If you’re a blogger, you probably already know that SEO (search engine optimization) is an essential part of getting your blog posts “out there” and in front of your readers.
But in my experience, bloggers don’t get the full picture when it comes to putting together the pieces for optimal search engine performance.
Some bloggers rely too heavily on page views or ad clicks. Others employ keywords to a detrimental degree. Many don’t even bother to research keywords before starting a blog post.
When it comes to getting your blog noticed, you need to make SEO work for you. And to do that, you need to coordinate your editorial efforts to unite around a singular goal: reaching your audience and converting them to loyal customers.
I promised this would be quick and dirty, so let’s go.
[text_with_frame id=”368c1dbfefba91dceb946d322e0e86bc” content=”‹¨›p‹˜›‹¨›em‹˜›If you find this article helpful consider giving it a share‹¯›nbsp;‹¨›/em‹˜›?‹¨›/p‹˜›” line_color=”rgba(0,0,0,.07)” text_font=”body” heading_font=”heading” animation=”none” animation_speed=”2″ animation_delay=”0″ __fw_editor_shortcodes_id=”e6852c2dacc162bc8c34ba646905e841″ _fw_coder=”aggressive”][/text_with_frame]
The Quick:
SEO is based on complex algorithmic logic.
You can’t “trick” your way into a favorable SEO ranking by using those easy, ridiculous tips you find on blogging sites that promise you can make six figures blogging in x number of days.
This includes tactics like:
- Asking for page views from random people in Facebook groups
- Asking for ad clicks from the same people
- Keyword stuffing
- Filling out a form that promises distribution to some number of search engines
- Neglecting site design and mobile optimization
Stop using these tactics. They won’t boost your SEO.
But they will:
- Skyrocket your bounce rate
- Bloat ad click numbers and make you lose out on future campaigns with reputable companies
- Make you look like a horrible writer
- Distribute your valuable information to illegitimate third parties
- Tick people off
Bottom line: if it looks too good to be true, it is.
You can’t get rich quickly from blogging. Most people won’t even get rich slowly from blogging.
If you try to cut corners to artificially boost your SEO, your ranking will plummet sooner or later, and will be even harder to win back.
The Dirty:
Well, just about everything about running a blog and trying to turn that into a profitable business is dirty. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to get your hands dirty.
You have to:
- Learn some basic coding
- Master your writing craft
- Spend time researching your target audience and how to your material relevant to them
- Meticulously research your keywords (and related keywords) and write organically to highlight them without stuffing them into sentences unnecessarily
- Give up nights and weekends to put in the work it takes to make your blog viable – whether or not you have a day job
- Study search engine protocol and SEO updates
- Learn more about marketing than simply what the HubSpot blog (or whatever other trendy marketing outlet you prefer) can tell you
- Cope with the fact that there’ll be rejections and missed connections along the way
Bottom line: Your blog won’t build itself. Your readership won’t spring out of nowhere in a day. You have to put your nose to the grindstone and do the work that it takes to get yourself out there and make your content shine.
The Recap:
Even though SEO is based upon a set of algorithms, it relies on your organic content and organic reach to properly categorize your content. This is what trips so many people up.
There’s a prevailing mentality that because bots crawl sites, content needs to fit into little boxes and holes in order for those bots to understand and categorize it.
But times, they are a’changing…
Bots are significantly more complex and “intelligent” than the average blogger might think. It’s up to you to make your content awesome and draw an audience whose traffic signals “hey, this blog is legit and definitely something that people are looking for when they type in a search query”.
Want to learn more about boosting your blog’s SEO? Contact us for more information on action steps that you can take today to drive more traffic tomorrow.
