21 Insightful Blogging Tips from An SEO Expert

Starting and growing a blog to a point where you earn a substantial income is an exciting and fulfilling journey! 

While it may feel overwhelming initially, it’s important to remember that every successful blogger started from scratch at one point in their blogging career. 

Last week, I interviewed 9 bloggers earning between $200,000 – $875,000 yearly from their blog to see what led to their success.

You’d be surprised to find out how little changes to things like workflow and content production, blog layout, SEO improvements and proper monetization can greatly improve your income.

The purpose of this article is to share insightful blogging tips to help you move to the next level in your blogging career.

As a result, this is going to be a lengthy resourceful one that will be regularly updated to accommodate more information.

So grab a drink if you can and sit relaxed.

Without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Have a Self-Hosted Blogging WordPress Blog

There’s the free WordPress option (WordPress.com) which is also called a hosted blog and there’s the paid option (WordPress.org) which we call the self-hosted option.

It’s called self-hosted because you have to buy a domain name and host your blog yourself unlike free WordPress. 

If you are starting a blog to make money and grow a business, then go with a self-hosted WordPress blog.

Don’t bother wasting time and effort on a free platform, it wasn’t built to scale and not for professional use.

2. Find Your Niche

“No doubts, there are riches in the niches”

Don’t just blog about everything and anything, you have to discover the central theme of your blog and channel your energy in that direction.

Here are some profitable blog niches:

• Travel niche
• Finance niche
• Health & Fitness niche
• Technology niche
• Food niche
• Home decor & DIY niche

3. A Good blog Name Compliments your Hardwork

This is one of the blogging mistakes that can’t be reversed.

As a beginner, try to get a good blog name that reflects the direction of your blog.

What makes a blog name a good one?

Use our 7 bullet points to vet if your chosen blog name is a good one or not.

A good blog name should be:

• Easy to pronounce
• Easy to spell
• Related to the niche of the blog
• Memorizable enough to stand out
• Available as social media names
• Short; not more than 4 words
• Not mistaken for something else

If it passes these checks then you’re good to go.

I’ve earlier created a helpful guide on the steps and insights required to come up with a good name to help your brainstorming process.

See it here: How to Come Up With a Blog Name: Fast and Easy Processes With Premium Insights

4. Select the Right Web Hosting

Your choice of web hosting can either propel you to success to kill your blog overnight.

Some factors to consider when choosing a web host include:

My recommended choice of web host for beginner bloggers is Bluehost.

Bluehost is listed as one of the top 3 overall best web hosting companies but has won the hearts of many newbie bloggers because it’s the most affordable.

With as little as the price of a cup of coffee per month, you can get your blog hosting on Bluehost in less than 5 minutes.

5. Select the Right Blogging Theme

Choosing the right blogging theme is crucial for creating a visually appealing and user-friendly blog. It sets the overall design, layout, and functionality of your website.

Consider the following factors when selecting a blogging theme:

• Responsive Design
• Customization Options
• Compatibility with Plugins
• Speed and Performance
• SEO-Friendly Features
• Support and Updates
• User-Friendly Navigation

I reviewed 73 premium WordPress themes and DIVI tops the chart emerging as the overall best WordPress theme for bloggers for the 5th year consecutively.

6. Set Realistic Goals

It’s crucial for bloggers to set realistic blogging goals.

These goals will guide your content creation strategy and help you measure your progress.

Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Example of an unrealistic blogging goal: “I want to earn a six-figure income from my blog within the first three months.”

My Take: While it’s possible to generate income from blogging, expecting to earn a substantial six-figure income within the first three months is highly unrealistic.

Monetizing a blog takes time, effort, and a combination of various income streams such as advertisements, sponsored content, affiliate marketing, or product sales.

It requires building a loyal readership, establishing credibility, and developing partnerships with brands or advertisers, which typically takes longer than just a few months.

Example of a realistic blogging goal: “I aim to increase my blog traffic by 30% within six months by consistently publishing high-quality content and implementing effective SEO strategies.”

My Take: This goal is realistic because it sets a specific target (30% increase in blog traffic), a time frame (six months), and identifies the strategies to achieve the goal (consistent high-quality content and effective SEO).

It acknowledges that blog growth takes time and emphasizes the importance of quality content and optimization techniques for attracting and retaining readers.

7. Conduct Keyword Research

Keyword research is a fundamental aspect of blogging.

You don’t just write any type of content on your blog just because you feel like writing.

There should be a basis guiding your choice of topic based on keyword research and topic research.

You start by asking yourself questions like:

• Are your audience interested in this topic?
• Is this keyword worth it?
• Is the topic relevant or irrelevant to your niche?
• Is this a high/medium/low volume keyword?
• Is this a high/medium/low competition keyword?
• Are there metrics to support your claim?
• Is the chosen topic an informational, navigational or transactional keyword?
• Does the topic blend properly in your content sales funnel?

Selecting topics and keywords to go after on your blog all centers on the quality of your “Keyword Research” which is a major component of SEO.

Utilize tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify popular and relevant keywords.

Incorporate these keywords strategically into your blog posts, titles, headings, and meta tags. Effective keyword research enhances your visibility and helps you rank higher in search engine results.

8. Build a Solid Content Strategy

A well-planned content strategy is crucial for consistent and engaging blogging.

Create an editorial calendar to organize your blog topics, posting frequency, and distribution channels.

Determine your content pillars – the key themes or topics you’ll cover consistently. This approach helps you establish a strong brand identity and ensures your content resonates with your target audience.

Plan your content in advance, brainstorm ideas, and conduct thorough research to deliver valuable and insightful blog posts.

9. Write Compelling Blog Titles

Your Blog title is the first thing that grabs readers’ attention.

Craft compelling and attention-grabbing blog post titles that entice people to click and read your blog posts.

Use power words, create curiosity, and include relevant keywords to make your headlines irresistible.

For example, instead of “Tips for Cooking Pasta”, you can write “Master the Art of Pasta: 10 Expert Tips for Perfectly Cooked Pasta Every Time”.

Powerful headlines increase your click-through rate and encourage readers to explore your content further.

10. Focus on Engaging Introductions

Once readers are enticed by your headline, it’s crucial to captivate them with a strong introduction.

Use storytelling, pose thought-provoking questions, or present intriguing facts to hook your audience from the start.

For instance, if you’re writing a blog post about personal finance, you could begin with a relatable story about overcoming debt or achieving financial independence.

Engaging introductions create an emotional connection with your readers and encourage them to continue reading.

11. Use Visual Content

Incorporating visual content into your blog posts can greatly enhance the reader’s experience and make your content more engaging.

People are naturally drawn to visuals, so use relevant images, infographics, and videos to complement your written content.

For example, if you’re explaining a complex process, including a step-by-step infographic can make it easier for readers to understand.

Visual content not only breaks up the text but also helps convey information more effectively.

12. Implement On-Page SEO Techniques

On-page SEO plays a crucial role in improving your blog’s visibility in search engine results.

Optimize your blog posts by using relevant keywords in your meta tags, URLs, headings, and throughout the content. However, ensure that your keyword usage feels natural and doesn’t compromise the readability of your content.

13. Create Quality Backlinks

Building high-quality backlinks is an effective way to improve your blog’s authority and increase its visibility in search engines.

Seek opportunities to guest blog on reputable websites within your niche, as this allows you to showcase your expertise and earn valuable backlinks.

Collaborating with influencers or industry experts to create content can also help you gain exposure and attract quality backlinks.

Additionally, engaging in relevant discussions on industry forums and providing insightful comments on other blogs can generate backlinks to your content.

14. Enhance User Experience (UX)

User experience is a critical factor in both attracting and retaining readers.

Optimize your blog for a seamless user experience by focusing on site speed, mobile responsiveness, and intuitive navigation.

Slow-loading websites can turn off visitors and negatively impact your search rankings. Make sure your blog is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices.

Easy navigation ensures that visitors can find the information they’re looking for quickly and efficiently.

15. Add Internal Links

Internal linking is an effective strategy to improve navigation, user experience, and SEO on your blog. It involves linking to other relevant blog posts or pages within your website.

Internal links helps to:

– Enhance Readability and Flow: By adding internal links, you guide readers to related content that expands on the topic they’re currently reading.

This improves the overall readability and helps users find additional valuable information.

– Boost SEO: Internal links help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your website.

Linking to relevant blog posts and pages helps search engines crawl and index your content more effectively, leading to improved visibility in search engine results.

– Reduce Bounce Rate: Internal links encourage readers to explore more of your blog by providing easy access to related content.

By keeping readers engaged and clicking through to other posts, you can reduce bounce rates and increase the time spent on your blog.

16. Optimizing Your Images

Including visually appealing images in your blog posts can enhance engagement and provide additional context to your content.

Large image files can significantly slow down your website’s loading speed.

Use image optimization plugins or tools to reduce the file size without compromising quality.

It’s important to optimize your images to ensure they load quickly and improve the overall user experience.

17. Properly Formatting Your Blog Post

Proper formatting improves the readability and user experience of your blog posts.

It helps break up the text, highlight important points, and guide readers through your content seamlessly.

Here are some important blog post formatting techniques.

– Use Headings and Subheadings: Organize your content using headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) and subheadings.

Headings help structure your blog post, make it scannable, and provide a clear hierarchy of information.

Incorporate relevant keywords in your headings to optimize for SEO.

– Utilize Bullet Points and Numbered Lists: Bullet points and numbered lists make information more digestible and visually appealing.

They help readers grasp key points quickly and increase the readability of your content.

– Include Paragraph Breaks and white spaces: Long blocks of text can be overwhelming for readers. Break up paragraphs to create white space, making your blog post visually appealing and easier to read.

Aim for shorter paragraphs of 2-3 sentences each.
Complete Website Hurdles Guide: How to Properly Format Blog Posts

18. Incorporate Daily Backups

Nothing is 100% safe and secured on the internet and that’s why you need a daily backup for all your website files and database.

You can’t be working this hard on your blog and lose it all in one day.

Backing up your files helps you to easily recover your website files in cases of malicious attacks, faulty updates or technical issues.

Thankfully, our recommended hosting for bloggers: SiteGround offers free daily backups to users.

You can also use free plugins like Updraft to backup your site, files and database multiple times within a day at set hourly intervals.

19. Prioritize Data for Google Search Console & Google Analytics

There are a lot of SEO and 3rd party tracking tools in the blogging space.

Some are worthy of use and highly valuable while others are not worth purchasing.

If you’ve been blogging for a while then you should prioritize data from your Google Search Console & Google Analytics.

They are the most reliable and explore hidden insights needed to move your brand to the next level.

Most bloggers neglect GSC & GA because they are freely available placing only value on paid tools.

While other tools try to estimate values and metrics relating to your site, your GSC & GA gives you exact readings as they are directly connected to your site.

With Google Search Console, you can discover keywords you haven’t targeted yet but relating to your written content giving you a high-ranking chance if you go after them.

We call these the golden eggs.

If you haven’t integrated your blog with Google Search Console and Google Analytics then do that immediately after reading this article.

20. Start Building Your Email List Early in Your Blogging Career

Email lists are one of the most valuable assets of bloggers because they are somewhat personal,  converts better than other medium and also helps you build a close relationship with potential customers.

Many bloggers mentioned they wished they started building their email list early.

We all have this misconception that building a blog email list is meant to happen later on in the blogging journey where one has high major milestones.

But that’s not the right approach, you should start building your list from the very beginning so it grows as your blog grows.

The benefit of a solid email list in blogging cannot be overstated.

Course sales, product launches, affiliate revenues, sponsored posts and lots are much better and easier when you have a solid email list and these monetization strategies are what make you a 6 figure blogger.

21. Offer Valuable Freebies

Providing valuable free resources can be a powerful way to attract and retain readers.

Create downloadable e-books, checklists, templates, or guides that align with your blog’s niche. By offering these resources for free, you not only provide value to your readers but also establish yourself as an authority in your field.

Capture email addresses in exchange for these freebies, allowing you to build an email list that you can further engage with through newsletters and exclusive content.

I’ve created a complete guide on starting a blog, you can see it here:
How to Start a Profitable Blog: A Detailed Step-By-Step Guide

Final Thoughts on Blogging Tips

These mentioned tips cover a range of essential aspects of successful blogging.

Implementing them will help you create compelling content, optimize your blog for search engines, foster engagement with your audience, and drive growth for your blog.

Remember, it takes time and effort to build a successful blog, so stay focused, adapt your strategies as needed, and enjoy the journey!

Till we meet again on another article,

Happy Blogging.