What are the essential elements of a perfect search engine optimised blog post? Today, we are going to talk about the essential elements of a search engine optimised blog post.
These elements help to determine that your blog post is perfectly SEOptimised and ready to rank for the keywords you have used.
Make sure you read my posts on keyword research and basic SEO tips to choose your longtail keywords. Now, apart from writing quality content centring longtail keywords, here are the technical elements you need to consider for search engine optimised blog post.
Here are the 8 essential elements of search engine optimised blog post
- Title tag optimisation
- Optimisation of Meta Description
- Minimum 800-1000 words long
- Use of Keywords in the post
- Optimisation of the headings
- Image optimisation
- Site speed optimisation
- url structure
Title tag optimisation of perfect search engine optimised blog post
Click through rate (CTR) is one of the ranking factors for Google and that is why, we need to optimise our blog titles for it.
When we search something, the most useful and relevant results are displayed. Among the 10 results, title that catches our eyes and creates a belief that it will solve or query is clicked most of the time.
Sometimes, it can be the last one on the first page and it gets repeatedly clicked by the users. This may affect the Google bots to bring up the particular result within the top 3 pushing the dull titles below.
Although there is no guarantee of it, one thing is clear that optimised and clear titles bring more traffic than vague titles.
Optimisation of titles doesn’t mean click baits. Rather it refers to using long tail keywords in a manner that will convey the blog post’s gist.
Here is how to optimise a blog title for search engines
Shopping in Sarojini Nagar, Delhi: 7 Tips to do it better. The title says that it shares tips to shop better in Sarojini Nagar, Delhi.
Use the keywords preferably in the beginning.
For example, in the blog title of the post, “Shopping in Sarojini Nagar, Delhi: 7 Tips to do it better”, the title says that it shares tips to shop better in Sarojini Nagar, Delhi.
- Summarise the blog post within one line that contains the keywords. For example,
“Shopping in Sarojini Nagar, Delhi: 7 tips to do it better”, shopping in Sarojini Nagar is the keyword.
- The title should not be lengthy
- It should have a call to action word (In our example, it’s better shopping)
- Should try to touch emotions (In our example, we all know how overwhelming shopping can be in Sarojini Nagar and if something helps us to shop better, I am going to read it)
Use this free tool to analyse your headlines. You do not necessarily follow its instructions but the tool comes handy in times.
Optimisation of Meta description
Meta description is the lines displayed below any link of the search results. It is the snippet of information that offers a sneak peek of what that link offers. Most of the people check this description before clicking the particular link.
Hence, it is necessary that we load this place with values that blog post offers and persuade people to click the link.
Here is an example.
Here, the keyword in the snippet is bold so that it attracts the readers.
Why optimisation of the Meta description for search engine is essential?
Google never reads the whole article to see if the content is useful. It scans it but it does read our Meta description.
Being optimised with keywords and the gist of the post, Meta description let Google know that this particular post can be useful for its readers.
Here is how to optimise our Meta descriptions.
- Create a gist of the posts in 2 lines or 165 characters long.
- Use the keywords and another relevant long tail keyword in it.
- Should have a call to action. (Like read now)
I use Rank Math plugin to create my Meta description. It lets you know if your Meta description is optimised or not.
If you do not use plugins, there is no need to panic. In case, you do not specify the Meta, it dynamically pulls a part of the post that it thinks is the best for its users.
If your blogging platform does not support any SEO plugin but offers the Excerpt option, try to put the Meta description with keywords in it.
Bonus tip: Optimising your content helps to optimise the Meta description. In my case, I determine the best two lines from the blog post which have the keywords and paste it in the Meta description box.
Longer posts are better search engine optimised
Longer posts written in depth and comprehensive manner have the better chances to rank higher. According to Neil Patel, they even are shared more than shorter blog posts on social media.
Here is how to write longer content for any topic
- Add depth to the posts. Write all the aspects of a topic.
- Provide explanations- what, why, where, when and how.
- Give case studies or examples.
- Share your own perspective and compare things.
- Always ask questions and try to answer them in a lucid manner.
- Ask the readers to react
- Use bullet points and images.
- Break long sentences into shorter ones. Same goes with longer paragraphs.
Use keywords in the blog post
It is essential that we use the keywords in our post in an optimal manner. Here is how to use them
- In the blog title
- In the first paragraph
- In sub headings
- In the conclusion
- In the body but not more than 7-8 times in an 800 words long post.
Optimisation of headings for search engine optimised blog post
Subheadings in a blog post are essential. They break the copy in a more readable manner, provide detailed information and catch the eyes that scan a blog post.
Optimisation of the subheadings with keywords is necessary element of perfect search engine optimised blog posts. Here is how to optimise it
- Offer the gist of the related paragraphs or what you are talking about next
- Use different long term versions of your chosen keyword
- Try to put a sub heading in a question.
Image optimisation
We discussed the image optimisation for SEO in our last post.
Optimisation of images helps to optimise the blog post for visual search engines line Pinterest. Here is how to do it-
- Always add image Alt text.
- Edit the file name of images you use with long term keywords separated by hyphens.
- Add a description with long term keywords.
- Always use relevant images to the text.
Site speed optimisation
Site speed is another ranking factor for Google. I myself was guilty of this thing for a long time when my blog used to take 30 seconds to load. With some efforts, I was able to bring it to 10-12 seconds but still Google says that my site is slow.
Site speed optimisation is all about user experience. Google wants to give its users the best experience. There is nothing sad like a website that doesn’t load quickly. I mean, how many times we have closed a browser because the page was still loading?
Shorter the site loading time is, better the chances of people sticking to ii.
So, what I did for site speed optimisation?
- Reduced the image sizes. I only use jpg images on my blog. I use a plugin called WP Smush to compress my images so that they load faster.
- Using a caching plugin to leverage the browser caching.
- Stopped showing banner ads.
- Stopped displaying unnecessary html codes on my sidebar.
As I am no expert in maintaining websites and learn the codes, I rely on the plugins to help me in site speed optimisation.
The URL structure of the blog posts
Look at the following url structure and tell me which would you prefer?
- www.puspanjalee.com/50-niche-keyword-ideas
- www.puspanjalee.com/123456789
- www.puspanjalee.com/my-ideas-on-book-#blog-awesome-tips
Definitely, option A, right? It offers a clear idea of what the post is offering with the keywords and easy to understand.
The url structure of blog posts is also essential element of a perfect search engine optimised blog post. Our Blogging platforms generate a url structure of their own, but they also offer the setting to set it according to our style.
Please note that if your blog posts are already live, do not attempt to change the settings. My urls don’t show the dates as I have set them in the beginning.
Instead, edit them in the url section of your post if you use Yoast SEO/Rank Math where it offers to put the SEO title.
Tips for a better url structure
- Always use the long term keywords separated by hyphens.
- Keep the url shorter.
- Avoid the words like in, to, of, and etc
- Avoid symbols, hashtag, question or exclamation marks
So, these are the 8 essential elements of a perfect search engine optimised blog post. I hope, this post will help to optimise better for search engines.
Got any question? Read my book on Profitable SEO.
I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa campaign.
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