By now every web marketer knows that each page of a website should target a well-chosen and researched keyword phrase. However, many people skip the keyword research step entirely when it comes to blogging. That’s a mistake, as blog posts can be an effective way to target keywords and drive more traffic to your website.
Here are 10 ideas for using blog posts to target keywords:
1. Choose the right URL structure
Selecting the appropriate URL structure is crucial for keyword targeting in blog posts. Using the keyword phrase in the post’s URL will let search engines know what it’s about, helping you rank better on SERPs (search engine result pages).
2. Include relevant internal links
Linking to other related content within your blog post helps both readers and search engines understand that all of the connected content is related to one another and should rank together. Use anchor text with the linked page’s targeted keyword phrase.
3. Use the right headings
Structure your blog post with relevant headings and subheadings, and include the keyword phrase in at least one of them. This helps both readers understand what the content is about, as well as search engines indexing it correctly for SERPs.
4. Place keywords strategically throughout the text
Don’t stuff too many keywords into a blog post – instead, use them strategically to ensure that each sentence still flows naturally and reads well.
5. Include images that contain alt tags
Add images to your post's body and make sure you include descriptive alt tags (alternative text) which also contain the keyword phrase being targeted by the post. This helps Google Images, as well as search engines, understand the relevance of the post.
6. Add a meta description
Use each post’s meta description to include the main keyword phrase, so that when it appears in search engine results it will grab the reader's attention and entice them to click on your page instead of others.
7. Write engaging content
Content should be informative and engaging enough for readers to take action - whether that’s signing up for a newsletter or downloading an ebook. Creating content with this in mind helps increase CTR (click-through rate) and time spent on a page, both of which help SEO rankings.
8. Make sure content is shareable
Give viewers easy access to social sharing buttons so they can easily share your content with their networks. This encourages more visitors to come to the page and potentially link back to it, both of which contribute positively to SEO rankings.
9. Use external links
Link out to other sites related to the topic of the blog post using anchor text that contains the targeted keyword phrase. This helps search engines understand how your website is connected to others in terms of relevancy and content depth.
10. Promote posts on social media platforms
Don’t forget about marketing your blog post! Promoting it via social media channels will help amplify its reach and further increase visibility on SERPs.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your blog posts are optimized for specific keyword phrases and drive higher rankings. Keep in mind that keyword research should always be done before beginning any SEO project, and your blog posts should be no exception!