SEO Best Practices: 10 Ways to Boost Organic Rankings & Traffic

What Are SEO Best Practices?

SEO champion practices are tried-and-tested strategies for improving a website aliases brand’s visibility successful hunt motor results pages. Without paying for ads.

Following these champion practices tin thief you amended marque awareness. And get much integrated postulation (unpaid clicks) from hunt engines for illustration Google.

10 SEO Best Practices to Follow

Here are nan 10 astir important SEO champion practices you request to know:

1. Align Your Content pinch Search Intent

Search intent (also called “user intent”) is nan intent down each hunt query.

If you’d for illustration to rank connected page 1 of Google, you request to understand hunt intent and create contented that matches it.

For instance, return a look astatine nan hunt results for “how to make oatmeal cookies.”

The apical hunt results are blog posts aliases videos. Not ecommerce pages trading oatmeal cookies. 

Google understands that group who are searching for this keyword are looking to learn. Not to buy. 

On nan different hand, nan results for a query for illustration “buy oatmeal cookies” are merchandise ads and ecommerce pages. 

Like this:

In this case, Google understands that group are looking to buy. Hence, nary links to oatmeal cooky recipes. 

There are four communal types of hunt intent: 

• Informational: When personification is trying to study much astir something
• Navigational: When personification is searching for a circumstantial page aliases website
• Commercial: When personification is looking to study much earlier making a purchase
• Transactional: When personification is intending to complete an action aliases purchase

To quickly find a keyword’s intent, caput to Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool. 

Enter your keyword, take your target country, and deed “Search.” 

Then, mention to nan container branded “Intent.”

Our illustration shows that “oatmeal cookie” has informational intent. So, group are astir apt looking for recipes.

You tin get much penetration into intent by looking astatine nan search motor results page (SERP).

Just scroll down to nan “SERP Analysis” conception and click “View SERP.” 

As you tin see, nan “oatmeal cookie” SERP is so dominated by recipes. So, you astir apt won’t rank good pinch a transactional page.

2. Leverage Primary Keywords

A primary keyword is nan main hunt word you want a page to rank for.

By utilizing nan superior keyword strategically, you tin optimize your page for hunt engines. And get amended rankings.

We urge that you see your superior keyword (or thing very adjacent to it) successful nan pursuing locations:

• Title tag: The HTML page title that tin look successful nan SERP
• Meta description: The HTML page summary that tin look successful nan SERP
• H1 tag: The HTML tag that contains nan main on-page heading
• Body content: The main contented connected nan page
• URL slug: nan unsocial portion of nan page’s address

You tin besides optimize for secondary keywords—particularly successful nan assemblage content. These correspond different ways that group hunt for pages for illustration yours. 

For example, if your superior keyword is “oatmeal cookie” past secondary keywords could include:

• how to make oatmeal cookies
• oatmeal cooky recipe
• easy oatmeal cookies

To take nan target keywords for a page, you request to execute SEO keyword research.

Try it retired pinch Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool. 

Enter a main word to guidelines your hunt around, take your target country, and click “Search.”

By default, nan instrumentality will coming “Broad Match” results that see your starting keyword aliases a adjacent variation. And a assortment of useful metrics.

Generally, your superior keyword should beryllium nan 1 that champion represents nan wide taxable of nan page and has nan highest search volume (average number of monthly searches).

But, you whitethorn besides want to see keyword difficulty (KD %). This percent indicates really difficult it’ll beryllium to gain a precocious integrated ranking—one that’s much apt to get views and clicks.

So, an charismatic look tract mightiness take “oatmeal cooky recipe” (66% difficulty) arsenic nan superior keyword for their oatmeal cooky recipe.

Whereas a caller blogger mightiness beryllium amended disconnected targeting “coconut lipid oatmeal cookies“ (18% difficulty). 

(To cater to hunt intent, nan blogger will request to usage coconut lipid successful their recipe.)

To study more, cheque retired our guideline connected choosing keywords for SEO.

3. Write Compelling Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

When optimizing a page for search, you should constitute a compelling title tag (HTML page title) and meta explanation (HTML page summary).

Because some elements person nan imaginable to look successful SERPs.

Like this:

Which intends they tin person a important effect connected clicks.

Plus, Google uses your title tag to amended understand what your page is about. If nan tag doesn’t see your superior keyword, it whitethorn propose that your page isn’t a applicable result.

Here are immoderate bully SEO practices for title tags and meta descriptions:

• Make judge they’re unique
• Include your superior keyword, ideally adjacent nan front
• Stick to 50-60 characters for titles and astir 105 characters for descriptions to trim nan consequence of matter being trim disconnected successful nan SERP
• Use calls to action (e.g., “ Shop now”) to person users to click through
• Demonstrate that your page will fulfill hunt intent
• Incorporate beardown benefits (e.g., “free delivery”) to thief your consequence guidelines out

4. Optimize Your Images

Image optimization tin thief to amended your wide rankings and personification experience. But it tin besides thief you gain valuable vulnerability successful image results.

Like this:

Here are 4 champion practices for image SEO:

Choose nan Best File Format 

File format is important because it affects nan size, quality, and accessibility of your images.

The astir commonly utilized image formats connected nan web are JPEG and PNG. 

Both formats usage different compression techniques. Which is why nan record sizes betwixt these 2 tin beryllium dramatically different.

Like so:

Looking astatine nan quality successful record sizes above, it would beryllium easy to state JPEG arsenic nan winner. But it would beryllium a mistake.

While JPEGs look awesome for photographs, PNGs are champion suited for images that incorporate text, statement drawings, etc. 

WebP is different celebrated option. It’s a modern image format that provides superior lossless and lossy compression for web images. 

WebP lossless images are 26% smaller successful size compared to PNGs and 34% smaller than comparable JPEGs, according to Google. 

Learn much astir really to usage WebP successful this Google guide.

Compress Your Images

Image compression is simply a process applied to images to minimize their size without degrading quality. 

Images are often nan largest contributor to wide page size and loading time. And page speed is an important Google ranking factor.

In different words, nan larger your image record size, nan longer it takes your page to load. 

So it’s really important to compress your images earlier you upload them to your site.

Here are free devices that tin help:

• TinyPNG: uses smart lossy compression techniques to trim nan record size of your PNG and JPEG files
• ImageOptim: by acold nan champion instrumentality for compressing images connected a Mac
• ShortPixel: a awesome WordPress plugin for automatically compressing images 

Provide Alt Text for Images

Alt text (short for replacement text) is matter included successful HTML codification to picture an image connected a webpage. 

It provides discourse for hunt motor crawlers and those viewing a page pinch a surface reader.

Like this:

Despite advances successful Google’s expertise to understand images, adding alt text is still an SEO champion practice. 

Make judge to:

• Add alt matter to each functional images
• Describe nan image arsenic if you were describing it complete nan phone
• Keep descriptions nether 125 characters
• Include target keywords, wherever relevant
• Don’t see unnecessary position for illustration “image of” aliases “picture of”

To find and hole missing alt text, usage Semrush’s Site Audit tool. 

Start by creating a task and past clicking connected nan “Issues” tab. 

Then, constrictive down your results by searching for “alt attributes” only. 

Like so:

Click nan “# images” nexus to spot each nan affected image URLs.

You tin past log into your tract and adhd nan optimized alt text.

Lazy-Load Your Images

Lazy loading is simply a method successful app and web improvement that defers nan loading of non-critical resources (images, videos, etc.) astatine page load time. 

Images and videos are loaded only erstwhile users request them.

Here’s really Google explains nan nexus betwixt lazy loading and tract performance:

“When we lazy load images and video, we trim first page load time, first page weight, and strategy assets usage, each of which person affirmative impacts connected performance.”

You whitethorn beryllium capable to usage a plugin to alteration lazy loading connected your site. If you request help, speak to a developer.

5. Optimize Your Site’s Page Loading Speed 

Page loading velocity is very important for Google. Especially connected mobile. 

Which is why we urge making your tract load arsenic quickly arsenic possible. 

To analyse your site’s speed, usage our Site Audit tool.

First, create a caller task (if you haven’t already done so). Then, look for “Site Performance” and click connected “View details.”

Next, spot and reside each nan errors and warnings nether “Performance Issues.”

These are each nan issues connected your tract that are preventing it from loading faster. 

You tin besides click connected “# issues” to spot much astir nan rumor and really to hole it. 

If you do, you’ll spot a database of nan affected URLs and their load times.

Like this:

Alternatively, usage Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. 

Start by entering your URL. Then clicking “Analyze.”

You’ll spot a dashboard pinch your site’s wide health. And a elaborate study pinch each nan ways you tin improve. 

6. Build an Internal Linking Structure

Internal links (links betwixt pages connected your site) are important because they thief users and hunt engines to navigate your site. And understand really pages subordinate to each other.

When utilized correctly, soul links whitethorn boost your rankings.

You tin cheque nan soul links connected your tract pinch nan Site Audit tool. 

After mounting up, look for nan “Internal Linking” box. And click connected “View details.”

Then, spot and reside each errors and warnings nether “Internal Link Issues.”

7. Improve User Experience 

Google cares astir really users prosecute pinch pages. As such, user acquisition (UX) is simply a cardinal facet successful helping amended hunt rankings. 

Page velocity plays a cardinal domiciled successful improving UX. But it’s conscionable a starting point. 

Here are a fewer different SEO tips to guarantee that users person a bully acquisition erstwhile they sojourn your site:

• Use headers and subheadings. Proper usage of headers and subheadings (H1, H2, H3) helps Google understand your contented amended and makes your matter much accessible to readers.
• Make your contented visually appealing. Visuals thief readers understand your contented better. Use applicable images, videos, and screenshots to thief get your constituent across.
• Avoid utilizing intrusive pop-ups. Pop-ups are annoying your visitors. Since 2017, Google has penalized sites that usage intrusive pop-ups. So it’s champion to usage them sparingly.
• Use achromatic space. White abstraction is basal for bully design. According to nan Interaction Design Foundation, achromatic abstraction improves legibility, branding, and focus. 
• Make your tract mobile-friendly. Mobile-friendliness is captious for UX and because Google uses mobile-first indexing. You tin usage Google’s mobile-friendly test to spot really your tract performs.

8. Make Your URLs SEO-Friendly 

A bully URL structure gives users and hunt engines an thought of what nan destination page is about. 

Consider organizing your contented truthful that URLs are constructed logically. And successful a mode that is intelligible to humans. 

With that successful mind, present is really you tin commencement creating well-structured URLs:

• Use short URLs. A Backlinko study recovered that short URLs thin to outperform agelong URLs successful SERPs.
• Include your target keyword. Always see your target keywords successful nan URL to summation your chances of ranking amended successful hunt results. 
• Include categories aliases subfolders if necessary. For example, if you’re trading goods, you whitethorn person a “shop” subcategory. This helps users navigate your site.

9. Earn Authoritative Backlinks

Google recognizes definite kinds of backlinks (links that constituent from different sites to yours) arsenic “votes of confidence.”

If your webpages person galore charismatic backlinks, they’re much apt to rank good connected nan SERPs.

That said, not each backlinks are created equal. 

Some backlinks tin boost your ranking for circumstantial hunt queries exponentially. While others whitethorn beryllium harmful.

You should attraction your efforts connected building high-quality backlinks that tin amended your chances of ranking higher for your target keywords. 

One of nan astir effective ways to get charismatic backlinks is by replicating your competitors’ link building strategies.

To start, spell to Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool.

Enter your competitor’s domain and spell to nan “Indexed Pages” tab. 

You’ll spot a array pinch each of your competitor’s pages sorted by number of referring domains (i.e., websites linking to it). 

Look for patterns successful nan apical pages’ topics, style, length, and format. 

For example:

• What does your competitor constitute about?
• Is nan format much long-form aliases short?
• Do they usage a batch of ocular assets?

The answers to these questions should guideline your contented strategy. Replicate what’s moving successful a amended aliases akin way.

10. Create Useful Content 

Google encourages tract owners to people unique, useful contented that’s made for people—not hunt engines.

This is nan type of contented that Google strives to rank highest successful hunt results.

So, create contented that solves your audiences’ symptom points and leaves them emotion satisfied.

Here are immoderate speedy tips for success:

• Make judge your contented is written and/or reviewed by an master successful nan field
• Stick to topics that your marque whitethorn beryllium perceived arsenic an authority in
• Check that each nan accusation you supply is meticulous and up to date
• Ensure your penning is free of spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors
• Use charts, images, videos, etc. to coming accusation successful nan astir effective way
• Add subheadings, statement spaces, contents lists, etc. to make your contented easy to navigate

You tin past use on-page SEO techniques to make your contented search-friendly.

Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant will thief support you connected nan correct track.

Enter your target keywords, take your target country, and commencement writing. 

Then, nan instrumentality will past supply suggestions related to SEO, originality, reside of voice, and readability.

If you get stuck, nan built-in AI devices tin thief you out.

Just caput to nan “Smart Writer” box. Or click highlighted matter to usage a shortcut.

FAQs 

What Are Some Common Best SEO Practices?

Some bully SEO practices see nan following:

• Optimizing website structure and content
• Using applicable and descriptive keywords
• Creating high-quality and valuable content
• Building high-quality backlinks
• Optimizing website velocity and mobile-friendliness
• Regularly updating and maintaining your website

Will My Website Automatically Rank Well if I Follow All SEO Best Practices?

Following SEO champion practices unsocial does not guarantee bully SEO results for your website. SEO is simply a analyzable and ever-changing field. Ranking good depends connected galore factors, including nan value of your content, nan competitiveness of your industry, and nan effectiveness of your wide trading strategy.

How Should I Prioritize nan Various SEO Tasks?

Prioritizing SEO tasks tin dangle connected respective factors—the website’s goals, audience, and competition, for example. However, a bully starting constituent is to prioritize tasks based connected their imaginable effect connected nan website’s wide integrated performance. 

Some high-priority tasks see improving website speed, optimizing contented for target keywords, and ensuring website mobile-friendliness.

What Are nan Most Important SEO Factors for My Website?

The astir important integrated SEO factors whitethorn alteration by type of website, industry, and different factors. But they often see keyword investigation and optimization, creating high-quality content, building backlinks, and ensuring that nan website has a user-friendly creation and structure.

What Are Some Best Practices for On-page SEO?

Some champion practices for on-page SEO see optimizing your page titles, meta descriptions, header tags, and contented for keywords, utilizing descriptive and SEO-friendly URLs, and optimizing images pinch descriptive alt text.

What Are Some Off-page SEO Best Practices for 2024?

While different marketers will person different opinions astir off-page SEO tasks, immoderate of nan astir communal champion practices include:

• Building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites
• Creating engaging and “link-worthy” content
• Promoting contented done societal media
• Participating successful online communities and forums applicable to your niche

What Are Some Best Practices for Technical SEO?

Technical SEO champion practices see optimizing website velocity and performance, utilizing HTTPS encryption, creating an XML sitemap, and ensuring hunt engines tin decently crawl your content.

What Are nan Best Practices for Local SEO?

Some champion practices for local SEO include:

• Creating a Google Business Profile listing and ensuring it is meticulous and up to date
• Consistently utilizing meticulous and accordant business accusation (name, address, telephone number) crossed each online directories and listings
• Obtaining customer reviews connected platforms for illustration Google and Yelp
• Creating section contented that is applicable to your target audience
• Using local keywords successful your website content, title tags, and URLs
• Building section backlinks by networking pinch different section businesses and organizations

What Are nan Best Practices for International SEO?

Here are immoderate champion practices related to international SEO:

• Use hreflang tags to specify connection and location targeting for your webpages
• Use country-specific top-level domains (ccTLDs) aliases subdomains to location your world contented based connected state aliases region
• Optimize your contented for nan section connection and taste preferences of your target audience
• Optimize your website’s loading velocity for world audiences by utilizing Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

What Are Some Best Practices for SEO Content creation?

Some champion practices for SEO contented creation see conducting keyword investigation to target applicable keywords, creating high-quality and original content, incorporating headers and subheaders, optimizing meta descriptions and title tags, including soul and outer links, and regularly updating and refreshing content.

What Internal Linking Best Practices Should I Keep successful Mind?

Your soul linking strategy will beryllium disconnected to a bully commencement if you support nan pursuing champion practices successful mind:

• Link applicable pages: Only nexus pages that are applicable to nan contented connected nan existent page
• Use descriptive anchor text: Use applicable anchor text that accurately describes nan linked page
• Use earthy linking: Links should beryllium earthy and fresh wrong nan travel of nan content
• Keep it simple: Avoid overloading a page pinch excessively galore soul links
• Use sitemaps: Use sitemaps to screen immoderate soul linking gaps you whitethorn person and thief hunt engines crawl and index your website effectively
• Consider personification experience: Make judge your soul links amended nan personification acquisition by providing further applicable information

What Are nan Best Practices for Writing Title Tags?

Some champion practices for penning title tags see nan following:

• Keep nan title tag magnitude astir 50 to 60 characters
• Include nan superior keyword of nan page successful nan title tag
• Make judge nan title tag accurately reflects nan contented connected nan page
• Write unsocial title tags for each page connected your website
• Use title tags to entice clicks from hunt motor users

What Are nan Best Practices for Writing Meta Descriptions?

Here are immoderate champion practices to support successful mind erstwhile you’re penning meta descriptions:

• Keep them concise. Meta descriptions should ideally beryllium betwixt 150 and 160 characters.
• Use action-oriented language. Encourage users to click done to your website pinch progressive verbs and calls to action.
• Highlight unsocial trading points. Showcase what makes your contented unsocial and why users should click connected it.
• Include applicable keywords. Use applicable keywords that bespeak nan contented of nan page. Meta descriptions aren’t utilized for ranking, but Google whitethorn bold position from nan user’s search.
• Don’t copy meta descriptions. Each page should person a unsocial meta explanation that reflects its circumstantial content.

When Optimizing for Page Speed, What Best Practices Should I Keep successful Mind?

When optimizing for page speed, support successful mind nan pursuing champion practices:

• Minimize HTTP requests
• Compress images to trim their record size
• Minimize CSS and JavaScript files
• Leverage browser caching
• Use a CDN
• Use a faster hosting environment
• Implement lazy loading of images and videos to trim page load time
• Minimize nan usage of third-party scripts and plugins that tin slow down your site

Get SEO Recommendations for Your Site

Semrush devices are designed to thief you travel SEO champion practices.

We urge starting retired pinch these 2 tools:

• On Page SEO Checker: Get optimization ideas for each page connected your site
• Site Audit: Identify method issues that could clasp your rankings back

Create your free account to effort them retired now.