Best practices

> Note: This material is for descriptive reference only and does not constitute legal or consent advice. For assessments on cookie use, tracking and regulations applicable to your specific implementation, consult a qualified professional.

Align every page to a specific search intent

Rationale: Google favours content that best satisfies the intent of the query. Pages with misaligned intent receive low rankings even with high keyword density.

Do: Analyse the top 10 SERPs for each target keyword and replicate the format (article, list, tool, product page) and content type (comprehensive guide vs. quick answer) that Google already rewards.

Don't: Publish a blog article for a clearly transactional keyword (e.g. "buy running shoes") and expect to outrank product pages in the results.

Optimise title tags and meta descriptions for click-through

Rationale: The title tag is the most influential on-page signal for ranking. The meta description influences organic CTR, which is an indirect behavioural signal.

Do: Write unique title tags (50-60 characters), with the primary keyword near the beginning and a clear benefit for the user. Write click-inviting meta descriptions (120-155 characters) that accurately describe the content.

Don't: Duplicate title tags across multiple pages, stuff them with keywords or leave them auto-generated by the CMS.

Structure content with hierarchical headings (H1→H2→H3)

Rationale: A clear heading structure helps both users navigate and crawlers understand content hierarchy. Headings also influence featured snippets.

Do: Use a single H1 per page (the main title), H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections. Include primary keyword variants in key H2 headings.

Don't: Use headings only for aesthetic reasons (font size), skip heading levels or use multiple H1s on the same page.

Build a coherent internal linking structure

Rationale: Internal links distribute link equity, help crawlers discover and prioritise pages, define content hierarchy and guide users to related content, reducing bounce rate.

Do: Link every new piece of content to relevant related pages already on the site. Use descriptive and varied anchor text. Keep key pages within 3-4 clicks from the homepage.

Don't: Create orphan pages (no inbound internal links), always use "click here" as anchor text or build circular link structures without hierarchy.

Rationale: Non-optimised images are among the most common causes of high LCP and poor CWV scores. Descriptive alt texts also increase visibility in image search.

Do: Use modern formats (WebP, AVIF), compress images, explicitly declare width and height (prevents CLS), use loading="lazy" for below-the-fold images and fetchpriority="high" for the hero image.

Don't: Upload high-resolution uncompressed PNG images, omit the alt attribute or use generic alt text like "product image".

Publish E-E-A-T content for YMYL topics

Rationale: Google evaluates the quality of content on topics that can influence users' health, finances or safety (YMYL) using higher E-E-A-T standards: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness.

Do: Clearly show the author with biography and credentials, cite authoritative sources, update content regularly and include appropriate disclaimers for sensitive topics.

Don't: Publish medical, legal or financial content without expert author attribution, cited sources or an update date.

Implement structured data (schema markup) correctly

Rationale: Structured data enables rich results in the SERP (review stars, FAQ accordions, prices, events) that increase visibility and CTR. Incorrect implementation can be ignored or generate penalties.

Do: Use JSON-LD (Google's recommended format), implement schema.org types relevant to the page type (Article, Product, FAQPage, Event), test with Google's Rich Results Test.

Don't: Mark up content not visible on the page, use schema markup deceptively (e.g. inserting review stars on pages without reviews) or implement types not supported by Google.

Monitor and improve Core Web Vitals

Rationale: LCP, INP and CLS are confirmed ranking signals (Page Experience Update). A "poor" score on any of the three systematically lowers the ranking potential.

Do: Measure CWV with PageSpeed Insights (real CrUX data) and Chrome DevTools. Prioritise LCP optimisation (hero resource preloading, fast server, CDN), reduce CLS (declared image dimensions, no above-the-fold ads without reserved space).

Don't: Optimise only the lab score without verifying real user data (Field Data), ignore the "Opportunities" section of Lighthouse or indefinitely postpone CLS fixes.

Conduct periodic technical SEO audits

Rationale: Evolving sites accumulate technical errors (redirect chains, 404 pages, duplicate content, incorrect canonical tags) that degrade indexing and link equity over time.

Do: Run periodic crawls with tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb, verify index coverage in Google Search Console, check server logs to identify anomalous crawling patterns.

Don't: Wait for an organic traffic drop before starting a technical audit or ignore Search Console alerts on coverage errors.

Build a keyword research strategy based on intent

Rationale: Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. An intent-based keyword map ensures each site page satisfies specific user informational needs, avoiding cannibalization.

Do: Group keywords by intent (informational, commercial, transactional) and assign a target URL to each group. Analyse difficulty (KD) and volume to prioritise opportunities.

Don't: Optimise multiple pages for the same primary keyword (cannibalization), ignore long-tail keywords that often have more precise intent and less competition.

Measure and optimise conversion rate (CRO)

Rationale: Driving organic traffic is only half the job: if the page does not convert, the SEO value does not translate into business results. CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation) maximises the return on every acquired visit.

Do: Use A/B testing to validate improvement hypotheses (CTAs, layout, headline), analyse conversion funnels in Analytics to identify drop-off points, collect qualitative feedback from users via heatmaps and session recordings.

Don't: Change multiple elements simultaneously in an A/B test (makes it impossible to attribute results), optimise for the wrong metric (e.g. high CTR but very low CVR) or neglect the mobile experience which often has lower conversion rates than desktop.

Rationale: Digital marketing frequently intersects with GDPR (EU Regulation 2016/679) and ePrivacy (Directive 2002/58/EC and its amendments). Understanding the descriptive principles of these regulations is useful for marketing professionals, but their specific application depends on the implementation type, jurisdiction and data processing performed.

Do: Document data categories processed, retention periods and reference legal bases (GDPR Art. 6) as internal reminders. Refer to normative principles to inform design and data collection decisions.

Don't: Present this type of material as legal advice or definitive operational instructions for your specific implementation. For operational decisions on cookies, consent and data processing, consult a qualified professional. Reference material, not legal/consent advice.