Here's a simple technique to improve your search list ranking for your top keywords and delight your readers.
Creating Category Pages
Category pages, sometimes called Pillar Pages or Cornerstone Pages, use a landing page format to focus on one keyphrase term. Here's an example of one from Pushing Social, around the term blog ideas. This week, set the goal of making at least two category pages for your blog.
Here's how:
Start by selecting 3-5 strategic keywords that accurately describe your blog. For example, let's assume you are the proud publisher of a largemouth bass fishing blog.
Your list of strategic keywords could be:
+ Largemouth bass lures
+ Largemouth bass bait
+ Largemouth bass carolina rig
+ Largemouth bass texas rig
+ Largemouth bass fishing tips
These words are strategic because a high ranking for any of them would boost your rankings on most phrases with the words "largemouth bass". These phrases are also specific enough to attract qualified readers.
Next
Create a page for each of the terms that you've selected. I recommend using a landing page template to build your page. A landing page template strips aways navigation and sidebars to create a one-subject page. I recommend using Lead Pages, Copyblogger's Premise, or check to see if your blog theme come's with a landing page template.
The "Page Title" should be the exact phrase you selected previously. Also include the search phrase as a tag for the page.
In the body of your page, create a headline that includes your search phrase. Make your headline as interesting as possible. I would use the "How-to" headline template to snag the reader's attention:
"How to Pick the Right Largemouth Bass Lure For Any Situation"
Next
Write a 4-sentence paragraph explaining:
1. Why your keyphrase is important
2. Purpose of the page
3. Action item
For "largemouth bass lures" the initial paragrah would read:
"Largemouth Bass lures are the subject of intense debate and obsessive experimentation. There isn't a consensus on what lures work the best. Midwest bass hunters swear that Tubes are the best while Texas trophy bass seekers will fight for the texas rig. I've put together this page to give you a quick guide to previous posts on the worst, good, and best largemouth bass lures that we've tested."
This paragraph works well because it includes the keyphrase in a natural way. It offers a bit of background and ends with a good reason for the reader to keep reading.
Next
List and and link to every post that is relevant to your keyword phrase. Make sure that there is a tight match between your phrase and the subject of your post. Stuffing this page with a bunch of off-topic links will cripple this page's effectiveness.
Last
List your new category page on your blog homepage in the sidebar. Your visitor's will appreciate the curated links on each page and the search engines will have a highly relevant page to index for your given topic.
Repeat the process for each keyword phrase.
Just Starting?
A new blog won't have hundreds of links to choose from for a specific subject. No worries. Assemble your list of phrases and create a series of posts around each subject. Buckle down and switch to a 3 post a week schedule to quickly add content for each keyphrase.