9. Identify keyword clusters for topics to build content hubs
A strategically interconnected content hub will allow each of your topical posts to rank higher in Google rankings.
First, create a personal post for your future hub by discovering what your content hub might contain.
Start by researching the top 10 keyword topics for your site to rank for.
If your job rank is high [thomas edison inventions] another for [nikola tesla inventions], find out how many other “name + invention” keywords could turn into a post.
For this example, there are over 500 phrases that can be turned into individual blog posts.
Each of the 500 “name + invention” phrases generates over 1,000 monthly organic visitors.
Once you have 20 posts about inventors and their inventions, you can create your content hub.
Continuing with our example:
- step 1: Create a page as your hub and name it “The Greatest Inventor of All Time”.
- Step 2: Organize inventors by time period.
- Step 3: Create a paragraph or two to summarize the inventor and his most famous inventions.
- Step 4: Add an internal link to the inventor’s inventions blog post for readers to view all of their inventions.
- Step 5: Link back to the “Greatest Inventors of All Time” content hub from each inventor’s blog post.
10. Use RankIQ’s keyword library to easily discover the least competitive/high traffic phrases in your niche
Unless you’re a top keyword research expert, it takes over 100 hours to research a niche.
Along the way, you’ll also make small mistakes that cause you to write on keywords that are beyond your scope.
Rank IQ is the only keyword research tool out there that has top experts doing the research for you. They hand-picked keywords with the lowest competition and highest traffic for over 300 market segments.
Content Creation Strategy
11. For posts ranked #3 – #10, add more content at the end of the post to safely boost the ranking
By adding content to the end of your post, you can keep the layout of your original blog post the same.
This process prevents you from changing existing content, which could lower your rankings.
The add-on at the end increases dwell time while helping you rank for more long-tail keywords and phrases.
12. Write 40-50 word paragraphs to rank for more featured snippets
Moz and several other studies have confirmed that the optimal length for featured snippets is 40 to 50 words.
This word count is also about the average size of a three-sentence paragraph, which is great for reader engagement.
13. Add FAQs at the end of your post to cover questions from Googlers too
A simple FAQ section at the end of the article can add significant value to the reader.
- step 1: Before you hit publish, enter your target keyword into Google and check out the most popular People Also Ask questions.
- Step 2: Click on the last question to see more questions, and four more questions will appear.
- Step 3: Find something not covered in your post and create an FAQ section at the end.
- Step 4: Mark this section with the FAQ schema.
This extra section will increase your page time, help you appear in People Also Ask, and give you more featured snippets.
14. Use AI SEO tools to make your posts the most comprehensive on the topic
AI SEO tools such as clear mirror and Rank IQ Identify everything you need to cover in your blog post to compete for first page rankings.
The tools also come with an AI content grader that makes it easy to see where you stand and where you need to go.
15. Create a Statistical Chart with a 16:9 Aspect Ratio
Few content generates backlinks and social shares, like stats graphs.
- step 1: Search Google for “theme + stats of your blog posts” (eg: influencer marketing stats).
- Step 2: Identify the top five most compelling statistics.
- Step 3: Create a 16:9 image that highlights statistics and mentions sources.
- Step 4: Place each statistic chart strategically throughout the post.
PRO TIP: Using a 16:9 aspect ratio will make your stats charts look great on desktop and mobile.
page title strategy
16. Add the most searched front-end title modifier to increase CTR
Most topics and niches have specific front-end modifiers such as “easy” or “DIY” for audience search and identification.
For example, food bloggers get most of their organic search traffic from recipe posts.
2021 Food Blog SEO Study Identifies The top three front-end modifiers For recipe posts: Easy, Best and Homemade.
“Easy Carrot Cake Recipe” is a good example of a recipe title that uses “simple” as a front-end modifier
Front-end modifiers play an important role in getting Google searchers to click on your results.
17. Add the most searched tail title modifier to rank high in your main long tail
Continuing with the same recipe example, the two most searched tail modifiers in recipes are “with” and “without”.
For carrot cake, the main long-tail keywords that contain “with” are: [carrot cake recipe with pineapple]
Here’s the final title using the front end “easy” and tail “with pineapple” modifiers: Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe.
18. For list posts, lead with a number 10 higher than the highest number on the first page
People click on the highest numbered title because they think the page contains the most comprehensive information on the topic they are searching for.
Most importantly, adding 10 more to your listing will increase the average time users spend on page and help you get more long tail rankings.
19. Use 60 characters or less to prevent Google from rewriting your title
A September 2021 study found that Google 57% More likely to rewrite title tags over 600 pixels.
The SERP can display a limit of 600 pixels (approximately 60 characters).
20. Add the current year in parentheses to show your content has the latest information
Google searchers want the latest information; make it easy for them to find it.
Put the current year in your title in parentheses.
People click on parenthesized headings 38% more than those who don’t.
Internal linking strategy
21. For posts ranked #2 – #8, link to them from your highest authority page
No. 2 to No. 8 will gain the most significant gains by moving up the rankings.
you will 28.4% to 53.2% By moving up a point.
This increase can usually be achieved by adding two or three internal links from high authority pages on your website.
22. Link all new posts from at least 2 pages with important page authority
After publishing a new blog post, link it from two existing pages with high page authority.
These two internal links will give new posts an authority boost right from the start.
23. Use longer anchor text to give Google more context and increase CTR
Not just linking a phrase, but linking a group of words, giving Google more context and enticing readers to click on it.
This will reduce bounce rate and increase dwell time.
SEO Knowledge Strategy
24. Use Feedly to aggregate the latest headlines from top SEO blogs
Every morning, read new headlines from your favorite SEO blogs. Make it easy and use Feedly.
For example, I have three feeds. The first has all the daily news sites and blogs like SEJ. The second is a blog that adds new posts every week, and the last feed shows all the latest tweets from SEO experts.
25. Listen to something like the SEO Growth Hack podcast Blog Millionaire
I love listening to the Solo Show podcasts that offer unique, actionable strategies. Rather than hunting for a nugget through 45-minute interviews, these shows teach actionable growth techniques in just 10-minute episodes from a proven expert.
If you like my list of 25 SEO strategies, I teach these new strategies every week on my podcast.
