At the WordCamp San Francisco 2008, there was a presentation for how to optimize your blog for SEO.  They provided very good, basic tips that every blogger should use, whether or not they are actively trying to optimize their site.  I admit that I make many of these common mistakes.  I admit that I’m not worthy to own this site unless I standardize this blog with the tips he provided.  I admit that I’m a lazy blogger and I won’t get to implementing everything for quite some time.  I prefer that if you read this blog, you don’t judge me.  But, it’s not about me now is it?  So here are a few tips for you to optimize your site.

Biggest SEO Mistakes

  • Using Auto-generated title tags
    If your titles are generated from your post and/or category name, consider an SEO title tag plugin that allows you to customize your titles and slugs.  I personally use All-in-one SEO pack but admittingly, I’m a creature of habit and only use it because it does what I need and I haven’t looked at any plugin since. Keep it short, put your keyword first, then your post title at the end. 
  • Not using PR sculpting (rel=nofollow to direct pageRank flow)
    o On the links in trackbacks, comments (by default on most platforms)
    o Where the link would be reciprocal
    o On links to date based archives, assuming you have category and tag hierarchy (noindexing/disallowing is not enough)
    o Even google uses it on youtube videos on internal links
  • Hosting blog/feed URLs on a domain you don’t own (feedburner, wordpress)

Great plugins for SEO

  • UTW Theme Compatibility Thing
  • Related Posts (yet another related posts) plugin
  • Top 10 posts (popularity contest plugin)
  • Next and previous/ pagination (wp-pagenavi plugin)

SEO tips for blogging

  • Optimize URLs
    Short URLs get clicked 2x long URLs (source: marketingSherpa)
  • Optimize anchor text
    Make the post’s title a link to the permalink page
  • Minimize duplicate content
    Don’t use the more tag.  Create a unique paragraph of content to introduce your post.
  • Improve keyword focus
    Add Category name and a paragraph description on the category page, check out Sticky posts (wp-sticky or adhesive plugin)

One of the most extensive resources I’ve found on the topic can be found here: http://yoast.com/articles/wordpress-seo/