Keywords- Why are They Important

April 13, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 31 Comments

All Bloggers are, theoretically, familiar with the term keywords. If you’re like me, understanding what they are and what they do for our blogs is still a mystery. I’ll admit, this is one area of blogging, I haven’t gotten a complete grasp on, yet.
Keywords are words or phrases used in search engines to find the information we’re seeking. For example, place any word or phrase (best is 3-5 words) into Google, Bing, or Yahoo and a list of content reflecting your topic will appear. Keywords are either short tail (one word) or long tail (a phrase). Every article or blog content can be reduced to a few key topics. The trick is to choose your keywords carefully. Common keywords will receive thousands of clicks per day, others a few. As a blogger, you want the find and use the keywords that increase traffic to your site.

How to Find the Right Keywords:

Research keywords.
Keep track of your keywords in a spreadsheet – include the number of clicks per day.
Don’t spam – using keywords arbitrarily.
Write great content that people want to read.
Once you find relevant keywords, place them where they’ll give you the biggest bang.

4 Keyword Mistakes:

Too many keywords – best for search engines to use one per post.
Using exact phrases – Google understands related words and phrases. Don’t be so rigid.
Not using keywords in photos – photo optimization is essential.
You don’t research keywords

Resources for Finding Trending Keywords:

• Hubspot – Download your SEO template to organize keywords
• Google Adwords Keyword Tool
• SEMrush.com & Market samurai – find out what keywords are competitive.
• Keyword Finder

Where to place the keywords:

Title.
Heading and subheadings.
Introduction sentences.
Concluding paragraphs and meta descriptions.
Title tag.
In the text, you hyperlink to other pages.
When you use photos, include keywords in the file name
When you reference other links.

Want more information on keywords? Check out these articles:

So, what about you? Do you have a grasp on keywords?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently

Blogging for the Beginners

April 2, 2016April 1, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 32 Comments

Day 2: #atozchallenge

There are as many types of blogs on the internet as names in a baby book. The most common, by far, are personal or niche blogs. These cover a gambit of topics including, healthcare, family, travel, book reviews, writing and cooking (to name a few).

Cow Pasture Chronicles has evolved into a blog mostly about writing, tips and resources, and a place to share my stories and on occasion an opinion piece.

When I began blogging more than three years ago, I knew little to nothing about how to blog. Along the way, however, I’ve picked up a few tips I’d like to share.

Determine what type of blog you want – personal, business, or niche (a themed blog).
What’s the main topic?
What do you want to be known for in the blogging community? Expert, Reviewer, Personal blogger, or reporter?
Choose the 3-4 main topics you plan to blog about.
Research the best platform for your blog. WordPress, Blogger (Google’s), and tumbler are some of the most popular.
Research your top competitors. What do you like about their blogs?
Decide how much time and effort you want to put into your blog. Do you want to write content weekly, daily or whenever?
Select the name of your blog carefully. Consider what your blog is about, who your target audience is, and whether you want to make it into a brand. You can read more about selecting a name here. How To Come Up With A Blog Name: 10 Effective Ways To Choose a Name For Your New Blog from Successful Blogging

Want to know more about starting a blog – check out these articles. Blogpress has an excellent post, 3 Quick Tips To Start A Blog The RIGHT Way, and of course, WordPress support is my go-to resource. There you will find video tutorials on just about everything.

It’s by no means all the things you need to know. Developing your blog is an ongoing process of learning, but I hope this will help.

How long have you been blogging? What type of blog do you have and how did you come up with the name?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

Advice – Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

April 1, 2016August 17, 2017 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 17 Comments

Day 1: #atozchallenge

Flickr

We love receiving good advice, especially from the experts. But, therein lies the rub.

Who are the experts? When we first step out into the web as either a writer or a blogger, we’re hungry for advice; I know I was. Cow Pasture Chronicles was my second blog. I began blogging after the death of my best friend as a way to deal with her loss. You can find that blog, mistakes and all at, Friendship of a Lifetime. Those entries are full of grammatical errors, but they were heartfelt and served a purpose. Later, I decided to pursue my love of writing, and the Cow Pasture Chronicles was born.

At the time, I didn’t have a clue what the rules for blogging were (whether there were rules) or how to get started. With research and the support of my sister, Jean at Jean’s Writing, I’ve managed to get an okay grasp on what I’m doing (most of the time). But with millions of bloggers, how do you tell which advice to follow and which to toss?

Like everything else, with experience comes wisdom. Here are my top five valuable and proven expert sites I go to for advice.

For Writers:

For Bloggers:

The more writers you connect with, find, and follow, the more we learn from each other. We develop lists of favorite blogs based on enjoyment and in many cases, for the author’s expertise. However, sometimes it pays to take a second look at the source.

Red Flags:

When the “expert” seems more concerned with selling than connecting, take a second look. I don’t begrudge a blogger for wanting to earn money, however, spamming me with constant sells pitches or emails offering high-dollar courses, is a red flag.
Bloggers who tout themselves as “experts.” No doubt, some have lots of expertise (see the lists above), but some are just good at marketing. Do your research and check out their experience, credentials, and accomplishments.
What do other bloggers say about the advice they received?

My journey as a blogger and writer has given me the opportunity to meet many people. I’ve come to respect a number of them as experts and rely heavily on their advice. As writers, we’re all at different levels. I treasure the collaboration of others and love to receive feedback from the blogging and writing community. I merely caution you to do your homework. When looking for expert advice, be mindful and separate the wheat from the chaff.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

It’s Official I’ve Lost My Mind

February 22, 2016March 8, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 30 Comments

I used to work a forty hour week, handle two kids, help with homework, and cook – yes, every night.

For the life of me, I don’t know what the hell happened. I’ve been retired for twenty years and with each passing year, the hours of the day, shrink.

We’re only six weeks out to my favorite time of year and one of the busiest times for me – Spring. More specifically, April. My granddaughter’s birthday is at the beginning of the month, and I’ve planned a week of travel to Washington DC in the middle of the month for my daughter’s birthday.

So, what do I do? Signed up for the Blogging A -Z Challenge for April 2016.

Yep, it’s official. I don’t have a clue what came over me.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.