Search and discovery
A small site that is well-organised is also easier to find. The two problems share a solution: clear page titles, honest summaries and a structure that actually matches what is on the page. There is no separate "search trick" worth learning if the basics are not in place first.
For a deeper, official reference on how search engines work, see Google's documentation on how search works.
What makes a page findable
Four properties carry most of the weight:
- A page title that names the topic plainly.
- A short description that summarises what is on the page.
- Headings that match the structure of the content.
- Links from other pages that describe the destination in their own words.
A page that gets these four right will be findable. A page that gets them wrong cannot be rescued by tags, schemas or social posts.
Titles in plain language
A title written for the visitor is almost always also a title that works for search. "How to read an architectural project page" works. "Architecture - the complete guide" does not, because there is no such thing, and the visitor knows it.
Descriptions that summarise
A meta description is a one or two sentence summary, not a tagline. Write what is on the page. If the description and the page disagree, the visitor leaves and does not come back.
Internal links as signals
A page that no other page on the site links to is hard to find by any means. A page that several pages link to, with descriptive link text, is much easier to find. Internal linking is the cheapest discoverability work available, and it is entirely under your control.
Evaluating an older resource page
Some of the most useful pages on the web are old. They are also the ones most likely to mix accurate material with outdated material. A short evaluation routine:
- check whether the page names a date or version
- check whether the cited references are still standing
- read the comments or related notes if any
- look for a more recent page on the same site that contradicts or updates this one
A page being old is not a problem. A page pretending to be current when it is not is.
What not to do
- keyword stuffing in titles
- descriptions that do not match the page
- hiding content behind tabs or accordions that do not appear in the markup
- pages that exist only to link to other pages without saying why
Where to go next
Two-minute checklist
- Plain-language title.
- Honest summary description.
- Headings match the structure.
- Inbound links describe the page.
- Date or version where it matters.