But what if … it hasn’t? Not really, anyway.
Because as search engines change, they are actually honing in on and rewarding content that provides valuable information to real people.
Seems pretty simple, actually. Write content that people can actually use for better results––theirs and yours. But how do you incorporate best SEO practices into your people-first content?
First, save yourself the time and headache and hire a qualified copywriter.
If you can’t do that, then use these 10 expert SEO quotes to guide you:
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #1
Content is The Reason Search Began in the first Place.
People search because they’re looking for answers––sometimes very specific ones, and sometimes just general information. The search engine exists to connect people to the information they’re looking for. Make sure the content of your blog answers questions or provides insights, entertainment or information you know people are looking for.
BLOGGING FOR SEO: TIP #2
Marketing has never been about keywords, it’s about people.
Which means if you want your blog to gain traction and get readers to stay on your page for longer, you need well-written, tailored content. If you’re writing a top 10 list, you have to know how long to make each point depending on the topic. Know what you need to say and say it in the fewest possible words.
Which leads me to my next point: Never be afraid to niche because …
BLOGGING FOR SEO: TIP #2
Blogging for SEO: ‘‘It’s not about ‘get the traffic’–it’s about ‘get the targeted and relevant traffic’.’’
How do you feel when someone gives you exactly what you were looking for? Pretty good, right? Relieved, maybe, that your discovery process was quick and painless, and you got what you needed?
The more specific and targeted your content, the better quality leads you will get reading it. Who cares if your blog only gets 50 reads in 4 weeks. If half of those 50 readers are engaged and interested, they’re more likely to reach out with an inquiry or remember you when they have another similar question.
25 solid, interested leads are better than 2,500 poor ones.
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #4
Ensure you’re writing content the way that you’d explain it to someone over the phone.
When I’m blogging for SEO (and writing all digital content), I throw Grammarly and all those other writing tools out the window and write in my own voice (or brand voice if I’m ghostwriting).
Now, you have to still make sure your copy is clean and always read it out loud before sending it out into the world. But don’t hamstring yourself with rigid rules that tend to make writing less interesting and less accessible.
Write for your reader.
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #5
One of the often-overlooked SEO opportunities has to do with images.
Ever heard of a little search engine called Pinterest?
Images are a search element unto themselves so capitalise on your blog post images: Make sure your media is an appropriate size so they don’t bog down your load-time. More importantly, optimise your alt-tags on your images with descriptive, keyword-targeted content.
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #6
Create content in a format that is suitable to the needs and expectations of Google’s users for the question they have asked.
Short-tail is OUT, long-tail is IN. People are searching in full sentences, indicating a more specific purpose and much clearer search intent.
This one area where some simple keyword research comes in handy.
Start by using the ultimate free tool: Google. Begin by typing a question your reader might ask specific to your business or line or work, and see what other questions pop up in both the auto-fill and the search results. A lot of similarly-phrased questions means a topic is highly searched and probably a great subject to explore.
Just don’t forget to use the actual question in your content, and then, of course, answer it.
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #7
The best source of a link is a website that is both considered authoritative and relevant to your website.
Two key strategies when it comes to blogging for SEO are linking out, and backlinks. However, there is such a thing as good links and bad links.
If you’re linking out to a page, make sure that page has a domain authority ranking of ideally 40 or higher. You can find this using a free authority checker; the higher a site’s authority, the more trusted it is by search engines.
Associate yourself with trusted sites, search engines then apply more trust to your site.
Plus, make sure you choose sites that are highly relevant to the specific topic of your blog. You’re not fooling anyone, including search engines, by linking to high-authority sites that have little or nothing to do with the content on your page.
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #8
Consider revitalising older content with updated information and formatting to snag that snippet.
You want to be the snippet. I want to be the snippet. Every brand in the free world wants that highly-coveted snippet position on the results page.
The good news? Content with titles that feature ‘how to’ and that details step-by-step instructions are more likely to rank on Google snippets.
I ask you: Is there a more perfect golden opportunity for blogs here?
I thought not.
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #9
SEO is a marketing function for sure, but it needs to be baked into a product, not slapped on like icing after the cake is baked.
Maybe it’s because I like baking, but this one resonates. It follows my #1 rule for all writing: Write for the person.
A beautifully-mixed cake batter has several ingredients but they are all so smoothly incorporated that you can’t separate them. Treat your blog like a whole made of the sum of its parts, blended together so well that your reader never sees the parts––just the satisfying whole.
That’s nine quotes so far that should guide you in the right direction. But this last one is what you need to keep in mind when you execute everything on this list and… womp womp.
Things don’t always go well. Maybe Google updates its algorithm and your organic traffic takes a fast nosedive. Or you’ve got some bad links in there and you get penalized.
That’s when you remember this quote:
BLOGGING FOR SEO TIP #10
One unfortunate part about the world of SEO is that sometimes things go wrong.
This is the world wide web afterall, and well, shit happens. Find out what changed or where things went wrong. Fix what you can. And then let that shit go and be a goldfish.
Up next on the Caffeinated Copy Blog: The 5 Critical Elements Of A Successful Blog.
