It has been an incredible journey for me as I reflect back on the past 2 years of writing and posting a daily blog article on this platform. In this blog post, I want to share with you 5 valuable lessons about SEO that I have learned during this time, which you may not be familiar with.
Lesson 1: Don’t Overthink SEO
When it comes to gaining more readers for your blog, SEO is often mentioned as a key strategy. Many people emphasize the importance of keywords and the use of keyword tools. However, I must confess that I have never used a keyword tool and I find the idea of extensively researching keywords before writing a blog post tedious. I believe that treating my blog like a job takes away the fun and creativity that comes with it.
Lesson 2: Link Building is Not Mandatory
Another common practice in SEO is link building. I receive numerous emails requesting me to link to various sites or their unique infographics related to my blog content. While this technique may indeed work, it involves spending time reaching out to people and can often be annoying. Personally, I have never added or requested any links. Furthermore, creating networks of interconnected sites is not advisable as search engines like Google have measures in place to combat this. Relevant and authoritative links from within your niche are what truly matter.
Lesson 3: Focus on Helping People
Instead of fixating on keywords and link building, I prefer to concentrate on addressing people’s problems. By listening to my email subscribers or observing different platforms like Twitter, I gain valuable insights into the issues that my target audience faces. I find that writing blog posts that provide practical solutions to these problems is far more rewarding and effective than obsessing over SEO techniques.
Lesson 4: Solve Problems, Length Doesn’t Matter
When it comes to content length, SEO experts often advise writing lengthy posts of 3000 words or more to rank well on Google. While this may be beneficial for some, I believe that the key is to solve people’s problems, regardless of the length of your post. Google’s algorithms are designed to gauge whether a user’s query has been well addressed, so a concise blog post can still attract more traffic if it provides the right solution.
Lesson 5: Patience and Consistency are Essential
One important lesson I have learned is that SEO takes time, and playing the long game is crucial. Through observing others in my niche, I have noticed a common pattern. Initially, there is a burst of enthusiasm and high-quality content, but over time, many people give up and become inconsistent. Consistency is key - whether it’s posting daily, weekly, or having a fixed schedule, it is important to maintain a regular cadence. Building a successful blog takes time and dedication, and it may take months or even longer to see tangible results.
In conclusion, my journey of writing a daily blog for 2 years has taught me invaluable SEO lessons. By focusing on creating valuable content, solving problems, and maintaining consistency, you can build a successful blog that resonates with your audience. Remember, SEO should not be the sole driving force behind your blogging efforts - instead, let your passion and enthusiasm guide you.