How to Write Effective Blogs That Rank High on Google in 2023
Blogging has evolved a lot over the past decade. While the fundamentals remain the same, there are new best practices and strategies to implement for an effective blog in 2023. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve an existing blog, follow these tips to maximize your reach and results.
Optimize for Keywords
The foundation of a successful blog is targeting relevant keywords. Before publishing any content, do thorough keyword research to find terms and phrases people are searching for. Aim to naturally incorporate these keywords throughout your blog post – in headers, subheadings, body text, image alt text, etc. But avoid over-optimizing, as Google will penalize you for keyword stuffing.
When researching keywords, focus on long-tail variations (keywords with 3 or more words). The competition is lower, so it’s easier to rank for these terms. Just be sure there’s sufficient search volume for each keyword to drive traffic. Use Google’s Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find long-tail keywords.
Include Useful Images and Alt Text
Images help break up blocks of text and engage readers. But more importantly, they allow you to target more keywords through alt text and file names. For each image, write a detailed description of the image in the alt text – while working in your target keywords. Avoid generic phrases like “image of woman smiling”.
Properly named image files also contain keywords. An image called “woman-smiling-city.jpg” has 3 keywords right in the file name! Take advantage of every opportunity to incorporate keywords through images.
Share Your Location
Local businesses should always include their city and state in blog content. This helps drive local traffic by clearly signaling to Google where you’re located. Mention your location in text at least once, and put your city and state in your footer menu/contacts page.
Link to Products or Services
Blogging is a great way to organically promote your products or services. Within each post, link to relevant products, service pages or internal resources. For example, if you mention a specific product, link to that product sales page. These internal links establish authority and relevancy, passing equity to key pages. Just be sure the links are naturally placed and add value for the reader.
The strategies above are key for effective blogging in 2023. Focus on creating high-quality content that engages readers and incorporates relevant keywords. Optimize images properly, share your location, and link to internal resources. Follow these tips and you’ll see greater organic reach and conversions from blogging this year.