Blog ranking - which statistics really count?

There have been a number of blog ranking tables created in the past few months but, according to https://www.branded3.com/top-100-seo...rketing-blogs/, they all use the hugely inaccurate and outdated Google PageRank as a method of measuring success.

The table produced by branded3 uses Alexa Rank and Technorati Rank to calculate the popularity of each site, which, according to branded3, are the two most accurate methods of determining the traffic and number of links to each blog. While sometimes slightly inaccurate, they are very good at measuring the relative popularity of blogs from the same industry.

The list comprises blogs on a range of internet marketing topics from SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay per click) to blog marketing, marketing with social media, content marketing and online public relations.

To get on the list, blogs must cover search marketing and must post 4-5 times per month at a bare minimum. Other considerations include blog design, usability, writing style and quality.

So, these days it's clear that quality content is as important, if not more important than tricks or tips on increasing ratings, so here are some guidelines on producing quality blogs which should go some way to increasing your blog ratings. This is even more important if your objective is to attract readers and drive traffic to your website in which case your blogs need to be both readable and SEO friendly.

Here are a few tips on coming up with blog ideas that can really ensure you publish some great, engaging blogs.

1. If possible, write about subjects that interest you rather than a "popular" topic that you think people will read about. Your personality will stand out better if you write about subjects that are familiar or activities and hobbies that you know about. It is also much quicker to write content on subjects you know.

2. Start your post by creating a clear structure. Every post should have some sort of introduction (in which you introduce your topic), a body (in which the main message is written) and a conclusion (which should summarize the most important ideas or deduce some new idea). Write down what you want to write in all these three sections. You now have a draft outline summary of your post.

3. Use paragraphs. Make sure to use paragraphs that make sense. Do not start a new sentence on a new line, just because it looks nice. There should be a reason for making a new paragraph. Every paragraph should have a main idea or a main subject. Ask yourself what the main idea of each paragraph is. You should be able to grasp that main idea in only one sentence. If you need more sentences, you simply need more paragraphs!

4. Headings structure the entire page, so you should use them. They're important for readability, but for SEO as well. Headings help Google to grasp the main topics of a long post and therefore can help in your ranking. If you want people to find their way in your articles, you should use subheadings. Subheadings will lead people, help them scan your page, and clarify the structure of your articles. Make sure you use your keywords in some subheadings. Not in each and everyone of them though, as it will make the text unreadable.

5. Use signal words. Signal words help people to scan through your text and help people to grasp the main idea. Let's say, for instance, that there are three reasons for people to buy your product. You should use signal words like: 'first of all'; 'secondly' and 'finally'. Also, words as 'nevertheless', 'surely' and 'indeed' give a clear signal to your readers. Readers will instantly get that a conclusion will follow after words like 'consequently', 'so' or 'for this reason'. Signal words are therefore very important to structure your text.

6. Invite guest writers. Inviting a popular writer or blogger to guest post on your blog is a great way of attracting new readers to your site. Ideally, you should invite guest bloggers/writers who are authorities on your chosen topic/s as this will lend authority and credibility to your blog and content.

7. Interview someone who has authority or is a major influencer who can talk about a particular issue or idea with knowledge and authority.

8. Competitions and rewards. Occasionally it can be fun and rewarding to hold competitions as readers love a challenge and it's a great way to interact and get them to subscribe to your blog. Rewarding your readers with prizes or coupons is a great way to keep them coming back to your blog and/or website.

9. Recycling content. Spin, rewrite, recycle; whatever you call the process, it is not bad to talk about the same topic again, provided the recycled content is sufficiently fresh and written it in such a way that it is not too similar to what you have written previously. Blogging platforms have tools that you can use to measure how many readers like which articles/blog entries, so recycle popular content if you think that it deserves another round of attention from readers.

10. Let other people read your post. Before publishing your post, let someone else read your post first. Ask him/her whether he understands the main idea of your post. Correct typos and sentences that aren't formulated correctly.

These are just a few suggestions to keep blogs interesting, but remember, think of a problem that needs a solution, chances are that a number of people are looking for answers to that same problem. If your readers can relate to your blog, they are more likely to keep coming back.

Take your time when writing content and building your blog. Blogging and content creation is not a race, but more of a test of endurance and the most successful blogger is one who ends up writing and updating the longest.