Are you using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with your blog?

Are you using a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy with your company blog?  I shared in an earlier post that including a blog with your website is a great way to keep your content fresh and updated, and keep you at the top of search results.  But simply writing a blog isn’t all you need to do.  I also recommend you include key words and search terms to help you boost your ranking with search engines.

Blogging is a strategy you can use to demonstrate your industry expertise.  In fact, I follow several blogs written by folks I consider to be industry experts.  I enjoy reading, and reading blogs is something I can do while waiting in line, waiting for an appointment, or during the early or late hours of the day.  It’s a great use of time and keeps me productive and “in the know”.  This brings me to a blog I follow called Spin Sucks.  Spin Sucks is written by a Gini Dietrich.  Gini owns a marketing firm in Chicago.  During a recent blog, she shared about the importance of SEO and gave some tips that I’ll share with you today.  Read her entry called Eight common blogging mistakes.  And then sign up for her blog; she’s a terrific resource.

In Gini’s tips, she mentions using an SEO helper.  One that she suggests is called Yoast.  I can second that recommendation, because here at the cafe, we use Yoast.  Our website is powered by WordPress and Yoast offers a free plugin that we downloaded and instantly began using.  Yoast offers a WordPress SEO Tutorial with tips that can also be used even if you don’t use WordPress.  The most important tip we learned about using an SEO helper is this: use your blog entry title to capitalize on SEO.

When you write your blog entry, create your title last.  Ask yourself, what search terms should people type in to get to my blog entry.  I’ll use this entry as an example.  This blog entry covers blogging and SEO.  To come up with a title that will help propel me to the top of search engines, I first google those search terms to see what else comes up.  Then I craft my title.  I also mention the same search terms within the first paragraph of my blog, another tip from Yoast.

I hope this information helps and I welcome your questions.  Please reach out to me if I can help in any way.  In the mean time, take a coffee break.  You deserve it.