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Front-end metadata is more important than ever. Starting with the humble page title and meta description tags, metadata has grown to include a plethora of protocols including Schema.org, Twitter Card, Open Graph, and more.
The benefits of getting the right metadata into your code are many and they go beyond SEO to social media and brand engagement. Let's take a look at the major metadata elements, their benefits, how to implement them, and some tools to make it easier.
Titles and Descriptions
The humble HTML title tag and meta description meta tag are still key for SEO. Having keyword and user-targeted copy here is still an SEO must.
In fact, titles and descriptions have only become more important as Facebook and other platforms will often pull these values if there is not an explicit instruction to do otherwise when a URL is shared in social media.
Schema.org
Formed from an alliance of the biggest search providers to create a common structured data protocol, Schema.org is a comprehensive set of values that covers pretty much everything in the human experience.
Schema.org tags are used by Google in several ways, most noticeably to show rich snippets in events like movies and concerts, names and addresses, recipes, and to specify content types like embedded videos or articles. Schema.org also plays a role in local search results.
Due to the scope and complexity of Schema.org, it pays to check the quality of your code with the Google Structured Data Testing Tool. Several free tools also will create Schema.org code for your specific needs, including the Microdata Generator or the WordPress Schema Creator by Raven plugin.
Open Graph
Started by Facebook and now broadly adopted, Open Graph is a protocol used both internally by Facebook as well as on external sites to supply semantic information about web pages, videos, and other types of content that are likely to be shared. Google recently started paying attention to Open Graph tags pointing to video content to show the video play icon alongside video results.
Open Graph tags can be used to specify how a piece of content will look when shared on Facebook, and can be a signal to search engines as well. Specifying an Open Graph image for a post or web page is especially powerful as the image has a large impact on the engagement the post will have in user newsfeeds.
Twitter Card
You may have noticed really pretty tweets appearing in your Twitter stream. Most likely, these are folks who have successfully implemented the relatively new Twitter Card metadata protocol. Similar in many ways to Open Graph, Twitter Card is a simple protocol that allows you enrich how your content appears when tweeted.
There are several card types you can specify (e.g., a summary, a summary with an image, a video, and a slideshow), along with the URL and copy you would like to appear when the URL is tweeted.
Implementing Twitter Card is pretty straightforward. Put the tags in your HTML (more on that later), test them with the Validator Tool and then apply to Twitter for acceptance into the program via the Twitter Developers site.
Just putting the tags in isn't enough. You need to apply and be accepted, which typically takes a few weeks.
Google-Specific Metadata
Google has a whole slew of custom meta tags. We will focus on the two that impact SEO most. Specifically, the authorship and publisher meta tags.
Adding the authorship meta tag, in conjunction with adding the website to the "Contributor to" section of your Google+ profile, helps you get the much-desired rich snippet and puts your face in the search results next to content you've created:
The publisher meta tag is sort of like the author meta tag for individuals. It won't get you a rich snippet, but it makes it absolutely clear which Google+ page is connected to the web site. It may also get your Google+ brand assets to appear on the right rail Knowledge Graph area of Google for branded queries.
Implementing Metadata Made Easy
While metadata and the semantic web is exploding, it's also getting easier and easier to actually add the tags.
If you use WordPress as your CMS, the good news is a variety of plug-ins allow you to easily add multiple metadata protocols to your content. Depending on your WordPress theme, things may work better or worse for your site, but most plug-ins will at least cover the basics of getting authorship and Schema.org tags onto web pages, if not other types of content. Here are a few to consider:
- SEO Ultimate: This super-plugin allows you to create and edit Schema.org, Twitter Card, Open Graph, and standard HTML metadata values.
- Yoast WordPress SEO: This is an essential plug-in for WordPress SEO. It allows for the editing of basic HTML tags as well as Open Graph, and site-wide Twitter Card metadata.
Not on WordPress? Despair not. The major CMS platforms have a variety of somewhat-less user-friendly options.
- Joomla has a section on their site for SEO and metadata extensions. There doesn't seem to be a Joomla equivalent of the comprehensive SEO plugins for WordPress, but you should be able to put a few together into a workable solution that doesn't require custom coding.
- Drupal, staying true to form, requires a bit more work but you should be able to find something in their Module Library. Let me know in the comments if there is a Drupal metadata module that works for you.
Metadata for the Long Haul
As more brands and bloggers see the benefit of adding metadata, its adoption and expansion seems fated to grow. By providing structure to the chaos of the web, metadata helps people find what they want and gives your content the edge in search engines and social sharing.
More than a fling, metadata and you should be a relationship with legs. Settle down with metadata for the long haul and make it a part of your digital life.
Original Article Post by
Andrew Delamarter @
Search Engine Watch
The Internet is no different than anything else in life.
Mistakes will always happen.
Whether it's because someone has mistyped your URL or you forgot to change an old link, at some point, one of your prospective customers is going to land on a 404 error page.
The error page is shown whenever a server can't find the specified page. Unfortunately, most marketers see an error page as a "tech issue" and don't give it a second's thought.
The 404 page is rarely given the consideration and importance it deserves. There are many different considerations that, if neglected, could have a significant negative affect on the performance of your site.
So, how should we approach 404s? Why are they relevant to marketers? Let's have a look at each of them in a bit more detail.
Limiting the Damage
You'll never completely remove the need for a 404 page. Even if you were to clean up your entire internal link structure, you'll always have people mistyping a URL into their search bar (especially if they are searching on a mobile device).
You also have very little control over the URLs that other sites use to link to you. Unless you make it your business to contact every website owner who links to your site, and make sure their links are accurate and up to date, you will inevitably get the odd mistake.
Having said all of that, the most embarrassing and detrimental of errors are when someone is sent to a 404 from one of your internal pages. This you can control!
To find out which of your pages are currently returning a 404, you can simply check your Webmaster Tools account or use a tool like 404 Checker. You can then check each of these pages and replace any internal links with a more appropriate page on your site.
How to Find 404 Pages
You can use any number of tools to identify 404 pages, such as Screaming Frog, Link Sleuth, or Google Webmaster Tools.
One of the easiest ways is just using a browser extension like Check My Links, which accessible from the Chrome Web Store. This will help you quickly identify internal broken links.
But what about the source of the broken link in the first place?
Google Webmaster Tools is best for this and will help you not only find broken links, but the source of those broken links as well. Here's how.
What About SEO?
Many SEO professionals and website owners will use a 301 redirect to take visitors to the site homepage rather than showing them a 404 error page. Though this is the safest option in terms of retaining the strength of your incoming links, it isn't always best from a user's perspective.
If you have a page on your website that receives a big number of high authority, relevant links, and you've decided to get rid of that page for some reason, then you probably should use the 301 to redirect the search engines and users to an alternative page (not necessarily the homepage). Assuming an alternative page exists.
These external links can be passing link juice, and in most cases they should also be corrected at the source. Meaning, reach out to the site owners and ask them to correct the linking URL or suggest a replacement page.
However, in most cases, it's actually far more appropriate to actually show your visitors the 404 page. If you expect to be taken to a particular page on a company's website and end up on their homepage, you will probably be a little confused and frustrated. In this situation, it's far better to return a helpful and informative 404 page.
Creating a Good 404 Page
A 404 error page is entirely editable and can be customized just like any other page on your site. If it's going to serve a positive purpose, you need to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Appearance: It needs to look the same as the rest of your site. If someone appears on a page that has none of the branding or functionality that they were expecting, they are far more likely to close the window and go back to Google. Keep them engaged by keeping your branding and appearance consistent.
- Content: Just like any other page on your site, the tone and function of your written copy is crucial if you are going to get your visitors to take the desired action. Make sure your language is welcoming and re-assuring.
- Help Users Out: Also, make sure you tell visitors what you want them to do next! Give them a call to action. Help them find what they were looking for by either providing the most relevant links or by giving them an option to search within your site. Or, simply give them a positive experience by making them laugh or give them a game to play.
Make it Positive
There's no getting away from it. The 404 page will only be seen when a mistake has been made. However, it doesn't matter how careful you are, these mistakes will happen. If you're going to hold on to the respect of your visitors, it's up to you to take responsibility for that mistake.
Don't worry though; a mistake doesn't have to be a bad thing. There are lots of companies who take the opportunity to turn this into a positive. Check out some awesome 404 pages here.
The 404 page gives you the opportunity to show some of your personality, character, and humor. In some cases the 404 page can end up being the most memorable of all the pages on a site! Why not let your visitors play some space invaders?
Summary
Rather than seeing your 404 page as a technical necessity, see it just like any other page on your site. It serves a very specific purpose and, if it is targeted and designed in the right way, it can help re-engage your visitors and continue their positive experience on your site.
Original Article Post By
Brad Miller @
Search Engine Watch
Your blog should be the centerpiece of a larger initiative, one that engages your target audience in a "human" way, with the goal of creating signals that will aid/support what you're trying to achieve with SEO.
One mistake many businesses still make is creating posts that consist of self-promotion with little "meat" to entice anyone to engage with the content, much less share the content (in the hopes that you might earn a link or two, or any "viral" activity to the post, whatsoever).
What Are You Trying to Achieve?
One of the first things you have to consider is – indeed – what you're trying to achieve. How you answer the following questions will guide one of the most important steps that you'll take when setting up a blog:
- Do you have issues with reputation management – i.e., negative brand mentions in the search engine results pages (SERPs)?
- Are you trying to build thought-leadership for your company/brand?
- Are you trying to build a channel to drive deep linking to specific pages of your website?
- Are you trying to build depth of content or develop a tool to target "human queries" for your otherwise "corporate" website?
- Do you want your blog to be non-branded and/or seen as a unique "unbiased" voice in your industry?
Setting Up Your Blog
Once you know you're trying to achieve, you need to consider where the blog resides. Should you use a subdirectory, a subdomain, a completely separate domain, or either WordPress or Blogger? Let's look at all the options.
Blog on a Subdirectory
More often than not, this is how I recommend clients set up a blog. In my opinion (and "yes", SEOs will have varying opinions on this), adding fresh content to the root domain is a good thing. I also believe that having an RSS feed of "latest blog posts" to the home page of the website is a good thing.
I believe that promoting content that resides "on" the website is a good thing because you can earn (deep) links and provide balance to your link profile. And, I believe that having thought-leadership content that is closely associated with your brand (resides, again, on the domain) is a good thing.
Pros:
- Add fresh content to the root domain.
- Add deep links (from other websites)/social signals directly to root domain (assuming that you've promoted this content well).
Cons:
- Won't provide an additional "brand" listing (in most cases) in the SERPs, so doesn't serve well for reputation management.
- No direct ability to get links "from another website/sub-domain".
Blog on a Subdomain
A good case can be made for why you might want to blog on a subdomain.
For example, perhaps you have issues with reputation management (perhaps someone posted to review complaint sites like Ripoff Report, Pissed Consumer, etc.) so you need to occupy additional real estate in the SERPs. By building your blog on a subdomain, you accomplish this by providing the search engines another "official web presence" (the search engines will treat this as a separate entity) for your company, that should rank when folks search your company name.
The nice thing about having a blog on a sub-domain is that it will also piggyback on the authority of your root website (hopefully you already have some authority on your root domain) and posts there can rank, without the need to build up the authority for a new website.
Pros:
- Get an additional brand presence in the SERPs that you control.
- Get links "from another website" (subdomains are treated pretty much as such); Ability to deep-link to specific pages within the root.
- Piggyback on the already "built" (again, making an assumption here) authority of the root domain.
- Can be hosted anywhere. Very important consideration for those on a content management system that does not provide a blogging platform.
Cons:
- Not as much freshness on the domain.
- Content that "hits" (gets good promotion/links) doesn't add as much link value to the root.
Blog on a Separate Domain
Some people like to create a "non-official" blog presence, to have control over a website that isn't directly tied to the brand. They want to have an "unbiased" voice (at least give the appearance of such) and probably use this to occasionally link to their main website.
I typically discourage these types of initiatives, for many reasons – not the least of which is the amount of effort that would need to go into making this new web presence gain any amount of trust/traction or authority.
Pros:
- Can create an "unbiased" resource (that just happens to link to your corporate website, on occasion).
- If the content is good, and it becomes respected in your industry, the blog can gain authority that can then be passed through to your corporate website through "unbiased" linking.
Cons:
- There's a better than average chance that gaining good authority/ability for posts to rank is going to take considerable time.
- Does little to really show thought-leadership for your company.
- If you really do drop links to the corporate website, there's a good chance that it'll be seen for what it is: a paid advertisement, not an official unbiased reference. The backlash from this could be (should be) huge.
Blog on WordPress.com or Blogger
Some pretty large companies have gone this route because – to them – it's the easiest to execute. Mind you, a link from WordPress.com isn't a bad thing, but how does this help with any of the aforementioned reasons why you might want to blog in the first place?
Are you tying in the "thought leadership" to the brand? Are you adding fresh content to the domain? Are you aiding your abilities to provide an additional "official brand presence" to the SERPs? (Perhaps, but you're better off with subdomain).
Pros:
- You could create some very aggressive link building tactics or "test" things without burning the domain.
- You would gain a link that is coming from an authority domain (remember, a quality link profile is about gaining links from many different/authoritative/relevant websites/domains; not many links on one domain)
- Easy. Just about anyone can get engaged and start blogging today.
Cons:
- Limitations as to how you can design/template to fit your brand.
- Any content promoted (linked to) won't provide direct value to your main company website/domain.
- Inability to utilize plugins.
- Cheesy. It is what it is. Not gonna be a great representation for your company.
Summary
Blogging should be a part of any sound marketing plan, nowadays. You need to create engagement and provide the ability for people to share content coming from your company. Face it, very few people are going to feel compelled to share your "service page", much less link to it.
Do blogging for the right reasons, and set it up in the right manner for your needs and you'll realize positive results.
Now that you've addressed best practices for setting up your blog, realize that you're just getting started...
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