Starting a blog can be fun, but it can also be overwhelming with all of the things you must consider in order for your posts to get out there. There are always things to do and learn, from deciding on the perfect theme to drafting up your next post.
However, one thing that blog newbies and veterans must be working on is improving SEO. But what even is SEO? Let’s break it down and see how it is important for your next blog post.
For those who don’t know, SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of improving the quality and quantity of your posts to drive more traffic to your blog. This is a form of organic promotion that will help you rank higher in Google searches so that readers are more likely to find your post first compared to those on page 2 or later of Google results.
How important is it to be on the first page of a Google search? According to this article, the first spot on the search results gets 32% of clicks! In order to drive more people to your posts you’ve worked so hard to write, you must make use of SEO optimization.
So, what will help you boost SEO optimization and drive more people to your blog? One of the most important things is using the best keywords that your target audience will type when looking up the topic you are writing about. These keywords will then be strategically used in your headline, subheads, and post itself to help drive traffic towards you.
In order to find these keywords, it’s important to narrow down who your specific target audience is and do research on keywords. I won’t get too deep into that in this post, but this article by HubSpot provides a great how-to guide on how to research for keywords!
Next, you are going to want to make sure that your visuals are appealing and, if possible, original. To help boost your visuals showing up first, make sure to write descriptive and specific alt text to accompany your visuals.
Via TechSmith.com
Alt text includes keywords and descriptions for your image and help determine the rank of your post’s image. It also helps visually impaired viewers have a more pleasant and easier experience with your blog!
Another super important detail to keep note of is to make sure that your blog and its posts are optimized for mobile. Did you know that more than half of Google searches are done through mobile devices? Yep, you read that right!
Via Research.com
If your blog doesn’t look too great on people’s mobile devices, they are less likely to stay on your website or trust it than a site with a more mobile-friendly and professional look. It is important to check your blog on your own phone and use applications that help you format it in a better way.
The list could keep improving your SEO for your blog posts, but these are the tips that I find most helpful and important for new and old bloggers! SEO is so important for blogs in that they help people find your content and keep you posting!