Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of leveraging your content to increase ranking in search engines such as Google. SEO helps you bring pages higher in search results, therefore increasing your traffic.
SEO is very complex; exactly how and why search engines rank pages is unknown, so best practice is to ensure your content is as meaningful and relevant as possible. Here are some guidelines you can follow:
Choose your domain carefully: domains with .gov or .edu tend to rank higher than those with .com or .com.au, as they have authority, and search engines see them as a source of truth. If you are using a different domain, you can direct users to a .gov or .edu instance; contact us if you need help setting this up.
Create meaningful content: search engines reward pages that answer a user’s search query. When writing meaningful content, be concise and consider the following:
Page title: include relevant keywords and a call-to-action if you can
Project description: include relevant keywords and lead with the most relevant information. You also need to structure your headings correctly; the Page title uses the H1 tag, so start with H2.
Tools and widgets: only use the necessary tools and widgets for your consultation.
Content updates: review and refresh your content regularly, particularly links and projects on your homepage.
Usability and mobile-first design: users are increasingly accessing your site via a mobile device. We have incorporated mobile-first design in EngagementHQ, but always test your site, including projects and tools, on a mobile device to ensure they have the best experience. Additionally, keep your navigation clear and simple; if your site is easy to use, it will organically improve your SEO.
Valid and Inbound hyperlinks: inbound links, links that direct users to your site from other sites, improve your SEO ranking, especially those that come from reputable sites, such as government organizations, agencies, or corporate websites, as they lend content authority. Link to your EngagementHQ site from your other sites, social media, and any media releases. Conversely, broken links can negatively affect your SEO rankings; regularly check your internal and external links to ensure they are still valid and correct.
Optimize images and add alt text: search engine crawlers will not see your images – instead, they will be rendered as the file name and alt text. As such, ensure your images have descriptive but brief alt text and that your file names include a relevant keyword. Alt text is also essential for accessibility, as search engines will penalize non-accessible sites.
Add metadata: while most search engines prioritize the content on the page, it’s still worth adding metadata to your projects. On your project, in Settings > Advanced > Set HTML Metadata, you can enter relevant keywords and a meta description.
SEO is an evolving discipline, and you need to continue updating your content. You should monitor the results of your SEO optimization and make any necessary changes to your strategy. Keep an eye on the Dashboard stats as a guideline to whether your site visits and participation have gone up, and, if you use it, Google Analytics can provide in-depth data about visits, searches, and bounce rates.