by guest contributor Lyndsey McDonald

Many people start their blogs as a way to market themselves, their company, or their product. It’s a great idea, especially for crafters, artists, and artisans, who are trying to get their name out there. Often though we ask ourselves, “How do we get more people than mom and Aunt Mary reading my blog?”

Unfortunately, there isn’t one quick and easy solution. There are the obvious methods such as commenting on other blogs, emailing out your blog link to your friends, posting your blog link in related forums, etc. But how do we get our blog to show up when someone searches a relevant topic in Google? Investing some time and effort in to writing your blog to optimize for search engines can really help with this. There are many thing you can do to help get your rankings higher, and help get your blog be seen more through natural search. But first, let’s start with the basics!
What is Search Engine Optimization!?
As defined on wikipedia:

“Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via “natural” (”organic” or “algorithmic”) search results for targeted keywords. Usually, the earlier a site is presented in the search results or the higher it “ranks”, the more searchers will visit that site. SEO can also target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical search engines.
In more simple terms, this means bringing more traffic to your site through natural searches (ie. when someone searches a keyword in Google, and lands on your blog!) The more times you get hits (people landing on your site) from searches of particular keywords, the higher you will rank in Google (your blog appears higher in the searches) when those words are searched.”

So, How do I get My Blog to “Rank” Higher?

1. Research your keywords. Before, or as you are writing an article or post, do a little research on relevant keywords. The goal is to find the best keyword phrases for a given topic. I suggest using Google Keyword Suggest. Here you can enter a keyword (ie. crafts) and the tool will return a long list of relevant keywords. Look for keywords that have LOW advertiser competition, and HIGH Average Search Volume. Use these words throughout your article and in titles and links as much as possible without sounding like an infomercial. Low advertiser competition means there are less other people using this word as a keyword, and high average search volume, means lots of people are actually searching this keyword or phrase. This will increase your chances of ranking higher in searches for these less competitive, but highly searched terms.

2. The Title Tag. Depending on what tool you use to build your blog, you may have lots or little control over your title tag. The title tag is the title of the page, as seen at the top of the Browser. If you can alter your title tag, do so! This is the single most important element on the page for search engine optimization. When writing your title tag, keep the following in mind:

• What would someone type into Google when searching for a blog like mine?
• Put your most important keywords first!Keep it short, tight, and direct. Don’t include many fluff words here. 10-12 words MAX Does your title Tag tell what your blog is about, even if someone came across it out of context?
• Capitalize the First Letter of each word.
• Do not use puns or word plays here.
• Try to differentiate from your competitors title tags.

3. Meta Tags. Again depending on what you use as a tool to publish your blog, you may or may not have control over this. There is a misconception out there that your meta tags are the be all and end all of Search Engine Optimization. This is absolutely false. Years ago Meta Tags were very important, but due to excessive misuse of meta tags, Google, and most other search engines pretty much ignore meta tags. So that being said, spend less than 2 minutes on your meta tags if you have control over them. Moving on…..

4. Headlines and Sub- Heads throughout your text. Headlines and sub-heads not only help break up your text and make articles more legible to readers, they also help with search engine optimization. Headlines should not match your title tag exactly, but again should use main Keywords. Keep it literal and straight forward. Use Sub-Headings throughout your text to create a more editorial title. Breaking up your text, and organizing your blog entry well, signals to Search Engines that the content is comprehensive and well organized. For an excellent example of a really well structured page, check out Wikipedia.

5. Descriptions or “Alt” tags for all images. You know when you add an image to your blog and your blogging tool asks you for a description of the image, or sometimes what it calls an “alt” tag? Well this is actually very important. Search Engines like Google can’t read images, but it can read descriptions that you add to images. Again, try to use keywords here, but keep it short, (4-5 words max) and direct.

6. Linking. Throughout your article, include links to other sites’ relevant articles. If you have previously posted a relevant article, link it within your own site. The more links really the better, and the more authoritative the link, the better (ie. leaders in the industry, government agencies, non-profits, educational institutions). Anytime you are talking about something that your reader might be interested in more information about, link the words to a relevant site. As well, at the end of your article, you could include a few links to relevant and related articles.

7. Update often. Search Engine spiders love fresh content, so give them what they want and they will come index your site more often. That being said, don’t sacrifice the quality of your content, just for the sake of search engine optimization.

Indie Fixx’s Portland City Guide was mentioned on Design is Mine.

8. Let relevant bloggers know about your article. You’ve just finished writing an informative article, well structured, lots of authoritative links, etc., now what do you do with it? Think of a site that might be interested in it, and email them and let them know about the article you have just written. In fact, think of at least 3 sites which are non-competitors, but might be interested in reading your article. The worst that can happen is they ignore you, the best that can happen is a big blog, or industry site links back to your blog, and sends their traffic, to your site! This would be called an Inbound Link. The more links that point to your blog, the higher your ranking will generally be. Search Engines look at inbound links as a vote of confidence in your site. When promoting your blog, keep these things in mind:

• The more of an industry leader the referring site is, the better. Look for sites that are a higher ranking than yours.
• A referring site is ideally relevant in content to your article’s topic.
• The referring site uses relevant key.words to link back to your site.

I hope this helps you get started on priming your blog for search engine optimization. This is really just a starting point, but in time, implementing these tips will go a long way in helping your rankings. I know it’s a lot to take in, and may seem over whelming at first, but try implementing just a couple of these tips each week, every little bit helps!

About the Contributor: Lyndsey McDonald is a web designer by day and spends her free time photographing, painting, writing, scrapbooking, sewing and blogging. Lyndsey’s Etsy Shop & Blog.

It’s that time of year again for pumpkins, witches and apple cider and if you are like me, you love making crafty little holiday decorating projects. Personally, I have a short attention span though, so I like projects that I can finish in one short sitting….yes, I’m a lazy crafty.

Anyway, when I saw these cute little pumpkin tutorial from Liquid Paper, I knew this was the craft for me and I figured I should share it with you for Tutorial Tuesday.

READ HOW-TO HERE!

It’s another weekly contest! Periodically on Indie Fixx, I invite an indie shop that I admire to participate in a feature and weekly giveaway.  Last week I gave away a $40 gift certificate to Harrilu, before that it was a stone&honey necklace and before that the prize was a Freshie & Zero bracelet. This week, I’ve invited Queen Bee Creations to sponsor a contest!

Some of you may remember, back in July, I interviewed Rebecca Pearcy, the designer behind Queen Bee, for Wednesday Indie Artist Fixx. And if so, then you are already familiar with Queen Bee’s fashionably functional line of bags, wallets, and accessories (and baby stuff too). Designing and creating since 1996, Rebecca started Queen Bee in her bedroom and now employs over 12 people in her design studio in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been a fan of Queen Bee so long I can’t even remember how I first heard about Rebecca and her designs. My favorites include the classic vinyl totes and the new sustainable fabric line.

You can share your favorite Queen Bee creations and be entered into the drawing to win the new Edith Bag!  Debuting today, Edith is a made from a beautiful and sturdy felted wool, composed of scraps left over from textile mills. It is strong, biodegradable, renewable & water resistant. With a great tote size and shape, the Edith has a slight feeling of yesteryear with classic lines and hardware.

How to win an Edith Bag from Queen Bee Creations:

Leave a comment on this post below with your favorite design or designs from Queen Bee Creations (& Chickpea Baby). Multiple entries will be accepted, but you must leave a separate comment for each entry, i.e. if you find 5 Queen Bee Creations’ favorites, then leave 5 separate comments. This will increase your chances for winning!

One random commenter will be chosen to win the prize and the contest will end Friday, October 3rd at 11:59 pm EST.

**Congrats to happykatie who won the Harrilu Twitter contest.**

Linda Johnson from Little Flower Designs is giving us a sneak peak of her home today and sharing some of her art collection, which includes a lot of indie artists, of course.  I’ve been a fan of Linda’s pottery for years now, ever since I first discovered her at the very first ever Art Star Craft Bazaar.  It’a always fascinating to me to see inside the homes of the indie artists, crafters and designers I admire…I’m assuming you feel the same way.

by guest contributor Linda Johnson of Little Flower Designs

As a handmaker I have a love of process and appreciate seeing that in others work. My collection of small art focus’s on the intricacies that go into the making; a series of lines, washes of color, the registration of a screen print, all of these elements draw me in and make each piece special. I’ve purchased pieces at art shows, some from street artists, quite a bit online and then some trading with other makers. I also dabble in wee art making, something I’ve done since my transient days back in college when I moved each year. Now that I’m settled into my suburban cottage, I love having these treasures to inspire and remind me of all the places I’ve been. My collection is slowly making it’s way onto my walls and shelves, helping to define my homes’ style!

I love displaying work in groups, the significance is not the relationship to each other but how I relate to the group. It is my home, so it is a personal display for me to enjoy. The first group is in my dining room, those green walls were a bit intimidating to put the first hook into but when my friend Sue sent me 2 paintings of my beagles Healy and Marley,  I had no choice but to hang them on the freshly painted walls! Once the paintings were up on the wall the layout began to take shape. Going counter clockwise from the bottom left, I included a small water color I did years ago, a landscape done from the porch of a friends mountain home, which is one of my favorite places to go for a little tranquility. Next is a print by artist Amy Rice, I just love her work, there is something about the quietness that draws me in. The next print is by Briana Feola who was a fellow maker at the Art For the Cash Poor show last June, after looking at her work for 2 days I couldn’t resist coming home with a little something flowery!

Moving over to the bird on music paper, another by Amy Rice, but this one is a gocco print I bought at Art Star, I must have looked at this and a few others like it for an hour before deciding which one was just right. I love that you can see the handmade-ness of it, the registration in the print isn’t perfect but to me this is charming. Next is a print by Mexican illustrator Genine who I found on flickr. I didn’t know how popular she was or even notice that she was from Mexico, I saw the print and quickly clicked onto her Etsy to order! I was quite taken with it! The pink polka dot print is by Kathy of illegible ink, who was across from me when I did the Pile of Craft show in Baltimore, her block printed cards and prints caught my eye, I only have one print on my wall (so far) but have a stack of cards and a few prints waiting for frames. Next is an etching by Val Lucas of Bower Box. Her black and white etching is beautiful, I just love etchings and rarely see this process at shows. So when I noticed this one in her display I quickly purchased it!

I also wanted to share this lovely gem of a print, by Stephanie Harvey  titled “I don’t get enough sleep” I came across this print at a show and fell in love with it instantly but when I looked closer and saw the metallic inks, I swooned then threw down my money before anyone else could beat me to it! I knew my mister would love the metallic too!

(Continued)

IMOOI is a contemporary accessories label offering both jewelry and bag designs. IMOOI’s designs are sleek with bold color & clean lines. They appeal to those looking for the moderne.

**Sponsored post**

Shop Coquito Designs for gorgeous & dramatic jewelry designs featuring interesting textures and bold color matchings. Choose from both silver and gold designs.

**Sponsored post**