If you’ve created some outstanding content to share with potential customers, you want the search engines to find it.
If the search engines can’t find you, your owner leads won’t have any luck finding you either.
So, make sure that first you’ve got some great blogs on your site. Then, make sure you know how to get those blogs found and working for you..
Here are six SEO blogging tips that will ensure your great content isn’t left out there in the wind.
Pick a Keyword and Use it
A focus keyword will help Google and other search engines pick up the main point of your blog post. The focus keyword is a word or phrase you want to use for anyone seeking information on that very topic. Put your keyword in the URL, the title, and the body of your blog.
You’ll see that blog sites automatically create a URL for your post when you type in your title, but you always have the option to bail on the assigned URL and modify it to your own. When creating your own blog post URL, place the keyword in the beginning and don’t bother with spaces between words. Dashes are better.
It’s good if you can put your keyword near the front of your title and the body of your text. It has to make sense, too. Keywords that are stuffed into content will not flow well, and will not sound natural. Search engines can sniff this out, and your results will be iffy. Keep your content targeted to SEO but also easy to read and understand.
Images and Videos are Required
Your audience won’t always be in front of a computer when they’re visiting your blog. They may be on their mobiles while waiting in a queue or cooking dinner. You’ll have some people wanting to watch or listen to your video because reading a blog is not convenient at the moment they find it. So, offer images and videos as well as written articles. Some people enjoy reading blogs and others would rather watch videos. Give them both. Put your video at the top of your post. This will attract a wider audience to your blog.
If video is impossible, no worries. Just include some images with titles and detailed descriptions. These are called alt tags, and they helps search engines read images. Alt tags help when a webpage cannot display images correctly or when a visually-impaired person uses software to read out contents of a webpage.
Use the focus keyword in your alt tag if you can. But, if the keyword doesn’t really match the picture, don’t do it.
Link to Previous Content for Better SEO Power
You can find ways to link your blog post to other content on your site. Here’s what to look out for:
- Link to content people want.
- Make sure you deliver once they follow the link.
- Use key phrases as hyperlinks.
Our method at Fourandhalf is to link back to the property management services page on your website when we’re posting a blog for you. This will help your website rank higher, too.
Backlinks from other sites and internal links really grab the attention of those search engines.
Links serve other purposes:
- They can keep web visitors on your site longer.
- They make it easy to find other content, leading to lasting exposure for the blogs you published in the past.
- You can offer readers an opportunity to see content on related topics, making your information more valuable and complete.
Headers, Tags and Categories Need Your Attention
Take a look at your headers, tags, and categories. Headers should divide your paragraphs so readers can skim through your content easily. It also helps Google see the different portions of your blog. Headers are more than just a bigger, bolder font. Keywords belong in headers, and you’ll want to use H1 and H2 header tags on your site.
Tags and categories can highlight underlying themes in your content. So a blog about handling difficult tenants may have an underlying theme of landlord education. Tags and categories make it easier to gather all that related content and display certain groups of blogs on relevant pages.
The Call to Action is the Most Important Part of Your Blog
The Call to Action or the CTA tells your readers to do something. Tell them to contact you or fill out a form. A good CTA might be “Get a Free Rental Analysis.” Make it attractive. This is how you’ll get people to learn more about your property management business and services. This is an easy step, and a critical one. You don’t want your readers to bounce off your site when they’re done with the blog. Tell them what to do next.
Final Tip: Promote Your Content
You can promote your content in several ways. Start with social media. With your SEO-friendly link you can paste it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and other sites. This strategy drives more traffic to your website. It will keep your current customers thinking about you, and you’ll attract different groups and audiences on each platform.
Use your email list to send some educational content to prospects. They will appreciate the information, and you’ll start building trust. You’ll keep a line of communication open without doing a hard sell.
You can use your blogs for an eBook or turn them into a property management podcast. People will love it, and search engines will pick up on the additional engagement you’re able to stir up.
If you want to brainstorm with us or learn more about how to get your blog the attention it deserves, contact us at Fourandhalf, where we provide internet marketing for property managers.
