First things first, what is SEO? SEO is search engine optimization. This is how high you are ranking on a search engine like Google.

If you want to start ranking higher, make sure your site settings are set up correctly, get backlinks (people linking to your website from their website), and create high-quality, long-form content.

SO HERE ARE MY TOP TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR LONG-FORM CONTENT!

Hot SEO Blogging Takes

1. Change the URL slug

Try to keep your URL slugs short (3-5 words) and include keywords for which you want to rank! Get rid of all the fluff words. For example, if you have a blog about how to create a custom Squarespace page, the auto URL may be “rebekahreadcreative.com/how-to-create-a-custom-squarespace-homepage-in-2024”. Shorten that to “rebekahreadcreative.com/build-squarespace-website-tutorial”. Also if you have a date in your blog post URL, nix that.

2. Rewrite old blog posts

Why would you ever do this? Isn’t it a waste of time? NO! First of all the initial blog post may not have been ranking (if it was, skip this step), this gives you an opportunity to optimize it and make it an article that shows up on search engines.

If you don’t want to delete the old post, just use some of the same content. Google likes unique content, but it is fine to quote 10% or so of your old post.

3. Add the keywords

Assuming you’ve done your keyword research (if not, check out THIS POST NEXT about keyword research in 2024), add the keywords to your title, URL slug, heading text (this is what “3. Add the keywords” is).

4. Change up the keywords

Google is smart. You don’t need to repeat the same keywords over and over in every heading text. Choose different variations and add those to your heading text, photos, file names (like pdfs), and body copy.

5. Compress videos and images

My site speed rule of thumb is that no video on the website can be more than 5 MB, 720 px. You can compress videos using an online compressor like VEED.IO. Also make sure every single static asset on your website is compressed as well. And while you’re at it, lazy load your website.

6. Add full phrase links

Google loves to see external links, but they also love internal links (you linking to other, relevant pages of your website). If you are talking about SEO (for example) and want to shoutout a different SEO blog you wrote, type out the entire name. Like this:

READ MORE: How to Track Page Views on Your Website

7. Expand your blog content length

Try to get to 2,000 words on your blog post if possible. Google says that the top 10 posts in their searches usually have 1,500-2,500 words.

Wondering how to do this? Add a FAQ section about that topic. Or type the topic into Google, scroll down, and check out the “people also search for” section and see if you can add more copy to your blog post using those ideas.

Remember:

Blogging isn’t dead!

That being said, GIVE YOURSELF GRACE! If writing 2,000 words feels incredibly overwhelming, then don’t do it! Do your best to blog consistently (even if that is only once a month) and write organically and then see if there are places you can add in those keyword phrases.

Honestly? Most my blog posts aren’t 1,500 words even. I have long-form sales pages for my main services (see my website in a day sales page here) and then I create content related to that topic to show Google I continue to be relevant and an expert in it. That is how I have been able to stay on page 1 of Google for 4+ years for that specific keyword phrase.

Don’t overwhelm yourself, just do your best! Anything is better than nothing!

Want to learn my strategy to SEO?

In this FREE TRAINING, I show you how to DIY your website and add SEO so YOU WILL SHOW UP ON GOOGLE!

All that website work just to not show up on search engines? NOT YOU! (Skip to minute 13)

THE PROCESS TO DESIGNING A WEBSITE IN A WEEKEND WITHOUT OVERWHELM