The following two part series will reveal how to use the Yoast SEO plug-in for success as a blogger. Because it is essential to know blogging best practices in order to use the Yoast SEO plug-in effectively, we will tackle best practices in part 1. In part 2 of the series, we will learn how to use the Yoast SEO plug-in itself.
NOTE: This post does not cover the more advanced settings of the plug-in, such as those found under “Yoast WordPress SEO: General Settings”. If you are a developer – or an adventurous blogger – and are looking for more advanced information, I highly suggest reading the articles by Ahmad Awais on WPtuts.
Blogging Best Practices
First, let’s cover some blogging best practices. Following these guidelines will not only help you become a better, more effective blogger, but are essential in order to get the most out of the Yoast plug-in. So, start off using best practices such as those listed below and then expand out. Find YOUR way of blogging and what brings YOU the most success!
To begin, simply click on any of the tabs below to read more on each blogging best practice:
FormBe sure to write a good introduction paragraph that describes to your readers what they should expect from your post. This will help them know what they are getting with your post and that what they will read is indeed relevant to them. Think of it as a “teaser” that helps draw in your audience to read more. Also, be sure to include a strong concluding paragraph that captures the essence of the post. This will help reinforce what has been learned within the reader’s mind. Finally, make sure your content is readable and written in “chunks” for easy reader digestion. Bullet points help with this as well.
Titles & HeadingsHeaders are important for both SEO purposes and to structure a blog post for easier reading. First, be sure to include a main title for your post that succinctly captures what the article is about. Include your focus keywords or phrase so that they are picked up by search engines as being relevant to that topic. Also, include a main subhead (technically an H1) that includes the keyword and a further description of what is to come. Other subheads (such as H2s) are typically useful, both to break up content for easier readability and for search engines to index.
ToneWhen you first begin writing blog posts, you will find that it can be quite difficult to come up with content and figure out how to write it correctly. There are so many “rules and guidelines” to follow! But, many times these things simply get in the way of an effective post. With so many blogs around on the web today, it is essential to find your own voice and convey that through your writing. Your uniqueness will be appreciated by readers and help set your posts apart from those of other bloggers. So, never be afraid to write like yourself… Just be sure to use good judgement and proper grammar. There is never an excuse for bad form!
ContentYour typical blog post should be between 300-500 words. It is perfectly fine to go over or under this every once in a while. But, research has indicated that blog posts are typically most effective within the 300-500 word range. If you go longer than this, consider breaking the posts up into several parts and make it into a series. This is a great way to keep readers coming back for more.
Should you want to read more about blogging best practices, here are some other helpful articles:
Now, let’s shift our attention to how to use the yoast seo plug-in to help you get the most out of your blogging.
