Improve page title tags, meta descriptions, and heading tags
Next step in the audit process is on-page elements; title tags, meta descriptions, and head tags. A title tag is what communicates to users and search engines the main subject of a particular page, and should be placed at the head of the page HTML. Each page of your site should have a unique title that expresses its main topic and accurately describes its content. Always aim for a title that is both communicative and smooth to read. The homepage title should briefly describe your business, concisely articulate your value proposition, and highlight important information. You can include a call to action if needed, and of course, insert some well-searched relevant keywords.
With description meta tags you have more space to summarize what the page is about, it can be a sentence or two that provide a description of the landing page it’s linked to. Like title tags, description meta tags should appear in the head section of your HTML document and should best represent the URL’s content. Avoid using identical or similar descriptions for all your website pages, instead, focus on creating unique ones for each page; at least for high priority pages like your homepage and other popular pages in your site.
As for heading tags, they are noticeably larger in size than other text to emphasize important parts. It should help users understand the content below it and create a logical structure for it that makes it easier to navigate. To use heading tags properly, think of it as an outline that consists of main points and sub-points. And it goes without saying, keep away from stuffing unneeded keywords in your title tags, descriptions, and headings. Just keep your title tags informative and straightforward, your meta descriptions neat and descriptive, and your headings structured!
Content Optimization and User Signals
Website content is a major contributing factor when it comes to both user experience and ranking. Increasing organic traffic and establishing your website’s reputation with both users and Google, is strongly linked to the quality of your content. User signals like dwell time, bounce rate, and CTR (click-through rate) are influenced by content quality. When sent to search engine bots, these user signals can critically affect your position in SERPs. So, if you don’t already have a content strategy in place, consider these points when creating one:
- Cater your content to users’ needs. The goal is to know what your readers search for and provide it to them. This could be done with the help of your Keyword Research data or simply through using Google’s Keyword Planner to look for relevant topics and keyword ideas and create authentic, informative, and relevant content around them. In fact, you can focus your optimization efforts on the top search queries your site appears for using Search Console’s Performance Report tool. It shows you top search queries and the ones that drove the most traffic to your site.
- Provide an adequate amount of content. When creating content, you need to consider both quality and quantity. There’s no ideal length to which you need to conform; which takes us to the first point again, what are your users’ needs? Generally, the longer the content is, the more room you have to back it up with substance, evidence, and facts. That being said, make sure you avoid being redundant for the sake of publishing lengthy articles or blogs.
- Ensure proper keyword density and usage. This can’t be said enough: refrain from keyword stuffing. Use keywords naturally and logically, for example, use semantically related keywords instead of using the same terms over and over again. And avoid using unnecessary keywords aimed at Googlebot, that makes no sense to users.
