In-depth On-Page SEO

Lecture: Word Count

Definition and Importance

• Word count refers to the number of words in a post or page body (excluding sidebar, header, footer)

• Average word count for top 10 desktop search results: ~1,600 words

• Average word count for top 10 mobile search results: ~1,200 words

• Top-ranking pages are more detailed and holistic, answering more user questions

Correlation with Rankings

• Correlation factor has decreased from 7% to -1% recently

• This reduced correlation occurs because most top 10 results already have 1,600+ words

• Word count has interdependencies with content relevancy, user experience, and keyword research

Best Practices

• Avoid stretching content unnecessarily just to increase word count

• Focus on delivering value to visitors

• Structure content for easy readability with:

  • Attention-grabbing titles

  • Appropriate subheadings

  • Internal links to related posts

  • Images with alt tags

  • Related videos

  • External links for further reading

• Use easy-to-understand language with good Flesch readability score

• Develop a unique writing style as your "fashion statement"

• Implement technical SEO factors

Content Quality Considerations

• Exceptional content is essential for sustainable rankings

• Poor content leads to high bounce rates and decreased time on site

• For high-traffic pages with high bounce rates:

  • Add holistic content

  • Include attractive images

  • Add interesting videos

  • Improve user engagement elements

Lecture: Keywords in Headings

Current State of Keyword Usage

• Only 53% of top search results contain target keywords in titles

• This represents a 50-50 chance of ranking with/without keywords in titles

• Correlation factor has decreased over time

Strategic Considerations

• Include keywords in titles when they improve user experience or CTR

• Avoid keyword stuffing in titles for SEO purposes

• Sometimes suspense or intrigue works better than revealing everything in the title

  • Example: "All new Samsung smartphone with 1 inch camera sensor" vs. "Samsung Galaxy S40 with Sony IMX990 sensor"

How Google Interprets Keywords

• Google understands semantic meaning beyond exact matches

  • Example: "better photos" and "good pictures" are understood as similar

  • "How to" and "10 tips" are understood as similar approaches

• Having relevant keywords in title, meta description, and URL is sufficient for consideration

• Exact match keywords are of secondary importance

Subheadings and Body Content

• Less than 40% of landing pages have keywords in H1 tags

• Google evaluates content relevance rather than keyword presence

• Correlation factor for keywords in headings is -6%

• Only include keywords in subheadings when necessary and appropriate

Ranking Without Keywords in Headings

• Possible when domain authority and content relevancy scores are high

• Explains why competitors sometimes outrank sites with better keyword optimization

• 50% chance of improving rankings by adding relevant keywords to titles/subheadings

Lecture: Keywords Density

Current Keyword Density Trends

• Average keyword appearances in top 10 results has decreased from 10 to 7.5

• Correlation factor has dropped from 7% to -1%

• Negative correlation indicates that excessive keyword usage harms rankings

Recommended Density

• For a 1,500-word article: maximum 8 occurrences of exact keyword

• Maximum keyword density should not exceed 1%

• Focus on semantic density rather than keyword density

Semantic Density

• Definition: Increasing density of overall theme/concept/logic of the post

• Implementation methods:

  • Reiterating concepts in different words with different examples

  • Catering to different audience knowledge levels

  • Providing personal opinions in your unique style

• Example: Moz's approach with "Recommendations" and "Takeaways" sections

• Benefits: Makes content easier for search engines to understand

• Helps rank for non-targeted but related keywords

Lecture: Easy Readability SEO Factor

Flesch Readability Score

• Measures how easy content is to understand

• Higher scores indicate easier readability

• Score of 64 = readable by 16-17 year olds (11th grade level)

• Low readability can increase bounce rates

Current Readability Trends

• Average Flesch readability score has improved to 76%

• Authors are prioritizing simplicity and ease of understanding

• Content difficulty should match target audience expectations

How to Check Readability

• Yoast SEO plugin provides readability scores for WordPress

• Alternative: webfx.com readability testing tool

Improving Readability

1. Use maximum 5 sentences per paragraph

2. Aim for average of 20 words per sentence

3. Use shorter and simpler words

4. Avoid passive voice, indirect speech, double negatives

5. For WordPress users:

   • Check all proofread checkboxes in user profile

   • Use auto-suggestions while writing

Lecture: Content Relevance SEO Factor

Definition and Importance

• Measures semantic evaluation of content related to search queries

• Analyzes keywords and content separately

• For a given keyword, higher content relevance means better ranking potential

• Not determined just by keyword presence in titles or links

How Google Calculates Content Relevance

1. Removes all occurrences of the target keyword from content

2. Evaluates relevance of remaining content to the searched keyword

3. Looks for proof terms and relevant terms

4. Computes overall semantic density of content

5. Scores content relevance on a scale of 0-100

Correlation With Rankings

• Overall content relevance correlation: 4%

• Central page area correlation: 2%

• Shows overall semantic relevance is more important than central content relevance

• Top positions often go to brands (the "brand factor")

• Positions 3-6 typically have highest content relevance scores

Proof That Keyword Stuffing Doesn't Work

• Content relevance score including search term has 0% correlation

• This confirms keyword stuffing is ineffective for rankings

Improving Content Relevance

1. Continue keyword research to find proof terms and related terms

2. Increase semantic density of article

3. Optimize Flesch readability score for target audience

4. Create comprehensive content answering user questions

5. Include relevant images, resources, and videos

6. Improve user experience with readable font size (>16px) and good line spacing

Lecture: Keywords in internal links

Definition and Importance

• Internal links point to other content on the same domain

• In top 10 search results, 56% of pages have keywords in internal links

• In top 30 search results, 52% of pages have keywords in internal links

• Correlation factor: 8%

Benefits of Internal Links

• Internal links from one post can improve ranking of another post

• Popular posts can distribute "SEO juice" to other content

• Internal links help establish site architecture

• Proper anchor text helps search algorithms understand semantic content

Types of Links

• Dofollow links: Pass "link juice" (PageRank)

• Nofollow links: Provide indirect SEO benefits

  • Bring referral traffic

  • Help new users find your website

  • Aid search algorithms in understanding content

  • Prevent link juice leakage to "bad neighborhoods"

Internal Link Structure

• Homepage typically has most PageRank ("link juice")

• Header, menu, and footer links to homepage contribute to this

• Proper internal link structure is crucial for higher SERP rankings

Lecture: Internal links walkthrough

Best Practices for Internal Linking

Avoid Common Mistakes

• Wrong approach: If page 'A' targets keyword 'X', don't add internal/external links from page 'A' using 'X' as anchor text

• Example: For a post targeting "Polaris graphic card pricing," don't use that phrase as anchor text within the post

Correct Approach

• Use proof terms or relevant terms as anchor text when linking from the target page

• From other pages, link to your target page using the target keyword as anchor text

• This improves SEO score of the target page without creating competition

Link Types

• Use dofollow links for internal linking (default link type)

• Only use nofollow when necessary (requires adding rel="nofollow" HTML attribute)

Step-by-Step Process

1. Identify proof terms for your target keyword

2. Add dofollow internal links to other relevant posts using proof terms as anchor text

3. Edit other relevant posts to add internal links pointing to your target page, using your target keyword as anchor text

4. Ensure relevant posts are interlinked to maintain proper structure and distribute link juice

WordPress Example

• Select proof term or relevant term

• Click link button on toolbar

• Search for related post

• Choose "open in new tab" to reduce bounce rate

• Verify links are dofollow by checking HTML (no "nofollow" attribute)

Lecture: Keywords in External Links

Current Trends

• Percentage of pages using target keywords in external link anchor text has decreased

• Top 5 results show considerable reduction

• Correlation factor has decreased to 3%

Best Practices

• Avoid: Using your target keyword as anchor text for external links

  • Example: For a "stripe payment gateway" article, don't link externally using that phrase

  • This passes relevance signals to the external page

• Also avoid: Using your target keyword as anchor text for internal links from the target page

  • This creates competition between your own pages for the same keyword

• Exception 1: You can use tag with target keyword

  • This indirectly leads to the post

• Exception 2: Breadcrumbs may naturally include target keyword

  • Example: Breadcrumb with title "How to add stripe payment gateway to your wordpress website"

External Linking Strategy

• For external links to other websites:

  • Use nofollow links with proof terms as anchor text

  • Preserves link juice within your site

• For internal links:

  • Make them dofollow

  • Use proof terms as anchor text when linking from target page

  • Use target keyword as anchor text when linking to target page from other pages

• Exception for high-authority domains:

  • When linking to sites with much higher domain authority, dofollow is acceptable

  • Can actually help your rankings in some cases

Lecture: Keyword in Meta Description

Semantic Search Context

• Definition: Understanding searcher's intent and contextual meaning

• Process: Algorithm analyzes words used in indexed pages to understand themes

• Compares search queries with overall themes of indexed pages

• Understands search intent regardless of exact keywords used

Meta Description Analysis

• Only 52% of top 10 results have keywords in meta descriptions

• Correlation factor has decreased to -2%

• Google often generates its own meta descriptions:

  • Takes first 155-160 characters if none provided

  • May extract relevant sections from article based on search query

  • Prioritizes sections deemed most relevant to the query

Best Practices

1. Provide your own meta description

   • You can often create more relevant descriptions than auto-generated ones

   • Google analyzes both article and meta description

2. Avoid keyword stuffing

   • No need for multiple keyword variations in meta description

   • Naturally integrate target keyword or proof/relevant term once

3. Focus on writing compelling descriptions

   • Create a 150-character teaser to attract clicks

   • Aim to entice users to click your result over higher-ranked results

   • Improving CTR can boost rankings over time