Search Engine Optimization: Is It Really Important To Bloggers?

This post is a response to what I've read on many blogs lately. I must say I’m really surprised that many bloggers believe and want us to believe that search engine optimization (SEO) is not really of much importance to bloggers. But is that really so?

Now, I'm not in any way against their opinion, at least everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion.  However, I really want to think most of these bloggers are either ignorant of the power of the search engines when it comes to marketing online or they are merely parroting what they have heard from others. Possibly they have heard one of those big guns in the blogosphere with a 10,000+ contact list down-playing generating traffic using search engines and without really understanding the whole scenario run off repeating what he/she had just heard.

Again, I don't want to dispute the fact that the search engines love blogs because of the ease with which blogs constantly update their contents. But the truth is that this will only garner some good points with the search engines. You need to understand that there so much competition right now in the blogosphere and this is enough to make any blogger to take the subject of search engine optimization really serious.

Another fact you must come to terms with is that internet marketing is a numbers game and to win the game you need the proper knowledge and tools. So if your dream as a blogger is to build a business online making money blogging then you cannot afford to lose your guard in the race to get ranked high in the search engines, else you might just get trampled upon and be left in the abyss of dotcom failures!

In this article I want to pinpoint some very fundamental reasons why you need to use search engine optimization tactics in promoting your blog now than ever before. But first, let's really understand what search engine optimization means.

Search Engine Optimization In Simple Terms!

Search engine optimization is the internet marketing tactic that utilizes tools and methods in making your blog get a top ranking in search engine results. These tactics are aimed at getting your blog in the first page or better still in the top half of the page of the search results. Such a top ranking on the search engines is for the purpose of driving more traffic to your blog or website.

Of course, there are many aspects and work required to make search engine optimization work for you. For example, there is the need to get information about the keyword phrases that are popular in regard to your blog's niche or theme and then writing your content with the right keyword phrases without making it too commercial but light and informative. There is also the need to collaborate with other blogs and sites for link exchanges as the search engines uses all of these components to rank sites. But all in all the effort is always worth it if done well.

That being said let's now consider some reasons why search engine optimization could be of great importance to you as a blogger.

4 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ignore Search Engine Optimization

1. Search Engines Still Remains The Most Popular Way Of People Finding Information Online

It's true that today social networking sites play some very important roles when someone wants information about a topic of interest. Yes, many will ask questions of their social contacts for referrals but most times the first recourse is the search engines. This has always been the case since the inception of the internet. Search engines have always been the most popular and of course the easiest means of finding any topic of interest online. Even when we need personal endorsements or reviews of a particular product or brand we go straight to the search engines and do a search using those terms. So the search engines still play a very crucial role in finding information online. As a blogger therefore you cannot afford to ignore such a powerful way of promoting your business online. And remember this makes marketing your blog much simpler. It only bears down to mastering some basic search engine optimization (seo) strategies and methods and you could place your blog and business before the right audience without any extra cost to you.

Appealing, right?

2. In Search Engine Marketing, The Eyes Have It!

Search engine optimization is not just about getting your site or blog into the search engines. That is where many bloggers are getting it all wrong. As mentioned above people turn to the search engines whenever they need any information online. But most importantly most of the people will only care about the ten top search results. These are usually the search results in the first page. It means you have to get the eyes of the searchers or you risk losing out in the game. So making it to the first page, more so to the top three is a barometer of succeeding when it comes to using the search engine to drive traffic to your blog. This is why optimizing your blog for the search engines is something to take seriously. Once your blog is able to make it to the top ten in the search results it stands a better chance of being clicked on thereby bringing more traffic for your blog.  What will help you to achieve all of these is what search engine optimization is all about.

3. Search Engines Produces A More Targeted And Income-Generating Traffic Stream

Now, I must say that after many years of testing and from results gathered from authority sources, traffic from search engines is not only targeted but also more prone to generate an income for any e-commerce site. So if you're a blogger who do product reviews and promote affiliate products this is very important. Optimizing your blog for the search engines will help it get the best ready-to-buy traffic than any other traffic sources. Of course, we must agree that most of the people using the search engines might just be looking for information but there is also a good percentage that is looking for something that they need. And when you're able to get your offering before this group of people on the search engines you're sure of making a sale.

I've observed that many bloggers focus more on generating traffic from other blogs. As much as this is okay but this type of traffic really amount to very little. Most bloggers only visit other blogs for backlinks and traffic generation. If you truly want better results for your affiliate marketing endeavours then focus on those who are searching for your products or services. If anyone has a need to be met and goes to the search engines to do a search and finds your site, that prospects is more prune to generate a sale for you than a blogger who comes around for his/her own benefit. This is also goes that if your target audience is those who want to make money blogging then you need to optimize your blog for them! 🙂
4. Getting Found On The Search Engines Is Kind Of Having Goodwill In The Eyes Of Your Prospect

I did say in #3 above that traffic from search engines is more prone to producing some income for you. And that is very true. Come to think of it, which one of the following do you think will be more willing to purchase a product you're selling on your blog (a) a prospect who gets emails, facebook updates and twitter direct messages/tweets from you or (b) a prospect who finds your blog article on the search engines while looking for information on a particular subject?

I'm sure you already know the answer to that, right? A prospect who finds you on the search engines will be more willing to purchase because of the fact that he/she initiated the move and is in the right frame of mind since that is what he/she needs. Finding you on the search engines gives you the status of an authority or expert in that field in the eyes of that searcher and this is goodwill on your part. So once your article is able to deliver the goods when this prospect visits your blog from the search engines, there is nothing stopping you getting a new customer!

Conclusion: I don’t know what you think about the subject of search engine optimization. Maybe you sometimes get that feeling that it's a subject that has been talked about too much by bloggers, but the fact still remains that when it comes to traffic generation on the internet, search engines are still the go to resources. It’s imperative therefore that you find ways of making your blog rank better on the search engines. Whatever it takes learn the rudiments of search engine optimization and put them use on your blog. Act now for time is expensive marketing online.

Have any qualms with the issues raised or do you agree? Let's have your views. Share them with us in the comments below.

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