Want to improve your ranking in the search results? Then try these simple SEO tips for blogs to boost the search engine optimization of your corporate or personal blog in 2022.
Keyword Research
Do keyword research before writing. You already have your topic, so now is the time to check how your choice of wording resonates with search intention. It’s important to do this before you inadvertently use less optimal keywords in your text. Google Trends is a free tool for finding out what search terms are trending and for comparing keywords. For a more in-depth analysis to find out how popular a word is and how competitive the market is for that word or phrase, paid services such Sistrix or SEMrush are excellent options. Finally, avoid keyword stuffing: this content is primarily for the reader’s benefit, so above all, it’s essential that your blog is compelling and provides fresh insight.
Ideal Blog Length
According to HubSpot, upwards of 1,300 words is the optimal length of a blog post. Keep in mind though, no matter how long the blog, it should show expertise, authority, and credibility and be interesting for the reader.
Blog Tags
Blog tags are HTML codes that mark up your content into different formats so that browsers can read it more easily. Here are the main tags that should be added before publishing your blog:
Headlines and H1 Tags
The blog headline should be powerful and grab the reader’s attention immediately. To keep readers interested, it should clearly state the benefit. Headlines should be tagged H1.
Headings and H2 Tags
If you have no headings, the user experience could be weakened leading to readers bouncing off the page due to lack of engagement. Headings help readers to skim the blog to see if it’s something they want to spend time on. Denote headings with H2 tags.
Title Tags
Research and write a unique title tag for every blog. Keep it short, no longer than 60 characters, and use the most important keyword near the start of the tag. Ahrefs has a very practical 4-step process for crafting the perfect SEO title tag.
Meta Descriptions
Create a well-written meta description up to 160 characters long that responds to a search intention and features the main keyword. Moz shows how to fine-tune meta descriptions with examples on its SEO blog.
Alt Tags and Media Size
Use alt tags in all photos to aid reading of the page’s content. Optimize the size of photo, video, and other media elements to ensure that site loading isn’t slow. Loading time will be an even more important ranking signal for Google this year. Check out Google Lighthouse to see what other performance issues can be improved upon.
Link Building in Blogs
Build links into your blog that lead to other pages on your site and to external locations. Links are great for enhancing usability, so ensure that they really do enrich the reader experience by using relevant links.
There are many excellent online resources for improved SEO for blogs. Check out HubSpot, Moz, or Neil Patel’s blog for the latest information.