Gauging whether or not your page is actually optimized is critical if you are going to be successful in the SEO world. This necessary, continuous check, is a difficult one though. In this article we will cover beginner friendly checks you can do for on page optimization. Tools you can use to take out the guesswork. And finally, sitewide signals that can help you determine if you are on track.
SEO Analysis: The Basics of Content, and Your SEO Optimization Level
As previously stated, to have a page that is truly optimized. An almost innumerable number of factors need to be considered. So many in fact, that none of us know how many there actually are. After all, the Google algorithm has not been “solved” yet. That doesn’t mean however, that we cannot do basic checks in order to gauge a page’s optimization level.
One of those basic checks is making sure that your page has the primary keyword for your page inside of the Heading 1, and Title Tag. This is typically naturally done for any page, as chances are you’ll mention your page's topic inside of the title for the page. Both visual, and somewhat out of the way.
But, we are only human. Mistakes do happen and performing this basic check can help you determine if your page is optimized. As if your primary keyword is not even in the title, chances are you missed optimizing other signals as well.
A Beginner Friendly Check You Can Do for the Website at Large
The easiest check you can do to gauge if your Technical SEO is headed in the right direction. Is to check your website's loading speed. This is another one of those devastatingly basic SEO signals but it is crucial to ensure that it is optimized.
A slow site is a very unattractive site, both to Google and your users. Users all want the same thing, the information from your site as fast as they can possibly get it. If it’s a basic Google search for something like “how to make scrambled eggs” and the page takes a full minute to load. It is unlikely that a user will stay on your page. There are an intangible number of other sites that are also discussing how to make scrambled eggs, and even if your site offers the best recipe for scrambled eggs. It is unlikely that anyone will stay for a full minute to see it.
You’ll also want to check your website's structure. The easier it is to navigate, the easier it will be to not only do SEO for your target pages. But the more optimized your site is. You don’t want your users to follow breadcrumb trails that are in excess of 4 clicks deep. Anything deeper, and it’s unlikely that your site's structure is optimized.
Removing the Guesswork: Google Search Console, Your Site and It’s Ranking
Google Search Console is an incredible tool that they offer for free that provides tangible data in order for you to analyze whether or not your page is, SEO is helping it or hurting it. With Google Search Console, You can analyze data such as the total number of clicks. Your page has received the total number of impressions. It has received the average click-through rate for your page and it's average position among many other important pieces of information. Like what search people used to find your site.
This removes the guesswork from gauging whether or not your page is SEO optimized. An optimized Paige will have an upward trend for its search engine rankings. Google search console Will show you your pages average ranking across all of the pages who SERPs it has landed in. This is incredibly useful information. As a will optimized page is more than likely going to be ranking for multiple search terms and if it is ranking highly and for multiple search terms, you can say without a doubt that your page is SEO optimized.
It is incredibly easy to set up as well, as there are hundreds, if not thousands, of tutorials on how to integrate this tool into your site. This is just one of many of the completely free tools Google offers to help people on their SEO journey though. So we encourage taking a second to research all the options they have. As you may find yourself interested with their other options as well.
In conclusion, search engine optimization is visible everywhere in a page. Down to the finest of details. However, it is very important to remember that while your page may be optimized in the now; what is an optimized page is continuously changing inside of the SERPs. You'll want to continuously evaluate your page's SEO in order to ensure that it is optimized and up to date.
Co-Founder & Lead SEO at POP
Kyle Roof is an SEO expert, speaker and trainer. Kyle currently resides in Chiang Mai, Thailand with his family.
