How I optimized my blog

Optimizing my blog proved to be harder than I initially anticipated, especially considering the content of my blog.  I was determined to figure out the best way to get my blog out there so I began digging through the class resources as well as my textbooks.  The first thing I did was consult the Business Insider article about basic SEO tips.  After reading it, I discovered the importance of keywords.  However I was unsure about how to find appropriate keywords for my blog.  I decided to read the article about keyword research and it pointed me toward Google's Keyword Planner.  I decided to make an account on Google Adwords to see what I could discover.  I put in the phrase craft beer and found the the highest ranking phrases were "top craft beers", "craft beer of the month", and "craft beer market".  I then decided to put in the synonym for craft beer, "microbrew" and found the craft beer was the highest searched phrase in accordance.  So I reverted back to my original search.  Given that, I made sure to use all three of the top phrases in my latest blog post.  After that, I began to wonder if I had optimized my title.  The SEO Journal's article called it the most important feature so I needed to make sure mine was good.  I wasn't exactly sure how to go about this so I decided to Google the title of my blog.  And guess what?  My blog is the second link on Google's first page if you search "Craft Beer for Thought."  I also created my Squidoo Lens to further my optimization.  For a beginner, I feel accomplished and proud of my blog so far. 

Here is a screenshot of my blog on Google's first page