Search Engine Optimization - search engine promotion and optimization or, in short, SEO. This is the process by which resources are promoted in search results. Accordingly, more users see them, and the site receives more profit. What is SEO and how can an unenlightened resource manager promote his site? Today we will consider these issues.
SEO metrics
SEO promotion is a system of actions aimed at increasing the position of a resource when it is displayed in a search engine. Website promotion directly depends on such indicators:
- TIC - thematic citation index.
- PR - Page Rank Google.
- Trust, or trust, of the site.
Frankly speaking, search engines are not able to evaluate how useful a particular article is for a user. The robot is simply not able to read the post and understand its meaning. That is why you need to conduct special SEO optimization procedures that will help the search engine understand the importance of content and show the site in the search results list.
Why is optimization useful?
Now SEO promotion has ceased to be just a technical phenomenon. It was transformed into a kind of analytical-mathematical-psychological action, which:
- Helps protect resources from search engine filters.
- Increases target audience.
- Attracts visitors with low-frequency queries.
- Increases sales and conversions.
- It guarantees high page output for the most important user requests.
It is worth noting that SEO promotion is not a one-time procedure. Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, so you can not be sure of the stability of the positions of your resource. It often happens that in the evening the site is in the top three for the main query, and in the morning it is already the 20th in the list of search results. But this is not so scary, you can return to your previous position thanks to well-conducted internal and external SEO-promotion.
Internal optimization
Each SEO promotion is based on internal resource optimization, which is considered the main one. It is due to it that the probability of automatic withdrawal of a resource to the first page of search results significantly increases.
In general, internal optimization consists of the following activities:
- SEO analysis of the resource regarding compliance with technical requirements. At this point, webmasters should do what is called error handling. The first thing that search robots pay attention to is the quality of the resource. Non-optimized sites with many flaws immediately drop in ranking.
- When you find errors, you must immediately correct them.
- After correcting technical errors, it is necessary to compile a semantic core of the resource, that is, to select a list of words and phrases that will most accurately describe the subject of the site. Recently, search engines have been prone to human orientation, so you need to not only automatically generate sets of phrases, but to formulate them as if a living person were asking.
- Analyze and select keywords.
- Based on the semantics created earlier, write meta tags, Keywords, Title, and Description.
- Adapt menu items and create internal linking.
- Optimize content according to the requirements of search engines and the wishes of visitors.
Full list
To conduct a full-fledged internal SEO-promotion of the site, you need to work out the following positions:
- Doubles.
- Tags
- Site map.
- Set up a robots.txt file.
- Create high-quality and unique SEO texts.
- Make a competent linking.
- Work with microformats, microdata, usability and interface.
Each of these points should be considered in detail in order to have a full understanding of what SEO is.
Dubbing and tags
The first thing to start the promotion with is to check the resource for duplicates. The fact is that some site engines create several versions of one web page, and you can get to them at several addresses.
For example, the main page of a particular site may be accessible at:
- http://site.ru/index.php
- http://site.ru/index.html
- http://site.ru/index.htm
- http://site.ru/main
- http://site.ru/index.php
- http://site.ru/index.html
- http://site.ru/index.htm
- http://site.ru/main
You can check whether there are duplicates of the site pages yourself by appending index.html or index.php in the address bar. If pages are opened by request, then you need to search and delete duplicates, if the resource knocks out a 404 error, then everything is in order.
It is necessary to place meta tags H1 - H6 in the text, they will also fulfill the function of subtitles. Do not forget about the alt tag, which applies to images. This need is due to the fact that search engines still have not learned to recognize images, so they need to be given a brief description. This will not only raise the site in search results, but also attract new users from the image search.
Of particular importance when setting up SEO are the title and Description tags. The title tag gives the title to the document, appearing in the title bar of the browser window. In the Description tag, you need to create a brief description of the page content by entering 1-2 key queries into it.
Index or not index?
Also, every self-respecting resource must have a site map. It can be generated automatically, and if not, then you should do it yourself.
Sitemap.xml is a list of all resource page addresses that tell search bots where to index. In contrast to this card, there is such a file. like robots.txt, it contains the addresses of pages that do not need to be indexed.
This file is not a prerequisite for promotion, but if there are pages on the resource that can adversely affect promotion, it is better to enter their addresses in robots.txt.
Content as a means of promotion
Technical work on the resource plays an important role, but do not discount skillful SEO copywriting. High-quality content increases the relevance of the text in the eyes of the search engine and reduces the dependence of the resource on changing search engine algorithms.
The uniqueness, the presence of keywords and the absence of errors do not guarantee that the text will appeal to the search engine. Recently, the requirements for texts have become somewhat tougher. Based on the wishes of the average user, the text should be logical, informative and have a clear structure (subheadings, lists, etc.).
Reviews of SEO-optimized texts always come to the same conclusion: they are necessary for users to find a resource for basic key queries. It is equally important to do a linking between the pages of the site. You can put several keywords in one text, the main thing when writing content is to adhere to the following principles:
- Long texts are liked by search engines, but not by users, so they should provide information in an interesting, concise and concise manner.
- The uniqueness and literacy of the text is above all.
- Keywords should not occur more often 1-2 times per 100 words. And in the first and last paragraph there should be exact occurrences.
Usability and microformat
An important condition for internal optimization is the presence of microformat - special tags that mark the page and help search engines understand what is being said on the page.
As for usability, the site should have a simple, intuitive interface so that the user can quickly go to the page with the necessary information. The ease of use of the resource determines the level of sales, registrations, and other behavioral characteristics.
Equally important is such a moment as the download speed. If the pages are "heavy", then it will be much easier for the user to close this site and go to another, where you do not have to wait long. To increase the download speed, first you need to choose a quality hosting, reduce the size and quality of images, remove unnecessary resource accesses.
External optimization
In addition to internal SEO promotion aimed at improving content and navigation, there is such a thing as external optimization. Its key point is to create a good reputation for the site among other resources. This is achieved by increasing the reference mass. Simply put, a database of sites with similar topics is created that link to the main resource. Thus, the level of trust in the site increases and, accordingly, its position in the search results increases.
External optimization is a rather time-consuming process, because it consists not only of selecting good resources to create a link base, but also of compiling link anchors for each key request.
Tasks and Goals
The main tasks of external optimization is considered to be promotion of high-frequency and low-frequency queries. At the initial stage, external SEO promotion actively collaborates with internal. It depends on the selection of keywords and the creation of a semantic core. The task of external optimization is to help these keywords to get to the first position in the search results using links from other resources.
Methods, processes, analytics
Each experienced SEO-specialist has his own optimization methods, but often for external promotion, links on the corresponding exchanges are simply bought. Each purchased link is placed on the anchor. That is, the webmaster sets the purchased link to the keyword. Thus, the user can click on the keyword and go to the page of another resource.
It is important to pay attention to the speed of link building. Of course, you can once acquire the necessary number of links and no longer be distracted by this matter. But it’s better to do everything gradually, smoothly and use different types of links (eternal and rented). If you quickly provide the resource with a reference mass, it may fall under the penalties of the search system, such actions will be regarded as black optimization.
Low Frequency Promotion
As practice shows, without large investments it is almost impossible to get into the top search results for high-frequency queries, but if you play with low-frequency queries, you can get your place in the sun. Proper SEO tuning in compatibility with low-frequency promotion will allow:
- Get a high percentage of your target audience.
- Save budget on promotion.
- Provide high positions in search engine results.
With such prospects, it is worthwhile to understand that optimizing a resource for low-frequency queries is a laborious process, and if mistakes are made due to inexperience, then you can lose some visitors. This type of SEO promotion consists of several stages:
- First you need to pick up relevant pages with suitable low-frequency queries.
- Carry out their technical optimization for further advancement.
- Perform internal linking.
- Pick up sites for buying links.
In general, such a procedure is relevant for high-frequency queries, but there are only two but. Firstly, in the second case the competition is higher and getting into the top is very difficult. Secondly, a large amount of resources will have to be spent on the purchase of external links, but at the same time no one gives a guarantee that the resource will last long in the first positions of the issuance. That's what SEO is - a real webmaster war for the best position.
Friend help
Now it becomes clear what SEO is. It remains to solve only one question: to engage in this complex process on your own or to entrust the matter to professionals?
For the promotion of sites often use the services of various resources. For example, Seo-Mix. According to managers, this is a unique project that not only helps in promotion, but also provides an opportunity to earn money. Its essence is simple: the site owner orders advertising, and the resource spins it. Due to its low prices, this project is very popular among advertisers. As for earnings, for every visit to the resource every 20 minutes, a registered user can receive up to 5 rubles, which can be withdrawn to an Internet wallet.
The Seo-Sprint project promotes sites using similar methods. Customers want to improve the behavioral characteristics of the resources, pay the managers of this project. Those, in turn, attract artists who, for a modest fee, watch ads, visit pages, write comments, etc.
That's all the secrets of website promotion. You can independently study the basics of Seo promotion, you can order promotion from professionals, or you can combine these two processes by yourself creating good content, increasing the link mass and buying a few weeks of favorable behavioral characteristics. In any case, the choice always remains with the webmaster.