OSU.EDU Website Review

The HTML title tag is one of the most important elements of on-page SEO, appearing in search results, browser tabs, and bookmarks.

Your title tag appears to be within the ideal length.

Google's search results truncate titles that exceed 60 characters; Bing's search results truncate titles that exceed 70 characters.

Here are the best practices for Meta Titles:

• Stick to a title length of 10-60 characters.
• Make keywords/key phrases obvious
• Incorporate relevant power words
• Be clear but concise

Great! Your meta description is within the recommended length, which should be between 50 and 160 characters, including spaces.

A meta description tag serves as a concise and informative summary of a web page's content, aiming to engage and inform users about the page's topic.

Google relies on the actual content of the page to generate a snippet for search results, but it may also utilize the meta description for a more descriptive representation of the page.

Meta descriptions act as a compelling pitch to persuade users that the page aligns with their search intent. While there's no strict character limit, Google truncates the snippet in search results as necessary to fit the device's width.

Best practices for Meta Descriptions

• Length: Maintain a description length of 50-160 characters to ensure optimal visibility in search results.
• Uniqueness: Craft unique descriptions for each page on your website to differentiate their purposes and content.
• Accuracy: Create descriptions that precisely depict the specific content and purpose of the page.
• Keywords: Ensure that each web page has a unique meta description containing important keywords relevant to the page's content.

Wonderful! Your H1 tag are within the recommended length, which should be between 10 and 255 characters, including spaces, and remember to use only one H1 tag per page.

The H1 tag in HTML is the main headline users see first when a page loads. It conveys the page's topic, enticing visitors to read further. H1 tags are crucial for SEO, user experience, and accessibility. They distinguish the main title on a webpage, aiding search engines and users in understanding the content.

Here are best practices for H1 tags

• Use H1 tags for page titles.
• Limit to one H1 tag per page.
• Keep H1 tags short and concise.
• Structure headings hierarchically.
• Include your main keyword.
• Ensure H1 tags are engaging.

Your page contains external links.

External links, also known as outbound links, are hyperlinks that direct users to pages or resources outside the current website. They differ from internal links, which connect to URLs within the same domain. While it may seem counterintuitive to lead users away from your site, linking to reputable sources can establish your site as an authority. External links not only facilitate navigation between websites but also play a crucial role in SEO. They pass link equity, improve ranking, and can enhance a site's credibility. By linking to trustworthy sites, you can provide value to users and signal relevance to search engines like Google.

Here are best practices for external links:

• Link to relevant sites for better user experience, avoiding competitor links.
• Avoid link schemes like buying/selling links, use SPONSORED or NOFOLLOW tags for sponsored content
• Use clear anchor texts for outgoing links, following Google's guidelines.
• Regularly audit external links to fix broken or redirected links for improved user experience.
• Know the difference between NOFOLLOW and DOFOLLOW links: NoFollow for referral traffic, DoFollow for SEO value and link authority. Avoid NoFollow for internal linking.

Your page contains internal links.

Internal links are hyperlinks within a website that connect different pages. They are important for SEO for three reasons: they help search engines understand the website’s structure, pass authority to web pages, and assist users in navigating the site. There are various types of internal links, including navigational, footer, contextual, and sidebar links.

Here are best practices for internal links:

• Use keyword-rich anchor text in internal links.
• Link to important pages on your site to send link authority.
• Utilize a pyramid-like structure for internal linking.
• Implement contextual and structural internal links on your site.
• Use tools to analyze site indexation and optimize internal linking.