Monday, February 20, 2012

Blogging Tips Weekly - How to Add Meta Tags with Keywords to Individual Blog Post on Blogger



In a previous Blogging Tips Weekly post (you can visit it here), I stressed the importance of using keywords on SEO design (Search Engine Optimization), and showed you how to add keywords to blogger blogs' meta tags.

The trick I showed you was for your blog's landing page. Each individual blog post can also have its own meta tags and website keywords. These keywords pertain to each post instead of the entire blog.

Why add keywords and meta tags to individual blog posts?


If your blog is about beauty and fashion like mine, then your blog's best keywords might include "beauty," "makeup," "fashion," etc. But if your latest post is about fashion tips for teens, then your post's keywords might include a completely different set of vocabulary, like "fashion tips for teens," "teen clothes," and perhaps even "rocker chic style." (Seriously. Is that what's in this season?)

Providing different website keywords for each blog post enables you to customize SEO and attract more visitors.
  

How to add meta tags to individual blog posts?


Adding meta tags to an individual post is really quite simple, and similar to how you added meta tags to your entire blog. The difference is you need to tell the browser that if it looks at a different page (an individual post's URL), then the browser should look at a different set of keywords.

Step 1

 Log into your blogger account > Go to "Design" tab.



Step 2

Click on "Edit HTML" link, and arrive at HTML editor text box.



Step 3

Download template to back up current version.



Step 4

Look for the following line:

<title><data:blog.pageTitle/></title>

(Essentially anywhere inside the <head> section, but I like being specific.)

Step 5

Right above the line, add the following code for each individual post:


<b:if cond='data:blog.url == "Post URL"'/>
<meta content='
the best keywords you can think of for your current post' name='keywords'/>
<meta content='Post Description' name='description'/>
</b:if/>

** NOTE: You must add the code above for each individual post. 


Step 6

Replace "Post URL" with your post's actual URL. Replace "the best keywords you can think of for your current post" with the keywords you want to use for your individual post.

Step 7

Save and publish.

Update since last publish:

** Note: Thank you Melli at Casual beauty and Ebony Young at Vaintastic for your questions. They asked if you need to do all seven steps above for each post. 

The answer is: yes. But you can also pick your most recent, or most popular, post(s), because they generate the most traffic. That's what I do, actually.

I am no expert, so if anyone else has other ideas or knowledge, please leave a comment or shoot me an email.

How are my meta tags working out?


Since I implemented meta tags on Girlie Blog Seattle, I have seen a hike of about 150 - 200 visitors per day (from 450 to about 600 daily visitors on average.)

Please also realize that because of other writing assignments, I haven't been marketing myself and commenting on other blogs as much. So this improvement in visitor counts, though not scientifically proven, does attribute to adding meta tags to some degree.

At day's end, I think my visitor count for today was around 550.



That's all the blogging tips for today.




Any blogging tips you want to share?




42 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing these tips!
    And could you please always link to the previous post in Blogging Tips Weekly, like you did this time. I don't have time to check blogs very often, but I don't want to miss important info!
    Thanks
    Kate

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  2. So you're saying every time I publish a post, I do all 7 steps each time?

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  3. Thanks for these tips! Now I need to find the time lol. Soon, very soon.

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  4. This is beyooooond helpful. I so have to find to way to do this on WordPress. It's one of those things that I feel like I SHOULD know but don't. You're awesome, mama.

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  5. Hi! I came across your blog through blog hop and found your post so helpful. I just started following your blog! Happy Blogging! :)

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  6. Thank you for the tip! :) Also wondering the same thing as Ebony, all 7 steps need to be performed each time? Thanks again hun!

    casual-beauty.blogspot.com

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  7. Hi, fantastic info, will try it. Thanks for sharing, will let you know how it went.
    Hope your week started off well.
    Take care.
    Colin.

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  8. great tips. :) it's always nice picking up tips on blogging... so thanks!

    have a great wk!
    xoxo
    jasmine

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  9. Very helpful post, will be implementing this! :)

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  10. Great tips - I've been wondering how to do this! ;-)

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  11. I like the versatility of your blog.
    thanks for all the great tips and new info! ;)

    Maiken/
    Maikeni blogi - part of me

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  12. This is really good to know!!! Thanks for showing step by step. Thank you for your birthday message. It was really sweet and I appreciate it. ((HUG))
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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  13. seems a bit hard :/

    http://rainbowgatherer.blogspot.com

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  14. I found your blog via blog hop and I will try this.

    Great blog, following you now.

    B xxx

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  15. Awesome tech post, darling!
    Thanks!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  16. Ah such a great tip, I am looking into inplementing these into my blog at the moment. I've already done the alt tag one, but the next I was looking to add meta tags, so I will try this. For it, can you add meta tags to previous posts, or only to current ones? xx

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  17. Oh so lovely!

    http://fototexnis.blogspot.com/2012/02/view-from-my-house.html
    Tell me your opinion!

    Follow each other dear?

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  18. Thank you for all this good informations!
    How about following? Hope so ^^,

    xoxo

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  19. bookmarked this post! will add meta tags soon :) thanks for being generous with blogging tips :)

    http://dressmeupbuttercup.tumblr.com

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  20. You always have such great tips! And that's quite an increase you're seeing. How awesome!
    Sarah
    http://comingunstitched.blogspot.com

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  21. Thanks for posting!
    Please check out the Topshop giveaway on my blog
    Www.thefashionskeleton.blogspot.com

    Follow and I'll follow back x

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  22. Great post I'll have to implement this but It's going to take awhile! Too many posts have gone without it.
    Thanks
    -Ash
    Beauty Flawed

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  23. Thanks for the tips!! I've found these posts so helpful!

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  24. very helpful info! I'm headed out to Seattle to visit my grandkids-I'm there every couple of months & I love it!

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  25. That is amazing!! Good job!! :) I think I need to add better keywords to my blog. :) I will keep you updated on how my number start going up :) Thank you! Sending some love your way :)

    Http://swbeautifullife.blogspot.com

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  26. This is such a great post! I've been wanting to learn how to add meta tags to each page/post individually so this comes in very handy.. Already have meta tags for the blog but maybe I need to change them because I don't think they're doing much, lol..

    TravelDesignery.com

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  27. Hmmm...been trying to add this html code but not working for me :-/

    Can you tell me what website you picked up this tip from so I can look into it more??

    Thank you!!

    –L

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  28. Yay!! I love your blogging tips! This is a great one...thank you! I'll definitely have to bookmark this particular post to give it a shot!

    XO - Marion

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  29. Thanks for sharing this. Super helpful. I never thought about adding a meta tag but now I know I should.

    http://myminibag.blogspot.com

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  30. i definitely need to start doing this! thank you for the tips!! your explanation is super helpful - especially for beginners like me :)

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  31. Great and very helpful blog! I figured out how to do the last meta tag thing. I am going to see if I can figure this out too. :)

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  32. Great tips!


    GTBB,
    http://badjoan.blogspot.com
    http://cookingjoan.blogspot.com

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  33. interesting! I didn't know that before. Doesn't sound too difficult, just a little bit more work each time I post. Haha...not sure if I have the discipline to do it tho.

    mongs
    mythriftycloset.blogspot.com

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  34. Wow, this is awesome info! Thanks for these posts!


    www.wayoutsidelookingin.blogspot.com

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  35. Hmmm I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I can't seem the add the meta tag for individual posts. I've already had the normal meta tag (with keywords) for my blog for awhile and now just realized I can also add for individual posts. When I try to add the code above that line, it says I have an error...Anyone else with the same problem?

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  36. I am new to the blogging community so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. BTW-Im live in Seattle, its so nice to see another blogger here from Seattle. I'll be following you. Stop by and say hi. Lets stay in touch, maybe coffee sometime Always, SOULBeautiful xx*s

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  37. Wow this is such an amazing tip! Thank you so so much for sharing!

    xO Kristen
    http://thereviewstudio.blogspot.com

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  38. Thanks for the tips, I'm currently trying to improve my SEO skills, so this article is of much interest and help to me thanks :D

    http://outsidebeautyinsidehealth.blogspot.com/

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  39. I've already had the normal meta tag (with keywords) for my blog for awhile and now just realized I can also add for individual posts. When I try to add the code above that line, it says I have an error...Anyone else with the same problem?
    http://www.guesswatchesmall.co.uk/

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