This is Guest Post written by Anna, you can also write for TechMaish. For More details Read Guest Blogging for TM.
Your blog is only as successful as the amount of visitors, and no one will even know about your WordPress blog unless they can find it. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is a fancy term for making sure search engines can find your blog.
Optimizing your blog for search engines is one very effective way to get your blog noticed. When web surfers search for any one of the keywords you have chosen to describe your blog, hopefully your blog will be one that appears in the search results. Here are some tips to make sure that Google and Yahoo especially will rank your blog higher on their search results.
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Stick to a Central Topic
Basing your blog around one theme allows for search engines to pick up your blog easier. It also gives your readers a clear concept of your blog and lets them know what to expect from you.
Use Keywords
Keywords are 2 to 3 word phrases that accurately describe your blog content. Make sure that these keywords are used in strategic locations throughout your blog. Use them for a Categories list, place them within the content of your articles, use them in titles when possible, and place them in headers. Also, be sure to use only one keyword per article, otherwise you will end up confusing search engines.
Use Simple URLs
Make sure that articles can be reached through a simple URL and use the title of the article in the URL. For instance, one article may have the URL of www.samstips.com/lawncareservices/how_to_find_a_reliable_lawn_care_company. You should be able to edit your URLs in the blog editing section of WordPress.
For Changing Permalink Structure read the previous article;
20 Things to do after installing WordPress Blog
Do Not Block Search Engines
WordPress can be set to actually block search engines. Go to Options>Privacy to make sure your WordPress blog accepts search engines.
Use Pinging to Notify Bots of New Content
A ping notifies search bots that your site has new content to search. This is a good thing but can be overused. Everytime you edit your blog, pinging takes place. If you edit too much, your site may be considered a spam site and Google could place a warning next to your site when listed.
Timestamping Allows Your Posts to be Scheduled
Since blogging is usually done on a random time table, you will likely write a lot of blogs at one time and then no more for a while. This is a problem for your followers. They will be showered with more blogs than they can read and then forget about you during the absent times. Timestamping allows you to set a date and time to release your blogs so that you can spread them out. Just hit the plus button next to “Timestamping” and do not hit the publish button.
Tags are Great for Additional Keywords
The newer versions of WordPress allow the use of tags. All you need to do is enter your keywords into the tags section of your blog posting. Make sure you only stick to one main keyword per article. For instance, the keyword you used for a certain article may be “lawn care services” and lesser keywords you could enter in the tag section could be “tips” and “tricks.”
For More Details read WordPress Tag SEO
Add Social Media Buttons
By adding social media buttons to your blog, you can enable your followers to promote it. You are also allowing for naturally formed links, which drives more traffic to your blog.
Of course, SEO for WordPress blogs can get even more complicated than this list calls for, but start here before trying to tackle the harder tasks. Once you feel confident that these first steps are complete, do some more research to continue optimizing your WordPress blog for search engines.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
me gonna try dis soon:)
Shashank@ Welcome to TM.
Good basic tips, though would suggest to include a point about using MaxBlogPress Ping Optimizer to ping only when a post is posted and not every time it is saved as draft.
weew
very nice and usefull tips
Tags are not supported by Google, only Yahoo and Bing and not sure when they will stop using tags. I have done all of them. Thanks
Great post. I think this post will helpful so much people new with wordpress
Hieu@ Thanks for your appreciation.
Great tips, this will be pretty useful since I am going to open my first Wordpress Blog
You have mentioned some great tips and I think the Use of Wordpress SEO plugins like All In One SEO can also be included in this tips. Also as Mani Said, using MaxBlogPress Ping Optimizer is also important since excess ping can get us banned
Yes both All In One SEO and MaxBlog Ping Optimizer are very important plugins. I agree with Shiva and Mani.
All in one seo plugin solve all seo problems in wordpress……
The idea of creating one keyword per article makes sense. It can also appeals your readers, not only search engines. For most blogs I know, they just mixed their topics just for the sake of updating their blogs. So more or less, it will affect central topic that you’re talking about.
Thanks for sharing these tips man . Before this I was not using permalink setting in my wordpress blog . It was showing as p-123 .
Always use you post name to post URL and Adding social site buttons is good . Because by adding buttons you will get auto backlinks when you reader share you blog post
This kind of seo tips is just what i need to boost up my blog, try these soon.