How to improve SEO

Don't forget about meta elements!
  • Keywords – research and consider what words or phrases your audience would use to look for your website; once identified, build these keywords into the content on your pages

  • Timeliness and Accuracy– search engines show a preference for newer content; keep your pages updated, and retire any stagnant pages

  • Multimedia – search engines show a preference for pages that contain multimedia elements (images, video, audio, etc.) over those that do not; make sure to include these elements on your pages 
    • webpages with large images and several videos can significantly impact the page loading speed
      • ensure that your images are optimized for the web (using an online program to reduce the file size, such as TinyPNG) and that you include video embeds or playlists for multiple videos
    • multimedia elements can also help increase SEO in other ways: multimedia elements lead to a more positive user experience and can increase overall user engagement

  • Mobile – search engines show a preference for mobile-friendly sites; make sure that your site is designed to be functional for both desktop users and mobile users

  • Speed – search engines show a preference for faster sites; make sure your site loads quickly on all devices. You can use a program such as Google's PageSpeed Insights to determine how fast your site load on desktop and mobile. To increase speed, try:
    • reducing the file size of images (using an online program such as TinyPNG)
    • using photo galleries instead of numerous images
    • minimizing redirects; each redirect involves waiting for the server cycle to complete, making the page slower

  • Answers – create content that can be turned into direct answers in the search engine result page
    • you have probably seen before examples of what Google calls “Featured Snippets.” These chunks of content are located at the top of the SERP and contain information that Google believes directly answers a user’s query.
    • maximize your SEO by designing your content around potential questions your audience could ask, and Google could show in a Featured Snippet

In this SERP Google has identified text that directly answers my search query, and as such, has bolded it and presented it in a Featured Snippet.

  • Titles and Tags - page titles, image descriptions, and keywords help search engines find and present relevant content to your audiences, so it’s important to ensure meta elements are well written
    • when you edit a page in Site Builder, under the WYSIWYG editor you will see a button labelled "add meta elements." When you click this button, it will expand to show:

    • These fields allow you to add alternate page titles, keywords related to the page content, and a brief description of the page.
    • Once you have entered these fields, publish your updated page.

  • Engagement – search engines show preference to sites where visitors spend a meaningful amount of time and interact with the site in numerous ways
    • Include images optimized for the web, links to social media, other news, and events

Remember, in addition to the above, a positive user experience is key to both new and returning users. Your audience should always be able to easily navigate your site to find current, accurate, and engaging content.

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