SEO Learnings

Technical

• Title tags: Primary keywords need to be as close to the beginning of the tag as possible. This is a large factor for SEO. For example, we’re changing our homepage’s title tag to “Shipping API for E-commerce | Shippo” from “Shippo | The Shipping API for Ecommerce”Title tags: Primary keywords need to be as close to the beginning of the tag as possible. This is a large factor for SEO. For example, we’re changing our homepage’s title tag to “Shipping API for E-commerce | Shippo” from “Shippo | The Shipping API for Ecommerce.”
• Edit URLs for our key content pages to ensure that they include the main keyword.Edit URLs for our key content pages to ensure that they include the main keyword.
• Move all URLs with the word API in them up higher in the xml sitemap. The priority a page is given in the sitemap can influence ranking for that page.Move all urls with the word API in them up higher in the xml sitemap. The priority a page is given in the sitemap can influence ranking for that page.
• 301 redirect all duplicate URLs301 redirect all duplicate urls

Linking

• Primary way to increase domain authority is to have more quality & quantity external links pointing to our site. PR would help us to get more brand mentions vs. proactive link-bargaining, which Google penalizes harshly.

  Primary way to increase domain authority is to have more quality & quantity external links pointing to our site. PR would help us to get more brand mentions vs. proactive link-bargaining, which Google penalizes harshly.

• If “shipping API” is our main keyword phrase, then getting people to our API Overview Guide and API landing page is top priority. To optimize these pages, we need to get as many links as possible pointing to them and optimize the content for keywords like “FedEx shipping API” and “multicarrier shipping API”

  If “shipping API” is our main keyword phrase, then getting people to our API Overview Guide and API landing page is top priority. To optimize these pages, we need to get as many links as possible pointing to them and to optimize the content for keywords like “FedEx shipping API” and “multi-carrier shipping API.”

• Increase internal linking across site.

  Increase internal linking across the site.

Site Design

• Site architecture should be as flat as possible. The further core content is away from the homepage, the less authority Google will grant for those pages because it figures the content isn’t that important. It’s also easier for Google to crawl a flat site.

  Site architecture should be as flat as possible. The further core content is away from the home page, the less authority Google will grant for those pages because it figures the content isn’t that important. It’s also easier for Google to crawl a flat site.

  • Since these shipping resource pages have a lot of strong keyword content, we should find a way to link to them from the main nav bar.

    Since these shipping resource pages have a lot of strong keyword content, we should find a way to link to them from the main nav bar.

• The universal nav bars should be consistent across all pages of the site and all important content should stem from there in one click.

  The universal nav bars should be consistent across all pages of the site and all important content should stem from there in one click.

Content

• • • Stay up to date on keyword research!

      Stay up to date on keyword research!

    • Each of our main pages (homepage, shipping API guide, and Pricing) needs more content (keywords).
    • Create relevant pages for top keywords that don’t have dedicated landing pages.

      Create relevant pages for top keywords that don’t have dedicated landing pages.

    • Add more keywords strategically to blog, sitemap pages, homepage, and API Overview Guide: use primary keywords, like “shipping API”, 2-3 times per page for which we want to rank highly for that keyword.

      Add more keywords strategically to blog, sitemap pages, homepage, & API Overview Guide: use primary keywords, like “shipping API,” 2-3 times per page for which we want to rank highly for that keyword.

    • Eliminate all duplicate content-duplicate content is one of the biggest SEO detractors

      Eliminate all duplicate content – duplicate content is one of the biggest SEO detractors.

    • In the blog and shipping resources pages, use a variety of anchor text to link to other key pages. Every blog post should link to a landing page. Don’t duplicate anchor text.

    Secondary:

    • Create child xml sitemaps for each of the categories in the blog & the shipping resources section – it’s easier for Google to crawl and understand how the content relates to each other.

      Create child xml sitemaps for each of the categories in the blog & the shipping resources section – it’s easier for Google to crawl and understand how the content relates to each other.

    • All images in gif, jpg, or png format must be assigned “alt attributes” in HTML, e.g. API customer showcases

      All images in gif, jpg or png format must be assigned “alt attributes” in HTML, e.g. API customer showcases.

    • Standard HTML links should replace Javascript (or accompany it) on each page needing crawling.

      Standard HTML links should replace any JavaScript (or accompany it) on each page needing crawling.

    • Any paginated series, like for a blog, should have rel next rel previous – that will enable SEO equity to be shared across pages.

      Any paginated series, like for a blog, should have rel next rel previous – that will enable SEO equity to be shared across pages.

    • Simplify URLs so they’re short and sweet.

      Simplify urls so they’re short & sweet.

Technical