SEO and WordPress Plugins You Need on Your Blog- Part One

• Category: Blogging, SEO, Social media
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If you are running your blog on WordPress- and most of the most popular bloggers insist that you should be- then you can take advantage of some terrific plug-ins that will make your job easier and faster, while helping you optimize your blog for the search engines at the same time.

You can find lists of the best WordPress Plug Ins all over the Internet, but when you are trying to decipher which ones to use, it can get a bit murky. Some plugins are used by most bloggers. Akismet is a spam filter plugin that is terrific at preventing spammers from taking over your blog comments. Blog comments are one of the most important parts of your blog, so it is important to make sure they stay protected and on topic.
To encourage your readers to comment more, consider a plugin that helps them do just that. CommentLuv is a great plugin that lets your readers automatically enter their name, email and website info at the comment box, making the process faster and easier. Subscribe to Comments increases commenting by engaging your readers in other people’s comments, bringing them back to continue the conversation.

The SEO capabilities of your blog are always affected by content, but also by some of the background work you do to the blog. Google XMLSitemaps lets the search engine spiders see the whole layout of your blog, which means increased view of your keywords, if you’ve done things properly.

The All in One SEO Pack plug in is definitely a must have for your WordPress blog. This little plug in sets everything up for you to make sure your most important SEO techniques are in place for every post.

WP SuperCache helps your blog load faster by keeping a cache that loads your blog without needing to load the PHP scripts. Faster loading time means happy readers, so this plugin should increase the readability factor of your blog. PageLinks will make it easier for you to link posts to each other so readers can read more about their favorite topics.

Of course, no post on popular WordPress plugins would be complete without linking to the plugin to install your plugins! With this one, you no longer need to download, upload and unpack your plugins. This little baby does it all for you. While you are at it, be sure to include the automatic upgrade plugin so you can upgrade your WordPress blog with just a few clicks of your mouse.

Obviously, this list barely scratches the surface of WordPress plugins. While these are some of the plugins many bloggers won’t do without, there are hundreds of other plugins to help you create the most effective blog possible. We’ll continue the list in the next post.

SEO is Always Changing- Can You Keep up With It?

• Category: Blogging, Content, SEO
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Search engine optimization algorithms are always changing and what worked last month, or even last week, may not work today in the world of SEO. If you don’t have several hours a week to devote to studying the changes, how can you possibly keep up? Instead of trying to decide where to place your keywords on your webpage or in your article, you may just have better luck by improving your keyword research itself.

Keyword research is all about trying to determine what keywords people are actually using to search for your niche. In order to stay ahead of the competition, you need to dig a little deeper than ordinary keyword research. Think outside the box and get inside your customer’s head. Get away from using the keywords you think they are using and start thinking the way they are thinking.

What is going on in the lives of your customers? This will help you figure out how they are searching for you online. For example, if you are selling pet care products, how do people look for you online? Do they type in “retractable dog leash” or do they type in “self-winding dog leash?” Maybe they look for “dog leash that won’t get tangled” or “long dog leash that winds itself up.” The point is, just because the first words that come into your thinking are “retractable dog leash” it doesn’t mean the parent who has just untied a jumbled dog leash for the 15th time this week is thinking “retractable” when she sits down in frustration at her laptop.

The problem in keyword research is you can be stuck in a mindset of how you think your customers are trying to find you. Then no matter how often you sit down at your keyword tool, you think from that same mindset – and wind up with the same results. When you take the time to look at things differently, you can think from a new viewpoint and start coming up with different keyword ideas- ideas that embody the frustrations or problems your products solve for your customers.

Instead of chasing the SEO algorithms and trying to figure out what the guys and gals at Google are going to do next, try switching up the way you think about keyword research to see if you can come up with some new keywords. When you find the keywords your customers use, you can make much faster gains on your competitors than you ever imagined.

There is a lot more to optimizing your website and articles than how many times you use a keyword or where you place it in a sentence. Knowing how people really think is the real key to your research.

Blogging: Not a Set-and-Forget Venture

• Category: Blogging, Content, Marketing
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When you establish a blog for your website, it is not enough to implement the design, add some words to the various sections, and slap a few articles on the site for good measure. Those tactics will only work well if you are hoping to be ignored. However, since you likely have set up your blog to establish yourself as an expert in your niche business, you probably need to do some more work.

Blogging is an activity you can use as a springboard for your business and self-promotional actions. But it will only work if the work is done consistently and in a manner relevant to what people are looking for. You need to create new content as often as several times a day if you can manage it, or at least several times a week to keep the interest of your target audience.

Consistency instills the image of dedication and reliability. If people can come to rely on your blog for answers and information, they will likely come to rely on you for their purchases. They want to know that you truly know that you know what you are doing and it is through a blog where you can establish a relationship with the consumers who eventually will generate a profit.

You can not simply set up a blog and promptly forget it exists. Your blog is only as good as the amount of information you provide. Here are some tips to keep you moving onward and upwards to a successful blog:

Be Consistent

Blogging platforms will allow you to write and pre-post articles that can be scheduled throughout the week. If you do not have time to write something new every day, write in batches and post all the articles at one time to be posted throughout the week.

Be Relevant

While providing fresh content often is important, providing relevant information is also key to gaining interest. Consider what you enjoy reading about related to your business. If you are keep tabs in the news in your business market, you should have plenty of material to pass along to your own customers.

Mix It Up

Informative articles are great but don’t forget to add a personal touch to help readers get to know more about you. Add in some new product reviews related to your industry. Provide editorial articles that showcase your opinion about the industry. Accept guest posts from others who have something to say relating to your business. The more versatile you are, the better for the reader.

Be Interactive

It is never enough to write and post information on a blog. Look at the popularity and effectiveness of social media. You should be using your blog to relate to customers on a personal level. Read comments often and participate in discussions. Be appreciative of those who took the time to add insight to your blog. Most importantly, take what information that is being offered into serious consideration, as it may be the most valuable resource for understanding how you should be operating your business and learning what customers really want.