Govind AgarwalA joke has been going around the internet for some time now: “The best place to hide a dead body is the page two of Google search results”.
Funny isn’t it? For many it is a witty take on the most essential service of Google. But website owners would only allow an awkward chuckle or two knowing this is a bitter truth. In the ruthless battle of search engine rankings, even a second page result is inexcusable. The simple reason being, no one goes there. So what glorious messiah can save a website from gathering virtual dust and a slow death? The answer is imperative, optimized content.
When one hears optimized content, a lot of things come to the mind, the first thing being SEO techniques. For starters, it mostly means creating relevant keyword centered content and then quietly awaiting Google to come and rescue the website from the tyranny of Page Two. This has led to so many black hat practices that Google has taken the onus on itself to weed them out. It has frequently changed its algorithm in the past all for the sake of customers. So what does a site needs to rank high on the search engines page? Google has answered this too. It is customer. In the contest of search rankings one frequently hears the riff of ‘content is king’. Right, but customer is king too and content that is specifically written keeping the target audience in mind is going to be much more relevant in this merciless race to the top.
Creative Content is half the battle won. The next step is how you structure your content to make it friendly for readers as well as search engines. Following are some of the key factors determining the relevance of your content.
Title: The title is the first thing the customers see. No matter how good the content you post, if your title is not eye-catching or interest arousing, it is going to be tough to turn eyeballs. However, what makes it even more important is that your title is your content’s identity all around the net. It is one of the most vital elements of website optimization. Avoid ambiguous descriptions and come straight to the point. You get just a handful of words to make a mark, use it well. Remember, the title is vital.
Meta descriptions: Ever noticed how the descriptions under a search result has the exact information you need? This is the second key to rising in the rank. These descriptions have a limit of only 150 – 160 characters. You need to balance the description in such a way that visitors get a brief on the service you are promoting but also have to visit your website for more.
URLs: This is the address of your content on the web, the more keyword relevant it is the better. But also make sure that it describes the specific content in the most appropriate and efficient manner. Search engines are more likely to pick them when users seek specific results.
All in all, content optimization is a balance of both customer centric content and optimization of the same. One cannot work without the other. Your website need not exist in virtual oblivion. Make the right moves and see you ranking soar.
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