When it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), making the most of HTML tags can make a world of difference in your website’s visibility and rankings. As a top SEO agency in Liverpool, we know how to optimise HTML tags with our eyes closed – but if you’re not familiar with the process, what HTML tags need optimisation, and how do you do it? In this blog post, we’ll dive into the most important tags for SEO and show you how to put them to work for your website. Let’s dive in!
What Are HTML Tags?
HTML tags are like the building blocks of a webpage; in short, they tell web browsers what’s what and how to display the information on your site. You’ll find them wrapped in angle brackets (< >), and they always come in pairs – an opening tag and a closing tag.
How HTML Tags Influence SEO
Search engines take a lot of factors into account when deciding where to rank websites, and HTML tags are a big piece of the puzzle. They help search engines figure out what your website’s content is all about, making it easier for them to index your pages and rank them where they belong. Put simply, in fine-tuning your HTML tags, you’re able to boost your website’s visibility, bring in more organic traffic, and climb those all-important search engine rankings.
Key HTML Tags for SEO Optimisation
Title Tags
First up, title tags! Title tags are the stars of the show when it comes to telling both users and search engines what a web page is about; they show up in the browser’s title bar and in search results, so it’s important to make them count. The key is to create unique, informative titles that include your target keywords.
Meta Description Tags
Meta description tags are like mini-ads for your webpage, and give you a sneak peek of what’s on the page. While they don’t directly affect search rankings, they can make a big difference in how many people click through to your site from search results, so the trick is to write engaging descriptions that make people want to click and explore.
Header Tags (H1-H6)
Header tags are the signposts that guide readers through your content; the H1 tag is what represents the main heading of your page, while the other tags (H2-H6) are used for subheadings. Using header tags to organise your content in a logical way and sprinkling in relevant keywords can help search engines understand what your page is all about, while also having the added bonus of making content more reader-friendly for visitors.
Image Alt Tags
Images are worth a thousand words, but search engines need a little help reading them! That’s where image alt tags come in; these HTML tags provide a text description of an image, making it easier for search engines to understand what the image is and how it relates to your content. Plus, alt tags can help your images show up in image search results, bringing in even more traffic.
Canonical Tags
Finally, don’t forget about canonical tags; these tags basically tell search engines which version of a page is the “official” one, helping to prevent duplicate content – an issue that can hurt your search rankings. If you have multiple pages with similar content, using canonical tags can help keep things neat and tidy.
Advanced HTML Tags for SEO Enhancement
Hreflang Tags
If your website targets multiple languages or geographical regions, hreflang tags are your best friend; they tell search engines which version of a page is meant for which audience, helping to ensure that the right content gets served up to the right people.
Schema Markup
Schema markup is something of a secret code that helps search engines understand the content on your website even better; if you add special tags to your HTML, you can provide more context about things like products, reviews, events, and more. In some cases, this can lead to rich snippets in search results, making your listings stand out from the crowd.
Best Practices for Using HTML Tags in SEO
Ensure Proper HTML Tag Structure
When using HTML tags for SEO, it’s important to follow best practices and maintain a clean, well-structured code; this means using tags in the correct order, closing all tags properly, and avoiding any unnecessary or deprecated tags.
Optimise for User Experience
While HTML tags are important for SEO, it’s key not to forget about the user experience. Use tags to enhance the readability and usability of your website, making it easy for visitors to navigate and find the information they need.
Stay Updated with SEO Trends
Finally, SEO is an ever-evolving field, and what works today might not work tomorrow. To make sure your website is up-to-date from a technical point of view, keep an eye on the latest SEO trends and best practices, and be ready to adapt your HTML tag strategy as needed. You can take a look at our technical seo audit checklist for more ways on ensuring your SEO efforts aren’t outdated.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, mastering the use of HTML tags is non-negotiable for anyone serious about building their website up with SEO.
And if you need a helping hand in the process, we at Clickslice are passionate about helping businesses succeed online. So whether you need help with UX optimisation, a winning content strategy, or even PPC advertising, you can rely on us to get the hard work done and get you the results you deserve.
