1. Dwell Time
Although Dwell Times is not part of what garners the attention of the omnipresent Google algorithms it is definitely something that is an indication of the quality of the page user experience. It’s not an exaggeration to say that user experience is incredibly important when it comes to matters of SEO.
In short – dwell time is the number of minutes (or hours) that the user spends on a blog page. From the instant a user clicks on a search engine result to the time they leave the page – that’s all Dwell Time. That metric does inform Google about the quality of the page content and how valuable it is to the user. It may seem obvious, but the longer they spend on that blog the more valuable that information is to them.
However, the reason that Google only uses Dwell time as an indirect indicator of SEO effectiveness is that it is almost entirely subjective. Search engine algorithms may be powerful – but they are not privy to information about your content strategy. Short-form content (for instance) only takes a minute or two to read – but it can convey valuable information. Any great blog post will contain information of value to the reader in that first paragraph – and that means less time on the page – but what it doesn’t mean is that the information lacks quality.
So, Dwell Time is a factor in SEO effectiveness – but beware of making changes to enhance this metric to the detriment of a well-thought-out content strategy. Hubspot is renowned for helping blog owners and creators develop quality content via a free blog design tool – that can help extend the reach of your messaging and grows your audience.
2. Page Speed Issues
As mentioned previously on page graphic elements can make a big difference when it comes to page speeds. However, graphics are not the only factor that can adversely affect load times. There is also sloppy code use and falling prey to the overuse of plugins.
If you’re not an expert use HTML-Cleaner to help you to optimize your page by removing ‘junk’ code. This can make all the difference when it comes to faster page loading times. It’s a user-friendly tool that doesn’t require you to be familiar with coding. It simply highlights unnecessary code and allows you to delete it with a simple mouse click.
Also, take stock of the plugins that are part of the site. It can be difficult, but make a decision about which of those plugins are absolutely essential and are adding value to the user experience. The truly essential plugins will help keep the blog running – however, there are some that may just have been installed as a temporary fix to an issue that has since been resolved. If you are running plugins that affect the front end of the site – your page loading speeds are going to suffer. It’s almost certain that you can do without some of these.
3. The Issue of Mobile Responsiveness
More and more Internet users are turning to their mobiles to access information and other content. In fact, Google estimates that around half of Internet users in the UK are using their mobile devices for this purpose. Chances are that your blog is no exception. Optimizing your blog for mobile is not a choice – it’s a ‘must do’. If you’re in the UK, you should consult with an SEO service like Leapfrog Internet Marketing to help you with technical and other blog SEO stuff.
However, many blog owners and content creators are unsure about how to do this. According to industry experts, the first step is to keep it simple. If you are using a pre-made blog template you should be fine – most of them have already been designed to be mobile-friendly.
You may have to make some small changes to a ‘call to action’ button, or fiddle with a font – but that’s about it. Review your Google Analytics dashboard regularly to see how your mobile site is doing – and take the time every now and then to run a mobile speed test.
4. Index Date
Search engine algorithms are constantly on the prowl to find the most relevant and current information. They make extensive use of the dates when a search engine indexes content. Later, that page is displayed in the Search Engine Results when the user enters a specific keyword-based query that relates to the indexed page.
