This article will provide a general overview of the concept of Search Engine Optimization, also known as {{glossary.SEO}}, as well as some best practices that can be applied to your website.

Definition

Search Engine Optimization, also known as SEO, is a marketing method that focuses on increasing visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results. SEO incorporates both the technical and creative elements of your website that are required to improve rankings, drive traffic, and increase awareness in search engines.

Importance

While all major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) do a remarkable job helping the public find your government website, it is also our job to help the public make sense of what they find. Search engines cannot catch every change on the Internet until links fail and their algorithm picks up on an inconsistency. So, we help provide new information.

Submit Updates to Major Search Engines After Go-Live

CivicPlus highly recommends that you manually submit your website to be re-indexed after Go-Live. While Google does not guarantee a ranking of your page because you have manually submitted it, they do offer a great tool to let Google know that you have new information to share. Learn more about how to use Google Webmaster Tools to re-index your website in our Submit Major Updates to Major Search Engines After Launch article.

SEO Best Practices

Best Practices at a Glance

Pages must have unique page titles (fewer than 70 characters, including keywords) that are located at the front (reading left to right)
Pages must have unique meta descriptions (fewer than 150 characters, including keywords) that are located at the beginning of the meta description
Pages must have keywords (Ideally four to seven, where all words appear in the page copy)
Spelling and grammar must be correct in all metadata
{{glossary.Alt Text}} must include a keyword phrase and be added to every image (add Alt text to all images)
A dynamic {{glossary.XML}} sitemap has been created; to view it, simply add “/XML” at the end of your live site domain
The XML sitemap has been submitted to search engines - simply download and submit
Each page {{glossary.URL}} consistently reflects the site’s Information Architecture, including the key

Unique and Accurate Page Titles

Be unique, and accurately describe the content of the page. Be brief but descriptive.

Reasoning: This is the first object the search picks up
Resource: Google Search Central | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide

Accurate Summaries for Page Descriptions

Accurately summarize the page’s content, and use unique descriptions for every page. A title is usually a few words or a phrase, but the description may be a sentence or two or even a full paragraph.

Reasoning: This is the next object search looks for. It is left blank by most people when developing a page because it is not required, but it should include a summary description of the page. The Page Description is what appears in search engine results and helps users find what they are looking for.
Resource: Google Search Central | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide

Identify Keywords

Include common keywords for the page that people will use in their search for information. This can include misspellings or former names and titles. For example, if a program's name was recently changed, include the program's old name in the page's keywords so the page still appears in the search results if searched by the old name, even if the old name does not appear within the page's new content.

Reasoning: Specifying keywords helps to improve the internal site search results.
Resource: Google Search Central | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide

Use "Alt" Text

Optimize your use of images by providing a detailed description of the picture for the {{glossary.Alt Text}}.

Reasoning: Providing detailed descriptions for photos makes it easier for search engines to better understand your images. It also lets a user know about an image, even if it appears broken or does not display.
Resource: Google Search Central | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide

Make Content King

True {{glossary.SEO}}-friendly content contains many keywords and phrases and offers an easy read for average internet users. It’s important to make sure words appear frequently, but naturally, within the text content.

Reasoning: No matter what the engine is searching for, if your content is not relevant to the site, search results will not be either. Search engines are not able to index external content or Flash, Silverlight, or images, so make sure the text on your page will draw the search results to your page over others. Any page that matches keywords or content more frequently will come up first in search results.
Resource: Google Search Central | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide

Resources

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Impact