Categories
Create A Better Website

SEO tips and tricks

Does Google index your website?

If your pages aren’t indexed by Google, you can’t be seen there either – it’s that simple. My first tip is therefore basic technical SEO, making sure that the content you want to rank for is indexed by the search engine.

The easiest way to check this is via the Google Search Console tool, where you can see how many of your pages are indexed and how many are not.

All the pages you want to drive traffic to via the search engine must be indexed (“Valid” in the Search Console view). Alternatively, you can do it manually on Google through a search like this: “site:seo-tips.se” (with your domain).

Do you have a XML sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a way to make it clear for the search engines which pages you have on your website. In the sitemap, you can specify which pages should be indexed (i.e. visible on Google) and which should not.

You can get by without too, especially if you have an effective internal linking strategy, but the sitemap is recommended regardless, especially if you have a large and complex site.

I usually recommend XML-Sitemap where you easily can build sitemaps automatically.

Example of sitemap

Do you have HTTPS?

If you still have http:// in your URLs, it’s time to migrate to HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).

Already in 2017, some browsers (e.g. Chrome) started marking pages that lacked HTTPS as insecure pages. In practice, this means that the URL field says “Not secure”.

By fixing this on your domain, you can improve the bounce rate and get more value from the organic traffic you already generate, which can indirectly also affect your rankings.

Not secure website, no https

Contact us, policy pages and about us

As seen above, credibility is an increasingly important factor affecting your rankings. As SEO guru Brian Dean points out, there are several signals Google considers to determine a website’s credibility, including:

  • Links to your policy pages (terms & conditions etc.)
  • “About us page” is easily accessible
  • Contact information
  • References / sources in certain types of posts

Therefore, make sure you have these easily accessible, for example in the footer.

Local SEO

Search engine optimization within specific geographic areas (Local SEO) is an important part of the process if you run a local business.

This includes maintaining and optimizing:

  • Google My Business profile to appear on Search and Google Maps with your business name.
  • Customer reviews and good ratings.
Google My Business

Unique SEO title with keyword

SEO title (title-tag) is the title that appears for every search result on Google and can be decisive if you end up, or stay, on the first page of the SERP (Search Engine Ranking Page).

  • It should always include the landing page’s primary keywords.
  • It should be captivating and make visitors click on your particular search result.

Keywords in (h1, h2, h3)

Headings also have an important place among my search engine optimization tips. The most important heading on your landing pages is the main H1 heading. Namely, it is one of the primary elements that search engines use to determine what your content is about.

Therefore, check that you have the keyword in your H1s on all landing pages and that you only have one main heading on each page to avoid duplicates. In the other headings (h2, h3, etc.) you can use related keywords more freely.

A tip for search-optimizing headlines is to use long-tail keywords when relevant. It is thus longer phrases that have searches and include the keyword. Another good tip is to compare your keywords to your competitors. I would recommend Wordstream.

Wordstream Landing Page
Categories
Create A Better Website

Have a better website design!

What do you think characterizes a good website? The answer to the question will vary a lot depending on who is answering. Some will highlight design, such as font and color. Others focus on the structure and navigation, i.e. the page’s user-friendliness, also called UX and UI design. And a third will say high-quality images. Many believe that stylish design is timeless. Ultimately, it simply depends on who you ask.

If you rewind the tape 10-15 years, things looked different. The answers to what a good-looking website is were probably just as varied back then, but in those days it was quite a long way when the website worked. If you had a good design and nice pictures, it was a big plus. Most had no website at all. But today, the demands and competition are significantly higher. Users want more than a pretty design.

A good-looking website is for many a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing website. A design that can convey the company’s brand and vision well is a must today. Beautiful, aesthetic design that conveys the brand is of course very important, but for us at thernloven, a nice website is more than that.

The visit to the website must be simple, pleasant, clear and enjoyable. Just as a well-designed office or home is both functional and easy for most visitors to experience as a beautiful environment, your business website is just as important. And there are a lot of general guidelines to rely on. It is always the whole, form and function that make good design great design.

Three important things that is needed on your website.

  • Purpose: Your website needs to accommodate the needs of the user. Having a simple clear intention on all pages will help the user interact with what you have to offer.
  • Simplicity: Simplicity is the best way to go when considering the user experience and the usability of your website. This includes color psychology, font-type and images.
  • Navigation: Website navigation is key to retaining visitors. If the website navigation is confusing visitors will give up and find what they need elsewhere. Keeping navigation simple, intuitive and consistent on every page is key.

An important reason to invest in a nice website is the contact it creates with customers. The first visual impression is of great importance, but it is also very important that the website loads quickly.

According to statistics, the bounce rate, i.e. how many people leave the page without clicking further within your website, is if the loading time on the page is 2 seconds. But if the loading time increases and becomes 7 seconds long, the rejection rate becomes a whopping 32.3%! A huge increase! So make sure you review the technical aspects of your website.

Today, most of us experience something called “micro stress” when pages load more slowly than we are used to. When you have managed to get a visitor to your site, it is extremely important that the customer gets the chance to get to know your company and your services so that those who feel that your company would suit them perfectly, do not miss the chance to become your new customer .

If you work with digital marketing, a nice website will also come in handy for the site’s search engine optimization, or “SEO”. A website that looks beautiful but lacks relevant information regarding its products/services will get a lower “ranking” on Google. That is, the page will probably not appear among the first companies, but end up on a later page in people’s searches, which in turn affects results and the number of conversions from the website. But more on that in next weeks Newsletter… 🙂