Blog SEO in 2023: How Blogs Can Boost Your Rank

Did you know that writing blog posts can boost your Google ranking? Yep, it’s true! Blog SEO is a real thing. With the popularity of podcasts and social media, you might be wondering about the significance of having a traditional written blog on you website and if it’s a wise use of your time. However, having a blog is useful as it provides a platform for in-depth and comprehensive content that delves deeper into specific topics, giving your audience a reason to keep coming back to your site.

As a new website owner, it can be overwhelming to navigate all the information on managing and optimizing a website. You often have to make financial and time decisions about which features to add now and which ones to save for later. I’m solidly in team “Don’t skip the blog!” because having a blog can add credibility to your business while also playing a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO).

How do you start? What should you write about? And most importantly, how can you make your website rank on Google? Let’s dig into blog SEO.

Why Are Blog Posts Still Relevant in the Age of Social Media?

A blog is section of your website with frequently updated content, usually in the form of posts or articles. Initially, blogs were primarily used as a platform for personal expression and sharing information. However, with the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, you might be wondering why almost everyone says that blogging IS still relevant, especially for small businesses. A blog is the perfect choice for your new website because:

• It provides a place for evergreen content that lives much longer than social media posts or emails.
• It creates a personal connection with your audience and a way to provide helpful information that solves their problems or pain points, positioning you as a knowledgeable guide.
• It can help you rank higher in search results, like Google!

Importance of Blogging in Digital Marketing

Blogging is an important aspect of digital marketing because it helps businesses attract and retain customers. It’s all about making sure you utilize all applicable marketing channels to drive your business growth! Here are a few specific benefits to blogging:

Blogging Improves Your Credibility as An Expert in Your Field

Through your blog posts, you can share your knowledge and insights on specific topics related to your industry. By providing detailed and informative content, you can establish yourself as knowledgeable and build your reputation as an expert in your field.

Blogs Help You Gain the Trust Of Your Audience and Customers

You may show your readers that you’re committed to helping them by consistently posting useful, valuable, and updated content. As a business or brand, this can help build a relationship and establish credibility.

Blogs Drive Traffic to Your Website through BLog SEO

Blogs can drive traffic to a website by improving its search engine rankings. When your blog has fresh and relevant content, it’s more likely to turn up in relevant search results. A blog also encourages readers to stay longer on your site and even share your posts, which is beneficial for SEO.

Blogging Attracts Potential Customers

By targeting specific keywords and phrases in your blog posts, you make it more likely for people searching for related topics to find your website. These individuals are already potentially interested in your products or services, which means they may be more likely to convert into customers.

You have to keep in mind that it’s not enough to just have a blog on your website. It’s important that the content is interesting and of high quality to keep your readers engaged and coming back for more.

Many business owners underestimate the importance of blogging in digital marketing. Don’t be one of them! If you need help setting create a website to share your content, my custom WordPress packages include blog installation. Whether you have an existing site or are brand new to WordPress, I quickly create beautiful, powerful websites that help small businesses monetize, grow, and make a difference.

How Exactly Does Blog SEO Work?

While the term “SEO” (Search Engine Optimization) is often used in the context of digital marketing, you might not really know what it means or how blogging might help your site’s SEO, so let’s explore the connection between blogging and SEO.

Indexed Pages

Are you wondering how Google finds your website and how that affects your SEO? Why are some sites easily discoverable while others are not?

Google uses special programs called “crawlers” to find new pages on the internet. Their main crawler is called Googlebot. This means, when Googlebot visits your website, it looks at your home page and then follows the links on that page to discover and analyze other pages on your site – this is one of the ways how blogs help SEO.

The goal is for Google to index the pages on your website.

Here’s why: if your page is not indexed, there’s zero possibility of it showing up in search results.

Plus, having a high number of indexed pages can indicate that your site has a lot of valuable content. This is a positive signal to Google, which can lead to higher rankings in search results.

Internal and External Links

Search engines use links to discover new web pages and understand the relationship between them. You don’t want your website, or pages of your website, to be an island! You need to get them connected. External links or backlinks from other websites to your own can boost your search engine rankings by signaling to search engines that your site is valuable and credible.

This also means you have a higher chance of getting backlinks if your website has quality content.

Internal links, on the other hand, connect different pages within your own website. Not only do they make it easier for visitors to navigate your site, they also help keep them engaged. This means the longer a visitor stays on your site, the more likely they are to convert into a customer or lead.

Remember, your blog should be written with SEO practices in mind. You can’t just write anything and expect it to come up on the first page of Google.

Tip: Aside from optimizing images and using caching tools to improve your page load speed as part of an SEO strategy, content still matters most. Here are tips for creating great content!

9 Elements of a Blog Posts That Ranks on Google

Purposeful blogging requires more than just coming up with interesting topics and typing them on your website. No matter how helpful your posts are, they will go unnoticed unless you take special care to ensure that it can be easily located. This is why it’s so important to have all the right elements of a blog put together!

#1 Compelling Topics

When it comes to creating content for your blog, don’t limit your subject to brand awareness. It’s important to focus on topics that will resonate with your target audience.

How?

Instead of solely promoting your brand, try to think from your audience’s perspective and identify their pain points, interests, and needs.

For example, if you are a business that provides tutoring services, instead of creating a blog post about each of your options, you can create an article about “Why Tutoring May Be The Solution to All Your Problems” or “10 Ways a Tutor Will Improve Your Child’s Classroom Performance.” – these topics will be more interesting for your target audience and provide more value.

By providing value and addressing their concerns, you can establish a strong connection with them, indirectly but ultimately increasing your brand awareness.

#2 SEO Friendly Title and URL

Your blog post title is the first impression that potential readers will have of your content. It’s crucial to optimize it for search engines, but it’s just as important to make it captivating and compelling.

Here’s what a great title looks like:

• A title that is too short may not provide enough information
• A title that is too long may be truncated by search engines, leaving your potential audience confused.
• To increase the click-through rate, you can use numbers, statistics, or questions in your headline.

What about the post’s URL or web address? It is also important.

Your main keyword, which is what you want to rank for, should be included in both your post title and URL. This will signal to search engines what the post is about, thereby increasing the likelihood of it appearing in search results for that keyword.

#3 Powerful Headline and Compelling Subheadlines

One of the elements of a post that is extremely crucial is the headline and the subheadings. You only really have a few seconds before readers continue scrolling or moving on. A headline is often the first thing a reader sees and can determine whether they continue reading or not.

So how can you make a title interesting enough for someone to stick around? A powerful headline is attention-grabbing and entices the reader to want to learn more about the topic.

For example, “How to Implement More Play in the Classroom in 5 Simple Steps” is more powerful than “Classroom Tips,” – right?? By including the word “how,” it tells the reader that the post will provide a solution, making it more likely for them to want to read the post.

However, it doesn’t stop there. After the headlines, you should also make the subheadings (H3 and H4) interesting enough for the reader to continue reading. These subheadlines are not only great for breaking up monotonous paragraphs, but they also offer the opportunity to insert related keywords.

Imagine a beautifully crafted post where each subheading provides readers with a clear outline of your post – they make it more engaging and easy to navigate!

Tip: Your blog’s SEO will greatly benefit from properly using headings and subheadings, since this is how search engines like Google will determine how to best classify your post.

#4 Captivating Introduction and Conclusion

After the headings, the content itself, and the SEO, the introduction and conclusion are just as important to really round it up. Think of your blog post as a book: your introduction and conclusion are the pieces that hold it all together.

The conclusion is your final chance to make an impact on your readers. Summarize important points and restate the main idea to drive home the importance of your message. It’s a crucial part of the post that can solidify engagement and leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Tip: Use your introduction to set the tone and establish the main point, and include your keyword for SEO in your first 100 words.

#5 Strong Call-to-Actions

Imagine reading a gripping story that leaves you on the edge of your seat, only to find out there’s no next chapter. That’s exactly what happens when you don’t include strong call-to-actions (CTAs) as one of the elements of a blog post.

CTAs are the key to guiding your readers to the next step and keeping them engaged. They help:

• Increase conversions
• Build relationships
• Create a sense of urgency

Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, redirecting them to your social media sites, registering for a webinar, or making a purchase… a clear and compelling call-to-action can make all the difference.

Tip: Note that it is not a rule to only put CTAs at the end. You can place them anywhere within the post – it’s all about strategy!

If you’re not sure about the right strategy, consider getting my 12 Steps for a perfect blog post entirely for FREE! – See what I did there??

#6 Content That Speaks to Your Target Audience

It’s also crucial to identify the correct target audience.

Here’s why: Different groups of people have different needs and preferences, so tailoring your messaging and writing style to align with these is important.

Rather than just selling a service or product, think about how you can add value to your audience. For instance, if your blog focuses on small businesses and an entrepreneurial demographic (like mine!), you should focus on topics that are relevant to them, such as SEO, Call-to-Actions, and how to keep your website safe from hackers.

Position yourself as an expert or solution provider by addressing their concerns. This way, you’ll be able to connect with them on a deeper level and build a loyal following.

#7 More Value, Less Fluff

Fluff is filler content that is added to increase the word count or to make the blog post appear more substantial. In short, it is irrelevant and doesn’t add any value to the reader. No one has time for that!

Not only does fluff make your content boring, but it also makes your blog appear less credible. Make your writing concise and to the point. Instead of making general statements, use evidence and examples to convince your readers.

Rather than using fluff to increase word count, consider utilizing things like:

• Storytelling
• Statistics
• Studies

Those are great ways to increase the length and value of your post.

 #8 Great Storytelling Skills

When I first started writing posts, I struggled with spending hours on one piece and feeling overwhelmed. It’s also hard to fit it all in as a small business owner without help. However, the key to efficient blogging is proper planning and organization.

I keep a running list of potential post topics based on client needs and pain points, common email questions, misconceptions I see online, etc. Then I create ongoing outlines before I ever start writing. This allows me to have a clear structure and direction for my posts when I have time to write them.

You can also use personal stories to illustrate a point and make your writing more relatable. I am always transparent about the mistakes I made along the way so that you don’t have to!

#9 Studies or Statistics That Back Your Claims

When you include data and research, it strengthens the argument for your ideas and also increases your credibility and authority towards your audience.

Note that when linking to external sources, ensure that the sites are credible and recent. Most importantly, avoid linking to your competitors’ websites. This not only gives them credibility but also sends your potential customers to them.

Tip: Link from reputable and authoritative sources within your industry to bolster your own credibility and keep your potential customers on your site.

Maximize Your Blog’s Potential: Boost Your Blog SEO With Me

Now that you understand the importance of regular blogging and the impact it can have on your business, it’s time to take action.

You can improve your online presence and drive more leads to your business by partnering with an expert (me!) to enhance your website. My professional WordPress packages will help you create a website that stands out with a visually appealing design, user-friendly navigation, and optimized search engine performance. 

Don’t just take my word for it. View previous projects, read reviews from clients, and then contact me today to get started!

Want to DIY your SEO? Learn more in this mini course!

While I offer SEO Tune-Up services for existing websites or an SEO Boost with my Exapnded WodPress package, this mini course is perfect to learn a little more about SEO. It includes a training video and workbook.