We all know that if your SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, sucks no one will notice you on the Internet.
It is as simple as that!!!
And yet, I was running a website for 3 years before the importance of SEO sank in… You know that aching feeling when you just want to start using a new product without having to read the f*cking manual first?
That is how I felt about SEO for years. But today, I know better.
Trust me, what once was a daunting task, has become a powerful routine, just by learning the basics and using the tools I talk about in this article.
There are millions of people out there that we can connect to and help if only they can find us, our amazing articles and cool products and services.
So let’s be reasonable for once and learn the SEO basics instead of wasting days, or if you are stubborn like me even years, on guesswork and unfounded hopes.
How to Write a Blog Post for SEO
As a writer or content creator, you want to be original. You want to have a unique style and ways of expressing yourself. Equally important though is to be found on the Internet, so that people can spread your message.
You want to reach your intended audience, which can mean limiting your choice of words to the exact keywords people search on.
In order for Google to propose your article on the SERP (short for Search Engine Result Page), he matches your content, especially the page elements listed below, with the search keywords people enter when searching.
The search keywords relevant to your content need to be contained in these page elements:
- url
- title
- meta description
- headers (headlines or sections and sub-section titles)
Rule number 1:
Use exactly those keywords that people search for. Do not try to be creative or guess.
Google already tells you how people search.
You need to imagine what keywords would your audience use to search for the information, service or product you provide or promote. Then you can start typing in google.
See in the screenshot how google provides the keywords people use to search when you start typing. Those are the right keywords to start your research with.
Before you settle on your main keywords to rank high on Google you need to understand the keyword metrics and the related difference between organic and paid search results.
Organic vs Paid Traffic
Before we dive into the metrics it is important to realize that you can pay Google to rank your stuff high.
Google earns money by offering companies to pay and compete to rank high on SERP for a given keyword. You must have noticed that the best spots, the first top search results are always ads, usually labelled “Ad”.
On the other hand, you and any other company can also rank high without paying Google. Your web content can appear organically (vs paid) on the SERP because Google thinks it deserves to be shown as it matches the searcher’s intent.
Needless to say that the higher you score the most traffic (people’s eyes) you will get on your website and the more your business will thrive and develop. For this reason, learning about SEO is the best thing you can do right now to promote your business, your consulting services or inspiring content and teachings online.
Rule number 2:
Never skip keyword research. This is a more important than the content quality. No right keywords, no people coming to read or listen to you.
Where do you start?
For each content, blog, article, or youtube video, the first thing you do is keyword research. You are looking for those keywords that are being searched a lot, but at the same time, there is not much competition around them.
The metrics below will help you with the keyword research.
Basic Keyword Metrics
You want to know some simple things about the keywords to get your article ranked high on the google list and get spotted.
For each keyword you need to know at least:
- Volume (more the better) – How often do people search with this keyword (below you see that people have searched 9.900 per month for the keyword “SEO for bloggers”)
- CPC – (short for cost per click) is a metric that shows the price advertisers pay to Google for each click on their ad. The higher the CPC the more expensive it will be to rank high. Now, this is not relevant if you are going for organic ranking, however, it indicates the value of the traffic you are generating.
- Competition – a score between 0 and 1 indicating how hard it would be to have your website rank high (showing on the top of the first search results page)
- Trend – the search trend. You want to use keywords that are still trendy or even better, that have a clear increasing trend, meaning the topic you will be writing about is getting HOT!!
These are just the basics. There are plenty of free or cheap tools out there to help you with keyword research.
Keyword Research Tools
I started with the Google Keyword planner which is thinking I should learn the basics from Google himself. And I did, so for sure, this tool is a good place to start, especially if your marketing strategy involves generating paid traffic. If, so through this tool, you will get to know the whole GoogleAds advertising platform.
If your tactic is to generate traffic organically, then I suggest this very easy tool which made me love SEO: Keyword Everywhere. This tool shows the metrics in your browser as you search for keywords, so you don’t have to switch between applications, really handy!!
See the screenshot above, the green and the red circled stuff is how the metrics are shown in Keywords Everywhere.
Rule number 3:
Having good tools is having the work half done.
If you are anything like me, you just want to start writing and say what you want to say in your own words.
But it is important to realize that spending time on keyword research and search engine optimization is as necessary as oxygen for your message and business to be found. With this in mind, having the right tool for the job is worth your investment.
There are more tools out there. If you have one to recommend, please share!
Best of luck with your content reaching your desired audience and paying off your efforts big time!!
Learn more about the opportunities of creating an online income stream. Achieve financial independence and freedom to live life on your own terms!
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