The EdTech Coach’s Journey into SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Introduction:
In the fast-paced world of tech entrepreneurship, our online presence isn't just a backdrop; it's the very stage on which our businesses perform. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process which optimizes a website's structure, the relevance of its content, and registers how popular a site’s link is so its pages can become easy to find. Accurate SEO will make a website viewed better in search queries, and as a result, search engines rank them better.
As a sole proprietor steering my tech ship, I respect the important role of online visibility. In this personal journey to keep my site updated, I’ll share what I learned about indexing my website using Google Search Console, and share tidbits on the tool for any techpreneur looking to raise their online game.
Step 1: Start with a Google Account
Embarking on this journey, the first step is to have a Google account. You need it to use the Console.
Step 2: Find the Google Search Console
With my Google account as my compass, I searched for “Google Search Console”. Logged in with my credentials, my eyes glazed over with the screen full of tools! I didn’t use all of them, but there is a complete SEO Starter Guide linked here.
Step 3: Mark Your Tech Territory
I started by clicking on “URL Inspection”. Google checks my IP address and credentials to confirm/verify I am the owner of the website. Clicking on the "Add Property" button, I typed my website URL in the “Inspect any URL” field. I claimed and verified ownership and continued.
Step 4: Crafting a Tech-Savvy Sitemap
For my site structure, a digital map in the form of an XML sitemap is crucial. Crafting a tech-savvy sitemap ensures that Google's crawlers navigate the intricate circuits and algorithms of my website with ease. This means it “crawls” through all pages and checks for all pages to be linked. If you don’t know about site page markups, click here.
Step 5: Extending a Digital Handshake
In the "Sitemaps" section, I clicked "Add/Test Sitemap," offering my digital handshake to Google by submitting the path to my tech-savvy sitemap (typically sitemap.xml). It's an invitation for Google to explore and index my tech realm efficiently. I then click on “Request Indexing” to start the process.
Step 6: Monitoring the Tech “Crawl”
Vigilance becomes important; I need to regularly check the "Coverage" report in Google Search Console to see what was broken and fixed. This tailored report offers insights into the indexing status of my tech-centric pages, ensuring I'm getting seen where I need to be.
Techpreneur Takeaways: Things you might want to consider.
1. Quality Tech Content:
● Elevate your online presence with content that reflects the innovation and uniqueness of your tech offerings.
2. Tech-Savvy XML Sitemap:
● Regularly update and submit a tech-savvy XML sitemap to guide Google's crawlers through the intricacies of your tech content.
3. Forge Tech Alliances:
● Build quality backlinks from reputable tech websites to enhance your website's authority.
4. Mobile Tech Optimization:
● Align your website with Google's preference for mobile-friendly content in its indexing process.
5. Accelerate Tech Page Speed:
● Enhance your website's loading speed, crucial for both user experience and Google's indexing algorithms.
6. Eliminate Tech Duplicates:
● Minimize duplicate tech content on your website to provide clear signals to search engines.
Conclusion:
As a techpreneur, this journey isn't just about indexing; it's about claiming our online presence. Patience is really a friend in this process. Now you and I are armed with information, ready to watch our online presence thrive in the sea of search results. My wish is that our efforts stand out in the ever-evolving world of online visibility.
