SearchEngine OptimizationIn Kenya

On-Page SEO

It is the optimisation of the structure of every page on the website and the quality of the content therein. The process involves aligning all pointers to the page’s keyword and aligning it to the search engine’s algorithm, allowing it to index and crawl faster and efficiently.

On-Page SEO has the following components:

• Content – these are words and information that explain and have a direct relationship with the keyword. A webpage needs at least 750 words to get the best SEO results. The quality should be impeccable and easy to read and understand.
• Keywords – SEO revolves around specific words, which are the main point of discussion on the web page. It can be a service, brand name or product that the website owner wants to galvanise traffic around. Do keyword research to identify the right word to describe your page.
• HTML Tags – these are internet language identifiers that make it easy for search engines to identify specific pointers on your page. They help SEO algorithms read your page more easily to denote pressure points that need ranking.
• Internal links – these are web pages from the same website referring to a specific concept. They form an information web referring to an interrelated concept within the same website.
• External links – these are web pages from another website that explains a concept. The link should be from an authority source that can boost the host webpage ranking.

Combining the above factors identifies the exact pointers the search engine should focus on when doing on-site SEO.

Off-Page SEO

They are activities done outside the host webpage that aims at improving its ranking on search engines. These are mostly other websites where you create a link to your host webpage to boost its relationship with other websites. The main focus of this concept is backlinks, which is a link to your website from another website.

The backlink should be from a credible website, which will improve your website ranking overall. Create as many backlinks as possible to gradually enhance the association between your host website and others. The more they are, the better your overall website ranking. It also improves your website’s stature as an authority website. With time, your website can also be an authoritative source.

Other features to consider on off-page SEO include:

• Guest posting – it is writing content about your website on another website. The content should be of good quality and above 500 words.
• Social signals – it mentions the website URL on social media websites and platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
• Public Relations – it is completely off-site and involves physical mentions and BTL engagements.

Technical SEO

It involves website maintenance and overall performance improvement. The aim is to make the webpages easy to access, secure and fit on all browsers. Technical SEO brings to light the following:

• Website security – with all important information of a product, company or individual stored online, there is a need to secure the website. Secure socket layer (SSL) protocol is the commonly used security programme. There are regular upgrades to keep it updated and deter cyber criminals from accessing the website control panel. If your website does not have the SSL protocol, request it from your web hosting service provider.
• Site structure – WordPress, or any other site builder, has a website structure that all online platforms must adhere to. The structure is a markup language construct used to create website codes and themes. It should be easily readable and can allow modification and linking with other plugins, programs and extensions. Essentially, site structure is the link that joins the website to the search engine. If it is broken, crawling and other indexing activities cannot work.
• Site Speed – how fast and light the website is determines how easy the search engine can access all the details. Speed is a function of disc space and the number of files on the website. If your website has a lot of videos and pictures, use a space limiter to keep the space down. The longer it takes to load, the lower the site speed, and the lower it will appear on Google ranking.

Local SEO

It is listing the business or service on google maps or other listing platforms. Depending on your set-up, customer review and SEO location, the business will feature on local SEO maps. Google my business is the best example of Local SEO as it pinpoints an exact location of the map where your business is. More importantly, it documents customer reviews contributing significantly to the overall local SEO ranking.

Other types of search engine optimisation include:

• Image SEO – pictures that help describe your page and help it rank.
• Video SEO – listing audiovisual files on the web page to improve its ranking.