What are Core Web Vitals and How Do You Optimize Your Website for It?

Core Web Vitals are a set of statistics used by Google to measure the user experience of a website. These metrics are essential for search engine optimization (SEO) and directly affect your website’s ranking in search results. In this article, we will discuss what Core Web Vitals are, why they are important and give practical tips for optimizing your website.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are three specific metrics that focus on the user experience:

  1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This measures the load time of the largest visible content on the page. Ideally, this should be within 2.5 seconds.
  2. First Input Delay (FID): This measures the time elapsed between the user’s first interaction with the page (for example, a click) and the browser’s response. An FID of less than 100 milliseconds is considered good.
  3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This measures the stability of visual content while loading. It is important that a page’s content does not shift unexpectedly while loading. A CLS score of less than 0.1 is ideal.

Why are Core Web Vitals Important?

Core Web Vitals are important because they directly affect the user experience and thus the SEO performance of your website. Google considers these metrics as essential factors in determining ranking in search results. Improving these statistics can lead to better visibility and more traffic to your website. Thus, it is crucial to understand how to optimize your website for Core Web Vitals.

How Do You Optimize for Core Web Vitals?

Here are some tips and strategies to optimize your website for Core Web Vitals:

  1. Improve Server Response Time (TTFB)
    A fast server response time reduces the time it takes to receive the first byte of data. Use a reliable hosting provider and consider caching and a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve TTFB, which in turn contributes to a better LCP score.
  2. Optimize Images
    Large images are often the main cause of poor LCP. Use modern image formats such as WebP and compress images without losing quality. This will make the largest content on the page load faster, benefiting Core Web Vitals.
  3. Use Lazy Loading for Images and Videos
    Lazy loading causes images and videos to load only when they are visible to the user. This reduces the initial page load time and helps to improve Core Web Vitals, especially the LCP.
  4. Minimize and Combine CSS and JavaScript
    Unnecessary CSS and JavaScript files can significantly increase page load time. Minimize and combine files to reduce load time and improve First Input Delay (FID).
  5. Remove Unnecessary Third-Party Scripts
    Third-party scripts, such as tracking codes and ad networks, can negatively affect the load time of your Web site. Minimize the use of these scripts to improve Core Web Vitals.
  6. Stabilize Layout with Static Elements
    Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) occurs when elements such as images, buttons or fonts shift unexpectedly during loading. Use fixed sizes for images, videos and ads to keep the layout stable and achieve a better CLS score.
  7. Use Browsercaching
    Browsercaching allows users to save previously loaded elements so they load faster on the next visit. This reduces load time and helps improve Core Web Vitals, especially the LCP.
  8. Enable Gzip or Brotli compression
    Gzip and Brotli compression reduce the file sizes of CSS, JavaScript and HTML. This speeds up load times and improves Core Web Vitals by rendering content faster.
  9. Monitor and Analyze Core Web Vitals With Google Tools
    Use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights and Search Console to analyze and monitor your website’s current Core Web Vitals. These tools give you detailed reports and recommendations to further optimize your website.
  10. Implement a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
    A CDN ensures that your Web site’s content is distributed across multiple servers worldwide. This reduces loading time, which has a positive impact on Core Web Vitals.
  11. Use A Simple and Clean Codebase
    The less code, the faster your Web site loads. A clean, well-organized codebase contributes to better load times and improves overall Core Web Vitals.
  12. Optimize for Mobile Devices
    Make sure your website is fully responsive and works well on mobile devices. This contributes to better Core Web Vitals as many users visit your website via mobile devices.

Optimizing your website for Core Web Vitals is essential for a good user experience and higher search engine rankings. By following the tips above, you can reduce load times, improve stability and optimize interaction, leading to better performance and more satisfied users. Be sure to continually test and adjust to keep improving your Core Web Vitals. Discover our complete technical checklist to help your website rank higher in Google.

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What is an SSL certificate and the impact on SEO

In today’s digital world, where online security and confidentiality are increasingly important, an SSL certificate has become an essential technology for any website. But what exactly is an SSL certificate, and how does it affect a website’s SEO? In this article, we take a closer look at these questions.

What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate, or “Secure Sockets Layer” certificate, is a digital certificate used to encrypt data sent between a Web server and a Web browser. When a Web site has an SSL certificate, the HTTP connection changes to an HTTPS connection, where the “S” stands for “secure.” This encryption ensures that sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers and personal information, cannot be intercepted by malicious parties.

SSL certificates are issued by trusted certificate authorities (CAs) and can have different levels of validation, such as domain validation (DV), organization validation (OV), and extended validation (EV). The higher the validation level, the more trust the certificate provides to a Web site’s visitors. This trust is crucial, especially for websites that process sensitive data.

Why is an SSL certificate important for SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engines such as Google. An SSL certificate plays an important role in this process for several reasons:

  1. Increased search engine ranking: Google announced in 2014 that HTTPS has become a ranking factor. This means that websites with an SSL certificate are given slight preference over those without. Although the impact of an SSL certificate on SEO rankings may be small compared to other factors such as content quality and backlinks, it can still help your website rank above those of competitors without a certificate.
  2. Better user experience: Users feel more secure when they see an HTTPS connection because it indicates that the website is secure. This trust can lead to a lower bounce rate (the percentage of visitors who leave the website quickly), which in turn contributes positively to a website’s SEO score.
  3. Preventing ‘not secure’ warnings: Browsers such as Google Chrome mark websites without an SSL certificate as “not secure. This can deter users and cause them to quickly leave your website. A high bounce rate can be detrimental to SEO because it signals search engines that the website may not be relevant or trustworthy.
  4. Better security: An SSL certificate protects your visitors’ data and helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, in which malicious parties attempt to intercept data sent over an HTTP connection. Security incidents can not only lead to reputational damage but can also have a direct negative impact on your website’s SEO score.

Impact of an SSL certificate on HTTP connections

As mentioned earlier, an SSL certificate changes an HTTP connection to an HTTPS connection. This change provides a more secure data transfer between the server and the browser. But what are the immediate benefits of this security?

First, an HTTPS connection ensures that data being transmitted, such as login credentials and payment information, remains secure. This is essential for e-commerce websites and other platforms that process personal information. In contrast, an HTTP connection does not offer any form of encryption, meaning sensitive data can be more easily intercepted.

In addition, an SSL certificate helps increase the credibility of your Web site. Websites with an HTTP connection may be considered less trustworthy by search engines, resulting in a lower ranking. This can lead to a loss of traffic and potential customers.

An SSL certificate is more than just a security measure; it is an important element of an effective SEO strategy. It provides better security for users, prevents browsers from marking your website as insecure, and can even boost your search engine rankings. Migrating from an HTTP connection to an HTTPS connection by installing an SSL certificate is a small but crucial step that can have a big impact on both the security and visibility of your website. More tips on how to technically optimize your website? Discover our full checklist.

20 Tips to Improve the Speed of Your Website

Improving the speed of your website is essential for a good user experience and high ranking in search engines. Slow websites often lead to higher bounce rates and lower conversions. Here are 20 concrete tips to improve the speed of your website so that your visitors have a smoother experience and your website performs better.

  1. Choose a Fast Web Hosting
    The foundation of a fast Web site starts with a good hosting provider. Choose a hosting plan that fits the size and traffic of your Web site. Consider a VPS or dedicated server for better performance than a shared hosting plan.
  2. Optimize Images
    Large image files can significantly slow down a Web site. Use tools such as TinyPNG or ImageOptim to reduce file size without losing quality. This can improve the speed of your website without making your images blurry.
  3. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
    A CDN helps improve the speed of your Web site by distributing content across multiple servers worldwide. This reduces the distance between the server and the user, which can significantly reduce load times.
  4. Minimize HTTP requests
    The more components on a Web page (such as images, scripts, and styles), the more HTTP requests it takes to load them. Combine CSS and JavaScript files and use sprites for images to reduce the number of requests.
  5. Enable Browsercaching
    Browsercaching allows previous visitors to your website to save portions locally. On their next visit, the site loads faster because not all elements have to be downloaded again. This can improve the speed of your Web site for returning visitors.
  6. Enable Gzip compression
    Gzip compression makes files smaller before they are sent to the user’s browser. This can reduce file size by as much as 70%, which helps to improve the speed of your website.
  7. Optimize CSS and JavaScript
    Minimize and compress CSS and JavaScript files. Remove unnecessary lines, spaces and comments to reduce file size and improve load time.
  8. Use Asynchronous Loading Methods for JavaScript
    By loading JavaScript asynchronously, the rest of the page can continue to load even if a script is busy. This can improve the speed of your website by avoiding delays.
  9. Limit Redirects
    Redirects lead to additional HTTP requests, which increases loading time. Minimize the number of redirects on your Web site to improve performance.
  10. Make Use of Lazy Loading for Images and Videos
    Lazy loading causes images and videos to load only when they come into view. This can significantly reduce the initial loading time.
  11. Reduce the Use of External Scripts
    External scripts, such as advertising and tracking codes, can slow down your Web site. Keep the number of external scripts to a minimum to improve the speed of your Web site.
  12. Optimize Web Fonts
    Web fonts can require a significant amount of data. Use only the required fonts and weights, and consider using standard Web-safe fonts.
  13. Turn Hotlinking Off
    Hotlinking means other Web sites are using your images, which can tax your server and slow down loading speed. Turn hotlinking off in your server settings.
  14. Use HTTP/2
    HTTP/2 offers improved performance over HTTP/1.1 by multiplexing and compressing headers, which can significantly improve the speed of your Web site. Find out more about HTTP/2.
  15. Implement AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)
    AMP optimizes load times for mobile users by loading a simplified version of your pages, which improves the speed of your website on mobile devices.
  16. Reduce Time to First Byte (TTFB)
    The TTFB is the time it takes a browser to receive the first byte of data from the server. Optimize your server performance and reduce TTFB for faster load times.
  17. Use Simple and Clean Code
    Redundant code can affect the speed of your Web site. Make sure your HTML, CSS and JavaScript are clean and simple.
  18. Make Use of Server-side Caching
    With server-side caching, dynamic pages are converted into static HTML pages, reducing loading time. This can significantly improve the speed of your website.
  19. Remove Unused Plugins
    Any plugin can increase the loading time of a Web site. Remove unused or unnecessary plugins to improve your website’s performance.
  20. Monitor and Test Regularly
    Use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to monitor your Web site’s performance and identify areas for improvement. Regular testing helps you improve the speed of your website and keep it up-to-date.

By following these tips, you can improve the speed of your website and ensure a fast and smooth user experience. This will not only satisfy your visitors, but also improve your search engine rankings. Be sure to check out our full checklist of tips to rank higher in Google.

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20 Tips to Make Your Website More Mobile Friendly

With more and more users visiting websites via their smartphones and tablets, making your website mobile-friendly is more important than ever. A mobile website should be fast, responsive and easy to navigate. Here are 20 concrete tips to improve your website’s mobile-friendly design so that you provide an optimal user experience across all devices.

  1. Choose Responsive Design
    A responsive design automatically adapts to the user’s screen size. This keeps your website looking and functioning well on both desktops and mobile devices. Making your website mobile-friendly starts with responsive design.
  2. Use Larger Fonts
    Make sure your fonts are large enough to read easily on small screens. A minimum font size of 16 pixels is recommended for the main text so that visitors can read without zooming in.
  3. Optimize Navigation
    Make navigation simple and clear. Use a hamburger menu (three horizontal bars) to save space and improve the user experience. This helps make your website mobile-friendly by making the navigation more accessible.
  4. Avoid Flash and Heavy Animations
    Flash is not supported on most mobile devices, and heavy animations can slow down load times. Instead, choose HTML5 animations that are responsive and work on all devices.
  5. Use Large Enough Buttons
    Make sure buttons are large enough to tap with a finger. A minimum size of 44×44 pixels is ideal. This makes making your Web site mobile-friendly easier because users don’t have to zoom to click buttons.
  6. Minimize Pop-ups
    Pop-ups are often difficult to close on mobile devices and can frustrate the user experience. Avoid pop-ups or use them sparingly to ensure they don’t block content.
  7. Optimize Images for Mobile
    Use responsive images that adapt to different screen sizes and optimize load times. This helps make your website mobile-friendly by making images load quickly and reduce data usage.
  8. Test on Different Devices
    Check how your website performs on different mobile devices and browsers. This ensures that your website remains responsive and user-friendly regardless of the device being used.
  9. Use Sufficient White Space
    White space makes content clearer and easier to read on small screens. This contributes to a responsive and user-friendly layout.
  10. Implement ‘Tap-to-Call’ Features
    Make it easy for users to call you by adding tap-to-call links. This improves accessibility and is an important aspect of making your website mobile-friendly.
  11. Optimize Forms for Mobile Use
    Make sure forms are short and easy to fill out on mobile devices. For example, use auto-fill and minimize the number of required fields.
  12. Make Use of Responsive Tables
    Tables can be cumbersome on mobile devices. Make them responsive by making them adaptable to screen size or use alternative display methods such as lists or accordion styles.
  13. Reduce Your Website Load Time
    Fast load times are essential for a responsive mobile experience. Reduce image file sizes, use caching and optimize code to improve the speed of your website.
  14. Use a Responsive CMS or Theme
    Many content management systems (CMS) and themes, such as WordPress, offer built-in responsive features. Choose a theme designed specifically for responsive display to facilitate making your website mobile-friendly.
  15. Check the Usability of Buttons and Links
    Make sure buttons and links are easy to click on a touchscreen. This is essential for a responsive and mobile-friendly experience.
  16. Use AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)
    AMP technology helps make your website mobile-friendly by making pages load faster on mobile devices. AMP provides a faster and smoother user experience.
  17. Avoid Horizontal Scrolling
    Horizontal scrolling can be confusing and frustrating for mobile users. Make sure your layout is always responsive and fits well on smaller screens.
  18. Make Content Scanable
    Use short paragraphs, headings, and bullet points to make content easily scannable. This improves readability and makes making your website mobile-friendly more effective.
  19. Implement Mobile-Friendly Search Features
    Make sure the search feature is easily accessible and user-friendly on mobile devices. This increases responsiveness and usability.
  20. Use Mobile-Friendly Fonts and Colors
    Use fonts and colors that are easily visible on different screens and lighting conditions. This contributes to a responsive and engaging user experience.

By following these tips, you can improve your website’s mobile-friendly design and ensure an optimal user experience. A responsive website not only helps satisfy visitors, but also improves your search engine ranking. Make sure your website is always up-to-date with the latest responsive technologies and trends. Be sure to check out our full checklist to rank higher in Google.

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Checklist to rank higher in Google

Rank higher in Google and increase the impact of SEO? In this checklist, we list more than 90 tips to rank higher in Google. Some are low-hanging fruit, for others you will need to make a little more intervention.

Rank higher in google thanks to our checklist

Ranking higher in Google through technical SEO

  1. Ensure fast load times: Optimize images, minimize CSS and JavaScript, and use caching.
  2. Use responsive design: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
  3. Optimize for Core Web Vitals: Improve loading speed, interactivity and visual stability.
  4. Use an SSL certificate: Make sure your website has an HTTPS connection.
  5. Create an XML sitemap: Ensure that search engines can easily crawl your website.
  6. Optimize your robots.txt file: Give search engines access to the right pages.
  7. Ensure a clean URL structure: Use short, descriptive URLs.
  8. Use Canonical Tags: Avoid duplication problems by adding canonical tags.
  9. Provide a good internal link structure: Improve navigation and help search engines find your content.
  10. Use breadcrumb navigation: This helps users and search engines navigate through the website.
  11. Use fast and reliable hosting: This will improve the load time and uptime of your website.
  12. Have a good website structure: Use a hierarchical structure with categories and subcategories.
  13. Minimize the use of redirects: Reduce the number of redirects to improve load time.
  14. Use Lazy Loading: Load images and videos only when they come into view.
  15. Avoid broken links: Check regularly for dead links and fix them.
  16. Use Structured Data: Add schema markup for rich snippets in search results.
  17. Optimize your 404 page: Create a useful 404 page with links to important content.
  18. Keep your website safe: Protect your website from malware and hackers.
  19. Check your site regularly with Google Search Console: Track problems and optimize your website.
  20. Use AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages): Speed the load time of mobile pages.

Ranking higher in Google through content optimization

  1. Write valuable content: Provide relevant and valuable content for your target audience.
  2. Use long-tail keywords: Target specific searches with less competition.
  3. Optimize the title tag: Provide a unique and attractive title tag per page.
  4. Use H1 and H2 headings: Use header tags for good structure.
  5. Write an attractive meta description: This increases CTR in search results.
  6. Ensure clear search intent: Write content that matches the user’s intent.
  7. Make use of multimedia: Add images, videos and infographics to enrich your content.
  8. Use internal links: Link to related content on your own website.
  9. Make use of external links: Link to authoritative sources.
  10. Optimize images: Use alt text and compress images for faster load times.
  11. Add new content regularly: Keep your website updated with fresh content.
  12. Optimize for featured snippets: Write content in the form of lists, tables or short answers.
  13. Provide longer, comprehensive content: Long, in-depth content often scores better.
  14. Use an active writing style: Write engaging and approachable.
  15. Avoid content duplication: Provide unique content on each page.
  16. Use synonyms and related keywords: Make your texts natural and diverse.
  17. Optimize for readability: Use short paragraphs, bullet points and images.
  18. Keep the bounce rate low: Make sure your content matches the visitor’s expectations.
  19. Use page titles with numbers and strong words: This attracts users’ attention.
  20. Optimize for voice-activated searches: Use natural language and question-answer formats.

Ranking higher with link building

  1. Obtain quality backlinks: Focus on backlinks from reputable and relevant websites.
  2. Write guest blogs: Publish valuable content on other websites to get backlinks.
  3. Take advantage of broken link building: Search for broken links on other websites and offer your content as a replacement.
  4. Use press releases: Share newsworthy content to generate attention and backlinks.
  5. Get listings in local directories: This can help improve local SEO.
  6. Do social media outreach: Share your content on social media to encourage backlinks.
  7. Use infographics: These are often shared and linked to by other websites.
  8. Get listings in niche directories: This helps to increase your visibility in your specific market.
  9. Participate in forums and communities: Offer valuable contributions and links to your site.
  10. Organize contests or giveaways: This can lead to more exposure and backlinks.

Rank higher in Google locally through local SEO

  1. Claim your Google My Business page: Provide a fully completed and optimized GMB page.
  2. Ask for customer reviews: Positive reviews help your local SEO.
  3. Use local keywords: Optimize your content for local searches.
  4. Optimize for mobile devices: Many local searches are done on mobile.
  5. Ensure consistent company information: Keep name, address and phone number consistent across all platforms.
  6. Add your business to local business directories: This helps increase your visibility.
  7. Make use of local landing pages: Target specific locations with separate landing pages.
  8. Participate in local events: This can lead to more local mentions and backlinks.
  9. Write local content: Focus your blog posts and articles on local topics and events.
  10. Optimize your GMB page for Q&A: Answer questions on your Google My Business page.

Discover our 10 tips for ranking higher in Google locally here.

Scoring higher by improving user experience (UX)

  1. Improve the mobile user experience: Optimize your website for mobile users.
  2. Use clear and consistent navigation: Make sure users can easily navigate through your site.
  3. Provide an attractive web design: An attractive design can increase time on the site.
  4. Make use of call-to-action buttons: Encourage users to take action.
  5. Optimize for accessibility: Make sure your website is accessible to everyone.
  6. Provide a clear homepage: Keep it simple and uncluttered.
  7. Use clear and attractive fonts: Make sure text is easy to read.
  8. Avoid pop-ups and interstitials: These can be distracting and increase the bounce rate.
  9. Use videos to increase engagement: Videos can extend time on the page.
  10. Monitor user behavior with heatmaps: Understand how users behave and optimize accordingly.

Rank higher in Google with social media and SEO

  1. Share content regularly on social media: This can indirectly contribute to your SEO.
  2. Optimize your social media profiles: Use keywords and links to your website.
  3. Use social sharing buttons on your website: Encourage visitors to share your content.
  4. Engage your audience on social media: Create interaction to increase your brand awareness.
  5. Ensure consistent branding: Keep your branding consistent across all your channels.
  6. Create viral content: Content that is frequently shared can indirectly contribute to SEO.
  7. Use Hashtags: Get more visibility on social media platforms.
  8. Collaborate with influencers: Influencers can help you increase your visibility.
  9. Monitor your social mentions: Understand what people are saying about your brand and respond as needed.
  10. Use social media advertising: Expand your reach and attract more traffic to your site.

Analytics and Monitoring

  1. Use Google Analytics: Measure your traffic, behavior and conversions.
  2. Set goals in Analytics: Keep track of how many conversions you achieve.
  3. Monitor your backlinks: Use tools such as Ahrefs to track your backlink profile.
  4. Analyze your competitors: Understand what your competitors focus on and where your opportunities lie.
  5. Use heatmaps and recording tools: Understand how users interact with your site.
  6. Monitor the performance of your keywords: Use tools such as SEMrush or Moz.
  7. Measure the impact of your content marketing: Analyze which content performs best.
  8. Track your position in search engines: Understand how you rank for important keywords.
  9. Use A/B testing: Optimize elements on your website for higher conversion.
  10. Make use of UTM codes: Keep track of which campaigns generate traffic and conversions.

Additional Tips to Attract More Visitors

  1. Create a newsletter: Keep in touch with your audience and encourage repeat visits.
  2. Use retargeting: Draw visitors back to your website.
  3. Optimize your pages for different devices

Ranking higher in Google can be done fairly quickly. If you consistently submit your changes to your website or content to Google (via the search console), Google will detect these changes within 24h and re-evaluate your website. A higher ranking in Google is best achieved with keywords of which you know they will generate relevant visitors. Therefore, always start with keyword research and compare these with your competitors. After all, scoring higher in Google means that you enter the SEO battle with your competitors and therefore need to know perfectly which search queries your competitors score well on… and where the opportunities lie for you.

Need help ranking higher in Google?

Find out here how we can help you make your website rank higher in Google and increase the impact of SEO. Want to test your SEO score yourself? Then be sure to discover our SEO test for business owners.