I’m assuming that a majority of travel writers are relying on their blogging platform and its built-in plugins to optimize articles for the best search engine results.
The problem with this method is that you are relying on automated code to guess the best target market.
For example, my article “5 Extreme Winter Sports That Will Make Your Heart Race” might automatically (by the blogging platform) be assigned to the keyword “extreme workouts” instead of “extreme action sports”.
This is why some manual intervention is always a safe bet instead of relying completely on the automatic assignment of keywords.
The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Blogger Firefox Extension provides a user with target rich keywords based on a words or phrases that are typed into the display.
You might ask yourself, “doesn’t Google’s Keyword Tool do the exact same thing?”
Yes…but SEO Blogger does have a few handy features and doesn’t require you to log-in to Google’s website to access their keyword tool.
What we like
- It counts the number of times that your chosen keywords are used within a post.
- The add-on is easy to enable as a small icon on the bottom right bar of a user’s browser window just needs to be clicked once to initiate the program.
- The user can easily compare keywords while writing their posts in the same browser instead of logging onto other websites to spend time doing keyword research.
- It will work on all blogging platforms (e.g., WordPress, Blogger, Joomla, etc…).
- The extension isn’t that technical, which should make it easy for novice bloggers to understand.
What we don’t like
- The number given for the amount of searches performed on a specific keyword or phrase originates from SEO Blogger’s partner search engines; however, there is no mention what search engines are providing this information, but I do know for a fact it does not include Google.
- It would be nice if the tool gave recommendations by scanning your post, just so you could get additional ideas on keywords you can use.
How to Install SEO Blogger for Firefox
First you’ll need Mozilla’s Firefox as your browser as the extension doesn’t work with Internet Explore, Opera, Safari or any other browser including archaic browsers like Netscape. Once you have Firefox installed, make your way on over to Wordtracker Labs and click on the ‘Install SEO Blogger’.
How to Use SEO Blogger for Firefox
As mentioned earlier in the post, you just need to click on the small “W” icon that is positioned on the bottom right portion of your browsing window.
This action will bring up a display window that allows you to enter a word or phrase to see the number of searches performed on the keyword. The higher the number the better as this means that more searches were performed on that keyword. In theory, the more searches on a keyword will most likely mean that many more visitors.
Once you find a keyword that you feel will work best for your article, all you need to do is click on “Add” next to the keyword. The extension will then tell you the number of times that you’ve used the keyword.
On a side note, as you might remember in a prior guest post, Balancing Keywords and Content, I made mention of the importance of not saturating your blog with target rich keywords. Your readers are smart and can easily sniff out an article with the only purpose of getting visitors to click on affiliate links. I also wouldn’t be surprised if search engine algorithms have the ability to identifiably spam websites and black list them if the posts are very keyword heavy.
~Bryan
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Great review Bryan! I’ve been using this SEO Blogger Firefox extension for a few weeks now, and I’m finding it pretty useful. I do still like to use Google’s Keyword Research Tool, but what I really like best about SEO Blogger is that it counts how many times I’ve used a word in my article – that helps me figure out my keyword density and make sure it’s right where I want it to be (because you’re right that it’s not good to over-saturate an article or post with too many) without having to use yet another tool…..
I hadn’t heard of this add-on, Bryan. I think I’ll check it out. Anything that can help me save a few minutes is worth exploring!
.-= Cherrye at My Bella Vita´s last blog post: Guest Blogger Monica: Our Escape to Calabria =-.
This review finally convinces me to download this. Since I am concentrating more on the blog version of my campaign, this will definitely help me keep track of my SEO requirements.
.-= Edward´s last blog post: Local Listings Taking Precedence In Google Rankings =-.
I’m not that thrilled with it. I use Scribe + Market Samurai + Thesis. This plugin has nothing to add to this three. The only advantage this plugin has when compared to serious SEO tools is that it’s free.
.-= Stan @ China Deals´s last blog post: Cheap Flights From Hong Kong =-.
Hi Stan – thanks for stopping by and leaving your input!
I do believe that anyone who is earning a living from their site should invest in some good SEO tools, but I have different opinions of the three tools you mention. I do like Scribe (we posted a Scribe review here), but I see it as more of a ‘training tool’ since after a couple of months one should have learned enough to do without it, and Market Samurai, while decent, is overpriced as there are plenty of other good (and cheaper or free) keyword research tools……and I’m not a fan of Thesis as I think it’s a good theme but not worth it’s price, and there are thousands of great, free themes available.
I think that anyone who is serious about improving their SEO should use a variety of tools and not rely on just one (or one for each task), whether they’re free or not.
I do still like to use Google’s Keyword Research Tool, but what I really like best about SEO Blogger is that it counts how many times I’ve used a word in my article
Thanks for this review, Brian. I got to know this nifty free addon yesterday when I was reading an SEO tutorial at Wordtracker. However after I downloaded the addon I looked at the Terms of Use (fine prints) and was not clear as to whether access to the Wordtracker lab (where it pulls keyword date) is free for life or after some days the addon would stop pulling keyword data.
I’d love to hear your experience on this, since you have possibly used it for a while.
Hi Stella
I don’t know what Brian’s experience has been, but I used it for quite a long time and it never did ask for any type of payment or signup……not to say that this couldn’t change, but my best guess is that it won’t, or that if it does, there may still be a free option that pulls keyword data from a free source, like Google or DigitalPoint.
I’ll be adding SEO Blogger as a Firefox extension. I’ve been putting all my free time and effort into building my deal site for backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts, and have been neglecting writing travel stories to my other blog, but that’s about to change now that the deal site is pretty well set up.
First off I want to say superb blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind.
I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your head prior to writing.
I’ve had a tough time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I truly do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips? Kudos!
Hello Heike – thanks for your kind words about our site!
Personally I like to do my writing first thing in the morning, after I’ve had a cup of coffee and breakfast so that my energy level is very high and my brain has not (yet) gotten distracted with email or other things (I never look at my email until I’ve finished whatever writing goal I’ve set for that day, whether it’s time-based or output-based). I save my editing projects for later in the afternoon or evening.
As for figuring out “where to begin”, I find it helps if I spend the last 15 or 20 minutes of my workday organizing my priorities for the following day, and making outline-style notes for any writing project I need to work on, so that when I sit down to it in the morning, I can just quickly review my notes and get started. Often if I think of something – a particular thought or phrase or direction – that I want to be sure to include, then I add it to my outline. On rare occasions when I get a brainstorm or other burst of creativity, I just go with it and write no matter what time it is, then I set it aside until morning….then I review it to see if it still works or not.
Good luck with your writing!