WWW.BACKCOUNTRY.COM 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 does not appear 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

The length of your meta keywords seems to be outside the recommended range. Ideally, a meta keywords should be between 10 and 255 characters, including spaces.

Meta keywords are a specific type of meta tag that appear in the HTML code of a web page. They provide information to search engines about the topic of the page. Meta keywords were once used to help rank web pages in search engine results. However, due to the abuse by webmasters and marketers, Google claims to have stopped using them more than a decade ago. Despite this, there are still reasons to consider using meta keywords:

• Uncertain Impact on Google's Algorithm: While Google devalued meta keywords, it is uncertain if they were entirely removed from its ranking algorithm. Google keeps its ranking algorithms top secret to deter people from gaming the system.
• Other Search Engines and CMS: Other search engines like Yandex, Baidu, and Naver may still use meta keywords. Additionally, some internal CMS search systems, such as SOLR and Algolia, also utilize the meta keywords tag.

Best practices for Meta Keywords

• Relevance is Key: It is crucial to choose keywords that accurately reflect the content of your page.
• Keep it Limited: It is generally recommended not to exceed more than 10 meta keywords for a single page. Also, the content length should not exceed 255 characters (including spaces).
• Consider Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords are more specific and longer phrases that target a niche audience. These keywords can be highly effective in driving targeted traffic to your website.

Remember, meta keywords are just one aspect of search engine optimization (SEO), and search engines now place less emphasis on them compared to other factors. However, by following these best practices, you can still optimize your meta keywords effectively and improve the visibility of your web pages.

Your page does not include an H1 tag.

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 lacks 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.