The Importance Of Strong SEO Planning For Bloggers

Whether your blog covers the details of how to grow seasonal plants or help new teachers survive their first year, chances are someone has already written a blog on that same subject. In fact, there are probably millions of resources on any given subject. There's a lot of competition out there, but don't let this fact deter you from creating a blog. As long as you have a strong SEO plan and execute it, you'll be able to gain traction and your potential consumers will find you. As you build your SEO plan, keep these tips at the forefront of your mind.

1. Research Keywords.

There are many keyword research programs on the internet that allow you to find the perfect long-tail keywords that work for your niche. You'll want to consider factors such as your location and your audience. If your blog is just one feature on your website and your site is promoting your Los Angeles-based boutique, it'd be a great idea to add the city name to a few of your keywords. Google has a few tools to help a user find the right keywords. If this isn't your strength, you can also consider using the services of a marketing specialist.

READ MORE: The Lazy Writer’s Guide to 30-Minute Keyword Research

2. Create an Editorial Schedule.

When you're creating an SEO plan for your blog, understand that you'll want to develop a serious amount of consistency. SEO strategies tend to take some time. Give yourself at least a year to gain a consistent flow of targeted traffic. During that first year, be intentional about adding blog posts on a regular basis. To gain traction, do your best to add a new blog post every single week. If you can do more, this is even better. However, make sure that the schedule is realistic for you, but regular enough for the search engines to begin recognizing it.

Read More: You Need A Schedule To Keep Your Blog On Point

3. Use Keywords in Blog Posts.

Do not litter your blog posts with tons of keywords. In fact, it's best to make sure the keywords are placed within the blog in an organic, conversational manner. If your readers can tell that you're actively keyword stuffing, this can be a major turn-off. Plus, keyword stuffing is terrible for readability.

READ MORE: How to optimize content for topics versus keywords

4. Rename the Pictures.

It's always wise to include a central picture and feature it with the blog post. If you can take your own clear, high-quality pictures, this is ideal. If you'd prefer to use stock photos, please make sure to pay for them and use them legally. Once you decide on the picture you'll use for the blog post, rename the picture and use the main keyword in the name. If it's a keyword phrase, add an underscore in between each word. As you do this, the search engines will recognize the keyword. This step will make your SEO plan even stronger.

READ MORE: Optimizing Images For Search Engines

5. Utilize the Power of Link-Building.

Since you have a blog that talks about a specific subject, chances are that the posts will relate to one another and overlap. Always find a way to link one blog post to another blog post within the site. This will increase the potency of your website in the search engines.

READ MORE: 19 Link Building Strategies That Work In 2018

6. Consistently Execute.

If you start strong, but choose not to finish strong, it'll be difficult to achieve your end goal of attracting more potential customers. Constantly work on tweaking and perfecting the process until it works for you and what your blog really needs.