With the expression Search Engine Optimization (optimization for search engines, in short SEO) are identified the techniques for composing websites that allow you to obtain a better ranking on search engines and to get the contents to the right users. The use of these techniques is encouraged by search engines and is very important for attracting visitors; however, you need to remember to put the needs of your readers first. Your goal is to attract people interested in your content, not to use tricks to use the system to your advantage.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Researching Keywords
Step 1. Think about commonly used keywords and phrases
Keywords are the terms on your website that appear most often in people's searches. Think of many options related to your site's theme. If you are the page manager of a business, you may want to conduct market research or organize a focus group to facilitate this process. If you want to create a website without breaking the bank, try some brainstorming sessions alone or with a few friends.
- If you write articles about products, look for similar items on online stores. Identify common phrases repeated in product names and descriptions.
- Research online forums that deal with the topic of your website. Read some of the most popular post titles and discussions to find topics that interest readers.
- Use only keywords that accurately describe your site. If you only sell chairs, "furniture" is too broad a term and "bar stools" is not relevant. There is no reason to attract users who are not interested in your site.
Step 2. Compare keywords with Google AdWords
This tool is meant for advertisers, but site builders often use it to find out how often users search for the keywords they entered. Create a Google AdWords account, then visit the keyword planner page. Use the application to narrow your search:
- To get started, fill out the Search for a new keyword form… with some generic descriptions of your website. From the results, add popular keywords that describe your site to your term list.
- Now enter all the keywords you have thought of in the Get Search Volume… module. If you want, choose a geographic location for your ideal audience, but only if you focus on content locally. Ignore the Negative Keywords option, which is only useful for advertisers.
Step 3. Use the results to narrow your options
Within the results of the planning tool, look at the "Average monthly volume" column (ignoring the other columns, which are more useful for advertisers). Remove all phrases from the list that do not reach a satisfactory search volume. The size of this number varies based on your use of keywords:
- The keywords used on the home page or that relate to the main themes of the site should have thousands of searches per month.
- A keyword on a single product page or blog post should have hundreds of searches.
- A search volume of less than 100 indicates that your website is likely to appear in the top results for that term. However, since very few people will see those results, this is only useful if you want to create a niche community or if you run a business that operates a low number of high-profit transactions.
Step 4. Study the competition
You just narrowed down the list of options to your most used search terms, but you're not done yet. If large companies and sites that already have a good user base use the same terms you choose, your site may be pushed out of the search results. First, log out of your Google account to make sure the results aren't tailored to your preferences. Search all phrases separately on a search engine, to get an idea of the current competition. Below you will find signs that the keywords you have chosen will face too high a competition and consequently should not be your main weapon:
- More than 10 million results
- The maximum number of advertisements (on Google, you will see 3 on the top and 7 on the left)
- Famous websites among the first results
- The phrase appears repeated word for word in the title of many of the top results
Step 5. Learn to use keywords
Placing as many keywords as possible on your site is no longer a good way to climb the rankings. Use the terms a couple of times in the first part of the page and wherever it is appropriate to do so. Keywords are primarily useful for titles, headings, and URLs, as described in the following section.
You will not be penalized for using keywords that are so widespread as to be commonly used phrases, such as "Milan" or "pasta al pomodoro". Penalties start piling up if you repeat very specific keywords, such as "quick and easy recipe for making tomato pasta at home"
Part 2 of 3: Search Engine Optimization
Step 1. Choose clear and unique titles
All pages on your website should have one. Search engines show the title of the page when it appears in the results and could also use it to understand what the topic is about. This is a great place to use keywords, but only if they accurately describe the page content. Write short titles, as search engines cut them after a certain character limit.
- If you write the HTML code yourself, enter Your Title Here in the section.
- If you're using a website builder, the title is usually generated from the blog post name. You may be able to change this in the settings or "header" of the document.
Step 2. Write accurate descriptions and headings
They should be useful and easy to read. They don't have a big impact on ranking, but they are still two of the best tools for attracting readers to your site. Use keywords if they accurately describe the page, but focus on the reader, not the bots.
- To add a description in HTML, type. It won't appear on the page, but it may be visible in search results.
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Think of headings as secondary titles for each section of a long page. These appear on the page, so create short phrases that users can use to quickly find the content they are looking for. You can fit them in different sizes, from
The most important
to the
less important
- If you are using a website or blogging program instead of HTML, you need to read the FAQ to find out how to add descriptions and headings.
Step 3. Design your website to be easy to use
Your site probably has many pages. Both bots and human visitors should be able to easily find all pages, understand what they are about, and move between them. Here are some tips to achieve this:
- Organize your site folder. All site folders should have a clear name and purpose. You should choose a URL like wikihow.it/create-web-sites/seo, not vague or unclear, like wikihow.it/folder7/ciao-amici.
- Make sure you can reach all pages starting from the home page and clicking on the links. Pages that can only be reached from another site or by manually entering the URL do not appear on search results.
- Add a navigation menu to the top or bottom of each page, so visitors can easily return to more general pages. For example, on a recipe page for chocolate cupcakes, you could enter the links "Home → Desserts → Cupcakes".
Step 4. Publish a sitemap on search engines.
There are many services that generate a sitemap for free, an organized list of the pages it contains. Submit the map in XML format using Google WebMaster tools and preferably on other search engines such as Yahoo and Bing.
If you are using a blogging program, you may be able to download a plugin that will do this for you
Step 5. Pay attention to the so-called SEO "tricks"
The previous steps illustrate techniques that allow search engines to find all the pages on your site and understand what they are talking about. Many website operators try to use other "tricks" to make their pages appear higher in the search results, but these inviting shortcuts have virtually no effect. Search engines frequently update their algorithms to correct these system flaws, often turning what were minor ranking improvements into severe penalties. Here are some examples of SEO strategies that can only harm your site:
- Don't use keywords as links (the text that appears in links), but you can do it with brand names.
- Do not add keywords as invisible text for the user. Search engine bots don't care about text color, they still find it and penalize your site for keyword misuse.
- Don't use keywords that aren't related to the topic your site covers. This may help you attract more visitors initially, but your ranking will soon plummet as search engines notice that users are leaving your pages right away.
Part 3 of 3: Improving Content and Gaining Authority
Step 1. Write content for people, not search engines
Many make the mistake of thinking that only search engine bots count for SEO techniques. In fact, you should consider the work you do for bots as a simple preparation. You've invited people to your party, sent out invitations, and made sure everyone knows what time and where to show up. However, if you want users to really come and have fun, thereby improving your rating, you need to create content that can be enjoyed by true readers. If you've written any paragraphs that aren't useful for a visitor, delete them.
Check that all your content is grammatically correct, spelling correct and easy to read. Try not to digress and not to insert unnecessary content in your articles
Step 2. Be objective and honest
Customers understand when a commercial service is "pushy" and don't like it. Many more readers will return to your site and recommend it to friends if your content is balanced and objective. There's nothing wrong with advertising a product, but don't make exaggerated promises.
- Use facts to sell one of your products. Explain why it is different from the competition and why it is better. If possible, include data from an unbiased source and not from research done by yourself.
- If you are running a personal website, be honest about the products you advertise. Promote only items that you use and really like, and honestly point out their flaws.
- The content posted by users is by nature more reliable. A simple comment system is a good start, but consider setting up a forum for user discussions or citing particularly good comments in your blog post.
Step 3. Attract mobile users and random visitors to your site
Phones and tablets account for an increasingly large share of the number of internet page views. Try opening your site on a small screen and think about how you could improve that experience. Images and videos attract far more attention than endless paragraphs of text. Keep writing in-depth content, but don't use it as the main element to attract visitors.
Step 4. Attract links
If you find business contacts in your industry, particularly within a blogging community, you may have the option to directly ask for a link to your site. More commonly, you'll need to create content that respected news services and blogs find worthy of attention and develop a presence that lets people know what you write and deserve a link. Try to think of content that no one else offers, whether it's useful advice or a captivating personal story. More direct opportunities are rarer, but grab the following possibilities:
- Read news sites or blogs that often link to content similar to yours. If you discover a link that no longer works, contact the author of the page and suggest they replace it with an article about your content.
- Academic and government sources often have more authority. You can write a review of their programs or offer your services as a volunteer and earn a valuable link in this way.
- Never buy links to your pages. Once the search engines detect this strategy of yours, you will receive a severe penalty on your ranking.
Step 5. Gain authority
It's not easy, but becoming an authority in your field allows you to earn a respected place in the classification. All of the above steps will help you achieve this status in the long run, but also consider the following tips:
- Collaborate with content creators with a recognizable name or with professional qualifications, even if they are just posts you "host" on your site.
- Share your content on social media.
