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3 Powerful Strategies to Keep Visitors on Your Blog Longer and Get More Google Love

Posted by Ilka Flood | Posted in Blogging, SEO | Posted on 10-02-2012

38

Google LoveWho wouldn’t love to be on the first page of Google or even occupy the very first spot on the very first page of Google? I know I would, wouldn’t you?

Well, actually I have been there a few times already (on the first page and even in the very first spot with a particular keyword or keyword phrase).

As a matter of fact you can find me on the very first page of Google right now when you do a search for successful network marketers. And this particular blog post has been on the first page for about a year now.

Successful Network Marketers

But this post is not about how to get to the first page of Google.  Well, not particularly anyway. However, what I will share below will greatly help you get there.

Google loves to change its algorithm

 

It is no secret that Google changes its algorithm almost as often as some people change their underwear (just kidding) so it is really hard to keep up.

But in one thing Google has been very consistent … It continues to give its love to content that is relevant to what people are searching for.

Another thing Google is looking for is how long visitors stay on your site. Not just on the page they land on, but if they actually stick around and explore other pages as well. Obviously the longer visitors stay on your site the better for your search engine ranking.

So how do you keep your visitors
longer on your blog?

 

  1. Write relevant content.
    That seems very obvious of course. Your readers land on your page because they are looking for something in particular. It may be a solution to their problem, tips or strategies to make their life easier or maybe a tutorial for how to do something. If you deliver content they actually want to read, then of course they’ll stick around.
  2. Use anchor text to deep link to other relevant content on your site.
    What does that mean? Throughout my blog you’ll find that many of my posts have links to other blog posts on my site that have something in common with that particular topic.That is called “deep linking”. I use a keyword or keyword phrase in the anchor text to lead my visitors somewhere else on my blog where they can get some more information.By the way, that is one reason my blog post “Successful Network Marketers – What Do They Have in Common?“ is still on the first page of Google after all this time. I link back to it often.
  3. Use YARPP – Yet Another Related Post Plugin.
    This little plugin is one of my favorites. It displays a list of posts and/or pages that are related to your current topic thus introducing your visitors to other relevant content on your site. It’s fully customizable and even lets you disallow certain tags or categories.Oh and by the way, you can find it real easy by doing a search for it when you logged in to your WordPress blog. Just go to “Plugins” then “Add New” and then type in “YARPP.” (And wouldn’t you know, just as I am saying this is a great plugin to help keep visitors on your blog longer it’s not pulling up any related posts for me today. But, such is life, haha. Though trust me, it’s great when it works!)

All three of these strategies help you keep visitors longer on your site and provide even more value. But the cool thing is that they also help greatly with your search engine ranking thus getting some great Google love.

I’m always open to more suggestions so if you know of other techniques and strategies to satisfy your readers and the search engines I invite you to share them in the comment section below.

As always … to your massive success!


The Enlightened Networker

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Comments (38)

Scott
Twitter:
said on 10-02-2012

I have got to use deep linking more often. It seems that I always forget to do this. Thanks so much for the reminder!!
Scott invites you to read..How to delete unwanted Facebook ApplicationsMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 11th, 2012 at 2:55 pm

Hi Scott,

Well it’s very easy to forget in the bustle of things, but it is so very powerful.

What I do is, while I am crafting my post on notepad I go through my blog looking for posts that I can link to. Then I copy & paste that link right underneath my draft to link to later.

Have a great weekend!

Ilka

[Reply]
Stacy
Twitter:
said on 10-02-2012

Hi Ilka,

Those are three very effective methods to keep visitors on your site longer! I have been using those methods for a long time and I have found that my bounce rates tend to be lower than average (a good thing!)

I also like to use the greetbox plugin to point people to my freebies page and I use my author box to point people to my some other freebies! :) I’ve also just started using the slider plugin which is another way to offer a relevant post to readers.

Stacy
Stacy invites you to read..How Meditation Improved My Life in About 30 DaysMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 11th, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Hi Stacy,

You have done a wonderful job with your blog and you are now reaping the rewards.

Hmm, interesting plugins. I never heard of them but surely will check them out. Thanks for sharing them!

Enjoy your weekend!

Ilka

[Reply]
Marcus Baker
Twitter:
said on 10-02-2012

Hi Ilka,

Keeping people on our blogs for longer is what it’s all about and I agree with you when you suggest that relevant content is critical.

When people use a search term in a search engine they are looking for something specific which is all the reason why we have to try and figure out what term people would use to find what we have written about.

Although attracting people to our blogs via social media is part of the marketing mix I believe that if you’re after people looking to solve specific problems then there’s nothing to compete with search engine traffic.

I had never heard of YARPP. I used to use the Linked In plugin but deactivated it some time ago when I thought I had to many plugins installed. it sounds as if it ‘s similar and maybe I need to go back and re-activate or try your one.

Thanks for the great tips and have a wonderful weekend.

~Marcus
Marcus Baker invites you to read..You ARE Worthy!My Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 11th, 2012 at 3:00 pm

Hi Marcus,

You’re right, that’s what its all about. That and engaging them in conversation which I think you are the absolute master of, Marcus :)

I heard of Linked Within (I think that’s what you meant) but for some reason it never worked on my blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by and adding value to the conversation! I so appreciate you!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Ilka

[Reply]
Brock Blohm
Twitter:
said on 10-02-2012

Agreed. It’s amazing what Google is looking for. A whole list of things, and as you have mentioned, keeps changing the algorithm.

Relevant content is the most critical. Not just one one post, but all of them. Chances are if they are searching for the answer to something, and they seen you through Google, you are also going to have more answers to more of their questions if you are on topic.

Keep them long, and Google will love ya!

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 11th, 2012 at 3:02 pm

Hi Brock,

Absolutely! I agree with you, your site has to have relevant content throughout to get that Google Love. Those spiders are smart little critters :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ilka

[Reply]
Radu
Twitter:
said on 11-02-2012

Hey Ilka,
Simple yet so powerful tips. Google keeps changing his algorhythm because there are still a lot of sites who rank on page one not because the content is relevant to the keyword you type but because of the authority and the huge number of backlinks.

Relevancy is important..If you keep writing content around specific content that people look for, you’ll stay on the top :)
I love interlinking..the more you make from your blog a “web” from related posts the better. At this moment I use Link Within at this moment which shows the thumbnails of the post too. Not 100% relevant but it works :)

Thanks for these powerful reminders. Glad to see that you’re rankings are going down again.

Be blessed,
Radu
Radu invites you to read..Blog Content Ideas: 40 Simple Ways To Never Run DryMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 11th, 2012 at 3:06 pm

Hi Radu,

Yes, you’re right, massive amounts of backlinks used to help tremendously in getting you to rank high. Backlinks are still important, but relevant content trumps!

By the way, I love the way you refer to interlinking as “building a web of related posts.” That’s it exactly!

Thanks so much, Radu, for your valuable feedback!

Have a great weekend!

Ilka

[Reply]
Jayne Kopp
Twitter:
said on 11-02-2012

HI Ilka, you have definitely pointed out some very good tips. I have only just (well a couple of months ago installed the related post plugin. (duh) what was I thinking.

I like you do find occasionally it bombs though. Even though I have keywords and categories to bring up old posts… sometimes it’s just taking a snooze.

You know, even though Google changes its algorithm, I really do think that providing good content will never go out of style. don’t you?

What I mean, is there are always so many people with some new fangled way to get to the top of the almighty Goog… but at the end of the day… its really just what you said!

Thanks Ilka for a wonderful read and visit as usual.

Best

Jayne
Jayne Kopp invites you to read..The Key to Success is all About the Decisions You MakeMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 12th, 2012 at 11:59 am

Hi Jayne,

You’re absolutely right, it’s all about providing valuable content. Playing games with Google doesn’t pay off and will actually hurt you in the long run.

Thank you so much for adding your great feedback!

Have a great week!

Ilka

[Reply]
Micah
Twitter:
said on 12-02-2012

Great post Ilka,

Time on site is huge, and there are many ways to improve it.

I think the best thing you can do is to focus on writing content that is truly epic. Solve problems, be an inspiration, make somebody laugh.

If you’ve got nothing to give, your reader won’t have any reason to stick around!

And of course the points you mentioned are also very important. Simple things like deep linking and using a related post plugin will do wonders.

You may also want to checkout something call “the slide” I haven’t installed it on my site yet, but it looks interesting.

Thanks Ilka!
Micah invites you to read..Three Kinds of People Who Have No business Blogging (so stop supporting them)My Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Hi Micah,

Great point on “solve problems, be an inspiration, make somebody laugh.”

Educate, Entertain and Engage. Mari Smith calls that “Edutainment.” I love it! :)

You know, I checked into the Slide. But for some reason it wouldn’t work on my theme. That was a while back though. Maybe things changed. I’ve seen it on several other blogs and I can imagine it catching people’s attention.

Thanks so much for your feedback and have a great day!

Ilka

[Reply]
Ryan Biddulph
Twitter:
said on 12-02-2012

Hi Ilka,

Super rank, congrats!!

I learn more and more that simple works best when it comes to SEO. I link back to prior posts in each post, keep all of my posts relevant and I also link up to popular posts through a widget. Google loves on site inter-linking.

Thanks for sharing.

Ryan
Ryan Biddulph invites you to read..How to Write Sizzling Cash Gifting Ad Copy in Only 5 Minutes a DayMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 10:43 pm

Thanks Ryan!

Absolutely K.I.S.S. works best! Just give people (and Google) what they want.

Be blessed,

Ilka

[Reply]
Adrienne
Twitter:
said on 13-02-2012

Great tips Ilka and that’s so awesome that your particular post is still on Google’s first page after a year. Congratulations for that alone.

I know that I don’t do the linking near as much as I should. I just know that some of my posts don’t relate to others I’ve written although I’m really trying to do that more. I finally understood last year how important that is so thanks for bringing that up.

Really great tips and some we should all adhere to doing more of. I sure know I want people to remain on my site much longer then they already do even though I hear my numbers are pretty darn good. Hey, they can always be better right!

Thanks Ilka, as always, killer stuff.

Have a really great week.

~Adrienne
Adrienne invites you to read..Advice To Me 10 Years AgoMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 10:47 pm

Thanks, Adrienne, for your kind congrats! Yes, I’m quite tickled about that one. Just goes to show that I paid attention when I was supposed to listen to my mentors, haha.

Mavis has been talking about inter-linking a few times (and when Mavis speaks I listen.) She walks the talk to, because you see it on her blog quite often.

Thanks again for stopping by and for your great feedback! I appreciate you!

Ilka

[Reply]
Akos Fintor
Twitter:
said on 13-02-2012

Hey Ilka,

Cool tips. I link not only posts but also categories sometimes.
I wanted to find a “related posts” plugin and here it is: YARPP – law of attraction at work.
Thanks very much!

Best

Akos
Akos Fintor invites you to read..Simple Key to AbundanceMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 10:49 pm

Hi Akos,

Hmmm, haven’t thought about linking to categories. Makes total sense. I’ll try that sometime. Thanks for the great tip!

Yeah, the law of attraction is a powerful thing, isn’t it? :)

All the best,

Ilka

[Reply]
Darlene
Twitter:
said on 14-02-2012

Great article, again, Ilka. I use these strategies all the time. They’re very helpful.

I use an alternative to YARPP called LinkWithin, so people can check out both and see which one they like best.
Darlene invites you to read..No Time for “Wow” Follow Up? How About 5 Minutes?My Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 7:27 pm

Hi Darlene,

Thanks a bunch for your kind words!

I’ve tried to install LinkedWithin before but it wouldn’t work on my site.

Thanks so much for your feedback!

All the best,

Ilka

[Reply]
Tosin
Twitter:
said on 14-02-2012

Hi Ilka,

Congrats on that rank. It sure would bring great visitors your way.

These are the kind of strategies I do my best to make sure I pay attention to when I am writing my posts.

Google sure rewards blogs where there is a great deal of visitors’ interaction and these strategies have a way of doing just that.

You see, no matter how many times google change its rules, the fundamentals of quality content and social interaction would always stand.

Thanks for sharing :)
Tosin
Tosin invites you to read..MLSP Success Stories: Tracy WalkerMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 11:26 pm

Hi Tosin,

Thanks for your kind words!

Absolutely, quality trumps every time no matter what Google does with their algorithm. If your visitors get what they came for they’re happy and they’ll make you happy in return by sticking around and interacting with you.

Thanks so much for leaving your wisdom, Tosin!

Take care,

Ilka

[Reply]
Tammy
Twitter:
said on 20-02-2012

Thanks Ilka. I have learned many new strategies about blog from your posts. I will apply these on my blog to get more traffic.
Tammy invites you to read..Wheatgrass Juice VS Wheatgrass PowderMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Hi Tammy,

Glad I could be of help to you! So how’s the juicing going? I heard quite a few good things about Wheatgrass Juice. My friend Harleena wrote an article about it not long ago. Some powerful stuff!

Cheers,

Ilka

[Reply]
Matt Kinsella
Twitter:
said on 21-02-2012

The right content is so important and it’s sadly a point I missed in the beginning but I am correcting it now.
Matt Kinsella invites you to read..Think Like a Dog and be HappyMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Hi Matt,

Welcome to my blog! It’s great to meet you!

Hey, as long as you learned from your mistake it’s all good, isn’t it.

Go get them!

Ilka

[Reply]
Jeevanjacobjohn
Twitter:
said on 22-02-2012

Hey Ilka,

These are indeed every powerful methods to keep our visitors in our blog for a longer period of time (and reduce our bounce rate).

I think I would work on my posts – optimize them for keywords – I haven’t done that for a few of my posts – and I should also work on interlinking.

Thanks for the awesome reminder :)

Jeevan Jacob John
Jeevanjacobjohn invites you to read..Commenting Challenge, Mistakes, Lessons and Link Replies!My Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:19 pm

Hi Jeevan,

Keyword optimizing your posts is a great start. Always keep in mind though to write for your audience first and for the search engines second :)

Interlinking helps a great deal too.

Go get ‘em!

Ilka

[Reply]

Jeevanjacobjohn
Twitter:
Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 7:23 am

Hi Ilka,

Yes, I give a much more importance to my readers than SEO :)

I haven’t done that for my recent post – I tend to forget about Interlinking. I guess I should spent a little more time with that.

Thanks for the reply (and the post)!

[Reply]
Andrew Walker said on 26-02-2012

Well Ilka, ain’t this one worthy article! Thanks a lot for sharing this. That’s a really helpful list one! Write relevant article, and of course, to put related articles in an article, it’s definitely useful to make people stay longer in our blog. That’s what I usually do too.
Andrew Walker invites you to read..Is Amazon Prime Worth My Dime?My Profile

[Reply]
Josh
Twitter:
said on 05-03-2012

You would think that writing relevant content would be a no-brainer? I mean, if your writing content outside of your niche then you’re obviously going to cause some confusion for your readers.
Josh invites you to read..Focus on the Community or SEO?My Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 5:39 pm

Hi Josh,

Thanks for visiting! It’s great to meet you and welcome to my blog!

You’re right, you’d think it’s a no-brainer. But there are a lot of blogs out there with irrelevant content. Though a lot of times it’ s a mistake beginners make and then when they have a bit more experience they really focus in on a clear niche.

Thank you so much for your feedback!

Take care,

Ilka

[Reply]
Dr Kavita Shaikh from Blogging tips, freelance
Twitter:
said on 18-03-2012

Practical tips here Iika. I cannot say how much I have benefitted from using YAARP and internal linking. While you have efficiently described 3 things to DO to keep visitors longer onboard, I would like to add 1 thing that bloggers should NOT DO- do not drive them away with irritating pop-ups. Great info here IIka, thanks for sharing your information with others.
Dr Kavita Shaikh invites you to read..Guest Blogging: 4 Great Reasons to Guest Blog Other Than Getting Back LinksMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
March 18th, 2012 at 4:08 pm

Hi Dr. Kavita,

Thanks for adding the tip about the annoying pop-ups! You are absolutely right, they do drive visitors away. As soon as that thing pops up and distracts me from reading the information ….I’m outa there :)

Thank you so much for your feedback and welcome to my blog! It’s a pleasure to meet you.

Have a nice day!

Ilka

P.S. I wanted to leave a comment on your blog but wasn’t able to because it asked me to login :/

[Reply]

Dr Kavita Shaikh
Twitter:
Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Hey Ilka, thanks for replying to my comment and adding me to Google+. I was so disappointed that you could not leave a comment on my blog, but please allow me to say a huge thanks for letting me know about the issue. I don’t remember having checked ‘login to comment’ option but now I have unchecked that.
Dr Kavita Shaikh invites you to read..4 Pests That Jeopardize Your Freelance Writing CareerMy Profile

[Reply]

Ilka Flood Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 12:29 pm

Hi Dr. Kavita,

It’s alright. Those things happen. I’ll be delighted to go back there and leave my comment.

Have a wonderful day!

Ilka

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