After launching your website, writing a blog post is one of the first things you should start thinking about. It’s also one of the easiest ways to increase your rankings in the search results so that people are more likely to click on your content. To keep the reader interested, you don’t need to be a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, you need passion for your subject and a little guidance. If people enjoy your article, they’ll be more inclined to share it with others. This helps build authority with Google and helps increase your website traffic and rankings.
That’s why one of the first things a new website owner should do is learn how to create a blog post that uses Search Engine Optimization (SEO). A regularly updated blog will help build credibility and trust with your customers and help increase rankings in Google. Here are some of the most important SEO features you’ll need to incorporate:
- Keywords
- H1
- Meta description
- Links
- User experience
But, where do you start? What if you don’t know how to write like a pro? These research, writing and SEO tips will help. Organic strategies like SEO blog posts can take a few months to see results, but if the right SEO elements are in place, the blog is updated on a regular basis and people enjoy reading your content, your blog will start to create engagement and return-on-investment on a more frequent and measurable basis.
These tips can be applied to any industry.
How Do You Do Keyword Research?
Keywords are important because they help structure your blog post and help it rank. If your article is about gardening in the summer and your primary keyword is “best gardening tips for the summer,” this is what you’ll want to optimize your blog post for so it appears in the top position of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) and gets the most clicks when people type in “best gardening tips for the summer”. Make sure the exact keyword is in your blog post a few times, in the title, in subtitles and in the blog’s description.
Since Google wants to make sure it’s showing users the most authentic and informative content possible, keywords are imperative to tell Google what your post is about.
Keyword research can be done with Google by typing in queries and seeing what the “Related Searches” are at the bottom of the page and noting what “People Also Ask” in the middle of the page.
Some popular keyword research tools are:
- Semrush
- Moz
- Ahrefs
What is an H1 in SEO?
Think of an H1 like a headline or title. It’s the clickable title you see in the SERP and it’s often a user’s first impression of your blog. A catchy title is everything because it helps drive the most clicks. For best SEO practices, the primary keyword should be in the blog’s H1. These elements can help structure your blog. Think of a keyword as a topic and the H1 as a title.
What Should I Write in the Meta Description?
The meta description is what you see under the H1 title in the SERP. It’s usually a short sentence or two. It summarizes what your blog post is about and is one of the SEO elements needed to give Google a complete picture of your article. Best practices are to limit the meta description to 160 characters and include the primary keyword. Give it a call to action and entice users to click and read your blog.
What are Internal Links in a Blog?
Internal links help a user explore your website and make the customer journey easier. By strategically adding links to your product, service, about and contact pages, or whichever pages you want to feature, you increase the chances of people finding these pages and clicking on them. It’s best not to overdo these or be too salesy. Think of it as a gentle nudge to explore your website.
Why is User Experience Important for my Blog?
User experience can make or break your blog post. If an image isn’t aesthetically pleasing, you won’t want to look at it. The same is true for a blog post. Break text up with short paragraphs, H2s or sub-titles, images, videos, bulleted and numbered lists, and make sure the article is optimized for a mobile experience so users can easily read it on any device they choose.
What if I’m Not a Writer?
Writing comes naturally for some people and for others; it’s a little harder to put their thoughts together. However, with some help, anyone can be a good writer.
-
Get organized.
Take a deep breath. Have your coffee. Don’t be stressed. Make sure you’re in a positive state of mind. Then, start working on your outline and define your purpose and intent for creating the article. It will flow from there.
-
Be passionate.
Half of being a good writer is being passionate or having an active curiosity. If what you’re writing about is interesting to you, it will be interesting to readers. This could be the origin story of your business, how it’s made or how it works, or the evolution of your product and business over time.
-
Remember that you can start over.
The great thing about writing is that you can always press the delete button and start over. You’re not on camera and you’re not live. There is no pressure. You’ve got this.
-
It’s all about editing.
Sometimes, even the best writers need a little editing. If you think your writing isn’t coherent or it’s a jumble of random thoughts, make sure you give yourself time to slow down, read through it and edit it so it makes sense for someone reading it for the first time who may not have any background knowledge of the subject matter.
What’s the Easiest Way to Start a Blog?
If this seems like a lot to take on, you don’t have to worry. We’ve got your back. Our team is eager to learn more about your business and drive traffic to your website through engaging and informative blogs. Schedule your free consultation with our highly skilled and passionate marketing team to assess your digital marketing website strategy and efforts.
