What makes a website googlable ?
Would you like a little (free) help to increase the chances that search engines present your site in the search results ?
After more than 20 years creating websites I believe it is time to get back to basics and list what really makes a website Googlagle.
Here is a simple method to build a new website or revise an existing one.
" If my site is registered on Google, my clients will find me."
Here is a "real life" approach to Search Engine Optimization.
This method was initially created exclusively for the users of SimDif, the website builder app. If this web creation app is built around these principle, you van also try to apply this advice to any other websites builder.
If you know how to take care of your visitors, Google will take care of your site:
=> Understand you are not the user of your site
=> List the questions your readers will have in mind when they arrive to your site
=> Organise your answers properly (one page per topic)
=> Choose your titles well, site, page, blocks they have specific qualities.
=> Imagine your visitor going from one page of your site to the next
=> Only then create your home page, to let them jump as soon as possible to the page that will answer the reason they came to your site
=> Complete your meta tags, for Google, facebook and twitter ...
=> Finally, get a few links from quality websites on subjects related to your activity.
A step by step SEO approach you'll be glad to have followed:
1 • List the top 5 questions your clients & visitors will type when asking Google for what you offer - ( beside your own name or brand )
In their own words. Literally. You will see how important it is later. Interview your future readers, quietly listen to your clients. Take notes. On paper even, why not? ;-)
2 • List the top 5 questions you think your readers will have in mind when arriving at your site.
Again, in their words, not yours. Identify the terms and expressions THEY use. HINT, these expressions / questions are often not the same as in #1 above.
3 • Next, create one page to answer each question. "About us", "how to find us", "Contact us", "About this", "about that"...
- You want your reader to correctly guess what he will find in a page, just by reading the name in the menu.
- If you can't fit the idea of your page's content in the menu tab's name, you may need 2 pages.
4 • What else can you do with your users' questions? Make them your Titles !
• Use the most likely Google query (cƒ #1) for the Title of the page which answers that very question... for example : "French Bakery in New York", "24 hour plumber in TownCity", "cleaning services in OurVillage"; Note that :
- “home", “welcome", "a phone number", are not relevant titles, especially for your home page.
- These questions often include the name of a place.
• Use the typical questions from your users (cƒ #2) to title short chapters in these pages. “bakery opening hours”, “cost of fixing a leak in TownCity”, “Cleaning service on weekends”, ...
5 • Create links in the text of each page to direct your visitors to relevant pages.
You want your reader to be able to navigate from one page to another without having to use the menu. It is especially important for people visiting your site on a mobile device.
6 • Make your "Home page" last.
This may sound like an odd detail, but it is the key to avoiding many problems and to better understanding the role of your website.
A good home page says just enough to persuade your readers to visit the pages of their choice.
- Briefly present your business or activity using your reader’s point of view and vocabulary. They will be looking for words or phrases to click on.
- Then, illustrate your text with a picture. (Not the other way around.)
- Create links in your text to your most important pages. Place the links on the right keyword.
Here is a site and a video to help you with that :
https://write-for-the-web.simdif.com/a_good_home_page.html
7 • Time for the first check list : It's about things you just did, about your content and its organization, and about what you will do after your site is published:
https://help.simdif.com/my_site_and_search_engines_1.html
8 • The second check list is about how your site appears in search engines:
It is a bit more technical, but still easy to do. You've probably heard about metadata and meta tags, here is how to complete them in the right way.
https://help.simdif.com/my_site_and_search_engines_2.html
9 • Some help on creating backlinks
Backlinks are links from other quality sites to yours. Remember : " 90% of your effort should go into creating great content, and 10% into link building "
Even for a simple presentation website, a few links form other sites which have content related to your activity and/or your location are important, but don't get crazy about this.
You will find 3 useful links about backlinks on this page
10 • Check how effective your site is:
Learn how to test your site's appearance on search engines in the right way, and improve your site further : https://promote.simdif.com/check_google.html
••• If you have a question,
