What is search engine ranking?

Google is the biggest search engine so it's important to aim for a high Google page ranking

Search engine ranking is the value that the big search engines, Google, Yahoo and Bing, ascribe to a website.

Search engines constantly index websites on the Internet so that when someone types in a search term, the search engine can find the most appropriate websites and put them on page one of the search list or SERP (search engine results page).

What do search engines look for when ranking your website?

There are two primary elements to indexing pages:

1. content on your website
2. who is linking to your site.

Indexing content on your website

Search engine ‘bots‘ are constantly trawling the Internet (and your website) looking for relevant information for any search term. The bots look at topics on your website and read the back-end code for title tags, description tags and other clues as to what each webpage on your website is about.

It might be considered a cliche, but content is king when it comes to search engine ranking

This means how you write your content and how you write your metatags to match that content is vital. Each webpage should have its own topic and focus with some keywords that give ‘bots’ the clue to what the page is about.

Be specific and write for a human audience. If you write only to improve SEO (search engine optimization), chances are you will overshoot the optimum keyword density.

Adding content regularly is also important – at least one webpage a week. Having a blog or news section on your website enables you to write one story or webpage about a particular topic relevant to your business, products or services.

Make sure each article has a clear topic and stay focused on that topic. There are no easy shortcuts to improving your ranking. Good content that is clear, concise and stays on topic is a sure winner.

Read more about how to write content for your website.

Who is linking to your website?

Inbound links are a clear indicator to the search engine ‘bots’ of the authority of your website in a particular field. It is not just the number of inbound links, it’s the significance of the website that is linking to you.

Build the number of websites linking to your website to improve your search engine ranking

Another issue is the anchor text used on the other website. Do not link your URL, your website name. Rather, use some relevant keywords that are the anchor for the link.

‘Web Development Sydney’ is excellent anchor text if this is what you do and where your office is. Create the link to a particular webpage on your website that is about web development rather than to your homepage.

Note: internal links on your webpages to other webpages on your website should also link from relevant anchor text. This shows search engines that the page you are linking to is about the keyword or phrase you used as your anchor text.

At Bold Type, we help business people to understand how to optimize their websites, how to write appropriate content, build inbound links and network with social media.

Our aim is to empower people so that they can improve their Google ranking, get more targetted web visitors and build their businesses.

Check your inbound web links free @ W3C, the web standards organisation.

How is your website ranking?

Here’s a simple test. Search for the keywords that best describes your business. Type in the geographic location if this is relevant. Is your website showing on page one of Google? You can get there and Bold Type can help you.

Contact Bold Type today for a free evaluation of your website.

Before you start writing for the web

Searching keywords using the Google Keyword Tool

Go to Google Keyword Tool and search different keywords that relate to the information on the webpage you are writing. For this article, I searched:

• keyword content
• SEO relevant
• SEO web content

From this I found that SEO Tips ranks highly as does web content. Keep in mind that it is best to try to be as specific as possible so I finally settled on:

1. SEO Tips for Web Content Writers

This heading should rank more highly on Google and attract more readers – that’s the plan, anyhow.

Keyword Focused Content

Make sure to add variations to the keywords for this webpage in headings and body text

Each webpage should have its own list of keywords that you are targeting: don’t get distracted; keep to the point and keyword focused for that webpage.

Keywords in Headings

Make use of headings: H1 and H2 are the main ones to focus on even though many websites drill down to H5 or H6. Use keywords that you have identified as relevant in each of your headings. The title tag (see below) should have the primary keywords and H1 and H2s variations of the keywords.

Title Tag

The title tag is the main heading of the webpage that often goes unrecognised by web visitors but is vital for SEO ranking.

Use your best keywords for the Title Tag of your webpage

Use your best keywords here. Some websites also allow you to add a descriptive tag text. WordPress, for example, has an SEO All In One plugin for this which is brilliant.

What you write in the descriptive tag appears on the Google search

The Descriptive Text Tag is what appears on the search under the main heading so it’s important to include keywords from the webpage here in a natural flow (no more than 160 characters).

Bold Keywords

Make keywords bold using the B in WYSIWYG in the body of the text. Bold or ‘strong’ text in the body of the webpage content is a good idea. Best to use bold text at the top of the page to maximise SEO benefits.

Body Text with SEO Keywords

Use variations of your keywords in the body of your text but make sure that it reads naturally. Don’t overdo this. For example, SEO Tips can be used as tips for SEO, tips for search engine optimisation (English spelling) or search engine optimization (US spelling).

Variations of the keywords creates a more natural flow and is still beneficial as Google now recognises the relationships between different words.

Linking Keyword Text

When linking text on your webpage, try to link meaningful keywords. For example, it’s best to link Read More SEO Tips and link to another page on your website rather than ‘Click Here’ which means nothing to search engine robots.

For external links, again use the term such as Google Keywords Tool as a link rather than words such as ‘Click Here’.

Image ALT text

Adding ALT text on your images is very important for SEO

When using images on your webpage, make sure that you add ALT text which is the text that is ‘readable’ by blind people. Google wants us to develop websites that are inclusive of all people. ALT text is not only the right thing to do, Google sees it as the right thing to do.

Read more about this in the web glossary under ALT text and W3C guidelines.

Relevant, meaningful content

Write content that your prospective web visitors want to read.

'How to' webpages, news and blog articles are a great way to engage web savvy readers

It might be a ‘how to’ webpage or article that is relevant to your area. ‘How to use Google Keyword Tool’ would be an example of a web article that has relevance to my web visitors.

Newsworthy stories or webpages are excellent for going viral and getting links back to your webpage. With a Facebook Like icon on your webpage, you’ll have a better chance of achieving viral-ity!

Research information and write about it. If you are a sportswear supplier, information on the superior fabrics you use and how they will perform for your customers is valuable information that some people rely on before making a decision.

By giving factual information, you are also showing that you know your product.

Giving information in this way subscribes to what a good website does: help, help, sell. You need the help, help online to get to the sell.

Adding humour into your web writing

Have a bit of fun. Use some humour. It doesn’t work for all businesses but a little humour goes a long way to keeping the reader’s attention.

Edit and Proofread Your Writing

Before posting your writing to your website, make sure you edit and proofread your text

Before you post your web content page or article, edit your writing to make sure it has a natural flow and reads well. Too many keywords that you keep repeating is boring and will turn people off. Proofread your work or get someone else to proofread it for you. Editing and proofreading can make a world of difference.

Looking after the finer details gives you more credibility. There is nothing worse than spelling errors that disrupt a reader’s attention.

A pet hate – use the apostrophe properly

Even some of the biggest companies in the world use the apostrophe on FAQs so that it is FAQ’s – this apostrophe is wrong! Apostrophe is only used when something belongs to something else. Susie’s red dress but never for a noun such as FAQs which is simply the plural of FAQ. Read more about this unforgivable grammatical error on my Bold Type Blog.

Get into social media

Add Facebook and other social media codes to your webpages to make it easy for people to share your content with others.

Clear writing is essential for webpage content

Writing content on a webpage? Check your text against these 12 tips.

1. Content needs to be clear, concise and easy to read – that’s it.
2. Headings and sub-headings need to be clear and mean something – avoid puns and other attempts at humour and forget clever – just make sure that headings explain the text that follows.
3. More important information should be at the top of the page.
4. Use simple sentence structures. More full stops rather than lots of connective words in any sentence. That’s it. You’ve got it.
5. Paragraphs should also be concise – try to limit to 50 words.
6. As with any good writing – one paragraph, one concept.
7. Think about the fold line on a webpage. Keeping content above the fold line avoids having to scroll down, down, down.
8. Bullet point lists should be used – short, concise, easy to read (see no. 2)
9. Include keywords and phrases and keep the content on the page focused on the main topic (don’t introduce five different topics on the one page unless it’s a landing page linking to other pages).
10. Here’s another thing: add links to other webpages that relate to the same subject matter.
11. Direct the language to the user. Write about features and benefits to the audience. Avoid brag-speak but keep it conversational.
12. Add an image or two to break up text into easy to find ‘chunks’.

More articles about creating websites

Make your website work for you

Writing news for the web

Conversely, if sentences and paragraphs are written in short, staccato-like sentences with no words that connect the sentences, reading is very difficult. Likewise, long-winded rambling sentences without a variety of connecting words are very difficult to read. In fact, well constructed sentences and paragraphs  show the reader the connections between ideas and from one sentence to the next.

Examples of connecting words for a variety of writing styles

To add on to a statement or viewpoint

equally important, finally, further, furthermore, what is more, moreover, as well as, in addition, to expand, firstly (secondly, thirdly and so forth), not only this … but also (note you must include ‘also’ after but), in fact, another way to, besides, in general, more specifically, no matter what

To show similarity

similarly, likewise, in a similar manner, like, in the same way, such as, at any rate, also, even so, in other words, in general, more specifically, at the same time, in addition to, for the same reason

To contrast

however, nevertheless, rather, whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, on the contrary, by comparison, compared to, although, conversely, but, meanwhile, in contrast, after all, otherwise, alternatively, nonetheless, notwithstanding, regardless, in any case, even, yet, despite this

To express an alternative

or, either . . . or, whether . . . or, conversely, this can be relevant in at least two, first … second, or firstly … secondly (using ‘ly’ is grammatically correct)

To make a concession

granted, naturally, of course

To place statement in a particular context

in this connection, from this perspective, from this viewpoint, this point of view, in this school of thought, from this standpoint, from this standpoint, so conceptually one could argue

To place a statement in a timely fashion

previously, before this, to begin with, at first, ultimately, later, then, since then, since, after that, soon, next, gradually, while, meanwhile, furthermore, sometimes, eventually, finally, lastly, summing up, in summation, in conclusion, [there are three reasons for this] firstly, secondly, thirdly, soon, sometimes, when, now, once,

To show cause and effect

as a result, consequently, as a consequence, hence, due to, in view of, on account of, accordingly, for this reason, therefore, following on from this, thus, hence, moreover, that is why

To prove a point

because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, indeed, in fact, in any case, that is, demonstrably, in all likelihood, in all probability, no doubt, seemingly, therefore, in that, owing to, on account of, considering, be reason of, hence, consequently, in view of, insofar as, increasingly, more importantly, even though, particularly, above all, especially since, in any case, by far, even if

To give an example of an earlier point of view

for example, for instance, in this case, to illustrate, as an illustration, to take another example, namely, that is, as shown by, as illustrated by, as expressed by

To repeat, insist on or refer back to an earlier point

as previously mentioned, as I have said, in brief, as I have noted, as has been noted

To emphasise when adding a conditional statement

indeed, obviously, patently, apparently, accordingly, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, understandably, in accordance with, according to, otherwise, as far as

To conclude a paragraph or an essay

thus, lastly, in brief, in short, on the whole, to sum up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, in summary, to summarise, in conclusion, ultimately

Read my blog entry on working with a Masters’ student to help develop writing skills.