The first rule in Internet marketing: Content, content, content

We all know that keyword meta tags have been replaced by effective relevant content as the most important “on page” SEO tactic. The most effective way to keep your content interesting and fresh is through your blog. So post often and write relevant, interesting content that will benefit your visitors. As you’re thinking about your business on a daily basis, think about how you can share valuable information with your customers. Make notes, start a journal, get in the habit of writing regularly. You may not use everything you write down, but make it a goal to create at least one meaningful post per week.

Be friendly and approachable

It’s a blog, not your PhD dissertation. Of course anything you write should be informative and well written, but a friendly conversational tone is more likely to engage your readers than a scholarly lecture. Keep it short, making it easier for you to post more frequently, and break it up into bite-sized chunks, making it easier for your readers to quickly extract valuable information.

Don’t forget the keywords

Include important keywords and phrases in your post titles; these become your all important page titles. This also helps ensure that your blog content remains on topic. Remember, an important reason for having the blog is to help drive traffic to your website. It’s important to keep your content relevant.

Tell me something I don’t already know

A good source for inspiration can be reading other blogs. It’s important to see what’s already out there and it can be a good source for ideas. But avoid repeating what others are saying; add your own spin or perspective. This will add value for your readers and set your blog apart. It’s perfectly acceptable to refer or link to other resources on the Web, but always be sure to properly attribute your sources.

Spread the word

Make it easy for your readers to help you spread the word. Be sure to include buttons and widgets to let your users share your content with others. Offer an RSS feed and an email subscription option.

Remember your existing customers

If you have an email marketing program (if you don’t, why don’t you?), remember to notify your current subscribers when you’ve made a new post on your blog. Your current subscribers can be a great resource for sharing, and they probably enjoy hearing from you, so don’t leave them out of the loop.

The Kind Of Links You DO Want … Links That Live in Your Neighborhood

The major search engines, Google in particular are striving to generate search results that are relevant to the keywords that are used in a search query. It follows then that links from other sites that have content that is related to yours will be of greater value to you. Google states that the sites that link to you can provide context about the subject matter of your site, and can indicate its quality and popularity. Finding sites with related content should be the cornerstone of your link building strategy. Conduct searches using keywords that users would use to find your site, think about trade or professional organizations, or other related sites that might be willing to link to your site.

The Kind of Links You Probably DON’T Want

Avoid links from sites that live on the wrong side of the tracks – just stay out of the “bad neighborhoods” If the sites that are linking to you are untrustworthy in Google’s eyes, then your site might be branded as untrustworthy as well.
So just what is an untrustworthy site? Google’s Webmaster Tools discussion of quality refers to “bad neighborhoods” as sites that engage in spam. They warn not to participate in link schemes that are designed to boost your page rank. Specifically they recommend refraining from:

• Links intended to manipulate PageRank;
• Excessive reciprocal links or excessive link exchanging (“Link to me and I’ll link to you.”)
• buying and selling links that pass PageRank

Link Farms and Link Exchanges … Just Say No!

While it may be tempting to respond to sites offering you numerous and easy links, be careful. Engaging in these types of link building practices violates Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, and can negatively impact your site’s ranking in search results. Keep in mind that it is not just the number of links that point to your web site, but the quality and relevance of your link sources.

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