Internet Farmer

Blog SEO Search Engine Optimization Checklist For Beginners

Is understanding how to SEO your Blog overwhelming and confusing to you? Are you searching for a way to simplify search engine optimization? I have got a simple blog optimization checklist that even a newbie blogger can follow to get great results on your very next post!

If you are like I was when I first started to blog, you probably had to Google SEO to discover what it means! And with so much to learn about marketing your M.L.M. business online, getting a blog set up, participating in internet marketing training courses, implementing what you are learning, supporting your downline, coaching your team, and following up with your prospects and leads, it is no wonder SEO falls to the back burner for most beginner bloggers.

Add into the mix the almost voodoo like perception of SEO in the eyes of a technophobic marketer (like I am), it is not your fault if you are confused and you have ignored it up to this point in your business. People who offer SEO services and software, make it seem so complicated that “average” marketers like you and I feel like we would never be able to do it on our own, and that we are doomed to fail without purchasing their guidance. I will not go as far as to say it is a conspiracy to get us to buy from them, because they are out there just like we are trying to earn an income, but I do take my hat off to them for their fantastic marketing finesse!

I am here to tell you upfront and out loud, I am NOT an SEO expert…by any means. But I have learned through my own experience, that it is not as hard as you think and you really can do a lot of things yourself to get your blog showing up organically in Google. (That means showing up in the non-paid section of a Google search…for those of you thinking that showing up “organically” in Google is only for your local farmers’ market.)

Let me preface this list by pointing out you do not have to do all of the blog optimization tips I am going to share with you!

When learning anything, the first time you do it is always harder than after you have done it over and over again. Think about learning to drive a car. When you first got started you had to think about E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G and after driving for a while it became second nature.

Writing a blog post that is optimized for the search engines is the same way. There is a lot to think about in the beginning. The good news…you can not kill yourself if you make a mistake, and you can always go back and optimize your older posts as you get better and learn more.

So here we go! Starting from the top of your “edit post” screen in your WordPress admin and working your way down the page: 10 step blog SEO search engine optimization checklist for beginners:

1. #1 Important step is to pick 1, 2, or 3 keywords your blog post is going to be about and be very focused on them in your post. Know what they are before you write, so you can include them naturally in your post. Use the Google keyword tool to brainstorm.
2. Your blog post title should be clever, informative, ask a question, give a command or something to catch the eye of your readers, but it should also include your keyword phrase in the first 4 words if possible.
3. The permalink of your blog post should contain your keyword phrase as well. This is the URL of your blog post. (Make sure your permalinks are set to Custom: /%postname%.html so your URL can contain your keywords)
4. Include your keyword phrase throughout your blog post and bold them where it seems natural. Here is where to place keywords in your post:
   1. in the first paragraph of your blog post
   2. in the sub headlines of your post
   3. in the names and titles of any photographs you show on your post
   4. in any anchor text you are linking to somewhere else on your site or the internet. (That is where you link text that is descriptive of what your reader will find on the page you are linking to, instead of using generic text like: “click here.” See the “All in One SEO Pack plugin” link below for an example)
   5. in the last paragraph of your blog post
5. If you do not already have it, go get the “All in One SEO Pack” plugin for your blog and install it immediately! (I am going to call it AIO SEO in this post to make reading it easier for you.)
6. In the Title field of the AIO SEO pack: (Every blog post is its own page and should have its own unique title!) Enter a unique blog title for every page on your blog that contains your main keyword phrase relevant to your post.
   1. this title should be keyword rich but readable and intriguing for people who may find your post in a search online.
   2. this title will also show up in the retweets by your readers if you use “TweetMeme” on your blog.
   3. this title will be what people see in the top left hand corner of their screen when they are looking at your post.
   4. this same title text should show up somewhere in the body of your blog post as well.
   5. this title text does not have to be the same as the url or your blog post title
7. In the Description field of AIO SEO pack enter a brief description of your blog post (160 characters if possible) and make it intriguing so your readers will want to read it. Include your keywords relevant to your page in the sentence or two you use to describe your blog.
8. In the Keywords field of AIO SEO pack, enter a few of your keywords. Do not pack this ultra full, but be sure to get the big keywords you are going after in your post in there. (There is debate as to how many to use, but keep in mind the search engines love relevant content so how ever many you use, make sure they fit with your content!) (I copy/paste this into my tags on my blog post as well.)
9. Use your keywords in your blogs categories.
10. Use anchor text that links to older blog posts you’ve written that are related to the one you are writing. (Anchor link to the page title-the one from the AIO SEO Title field– from that older post.)

Now, I say it again. You do not have to do ALL of these things to SEO your blog if they are overwhelming to you. If you can only focus on ONE thing focus on the All in One SEO pack. As you begin to follow these steps, they will become habit and you will not have to think about them every time you sit down to write a post.

I wish you tons of success and I can not wait to see your posts in my Google searches! Implement these blog SEO tips today and get your awesome content out there where it can help others and help you get paid what you are worth!

Heather C Stephens, founder of the Clever Marketer website has been a network marketing professional for 5 years. Along with building her network marketing organization, she focuses on helping people use social media and fun, clever marketing strategies to create additional streams of income from home. As a thank you for reading her article, Heather would like to invite you to download a free audio Discover the 7 Secrets to Finding Hidden Profits in Your Network Marketing or Direct Sales Business, which will show you how to leverage the power of the internet and social media to explode your business, and your income.

About the Author

Lee Pace – I wake pies and make the dead

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