In today’s digital marketing world attention is a scarce resource. With so many distractions, attracting readers to a business’ blog requires a blend of quality SEO-focused content writing and content marketing. Fortunately, many of your competitors are likely to be lacking in one of these areas, providing you many opportunities to appear higher and outrank them in organic search results. So where can you get started with moving ahead of the competition in search? Well, blog post optimization is a great place to begin.
8 Ways to Optimize a Blog Post for Search Rankings
Optimizing a blog post sets the foundation for an engaging article. With a small amount of work, you provide a better user experience and satisfy Google’s requirements.
1. Start With Keyword Research
Keyword research helps you identify a primary keyword that users are searching for. Aim to target many keywords with different search intent across the entire blog. For example, you can target people in the initial research phase as well as those on the cusp of buying a product or service.
2. Get the Word Count Right
An engaging blog post will contain enough content to satisfy a user’s query without requiring too much time investment. Use a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1,200 to get the point across (long-form content pieces are an exception to this).
3. Use Keywords in Post Titles
An SEO-friendly post title will contain the primary keyword to help identify the page’s topic. A combination of keyword placement and enticing titles will satisfy both searchers and Google. See more tips for writing blog posts for your website here.
4. Add H2 Subheadings
H2 subheadings help categorize a page’s content as they break the text into structured sections. And while H2s are certainly valuable, avoid adding unnecessary, keyword-stuffed subheadings.
5. Consider the Internal Linking Structure
Internal linking helps build the website architecture, establishing connections between different pages and topics. By assisting users in navigating your site and increasing engagement levels, these links signal to Google that your content is valuable and worthy of ranking. Placing links at the start, middle and end of the article is a time-tested approach.
6. Tie Content to Business Products and Services
Blog content should relate to the products and services the business offers. Before creating any content first consider how it ties to the core purpose of the business, and how it will move visitors through the sales funnel.
7. Use SEO-Optimized Media
Images and videos help break up the page and increase engagement. Avoid slow loading times by ensuring that all media included is optimized using image alts and correct sizing.
8. Analyze Blog Post Metrics
How users interact with blog posts provides valuable information. Using the Google Search Console makes it possible to see how people found the post, the bounce rate, along with other engagement metrics. Companies that offer SEO services like Rocks Digital does use Google Search Console data and Google Analytics data (along with tools like SEMRUSH) to identify old posts that need improvement – and create popular new content for a business’ website.
Expert SEO-Focused Content Marketing Services for Local Businesses
Rocks Digital helps local businesses increase their local presence and reach more customers through SEO-focused content services. From optimized blog posts to site-wide SEO strategies, trust us to grow your business’ visibility in organic search results. Call (214) 989-7549 or request a website evaluation.
