Writing blogs for your website is a great way to entertain and educate current and potential clients, show off recent work, provide more information about products and services and optimize your website for search engine results.
Writing blog posts that read well for your readers and the search engines is a challenge, but doing so will help to improve your website ranking over time, result in more traffic and more business. We created this easy to follow guide to help you do just that.
As always if you have any questions or would just like us to do it for you, please give us a call.
STEP 1: Select Primary and Secondary Keywords
When creating a new post created for SEO it should include a primary keyword or keyword phrase. A keyword phrase is what users would likely type into a search engine when researching a particular product, service or topic. Since we are writing for both people and the search engines, this keyword phrase should be relevant to the topic in which you are writing.
Check to be sure the term or phrase is one that is popular, avoid using industry jargon as your potential customers may not use the same lingo as you do. Also, be sure it has a low competition score to increase traffic flow, although less competitive phrases will have less overall search traffic, it is easier to see results sooner. For example, it is easier for us to target phrases like “website designer new Bedford ma” than a more generic “website designer.”
Secondary Keywords are also important. They should reflect your primary keyword characteristics. An easy check would be to enter your primary keyword in a google search and view related search lists that appear as suggestions below it. Then, choose two to four of these related phrases to allow for best results.
Example:
Primary keyword target: web designer new bedford ma
Secondary keyword target: website designer new bedford ma
Tip: If using a wordpress website, which most of our clients are, download the free wordpress seo plug in by yoast.
STEP 2: Create Content
When creating SEO blog content make sure you are writing for the readers first and the search engines second. Try to write a minimum of 300 words and use the primary keyword frequently (about 1-2 times for every 100 words).
If for example you are writing about a specific product as your primary keyword, place the name of that product in the first paragraph. Secondary keywords which relate to the product should be used at least once during the post.
Subheadings can be a great tool to feature your primary keyword. All within text which contains original content free of spell errors and written with accurate grammar. Also, write in an 8th grade reading level to give yourself a high readability score. The use of inbound links which lead to your main site or outbound links that lead to external sites make posts more interactive among readers and appealing to search engines.
Example:
Website Design New Bedford MA (h1 tag of post)
Spectrum marketing group is a multi-media marketing agency creating compelling website designs in New Bedford, MA. (first paragraph)
Tip: Use H1 tags for your headline, H2 tags for your subheadline
STEP 3: Optimize Your Post
Now is the time to optimize your SEO post. In this case it can be done by using the primary keyword in the page title as well as the permalink (permanent URL link). In 55 characters or less use the primary keyword in the SEO title. Also, in 155 characters or less use the primary keyword in the meta description.
Outside of your post be sure to use proper categories and tags consistent with the subject. These tags give a direct connection to the post by making them the primary keyword as well. Images used in the post should use the primary keyword in the “alt text.”
Example:
www.smgnewengland.com/web-design-new-bedford-ma (url)
Website Design New Bedford, MA (meta title)
Spectrum marketing group is a multi-media marketing agency creating compelling website designs in New Bedford, MA. (meta description)
Tip: Your meta title and description can be created by you through the yoast plug in, if you do not designate one the search engines will pull in data for you.
STEP 4: Review Your Work for Errors
Review your work and wrap up the SEO post by checking for errors. Make sure after completing the yoast with keywords that the url, h1 tags, h2 tags, meta titles, alt text, links and tags are correct.
Tip: Check post for your step by step guide on your post for tips on how to improve it for SEO purposes.
So, there you have it. From primary and secondary keywords to permalinks and meta descriptions. These Best 4 Steps for SEO posts will garner more attention and make it more worth the effort.
-SMG New England