“I decided to run my own blog, but what is SEO in the first place?”
Although I was involved in blog management and content creation for work, I am not worried about not knowing about SEO as described above. mosquito?
Some people may say, “I’ve heard the word SEO, but I don’t know what to do specifically.”
SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and refers to measures to display higher in search engine results.
This time, I will explain the points that beginners should keep in order to create a blog that is strong in SEO, so please refer to it.
What is SEO?
SEO is an abbreviation for “Search Engine Optimization”, which means “search engine optimization” in Japanese.
Search engine optimization refers to the effort to be displayed at the top of search results on search engines such as Google .
For example, when you search for a word that interests you, you read the articles in order from the top of the search results. This means that the higher your page appears in search results, the more likely it is to be read.
In other words, in order to aim for an increase in access to your blog, you have to create a blog that is strong in SEO.
7 points for SEO-friendly blog creation
Here are seven tips for creating an SEO-friendly blog.
- Keyword selection
- Heading tag optimization
- Setting up a table of contents
- Setting the meta description
- Site speed optimization
- image optimization
- Setting internal links
Keeping the above points in mind, let’s create a blog that will raise the search engine ranking.
1. Keyword selection
Keyword selection is important to create an SEO-friendly blog.
This is because no one will read it even if you create a page with a keyword that has no search demand.
Most keywords can be displayed at the top depending on the ingenuity. However, even if you rank #1 for a keyword that no one searches for, you won’t be able to access it.
It is important to choose keywords that have a certain amount of search volume.
By the way, you can check the search volume of a keyword with a tool called “ Google Keyword Planner ”.
2. Heading tag optimization
To create an SEO-friendly blog, you need to make good use of heading tags.
The reason is that it makes it easier for users to understand the content of the article.
For example, if you use heading tags in the order of H1 (title/large heading) → H2 (medium heading) → H3 (subheading) with an awareness of the hierarchical structure, it will be easier for users to understand the structure of the article.
Web page users tend to skim, so the key is to make sure the headline is not too long and that the content is clear at a glance.
In addition, including keywords in the headline not only attracts users’ eyes, but also makes it easier for Google’s crawlers to recognize the content of the article.
As you can see, in order to create an SEO-friendly blog, it is important to properly utilize heading tags and include keywords.
3. Setting up the table of contents
To create an SEO-friendly blog, you need to set up a table of contents.
The reason is that it can be expected to have the effect of increasing user convenience and reducing the withdrawal rate of the blog.
For example, if you set up a table of contents at the beginning of a blog post and make it possible to jump to each heading with a link within the page, users can smoothly reach the heading that interests them. This makes it more convenient for users and makes it easier to be evaluated by Google.
Conversely, if you don’t have a table of contents, users will have to keep scrolling to find the headings that interest them.
In this case, it is easy to leave the blog due to stress, which will result in lowering the Google rating.
4. Setting meta description
Set the meta description tag to a brief summary of your blog post.
By doing so, the description will be displayed in the “snippet part” under the article title in the search results, making it easier for users to click.
Many users decide whether or not to access the article depending on the content of the snippet part under the title when searching with a keyword that they are actually interested in.
In this way, setting meta description tags is an important measure related to user click-through rates.
5. Site display speed optimization
In order to create an SEO-friendly blog, it is necessary to properly improve the display speed of the site.
This is because if the display speed of the site is slow, the user will be frustrated and the possibility of leaving will increase.
If your blog page is slow to load, you might end up closing it because you can’t wait for it to load.
Users who use web searches search to collect information efficiently, so pages with slow page display speed are avoided.
In particular, if too many images are pasted or SSL is not used, the display speed will be slow, so be careful.
6. Image optimization
If you use an image, you need to set the image name of the related content and write the alt attribute. By setting an appropriate image name, you can expect to improve the search ranking in image search.
Users search not only for articles, but also for image searches to get the information they want.
However, search engines cannot recognize the image itself, so if the image name is not set, it will not be reflected in the search engine results. Therefore, it is necessary to set the “alt attribute” so that search engines can recognize the content of the image.
Regarding the contents of the alt attribute, it is important to be aware of the keywords and set them appropriately.
7. Setting internal links
By setting internal links, you can expect SEO effects.
This is because Google’s crawler may recognize and evaluate your blog as “easy to crawl”.
Proper internal linking saves users the trouble of searching and allows them to access relevant information. Sites that are user-friendly tend to be highly rated by Google.
Anchor text should also be descriptive of the content of the link destination.
For example, if the content is not clear, such as “here”, it will be difficult for both users and crawlers to understand the content of the link destination.
Setting internal links has a high SEO effect, so be sure to set them appropriately, including the content of the anchor text.
7 ways to write an SEO-friendly blog
Here are seven tips for writing an SEO-friendly blog:
- Understand search intent
- Decide on article structure
- Keyword optimization for titles, headings, and body text
- When writing an essay, start with the conclusion
- Avoid ambiguous expressions
- Avoid using the same ending expression multiple times in H2/H3
- Use line breaks, lists, tables, images, etc. to make it easier to read
An SEO-friendly blog is one that is user-friendly.
It can be said that creating a blog from the user’s point of view is a shortcut to creating a blog that is strong in SEO.
1. Understanding search intent
In order to create an SEO-friendly blog, it is important to understand the user’s search intent. This is because Google focuses on whether the content satisfies the user’s search intent .
There is always a reason why people use search engines. If you can’t provide content that satisfies that search intent, it won’t be evaluated by Google.
Understanding the user’s search intent in this way leads to user convenience and is reflected in search rankings.
2. Decide on the structure of the article
When creating a blog, instead of starting to write a sentence straight away, decide on the structure of the article before writing. If you decide the structure firmly, the content will not be shaken.
Having an overview of your article before you start writing will help clarify your goals and be consistent in what you want to convey to your users.
In addition, when deciding on the structure of the article, it is easier for the user to understand that it is in a story format from top to bottom.
For example, it would be ideal to have an article that explains the keyword in the first paragraph, and the need for it and how to deal with it, so that you can solve your worries by reading it.
3. Keyword optimization for titles, headings, and body text
Keywords should be included in the title, headline, and body of your blog. This is because it makes it easier for Google to know that the page explains the content of the keyword.
Google crawler displays search results in order of relevance for keywords. Conversely, if your blog page doesn’t contain a keyword, that page won’t show up when you search for that keyword.
However, you need to be careful because you may be penalized by Google if you stuff keywords indiscriminately.
4. When writing a sentence, write from the conclusion
To create an SEO-friendly blog, you need to write your sentences from the conclusion. First of all, it is important to present the “answer” of the search keyword for the user’s search intention.
If it is difficult for users to find the answer they are looking for, or if they do not come up with the answer to the end, it not only causes them stress, but may also cause them to leave midway through. Therefore, it is important to first present the “answer” that the user is looking for.
Therefore, when writing a blog article, it is recommended to write in the order of “Conclusion → Reason → Specific example → Conclusion”.
・ Conclusion At the beginning, present “what is written” and “answers to worries”
・Explain the reason why you came to the conclusion
・Concrete example To explain the reason in detail, convey in an easy-to-understand manner with a concrete example
・ Conclusion Write the conclusion again and convince the user “I see!”
Writing in the above flow makes it easier for users to understand the content.
5. Avoid ambiguity
Avoid vague expressions when writing for your blog.
For example, if vague expressions such as “Maybe”, “I feel like…”, and “I think it is” are lined up, users will not be able to judge the truth of the information written in the article. I doubt it. Instead of using vague expressions, it is important to write sentences using definitive expressions such as “〜desu” and “〜masu”.
In the first place, do not post information with low credibility that may result in ambiguous expressions.
If you are not confident about the information you are sending, please cite highly reliable information to show the facts and evidence.
6. Avoid using the same end of sentence multiple times in H2/H3
Avoid using the same endings multiple times in your blog posts. If the end of sentence is the same every time, it may give the impression that the sentence is written by an elementary school student.
For example, read and compare the following sentences.
A: It is necessary to devise the expression at the end of the sentence. If the same ending is repeated multiple times, it becomes difficult to read. Just a little change makes it easier to convey.
B: It is necessary to devise the final expression. This is because it becomes difficult to read when the same ending is repeated multiple times. Just a little change makes it easier to convey.
B only changes the end of the second sentence, but that alone improves the rhythm of the sentence and makes it easier to read. Even if the content you want to say is the same, by changing the expression slightly, it is possible to create a clear and solid image of the sentence.
7. Use line breaks, lists, tables, images, etc. to make it easier to read
Use line breaks, lists, tables, images, etc. to make your blog page easier to read. This is because adding accents to the article makes it easier to read at a good tempo.
As a result of creating articles with SEO in mind, sentences tend to be long. Using lists and tables rather than just text will make it easier for users to read and understand the content without getting bored.
By using line breaks, lists, tables, images, etc., the user’s understanding will deepen.
3 benefits of blogging for SEO
The benefits of blogging for SEO are:
- Easier to rank higher
- Cost reduction of advertising expenses
- increase conversions
It is difficult to aim for higher display or increase conversion on your own website. The reason for this could be the infrequent updates.
On the other hand, in the case of blogs, it is possible to update useful articles along with keywords on a daily basis.
There is a way to attract customers to your website by taking advantage of the characteristics of such a blog.
1. Easier to rank higher
If you do SEO measures on your blog, it will be easier to display at the top. This is because it is easy to mass-produce articles with related keywords, so it is easy to respond to reader needs and is easy to be evaluated by Google.
In the case of the homepage, it is difficult to create content with related keywords every day. In the case of blogs, it is possible to mass-produce content as many as the number of related keywords.
If blogs are used and displayed at the top of search results, we can expect an increase in the number of accesses through natural searches.
If your website appears at the top of search results, it will increase the number of visitors to your website.
2. Cost reduction of advertising expenses
If you do SEO measures on your blog, it will lead to cost reduction of advertising expenses as a result. The higher you appear in search results, the more likely you are to be seen by more users.
When the search results are displayed, you will be able to see the sites that are displayed at the top. The pages that are displayed at the top will also get more access, so you won’t have to spend extra advertising costs.
3. Increase conversions
If you take SEO measures on your blog, you can expect an increase in conversions. If you can rank high in search results, users will continue to flow in from search engines.
The more visitors to your site, the more likely you are to convert. You can monetize your blog by using it to increase conversions.
In addition, increasing the number of blogs leads to stable earnings and risk dispersion, which may lead to the expansion of new business development.
5 things to keep in mind when doing SEO measures on your blog
Here are five things to keep in mind when doing SEO on your blog:
- Use WordPress instead of a free blog
- Use a trusted domain or server vendor
- update regularly
- Poor quality articles can lower your site’s rating.
- Access analysis using tools
In order to make SEO measures effective, let’s operate a blog with consideration of points to note.
1. Use WordPress instead of a free blog
You need to use WordPress instead of a free blog. This is because the benefits of using WordPress are great when considering the profitability and design of your blog.
In the case of free blogs, there are cases where commercial use is not possible in the first place, and there are also restrictions on the posting of advertisements.
In addition, there is a risk that the operating company’s advertisement will be posted in an unintended place, or that the created blog will disappear when the blog service is terminated.
On the other hand, WordPress allows you to freely design and place ads freely. Since you rent a server and operate it with your own domain, your blog will not disappear semi-permanently.
If you are going to do SEO measures on your blog like this, WordPress is recommended from the point of view of profitability.
2. Use a trusted domain or server vendor
Make sure you use a trusted domain or server provider. This is because using a reliable vendor is important for the smooth running of your blog.
It would be reassuring if the support service was substantial when there was a problem such as a server down.
For example, it is recommended to use a reliable company that many people use, such as “Onamae.com” for domains and “Xserver” for servers.
Furthermore, if you want to use it for business, you need to confirm the enhancement of security.
3. Update regularly
If you are doing SEO on your blog, you will need to update your blog page regularly. This is because too infrequent updates can lead to lower search rankings.
Update frequency doesn’t directly affect SEO, but users tend to like new information. Therefore, if the user accesses the blog and it has not been updated for more than a year, the information may be judged to be outdated and the user may leave without reading to the bottom of the page.
If more people leave the site, it may lead to a lower rating from Google. Review and update existing blog posts at least once every month or two.
However, incorrect updates can be penalized. Even if you rewrite and update, try to keep your articles helpful to your users.
4. Low-quality articles cause site ratings to drop
Poor quality articles can lower your site’s rating.
Conversely, the fact that articles that are useful for users are evaluated by Google may be judged as “low-quality articles = articles that do not benefit users.”
For example, if you copy and paste the content of another site, not only will your ranking drop, but you may also be considered a malicious site and receive a penalty.
Please review and rewrite the article, or place a noindex tag if there are similar pages on your site.
5. Perform access analysis using tools
In order to check the status of the site, use tools to perform access analysis. Tools can be used to identify problems and improve them.
Many site operators use tools to analyze access. The point is not to end after creating content, but to understand user movements and constantly improve the site to improve search rankings and increase the number of accesses.
Access analysis is important for operating a site like this.
We recommend using Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Google Analytics can analyze detailed information about users such as the number of page views and sessions on the website. On the other hand, Google Search Console can analyze search data such as search keywords and keyword impression times.
Aiming for stable monetization from one blog with appropriate SEO measures
First of all, it is necessary to take appropriate SEO measures and aim for stable monetization from one blog. This is because there is a risk that everything will end halfway by operating multiple blogs.
By focusing on one blog first, you can focus on that blog. It is important to create a lot of articles, do the number, and grab the tips of how to write.
By succeeding in stable monetization with one blog, you can have a successful experience and as a result, it will also lead to an increase in motivation.
When creating your second blog, remember that you need to create content that doesn’t overlap.
summary
This time, I explained the points that beginners should hold in order to create a blog that is strong in SEO.
In order to create an SEO-friendly blog, it is necessary to understand the outline of SEO, the points of SEO, and how to write. If you acquire knowledge of SEO, you will be able to attract customers with your blog, and it is possible to lead to conversion.
In addition, if your blog consistently appears at the top of search results, you will be able to expect continuous traffic in organic search. If so, you can have a successful and stable monetization with your blog.
First of all, it can be said that the first step to create a blog that is strong in SEO is to mass-produce high-quality content and have it evaluated by Google.