Welcome to the final part of my series on building my personal website. We have covered the initial inspiration and academic background, as well as the practical steps of setting up the site. Now, let us delve into one of the most crucial aspects of any online presence: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Mastering SEO: A Journey Towards Visibility and Engagement
Search engine optimization (SEO) is indispensable knowledge for anyone who owns and builds a website. It serves not only to elevate your website’s ranking but also to align your content with the needs and interests of your audience.
For SEO, I utilize the tool “Rank Math SEO” to manage my sitemap, standardize the names of uploaded images (Alt Attributes), and more. Most features come pre-optimized for user convenience. For broken or non-existent links, I redirect users to my customized 404 page, offering a more engaging experience than the default WordPress page. I also use this tool to edit the snippet for each page and post, enhancing their appearance in Google search results. However, the display of Rich Snippets is not guaranteed.Upon launching my website, I submitted my sitemaps and links to Google Search Console. This ensures that Google indexes my pages promptly.
My website, built using the free version of Elementor, is image-heavy. 
To optimize performance, I reduced image sizes to a balance between clarity and loading speed. I further enhanced performance using a plugin called “Speed Optimizer,” which minifies CSS and JavaScript files. I also implemented lazy-loading for media files, which load only when scrolled into view. Another optimization strategy is converting images to WebP format, further reducing load times. You can assess your site’s performance using tools like Google Site Kit or Website Grader® by HubSpot.
Links play a crucial role in SEO. The more inbound and outbound links a website has, the higher its likelihood of ranking well on Google. Websites with numerous authoritative inbound links are particularly well-positioned. My strategy involves extensive internal linking across all pages, outbound links, pointing to other sources and sharing my website on various social platforms to generate external inbound links.
Content remains the key of any successful SEO strategy. Quality is not solely determined by length. In fact, excessively long pages or blogs may suffer lower readability and, consequently, lower Google rankings. For example, my blog series “Transatlantic Marketing Philosophies” is divided into focused segments to enhance SEO. Keyword research is essential before creating content to ensure it aligns with high-traffic search terms.
In conclusion, mastering SEO is an ongoing process. While I have much to share, I strive to keep my content engaging without overwhelming the reader. I am committed to continuous learning and optimization, exploring new methods and tools to enhance my website’s performance and reach.
Do you find this article helpful or wish to discuss it further? Contact me at [email protected] or read more about me.
Welcome to the final part of my series on building my personal website. We have covered the initial inspiration and academic background, as well as the practical steps of setting up the site. Now, let us delve into one of the most crucial aspects of any online presence: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Mastering SEO: A Journey Towards Visibility and Engagement
Search engine optimization (SEO) is indispensable knowledge for anyone who owns and builds a website. It serves not only to elevate your website’s ranking but also to align your content with the needs and interests of your audience.
For SEO, I utilize the tool “Rank Math SEO” to manage my sitemap, standardize the names of uploaded images (Alt Attributes), and more. Most features come pre-optimized for user convenience. For broken or non-existent links, I redirect users to my customized 404 page, offering a more engaging experience than the default WordPress page. I also use this tool to edit the snippet for each page and post, enhancing their appearance in Google search results. However, the display of Rich Snippets is not guaranteed.Upon launching my website, I submitted my sitemaps and links to Google Search Console. This ensures that Google indexes my pages promptly.
My website, built using the free version of Elementor, is image-heavy.
To optimize performance, I reduced image sizes to a balance between clarity and loading speed. I further enhanced performance using a plugin called “Speed Optimizer,” which minifies CSS and JavaScript files. I also implemented lazy-loading for media files, which load only when scrolled into view. Another optimization strategy is converting images to WebP format, further reducing load times. You can assess your site’s performance using tools like Google Site Kit or Website Grader® by HubSpot.
Links play a crucial role in SEO. The more inbound and outbound links a website has, the higher its likelihood of ranking well on Google. Websites with numerous authoritative inbound links are particularly well-positioned. My strategy involves extensive internal linking across all pages, outbound links, pointing to other sources and sharing my website on various social platforms to generate external inbound links.
Content remains the key of any successful SEO strategy. Quality is not solely determined by length. In fact, excessively long pages or blogs may suffer lower readability and, consequently, lower Google rankings. For example, my blog series “Transatlantic Marketing Philosophies” is divided into focused segments to enhance SEO. Keyword research is essential before creating content to ensure it aligns with high-traffic search terms.
In conclusion, mastering SEO is an ongoing process. While I have much to share, I strive to keep my content engaging without overwhelming the reader. I am committed to continuous learning and optimization, exploring new methods and tools to enhance my website’s performance and reach.
Do you find this article helpful or wish to discuss it further? Contact me at [email protected] or read more about me.