Melissa Rooney

SEO – Top Tips for Optimisation when Writing Blogs

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SEO Optimisation Writing for Blogs

Looking for a way to optimise SEO on your site while engaging your audience? In this post for digital marketers and blog publishers we share all of Google’s top secrets into how they rank blog pages based on the optimisation of your website. Read on to see what improvements you can make to your blog.

SEO Keyword Research for High SERP Ranking

When writing a blog many users tend to write the content first and make adjustments once they have the main block of text. For efficient and optimised blog content, however, you may want to use a keyword search volume tool to first see which keywords are searched for on Google the most. If your blog contains keywords with a high search volume, this means that it is more likely to appear higher ranked when users search for this term.

Some of our top picks for free search volume tools include Ahrefs and Wordstream:

Screenshot of how to use keyword search volume tool on Wordstream to optimise SEO
https://www.wordstream.com/keywords

As shown in the example above, you can simply enter your keyword, we chose “SEO” for this example. Then input your location and you will be shown the most searched for relating keywords.

It is also important to include both long tail and short tail keywords when writing your blog.

A short tail keyword should be something that is widely searched for and is no longer than 3 words. For example: SEO marketing.

A long tail keyword should be something that isn’t as widely searched for so that it is less of a competitive keyword to rank for on SERPs. For example: SEO agencies in London.

However Google de-ranks sites for “keyword stuffing” their sites. This generally means writing lots of keywords on a page without them making sense in a grammatical sentence structure. Or this can also mean overusing the same keyword too many times.

Keep your Target Audience in Mind

Image representing searching for your target audience

Writing to fit your target audience is a key factor in determining how many users visit your site. It also helps determine how many users stay on the page for the estimated length of the blog, and how many users go on to interact with your site and visit other pages.

Here are some of the main things to consider when identifying your target audience:

Are they professionals or consumers?

When writing for readers who may be professionals or work in your industry you can use vocabulary that is standard for the industry. You may also want to keep a more formal tone with this type of reader. In comparison to consumers, studies show consumers tend to prefer a more personal, informal tone. It is also beneficial to keep the wording fairly simplistic and the sentences short so that it is easy to read.

What is the majority demographic for your audience?

It is important to keep in mind whether the majority of your audience is male or female. This is so that you can adjust your tone of voice in your writing to suit either audience. Another factor to look out for are age groups. If the majority of your audience is 18-25 you may want to ensure your content is very up to date and includes topics that interest the younger generation. Whereas if your target age group is around 45-60+ you may choose to write about more throwback type topics to encourage a sense of nostalgia.

What are your audience’s interests?

You may find that if you work for a specific company that you customers will have a primary interest in your product but may have other interests that relate to what you are selling.

For example the company below sells a range of lighting products to consumers but publishes blogs on interior design trends. This is so that they can potentially expand their reach to a wider audience and recapture the attention of their existing audience.

Example of external website blog by lighting company BHS
https://www.bhs.com/blog

Internal Links and Call to Actions

For digital marketers and bloggers alike, the main goal when writing site content is to keep the reader browsing on your site and to direct them to other pages on your site. This can be achieved through call to actions and internal linking.

A good example of this in an SEO context might be:

Click the link below and check out another one of our other digital marketing blogs for more information –

3 Quick SEO Tips to Supercharge Your Digital Marketing in 2021

Images and Alt Text

When selecting imagery for your blog it’s important to note that Google crawls new and original content before re-looking over older content. This will allow you to rank in SERPs faster if you constantly upload new imagery each time you post a new blog.

Original and high quality imagery is ranked highest by Google. Here are our top tips for keeping your imagery to a good standard when saving and editing them without slowing down the speed of your site:

  • Size: 1000 x 1000 pixels
  • Resolution: 72 DPI (dots per inch)
  • Colour profile : sRGB

Alt text is also important for SERPs, the key words you include here can help your site rank on SERPs when users search for the similar term. Alt text is a description of the image which can be used by audio readers for users with impaired visibility, or for users who can’t see the image as it hasn’t loaded for them.

Here’s an example of alt text we used in this blog:

Screenshot of how to use Alt text in a blog to optimise SEO

Is your blog SEO ready?

We hope we’ve helped get your blog SEO ready to rank at the top of SERPs like Google with all of our top tips. Make sure to follow us on Twitter for regular updates on new blogs we publish, with all the latest in the digital marketing world.

Alternatively if you’re looking for more helpful insights into the world of social media marketing instead of web marketing, check out one of our other articles:

Social media targeting for baby boomers

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Operator – Level 2 Apprenticeship

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Non destructive testing operator surveying large metal pipe for quality check

Step into the world of science-based engineering with the Non-Destructive Testing Operator Apprenticeship. If you’re looking to start a career in some of the biggest industries in the world such as Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Energy, Power, Nuclear, and Transport, look no further as NDT qualifications can provide you with opportunities for all of the above. Read on to find out if the Non-Destructive Testing Operator Apprenticeship is the right fit for you.

Job Opportunities and Entry Criteria

Non-Destructive Testing Apprenticeships can provide a vast array of opportunities to kick start you into a well-paying career. Some of these include training in the product technology industry sector, education into NDT methods, and working as part of a team with workers at a similar level to yourself and of a superior level, allowing you to make contacts within the industry and potentially progress within the ranks

Entry level salaries after the completion of an apprenticeship usually start at around £26,000 and can go up to anything from £55,000 a year for experienced engineer level employees. If that isn’t enough to get you interested, some big organisations involved in creating the standard for the Non-Destructive Testing Operator were The British Institute of NDT, and Rolls Royce, meaning that popular companies similar to these organisations are sure to have a need for hiring NDT Operators.

Non-destructive testing operator surveying plane engine parts to ensure they are quality checked before being installed

Apprenticeship Entry Requirements

There are no educational entry requirements for this role, however you will need to achieve a level 1 in English and Maths in a level 2 English and maths test prior to taking the end-point assessment when completing the apprenticeship if you have not already achieved this through GCSEs. You will also be required to pass the NDT eyesight test, meaning you should have good, aided eyesight or good unaided eyesight for health and safety reasons. Adequate physical fitness is also beneficial for this role.

Daily duties and Primary responsibilities

On a day-to-day basis an NDT Operator Apprentice can expect to take part in some of the following tasks:

  • Inspection of materials, welding, and other product components or items using one NDT method
  • Report defects on the external surface of a test item or component
  • Visually assess and inspect products
  • Refer inspection results to a more qualified member of staff
  • Training and safe use of equipment used for inspections and assessments
  • Being forthcoming to your supervisor when raising concerns over the frequency of a certain type of defect
  • Marking defective areas for other follow up validations and assessments by supervisors or colleagues

Some of the tools you can potentially be expected to learn to use during this apprenticeship can include devices that measure conductivity, resistivity, and corrosion, as well as thickness gauges, flaw detectors, material condition testers, and eddy current instruments.

Testing equipment used by a Non-destructive testing operator

Knowledge and behavioural modules

Some of the key aspects of NDT operating that you will have the opportunity to gain knowledge about are:

  • Health and safety – In regard to Non-Destructive Testing ensuring your safety and the safety of others in the workplace is incredibly important. Your training and understanding will be relevant to the NDT method you will be using based on your training provider.
  • NDT methods – To complete the Level 2 apprenticeship in this area you will be required to understand and action one NDT method, which will be taught to you by your training provider.
  • Identifying defects – During this apprenticeship you will be required to learn and understand how to assess products and identify defects effectively against acceptance/rejection criteria.
  • Sector specific technology – You will be expected to understand and use relevant industry technologies, have knowledge of quality aspects, and working practices, such as induction information and workplace confidentiality protocols.
  • Industry relevant materials – Knowledge of well-used, new, and upcoming materials and product technology within your industry sector is considered extremely beneficial to learn in the Non-Destructive Testing apprenticeship.

Important qualities for Non-Destructive Testing Operators apprenticeship candidates:

  • Ethics – Speak to all colleagues with respect and treat individuals with equality in mind. Discrimination in the workplace is not tolerated and all workers should report anything if they feel they are being treated unfairly.
  • Time Management – All projects, assignments, and duties should consistently be completed in a timely manner and deadlines should be met or an extension should be requested in advance depending on the circumstances.
  • Independence – Be able to work on assignments without assistance from others and having a positive impact on the work environment.
  • Comfortable Working in a Team – Work in a team and support team members by equally contributing to any workload in any given teamwork scenario.
  • Communication Skills – Communicating with senior members of staff and colleagues to ensure work is completed on time and to a high standard, and any issue are raised and resolved.
  • Initiative – Apply knowledge learnt and experience gained throughout your apprenticeship to your daily tasks and use your initiative to raise any issues with senior members of staff.
Non-destructive testing operator apprentice using testing equipment to survey the safety of train tracks

Conclusion

Does the Level 2 Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Operator Apprenticeship sound like the right fit for you? We hope this post has given you an insight into the NDT course and has encouraged you to start your journey in finding the perfect career that is enjoyable and supports you financially. Non-Destructive Testing can open up a vast range of doors within the working world, making it a great choice for if you are yet unsure of what industry you wish to work in and are looking for an apprenticeship that will give you transferrable skills and keep your options open.

If Non-Destructive Testing is not for you but you’re still looking for something at a higher level in the science-based engineering field, why not check out our blog on the Level 6 Manufacturing Engineer Degree Apprenticeship?

At ApprenticeTips.com we love to hear all your questions and strive to help as many people interested in apprenticeships as we can, so head over to our Twitter direct messages to ask us for tips personally.

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