The previous post was really a beginners guide to using keywords and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).Okay it was very basic but I remember when I started blogging I hadn't even heard of keywords and certainly wasn't aware of any form of SEO. I had no idea what was required to get a reasonable position in the search engine results.
So for those who might be as naive as I was let's look at the basics of keywords and SEO.
Firstly keywords.
As I have said I didn't know what they were when I started. I later found out that they are words which you think / hope other people may use to enter into the likes of Google as a search.
You also hope that, if anyone does search for these, your own blog or website will be towards the top of the search results and this will therefore get referrals to your blog.
If we look at the previous post the keywords I picked out were Pointless Hippo.
Yes, silly words but they are for demonstration purposes only and, sure enough, if you do a search on Google for these, that post is in number one position. Nothing clever in this, it's simply following a few basics.
Firstly the keywords should be in certain positions within a post.
(1) In the Post Title
(2) Towards the beginning of the main text.
(3) Further on in the text and
(4) At the end of the post
I also find it helps to include the words singly within the post as well. So I used hippo, hippos and pointless within the main body of the text.
To reinforce the words I also used them in the 'alt' option for the photo of the hippo. In other words if you hold the cursor over the photo the words 'pointless hippo' are shown.
And that is really the basics of keywords but ...
... because you do this it doesn't mean you are guaranteed a top spot. What if hundreds of people have done the same thing? And with some popular keywords or phrases it could be thousands and thousands of webmasters who have used them.
So with smaller blogs, beginners blogs you have to pick the right words, perhaps secondary to the obvious ones - but still words that people will actually use to do a search. (Obviously not many people are going to enter 'Pointless Hippo' for instance!)
This is where, what are called, long tail keywords can be useful - see The Long Tail Way To Make Money.
To help you choose your keywords use a Keyword Suggestion Tool such as the one at WordTracker Keywords - it's free to use. Enter your main word and see what combinations come up.
Now, as I'm keeping this very simple, let's move on.
You've chosen your keywords, put them in the positions suggested and have published your post - what next?
The secret Google algorithm has lots of aspects which it considers when deciding what blog or website to place where in it's search engine results.
An important one is links into your post and better still if these links are the same as your keywords. In my example the link Pointless Hippo would be the one to use.
Also use your keywords as 'tags' or 'labels' for your post
I'm going to leave it there, even though there are other points to consider.
To recap choose your keywords carefully, enter them in appropriate places within a post and try to get links containing your keywords.
Regular practise of these principles will help to get search engine referrals and there is heaps of info on the Internet to enlarge on this and to fine tune them.
Seek and you shall find - you might even come across a pointless hippo.
Good luck,
Mike.
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