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Last Updated on August 15, 2022 by coffeepo
If you’re reading this, you probably launched your blog recently… but it isn’t getting any traffic. Maybe your content isn’t up to par with other content creators in your niche, or perhaps you need to implement an SEO strategy.
If you don’t know, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving the ranking of a website on search engines. A higher ranking means that your website will be more likely to be seen by potential readers. And in order to improve your SEO ranking, you need to use keywords correctly and effectively.
So, before we get into the nitty-gritty of SEO and all those metrics, let’s talk about keywords.
What are keywords and why are they important for SEO?
Every time you search on Google, you want to find relevant content. Usually, you look up a specific word or phrase to narrow your search—that’s the basic definition of a keyword.
To put it simply, keywords are the building blocks of SEO. They help Google and other search engines understand what your website content is all about. So, when you optimize your website for specific keywords and phrases, you can improve your SEO ranking and increase traffic to your website.
Below we take a closer look at how keywords work and some tips for choosing the right ones for your blog.
How do you find the right keywords for your blog post topic?
So you’ve chosen your topic, and now you need to find the right keywords for it. But where do you start? Your blog can be anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand words long—that’s a lot of words to pick from.
Well, here’s how to know which keywords will work best for your blog post:
1. Do your research.
Choosing the right keywords is an essential part of your blog content. They shape what people see on search engines and help define who you are as a brand or business.
Ask yourself, what words are people searching for related to your topic?
To help you find the right keywords, you need to understand how people use search engines. Start by brainstorming a list of potential topics, then use online Keyword Research Tools to help you determine which ones are most relevant to your content.
2. Brainstorm ideas for blog post titles with your chosen keywords.
One of the best ways to use keywords is by making sure that you are keyword-friendly in all aspects. Add them in:
- Page titles
- Text content (both body and headings)
- Categories/subheadings on web pages
- Subsections
This will ensure your website appears when people search using relevant words or phrases so they can find what they need quickly.
3. Write your blog post using those keywords throughout the text.
For example, you’re writing a piece on the “best vegan restaurants in your city.” That can be the title of your blog AND a set of keywords. Another way a person would search for this is: “What is the best vegan restaurant in X city?”
You can think of keywords as the question you put into the search bar. And the content you make should include and answer that search query.
4. Monitor your website’s analytics
If you’re a total SEO newbie, looking at analytics and metrics brings up all sorts of mental images that are about as much fun as a root canal. But it doesn’t have to be! Like Google and WordPress, most web hosting domains make it easy for you to look at how your website and content are doing in just a few clicks.
The point of this step is to see if your blog gets more traffic from those keywords increases over time. Then all you have to do is generate meaningful, engaging content with the right keywords.
Alt: A screen with a graph showing a website’s performance based on its SEO ranking
Photo from Stephen Phillips
How do you use keywords to improve SEO ranking?
There’s more to SEO than just catchy headlines and engaging content. In order to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), you need to use keywords strategically throughout your site.
- Always add the primary keyword to your titles. Notice how we phrased the headings throughout this blog? There are keywords or important phrases on each, so this ranks better on search engines like Google.
- Use a mix of primary and secondary keywords throughout your articles—not just in the title and introduction. It’s tempting to dump all the keywords in one paragraph, but that actually hurts your blog because the rest of the content will be considered “irrelevant” on Google. Keyword stuffing is no longer acceptable these days and the algorithms can outsmart you.
- Incorporate keywords organically in the body of your content. If a keyword or phrase doesn’t work, don’t force it. Review your keyword list to see if you missed one that fits better.
What are some other tips for improving SEO ranking for your blog posts?
While there are a number of factors that go into SEO ranking, we put together a few simple tips that you can follow to improve your chances of ranking higher.
- Increase the word count of your blog posts. Aim for at least 1,000-1,500 words.
- Reference other authoritative sources to support your claims. Like The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Vogue, etc.
- Use internal links to connect related blog posts. If you wrote an article or have a specific service page within your website, hyperlink it within your content so readers can visit those pages.
- Optimize your images for search engines by using descriptive file names and alt text. This improves the accessibility and readability of your content.
- Add social media sharing buttons to make it easy for readers to share your content. Social media is one of the best places to generate leads or traffic to your blog.
Keywords are the Keys to Your Blog’s Success
Choosing the right keywords is essential to a successful SEO strategy. By targeting the right search engine results, you can improve your blog’s visibility and drive more traffic to your website.
Use the tips in this post to get started on finding the perfect keywords for your blog:
- Do keyword research by asking what words are relevant to readers.
- Use those keywords throughout your blog—in the title, content, and on your website.
- Create meaningful and engaging content with your keywords. But be sure not to stuff keywords in just one part of your blog.
These aren’t the only steps to using keywords for SEO, but they should help you get a foothold as you create content.
Now you’re armed with the tools, go out and do it! See you in the winner’s circle 🙂
