SEO

User Experience (UX)

Behavioral factors are taking center stage, with search engines actively evaluating how well a website meets visitors' needs.

Robots consider the following aspects:

1. The number of direct and return visits through bookmarks or manual input in the address bar.
2. The percentage of returns to search results.
3. Bounce rate – visits lasting less than 15 seconds.
4. The number of pages viewed per visit (depth).
5. Average time spent exploring content.

In essence, the longer visitors stay on the platform, the more pages they view and actions they take, the higher the website ranks in search engines.

Additional crucial considerations:

1. Core Web Vitals - a usability metric developed by Google, includes:

   • LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) - reflects page loading speed.
   • FID (First Input Delay) - delay after the first user input.
   • CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) - visual stability.

2. Mobile responsiveness is critically important, given that over 67% of Russians making online purchases use smartphones during order processing and payment. Sites without adaptation lose a significant portion of their target audience, and search engines consider this in ranking.

It is recommended to start optimizing a website by addressing technical issues, as search engines prefer stable, fast sites that work across platforms and don't make users wait for responses to their actions.

Content

Content is the king of the information technology era. Those with high-quality content not only rule the search engines but also dominate in the media, marketplaces, and offline stores. However, the concept of "quality" is highly subjective. Informativeness, utility, uniqueness, convenience, completeness of information, and its credibility are common characteristics of content that should be developed in 2024.

Key rules coming to the forefront:

1. Publishing high-class and unique content. Yes, creating a unique article can now be done in seconds (thanks to ChatGPT), but the question is whether it will be interesting to the target audience. It's better to involve expert authors who understand the needs of the target audience.

2. Considering E-E-A-T. A year ago, in December 2022, Google expanded its content quality measurement system E-A-T to E-E-A-T. These letters stand for E - experience, E - expertise, A - authoritativeness, T - trustworthiness. In Google's eyes, materials from authoritative sources with reliable data, including evidence from personal experience, are highly valued. An example of the lowest E-E-A-T level is given in official recommendations – DecorMyEyes, a site selling glasses, was involved in threats to users and spreading unreliable information. A good level includes quotes from experts, original photos, conclusions, source links, reviews, and more.

3. Using keywords without over-optimization. Ideally, users should not notice keywords in texts. It is recommended to check for keyword spamming using services like Text.ru, Advego, Turgenev, etc. If an article is written in natural language, grammatically, with a logical flow of information, over-optimization is less likely to occur.

4. Optimizing headlines and meta tags to increase CTR. Craft titles and descriptions that grab attention. When people review search results, they only see the title and description. If these don't catch their interest, the CTR will be too low, affecting rankings.

5. Tailoring content types to the preferences of the target audience. For example, young people aged 18-20 prefer short vertical videos, IT professionals appreciate technically sound texts with code examples and screenshots, while homemakers may favor colorful photos. Here, content quality intersects with behavioral factors.

Technical SEO

While the usefulness of content is challenging to fit into general criteria due to many subjective factors, the technical aspects of a website are measurable characteristics easily checked by algorithms.

What is important for SEO:

1. SSL Encryption: HTTPS ensures a secure connection and is a crucial ranking factor for search engines. For instance, Yandex Webmaster immediately signals the absence of the HTTPS protocol in the site diagnostics menu, advising to address this issue.

2. Proper Internal Linking: Adhering to widely accepted rules of page hierarchy helps prevent issues. This aids in the distribution of static weight and facilitates indexing, which search engines value.

3. Image Optimization: As the use of graphics increases, search engines recommend compressing images to save bandwidth and speed up page loading. Don't forget to fill in the Alt attribute. Google recommends adding informative descriptions without overusing keywords.

When working on technical optimization, it's essential not to ignore user needs. Building intuitively understandable navigation is beneficial not only for search engine robots but also for "live" visitors. Additionally, it has a positive impact on behavioral factors.

Backlinks

Let's revisit the ranking factors in Yandex. Despite ongoing discussions about the end of the era of link building, doubts were dispelled with the acknowledgment that links still play a crucial role in search results. However, mass purchasing of links is not advisable, as search engines can quickly detect it. Here are some recommended rules to follow:

1. The closer the link is to the main page, the better.

2. Consider the authority of the donor site.

3. Surround the link with useful, relevant content, and use anchor texts with key phrases.

4. Consider the longevity of the link mass.

Avoid links from spammy pages with low visibility in search engines. Priority should be given to information that is already referenced by other donors, as this chain of citations is welcomed by algorithms.