SEO Starter Basics for WordPress Posts

I get asked about my search engine rankings often. You can hear the surprise in their voice when I mention I don’t even know where or how I rank. I gave up on that years ago.

I write about what I do, what I get asked about, and what I see clients struggle with. Then, I spread it on social (but I’m not doing all I can do there, and I know it). I have a whole category on WordPress SEO for you to dive into, too.

Today, I will give you a basic understanding of the reality of SEO.

Okay, so I have been doing this process for 29 years; I live in the world of reality. Rankings are not an overnight accomplishment, nor can you rest on your laurels. Know that if you are “ranking well” today — that could be gone tomorrow with one arbitrary algorithm change.

That’s why I stopped chasing algorithms a long time ago.

First, the Technical SEO Basics

It is crucial to know and accept that content and how you structure it are the heartbeat of your site. What you choose to write about and how you present it will affect whether your content is read or shared.

But before we get to that, technical site-wide boxes must also be checked. Surprisingly, the following three items are not addressed as they need to be on many sites I review.

Site Speed: You need to test and review your performance metrics constantly. How can you know what to improve upon?
Mobile Responsiveness: WordPress themes are now mobile responsive. How old is your theme?
HTTPS: Yeah, I know. But I still run into websites without a security certificate.

You need to have the above covered and adequately addressed as they are part of ranking well overall. I can’t do so without them.

SEO is NOT Rocket Science

Search Engine Optimization is necessary for all site owners when creating site content. But how can you possibly get to the top of that mountain? By working at it — forever.

Contrary to popular belief, SEO in itself is something every site owner can easily integrate into their posts with just a little time and forethought. Over time, you’ll find it is just common sense.

Start by searching for your top keyword phrase on Google. How many sites are displayed on Google’s results at the top of the page? Rare is that number under seven or eight figures.

If you hope to rank for any particular phrase, your site has to be relevant and authoritative, above all other websites, articles, or posts for that phrase. Thus, you rank for a term by being more about that phrase, as determined by the search engines, than other websites.

The problem comes in when folks think that simply using phrases (or keywords) stuffed in every possible place is all that is required. That’s the ticket to the top page of Google! Well, wash that right out of your hair. That’s called keyword stuffing and makes your content clearly written for search engines rather than humans, which Google will recognize.

Niche, Niche, Niche — Niche!

If you have a tightly focused niche and provide information, articles, tips, white papers, and resources on your topic, your site is naturally SEO’d simply by your content. The problem comes in when you have a broader focus, which requires you to work harder to rank for a more diverse list of phrases.

You also must consider the competitiveness of a particular term or site. The less competition, the better your chances. That’s not to say that broader-focused sites cannot rank well — it’s just that site owners have to be aware of how search engines work, be better organized and focused, and consider these issues when determining their strategy to attain rankings.

What is Required to SEO Your WordPress Posts?

Developing great content takes time. Generally, it takes several hours, days, or even weeks. However, this means we can get some planning and strategy in place when deciding what type of content we will include.

When developing your WordPress post and pages, here are issues to focus on that can help SEO your content naturally:

Homework First!

At least once a month, use the various free keyword research tools to determine the terms people are using when searching for your product or service. For example, you can rank #1 for a term, but if no one searches using that term, they won’t see that first-place position to click on your link. Listen to your customers and your market and note the phraseology and terminology they use to discuss what they need and what you do.
Think of ways to segment your niche. If your niche requires you to cover a broader range of topics, you must concentrate on and organize the core topics to rank well for your desired terms. This means concentrated topical and correctly created category and tag organization.
Once you pair things down and categorize your site tightly, create a list of the top 15 two-three-word keyword phrases your research has shown searchers are using for each topic you want to write about.
Then, create a list of longtail keyword phrases. Longtail keyword phrases are 4-6 words and very specific. As a result, longtails are less competitive, and those who use them tend to know what they want and are easier to convert if they find you.

FREE: Find new keywords for your market…

Have that list available to you to blend those terms naturally into your post. Check out my Bullseye Marketing PDF for help.

Of course, having your primary term in your title makes sense for SEO, but more importantly, searchers are drawn to titles that incorporate the information they are looking for.

K.I.S.S. Principle

One thought, point, or issue per post. Keep It Super Simple! Paragraphs no longer than two to three sentences that are less than 15-20 words. Throw in bulleted lists with a dash of a sub-headline here or there—all help keep your posts easy to read, focused, more concentrated — and more relevant. Yoast SEO is the plugin I use (Premium version) and has an outstanding readability tool to help you create adequately optimized and structured content.
Use your targeted phrase in your post title, one subheading, and the first and last paragraph. Then, pepper your post with variations (synonyms and plurals) of your targeted terms that your searchers would use on that post’s topic.
Your post should read naturally without repetitively using one or even a handful of terms. Read your post out loud before publishing to see if it sounds natural or if it becomes clear that you are overusing a phrase or two.
Link to a couple of your previously published posts that are relevant to the content. This is called internal linking and helps search engines find related content on your website.
The post should be no less than 500 words. 1000-2000 is even better. For example, this post is 1,433 words.

Is getting links part of SEOing your site?

Yes — and I know; easier said than done. Back in the day, everyone linked around — not so much anymore.

Having a linking strategy is essential, and part of that is creating quality content that others will want to link to. The only chance that your posts will garner links is if they are well-written, helpful, and get exposure.

Creating substantive and valuable posts increases the odds of being linked to and shared on social media. Conversely, posts written solely for SEO purposes without consideration for your reader’s needs and what they will consider of value will not enjoy any viral benefits.

Write About What You Know and What Your Readers Want to Know

As you can see, SEO isn’t rocket science. It’s about learning how to create well-written, engaging, and purposeful topic-targeted posts and making sure the world knows about them.

And here’s the most important tip of all… Remember, you are writing for your visitors, not search engines.

When you write about something you know a lot about, have a lot of experience in, enjoy, and have a passion for, SEO becomes an afterthought.

At your service,