Optimizing Blogspot SEO In 2023

This article outlines best practices for optimizing Blogspot blogs to improve search engine optimization (SEO) in 2023. It recommends crafting a short, memorable blog name; avoiding too many outbound links initially; regularly publishing high-quality, useful content; building backlinks via guest posts; structuring URL paths to include keywords; submitting XML sitemaps; incorporating interactive media; simplifying archives; interlinking related content; choosing mobile-friendly themes; and analyzing site metrics. By methodically following these advanced SEO tips over time, Blogspot sites can drive more organic search traffic and better compete with top sites in their niche.

Blogspot, now integrated into Google Blogger, remains a popular free blogging platform. With Blogger sites deeply integrated with other Google services, Blogspot blogs also have unique SEO advantages. By optimizing your Blogspot blog using best practices for 2023, you can drive more search traffic and conversions.

Craft a Compelling Yet Simple Blog Name  
Keep your overall blog name short and memorable. Ideal names use one or two commonly searched words that clearly convey your blog’s focus. For example, successful blogs are titled Minimalist, Digital Photography School, and Budget Travel.  

A concise name without confusing extras or obscure words makes it easier for readers to find and remember you. It also enables readers to accurately describe your blog to others, driving word-of-mouth interest.

Don’t Overdo External Links Early On
When publishing new posts, avoid adding external links in the first few paragraphs. Search engines will see too many initial outbound links as a possible negative quality signal. Instead, organically work external links into the middle or end of posts where they add value for readers.  

The best practice is to minimize links at first to establish your expertise sharing original commentary and analysis. This shows search engines the depth of unique content you offer readers first before linking out to supplemental resources later.

Post High-Quality Content Regularly
Search engines strongly factor posting cadence and consistency into page rank. Sites that publish new, useful content almost daily see significantly higher search traffic versus those with sporadic updates.

Making blog posting a habit not only keeps readers engaged but signals to Google your blog stays actively maintained with fresh material. Over time, regularly publishing content that gets interaction will improve your site’s domain authority.

Build Backlinks by Contributing Guest Posts
Getting reputable sites to link back to your blog content is one of the most effective ways to improve search performance. Identify industry blogs, news sites, aggregators, and forums that share links and allow contributed posts.

Offer to write relevant guest content with 1-2 links back to related articles on your site. This exposes new audiences to your expertise while giving an SEO boost to those pages.

Properly Structure URL Paths
Blogger sites make it easy to customize post and page URL slugs for better SEO. For example, instead of domain.com/?p=123 use domain.com/keyword-rich-post-title. URL paths should include keywords readers would search for.

You can also silo related content under subdomains like domain.com/category/keyword-rich-topic-page. This groups relevant pages together for easier navigation and focusing page rank power.

Submit XML Sitemaps  
Generate and submit XML sitemaps of your site to ensure search engines properly crawl and index all blog pages. This is particularly important for sites with 100+ pages where crawling limitations or internal site search issues could result in buried pages.

Major search engines offer free tools to easily create sitemaps identifying every URL you want indexed. Managing sitemaps helps maximize the SEO visibility of all your hard work blogging.  

Incorporate More Interactive Content
While text content remains essential for SEO success, incorporating more graphics, video, audio, assessable slideshares, surveys, and quotes from outside experts adds greater reader appeal while enabling additional on-page optimization.

For example, relevant images should use descriptive alt text and file names with target keywords. Videos can include transcripts with related keywords and backlinks. More diverse interactive content keeps visitors engaged longer while offering more SEO signals.

Simplify Your Archive Structure  
Consolidate archives using integrated Blogger category/tag pages supplemented only by a chronological dropdown menu. Eliminating separate dated, categorized, and tagged archives avoids redundant pages diluting page authority.

This streamlined architecture reduces indexation issues with thin duplicate content while making it easier for visitors to self-navigate your blog based on topics of interest. Less clutter also helps search crawlers categorize page relevancy.  

Interlink Related Posts Liberally  
Skillful internal linking helps readers better navigate your blog content while enhancing SEO. When mentioning relevant previously published posts within new content, always link to those posts using keyword-rich anchor text.   

This type of topical interlinking signals search engines about the relationships between interconnected pieces of content across your blog. It incentives crawling deeper linked pages and surfaces older evergreen content.

Choose a Mobile-First Theme Template
With over 60% of searches now on mobile devices, making sure your Blogspot theme responsively resizes on smartphones and tablets is essential. Review theme demos during selection focusing only on mobile-friendly responsive designs.  

Test your actual mobile site experience across devices like popping keyboard, tricky menus, or tiny buttons that degrade usability. Refining for mobile readability should now be default best practice for any blog.  

Review Analytics to Guide Ongoing Optimization
Analyze your site analytics to identify which blog pages drive the most traffic, engagement metrics, and conversions. Produce more content around better performing topics while refreshing or removing poor performers.

Ongoing review of analytics data also highlights technical issues like crawl errors, link rot, duplicate metadata, and site speed bottlenecks. Address these to experience the full benefit of your optimization efforts.

By methodically incorporating these advanced SEO best practices over time, your Blogspot blog can go head-to-head with the top sites in your niche to maximize search visibility and reader loyalty. Let me know if you have any other Blogspot optimization questions!