How does Google evaluate the content of web pages? There is no official list of criteria. Google keeps its algorithm mostly secret and also changes it daily.
However, it is certain that websites on which certain SEO measures are implemented achieve high rankings in search results.
Whether it’s a blog post, company news or product news, the following tips will help you create texts that are loved by search engines and found useful by your visitors.
What does SEO mean?
The three letters stand for “Search Engine Optimization.” It is a set of measures aimed at getting a website as high as possible in search engine hit lists – ideally on the first page.
1. Human before Google
You do not write for search engines, but primarily for the reader. Google rewards websites that people like to read with high rankings. Dwell time plays an important role: the more time visitors spend on your website, the higher Google ranks its relevance with regard to a search term.
So write high-quality content that has a strong user value for your target group, arouses curiosity, is relevant, unique and – if possible – new and surprising. Think about what questions your readers might have and answer them.
2. Structure your text
You can achieve good readability with a well thought-out text structure: use a crisp headline, a preamble, subheadings and short paragraphs with a maximum of five sentences. Also write a conclusion and a call to action if it fits the content. The most important thing should be at the beginning.
Design tools that search engines look favorably on include fold-out text (accordions), info boxes, lists, and tables.
Avoid spelling mistakes and repetition. And as far as text length is concerned, write as long as necessary and as short as possible. There is no ideal text length!
3. Use keywords intelligently
Keywords that users frequently search for are very important. Choose one main keyword, which you place several times in the text, and five to six secondary keywords. If possible, include your keywords in the headline, in the preamble, at the beginning of the text, in subheadings and in a caption. However, do not overdo it, but use the keywords in a well-dosed way.
How do you find good keywords?
There are tools for this. If you are registered with Google Ads, use the Keyword Planner. Also use synonymous and related terms, which you can find as follows: Type your keyword into the Google search box, and a list of terms users search for in connection with your keyword will pop up (“Google Suggest”).
4. Use meta data
Title tag and meta description are not visible on your website, but they are important for Google ranking. Moreover, they appear as a preview on your website in Google search results, in the form of a title and a short content description. The title of your text should be 65 characters or less and contain your main keyword. The meta description is a summary that Google users will see below the title. It should not exceed 160 characters and also contain your keywords.
If you use WordPress as your CMS, you can use plugins for this:
5. Set internal and external links
This point is among the most important (my opinion)! Include links to other content on your website and to external websites. Formulate meaningful anchors or link texts with which you refer to the linked content. They should also contain your keyword. Refrain from using phrases such as “Learn more here”. This is the best way for the search engine to know what is behind the link.
6. Include multimedia content
Multimedia pages are rewarded by Google when it comes to ranking. So incorporate photos, infographics, videos or podcasts into your page.
Checklist: 10 checkpoints to achieve a good Google ranking
- Does your text offer high user value for your target group?
- Is the most important thing at the beginning?
- Does your text have a headline, preamble, short paragraphs, etc.?
- Are there design elements such as info boxes, lists, etc.?
- Are spelling and punctuation correct?
- Does your main keyword occur repeatedly?
- Do you use synonyms and secondary keywords?
- Is the title text concise and a maximum of 65 characters long?
- Is the meta description 160 characters or less?
- Do you have internal and external links set?