The primary goal of your search engine optimization (SEO) is to drive relevant people that are interested in your industry or company to your website. If you follow SEO than you know how fast things change. You also know how hard it can be to keep all with these changes.
SEO is actually a relatively simple technique that requires small changes based on major changes the search engines announce. I bold major changes because the changes really need to be major to affect your overall website rankings and SEO strategy.
Here are nine SEO techniques that you should always follow regardless of the changes the search engines are continuously making.
Pre-Step 1:
Read the page’s content and identify two or three keywords that are most frequently used in the page’s content and are relevant to the overall page topic. You should only target
two (2) or three (3) keywords per website page
. If can’t identify two or three keywords for a page you than need to separate out the pages content and create a new website page.
1. Page Title
The page title needs to be under 70 characters and no more than 3 long tail keywords in the page title. Your most important keyword should be first and each keyword should be separated by pipes (|).
2. Meta Description
The meta description should be under 150 characters and incorporate two of the keywords used in the page’s page title. The best meta descriptions provide a valuable, compelling reason why someone should visit the page. Don’t add keywords into the meta description for the sake of having them in there, but include them in a conversational format.
3. URL
The website page’s URL should include the first keyword you used in the pages page tile
from step 1
. The keywords in the URL should be separated using dashes (-). e.g. www.sample.com/best-vermont-ski-resorts
4. Heading Tags
The page should have one (1) or two (2) H1 heading tags that use the first two keywords in the page title in step 1. These keywords should be used in a conversational format in the pages content. In addition to H1 tags, the page should include a couple of H2 heading tags that usually go underneath each H1 tag.
5. Page Content
Use both the keywords that are in your page title at least three times in the page’s content. Try to bold or underline the keyword at least once. This has an effect on how relevant the keyword is to the page.
6. Internal Links
Create one (1) or two (2) internal links on the page linking to related pages. Use the keywords you’re targeting on the page that you’re linking to in the anchor text for each link.
7. Images
Any images used on the page should have their file name match one of the keywords in the page title. Each word in the file name should be separate with dashes (-). The image alt text should match the image’s file name and the keyword in the page title. Don’t use dashes between the word in the alt text.
If you are unable to change image file name or it’s a very time consuming process, then only change the image’s alt text using a keyword from the page title.
8. Cross Linking Pages
Make sure you have at least three internal links that link to the page you’re optimizing. The link’s anchor text should have keywords that are included in the page you’re linking too.
9. Meta Keywords
They aren’t part of Google’s or Bing’s search algorithm, so they aren’t as important as steps 1-8. However, still add three (3) to five (5) meta keywords to the page that are related to the page title and content. Smaller search engines still might use them in their algorithm.
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Richard Dixon 7:04 AM on December 13, 2010
Good list of easy to digest tips. Thanks.
Scott Hampton 7:22 AM on December 13, 2010
This is a very good article. I already knew some basics of SEO, but this really encapsulated a lot of it and streamlined it. I'm glad to find the information so clear and compact. It's like a great to-do list.
I'll be looking over my posts and pages to see where I can clean them up, based on this information.
What about older posts? Is it worth it to go back into archived posts (read: old, old posts) and tune them properly for SEO? I'm assuming that the very best work should be tuned, but do you suggest it for all posts, irrespective of their age?
Brian Mathers 7:22 AM on December 13, 2010
Mark, its always good to return to the basic rules of SEO and most of your article touches on just that.
A couple of things I have a learnt from my piers in the USA would change just one or two of your rules.
H1 Tags, I suggest only one per page, and have this tag followed by a compelling paragraph of content. Then follow that with an H2 tag and another para of quality content. As you say you can have a few H2 tags on the page.
We all agree of course about the keyword tag today, but I would suggest that everyone still fill out the keyword box if its built into their content management software. The approach to take is keyword,another keyword,and yet another keyword or phrase, - notice no spaces and I would just apply the most important keywords for the page you are working on. And, make sure the first keyword is inline with the primary keyword you used in your title tag and H1 tag. The approach to the construction of your keywords tag is similar to that of a CSV file because as we know Search engines do read these types of files. So, getting into the habit of doing this I think is good, because you never know when a search engine may 'change its spots'! and maybe come back to using this tag some day. One other rule here is don't stuff it. Even though the tag is not used in an algorithm I have seen sites getting penalised for stuffing the tag full of keywords.
One other myth that is squashed today is about how many links should leave one page to go to another. The answer used to be 100, but I am told now by some of my piers in the USA, that this no longer applies since the search engines are much more sophisticated today.
Anyway, once again great article and for everyone SEO is much more than this but we never forget the ground rules.
Alex Brooks 9:33 AM on December 13, 2010
Pretty nice and easy to read list on the basic's of on-page optimization. Nice read, thanks for writing it. :)
Alyssa @ Surefire Social Online Marketing 10:48 AM on December 13, 2010
These are some great on-page SEO tips...but one thing to remember: NO KEYWORD STUFFING! Some people tend to get a little over zealous with the SEO on their website and this will flag your website to popular search engines. So use your SEO, by all means, just don't go overboard :)
Ivan 11:09 AM on December 13, 2010
Hi,
regarding link structure, does the blog/tabid/6307/bid/ in your url help or hinder your seo efforts.
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7367/9-SEO-Insights-You-Must-Follow.asp
I'd have thought
http://blog.hubspot.com/SEO-Insights-Follow.asp
would have been better.
Not trying to be smart, just in case I've missed something.
Ivan
Ivan 11:14 AM on December 13, 2010
Hi,
regarding link structure, does the blog/tabid/6307/bid/ in your url help or hinder your seo efforts.
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7367/9-SEO-Insights-You-Must-Follow.asp
I'd have thought
http://blog.hubspot.com/SEO-Insights-Follow.asp
would have been better.
Not trying to be smart, just in case I've missed something.
Ivan
Ivan 11:15 AM on December 13, 2010
Hi,
regarding link structure, does the blog/tabid/6307/bid/ in your url help or hinder your seo efforts.
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7367/9-SEO-Insights-You-Must-Follow.asp
I'd have thought
http://blog.hubspot.com/SEO-Insights-Follow.asp
would have been better.
Not trying to be smart, just in case I've missed something.
Ivan
Ivan 11:18 AM on December 13, 2010
Hi,
regarding link structure, does the blog/tabid/6307/bid/ in your url help or hinder your seo efforts.
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7367/9-SEO-Insights-You-Must-Follow.asp
I'd have thought
http://blog.hubspot.com/SEO-Insights-Follow.asp
would have been better.
Not trying to be smart, just in case I've missed something.
Ivan
Jim Taylor 11:20 AM on December 13, 2010
Good list. I've incorporated it into my page templates so every time I build a new page, I'll see each of the points at the appropriate place.
Aj Barlas 12:12 PM on December 13, 2010
I couldn't agree more with Brian Mathers. There should only be one H1 per page, both to aid with the visual heirachy of the page as well as the SEO of the said page. Otherwise, great little roundup of useful information.
Jack - Arkansas Online Marketing 1:47 PM on December 13, 2010
These are good, but I would have added 1 more: Get a few inbound links. Comment with good, meaningful information on blogs related to your niche. Write articles and submit them to article directories. Do guest posts on related blogs. Generally do whatever it takes to get some inbound links to your site. Without this, your site is dead.
Mark Kilens 5:37 PM on December 13, 2010
@ Scott: I would go back and fix older posts that aren't optimized well. If you change the URL, make sure you create a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.
@ Brian: Thanks for the tip on the H1 tags! I agree with your keyword strategy. Still include them, but be very relevant.
@ Ivan: Having the title in the URL is the most important aspect.
@ Jack: You're right, inbound links are very critical to your SEO success. This was only talking to on-page SEO elements. Creating emotional, relevant content that your readers will relate to is key to generating inbound links.
Scott Hampton 5:44 PM on December 13, 2010
Hi Mark.
Thanks for replying. I appreciate that.
I'll take your advice. I have some posts that were imported from an old Blogger blog (before I took blogging seriously). Those posts definitely need optimizing.
Joel 6:32 PM on December 13, 2010
Why is it that you recommend pipes between keywords in the title? Does it matter if it's pipes vs commas? or keywords integrated into a sentence?
The Golf Marketing Expert 10:52 PM on December 13, 2010
Mark,
Great SEO information... do you have any hints on how to import a word document into wordpress and not take all H tags out of the format. We do follow your format to the letter and have been able to make significant headway with our clients. We also blog for all of our clients and noticed that this helps their rankings.
hanks and Regards
The Golf Expert for uptoparmarketing.com
golf course marketing
Hampshire SEO 2:21 AM on December 14, 2010
Good Points.. While creating the title and description we must create unique and different meta data. For good ranking we Must use keywords in Titles and descriptions..
Jack 5:44 AM on December 14, 2010
few good points on on-site seo techniques, though content is the king, off-site seo techniques as number and quality of backlinks are equally important and shouldn't be missed...
Mark Kilens 8:33 AM on December 14, 2010
@ Joel: The major search engines recommend you either use Pipes (|) or dashes (-) between the keywords in your page titles.
@ Golf Marketing Expert: I don't have any recommendations on importing word docs into wordpress, sorry. Glad to hear that you're seeing results with the same strategies!
Darren 11:47 AM on December 14, 2010
When we say "content is king" is this content on the first page and does content on deeper pages count as well?
Good tips by the way :o)
Pankaj Gupta 12:24 PM on December 14, 2010
I think Content is King and if you are writing good content then it will help you to get lots of traffic. Great post. Thanks for sharing..
Ironshef 9:43 AM on December 15, 2010
Nice work as usual, Mark. Clearly communicated, concise list of the SEO 101 on-page optimization elements.
Although, I'm a little shocked that you included meta keywords on a short list of SEO "Musts".
Two primary schools of thought here:
(1) include them: smaller search engines may still use this signal
(2) don't include them: at best it is a waste of your time; at worst it makes it that much easier for your competition to quickly assess your targets
Regardless of the camp you adhere to, this isn't the sort of thing that belongs on a list of insights you "must" follow.
Infinitely more important is awareness of technologies used to deliver page content and avoidance of those technologies that impede spider access: iframes, javascript, flash, etc...
Would you agree?
James R. Clawson 11:59 AM on December 15, 2010
Always good to review the basics of SEO marketing. Thank you for your insight and expertise. Well done!
Mark Kilens 8:16 AM on December 16, 2010
@ Ironshef: I agree with you that you must make sure you're site doesn't have many iframes, javascript, or flash. However, like someone else pointed out, the search engines might one day start to use the meta keywords in their algorithm again and having them there would be beneficial.
Ironshef 11:40 AM on December 16, 2010
@ Mark: Point taken and one that I think supports my point of view.
"Must" means (at least to me) that the insight, advice, etc is virtually irrefutable. You aren't suggesting that "maybe" you should follow this insight or that you should "probably" follow this insight. You are saying "must".
Sure, things could change and the major engines may revert to acknowledging the meta keywords as a signal. Although, this would necessitate that they devised a means of separating the wheat from the chaff since the signal was originally decommissioned because it was a ridiculously convenient place for spammers to stuff keywords. Clearly, they could do this. But would they? Would they really go back and look at this versus attempting to identify other, better, less manipulation-prone ones? Personally, I don't think so. Certainly debatable.
But that is ultimately the point. If it is muddy, debatable, is it deserving of a spot on any "must" list?
The reason I am sticking to this is simple. You have a platform that can potentially reach and influence a broad audience. In fact, I came across this article because it had been shared in the SEOmoz group on LinkedIn and thought, "Oh, someone I trust has pointed out this article on HubSpot. I should go check it out." It is likely that others have done the same.
I'm pretty confident that experienced SEOs will look at #9 and ignore it. Inexperienced SEOs might not. They'll see the source, read the title and think, "Jeez, this deserves my attention over [insert other more valuable activity] because it's on Mark's list of 'Musts'".
Perhaps if the title of the article didn't include the words "must follow". Perhaps if you'd just stopped at 8 items. Perhaps if you'd included something else (like limiting technologies) as #9. Perhaps then, I wouldn't be critical.
But you didn't. And my brain is just having a hard time accepting the fact that you genuinely believe that worrying about meta keywords is a "must follow" insight.
Do you really believe that?
I appreciate the conversation, Mark.
LMIT 8:01 PM on January 10, 2011
What is a realistic timeframe to expect your site to be ranking well once these elements have been done?