Technical SEO plays a crucial role in digital marketing strategies, enhancing the search engine optimization (SEO) efforts of any website. From improving the structure of a site to ensuring that it loads efficiently for both search engines and users, technical SEO is a multifaceted practice that lays the foundation for a website’s success in organic search rankings.
In this article, we will explore what technical SEO is, why it’s important, its benefits, how to improve it, and its key components. By the end, you will have a solid understanding of how technical SEO can elevate your website’s performance and visibility.
1. What is Technical SEO?
Technical SEO refers to the process of optimizing a website’s infrastructure to ensure that search engine crawlers can efficiently index, crawl, and rank the site. Unlike on-page SEO, which focuses on optimizing content, keywords, and user engagement factors, technical SEO deals primarily with the backend structure of the website. This includes aspects like website speed, mobile-friendliness, URL structure, and site security, all of which impact how easily search engines can interpret and rank a website.
Technical SEO isn’t just a one-time activity; it’s an ongoing process that involves monitoring a site’s performance and making necessary adjustments to keep up with search engine algorithms and user expectations. While content and links still play a significant role in rankings, the technical health of a website is just as essential for ensuring optimal visibility.
2. Why is Technical SEO Important?
Technical SEO is critical for several reasons, and it can impact how well a website performs in search engines. Here are some key points explaining its importance:
2.1. Better Crawlability
Search engines use crawlers to scan your website’s pages. If your site isn’t technically sound, search engines may have difficulty crawling it, which can result in poor indexing. Crawlability is one of the first steps for ensuring that your pages appear in search engine results pages (SERPs). When your site is optimized for crawlers, it helps ensure that all of your valuable content gets discovered and indexed.
2.2. Faster Page Load Speed
Site speed is an important ranking factor for both Google and other search engines. A fast website improves the user experience, increases the likelihood of higher rankings, and reduces bounce rates. Google has been using page speed as a ranking factor for several years, and slow-loading websites are less likely to perform well in search results. Optimizing for faster load times not only helps with SEO but also ensures a better user experience.
2.3. Mobile-First Indexing
As mobile usage continues to rise, Google has shifted to mobile-first indexing. This means Google primarily uses the mobile version of a website’s content to rank it. A website that isn’t mobile-friendly will face serious consequences in terms of search visibility. Technical SEO helps ensure that your website provides a seamless experience for mobile users, making it more likely to rank higher on mobile search results.
2.4. Improved User Experience (UX)
Search engines prioritize websites that provide a great user experience. When your website is technically optimized, it loads faster, is easy to navigate, and offers a smooth browsing experience, which contributes to a lower bounce rate, increased time spent on the site, and higher engagement. All of these factors influence SEO ranking.
2.5. Enhanced Security
Website security is another critical aspect of technical SEO. A secure website (denoted by HTTPS) is trusted more by both search engines and users. Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal, meaning that sites without proper security may lose out in rankings. Moreover, having secure protocols in place protects your website from cyberattacks and keeps user data safe.
3. What is Technical SEO in Digital Marketing?
Technical SEO is an integral part of digital marketing because it lays the foundation for all other marketing efforts. Without a technically optimized website, even the best content and backlinks may not yield desired results. Digital marketing, in its entirety, involves various channels such as social media, email, content marketing, and paid advertising. However, SEO, and particularly technical SEO, is often considered the bedrock of these channels.
Without technical SEO, your website may not be able to rank high enough to be visible to your target audience. This undermines the efficacy of all the other marketing strategies you are employing, making it vital to focus on getting the technical aspects right first.
Technical SEO allows digital marketers to:
Increase organic search visibility
Improve click-through rates (CTR)
Drive more qualified traffic to the site
Enhance conversion rates by offering a better user experience
Maintain the technical health of the site while scaling marketing efforts
4. Benefits of Technical SEO
When done properly, technical SEO can deliver significant benefits to a website. Below are some of the most notable advantages of investing in technical SEO:
4.1. Improved Search Engine Rankings
The primary goal of technical SEO is to improve a site’s ranking in search engines. By making sure that a website is optimized for search engine crawlers, page speed is enhanced, mobile-friendliness is ensured, and indexing issues are minimized, the website’s performance can significantly improve on SERPs.
4.2. Enhanced User Experience (UX)
A well-structured website that loads quickly and is easy to navigate naturally leads to a better user experience. By optimizing for UX, websites not only improve engagement metrics but also reduce bounce rates, which can indirectly benefit SEO.
4.3. Reduced Crawl Errors
Crawl errors, such as broken links and incorrectly structured URLs, can prevent search engines from properly indexing your website. Technical SEO helps to identify and fix these errors, ensuring that search engines are able to crawl and index your content efficiently.
4.4. Faster Load Times
As previously mentioned, speed is a ranking factor. Improving a website’s technical setup (e.g., image compression, server optimization, lazy loading) can drastically reduce load times. This contributes to higher rankings, better user retention, and more conversions.
4.5. Better Mobile Optimization
With mobile-first indexing, Google uses mobile versions of sites for rankings. Optimizing a website for mobile devices is critical for staying competitive. Technical SEO ensures that your website is responsive and provides a smooth experience for mobile users.
4.6. Improved Conversion Rates
A faster, more accessible, and better-structured website leads to a better experience for visitors, which, in turn, can increase conversion rates. When your site is technically optimized, users can find the information they need quickly, and perform actions like completing purchases or filling out forms with ease.
5. How to Improve Technical SEO
Improving technical SEO involves addressing several aspects of your website. Let’s explore how you can improve your technical SEO performance:
5.1. Conduct a Website Audit
A comprehensive website audit is the first step toward improving your technical SEO. Use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or SEMrush to identify issues related to crawlability, page speed, broken links, and duplicate content. The audit report will give you an overview of where improvements are needed.
5.2. Improve Site Speed
Site speed is one of the most critical aspects of technical SEO. You can improve page speed by:
Optimizing image sizes
Using content delivery networks (CDNs)
Enabling browser caching
Minifying CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files
Choosing faster hosting options
5.3. Implement Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Schema markup helps search engines understand the context of your content. By adding structured data to your website, you can improve how your pages appear in search results with rich snippets. This enhances visibility and can increase click-through rates.
5.4. Optimize for Mobile
As Google uses mobile-first indexing, it’s essential to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. Use responsive design, test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, and ensure your site loads quickly on mobile devices.
5.5. Use HTTPS
Ensure your website is using HTTPS instead of HTTP. This is important not only for security but also for SEO, as Google favors secure websites. SSL certificates encrypt data, making it more difficult for hackers to steal user information.
5.6. Fix Crawl Errors
Regularly check for crawl errors in Google Search Console and fix any issues related to broken links, 404 errors, or inaccessible pages. These errors prevent search engines from properly indexing your website and can hurt your rankings.
5.7. Improve URL Structure
Ensure your URLs are clean, descriptive, and contain relevant keywords. Avoid using overly complex URLs with unnecessary parameters or symbols. Properly structured URLs improve user experience and help search engines crawl the site more effectively.
6. Parts of Technical SEO
Technical SEO can be broken down into several core components, each of which focuses on different aspects of a website’s functionality and performance. Let’s look at the key parts:
6.1. Site Architecture and URL Structure
The architecture of your website plays a significant role in how well search engines can crawl and index your pages. Organize your website’s structure logically, with categories and subcategories, and ensure that your URL structure is SEO-friendly. Short, descriptive URLs that follow a logical hierarchy are easier for both users and search engines to understand.
6.2. Crawlability and Indexability
Crawlability refers to the ease with which search engines can access and navigate your website. Ensure that your website doesn’t have any technical barriers, such as incorrect robots.txt files or meta tags that block search engines from crawling important pages. Indexability is the ability of search engines to add pages to their index after crawling, and it depends on several factors, including crawlability.
6.3. Site Speed and Performance
As mentioned earlier, website speed is critical for both user experience and SEO. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool can help assess your site’s performance and provide suggestions for improvements.
6.4. Mobile Optimization
With more users accessing websites via mobile devices, mobile optimization is crucial. Technical SEO ensures that your site works well across various devices by adopting responsive design, improving mobile load times, and testing mobile compatibility.
6.5. SSL and Site Security
Site security is vital for protecting user data and improving trustworthiness. Google has made HTTPS a ranking factor, so sites with SSL certificates are more likely to rank higher. Ensure your site is secure by installing an SSL certificate.
6.6. Structured Data
Structured data uses schema markup to provide search engines with extra information about your content. This can lead to rich snippets in search results, making your pages stand out. Structured data is essential for optimizing for voice search and featured snippets.
6.7. Canonicalization
Canonicalization helps prevent duplicate content issues by ensuring that search engines understand which version of a page is the “master” version. Using canonical tags on duplicate pages tells search engines which URL to prioritize.
6.8. International SEO
If your website serves multiple countries or languages, technical SEO becomes even more critical. Implement hreflang tags to specify language and regional targeting and ensure proper localization of content.
Conclusion
Technical SEO is an essential aspect of digital marketing that cannot be ignored if you want to improve your website’s organic search rankings. Its importance lies in optimizing a site’s technical infrastructure, ensuring that search engines can easily crawl, index, and rank it.
By addressing the core components of technical SEO, such as site speed, mobile optimization, and structured data, you can improve user experience, reduce crawl errors, and enhance overall performance. Implementing these strategies will ultimately lead to higher rankings, better visibility, and increased conversions.
Regular audits and continuous optimization are key to staying competitive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
A sitemap is an XML, RSS, or text file that outlines the structure of your website by listing the URLs of all the individual pages. It acts as a roadmap for search engines, allowing them to quickly find and index all the important content on your site.
This is particularly crucial for large websites with numerous pages that might not be discoverable via regular browsing.
A sitemap can also include metadata about each URL, such as when it was last updated, how often it changes, and its importance relative to other pages, which helps search engines crawl your site more intelligently.
Types of Content in a Sitemap
Video Content
For video content, a sitemap can include specific tags such as <video:video> which encase further details like <video:title>, <video:description>, and <video:duration>.
For example, a video sitemap entry might look like this:
<video:video>
<video:content_loc>http://www.example.com/video123.flv</video:content_loc>
<video:title>How to install a solar panel</video:title>
<video:description>This video demonstrates the step-by-step solar panel installation</video:description>
<video:duration>600</video:duration>
<video:rating>4.5</video:rating>
</video:video>
This detailed structuring helps search engines understand and appropriately index and present video content in search results, potentially increasing the reach and views of the content.
Image Content
An image sitemap might include location, caption, title, and license information. For instance:
<image:image>
<image:loc>http://www.example.com/image.jpg</image:loc>
<image:caption>Solar eclipse as seen from the park</image:caption>
<image:title>Solar Eclipse</image:title>
<image:license>http://www.example.com/license</image:license></image:image>
News Content
A news sitemap is pivotal for websites publishing timely content. It helps news articles appear more prominently in search engine news sections, potentially driving higher traffic during peak interest times. An example entry would be:
If you’re using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Wix, or Blogger, it’s likely your CMS has already created a sitemap for you, so you might not need to take further action.
How to Create an XML Sitemap
Creating an XML sitemap might sound technical, but it’s easier than you think. Here are a few methods to create one:
1. Use a Sitemap Generator Tool
There are plenty of free and paid tools online that can automatically generate a sitemap for you. Some popular options include:
XML-Sitemaps.com: A free tool for smaller sites (up to 500 pages).
Screaming Frog SEO Spider: A desktop tool for larger sites (free for up to 500 URLs).
Yoast SEO (for WordPress): If you’re using WordPress, the Yoast plugin can automatically generate and update your sitemap.
2. Manually Create a Sitemap
If you’re comfortable with coding, you can create a sitemap manually. Here’s a basic example of what an XML sitemap looks like:
<changefreq>: How often the page is updated (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
<priority>: The importance of the page relative to other pages on your site (ranges from 0.0 to 1.0).
3. Use Your CMS or Website Builder
Many content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Wix, and Shopify automatically generate sitemaps for you. For example:
WordPress: If you’re using Yoast SEO or Rank Math, your sitemap is usually located at https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml.
Wix: Your sitemap is automatically created and can be found at https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml.
Shopify: Your sitemap is located at https://yourstore.com/sitemap.xml.
Do I Need a Sitemap?
When You Might Need a Sitemap
Large Sites: It’s harder to ensure every page is linked on a large site, making a sitemap beneficial.
New Sites: New sites with few external links might not be discovered by Googlebot.
Rich Media Content: Sites with a lot of videos, images, or news content benefit from a sitemap as Google can take additional information into account for Search.
When You Might Not Need a Sitemap
Small Sites: If your site has about 500 pages or fewer, and all pages are properly linked, you might not need a sitemap.
Comprehensively Linked Sites: If Googlebot can find all important pages by following links from the homepage.
Minimal Media Content: If you don’t have many media files or news pages you want to show in search results.
Here’s an in depth case study on why you still need a sitemap even if your website falls under “When You Might Not Need a Sitemap”.
Building a Sitemap
Choosing the Right Format
Google supports several sitemap formats, each with its own benefits and drawbacks:
XML Sitemaps: The most versatile, can provide extensive information about your URLs.
Pros: Extensible, versatile, widely supported by CMS plugins.
Cons: Can be complex to maintain, especially for large sites.
RSS, mRSS, and Atom 1.0: Easy to create, particularly for video content.
Pros: Automatically generated by most CMS.
Cons: Limited to videos, cannot provide information about images or news.
Text Sitemaps: Simple format, lists URLs to HTML and other indexable pages.
Pros: Easy to create and maintain.
Cons: Limited to HTML content.
Best Practices for Sitemaps
Size Limits: A single sitemap should be no larger than 50MB (uncompressed) and contain no more than 50,000 URLs. If necessary, break it into multiple sitemaps and use a sitemap index file.
Encoding and Location: The sitemap file must be UTF-8 encoded and can be hosted anywhere on your site. However, it should preferably be at the site root to affect all files.
URLs: Use fully-qualified, absolute URLs in your sitemaps. For instance, use https://www.example.com/mypage.html instead of /mypage.html.
How to create a Sitemap for Google Search Console
CMS-Generated Sitemaps: Most CMS like WordPress, Wix, and Blogger automatically generate sitemaps. Check your CMS documentation for details.
Manual Creation: For small sites, you can create a sitemap manually using a text editor.
Automatic Generation: For larger sites, use tools or plugins to generate sitemaps. Talk to your developers about creating scripts to extract URLs from your database.
If you’re using a content management system (CMS) like Wix, Squarespace, or Magento, you’re in luck! These platforms make it relatively easy to generate and manage sitemaps, even if you’re not a tech expert. Below, we’ll dive into the specifics of how to generate and submit a sitemap for each of these popular CMS platforms.
WordPress
Squarespace
Wix
Magento
Drupal
Shopify
Generating a Sitemap on Squarespace
Squarespace is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration of essential SEO tools, including automatic sitemap generation. Here’s how to access and submit your sitemap:
Step 1: Find Your Sitemap URL
Log in to Your Squarespace Account: Go to your Squarespace dashboard and select the website you’re working on.
Locate Your Sitemap: Squarespace automatically generates a sitemap for your site. The URL typically follows this format: https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml.
For example, if your site is www.myblog.com, your sitemap will be www.myblog.com/sitemap.xml.
Verify Your Sitemap: You can check if your sitemap is working by entering the URL into your browser. It should display a list of your site’s URLs in XML format.
Step 2: Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Go to Google Search Console: Log in to your Google Search Console account and select the property (website) you want to submit the sitemap for.
Navigate to the Sitemaps Section: In the left-hand menu, click on “Sitemaps” under the “Index” section.
Submit Your Sitemap: In the “Add a new sitemap” field, enter sitemap.xml and click “Submit”.
Monitor the Status: Google will start processing your sitemap. You can check the status in the Search Console to ensure there are no errors.
Pro Tip: Squarespace automatically updates your sitemap whenever you add or remove pages, so you don’t need to worry about manually updating it.
Generating a Sitemap on Wix
Wix is another beginner-friendly platform that takes care of sitemap generation for you. Here’s how to access and submit your sitemap:
Step 1: Find Your Sitemap URL
Log in to Your Wix Account: Access your Wix dashboard and select the site you’re working on.
Locate Your Sitemap: Wix automatically generates a sitemap for your site. The URL will look like this: https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml.
For example, if your site is www.mystore.com, your sitemap will be www.mystore.com/sitemap.xml.
Verify Your Sitemap: Enter the sitemap URL into your browser to confirm it’s working. You should see an XML file listing your site’s URLs.
Step 2: Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Go to Google Search Console: Log in to your Google Search Console account and select the relevant property.
Navigate to the Sitemaps Section: Click on “Sitemaps” in the left-hand menu.
Submit Your Sitemap: Enter sitemap.xml in the “Add a new sitemap” field and click “Submit”.
Monitor the Status: Keep an eye on the status in Google Search Console to ensure everything is processed correctly.
Pro Tip: Wix automatically updates your sitemap whenever you make changes to your site, so you don’t need to manually regenerate it.
Generating a Sitemap on Magento
Magento is a more advanced CMS, often used for e-commerce websites. While it requires a bit more technical know-how, generating and submitting a sitemap is still straightforward. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Generate Your Sitemap in Magento
Log in to Your Magento Admin Panel: Access the backend of your Magento site.
Navigate to the Sitemap Section: Go to Marketing > Site Map.
Create a New Sitemap:
Click Add Sitemap.
Fill in the required fields, such as the filename (e.g., sitemap.xml) and path.
Set the frequency and priority for your pages. For example:
Blog posts: Set to daily.
Product pages: Set to weekly.
Static pages (e.g., About Us): Set to monthly.
Click Save & Generate to create your sitemap.
Verify Your Sitemap: Once generated, your sitemap URL will look something like this: https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml. You can check it by entering the URL into your browser.
Step 2: Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Go to Google Search Console: Log in to your Google Search Console account and select the relevant property.
Navigate to the Sitemaps Section: Click on “Sitemaps” in the left-hand menu.
Submit Your Sitemap: Enter sitemap.xml in the “Add a new sitemap” field and click “Submit”.
Monitor the Status: Check the status in Google Search Console to ensure there are no errors.
Pro Tip: Magento allows you to schedule sitemap generation, so you can set it to update automatically at regular intervals (e.g., daily or weekly). This is especially useful for e-commerce sites with frequently changing inventory.
Generating a Sitemap on Drupal
Drupal is a powerful and flexible CMS, often used for complex websites. While it doesn’t generate sitemaps automatically out of the box, you can easily add this functionality using modules. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Install the XML Sitemap Module
Log in to Your Drupal Admin Panel: Access the backend of your Drupal site.
Download and Install the Module:
Go to the Extend section in the admin menu.
Search for the XML Sitemap module (or use the Simple XML Sitemap module for Drupal 8/9/10).
Download and install the module.
Enable the Module: Once installed, enable the module by checking the box next to it and clicking Install.
Step 2: Configure the XML Sitemap Module
Navigate to the Configuration Page: Go to Configuration > Search and Metadata > XML Sitemap.
Set Up Your Sitemap:
Configure the settings for your sitemap, such as which content types, taxonomies, and custom links to include.
Set the update frequency and priority for different types of content (e.g., blog posts, product pages).
Generate Your Sitemap: Click Save Configuration to generate your sitemap.
Step 3: Find Your Sitemap URL
Locate Your Sitemap: Once generated, your sitemap URL will typically look like this: https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml.
Verify Your Sitemap: Enter the URL into your browser to confirm it’s working. You should see an XML file listing your site’s URLs.
Step 4: Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Go to Google Search Console: Log in to your Google Search Console account and select the relevant property.
Navigate to the Sitemaps Section: Click on “Sitemaps” in the left-hand menu.
Submit Your Sitemap: Enter sitemap.xml in the “Add a new sitemap” field and click “Submit”.
Monitor the Status: Check the status in Google Search Console to ensure there are no errors.
Pro Tip: The XML Sitemap module allows you to schedule automatic updates, so your sitemap stays current without manual intervention.
Generating and Submitting a Sitemap on Shopify
Shopify is a popular e-commerce platform that simplifies sitemap generation for online stores. Here’s how to access and submit your sitemap:
Step 1: Find Your Sitemap URL
Log in to Your Shopify Admin Panel: Access the backend of your Shopify store.
Locate Your Sitemap: Shopify automatically generates a sitemap for your store. The URL will look like this: https://yourstore.com/sitemap.xml.
For example, if your store is www.myshop.com, your sitemap will be www.myshop.com/sitemap.xml.
Verify Your Sitemap: Enter the sitemap URL into your browser to confirm it’s working. You should see an XML file listing your store’s URLs.
Step 2: Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Go to Google Search Console: Log in to your Google Search Console account and select the relevant property.
Navigate to the Sitemaps Section: Click on “Sitemaps” in the left-hand menu.
Submit Your Sitemap: Enter sitemap.xml in the “Add a new sitemap” field and click “Submit”.
Monitor the Status: Keep an eye on the status in Google Search Console to ensure everything is processed correctly.
Pro Tip: Shopify automatically updates your sitemap whenever you add or remove products, collections, or pages, so you don’t need to manually regenerate it.
Key Takeaways for Each CMS
Squarespace: Fully automated sitemap generation. Just submit sitemap.xml to Google Search Console, and Squarespace handles the rest.
Wix: Also fully automated. Your sitemap is always up-to-date, and you only need to submit sitemap.xml to Google.
Magento: Requires manual setup but offers advanced customization options, such as setting update frequencies and priorities. Ideal for large e-commerce sites.
Drupal: Requires the installation of a module (e.g., XML Sitemap or Simple XML Sitemap) but offers advanced customization options for large or complex sites.
Shopify: Fully automated sitemap generation. Just submit sitemap.xml to Google Search Console, and Shopify handles the rest.
Why Sitemaps Matter for These CMS Platforms
Regardless of which CMS you’re using, a sitemap is a crucial tool for ensuring your site is fully indexed by Google. Here’s why it’s especially important for these platforms:
Media-Rich Sites (Wix, Squarespace): Ensures images, videos, and other media are properly indexed for rich search results.
E-commerce Sites (Magento): With thousands of product pages, a sitemap ensures nothing gets missed.
Blogs and Portfolios (Squarespace, Wix): Helps Google index new posts or projects quickly.
Drupal:
Complex Sites: Drupal is often used for large, complex websites with thousands of pages. A sitemap ensures that all pages are discoverable by search engines.
Custom Content Types: Drupal’s flexibility allows for custom content types, which can be included in the sitemap for better indexing.
Shopify:
E-commerce Sites: With constantly changing inventory, a sitemap ensures that new products and collections are indexed quickly.
SEO for Product Pages: A sitemap helps Google find and rank individual product pages, which is crucial for driving traffic to your store.
Whether you’re using Squarespace, Wix, or Magento, generating and submitting a sitemap is a simple yet powerful way to improve your site’s visibility in search results. Each platform has its own unique process, but the end goal is the same: to make it as easy as possible for Google to find and index your content.
So, take a few minutes to locate your sitemap, submit it to Google Search Console, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your site is fully optimized for search engines.
Submitting Your Sitemap to Google
Submitting a sitemap helps Google find your URLs, but it doesn’t guarantee all will be crawled. Here’s how to submit your sitemap:
Search Console: Use the Sitemaps report to submit your sitemap URL.
API: Programmatically submit your sitemap using the Search Console API.
robots.txt: Add a line in your robots.txt file specifying the path to your sitemap, e.g., Sitemap: https://example.com/my_sitemap.xml.
Troubleshooting Sitemaps on Google Search Console
Use Google Search Console to manage and troubleshoot sitemaps. The Sitemaps report provides details on submission history and any errors encountered. Here are common issues and solutions:
Fetch Errors: Ensure the sitemap URL is correct and accessible. Check for robots.txt restrictions or manual actions.
Parsing Errors: Ensure your sitemap follows the correct format and syntax.
Size Issues: If your sitemap is too large, break it into smaller sitemaps.
Having a sitemap is crucial for SEO, but ensuring it’s functioning correctly is equally important. Google Search Console provides various tools and reports to help you troubleshoot any issues with your sitemap. Here’s a detailed guide on how to troubleshoot sitemaps using Google Search Console.
Accessing the Sitemaps Report
To get started with troubleshooting your sitemap, follow these steps:
Log into Google Search Console: Use your Google account to access your Search Console dashboard.
Navigate to the Sitemaps Report: On the left-hand menu, click on “Sitemaps” under the “Index” section. This will display all the sitemaps you have submitted.
Common Sitemap Issues and How to Fix Them
If you manage a website, you know how crucial sitemaps are for SEO. They guide search engines through your site’s content, ensuring that all your pages get indexed properly. However, issues can arise that prevent sitemaps from functioning correctly. Here’s an in-depth look at some common sitemap problems and how to fix them.
1. Couldn’t Fetch Sitemap
Google can’t retrieve the sitemap file from your server, leading to this error.
Common Causes:
The sitemap URL may be incorrect.
Your robots.txt file might be blocking access to the sitemap.
Manual actions or security measures could be restricting Google’s access.
Potential server issues like downtime or misconfigurations.
Solutions:
Verify Sitemap URL: Make sure that the URL provided in the Google Search Console is correct and leads directly to the sitemap file. Test the URL in a web browser to ensure it downloads the sitemap.
Check robots.txt: Open your robots.txt file and ensure there are no Disallow: entries blocking the sitemap URL. If necessary, add Allow: /sitemap_location to explicitly allow access.
Resolve Manual Actions: In Google Search Console, navigate to the ‘Security & Manual Actions’ section to see if there are any penalties affecting your site’s access. Follow Google’s guidelines to resolve these issues.
Server Configuration: Ensure your web server is properly configured to serve the sitemap. Check server logs for any errors and make sure the server is running with adequate uptime.
2. Sitemap Parsing Errors
Google encountered errors trying to read the sitemap.
Common Causes:
Errors in XML syntax within the sitemap file.
Unescaped characters disrupting XML parsing.
Solutions:
XML Validation: Use online tools like the XML Sitemap Validator to check for syntax errors. This will highlight issues like unclosed tags, missing quotes, or illegal characters.
Character Escaping: Ensure that characters like ampersands (&), quotes (‘ or “), and less than (<) or greater than (>) symbols are properly escaped in the XML. For example, use & for an ampersand.
3. URLs Not Accessible
Google cannot crawl one or more URLs listed in your sitemap.
Common Causes:
URLs are blocked by robots.txt.
URLs that lead to 404 errors or unintended redirects.
Server errors when accessing URLs.
Solutions:
URL Inspection Tool: Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool to test specific URLs reported as not accessible. This tool provides details on why a URL might be blocked or not indexed.
Adjust robots.txt: If URLs are blocked, modify your robots.txt to remove any Disallow: entries for those URLs or use more specific rules.
Fix 404 and Redirects: Identify URLs that result in 404 errors using tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider to crawl your site. Replace or remove invalid URLs. Ensure that redirects are intentional and use 301 (permanent) redirects when appropriate.
Server Health Check: Monitor your server’s health and logs to identify and resolve errors that prevent URL accessibility. Check for 5xx server errors and resolve them with your hosting provider if necessary.
4. Sitemap File Size Error
The sitemap exceeds Google’s maximum file size limit of 50MB (uncompressed) or contains more than 50,000 URLs.
Solutions:
Split Sitemap: Divide your sitemap into multiple smaller files. For instance, create separate sitemaps for different categories or content types on your site.
Create Sitemap Index: Once split, list all individual sitemaps in a single sitemap index file. This index acts like a sitemap of sitemaps, making it easier for Google to crawl and manage.
5. Invalid Date
There are incorrectly formatted dates within the sitemap.
Solution:
Correct Date Format: Verify that all date entries in your sitemap follow the W3C Datetime format. Tools like date and time validators can ensure your timestamps are compliant.
Automate Date Handling: Implement automated scripts or CMS plugins that format dates correctly when the sitemap is generated, reducing manual errors.
6. Compression Errors
Issues occur when Google tries to decompress the sitemap.
Solutions:
Proper Compression: Use gzip to compress your sitemap files reliably. Make sure to select a compatible compression level that Google can decompress.
Testing Compression: After compressing, always test by decompressing the file yourself to ensure no data corruption has occurred.
Resubmission: Once tested and confirmed, upload the new gzip file to your server and resubmit it via Google Search Console.
7. Missing Tags or Attributes
Your sitemap lacks required XML tags or attributes.
Solutions:
Review Sitemap Schema: Regularly check your sitemap against the latest XML sitemap schema guidelines available from sitemaps.org or other authoritative sources.Update Sitemap: Use tools or scripts that automatically add necessary tags and attributes when generating the sitemap. This minimizes the risk of human error.
8. Too Many URLs
The sitemap lists more URLs than Google’s limit of 50,000.
Solutions:
Sitemap Segmentation: Organize your content and create separate sitemaps for each segment. For example, separate sitemaps for blog posts, product pages, and static pages.
Implement Sitemap Index: Use a sitemap index file to keep track of all segmented sitemaps, simplifying management and submission to search engines.
By understanding these common sitemap issues and implementing the suggested solutions, you can enhance your site’s visibility and performance in search engine results. Regularly checking and maintaining your sitemap ensures that your site remains easy for search engines to navigate and index.
Using the URL Inspection Tool
The URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console allows you to see how Google views a specific URL. Here’s how to use it:
Enter the URL: In the URL Inspection tool, input the URL you want to check and press Enter.
Check for Issues: The tool will display various details about the URL, including whether it’s indexed, any errors encountered, and the page’s status.
Live Test: Click on “Live Test” to see the real-time status of the URL. This helps identify current issues affecting Google’s ability to crawl the URL.
Reviewing and Fixing Errors
To fix errors in your sitemap:
Click on the Sitemap: In the Sitemaps report, click on the sitemap with errors.
View Details: You’ll see a detailed page listing all errors and warnings.
Expand Errors: Click on each error to expand and see more details.
Fix Issues: Based on the error details, take appropriate actions to fix the issues. This might involve editing the sitemap, fixing server errors, or addressing robots.txt blocks.
Resubmit Sitemap: After making corrections, resubmit the sitemap via the Sitemaps report.
Monitoring Sitemap Performance
Regularly monitor your sitemap performance using the Sitemaps report. Check back periodically to ensure Google is fetching and processing your sitemaps correctly. Address any new issues promptly to maintain your site’s SEO health.
Troubleshooting sitemaps is an essential part of SEO maintenance. By using Google Search Console effectively, you can identify and fix issues that might hinder your site’s performance in search results. Regular monitoring and timely adjustments ensure that your content remains accessible and well-indexed by search engines, leading to better visibility and traffic. Happy optimizing!
Cross-Submitting Sitemaps
If you manage multiple sites, you can simplify submission by creating sitemaps that include URLs from all your sites and saving them in a single location. Use Search Console or robots.txt to submit these cross-site sitemaps.
Maintaining and Updating Your Sitemap
Regularly update your sitemap to reflect changes on your site. If you make significant updates, resubmit your sitemap to Google. For minor changes, Google will recrawl your sitemap periodically.
Wrapping Up
A well-structured sitemap can significantly enhance your site’s visibility on search engines, making it easier for users to find your content. Whether you’re managing a small blog or a large e-commerce site, following these guidelines will help ensure your content is efficiently crawled and indexed.
By taking the time to understand and implement effective sitemap practices, you’re setting the foundation for better SEO and a more successful website. If you encounter any issues, refer to the Google Search Console documentation for further guidance. Happy optimizing!
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in the SEO world: internal linking. Sure, everyone knows about keywords, backlinks, and meta tags, but internal linking? It’s like the quiet kid in class who ends up being the valedictorian. When done right, internal linking can transform your website’s SEO, improve user experience, and even boost your rankings.
But here’s the thing—internal linking isn’t just about slapping a few links here and there. It’s about creating a web of relevance that guides both search engines and users through your content. In this guide, we’re going to break down everything you need to know about internal linking, from the basics to advanced strategies. By the end, you’ll have a clear, actionable plan to make your internal linking strategy work harder for you.
What is Internal Linking? (And Why Does It Matter?)
At its core, internal linking is the practice of linking one page on your website to another page on the same website. These links act like pathways, guiding users and search engines through your content. But internal linking isn’t just about navigation—it’s about creating a structure that makes your site easier to crawl, more relevant to search engines, and more engaging for users.
Example of an Internal Link:
<a href="https://www.yourwebsite.com/how-to-choose-running-shoes" title="How to Choose the Right Running Shoes">Check out our guide on choosing running shoes</a>
Why Internal Linking Matters:
Improves User Experience: Internal links help users find related content, keeping them engaged and reducing bounce rates.
Helps Search Engines Crawl Your Site: Google’s bots use internal links to discover and index your pages. Without them, some pages might never get indexed.
Distributes Link Equity: When a high-authority page links to another page on your site, it passes some of its “link juice,” boosting the linked page’s rankings.
Increases Page Views and Session Duration: By guiding users to relevant content, internal links encourage them to stay on your site longer.
Enhances Thematic Relevance: Search engines better understand your website’s structure and topic relationships.
The Core Principle: Passing Relevance
Internal linking isn’t just about linking—it’s about passing relevance. Think of it like a conversation. If you’re talking about coffee makers, you wouldn’t suddenly start discussing car engines, right? The same goes for your internal links. They should guide users and search engines to content that’s contextually relevant and adds value.
How to Pass Relevance:
Contextual Matching: Ensure the content of the linked article is related to the main topic of the current page. Example: If your main topic is “coffee makers,” link to articles like “types of coffee makers” or “how to clean a coffee maker.”
Semantic Relevance: Use headings and subheadings (H2, H3) that reflect the main concept.
Avoid Irrelevant Links: Linking to unrelated content confuses search engines and users, reducing credibility.
Leverage Anchor Text Wisely: Use meaningful anchor text with relevant keywords to guide both users and search engines.
Balancing Link Quantity and Quality
One of the biggest mistakes people make with internal linking is going overboard. Too many links can dilute the relevance and confuse both users and search engines. Here’s how to strike the right balance:
1. Prioritize Important Links
Not all links are created equal. Focus on linking to your most important pages first. Example: In an article about “coffee makers,” prioritize links to comprehensive guides like “how to choose a coffee maker.”
2. Limit Excessive Linking
While it’s tempting to link to every related article, too many links can overwhelm readers and dilute the SEO benefits. Aim for a manageable number of highly relevant links—somewhere between 5-10 per page, depending on the length of your content.
Advanced Internal Linking Strategies
1. Topic Clusters and Pillar Pages
Topic clusters are groups of related content centered around a main topic (or “pillar page”). Example: A pillar page on “Digital Marketing” could link to cluster pages like “SEO Basics” and “Social Media Marketing.”
How to Implement:
Identify your main topics (pillar pages).
Create supporting content (cluster pages) that links back to the pillar page.
Use internal links to connect related cluster pages.
2. Core vs. Outer Sections
Your website likely has core sections (main content areas) and outer sections (supplementary content). Understanding how to link between these sections can enhance your site’s structure and SEO performance.
Linking Strategies:
Core to Core Linking: Strengthen main content pages.
Core to Outer Linking: Occasionally link to supplementary content.
Outer to Core Linking: Drive traffic from outer content back to your main pages.
3. Strategic Placement of Links
Where you place your links matters. Instead of burying them at the bottom of the page, integrate them naturally into your content.
Best Practices for Internal Linking
Use Descriptive Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text that links to another page on your website. Its role is crucial in both guiding users and signaling to search engines about the content they’ll be directed to. Descriptive anchor text should clearly describe what the linked page is about while incorporating relevant keywords. Avoid vague phrases like “click here” or “read more,” as they don’t provide much context or keyword value. Instead, use keyword-rich phrases that are natural and relevant to the target page’s content.
Example:
Instead of linking the phrase “click here for more information,” you could link the phrase: “learn more about effective email marketing strategies.”
If linking to a blog post about SEO best practices, use anchor text like “improve your site’s ranking with advanced SEO techniques” instead of just “read more here.”
This not only improves user experience by making the link’s destination clear but also signals to search engines that the linked page is relevant for those keywords.
Create a Logical Site Structure
An intuitive site structure ensures that both users and search engines can easily navigate your site and find the most relevant content. The ideal site structure is pyramid-like:
Homepage: This is the highest level of the hierarchy and should link out to all major category pages.
Category Pages: These pages group similar content together and serve as a middle tier, guiding users deeper into specific topics.
Subcategory Pages/Blog Posts: These are the bottom-level pages that dive deeper into specialized subjects, often answering more specific user queries.
A well-organized structure also makes internal linking much easier. For example, if your homepage links to multiple categories, each category page should link to related subcategories or blog posts, and those blog posts can link back to category pages or other related blog content.
Example:
Homepage → “Digital Marketing” Category Page → “SEO Best Practices” Blog Post → Related articles like “On-Page SEO Tips” or “Link Building Strategies”
A well-structured website could have a homepage that links to categories like “Content Marketing,” “SEO,” and “Paid Advertising,” and from each category page, link to various subtopics and blog posts that cover these areas in depth.
Avoid Orphan Pages
Orphan pages are pages with no internal links pointing to them. If a page is isolated with no links, search engines may have difficulty discovering it, and users won’t be able to easily find it either. Every important page should be integrated into the site’s linking structure, ensuring that it’s accessible to both users and search engines.
To identify orphan pages, you can use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs, which will crawl your site and flag pages with no internal links pointing to them. These pages can be connected by adding relevant internal links, helping users find them and ensuring that search engines crawl and index them.
Example:
If you have a service page about “PPC Campaign Management” that isn’t linked anywhere else on your site, it’s an orphan page. You could link it from relevant blog posts about “PPC Advertising” or “Paid Search Strategies.”
Similarly, if you have a blog post on “Content Marketing Trends in 2025,” make sure it links to the main “Content Marketing” category or other relevant articles on your site.
Connecting orphan pages not only boosts SEO but also improves the user experience by ensuring every piece of content is discoverable.
Regularly Audit Your Internal Links
Internal linking requires ongoing attention. Websites evolve – new pages are added, URLs change, or content gets updated. Regular audits are necessary to ensure that all links are functioning correctly and that the internal linking structure remains relevant and efficient. Broken links, redirect loops, and orphan pages can negatively impact both SEO and user experience.
Use tools like Moz Pro, Sitebulb, or Screaming Frog to regularly check for:
Broken Internal Links: Links that lead to non-existent pages, which could create a poor user experience and hurt SEO.
Redirect Loops: When a page redirects to another page, which then redirects back to the original page, causing an endless loop that frustrates users and confuses search engines.
Orphan Pages: Pages that aren’t linked anywhere else on the site, which might remain hidden from both search engines and users.
Poor Anchor Text Usage: Ensure that anchor text is still relevant and descriptive, using appropriate keywords that align with the linked content.
Example:
Regularly run audits to check if any pages that have been deleted still have internal links pointing to them. If you find any, either update the links or redirect them to relevant pages.
Ensure that every new blog post links to related posts on your site. For example, if you publish an article on “Email Marketing Trends in 2025,” link to other related blog posts like “The Future of Email Personalization” or “How to Build an Email List in 2025.”
By staying on top of internal link maintenance, you’ll ensure a smooth, user-friendly experience and avoid any SEO pitfalls. Regular audits will also help you keep your content organized and ensure that your site’s pages remain interlinked in a logical, effective way.
The Benefits of Effective Internal Linking
By following internal linking best practices, you’re not just optimizing for search engines, but also ensuring your website delivers a smoother, more engaging experience for visitors. Here’s a deeper dive into the key benefits:
Improved Rankings
Internal links are a powerful way to distribute link equity (the value that one page passes on to another). When you strategically link to high-priority pages—such as your main service pages or high-converting blog posts—you pass some of the authority from other pages to these important sections. For example, if you have a blog post about “SEO Best Practices” and link it to your primary “SEO Services” page, the internal link can help transfer the page authority to boost its rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). This helps improve the visibility of critical pages, particularly if they are buried deeper in the site’s hierarchy.
Example: Imagine you have a blog post on “How to Choose the Right Digital Marketing Agency” that’s performing well. By linking this post to your “About Us” page or “Contact Us” page with specific, keyword-rich anchor text like “Learn more about our expert digital marketing team,” you improve both page visibility and encourage conversions from users who trust your content.
Better User Experience
Internal links act as roadmaps, guiding users to additional content they might find helpful. This reduces the effort needed to find related material and keeps users on your site longer, thus reducing bounce rates. A well-organized linking structure also allows users to discover more content that aligns with their interests, making it more likely they will engage further. For example, linking related blog posts or articles under a “You may also like” section at the end of your content makes it easier for users to explore more, improving their experience and satisfaction on your site.
Example: If a user lands on a blog post about “How to Start an E-commerce Business,” providing links to other resources like “E-commerce Platforms Comparison” or “How to Market Your E-commerce Store” makes it easier for the user to dive deeper into the subject matter, offering a more enriched, seamless browsing experience.
Enhanced Crawlability
Search engines use internal links to crawl and index your pages, helping them understand the structure of your website and which pages are the most important. Well-structured internal linking ensures that search engine bots can easily follow links and discover every page on your site, even those deep within your site hierarchy. A site with broken links or orphan pages may cause search engines to overlook some content, leading to missed opportunities in ranking.
Example: If you’ve just launched a new product page, linking to it from several key pages (like category pages, homepage, or blog posts related to the product) will help search engine crawlers easily find and index that page. For instance, a “Best Selling Products” page that includes links to the new product page can help search engines discover the page faster and assign it relevance.
Higher Conversions
Internal linking not only helps users find more content but can also drive them to conversion-focused pages, which is critical for boosting your sales or lead generation. By strategically linking to call-to-action (CTA) pages—such as product pages, service offerings, or lead capture forms—you can guide visitors along their buyer’s journey. When done correctly, internal links serve as nudges that encourage users to take action, like making a purchase or filling out a contact form.
Example: Suppose you have an informative blog post on “Best Practices for Web Design.” By linking to your service page offering web design services with anchor text like “Get a custom web design tailored to your business needs,” you guide users toward conversion. This internal link not only provides valuable information but also invites users to take the next step toward hiring your services, potentially increasing your conversion rate.
A well-thought-out internal linking strategy benefits not only your website’s SEO but also enhances user satisfaction, search engine crawlability, and conversion rates. By linking thoughtfully, you ensure that visitors and search engines can easily access your most important pages, creating a more engaging and profitable website.
Try Linking Smarter Today
Internal linking might seem like a small detail, but it’s one of the most powerful tools in your SEO arsenal. By focusing on relevance, balancing link quantity and quality, and following best practices, you can create a website that’s not only easy to navigate but also ranks higher in search results.
So, what are you waiting for? Start auditing your internal links today and see the difference it makes. And if you need help along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to guide you every step of the way.
Internal and external linking are essential parts of on-page SEO and technical SEO. If you’re looking to learn about the other parts, you can check out the articles below:
What Are Internal and External Links? (And Why Should You Care?)
Before we dive into strategies, let’s get clear on the basics. Internal and external links are both hyperlinks, but they serve different purposes.
Internal Links: The Backbone of Your Website
Internal links are links that point from one page on your website to another page on the same website. Think of them as the pathways that connect your content. For example, if you’re writing a blog post about “The Best Running Shoes,” you might link to another post on your site about “How to Choose the Right Running Shoes.”
Example of an internal link:
<a href="https://www.yourwebsite.com/how-to-choose-running-shoes" title="How to Choose the Right Running Shoes">Check out our guide on choosing running shoes</a>
External Links: Building Bridges to Other Websites
External links, on the other hand, point to pages on other websites. These links can add value to your content by referencing authoritative sources, studies, or additional resources. For instance, if you’re writing about the benefits of running, you might link to a Harvard study on the health benefits of exercise.
Example of an external link:
<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/health-benefits-of-running" target="_blank">Learn more about the health benefits of running</a>
Both types of links are essential for SEO, but they serve different roles. Internal links help search engines understand your site’s structure and hierarchy, while external links build credibility and trust.
Why Internal Links Are the Secret Sauce of SEO
Internal linking isn’t just about helping users navigate your site—it’s a powerful SEO tool. Here’s why:
1. They Improve User Experience
Imagine visiting a website and finding a blog post you love, but there’s no way to explore related content. Frustrating, right? Internal links solve this problem by creating a logical flow between pages. They keep users engaged, reduce bounce rates, and encourage them to spend more time on your site.
Example: If you’re reading a post about “10 Tips for Better Sleep,” you might find links to related articles like “The Best Mattresses for a Good Night’s Sleep” or “How to Create a Bedtime Routine.”
2. They Help Search Engines Crawl and Index Your Site
Search engines like Google use bots (called “crawlers”) to explore and index your site. Internal links act as signposts, guiding these bots to all your important pages. Without internal links, some pages might become “orphan pages”—pages that aren’t linked from anywhere else on your site. These pages are harder for search engines to find, which means they might not get indexed.
Pro Tip: Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to identify orphan pages and fix them by adding internal links.
3. They Spread Link Equity
Link equity (or “ranking power”) is the value passed from one page to another through links. When a high-authority page links to another page on your site, it shares some of its authority, boosting the linked page’s rankings. This is why internal linking is so powerful—it helps distribute link equity across your site.
HubSpot is a master of internal linking. They use a “pillar-cluster” model, where a central “pillar page” (like a comprehensive guide on content marketing) links to multiple “cluster pages” (like blog posts on specific topics). This strategy has helped them dominate search rankings for competitive keywords.
Best Practices for Internal Linking
Now that you know why internal links are important, let’s talk about how to use them effectively. Here are some best practices to follow:
1. Use Descriptive Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text in a link. It should be descriptive and include relevant keywords. Avoid generic phrases like “click here” or “read more.”
Good Example:
<a href="https://www.yourwebsite.com/on-page-seo-guide" title="On-Page SEO Guide">Learn how to optimize your pages for SEO</a>
Bad Example:
<a href="https://www.yourwebsite.com/on-page-seo-guide" title="On-Page SEO Guide">Click here</a>
2. Create a Logical Site Structure
Your website’s structure should resemble a pyramid:
Homepage (top-level)
Category pages (middle-level)
Subcategory pages or blog posts (bottom-level)
This structure keeps crawl depth low, ensuring that important pages are easy to find.
3. Avoid Orphan Pages
Every important page should have at least one internal link pointing to it. Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to find and fix orphan pages.
4. Limit the Number of Links Per Page
While Google can crawl hundreds of links per page, too many links can dilute link equity. Aim for a strategic balance—keep the number of internal links below 150 per page.
5. Regularly Audit Your Internal Links
Internal linking isn’t a “set it and forget it” task. Use tools like Moz Pro or Sitebulb to check for:
Broken internal links
Redirect loops
Orphan pages
Poor anchor text usage
Why External Links Are Just as Important
External links might seem less important than internal links, but they’re actually a key part of a well-rounded SEO strategy. Here’s why:
1. They Build Credibility and Authority
Linking to authoritative sources (like research papers, government sites, or industry leaders) shows that your content is well-researched and trustworthy. This can boost your site’s credibility in the eyes of both users and search engines.
Example: If you’re writing about the benefits of meditation, you might link to a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to back up your claims.
2. They Improve SEO
Google views outbound links as a sign of quality content. Linking to reputable sources can positively impact your rankings, especially if those sources are relevant to your content.
3. They Can Earn You Backlinks
When you link to other websites, you’re building relationships with those sites. If they notice your link, they might return the favor by linking back to you. This can improve your domain authority and organic traffic.
Best Practices for External Linking
Ready to start using external links effectively? Here’s how:
1. Link to Authoritative and Relevant Sources
Only link to high-quality, relevant websites. Avoid linking to low-quality or spammy sites, as this can harm your SEO.
Good Example:
<a href="https://www.hbr.org/content-marketing-study" target="_blank">According to a study by Harvard Business Review, content marketing drives 10x more engagement.</a>
Bad Example:
<a href="https://www.randomblog.com" target="_blank">Some random blog said content marketing works.</a>
2. Use the “nofollow” Attribute When Necessary
If you’re linking to a sponsored site or a site you don’t fully trust, use the rel="nofollow" attribute to prevent passing link equity.
Broken external links harm user experience and SEO. Regularly audit your site using tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to find and fix broken links.
4. Open External Links in a New Tab
Use target="_blank" to ensure external links open in a new tab. This keeps users on your site while they explore the linked content.
Example:
<a href="https://www.example.com" target="_blank">Visit this site</a>
Advanced Linking Strategies
Ready to take your linking game to the next level? Here are some advanced strategies:
1. Topic Clusters and Hub Pages
Group related content into “topic clusters,” where a central hub page links to multiple supporting articles. This improves SEO by enhancing contextual relevance.
Example: A hub page about “Digital Marketing” could link to cluster pages like “SEO Basics,” “Social Media Marketing,” and “Email Marketing Tips.”
2. Internal Linking for Long-Tail Keywords
Use long-tail keywords in your anchor text to boost rankings for specific, less competitive terms.
Example:
<a href="https://www.yourwebsite.com/best-running-shoes-for-flat-feet" title="Best Running Shoes for Flat Feet">Discover the best running shoes for flat feet</a>
3. Monitor and Optimize Your Links
Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and Moz Pro to analyze your link performance and make data-driven optimizations.
Internal and External Linking Your Way to SEO Success
Internal and external linking are more than just SEO tactics—they’re essential tools for creating a user-friendly, credible, and high-ranking website. By following the best practices and strategies outlined in this guide, you can harness the power of linking to boost your site’s visibility, authority, and engagement.
Final Checklist for Linking Success:
✅ Use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text.
✅ Maintain a logical internal linking structure.
✅ Regularly audit and fix broken links.
✅ Link to authoritative external sources.
✅ Use nofollow for sponsored links when necessary.
✅ Balance internal and external links for optimal SEO impact.
If you’re ready to take your linking strategy to the next level, let’s chat! I’d love to help you optimize your site and achieve your SEO goals.
You must have typed, “how to do keyword research for SEO” but never really got any good idea how to do it right. Here in this post, we’ll try to touch on everything you need to know and do as you do and start your keyword research. Doesn’t matter if you’re just learning about SEO, here is the most comprehensive keyword research guide for new and seasoned marketers who are diving into keyword research!
If you’re new to keyword research, this guide will teach you the basics, including how to find keyword ideas, analyze keywords, and target keywords for your business. By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to start your keyword research so that you can drive more traffic to your website.
But before we go into the actual process you also need to learn about short-tail, long-tail keywords, and keyword difficulty as they are crucial elements if you want to work your way up to ranking on the first page.
What is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing words and phrases that people use when they search for information online and identifying those that are relevant to your business. This research helps you understand how people are searching for products or services like yours online.
Basically, this means that you are listing down keywords that are relevant to the business to be more visible to their target audience.
Being visible means getting your business website or your content on the first page of Google. Basically, if you’re a new business or website, you have to start “ranking up” to get your content into the first few pages of Google.
Keyword research is best done together with technical SEO optimizations just before you create content and implement on-page and off-page SEO.
What is Keyword Difficulty?
Keyword difficulty is a measure of how difficult it would be to rank for a given keyword. In other words, it’s a way of gauging how much competition there is for a particular keyword. The higher the KD score, the more difficult it will be to rank for that keyword. Conversely, the lower the KD score, the easier it will be to rank.
Later in this article, you’ll learn how to choose keywords and how to factor in their keyword difficulty.
Why is Keyword Difficulty important?
Let’s say you’re trying to decide between two different seed keywords: “marketing automation software” and “email marketing software.” Both are relevant to your business and could potentially drive traffic to your website.
However, “marketing automation software” has a KD score of 70, while “email marketing software” has a score of only 50. This means that it will be much easier to rank for “email marketing software,” making it the better choice for your seed keyword.
On the left is an example of how SEO tools show KD (the column with green content, the tool used is Ahrefs). The actual metrics for keyword difficulty differs from tool-to-tool, while it’s a good gauge for keywords that you could target, keyword difficulty should not hinder you from choosing keywords to target –– even if they are of the highest difficulty.
The best example of why you should not be hindered by the metrics of Keyword Difficulty would be the sample image above which shows that the website has been ranking for keywords with 0 difficulty, but definitely with search volume.
How to find keyword ideas for your business website
Did you know that nearly 60% of B2B marketers have not determined which keywords their website should rank for?
The first step in finding the right keyword ideas is to brainstorm a list of potential “seed” keywords. A seed keyword is a word or phrase that describes your business, product, or service.
If you’re in the majority of marketers who have not determined which keywords your website should rank for, don’t worry – we can help! Keep reading to learn four effective methods for finding the right keyword ideas for your business website.
1. Determine your ‘seed’ keywords
To generate a list of seed keywords, start by thinking about the various products or services you offer, as well as the different aspects of your business. Once you have a list of potential seed keywords, you can expand on them by adding related words and phrases.
For example, if you sell health supplements, some of your seed keywords might be “vitamins,” “minerals,” and “herbal remedies.” From there, you might expand your list to include phrases like “natural health supplements” and “supplements for better health.”
The next section will talk a more in-depth look at how to go about your seed keywords.
2. If you have SEMrush or Ahrefs, look at what keywords your competitors are ranking for
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to see what your competitors are ranking for. To do this, simply enter your competitor’s URL into a keyword research tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs and hit enter.
Once the results populate, click on the “Keywords” tab to see a list of all the keywords that your competitor is ranking for. You can then use this information to determine which keywords you should be targeting.
3. If you don’t have the above, use other keyword research tools
There are a number of different keyword research tools available online, and they can be extremely helpful in finding the right keyword ideas for your business website. Some free popular options include Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Keywords Explorer.
These free tools allow you to enter a seed keyword and generate a list of related keywords that you can target. They also provide valuable insights such as search volume and competition level so that you can prioritize the right keywords for your business.
4. Study your niche
Another great way to find keyword ideas is to simply study your niche. This involves taking some time to understand the ins and outs of your industry and what people are searching for when they are looking for businesses like yours. To do this, you can read industry-related blogs and articles, participate in forums and discussion groups, and attend industry events.
By taking some time to study your niche, you’ll be able to better understand the needs of your target audience and find the right keywords to target them with.
As you can see, there are a number of different methods that you can use to find keyword ideas for your business website. The most important thing is to take the time to brainstorm a list of potential keywords before getting started with any other method. Once you have a good starting point, you can then use other methods like competitor analysis and other keyword research tools to get even more ideas.
By studying your niche you can better understand the needs of your target audience and you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect keywords for your business website!
How to find Keyword Ideas for your SEO Keyword Research
There are a few different ways to find keyword ideas. One way is to think about the products or services that you offer, and then brainstorm a list of keywords that describe those offerings. Another way is to use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner, which allows you to enter seed keywordsand then generate a list of related keywords.
But what are seed keywords, and how do you find them? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about seed keywords, including tips on how to find the best ones for your website or business.
What are seed keywords?
These are typically one or two words in length and will give you a good starting point from which to generate more specific keywords. The first step to keyword research is to start with general, broad, seed keywords. You can use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner or Semrush.com to find relevant seed keywords for your website or business.
How to find seed keywords:
Building content around your seed keyword is a great way to provide a topic authority and is another important factor for you to rank on the first.
How Many Seed Keywords Do You Need for SEO?
Every SEO campaign starts with keyword research. You need to choose the right keywords to target so that your website comes up in search engine results pages (SERPs) when people are looking for products or services like yours. But with hundreds or even thousands of potential keywords to choose from, how do you narrow down the field? And how many seed keywords should you ultimately target? Next section discusses the answer to the above question.
Examples of seed keywords
Let’s take Hubspot as an example. Hubspot offers an all-in-one marketing software, but do they target “digital marketing software” as a keyword? The best way to check is to search for the keyword on Google. True enough, they are targeting it and they are on the first page too!
It’s possible that it is one of the seed keywords that they targeted before that is why over time they niched down into other topics like SEO, blogging, CRM etc. Niching down means breaking down specific areas of your broad keyword and creating content around it.
Seed keywords should be broad so that you can create content that mentions these keywords over time. Yes. You can’t rank on the first page of google just by creating ten or twenty articles and expect that you could outrank websites or businesses that have been creating content around the same topics over time.
Here is another example:
When people search for the keyword “positive psychology certificate” you may find schools (UPenn) and famous platforms (Coursera) that are offering these courses.
But look at how one online school (School of Positive Transformation) has thrived to rank beside a legitimate school and a website offering lots of courses. When you look inside their blog you’ll find that they have been building content around this seed keyword over time through topics under positive psychology.
A few questions that could help you in determining seed keywords would be:
What is the primary offer of the website/ business? This could be the product or services offered by the website.
Are there other topics under it that I can use to build content? If yes, then it would be a great seed keyword. If no, then look at your competitors’ content with the same offer and look at how they have built content around it.
How Many Seed Keywords Do You Need?
Now that we’ve reviewed what seed keywords are and why they’re important, let’s answer the question: How many seed keywords do you need? As a general rule, I recommend targeting 3-5 seed keywords PER PAGE on your website. This gives you a good mix of high-traffic and low-competition keywords to target, helping you attract organic traffic without getting lost in the crowd.
Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule. If you have a very large website with hundreds or even thousands of pages, you may need more than 5 seed keywords per page.
Alternatively, if your website is small or if you’re just starting out with SEO, 3-5 seed keywords might be all you need to get started.
How to Find Related Keywords
Paid tools like Ahrefs, SEMRush, Ubersuggest etc., are the easiest way to find related keywords but what if your client is just starting out and they are finding it hard to shell out for SEO tools?
Google is the key!
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to find related keywords that can help you drive more traffic to your website, look no further than the “Searches related to [keyword]” and People Also Ask list on Google’s search results page.
These lists are generated based on what people are actually searching for on Google, so you can be sure that these are keywords that people are actually using to find information about a product or service.
Go to Google and enter your main keyword.
Scroll down to the bottom of the search results page and take a look at the “Searches related to [keyword]” list. You can also find People Also Ask after the first entry on SERP (sometimes after the ads too)
Make a note of any relevant keywords that you see on this list.
Add these keywords to your website content in order to make it more relevant and targeted towards what people are actually searching for.
Monitor your website traffic to see if there is an increase in the number of people visiting your site after you’ve added these related keywords.
Here are some Chrome extensions that you can also use:
So far these two extensions are very handy for those who are looking for good keywords to use for content.
Below is how related keywords are shown beside your search results when you use Keywords Everywhere. Another example is Keyword Surfer’s estimated volume and CPC metrics on the search bar as shown below!
Why are Estimated Searches and CPC important?
These two metrics present in the Keyword Surfer extensions are important because you can know if your keywords have traffic for a certain location. For example, in the image above, we now can know the estimated traffic for the keyword for “positive psychology course” is 140 and that CPC (or basically how much people are willing to pay to get their ads on top is $21.60.
A high CPC could mean that it is a competitive keyword when you’re putting up ads, but it could also mean that there are a lot of other competitors that are building content around that keyword. True enough, the University of Pennsylvania is ranking first in this and it’s amazing how the other websites on the first page are vying to beat them to it!
But did you know that the length of a keyword can also be a good way to determine which keywords to pick?
How to Use Short-Tail and Long Tail Keywords
The Great Keyword Debate: Short Tail Vs Long Tail
When it comes to keywords, there are two distinct camps: those who favor short tail keywords, and those who prefer long tail keywords. As a business owner or marketing professional, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each approach so that you can make the best decision for your needs. So, let’s take a closer look at short tail vs long tail keywords.
Short Tail Keywords
Short tail keywords are general, one-or-two-word phrases that describe your product or service. For example, if you sell shoes, a short tail keyword might be “shoes.” Short tail keywords are often searched for by people who are in the early stages of the buyer’s journey and are just beginning to learn about their options.
As a result, they tend to be quite competitive and can be difficult to rank for. However, they can also generate a lot of traffic. Short-tail keywords are the best ones. to use as seed keywords.
Long Tail Keywords
Long tail keywords are more specific, three-or-more-word phrases that describe your product or service in greater detail. Continuing with our shoe example, a long-tail keyword might be “positive psychology certificate online.”
Long tail keywords are often searched for by people who are further along in the buyer’s journey and know what they want. They tend to be less competitive and easier to rank for than short-tail keywords but usually generate less traffic.
So, which type of keyword is right for you?
That depends on a number of factors, including your business goals, budget, and resources. If you’re just starting out and are working with limited resources, long tail keywords may be the way to go since they’re less competitive and easier to rank for. However, if you have a larger budget, already has lots of ranking content and more resources at your disposal, short-tail keywords could be worth going after since they have the potential to generate more traffic.
I could say that the best approach is to use a mix of both short-tail and long-tail keywords to ensure that your bases are covered.
Creating an SEO keyword list
Your Keyword Strategy Should Include These 3 Categories
Let’s take a look at three different categories of keywords that should be part of your keyword strategy:
branded keywords
customer research keywords
customer-finding keywords
Branded Keywords
The first category of keywords you may want to include in your list is branded keywords. These are the keywords that include your brand name or product name. The truth is, you can’t get on top of Google quickly for your brand name even if it was very unique.
The most important thing to remember is that if you want your website shown as one of the top results for a search on Google, then it needs good keywords. These are words or phrases people will type into Google when they’re looking for something specific about yours such as “company name __ news stories,” which means including these in blog posts and other content can help them find what they need much quicker than waiting around pages after page with no result!
To start you can try putting your Brand Name + adding generic keywords like:
owner
establishment
services
products
Your website may not be the top result for your brand name in Google if it has a generic or similar-sounding domain. Third-party authoritative websites, such as news sites and review blogs could rank higher than yours due to their quality content.
For example, if you sell running shoes, some branded keyword phrases might be “Nike Running Shoes” or “Adidas Running Shoes.” Customers who are already familiar with your brand are more likely to use these kinds of keywords when they’re searching for your products.
Customer Research Keywords
What are customer research keywords and why should you care?
There are two main categories of keywords in relation to prospect customers: informational keywords and research keywords.
Informational keywords are exactly what they sound like—keywords that people use when they’re looking for information about a topic. For example, someone might search for “SEO tips” if they want to learn more about how to optimize their website for search engines.
Research Keywords The second category of keywords is customer research keywords. These are the keywords that customers use when they’re doing online research about a purchase they’re thinking about making. For example, if someone is considering buying a new car, they might search for “best SUVs for families” or “cheapest cars to insure.”
Including these kinds of keyword phrases on your website can help you attract customers who are in the research phase of their buyer’s journey.
One way to find customer research keywords is to use Google’s suggest feature. Start typing in a seed keyword related to your product or service (e.g., “car insurance”) and see what suggestions Google gives you. These suggestions are based on the most popular searches related to your seed keyword.
Another way to find customer research keywords is to use a tool like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest. These tools allow you to enter a seed keyword and see a list of related keywords that you can then target with your content.
Including customer research keywords in your content can help you attract buyers who are further along in the buying process and more likely to make a purchase.
However, it’s important not to stuff your content with too many keywords, as this will negatively impact your search engine ranking and turn off potential customers. Instead, focus on creating high-quality content that naturally incorporates the customer research keywords you’re targeting.
If you want to attract potential customers who are further along in the buying process, then you need to include customer research keywords in your content marketing strategy. But beware of keyword stuffing—focus on quality over quantity, and you’ll be sure to see better results.
Customer-Finding Keywords
The third and final category of keywords to focus on is customer-finding keywords. These are the keywords that customers use when they’re ready to purchase a product or service. For example, if someone is looking to buy a new pair of running shoes, they might search for “running shoes near me” or “where to buy running shoes.” If you want to drive customers to your website who are ready to make a purchase, then you need to make sure you’re including these customer-finding keywords in your website content.
When it comes to developing your keyword strategy, it’s important to focus on more than just the most popular keywords. Yes, those popular keywords are important, but you also need to make sure you’re including branded keywords, customer research keywords, and customer-finding keywords in your keyword list. By including all three of these types of keyword phrases in your website content, you’ll be able to attract visitors at every stage of the buyer’s journey. And that means more traffic and more conversions for your business
Once you have a list of potential keywords,it’s important to analyze them to see which ones are most relevant and most likely to convert the intended action from your readers. There are a few different factors you’ll want to consider when analyzing keywords, including search volume, competition level, and click-through rate.
How to Research Keywords for Your SEO Strategy
The better your website is optimized, the greater your chances of being seen by potential customers. But how do you optimize your website? A big part of that is finding the right keywords. Here are a few tips on how to go about researching keywords for your SEO strategy.
1. Make a list of important, relevant topics based on what you know about your business.
Before you can start researching keywords, you need to have a good understanding of your business and what topics are important to you. Make a list of these topics and then brainstorm a few possible keywords for each one.
2. Fill in those topic buckets with keywords.
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to start filling in the gaps. Use keyword research tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer to find related terms and phrases that you may not have thought of before.
3. Understand How Intent Affects Keyword Research and Analyze Accordingly.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when researching keywords is intent. What are people actually looking for when they search for these terms? Are they looking to buy something, or are they just looking for information? Keep this in mind when analyzing your results and tailor your content accordingly.
4. Research related search terms.
In addition to researching the main keyword itself, it’s also important to research related terms that people might be searching for. For example, if you’re selling car parts, you’ll want to research not only “car parts” but also “auto parts,” “automotive parts,” etc. This will help you cast a wider net and reach more potential customers.
5. If all else fails…get creative!
Keyword research tools are a great way to generate ideas and come up with relevant terms, but sometimes the best way to find the right keyword is simply to use your own creativity and common sense. Think about what terms you would search for if you were looking for your product or service. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your customers directly what keywords they use when searching for businesses like yours.
Researching keywords can seem like a daunting task, but it is essential if you want your SEO strategy to be successful. By following these tips, you can be sure that you’re on the right track to finding the perfect keywords for your business needs.
Trimming the List: How to Analyze/Prioritize Keywords
Not all keywords are created equal. Some may be more relevant or have more potential than others. That’s why it’s important to prioritize your keywords so that you can focus your efforts on the ones that will have the biggest impact on your business. To do this, you’ll want to consider factors like search volume and competition level.
The first step in doing this is to come up with a list of keywords that are relevant to your business. You can use a tool like Google’s AdWords Keyword Planner to help you come up with a list of keywords.
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s important to analyze them to see which ones are most relevant and most likely to convert. There are a few different factors you’ll want to consider when analyzing keywords, including search volume, competition level, and click-through rate.
You’ll also want to make sure that the keywords have a high enough search volume so that you can generate enough traffic to your site.
The competition level is also important, as you don’t want to compete with too many other businesses for the same keywords.
The click-through rate could also be a good metric to see how likely people are to click on your content when they see it.
How to Analyze Keywords
Any good marketing campaign starts with keyword research. After all, how can you hope to attract the right kind of traffic to your website if you don’t know which keywords to target? However, simply knowing which keywords to target isn’t enough. You also need to know how to analyze those keywords so that you can make informed decisions about which ones are worth your time and effort. Here’s a quick rundown of the four most important things you should look at when analyzing keywords for your B2B marketing campaigns.
1. Search Volume
One of the most important things to look at when analyzing keywords is search volume—that is, the number of people who are searching for that keyword each month. The higher the search volume, the more potential clicks and traffic you can generate by ranking for that keyword.
However, you should also keep in mind that competition is generally higher for keywords with high search volumes. As such, it’s often a good idea to target a mix of high- and low-volume keywords.
You can use Keyword Surfer Chrome extension to check Search Volume and CPC, Google Keyword Planner and other SEO keyword tools to look at the word’s search volumes (specific to the targeted country).
2. Clicks
When analyzing keywords, it’s also important to look at how many people are actually clicking on the results that appear for that keyword. This metric is known as “click-through rate” (CTR), and it’s a good way to gauge how relevant and useful your content is for a particular keyword.
In general, you should aim for a CTR of around 2-3%. You can use Google Keyword Planner to get forecasts on CTRs and Search Volume just click on “Get Search Volume and Forecasts”.
3. Traffic Potential
Once you’ve determined how many people are searching for a particular keyword and how many of them are clicking on the results, you can start to estimate the traffic potential for that keyword.
To do this, simply multiply the monthly search volume by the CTR. For example, if there are 1,000 searches per month for a particular keyword with a CTR of 2%, then the traffic potential would be 20 visits per month.
4. Keyword Difficulty
Finally, you’ll also want to take into account the difficulty of ranking for a particular keyword. Keyword difficulty is determined by a number of factors, including the strength of your competition and the quality of your content.
In general, it’s best to start by targeting easier keywords before moving on to more difficult ones. You can use Ahref’s free keyword difficulty checker. But it could be a little tedious if you’ve got a long list of keywords:
5. Cost Per Click (CPC)
The CPC is the amount of money you would need to spend on ads in order to get one person to click on your ad. The CPC is determined by factors like the competition level and the relevance of your ad to the keyword. You can use tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner to research CPCs for different keywords.
CPC is also how much advertisers are willing to pay per click on their ads when someone searches for a particular keyword. Generally speaking, keywords with higher CPCs are going to be more difficult (and more expensive) to rank for than those with lower CPCs—but not always.
That’s why it’s important not only to look at CPC when evaluating keywords but also other metrics like difficulty score and traffic potential as well.
As you can see, there’s more to analyze than just pure search volume when it comes to keywords. By taking all four of these factors into account, you can develop a more well-rounded picture of which keywords are worth targeting and which ones aren’t worth your time. Do your research and choose wisely—and you’ll be well on your way to driving more traffic (and more sales) from your SEO campaigns!
Tips for Choosing Keywords for Your Website
If you’re starting a new website (or revamping an old one), one of the most important things you can do is choose the right keywords.
The right keywords will help you attract the right audience, get more traffic to your site, and improve your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERP). But with so many factors to consider, it can be tough to know where to start.
Never fear! Here, let me walk you through everything you need to know about how to find and choose keywords for your website. By the end, you’ll be an expert at choosing keywords that will help you achieve your business goals.
Using the Right Tools
One of the most important things you can do when choosing keywords is to use the right tools. Google Keyword Planner is a great place to start.
This tool helps you cut down your keyword list by allowing you to enter seed keywords and get ideas for related terms. You can also use Keyword Planner to check monthly search volume (MSV) for different keywords, which we’ll talk more about later.
Here is a video that can show you some Google Keyword Planner tips and lessons that you may want to know first before using this tool.
Prioritizing Low-Hanging Fruits
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to prioritize. Start by looking for low-hanging fruit—that is, phrases with high chance for you to easily rank for. These are often referred to as “long-tail” keywords because they typically consist of three or more words. Long-tail keywords may not get as much traffic as more general terms, but they’re often easier to rank for and can be just as effective in driving leads and sales.
Checking Monthly Search Volume
Once you’ve identified some potential keywords, it’s time to check their MSV. This will give you a good idea of how popular a given keyword is and how much traffic it could potentially bring to your site. To do this, simply enter the keyword into Google Keyword Planner and check the “Avg. monthly searches” column.
Factor in SERP Features
In addition to monthly search volume, it’s also important to factor in SERP features when choosing keywords. These are elements that appear on a SERP above or below organic listings and can include things like image packs, paragraph snippets, list snippets, and video snippets. Including these features in your keyword strategy can help you attract more clicks and drive more traffic to your site.
How to Target Keywords
After you’ve analyzed your list of keywords, it’s time to start to plan on how to put them into your pages/website, typically known as keyword targeting. There are a few different ways to do this, but one way is to create separate pages on your website for each keyword (known as landing pages).
This allows you to optimize your website so that it ranks higher in search results for those particular keywords. Your branded keyword and seed keywords should also be targeted on your homepage.
Ideally, I recommend targeting one long-tail seed keyword PER PAGE but also having multiple related keywords (can be mixed short tail and long tail kws). You can do this through your blog posts.
For example, if you are using “Free Keyword Research Tools” as your seed long tail keyword, you can find related keywords to this keyword and create content around it.
If you are offering services, your short-tail keywords would be quite expected to be the title of your most important pages (service pages, archives., etc), for example, “Gardening Services”.
There are a few tried-and-true methods for targeting keywords that will help you reach your target audience.
1. Identify the Parent Topic
The first step in targeting keywords is to identify the parent topic. The parent topic is the main subject on which all of your content should be based.
Basically parent topic =. core/seed keyword.
For example, if you are a B2B software company, your parent topic could be “B2B software.” Once you’ve identified the parent topic, you can begin to brainstorm all of the different keyword variations that fall under that umbrella.
And yes if you’re writing an article you can there is still such a thing as additional keyword research other than your seed long-tail keywords.
2. Identify Search Intent
The next step is to identify search intent. Search intent refers to the reason why someone is searching for a particular term or phrase online.
Are they looking to make a purchase? Keywords used are “…near me”, “… price/pricing”, “…sale/promo”
Are they looking for information? Keywords can be part of questions (who/what/when/where/why)
Are they looking for something else entirely?
By understanding search intent, you can more effectively target keywords that will result in conversions. Search intent is the primary core of the content marketing pyramid.
So basically you need to group/identify keywords that aim to serve the information, those that could drive conversion, and those that needs lead nurturing.
3. Content Type/ Format
When it comes to keyword targeting, content type is also important. There are a variety of different content types that can be used to target keywords, including blog posts, infographics, eBooks, and more.
The best way to determine which content type will be most effective is to test and see what works best for your particular business and audience. For example, keywords that rank great on YouTube may not be the same for search engines. What may work on a social platform like TikTok may not work the same for Twitter.
Will your content be text-based? Audio? Video? Knowing the answer to this question will help you determine which keywords to target. For example, if you’re creating a text-based blog post, you’ll want to focus on long-tail keywords that people are likely to use when searching for blog posts online (e.g., “how to target keywords for b2b marketers”).
5. Content Angle
Finally, you’ll also want to consider content angle when targeting keywords. What unique perspective can you bring to the table? Why should people care about what you have to say? When you’re able to answer these questions, you’ll be in a better position to target keywords that will result in traffic and conversions.
By following these five steps—identifying the parent topic, identifying search intent, choosing the right content type, considering content format, and selecting the right content angle—you can effectively target keywords that will reach your target audience and help achieve your marketing goals.
If you’re unsure which keywords are the best ones for your business, you can ask your customers what they would type into Google if they were looking for your product or service. This will help you come up with a list of keywords that are relevant to your business and that people are actually searching for.
Keyword Research Tools
There are a few different tools that can help with your keyword research, including Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Google Trends. These tools can help you find new keyword ideas and track how popular those keywords are over time.
If you’re in the business of marketing, then you know that keyword research is a essential part of your job. After all, how can you target your audience if you don’t know what they’re searching for? That’s where keyword research tools come in. These tools allow you to see which keywords are being searched for most frequently, and they also provide insights into how difficult it would be to rank for those keywords.
To help you in your keyword research efforts, we’ve compiled a list of 8 great tools that every marketer should be using. Read on to see which ones cut!
1. Google Keyword Planner (Free)
2. Google Trends (Free)
3. Google Search Console (Free)
4. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (Free)
5. Keyword Surfer (Free)
6. Keywords Everywhere (Free)
7. Ahrefs Keyword Research Tool (Paid)
8. SemRush (Paid)
9. Moz (Paid)
As a marketer, keyword research should be an integral part of your job. Luckily, there are a wealth of great tools out there to help you with this important task.
If you want to check out how to use each of these tools for keyword research (free and paid) check out these other articles:
The Importance of Keyword Research
If you’re running a business, chances are you’ve heard of keyword research. But what is it, and why is it so important? In short, keyword research is the process of finding words and phrases that potential customers are using to search for products or services like yours. By understanding what keywords your target audience is using, you can more effectively reach them with your marketing efforts.
We’ll discuss four reasons why keyword research is important for your business. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Marketing Trend Insight
One of the main benefits of keyword research is that it gives you insight into customer trends and desires. By understanding what keywords your target audience is searching for, you can better gauge what they’re interested in and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
For example, if you see that a particular keyword is gaining popularity, you can create content around that topic to attract more traffic to your site.
2. Traffic Growth
In addition to helping you better understand customer desires, keyword research can also help you grow the traffic on your website. This is because when you use relevant keywords in your content, you make it more likely that people will find your site when they search for those terms.
And the more traffic you have on your website, the more opportunities you have to convert visitors into customers.
3. Customer Acquisition
Keyword research can also be helpful in acquiring new customers. This is because when you use relevant keywords, not only are you more likely to attract organic traffic from searchers, but you’re also more likely to show up in paid search results.
And being visible in both organic and paid search results makes it more likely that people will click through to your site and become customers.
4. Keywords vs. Topics
Finally, it’s important to understand the difference between keywords and topics when doing keyword research. Broadly speaking, a topic is a general subject area that includes a number of related keywords. For example, “SEO” would be considered a topic, while “keyword research” and “SEO tips” would be considered keywords within that topic.
When conducting keyword research, therefore, it’s important to focus on both broad topics and specific keywords within those topics.
As you can see from the four points discussed above, there are many reasons why keyword research is important for businesses. By understanding what keywords your target audience is using, you can more effectively reach them with your marketing efforts and grow your business as a result!
The Three Most Important Elements of Keyword Research
If you’re a marketer, then you know that keyword research is a integral part of your job. After all, without keywords, how would you know what terms to target in your content marketing efforts?
But not all keywords are created equal. In order to ensure that your content is seen by as many people as possible, you need to focus on keywords that are relevant, have high volume, and come from a credible source.
Relevance
The first element of keyword research that you need to consider is relevance. When choosing keywords, you need to make sure that they are relevant to the products or services that you offer. There’s no point in targeting keywords that no one is searching for.
Not only will this result in little to no traffic to your website, but it will also waste valuable time and resources.
Authority
In addition to being relevant, your keywords also need to come from a credible source. This means choosing keywords that come from websites with high domain authority. Domain authority is a measure of a website’s credibility and indicates how likely it is to rank high on search engines.
The higher the domain authority of a website, the more likely it is that its keywords will be given more weight by search engines.
Volume
The final element of keyword research that you need to take into account is volume. This refers to the number of searches that are being performed for a particular keyword each month. In order for your content to be seen by as many people as possible, you need to target keywords with high monthly search volume.
Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on valuable traffic.
Keyword research is an essential part of any content marketing strategy. In order for your content to be successful, you need to focus on choosing relevant, high-volume keywords from credible sources.
By doing so, you’ll be well on your way towards driving traffic and generating leads for your business.
The Importance of SERP Features when Selecting Keywords
When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), keywords are everything. The right keywords can mean the difference between ranking on the first page of Google search results or getting lost in the depths of the internet.
Here are some examples of SERP Featured Snippets that you may want to optimize for: 1. Image Packs 2. Paragraph Snippets 3. List Snippets 4. Video Snippets
But what many people don’t realize is that the algorithms used by search engines are constantly changing. That means that the keywords that were once effective may no longer be relevant.
As a result, it’s important to factor in SERP features when choosing keywords.
How To Optimize For Featured Snippets In Search
Let’s take a closer look at a few of these features and how they can impact your keyword selection.
1. Image Packs
Image packs refer to the images that appear at the top of Google search results for certain queries. These images are often pulled from sites like Pinterest and Instagram, and they can give your website a major boost in traffic if you’re able to get your images featured.
When selecting keywords, consider using terms that are likely to generate image pack results. For example, if you sell handmade jewelry, you might want to use keywords like “handmade jewelry” or “custom jewelry.”
While featured snippets are not guaranteed it’s best to optimize your images by adding alt texts to them that include keywords that you are targeting but make sure to make it sound natural. For the example, it’s likely that the images are tagged as Nike SB Blue or have alt text, or are has been in a content/post that has those keywords.
2. Paragraph Snippets
Paragraph snippets are short paragraphs of text that appear beneath the link for a website in Google search results. These paragraphs provide searchers with a brief overview of what they can expect to find on your website.
Being featured for a paragraph snippet is unpredictable, so best to make your content on point and make your paragraphs short (2-3 sentences only) but rich in information.
3. List Snippets
List snippets are very similar to paragraph snippets, except they’re typically list-based instead of paragraph-based. They usually appear for queries where searchers are looking for specific information, such as a list of symptoms or side effects. As with paragraph snippets, it’s important to use keywords sparingly so that your list snippet is both informative and keyword-rich.
They usually appear for queries where searchers are looking for specific information, such as a list of symptoms or side effects. There is no guaranteed method to get into a list snippet but the best way is to optimize your content by using headings (H2-H6) for important parts of your post
4. Video Snippets
Video snippets refer to the videos that appear at the top of Google search results for certain queries.
Like image packs, video snippets can give your website a major boost in traffic if you’re able to get your videos featured. When selecting keywords, consider using terms that are likely to generate video snippet results. For example, if you have a cooking channel on YouTube, you might want to use keywords like “cooking tips” or “easy recipes.”
By taking SERP features into account, you can ensure that your website is optimized for maximum visibility in Google search results.
So there you go! I hope my guide will help you on your keyword research journey!
In this comprehensive guide, we will not only break down the essential concepts of On-Page SEO but also provide real-world On Page SEO examples to help you understand how these strategies can be applied effectively.
If you’ve ever wondered why your website isn’t showing up on Google or why your competitors seem to be ranking higher than you, you’re not alone. The truth is, getting your website to rank well on search engines isn’t just about luck—it’s about strategy. And one of the most important strategies you can implement is On-Page SEO.
On-Page SEO refers to the set of techniques and practices that can be directly applied to your website’s pages to optimize their ranking potential in search engine results. Essentially, On-Page SEO is all about tweaking the content and the HTML source code of a page so that it is more easily understood and ranked by search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
To put it simply: if your website were a physical store, On-Page SEO would be like organizing your products, putting up clear signs, cleaning the store, and ensuring that visitors can easily navigate to find what they’re looking for. It’s an ongoing optimization effort to make sure your store (webpage) is seen by the right audience (search engine crawlers and visitors).
Why On-Page SEO Matters
Search Engines Love Structure: Search engines like Google rely on structured, well-organized content to understand what a webpage is about. By optimizing your page’s metadata, content, headers, and other elements, you make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website.
Better User Experience: When your website’s pages are well-optimized, users can easily navigate through your content, find what they’re looking for, and engage with your site longer. Google uses metrics like Time on Page and Bounce Rate as ranking factors—meaning good On-Page SEO can directly impact how long visitors stay on your site and whether they interact with it more.
Higher Rankings: The ultimate goal of On-Page SEO is to achieve better search engine rankings. Pages that are properly optimized tend to rank higher in search results, which means they will attract more organic traffic.
How Search Engines Rank Web Pages
Before jumping into the specifics of On-Page SEO, it’s essential to understand how search engines work. The process involves crawling, indexing, and ranking. When a search engine’s bot crawls a page, it looks at several elements like:
Keyword relevance: Does the page’s content match the searcher’s intent?
Page structure: Is the content well-organized and easy to read?
Meta information: Are title tags, descriptions, and headers optimized?
Why is On-Page SEO Important?
On-Page SEO plays a crucial role in improving your rankings because it directly influences both the visibility of your website in search engines and the quality of user experience. Without proper On-Page SEO, even the most technically advanced website might struggle to rank.
1. Influencing SERP Appearance
Search engine results pages (SERPs) contain several elements that affect how a page appears, including:
Title Tag: The title shown in the SERP (and browser tab). It’s often the first thing a user sees.
Meta Description: This provides a brief preview of your content and shows up below your title in search results. It influences whether users click on your page.
Rich Snippets: These are enhanced listings that show additional information, like reviews, pricing, or FAQ answers. They can improve click-through rates.
Optimizing these aspects of your web page will directly impact how users interact with your site in the SERP, encouraging more clicks and driving more traffic.
2. Impact on User Engagement
A key focus of On-Page SEO is optimizing the user experience. The longer visitors stay on your site, the higher your page ranks. On-Page SEO can make your content easier to consume by improving:
Content Clarity: Make sure your text is easy to read with short paragraphs and proper formatting.
Mobile Optimization: Over 50% of global website traffic comes from mobile devices. On-Page SEO makes sure your site is mobile-friendly, which is crucial for maintaining good rankings.
Site Navigation: Easy-to-follow navigation allows users to find more relevant content, reducing the likelihood they’ll bounce from your page.
3. Direct Ranking Factors
On-Page SEO is one of the primary ranking factors for search engines. While Google uses hundreds of ranking signals, a well-optimized page has a significantly better chance of ranking higher in organic search results. This is because On-Page SEO affects important signals such as:
Page Speed: A faster page means a better user experience, which can result in higher rankings.
Keyword Relevance: Proper keyword usage shows search engines that your page provides content aligned with what users are searching for.
Content Depth: Google favors pages that provide comprehensive, well-researched, and valuable content.
Key On-Page SEO Factors to Focus On
When it comes to optimizing your pages for On-Page SEO, there are many different factors to consider. Below, we’ll break down the most important elements you should focus on to ensure your pages are fully optimized and ready for better search rankings.
1. Keyword Usage
Keyword usage is one of the most important elements in On-Page SEO. Keywords are the foundation of how search engines understand what your page is about. Effective keyword optimization can make or break your ranking success.
Best Practices for Keyword Usage:
Title Tag: Include your primary keyword early in the title tag to signal its relevance. For example, if your page targets the keyword “best vegan recipes,” your title could be something like, “10 Best Vegan Recipes for Quick Weeknight Dinners.”
Meta Description: Write a compelling, keyword-rich description for your page. Keep it under 160 characters and ensure it accurately reflects the content of the page.
URL Slug: Your URL should be simple and descriptive, containing the main keyword. Example: example.com/best-vegan-recipes.
Headings (H1, H2, etc.): Your main heading (H1) should include the target keyword and help outline your page’s structure. You can also use related keywords in H2 and H3 subheadings.
Content: Aim for natural keyword integration. Avoid overstuffing keywords, which can lead to a negative user experience and potentially harm rankings. Tools like Yoast SEO (if you’re using WordPress) can help you check keyword density and avoid overuse.
2. Content Quality
High-quality content is the backbone of your On-Page SEO strategy. This content should answer users’ questions and address their intent while being comprehensive, engaging, and valuable.
Steps to Ensure High-Quality Content:
Research Your Audience: Understand what your target audience is searching for and create content that directly addresses their questions or problems.
Focus on Intent: Google aims to deliver the best results for each search query. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand user intent behind a search query and craft your content accordingly. For instance, a search for “how to tie a tie” would likely result in a tutorial or step-by-step guide.
Be Comprehensive but Concise: Cover the topic in-depth without overwhelming the reader. This can involve using bullet points, lists, and clear headings to break the content down into digestible sections.
Update Content Regularly: Keeping your content up-to-date improves its accuracy and relevance. For example, if you have a blog post on “best smartphones for 2020,” updating it to reflect the current year will improve its performance in search rankings.
3. Image Optimization
Images can play a major role in improving the visual appeal and user experience of your page, but they also need to be optimized for SEO.
Tips for Optimizing Images:
Alt Text: Describe your images using alt text, which should include the target keyword or a relevant variant. This helps search engines understand the context of the image.
File Size: Large images can slow down your page load time, negatively affecting rankings. Use tools like TinyPNG to compress images without losing quality.
File Name: Use descriptive file names that include your target keyword. For example, “vegan-chocolate-cake.jpg” is better than “IMG12345.jpg.”
4. Internal Linking
Internal links refer to hyperlinks that point from one page on your website to another. These links help users navigate your site and also help search engines understand the structure of your website.
Internal Linking Best Practices:
Link to Relevant Content: Only link to pages that are contextually relevant to the content the user is reading. This improves the user experience and helps search engines recognize your site’s structure.
Use Descriptive Anchor Text: When linking internally, use descriptive anchor text that gives users an idea of what they can expect when they click on the link.
Real-Life Example: How On Page SEO Examples Work in Practice
Let’s walk through a real-life case study of a website applying On-Page SEO principles to improve rankings.
A travel blog in the Philippines targeted the keyword “How to go to Balabac”, a remote destination that travelers were searching for. Here’s why they ranked well:
Mobile Optimization: Since many travelers would access the page from their phones while on the go, the page was fully optimized for mobile devices.an help you dominate search results for your target keywords.
Effective Keyword Usage: The keyword “How to go to Balabac” appeared in their title tag, meta description, URL, and throughout the content, signaling relevance to search engines.
High-Quality Content: The blog provided a detailed guide on how to reach Balabac, including transportation options, cost estimates, and travel tips. They also included a map and visuals of the area, improving user engagement.
Tools to Help with On-Page SEO
There’s no need to optimize On-Page SEO by guesswork. With the help of these popular tools, you can make sure your pages are set up for success:
Semrush’s SEO Content Template: This tool will analyze the top-ranking pages for your target keyword and provide content suggestions.
SEO Plugin: SEO plugins are user-friendly tools for WordPress that will help you optimize your pages with on-the-go recommendations for titles, descriptions, and readability. You can use Rankmath, Yoast, AIOSEO and other SEO plugins that is best compatible with your current, theme and plugins.
Ahrefs: A powerful SEO tool that offers site audits and On-Page SEO recommendations, ensuring that every page on your site is optimized.
Google Search Console: This tool allows you to track how well your pages are performing in search results and spot opportunities for improvement.
Tips for On-Page SEO Success
Here are some additional tips to help you get the most out of your On-Page SEO efforts:
Focus on User Experience: Your content should be valuable, easy to read, and helpful to your audience. If visitors enjoy your content, they’re more likely to stay on your site and share it with others.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Overusing keywords can make your content seem spammy and reduce its quality. Use keywords naturally and focus on creating great content.
Keep Updating: SEO isn’t a one-time task. Regularly update your content to keep it relevant and accurate. For example, if you wrote a blog post about “best smartphones in 2022,” update it for 2024.
Use Schema Markup: Schema markup is a type of structured data that helps search engines understand your content better. It can improve your chances of appearing in rich snippets, which can boost your click-through rates.
Implement these today.
On-Page SEO is the foundation of your website’s visibility in search engines. By using your target keywords effectively, creating high-quality content, and utilizing helpful SEO tools, you can significantly improve your rankings and attract more organic traffic.
Remember, the ultimate goal of On-Page SEO is to make your content useful and engaging for your visitors. When you focus on providing value, search engines will take notice, and your rankings will improve as a result.
So, what are you waiting for? Start optimizing your web pages today, and watch your website climb the search engine rankings. And if you ever need help along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out. Happy optimizing!
