Advertise Space - Blog Avertising » Search Engine Optimization

1. Before you start: Make sure the URL you choose contains keywords relevant to the topic of your blog.
2. Use the title tag correctly. It should contain the blog name and a very concise description using target keywords.
3. Use your ‘about us’ section correctly. It should contain a power summary of what your blog is and what it covers, also containing second level target keywords.
4. Know thy competition. Check out a similar blog in your space that ranks higher in the searches than your blog does for your target keywords. View their style, format, meta tags, title tag, category list, blog roll etc. See what they are doing differently that favours the SERP’s
5. Don’t put your blog on a sub page. People tend to link to your main URL more often, so you will get more link backs that way.
6. Don’t use the ‘more’ feature. It breaks up your post which makes it harder for the search bots to understand (think fragmented hard drive) “I recommend full-text RSS feeds to get loyal users. Partial feeds get more page views, but not as much love.” –Matt Cutts
7. Check out Keyword searches. Look for relevant keywords for your blog and check the monthly search frequency of each. AdWords keyword checker
8. Avoid generic category names. Use category names that are also relevant keywords for you blog avoiding generic names. (Photos, fun, other, miscellaneous. etc.) Also limit the number, don’t tag everything.
9. Use keywords in URL path. Use a dash / or underscore _ and avoid using spaces.
10. Don’t duplicate content. Search engine robots are constantly scanning all sites and looking for exact copies of content and deleting the copies from the SERP’s. If you are referring to another post, try to write it in your own words. When quoting someone, quote small snippets and not entire paragraphs.

My favourite SEO blogs:

Search Engine Land I’ve been reading this for year. Danny Sullivan is one of the best in the business and I’ve seen him speak a few times.

Marketing Pilgrim Andy Beal another veteran of the industry along with a few other bloggers including Janet Meiners.

SEO tradeshows you may wish to attend:

http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/

http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/

Google is at it once again.  Pissing off its subjects with the latest PR shakeup, dropping the rankings of almost everyone including those who choose not to bow down to the king and surprisingly even those who do.
OK, so what is a Google PR?  PR stands for Page Rank and basically it is Google acting like the king of the da internet, rating all sites on a scale of 1 to 10, and of course putting itself right up there at a 10.   And in essence making everyone else clamour and obey the king doing everything they can to appease him hoping that just maybe he will lift up your rating to a coveted 8 or 9.
 Should you care? Unfortunately it still holds some clout.  Certain people whether buying ads or even buying your site will often use your Google page rank as a meter of its success.  Today’s shuffle will hopefully wake up a few people that put too much importance on this and see it for what it really is.   Google’s way to influence and controls its subjects.  
Some theories on why sites PR might be penalized:
-   The main theory, is if you purchase text links or sell text links
-   A blog roll could cause too many similar circle of friend links
-   NOT using Google Adsense on your site
-   Even exchanging un-paid links to your site.
Problogger is down to a PR 4 which is way too low for his site. (Mines a 4 for crying out loud ;)
DailyBlogTips has a list of some of the big blogs that have dropped. 

AndyBeard has put together a list as well.
Stumble Upon is my single highest source of traffic and surpassed Google search listings, and I’m guessing a lot of other blogs are finding that too.
Let go of your fear of the King and set your blog free…