29 Sep SEO for Websites: Find Out How to Reach the Top Positions
Many companies decide to create websites without any notion of what SEO is, and why it’s so important for success. But without the correct optimization techniques, it is near-impossible to reach good positions on Google, or gain customers and leads using this platform, which exists precisely to make these processes easier.
All search engines – from Google to YouTube and mobile app stores – apply rules for SEO best practice that must be adhered to in order to occupy the top positions. Today we’re going to talk specifically about sites, and focus on what’s important to Google.
Companies need to respect the main rules of Google’s algorithm if they are to be taken into consideration by the search engine, and appear to users who search for specific keywords. For this to happen, certain aspects need to be taken into account during the website creation phase.
Essential site elements for ranking highly on Google:
Friendly URLs
The URL is your website’s address, i.e. https://rabbitholedigital.com/criacao-de-sites. It should be objective, short, clear and easy to understand, so that people can find its pages, and the contents of your website are considered relevant by Google.
H1, H2 and H3
Website articles and pages need to include a title (H1), subtitles (H2) and excerpts of highlights which are less relevant than the subtitle (H3). This will help Google to understand that the content of your site is dynamic, properly compartmentalized and easy for readers to understand.
Keywords
Keywords are essential for your site ranking well on Google, but they should be identified and used according to specific criteria. At Rabbit Hole, we use SEMrush a lot for this kind of research, and would recommend it to anyone looking to get started.
The no. 1 tip regarding keyword usage criteria is to analyze your business website’s format and content, and determine whether to use a head tail or a long tail.
In the case of new websites from brands that are entering their market, for example, it is usually more efficient to use more specific long tail keywords. That’s because they are less competitive (i.e. fewer big companies are using them), which increases the chances of your website appearing in searches for them.
If your company sells makeup, and only uses the keyword “shadow palette” in its product descriptions, your content is unlikely to appear prominently, since many major competing companies are probably using it too. Whereas if you use the long tail “neon shadow palette”, your chances of appearing may increase, as the terms get more specific.
Head tails are more general search terms, which are used most often to answer questions. Because they are succinct, their competitiveness is much greater than long tails. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t be used. Ideally, your content should contain a mix of long tails and head tails.
Meta description
When a user conducts a Google search, the meta description will appear directly below the title and link. It’s a summary of what that page is about. Meta descriptions aren’t a ranking factor per se, but they are likely to make a difference to users who are looking for relevant content, and deciding which link to click. So don’t overlook this element!
Backlinks
Backlinks are external and internal links which direct users towards pages with relevant content. They can lead to pages on your own site, and others. Ideally, your pages should contain both types of links, strategically positioned in your text. Backlinks are designed to generate traffic to your website, strengthen your brand’s visibility and show your readers that you are an authority on the subject in question.
Optimized images and links
It’s no use having optimized text if your page’s content contains overly-dense images and videos, with no regard for best practices. Upload your images and videos in the lightest format possible, with objective descriptions and – in the case of videos from YouTube – a correct category classification.
Intuitive navigation
In addition to strong content, users are looking for high-speed sites which are easy to navigate. That’s why it pays to check your pages’ response times, to make sure they’re loading properly. You should also consider whether your site has a responsive design which works on both mobile and desktop devices. Define which items are essential for your website, and which ones only serve to increase your pages’ loading time.
SEO tools
Now that you’re up to speed with the SEO best practices that can help your site to display higher on Google, let’s take a look at the tools that can make this process easier.
Earlier in the article, we talked about SEMrush, which is an SEO tool that delivers data about user searches and Google SERP placement. It can be used to obtain results about both your domain and those of your competitors.
Another tool which we at Rabbit Hole use a lot for SEO projects is DeepCrawl. It covers backlinks and is useful for indexing pages and identifying duplicate content, among other issues. Last but not least, Screaming Frog is a website crawler that helps to improve local SEO by extracting data and checking for SEO issues.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console is another useful tool for marketing and SEO professionals. It’s free to use, and offers services and reports that help you make informed decisions and consider new strategies for your website.
With Google Search Console, you can check which sites have relevant links that lead to your site, whether Google can crawl and find a page on your site, whether your pages are indexed and, crucially, whether they present any issues as far as Google is concerned.
For marketing professionals, Google Search Console’s most interesting function is the data which it displays regarding search traffic and user frequency. This allows professionals to understand what level their website is currently at, and how far it can go.
The Key to SEO Success
These best practices tips for Google should inform your SEO work so that your site’s content is displayed in ever-better positions. Use the right tools, analyze the data, apply relevant keywords and pay attention to changes, and your results will invariably improve. Identifying and creating content which is relevant to Google’s algorithm is not difficult. However, these results will only become truly apparent over time. So be patient, and conduct as much analysis as possible when applying these techniques.
