Optimize Your Blog for Maximum Exposure and Effectiveness

In this blog post we’ll discuss the ins and outs of … blog posts! Many of our clients have blogs on their website and post regularly. They include topics such as recent and upcoming events, news from their particular industry, special promotions and updates from the office, or just the general musings of the poster. We’ve found fresh content from regular posters adds a significant benefit to their optimization efforts. But how can they get even more out of them? Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your blog page.

• Post Regularly! – More is better! Post as often as you can, because the more content you add to your blog the more the search engines see your blog (and thus your website) as relevant, updated and important. If you’re diligent, you’ll see an improvement in your search engine results almost immediately. Also keep in mind you can have as many contributors to your blog as you want. Therefore, if you sign up several skilled wordsmiths in the office, they can share the task of posting regularly.

• Include Keywords in the Title – The specific URL of your blog post is the first five to eight words in the title (depending on length) so make sure those words count! Refer directly to whatever you’re discussing in the body of your post. If you’re not sure if the words you’ve chosen are frequently searched, use this tool. Try not to cram so many keywords into the title that it’s unintelligible, just use a few of the most important ones.

• Link Back to Other Pages on Your Site – You want users to visit more than just your blog, right? So send them to the rest of your website! Don’t just link back to your home page though. Provide text links to the specific pages that address what you’re discussing. If you’re not sure how to do this or need help, ask your AM.

• Use Social Networking to Your Advantage – Search for other blogs out there like yours – trust me there are tons! Reading other blogs in your industry will give you ideas on what to post on your own blog. But there’s more. You can comment on other people’s blog posts and include a link to yours. One caveat – never spam someone else’s blog! Add a comment that is relevant such as more information related to the topic, not just a link. By doing this, you may even establish relationships with other bloggers to share ideas and strategies.

• Advertise Your Blog! – Include a link to your blog in your email signature. If you have a list of clients or patients, make sure to let them know. Tell friends and family about it and ask them to pass it along. Make sure that you have something interesting for them to read though (see “Post Regularly” above). There are so many simple ways to let the world know about your blog. The only limit is your imagination.

• Make it Fun – This is perhaps the most important advice I can give. If posting to your blog becomes a chore, it will show and viewers will lose interest. It may sound contrary to all the tips I’ve just given…but posting to your blog does not have to be complicated or time consuming. Just enjoy it. If you do, you’ll be inclined to post more often.

So get out there and turn your blog into the powerful web marketing tool that it is! And stay tuned to 24-7 AMs for more valuable tactics.