Our last post outlined the value of tagging your content in blog posts. Today, let’s look at a few tips to optimize your tagging and improve your results!
- Research tags like you would any keyword. We covered one easy and free way to begin searching keywords in our article on Wordtracker’s SEO Blogger.
- Use the same tags consistently… BUT don’t avoid a tag because you’re afraid you won’t use it again. Some of our best tags don’t have a whole lot of articles attached to them, but the articles they point to matter.
- Track your tag performance via Google Analytics.
- Keep your tag strings short – no more than three words if possible.
- Use tags sparingly – only the most relevant tags – and make sure they relate directly to the post. If you tag what’s not topical in your post you’ll only frustrate readers.
- Tags aren’t categories, so don’t tag with the same words as your categories.
- Make sure your permalinks indicate the date and title of your post vs. an archived post # that will get you zero juice in the SEO world. Your blog post title is a tag in itself!
- Tag those photos, too! Your blogging software allows for providing “alt text” for uploaded photos and graphics. Make sure these have the same tags as your posts and put them to work for you!
(Graphic courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
I have to say I disagree with that last bullet, about tagging the images. An alt tag is for a specific purpose: it’s for describing the image so that someone who is reading your blog knows what that image is. I do have at least one blind reader for my blog, so I always make sure the images are accessible. Making an image inaccessible for the purpose of tagging loses potential readers.
Thanks Linda and that’s a great point, though we definitely weren’t meaning to encourage inaccessability. In the case of a graphic — for example the one I used in this post — I gave it alt text of “post-tagging-tips” — I don’t think it would serve a useful purpose to describe it as 4 colorful but rather tedious tags, lol. But viewing your latest post — the picture is tagged “Haviliah Babcock House” which is both descriptive AND a useful tag to anyone searching for that house, particularly for an image of the house. Very good of you to help us clarify! The more common problem we encounter though is when folks offer up no tags or descriptions and/or photos are just named 101324.jpg — losing an opportunity to make that photo searchable for readers and a useful tool for the blogger. Enjoy the holiday weekend!
Wow, your blog is sooo great and very helpful. Could you maybe activate the link to your article on Wordtracker’s SEO Blogger? I’d like to read it, but I can’t find it. Thanks for a fantastic blog!
Ha ha – yes, meant to do that! Will do in post and meanwhile, here’s the link: https://writerswin.com/2012/05/25/seo-blogger-helps-authors-blog-better-2/ Funny enough — you could also find this by clicking “wordtracker” in our tag cloud — See how that works!
Uh…looks like a need a review!……………….