SEO Insights and Lessons Learned
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a key role in boosting website visibility and performance. By improving a site’s ranking on search engines like Google, SEO drives organic traffic and helps attract users. Through my research and experience working on my own website, I’ve learned several essential elements of SEO that can enhance site optimization.
Importance of the Title Tag
One of the most crucial aspects of SEO is the <title> tag. Search engines, particularly Google, rely on this tag to understand the content of a page. To improve rankings, the <title> should include relevant keywords that accurately describe the page's content. If the tag is missing, Google may pull this information from other parts of the page like image alt attributes.
Structured Data and Site Verification
During my work with Google Search Console, I encountered challenges while verifying my site. Initially, I submitted the wrong URL, which caused issues with verification. The incorrect URL was:
https://hills.ccsf.edu/~asahiner/cnit132/index.html
Instead of the correct base URL:
https://hills.ccsf.edu/~asahiner/
After fixing this, the process went smoothly, allowing me to focus on structured data, which is key for helping search engines better understand website content.
Enhancing Page Speed by Optimizing Images
Early on, I used large background images that slowed down my webpage. I learned that slow loading times harm user experience and search rankings. Google’s PageSpeed Insights offered suggestions to compress images and optimize my site’s structure. Managing images effectively is essential for improving site performance.
SEO Tools I’ve Used
Here are the SEO tools that I found invaluable during my learning process:
Google Discover and SEO
Another valuable lesson I learned is about Google Discover, which delivers personalized content to users. Optimizing for Discover doesn’t require special tags but demands high-quality content and images (at least 1200px wide). I learned that:
- Titles should be engaging and descriptive.
- High-quality images increase the chances of being featured in Discover.
- Content should be relevant to current trends.
Using RSS Feeds for Engagement
To increase engagement, I incorporated RSS feeds, allowing users to follow my site updates directly through their browsers. Here’s how I included an RSS feed in the HTML:
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" href="https://example.com/rssfeed">
Key Takeaways
- The
<title>tag is essential—always place it correctly. - Optimize images using formats like WebP and tools like Squoosh to reduce load times.
- Structured data helps search engines interpret content more effectively.
- Keep URLs correct when verifying with Google Search Console.