I originally wrote this for a DigitalPoint thread, but I’d like to spread around a little.
I don’t hesitate pointing out even small factors that could potentially help your website’s optimization with the search engines.
A small tip that a lot of bloggers forget about is encouraging readers to comment on your posts.
Why?
Google absolutely loves updated content. I’ve seen this first hand. The bots come back “for more” when they see an active website. An active website to Google is considered multiple webpages being updated/added to (ie. Blog comments!).
You see all over the the forums here how people stress upon unique content and filling your site up with useful copy. This is important. In fact, it’s more important than the tip I’m giving now. However, why not do both so you can dominate your SERPs more quickly?
Encourage your visitors/readers to post their comments by posting about debatable topics. Since it depends on your industry, you’ll have to do some thinking to see what people will respond to.
Also, DON’T require registration in order for visitors to blog. You’ll lose about 95% of the comments you’re wanting simply because people hate registering.
This alone will not get you to higher SERPs. This is an excellent way to get Google and other search engines to come back to your site more frequently, ultimately bringing you more traffic.