On-Site SEO
Whereas on-page SEO is relevant to individual pages, on-site features affect your SEO
process on the website as a whole. This section explains the following (see Figure 3-6 ):
• URL optimization
• Site maps
• Domain trust
• Localization
• Mobile site optimization and responsive websites
• Site-loading speed or page-load time
URL Optimization
URLs play an important role in SEO, and you need to plan holistically for making
your URLs as SEO-friendly as possible. Each URL should be human-readable and
not consist of a bunch of special characters or numbers mixed with words. It should
be meaningful and should reflect what the site is about. For example, https://www.
searchenginejournal.com is meaningful because it tells readers that the site offers a
comprehensive array of topics and guides related to SEO. Using hyphens (-) instead of
underscores is a good practice recommended by Google. SEO experts advocate the use
of canonical tags or 301 redirects for duplicate pages or pages with similar content;
otherwise the value of the content may be negated, because as ranking signals may split it
across the multiple URLs. For “404 Page not found” errors, you need to use 301 redirects
to guide users to a working URL for that content.
Using a robots.txt file helps inform search engines about pages to be ignored while
crawling the site. For example, a Contact Us page or About Us page may be useful if users
need to access or buy a product or need help from the customer service department.
However, a normal user may not find the Disclaimers page important and hardly skim
such pages. So, it is essential to educate crawlers about which pages need to be indexed for
SEO processes. You can also indicate broken links and 404 pages in the robots.txt file.
SEO experts advocate the user of a favicon on the title bar next to the URL, because
it lends credibility and helps with effective branding. It helps users recognize your site
and improves trustworthiness significantly. Although there are no direct benefits from
favicons from a SEO perspective, they enhance usability. Bookmarks in the Google
Chrome browser send out signals to the Google search engine that maps bookmarks
for sites on the Web. This it is not a major factor, but it certainly helps from a user
perspective.
Site Maps
There are two types of site maps: XML site maps, which are tailored to search engines;
and HTML site maps, which are directed toward users. An XML site map contains a
machine-readable list of pages on your site that you want search engines to index for SEO
purposes. It contains information for crawlers such as the last update, its relevance or
importance, alterations, and related data. XML site maps are domain-related and help
spiders perform a deep search of web pages. For example, issues such as broken links or
a lack of internal linking can be crucial factors that may result in crawlers not being able
to index pages. There is no guarantee that a site map will cause crawlers to index all of
your website’s pages; however, it will significantly help with accessibility, because search
engines can digest such data easily.
An HTML site map is tailored to your website’s users and helps users locate different
pages. All categories and products can be listed explicitly. It streamlines the user experience
by making users familiar with your website and provides better semantics. UX is a vital
aspect of SEO, so it is a good practice to include both XML and HTML site maps in your
process. Make sure your XML site maps for search engines are exhaustive; on the other
hand, HTML site maps should be more concise so users can navigate them more easily.
Domain Trust and Local Domains
Your domain can be a key ranking factor because it creates trust and credibility for site
users. Studies suggest that domains registered for two years or longer were considered
more trustworthy than new domains. Use the .com domain extension, because it is more
common than .org and other extensions. Domain localization —catering to a specific
country or city—may prove to be a game changer. For example, .co.uk caters to the United
Kingdom and is more specific to users in that region and those with business links to the
UK. Choosing a domain with a good reputation is helpful. If the domain has been assessed
some kind of penalty, it can be detrimental to your business due to lack of credibility.
Using keywords in a domain name may be useful; however, given all the keywords
that have already been used by websites, you may not be able to have the domain name of
your choice.
Your domain name is crucial, because it indicates what your site is all about. Opt
for a simpler, unique, relevant domain name rather than a sensational name, to help
users connect with your site. You can use an online dictionary to check words related to
your service or product. You can also use a combination of two or three words, such as
DealOn, ScoutMob, or HomeRun. You can even think outside of the box and come up
with something really creative, such as Reddit, Google, and Yelp, to name a few.
Mobile Site Optimization and Responsive Websites
The digital marketing era has seen the rise of smartphones as the preferred option for
online purchasing, e-commerce, and finding informative content on the Web. Designers
used to create a desktop version and then remove heavy-duty elements to create a
watered-down version for mobile devices. But with the advent of online marketing
and social media, mobile phones and tablets have gained prominence. Studies suggest
that most internet traffic comes through mobile phones and tablets—they have largely
surpassed desktop websites. Even web design frameworks such as Bootstrap and
Foundation use the mobile-first approach, because the target audience has undergone a
major shift from desktop users to mobile users.
Until recently, designers created two sites: one optimized for mobiles and the other
for desktops. It is essential to focus more on mobile site optimization than the desktop
version. However, this can be tricky if the mobile version is a stripped-down version with
fewer features and less content than the desktop site. Moreover, this means you have
two URLs for the same site with similar content, so you need to use the canonical tag. In
addition, a watered-down mobile site results in a pathetic UX.
Enter responsive web design : an excellent alternative that uses a single URL for both
the mobile and desktop sites. Responsiveness is rated highly by Google. All the features
and content of a desktop site are present on the mobile version, meaning there is no
compromise on content display; the site is user friendly and ensures an optimal UX. The
bounce rate will be lower, because users can get the same information on mobiles as well
as desktops. Because there is only one URL, there is no redirect, resulting in faster page-
loading times. Because Google highly recommends this approach, responsive web design
is here to stay. Currently, Google marks websites as mobile-friendly in mobile searches to
help its users identify which websites are likely to work best on their device.
Site-Loading Speed
Site- or page- loading speed is an important attribute, because Google and other search
engines penalize sites that take a long time to load. An optimal page-load time leads to
better conversion and improves the salability of your products. Pages that take a long time
to load may frustrate users and cause negative UX, leading to higher bounce rates. Loss of
internet traffic or a bad user experience can damage the site’s reputation.
There are several ways you can improve your page-load speed:
• Minifying CSS, JavaScript, and other files
• Minimizing HTTP requests
• Using an efficient server configuration and good bandwidth
• Archiving redundant data in the database, and cleaning out trash
and spam
• Using fewer plug-ins and third-party utilities
• Interchanging data and images, depending on the screen size
• Avoiding inline styles, and keeping presentation separate from
markup
• Using a content delivery network (CDN)
Off-Page SEO
Whereas on-page SEO and on-site SEO factors are based on the elements and content
on your web page or site, off-page SEO factors are external and help you rank higher in
SERPs. They are not design or code related and are more like promotional concepts. This
section looks at the following (see Figure 3-8 ):
• Social media
• Blogging
• Localization and local citations
• Inbound links
Social Media
Expand your reach by taking advantage of social media optimization and marketing.
Social media is an amazing medium with an ever-increasing scope. You can indulge in
networking and increase your connections considerably. Reaching out to the modern
target audience is beneficial because users can share and promote your website.
Keep your audience engaged, and share updates with them. For example, Facebook
and LinkedIn can be awesome utilities that let you expand your business horizons
significantly. Share updates and keep your users in the loop using Twitter. You can use the
capabilities of these social media sites for branding and advertising for a fraction of the
cost of traditional marketing methods such as television advertising, press releases, and
Yellow Pages listings. (Chapter 11 discusses social media marketing.)
Blogging
Blogging is an excellent tool for achieving user engagement. You can keep users abreast
of the latest trends and technologies in your niche. Informative content on blogs acts
as supplementary information about your products or services. Troubleshooting steps,
product-relevant content, and meaningful information are some of the elements that can
be included on a blog. A plethora of blogging domains and tools can help you reach out to
your audience. Inbound and relevant links from your blog to your site can boost your SEO
implementation significantly.
Localization and Citations
Local SEO is an important off-page factor because it caters to the user’s region. It is a
boon especially for small- and medium-size enterprises because it helps them connect
with users in their vicinity. Google My Business allows you to list your business and gain
prominence in SERPs. You can place your products or services and categorize them so
that they show up when a search query is used for that category or niche in the region.
Information such as working hours, updates, and contact information can be provided,
leading to better accessibility.
Local citations are brand mentions or reviews that educate users about product
robustness or attributes. Local SEO utilities such as Yelp and Foursquare are extremely
helpful for understanding the pros and cons of your products or services, courtesy of user
feedback or input. Reviews help you establish a connection with users and understand
their viewpoint and concerns related to your business.
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