Using Google to direct traffic to your blog can quite literally translate into gold. Or at least money with which you could buy gold. This article will show you how to easily optimize your blog for search engines.
Let’s be clear on few points before we begin. When search engine optimization (SEO) is done the wrong way:
- It’s a spammy attempt to manipulate the search-engine traffic.
- It’s SEO experts selling a guaranteed top-10 placement.
When SEO is done the right way, it’s NOT guaranteed and it’s NOT immediate, but it is ongoing.
Now let’s cover the basics.
What’s your blog about? The topic you cover will, to a large degree, dictate your placement. If you said “real estate” or “automobile” or “website hosting” or “SEO,” you will have a LOT of competition. You could help things a bit by focusing on YOUR geographical area (as in “real estate in Pasadena, CA,” for example).
But remember, some topics are extremely competitive and therefore more difficult to crack, making it on the first, second or third page of the relevant search. This part is paramount because most Google sleuths don’t make it past the second page.
On the other hand, if your topic is obscure and very specific, PLUS the space is not densely populated with competition, you can conceivably end up as a top search result for that topic. This is assuming that you’ve implemented sound SEO practices. And that’s what this article is about.
Who are you targeting? Who is your audience?
Having a crystal-clear understanding of who your audience is and what THEY’RE searching for helps you narrow your focus and increase your chances of having an effective SEO campaign.
If all this sounds too complicated, you could just pay someone to do it. If you do decide to outsource SEO, you should set aside a minimum of $3,000 to $5,000 monthly for a dedicated SEO professional.
Now that you know the cost, are you a little more motivated to learn how to do it yourself? I would encourage you to ask around and get some quotes. Here is what you would be paying for:
