If you haven’t created a blog for your business, there’s never been a better time to start taking advantage of the opportunities that business blogging can provide.  Network Solutions® now offers nsHosting™ for WordPress®, a comprehensive package powered by the leading blogging platform. It includes all the essentials you’ll need to make your blog a stand-out success, including:

•    Quick publishing
•    Access to thousands of WordPress® design themes
•    FREE domain name*
•    Personal email
•    Plenty of space and bandwidth
•    Detailed reporting and analysis

One of blogging’s best benefits is that it’s extremely search engine-friendly and, therefore, gives you the ability to boost your search engine visibility – bringing you customers you may never have been able to reach before. To maximize the potential your blog holds, use these five simple steps for search engine optimization (SEO):

#1. Use Keyword-Rich Content
Choosing your words carefully takes on a new – and more literal – meaning when writing for a blog. Think about the search words or phrases your customers are likely to use when searching for the types of products or services you offer. Then use them throughout your copy. Be careful not to overdo it – keyword cramming can turn away the search engines and make for an unpleasant read for the human eye. Ultimately, search engines and your visitors want the same thing – relevant, readable copy.

#2. Update Content Frequently
Even after your blog is created, you should continue to think of it as a work in progress. Blogs are the perfect place for fresh, updated copy that the search engines view favorably. Post often and post wisely – always giving your readers valuable content that encourages them to keep coming back.

#3. Build Inbound Links
While it’s always smart to link to other valuable sites within your industry, your inbound links will have the most impact on your search engine ranking. Inbound links, also known as external links, lead visitors to your website, not away from it. Search engines will take into account the quality of your inbound links, so concentrate on ways you can make valuable “friends” who can help boost your search engine visibility. Interact with other bloggers, provide valuable content that they’ll want to link to and even leave comments on blogs that include a link to your site.

#4. Use a Unique Domain
When your blog’s Web address is unique -- rather than a subdomain of your website -- you expand your options for search engine optimization. Using your blog to link to your website is a simple way to build inbound links. And when your blog appears in search engine results along with your website, your online legitimacy is strengthened. nsHosting™ for WordPress® includes a FREE* domain that enables you to register a unique Web address for your blog.

#5. Use an SEO WordPress® plug-in
nsHosting™ for WordPress® includes a pre-installed SEO plug-in that’s simple to enable – a great way to make your blog SEO-friendly with little time or effort. With features like automatic optimization of page titles and generation of meta tags, this plug-in can help your blog be more easily indexed by search engines and even rank higher in search results over time.

Bulding a blog is an important step towards online success and nsHosting™ for WordPress® gives you the right tools for the job. By using these simple SEO steps, you can make your blog a favorite destination for search engines and customers alike.

* See Terms and Conditions for free nsWebAddress™