For the first article in this three-part series, read: The Ultimate Social Search: How To Drive Clicks and Retweets on Twitter

How to use TLC to optimize blog posts for search

Don’t confuse this acronym with tender loving care. This acronym is an easy, high-level way to remember how to pump your blog posts with optimization: tag, link and content.

Tag. Tagging blog posts with relevant search terms serves a dual purpose: 1) organizes content for the reader making it easily searchable on your site 2) optimizes content for search engine pickup.

Link. Linking to previous blog posts and third-party content will give the reader context and increase blog authority online by boosting credibility in search. When linking, try and put the link around anchor text for an extra SEO boost.

Example: This is an article for fashion PR & marketing blog PR Couture

VS: This is an article for fashion PR & marketing blog PR Couture

Content. When writing your blog post, remember to fold in popular search terms that others might use to find your content. For example, if you have a vintage clothing blog, consider using words like vintage, retro, consignment, etc. Not only should you use these words in the body, the titles need to be optimized with key search terms and be straightforward so your readers know exactly what the post is about. Don’t worry for hours on end about being clever or catchy – this might actually hurt your SEO. Instead put yourself in the mindset of a potential reader – what might she be searching for that your blog post would be relevant and worthwhile

Make sharing easy

Rather than providing a share this button that drops down 100 social networks no-one has ever heard of, go with the basics-Facebook, Twitter are musts, and you probably want to consider G+ and LinkedIn as well. On a platform like WordPress, these are easy plugins that can be up and running in seconds.

Make sure you configure your Tweet this button to include your Twitter account automatically and potentially include tags as hash tags to drive extra visibility.

Cross promote content to drive impressions, shares, views

Once your content is optimized on all channels, it still might need an extra push of promotion. Cross promotion is extremely important to the development of new communities and SEO because it increases visibility of the various channels and content through symbiotic relationships. Before adding any social platforms to the mix make sure you plan on using them together because your audience just might be on multiple platforms as well.

Then, make sure to give your community ample ways to connect with you by demonstrating your social prowess through cross promotion. For instance, link Twitter followers to a Facebook Question, upload an Instagram image to Facebook, pin a blog post image to Pinterest, etc.

And remember to list all social properties on your site or blog to serve as a directory. Take a look at Anthropologie for a clear example:

Your readers are most likely using other social platforms, including email. Remind them of all the other ways they can connect with your brand by cross-promoting your social presence whenever possible!

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