords in the file names. You can also optimize your file properties. (This is particularly effective with pictures or images that you’re uploading to your site.)

More SEO and keyword information for bloggers:

Check out Graywolf’s SEO Blog, or talk to a how to implement SEO and keywords.