Embedded Files
Start the article headline with the main keyword
Write a compelling standfirst meta description
Strategically use keywords in the article
Add internal links
Add external links/Embeds
Select appropriate article tags
Use a relevant primary image
Promote through social media
Technical checklist
1. Start the article headline with the main keyword
1. Start the article headline with the main keyword
Choose a main keyword that is semantically relevant to the article topic: an athlete name, event name, sport name or a keyword that reflects a newsworthy topic
Example: AFTER EARLY PLAYOFF EXIT, LEBRON JAMES HAS AMPLE TIME TO PREPARE FOR PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS - with the main keyword being "Lebron James"
Place the main keyword as close to the beginning of the headline as possible
Do not include a date or time in your article headline
Optimal headline length for article page is 90-119 characters and should never exceed 119 characters (including spaces and punctuation)
Shorter versions of the headline can be used for internal links from other pages (like the homepage or news landing page) where necessary but the full headline including important keywords needs to be displayed on the article page
The better optimised the article headline is for user searches, the greater the chance that Google will display it as specified
2. Write a compelling standfirst/subheadline and meta description
2. Write a compelling standfirst/subheadline and meta description
a standfirst is a brief introductory summary of an article, typically appearing immediately after the headline and typographically distinct from the rest of the article
a meta description appears below the title in a Google search result and should generally inform and interest users with a short, relevant summary of what a particular article is about
a recommended practice is to use the first sentence of the standfirst as a meta description
a good standfirst will be between 180 and 240 characters
a good meta description will be between 115-155 characters
3. Strategically use keywords in the article
3. Strategically use keywords in the article
Include at least 2 exact matches for the main keyword in the body text of the article
Use related keywords, such as singular/plural versions, variations by tense, or other semantically-related ideas
Google favours above-the-fold content, so be sure to use the main keyword and related keywords early, ideally in the first 100 words
Write content for readability and include the main keyword and related keywords in a natural way
Following the primary article image or video the first two paragraphs (roughly 80 words) of text should not include embedded components or other formatting (podcast links, bullets, related links, etc) that impede the user getting into the story
Ideally articles important for SEO would target a word count of 800 words (1200 for really important articles)
4. Add internal links
4. Add internal links
General Information
Only link to the same page from the same page once (identical links are only counted once)
Important - The text that links to a page is called anchor text. Avoid using generic terms like ‘see more’ or 'click here' as anchor text
Linking from a new article to existing pages
To find other relevant articles and pages to link to, look through the article and identify internal linking opportunities.
Look for semantically related themes
Once you've identified internal linking opportunities, you may want to do a site search to see which pages within your site Google sees as most relevant (e.g. site:https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024 [search term])
If there are no good opportunities to use anchor text, use Related: [article title] in a contextually relevant part of the article, preferably near the top.
Linking from existing pages to a new article
By the same token, look for existing pages from which you can create an internal link to the new article.
5. Add external links
5. Add external links
Adding external links to prominent and semantically relevant external websites can be very beneficial (eg. IOC, federations, etc).
Best practice is to use keywords as anchor text that we are not competing for with the external website (e.g. don't use anything Olympic or Paris 2024-related to link to an external site)
Social Media Embeds
Where appropriate, include social media embedded posts or videos
6. Select appropriate article tags
6. Select appropriate article tags
Ensure every article has a minimum of 2 relevant tags
7. Use a relevant and primary image
7. Use a relevant and primary image
Use a unique and article-specific image
Image should be at least 1200 pixels wide and not exceed 2400 pixels wide
8. Promote through social media
8. Promote through social media
Post the link to your article on your official social channels
For articles with significant viral potential, it is a good idea to give an initial paid boost to maximise distribution
9. Technical checklist
9. Technical checklist
Does the article headline start with the main keyword?
Is the article headline between 90-119 characters long?
Is the standfirst between 180 and 240 characters?
Is the meta description between 115 and 155 characters?
Are there at least 2 exact matches for the main keyword in the body of the article?
Is the article word count over 800?
Are there any linking opportunities from the new article to other relevant https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024 pages using semantically related anchor text?
Are there any linking opportunities from other relevant https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024 pages to the new article using semantically related anchor text?
If no good opportunities for anchor text exist, have you created internal links using Related: [article title] in a contextually relevant place, preferably high up in the article?
Are there any linking opportunities to relevant external websites?
Does the article have a minimum of 2 relevant tags?
Has the article been posted to social media channels?
Page updated
Report abuse