With all the algorithm changes over the last few years, people are daunted by the task of Google SEO, especially when it comes to on-page optimization. But with these tips, you can properly optimize each page of your website today.
Step-by-Step Guide to Google SEO Friendly Page
Start with the Title
One of the most important factors of a page’s ranking is its title. Here are a few rules of thumb for properly optimizing the title of a page:
- Place the keyword as close to the beginning as possible. The closer the keyword is to the beginning, the easier it is for search engines to pick up on it.
- Add more words to the title. Your page title should never be just the keyword you’re optimizing for. By adding a few more words, such as “best of,” “guide,” “tips,” etc., you have a better shot at ranking for long-tail keywords as well.
- Make the title an <h1> heading. Headings are used to emphasize certain words on a page, making them more visible to readers and search engines alike.
Add the Keyword to the Content
Of course, the keyword you’re optimizing the page around should appear on the page, preferably several times. Follow these practices as you sprinkle in your keyword:
- Work it into the content. Your keyword should be worked into the written content of the page naturally about two or three times. Avoid keyword stuffing, which means repeating it over and over again.
- Use the keyword in the URL. This helps describe what the content of the page is about and gives a bit of a search boost.
- Place it in the meta description. While meta descriptions don’t have much effect on search ranking anymore, they’re a handy way to tell your readers what the page contains and improve clickthrough rates.
Mix in Multimedia Assets
Appealing, interesting photos, videos and graphics can keep visitors on your site for a longer period of time, which reduces bounce rate, an important ranking factor.
Images and graphics also contain alt text, another spot you can add your keyword to help search engines index your page. When optimizing an image, be descriptive. For example, for the keyword “spaghetti and meatballs,” a good alt text would be “spaghetti and meatballs served on plate.”
Offer a Good User Experience
Newcomers to SEO often mistake it for a process in which keywords must be meticulously woven into content so search engines don’t penalize their page. And while keywords and title tags are important Google SEO factors (as previously demonstrated), they’re not the only things that determine page ranking.
The truth is, the main goal of Google and other search engines is to provide their users with sites that give them the best experience possible. If you focus primarily on the user-friendliness of your website’s design, and secondly on search engines, your site will rank well.
We hope these tips have helped you demystify the Google SEO conundrum. And always remember, SEO is more about pleasing your audience than keyword stuffing!
