Writing blog articles is one thing. Ensuring people see and read your articles is another. Let’s take a look at some basic blog SEO (search engine optimisation) tips that will help you get your articles ranked higher on SERPs (search engine results pages), and therefore more widely read.

So what are the blog SEO basics?

Put some extra effort into the title

The title of your blog article should be unique and compelling. If the title is too short then it may not provide enough description and reason for a reader to read it. On the other hand, if the title is too long then it could get cut off in search results as it will be wider than the viewable limit. Find a title that is just the right length and add some call to action copy or a keyword variation if you’re struggling to think of a longer title. Speaking of keywords, try to make sure your keyword is near the front of the blog article title.

Use keywords that others see as key

Now that we are on the topic of keywords, it’s best to choose a keyword (or key phrase) that your target readers are searching for. But then you need to make sure the keyword you use is relevant to the content, and that the content is relevant to the reader. Your keyword must ideally appear in the article’s URL, in a heading within the article and in the first paragraph. Thereafter, scatter the keyword naturally and sparingly in your content. Do not keyword stuff as that will actually count against your SEO ranking.

To create versatility in your blog, attract new readers and rank higher on keywords, consider finding keywords that you or others haven’t used before. Focus on one or two long-tail keywords (or key phrases). This also keeps you on the straight and narrow while you write.

Pay attention to the URL

People look at long, complicated URLs with a wary eye. Keep the URL to your blog article simple and make it easy for the reader to track their progress on the site. For example, if they’re on the blog section of your website then the url should be as simple as: www.website.com/blog/article-title. Remember, your keyword should appear in the title, and therefore the URL as well.

Edit the meta description

Your keyword also needs to be in the meta description. The meta description is the short description of your blog article that is displayed on the SERPs. If you do not specify this then search engines will pull their own copy, so it is best to edit it so that it displays what you want it to – copy that will entice readers to read your article.

Write relevant content

There is a debate about the perfect length of a blog article: some say long-form content works best, while others say people only have time for short-form content. Either way, the most important thing to remember is that your content must be relevant to your reader. If it is relevant then people will keep reading. Having said that, we recommend a minimum of 300 words for a post to improve blog SEO. Anything less than that and people will question if you’re really adding any value.

Link it up

Another way to improve your SEO is to include inbound and outbound links in your article. Inbound links link to other pages on your website, while outbound links link to other websites. Internal linking encourages readers to stay on your website longer, and it also helps your other pages to rank higher on SERPs. Outbound links help search engines understand your content better and it also helps to increase trust in your site, so make sure you always link to reputable sites.

Don’t forget about your images

Remember to include alt text descriptions on any images you use in your blog post because search engines use this to “read” images. Including your keyword in this alt text will also help improve your blog SEO ranking.

Follow these tips when writing on your blog to ensure people see and read your articles. Feel free to contact us if you want to discuss any element of content marketing further.