Our tour of the magical world of search engine optimization is nearing an end
Google’s “Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide” serves as a solid basis to polish your site step-by-step and thus get better rankings in Google search results (SERPs). Last week, we discussed that technical SEO is used to make a website more accessible so Google can crawl and index it more easily. Today, we are going to take a behind-the-scenes look at further SEO techniques.
Checking robots.txt
As you may remember, crawlers are little search engine robots that sift through internet content so they can add it to their own index. The robots.txt file is very important because this is the first thing that these crawlers spot, telling them which site folders, subpages, and files they are allowed to read. A thorough check of the robots.txt text file can instantly tell you if the crawlers are able to index everything necessary for a good ranking.
Optimizing a 404 Error Page
Next up is a page that doesn’t actually exist anymore. An Error 404 is only visible if the desired page has been deleted or an URL was typed incorrectly into the browser. To make sure a user can find what they want without a big headache, a 404 error page should have at least the following information: a reference to the availability of the site, recommendations of related pages, and simple instructions on how to return to the previous page or start page.
Inserting a Breadcrumb Navigation Menu
The so-called breadcrumb navigation sounds cute but is actually a very practical tool for online marketing. Around the year 2007, optimization experts were looking for an option to make orientation on a website easier for its visitors. The result was the breadcrumb menu – that compact linked menu on the upper or lower bar of a website. By using this, users can more easily get back to a previous page while at the same time maintaining an overview of the hierarchy of a domain. Breadcrumb navigation also tells search engines how a website is built – a positive ranking signal.
Inserting an SSL Certificate
A so-called SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer) ensures a secure internet connection and makes sure that sensitive information sent between a server and website is encrypted. Sensitive data could be passwords, usernames, or general personal data. An SSL certificate makes sure that important information does not land in the hands of third parties. This certificate is an absolute “must” in technical SEO since it signals that a site is trustworthy to crawlers as well as to visitors. Generally said, an “https” prefix in an URL guarantees a higher level of security than just seeing “http”.
Keeping an Eye on Mobile First
Fresh off the ranking requirements press is the term “Mobile First”. In March 2021, Google announced that websites need to be optimized so users can visit and use the site error-free on any mobile device from now on. An optimal website surfing experience is done by using a responsive design, recommends Google. This tool allows for an abridged and customized view of the content without forfeiting informational mass. The layout is customized according to the device being used, maintaining the same user-friendliness across all devices.
Lots of theory – but it’s worth it. Once you learn how to employ these SEO techniques, you have enough knowledge to expertly comb through a website and optimize it for crawlers and user-friendliness for the long haul.
And we know what that means: a good ranking. It is definitely worth working with an expert on your technical SEO to get it up to par.
To be continued…
