wildframe

I read an interesting article on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) related by Donncha O Caoimh by way of PhotographyVoter.com over at InPhotos.org on 11 SEO tips for your photoblog which was an expansion of Richard Hearnes article on SEO For Thin Content Sites - Making A P h o t o B l o g More Visible–Whew!

Anyway, it got me to thinking about the amount of time and effort that is required to undertake all of this techno-bridge building in the blogsphere so to speak. I wonder that with the limited time that we have as part-time and hobby publishers that perhaps our time would be better spent writing more meaningful content rather than worrying about SEO. So following on from Donncha O Caoimh’s good advice here are a few of my own tips on getting your self noticed.

• Above all write something interesting! Let’s face it the internet is stagnant with everyone aggregating everyone else’s stories or worse, simply retelling them in different words. If you’re going to do that then make sure there is a fair mix of your own work represented as well on your blog. In other words, aggregating others stories is only useful (in the main) if you are looking to drive your existing readers to interesting content written elsewhere–it won’t bring new readers into your website and those it does bring will more than likely be just passing through.
• Have an opinion and don’t be afraid to use it–so what, if you’re wrong?
• Try to publish regularly rather than haphazard. By that I mean, try not to post one article today and then nothing for a month–hard I know but you’ll need to do this if you are going to maintain momentum and interest in your writing.
• Not only is it important to link to other sites as mentioned by Richard but search engine rankings rely more on incoming links that anything else I know of. So, get your a$$ around to other blog sites and leave comments i.e. use your opinion. Don’t just say “Yeah cool” in a comment thinking you’ve said something meaningful or that it’s going to drive traffic to your website. Think critically about what you are commenting on, bring your own thoughts and experience to bear on the subject. In other words ADD SOMETHING MEANINGFUL to the conversation.
• Write about things that no one else is writing about and write it in a way that is topical i.e. has context in the here and now but also has longevity as a subject rather than here today and gone tomorrow.

Content is still King! Spending your time writing good stuff will be responsible for bringing more traffic to your website than any SEO optimizing tips will ever bring.

~ by John Mackay on June 10, 2007.