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Blog Category: Search Engine Opitimization

Webopedia defines Search Engine Optimization as “a methodology of strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the amount of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine (SERP) — including Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines.”

Post Title: The Difference Between Categories and Tags on Your Blog

In WordPress, both categories and tags are used to organize and classify your content, making it easier for visitors to navigate and find related posts. However, they serve slightly different purposes and are often used in different ways:

WordPress Blog Categories:

  • Categories are meant to represent broad topics or sections within your website.
  • They help in structuring your content and creating a hierarchical organization. You can have sub-categories within categories.
  • Categories are generally used for high-level topics that your content revolves around.
  • You can set a default category for your posts, and if you don’t manually assign a category, WordPress will use the default one.
  • Categories can be displayed in your website’s navigation menus, making it easy for users to explore different sections.

WordPress Blog Tags:

  • Tags are used to provide more specific descriptors for your content. They are like keywords that highlight the main topics, themes, or attributes of a post.
  • Unlike categories, tags are not hierarchical and do not have sub-tags. Each tag is standalone.
  • Tags allow you to associate multiple descriptive terms with a post, making it easier for users to find content based on different aspects of a topic.
  • Tags are more flexible and allow for a finer level of classification. You can use tags to capture specific details, concepts, or keywords related to your content.
  • Tags are often used to create dynamic content lists or “related posts” sections based on similar tags.

In summary, categories are generally used for the overall structure and organization of your content, while tags are used for specific keywords and descriptors that help users find related posts. The choice between using categories and tags depends on your content strategy and how you want users to navigate and explore your website. It’s also a good practice to keep the number of categories limited and focused, while using tags to capture a wider range of specific details and keywords.


Post Title: The Wisdom of Sharing Expertise in Blog Posts for Best Search Engine Optimization

Warning: This blog post is very dry but there is good information so if you’ve only got energy for the bullet points, I totally understand.

In the ever-expanding digital landscape, search engine optimization (SEO) has become a critical aspect of driving organic traffic to websites. As content creators, one of the most powerful ways to enhance SEO is by sharing expertise through blog posts. By providing valuable and relevant information to your audience, you can establish authority, improve visibility, and attract targeted visitors. In this blog post, we will explore the wisdom behind sharing your expertise in blog posts for the best search engine optimization results.

Establishing Authority — Well written and well SEO optimized content helps you do it

Sharing your expertise in blog posts allows you to establish yourself as an authority in your niche. By consistently delivering valuable and accurate information, you build trust with your readers and search engines. When search engines recognize your authority, they are more likely to prioritize your content in search results, driving organic traffic to your website.

Targeting Relevant Keywords — Using the lingo of your trade or organization is essential to good SEO

When you share your expertise, you naturally incorporate relevant keywords related to your industry or niche. By optimizing your blog posts with targeted keywords, you increase the visibility of your content in search engine results pages (SERPs). Well-researched and strategically placed keywords help search engines understand the topic and context of your content, enabling them to match it with users’ search queries effectively.

Providing Valuable Content — Presumably you are unique and good at what you do and sharing that skill on your website will keep your audience engaged, inspired, and appreciative of your hard work

Sharing expertise in your blog posts allows you to provide valuable content to your audience. When readers find your content helpful and informative, they are more likely to engage with it, share it with others, and return for future updates. Engaging and shareable content signals to search engines that your blog is relevant and authoritative, further improving your SEO efforts.

Encouraging Backlinks — Build those mutually beneficial relationships and let others acknowledge your value with backlinks

High-quality backlinks from reputable websites play a vital role in SEO. When you share valuable expertise in your blog posts, other websites, bloggers, and influencers in your industry are more likely to reference and link to your content. These backlinks serve as “votes of confidence” for search engines, indicating that your content is valuable and worth promoting. The more quality backlinks you accumulate, the higher your website’s credibility and visibility in search rankings.

Enhancing User Experience — Think about others when developing your website content and you can’t go wrong

User experience (UX) is a crucial factor for SEO success. Sharing expertise in your blog posts enhances the overall user experience by providing informative, well-structured, and engaging content. By focusing on user needs and expectations, you can optimize your blog posts for readability, incorporate visuals, use headings and subheadings, and improve page load speed. All of these factors contribute to a positive user experience, leading to longer site visits, reduced bounce rates, and improved search engine rankings.

Conclusion:
Sharing your expertise in blog posts is not only a wise move for establishing authority and gaining the trust of your audience but also an effective strategy for best search engine optimization. By consistently providing valuable and relevant content, targeting relevant keywords, encouraging backlinks, and enhancing user experience, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. Embrace the wisdom of sharing your expertise through blog posts, and watch your SEO efforts thrive while building a loyal and engaged audience.

Remember, the key is to provide valuable content that genuinely helps your readers. By combining expertise, SEO best practices, and a user-centric approach, you can create a powerful and impactful blog that not only attracts search engines but also leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

When optimizing your website content, always remember this... slide for my blog post

You are good at what you do. Share that expertise on your website for good SEO results.

Share you authenticity and expertise on your website and you will stand out from your competitors.

Be consistent with your blogging and deliver content rich material on the web slide


Post Title: Website Search Engine Optimization Tips: #2 Find the Right Website Keywords

Once you’ve made the commitment to have a website that will last for the longhaul, the next step is to gather good content rich material (CRM) for your website. If you are in a service industry this means writing original content about what you do and how you do it in a way that is unique from your competitors. Once you have gathered all of the relevant information and created a wireframe it is time to start thinking about keyword optimizing your content.

You were probably thinking about website keywords all along — consciously or subconsciously.

I’ve been meeting with small business owners for years now and about 25% of them are completely obsessed with Googling themselves. The pet store owner wants her website to be the top search result for the phrase “dog food”, the general contractor wants his website to to the top search result for the phrase “home builder”, and I want my website to be the top search result for the phrase “website developer.” But all three of us are in for a world of disappointment and here’s why…

Google doesn’t know just how amazing we are or how hard we have worked to put together our pet store, general contracting business, or web development firm. All Google knows is that there were hundreds of other websites built before ours with years and years of Search Engine Optimization and online reviews with Yelp and Google Places. If Google is choosing which website should be the top search result for the search phrase “web developer” is it more likely that the person conducting the search was looking for a large firm with thousands of clients and tens of web developers or me? That doesn’t mean I should give up working on Search Engine Optimization or be resigned to languishing on page 8 of the search results. It just means I need to work hard and be smart about how I present the content on my website to the world. It is time to starting thinking realistically about what I am trying to accomplish with my website’s SEO.

What keywords are realistic for your industry?

Your industry, the size of your business, and your commitment to your website all come in to play when picking website keywords. If you are operating a bakery and you are just getting started it is probably pretty unrealistic to think that you will build a nice 5 page website for your small business and the phones will start to ring from all of the website traffic you will get when someone searches “bakery”. This is because Google “thinks” that most people searching for a “bakery” are looking for a world renowned bakery, not your newly opened establishment. But fear not, there is something you can do with your website’s content/keywords that will help your website be found: rather than focus on generic keywords, you can focus on long tail keywords!

Understanding and identifying good long-tail keywords.

So what are long tail keywords? If you’ve ever searched for content on the internet, then you’ve probably used long-tailed keywords to help you find what you were looking for. Long tail keywords are the set of words (usually about 3-5 words) that you use to get more specific search results than can be achieved with a broad-based more generic search.

Let’s look at a real-life example: You’ve adopted a new cat and are on the lookout for information about different brands of cat food. So you go to Google and search for “cat food” but you quickly realize that your search isn’t specific enough and you are going to have to wade through pages and pages of results to find what you are really looking for which is a local pet shop that carries Science Diet brand of cat food. So you get more specific with your search results by searching “Science Diet cat food Portland pet store.” Now you are making use of a more specific search to fine what you are looking for which is something to keep in mind not only as you search the web but as you build a website.

So what some long tail keywords phrases that might be good for your business. If you are a cafe in Tigard, Oregon that specializes in bagels and Stumptown coffee then you might build a webpage that focuses on long tail keywords like “Stumptown coffee Tigard, Oregon” or “everything bagels Tigard, Oregon.” The odds of getting your cafe found will imprive if you can write content that focuses on specific products and/or a specific location. Emphasize what you specialize in and tailor your keyword focus accordingly and you will find yourself starting to appear in organic search results for those longer and more targeted phrases.


Post Title: Website Search Engine Optimization Tips: #1 Good Content

You may have heard it said that your business website needs good Search Engine Opitimized content in order for it to be found through organic search. It is true, there is a strong correlation between good website content and good results in Search Engine page placement. Of course, there is no substitute for jumping to the top of the page with Ad Words paid placement but that can require an extensive budget and commitment with a Search Engine Marketing specialist. In lieu of paid placement, the only legitimate way to get to the top of organic search results is the old fashioned way — with hard work. Understanding what Search Engines mean when they ask for Content Rich Material (CRM) is more easily understood by having an understanding of what good website content is. Once you know the “what” and “why” of how the search engines work, you will find that there is little mystery behind moving up in search results. It is empowering to know that improving your website’s place in Search Engine Rankings is in your hands.

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