Keywords, for the purpose of this discussion, are the words that internet searchers put in to find information. For example, if I wanted to look up information on eye doctors in Denver I would put the words "Denver" and "Eye Doctor" in the search bar.
This is important for bloggers or website owners because if you want someone to visit your site then marking your posts so that they will show up when people search is essential.
So how do you get keywords to show up in searches?
- Great blog post titles. Your titles are the number one place that search engines will look for keywords. Make sure they aren't obscure but say exactly what your post is about.
- Bolded or larger words used in your posts. Don't overuse them or the search engine bots get mad at you. But an occasional bold on important key phrases are a good way to attract the bots.
- Labels. Now here's where the execution doesn't work so well. Those labels that you can put on your posts in order to grab an audience are often given too much importance and are used too haphazardly. Make your labels short, concise and clear.
Here's the thing about keywords: Just because you can draw someone to your site doesn't mean you should.
Think about who your keywords will attract. I could label this post as "Things that make me chuckle" and maybe it will draw some people who search those terms, but do you think the people who search those terms want to find this post? No, they'll move on. And they won't benefit me at all. They won't become a follower and they won't buy my books (when I have them:).
Try to picture in your mind who your readers are - who you want them to be - and use keywords and labels that will attract them. I want author bloggers who are looking for marketing advice. So, for the most part, I should focus on using labels that will attract those people. Using other terms will only confuse readers, make my label cloud too cluttered, and attract people who will only stay on my page for a few seconds.
Do you think about keywords? Do you have any thoughts to add about your experiences with them?
22 comments:
All I can say about key words is that they must be the reason I've gotten views from the weirdest places on earth, some I can't even pronounce.
I could probably do better with my post titles, but I do use bolding in my text. Then again, just getting a bunch of random hits doesn't mean as much to me.
You know, I've never thought about trying to attract external attention to my blog. I know I should use the tags better, in case someone who's visited my blog before wants to look up an old post, but dislike having five terms listed at the bottom.
I shouldn't disregard this though since I did just get an email from someone who said they read my post on beta reading... They're not even a follower, so I was a bit surprised.
Hello! Great post. I know that keywords are important, but never seem to give them much thought when choosing mine for my blog posts. Thanks for this reminder. Have a wonderful day!
Susanne
PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER
My most read posts are my Big Bang Theory memes; most of the visits are one-timers, I'm sure, since my memes are children's lit related! :)
I didn't know labels had anything to do with external searches! I thought they were just handy for people who visited my blog and wanted to wander around. Good to know - thanks!
Hello, Laura! I don't think too much about keywords. But I do try to make titles as clear as possible so my blog buddies have an idea what my post will be about. It's definitely something to remember!
Hope you're having a great week and happy A to Z!!
Excellent advice. I really think about my titles after I learned that one. I hadn't thought of using bold words, though. I'll keep those in mind, especially for reviews.
Thanks!
Play off the Page
Thanks for this useful info. I didn't even think about the bold or larger words. Very interesting!
I've seen a lot of bloggers using bold in their posts lately and wondered if it was just for readers who skim articles quickly or if it also had SEO purposes. Thanks for explaining that. I try to write good titles with keywords, but sometimes it's hard to think of something both interesting and keyword friendly. :)
Thanks for the lesson in internet search strategy! I hadn't thought about it that way. It seems so obvious now, but only since you mentioned it. I wish you all the best in your marketing path.
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge
Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge
Lots of good words of wisdom here.
I don't think about them, but probably should.
me too. totally weird.
Which is why it's even more important to think about what keywords you bold - that helps prevent random people and draws people that are really looking for that content, people who might stay.
Kimberlee, if you're going to sell a book, you'd better start thinking about drawing attention to your blog! LOL. And I'm a fan of fewer labels - it's cleaner and easier to navigate.
You're welcome and thanks for stopping by!
Ha ha, interesting. Well, they might like it, you don't know. Maybe there are other Big Bang Theory fans who are children's authors. :)
Clear titles is exactly the key! Thanks for stopping by!
Glad I gave you something to think about. Thanks for the comment. :)
Thanks, Jackie! You're welcome!
I think some people do just bold to be cool. But it does affect your SEO, so good to think about.
Truthfully, I should think about it more too. ;)
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