There’s so much talk about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), it’s impossible to keep up.
Maybe you’ve read posts on writing copy that is “search engine” friendly, but you are not really sure what it means, or more importantly, how to do it.
Never fear! This post gives you 12 tips to make SEO for you as easy as possible. We’re covering everything from keywords to Google Analytics to Google sitemaps.
12 Tips for Making SEO For You Easy As 1-2-3
We’re here to help make SEO work for you. These are the secrets all bloggers need to know!
Understanding Keywords and Phrases
Keyword usage is confusing to many bloggers. You want to optimize your blog and get some Google juice, but you’re not sure what keywords to use, where to put them, or how often to use them.
Here are some basic tips:
- The Key to Finding Keywords and Phrases
- 6 Tips and Tricks on Placing Your SEO Keywords from Mom-Blog
- How To Use Keywords in Your Post Titles and Post Categories
How to Use SEO to Increase Traffic To Your Blog
The importance of search engine optimization cannot be denied. We’ve seen firsthand how paying attention to things like backlinks and domain names and keywords can result in big changes in the organic traffic Google directs to a blog.
Create a Domain Name for Your Blog:
Rather than being under the umbrella of a “blogspot” address and giving your good SEO to another company (like Blogger), strike out in the world and register your own domain name.
How to Increase Traffic to Your Blog Using Blekko:
Backlinks are important to every blogger. They contribute to our Page Rank and where our blogs show up in the search engines for keywords we are targeting.
SEO Browser:
Search engines like Google send software (often called “bots”) to crawl around your blog and pick up information they can store in their engine and report back to those who search. If you understand how search bots see your blog, you can more easily see where your most important content should be.
Google Plus and SEO
Google+ is the latest social media / SEO craze these days.
What makes Google Plus unique is that it integrates social and SEO with your identity into the Search Engine Results page. If you do not have a Google+ account, you need one.
How To Set Up a Google Plus page For Your Blog:
Take time to explore and familiarize yourself with this tool for your blog-branding toolkit! Setting up a basic page for your blog takes about 10 minutes.
Why You Need to Be On Google Plus Yesterday: Get the skinny on why your relationships to other Google Plus users play a role in determine your Google ranking.
How Google Plus Events Are Redefining Social Media:
What sets Google Plus Events apart is the Party Mode function where guests can contribute their own pictures during and after the event. Invitees can also add their comments. All of this extra functionality creates a new dimension to a typical “get together.”
Google Analytics and Other Tools
You spend a lot of time crafting excellent content for your blog. However, it’s important to understand how to interpret the results from your SEO efforts and ensure that Google and other search engines can find your blog on the web.
Easy Guide to Understanding Google Analytics:
Maybe you’re like other bloggers and know about this great tool, but have no idea how to interpret the information you receive, or find it overwhelming and confusing. This post makes it easy for you use Google Analytics.
How to Submit a Google Sitemap:
There is a quick process required to submit a Google sitemap. While Google regularly crawls content, submitting a sitemap ensures that your content is not missed, or even crawled a bit sooner.
Get the Yoast Plugin:
If you are on WordPress, the easiest way you can work on SEO and improve traffic is with the Yoast plugin. It quickly allows you how effectively you are utilizing keywords in your posts and ensures that your site is Google friendly.
Let’s Talk SEO
Do you have a post on SEO to recommend? We’d love to hear about it! Head over to our Facebook fanpage and let’s discuss. You can also leave a link here in the comments. If you post has a pinnable image, we’ll get it linked up on our SEO Pinterest Board.
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Twitter: jamericanspice
says:
Lots of information here.
Thank you.
Colette S @JamericanSpice recently posted..My Poker Face Doctor and Good News – Aloha TQT Sillies
Twitter: GlobalCraze
says:
Hey Colette S
Remember that reading all this tips will not make your blogs seo good. It is a friendly suggestion for you and all the readers to implement at all. Because this post covers all the important factors for search engine optimization. so we should thanks to Francesca Banducci for sharing this with us
Chetan Gupta recently posted..Top 10 Resolutions of New Year
Twitter: fromtracie
says:
I love that you gathered all this information together in one place. Great tips!
Tracie recently posted..The Four P’s of Developing And Pursuing A Goal
Twitter: anartfulmom
says:
Thanks for these tips. I have not yet ventured into Google Plus. I wasn’t sure if it would be worth the time. Now I need to rethink that.
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Twitter: AwkwardlyAlive
says:
This is interesting… I don’t know if I should say this or not, but sometimes I feel like SEO is kind of… well, BS?
Let the ridicule begin…
Emelie recently posted..This is What Happens When You Watch Too Much SVU.
I’ve been thinking about registering my own domain. How difficult is that to do, and could you still publish to it from Blogger and keep the same layout/design? Does anyone have experience with this or know?
Amberly Lambertsen recently posted..Story of a Ring
Twitter: kastanton01
says:
Without opening the can of worms that is the Blogger vs. WordPress vs. Other Self Hosting debate, yes, you can purchase your domain for your blog through Blogger and still use it to publish. You can also still keep your layout and design. Basically, the only thing that would change would be that your blog’s website address would be http://www.yourblog.com instead of http://www.yourblog.blogspot.com. I believe it costs about $10 a year if you go through Blogger.
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Twitter: Kissmylist
says:
I’ve been putting off creating a Google+ profile, but this article finally prompted me to do it. Thanks for the links to all the easy and clear instructions!
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Twitter: angheartsxbox
says:
Love all of this information! Thanks.
Twitter: angheartsxbox
says:
I need to get to my computer so I can employ some of these things. Thanks again!!
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Twitter: nickie72
says:
Hi girls, I’ve got some posts about SEO here http://www.geekalicious.co.uk/search/label/Search%20Engine%20Optimisation and for the person (Amberly) asking about a custom domain with Blogger here’s how to do that http://www.geekalicious.co.uk/2013/02/how-to-set-up-a-custom-domain-on-blogger.html
Twitter: nickie72
says:
Oh and I pinned this to my “Unique Geek Speak” community pinterest board. Thanks for the info.
Twitter: 3lilapples
says:
This is great, I have needed these tips for the longest, and will most definitely be using them for the remainder of my blogging life. I really appreciate all the tips shared, they are all so very helpful.
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Twitter: babyshowerdepot
says:
The “rules” of SEO have become so complicated over the years that I’m finding it difficult to keep up. I created a Google+ account two weeks ago, but I have so much to learn. Thanks for the short, but sweet information. This information makes it less intimidating, which makes me less inclined to put off learning more about it. BTW – I love the Yoast plugin for WordPress. It’s so easy to use.
Twitter: ugojoloms
says:
Thanks for these great information, you are doing well for us!
Ugochi recently posted..15 REASONS SHE WON’T MARRY YOU
Hiii Francesca, I have started blogging just two months back and yes its quite interesting. And thanks for such an informative post.
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Thank you for the tips, I have some I need to work on more than others.
Cyndee Hill Wells/Rude Mom Blog recently posted..Weatherproof Fun for Families
Twitter: elizobihfrank
says:
Perfect! This is just what I needed to share with my readers who wanted more information on SEO.
Thank you,
Elizabeth
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Twitter: Beauty4Moms
says:
Information overload!!! lol Thank you for sharing such great sites to check out!
Twitter: effortlesshr
says:
yes, backlinks are so important! Great info here, Thanks
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Twitter: debraferrie
says:
Great great post! So much to learn and absorb. Thank you for all the tips
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This is so timely; I was just googling for info on Site Maps yesterday!
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Twitter: kwidrick
says:
GREAT stuff! I just claimed authorship on Google, which I know will help a lot as well.
Katy Widrick recently posted..You Oughta Know: Facebook’s “Other” Folder
Twitter: utahcoupondeals
says:
Thanks for the tips!
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Twitter: Recanddec
says:
Oh my! Guess I better get busy with SEO and google +.
Thanks for this information.
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Twitter: Themomcafe
says:
Awesome stuff here… need it all!! Thanks!
Chris Carter recently posted..February Friend #8
Great tips. thank you for sharing.
This is WONDERFUL! Thank you SO much for being very clear. My site is in a state of becoming (has been for awhile), & part of the reason is this confusion re: categories, tags, & SEO. This post & the related links are like manna from heaven! I read & took notes & will come back for more. I wish I’d had this info. months ago. Perhaps I wouldn’t have bald patches from pulling out my hair. Thank you!
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Twitter: 417Marketing
says:
Nice SEO tips, Francesca! Bloggers using “.blogspot.com” should really get their own custom domains. This will not only build their own online credibility, but it is proven to drive more traffic and authority to blogs. Getting custom domains on Blogger is very easy, anyway.:)
SEO in Springfield MO recently posted..What Is SEO?
Twitter: JViola79
says:
So much to learn.
Twitter: JanBierens
says:
Useful advice and great tips. Since Google introduced Panda 2 years ago things were getting harder for small time bloggers. Google+ is working great as a social media / seo / networking platform. I have been using it for over a year now.
The best tip I can think of is to write QUALITY content for your blog. That is the most important way to improve Google rankings nowadays…
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Twitter: weddingsites
says:
Can’t wait to go thru and read all these links. I had wanted to stay away from google + as I didn’t want another thing to manage, but I’ve recently joined and seeing where it takes me.
Twitter: weddingsites
says:
Can’t wait to go thru and read all these links. I had wanted to stay away from google + as I didn’t want another thing to manage, but I’ve recently joined and seeing where it takes me.
Brenda’s Wedding Blog recently posted..Digital Freebie: Martha Stewart Weddings Spring Issue for iPad
Twitter: lflexkitchen
says:
Very helpful. I’m a Google+ virgin so the info on how to set up a Google+ page for my blog was useful.
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Thanks for the great information! I have done the whole Google+ for myself and various companies but I can’t seem to make it work. There are lots of people are on there, but I can’t find a way to really talk to my audience. Its not that I don’t have content, but I just can’t seem to capture a moment on their feed. Any advice?
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Twitter: Recanddec
says:
I have a couple of questions with using Yoast.
Can we go back and change the name of our past posts and make it more SEO friendly?
If so do we change the permalink or leave the perma link the same?
What is subheading tags and do we need to use it?
what about meta tags? I keep reading contracting ideas about adding a meta tag.
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Some really good tips! Every fashion blogger should practice some SEO to encourage more traffic and targeted traffic.