Before the ink had even dried on my post yesterday about blogging instructions for dummies, Randy was posting his comments about… yes, his pet subject SEO, Search Engine Optimisation, why blogs do well in search engines etc.

Now rather than enlighten us all with his wisdom gained from hour after hour of peddling his bicycle to generate electricity to keep his computer running deep in his cave, The Hermit decided to just tell me I hadn’t written anything about why search engines love blogs!

Now the post was entitled blogging instructions for dummies so getting into a deep conversation about SEO – what’s that the dummies cry in unison I decided against going into any detail at all.

Yes, I am suitably chastised!

So here is Wizzer’s rough and ready, off the cuff reasons for search engines liking blogs – I’m sure many of you would love a Search Engine Optimisation from the export type of post – in which case you need to visit Randy’s HowToBlogSite where you’ll find a much more technical flavour.

So, what are the SEO blogging instructions?

Put yourself in the search engines shoes for a moment. They are a little like librarians. When someone asks where to find a reference book on a particular subject that’s what their job is – to offer the best possible information on the requested subject.

Can you imagine the scene if a library visitor wanted a information on Tiger Woods but was given information on Cake Making, because there was a reference to a Tiger Cake for kids in the book somewhere?

Well that’s the challenge search engines face. But they’re not human and rely on the information their spiders collect when they crawl over the webpages of the world.

So if the objective is to serve up the most relevant information in response to every request received how best to do that?

Obviously one webpage showing information on the subject is fine but is that likely to be the most relevant page available on the internet? Probably not but there are likely to be millions to choose from.

So the search engines are looking for websites that are regularly updated and have loads of quality content relating the the subject matter. They are looking for other “proof” that the pages are relevant and they gain this by assessing the number of other “relevant” sites and pages linking to those pages. They also look for other clues that the pages are relevant by looking at the context of the pages.

For example, a page that is trying to compete for the key word – Nike Drivers (golf club) would fare well if relevant information is mentioned in the rest ogf the post – Tiger Woods, longest drive, fairway, greens, golf clubs, US Masters etc If the post includes reference to that information there is a much higher likelihood that the content of that post would be relevant to someone searching for Nike Drivers.

So, now we have a basic understanding of how search engines feel about things (I know, you may think search engines don’t have feelings…) we can see why they are keen on blogs.

If you are doing things correctly you’ll be writing many posts about a particular subject. You’ll be writing frequently, 3,4 or 5 times a week and thus feeding the habits of the search engines. You’ll be ensuring your keywords, tags and categories are all relevant to the content of your post and what people are searching for. (See Blogging Beginners for more detailed information and instruction).

And when those hungry little spiders come crawling around your blog what do they find?

Information about one niche. Plenty of relevant contextual text and a liberal sprinkling of keywords associated with the subject. Oh, yes and it’s fresh and regularly updated.

And of course, you’re doing your bit. You’re checking your stats. You’re identifying what people are looking for by seeing what keywords they used to find you and are serving up more of the same.

And that makes those search engines feel real good.

Told you they had feelings!

So that’s Wizzer’s introductory SEO blogging instructions. Let’s see what The Hermit has to say about that.

Man, it’s like handing in your homework!

Wizzer

Goal Setting Blogging Instructions