Blogging can seem like a scary endeavor. But if you’ve checked out our blogging for business post, you know that blogging is important for understanding your audience and growing your business. Still, if you’ve never blogged before or if you’ve been blogging for a while and aren’t getting the results you want, check out these tips for improving your blog.

Know what SEO means

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it is essential to getting your blog found by search engines like Google. Good SEO tells Google (because, let’s face it, your customers are probably searching on Google) that you’re producing good content that is helpful to whoever is searching. SEO is related to how often you are posting, how long your posts are, how often you update your pages, and how many keywords you have.

Keywords are a critical component of SEO. You want to make sure that your website and your blog posts contain words and phrases that people are actually looking for. Having relevant search words in your post tells Google that you’re, well, relevant.

Backlinks are important

Katrina Pfannkuch has this excellent blog post in which she details why backlinks are important when you’re blogging. Suffice it to say, backlinks (that is, linking to other content in your posts, including your own) adds credibility to your blog. Connecting your blog to other good content helps your SEO and associates you with members and companies in your industry. Linking to yourself and others is just good practice.

Produce good content that appeals to your ideal reader

This is probably the most important tip when it comes to having a good blog. Blogging is all about solving a problem or helping your reader. Your blog posts need to be focused and targeted to your ideal audience, the person you want to visit your business or hire you. Don’t write about how to properly care for a cat when you’re a catering company.

Additionally, make sure your blog posts are good quality. Typos can make your readers immediately close the page because they’ll no longer find you trustworthy. You didn’t take the time to make sure your post was flawless, so what does that say about your attention to detail when it comes to your business and the service you provide? If you’re having trouble keeping your posts error-free, hire a copyeditor to help.

If you’re struggling to get your blog out there or can’t find the time to really dedicate to your blog, consider hiring a professional content creator to blog for you! Check out Waypoint Writing’s services when you’re ready to grow and connect with your audience.