Search Engine Optimization, known to many as "SEO," is the practice of optimizing your association's website pages to rank higher in search engines like Google. Our CEO, Pete Zimek, has been optimizing websites for over a decade. He joined a group of our customers for a roundtable to discuss on-site SEO as well as some external signals that associations could look out for.
Here are some highlights of tips we learned on the SEO roundtable:
Key Idea - Keywords are still important in SEO, but they are not the most significant factors anymore. If possible, try to only have one key idea per static page so the search engine can easily determine what the page is about.
Headings - H1 is the most important and H6 is the least. Each webpage should only have one H1 and a couple H2's. The content of these headings/titles will affect the placement in search results.
Friendly File Name - This represents the last part of the URL (e.g. /events/2020annualmeeting) and helps give description to the page. Shorter is better so it is less likely to be considered spam. Bonus Tip: If you copy something in Novi, such as an Event, be sure to update the Friendly File Name so it does not contain the word "copy" (but is still unique).
Meta Description - While the description of a webpage does not affect the ranking in search results, it does help the user determine if your website will have the desired content, making them more likely to click your link. Think of it as a free advertisement!
301 Redirects - Don't forget about these! Help the search engines find your content by redirecting old URL's to your new site. More info on 301 Redirects.
Image Description - When inserting an image on a static page, be sure to add an Image Description for SEO and accessibility purposes.
Link Title - Since a hyperlink is a reference to another document or page, it's important to add a Title that describes the link.