By Shari Thurow

I have to admit I’ve been avoiding the blog optimization topic for a long time. I’m not particularly fond of blogs for SEO (define) purposes. In my opinion, most SEO firms use blog optimization as a buzz phrase and solution for every Web site. I find it odd to see competitors list blog optimization in their proposals without looking at the big picture. As an SEO expert, I probably have the minority opinion.

However, I understand why SEO professionals like blogs. The blog software currently available is preformatted, making it easy for anyone with imited design skills to create a decent-looking blog. Of course, no one can avoid the SEO hype about RSS and link development opportunities.

In spite of my somewhat negative opinion of blog sites, one thing is true: I know how to optimize this type of site. But you’ll find my approach is very different from others’.

Take a Step Back

I have a different perspective about blogs than most SEM (define)/SEO firms because of my background in user-centered design (UCD) and SEO. One of the many items I research (as part of both my SEO responsibilities and graduate school work) is the evolution of Web page design templates. With the appearance of blogs, suddenly the Web had a page type with its own unique characteristics.

My main question was, “How can blog pages be both search engine-friendly and search-friendly?”

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