5 points for better search engine optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) can sometimes be quite complex. Your website must comply with the constantly changing algorithms and requirements of Google and other search engines in terms of content and technology - and always remain up-to-date. Even small errors can have a significant impact on the visibility and ranking of your website.
Below we present five key aspects that are essential for a successful SEO strategy.
Avoid duplicate content
You certainly don't want to be in competition with yourself, do you? But that's exactly what happens with duplicate content. A seemingly small mistake can have a serious impact on your search engine rankings.
For example, if your site is accessible via both the www and the non-www version, both versions could be classified by search engines as independent pages. This means that users (and search engines!) can reach your website via both of the following versions:
https://www.ihrewebseite.de
https://ihrewebseite.de
In such a case, Google (and other search engines) index both versions of your website and rate them as exact replicas of each other. This leads to them competing with each other and ranking lower. You should therefore decide on one version and automatically redirect the other to the preferred version.
Include SSL certificate
The installation of an SSL certificate (Secure Socket Layer) is now standard and mandatory when personal data is collected. The SSL certificate encrypts the communication between users and your website. The security of your website visitors is reason enough to integrate an SSL certificate on your own website. Google rewards this approach: a correctly configured SSL certificate is an official ranking factor. The SSL encryption of your website protects the data of your users and customers, creates trust and ensures that Google does not penalize your website in the search results - a win-win-win situation!
Optimize loading time
The loading time of a website is an official Google ranking factor. Check your site with tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights or look at the data in the Google Search Console to check the performance of your website. If there is potential for optimization, it is often images and graphics that will slow down your website if they are integrated incorrectly. While image SEO is a topic in its own right, the file size of your media plays a major role in this case.
The images used on the website should have the smallest possible file size with the highest possible image quality in order to achieve shorter loading times. It is therefore advisable to compress the images before uploading them. This also includes adjusting the actual image size. It makes no sense to integrate an image with a size of 4000×2000 pixels on a website if it only has a maximum width of 1500 pixels. Large file sizes consume additional server resources and cost valuable (loading) time.
Structure content
Search engines cannot understand your website correctly without high-quality content, which is reflected in an unsuccessful evaluation of the content and a misrepresentation in your search results. However, don't fall for the temptation to overload your texts with keywords. Google now effectively recognizes an unnatural accumulation and evaluates this behaviour negatively.
Instead, create structured, understandable content that meets the needs of your target group. Not only Google, but also your readers will thank you if your texts are structured and the desired content is intuitively linked. Pay particular attention to the intentions and needs of your website visitors.
Prioritize mobile SEO
More than half of the world's web traffic already comes from mobile devices - and the trend is growing. In addition, Google consults the mobile view of your website when it comes to evaluating your website. If your website is not optimized for mobile devices, you should urgently change this.
The easiest (and recommended) way to provide all users with an optimal display of your website is responsive web design. This means that the website content is automatically adapted to the screen size of your users' devices.
Loading time also plays a decisive role on mobile devices. You know the problem with poor WLAN connections and inadequate network coverage: fast loading times are a must, especially with mobile connections. Don't keep anyone waiting - and the search engines will also recognize this in your rankings!
Let's go!
Optimizing these five aspects is a good first step towards the success of your SEO strategy. By making targeted improvements in these areas, you can sustainably increase the visibility and performance of your website.
Further contributions
Updates on our work and our perspectives on the issues that concern us.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Katrin, Maximilian, and Max-Raphael
Managing Partners