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Using XHTML strong tags

Using XHTML strong tags can help your blog post's SEO.

Live Strong
Originally uploaded by Incase Designs

Some blog platforms, like TypePad, already convert all bolded words and phrases in the site's "Rich Text" editor with the strong tag (written as <strong> with closing tag </strong> ) but, if you're not sure, you may want to check.

Simply select the HTML editing option in your blog platform's compose window or right click  and select the "view source" option.

The XHTML strong tag is quite different from the bold tag (coded as <b> with closing </b>) because it does more than simply change the appearance of text.

Using the strong tag adds emphasis to keywords and phrases which are detected by search engines like Google.

Increase blog traffic with outbound links

Increase blog traffic through outbound links.

Linking to other sites from posts on related topics or through a blogroll to sites with additional reasources, remains one of the most popular features of blogs.

Link
Originally uploaded by Manel

Done well, the technique can:

• attract visits from other bloggers seeking to find out who is linking to their site and what you have to say
• encourage reciprocal links from other bloggers and Webmasters in the future who find your related content through links to their site and want to add it as a resource for their readers
• increase the value of your site to readers by adding resources from other sites accross the Web building your blog's reputation as a source for good information on your topic.

McBuzz talks Search Engine Optimization for your blog

(Editor's note: Mark McLaren, online consultant for McBuzz Communitions LCC and Business Blogging 101, talks with PostRanger.com blogger-in-chief Shawn Hessinger about Search Engine Optimization for your blog.)

1. So, bottom line, can a blogger with limited resources and the willingness to learn really move up significantly on Google and other search engines and make sure his/her Web site gets found in their niche?

Absolutely. I think Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress, makes a good point when he says that the most important thing for a successful blog is that you write - or videolog or podcast - about something you are passionate about. That's really crucial because it will keep you fired up and it will mean that you want to engage with a community around whatever it is you are interested in. You can optimize your blog for search engines all day long, but if you are not getting out and talking to others on their sites and spreading the word about the topics and people you really care about, it's not going to be successful in the long run.

2. Is SEO really a 'dark art'? How much of an expert do you really need to be to gain visibility for your Web site and what are the key things to think about when trying to do so?

You know, it's funny, but you really can learn about 80% of what you need to know for good SEO from a book like Search Engine Optimization for Dummies by Peter Kent: title tags, inbound links to your site from other authoritative websites and blogs, headers on the page with good keywords, using keywords in your first paragraph of content and in other prominent locations on the visible page. And applying that 80% will get you the biggest return on your time. Real SEO experts spend time on more difficult techniques or - maybe - slightly shady practices that put a site at the top of page one in Google. But for a blogger or someone with a business website, you can get a whole lot of visibility with a platform like WordPress because of the built-in SEO features and the fact that search engines like fresh content.

Google.com SEO tools aid professional blogging sites

In this article, we'll see how Google.com SEO tools aid professional blogging sites.

For an example, take a look at this blog post and see how keywords dealing with Google, Search Engine Optimization and our business and services here at PostRanger.com were used in the title and first line.

Google.com has a variety of SEO tools to help those creating  professional blogging sites to choose the best search keywords, but perhaps the best is the main search feature on the main Google search page.

In this case, simply typing in the phrase "professional blogging" describing one of the main services here at PostRanger a variety of other keyword phrase options also appeared including the addition of "sites" to the phrase.

At the time we checked, Google was reporting 29,400,000 results for this phrase online. For more on the fine line between using these keywords to inform searchers and spaming, watch this video with Google software engineer Matt Cutts: 

Promote your business with search keywords

Keys.
Originally uploaded by Bohman

Promote your business with professional blogging by using search keywords in your post and article.

In this article, for example, we've used search keywords to promote your business and even bolded them in our professional blogging for emphasis. (Well, you get the picture!)

For more on how to choose the right keywords for your post, see this recent article on a helpful Google tool.

Though resources like WebSiteText.com recommend including keywords in title, article and meta tags, Mark McLaren of McBuzz Communications recommends  no more than two uses of a key phrase in your article to avoid appearing to "stuff" your site. (Who wants to read an article full of keywords anyway!) Here's more from Mark:

Professional blogging with keywords

Search-Engine-Marketing
Originally uploaded by Danard Vincente

Using search keywords in your blog or Web site helps those seeking your product, service or organization find you.

To figure out which keywords will be most effective in attracting visitors interested in your site, consider a tool like Google Keyword Tool or SEO Chat's SEO Tools.

Simply enter a word or phrase you think best describes your blog or Web site's topic and Google will provide you with a list of related topics ranked by search popularity.

For example, here at PostRanger.com we offer professional blogging services for clients, so phrases  like professional blogging, professional blogs, professional blog and blogs for professionals are recommended.

Sites like WebSiteText.com suggest using these phrases in the title, description (or body) and tags of your page.

To learn more about which search keywords are bringing in the most valuable visitors to your Web site, yet another tool, Google Analytics, may be of help. For more watch this video from GoogleBusiness: