The creators of Wordpress had the foresight to design their software with search engine optimization in mind. Even so, there are still steps that bloggers can take to make their Wordpress blog even more search engine friendly.
Structure a Wordpress Theme With SEO in Mind
It doesn't matter if a blogger uses a ready-made-theme or designs one of their own. Either way, they must ensure that the theme adheres to current W3C standards. The more compliant their theme is, the better their chances are of garnering favor with the search engines.
Another thing that must be taken into consideration when selecting or designing a theme is the placement of the content within the structure of the site. To achieve optimal search engine optimization, the content code should be as close to the opening <body> tag as possible.
For the SEO of a Wordpress theme to be complete, a blogger must ensure that all titles and category names use headings. This will signal to the search engines that both are of greater importance than the surrounding text.
SEO Means Showing the Spiders Where to Go
The easier it is for the spiders to locate the pages of a blog, the more likely they will be to index them. It is for this reason that bloggers would be wise to install the Google Sitemaps plugin. This plugin is great for SEO because it generates an XML sitemap of the WordPress blog. This XML format is supported by Ask.com, Google, Yahoo and MSN Search, which means that it is compatible with most major search engines.
Another way to direct the spiders to additional content is to include a related posts section either under each post or in the sidebar. Once again, a plugin can be used to accomplish this and there are more than a few to choose from. The related posts section has another benefit beyond Wordpress SEO. It is also a great way to direct visitors toward additional content which will keep them on-site even longer.
Regularly Update for Optimal Search Engine Optimization
Search engines love new content just as much as blog readers do. That is why it is doubly beneficial to continually add new content on a regular basis. Continued posting can, however, quickly become a chore. That is why it is so important to create a stockpile of blog posts ahead of time. That will allow the blogger to continually update their site without becoming overwhelmed by the process.
When writing content bloggers should be sure to optimize each post. This can easily be done by focusing on one or two keywords per post.
Follow These SEO Tips and Rise in the Ranks
The more effort that a blogger takes to implement these SEO tips on their blog, the better the odds are of their site rising in the search engine rankings. That, in turn, will increase the likelihood of their blog being seen by visitors, which will accomplish their ultimate goal for maximum exposure.
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