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SEO…what is it? Search Engine Optimization is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to users of a web search engine.
Ok, so what does this mean for me? Well as a blogger, your goal is to answer your reader’s questions. So you need to use SEO to provide your readers with valuable content that they can find easily.
Did you know that Google changes its algorithm over 3200 times per year? That means they make on average 9 changes per day. WOW! That’s more than most people change outfits before a date night.
So it’s important to stay on top of all the changes. Even though it may seem impossible to keep up with all the changing trends. I have found a few that are relevant to 2020 and I’m sharing those here.
Content is King
When thinking of SEO, you need to remember that content is always king. You should be writing your content with your ideal reader in mind.
In 2020, according to Google experts, you can expect search engines to shift towards the intent of the post rather than keywords that are in it for rankings.
It’s all about fulfilling the user’s needs. Search engines are trying to move towards figuring out what each person as an individual is looking for when they search. They are getting smarter every day.
I know you have noticed that when you talk to your spouse about a new dishwasher…all of a sudden they are showing you ads to the side of dishwashers! Creepy but it just shows how smart the algorithms are.
So, knowing this, you can expect it’s going to be more of a personalized experience for each person as they search.
Basically, if you spend your time focusing on the reader’s intent you will be providing them the best answers and Google will favor you for this.
*Always focus on the customer*
Be sure you are providing real value to each person who reads your content.
The reader needs to know that it’s about them in order for them to trust you and form a long-lasting relationship that will keep them coming back for more.
*Talk to your ideal customer* to find out what they really need.
Trustworthiness
When I first started blogging, I had the hardest time trying to figure things out. I searched all over Pinterest trying to find someone who I could trust to tell me the truth behind blogging.
I’ll be honest, I clicked on Pins that were visually appealing and read blogs that were well organized and provided useful information. It was hard figuring out who I could trust and who I couldn’t.
When you create your content, focus on the trust factor. If you put the best content out there, that is focused on your reader’s needs then they will ultimately gain trust in you.
Google will also begin to trust you and it will build your site authority (how much quality your site has).
If you haven’t yet started blogging and need help getting started, check out this Fast Track To Blogging Course.
You can also read my post How to Start a Blog with these Simple Steps.
Valuable and Relevant Content
The best content will win…ALWAYS! There is just no other way to say it.
Make it your goal to have the best content on the web that revolves around your topic.
Google is moving away from keywords and favoring content that adds value and is written while focusing on the audience.
You need to anticipate what the user needs next. So put yourself in their shoes and think about what the next step should be in what they are searching for.
*Get to know your audience and understand their needs.*
Site and Page Speed
It has been shown true that pages that load within 5 seconds have 70% longer sessions than those who load in 19 seconds or longer.
Nobody wants to wait around on a page to load to find an answer from a google search, we all know we are going to hit the back button and try another site.
We live in a get it now world!! I’m guilty of this too! Most of the time I blame my slow internet though
Check your speed with Google Page Speed Insights.
If you need help improving your site’s speed check out this article from Convince and Convert. They have several implementable things you can try today.
Mobile SEO
Mobile SEO is everything. How many people do you know that use their desktops to search the web? Not many!
I use my phone 8 out of 10 times when I need to search for something because my iPhone is basically a portable pocket-sized computer.
You need to build your site for Mobile and then optimize it to suit a desktop.
If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you should act immediately.
Check out this Beginner’s Guide to Mobile Website Optimization.
People are constantly on the move and will probably read your blog post content from some sort of mobile device.
Link Building
Link building is super important for SEO.
Internal links are also very important in keeping your readers on your website. It will show Google that you are a trustworthy site, thus improving your rankings.
Structure your Page
Formatting is not only important for SEO but for your user experience as well. You want the readers to be able to navigate through your page easily.
Be sure you use:
- title tags- it’s probably the most important part. Its what people see when they search you on google
- meta descriptions- this is the description under your title tag
- table of contents- helps your readers jump to what they want to see
- subheadings-this gives them a general idea of what the paragraph is about
- lists- helps the readers see things easily
- valuable images- provides a visual idea of the content
Breaking up your posts into sections and not using long paragraphs will make it easier to read.
I like to use one or two sentence paragraphs to help with readability.
Try to have an easy to read font and white background. The less busy your page is the better.
Think of a site that you have seen that was visually pleasing and easy to read in mind when you are working on this.
And remember that there is no clear answer for what you need to do but you can start with small changes and see how it affects your traffic and rankings.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and need some tips, read Fresh Tips and Tricks for Blogging.
If you liked this post, leave a comment below. I love hearing from other people about the things that have worked for them.
You can also follow me on Pinterest here to find more great content related to this.
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Great post and great tips. I’ve been thinking of adding a table of contents to each post. Is there an easy way or truck to do this?
Thanks Jenn! There are plug-ins for adding a table of contents and since I’m assuming you are like me and are not a coding expert, that is what I would do. https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-create-a-table-of-content-in-wordpress-posts-and-pages/ has a tutorial!
I try to focus on SEO daily because it takes so much work to do all that’s needed! If possible, sometimes it’s helpful to find someone that specializes in SEO and keyword research, etc. that can provide inexpensive support. My favorite tip from your post: Focus on your audience’s needs!
Thank you so much Rachel! I’m so glad you found the tips useful. Sometimes I think we get wrapped up in other things that we forget to focus on our audience! They are the ones we are really here to serve…not a search engine. lol! 😉
Hey Shannon I love the post but the hardest thing is building high-quality links. There are so many link building services out there and they are VERY expensive – to the tune of hundreds of dollars per link.
I would love if you could do a more in-depth post specifically talking about you go about building baclinks because its something that a lot of us struggle with.
Thanks.
Debbie Gartner has a great ebook for this! Its what I use!! You can find it here: https://theflooringgirl.com/easy-backlinks-seo/