Forum Moderators: not2easy
Can you elaborate on this? I have several multi-page articles, but I am not sure "if they are done properly" so to speak to be a killer performer for me. I would love to hear a little more of how you do this right.
Ooops. Maybe I should have said "if they are done the way I think they should be done". ;)
Let's say you have a 5 page article. It used to be one long page but you managed to logically break it down into multiple pages or sections, that's the first step. The next step is to "group" those pages together and make them whole. I do this by providing additional navigation for the user to browse those 5 pages quickly and easily from the top and bottom of the pages.
I also make sure to provide concise anchor text at the beginning and end of each page linking the user to the next and/or previous pages of the article. I like to do something along the lines of...
Continued from... Anchor Text Here that Matches <title> of Previous Page
Continue to... Anchor Text Here that Matches <title> of Next Page
In addition, I utilize the link rel elements to group documents together. While I'm not sure how search engines explicitly deal with the link rel element in this scenario, the guidelines say that "I should" use these elements to effectively tell search engines where the beginning, next and previous pages are within a group of documents. There are other browser behavior benefits for the user when utilizing the link rel elements too!
Something else I might do is build a "Table of Contents" for that article so now I have 6 pages instead of 5. That 6th page gives me the opportunity to provide the user with a TOC and a summary of each of the 5 pages they are about to peruse. It is the "start" within the collection of documents. It contains 5 links that all mimic the <title> elements of the 5 pages in the collection. It also contains the meta description from each of the 5 pages as the summary for each page. I'll even include imagery along with each of the summaries, that provides some added visual and at the same time brings more elements into the optimization equation. There is quite a bit you can do "properly" in bringing a collection of documents "together". :)
That is an incredible post! Thank you for all the information. I have some multiple page articles and I have done a few of those things, but from your post I can see a few more things I should be doing.
Another question, once you have done everything above is there anything special you do to let the search engines know these pages are there and ready to be indexed or do you simply wait until they find them on their own?
That is an incredible post! Thank you for all the information. I have some multiple page articles and I have done a few of those things, but from your post I can see a few more things I should be doing.
Wow, thanks! I thought maybe you were going to tell me that was common practice with everyone. :)
Another question, once you have done everything above is there anything special you do to let the search engines know these pages are there and ready to be indexed or do you simply wait until they find them on their own?
Typically I may have "What's New" areas that sit at the "top of the click path". I'll make an entry on that page that links to the new article TOC (the 6th page I created). It then joins all the other What's New entries which I like to give a jump start by bringing those to a top click path page for at least 30-45 days. After that, they will settle into a routine and go through the normal indexing fluctuations. At some point, they will become "established" documents and perform their duties. ;)
top of the click path
Sorry to be such a stickler on details here, but in SEO details matter. When you say this do you mean a hyperlink at the very top of the page, that perhaps even loads before anything else? Or is putting it near the top of a page called "What's new" good enough?
Also when you link from the what's new page do you just link it to your new table of contents page you created for this multi-page article?
It sounds like from your process above that you don't submit the new stuff to search engines or anything like that, but rather let them come to you, is that correct? Would you say that submitting them hurts your efforts?
When you say this do you mean a hyperlink at the very top of the page, that perhaps even loads before anything else?
Ah, the Click Path. How many clicks does it take to get to the destination? One? Two? Three or more? I want new pages to be at the "top of the click path" so they are One click away, not Two, or Three, or more. The closer they are to the top of the click path, the more "juice" they will get on that initial launch.
Also when you link from the what's new page do you just link it to your new table of contents page you created for this multi-page article?
Yes. Control the flow.
It sounds like from your process above that you don't submit the new stuff to search engines or anything like that, but rather let them come to you, is that correct?
Always. I don't think I've "submitted" anything since before 2000.
Would you say that submitting them hurts your efforts?
With an existing site that is getting indexed regularly, there would be no need to submit. That is why I say it is important to get that new content as close to the top of the click path that you can. One click, two clicks at most and your new content should get picked up within 24/48/72 hours in most instances.
How many clicks does it take to get to the destination?
So by having a "What's new" link on your home page, if you click this you would go straight to the table of contents page for the new article, which would be one click. Is that right? What do you do if you have more than one article you want to release at the same time?
What's New page is now one click away from the top of the click path, follow me?
Maybe, Let me just spell this out. On your web site you have some horizontal navigation running across the top of all the pages. Let's say it has...
Home, About Us, Services, What's New, Directions, Contact Us
That would make the "What's New" page one click from the home page or any other page for that matter. Now on the "What's New" page you have ...
Article 1 (Click Here)
Article 2 (Click Here)
Article 3 (Click Here)
Article... (Click Here)
Now if I click the link for article one I go to the table of contents you discussed earlier for article one and on that page is...
Article One - Introduction (Click Here)
Article One - The problem (Click Here)
Article One - The solution (Click Here)
and so on. I realize that where I put "click here" you may make the actual words themselves the hyperlink so it is anchor text, but do I have your technique correct?
