6 Website SEO Optimization Essentials for 2019 - Fanatics Media

• Updated on: 2018-11-26
• Read original article here

Web optimization or search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of making adjustments to the content on your website to make it rank higher in search engine search result pages (SERP).

Search engines use a number of factors to determine what content should appear where after a random search, and that is what you need to know when .

Most people make the mistake of optimizing their website for the engines and not the users – a trick that might work in the short term but massively count against you in the long run.

Remember, Google partially uses user experience to determine the ranking of pages, so lack of traffic may be a signal to the search engine that you are using unethical techniques to trick its algorithm.

This article will give you an insight into and how you can use it to grow your brand.

Albeit search engines can’t read what is on your website to determine its quality and relevance, there are hundreds of algorithms that are used in combinations to help make near-perfect estimations.

For some reason, you may have realized that web pages appearing high on Google search results are more credible and detailed than what appears in the, say, the fifth page downwards.

That is not coincidental. Google’s search algorithm is super sophisticated and can almost tell the level of your website’s relevance without exactly reading your content.

Here are ways relevance is determined:

Slow server responses and lagging web pages are a sign of poor user experience, which can lower your ranking regardless of whether you have adhered to other SEO rules or not.

It is something of a vicious cycle whereby good and regularly updated content boosts your ranking and visibility on the web, which in return increases traffic on your website.

Amount of , and Google’s algorithm will use it to rank your upcoming pages notwithstanding how well optimized they are. Perhaps you now understand why focusing on users is more important in the long run than using black hat tactics to trick the search engines.

There is nothing as misinformed as trying to lull search engines into thinking your content is relevant when it really isn’t. As pointed out above, focus on the quality of content and user experience then use relevant keywords and social media optimization as the icing on the cake.

This ensures you entice your users to come back again and even share your content on their social media handles and websites for free. That’s how you cement your place as a reliable website, and Google rewards it generously.

So what are you supposed to shun?

Offsite platforms include your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages, your email, and radio and TV ads. Be precise and straightforward in these platforms and ensure the information you provide complements what is on your website.

Build comprehensive social media profiles and use your company logo. Attach links to your website and use call-to-actions to ease the process of finding your product or service.

Use of a consistent, easy-to-trace domain increases your credibility and trustworthy in front of your users and may prompt return visits. Instead of sub-domains such as product.domain.com, consider sub-directory root domains such as domain.com/product.

Also, check that www.domain.com and domain.com both link to your website to avoid sending backlinks to other websites.

Another recommendable practice as regards domains is to favor old domains over new ones. Just make sure you don’t buy a domain that may have been penalized by Google for black hat SEO practices as it may affect the ranking of your content.

Handheld devices such as mobile phones and tablets account for over 70 percent of web page views in America and Europe. If you optimize your website for computers only, then you are missing out on the bulk of the market share.

Metadata on your website such as meta descriptions and title tags as well to increase your chance of appearing on random searches. This means ensuring they have relevant keywords in them as they give search engines and searchers a summary of the information in your page.

There are hundreds of websites on the internet competing for the same audience as you. Your chance of attracting any users depends primarily on how high on Google’s results pages you appear in a random search. Good on-page and can help you surpass your direct rivals and close the gap with market leaders.