TypePad Traffic Tip #6. Optimize Your Post Titles
November 12, 2009
In your post titles and URL, every word counts. Edit your permalinks to include key words to help search engines match your posts with the right searches. The more specific words you use to describe your post the more your target audience is likely to find it.
Here's how:
- When in the Compose screen, under the post title you'll see the post's permalink.
- Click Edit. The permalink is now editable.
- Edit the permalink as you like. Click Done.
- Publish your post and you'll see your specified link as the permalink for the post.
Power tip: Use specific keywords in your URL to attract the rights visitors to your blog. Focus on words 'real' people use - not the insiders or your niche.
This traffic tip is part of our Top Ten TypePad Traffic Tips series. Check back for our next tip tomorrow or stay tuned by following us on TypePad, joining our Facebook page, following us on Twitter or grabbing the feed.
Hello typepad. Thanks for this tip, its the most interesting tip of all 6. However, I just want to ask something. Its possible to edit the permalink right? Is it ok if the permalink title is a bit different from the post title? Thanks.
Posted by: Account Deleted | November 12, 2009 at 09:00 AM
@samjien: I think the permalink can and, sometimes, must be different from the post title. The link is another tool to make the post relevant, while the title can be a bit more specific/descriptive about the content. Also, a long title, if unedited, would lead to a long link, which sometimes can be counterproductive.
my 2 cents
Posted by: blogalize.me | November 12, 2009 at 10:45 AM
thanks for your two cents. that answered my question.
Posted by: volleyballvoices | November 12, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Thank you so much for clearing out my mind with regards to this. So for example. if im having a post title "you're not alone lyrics and video - by Michael Jackson" i can just make the permalink: you're-not-alone-by-michael-jaskon :)is that it?
Posted by: Account Deleted | November 12, 2009 at 11:44 AM
That's exactly what I meant! (although in the example you mention I am not sure you can use the ' in "you're" -- I don't think URLs support that character ;-)
Glad it helped!
Posted by: blogalize.me | November 12, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Great tip, thank you!
Posted by: Account Deleted | November 12, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Yup. The way I think about it is that the Post Title is intended for the humans to read and many of the other elements are intended for machines/search engines. Be sure to experiment since results may vary depending on your topic/niche/etc.
Posted by: Andy | November 12, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Correct - we strip all non-alpha characters from the URL.
Posted by: Andy | November 12, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Now that was a great tip, thanks!
Posted by: Anastasia | November 12, 2009 at 01:11 PM
These tips have been great! Thank you so much for doing this Top Ten series.
Posted by: Lilolu | November 12, 2009 at 05:39 PM
I'm moving over from a self-hosted version of WordPress (too many 'security upgrades') where my URLs were structured like http://cecily.info/yyyy/mm/dd/post-title/, without a file extension on the end. Is this possible to do with TypePad? If not, is it possible to do with Movable Type?
Posted by: Cecily Walker | November 12, 2009 at 09:05 PM
Great Series. Enjoying each tip. Hope you're planning more series on things like conversion, monetizing, selling from your blog, etc.
ASJ Artworks
http://www.artworksbyalbertasmithjohnson.com
Posted by: admin06 | November 13, 2009 at 04:36 AM
Like this idea a lot! Thanks guys.
Posted by: Amy | December 08, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Hi! Can I go back and edit the perma-links of already published posts? Or does this only apply to unpublished posts. Thanks!
Posted by: Keetgi Kogan Steinberg | December 31, 2009 at 12:42 PM