You already know that blogging is vital for a strategic marketing plan. And that’s the key word. Strategy. Creating, curating and posting blogs is a very strategic proposition.
It stands to reason that if you post great content, you’ll rank well in the search engines. Right? Well, not so much.
I say not so much because while writing great content is, of course, an integral part of your blogging strategy, there are so many other things to consider in getting your blog posts to rank in the search engines.
Some of those things will surprise you.
#1. Website Security
If your site is secure, it employs an SSL. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of their online transactions with their customers. (info.ssl.com)
How do you know if your site is secure? Look at your URL. If it starts with HTTPS, it’s secure. HTTP means HyperText Transfer Protocol and the additional “S” obviously stands for “secure”.
HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. (www.webopedia.com)
Google places huge importance on site security, so make sure that your site employs an SSL.
#2. Inbound Links
What is an inbound link? It is a link to your website from another website. Easy.
Why are they important? Two main reasons.
First is that they drive traffic to your website. Pretty self-explanatory, right? Maybe not as much as you think. (I know, nothing’s ever easy…) As important as links are, the right kind of links are equally important.
The right kind? Isn’t any link a good link? Not necessarily. Not all links are created equal.
The absolute “it doesn’t get any better than this” type of link is called a “natural editorial link”. These are prized because they are unsolicited. Typically, they occur because your blog is well-known, respected and has some kick-butt content. Google LOVES these types of links because they are organic and stand the test of time.
A mediocre link (not bad, just not great) is one that is solicited. These are referred to as “outreach links”. You write a blog post and contact fellow bloggers or website owners and ask for a link to your site. It’s important to be sure they are at least peripherally in the same industry. If not, it could get confusing or awkward.
The last link is the no-no link. It’s referred to as a non-editorial link and is frowned upon. These are links that you generate yourself, like when you comment on an un-moderated blog and use your website link in your signature. As a general rule of thumb, focus your link-building strategies on editorial links that add value to your website.
#3. Website Architecture
Turns out, website architecture is a big deal.
First things first. What is it?
According to HubSpot, website architecture is “the way your website is structured or, more specifically, how your website’s structure can help users easily and quickly find information and drive conversions.”
Now, how can you structure your website to your greatest benefit?
First, gimme a KISS. Yeah, keep it simple, silly. Keep your navigation easy and intuitive. If you confuse your visitors, you’ll lose them.
Second, make every page of your website accessible in no more than 4 clicks. If you make your visitors work too hard to find the information they’re looking for, they will simply flit away to a site that makes it easier for them.
Third is consistency. Make sure your website makes sense visually. Use consistent colors, fonts, text size. If one page of your website underlines all links in blue, make sure they all do. People find comfort in familiarity and like knowing what to expect.
Last, each page of your website should have its own unique URL. Add a meaningful slug to every page and post. This is so important for SEO, so that the search engines know what content to display when a request is made.
There are more concepts that go into ranking your blog posts on search engines and it was hard to narrow it down to just 3. However, these surprising 3 considerations are the most valuable and most likely to increase your search engine rankings.
Let’s develop your content marketing strategy together. Get in touch today!