Introduction to SEO-Friendly Blogging

BOTANIC GARDENS
BLOGGING & SEO

A set of techniques designed to enable a site to appear higher in search engine results thereby making its content more visible and easily found.
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization

What is Blogging? Blogging is not Logging

What is Blogging?
Blog is a contraction of the term Web Log…
Blogs are generally an easy to update website consisting of updates called posts that are displayed in reverse chronological order.
Blogs use a conversational style of writing.
The majority of blogs focus on a specific area of interest/topic and interaction by readers.
“ The Best Blog on Earth…ever” - Doris Boardman

THERE ARE THREE ELEMENTS IN HELPING READERS FIND YOUR BLOG Blogging + SEO
Headlines
Tags
Promotion

Writing Headlines
Search Engines & Readers rely on headlines to tell them what a post is about
Search engines rank results based on how relevant content is to the keyword being searched for.
People read by scanning content when online.
If people can’t tell what a post is about by the headline, search engines will be unable to as well.

Writing Headlines
Headlines can be attractive & smart at the same time.
Catchy headlines can be too generic.
Wordy headlines can intimidate readers.
FREE! E=MC 2 + = Fame

Headline
Information
Rare opportunity
With a sigh and a song
More than just a pretty plant?
Headline Examples

Headline
Information
Rare opportunity
Award winning architect David Tryba speaks at DBG
Chris Isaak summer concert opener at DBG
House plants improve air quality by reducing toxins
Headline Examples

Writing Optimized Headlines
Optimized headlines should be:
Written for humans first, engines second.
As long as needed but brief
Descriptive, giving the reader an accurate idea of what the post is about
Targeted, keeping in mind the audience the writer is speaking too and the writer’s goal.

Original
Optimized
Rare opportunity
Award-winning Architect David Tryba discusses his work
Chris Isaak Launches DBG’s Summer Concert Series
House plants: Good for your health, not just your decor?
Optimized Headline Examples

Writing Tags
Keywords
Tags provide search engines and readers a quick reference of topics by keyword, linked to similar posts.
Tags give the author the chance to identify the main theme(s) of their post.
Tags are used by directories to sort by topic
www.wordle.net

Writing Optimized Tags
Tagging Rules
Tags should be the primary themes your post is about.
Tags can be phrases. Phrases will be turned into individual words
Tags should only be words included / discussed in your post
Add a minimum of 2 tags per post.
Add a maximum of 5 tags per post.

Post
Tags
Mexican Journal: Day 6 – Eduardo Ruiz National Park
Moore Perspective
Creating Community: Seedlings Classes
Eduard Ruiz National Park, Mexico, Cupatitzio, Reefs to Rockies
Henry Moore, sculptures, art exhibit, denver
Children’s activities, fall classes, nature classes
Optimized Tag Examples

Self-Promotion (Back-patting)
Friends & Family
Don’t be afraid to cross-promote your posts on the Denver Botanic Gardens Blog
The amount of links to an article can influence your SEO rankings in Google, Yahoo & Bing
Sharing with Social Networks, Personal Blogs and Online Communities that you already belong to can help build you a strong following.

Questions?
Theories about LOST?
Brandon Hess [email_address]

Introduction to SEO-Friendly Blogging

by Brandon Hess on Mar 10, 2010

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