SEO Trade Secrets by a Google Employee

Back in the day when I was learning everything I could about web design and development, I had a friend who worked at Google this was back in 2008. He used to swing by my workplace to brag about the techniques he was mastering while working as an SEO Jedi Master.

These are some of the fundamental principles he taught me to get websites to list. He would describe to me how SEO functioned and stated that if I follow these rules at all times I would be in Google’s graces for years to come. I took his advice and these recommendations are still as effective today as they were in 2008.

You would be shocked to learn how many people and SEO “experts” do not know these fundamental concepts, despite the fact that they seem generic and straightforward.

There are times when I like go back to the basics to get websites to list and I’ve worked on multiple campaigns that exceeded over 100,000 users a month.

Fundamental on-page SEO tactics.

To make sure your website is optimized for search engine exposure, Google recommends a number of tactics. Here are a few of the most noteworthy.

Title Tag Optimization: The HTML element that shows up in browser tabs and search engine results pages is the title tag. It must accurately summarize the page’s content and contain pertinent keywords.
Meta Description Optimization: The meta description, which appears in search engine results pages, is a condensed overview of the content of the website. It must be well-written, contain essential keywords, and encourage searchers to visit your website.
Header Tag Optimization: Header tags, such as H1, H2, and H3, assist in organizing and make reading your material easier. Your pages should only contain one H1 tag that completely summarizes the information on the page, followed by H2 and H3 tags for subheadings and sub-subheadings.
Content optimization: The written material on your website needs to be of a high quality, useful, and keyword-focused. Short paragraphs, bulleted lists, and proper use of graphics should make it simple to read.
Image optimization: Visuals on your website should be search engine optimized by providing keyword-rich filenames and descriptive alt tags.
Internal Linking: Both visitors and search engines should find it simple to surf your website thanks to its internal links and clear, logical layout.
Mobile-Friendliness: Your website should be able to be responsively constructed to fit various screen sizes and optimized for mobile devices.
Page Speed: Your website should load rapidly, using strategies to shorten load times such as compressed files, optimized images, and other techniques.
HTTPS: To guarantee secure browsing and protect user data, your website should use HTTPS encryption.

There are rules to follow when it comes to using header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) on a page.

While there is no hard and fast rule on the number of times you can use a header tag, there are some best practices to keep in mind:

Use H1 Tags for Main Headings: The main heading of the page should contain an H1 tag and should appropriately describe the content of the page. Use only one H1 tag per page to give search engines a better understanding of the website’s primary topic.
Employ H2 Tags for Subheadings: H2 tags should always be applied to subheadings in order to divide the text into logical sections. On a page, you are allowed to use numerous H2 tags as long as you don’t overdo it.
Use H3 Tags for Sub-Subheadings: To further divide material into smaller sections, H3 tags should be used for sub-subheadings. Although you can use numerous H3 tags on a page, you should exercise caution not to overdo it.
Organize Content with Headers: The primary goal of header tags is to help organize content and make it less difficult to comprehend. Create a logical framework using them to lead the user through the material.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Header tags should be used in a natural, organic manner without stuffing them with keywords. Use of header tags for the sole purpose of incorporating keywords into the website can be viewed as spam and harms SEO.

Using bold and italic text can have an impact on SEO

While it’s not a major ranking factor, it can help improve the readability of your content and make it easier for users to understand the main points of your page.

Here are some tips for using bold and italic text effectively for SEO:

Highlight Important Text with Bold and Italics: Use bold and italic text to attract attention to key terms, subheadings, or essential statements on your page. This can assist in directing the user’s focus to the key elements of the content.
Avoid Excessive Bold and Italic Text: Bold and italic text can be helpful, but avoid using them excessively. Your content may become difficult to comprehend and appear spammy if you use too much bold and italic text.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Don’t use bold or italic text just to add keywords to your content. This can be seen as spammy and can hurt your SEO.
Use Semantic HTML Tags: Use semantic HTML tags, such as <strong> for bold text and <em> for italic text, instead of manually applying bold or italic styles. This can help search engines understand the meaning and importance of the text.