Now more than ever, it seems the world is changing. Not too long ago, I spoke about tipping for SEO and digital marketing, which is causing high-growth companies to drive even faster.

And then, of course, Google changes an average of 12 things per day in Search, and websites are being impacted for things they aren’t even doing wrong.

Yet with all these changes, the basics of SEO remain the same. It is important not to lose sight of the fundamentals that we know make a difference. They make a difference in Google’s ranking algorithm and make a difference to businesses trying to remain relevant and competitive online.

That is why SEO basics are the foundation of any successful website. Let’s look at this idea in more detail.

• What is an evergreen SEO strategy? 
• What are some basic SEO strategies that get results?
• FAQ: How can I implement an effective evergreen SEO strategy to stay competitive in an ever-changing digital landscape? 

What Is an Evergreen SEO Strategy?

No matter what changes are thrown our way, a basic and dependable approach to SEO helps a company’s online presence weather those changes.

That approach includes the following SEO principles:

1. Beat the competition, not the algorithm
2. Focus on a whole-SERP SEO strategy
3. Optimize to be the least imperfect

1. Beat the Competition, Not the Algorithm

There are countless ranking signals in Google’s algorithm, with thousands of updates made yearly to Search. So it’s safe to say that no one will know exactly what the search engine algorithm is looking for.

We do the best we can with the information that’s available to us and the wisdom we have from years of practice, success and failure. We stay on top of developments and test them over and over again.

However, instead of focusing on every little algorithmic possibility, we instead focus on our competition. Our competition is the content ranking on Page 1 of the search results. And we discover that competition through keyword research (more on that later).

For more, read:

• SEO Should Beat the Competition, Not the Algorithm

2. Focus on a Whole-Serp Strategy

With keywords in tow, you will be able to see what types of search engine results are most prominent for those queries. You will prioritize your SEO and content development efforts there.

For example, some search queries will have more prominent video results, images, or perhaps featured snippets.

In other words, don’t just focus on the “blue links.” When you approach SEO and content development by understanding which features Google believes are the most relevant for a query, you evergreen your SEO program.

For more, read:

• What Is a Whole-SERP SEO Strategy?

Optimize To Be the Least Imperfect

Analyze the content and the webpages that are ranking for your desired keywords. What are they doing well? What can you do better?

As mentioned, the goal of SEO is not to try to beat the ranking algorithm, which is infinitely large. The goal of SEO is to beat the competition. And the way to do that is to be least imperfect compared to the competition. Every website is imperfect against the Google algorithm. And when Google evaluates which pages to serve in its search results, it chooses the least imperfect compared to others for that search.

For more, read:

• How to Do Competitor Research for SEO

What Are Some Basic SEO Strategies That Get Results?

Here are five basic SEO strategies that are proven to get results:

1. Keyword and audience research
2. Information architecture aka SEO siloing
3. Quality content
4. Technical and on-page optimization
5. Linking practices

1. Keyword and Audience Research

SEO keywords are single words or short phrases that represent the search queries that people use in a search engine. Once you have identified your keywords and explored the intent behind them (i.e. what a person is trying to accomplish when they use them in Google), you can do the following and more:

• Identify and speak the language of the target market
• Create useful content for your target audience
• Communicate to Google that a webpage is a relevant match for a query
• Drive more qualified traffic to appropriate webpages

For more, read:

• What Are Keywords and Why Are They Important to SEO?
• SEO Guide: Keyword Research – How To Select Keywords

2. Information Architecture aka SEO Siloing

How you organize the content on your site matters for search engines and users. SEO siloing builds relevance for a website and positions it as an authority on a topic. It also helps website visitors navigate the content with ease, and get complete answers to their questions.

For more, read:

• SEO Siloing: What, Why, How
• 5 Times When SEO Siloing Can Make or Break Search Engine Rankings
• SEO Guide: Siloing – How to Structure Your Website

3. Quality Content

Google wants to display the most useful content to its search engine users. So quality content is likely the most important ranking factor to get right.

For more, read:

• What Makes a Webpage Quality?
• 5 Steps To Help Writers Create Expert Content for SEO

4. Technical and On-Page Optimization

The performance of your website matters to website visitors. That is why you need to make sure that the site provides a good user experience. You do this through technical SEO practices that optimize the back-end of the website.

In addition, you want to help Google understand what a webpage is about, and this can be accomplished through on-page SEO.

For more, read:

• The Always-Up-To-Date SEO Checklist
• Technical SEO vs. On-page SEO
• SEO Guide: Technical SEO Tips

5. Linking Practices

How you link to other webpages matters in SEO. There are three primary strategies in linking:

1. Internal links: How you link to pages within your website
2. Outbound links: Which websites do you link to
3. Inbound links: Which websites link to you

Each type of linking strategy has its own best practices. It is important to strive for quality and relevance with every link.

For more, read:

• A Jam-Packed Guide on Internal Linking for SEO
• What Are Outbound Links and Why Are They Important?
• The New Link-Building Manifesto: A Complete Guide to Earning Links That Count

Without the basics of SEO, websites suffer when Google changes things or we experience economic or market downturns. This results in knee-jerk reactions that end up costing businesses more in the end than an upfront investment in evergreen SEO strategies.

Looking to add an evergreen SEO strategy to your company plan? Talk to us. We can help.

FAQ: How can I implement an effective evergreen SEO strategy to stay competitive in an ever-changing digital landscape?

With search engine algorithms frequently changing and competition intensifying, adopting an evergreen SEO strategy is essential to remain competitive in the long run.

An evergreen SEO strategy focuses on core principles that remain effective regardless of algorithmic shifts. The key is prioritizing beating the competition rather than chasing after ever-changing search engine algorithms. Conducting thorough keyword research to identify and understand your competition is the first step. By analyzing what content ranks on Page 1 of search results for your target keywords, you gain valuable insights into your competitors’ strategies and areas for improvement.

Adopting a Whole-SERP approach is a crucial aspect of a successful evergreen SEO strategy. It goes beyond focusing solely on traditional blue links in search results. Instead, consider the various features that Google deems relevant for a specific query, such as featured snippets, images, videos, or knowledge graphs. By understanding which elements are prominent for your target keywords, you can tailor your SEO and content development efforts accordingly to maximize visibility and engagement.

Optimizing to be the least imperfect compared to your competition is another fundamental principle of an evergreen SEO strategy. Instead of obsessing over trying to outsmart the ever-changing ranking algorithms, concentrate on delivering the best possible user experience and content quality. Analyze the webpages that rank for your desired keywords and learn from their strengths. By providing more value to your audience and addressing their needs comprehensively, you increase your chances of ranking higher in search results.

Implementing evergreen SEO strategies involves five proven practices:

1. Conduct comprehensive keyword and audience research to understand user intent and create targeted content.
2. Optimize your website’s information architecture using SEO siloing to establish authority on specific topics and improve navigation.
3. Prioritize producing high-quality content that caters to your audience’s needs, as it remains the most significant ranking factor.
4. Ensure technical and on-page optimization to enhance user experience and facilitate search engine understanding.
5. Adopt effective linking practices including internal, outbound and inbound links to build authority and relevance for your website.

Mastering the art of evergreen SEO is essential for staying competitive in the ever-changing digital landscape. By focusing on beating the competition, understanding user intent and delivering high-quality, valuable content, businesses can create a solid foundation for long-term online success.

Step-by-Step Evergreen SEO Strategy Implementation: 

1. Conduct comprehensive keyword research to identify relevant target keywords.
2. Analyze competitor content that ranks on Page 1 of search results for your chosen keywords.
3. Identify areas for improvement and potential content gaps in your niche.
4. Develop a Whole-SERP strategy by considering different types of search engine results for your target queries.
5. Prioritize content creation that aligns with your audience’s search intent.
6. Implement SEO siloing to organize your website content and establish topic authority.
7. Optimize website navigation for user-friendly access to relevant content.
8. Focus on producing high-quality, valuable content that addresses your audience’s needs and queries.
9. Ensure technical SEO practices to improve website performance and user experience.
10. Optimize on-page elements such as meta tags, headers and content structure.
11. Utilize internal linking to guide users to related content within your website.
12. Employ outbound links to reputable sources that support and complement your content.
13. Seek quality inbound links from authoritative websites in your industry.
14. Monitor and analyze website performance and rankings regularly.
15. Continuously update and improve your content to remain relevant and valuable.
16. Stay up-to-date with industry trends and algorithm changes to adapt your strategy.
17. Leverage social media and other promotional channels to drive traffic to your content.
18. Encourage user engagement and interaction with your content.
19. Monitor and respond to feedback and comments from your audience.
20. Continuously evaluate and refine your evergreen SEO strategy based on performance metrics and changing market demands.

The post Why SEO Basics Still Matter + Evergreen SEO Tips appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Beginning the process of learning SEO can be overwhelming. SEO comes with unique challenges and no matter how well-versed you are in your industry, it is your own area of expertise. Whether you’re looking to change careers and work in SEO marketing, or are a small business owner looking to multiply your SEO efforts, learning SEO is a valuable skill.

The good news is that anyone can learn SEO basics and start their journey with the proper mindset, approach, training, and resources. In this article, I’ll address some common beginner-related queries when starting their SEO journey:

• Is SEO hard to learn?
• What skills do you need for SEO?
• Does SEO require coding?
• How do I learn SEO?
• FAQ: How can beginners overcome the overwhelming nature of learning SEO and start their journey in digital marketing?

And I’ll offer practical advice to help you along the way. Let’s jump in.

Getting Started with SEO

There’s a lot to think about when you get started. From learning the basics like what SEO is and why it’s important, to more advanced topics like siloing and technical SEO, it might seem intimidating at first. So let’s start simple and look at some common questions that beginners ask.

Is SEO hard to learn?

There is a perception that SEO is a complex and technical field that requires advanced skills and knowledge.

And that is not untrue if you want to be the best – but nobody is an expert when they first start out. And every expert had to take the very same first steps as you will.

SEO is certainly complex, but it is a learnable skill. Is it hard to learn it? Not if you have the proper training and time to dedicate to applying what you’ve learned.

Here are some tips as you embark on your journey to learn SEO:

• You’ll do best if you break everything down into bite-sized chunks and hone your skills one at a time.
• Set realistic and measurable goals, and track progress using metrics such as rankings, website traffic, and conversion rates. (Keep in mind: It is the job of SEO to drive qualified traffic to the website. After that, it is the job of the website to convert those leads through marketing tactics.)
• Celebrate your achievements along the way!
• Remember: Learning SEO is a continuous process and it is not a once-and-done activity. It requires patience, persistence, and a growth mindset.

What skills do you need for SEO?

Simply understanding SEO can put you on equal footing with experienced professionals, no matter your background or experience level. But be mindful that there are various kinds of SEO skill sets and degrees of expertise within them.

For example, one SEO professional may be a master content creator, while another might be a good SEO strategist. Still, another may be a whiz at implementing technical SEO, while another might focus solely on SEO audits. And some SEO professionals (like us here at Bruce Clay, Inc.) can do it all!

Yes, SEO requires a combination of technical and creative abilities. And, of course, the most valuable SEO asset is expertise, which comes over time.

Here are some skill sets that will help you succeed in SEO:

• An analytical mindset.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• The desire to continuously learn SEO knowledge and improve skills.
• An ethical approach to SEO.

You can also check out the soft skills that SEOs need to succeed, too.

Does SEO require coding?

People often want to know if SEO requires coding. Short answer? Yes and no.

If you aren’t interested in learning code and you don’t have a technical background, you’re going to hit a wall eventually with how much you can learn. That said, many areas of SEO do not require coding — a study from Backlinko analyzed more than 7,000 SEO job postings and found that the majority of SEO jobs covered more general tasks. Only about 23% required technical SEO skills, but the ability to code often meant more pay.

Here are some recommendations as you develop your SEO skill set:

• Focus on mastering the foundational aspects of SEO first, such as keyword research and quality content creation before diving into more technical aspects of SEO.
• Use SEO tools and SEO plugins to automate or simplify some of the technical aspects of SEO, such as schema markup and meta tags.
• Collaborate with a developer or hire an SEO agency to handle the technical aspects of SEO, while you focus on the creative aspects.

How do I learn SEO?

Most people learn SEO on their own, go through formal training, or a combination of both. (Read more about how to learn SEO.)

Learning SEO on your own

Some beginners prefer to learn SEO on their own at their own pace, rather than investing in formal training.

But this approach can be daunting. There is no lack of opinions and resources when it comes to SEO; videos, books, webinars, and more exist – how will you start and pull together everything necessary for successful implementation?

Also: Some people may lack the structure, feedback, and accountability provided by a teacher or mentor.

A word of caution: If you are learning from those who are not approaching SEO the right way, it can have serious ramifications for your developing skills and the websites you work on.

As you can probably tell, I lean more towards not trying to learn SEO on your own without some sort of formal training, which I’ll talk about next. But if you are going at it alone, I suggest starting with our free comprehensive Search Engine Optimization: How To Do SEO Guide. It’s packed with 19 lessons that teach you SEO basics, best practices, and everything you need to know to get ranked.

Taking an SEO training program

When it comes to formal SEO training programs, you have options. How do you evaluate those options so that you are investing wisely?

Here are some tips:

• Find out who the people are behind the training – are they reputable?
• Assess the material covered. Is it comprehensive on the subjects you want to learn?
• Discover how the information is presented. Does it jive with your learning style?
• Dig deeper to find out how fresh the information is. Were the videos recorded years ago, and is the information out of date?
• Read the reviews – what are other students saying about the program?

If you decide to take an online, self-paced SEO training program (like ours at SEOtraining.com), here are some tips to stay on track:

• Set goals for yourself and support those goals with a study schedule you can commit to.
• Leverage all the resources available to you from the program.
• Connect with an SEO mentor on your learning journey.

For more, check out my articles featured on Search Engine Land:

• What’s Your SEO Learning Style?
• 5 Questions to Evaluate Any SEO Training Course

Continuing education

After you learn the foundations of SEO, you have the burden of continuing education, which, in a fast-paced environment like SEO, should occur on a weekly or monthly basis.

Search engines update their algorithms frequently, and best practices change over time. This can be overwhelming; many feel like they are always playing catch-up.

To overcome this:

• Follow reputable SEO sources, like our SEO blog, and other blogs, social media accounts, or email lists.
• Attend SEO webinars or conferences to network and learn from other professionals and experts.
• Experiment with new keyword approaches and marketing strategies.

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing is a complex (but exciting!) world. Never stop learning about SEO. Remember — both your failures AND your successes can help you learn. And finally, be patient. SEO takes time, but with the right approach and mindset, anyone can learn it.

Ready to start your SEO journey? Check out our expert online SEO training course to learn what it takes to successfully compete in search.

FAQ: How can beginners overcome the overwhelming nature of learning SEO and start their journey in digital marketing?

Beginners looking to enter SEO should break their learning process down into manageable chunks. SEO is a complex subject with multiple concepts and techniques, so it’s essential that newcomers develop one skill at a time before progressing to more advanced topics. Beginners can create a solid SEO foundation by mastering basic topics first before moving on to more advanced ones.

As SEO is an ever-evolving field, embracing experimentation can be invaluable. There’s no one approach that fits everyone! Don’t be intimidated to explore different approaches and techniques as long as they adhere to ethical standards. Learning from mistakes allows you to grow and advance in the industry.

As part of a strategy to track progress, setting realistic and measurable targets is crucial to ensure successful SEO efforts. Metrics like website traffic and rankings will allow you to assess SEO success; its primary function should be driving qualified traffic towards your site while the website should then convert these leads using effective marketing techniques.

Celebrating your achievements along the way will keep you motivated and ensure a positive outlook. SEO requires patience and persistence; reinforce your progress by celebrating milestones along the way and staying inspired!

Beginners can manage the overwhelming nature of SEO through a systematic approach, including experimentation with various techniques, setting measurable objectives, and celebrating successes. Anyone can achieve digital marketing success with dedication and a growth mindset.

The post Learning SEO for Beginners: Where and How To Start appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

• First, do you have the time?
• Can you diagnose website problems?
• Are you committed to learning?
• Do you have any budget for help?
• FAQ: Can I do search engine optimization on my own and achieve results? 

First, Do You Have the Time?

It is likely the case that if you have a website, you have a business to run. Whether you are a solopreneur or a business with a team that wants to tackle SEO, you are busy.

SEO is not a one-time thing. Of course, there are one-time things that you will do at the outset of the project, but SEO is constant throughout the lifecycle of your site.

Consider some of the things you will need to do at the outset of an SEO initiative:

• Installing and configuring analytics
• Making sure the site is mobile-friendly
• Diagnosing site speed and addressing issues
• Making sure the site is secure
• Keyword research
• Competitive analysis
• Whole-SERP strategy

And here is what you should do at minimum on a monthly basis with tasks broken up throughout the weeks:

• Create and publish authoritative, expert content.
• Monitor link profile and address anything that needs to be fixed.
• Run site crawls, review reports and fix website issues.
• Monitor analytics and data, including rankings and traffic, implement new strategies as needed.
• Optimize existing content, including page optimization, page combining, redirecting irrelevant pages, etc.
• Conduct competitive analysis, implement new strategies as needed.

Of course, it is not always this cut and dry. You will need to have the discernment on what tasks will give you the most ROI in the quickest amount of time.

Here are some resources as you get started on your journey:

• SEO: What, Why, How
• Myth: SEO Is a One-Time or Sometimes Thing
• What Are Keywords?
• How to Do Competitor Research for SEO
• How to Make a Mobile-Friendly Site
• How Fast Should My Webpage Be and Why Should I Care?
• HTTPS for Users and Ranking
• What Is a Whole-SERP SEO Strategy?
• The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist
• What Makes a Webpage Quality?

Can You Diagnose Website Problems?

When rankings and traffic tank, will you know how to diagnose the problem? You will run into problems with traffic at some point.

This means you will have to pivot and turn your attention to finding and fixing the issue. Was it a Google change? Is there new competition? Did something happen offline that would impact your traffic? Did you redesign your website or do something else to it?

To be blunt: This diagnosis often takes a lot of wisdom and experience. It is not likely something you will be able to figure out easily when you are just starting out.

If and when you have figured out and fixed the problem, you will then need to catch up on your day-to-day SEO deliverables. Unfortunately, the fast-paced nature of organic search means the picture can change on a dime – even if you divert resources for a month.

Here are some resources as you get started:

• 5 Things to Know When Your Site Loses Rankings
• An Up-to-Date History of Google Algorithm Updates

Are You Committed to Learning?

On top of everything else, you will need to commit to SEO learning.

You will need to understand when Google changes things and how it may impact your website. You will want to learn the latest strategies in SEO and how to perfect the best practices. All of this takes time, as in hours each month set aside for education.

In any given month you might:

• Read search engine news publications
• Take a webinar or two
• Go through modules in a training course
• Discuss issues you’re having in forums or Q&A sessions with SEOs or Google
• Attend a conference or event (virtually or in person)
• Reference pages in an SEO book

Then, you can apply the things you’ve learned to your daily / weekly / monthly tasks.

You cannot let yourself get stale here. Good SEO strategies come from continuous learning – you learn when you do SEO, and you learn when you listen to others.

These resources will help you on your journey:

• What Is SEO Training?
• 5 Questions to Evaluate Any SEO Training Course
• SEOtraining.com (Our SEO training website)
• SearchEngineLand.com (SEO news and tips)
• SearchEngineJournal.com (SEO news and tips)
• Google Search Central office hours (Google help)
• Search Engine Optimization All-in-One for Dummies, Fourth Edition (Our 700-plus page SEO book)

Do You Have Any Budget for Help?

When you are DIY’er, things can get hard. There will be problems that you cannot fix on your own. You will seek advice.

If you are doing SEO on your own, you may not want to spend more money on outside expertise. But if you have a little budget set aside, you can get the type of help you need to get you over the humps.

For example, you could invest in two important things on your SEO journey:

• The SEO audit, will uncover where your website is hurting SEO and a list of things to fix. This is a great thing to have at the outset of an SEO initiative.
• A block of hours you can use as you wish to help with tough questions or special projects outside your expertise; especially helpful for when you get stuck.

Having just a little bit of help to start and then when things get rough along the way can help you be more successful with your DIY SEO program.

I recommend checking out these resources:

• What Is an SEO Audit?
• SEO Audits and Tools: The Good, The Better, and The Best
• You Have an SEO Emergency – Who Do You Call?
• What Percentage of Your Budget Should Go Toward SEO?
• The REAL Cost of SEO

So, is DIY SEO worth it?

It depends on if you will prioritize the time for SEO, how committed you are to keeping up with it, and if you can set aside some budget for outside help as needed.

If you feel like any of those will be too hard, then I recommend either not doing SEO or hiring outside expertise when you are able to.

Don’t have the time for SEO? Unsure where to start? Our SEO experts can help. Reach out to us for a free consultation.

FAQ: Can I do search engine optimization on my own and achieve results?

Individuals can take on SEO themselves and achieve positive outcomes, but there are a few critical factors they must get “right” to succeed.

The Power of DIY SEO

Search engine optimization is not an arcane art reserved only for specialized agencies. With the proper knowledge and dedication, individuals can handle SEO themselves and achieve favorable results. SEO is a never-ending journey that requires constant effort, commitment, and the willingness to adapt to ever-evolving search algorithms.

Knowledge and Ongoing Education

Before beginning your DIY SEO journey, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the basic principles of SEO. This includes keyword research, on-page optimization, and linking strategies. To stay abreast of current trends and stay abreast of changing priorities, it is also wise to familiarize yourself with SEO resources such as webinars or forums dedicated to this discipline. Continuous learning is critical to keeping your SEO strategies effective and relevant.

Evaluating Your Resources

While taking on SEO yourself can save costs, assessing whether you have the necessary time and resources to invest in the process is essential. SEO requires regular monitoring, analysis, and adjustments, which can be time-consuming. Consider whether you have the bandwidth to tackle these tasks effectively.

Crafting a Targeted SEO Plan

A well-crafted SEO plan is crucial for achieving positive results. Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant and high-traffic keywords for your website. Develop a content strategy that aligns with your target audience’s needs and incorporates your chosen keywords naturally into your content.

Measuring and Adapting

The success of your DIY SEO efforts relies on consistent measurement and adaptation. Monitor your website’s rankings, organic traffic, and conversion rates regularly. Web analytics tools can help identify areas for improvement and gain insight into user behaviors. Based on this data, make informed decisions and adjust SEO strategies as necessary.

Doing search engine optimization on your own is entirely possible and can lead to positive outcomes for your website. By acquiring the necessary knowledge, creating a targeted plan, and continuously adapting your strategies, you can achieve meaningful results through DIY SEO.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Achieving Success with DIY SEO

1. Educate Yourself on SEO Fundamentals
2. Familiarize Yourself with Reputable SEO Resources
3. Engage in SEO Webinars and Forums
4. Assess Your Time and Resources
5. Develop a Targeted SEO Plan
6. Conduct Thorough Keyword Research
7. Create an Audience-Centric Content Strategy
8. Naturally Incorporate Keywords into Your Content
9. Monitor Rankings, Traffic, and Conversions Regularly
10. Use Web Analytics Tools for Insights
11. Identify Areas for Improvement
12. Make Informed Decisions and Adjust Strategies
13. Continue Learning and Adapting
14. Stay Up-to-Date with Search Algorithm Changes
15. Optimize for Mobile and User Experience
16. Regularly Conduct SEO Audits
17. Address Technical SEO Issues
18. Build High-Quality Backlinks
19. Engage in Content Promotion and Outreach
20. Measure and Evaluate Results Periodically

Web analytics tools can help identify areas for improvement and gain insight into user behaviors. Based on this data, make informed decisions and adjust SEO strategies as necessary.

The post DIY SEO: 4 Questions to Ask Before You Start appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

An SEO checklist is a list of best practices and reminders that help you optimize a website to perform better in search engine rankings. Not making mistakes is an important first step for helping search engines, notably Google, reward your site in rankings.

A common mistake is not studying SEO before you do it. Seriously, you need to have a reasonable idea of what it is. Take a course (I recommend ours at SEOtraining.com). And to do the initial dust and clean, follow our how to do SEO Guide. Now you are ready to read and, more importantly, understand what you are being asked to do.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an evolving discipline. It’s rooted in both best practices and trending strategies. This is why having the latest information on hand is vital when you’re optimizing website content to be found in searches.

I first introduced an SEO checklist in my training course, and quickly realized its value for both new and seasoned professionals. Today, this page is a popular resource that we update regularly.

We try to keep this checklist brief for easy reference. If you want more explanation, check the linked resources or our SEO Guide to learn how to do search engine optimization.

One checklist can’t uncover everything an individual business should do when it comes to SEO and its website. But this one is pretty close with more than 40 SEO categories that will improve the way both customers and search engines find and use your site.

I hope you’ll find it to be a helpful reminder of the many items to check during your SEO projects.

I’ve divided the SEO checklist into sections, so jump around as needed:

• Content optimization
• On-Page optimization
• Local optimization
• Mobile optimization
• Sitewide optimization
• Server / HTML optimization (NEW)
• Webmaster tools
• FAQ: How can I effectively optimize my website using the SEO checklist to improve search engine rankings?

Content Optimization

Many of us already knew by the time Google confirmed it: Content is one of the top three ranking signals (out of hundreds). If you do nothing else, your content strategy is an essential part of your online success. We believe that a proper SEO content strategy is the difference between good content and noticed good content. Do it right, or do not bother.

1. Target Audience Research

This is a biggie: Know your target audience, the questions they have, and their pain points. Knowing what questions they ask and what types of queries they might ask Google helps inform your keyword research.

This, in turn, will help you create content that answers those questions and solves their pain points. (You’ll use keywords you select as a basis for this content — one main keyword topic per webpage — but more on that shortly.)

Understanding searcher intent is an important step in crafting content. Answering typical questions your target audience might have also helped your page be found for voice search queries.

2. Keyword Strategy and Research

Keyword research needs to be an ongoing process. It starts by identifying a focus phrase or two for the topic you want to write about (using your preferred tools — there are dozens of good ones out there).

When you have a keyword phrase in mind for a page or a section of your site, check it in Google search. View the top results; the “People also ask” questions, and the rest of the search engine results. This search engine results page (SERP) provides your best clues to the searcher’s intent for this query. Make sure your content fulfills what searchers want when looking for this keyword, or looking for a more appropriate keyword phrase.

I could write volumes about this topic; just know that keyword research is part of any solid SEO checklist. Our SEO Guide will get you started and includes a free version of the SEOToolSet Keyword Suggestion tool.

Given these first two items, it reminds me of fishing. If you want to catch fish, you need to know two things … what bait the fish are biting, and where the fish are swimming. Content and keywords play together to attract and convert your fish.

3. Featured Snippet Opportunities

As you conduct keyword research, you might find that Google displays a featured snippet (aka answer box) above the search results for your targeted keyword. This means you have an opportunity to claim a featured snippet if you provide answers to question-type queries. That area of the SERP, known as Position Zero, has become a significant SEO focus.

To win featured snippets, you’ll need to structure the content according to the type of snippet (usually video, text, list or table). Optimize the answer and formatting, whether it’s a table, bulleted list, ordered list, text question-and-answer, or other. Also, applying schema markup is not required but may increase your chances to secure a featured snippet spot (see “More Structured Data” below).

If you’re optimizing text, you can also conduct competitor research to find the typical length of featured snippets. For example, the average word count for a paragraph-type snippet is 40 to 60 words. Two tools we like that can help you target featured snippets are the Featured Snippets+ Tool and inLinks.net (both are paid tools with some free options).

4. Word Count

The amount of content you need on a webpage varies by topic, keyword, competition, and the intent of the query. (Read about the three main intents behind search queries in the table below.)

How many words is enough? There’s no black-and-white rule. To determine an approximate minimum page length, look at the top-ranked URLs for a keyword you’re targeting. How long are those pages?

A tool like our SEOToolSet^® Multi Page Analyzer comes in handy for this kind of competitive analysis. For WordPress users, our patented SEO plugin feature handles this analysis in real-time, giving custom advice per keyword. It produces target word counts and displays them right in WordPress.

Averaging the top competitors gives you a ballpark for what a search engine considers the normal word count for that topic. It’s safe to say that informational webpages almost always warrant more text.

Quality content is the priority for any good SEO checklist. Google’s algorithm detects low-quality content and demotes its rankings. So avoid thin content. Focus on robust coverage of your website topics to prove your subject matter expertise, and leverage industry experts when possible. Here’s more on what makes a webpage quality.

5. Call to Action (CTA)

For each of your pages, ask yourself what the user would need/want to do from here. Then make it easy to do!

Your key pages should make it clear what primary action a visitor can take next.

• On a product page, the call to action (CTA) should be prominent (for example, “add to cart” or “start a free trial”).
• On a service page, the CTA might be “call us” or “get a quote.” Make the CTA clear and easy to select.
• On the homepage, help the visitor to take the next step in your conversion funnel.

The actual language of a CTA should be active (usually an imperative verb). The placement and design of the CTA should draw the visitor’s attention. But test variations to see what works best for you.

A page doesn’t have to be transactional in nature to warrant a call to action. If an informational page is a top-performing traffic driver, such as a blog post (like this one) that answers a common question or an FAQ page, the call to action might encourage the visitor to “find out more” and enter the conversion funnel or to tell two friends.

For instance, you should do this now:

Bookmark this SEO checklist for future reference. And if you find it helpful, please consider sharing it!

6. Content Freshness

Periodically review your content (webpages and blog posts) to make sure that the information is up to date.

For example, we refresh this very checklist regularly. SEO best practices have to evolve as search engine guidelines and technology do. If your industry also moves quickly, your content needs to keep up.

From Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines (PDF):

“… unmaintained/abandoned ‘old’ websites or unmaintained and inaccurate/misleading content is a reason for a low E-E-A-T [experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness] rating.”

Tip: If parts of your website could use a refresh, see our guide to refreshing your site content for a step-by-step.

7. Static Content on Homepage

Your homepage acts as a central hub to pass authority to top pages on your site through internal links. It’s probably also where people land most often when they search for your brand or main products/services.

It’s important to have static text that talks about your brand and top theme(s) on the homepage.

If you have a homepage with content that constantly changes, such as nothing but headlines, it can dilute the theme of your site. This results in poor rankings for key terms. So try to maintain sections of consistent text on the homepage.

8. Duplicate Content

Do searches to see if your content exists elsewhere on the web. You may want to check out CopyScape.com and use it regularly. If your site appears to have copied content from another source, that’s a low-quality signal to search engines and may cause your site to rank lower. Similarly, if other sites have copied your content, it could be a problem from an SEO standpoint.

If you have duplicate content within your site, such as three URLs with the same content, a search engine will filter out the dupes. Only one will display in results for relevant queries — and the page that Google chooses might not be the page that you want to rank. One option would be to use a “canonical tag” to tell the search engines which version should be indexed.

Here’s more on duplicate content.

On-Page Optimization

Review each important page, from the homepage to a high-priority product page, with an eye on the following issues in this on-page SEO checklist.

9. Title Tag

SEO has always stressed a webpage’s HTML title as a vital tag that should contain the relevant keywords you want to rank for on this page.

In general, title tags should be about 9 words (within the range of 6 to 12). You want to make sure that each page’s meta title is unique and describes the most important information about the page. Use the top keyword before the cutoff in the SERP, which for Google is roughly 60–70 characters, including spaces. (Tip: You can use a title preview tool to estimate how much will show.)

Remember, the title tag often becomes the clickable title that searchers see in search results (though Google reserves the right to choose a different title for your result). Both the title and description text can influence click-throughs to your site. So craft compelling tags. You don’t want to waste your prime real estate in the SERP with boring copy.

10. Description Tag

The meta description tag should also include the most important information and keywords near the beginning. If the search engine chooses to display your description text, it will include approximately 24 words or 160 characters with spaces.

Google indicates that it does not consider this tag an important ranking factor. I personally think that anything that appears on a Google SERP page is important. It certainly helps us get clicks — so be sure to act like it is important because it is.

Keep in mind that Google reserves the right to replace your meta description text with a search snippet generated by Google, which is usually pulled from the page’s body content. A search snippet (aka auto-snippet) appears instead of your meta description whenever Google deems the snippet of text more relevant for a given search. This is common when your description does not contain the query keyword.

Read more about meta tags.

11. Heading Tags

Headings allow a reader to see the main sections and points of a page. They give visual cues for how body content is organized. They also signal to search engines and readers what topics are covered on a page.

As a technical point, make sure the first heading tag within the body of a page is an <h1>. (Note that in WordPress, the text field at the top of the editor that says “Add Title” is actually for Heading 1.) The following heading tags can be <h2>, <h3>, <h4>, etc., and should be used like a page’s table of contents.

You may have more than one <h1> on a page according to Google, though we recommend only one in most cases. And be sure NOT to use heading tags to control font sizes, as that may confuse the search engines. Instead, use CSS to control style, and headings to describe content organization.

Navigation elements and other global text should be styled with CSS and not heading tags (watch our Ask Us Anything video for more about this).

12. Image Optimization

Images greatly enhance your pages. Content needs visual elements to break up the text and keep a reader interested.

Images also provide additional ranking opportunities through image searches and blended web search results.

Images can slow down a page’s loading time. To reduce file size and to increase speed as much as possible, resize the files to their display size rather than uploading the original file and making the browser shrink it. Also, include width and height attributes in image tags.

NOTE: We use a plugin that automatically provides JPEG and PNG images in the WebP image format to browsers that support it, reducing image size by approximately 50%. This seriously improves SEO by decreasing page size and speeding page loads.

File names should describe the image and include a keyword when possible. You can also optimize the caption and the text surrounding an image to reinforce what the image is about.

For more about optimizing images for SEO, review our post How to Improve Google Image Search Ranking.

13. Alt Attributes

Make sure to include an alt attribute with each image. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that a website should describe the image on a page for the vision impaired when the description contributes to an accurate understanding of the content. And please take this seriously; although not mainstream SEO, compliance failure can lead to serious fines and penalties.

Accessibility is important to users and to Google. According to Google, having alt attributes is a primary indicator that your site is accessible.

As an SEO checklist item, ensure that your images have accurate alt text that, if appropriate, includes a keyword for the page. If an image is purely decorative, it should still have an empty alt attribute within its image tag. Alt attributes are required of validated HTML code (per W3C standards).

14. Video Optimization

Videos are powerful engagement objects that add multimedia interest to keep visitors on your page longer. Highly consumable content, videos give you additional SEO benefits and social sharing opportunities. Also, note that video is one of the formats for featured snippets in the SERP. To go further, I imagine that a significant portion of how-to query results (in the organic results area) will evolve to be video answers. Start now — you cannot say you have not been warned.

Optimize your videos to be found in the search. Video content provides ranking opportunities both in regular searches and in video-only search engines where they’re uploaded especially YouTube.

Like images, embedded videos can slow down the load of a page. There’s a slew of optimization best practices for YouTube, Vimeo, and other video hosting sites. Read our guide on 10 video SEO tips to improve SERP rank.

15. Structured Data Markup with Schema

Structured data clarifies for the search engine what the content on your page is about. Specifically, marking up your HTML content based on the standards at schema.org helps search engines understand what type of information you’re presenting.

For example, you could use structured data markup to indicate an upcoming event your business is hosting, specifying its date, time, location, and other details. If Google is clear about what’s on your site, then additional bits of information have the potential to show up in your search results.

There are dozens of schema types that may apply depending on the content you have on your site. Consider for example:

• HowTo Article Structured Data – Use this to identify how-to articles.
• FAQ Structured Data – Mark up a Q&A section with this type of schema, and you may earn a hefty featured snippet such as the one shown below.

Google’s guidelines allow three supported formats for marking up a website:

• JSON-LD (recommended)
• Microdata
• RDFa

This is a technical SEO checklist item: Google requires your markup to include all of the required properties for an object to be eligible for enhancements in your SERP listing. To make sure you’ve done it right, check your page or code snippet using Google’s Rich Results Testing Tool.

For more on how to implement structured data on your site, check out How to Use Schema Markup to Improve Your Website Visibility in Search.

16. More Structured Data

Besides the schema markup we just mentioned, there are other ways you can structure your data to make it more digestible for search engines.

• HTML tables
• Bulleted lists
• Ordered lists
• Breadcrumb navigation
• Table of contents at the top (especially with anchor links)
• Headings that contain a key term or question, followed by the answer in body text
• TL;DR (“too long, didn’t read”) summary near the top of your article

All of these structural formats can help people read your content more easily. They also encourage Google to use your content in featured snippets, as we discussed above. Google gives more information about structured data in the search results here.

17. Social Meta Tags

Social markup, or social meta tags, refers to the code used to enhance content on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Content in these tags dictates what image and text will show up when someone posts a link to your content on a social network. While not a link for SEO, social mentions about your pages are believed to at least temporarily assist with rankings.

By specifying social markup in your HTML, you can ensure you look your best on social media. Facebook Open Graph tags, Twitter Card markup, and Pinterest Rich Pins are the major social markup tags. Click through if you want more details on each platform’s options:

• Facebook Open Graph tags
• Twitter Cards
• Pinterest Pins in various formats
• LinkedIn shares

18. URL Optimization

This item is featured in nearly every SEO checklist. Long ago, URLs were heavily keyword stuffed, and it is believed that they now have minimal impact on rankings. Still, a descriptive URL can certainly assist with clicks by users.

Use dashes rather than underscores in-page URLs. Underscores are alpha characters and do not separate words. Dashes (or rather, hyphens) are word separators, but should not appear too many times, or it could look spammy. For more on this topic, check out this post by Google’s Matt Cutts (an oldie but a goodie) and ours explaining what is spam.

You also want URLs to be descriptive and contain keywords, without being spammy. And shorter URLs are preferable to long URLs.

19. Fully Qualified Links

If you make your internal links fully qualified, there’s no question by search engine spiders, browsers, etc., as to where the file is located and what it’s about. If your link looks something like “../../pagename” (a relative link), then it may cause crawl issues for some search engines.

Rather than relative URLs, use fully qualified links, which means beginning with https:// (hopefully not http://). Note that your sitemap should always have fully qualified URLs. (You can read more about sitemaps below.)

20. Make JavaScript and CSS External

To remove unnecessary lines of code in your body text, it’s a best practice to externalize JavaScript and CSS code that gets in the way of keyword-rich content. Externalizing large files can speed up your page load time, which plays a role in Google’s ranking algorithm.

However, there is a tradeoff to consider, especially in light of the new Core Web Vitals. In some cases, Google recommends leaving smaller CSS or JavaScript code elements inline in your HTML page in order to reduce the round trip time it may take for the server to request the external resource.

Local Optimization

Businesses with a local brick-and-mortar presence or local service areas have a special set of SEO factors to pay attention to. Here are a couple of important local SEO checklist items.

21. Claim Google My Business Listing

A Google My Business listing is free and is a critical first step for local brick-and-mortar and businesses with service areas. A Google My Business listing can enable your site to show up in Google Maps, the local pack of Google Search results, and Knowledge Graph panels for your business. Since the goal of SEO is to send traffic to your site from search engines, these appearances are important as SEO items.

There’s a lot more involved in local SEO, but claiming your listing in Google My Business and in Bing Places gets you started.

22. Local Schema Markup

Local businesses can benefit from on-page schema markup related to their business. (You can browse the available codes at schema.org). Especially important for all businesses is the NAP + W code, which designates the business’s name, address, phone number, and website.

Check out my list of other local search ranking factors. There are many factors that you have not considered that are all vital to SEO.

23. Local Citations and Links

Local citations are usually found in directories where multiple businesses are listed either by business type or by region. At a minimum, an online citation should include the business name, address, and phone number (NAP) as well as the website address. Many directory sites offer opportunities for additional business information, as well.

Local links are different from citations in that they exist on local websites, such as related businesses in the area or hyper-local blogs about the area, rather than on a directory. Both citations and local links help establish your local presence.

Mobile Optimization

We’re truly living in a mobile-first world. Businesses need to ensure that their websites cater to the mobile browsing experience. Google looks at the mobile version of your content when it comes to indexing and ranking. Yes, you may edit your pages on a desktop for convenience, and perhaps you have very few mobile users on your site. But the Google Spider is only concerned with mobile formatting, and that is how your site is viewed.

As an SEO checklist to-do, make sure you’re using a mobile-first strategy. I’ve listed a few specifics below.

24. Mobile Usability

Search engines are invested in providing users with a great mobile experience. See how your site is performing on mobile devices with the Mobile Usability report, located within Google Search Console.

This report lets you know if your touch elements are too close, if your content is sized to the viewport, your Flash usage, font size, and more.

You can also use the URL Inspection Tool within Google Search Console to understand how Google sees a specific page rendered on different mobile devices.

Lastly, you can run important URLs through Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test for developers. Similarly, Bing offers a Mobile Friendliness Test Tool.

Page load speed is also a ranking factor. Skip to Site Speed & Performance in this SEO checklist for the SEO tools to check page speed.

25. Mobile and Voice-Related Keywords

When was the last time you tried a voice search for your keywords? Try to find your business and competitors as your customer would with a voice search. Consider:

• Are you coming up with relevant voice search terms like “[keyword] near me”?
• Are you accounting for searches formed as questions or full sentences? (These are more and more common with the advance of voice queries.)

As an additional test, are your keywords easily pronounced? Do you have an exotic-sounding product or company name? How well do you perform in voice search right now? Are you ranking No. 1 but getting no mobile traffic? Keyword recognition is an important part of a query, and the wrong query throws off SEO data.

Check out our articles on voice search optimization and mobile SEO for guidance.

26. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

Accelerated Mobile Pages, known as AMP for short, is an open-source project that enables webpages to load almost instantly for mobile users.

Because of the visibility of Google’s AMP carousel, AMP pages may get more visibility in the mobile search results. However, I absolutely recommend that you avoid AMP unless your website serves audiences in low-bandwidth areas of the world. Google recognizes the need for AMP is in areas of reduced bandwidth, and for much of the U.S., Google has started to discontinue advantages for AMP.

Check out our high-level overview of AMP to investigate whether AMP might benefit your site or our quick-start guide to learn how to implement AMP.

To continue learning about mobile optimization tactics, read the Mobile SEO lesson in our SEO Guide and our All-In-One Mobile SEO & Design Checklist.

Server / HTML Optimization

With Google’s page experience update rolling out in mid-2021 and the introduction of Core Web Vitals, server-level optimization has become a priority. So I am adding this new section to our SEO Checklist to help you optimize your page experience at the server level.

27. HTTPS

Having a secure site (HTTPS) has been a minor ranking signal in Google for years, and now as part of the page experience ranking factor, HTTPS is no longer optional. If your site is unsecure (HTTP), users likely see a warning in their browser whenever they try to visit your site. So if you want traffic and rankings, you need a secure site.

Also consider moving your site into the future with HTTP/3. This protocol lets sites be better optimized for performance. Though it’s still technically in “draft” status, most browsers and content networks already support it. It’s coming.

28. No Intrusive Interstitials

Intrusive interstitials are pop-ups that get in a user’s way by covering up too much of a webpage soon after the user arrives. This no-no is on Google’s page experience list, so be sure your site avoids blocking the content with a pop-up or at least waits until 20–30 seconds after the page is opened.

29. Core Web Vitals

Three new metrics that Google calls Core Web Vitals now have some influence on the ranking algorithm. These metrics are LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), FID (First Input Delay), and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), which basically measure how easily people can view and interact with your webpage. Check your scores per page using the Core Web Vitals Report in Search Console among other tools.

For more details, read our Overview of Core Web Vitals, and to go in-depth, watch our on-demand webinar 3 Expert Tips to Improve Core Web Vitals.

30. Server Configuration & Maintenance

Regularly check your server looking for 404 errors, improper 301 redirects, and other errors. The many diagnostic reports in Google Search Console also point out errors to be fixed.

Server configuration also impacts site speed. As speed is a significant SEO issue, this is a major checklist item. Run Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool and pay attention to its recommended fixes.

Server maintenance, especially plugin maintenance, is important at many levels. For instance, you may have suffered a malware attack. In such cases, a hacker may have exploited a system weakness and installed hidden links or transfers to other sites into your code without your knowledge. Such attacks will harm your SEO efforts by poisoning your content and potentially harming people visiting your site. That makes safe browsing a priority even if Google decided to drop it as a page experience ranking signal.

To better understand Google’s recent update, read our CMO’s Overview of the Page Experience Update or download our complete page experience guide.

31. Site Speed and Performance

Check PageSpeed Insights in Google Search Console or use tools like GTmetrix.com to analyze and improve a website’s performance on desktop and mobile devices.

For more details on improving page speed, read our Page Speed Issues Overview for SEO.

Sitewide Optimization

Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines (here’s a PDF of the most recent version) introduced the terminology E-E-A-T to the SEO community. A shorthand way of referring to experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness as the top indicators of page quality, E-E-A-T is now a pillar of search engine optimization.

A website as a whole should signal experience, expertise, authority, and trust while conveying subject relevance and optimizing for search engine accessibility. While your basic content strategy is a big piece of this (see the Content Optimization section, above), the following items help support E-E-A-T.

32. Contact Information

An explicit E-E-A-T signal is to have the business contact information, such as a phone number and physical address, clearly visible on the site. The search engines expect that a trustworthy site will provide this for users. Seriously, be easy to find.

33. Testimonials

Testimonials located on your site support your trustworthiness as a business and your value to your customer base. Testimonials are great for signaling your value to your human visitors, too!

Make sure your testimonials and reviews can be indexed, too. That means display them in text (not just images) that’s easy for search robots to digest. Schema markup allows review ratings to be displayed, extending SEO value by increasing traffic.

34. Privacy Statement

Another E-E-A-T signal, having a privacy statement on your site, helps establish trust. A privacy statement lets site visitors know what you’re doing with any data you collect about them.

EVERY site should have a privacy link in its footer to the privacy page. You are welcome to take our privacy statement from our site and modify it for your use.

In addition to bolstering your trust with Google and Bing, offering a privacy statement is a best practice. Privacy laws such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (aka GDPR) require many sites to clarify their privacy policies, have visitors opt-in to allow data collection, and more. For those not concerned with Europe, there are equally strong laws for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that are expected to expand nationally, so this applies to you. Be sure to research the privacy laws where your site visitors are located and ensure your website complies.

35. Text Navigation

Verify that there is text navigation within your site. You want text links, which are more SEO-friendly than using images for menu items. Make sure you have text navigation at least on the bottom of the page if there aren’t any crawlable navigation links in the top menu. This is a search engine accessibility issue.

As a note, I strongly encourage you to use breadcrumbs with their schema markup throughout your site. And replace “Home” in that breadcrumb with a top-level keyword appropriate to your homepage (unless you sell homes). Having internal links that point up from lower-level pages gives an SEO advantage and is also a usability factor.

36. Sitemaps

Your site should have an HTML sitemap (see Google’s sitemap info). Every page should link to that sitemap, probably in the footer.

You should also have an XML sitemap that you submit to search engines. If you already have sitemaps, check and update them regularly to make sure they contain the pages that are currently active on your site.

You can learn how to create a sitemap for users and search engines to easily access all areas of your site in our SEO Guide.

37. Robots.txt File

The robots.txt file tells the search engine spiders what not to index. It’s important that this file exists, even if it’s empty. Also, make sure the file doesn’t accidentally exclude important files, directories, or the entire site. (This has been known to happen!)

One important item in this file is the locator for your XML sitemap file. We encourage you actually to have a reasonable robots.txt file (see our robots.txt file if you are an SEO — and read the top eight lines).

38. Linking Strategy

This section warrants way more than just a few sentences, but it should be noted as part of the SEO checklist. Your internal linking structure typically stems from your siloing strategy, which is vitally important to establishing relevance for SEO.

In addition, your inbound/outbound links should be part of an organic, natural strategy in compliance with search engine guidelines. As part of site maintenance, monitor your link profile regularly.

It is definitely worth mentioning that with Google promoting PageRank, the voluntary link became a sellable commodity. As such, a big-money business developed around selling links. Google has considered this spam for a long time, has enforced several penalties around it, and has built a great amount of technology to fight it. We can expect significant consequences for SEO consultants that still prosper by fabricating and distributing such links. See my post discussing Guest Posting for Links.

39. Static URLs

Complex, dynamic URLs can be a problem. If your site has any of the following, consider converting your URLS to static URLs:

• More than two query string parameters
• Dynamic pages that aren’t getting indexed
• A lot of duplicate content getting indexed

You can also use mod_rewrite or ISAPI_rewrite as appropriate to simplify URLs. Rewritten URLs will appear to be static URLs. This tends to be a lot of work, but it is a surefire way to address this issue. You can also use the canonical tag to tell search engines which page is intended to be indexed as the canonical version.

40. No Spam Tactics

Make sure that your SEO strategy follows Google Webmaster Guidelines and Bing Webmaster Guidelines. If ever in doubt about any of your tactics, you can also refer to what Google recommends for SEO (PDF).

Note that many sites just have no idea why they do not rank. They have used cheap SEO consultants that perhaps have done cheap tricks to fool the search engines into thinking you deserve rankings. Such deceptive acts are spam, they may have hurt your site, and until repaired, you are not going to rank. Do not buy cheap.

Webmaster Tools

What’s an SEO without the tools to surface data that leads to analysis? Just remember, there’s a difference between data and wisdom. SEO tools can help you discover what’s going on with your site, but plotting an action plan requires an understanding of SEO.

Want to find out about Bruce Clay SEO services? For expert help with your website strategy, request a free quote today.

41. Web Analytics

No question — analytics data is important for SEO. Ensure your analytics are properly set up and monitor them regularly to find out if the keywords generating traffic are in your keyword list, and if your site is optimized for them. A ranking monitor (such as the one in our SEOToolSet) is also useful to track SEO changes across search engines.

Admittedly, this is more difficult without specific keyword-tracking data. Google long ago decided that it would suppress that data (but keep it for PPC) for privacy concerns. Now that argument is invalid, but the data remains lost to the SEO community.

Our SEO Guide unpacks the role of analytics in How to Monitor Your SEO Rankings.

42. Webmaster Tools Accounts

Webmaster tools by various names for Google and Bing give site owners insight into how search engines view their sites. These free tools collect data and provide essential reports on issues like what search queries bring traffic to your site, crawl errors you need to fix, and penalty notifications.

• If you haven’t already, set up Google Search Console for your site.
• Install Google Analytics, as well.
• For help setting up a Bing Webmaster Tools account, view the Bing Webmaster Help & How-To Getting Started Checklist.

43. Manual Penalty Review

If a manual penalty has been levied against you, Google will report it to you within Google Search Console. Check the Manual Actions Report and the Search Console message center. Read more about dealing with manual penalty actions.

You can also find out if you’ve suffered a penalty from Bing. Review the Index Summary chart within the dashboard of Bing Webmaster Tools. If the number of pages for a given site is set at zero, you have been hit with a penalty.

Note that a manual action penalty is the kiss of death for your SEO efforts. Once you have one, you cannot see the consequences of your improvements until the penalty is lifted. And a search engine never forgets … a penalty can last for months, even after repair.

44. Algorithm Updates

If your site is running Google Analytics, use the Panguin Tool to check your traffic levels against known algorithmic updates. If you see big drops or rises in search referrer traffic that coincides with known algorithm updates, or you receive a manual action notice from Google, you may be affected by a penalty. Read more about penalty assessment and recovery.

Google changes its algorithm all the time, much to the dismay of SEO consultants everywhere. Google results dances are simply not fun. RankBrain and machine learning — powered by artificial intelligence technology — are changing search results. While optimization for AI is not as straightforward as checking for traffic drops, familiarize yourself with the real impact of RankBrain and my advice on the shrinking of organic results in Google SERPs.

Closing Recommendations

This is a very high-level summary of the things you need to consider about performing SEO on your site. Many people only do what is convenient. Some work cheaply and get it wrong. Some SEO teams do not have management support. I wish that you would, please, download this Declaration of SEO: 6 Fundamental Truths To Live By ebook and share it with your company. It also comes with a video presentation. This is important if you are an SEO. Trust me.

Want more SEO tips? Use our SEO Guide and learn how to optimize your website step by step, including free tools.

Bookmark this SEO checklist for future reference. And if you found it helpful, please share it!

FAQ: How can I effectively optimize my website using the SEO checklist to improve search engine rankings?

Optimizing your website in the dynamic realm of online visibility is vital to unlocking better search engine rankings. Utilizing an SEO checklist is an effective way to ensure your digital presence is finely tuned for success. By delving into the core principles and strategies outlined in this comprehensive guide, you’ll gain expert insights that can help you achieve higher search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic.

From crafting compelling content that resonates with your target audience to employing savvy on-page optimization techniques, each step of the SEO checklist contributes to your website’s success. However, the journey begins with a deep understanding of your target audience. Researching their pain points, questions, and search queries forms the foundation for your entire optimization process.

Keyword strategy and research play a pivotal role in SEO success. Identifying focus phrases, analyzing search engine results, and recognizing featured snippet opportunities are some of the tactics that empower you to align your content with user intent. Moreover, optimizing your content’s structure and ensuring readability can enhance the chances of securing a featured snippet spot.

Website speed, mobile optimization, and effective use of heading tags are integral elements of on-page optimization. Employing structured data, enhancing user experience, and maintaining a user-friendly URL structure further improve your website’s overall SEO health.

Local optimization cannot be overlooked, especially for businesses with a physical presence. Claiming your Google My Business listing, implementing local schema markup, and obtaining local citations and links can significantly boost your local search visibility.

As search engines emphasize user experience, understanding Core Web Vitals and optimizing your server and HTML configuration become critical. HTTPS adoption, avoiding intrusive interstitials, and excelling in Core Web Vitals contribute to a seamless user experience, ultimately enhancing your site’s search engine rankings.

Finally, webmaster tools provide invaluable insights into your site’s performance. Regularly analyzing web analytics, monitoring manual penalties, and staying updated on algorithm changes ensure you stay on top of the SEO game.

Optimizing a website requires taking an exhaustive and meticulous approach with an SEO checklist. By applying these strategies and insights to your search engine rankings and building an online presence, this guide can help improve them dramatically and establish strong footing.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Effective Website Optimization Using the SEO Checklist:

1. Understand your target audience’s pain points and search queries.
2. Conduct keyword research to identify focus phrases.
3. Analyze search engine results for keyword insights.
4. Recognize and capitalize on featured snippet opportunities.
5. Optimize content structure and readability.
6. Focus on website speed and mobile optimization.
7. Utilize proper heading tags for organized content.
8. Implement structured data for enhanced search visibility.
9. Enhance user experience and avoid intrusive interstitials.
10. Optimize Core Web Vitals for a better page experience.
11. Adopt HTTPS for a secure and trustworthy website.
12. Claim your Google My Business listing for local optimization.
13. Implement local schema markup to enhance local search visibility.
14. Obtain local citations and links to boost local rankings.
15. Regularly monitor web analytics for performance insights.
16. Check for manual penalties in webmaster tools.
17. Stay updated on algorithm changes and their impact.
18. Optimize server configuration and maintenance.
19. Maintain a user-friendly URL structure.
20. Embrace webmaster tools to gain invaluable insights.

By following these steps meticulously, you’ll be well-equipped to optimize your website effectively using the SEO checklist and confidently improve your search engine rankings.

The post The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Can you do SEO without knowing about keywords? Probably not successfully.

So here I’ll explain this foundational concept as we explore:

• What are keywords
• What not to do with keywords
• Why keywords are important
• How to do keyword research
• FAQ: How do long-tail keywords impact search performance?

What Are Keywords?

SEO keywords: are single words or short phrases that represent the search queries that people use in a search engine. Website owners or marketers select keywords and use them to guide content creation and optimize their webpages as part of their SEO strategy.

When you align your content creation and optimization with the words, topics, products, and services your target audience is looking for, you have a better chance of showing up in the search results.

One reason keyword optimization is important is that using keywords properly helps communicate to the search engines what a webpage is about. And that can improve the chances that a search engine will find a webpage relevant to a particular query.

It’s important to note that Google uses many signals to determine if a page is relevant for a query, not just keywords. But they are a factor; I’ll share data about that later.

What Are Long-Tail Keywords?

Long-tail keywords string together three or more words to create a more specific keyword phrase. Searchers perform long-tail queries in the following situations:

• To narrow down what they are looking for as they search for products, services, or information. When people are on a buying or knowledge journey, they often start with very broad or general keywords, maybe two-word phrases. As they begin to refine their research, search queries become much more specific and usually longer. So long-tail queries often have a higher conversion rate than broad terms do.
• When using voice search, for example, on a mobile device. Data shows that 48% of consumers are using voice assistants for general web searches. Voice queries tend to be much more conversational because people are speaking and not typing.

In a nutshell, long-tail keywords allow you to target very specific queries during every step of the searcher’s journey. So even though they have less search volume than the more competitive broad keywords do, these phrases are valuable to rank for.

What You Shouldn’t Do with Keywords

When you’re creating content for the web:

• Don’t use keywords to trick or mislead. One example is keyword stuffing. Another would be trying to use keywords that are off-topic for your page and site. Google does not respond well to keyword abuse. To be rewarded in the search results, your site’s SEO must stay within Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
• Don’t target keywords that do not exactly describe the contents of your page.
• Don’t use keywords awkwardly in your content. Keywords should be incorporated into the body text and meta information in a natural and subtle way.

Why Are Keywords Important to SEO (and Marketing)?

Keywords help you as a website owner to:

• Identify and speak the language of the target market
• Create useful content for your target audience
• Communicate to Google that a webpage is a relevant match for a query
• Improve search engine rankings by helping Google understand what the webpage content is about
• Get content in front of the right people at the right time
• Drive more qualified traffic to appropriate webpages
• Increase time on site by directing more qualified traffic to webpages
• Increase conversions by helping consumers find you rather than your competitors

All of these matter for SEO. To elaborate, keyword research helps you understand how your target audience might describe and look for your products or services. It also shows you how people ask for more information on your topics when using a search engine.

Armed with these words and phrases, you can come up with ideas for new content. You can also optimize your webpages to match a searcher’s intent and answer a searcher’s questions.

Keyword research and optimization can improve your chances of showing up on Page 1 of the search results. In fact, data from 2020 shows that most title tags on Google’s first page contained keywords that were an exact or partial match of that search query.

Aside from rankings, keyword research has other benefits that can help you better serve your consumer.

For instance, say you’re a bread company researching the keyword phrase “organic bread.” During your research, you find that there is a high search volume for the term “organic bread flour.” Could this be a new product opportunity?

When is keyword research done? If you’re wise, you make it an ongoing exercise. Trends fluctuate, search intent evolves, and even the names of things change over time. So keep at it, always looking for opportunities to meet customer needs and rank better in search.

How Do You Do Keyword Research?

There’s a lot to keyword research, but here is the process in four basic steps:

1. Start with a “brainstorm” list, also known as a “seed” list. Document anything you can think of that would describe your product, service, or the information you have to share.
2. Use a keyword research tool. Use an analysis tool that gives you data on the ideas in your seed list. (Check out our SEOToolSet as an option.)
3. Expand and refine your list. Discover suggested keyword phrases from the keyword research tool. Find out the actual words people use as they search for your products, services, or information. Find out how often the queries are used, which can help you prioritize the work.
4. Verify keyword phrases. Analyze the competition in the search results that show up for the target keywords. Do you see webpages that offer products, services, or information like yours? If so, it means you’re in the right space.

Here’s more on how to research and use keywords:

• How to Do Keyword Research: A 6-Point Checklist
• How to Select Keywords
• Search Engine Optimization Guide

Keyword research is integral to successful SEO and something we do on an ongoing basis for our clients. If you’d like expert assistance with your website, I invite you to request a free consultation and quote.

FAQ: How do long-tail keywords impact search performance?

Long-tail keywords, those specific phrases consisting of three or more words, enhance search performance. As an experienced professional in this domain, I’m here to elucidate the profound impact of long-tail keywords on search engine visibility.

Long-tail keywords are the keys to unlocking targeted traffic. By using longer, more specific phrases, businesses and content creators can align their offerings with the exact needs of their audience. Imagine you’re seeking the perfect pair of running shoes. Instead of searching for “shoes,” you might type in “best long-distance running shoes for women.” This refined search showcases the power of long-tail keywords in delivering precise results.

Moreover, long-tail keywords have the potential to elevate conversion rates. Think about it – a user who is looking for something specific is more likely to take action than a casual browser. This is where long-tail keywords shine. When you cater to a specific intent, you attract visitors and guide them toward the solutions they seek. This translates to better engagement, increased time on your website, and, ultimately, higher conversions.

Crafting content around long-tail keywords also helps in voice search optimization. As the prevalence of voice assistants grows, people are more inclined to use natural, conversational language. Long-tail keywords naturally lend themselves to this trend. They reflect how people talk, making your content more accessible to voice search queries and consequently widening your audience reach.

Transitioning from broader keywords to strategically chosen long-tail phrases requires meticulous research. Explore the nuances of your niche and identify the specific queries your audience will likely use. Incorporate these phrases seamlessly into your content, titles, and meta descriptions. This blend of relevance and specificity ensures your content is found and cherished by those who seek it.

The impact of long-tail keywords on search performance is profound. By understanding your audience’s intent and tailoring your content to match, you tap into a goldmine of targeted traffic, improved engagement, and higher conversion rates. As an expert in the field, I emphasize the strategic use of long-tail keywords as an indispensable tool for elevating your digital presence and connecting with the right audience.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Maximizing Search Performance with Long-Tail Keywords

1. Understand Your Audience: Research your target audience to identify their pain points, preferences, and search habits.
2. Brainstorm Seed Keywords: Compile a list of general keywords related to your niche.
3. Expand Keywords: Utilize keyword research tools to identify long-tail variations of your seed keywords.
4. Analyze Competition: Evaluate the search results for your chosen long-tail keywords to assess the competition.
5. Prioritize Relevance: Choose long-tail keywords that closely match the intent of your audience.
6. Integrate Naturally: Seamlessly incorporate long-tail keywords into your content, headings, and meta descriptions.
7. Create High-Quality Content: Craft informative, engaging content that fulfills users’ needs by searching for specific information.
8. Monitor Performance: Regularly track the performance of your content using analytics tools.
9. Refine and Optimize: Based on performance data, adjust your keyword strategy and content to enhance results.
10. Stay Updated: Keep up with evolving trends and shifts in search behavior to refine your long-tail keyword approach.

By following these steps, you can harness the potential of long-tail keywords to boost your search engine performance and connect with your audience more effectively.

The post What Are Keywords? Why Are Keywords Important to SEO? And How Do You Do Keyword Research? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Today, I’ll give a brief overview of internal links — what they are, why they are important to SEO, and how to do it.

• What are internal website links? 
• Why are internal links important to SEO?
• How do you do internal linking for SEO?
• Internal linking from day one and beyond
• FAQ: How can I optimize my website’s SEO using internal linking?

What Are Internal Website Links?

An internal website link is a link that points from one webpage on a website to another webpage on the same website.

Some examples of common internal links include:

• The main navigation at the top of a website
• The footer links at the bottom of a website
• Any contextual links embedded within the content on a webpage
• Those related-content links that suggest other content on the website
• Those links within a webpage (aka “fragment” or anchor links)

Why Are Internal Links Important to SEO?

There are several reasons why internal links are important to a website’s SEO strategy. Here are a handful:

• Satisfy users: Internal links help your website visitors discover content while they are on your website. Besides providing related information that may be helpful, keeping visitors on your website longer is one goal of SEO.
• Reinforce relevance: Internal links help search engines figure out what your website is about. The way you organize your website’s content through its internal links can make you more relevant to show up on page one of the search results.
• Help search engines: Internal links help search engines discover more of your content. As search engine spiders crawl your website, links help them get from page to page to discover and index more pages.
• Distribute PageRank: Internal links can boost the authority of any given webpage. When one high-authority webpage links to another page on the same site, it passes some of its authority to the page it is linking to.
• Strengthen ranking pages: Internal links, especially breadcrumbs, pass PageRank upwards and define a clear expertise hierarchy (silo identification).

How Do You Do Internal Linking for SEO?

One of the best strategies for internal links is SEO siloing. SEO siloing is a concept we invented in the year 2000.

The goal of SEO siloing is to organize your website content through internal links so that:

• It is easy for website visitors to find and access your content, and
• It is easy for search engines to crawl and understand what your website is about.

This creates a better user experience. At the same time, siloing makes your website more relevant for certain search queries (aka the target keywords you are after).

SEO siloing involves two main activities:

1. 1. Create an internal site structure through the physical directory. Physical siloing is the practice of organizing webpages by the URL structure, using a hierarchical website directory. For example, one URL directory structure might look like this:
      1. herdingcats.com
         herdingcats.com/how-to-herd-cats
         herdingcats.com/how-to-herd-cats/equipment-needed
         herdingcats.com/how-to-herd-cats/pitfalls-to-avoid
   2. Create an internal link structure through a virtual directory. Virtual siloing is the practice of interlinking your similar-theme pages through contextual links. For example, using anchor text to link from one blog article to another blog article on the same website.

Depending on the website, changing the directory structure to implement physical siloing may not be possible. However, virtual siloing is more important and should be sufficient if you establish clear themes via links.

To learn more about how to do internal linking, see:

• A Jam-Packed Guide on Internal Linking for SEO
• SEO Siloing: How to build a website silo architecture

Internal Linking from Day One and Beyond

Internal linking for SEO takes a lot of thought, planning, and implementation. It’s best to build this strategy into every new website, and then take it into consideration every time you add a new webpage to the site.

Review your content, internal links, and silos on a regular basis. Ensure that the silos are organized well and that you take advantage of any internal link opportunities in your content. And check out our New Link Building Manifesto for more on how to tackle your linking strategy.

How can we help you with your SEO needs? If you’d like a free quote and consultation, contact us today.

FAQ: How can I optimize my website’s SEO using internal linking?

Optimizing your website’s SEO requires a multifaceted approach, and one crucial aspect often overlooked is internal linking. When done strategically, internal linking can significantly impact your website’s performance in search engine results pages. Let’s delve into the world of internal linking and discover how to harness its potential for optimal SEO outcomes.

The Power of Internal Links

Internal links are the navigational pathways that connect different pages within your website. They serve as signposts, guiding visitors through your content while aiding search engines in understanding your site’s structure. These links facilitate a seamless user experience, ensuring that users can easily explore related content that matters to them. From a search engine perspective, well-placed internal links highlight the hierarchy and relevance of your pages, which can boost your chances of ranking higher.

Crafting a Strategic Approach

To maximize the impact of internal linking on your website’s SEO, it’s essential to approach it strategically. Start by identifying cornerstone content—those core pages encompassing your site’s main topics. Embed links to these pages within your other articles or blog posts. Additionally, consider using descriptive anchor texts that provide context about the linked content. This not only helps users but also assists search engines in understanding the linked page’s relevance.

Establishing Content Silos

Content siloing, a powerful internal linking strategy, involves grouping related content under overarching themes or categories. Create a web by connecting articles of similar categories. This will demonstrate your expertise on a subject matter, helping users search for further details while sending an important signal about your knowledge base to search engines. Implementing this strategy fosters a clear content hierarchy that can enhance your website’s visibility for relevant search queries.

Balancing Quantity and Quality

While internal linking is valuable, overdoing it can lead to clarity and better user experience. The key is to balance the quantity and quality of internal links. Prioritize linking to content that genuinely enhances the reader’s understanding or provides additional value. As you create new content, incorporate links to existing relevant pages. This enriches the reader’s experience and ensures valuable pages receive the attention they deserve.

Transition smoothly between these paragraphs to offer a comprehensive view of optimizing website SEO through internal linking. Each section contributes a unique perspective, culminating in a holistic understanding of the topic.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Optimizing Website SEO through Internal Linking:

1. Identify cornerstone content to establish a foundation for internal linking.
2. Prioritize user experience by embedding relevant internal links within your content.
3. Choose anchor texts with clear context and relevance to linked pages.
4. Implement content silos to group related content under overarching themes.
5. Strategically interlink articles within the same silo to create a comprehensive web of knowledge.
6. Focus on content quality, linking to pages that genuinely enhance the reader’s understanding.
7. Avoid overloading content with excessive internal links that could confuse readers.
8. Create a balance between the quantity and quality of internal links for optimal results.
9. Incorporate internal links naturally within the flow of your content.
10. Regularly review and update your internal linking strategy as your content evolves.
11. Use descriptive anchor texts that give users a clear idea of the linked content’s purpose.
12. Monitor user behavior and engagement with internal links to gauge effectiveness.
13. Establish a clear content hierarchy that aids users and search engines.
14. Leverage internal links to guide users to valuable resources on your website.
15. Link to cornerstone content from relevant blog posts or articles.
16. Consider using breadcrumb navigation to enhance user experience further.
17. Analyze the performance of different internal linking approaches and adapt accordingly.
18. Experiment with variations of anchor texts to see which ones yield the best results.
19. Optimize internal links for mobile users to ensure a consistent experience across devices.
20. Stay informed about the latest SEO trends and best practices for internal linking.

The post Internal Links: What, Why, How appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

And this is good news for website publishers, too. More features mean different opportunities and ways to rank — but it does make it more complicated for website publishers.

In this overview, I’ll tell you what SERP features are, why they are important to SEO, and how to take the first steps in learning how to optimize for them.

And, by the way, you can count on the SERP changing soon. The features are seldom constant. And in fact, they are seldom all used at the same time, responding to user behavior, location, and history.

• What are SERP features? 
• Why should I SERP features?
• How to get SERP features
• FAQ: How can I effectively optimize my content for SERP features to improve my website’s ranking and visibility? 

What Are SERP Features?

A SERP feature is a type of result shown on a search engine results page.

Most people know the “10 blue links” — those are the organic listings that have been around the longest. But over the years, Google has integrated more features into the SERP.

Google integrates some results from vertical search engines (such as images from Google Images). Others are features that Google automatically generates based on the type of query, such as direct answers.

Here is a screenshot of a SERP with some — but not all — of the available SERP features:

The mix of SERP features changes from query to query. So no two SERPs are going to look the same.

Why Should I Care about SERP Features?

The SERP features that show up on Page 1 for your target keywords can help guide your SEO cosearcntent creation and optimization strategy.

Remember that to compete online today, you have to be savvy in the content you produce for your keywords and how you optimize it.

Some keyword search results might be heavy on engagement objects like images or videos, while others will display blue links and ads only.

It is important to know how to optimize for the search features that show up for your target keywords so you have a better chance of ranking.

For example, if Google displays a lot of YouTube videos on the SERP for a particular keyword query, you need to understand how to create and optimize videos for YouTube to have a better chance of showing up in the mix. Similarly, if images dominate the SERP for a certain query, sharpen your image SEO skills and optimize your multimedia objects for search. If it’s just the 10 blue links, how is your on-page SEO?

How to Get SERP Features

There are many search features that you can optimize for and some that you can’t.

For example, you can optimize your content for a chance to rank as a featured snippet (aka “position zero”). You can’t, however, optimize your content to compete against Google’s answer box (direct answers, like a calorie counter that shows up in the SERP).

Other SERP features are automatically generated, too, like sitelinks. Sitelinks appear as part of a website’s search result listing and are links to other webpages within the website. Website publishers cannot directly control their sitelinks but can do so indirectly. Read our Best Practices for Google Sitelinks for details.

First, it is useful to get to know the common types of SERP features to see what you are dealing with. I recommend reading our Quick Reference Guide to Common Google SERP Features.

Once you have a grasp on common search features, you’ll be able to identify which show up in your targeted SERPs. Then your next step is to understand how to optimize for them.

You can enable a lot of these features by using structured data.

Google has a handy help file that goes over how to enable search results features for your site. In it, Google covers:

• General categories of search results
• What SERP features are best for a page or website
• How to enable SERP features for your website
• Measure the performance of SERP features

SEO gets more complex by the minute. Every time search engines like Google introduce new SERP features, we need to understand how to create content for them and then optimize for them.

Studying the SERP features that appear for the keywords we are after is part of a whole-SERP strategy. It helps give us a solid roadmap for how to compete in the organic search results.

FAQ: How can I effectively optimize my content for SERP features to improve my website’s ranking and visibility?

Optimizing your content for search engine results page (SERP) features is a game-changer. SERP features go beyond traditional search results, providing users with immediate, actionable information. Mastering this optimization strategy can significantly enhance your website’s visibility and ranking.

Understanding SERP features begins with recognizing that search engines have evolved from displaying merely “10 blue links.” Today, users are greeted with diverse elements such as featured snippets, knowledge graphs, and rich media. These features offer users quick answers, making aligning your content with them imperative.

To optimize for SERP features effectively, start by identifying the features commonly appearing for your target keywords. Featured snippets, for instance, provide concise answers to user queries. Craft your content with direct and comprehensive answers, ensuring you follow structured data guidelines. This proactive approach increases the likelihood of your content being featured.

Structured data is a vital tool in SERP feature optimization. By implementing structured data markup, you provide search engines with context about your content, making it easier for them to display relevant features. Schema.org provides a rich vocabulary of structured data types that cover various content types. Leverage these schemas to enhance your content’s visibility.

Furthermore, understanding user intent is crucial. Tailor your content to match the intent behind the user’s query. For instance, if the search indicates a “how-to” query, structuring your content as a step-by-step guide enhances the chances of securing a featured snippet. Optimizing images and videos within your content can also lead to image and video carousels on the SERP.

Optimizing SERP features requires a multifaceted approach. By aligning your content with user intent, implementing structured data, and providing concise, valuable information, you position your website to capitalize on these powerful search enhancements. Stay updated with industry trends, monitor your SERP performance, and adapt your strategies accordingly. Your commitment to optimizing for SERP features will prove invaluable as the search landscape evolves.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Optimizing Content for SERP Features

1. Research and identify your target keywords.
2. Analyze the SERPs for these keywords to identify common SERP features.
3. Craft your content with concise, informative answers relevant to the identified features.
4. Utilize structured data markup from Schema.org to enhance content context.
5. Choose the appropriate schema types for your content (e.g., Article, HowTo, FAQPage).
6. Implement structured data on your website’s pages using HTML tags or JSON-LD format.
7. Use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to ensure proper schema implementation.
8. Regularly update and refine your structured data to match evolving guidelines.
9. Focus on user intent; tailor your content to match different search intents (informational, navigational, transactional).
10. Utilize the “People Also Ask” section on Google to identify related queries to address in your content.
11. Optimize images and videos within your content for search visibility.
12. Provide clear, step-by-step instructions for “how-to” content to secure featured snippets.
13. Monitor your SERP performance and track changes in the featured content.
14. Stay informed about search engine algorithm updates and changes in SERP features.
15. Adapt your content strategy based on the performance of different SERP features.
16. Regularly update your content to maintain relevance and accuracy.
17. Engage with user comments and feedback to enhance your content’s quality.
18. Continuously refine your strategies based on the success of your SERP feature optimization efforts.
19. Collaborate with other industry experts to exchange insights and best practices.
20. Stay committed to ongoing learning and optimization, adapting to the dynamic search landscape.

The post What Are SERP Features and Why Should I Care? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Most website publishers aren’t intentionally doing spam (and if they are, it’s not a sustainable tactic). But many websites inadvertently get caught up in spam practices. They are surprised when they can’t seem to rank or fall in the search rankings. Or worse, they might get a manual penalty or be removed from the search engine index.

Google is always fighting to keep spam out of its search results. They even released an updated spam algorithm in June that they called a spam update, putting some brand new technology and a lot of detection smarts in place. So to those inclined to spam, you cannot fly under the radar anymore.

Still, is it possible you could be doing webspam without meaning to? Today I’ll share what spam is and what can happen if you do it as we discuss:

• What is spam?
• Types of spam
• The cost of spam
• FAQ: What are the potential consequences of engaging in SEO spam practices, and how can website owners avoid them?

What Is Spam?

Webspam comes in many forms, and its defining quality is an intention to manipulate search engine rankings with deceptive practices. The rule of thumb for spam is: Did you earn your rankings? If not, then it’s probably spam.

People engage in spam practices to boost their own websites (or the websites of their clients) or to negatively impact a competitor’s website (referred to as negative SEO).

Spam has been a huge money maker for a lot of industries over the years (think casinos, porn, and pharmaceuticals). Search engines have long had a goal to eradicate these types of sites from their search results.

Google discusses spam further here:

Ever since there have been search engines, there have been people dedicated to tricking their way to the top of the results page. This is bad for searchers because more relevant pages get buried under irrelevant results, and it’s bad for legitimate websites because these sites become harder to find. For these reasons, we’ve been working since the earliest days of Google to fight spammers, helping people find the answers they’re looking for, and helping legitimate websites get traffic from search. …

Our algorithms are extremely good at detecting spam, and in most cases we automatically discover it and remove it from our search results. However, to protect the quality of our index, we’re also willing to take manual action to remove spam from our search results.

This is where things like search engine guidelines come in — a sort of playbook for any website that wants to compete in the search results.

Types of Spam

The quality guidelines within Google’s Webmaster Guidelines give clear instructions on how to avoid common spam tactics. Let’s go through each of those next.

Affiliate Programs

Affiliate programs can be tricky. Google says that “affiliate websites do not provide additional value for web users, especially (but not only) if they are part of a program that distributes its content across a network of affiliates.“ Examples of affiliate websites that would be considered spam include:

• Pages with product affiliate links on which the product descriptions and reviews are copied directly from the original merchant without any original content or added value.
• The majority of the site is made for affiliation and contains a limited amount of original content or added value for users.

Google points out that “not every site that participates in an affiliate program is a thin affiliate. Good affiliates add value, for example, by offering original product reviews, ratings, navigation of products or categories, and product comparisons.”

Automatically Generated Content

Automatically generated content is content that is created programmatically with the intention of ranking and not providing value to a user. Google gives examples:

• Text that makes no sense to the reader but which may contain search keywords.
• Text translated by an automated tool without human review or curation before publishing
• Text generated through automated processes, such as Markov chains. Note: These are pretty good, but detectable.
• Text generated using automated synonymizing or obfuscation techniques
• Text generated from scraping Atom/RSS feeds or search results
• Stitching or combining content from different web pages without adding sufficient value

Cloaking

Cloaking refers to the practice of serving different content or URLs to search engines vs. users. Cloaking itself is not bad and is used in some normal instances. But when you use it to be deceptive, it’s spam — think: a webpage on baby blankets given to Google but a porn site given to users. This and other cloaking techniques, as illustrated by Google, are spam:

• Serving a page of HTML text to search engines, while showing a page of images to users
• Inserting text or keywords into a page only when the user agent that’s requesting the page is a search engine, not a human visitor

Doorway Pages

Doorway webpages are those that are created solely for search engines and stuffed with keywords in an attempt to rank. When a person tries to access these pages, however, they are automatically redirected to another page. Google’s examples include:

• Having multiple domain names or pages targeted at specific regions or cities that funnel users to one page
• Pages generated to funnel visitors into the actual usable or relevant portion of your site(s)
• Substantially similar pages that are closer to search results than a clearly defined, browsable hierarchy

Hidden Text and Links

Do not hide text or links on a webpage. Hidden text or links on a page are a form of spam. Google gives examples of this:

• Using white text on a white background
• Locating text behind an image
• Using CSS to position text off-screen
• Setting the font size to 0
• Hiding a link by only linking one small character—for example, a hyphen in the middle of a paragraph

Irrelevant Keywords

Here, Google is referring to “keyword stuffing,” where a website puts way too many keywords on a page in an unnatural way to attempt to manipulate rankings. Google gives examples:

• Lists of phone numbers without substantial added value
• Blocks of text that list cities and states that a webpage is trying to rank for
• Repeating the same words or phrases so often that it sounds unnatural, for example:
  We sell custom cigar humidors. Our custom cigar humidors are handmade. If you’re thinking of buying a custom cigar humidor, please contact our custom cigar humidor specialists at custom.cigar.humidors@example.com.

Link Schemes

There are a lot of ways that people try to be deceptive with links, so Google goes into great detail about link spam. Links to and from a site that are intended to manipulate rankings are considered link schemes. Google gives examples:

• Buying or selling links that pass PageRank. This includes:
  Exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links
  Exchanging goods or services for links
  Sending someone a “free” product in exchange for them writing it and including a link
• Excessive link exchanges (“Link to me and I’ll link to you”) or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking.
• Large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links.
• Using automated programs or services to create links to your site.
• Requiring a link as part of a Terms of Service, contract, or similar arrangement without allowing a third-party content owner the choice of qualifying the outbound link, should they wish.

Unnatural links also fall into the link scheme category of spam. Google gives examples:

• Text advertisements that pass PageRank
• Advertorials or native advertising where payment is received for articles that include links that pass PageRank
• Links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites. For example:
  There are many wedding rings on the market. If you want to have a wedding, you will have to pick the best ring. You will also need to buy flowers and a wedding dress.
• Low-quality directory or bookmark site links
• Keyword-rich, hidden or low-quality links embedded in widgets that are distributed across various sites, for example:
  Visitors to this page: 1,472
  car insurance
• Widely distributed links in the footers or templates of various sites
• Forum comments with optimized links in the post or signature, for example:
  Thanks, that’s great info!
  – Paul
  paul’s pizza san diego pizza best pizza san diego

Google explains that some paid links are OK, but they should be clearly marked as such. After all, advertising is a normal part of the internet economy. Seeking to boost your site authority through followed links, however, should not be done through buying or selling — that’s spam.

Pages with Malicious Behavior

This is referring to any practice that attempts to harm the end user. Google gives examples of pages with malicious behavior:

• Changing or manipulating the location of content on a page, so that when a user thinks they’re clicking on a particular link or button the click is actually registered by a different part of the page
• Injecting new ads or pop-ups on pages, or swapping out existing ads on a webpage with different ads; or promoting or installing software that does so
• Including unwanted files in a download that a user requested
• Installing malware, trojans, spyware, ads or viruses on a user’s computer
• Changing a user’s browser homepage or search preferences without the user’s informed consent

Scraped Content

Taking content from other websites and putting it on your own site is considered spam. Google gives examples:

• Sites that copy and republish content from other sites without adding any original content or value
• Sites that copy content from other sites, modify it slightly (for example, by substituting synonyms or using automated techniques), and republish it
• Sites that reproduce content feeds from other sites without providing some type of unique organization or benefit to the user
• Sites dedicated to embedding content such as video, images, or other media from other sites without substantial added value to the user

This is not to be confused with duplicate content that happens on your own website as a result of sharing the same or similar content between webpages.

Sneaky Redirects

Sneaky redirects direct a website visitor to a different URL than they had originally intended to visit. Google gives examples:

• Search engines shown one type of content while users are redirected to something significantly different.
• Desktop users receive a normal page, while mobile users are redirected to a completely different spam domain.

User-Generated Spam

User-generated spam can happen as a result of other people’s actions against your site. Google’s examples include:

• Spammy accounts on free hosts
• Spammy posts on forum threads
• Comment spam on blogs

In most cases, Google will not issue a manual action. But, it is up to the site owner to monitor and take care of it in case it does result in a penalty. Google gives ways to prevent comment spam here.

The Cost of Spam

From an SEO perspective, there are two possible negative consequences of spam:

• Spam is detected and taken care of via the search engine algorithm.
• Spam is detected by a human reviewer and a manual action (penalty) is issued on the site.

In either case, engaging in spam can result in lost rankings and traffic. And, in some cases, a site can be removed from the index altogether (this consequence is reserved for manual actions).

What comes next is figuring out how to remedy your site. With manual actions, it can be a little easier because you will get a message from Google citing the problem. Even then, the message may not necessarily point you to the specific thing you need to fix.

(Related: What Is a Google Penalty and How Do I Avoid It?)

Take this example of a manual action message I cited in an article I wrote on guest posting:

If it’s an algorithmic update where many changes are made at the same time, you have to really put your detective hat on.

Sure, we get notifications from Google sometimes when these updates happen (or you can use SEO tools to try and track these types of changes), but you still have work to do. What was it that caused a drop in rankings or traffic?

One thing you have to be aware of is not to make changes to the site too quickly in an algorithm situation. As Google rolls out changes to the algorithm, you might see traffic going up one day or week and down the next.

Instead, take a deep breath and let things shake out for a few days. Start researching online — what are people in the SEO industry saying about the update? What is your intuition about what needs to be changed on the site? Do your diligence and then get to work.

Final Thoughts

Legitimate websites are not spam, but they can get into spam without really knowing it. For example, if website owners hire a cheap SEO service, they can get themselves into a lot of trouble — particularly when it comes to links.

Knowing what spam actually is in the SEO world will help you be better prepared to know what not to do, and to diagnose your site if you notice it has lost rankings or traffic.

If you suspect your site might be caught in spam, you may need expert help. We’ve helped many companies in this situation recover. Contact us today for a free quote and consultation.

FAQ: What are the potential consequences of engaging in SEO spam practices, and how can website owners avoid them?

One of the most concerning trends in this realm is using SEO spam practices, a collection of manipulative tactics to boost website rankings artificially. These practices have various potential consequences that can significantly harm a website’s reputation, traffic, and overall digital presence.

Engaging in SEO spam practices can trigger various algorithmic and manual penalties. Search engines, led by Google, have sophisticated algorithms that can swiftly identify and penalize websites resorting to spammy tactics. Algorithmic penalties often result in a drop in rankings and visibility, negatively impacting organic traffic and undermining the website’s credibility. Manual penalties imposed by human reviewers can lead to severe consequences, including being removed from search engine indexes altogether.

Avoiding these dire consequences requires website owners to adhere to ethical and sustainable SEO strategies. Focus on creating high-quality, relevant, and user-friendly content that genuinely addresses the needs of your target audience. Avoid attempting to manipulate search engines through keyword stuffing, cloaking, or hidden text. Instead, build a strong online presence through genuine engagement, social media efforts, and link-building with authoritative websites.

When navigating the complex world of SEO, it’s essential to stay informed about algorithm updates and industry best practices. Continuously monitor your website’s performance, watching for any sudden drops in rankings or traffic that could indicate potential penalties. Seek insights from reputable sources, attend SEO conferences, and engage in community forums to stay current with the latest trends and guidelines.

The consequences of engaging in SEO spam practices are severe and can irreparably damage a website’s online reputation. To avoid these pitfalls, prioritize ethical SEO strategies, adhere to search engine guidelines, and invest in creating valuable content for your audience. By staying informed, proactive, and committed to maintaining high standards, website owners can secure their digital presence and establish themselves as trustworthy and authoritative players in the online landscape.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Navigating SEO Spam Practices and Avoiding Penalties

1. Understand the Definition: Familiarize yourself with the concept of SEO spam practices and their impact on search rankings.
2. Learn from Google’s Guidelines: Study search engine guidelines to comprehend what constitutes ethical SEO.
3. Identify Manipulative Tactics: Recognize common spammy practices, such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, and link schemes.
4. Focus on User-Centric Content: Create high-quality, valuable content that addresses user needs and adds genuine value.
5. Build Organic Links: Prioritize natural link-building from authoritative websites rather than pursuing link schemes.
6. Stay Abreast of Updates: Keep up-to-date with algorithm changes to adapt your strategies accordingly.
7. Monitor Performance Metrics: Regularly track your website’s rankings, traffic, and engagement metrics.
8. Identify Sudden Drops: Be vigilant about sudden drops in rankings or traffic that could signal penalties.
9. Diagnose the Issue: Analyze the potential causes behind any penalties or drops in performance.
10. Seek Professional Insights: Consult experienced SEO experts for guidance on rectifying penalties.
11. Remove Manipulative Tactics: Remove or rectify any content or practices that violate search engine guidelines.
12. Address Algorithmic Penalties: If affected by algorithmic penalties, revise content and strategies to align with guidelines.
13. Respond to Manual Actions: If faced with manual penalties, follow Google’s instructions for rectification.
14. Build Quality Backlinks: Prioritize creating valuable content that attracts organic, high-quality backlinks.
15. Engage in Social Media: Utilize social media platforms to connect with your audience and promote your content.
16. Participate in Communities: Join industry forums and discussions to stay informed about SEO trends.
17. Attend Conferences: Attend SEO conferences to gain insights from industry leaders and experts.
18. Stay Adaptable: Embrace adaptability as SEO strategies evolve in response to changing algorithms.
19. Educate Yourself Continuously: Invest time in learning and staying informed about best practices in SEO.
20. Uphold Ethical Standards: Conduct ethical SEO practices to establish credibility, trust, and long-term success.

The post What Is Spam? Why Should My Website Avoid It? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

According to April 2021 data from Searchmetrics, sitelinks show up for 50% of keywords on desktop and 22% on mobile. Sistrix data showed that when sitelinks are present on the SERP, they yield an above-average click rate of 46.9%.

So how do you get sitelinks? I’ll explain that and more in today’s article:

• What are sitelinks
• How sitelinks help SEO
• Types of sitelinks
• What is the sitelinks search box
• Google sitelinks best practices
• FAQ: How can I optimize my website to benefit from sitelinks and enhance user experience?

What Are Sitelinks?

Sitelinks appear as part of a website’s search results listing and are links to other webpages within the website. Sitelinks usually appear for branded (aka “navigational”) search terms, like when a person just types the name of the brand. But they can appear on informational queries as well.

Here’s an example of sitelinks showing for a search for my company, Bruce Clay Inc.:

Clicking on any of those links above will bring you to their subsequent pages on our website. For example, the “blog” link takes you to our blog homepage.

Webmasters don’t have manual control over which sitelinks show up, and much of that has to do with Google’s algorithms. That can annoy some people. But there are some things you can do to influence them, which I’ll discuss later.

A Google help file explains that sitelinks won’t always show up:

We only show sitelinks for results when we think they’ll be useful to the user. If the structure of your site doesn’t allow our algorithms to find good sitelinks, or we don’t think that the sitelinks for your site are relevant for the user’s query, we won’t show them.

How Sitelinks Help SEO

In a nutshell: Sitelinks can improve the user experience, and that is almost always good for SEO. Here are a few ways sitelinks help SEO:

More SERP Real Estate

The more space your result takes up visually on a search engine results page (SERP), the better. Those sitelinks under your listing push the rest of the organic search results farther down the page, so searchers are presented with your navigational options, not someone else’s.

Improved Click-Through Rate

As mentioned in the introduction of this article, searches that produce SERPs with sitelinks mean more clicks.

When sitelinks are present on a SERP, Sistrix data shows the average click rate is 46.9% for the results with sitelinks. Position 2 only gets 14% of clicks.

Not only that, but when compared to the average click rate of a SERP without sitelinks, the first position with sitelinks garners 46.9% of clicks versus just 28.5% of clicks when it’s just 10 blue links.

It’s worth noting that while Google usually shows sitelinks for just the top result, some SERPs include sitelinks on several of the top results. For example, positions 1 to 3 have sitelinks in the results for the general information query “about seo”:

Drive People to Key Webpages

Hopefully, Google is able to discern the key webpages on your site and include those in your sitelinks. When Google doesn’t get it right, that may mean you can improve your internal SEO efforts.

Nevertheless, sitelinks can help your users discover more than just the homepage on your site right out of the gate. And that means more organic traffic going to various pages within your website, not just the homepage.

You can look in Google Search Console to see how many of your key pages are garnering clicks. Start from the Performance on Search Results report by Pages to see your top pages; then you can click each top URL and view the Queries report to see what terms attracted searchers.

Types of Sitelinks

Sitelinks can show up in the search results in a few different ways.

Vertical, Two-Column Sitelinks
These sitelinks show below the main listing for a website, and can include up to six sitelinks in a two-column, vertical format.

Horizontal Row of Sitelinks
These sitelinks show below the main listing for a website and can include up to four hyperlinks in a row. This can show up for both branded and informational queries.

For informational queries, sitelinks may point to sections within a webpage on a topic. This is especially true for lengthy articles, such as the following Wikipedia entry:

For branded queries, it can direct people to other pages on your website that are relevant to the query. Google shows the following sitelinks for a search for “bruce clay seo”:

Sitelinks Extensions (Paid)
Sitelinks extensions are specifically for paid search ads. While this article focuses on organic sitelinks, it’s worth mentioning ad sitelinks since the terms can be confused.

What Is the Sitelinks Search Box?

The sitelinks search box is another automated feature produced by Google in the search results. A search box shows up above your sitelinks so that users can search your site directly from the search results page.

The default for this search box is that it is powered by Google Search. But you can use specific markup language that will integrate your website’s internal site search instead.

Even by doing this, however, you’re not guaranteed that a sitelinks search box will show up. Google says:

Google doesn’t guarantee that a sitelinks search box will be shown in search results. Additionally, using the sitelinks search box markup doesn’t make it more likely that a sitelinks search box will be shown.

If you do not want the sitelinks search box to show up in SERPs, you have a little more control over this feature versus the regular sitelinks. You can add a specific meta tag to the homepage to prevent a sitelinks search box, per Google:

<meta name=”google” content=”nositelinkssearchbox” />

Google Sitelinks Best Practices

As I said, you cannot directly control what sitelinks the search engine chooses to display for your site. However, you can influence them with the following best practices.

Good Site Architecture

I believe that the best way to tell Google which pages are the most important on your website is to have a good site architecture that’s driven by best practices in SEO siloing. This includes how you set up your navigation and internal links.

In its help file on sitelinks, Google does mention a few things that can help them understand which pages to choose for sitelinks, and one of them is internal linking:

There are best practices you can follow, however, to improve the quality of your sitelinks. For example, for your site’s internal links, make sure you use anchor text and alt text that’s informative, compact, and avoids repetition.

For more on SEO siloing, see:

• SEO Siloing: What, Why, How
• SEO Silos: How to Build a Website Silo Architecture

Sitemap(s)

An XML sitemap does not directly influence sitelinks, but it can help search engines more easily discover key pages on your website. Similarly, an HTML sitemap helps search engines crawl your site and understand which of your pages are the most important.

To learn more about sitemaps, see:

• What Is an XML Sitemap and How Do I Make One?
• Sitemaps: How to Create a Sitemap

Structured Data Markup

The more you can tell search engines about your website and help clarify the information for them, the better. Structured data makeup does just that. For example, the SiteNavigationElement can help search engines better understand your site structure.

Good Title Tags

Make sure the title tag is unique and describes the webpage ― for every webpage on your website. This is a best practice, in general, to help search engines understand what the page is about.

Title tags may also show up as-is in the sitelinks menu in the search results. In that case, you want them to look good. So make sure your title tag style is consistent throughout the site. For example, don’t have some in all caps, some in title case and others in lowercase, etc.

For more, read:

• What Are Meta Tags?

Anchor Links within the Page

I believe that including anchor links to page fragments is a best practice, especially on an informational page. Include a table of contents or just a bulleted list near the top of the article linking down to the main section headers. Not only does this help readers understand the structure of your page and jump to what interests them, but also it helps search engines clarify what’s there and possibly pull sitelinks from your list.

As an example, Google gives sitelinks in the SERP result to our guide on image search ranking. These are pulled from anchor links to headings on that page:

Your Website or Company Name

This is something that you may or may not be able to change. But just know that when your website or company name is generic or somewhat ambiguous, Google will have a harder time determining that your website is indeed the website that should show up as No. 1 in the search results. Of course, it will not show sitelinks as a result.

Content Maintenance

This isn’t really a best practice for sitelinks, per se, but more of a best practice for ensuring a good user experience.

Once you know which sitelinks are showing for your website, you want to ensure the pages are maintained well and offer a good user experience.

Sitelinks: Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em

Some website publishers may not enjoy the sitelinks Google has generated for them. While you can’t disable sitelinks, you can rejoice in the fact that having them can actually be a good sign that Google sees your website and/or brand as reputable.

So your best bet to earn sitelinks or to influence them is to ensure you’re communicating the key pages on your website to Google through all the best practices mentioned above.

If you need assistance with your website SEO, please contact us today and let’s talk about it.

FAQ: How can I optimize my website to benefit from sitelinks and enhance user experience?

As an experienced authority in the realm of SEO and website optimization, I am excited to share my insights on optimizing your website to benefit from sitelinks and elevate user experience. The strategic utilization of sitelinks can significantly impact your website’s visibility in search engine results while providing users with streamlined navigation.

One of the key aspects of optimizing your website for sitelinks is establishing a clear and organized site architecture. Crafting a logical hierarchy of pages and sections not only aids search engines in understanding your content but also enhances user navigation. By categorizing your website’s content into relevant sections, you create a roadmap that directs both search engines and users to the most valuable information.

An often-overlooked factor in sitelinks optimization is the creation of compelling and concise title tags for each page. Craft title tags that accurately reflect the page’s content while being concise enough to capture users’ attention. Well-crafted title tags improve the chances of sitelinks appearing and entice users to explore further.

Engaging in effective internal linking is another vital strategy for sitelinks optimization. By interconnecting relevant pages within your website using descriptive anchor text, you guide users to discover related content. This practice enhances user experience by allowing seamless navigation and provides search engines with valuable information about the relationships between different pages.

One practical tip to enhance the user experience and encourage click-throughs on sitelinks is to update and maintain the linked pages regularly. Keep the content fresh, relevant, and valuable to ensure users find what they seek. Moreover, analyze the performance of sitelinks in Google Search Console to understand which pages garner the most clicks and adjust your optimization efforts accordingly.

Optimizing your website for sitelinks is a multidimensional approach that requires a combination of strategic site architecture, engaging title tags, smart internal linking, and consistent content updates. By integrating these expert strategies, you can elevate your website’s user experience, boost search engine visibility, and reap the benefits of enhanced click-through rates.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Optimizing Your Website for Sitelinks and Enhanced User Experience

1. Evaluate your current site architecture to identify areas for improvement.
2. Categorize your website’s content into logical sections and sub-sections.
3. Craft descriptive and concise title tags for each page, focusing on relevance.
4. Audit existing internal links and strategically interlink relevant pages using descriptive anchor text.
5. Create an XML sitemap to assist search engines in discovering and indexing your content.
6. Leverage structured data markup, such as SiteNavigationElement, to enhance search engine understanding.
7. Implement anchor links within longer pages to aid both user navigation and sitelinks selection.
8. Regularly analyze sitelinks performance in Google Search Console.
9. Identify top-performing sitelinks and ensure their linked pages are up-to-date and valuable.
10. Continuously update and optimize content to maintain relevancy and engagement.
11. Monitor user behavior and adjust internal linking strategies based on insights.
12. Ensure your website’s or company name is unique and distinguishable.
13. Implement clear navigation menus that guide users through important sections.
14. Utilize breadcrumb navigation to provide users with context and improve navigation.
15. Leverage high-quality images and descriptive alt text to enhance visual content.
16. Optimize site speed and mobile responsiveness for an improved user experience.
17. Regularly conduct user testing to gather feedback on navigation and usability.
18. Seek professional assistance to ensure optimal site architecture and SEO practices.
19. Stay updated with industry trends, and algorithm changes to adapt your optimization strategies.
20. Monitor and assess the impact of your optimization efforts on sitelinks appearance and user engagement.

The post What Are Sitelinks? Best Practices for Google Sitelinks appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

In this guide, I explain why internal linking is important and how to build a good internal link strategy for your website. I also give examples of effective internal links and best practices to keep in mind.

In this guide:

• What are internal links?
• Examples of Internal links
• The benefits of internal links
• How to do internal linking for SEO and user experience
• Internal linking best practices
  
• FAQ: How can I optimize my website’s SEO and user experience using an effective internal linking strategy?

What Are Internal Links?

An internal link is a link that takes a user from one page on a website to another page on the same website. Internal links are different from external links, which point to a page on another website. Internal links are also different from inbound links, which point to a page on your website but come from another website.

Examples of Internal Links

Examples of internal links include:

• Main navigation
• Footer links
• Contextual links
• Related content links

Main Navigation

Main navigational links are the primary way that visitors navigate a website. These links can be found horizontally or vertically as part of the website’s main menus.

Main navigation links point to the most important webpages on a website. They are usually implemented across the entire site, so they’re available from every page.

Navigation menus can be lengthy lists of links to primary and secondary section main pages. The examples below show how this might look on an ecommerce website and a retail website.

Footer Links

Footer links, like main navigational links, help a person navigate through a website. Links in the footer usually represent webpages that people may find important, but less important than the main navigation links. Footer links are usually implemented across the entire site.

Contextual Links

Contextual links are links embedded within the main content on a webpage. These links point to another webpage using anchor text (which is the hyperlinked words) so that the link appears in context within a page.

For example, this link to our guide on SEO siloing (which I’ll discuss more later in this article) is a contextual link using the anchor text “SEO siloing.” And, you can find contextual links within that guide, too:

Related Content Links

Internal-related content links often show up at the bottom of an article. They suggest to visitors what content they might be interested in reading next.

The Benefits of Internal Links

Internal links serve important functions for both website visitors and search engines. Internal links:

• Help people find other content on your website
• Communicate to search engines what your website is about
• Enable search engines to discover more pages on your website
• Pass link equity from one webpage to another within your site

Help Users Find Content

Internal links help you direct your website visitors to important webpages on your site, whether they are main navigational links, contextual links or something else. Ideally, interested readers can also follow links to dive deeper into any topic that your site covers, moving logically from page to page.

Help Search Engines Figure Out Your Website

When internal linking is done well, it helps to communicate to the search engines what your website is about. Organizing content through links helps your site to be a relevant authority on a topic (more on that later).

Help Search Engines Discover More Webpages

Search engine crawlers use the links they find to discover and crawl more webpages on your website. The more webpages they discover, crawl, and index, the better. From Google:

Some pages are known because Google has already visited them before.

Pass Link Equity from One Page to Another

Google’s PageRank algorithm assesses the authority of a webpage. If one webpage is considered high authority (usually due to quality external links pointing to it) and that webpage links to another webpage internally, it passes some of its authority to the page it is linking to.

How To Do Internal Linking for SEO and User Experience

When you get your internal linking structure right, you have not only a well-organized website that visitors can easily navigate but also a site that is primed for SEO.

SEO Siloing

SEO siloing is a practice we invented in 2000. SEO siloing is a way to organize your website content through links based on the way people search for your site’s topics. Its goal is to make a site more relevant for a search query, which gives the page a better chance of ranking.

As an example, say you have a website that sells power tools. You can organize the content on that website through its linking structure so that it is like a well-kept file cabinet.

In the graphic above, the “cordless power tools” category of content consists of a landing page and several supporting webpages on the website, all of which are linked to one another to create a “silo” of information.

Google states this is a good practice:

The navigation of a website is important in helping visitors quickly find the content they want. It can also help search engines understand what content the website owner thinks is important. Although Google’s search results are provided at a page level, Google also likes to have a sense of what role a page plays in the bigger picture of the site.

Google reinforces that in its SEO Starter Guide, too:

Make it as easy as possible for users to go from general content to the more specific content they want on your site. Add navigation pages when it makes sense and effectively work these into your internal link structure. Make sure all of the pages on your site are reachable through links, and that they don’t require an internal “search” functionality to be found. Link to related pages, where appropriate, to allow users to discover similar content.

SEO siloing is done through interlinking between pages, and it can be reinforced via the physical directory structure. I’ll explain more about that next.

Physical Siloing

Physical siloing is the practice of interlinking webpages by the URL structure into directories. An example I often use in our SEO training course is on a fictional website about peanut butter. You could create a silo on creamy peanut butter through the physical directory of a website like so:

peanutbuttersite.com/creamy/traditional/
panutbuttersite.com/creamy/organic/
peanutbuttersite.com/creamy/lowfat/
peanutbuttersite.com/creamy/jellyhybrid/
peanutbuttersite.com/creamy/honeyroasted/

When done right, the main navigation of a website will point to these physical silos.

Here’s a sample of physical siloing on our site under the “what we do” navigation:

bruceclay.com/seo/
bruceclay.com/seo/training
bruceclay.com/seo/tools

… and so on.

To strengthen your silos, be sure to have the primary page of each silo link down to its next-level main pages. Also have each subpage within the directory link up to the directory’s main landing page.

As a general rule, you need a minimum of five content pages to establish the theme of the directory/silo. Sometimes, one of those five pages (or more) may serve as the landing page for a new subsection.

Virtual Siloing

Virtual siloing is the practice of creating an informational silo through contextual links and related webpages. The pages that are linked together are not necessarily in the same directory but are relevant to one another. Virtual siloing is useful for a website in times where a physical directory is not a good option.

Let’s say you have two different physical silos, each with five subpages of supporting content. If you wanted to link to a page in another silo, you would link to the other silo’s main landing page, not a subpage.

The reason for this is to not dilute the theme of the silo. One reason for internal linking is to group similar subjects together and help search engines understand what each section is about. If a lot of subpages link to a lot of other subpages, it can get confusing.

Our SEO siloing guide explains this further:

Sticking with the simple peanut butter example, say your site sells a flavor of jelly that is particularly complementary to creamy peanut butter. It may be fitting to link from your peanut butter page to the flavored jelly page. Since the jelly page would be a supporting page in the jelly silo, you would want to link your creamy peanut butter page to the landing page of the jelly silo instead of to the particular flavored jelly page.

You can learn a lot more about SEO siloing by reading our SEO siloing guide or checking out our online SEO training course.

Internal Linking Best Practices

Aside from siloing, there are many other internal linking best practices that will enhance user experience and SEO. Here a list that I’ll explain in detail below:

• Audit existing link structure.
• Establish click depth.
• Only link to important pages from your homepage.
• Use breadcrumb links.
• Use anchor text wisely.
• Use nofollow attributes as needed.
• Go ahead and use multiple links to the same target.
• Have an HTML sitemap and an XML sitemap.
• Manage 404s.
• Manage internal links regularly.

Audit Existing Link Structure

If your website is not brand new, you likely already have an internal link structure. To get a better picture of what it looks like, you can use SEO tools such as:

• Ahrefs Site Audit tool
• Semrush Site Audit tool
• Google Search Console

Using tools, audit your internal links to find things like:

• Broken links (e.g., linking to a page that no longer exists)
• Links to pages that are 301 redirected
• Links to pages that may not be important
• Click depth is too deep (more on that in the next section)
• Pages without any links
• Too many links on a page
• Nofollow issues
• Pages passing the most PageRank

If you are an SEOToolSetⓇ subscriber, you can use our Link Graph tool to get started analyzing your internal links as an interactive visual map. But, there are other tools, too, as mentioned in this guide.

Establish Click Depth

Traditional wisdom says that the number of clicks it takes to get to important pages on the site from the homepage should be no more than three. Google has confirmed that it is important to make sure it’s easy to get to these important pages easily, but makes no mention of actual click depth.

In that video, Google’s John Mueller says:

…What does matter for us a little bit is how easy it is to actually find the content there. So especially if your home page is generally the strongest page on your website, and from the home page it takes multiple clicks to actually get to one of these stores, then that makes it a lot harder for us to understand that these stores are actually pretty important.

So in other words, you do want to keep click depth in mind as you are establishing your silos, and we usually recommend that, if possible, the site’s click depth not be more than two or three jumps from the homepage.

Only Link to Important Pages from Your Homepage

Your website’s homepage is typically the page with the most authority. So choose the links wisely that you put on your homepage. Only point to the most important pages (usually the main landing pages of your silos).

Here’s an example on HomeDepot.com’s homepage:

Use Breadcrumb Links

Breadcrumb links help to orient website visitors as to where they are in the site. It can help them navigate back and forth easily. Google recommends this as a best practice, too:

A breadcrumb is a row of internal links at the top or bottom of the page that allows visitors to quickly navigate back to a previous section or the root page. Many breadcrumbs have the most general page (usually the root page) as the first, leftmost link and list the more specific sections out to the right. We recommend using breadcrumb structured data markup²⁸ when showing breadcrumbs.

Here at BCI, we recommend using breadcrumb links at the top of your pages.

Use Anchor Text Wisely

An important factor in determining the quality of a link is its anchor text. You want anchor text to be meaningful and relevant for internal links to your site.
Yes, keyword-rich anchor text should be used within your own website. There’s no spam penalties on internal linking. So make those internal links reinforce what each page is about. Typically, you’ll want to use one of the destination page’s main keywords as anchor text.

Google agrees:

Links on your page may be internal—pointing to other pages on your site—or external—leading to content on other sites. In either of these cases, the better your anchor text is, the easier it is for users to navigate and for Google to understand what the page you’re linking to is about.

Use Nofollow Attributes as Needed

Links to influencers, affiliates and some others must include an attribute like nofollow to prevent the transfer of link equity. Google expanded the list with sponsored and user-generated content designations. (This applies mostly to external links.)

Go Ahead: Use Multiple Links to the Same Source

It has been debated whether you should link out to another internal webpage more than once on the same webpage. Some argue it could dilute the PageRank (link equity).
In 2019, Google’s Mueller said this:

 

No, feel free to link naturally within your site!

— John (@JohnMu) January 4, 2019

We have not observed this to be a significant issue. So go ahead and link to the same webpage more than once on a page when it’s natural and necessary. Remember that Google may only count the first one that it encounters on the page.

Have an HTML Sitemap and an XML Sitemap

An HTML sitemap is a central location of all the important links on your website. It can help visitors more easily find what they are looking for. You can view an example of a sitemap for users by checking out our sitemap.

On this topic, Google says:

Include a simple navigational page for your entire site (or the most important pages, if you have hundreds or thousands) for users. Create an XML sitemap file to ensure that search engines discover the new and updated pages on your site, listing all relevant URLs together with their primary content’s last modified dates.

An XML sitemap, on the other hand, is just for search engines, and helps ensure more thorough crawling and indexing. It should contain all the indexable pages on your website.

By the way, according to Sitemaps.org, your XML file should not exceed 50MB. If necessary, you can chain several XML sitemap files together.

The same is true for HTML sitemaps, which should not exceed about 100 links. If you need to, you can create multiple sitemaps following your silo structure (one per silo) and then chain them together using a link.

For more:

• What Is an XML Sitemap and How Do I Make One?
• How to Create a Sitemap (information on both site maps for users and XML Sitemaps for search engines)

Manage 404s

Make it a habit to run SEO tools and view your Search Console reports on a regular basis to identify any broken links on your website. Then, redirect those pages (with a 301 redirect) to the next most relevant page.

As a best practice, your site should have a custom 404 page that can help website visitors when they encounter a broken link on your site before you find it.

On this, Google says:

Users will occasionally come to a page that doesn’t exist on your site, either by following a broken link or typing in the wrong URL. Having a custom 404 page that kindly guides users back to a working page on your site can greatly improve a user’s experience. Your 404 page should probably have a link back to your root page and could also provide links to popular or related content on your site. You can use Google Search Console to find the sources of URLs causing “not found” errors.

See more on how to design a custom 404 error page.

Manage Internal Links Regularly

Make sure you check on your silos regularly. As new content is added (or taken away) on the site, make sure that it is not compromising the theme of your silos.

There are, of course, other things you can do as well:

• After you publish a new piece of content, link to the new page from existing site pages on the same topic. To find likely candidates, you can use a site: search on Google using the topic keyword (for example: site:bruceclay.com seo siloing).
• Using a site: search, you could also identify all the pages you’ve written on a topic. Then decide if you want to link them together to form a subsilo or possibly combine some of them into one long webpage article and then redirect other pages to that new source.

Next Steps

You should now have a good understanding of an internal link strategy and why it’s important. The next best step is to do an audit of your strategy to get a picture of what linking you do have in place, and where you can improve.

Need help with your SEO strategy? Contact us for a free quote and consultation today.

FAQ: How can I optimize my website’s SEO and user experience using an effective internal linking strategy?

An essential factor in maximizing your website’s potential is harmonizing SEO and user experience. Crafting an effective internal linking strategy empowers you to achieve this synergy effortlessly. When internal links are thoughtfully orchestrated, they facilitate navigation and elevate your site’s credibility in the eyes of search engines. Let’s explore the art of mastering internal linking for optimal results.

The impact that strategic internal linking can have on a website’s performance cannot be underestimated. By interlinking relevant pages within your site, you guide visitors through a seamless journey, ensuring they discover valuable content effortlessly. This approach, often called SEO siloing, organizes your content in a user-friendly manner, satisfying both human and algorithmic audiences.

A noteworthy tip is prioritizing the main navigation links, which are the backbone of user exploration. These links should direct users to pivotal webpages, making them accessible from any corner of your site. You create a comprehensive map that guides users through your digital landscape by thoughtfully implementing main navigation links. This not only boosts user experience but also aids search engines in understanding your site’s hierarchy.

While establishing click depth, a practice endorsed by search engine giants, may not have a specific numerical guideline, the principle remains pivotal. The goal is to keep essential pages no more than a few clicks away from the homepage. By doing so, you not only appease user preferences for easy access but also send a positive signal to search engines about your site’s structure and importance.

Leveraging anchor text effectively within internal links is a subtle yet impactful strategy. Incorporating relevant keywords in anchor text strengthens the contextual relevance of linked pages. However, balancing keyword usage and natural flow is crucial to prevent over-optimization. Remember, user experience always takes precedence over search engine bots.

Optimizing your website’s SEO and user experience is a multifaceted endeavor that demands a strategic internal linking approach. Drawing from my extensive experience, I emphasize the harmony of user-centered design and search engine algorithms. Implementing a robust internal linking strategy enhances your site’s search visibility and delivers an exceptional user journey.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Optimizing SEO and User Experience Through Effective Internal Linking

1. Evaluate Your Current Internal Link Structure: Begin by assessing your website’s existing internal links to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
2. Understand User Journey: Gain insights into your audience’s navigation preferences and prioritize essential pages for easy access.
3. Identify Key Landing Pages: Determine core landing pages encapsulating your site’s primary offerings or topics.
4. Create Content Clusters: Group related content into clusters, allowing for seamless interlinking between them.
5. Implement Main Navigation Links: Strategically position main navigation links to essential pages for user-friendly exploration.
6. Prioritize Contextual Relevance: Embed contextual links within your content, directing users to relevant pages using meaningful anchor text.
7. Utilize SEO Siloing: Organize your content into silos, ensuring a logical flow of information and aiding search engines in understanding your site’s structure.
8. Mind Click Depth: Aim to maintain a shallow click depth, ensuring that crucial pages are accessible within a few clicks from the homepage.
9. Strategic Keyword Usage: Infuse internal links with relevant keywords, enhancing their SEO value while maintaining a natural tone.
10. Craft Descriptive Anchor Text: Develop anchor text that concisely describes the linked content, providing context to users and search engines.
11. Optimize for Mobile: Ensure internal links are easily accessible and functional on mobile devices to cater to diverse user preferences.
12. Regularly Audit and Update: Periodically review and update your internal link strategy to adapt to evolving content and user behavior.
13. Implement Breadcrumb Navigation: Utilize breadcrumb links to offer users an orientation within your site’s structure.
14. Diversify Link Types: Experiment with different types of internal links, such as related content, contextual links, and footer links.
15. Leverage Analytics: Monitor user engagement and behavior patterns to refine and enhance your internal linking strategy.
16. Balance Quantity and Quality: Focus on quality links rather than inundating your content with excessive internal links.
17. Test and Iterate: Continuously test the effectiveness of different linking approaches and make data-driven adjustments.
18. Integrate External Links Sparingly: While internal links are crucial, judiciously include external links to reputable sources when relevant.
19. Educate Your Team: Ensure all content creators understand the importance of internal linking and adhere to best practices.
20. Stay Updated: Keep up with industry trends and algorithm changes to maintain the relevance and effectiveness of your internal linking strategy.

By meticulously following these steps, you’ll be well-equipped to optimize your website’s SEO and user experience through a well-crafted internal linking strategy. Remember, the journey towards seamless navigation and heightened visibility is ongoing, requiring continuous evaluation and refinement.

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