Blogging: The Way to Go for SEO

Take it from us; blogging is crucial in today’s world of online marketing. To emphasize, we’d like to take this opportunity to point out you’re currently using this time to read a blog we wrote about the importance of blogging. So… yeah. And while blogging itself is essential, making sure your blogging is SEO optimized is even more so.

If you keep up on a digital marketing strategy, chances are you have some working knowledge of SEO and its practices. If you’re new to the blogging game, this may be all brand new. But regardless of your skill level, a refresher course never hurt anyone. 

So, let’s take it back to basics for a second. 

What is SEO?

Like much of modern language, SEO is shorthand for a longer phrase that no one has time to say: Search Engine Optimization. While that may sound like the name of a technique used to jump your X-Wing into hyperspace, it’s actually just jargon for creating content tailor-made for higher organic (non-paid) ranking among search engine results.

Search engines like Google and Bing utilize bots called “crawlers” to scan webpages and index keywords, content and more into their database that they deem relevant to user inquiries. Organic searches are considered higher-quality than paid searches because they are submitted by those searching for content-specific services/products.

How does blogging help in an SEO strategy?

Now that you know the “What,” let’s talk “Why”! While blogging is a great way to share office updates and new products news, it can be so much more!

Blogging can keep your website looking fresh, feeling fresh and build your credibility. 

Have you ever visited a website’s blog, only to find that their most recent article isn’t recently published at all? Odds are you didn’t stick around long. 

Keeping your blog current can help your brand build client credibility. A steady stream of content also makes acquiring new customers easier and keeps current ones engaged.

Blogs are great for those who know you, but they’re even better for bringing in unsuspecting audiences! Blogging can create synergistic magic with other marketing efforts when incorporated into your overall strategy. Infusing article links in eBlasts and other push campaigns, as well as promoting them on social media, increases the odds of your content being viewed. 

Next time you publish a new post, make sure to send out that “Top 5 Tips for a Flawless Fish Filet” as an email to your contact database and an exciting new post to the Facebook crowd.

Pro Tip: Keeping your blog up-to-date also helps you foster a relationship with your audience by giving you an outlet for regular outreach and giving them something to look forward to!

Blogging (done right) can keep eyes on your web pages. 

Would you watch a tv marathon of a show you had no interest in? Probably not. You’d likely channel surf until you found something that was worth your time. Blogging is the same way! 

It’s not enough to write and publish a blog; content needs to catch and keep your audience’s interest. Do this by writing content that matters. How does your content solve their problem? What valuable information are they walking away with? To put it bluntly, why should they even care? When readers are engaged, they’ll spend those extra minutes reading and, if you’ve really got them, exploring the rest of your website. 

Reader “dwell-time” is especially important for SEO as Google uses it to determine if webpage information was helpful for its search or if users immediately left after arriving.

It helps target SEO Optimized Long-Tail Keywords. 

It’s a tough pill to swallow, but there is a high likelihood that the “Big Guys” will beat you out for those first, second and third SER ranking spots regardless of your strategy. But don’t lose hope! 

An SEO blogging strategy is perfect for honing in on the more specific, SEO-optimized long-tail keywords. These keywords are typically awkward or too hyper-specific for product listings but can work well in blogs and other web content and yield much higher quality conversions.

For example, if you’re a small sporting equipment store, a simple product listing like “Sneakers” will not be so easy to rank on. Industry goliaths such as Nike and Adidas are investing insane amounts into making sure they’re the number one search. However, with the help of a long-tail keyword, you can make sure that Joe Schmoe’s Running Shoe Emporium has a much better chance of reeling in inquiries of “red and black no-tie running shoes in perfect for Blue Ridge trails” searches.

You can create a user superhighway within your website. 

An effective SEO strategy assists search engines in indexing your webpage information to assess its inquiry relevance. Search engines use your links to help determine your page’s ranking. 

Using internal links to your other content can make it easier and more appealing for visitors to explore the rest of your website. Linking to external references can boost your SEO and increase your credibility. Simple as that.

The keys to the SEO blogging kingdom

Ok, that was a lot! If you’ve made it this far, just know we appreciate you and that all-star attention span. We promise to keep this part short and sweet (but just as informative) as a reward just for you.

Now that you’re a pro on SEO and blogging symbiosis, here’s a quick list of helpful tips to maximize SEO within your blogs.

• Share engaging content. Blog posts should be entertaining or informative. The best blogs are both! Content that can check off either or both of these boxes is prime for becoming shareable content, a.k.a signal boosters for you and your brand.
• Research keywords. Putting time into studying your audience creates an opportunity for you to discover their interests and incorporate the most relevant keywords into your online content.
• Forget the clickbait. Forget the flash and make headlines that matter. Shock and awe titles are great to lure in readers, but if the substance is weak (or just downright unrelated), they won’t stick around long. 
• Quality trumps quantity. Consistent blogging is important for increasing SEO, but creating better blogs is more effective than creating more blogs.
• Get social with your media. Write a new blog? Post it to social media. It’s as simple as that. Social media channels are an excellent way to spread your name across the internet. Search engines will see the additional click traffic from your social posts and deem your content loved by many.

In need of more tips on maximizing your blogging potential? Try partnering with a marketing agency for a professional touch. Take a look at our list of contacts we’ve compiled over the years!