Make pages findable in searches with SEO

Web editors working on content need to understand the added value SEO can bring to their work. By following the set of recommendations below, webpages are more likely to make an impact by having a stronger prominence on online search engines. This applies to both internal searches (at aalto.fi) and external searches (google, yahoo!, etc.).

Tips and instructions on SEO

Know your target audience(s)

• Consider your audience(s) and what type of content your potential readers are looking for.

Write to your audience(s)

• Focus on writing in an engaging way to your audience(s).
• It is important to include your keywords within your text but the keywords should be used in a reasonable way so that the readability of your text does not suffer.

Write engaging main title

• The title is the first thing users see and, therefore, attractive titles will increase the click rate.
• The title of your webpage contains the title tag, something really important for online search engines to rank your page.
• This is where you should use your primary keyword(s) when possible.

Avoid duplicate content (esp. in Services)

• Make sure that your content is mostly original. Only borrow text from other pages when it is absolutely necessary.

Include keywords as part of text

• Include keywords as a natural part of your content.
• The SEO work is usually linked to keywords.
• Keywords should also be put to the summary and lead text fields, and to any subheadings your page has as these have a weight in SEO.

Choose a set of short-tail and long-tail keywords

• While short-tail keywords (one to three words is the normal amount of keywords used in searches) generate most of the search volume, long-tail keywords (a whole sentence, for instance) can also be very effective.

Good keywords? – avoid too generic and technical keywords

• Think about the keywords your audience(s) might use when searching for your content online.
• A word with a high search volume will probably not give you any added value.
• The same applies to rather technical words that are not likely to be typed in on web searches.
• Try to go for the middle ground and choose keywords that are not over utilised but that can potentially be used in searches by your audience.

Include links to relevant content

• Webpages with relevant content are usually highly linked from other websites.
• Online search engines will positively value both webpages with relevant links, and webpages that are linked from other websites. The latter is also a proven driver of (referral) traffic.

ALT text with images and graphs – a must for accessibility

• Write accurate and descriptive alt texts for images and graphs.
• The alt text description displayed on the screen when the image is not loaded, and it will also be read aloud by screeb readers that e.g. visually impaired people use to access content.
• Its importance is accessibility for visually impaired people
• Online search engines do not recognise graphics so it is imperative that the alt texts are accurate and descriptive, and contain suitable keywords.

Couple more pointers to remember

Don't write too much, don't write too little. While in the past it was thought that webpages should have at least 250 words, nowadays content SEO focuses on avoiding thin content and overloaded pages.

By following the above recommendations, not only will readers be pleased, but also other websites will be more likely to link to your content, increasing the traffic volume and eventually improving the webpage presence in online searches.