Search engine optimization - these are the rules you should follow

Since Google refers more than 50 percent of visitors to a website via the search results, it is worth taking the rules seriously.

Users want answers to questions

The aim of search engines is to provide visitors with the best possible answer. Pages that fulfill this requirement occupy the top positions in the search results. Google & Co. currently take the following criteria into account when awarding the top positions:

Quality of the content

Content is king! The text of the website must respond to the visitor's needs and present a (unique) solution for their requirements. Marketing platitudes are not relevant for Google. Detailed texts that are illustrated with photos, videos and graphics are more likely to make it to the top of the search results.

Loading time of the page

If a page does not appear on the screen five seconds after clicking on a search result, the visitor clicks on another result, which Google registers. If the loading times are continuously too long, a penalty in the ranking is certain. Information on loading times and optimization suggestions can be found in Google Analytics.

Internal linking

Everyone is happy to receive tips. Internal links in the text to other pages are tips that point the visitor to further information. Internal links should be used selectively, too many are counterproductive.

Bounce rate

If the visitor returns to Google after clicking on a search result, this is an indication that they have not found the expected information. The bounce is registered by Google and can lead to a penalty.

Click-Through-Rate (CTR)

Google checks the CTR of the results in the search results using empirical values. The number one result receives an average of 31 percent of clicks, while the number five result receives 5 percent. If a number one result achieves a CTR of 20 percent, this is a sign that the search result is not appealing to visitors and it is downgraded. If the number five generates a CTR of 15 percent, it is upgraded.

Visiting time

Google Analytics software is installed on almost all websites. Google uses it to measure how long a visitor stays on the site after a search query. A short search time is an indication that the visitor is not satisfied with the information content of the site.

Social Signals

Google pays attention to clicks on likes and share buttons, but they have no major influence on the positions in the search results.

Backlinks

If a website receives a link from another, this is a sign of appreciation. The more links a page receives, the more important it is. However, not from just any websites, but from those that already have authority. This article does not claim to be exhaustive, it merely documents the basic rules of search engine optimization. Each website must be considered individually.

Imre Sinka