The creation of a website marks the beginning of a new adventure aimed at connecting with the audience. However, one of the key elements to ensure that your content is accessible and visible to users is the effective use of SEO (search engine optimization). Below is a practical guide designed for beginners that clarifies the importance of SEO and offers strategies to improve your site's presence in search results.
What is SEO and how does it help your website?
SEO is a practice aimed at facilitating the understanding of your site's content by search engines while improving the likelihood that users will find and visit it. Google's Basic Search Guidelines explain the essential elements that can help your site appear in its search results. Although there's no guarantee that a site will be indexed, those that follow these guidelines have a higher chance of being found.
It's essential to understand that there are no magical secrets to ranking a website at the top of Google. Some recommendations may not be relevant for all types of businesses, but following best practices will help search engines, not just Google, analyze, index, and better understand your content.
How does Google Search work?
Google uses automated algorithms and programs called "crawlers" that explore the web to find pages that can be included in its index. Generally, when a website is published, it is automatically discovered by most search engines. For more information, you can refer to the documentation on how Google discovers, crawls, and indexes pages.
Time to see results
Changes made to your site may take anywhere from hours to several months to reflect in search results. Normally, it is advisable to wait a few weeks to assess the positive impact of changes on your site's visibility. Not all adjustments will have a significant effect, so it’s important to continuously analyze the results and make adjustments as necessary.
Making it easy for Google to find your content
Before implementing any strategy, check if your content is already indexed. To do this, you can use the search operator site: followed by your URL. If you find results pointing to your site, it means it is indexed. Otherwise, check the technical requirements to ensure there are no restrictions preventing your site from appearing in search results.
Links: the key to being discovered
Google finds pages primarily through links from other websites. These links are essential because they allow Google to discover and crawl your content. Additionally, you can submit a sitemap, which is a file containing important URLs of your site. Although it’s not mandatory, it helps search engines understand the structure of your content.
Check how Google sees your page
It’s crucial for Google to be able to crawl your site as a regular visitor would. If your site hides important elements (like CSS or JavaScript), it may hinder its understanding of your content. To evaluate what Google sees, it’s recommended to use the URL inspection tool in Google Search Console.
Hiding specific sections of the site
If you want certain parts of your site not to appear in search results, you can disable crawling and indexing for those URLs. There are several ways to do this; for more details, refer to the guide that addresses these issues.
Organize your website
A logically organized design will help both search engines and users understand the relationship between different pages. While it may be beneficial in the long run, it’s important to remember that Google can generally understand your site regardless of its current organization.
Use descriptive URLs
URLs can appear as navigation paths in search results, so it's essential that they are descriptive and relevant. For example:
- Descriptive URL: https://www.example.com/pets/cats.html
- Less useful URL: https://www.example.com/2/6772756D707920636174
Grouping similar pages into directories can also facilitate Google’s crawling. This allows the engine to more clearly identify how frequently the URLs in these directories change.
Handling duplicate content
Duplicate content that appears across multiple URLs can harm user experience and unnecessarily consume crawling resources. Google chooses a "canonical" URL to display, but having duplicate content is not a direct violation of Google’s spam policies. It’s advisable to specify a canonical version and redirect unwanted URLs to the one containing that information.
Create engaging and useful content
Content quality is fundamental for visibility in search results. The content should be:
- Readable and well-organized: The text should be clear, error-free, and structured into sections with headings.
- Unique and original: Avoid copying content from other sites.
- Updated: Review old content and update it as necessary.
- Relevant and reliable: Ensure that the content provides value to the reader, citing expert sources when appropriate.
Anticipate search terms
When considering how users might find your content, it’s helpful to think about the keywords they will use. Searches can vary significantly based on the user's knowledge level regarding the topic.
Improve user experience without distractions
Ads should be careful not to interfere with the reading experience. Avoid an overload of ads and interstitial pages that could hinder navigation.
Include links to relevant resources
Links help connect content with other parts of your site and other resources on the web, making it easier for Google to index your content. It’s vital that the anchor text of these links is clear and descriptive.
How to improve your site's visual presentation in Google
Controlling visual elements in search results, such as title links and descriptive snippets, is key to attracting clicks. The title link should be unique, concise, and relevant to the page's content.
Optimized images
Images are crucial, especially in sectors like cooking. Make sure to use quality images and include alt text that explains their relevance.
Promoting your website
Promotion is essential for increasing traffic to your site. Consider strategies such as using social media, engaging with the community, advertising, and word-of-mouth marketing. Remember, a balanced approach is essential, as excessive promotions can be counterproductive.
Conclusion
SEO is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and adjustment. By following the recommendations in this guide, it is possible to improve your website's visibility in search results. For more details on optimization and effective techniques, we invite you to explore more content on this blog.
