Optimizing Blog by Developing Keyword Relevance
Monday, November 06, 2006
Optimization is an ongoing process. It is more an innovation and developing authentic view on a subject that helps in creating a better profile for you or your company. So, it happens many times that a very low ranked page or even a page with zero ranking (not grey barred/banned sites, obviously) perform well on quite competitive keywords by developing keyword relevance.
We have been discussing about blogging optimization in various subtle ways. Now, it is time to deal with it directly. It will take a few posts to go through the ins and outs of the search engine optimization as a whole blog can be set-up for the topic itself. But, here we will be talking about blog optimization specifically, and you will be provided with the updates as they come.
Search Engine Optimization for Blogs
Getting new visitors on a regular basis will help your business grow but retaining and channeling your regular visitors/readers through a funnel in order to help them is an important aspect. Randomly picking up topics would not create a flow in writing and will be of little use. We will be dealing on this soon and much more.
After doing much studies on Google search engine result pages (SERPs), we came to a conclusion, that sites and blogs can out perform high page rank sites by developing keyword relevancy. The first step for Search engine optimization, whether that be for websites or blogs is deciding your keywords, right keywords. This keeps your blog focused and relevant to the market you are dealing with. We would discuss the first two steps out of five steps here:-
Step 1:
Keyword Analysis:- You will need a bit of research to find the right keywords here. Lets call it keyword analysis. You may already have a blog or you may be starting a new one but this step is not to be missed. If you have done it already, then scan through, if not, read it carefully. For the main or the primary keyword you have selected, search it in Google. See for the page rank of the sites appearing in the 1st SERP. If it is 8 or above then search for the next keyword related to your own, like a synonym or a keyword phrase.
Suppose your keyword is ‘Internet marketing’, and at the time of writing this, the first result on SERP is clickz.com with a page rank of 7. It is one less than 8 and still it would be very difficult to attain the 1st position in the result page. So, we can say internet marketing is a difficult keyword, and it would not be right to aim for it. I, personally would prefer the keyword ‘Internet marketing blog’. The top result has a page rank of 4. Now that would be an easy keyword to achieve the first position. It does not mean that we will not have the keyword ‘internet marketing’ in account. It is just that we will do it in a later stage, when we have already established our blog and acquired a few readers. I would take it up in the upcoming posts.
When you have decided what our primary keyword would be, you should also look for secondary keywords, so that your blog would visible for other searches as well.
Step 2:-
Blog design:- After selecting our primary keyword, you need to keep in mind the design of the blog so that it is relevant to the keyword of your choice. The elements of the blog design would be-
1. Blog Header/Footer- For those who are using blogging platforms like Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad etc., you can easily personalize the header and the footer. You can personalize the banner by having a graphic with the dimensions of the banner. You can also edit the graphic so that it will also include the title of your blog. In this case, you can create your own graphic or you can purchase professional looking graphics online for less than $10.
We have been discussing about blogging optimization in various subtle ways. Now, it is time to deal with it directly. It will take a few posts to go through the ins and outs of the search engine optimization as a whole blog can be set-up for the topic itself. But, here we will be talking about blog optimization specifically, and you will be provided with the updates as they come.
Search Engine Optimization for Blogs
Getting new visitors on a regular basis will help your business grow but retaining and channeling your regular visitors/readers through a funnel in order to help them is an important aspect. Randomly picking up topics would not create a flow in writing and will be of little use. We will be dealing on this soon and much more.
After doing much studies on Google search engine result pages (SERPs), we came to a conclusion, that sites and blogs can out perform high page rank sites by developing keyword relevancy. The first step for Search engine optimization, whether that be for websites or blogs is deciding your keywords, right keywords. This keeps your blog focused and relevant to the market you are dealing with. We would discuss the first two steps out of five steps here:-
Step 1:
Keyword Analysis:- You will need a bit of research to find the right keywords here. Lets call it keyword analysis. You may already have a blog or you may be starting a new one but this step is not to be missed. If you have done it already, then scan through, if not, read it carefully. For the main or the primary keyword you have selected, search it in Google. See for the page rank of the sites appearing in the 1st SERP. If it is 8 or above then search for the next keyword related to your own, like a synonym or a keyword phrase.
Suppose your keyword is ‘Internet marketing’, and at the time of writing this, the first result on SERP is clickz.com with a page rank of 7. It is one less than 8 and still it would be very difficult to attain the 1st position in the result page. So, we can say internet marketing is a difficult keyword, and it would not be right to aim for it. I, personally would prefer the keyword ‘Internet marketing blog’. The top result has a page rank of 4. Now that would be an easy keyword to achieve the first position. It does not mean that we will not have the keyword ‘internet marketing’ in account. It is just that we will do it in a later stage, when we have already established our blog and acquired a few readers. I would take it up in the upcoming posts.
When you have decided what our primary keyword would be, you should also look for secondary keywords, so that your blog would visible for other searches as well.
Step 2:-
Blog design:- After selecting our primary keyword, you need to keep in mind the design of the blog so that it is relevant to the keyword of your choice. The elements of the blog design would be-
1. Blog Header/Footer- For those who are using blogging platforms like Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad etc., you can easily personalize the header and the footer. You can personalize the banner by having a graphic with the dimensions of the banner. You can also edit the graphic so that it will also include the title of your blog. In this case, you can create your own graphic or you can purchase professional looking graphics online for less than $10.
2. Blog logo, templates, layouts, backgrounds, textures and skins from sites- A logo can do wonders to your blog. It not only creates a professional look but also gives your blog some weight. There are sites that offer free blog templates, layouts, backgrounds, textures and skins. You can make use of these so your blog will not look generic like most of the blogs hosted by the service provider.
3. Advertisements- Adsense and other advertisements can bring in a passive income from your blog and who wont want that. The ads should be relevant to your niche. If you are using adsense, Google will take care of it, if not, you should check for the keywords on which the ads are placed in your site. Place them in manner where they are easy to locate and do not forget to mention that they are ads or sponsored links.
4. Include RSS Feeds- This helps in converting visitors to readers. We will take this up in detail in the Syndication Post-The fifth S of Blogging.
The rest is on its way soon.
Till then Happy Blogging,
Divya Uttam.
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Technorati Tags:- Blogging,Business Blogging, Blog, Business blogs, Optimize Blogging,Blog Optimization
Labels: 5S' of Blogging Success, Blog Optimization, Business Blogging
3 Comments:
I'm highly sceptical of keyword targetting although this is a personal opinion. My focus has always been on content and aside from the odd joke article (like the one which was a nonsense post full of the top search terms of the week) I tend to keep it that way. It makes me happy but then I am not striving for anything mroe than a regular flow of comments and the feeling of being connected.
I have a suggestion for a topic - "The long term approach" the consept is that you should play the long game considering a method that will start to pay in two to three years time. I don't know masses about it but http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/10/17/top-100-blogs-have-an-average-age-of-338-months/ talks about that kind of topic.
Gotta go 1667 words are calling me for tonights NaNoWriMo effort.
I have a suggestion for a topic - "The long term approach" the consept is that you should play the long game considering a method that will start to pay in two to three years time. I don't know masses about it but http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/10/17/top-100-blogs-have-an-average-age-of-338-months/ talks about that kind of topic.
Gotta go 1667 words are calling me for tonights NaNoWriMo effort.
Cool Matt, in which language are you writing the novel and I would love to read it on 1st Dec.
And as for keyword targetting, I still consider it useful if you want to earn the search engine game. The base line is even if you are keeping in account the keyword relevance, your content should be good and useful for your readers. When you write sensible, just a little consideration on keyword relevancy can do wonders to your blog and page rank. This way you won't loose focus on what you are writing and how you are writing.
Playing a long game doesn't mean you should not get any appreciation for your works on an earlier stage. It boosts your capabilities and encourage your style. Even, I love to get comments on my posts and that is the reward search engine optimization gives you. More traffic, more readers, more comments. Of course your personal touch has to be their. If you dont feel passionate about what you write no one else would.
And as for keyword targetting, I still consider it useful if you want to earn the search engine game. The base line is even if you are keeping in account the keyword relevance, your content should be good and useful for your readers. When you write sensible, just a little consideration on keyword relevancy can do wonders to your blog and page rank. This way you won't loose focus on what you are writing and how you are writing.
Playing a long game doesn't mean you should not get any appreciation for your works on an earlier stage. It boosts your capabilities and encourage your style. Even, I love to get comments on my posts and that is the reward search engine optimization gives you. More traffic, more readers, more comments. Of course your personal touch has to be their. If you dont feel passionate about what you write no one else would.
Smart and informative writing! Thank you for stopping by my place. Enjoy the cookie pie!
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