SEO Starter Basics for WordPress Posts

I am often asked about my search engine rankings. You can hear the surprise in their voices when I mention that 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, I have been going through this process for a long time; I live in reality. Rankings are not an overnight accomplishment, and you cannot rest on your laurels. Be aware that if you are “ranking well” today, it could be gone tomorrow due to a single arbitrary algorithm change.

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

First, the Technical SEO Basics

It is crucial to recognize that your content and its structure are the heartbeat of your website. 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 be checked as well. Surprisingly, the following three items are not addressed on many of the sites I review.

Site Speed: You need to continually test and review your performance metrics. How can you know what to improve upon?
Mobile Responsiveness: WordPress themes are now mobile-responsive, but we still need to fine-tune them. How old is your theme?
HTTPS: Yeah, I know. However, I still encounter 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 (SEO) is essential for all site owners when creating website 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, and these efforts become a natural habit.

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

If you hope to rank for a particular phrase, your site must be relevant and authoritative, surpassing 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 arises when people think that simply using phrases (or keywords) 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 it makes your content appear to be written primarily 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 optimized for SEO through your content alone. The problem arises when you take a broader focus, which requires you to work harder to rank for a wider range 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 establish a plan and develop a strategy when deciding which type of content to include.

When developing your WordPress posts 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 use 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 market, noting the phraseology and terminology they use to discuss their needs and what you offer.
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 a well-concentrated topical and properly organized category and tag structure.
Once you pare things down and tightly categorize your site, create a list of the top 25 two- to three-word keyword phrases that your research shows searchers use 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, long-tail keywords 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…

You need that list to blend those terms naturally into your post. For help, check out my Bullseye Marketing PDF.

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, each less than 15-20 words. Throw in bulleted lists with a dash of a sub-headline here or there—they all help keep your posts easy to read, focused, concise, and relevant. I use Yoast SEO (Premium version), which features an outstanding readability tool to help you create well-optimized, well-structured content.
Use your targeted phrase in your post title, one subheading, and the first and last paragraphs. Then, pepper your post with variations (synonyms and plurals) of the targeted terms your searchers would use on that post’s topic.
Your post should read naturally without repeating one or 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 known as internal linking, and it helps search engines discover related content on your website.
The post should be at least 500 words—1000-2000 is even better. For example, this post is 1,407 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, valuable posts increases the likelihood of being linked to and shared on social media. Conversely, posts written solely for SEO purposes, without consideration for your readers’ needs and what they will find valuable, 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 to create well-written, engaging, and purposeful topic-targeted posts and ensuring the world knows about them.

And here’s the most important tip of all… Remember, you are writing for your visitors, not search engines. So avoid the temptation to let AI write everything for you — that’s called AI slop, and Google will penalize you for your lack of “human work.”

When you write about something you know a lot about, have a lot of experience with, enjoy, and are passionate about, SEO becomes an afterthought.

At your service,

*Some of the links on this page are to companies with which I have a professional affiliation.
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