What is SEO and why is it important for publishers?
For many publishers and news sources, entering the SEO arena can be daunting. At this point, many of us have heard the phrase ‘SEO’ tossed around in casual conversation and don’t deny that it is an important aspect of our digital strategy, but can’t pinpoint exactly why it is important and/or don’t know where to start.
Practicing SEO can be simply understood as “the process of making your site better for search engines.” In doing this, we are helping our content surface in higher positions on search engine results pages (SERPs). SERPs are generated after a user types a query into a search engine (oftentimes Google) , presses ‘enter,’ and is flooded with pages of responses to their query. Now the user has been presented with the SERP and must make a decision on which result to click.
On average, the first result in Google receives a click-through rate (CTR) of 39.6%—nearly double the CTR of the 2nd placement. The second result receives ~18.4% of clicks and the 3rd position earns ~10% CTR. Without earning these higher placements in SERPs, our chances of reaching our desired audience dwindles.
Now you’re at the point where you may be wondering, “Twenty-First Digital, how do I rank #1?” As publishers, you already have high-quality journalism in your back pocket, now we must work to create a layout in which Google can determine your site as a credible and quality source for users. Because, unfortunately, great content isn’t enough. Google wants you to be a quality source. And to achieve the quality source rating, we need to begin to unbox and address some of the SEO mistakes many publishers are unknowingly making.
5 Common SEO Mistakes Publishers Make:
1. Using Your Website as a Digital Archive of the Print Publication
Traditionally, the print publication has been the primary focus of a publisher and supporting staff. With this being a medium that has had so much focus, it can seem counterintuitive to deviate from the print product.
However, we challenge you to think of print and digital as two separate entities. This is not to say that print features cannot live on the web. We encourage you to repurpose your content – with a few considerations.
Look at your headlines – Print headlines are often punny and somewhat indirect. For example, an editorial piece titled “Going Green” that elaborates on eco-friendly eateries in your local area, should not be titled “Going Green” for the web. Think to yourself: “If I were to search for this specific content, what would I type into Google to get me there?” The answer to this question can inspire your digital headline.
Use keyword research tools to incorporate keywords into your headlines – Once you have an idea as to how you’d like to revise your headline for the web, begin looking at keywords to incorporate. A few of our favorite tools for keyword research include Keywords Everywhere and SEMRush.
Don’t replicate complex layouts – As a rule of thumb, simple is better when it comes to the web. If you have a complex print layout, don’t be afraid to simplify the structure of the web article. As of May 2022, 58% of all web traffic came through mobile phones. Think of the articles you enjoy reading on your smartphone. Take these into consideration when crafting your digital layouts.
2. Not Touting the Expertise of your Editors
As publishers and editors, we know the importance of citing an expert when it comes to establishing credibility for certain subject matter. For Google, this concept also holds true. Google wants to know that your authors are experts on the content they contribute to your site. The search engine’s interest in your author’s expertise is clearly outlined within their Search Quality Guidelines under a concept known as E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).
Think about it – if you type the following query into Google “How do I know if I have Covid?” Would you prefer to read an article written by me (a Digital Strategist) or a medical expert? Chances are you would prefer the latter. In this instance, Google’s E.A.T. factor is responsible for surfacing a credible physician’s article.
When it comes to your own content, establish credibility with your readers through author bios on your site. Let your readers know if you have an author that has been writing on the local food and drink scene for 10+ years and explain to your audience what link your content creators have to their specific subject matter. Touting the credibility of your brand and authors can go a long way and can positively influence your rankings.
3. A Lack of Internal Linking
The best way to understand the power of internal linking is to understand Google’s history. When the search engine’s algorithm was first developed, the founders were in graduate school. As graduate students, they were familiar with the way a scholarly paper gained credibility – through citations. The more citations within an academic paper, the more credible it proved to be.
The value of the citations is now reflected in the value of links. The more that we link to a certain piece of content, the more Google sees this piece of information as valuable. Of course, we will benefit if other credible websites link to our content, but we will also see a benefit if we link to our own content pieces internally.
Say you own a surfing magazine and publish an interview with Kelly Slater. Now, every mention you have on your site of Kelly Slater should link back to this interview piece. Linking to this page with every mention of the interviewee’s name not only provides a service to the reader, but exemplifies the importance and relevance of the article to Google.
4. Creating New URLs Opposed to Updating Old URLs
The digital landscape is endlessly updating and oftentimes we feel the pressure to continuously populate our sites with new content. The pressure to present our viewers with new information is understandable, and yes new content is important– but there is equally as much importance (if not more) in updating older articles.
To the surprise of many, creating a new web article for each new story is not always the best practice in terms of SEO. Begin to think of your URLs like a fine wine–they just get better with age. Therefore, there is tremendous value in updating your older URLs with new information.
This SEO mistake is easily exemplified with annual stories or voting features. If you are one of the many who has an annual “Best of Dining” feature ask yourself, how is this content being presented on the web? Do you have a URL dedicated to each annual post? If so, you are not receiving the traffic benefits that these annual pieces of content have the potential to offer.
Below we have outlined a structure that shows the incorrect and correct way to present your annual pieces:
Incorrect:
mypublication.com/articles/best-of-dining-2020
mypublication.com/articles/best-of-dining-2021
mypublication.com/articles/best-of-dining-2022
Correct:
mypublication.com/articles/best-of-dining
For many publishers, the correct URL presentation begs the question: “Where do my previous dining awards live on the site?” Perhaps they don’t exist on your site. Remember, it is not the purpose of our websites to be digital archives of our print publications.
Using one URL and continuously updating this piece throughout the years will signal to Google the importance of this URL and increase the likelihood of having it surface in higher rankings.
5. A Lack of Awareness Surrounding Your High-Ranking URLs
If you want to start improving your site’s SEO, you must first have an understanding of what articles are performing well.
Begin with using a tool like SEMRush. SEO tools like this will give you the ability to scan your website’s search rankings and identify articles that are ranking highly or are on the verge of ranking well. Export this data, look at each URL and begin to make optimizations on each individual piece. Initially, focus your efforts on articles ranking in positions 1-20. This is where you will see the most return on your optimizations.
It isn’t uncommon for us to come back to a client and surprise them with the fact that they have a 2013 dining article ranking higher than a newly published dining article. How could we advise them on the next steps if we didn’t identify their high-ranking URLs to begin with?
So, what now?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with SEO knowledge–don’t worry. Sit back, let the ideas sink in and start envisioning how some of these recommendations could be implemented on your site. The best way to begin working on SEO is by familiarizing yourself with the subject (and you’ve already taken that first step!). If you have any questions, are looking for educational resources or are interested in working with Twenty-First Digital to improve your SEO–drop me a line at dallas@twentyfirstdigital.com.