New Optimization Standards for Web Content
By PaperStreet on February 6, 2015 in SEO
Changes to SEO Content Best Practices
Recent changes to SEO best practices have writers and editors rejoicing. Traditionally, a well optimized page of web content included a keyword at least three times on a page. This is easy enough, but not so fun for writers (it cramps their style).
Well, the style cramping is over.
Recent algorithm changes to the way Google evaluates a web page has SEO professionals changing optimization best practices – including PaperStreet. In the past, we preached best practices that included a keyword three times on the page (exact match). This isn’t the case anymore.
We are now encouraging our writers to use a new formula: a direct match keyword once in the title tag and once in the body content.
In addition to the one direct match in the body copy, the page needs to include synonyms and common words that relate to the keyword phrase. Why you ask? This is the update to Google’s algorithm called keyword mapping. It keeps the page relevant and on topic, which helps Google match the page to a search query.
Let’s Look at an Example
In this example we want to create a page for the keyword “Miami Car Accident Lawyer.” A near-perfectly optimized page would include the following:
- Title tag with the phrase “Miami Car Accident Lawyer” (no longer than 60 characters)
- Meta description that clearly explains what the page is about (no longer than 150 characters)
- A header that is relevant to the keyword, if not the keyword itself (for example: Hiring a Miami Car Accident Lawyer, About Car Accidents in Miami, What to do After an Accident – A Lawyer Explains)
- Body text with at least one exact match to the keyword (the header is included in body text, so if it matches exactly in the header do not repeat the keyword again).
- Body text with closely related terms, words and phrases (for example, Miami-Dade, Broward County, Miami Beach, Auto, Vehicle, Motor Vehicle, Wreck, Crash, Collision, Lawyers, Attorney, Attorneys, Law Firm, Legal Professionals)
True search engine optimization is about finding content that is relevant to your search. If you follow these latest guidelines your web content will be on-topic with both the keyword and the title of the page.
