If you want to find success with blogging, you will need to understand SEO and how to rank your content in the search results. This is something most bloggers won’t know when they first start out, but once they understand how to create content and that ranking in Google isn’t that easy, it’s likely something they will spend a lot of time researching.
With this in mind, it’s great that there are plenty of resources online to not only learn how SEO works but also how to improve your chances to rank in the search results through on-site and off-site optimization. In today’s edition of Meet the Bloggers, we will be highlighting one such example of an SEO resource blog from Sean Si, Be sure to read through his story and then check out his site for the latest tips and news on what it takes to rank a site in Google.
1.) Please tell us about yourself and how you got into blogging?
I’m Sean, a Filipino motivational speaker, blogger, writer, web developer and an SEO specialist in profession. It all started with my first blog, God and You (h3sean.com) – a personal and purpose-driven website wherein I wrote articles on glorifying God’s name. During those times, I got an internship as an SEO trainee and learned a lot about SEO and digital marketing. I started experimenting on what I learned as an intern and implemented them on my personal website. After that, I started SEO-Hacker.com and built it a a knowledge-based blog on things I was learning about SEO. From starting out as a blog that shared simple digital practices, it grew as into a business which is considered as an authority for SEO. The rest, as they say, is history.
2.) What is the focus of your blog and why did you choose that niche?
The focus of my blog, as the name implies, is SEO. I wanted to share the things I’ve learned on SEO and how other people can do the same. Digital marketing has helped businesses adapt to the ever-growing business landscape, I just really wanted to share my knowledge the same way SEO helped me in mine.
3.) How are you currently monetizing your blog traffic?
I lead the traffic that I gain from my blog to my SEO consultancy business. My product is the website itself and the service that I provide. I attract potential clients from companies who are in need of SEO and digital marketing services.
4.) What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started blogging?
I wish I knew the importance of connecting with other influencers out there. I was mostly a hermit when it came to blogging. I wrote and wrote and wrote and I was smart enough to write about things that brought a lot of value over time. Evergreen content. So even if I wasn’t able to reach out actively during my early years in blogging, people reached out to me instead. Still, I wish I knew the importance of landing guest posts in other influencer’s blogs. It’s quite the short cut.
5.) What are three blogs that you visit almost daily?
First off is SEO hacker – obviously. This is my blog and I better take care of it. I double, even triple check each article I write. Next is Moz’s whiteboard Friday – while not all of the episodes provide the value I’m looking for, it has its gems, which makes it worth it. ConversionXL – I love CRO. I find CRO fascinating in the sense that there is no one-size-fits-all way to improve the conversion rate of a site. It’s continuous learning and I wish that for myself for both SEO and CRO.
6.) Can you give us three recommended tools/services that you use with your blogging?
Buzzsumo
This tool helps me to stay on the lookout for trendy content. That, in turn, helps me create topics on what to write about. I’m in a pretty competitive environment so it always pays to be on my toes when it comes to trends and the most shared content.
Hootsuite
I use this tool to schedule postings of my articles on various social media platforms while answering feedback. It’s a really great tool to get your content out there and interact with your audience. It comes with its own analytics dashboard to keep you updated on which of your content works and which doesn’t. Pretty neat.
AnswerThePublic
This is a tool that helps me brainstorm topics to write about. It helps open up every possibility that’s likely for me to miss. The tool cuts off a lot of the legwork that comes with research.
7.) What advice would you have for someone who is just starting with their first blog?
Know your audience and write for them. Write what you’re passionate about and make it work. However, it’s also crucial that you promote your content to the right people. You should spend more time promoting your content than actually writing it. There’s a big chance that anything you’re writing now has already been written. So it’s best to make sure that you get to deliver your content to the people really looking for them.
8.) What’s the best advice or tip you’ve discovered about blogging since getting started?
Captivate your audience. There’s just not much sense for people to keep writing hoping that people would come back. You have to find a way to captivate your audience by offering to ping them, either via email or push notifications.
9.) If you only had $100 to start a new blog, how would you use it?
I’ll probably spend it for Quuu promotions. It’s not a hundred percent effective but it brings in new eyeballs and that’s sorely needed when you’re a new blogger.
10.) How can readers of the blog get in touch with you?
People can reach me through my blogs, SEO-Hacker and through my social media channels:
Twitter: @SEO-Hacker
Instagram: @sean.si
Thanks again Sean for taking the time to share your advice and story with the Blogging Tips community. If you would like to learn about other bloggers and how they are finding success online, be sure to read through our blogger interview series.