AI content enhances local search presence

Local businesses know the power of the right words. They can turn a casual online searcher into a loyal customer walking through the door. Here’s where generative AI shines, shaping content that captivates and converts. 

First, AI dives into the data pool of local search terms. It finds phrases that locals use when looking for services you offer. For example, a local hardware store might discover people searching for “home repair workshops near me” more often than expected. AI uses this insight to suggest blog topics, social media posts, and helpful guides highlighting the store’s home repairs expertise.

Next, the AI writes. It crafts content using local keywords, ensuring it sounds natural, not forced. This content isn’t just informative; it’s tailored to your town, neighbors, and the local culture. It’s as if a local storyteller is behind every word.

But there’s more

But AI doesn’t stop there. We all know that Google and your customers are looking for reliable sources. AI can help businesses improve E-E-A-T by ensuring content isn’t just fluff. It lets you fill it with valuable information reflecting your on-the-ground experience and expertise. Authenticity is crucial, so you must double-check and edit AI-generated content for accuracy and relevance to your community’s needs.

Let’s say you run a café that prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients. AI can help create a narrative around your suppliers, share their stories, and highlight the benefits of supporting local agriculture. This boosts your SEO and connects with customers’ interest in sustainability and community support.

Finally, AI assists in optimizing your content’s structure and metadata for search engines while keeping it engaging for readers. The AI generates titles and meta descriptions — Yoast SEO Premium does this! — that capture the essence of your articles, enticing clicks from curious locals browsing online. These minor, AI-driven tweaks add up to a significant boost in your local search presence.

AI has the skills to help you get your local SEO work done. It’s up to you, the business owner, to bring passion and personality to the work, ensuring everything is done precisely and honestly.

5 creative strategies to use AI for local businesses

Local businesses can use generative AI to create content and experiences that improve local SEO and draw customers into their physical locations. Here are five strategies that illustrate the potential of AI to enhance local visibility and attract foot traffic:

1. AI-powered event promotion:

Imagine a local bookstore using AI to analyze reading trends and community interests, then generate a list of potential events such as author signings, book clubs, or children’s story hours. The AI takes it further by crafting compelling event descriptions and promotional content tailored to the local audience’s preferences. The bookstore can then share these promotions across its website and social media platforms, targeting ads to local readers and sending personalized email invitations.

2. AI-designed coupons and local deals:

A local auto repair shop could employ generative AI to create and distribute location-based deals or coupons. The AI would analyze local traffic patterns, vehicle types, and common service needs to offer timely specials, such as discounts on tire changes just before winter. These deals could be promoted through targeted social media ads, local online forums, and the shop’s website, directly reaching the local audience. The AI can also personalize coupons for customers who have previously visited the shop, incentivizing repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. This approach drives foot traffic with appealing offers and boosts local search rankings by keeping the content updated and relevant to the community’s current needs.

3. Tailored recommendations:

A gourmet food shop can use AI to analyze purchase histories and online behavior, providing customers with individualized product recommendations. These recommendations could be paired with an exclusive, in-store tasting event for a local delicacy. The AI helps create a sense of anticipation and exclusivity, incentivizing customers to visit the store to experience the flavors they’ve been reading about online.

4. Customized in-store experiences with AI assistance:

Consider a local home decor shop that wants to offer a personalized shopping experience. Using generative AI, the shop could create an online quiz that helps customers identify their interior design style. Based on the results, the AI generates a custom shopping list of items available in the store that fit the customer’s style profile. The customer is then invited to visit the shop for a personalized shopping experience, complete with a store map highlighting where to find the suggested items. This strategy provides a unique in-store experience and boosts local SEO by driving online interactions that lead to in-person visits.

5. Engaging local tales:

A historic inn could use AI to uncover and tell stories about the town’s past, connecting them with the inn’s heritage. These stories could be shared on the inn’s website, social media, and even through QR codes around the property, leading guests on a self-guided tour that ends with a special offer at the inn’s restaurant or a discounted stay. By weaving the local lore with the inn’s offerings, AI helps create a unique narrative that draws in guests curious about the region’s history.

Generative AI can do a lot. It can help you find exciting and inspiring ways to boost your local SEO. Now, local businesses can create unique, SEO-friendly content and experiences that resonate deeply with the local community. Which, hopefully, encourages more customers to visit their locations and engage with their brands.

Humanizing AI for local impact

The blend of AI and human insight is where local businesses can truly shine. AI excels at processing data and generating content. But the human touch infuses warmth and personalization into every interaction. Here’s how companies can make AI more human to create a meaningful impact locally.

Firstly, business owners need to review AI-generated content. This step ensures that the voice and tone reflect the business’s brand and resonate with the local audience. For example, a mechanic shop’s AI-generated blog post about car maintenance becomes more relatable when the owner adds personal anecdotes or advice about local driving conditions.

Secondly, businesses should connect AI initiatives with real people. A garden center could feature its knowledgeable staff in AI-generated videos, offering tips for seasonal planting tailored to the local climate. This approach showcases the staff’s expertise and builds customer trust and rapport.

Additionally, incorporating community feedback is vital. A café might use AI to analyze customer reviews and invite patrons to vote on the next ‘flavor of the month’ for a coffee blend. It shows that the café values customer input and is willing to adapt based on their preferences, fostering a loyal local following.

Need more?

Businesses can use AI to enhance in-store experiences while keeping the local vibe intact. A bookstore’s AI-generated reading recommendations become more personal when staff members add a handwritten note about why they loved a particular book, connecting with customers more intimately.

Lastly, it’s crucial to ensure that AI-driven initiatives like local loyalty programs or targeted promotions highlight the community’s character. A pet store’s loyalty program might use AI to offer discounts on products for popular breeds in the neighborhood, reinforcing the store’s local presence.

While AI can handle data and create content at an unprecedented scale, the human element turns these capabilities into genuine local engagement. Local business owners should ensure their efforts to attract foot traffic remain authentic, personal, and deeply rooted in the local community’s fabric.

Implementing AI with integrity

For local businesses, embracing AI goes beyond just adopting new technology. Adopting AI involves a thoughtful approach that respects customers and the local community’s values. Here’s how to implement AI with integrity and strategic foresight.

Start with a clear goal. Please identify what you want to achieve with AI, whether it’s attracting more foot traffic, personalizing customer experiences, or enhancing your local SEO. For instance, a fitness studio might aim to use AI to promote health and wellness within the community through personalized workout content.

Next, select the right AI tools. Many AI applications are available, but not all are created equal. Look for tools that align with your business goals and have a proven track record of success in similar settings. A salon could opt for an AI tool that helps schedule appointments efficiently, reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction.

Employees should understand how AI is used within the business and be trained to provide a seamless blend of technology and personal service. A bookstore employee, for instance, should be able to take AI-generated reading suggestions and enrich them with their own insights and favorite picks.

Finally, monitor AI’s impact. Keep an eye on how AI-driven initiatives affect customer interactions and local SEO. Adjust your strategies based on customer feedback and performance data. A hardware store could track which AI-generated DIY project guides drive the most in-store visits and update their content strategy accordingly.

Measuring and adapting

After integrating generative AI into your local business strategies, measuring the results and adapting your approach based on performance is essential. Here’s how to ensure your AI efforts effectively drive foot traffic and enhance your local SEO.

Set up key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to your goals. If you’re using AI to drive foot traffic through local events, track attendance numbers and sales during event periods. A local art supply store hosting AI-generated art class events would monitor sign-ups and in-store purchases tied to those events.

Use analytics tools to monitor online engagement: track website visits, social media interactions, and click-through rates on AI-generated content. For example, a family restaurant could review how many reservations are made after interacting with their AI-powered menu recommendations on their website.

Ask, and ye shall receive

Gather customer feedback directly. Ask customers about their in-store experience and how they discovered your business. Did an AI-generated email coupon bring them in? Did they enjoy the personalized shopping experience your AI quiz provided? A boutique might collect this feedback through quick in-store surveys or feedback forms.

Evaluate the data and seek trends. Look for patterns in what’s working well and what isn’t. Perhaps your AI-scheduled workshops are a hit, but specific topics draw more interest than others. Use this information to fine-tune future offerings.

Be ready to pivot. Adaptability is key with AI and local SEO. If an AI strategy isn’t delivering the expected results, don’t hesitate to tweak it or try something new. A local pet store might find that their AI-recommended pet care tips are popular online but don’t translate to in-store visits, prompting them to add in-store incentives to their content.

Continuously improve. AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Regularly review your AI strategies and update them based on the latest local trends, customer preferences, and technological advancements.

Conclusion to using AI in a local business

Generative AI presents many opportunities for local businesses to enhance their SEO and attract customers. By combining AI’s capabilities with a genuine understanding of the local community, companies can create an irresistible online presence that translates into real-world success.

The post Use AI to drive foot traffic to your local business appeared first on Yoast.

Did you get an orange or red traffic light for the keyphrase density check in Yoast SEO? Here’s what this check does and how to improve your keyphrase density.

What is keyphrase or keyword density?

Keyphrase density is the number of times your focus keyphrase occurs in your copy, compared to the total text of that page. So if you have a text that is 100 words and 5 of those are your focus keyphrase, your keyphrase density is 5%. We used to call it keyword density, but nowadays it’s more common to focus on a search term that consists of more than one word. That’s why we rather call it keyphrase density in Yoast SEO.

Why is it important for SEO?

Your keyphrase density is important for SEO because Google tries to match a user’s search query to the best-fitting page out there. To match your pages with a certain query, Google needs to understand what the page is about. That’s why you need to use your keyphrase, the phrase you’d like to rank for, in your copy. Luckily, this often comes naturally. If you want to rank for, for instance [bake vegan pancakes] you probably use this phrase or variations of it throughout your text.

However, if you repeat your keyphrase too often in your copy it becomes unpleasant to read. That’s something you should avoid at all times. After all, you want users to enjoy and understand your copy well. A high keyphrase density is also a signal to Google that you might be stuffing your text with keywords – also known as over-optimizing. As Google likes to show the best result to users, both in relevance and readability, this can negatively affect your rankings.

What does the keyphrase density check do?

The keyphrase density check in Yoast SEO assesses whether you’ve used the word(s) from your focus keyphrase often enough in your copy. It also checks if you didn’t go overboard and use the keyphrase too often. It’s good to know that the length of your keyphrase plays a factor in how your score is calculated. If you choose a longer phrase, it might be much more difficult to use it a certain number of times in your text, than if you’re using a shorter keyphrase. The check takes this into consideration to preserve the readability of your text.

We’ve included the length of your keyphrase as a weighting factor when calculating keyphrase density. That means that you will need to use your longer keyphrase less often in the text than your shorter keyphrase, to get a green traffic light. Not only do we tell you how many times you already used your keyphrase in the text, we also give you an idea about how many times you should use it.

In the free version of Yoast SEO for WordPress, you’ll get a green traffic light if your keyphrase density lies between 0.5 and 3%. For a match to be counted, all words should occur in one sentence, but the order of the words may differ.

You won’t see the percentage mentioned in your feedback. Instead, we mention the exact number of times you used your keyphrase throughout your text and compare this to the number we advise. We feel that absolute numbers make it easier to work on improving your text.

Premium and Shopify: Word form recognition and related keyphrases

In certain languages, Yoast SEO Premium and Yoast SEO for Shopify recognize various word forms of your keyphrase. For instance, [train], [trained] or [training]. This means that Yoast SEO picks up on these variations and sees them as forms of your chosen keyphrase. Making it easier for you to naturally write about your topic and be less concerned about using your keyphrase often enough.

Let’s say you’d like to rank for [bake vegan pancakes]. If you write, “Here, you’ll learn how to bake the best vegan pancakes” this will be counted as an occurrence of the keyphrase. Also, if you’d write “baking a vegan pancake is easy as pie”, Yoast SEO Premium and our Shopify app recognize that as the focus keyphrase as well. That’s why the upper boundary in these tools is a bit higher: 3.5% instead of 3%.

In Premium and our Shopify app, you can also enter related keyphrases. These are words and phrases that are connected to your focus keyphrase, but not synonyms. Any related keyphrases you add have a keyphrase density check of their own. So if the density of your focus keyphrase is too high, have a look at any related keyphrases and see if those are more suitable to use instead. 

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How to improve your keyphrase density

If your keyphrase density score is too low, that means that it’s not clear enough that your text is about that specific topic. In that case, you should use the keyphrase (or variations of it) more often. Check your copy and make sure you make clear what you’re writing about. Stay on topic! If the keyphrase density is too high, you’re using your keyphrase too often. Your text will probably come across as quite spammy, to both your website visitors and Google. 

Using synonyms is a great way to avoid repetitiveness. Synonyms do not count towards your keyphrase density score, as that exclusively looks at the use of your actual focus keyphrase. If you’ve used synonyms and are worried it might be too much, here’s a tip! Have a look at the keyphrase distribution check in Yoast SEO. That highlights your focus keywords and its synonyms throughout the text. If you’ve entered synonyms that is. By looking at the highlighted phrases you can determine whether your keyphrase (in any form) is mentioned often enough throughout the text. A good check to see whether you stay on topic until the end!

Why do I have a red score on the keyphrase density check?

If you get a red traffic light for using your focus keyphrase too often or not enough and you’re not sure why, here are some things to look out for.

• First off, make sure your full focus keyphrase is within one sentence to make sure it’s being counted.
• Check your spelling. If you use [pancake] in your text, but wrote [pencake] in the focus keyphrase field, the plugin will not recognize it. Using capital letters, like in [Pancake] or even [PANCAKE] will not impact recognition though.
• If your keyphrase density is too high, make better use of synonyms. Synonyms of your focus keyphrase will not count towards your total score, but they’ll probably make your text more pleasant to read.
• Some page builders in WordPress conflict with our plugin. If our plugin is not able to find your content or your keyphrase due to a page builder, the results will be distorted. The fastest way to rule out conflicts is to perform a conflict check.
• Some non-latin, non-ideograph based languages may not calculate accurately. Please submit a bug to notify us of that, it’s much appreciated.

I don’t get feedback on my keyphrase density. Why is that?

If you don’t get feedback on your keyphrase density, there are a couple of things you should check:

• Did you enter your focus keyphrase in the focus keyphrase field? Because that’s a basic requirement for the plugin to run the check.

• The keyphrase density check is only performed when your content consists of at least 100 words.
• Sometimes our plugin conflicts with another plugin, a feature within your theme or, in rare cases, something on your server. For example, there has been a recent increase in users with a plugin or theme that provides a visual page or content builder. This may not be compatible with our page analysis.

Conclusion

Make sure you use your focus keyphrase enough throughout the whole text. But at the same time, don’t overdo it. You don’t want Google to think you’re stuffing your text with keywords. It’s doesn’t make for great user experience and will hurt your rankings.

If your keyphrase density is too low: add your focus keyphrase into your text more often. Also, check if your text stays on topic, because it should be quite easy to mention your keyphrase enough. If your score is too high, reassess your text first. See if there are places where you can replace your keyphrase with a synonym. With these tips, you should be able to score that green traffic light for keyphrase density!

Keep reading: SEO copywriting: The ultimate guide »

The post What is keyphrase density and why is it important? appeared first on Yoast.

The importance of maintenance

Regular maintenance is essential to ensure optimal performance of Yoast SEO. Our latest release introduces various enhancements, optimizing the plugin for an improved user and search engine experience.

Through ongoing maintenance, we address specific bugs and issues within the plugin, enhancing its stability and reliability. Keeping your plugins updated allows you to enjoy a seamless and error-free experience.

Improvements in Yoast SEO 21.9

One of our improvements in Yoast SEO 21.9 is an enhanced sitemap rewrite rules mechanism, ensuring smoother functionality and improved performance. In addition, we’ve made significant optimizations to the update process. From now on, rewrite rules will no longer be cleared for every option update, eliminating unnecessary operations. Instead, the rewrite rules will only be cleared when changes are made to the ‘strip category base’ option.

Sitemap image filters

Yoast SEO 21.9 introduces a new option based on user feedback. With this release, we have enabled filtering images for taxonomies and the homepage in the sitemap. This user-requested option allows website owners more control over the images in their sitemap, even when using plugins to add images to taxonomies.

Previously, filtering URL images was limited to posts and pages, but we have expanded this functionality to include taxonomies and the homepage. This enhancement provides greater flexibility and empowers developers to optimize their sitemaps easily.

Smaller file size for Yoast SEO Premium

Installing our Premium SEO plugin is now a breeze. We’ve made it even easier by reducing the zip size and removing the free version from the file. Yoast SEO Premium is now around 3MB lighter. This improvement eliminates potential installation issues, ensuring a seamless experience for all.

Update to Yoast SEO 21.9

Maintenance is a crucial aspect of optimizing your website for search engines. It’s also a crucial aspect of developing Yoast SEO. By ensuring improved performance, stability, compatibility, and ongoing support, Yoast SEO helps you stay ahead. Don’t miss out on the benefits of our latest release. Update your Yoast SEO plugin today and advance your SEO efforts.

The post Yoast SEO 21.9: Maintenance and more optimizations appeared first on Yoast.

Read more: How to write an awesome and SEO-friendly blogpost »

What is clickbait?

Simply put, the goal of clickbait is to get you to click, at any cost. To achieve that, clickbait headlines use dubious strategies, such as exaggeration, relying on shock value, sensationalizing, and misleading. They also often withhold key information about the content so that you’re compelled to fill the knowledge gap by clicking. Here are some examples of clickbait titles:

“Elon Musk absolutely hated this one thing about Steve Jobs”

“McDonald’s Just Made a Stunning Announcement That Will Completely Change the Future of Fast Food”

“Netflix’s Worst Nightmare Has Come True”

Why you shouldn’t use clickbait headlines

Needless to say, the actual content is usually far less exciting than the clickbait title makes it out to be. This leads to a high bounce rate and diminished trust. A 2022 study also found that people are less likely to share clickbait articles on social media. Not to mention that social media platforms such as Facebook have policies that penalize clickbait. 

So, clickbait titles may work to get someone to click, but they’re unlikely to create actual engagement. And even clicks are not guaranteed. These days, people are more aware of clickbait tactics and are getting fed up with them. There are even communities dedicated to exposing clickbait articles, such as the Saved you a Click subreddit.

How to create a great headline without using clickbait

1. Write great content

You can’t have a great title without having great content. Otherwise, you’re guilty of what clickbait does – overpromise and underdeliver. So first and foremost, focus on writing quality content to create engagement beyond that initial click!

2. Make sure your title is descriptive

Since you want to attract people who will stay on your page, your title should give a good idea of what people can expect from the content. Of course, it can be hard to manage all expectations with a single line of text. But at the very least, you should always include your focus keyphrase in the title. 

You should also make sure that the value of your content is clear from the title. What question does it answer? What information does it provide? Which problem does it solve? And what is the unique value it provides compared to other similar content?

Examples

Example of a non-descriptive title: “Games for cats”

This title doesn’t give you a clear idea of what to expect from the content. Game ideas? An article about why games are important for cats? Something else? And what distinguishes this page from other pages about games for cats?

Example of a descriptive title: “5 games even the laziest cat will love”

On the other hand, this title gives you a good idea of what you’ll walk away with after reading the article: 5 game ideas. It also tells you what’s unique about these game ideas – they are suitable even for lazy cats. This specificity also means that the article is more likely to reach the right audience (such as people with lazy cats), who will be more likely to engage. 

Though of course, this title is only a good title if it’s truthful. A small exaggeration is fine (you probably didn’t test your games with the laziest cat in the world, and that’s fine), but you should make sure that the content mostly delivers on the title’s promise.

Keep reading: Make satisfying content by managing users’ expectations »

3. Make sure your title is easy to scan

A super descriptive title is not enough – you want the information to actually reach people’s brains. There’s a lot of information on a search engine result page, and a title that’s not immediately clear will probably not capture people’s attention. That’s why your title should as easy as possible to read for people who are scanning the search engine result page.

To achieve this, make sure that your title is not too long, and that the keyphrase is as close to the beginning of the title as possible. If the key information is at the end of the title, people are more likely to miss it. Also, try to improve readability by avoiding complex words and passive voice. 

Examples

Example of a difficult to scan title: “Veterinary specialist explains why your cat always seems hungry”

This title is a bit long and contains the complex phrase ‘veterinary specialist’. The key information (why your cat is always hungry) is also at the end of the title.

Example of an easy to scan title: “Why is my cat always hungry? Vet explains.”

This title has two shorter sentences instead of one long one. The complex phrase ‘veterinary specialist’ is replaced with ‘vet’. Also, the key information is at the beginning of the title.

4. Create a curiosity gap, but don’t exploit it

Clickbait often explores the curiosity gap by withholding certain pieces of information from the title, so that you are compelled to click.

This is not necessarily a bad thing: if your article provides some interesting information, you want to convey that through the title and elicit curiosity. However, your content should provide more value than just giving an answer to a question that can be summarized in one word or sentence. This will not create engagement, and will make people bounce right back to the search results.

Examples

Example of a title that exploits the curiosity gap: “This one activity can do wonders for your immune system”

This title withholds information that can be summarized in one word (in this case: “yoga”) and that is the main topic of the article.

Example of a title that doesn’t exploit the curiosity gap: “How yoga can do wonders for your immune system”

This title still creates curiosity because you’re not saying how yoga can boost your immunity. But at the same time, you provide a little bit more information about the content. However, this title only works if there is some depth to the answer provided in the article. If the answer is something very obvious or that can be summed up in one sentence, people may leave feeling uninterested at best, and manipulated at worst.

5. Use evocative language

This won’t work for all titles, but if possible, you should consider using evocative language. Evocative language captures particular senses or emotions, which can appeal to people more than plain factual descriptions. 

One way to do this is by using adjectives, for example, describing a pasta dish as “creamy”. You can also use a verb, especially one that addresses the reader directly. Even better if the verb can serve as a call to action, or describe the benefit someone might enjoy after reading your article. For example, “Learn sewing with these beginner tips”. 

Be careful to not overdo it, though – appealing to strong emotions is a key feature of clickbait. So ask yourself whether your title really needs adjectives such as “mind-blowing” or “heartbreaking”. And try to avoid relying on eliciting negative emotions, such as fear or anger, as that can feel particularly manipulative.

Examples

Example of a title without evocative language: “Best books for people who don’t read a lot”

Example of title with evocative language: “Books that will make anyone fall in love with reading”

6. Use the Yoast SEO title generator

Let’s be honest – even if you know the theory of what makes a good title, it’s not always easy in practice. The good news is, you can ask for help. The Yoast SEO AI title and meta description generator, available in Yoast SEO Premium, helps you craft quality SEO titles and meta description. With a click of a button, you get multiple title (or meta description) ideas based on your keyphrase and content. It’s a great option if you want to save time or if you need a bit of inspiration!

Conclusion

Not using clickbait doesn’t mean writing boring titles. It’s all about balance – highlighting what’s great about your content, but without overpromising or deceiving. Often, you can already create a compelling title by focusing on the basics, like making sure your title is descriptive and easy to scan. But you can also use techniques like creating a curiosity gap or using evocative language, as long as your title remains descriptive and truthful. And of course, a great title can’t exist without great content, so you should focus on that first and foremost!

The post How to create great headlines without using clickbait appeared first on Yoast.

Structuring your content into topic clusters can take time and effort. However, regardless of how new your website is, it’s worth your consideration. If you’re starting, this can be a great basis to structure the content you create for your website. If you already have content but need help with SEO, this strategy can help you organize your content and improve your rankings.

What is a content cluster?

A content cluster is a group of pages and posts focused on a particular topic. It has one page where the main topic is explained, also known as a pillar page, and loads of other pages on more specific parts of that topic. You can compare these pillar pages to cornerstone articles if you’re familiar with cornerstone content. These are your most important pages focused on a central topic that links to all your other content on that subject.

Although similar, content clusters and their pillar pages go one step further than cornerstone content. It’s a way to structure your content and pages with it. Structuring your content in the right clusters helps you establish authority on that subject. It shows Google and your site visitors that you have lots of knowledge on that topic. When you do this right, your content clusters will be a strong basis for your content SEO and help your rankings.

Most websites have more than one content cluster. You will probably want to show your expertise on a few different topics. These clusters will remain part of your content strategy, as you want to update its content and add new pages or posts. For example, when there’s a new trend in your field or when you encounter a new user question on that subject.

Examples of content clusters

Let’s make this concept a bit more tangible. We’ll show you two examples of websites that use content clusters to structure their content. The first example is the ultimate guide to remote work by Zapier. This page is an index for al Zapier’s different remote work content, categorized using subtopics. There isn’t any other content on the page, so it’s focused on giving you an overview of their content on remote work. You can click on the topic you want to know more about.

We’d like to show you another example, as topic clusters come in many forms. This one is a page on fast fashion and why it’s bad by Good on You. This one is different as this website has chosen to already feature the most important content on the page itself. Below that (and throughout the text), they link to other pages where they dive deeper into a subtopic of fast fashion.

When should you use content clusters?

As said before, you can use content clusters to structure content. Of course, there are other ways to structure your content that can also be a great choice for your website. So, how do you know if this is the way to go? Topic clusters are a great option for websites that still need building authority in their field. They make it possible to rank for less competitive, more specific keyphrases, also known as long-tail keyphrases. You might be tempted to focus on your main keywords, but these less competitive keyphrases will likely drive some initial traffic to your website.

When you’ve set up your most important content clusters and gained some traffic, probably through your long-tail keyphrases, you will also see your overall rankings increase. As a result, this will help you rank for your main keywords as well. Google is starting to see you as an authority in your field. Which will, in turn, help with the rankings of all your individual pages. In addition, using content clusters makes it easy for Google to understand the hierarchy of your website and how your content is connected.

Google wants you to show off your expertise

Google and other search engines want to provide users with the best content. The content will answer their questions and help them find what they want.

The more quality content you publish on topics in your field, the more different keywords you can be found for. The more content, the more Google can link to each other to understand your website. And the more authority you can build on that those topics. This is becoming more important, with Google focusing on E-E-A-T and helpful content guidelines when they judge website content. This acronym stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness and needs to be part of your content strategy.

How to create content clusters

So, knowing how to get started is good if you consider using content clusters on your website. The first step is figuring out what your pillar pages will be. What are the main topics you want to write about? Where does your expertise lie? To give you an example, at Yoast, our main topics are all in the field of SEO. So, our content clusters could revolve around keyword research, SEO copywriting, technical SEO, e-commerce SEO, and site structure. To name a few. Take the time to figure this out, as this will be an important part of your site structure.

1. It’s time for keyword research

To figure out what your main topics are, we always suggest conducting proper keyword research. What’s great about keyword research is that it will also give you loads of inspiration for the other content in your content clusters, which you will link to from your pillar page. After deciding on your pillar pages, plan for your long-tail keyphrases and add a few to every pillar page.

2. Think about the layout of your pages

An optional step I want to mention here is involving your UX designer when you have a first overview of what you want your pillar pages and other pages to look like. Thinking back to the examples, you can choose many styles for your content clusters. Do you want to create pillar pages that give an overview of all the other content, or do you already want it to show content on the main topic? We would suggest having content on the pillar page as well, as you also want these pages to rank for your main keywords, but of course, that’s up to you. You might have another strategy in mind. Just think about design and UX to make these pages accessible for your site visitors. You’re not just doing this for our good old friend Google.

3. Let’s start writing

When you know what your content clusters will look like, it’s time to start writing. Don’t underestimate this part. Start with your main pillar pages and build from there. Prioritize which content clusters must be set up properly first and take it from there. Unfortunately, there won’t be a moment when you’re done with your content clusters. This will be a continuously evolving part of your website, which calls for regular updates to keep your content fresh and interesting. But there will be a moment when you can take a step back, look at what you have so far, and be proud of the content you’ve created. That shows your expertise on the topics closest to your business.

4. Don’t forget your internal linking

An essential part of this strategy is the internal linking. Internal linking means adding a link to one page on your website to another. This is how you form your content clusters and how Google knows what content is related to each other. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:

• Always link to your pillar page from the other pages in the content cluster
• Use the pillar pages to link to the (most important) pages in the content cluster
• Avoid linking too much to other (pillar) pages outside of the content cluster

Internal linking is how users navigate your content. It’s also how search engines determine what content is related to each other and what the hierarchy is. If you handle this properly, Google will understand the most important content. This can prevent keyword cannibalization and the wrong page ranking for the wrong search terms.

Don’t worry about it too much; most comes down to common sense. Keep the clusters and hierarchy of the content in mind when you decide what pages to link to each other. Your pillar pages should be at the top of the hierarchy in their cluster, which should be reflected in your internal linking. Of course, other content in your cluster can link to each other and even to content in other clusters. Don’t go overboard with this; use it to strengthen your clusters, not link everything to each other.

Are content clusters for you?

That’s it for now! We hope this blog post has given you some insight into what content clusters or topic clusters are. But also whether they’re a good fit for your website and what they can do for your SEO. The main thing to remember is that your content should be structured in a way that’s helpful for your site visitors, and this is another way to help you do that. Are you considering using content clusters on your website? Or are you already using them? Let us know in the comments!

The post Content clusters: What are they and do you need them? appeared first on Yoast.

What changed?

In the past, any page with a visible video to Googlebot-video and appropriate structured data could secure a ranking with a video result. However, Google’s new approach focuses on pages that are explicitly designated as “video-focused”, or where video is served as the primary content.

New name for video search

Google now refers to video search as “video mode”. This could hint at a potential evolution in search verticals. Certain queries may trigger video results, complementing the traditional method of selecting “videos” beneath the search bar on google.com/video.

Time to reevaluate your strategy

This shift necessitates a reevaluation of your video SEO strategies. While you could previously integrate videos throughout your website to enhance your content and earn video rich snippets, Google now requires a more targeted strategy. 

The solution? Create a dedicated Video pagetype to align with Google’s new criteria. For businesses invested in video and SEO, this new pagetype should offer a secondary location for existing videos on your site.

Create a video pagetype

As we’ve just discussed, the best response to this change is to develop a new pagetype that specifically caters to Google’s shift. So, what should these pages look like? 

The new video pages should:

• Have a single video per page.
• Ensure the video is at the top of the page.
• Ensure the video is presented in a large frame (at least 640px x 360px).
• Ensure the video has rendered within the viewport after first contentful paint (you can test this out using pagespeed insights).
• Have supporting information around the video, e.g. title, description, transcription.
• Contain no other images, interactive elements or extensive copy.

You should also consider crafting a “video library” page. This can act as a centralized category page for all video content, and help facilitate user navigation.

Keep adding video everywhere

Does this mean you should no longer use videos on your pages and in your blog posts? No. While they are no longer eligible for video results, videos are still beneficial for your site. They can still improve user experience, increase conversion rates, and positively impact all of the user signals that feed into the ranking algorithm. 

By using videos, you will still be telling Google that there’s rich content on the page, which could potentially improve your rankings in general.

Don’t worry about duplication

With the addition of video pages, your videos will likely exist in at least two locations on your site: one where they are integrated in a wider page, e.g. blog post, product page, and on a dedicated video page.

You might start to worry about duplication – am I confusing Google with duplicate content? The answer is no. Google will see integrated video as a page element, and duplication of elements is completely normal across websites. As for the videos on a dedicated page, Google will see those as being the core content. 

The benefits

By having a video in two places, you can rank for video results and ensure that your existing pages are improved with rich media. You may also find then that for some queries you can receive two results: a standard listing for the page/post with the video embedded, and a rich video result for the video page.

If you’re putting your videos on YouTube, then you may even get a third result for the same query – one leading to youtube.com. So having multiple locations for your video can enable you to take up more real estate for important and competitive queries.

What about old pages that used to rank with video results?

Don’t worry too much about old pages. While they may not rank with video snippets any more, they will probably still rank. Just with standard blue link results.

Conclusion

With Google’s new update, your old video SEO strategy probably won’t work anymore. That’s why you should design pages that are explicitly designated for videos. 
If you’re looking for tips on how to create video library pages, check out this post on optimizing a video gallery, and this post on building a video website!

The post Google’s video search update: What’s new? appeared first on Yoast.

Having an orange or red light for the previously used keyphrase check in Yoast SEO? Here’s what this check does and how to turn that light green.

Don’t compete with your own articles

Why shouldn’t you use your focus keyphrase more than once? Because you don’t want to compete with yourself for a position in Google. This phenomenon is also called keyword cannibalization. By optimizing two different articles for the same focus keyphrase, you’re telling Google two things: that both are suitable for people searching for that keyphrase, and both should appear in the search results.

While having two articles rank for the same keyphrase isn’t necessarily impossible, you’ll find that it’s still very hard. Your site needs to have a lot of authority, especially if you want your two articles to appear in the top ten search results for the same query.

What if you already rank with one article?

If one of your articles already ranks, you may have enough authority to try and rank with a second one. However, if you’re not already ranking for a focus keyword, never use it twice! Instead, update and improve your original article. Then write another post that covers a slight variation of the keyword.

Do you think you might be cannibalizing your own content? Here’s how to fix keyword cannibalization.

Ranking for your desired keyphrase

What do you do if you want to rank for a particular keyphrase? Imagine you’re starting an online store for horse feed. You probably want to rank for [horse feed]. Seeing as you’re just starting, that’ll be pretty hard. You might think you need to optimize all your posts for [horse feed], but as we’ve just seen, that’s definitely not the case.

So what should you do? Your keyword research will give you some ideas about which other terms to target.

Content for your blog

If you have a blog – which we advise you have! – you could write an awesome, long cornerstone article about all the different aspects of feeding your horse well. Next, you should optimize this article for the term [feeding your horse] using our Yoast SEO plugin, and mark it as cornerstone content in our plugin.

You’ll need to write a lot of posts, each covering a different aspect of your ‘head’ term. For instance, you could write and optimize articles for focus keyphrases like [best type of hay for your horse], [pasture management], [feeding thin horses], [feeding sport horses] and so on. These are called long-tail keywords.

If you link from these long tail articles to your ‘head term’ article about [horse feed], you’ll be telling Google which of your articles is the most important. This will help you with ranking your most valuable article. At the same time, you’ll also be attracting traffic for those long-tail articles.

Content for your store

So, what if you have lots of product pages for a type of horse feed? Let’s say you have a big assortment: feeds for thin horses, fat horses, feeds for sport horses etc. Should you optimize all your product pages with feeds for thin horses for [feeds for thin horses]? Nope. In this case, it makes more sense to optimize your category page for this term instead of all your individual product pages.

Can you use a focus keyphrase more than once?

Of course you can, but in most cases it’s not a good strategy to achieve great rankings for a keyphrase. If you want to rank for a keyphrase, dive a bit deeper into a topic. See what questions people have. Could you write long-tail articles about those questions?

Also, look at the other search results. Who is your competition, and what do they show? How can you distinguish yourself from them? When you’ve written your content, embed your articles in a kickass site structure to increase your chance of ranking!

What does the previously used keyphrase check in Yoast SEO do?

One of the assessments of the SEO analysis in the Yoast SEO plugin is the previously used focus keyphrase check. This assessment checks if words from your keyphrase were previously used in another keyphrase for other posts or pages on your site. If you’ve used it for another post or page, you’ll get a red light. Why? Because you should optimize only one page for a specific keyphrase!

What to do if you already used your keyphrase more than once?

If you click on the link next to the red bullet, it will guide you to the other article you’ve written about it. Take a good look at the articles. Check which one performs best in the search engines, or gets the most traffic. Keep that article, or merge the best aspects of both articles in the one that ranks highest. The free Yoast Duplicate post rewrite and republish feature can help you with that!

If you just found out you’re aiming for the same keyword or keyphrase with multiple articles, it might pay off to audit your content to find possible cannibalization issues. Fortunately, Joost has written a step-by-step guide on how to find and fix keyword cannibalism on your website!

Want to learn how to choose your focus keyphrase well?

A solid keyword strategy is indispensable if you’re aiming for your website to rank high. You should investigate which keywords you’d like to rank for, research what the competition is doing, then write excellent copy about your focus keyword. If you want to learn how to thoroughly perform keyword research for your website, read our ultimate guide to keyword research, or try our keyword research training; it’s one of the many courses you’ll get access to with Yoast SEO Premium!

Read more: Why and how to export your focus keyphrases with Yoast SEO Premium »

The post Why you should use a focus keyphrase only once appeared first on Yoast.

Did you get a red traffic light in Yoast SEO for using more than one H1 heading? Read more about what the single title check does and how you can fix the red or orange light.

Heading structure and SEO

In many CMSs like WordPress or Shopify, headings are ordered in ranks (or levels). The highest rank is H1, the title of your post or page. In the rest of the text, you use H2 – H6 headings. With them, you indicate the importance of each section and how it relates to the rest of the text. So, when a reader lands on your page, the headings help them make sense of the content. It helps readers to scan the text and learn how it fits together.

Search engines also “read” headings and try to understand the structure of your text. Instead of the regular text you and I read, they go to the HTML version of your site and read the HTML heading tags. The headings help them comprehend the relative importance of your text’s (sub)topic.

One or multiple H1s?

As mentioned above, the H1 is the title of your post (not to be confused with the SEO title). We would suggest using the H1 heading only once. We believe that’s the best choice because:

• Headings help readers and Google understand your text. If there are multiple H1 headings, your readers and Google might get confused. People might get confused, distracted, or even frustrated when there’s no clear distinction between main and subtopics. As a result, they may leave your site.
• Proper use of headings makes your text more accessible. Think of visually impaired people who use screen readers. These devices can use headings to navigate through your text. More than one H1 in one article complicates this, and without visual cues, it might confuse people even more.

Of course, using the other headings as much as you need is perfectly acceptable. Still, you should keep in mind that headings are hierarchical. For example, you should use H2 before you use H3 within a particular topic. Check out this extensive guide on headings and SEO if you want to use them optimally.

What does the single H1 heading check in Yoast SEO do?

The single H1 assessment of Yoast SEO (both in our WordPress SEO plugin and Shopify SEO app) checks whether the body of your text contains an H1 heading at any position other than the very beginning. If Yoast SEO detects an H1 heading in the body of your text, it gives you a red bullet in the feedback. Luckily, solving this issue is straightforward.

Finding and changing your H1 headings

To ensure your post doesn’t have double titles, you’ll need to find all H1s in your text and change them to a lower heading level.

Changing an H1 heading in the classic editor in WordPress

If you click one of your headings in the classic editor, the clickable drop-down menu in the upper left corner will show the heading level you’ve selected. You can change it to another level by opening the drop-down menu and selecting another level. If the Yoast SEO feedback indicates that your text contains more than one H1 heading, check all your headings by clicking them. Then, select another level to change your H1 into H2 or another appropriate heading.

Changing an H1 heading in the block editor in WordPress

In the block editor, Yoast SEO helps you find the H1s quickly. Click the eye icon next to the assessment and see the H1 titles highlighted in the editor. If you want to change the level of your headings, click them. The menu bar above the block shows you the level of the heading. Then, select another level to change your H1 into H2 or another appropriate heading.

Changing an H1 heading in Shopify

When you go to one of your products or blog posts in the backend of Shopify, you’ll notice the ‘Title’ field at the top. This is where you fill in your title (which is automatically your H1 on that page).

In the description field below, you can write your product description or blog post and add headings by clicking the ‘Paragraph’ button above the content field. This dropdown allows you to add headings of different levels. If you get a red traffic light for your H1 assessment in Yoast SEO, find the wrong headings by clicking the eye icon. When you’ve found the H1 in your content, change it into H2 or another appropriate heading.

Conclusion

Using headings in the right way helps your SEO. What you learned from this post is quite simple. An H1 heading is the title of your post. You don’t want double or triple titles, so use the H1 heading only once. If you need to remember, Yoast is here to help you!

If you’re on Shopify, the Yoast SEO app can help keep an eye on your headings and other important SEO elements. In addition, it gives you access to all of our SEO courses to master the art of SEO! When you’re on WordPress and ready to take your SEO to the next level, go Premium to get access to all the features in Yoast SEO and all of our SEO courses. This will help you further optimize your site for visitors and search engines.

Go Premium and get free access to our SEO courses!

Learn how to write great content for SEO and unlock lots of features with Yoast SEO Premium:

Get Yoast SEO Premium »Only $99 USD / year (ex VAT)

Read on: Complete beginner’s guide to SEO »

The post Why you only need one H1 heading per post or page appeared first on Yoast.

Elementor users rejoice!

Many of you use Elementor to design and manage your WordPress sites. That’s why we’ve gone the extra mile to ensure this release makes your editing and optimizing process ten times better.

What’s new for Yoast SEO Premium users?

A seamless experience is what we are going for. Here’s what changed in Yoast SEO 21.8:

• Elementor in-editor highlights for the SEO, readability, and inclusive language analyses: Experience the seamless integration of our plugin with the Elementor editor. We’ll now show you where to apply the feedback from our analyses.
• User experience upgrade: No need to disrupt your creative flow by manually searching for where to make edits. Now, you have the power of immediate SEO insights as you edit.
• Targeted improvements: This enhancement is designed explicitly for the huge Elementor community within our user base, showing our dedication to catering to your needs.

We’re passionate about making SEO accessible and efficient for all our users. Our latest update is a testament to that commitment, bringing you closer to highly optimized websites.

Ready to revolutionize your SEO workflow?

If you’re already enjoying the benefits of Yoast SEO Premium, this update is ready and waiting to take your Elementor experience to new heights. Update your plugin to the latest version, and you’re all set!

Haven’t upgraded yet? There’s no better time to get Yoast SEO Premium. Unlock the full suite of features and join the community of SEO pros who maximize their online potential with our plugin.

Other improvements and fixes

We’ve also fixed several issues related to a recent release of the Gutenberg plugin. The first one was an issue where the highlighter for the keyphrase density assessment would not work when using the latest version of the Gutenberg plugin. In Yoast SEO Premium, we’ve fixed a bug where our Table of Contents block would prevent editing a post in Gutenberg.

Update now to Yoast SEO 21.8

Upgrade to Yoast SEO 21.8 today and experience the ultimate convenience and efficiency. We can’t wait to hear how this update helps you thrive online. Here’s to your success – optimized and amplified!

The post Yoast SEO 21.8: Seamless highlighting in Elementor appeared first on Yoast.

Disclaimer: it’s a known fact that SEO also stands for Seriously Effortful Optimization, so you will only get to the top by putting in the work. You should focus on stuff that matters (creating excellent content, making your site fast, and providing the best user experience, i.e., doing holistic SEO). The biggest time saver is choosing the right SEO tools to help you perform these tasks.

1. Unlock time-saving optimization with AI

Embrace the cutting-edge AI capabilities of Yoast SEO Premium to streamline your content optimization process. This powerful feature effortlessly generates titles and meta descriptions for your content. It even extends its benefits to your product meta descriptions when using WooCommerce SEO.

By leveraging AI, you can say goodbye to hours spent brainstorming catchy titles and compelling meta descriptions. Let the AI-powered tool handle the heavy lifting, ensuring your content is search-engine friendly while freeing up valuable time. You can focus on delivering high-quality content to your audience while our generative AI feature handles the optimization.

2. Improve existing content

Are you considering writing yet another post on topic X? Think twice. Before you write something new, please check which posts you already have on this topic. Do you find something similar that you’ve written two or three years ago? You can refresh the existing post instead of writing a brand new post. Add new insights, add a hook to current news, improve the quality, and merge it with another post on the same topic on your site. Update it, and you can even share it again in your newsletter or on social media.

This is beneficial in more than one way:

• It will prevent keyword cannibalization: if you have multiple similar posts on the same topic, your rankings for that query can deteriorate.
• You’ve eliminated that old article and shown users the best and most updated content. This serves both your users and Google!
• And, of course, you’ll save time by reusing content. In most cases, rewriting and updating content takes less time than writing something from scratch.

If you want to refresh your content smartly to benefit your SEO, check out our blog post on updating your content in 10 steps. A tool that saves time in the updating process is Yoast Duplicate Post. This free plugin allows you to duplicate and rewrite an existing post as a draft. When it’s ready, you can just hit ‘republish’ (or schedule) it. No more copying and pasting or inconveniently working in docs!

3. Use a tool for robust internal linking

One of the first things many SEOs do when auditing a site for the first time is to check the internal linking profile of a website. You could write a thousand articles, but if they don’t get links (external and internal), not many people will find them, making all the writing you’ve done a waste of time. A good site structure can boost your rankings, especially if you structure your site according to the cornerstone content principle.

In a nutshell, the cornerstone content principle means linking related posts. And most importantly, link these posts to the best, most complete article you’ve written on that topic. This is the article that touches on all aspects of the topic. It’s the article that you surely want to rank with! Because this post (or page) gets the most internal links, it sends signals to Google that this is the most important post on that topic.

Internal linking with Yoast SEO Premium

Without any help, implementing this is a lot of work: finding out which posts are related, making sure they’re linked, and manually checking whether they all link to a cornerstone article. Fortunately, Yoast SEO Premium has an excellent feature to help you save time: the internal linking suggestions tool. It will find and show suggestions for related articles to link to next to the post editor in the Yoast SEO sidebar. Pick the ones that you think fit best in the context of your post.

Moreover, you can mark your posts as cornerstone content in the backend with Yoast SEO. If you’ve done this and you’re writing a related post, this cornerstone article will show up on top in the suggestions. So you won’t forget to link to those!

Of course, you need more than just internal links for SEO. Nothing beats getting an external link from a high-authority website to build your authoritativeness (part of E-E-A-T). So, building backlinks remains key to achieving good results in SEO. Unfortunately, there’s not a shortcut here. You’ll need outstanding and genuinely original content to earn backlinks nowadays. Plus, you must put effort into the necessary outreach to get the word out about the fantastic things you do, create, or write.

4. Use productivity tools for focus

SEO can be overwhelming. You’re never done with SEO, and the tasks you want or need to do can pile up. As a result, you can lose track of everything on your plate, which can even lead to overwhelmed paralysis. It is stressful and not helpful if you want to save time. It’s good to get an overview of the SEO improvements you want to work on to prevent feeling overwhelmed or regain control. Productivity tools like Trello or Todoist can help you attain and keep this overview.

When you’ve organized your board, you’ll need to prioritize. But you might wonder: which tasks on your board come first? Well, as always in SEO, the answer is: it depends. Are significant technical flaws preventing Google from correctly crawling and indexing your site? The obvious answer is to start with that. Do you use huge images on your site, causing pages to load for ages? That might be a good starting point, too.

As for content improvements, it’s impossible to give one-fits-all advice. One principal recommendation, and maybe stating the obvious: make sure your priorities are aligned with your business goals. Are you focusing on getting more sales right now? Optimizing your product pages probably makes sense. Do you want to establish sustainable growth? Focus on the long-term with sustainable SEO.

Are you still feeling overwhelmed? Then, starting with more minor, easy-to-accomplish tasks might be a good idea. Getting into a flow of achieving things and moving cards to done can give that positive energy needed to take up the more significant tasks.

5. Optimize your post for synonyms and related keyphrases

What if you want to rank for multiple queries with one post? That would be a huge time-saver, right? The good news is that you can and might even already do. Of course, there’s one significant constraint: the queries must be very similar. For instance, if you write about sustainable hen houses, it might be worth optimizing for a synonym such as eco-friendly poultry houses too. Using synonyms is a best practice not only for SEO but also for readability. Generally, people don’t like repeatedly reading the same word in a text.

Using synonyms will also help Google to understand the topic better. You’re giving them more context on the topic, making it easier to identify which entity you’re writing about. The same goes for related keyphrases; it will provide Google with the context to show your post or page for the correct query. If you want to optimize your post for related keywords, our Semrush integration can save time finding these. It will show related queries to your focus keyphrase with search volume.

In Yoast SEO Premium, you can set keyphrase synonyms and related keyphrases. The SEO analysis will consider these phrases when analyzing your text and give you feedback so you can also optimize for these phrases. As explained, this will result in more natural writing and a better understanding of the post’s topic by Google. And it can save you time because you won’t write essentially identical posts. As a bonus, you’re not creating duplicate content or causing keyword cannibalization.

6. Preview your social post in the admin

We think sharing your content on social should be part of your SEO efforts. When you’ve written a blog post and plan to share it on social media, you want to ensure it looks good on your timeline. But if you need to do that on the social media platform itself, it does take some time. You must go back and forth between platforms, adapt and upload improved images, etc.

A small but easy time-saving feature in Yoast SEO Premium is our social media preview functionality. It will show you what your post looks like when shared on Facebook or X. Does the image fit, and does the title look good? If you use it, you’re no longer in the dark about the appearance of your post on your timeline. And it saves you time switching between platforms and copy-pasting URLs.

Moreover, you can even set default templates for specific post types. For instance, at Yoast, we set those for help articles. We don’t share these frequently on social media, so we won’t create individual images for all these articles. But setting a good fall-back image prevents these posts from looking misfitted when shared by someone else. Read more about our default social templates.

Save time in SEO

So that’s it. These are our tips on saving time in SEO. It mostly comes down to focusing on what matters and using the right tools. Over to you! Do you have any tremendous time-saving tips? Please share them in the comments!

Read more: Save time in SEO with these tips »

The post 6 essential tips to save time in SEO appeared first on Yoast.

Yoast SEO for Shopify

We have a Yoast SEO for Shopify app! Now, you can enjoy the benefits of Yoast SEO on your Shopify store too. Read more about our Shopify app on yoast.com, or go straight to the Shopify app store and get Yoast SEO for Shopify!

What does the readability analysis in Yoast SEO do?

The readability analysis in Yoast SEO uses an algorithm to determine how readable your text is. We’ve crafted this algorithm to make it as accurate as possible without being too strict. It features several checks that will give you advice when you write your page. In other words, following this advice makes your text easier to read and understand.

It has been said that Yoast SEO suggests dumbing down your writing. Of course, that’s not the case. We merely want to help people write content that’s easy to understand. Just consider the following quote by content design hero Sarah Richards about making your content as readable for humans as possible:

“You’re not dumbing down, you’re opening up.”

By simplifying content, you’re automatically growing your audience as more people grasp the message of your content. Also, you’re not writing your content just for people anymore. Because virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri must also be able to work with it. Even Google increasingly uses well-written content for rich results like featured snippets, not to mention all the AI tools that love good content.

That being said, while the advice in the readability section is not the be-all and end-all advice, it does give you important clues to the perceived difficulty of your text. Writing with readability in mind is crucial, as readability ranks!

Current readability checks in Yoast SEO

The current readability checks are available in Yoast SEO:

Supported languages

The readability analysis is available in many languages. Check out the languages Yoast SEO supports for an overview. We’re continually working on adding new languages.

How to use the readability analysis in Yoast SEO

You can find the readability analysis in your Yoast sidebar in WordPress and Shopify. In WordPress, you can also find the readability checks in the Yoast SEO meta box underneath the post or page you edit.

It’s very easy to use the analysis to improve your content. You can start writing the article you want to write. The readability score is calculated in real-time, so you can look at it while you write. However, if you want to stay focused, you can also choose not to look at the score while writing your first draft. That way, you can write without being distracted and make the final tweaks afterward.

The readability score helps you by giving you a green, orange, or red traffic light per check. If you get orange or red traffic lights, click on the eye icon to determine where improvements can be made. Easy peasy!

Everyone has their own writing and editing process, and this way isn’t necessarily how you should use it. You have to find out what works for you gradually. Practice makes perfect!

It’s good to note that the word complexity assessment is a Premium feature. If you’re using the free version of Yoast SEO, you’ll see this feature being greyed out. Upgrade to Yoast SEO Premium now to unlock this feature!

Should all traffic lights be green?

We often get this question: no, not every traffic light has to be green. What you should aim for, though, is a green, happy traffic light overall — the one in the tab that reads “Readability”. An orange traffic light for one of the checks, like in the screenshot above, is fine. Your article will still be able to rank even if it doesn’t pass all of the tests. This is merely an indication, not a necessity.

We want everyone to be able to read and understand content, but we also know that there are industries where the language used is different from what most people would use. That’s perfectly fine. Find out what works for you. Need help? Please read our ultimate guide to SEO copywriting.

Try it out!

The readability analysis and content analysis of Yoast SEO help you write excellent, SEO-proof articles and product pages that are easy for anyone to grasp. In doing so, you ensure that every piece of content you write is ready to start ranking in search engines while staying enjoyable for readers. Don’t have Yoast SEO yet? Do you want to use our Premium plugins’ excellent additional features? Find out about all the benefits of Yoast SEO for WordPress and Yoast SEO for Shopify!

Read on: How to use Yoast SEO’s content analysis tool »

The post How to use the readability analysis in Yoast SEO appeared first on Yoast.

What is holistic SEO?

If you practice holistic SEO (search engine optimization), it means you improve every important aspect of your website to make it rank higher in search engines. With holistic SEO, the ultimate goal is to make a website that fulfills its users’ needs on every level; not only by providing the right information at the right time, but also by being easy and safe to use. To reach this goal, website owners should, at least, work on the following aspects of their site:

• have good technical SEO;
• write quality content and structure it well;
• ensure a great user experience;
• keep your site secure.

We’ll also include resources to help you learn SEO and optimize various parts of your website at the end of this post. Do check them out!

Why a holistic SEO approach?

Google’s mission is to build the perfect search engine that helps people find exactly what they’re looking for; whether that’s the answer to “Where is Wijchen?”, a recipe for apple pie, or the best toaster. That’s why you should make your website and your marketing strategy fit this goal.

A little analogy to explain

Let’s use an analogy to explain the holistic approach to SEO. Think of working on your site’s SEO as taking a ship to a ship-building competition, with Google and other search engines as the judges. Similar to a website, a ship is big and has lots of moving parts that need to be managed. Your site design is the ship’s exterior, your content is the interior and services, and your website’s technical setup is the ship’s engine. Your goal? Appeal to the judges so they rate you highly and recommend you to people.

The ship-building competition is packed, so to get a good ranking, you not only need a great-looking ship and a fast and reliable engine, but you also need a good interior and high-quality onboard services. If you have a great-looking ship on the outside (an eye-catching design) but the interior (content) is lacking, people are less likely to want to be on that ship. On the other hand, if you have an amazing interior and onboard services, but your ship is slow and your engine is prone to issues (technical setup), people will also look for other alternatives.

As you can imagine, the judges (search engines) only give high rankings and recommend ships (websites) that meet and exceed the standards mentioned above. The judges’ mission and reputation depend on giving good recommendations, so they take this very seriously. That’s why using “tricks” to make it seem like you’ve improved your ship won’t work, because you haven’t actually improved it.

Conclusion: Improve every part of your site

By working on improving every part of the ship (website), your ship will become better across the board over time. At the same time, don’t forget that you’re not the only ship trying to be better. Others are doing the same. In a competition so fierce and packed, every small gain and improvement will add up to be significant. With that, you may get a higher ranking in the competition and receive a recommendation.

SEO tricks are of the past

Back in the early days of SEO, people could get away with doing tricks. They used to stuff keywords and internal links on pages, wrote thin and irrelevant content, or scraped content from other sites and ranked with that content. These are things of the past.

Since then, Google and other search engines have been improving their algorithms by the day. With the helpful content update, Google wants to reward sites that offer users what they’re looking for, and ‘punish’ sites that don’t meet visitor’s expectations. They no longer fall for such tricks (for the most part).

Holistic SEO is the way forward

While Google has changed its algorithm numerous times, our advice has mostly remained the same ever since we started: you have to ensure that your site is exceptionally good. Even though having a website with high-quality content, a great user experience, and up-to-date security won’t instantly improve your ranking, it’s still worth it. Because in the long run, all these improvements will definitely have a positive effect on your SEO!

You’ll get more recommendations…

In addition, overall great websites tend to get more backlinks from other websites. Plus, they also receive more social media attention. Remember the analogy about the ship earlier? This is similar to getting recommendations from other ships (websites) in and outside of that competition, which is a strong signal to search engines that your website is amazing.

… and more sales!

On top of that, people behave differently on a website that they like (they stay longer for example), compared to a website they don’t understand. Google uses these kinds of user signals to find out how people experience your site. And finally, awesome websites will also result in higher conversions. If your audience likes and understands your website, the chance of them buying your products or returning to your website is, of course, much higher.

Read more: Everyday website optimization: 6 tasks for your daily SEO routine »

SEO takes time

Understanding that SEO takes time to bear fruit is a key point in the holistic SEO approach. Since you only have so much time and resources to work on improving your site, you need to identify what you want to improve. Next, come up with a plan of attack, execute your planning, then watch the results of those changes after some time. Sometimes you make big changes, other times you make smaller ones that don’t feel so important. But over time, they will add up, which gradually turns your site into a better one.

In addition, whenever you implement a change or improvement, it takes some time for Google to notice. Then, Google needs to take these changes into account in its complex ranking algorithm. So don’t worry too much if you don’t see the results that you expect after a few weeks or even months. Just remember that it takes time, and keep on working on improving every aspect of your website to the best of your capability!

Learn SEO, the holistic way

So, where should you start? Because improving everything sounds like, well, a lot. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve your knowledge about the above-mentioned topics.

For starters, we offer a free SEO for beginners course, which is a great starting point to learn how SEO works. And if you want to put this knowledge into practice, consider trying our All-around SEO training. You’ll get lots of hands-on tips to start improving many aspects of your own site!

Go Premium and get access to all of our SEO courses

Unlock all the premium features and learn holistic SEO with our experts today!

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Reading material

Just want to read? These beginner guides are great starting points! If you’re a bit more knowledgeable and are looking for resources to optimize various aspects of your website, we recommend checking out these articles:

• WordPress SEO: the definitive guide – This is the original WordPress SEO article since 2008 (though we update it regularly, of course). It demonstrates our holistic SEO approach by giving you an overview of the various aspects that affect your SEO.
• Link building from a holistic SEO perspective
• Image SEO: Optimizing images for search engines
• Structured data with Schema.org: the ultimate guide
• What is page speed, and how does it influence SEO?
• Mobile SEO: The ultimate guide
• 5 ways to improve your Core Web Vitals
• The ultimate guide to content SEO
• What is quality content and how do you create it?

The post Holistic SEO: Improve every aspect of your website appeared first on Yoast.

What is keyword strategy?

You’ve probably gotten the advice to conduct a keyword research to find out what terms you should use. Which is good advice, but it isn’t a keyword strategy. That comes after your research.

A keyword strategy is about how you want to target those keywords, now and in the future. It contains every decision you take based upon your findings in your keyword research project, whether it’s about the content you’re planning to write or how you’re going to track the results in Analytics.

Read our ultimate guide to keyword research for SEO for an all-encompassing overview of all things keyword research. In addition, we have online training on keyword research as well.

A keyword strategy forms when looking at yourself and your environment

You need to have plenty of insights if you want to make informed decisions about your keyword strategy. Start by thoroughly investigating yourself, your product, and your competitors.

Look at yourself

A good keyword strategy starts with asking yourself the following questions:

• What is your business doing, and why?
• What are your goals?
• What’s your uniqueness in this world?
• What is the message you want to send?
• How’s your branding?
• Why would anyone want to visit your site?

Better insights lead to a better understanding of what you want to achieve. You’ll safe yourself time, and make sure you’re not focusing on the wrong things.

Look at search intent

After you’ve fleshed out your uniqueness, it’s time to look at search intent. Search intent is the why behind people’s search and click to your site.

So, ask yourself: Do you know your audience? Are people only looking for information on your site, or are they willing to buy stuff as well? And are there ways for you to target specific search intents with focused content, so you can influence this?

Look at the words your audience uses

By doing keyword research, you should get great insight into the words people use to find what they are looking for. Next, make sure the content you write (and that your audience is interested in) fits with your users’ search intent and the language they use.

Look at the competition

Don’t forget to take a good look at your competitors! What are they doing? How well are they ranking for terms you’d like to target? What kind of content do they have? Are there ways for you to improve on that? Have you thought about looking at the long tail?

Look at the search engines

Of course, while looking at your competitors, you’ll often use search engines to see how they are doing. Doing these types of searches can give you great insights into the strategy of your competitors. It also gives you a very good feel of what happens when you type in your main focus keyphrase. What’s the on-screen real estate like? Are there featured snippets you could target? Are there other types of rich results? Is there a local pack?

In some markets, if you track developments over time, you might see that search engines are increasingly giving answers that lead to no-click searches. Always keep an eye on search engines, but don’t go obsessing about every little algorithm update.

Look at data

Of course, analyzing data plays a big role in the success of your keyword strategy. Both before and after, Google Analytics provides invaluable insights into the performance of your site. Even Google Search Console can give you a lot of stuff to think about and opportunities to pursue!

How are you targeting your keywords?

Checking your analytics regularly to keep track of your SEO performance is incredibly important. But you can’t have performance without content that’s specifically tailored to the needs and goals of your strategy.

If you’ve ran through all the steps and did a thorough keyword research, you should have an idea of what you should target and how you should do that. You can use these insights to create the content you need to make a success of your strategy. There’s a lot you can do:

• Make landing pages
• Create specific types of content for different search intents
• Maybe make specific content to get featured snippets
• Perhaps voice search is something that might fit your strategy?
• Or apps?
• Video?
• Something else entirely?

Many roads lead to Rome, but some roads are more difficult than others. You could say that the highway is the fastest way to Rome, but you might run into a traffic jam because everyone wants to take that route. Sometimes, it’s better to take the rarely traveled mountain pass — the results might wow you!

Update your keyword strategy

Through the years (sometimes even months!), there’s a lot that can happen and change in the online world. It might be that your users’ language changed, or that a new competitor is gobbling up market share. Your keyword strategy should take that into account. So, regularly re-evaluate your keyword strategy, and adjust where necessary!

The post What is a keyword strategy? appeared first on Yoast.

Why your website menu is important

Your website’s menu is important because it helps users navigate your site. Sure, sometimes a user will arrive on the page they were looking for straight from Google. But usually, your visitors will want to look at various pages on your site. Or they land on your homepage and will need to navigate to the right page from there. That’s why your menu should be available on every page, and ideally, you would even have a sticky menu. Meaning that it scrolls down with the content to make sure it’s always in view. That way it doesn’t matter where your users are: they’ll always be able to find what they need.

Besides the essential navigation function of a menu, it’s also a neat way of letting users know what your site has to offer. You can think of it like a banner on each page, saying “This is what we do”. Make the most of that opportunity!

What makes a great site menu?

A great site menu should include links to the most important parts of your website. So it’s up to you to figure out what to put in it. But whatever content you decide to include, it’s essential to keep your menu usable.

Don’t: add too many menu items

One of the worst things you can do is overload your menu with too many links. This will make it look cluttered, and users will need to work hard to find what they need. Depending on your choice of menu design, some of the links could end up inaccessible if you have too many. For instance, if you’re using a drop-down menu, users might struggle to access links that appear off-screen.

Do: be selective or use alternative navigation options

The best option is to be selective about what you include in your menu, but for larger or more complex sites this won’t be possible. Luckily, there are lots of other solutions to a crowded menu. One solution is to create hub pages or categories, and add these to your menu instead. Then users can navigate to the relevant category or hub, and find their way to more specific content from there.

A second solution is to add sub-menus; these are additional menu options which only appear when the user hovers or clicks on a particular menu area. Sub-menus can be handy, but they can also become cluttered and difficult to use. So if you do use sub-menus, do so in moderation.

The third option is to include a search bar as part of your navigation menu. That way, if a user can’t see what they’re looking for in your menu, they can search your site for what they need. A search bar is a great feature to include, whether your menu is too cluttered or not. But do take some time to configure your search function well, because otherwise it won’t really help.

Tip: Yoast SEO Premium includes an Algolia integration you can use to improve your site search results. Using it will help push your most important content to the top of the results. Give it a go!

Don’t: only design your site menu for desktop

It’s easy to forget about mobile users when you’re using a desktop computer to build your website. But that’s the last thing you want to do, especially when it comes to your site menu design. A menu that looks good and works well on desktop might be completely unusable on a phone or tablet. Now that more and more people are using mobile devices to go online, it’s really important to consider menu design for both desktop and mobile.

Do: make sure your website menu works on mobile

There are two options for creating a menu that works on both desktop and mobile. You could add a responsive menu with a layout that adapts to the screen size being used. Alternatively, you can create a specific menu for the mobile version of your site. Whichever solution you choose, test it out on a few different screen sizes to make sure the end result is user-friendly.

Common website menu designs

There are loads of different menu styles to choose from. Hamburger menus, drop-down menus, and sidebar menus are a few well-known examples. There are also some very abstract and creative menus out there. However, the way that you implement these styles has a big impact on the overall impression and usability.

Here are some of the more standard options:

Minimalist site menu

If you have a simple website and only one or two online goals, it makes sense to opt for a minimalist menu design. For example, Behance is a ‘network for showcasing and discovering creative work’, so it doesn’t need a complicated menu. They only include 3 menu options: ‘Discover’, ‘Livestreams’, and ‘Jobs’. This lets the user focus on the search field and the creative works being displayed instead.

Some sites use a more minimalist menu style to cater to their mobile users. A hamburger menu (which looks like this: ☰) is a popular minimalist choice for mobile sites as it takes up a very small amount of screen space. For instance, on the mobile version of Joolz.com there are three simple icons to help users navigate: search, shopping cart, and a hamburger menu. Clicking on the hamburger menu expands it to show a list of their product categories. Solutions like this work really well on mobile devices.

Classic site menu

Classic menus are probably the simplest to work with. These focus on selecting the main categories or areas of the site and use buttons with text labels to guide users to the right place. A horizontal navigation bar is the most common type of classic menu. Sometimes menus like this have a few drop-down options below the main menu items, too. WordPress.org uses a classic menu design on its desktop site. Two of the menu items have a drop-down button to show more options: ‘Support’ and ‘Get Involved’.

Another classic menu style is the sidebar. You can see this kind of menu in action on Google Maps. Usually, these kinds of menus can be opened using a hamburger menu button and closed again using the ×-button. This is a great way to offer full-screen content, as the menu is hidden most of the time.

Mega menus

Mega menus are a kind of drop-down menu, but instead of having a single column of links under each main menu item, there is space for multiple columns. These menus are popular with larger and more complex sites, as they offer space for many more links than other menu styles. So in theory, you can be less picky about which links to include. Right?

Well actually, this supposed benefit can be the downfall of mega menus. Even though all the links can fit in there, including too much content in your menu can be overwhelming for users. That being said, if you limit yourself to a moderate amount of menu links, a mega menu can be a great option for your site.

On asana.com you can see they’re using a mega menu with a manageable number of links below each main menu item:

An example of a very full mega menu can be found on the World Food Program desktop site. In this case, the drop-down menu shows a list of countries, so users will still be able to navigate this menu quite easily. But just imagine if all these links were about different topics. Then users would struggle to find what they need, as if they were rummaging around in a messy drawer.

Other navigation options

You can do a lot with your site menu, but it’s not the only navigation option. Many sites add extra navigation links to their site header or footer. You’ll often see options to log in or change the site language in these spaces. However, if you do choose to add footer links you must disable infinite scrolling, or your users will never be able to reach the footer.

Another possibility is to create a sitemap page that users can access. This shows a structured list of all your site’s pages. These are becoming less popular than they once were, but they can still be a powerful tool for site navigation.

Site menus and SEO

Does your site menu influence SEO? Sure it does! You’re unlikely to get a lot of internal linking benefit from adding items to your menu. But there are other ways your menu can benefit your SEO, and that benefit has to do with how users experience your site.

If users can’t find what they’re looking for, they’re likely to leave more quickly and not come back to your site again. Google can pick up on those kinds of signals. So a great menu can help your SEO, albeit in an indirect way.

Which site menu will you choose?

As a general rule, it’s a good idea to keep your menu as simple as possible. Especially for smaller sites and those just starting up, a classic or minimalist-style menu should work great for you. If you have an enormous site you’ll need to think harder about what your users need to see, and how best to display that content.

Once you have a design you’re happy with, it won’t hurt to ask a few people to try it out and give you their feedback. If you’re really serious about making your site menu usable, you could carry out task-based user testing. Either way, make sure your website menu works for your users and provides them with a great experience!

Read on: Holistic SEO: Improve every aspect of your website »

The post Make a great website menu for your users and SEO appeared first on Yoast.

Setting the stage

As 2024 nears, reflecting on the transformative year 2023 for the SEO industry is important. It was a year marked by significant algorithmic shifts and technological advancements. Plus, evolving user behavior redefined the strategies of digital marketers worldwide.

In 2023, the SEO community witnessed the full impact of Google’s helpful content update. This placed a premium on user-centric content, diminishing the effectiveness of keyword-stuffed articles. In return, it rewards content catered to user needs and intent. This update re-emphasized the critical importance of understanding the searchers’ journey and creating content that offered genuine value.

The rise of artificial intelligence also reached a tipping point in 2023. AI-powered search features and content tools are becoming more mainstream. Integrating AI into search algorithms brought about smarter, more contextual search results.

As we move into 2024, these trends and challenges form the backdrop against which we navigate the future of SEO. The industry is set for another year of rapid evolution. Adaptability, strategic planning, and a keen eye on user experience will be the hallmarks of successful SEO.

2023: The year AI didn’t take over

To kick things off, our principal SEO expert, Carolyn Shelby, about the impact of AI on SEO in 2024:

As 2022 drew to a close, there was a sense that AI was about to take over everything, not just SEO. It was going to steal our jobs and replace us (humans) in nearly every possible way. In SEO, there was a massive interest in detection processes to determine what content people created and what AI created. There were questions about how the search engines were going to treat content deemed to be non-human. Thankfully, 2023 is almost over, and we are all (mostly) still employed, and none of us have new robot overlords.

Instead of completely taking over, AI is embedded within and added to most of our technology — especially in SEO. It’s a helper rather than a replacement; we’re all learning to leverage this new assistance. Even Google changed its language on treating AI-generated content to remove the stigmatization of using AI to help write. AI isn’t ruling over us; it is making us more efficient and helping us do our work faster. It might make you even better — if you’re good with your prompts.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead to 2024, it’s clear that the integration of AI enhancements into everyday life will continue and probably accelerate. The most beneficial skills prized in the workplace will be language and logic skills that improve your prompts.

The search engines are furiously competing to enmesh the AI equivalent of Clippy into their overall experiences. That, in particular, concerns the SEO community because it raises questions about potential traffic loss. Especially when the SERP starts reading and summarizing your search results to answer questions without needing to click through. As a result, it prevents users from doing research. The lack of a need to do research raises concerns about bias in the algorithms and big tech possessing undue and unchecked influence over the masses.

So many ethical concerns, so few guardrails.

SEO will survive

Ultimately, SEO will survive this, as will websites. SEOs are still necessary, and we now have the luxury of offloading our tedious tasks to AI helpers. Our sites might lose some traffic to the AI in the SERPs, but quality content that provides valuable information will always be needed and should win out. We need to moderate some of our expectations regarding how we interpret our analytics, and our conversion metrics might start looking different. But to be fair, traffic now doesn’t look or convert the same as it did five or ten years ago. Things change, but SEO will adapt and evolve.

What do you E-E-A-T?

Now, our other resident SEO expert, Alex Moss. He has the following to share on the growing impact of E-E-A-T in 2024:

Authority within SEO isn’t a novel concept. For years, SEO experts have concentrated on page and site-level metrics. However, the rise of entities, recognized through schema markup and the Knowledge Graph, is now pivotal in enhancing a site’s or individual’s Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). In 2024, it’s crucial to implement the correct schema markup for a page or site. Plus, you should craft content that genuinely serves the end user.

Over the past year, Google has underscored the importance of E-E-A-T with several updates, including an additional “E” for experience. This reflects a shift towards valuing personal experience in creating helpful, user-centric content. Alongside this, Google has updated its schema documentation — most notably with the anticipated enhancements to the Organization schema. In addition, it also introduced new types, such as profiles for individuals, discussion forums, educational offerings, and vacation rental listings.

Google’s focus on E-E-A-T will intensify in 2024, with further expansions and refinements to schema types and entity recognition. This evolution promises to intertwine individuals’ Knowledge Graphs more closely with the entities they are associated with, thus amplifying the importance of E-E-A-T in SEO.

The shift in online search behavior

In 2024, content specialist Camille Cunningham sees more changes happening in the way people search for answers to their questions:

When we think of how people find us online, we often picture someone typing in a keyphrase in Google’s good old search bar, hitting enter, and getting a neat list of search results. But as online search behavior evolves, we see a noticeable shift to other devices and platforms.

The importance of mobile

It may not be news to you, but the popularity of mobile is continuously growing. According to Hubspot, a percentage of 54% of consumers primarily use their phones for online searches. In that same research, they found that 80% of Gen Z, 62% of millennials, and 66% of Gen X use their phones most often when searching online. The younger generations (and the ones still to come) expect a great mobile experience whenever they experience you online.

The importance of social media

Related to this, you need to think bigger than just appearing in Google. Another development that will continue well into 2024 is using social media as a search engine.

People are spending loads of time on social media and using it to (actively) find information. Especially for younger generations, this is where you can reach them and get them interested in your business. These people will not be reached through traditional SEO; you’ll need to figure out where they hang out online and be there. Build your brand there and earn their trust through content that resonates with them.

Keep investing in user research and stay flexible in your marketing to ensure you cater to your audience’s changing needs. Constantly evolve with your target audience because user behavior will continue to change.

Google’s Search Generative Experience rolling out

Yoast’s strategic content specialist Edwin Toonen talks about the impact the SGE will have:

In 2024, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) will change the game. Google will probably roll it out worldwide sometime next year. With SGE, users will get more options to shape their searches and the results they get. In general, they can do more on the SERPs. They will likely search differently, asking more complex questions rather than entering short keywords. We must prepare for this by creating content that answers these more detailed questions.

There’s been a lot of talk about zero-click results, and getting traffic to websites will definitely change. SGE will provide answers directly on the search page, which could mean fewer people clicking through to websites. This requires a new approach from all of us, as we must find fresh ways to engage users and measure success. Also, we need to assess how much site traffic the SGE can cost us and adjust our strategies accordingly.

Content accuracy is now more important than ever. To be used by SGE, content must be factually correct and highly relevant. Therefore, we must focus on quality to ensure SGE picks up our content. In addition, we must find new ways to align our content with what SGE seeks. While writing that unique content, use AI sparingly to ensure our original work stands out.

Underneath all that, structured data is the bedrock for everything. By embedding this standardized format, we can directly communicate the context of our website’s content to Google. This clarity allows SGE to parse accurately and present information in response to user queries.

To keep in mind

Amid these changes, Google’s ad business remains a focal point. It has a history of integrating new features with an eye on monetization. Any advancements, including SGE, will likely support and enhance their advertising model. As we work through these changes, we must remember that Google will prioritize features that tie back to revenue generation. This will influence how organic and paid content coexist on SERPs.

In short, SGE is a wake-up call. But, as with everything, there are opportunities. It’s an exciting time for SEO!

Conclusion to SEO in 2024

As we look ahead, it’s clear that four key drivers are reshaping SEO in 2024. First, artificial intelligence is not just on the horizon — it’s here, fundamentally altering how we approach search engine strategies. AI’s influence spans from content creation to search query processing, setting a new bar for what it means to optimize for search.

Simultaneously, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) makes its presence felt. Its immediate impact on user search habits and site traffic compels us to re-evaluate our tactics to stay ahead.

The emphasis on E-E-A-T and entity SEO is rising to new heights of importance. The confluence of user experience, demonstrated E-E-A-T, and a clear understanding of entities and their relationships will form effective SEO.

Lastly, a new wave of user and search behavior changes is upon us. These shifts demand our attention and adaptability as they redefine the avenues users seek and consume information.

In summary, SEO in 2024 is dynamic and challenging but also brings opportunities. Staying attuned to these four focal points — AI’s transformative role, the ripple effects of Google’s SGE, the cruciality of E-E-A-T and entity SEO, and the evolving patterns of user behavior — will be pivotal for anyone looking to navigate the future of SEO successfully.

The post SEO in 2024: Four insights from Yoast SEO experts appeared first on Yoast.

Having an orange or red traffic light for the ‘keyphrase in slug‘ check in Yoast SEO? Here’s what that check does and how to turn that light green.

What is a slug?

A slug is the part of a URL that identifies a particular page on a website in an easy-to-read form. In other words, it’s the part of the URL that explains the page’s content.

For this article, for example, the URL is https://yoast.com/slug, and the slug simply is ‘slug’.

How to edit a URL slug

Why are URL slugs important for SEO?

Writing a good slug for your page or post can positively affect your SEO. It allows you to do the following things:

1. Include your keyword

Why? Because the slug is one of the indicators Google uses to determine what a page is about. So change your slug, and make sure that it includes words you really want to rank for.

2. Create user-friendly URL slugs

Picture a results page: you’ll see many different URLs about a certain topic, right? So you need to make sure your slug is in line with what people expect to see.

For example, our main article on WordPress SEO has the URL yoast.com/wordpress-seo, which is very on point. People are a lot more likely to click on that, than on yoast.com/?p=607, even though that’s the URL that WordPress creates by default.

Find out more about creating SEO-friendly URLs »

What does the keyphrase in slug assessment in Yoast SEO do?

Your article or page should have an easy-to-remember, focused and SEO-friendly URL. That’s why, to improve your URL, the Yoast SEO plugin checks how you’ve fitted in your main focus keyphrase and makes suggestions to improve it.

How to optimize your slug in WordPress

What do you need to think of when crafting the right slug for your post or page? Let’s go over the six steps of optimizing it in WordPress:

The post What is a slug and how to optimize it? appeared first on Yoast.

We’ve listed 8 tools that can help you with your SEO in different ways. But I do want to note that it’s important to maintain a healthy balance between utilizing AI and your input. AI can help us a lot, especially with getting started and saving time on easy tasks. But keep in mind that authenticity and trustworthiness are important for your audience and SEO. Don’t let AI do everything and take your unique point of view out of the equation. Don’t underestimate your importance in this process and make sure to always stay critical of the output. Check the tone of voice, check the facts and rewrite whatever needs to be rewritten. In the end, this human element will be what gets you to the top of the search results.

1. ChatGPT (Plus)

Let’s start with a tool you’ve probably already heard of: ChatGPT. This is a text-based AI model that interacts with you in a conversational way to answer any question you have. Or fulfill any content request you have. This means that the range of what ChatGPT can help you with is quite wide. Although it is limited to text-based answers, you can ask ChatGPT a lot of different things and it will always try to help you with your request.

Another great feature is the possibility to tweak your request along the way. So if you ask ChatGPT to write an introduction for a blog post on a specific topic and the answer it comes up with is too long, you can then ask it to shorten it and it will do so. If you’re not happy with the tone of voice, you can ask it to change that. Or if you don’t like it at all, you can ask ChatGPT to rewrite it altogether. You can also give it prompts to instruct the tool more specifically and get a better result from the start. This allows you to keep tweaking the text until you’re satisfied with it.

There is a free version of ChatGPT, which in itself is already a powerful tool. There is also a paid option that unlocks a few additional features and faster response times, ChatGPT Plus. This can be interesting if you use ChatGPT quite a lot and have more complex requests that you need help with. But if you’re just getting started, we would recommend trying out the free tool first.

2. Jasper

Another AI tool that you can use to produce content is Jasper. But it is more focused on producing marketing content like blog posts, social posts, email and website copy. Where ChatGPT targets a wider audience, Jasper focuses on people working in marketing and entrepreneurs who do their marketing themselves. Utilizing the AI tool works pretty similarly, where you put in a request and Jasper provides you with content specifically created for a newsletter or post (or something else).

It also allows you to upload a style guide or examples of your content so that it can learn your preferred tone of voice. In addition, you can also give it information about your company like the products or services you provide, your audience and even a campaign brief. Jasper uses all of this to understand the goal of the content you’re requesting and to create content that is on-brand and detailed. What’s also cool about this tool is that it also comes in the form of a browser extension. Allowing you to use it while you’re working on your content in WordPress, Gmail and other places.

It’s good to know that Jasper works with a monthly (or yearly) subscription plan, so this is a paid tool. They have a few options you can check out and a free trial if you want to give it a try before subscribing.

3. Keyword Insights

A vital but time consuming part of SEO is keyword research. That’s why one of the AI tools we’ve picked is focused on that specifically. You can use Keyword Insights to find new keyword ideas and cluster them. By filling in a keyword it gives you loads of related keywords and their search volumes. Keyword Insights also helps you categorize keywords by clustering them properly and it allows you to upload other files to get those keywords in there as well. It gives you a nice overview of all your keywords per cluster and all the relevant data to figure out which ones you want to work on. The tool actually uses an algorithm to quickly show you which keyword is the best choice at the moment.

After you’re done with that, you can actually use the writing assistant to get started with writing. What’s cool about this writing feature is that it gives you an overview of the top headings of other websites that rank high on that keyword. Or it can even generate an outline for you. Which can be great inspiration to get started with the structure of your text. It also helps you write the text by suggesting relevant content for the article you’re working on.

Keyword Insights is a paid tool, that has several pricing options depending on your needs. A few of those options also enable team sharing, which comes in handy when you have multiple people working on your SEO. It has loads of interesting features to do keyword research in an organized way. But a very important sidenote is that it can be tempting to let the tool also do all the writing for you. Which might result in a text that is far from original and authentic and will not get you that top result in Google. As it will be mainly based on what’s already out there. So make sure to check out the keyword features, but be mindful of how you use the writing assistant.

4. Semrush SEO Writing Assistant

Another writing tool powered by AI is the SEO Writing Assistant you can find in Semrush. This tool analyzes your text in regards of SEO, readability, originality and tone of voice. It gives you suggestions based on this analysis and also comes with a few features to optimize your text, such as the Rephraser, Compose and Ask AI. What’s great about the Originality section is that this helps you create content that’s not like everyone else’s, something you risk when using AI in your content creation. This can help you figure out whether you need to change your angle and it also checks your content for plagiarism.

Another reason we’re mentioning this tool is because Semrush in general is a great tool for SEO. So having this option in there is a great addition to their set of tools. The SEO Writing Assistant is part of Semrush’s Content Marketing Platform, which you get access to with two (out of three) of their subscriptions. You can also sign up for a free trial to give it a whirl.

5. MarketMuse

When looking at AI tools that can help you elevate your SEO, MarketMuse is another one we want to mention. In short, MarketMuse is content planning and optimization software that comes with loads of SEO and automization features. The idea is that it puts everything you need in one place and automates content audits for you. Helping you suggest what you need to work on next instead of guessing or speculating what does or doesn’t work.

It can help you do keyword research, plan your content and write. All based on personalized data, as they analyze your website and also look at competitors in your field. Which can save you loads of time and help you make informed decisions. Without having to switch between different tools and documents or sheets. It’s all in our place. As most AI tools discussed so far, MarketMuse works with a monthly subscription plan and gives you a few options to choose from.

6. Originality.ai

The name might already be an indicator of what this AI tool can do for you. Originality.ai helps you fact check your text and also checks it for plagiarism. Being trustworthy is an important factor in SEO right now, and will probably remain important, so you need to get your facts straight. And make sure you’re not accidentally committing plagiarism, which is becoming a bigger risk in these AI-heavy times. Funnily enough, it also comes with an AI Content Detector which is pretty good in detecting content written by AI. Even if it has been paraphrased.

Originality.ai comes with a monthly subscription option and a pay-as-you-go option which gives you a bunch of credits to get started. Unfortunately, there is no free trial, but if you go to their website you can find loads of information (and some examples) of how the features work. There’s also a demo of their fact checker if you want to give that a try!

7. Grammarly

Grammarly is a tool that’s quite popular with the writers here at Yoast. It shows you when you’ve made an error when it comes to spelling and grammar, and works on different platforms and in different places. Which is very helpful when you write a lot of online text. Now that Grammarly also comes with the power of AI, it can do even more for anyone who writes online content.

Grammarly now comes with a generative text feature, which allows you to give it a prompt and get a draft right away. It also comes with a rewrite feature to change the tone of voice of your piece of content. You can also teach it what your personal tone of voice is, so that it can give you specific suggestions that fit your communication style. Lastly, it can help you with brainstorming and outlines by giving suggestions based on your task at hand. It’s a neat little AI tool that you can use on the go.

Grammarly has a free plan, which gives you access to their basic AI assistance and 100 AI prompts per month. If you need more and want access to more prompts and advanced features, they have a few paid monthly subscription plans.

8. Yoast SEO & WooCommerce SEO

Naturally, I can’t bring this list to a close without mentioning our own AI features. Not too long ago, we added an AI feature to Yoast SEO Premium that generates SEO titles, meta descriptions and social snippets for you. It looks at the content that’s already there and with the click of a button it gives you a few options. Saving you the hassle of doing it manually and providing you with relevant titles, meta descriptions and social snippets that are all aimed at increasing your click-through rates.

The AI title & meta description generator is part of our paid plugin, Yoast SEO Premium. Which comes with a yearly subscription plan, but an affordable one. As we want to make our features available to as many people as possible.

Unlock AI features in Yoast SEO Premium

Get this feature and much more for your WordPress site with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin!

Get Yoast SEO Premium »Only $99 USD / year (ex VAT)

We’ve also added this feature to Yoast WooCommerce SEO a short while back. This helps you make your products stand out on the search result page and get those clicks to your website. So if you have an online shop and are looking to optimize your products pages, it’s worth taking a look at that product as well.

The post The top 8 AI tools that will elevate your SEO game appeared first on Yoast.

Why is copywriting for mobile different?

Even with responsive website designs, reading on a mobile device is still different from reading on a desktop. Since phone screens are smaller, text will appear longer because it takes up more space, and people have to scroll to read everything (which will make it feel longer to read).

What’s more, lots of people use their mobile device ‘on the go’, while also doing other things. This means their attention span and concentration are limited. They’re easily distracted, so you want to grab their attention with short and concise content when you’re copywriting for mobile.

Tip 1: Always focus on your audience

While it’s good to focus on the question ‘how can I write good texts for smartphone users’, you shouldn’t lose track of the most important question: ‘what does my audience like?’ Because phones won’t read your content. But your audience will! That’s why it’s good to keep an eye on your audience’s interests, and write about those topics.

Tip 2: Make your fonts large enough

Font size is important for your mobile UX. You want your texts to be readable without folks having to squint or pinch and zoom; especially your base font – your paragraph font – should be readable. So don’t use your desktop font size on your mobile site. At least, not without checking how it looks on mobile first. And while you’re at it, check it for tablets too.

How many font sizes should you use?

Be aware that your mobile site will look messy when you use more than three font sizes. The size differences will be much more visible. That’s why we advise limiting the number to two, maybe three, sizes.

Read more: 10 ways to improve mobile UX »

Tip 3: Write short sentences

Don’t use too many long sentences. As we’ve said before, people who search on their phone want fast and short answers. To illustrate, a sentence of 25 words takes up two lines on an average desktop screen. But on a phone screen, those 25 words will be four lines. That’s twice as long!

Not to mention, long sentences make reading your text much more difficult. This is true for desktop as well, but it’s even more important when you write for a mobile audience. So, try to address your audience’s specific pain points with your copy and quickly offer a solution.

Tip 4: Add subheadings

Mobile users often skim texts. So, if you want your content to be easy to read, break it up with informative subheadings. These subheadings will guide your readers through your text, making your message much easier to digest. They’re almost like road signs, guiding your users to the good stuff.

Tip 5: Check your white space

Don’t be afraid to let your words breathe. Since phones have smaller screens, you don’t want your text to look cramped. By giving your content some room, it will be easier to read. Plus, if you have sufficient white space between sentences, people will be able to easily tap on clickable elements with their finger.

If you’re unsure how much white space is enough, you should check on multiple devices how it looks. And feel free to ask other people what they think!

Tip 6: Keep an eye on text-structure

If your text is well structured, people will more easily understand the main message of your post. If it’s not, people might get lost and tune out. So the structure of your text should be flawless.

A well-structured text has two things:

1. Paragraphs that follow each other in a logical order.
2. Sentences that are connected to each other, usually by transition words. These words will help people understand the meaning of your text.

Remember, copywriting for mobile is all about writing texts that are easy to read. So, pay attention to your text structure and make sure it makes sense.

Keep reading: 10 copywriting tips – from experts to experts »

Tip 7: Don’t be afraid to use images or videos

With shorts and reels and all types of short-form video trending right now, you’d be a fool not to use some type of multimedia on your mobile site. So, use high-quality visuals that underline or amplify the main message of your text. And mind the file size! Nobody likes a slow-loading website.

And remember: using images or videos isn’t just about making your site look good. You want them to enhance your user’s experience.

Short and sweet

If you want to use videos on your pages or posts, keep in mind that they need to be short! Mobile users are like speed daters, they want to know who and what and why fast. A short video will keep them hooked and on your site.

And of course, don’t forget to add captions. People who search on their phone are usually outside or on public transport, so they can’t turn on their volume. By using captions, you’ll ensure that people will be able to watch your video.

Conclusion: readability is of the utmost importance on mobile

Copywriting for mobile is not that different from writing for a desktop. In both cases, you need to write for a real audience. However, ‘mobile’ texts demand an even better readability than ‘desktop’ texts, because reading from a mobile screen is more challenging than from a desktop. But if you make sure your readability is top-notch, your texts will have loads of readers, both on mobile devices and desktops.

Read on: Mobile SEO: the ultimate guide »

The post Copywriting for mobile appeared first on Yoast.

About the discussion and profile markup

For Google, 2023 was a year of Schema updates. Google issued fifteen structured data updates this year, with eleven alterations occurring in the final quarter. The latest ones we’ll describe in this article. Structured data is a focal point for Google.

On November 27, 2023, Google enriched the search experience by introducing structured data types for discussion forums (DiscussionForumPosting) and profile pages (ProfilePage). This update is a nice improvement for online communities and social platforms. The new Schema types allow for a detailed representation of user interactions and forum activities, such as the number of posts or replies. These can be displayed directly in search results through rich snippets.

The InteractionCounter property is an essential addition, enabling forums to highlight the vibrancy of their community interactions. Profile pages can now benefit from enhanced visibility, with the ability to showcase individual contributions and reputations within a community. This level of detail not only aids user discovery but also fosters a sense of authority and trustworthiness for the profiles.

Understanding the organization markup

After the DiscussionForumPosting and ProfilePage markup announcement, Google expanded the Organization structured data type. This update allows businesses to provide more granular information about themselves. Google can use this to populate Knowledge Panels and other visual elements in search results. The markup covers various aspects of an organization, from official logos and contact information to social media profiles and founding dates.

This structured data type helps organizations stand out in SERPs. It offers a more comprehensive and visually appealing presentation of its brand and identity. The implications for brand recognition and user trust are substantial. This information can directly influence a user’s perception and interaction with a business.

Yoast SEO Schema framework is ready to build upon

The Yoast SEO structured data implementation is ready for these updates. Even before the upcoming additions, Yoast SEO is already properly set up as Google validates all Organization and ProfilePage markup. We’ve designed our framework to be flexible and future-proof. Our framework dynamically generates Schema markup meticulously aligned with Google’s recommendations and standards. From the outset, we’ve embraced a holistic approach to structured data, ensuring that our users’ websites can quickly adapt to changes and continue to communicate effectively with search engines.

Our Schema framework outputs the most structured data correctly and has done so for ages. We will also incorporate the new properties and types that Google recognizes. We’re working hard to get these to you as soon as possible.

After we’ve included this, companies can enrich their online presence with minimal additional effort. They’ll have new opportunities to showcase their brand information more prominently. Plus, forums and social platforms can easily integrate these newly structured data types for discussion and profile markup.

The Yoast SEO Schema framework simplifies the process. It removes the complexity of manual markup and automatically enhances their content’s visibility in SERPs.

Embracing the future with Yoast SEO

We invite developers and companies to make the most of Yoast SEO’s Schema framework as a foundation for their SEO strategies. Utilizing our comprehensive tools keeps you aligned with the latest SEO practices and enhances your website’s readiness for future updates.

Please read our developer documentation to understand how you can easily build an integration with the Yoast SEO structured data.

Getting visibility is paramount, so staying ahead of the curve is essential. With Yoast SEO, you have the tools and support to use structured data properly. This way, your website stands out and effectively reaches its target audience — even when Google announced more schema updates.

The post Yoast SEO helps you navigate all Google Schema updates appeared first on Yoast.

What are transition words?

Words like ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’ and ‘because’ are transition words. Because they show your readers the relationship between phrases, sentences, or even paragraphs.

In a way, transition words are the glue that holds your text together. Without them, your text is a collection of sentences. With them, the individual parts come together to form one whole.

An example

Let’s look at an example:

I pushed the domino. As a result, it fell over.

When you start a sentence with ‘as a result’, your reader will immediately know two things: First, what happened in the first sentence caused something. And second, the second sentence is going to describe the effect.

By using the phrase ‘as a result’, you show that the two separate sentences are part of one process. Without having even read the rest of the sentence, your reader can already guess what’s coming.

Transition words can connect (almost) anything

From short phrases to entire paragraphs! For example:

I enjoy his company, because he always tells interesting stories.

In this case, ‘because’ doesn’t connect two sentences, but two clauses. It explains to your reader why you enjoy his company, making it a lot easier for them to follow your text.

Transition word at the end of a sentence

You don’t always have to place transition words at the beginning of a sentence. For example:

He’s a very nice guy. He took us out to dinner yesterday, for instance.

Even though ‘for instance’ is placed at the end of the sentence, it still provides the reader with information as to how the two sentences are related.

Does it really make a difference?

You might be thinking: are transition words really that important? Well, let’s look at a text with and without transition words. Below, you see two texts. Text A doesn’t have transition words, and text B does.

Text A
I’m going to discuss a few reasons why practice is important to learning skills. The only way to truly master a skill is by actually doing what you’ll have to do in the real world. I think practice can be a fun way of putting in the necessary hours. There are people who disagree. It is said that people tend to remember only 10-20% of what they’ve heard or read. That number rises to as much as 90% when you put theory to practice. Following up explanation with practice is key to mastering a skill.

Text B
In this paragraph, I’m going to discuss a few reasons why practice is important to mastering skills. Firstly, the only way to truly learn a skill is by actually doing what you’ll have to do in the real world. Secondly, I think practice can be a fun way of putting in the necessary hours. There are, however, people who disagree. Thirdly, and most importantly, it is said that people tend to remember only 10-20% of what they read or hear. Moreover, that number rises to as much as 90% when you put theory to practice. In conclusion, following up explanation with practice is key to mastering a skill.

Text A is not a terrible paragraph. But it’s not easy to read, is it? Plus, text B does a better job of showing there are three separate arguments to support the statement with a definite conclusion. The reader never has to wonder whether a sentence still belongs to the previous argument or a new one. It even shows the relationship between sentences within one argument. In conclusion, people will find text B easier to read, so they’ll stay on your page longer.

Types of transition words

Transition words can be divided into several categories, based on the type of transition you want to make. There are often several words available for one transition. Sometimes they mean exactly the same, and sometimes there are slight differences. If you’re not a native speaker or struggle with language in general, you’ll probably have to study and practice their use.

Check out this article for transition words in other languages.

Why are transition words important for SEO?

As we’ve just seen, transition words make it easier to read and understand a text. They’re one of the key factors to readability. And readability is very important for SEO.

What’s more, transition words play a crucial role in structuring your text. A well-structured text will be easier to understand, which will make your blog easier to read. This helps to attract readers, and therefore contributes to SEO!

What does the transition word check in Yoast SEO do?

The transition words check in Yoast SEO assesses whether or not you use enough transition words. If at least 30% of the sentences in your text contain a transition word, the traffic light will be green. You get an orange light if you use them in more than 20%, or in less than 30% of your sentences. The light will be red if less than 20% of the sentences of your text contain a transition word. That would be less than 1 in 5 sentences.

Want to read more on how we came to the exact measurements of the transition words check and the other readability checks? Then you should read our article about the methodological choices of the readability analysis.

How to improve your usage

While everyone uses transition words, not everyone uses them frequently enough. And people might not know how to use them correctly. That’s why it’s important that you know your transition words and when to use them, and that you’re aware of the relationship between your thoughts and ideas within your text.

Let’s go over both of these in a bit more detail.

Know the words (and when to use them)

This sounds obvious, but it’s a good one to remember: know all the different transition words and their meaning! Even if you’re a native speaker, it might be good to refresh your memory every once in a while. Especially since transition words are often quite nuanced, and really depend on context.

Understand the relationship between your thoughts within your text

Too often, people start writing and just see what happens. If you want to use transition words more effectively, you should break down your text into an introduction, body, and conclusion. Then, you need to make sure you know what goal every paragraph serves.

Next, survey your text on a sentence level. Find opportunities to make transitions that make sense. If you struggle with this, try reading texts by other authors and see how they use transition words.

Need help?

If you want to learn more about transition words and how to write great content, then our SEO Copywriting course can help you. You get access to this course and all of our other SEO courses with Yoast SEO Premium, which also gives you access to extra features in the Yoast SEO plugin.

If you use Shopify and want to work on the readability of your site, you can check out our Yoast SEO for Shopify app.

Conclusion

Transition words are very important for the readability of your text. They explain, give examples, and help your readers understand your texts. If you struggle with transition words, make sure you study and practice! In addition, pay attention to the structure of your text. If you understand the point and goal of your paragraphs, it will be easier to pick the best transition words available.

Read on: How to use the readability analysis in Yoast SEO »

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