Simply put, there is no great secret ingredient behind search engine optimisation (SEO). Do not expect to optimise a page and suddenly have great rankings on Google. SEO takes patience and hard work to achieve optimal results.
Google ranking formula is very complex as it evaluates several elements surrounding your site to rank it where deemed appropriate. Of course, when doing SEO, there are some key elements which you cannot overlook. As simple as they are, they are equally important. Some of the most basic modifications can help you create a site that is descriptive for both search engines and for users.
Google is constantly trying to update and to improve the rankings they deliver. In fact, Google claims to have rolled out 500 changes to their ranking formula last year. On average, this is around a change to its algorithm every day. These changes make best practices to shift, but more or less the basis remains the same. The best advice you may ever get regarding SEO is to plan SEO before your site has been developed or even designed.
Why do you optimise a website without having it been developed?
There is a common habit of thinking that SEO comes after a site has been designed. However, SEO before the design stage makes sure that key elements are not missed; on the contrary, they are present on your site if not already optimised.
Your sitemap (pages on your site) must reflect your keywords that are searched for by users. Keyword research is an important step in SEO. This entails finding out the keywords that users are likely to use when searching on Google. As a rule of thumb, the page must revolve around a specific keyword that it is being optimised for. It is of utmost importance that the keyword resides on that page. This means that if you are using a technical name for your products while users are searching using other keywords, you have a content issue. Identifying keywords at design stage will help you save time and do a proper job. One must closely map keywords to pages on your site and then identify keywords which don’t have a target page. Some pages may be even worth considered removing.
There are also vital elements for your site that need to be well thought-out. The domain plays an important role in rankings, even the top-level domain (TLD) will help you better target your audience. You will be better off using a regional TLD when targeting local users. Moreover, keywords in the domain name will help you rank better for keywords present in the domain. However one must choose carefully and balance domain rich keywords with brand identity. In long-term cases, you are better off with a recognisable brand domain.
You should take into consideration several elements. One must have a good sitemap with all pages reached from other linked pages and have a good overall site structure. Without a clear structured navigation you will suffer from both search engines and users browsing your site. Flash or having JavaScript navigation can hinder SEO. This is also why having a full flash site is a terrible idea for SEO. Your site must also use the correct HTML markup - normally that is up to the web designer to do a good job.
A heading element on the page must be wrapped with the correct semantics so Google can easily recognise that it is a title. Site loading speed is also important, not only as a ranking factor. Users prefer faster loading sites so one must optimise a heavy site to reduce loading times.
A core element on your site is your main content. Remember to invest in unique and original content for your site. Do not duplicate your writing elsewhere. You will go nowhere with poor content and you will not benefit from incoming natural links. Generally, good content is what gets those social links and mentions from user generated content. Avoid deceptive techniques such as hidden text, keyword stuffing and other methods that are used to trick search engines. It is not worth the risk of getting penalised.
www.alert.com.mt
Mr Bugeja is an SEO consultant at Alert Communications, a local web development company.