Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Writing Non Search Engine Optimized Blog Posts
I just thoroughly described how to make blog posts that are extremely Search Engine Op-
timized, but we don't want
all
your blog posts to be so strategic - we want a
mix
. Some blog
posts should simply be about topics that you are passionate about, regardless of the amount
of global monthly searches (if any) that there are. These blog posts could be opinion pieces,
observations, random musings, etc. If you have any art blog, your blog post could be “My
Favorite Oil Painting and Why” (instead of your keyword targeted posts like “Top 10 Oil
Paints Reviews to Buy for your Next Project”). See the difference?
These “free written” posts are the kinds of blog posts that make your blog more human and
can really connect you with your readers. Not everyone is comfortable doing this, but the
more personal (and even vulnerable) you can be in your writing, the more loyal your audien-
ce will become. As your blog grows in readership, more of your posts should be in the “free
written” style.
Aside from the benefits of demonstrating that there is a real person behind your blog to
grow your following, there is evidence that Google is actively penalizing blogs that are
overly Search Engine Optimized. Blogs where every single post is keyword targeted and
overstuffed with related keywords have been penalized in search engine rankings. Stay on
the safe side and only do partial keyword optimized posts, and leave the rest “free written”
(while still keeping in mind all the strategies you have been taught).
If you aren't sure if your blog is balanced enough, consider this: If a regular person
were forced to read every single post on your blog, would he ever think some of the
posts were redundant? Would he wonder why so many posts seem to have keywords
awkwardly inserted in them, and in some cases delve into topics that don't fit in? If so,
your blog is too focused on being Search Engine Optimized, and this will turn off a lot
of your readers (and may even get your blog penalized by Google in the search results).
Remember to keep your readers in mind first, and the SEO will naturally take care of
itself!
