6 Simple Steps To Making Web Content Visible
Websites thrive on content! Whether it is text, pictures and images, videos or even interactive content – all of this information has to be found and rated by search engines, which can prove to be a big challenge. In addition, owing to programming errors or lack of accessibility, some websites have serious problems getting found by search engines.
Happily, there are a few basic things that can be done to optimise the content on the website itself (AKA on-page SEO), which can help the page become more 'visible'. By following these simple steps, your web content will rank better on search engine result pages and, in turn, attract more visitors.
1. Use precise and correct titles
Title tags are still seen as one of the most important factors when it comes to search engine rankings for on-page SEO. When it comes to the title of a particular page, it’s really important that the title is fitting and that it covers the expectations of the target audience. This can work wonders for customer loyalty – clients recognise what they’re looking for in the title and will click on the search result.
Tip: Improving your titles even more
- The title should be formed with the aim of increasing the click-through rate in search engine result pages (SERPs). Appropriate and strong titles will really stand out from the others and invite more clicks, so it is really important to ensure that the title has been chosen with the user in mind.
- Make sure your titles and headlines are varied in order to optimise your website for different long-tail search terms.
- In addition to the title, use important keywords in your page URL, too. This is because Google shows part of the URL on search result pages.
The author of online content is placed ever more frequently in the spotlight. Automatically created and spammy content really means very little to those searching, and content like this will have a guaranteed negative effect on a website’s ranking. Authorship markup gives you the possibility to show off your content, boasting yourself as the author.
Getting authorship markup in place on a website is incredibly easy. It only takes a few steps to get up and running – there are numerous tutorials and videos online to help guide you through the process. If readers can see the author of the work when a link comes up in SERPs, it’s an instant eye-catcher and increases credibility.
- Write a short, concise author bio in the third person (roughly a paragraph).
- Include information that displays your expertise, such as job title, industry experience, education, etc.
- Add a good profile photo and links to your social media accounts.
3. Consider the length of the content
It’s not uncommon for webmasters or marketers to debate over the optimal length of online content or how little has to be written in order to secure good rankings. As a general principle, the content only has to be of real value. Honestly, it’s possible to have endless amounts of information, including thorough research and helpful links on every topic, but if it’s not actually useful for the readers, then it has no real benefit to your rankings. It’s really important that you view content critically, and if there are any parts that don’t offer any constructive value to the reader, then cut them out, even if you’ve put good time and effort into making it sound nice. Instead, try including rich media, such as videos and pictures. Dynamic and innovative content will certainly attract more readers, and they’ll be keener to share it with their colleagues and friends – this is a mega-plus point for you.
Tip: Making your content better
- Include pictures, videos, tables and graphics in your texts.
- Check out what the competition is doing (or not doing), and make sure you do it better.
- When writing texts, don’t just touch on the topic but thoroughly saturate it. You don’t want your readers to have to go elsewhere for more information.
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4. Improve engagement with user-generated content
Engaging your users and getting them involved with your content is important. Encourage your readers to discuss the content that you have on your site (for example, this can be in the form of user comments, ratings, likes, etc.). Technically, user-generated content (UGC) is any online content created by individuals (not companies or brands). This also includes third-party sites that allow users to contribute content, such as forums or review websites. Provoke your readers into a discussion, and don’t forget that – above all else – Google rates websites based on users. If an article or post has real discussion and interaction, then it’s highly likely to be of greater use to the users, as there is much more information provided than if the article posts stood alone.
Tip: Encourage your users to get involved
- Try to encourage interaction with a competition or special offer.
- Implement a call-to-action at the end of the text. For example, a “Let us know what you think” button.
- Make sure you do not neglect user comments and discussions. Even if comments are negative, leave a short response.
Now, just as ever, Google is highly dependent on social signals, and its objective is to identify which sites are up to date. If you can make sure your content is socially connected, then you’ve also got a good chance of ranking well. It is true that you won’t have a direct influence on a page’s ranking, and there is no official confirmation that social media carries ranking factors, but these things will encourage better positioning in the search results.
- Make sure that the content is user-oriented and share-worthy.
- Make social sharing effortless by placing social sharing buttons prominently and clearly visible on the site.
- Good content is more frequently shared, so create some buzz with your work!
6. Structure data with schema and microdata
Structuring data plays an important role in search engine optimisation. Most experts would agree that this optimisation process has a positive influence on websites. In addition, sites that have already implemented structured data reach more positive places on search results pages than those that have not.
With the help of tags, schema snippets are placed on websites in order to show search engines the exact nature of the content. Information, such as evaluations, events and dates, are good schema examples. If the content of the source code is accurately marked, this makes it extremely easy for search engines to interpret the content and present it to the users in the relevant places. Much like authorship markup, the great thing about this is that the specification of data will be displayed on search engine result pages.
Tip: Structuring your data
- Have a look at schema.org and Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to find out what kind of specifications there are.
- Once implemented, Google will need time to recognise and index structured data – so wait a while before you check search pages for your new updates.
- Read about schema and microdata here.
Conclusion: Keep Optimising Your Content!
Getting your content in shape for search engines doesn’t just require genuine effort and creativity but also a couple of technical aids. If you follow up on a few of these on-page SEO points, you may notice positive effects, even after only a short period of time. So, start small and work step-by-step until your page is really well-optimised and converted into visible content.
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