Newsletter Series

Part 2: Optimizing Your Content With On-Page SEO

In this issue of the newsletter you'll learn about optimizing your website content to help boost your search engine rankings and get more visitors.

This is what is known as on-page SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

We cover:

• How to use title and image 'alt' tags.
• Why writing a good meta description is important.
• How you should be optimizing your written content for SEO.
• Why internal linking is important.
• Why you should keep your content fresh and updated.

A few simple changes to your website can sometimes result in better rankings (almost overnight). Especially for lower-competition keywords. With correct on-page SEO, a little bit of effort can go a long way.

But first, make sure to set up Traffic Travis so you can keep track of your sites progress. Adding your site to the Traffic Travis Dashboard is easy. Use the 'Create new project' setting from the Active Project drop box on the top right corner of the screen.

Then simply add the details of your website like in the example below.

Remember to import the pages from your website to the 'My Site' portion of Traffic Travis as well, so you can check which pages are indexed, and if there are any SEO warnings. Use the 'Import Pages' function to do this. Or you can import an XML sitemap into Traffic Travis and have all your pages added automatically.

Ok, so let's get into optimizing your content (on-page SEO).

1. Title tags

You should be using your main keyword in the title tags of your web pages. You can also include your brand name to help boost your profile.

Title tags can be edited through the HTML editor of your web design software or blogging platform.

Be careful not to make your title tag longer than 70 characters, or it will be cut off in browser windows.

Here is an example of a title tag written in HTML

In this example you can see that 'Dog Training Secrets' is the brand name of the website, and 'how to train your dog' is the primary keyword being targeted.

2. Meta descriptions

The Meta description is a short block of text that is often displayed in search engine results underneath the title of the page. While a good Meta description isn't going to magically send your page to number one, it will help increase your click-through rate by letting visitors know what your site is all about. This increased click-through can then have a secondary effect on your rankings.

The image above shows what a Meta description looks like in a Google search.

Your Meta description should contain the main keywords you are targeting, yet also be written in such a way that it compels the reader to visit your site. Around 155 characters is the best length for a good Meta description.

3. Tweaking your written content

Most web pages are made up of written content along with pictures, and video. Putting this content together the right way can help seriously boost your search engine rankings.

There are a few things to consider:

First, make sure you are using the keywords you want to target in your content. You can also use variations on the same keywords to create a more natural feel and help the flow of your writing. Use Traffic Travis to help you find keyword ideas that slot nicely into your page. Here is an example of this in action:

Lets say you are writing an article about 'dog training collars' - using the Traffic Travis keyword tool you can uncover related keywords (like 'remote dog training collar') that you can add to your article.

Also, avoid stuffing your page with keywords to try and boost its ranking (this will actually be bad for your site) - a good rule of thumb is to make sure it reads naturally.

Second, you want to mention your keyword in the h1 heading tag of your page. This will indicate to the search engines that the keyword you are targeting is important to the page.

It can also pay to try and bold, italicize or underline your main keyword once or twice on your page. Don't go overboard with this, however. If you do, your content will take on a 'spammy' look and will trigger red flags from the search engines.

4. Using 'alt' tags for your images

It is important to add good 'alt' tags to your images. Rather than trying to stuff your image alt tags with a whole list of keywords to boost your search engine rankings (this is an old trick that no longer works) you should be adding tags that are relevant to the image.

Create an alt tag that first describes the image accurately, and try to include a keyword or two if it looks natural and relevant.

For example if you have an image of a dog training eBook don't make the alt tag something like 'dog training eBook, dog training manual, dog training guide'. Instead, create a relevant and descriptive alt tag like 'my dog training eBook cover'.

Here is what an alt tag should look like:

Remember that search engines cannot actually see the images you put online, they can only read your descriptions of them (the alt tags). Therefore, it pays to make your 'alt' tags accurate and descriptive.

For a more detailed guide to using alt tags for your images, read the Alt Attributes page on About.com.

5. Keeping your content fresh

Search engines love fresh and new content, so a key component of optimizing your site is to update it regularly. You can create new pages or blog posts, as well as updating your existing pages to reflect changes.

A good rule to apply here is to write for your readers first, and search engines second. Create articles, pages, and posts that people will want to read. Then tweak them based on the strategies mentioned above and you will reap the rewards.

Content is king on the Internet, especially after recent updates to Google that have placed even more emphasis on rewarding quality content. For an in-depth analysis of this subject read Joe Brockmeier's guide to the importance of content for SEO.

6. Creating links within your site

Creating anchor text links within your website to and from relevant pages is another useful on page SEO method. A good internal linking structure will help get your pages indexed in the search engines.

Because you have complete control over the anchor text used, make sure to use descriptive keywords for your internal links that also match the keywords you are trying to rank for.

Using internal links within your site will also help to reduce your bounce rate (meaning visitors stay on your site for longer and don't exit your website on the page they entered). A low bounce rate will help boost your search engine rankings.

7. Checking your on page SEO

You can also use Traffic Travis to analyze your on page SEO and check for 'Page Warnings' where your website might not be properly optimized.

The easiest way to do this is to use the My Site tool (where you imported your pages before) and look out for 'Page Warnings'. Click on the 'Page Warnings' number to see a comprehensive list of what on-page SEO you are doing well, and what things you need to improve.

Here is an example:

Pay close attention to the warnings, and then fix as many of them as you can.

Optimizing your pages for your target keywords using the techniques you have learned today will help you blow past competitors who haven't taken the time to set up their sites as well as you have.

To recap, today we have covered:

• How to use title tags.
• How to increase click-through using meta-desciptions.
• How to optimize your written content for your chosen.
• The importance of proper 'alt' tags for images.
• Why you should keep your sites content fresh.
• Why you should build a good internal link structure for your site.

In the next newsletter we'll take a look at off-page SEO factors. In the meantime, check over your site and see if you can improve its on page SEO using the tips above.

Wishing you every success, 'til next time,
Traffic Travis