Search Engine Optimization also known as SEO is something that can be a little daunting. I have been blogging just over 18 months now and i have to admit i am still learning. It wasn’t until the middle of last year i started to improve my blogs SEO. I am no expert nor do i think i know everything when it comes to this topic but i know the basics and since doing certain things i have definitely improved my blogs SEO so i thought i would put together a post of the things i do which you may or may not know and you can get something out of this. Firstly for those who don’t know or are not clear SEO is Search Engine Optimization. It basically means where you are ranked in the search engine. The higher your blogs SEO the higher up in the list you are and more chance of people seeing your blog.
Content/Posting
Your content is more important than you think. For example if you post once a month or once every few weeks compared to someone who posts 4 times a week or even everyday then you will rank lower. Keeping your content/posts fresh and frequent is very important. If you post often it will show the search engine you are relevant.
Psst… Make sure on every post you fill in the Search Description in the right hand side. Fill this with what your post is if it is a review then put review etc… The image below is on Blogger, WordPress is slightly different but it still has a search description.
If the Search Description doesn’t show up on your blog it is easy to get!
Go to>Settings>Search Preferences>Description>Enable Search Description
Links
Most of us do this already but including links in your posts is again important. Not only linking to products you are talking about but also linking to some of your previous posts. Don’t just link any random post but link one that relates to the post you are currently writing. It will make readers stay on your blog longer whilst reading more of your posts. This will improve your SEO as it will show you have consistent relevant content.
Name Your Images
This is something i didn’t start doing until 6 months after i started blogging. I didn’t realise it would make a difference. Once you upload your images onto your computer/laptop your phone or camera will have already named the image but once you have edited the image you should rename it to the product it is or what it is. For example if its a Bourjois Foundation review name it the name of the Bourjois Foundation. This helps the search engine to recognize what your image is. As i didn’t start doing this until 6 months in i went back through every post to rename all of my photos.
You should also name your images once they are uploaded to your blog. On Blogger just right click your image, click properties and the box below will come up.
Keywords
Using keywords in a post is something many of us will do without realising it. When you are talking about a certain kind of product be sure to use words which relate to it. If i am reviewing a foundation put in your post “Full Coverage” or “Medium Coverage” as these are words people will search for. Also Foundation for Oily Skin etc… Use words or phrases people are most likely to search for.
Broken Links
Another way to improve your blogs SEO is to remove broken links from your site. This is something i didn’t do until about a month ago so i had alot of broken links as i had over 18 months worth. Broken Links will appear if a website you linked no longer exists or the product you linked has moved. Next Wednesday i have a post scheduled explaining in detail how to remove Broken Links from your site and what you need to look out for.
Domain
If you have read my blog since the beginning you would have noticed my name change in May last year. My blog used to be called www.EmmysukBlog.blogspot.com but then i decided to get my own domain and change my name whilst i was at it. I chose www.EmmysBeautyCave.com as i thought it sounded perfect as its like my little cave of beauty. Having your own Domain definitely improves your SEO. It also looks good to brands as it shows them you are serious about your blog as it looks more professional. Getting your own Domain is pretty easy and doesn’t cost alot. I paid approximately £8 for 1 year and i will renew it each time.
I hope you have found at least some of this helpful. Don’t forget next Wednesday afternoon i will be doing a full post on how to fix/find broken links on your blog.