seo: keywords and meta data for bloggers

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SEO: Meta Descriptions and Keywords

Get geeky and get noticed!

Your Barista:Amber Page@amberpagewrites

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Three Steps to Better Visibility

1. Use keywords/phrases to help users and web crawlers find you

2. Write targeted, keyword-rich meta titles designed to rank highly and attract eyeballs

3. Write engaging, informative meta descriptions to get people interested enough to click

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Anatomy of a SERPs Page

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Step 1: Using Keywords

“Words aren’t powerful. The right words are.”

- Copyblogger

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What the Heck is a Keyword?

Keywords are:

• The words people type to search for a specific type of content

• The words web crawlers use to find content relevant to their users’ searches

In other words, keywords get your posts found.

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Good Keywords are Not Words

• Single words are very competitive and tough to rank for

• Think in terms of “keyphrases” instead

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What makes a good keyphrase?

Good keyphrases are:

• Specific

• Targeted

• Steadily trafficked

• Relevant to your post

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Bad Keyword Example

• Too general

• Impossible to tell what the user is looking for

• Too much competition

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Better Keyphrase Example

• Less general

• More targeted

• Still a lot of competition

• Big players currently ranking

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Good Keyphrase Example

• Very specific

• Less competition

• Bigger players have less juice for this term

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Choosing Keyphrases: Step 1

Brainstorm!

• Think about all the different ways users might search for your post subject

• Think like a person, not a robot

• Put yourself in your readers’ shoes

• Keep going until you have a fairly long list

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Choosing Keyphrases: Step 2

Meet Google Adwords, your new best friend.

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Using Google Adwords

1. Enter your keyphrase list, one term to a line.

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Using Google Adwords

2. Review results for your search terms.

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Using Google Adwords

3. Review Google’s keyword ideas for other options.

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Adwords Tips n’ Tricks

• Check out the current search results to see if the term is relevant

• See the Insights page for seasonality of your term

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Using Keyphrases on Your Blog

The least you need to know:

• Choose two or three phrases to focus on for each post

• Put your most important keyphrase in the headline

• Try to use your most important phrase within the first paragraph or two

• Break your post up with subheads using your keyphrases

• Do. Not. Stuff. Write naturally, but with focus.

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Step 2: Writing Meta Titles that WorkMeta titles have two jobs:

1. Tell people and web crawlers what your post is about

2. Get people interested in your post

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Writing Meta Titles That Work

To make your meta title search engine friendly:

• Start with your most important keyphrase

• Use the complete keyphrase – don’t break them up

• Feel free to use more than one, but only if it sounds natural

• Use no more than 65 characters, including spaces

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How Google Sees Meta Titles

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Writing Meta Titles That Work

To make your meta titles people friendly:

• Think of it as a headline to an ad

• Use action-oriented words. Avoid passive voice.

• How-to’s, lists, and tips are perennial winners

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Good Meta Title Examples

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Step 3: Writing Killer Descriptions

Good title tags grab attention.

Great descriptions get people to click.

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Writing Meta Descriptions

The basics:

• Always write a meta description. If you don’t, Google will do it for you (and that’s not usually good).

• Limit yourself to 155 characters, including spaces.

• Use your most important keyphrases. Google checks.

• Write them for people first. This is your chance to sell!

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Writing Killer Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions = ad copy. Write them accordingly.

• Write a complete sentence (or two).

• Engage your reader.

• Use action words. Learn, discover, explore, get…you get the idea.

• Invite the reader to do something. Ask them to take action!

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Meta Descriptions in the Wild

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Where to Put Meta Data in Your Post

Most themes have a space for SEO details. Example:

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Questions?

Find me at:

Email: writeamberwrite@gmail.com

Twitter: @amberpagewrites

Blog: http://amberpagewrites.com