Virtual tips for the savvy business owner!

We’ve talked a great deal about the need for a blog as part of your overall marketing strategy. Now, to make that blog really worthwhile, it’s necessary to optimize it for search engines just as you do your websites. Let’s look at some easy ways to make sure the search engines fall in love with your blog.

· Ping the Search Engines: This one is very important, so hang on for a quick explanation. There are two different kinds of search engines as far as blogs go, blog specific ones such as Technorati and general ones like Google and Yahoo.

It’s possible to “ping” those search engines and let them know you have new content ready to be indexed. The good news is that Google indexes Technorati’s pages, as well.

o Automated pinging: the major blog applications have a setting for auto-pinging. Look at your blog’s settings for something that says “Publishing” and then “Notify” and turn that setting on.

You can also use auto-pinging services like www.pingoat.com or www.pingomatic.com to get the word out.

o Manual pinging: To let Technorati know you have something wonderful to be added to their listings, sign up for a membership and then use the link http://www.technorati.com/ping to notify them. Caution: You don’t want to be obnoxious about this! Pinging every single thing you write will earn you a big frown in the blogosphere.

Here’s a great blog post on the topic of pinging your blog: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2006/12/pinging-simplified.html

· Tag Your Posts: Be sure to use the tagging function provided by your blog host to make posts more searchable. Also, add your Technorati tags right on your blog page to make indexing easier.

· Use Your Keywords: Use the same keywords you use for your websites within blog posts, but don’t be heavy-handed. Work them in naturally as you’re talking to your audience.

· Offer Valuable Content: Blog readers are looking for content they can use, not your every thought on a topic. Link to valuable resources. Give them ideas for solving problems. Talk about current events in your industry. The more valuable your content, the more search engines will love it.

· Comment on Other Blogs: Find great blogs related to your content and start commenting. Your blog’s link will be in your signature line, and you’ll become known as an expert, which increases blog traffic and search engine interest.

These are just a few of the ways to attract the search engines to your blog. Implement them as soon as you can, and use the traffic tracking tools provided by your blog host to see which ones help most. With some conscious effort toward optimization, anyone can soon have a blog the search engine spiders will love.

Filed under: Blogs, Online Social Networking, online marketing