DEV Community: Junaid Majeed

How to Improve Website Rankings: 8 Practical SEO Strategies for 2026

Junaid Majeed — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:23:10 +0000

Search engine optimization involves more than adding keywords to web pages. A website needs useful content, accessible pages, a clear structure, and a good user experience.

Developers and SEO specialists often work on different parts of the same problem. Developers focus on how a website works, while SEO specialists focus on how search engines discover, understand, and rank its pages.

When these areas work together, a website has a stronger foundation for organic visibility.

Here are eight practical SEO strategies that can help improve website rankings in 2026.

1. Understand Search Intent Before Targeting Keywords

Keyword research helps identify what people search for. However, understanding why they search is equally important.

For example, someone searching for "technical SEO checklist" probably wants actionable steps. Someone searching for "technical SEO services" may be comparing service providers.

These searches have different intentions, so they may require different types of content.

Before creating a page, review the search results for your target keyword. Look at the content formats, common questions, and information users expect to find.

Choose a primary keyword for each page and use related terms naturally. Avoid creating several pages that target the same intent without a clear reason.

2. Create Helpful and Original Content

Useful content answers a specific question or helps readers complete a task. It should provide more value than a basic summary of information already available online.

Start by identifying the reader's main problem. Explain the solution clearly, include relevant examples, and organize the information into logical sections.

For technical topics, short explanations and practical examples can make complex concepts easier to understand.

For example, an article about indexing should explain how to check whether a page is indexed, what common problems can prevent indexing, and how to investigate those problems.

Avoid adding unnecessary paragraphs just to increase word count. Focus on completeness, accuracy, and usefulness instead.

3. Improve On-Page SEO

On-page SEO helps search engines and readers understand what a page covers.

Start with a descriptive title tag, a clear H1 heading, and logical H2 and H3 subheadings. Use the primary keyword naturally in relevant places without forcing it into every section.

Write a useful meta description that accurately summarizes the page. Although meta descriptions are not a direct Google ranking factor, they can help users understand the page before clicking.

Images should have descriptive file names and meaningful alternative text when they communicate useful information. Compress large images to reduce unnecessary page weight.

Internal links also matter. Link to related pages when they provide additional context, and use descriptive anchor text so readers understand what to expect.

4. Resolve Technical SEO Problems

Technical SEO helps search engines discover, crawl, and understand website pages.

Start by checking whether important pages can be accessed by search engine crawlers. Review the robots.txt file, XML sitemap, canonical tags, redirects, and indexing directives where relevant.

A page blocked from crawling may be difficult for search engines to process. A page with a noindex directive is generally instructed not to appear in search results.

Use Google Search Console to investigate indexing issues and inspect individual URLs. Check the rendered page when JavaScript affects important content or links.

Also review duplicate URLs, broken internal links, redirect chains, and incorrect canonical references.

Fix problems according to their impact. Important pages that cannot be indexed deserve attention before minor technical issues with little practical effect.

5. Improve Website Performance and Mobile Usability

A website should work smoothly across different devices and network conditions.

Large images, unnecessary JavaScript, render-blocking resources, and excessive third-party scripts can affect loading performance. Review these areas before making changes.

Tools such as PageSpeed Insights and Chrome DevTools can help identify performance problems. Google also uses Core Web Vitals to assess aspects of loading performance, responsiveness, and visual stability.

Pay particular attention to these metrics:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures loading performance.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP) measures responsiveness.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures visual stability.

Improving these metrics can support a better user experience, but passing every performance threshold does not guarantee higher rankings.

Test important templates on mobile devices. Navigation, buttons, forms, and content should remain usable on smaller screens.

6. Build Relevant Internal Links and Earn Quality Backlinks

Internal links connect related pages and help visitors discover useful information. They also help search engines understand relationships between pages.

For example, a technical SEO guide could link to separate articles about crawlability, indexing, website speed, and XML sitemaps.

Use internal links where they naturally support the reader. Avoid adding links simply to increase their number.

Backlinks are another part of SEO. Links from relevant, trustworthy websites can help search engines understand how pages relate to other resources.

Focus on earning links through original research, useful resources, expert contributions, and genuinely valuable content.

Avoid buying links intended to manipulate rankings or participating in link schemes. These approaches can create risks instead of building a sustainable SEO foundation.

7. Measure Results and Keep Improving

SEO work should be guided by evidence rather than assumptions.

Google Search Console provides information about search queries, impressions, clicks, click-through rates, and average positions. Analytics tools can help you understand what visitors do after reaching your website.

Review performance by page and query. A page receiving impressions but few clicks may need a clearer title or a better match with search intent. A page losing organic traffic may require a review of its content, indexing status, competitors, and search demand.

Do not judge a strategy from a single day's data. Compare relevant periods and account for seasonal changes or broader search trends.

Create an action plan that prioritizes issues by their potential impact, implementation effort, and business value. Then monitor the results after making changes.

8. Optimize Content for LLM Visibility and Answer Engines

People increasingly use AI-powered tools to research questions, compare options, and discover information. Making content clear and useful can help both human readers and automated systems understand it.

However, no specific writing format guarantees that an AI system will cite or recommend a page.

Create Question-Based Content

Think about the questions your audience asks before choosing a topic. Examples include:

How can I improve my website's Google rankings?
Why are my pages not getting indexed?
How long does SEO take to show results?
What is the difference between technical SEO and on-page SEO?
How can I improve organic traffic without publishing more articles?

Use relevant questions as headings when they fit the article. Answer each question directly, then provide the supporting explanation.

Give Direct Answers Before Detailed Explanations

Readers should not need to search through several paragraphs to find the main answer.

For example:

Why might a page not appear in Google search results?

A page may be missing because it has not been discovered, cannot be crawled, contains a noindex directive, or has another indexing issue. Check the URL in Google Search Console to investigate the specific cause.

This format gives readers an immediate answer while providing enough context to guide their next step.

Participate in Reddit and Quora Discussions

Reddit and Quora can help you understand real questions and common problems within your industry.

Read relevant discussions and contribute answers based on accurate information and practical knowledge. Explain concepts clearly rather than posting promotional messages.

Only share a link when it genuinely helps answer the question and the community's rules allow it. Avoid repetitive links, fake engagement, and artificial recommendations.

Community participation can help build relationships and expose your expertise to relevant audiences. It does not automatically improve search rankings.

Make Your Website Easy to Understand and Discover

Use descriptive headings, readable paragraphs, useful internal links, and clear author information. Ensure important content is accessible to search crawlers.

Keep your information accurate and explain technical concepts without unnecessary jargon. Where appropriate, use structured data that accurately represents the page.

If you want your public website content to be discoverable through ChatGPT Search, review OpenAI's published crawler documentation and access requirements. Allowing the relevant search crawler can support discovery, but it does not guarantee inclusion or citation.

Measure Visibility Beyond Traditional Rankings

Traditional search rankings remain important, but they are not the only useful signals.

Track organic traffic, relevant search queries, qualified enquiries, and referral visits from AI platforms when your analytics setup can identify them. Monitor meaningful changes over time rather than treating every brand mention as a success metric.

The goal is to create useful content that serves your audience, not to chase every new platform or trend.

8. Optimize Content for LLM Visibility and Answer Engines

Search behavior is changing. People increasingly use AI-powered tools to research topics, compare options, and find direct answers. Businesses should consider how their content can serve these users while maintaining strong SEO fundamentals.

Large language models (LLMs) and answer engines need relevant information they can understand and evaluate. Clear explanations, useful examples, accurate details, and original insights make content more helpful to readers and easier to interpret. However, no specific writing format guarantees that an AI system will mention or cite a website.

Create Question-Based Content

Start by researching the questions your audience asks before making a purchase or choosing a service. Search suggestions, customer conversations, relevant forums, and tools such as Google Search Console can help reveal these questions.

For example, an SEO agency might address questions such as:

How can I improve my website's Google rankings?
Why are my pages not getting indexed?
How long does SEO take to show results?
What is the difference between technical SEO and on-page SEO?
How can I improve organic traffic without publishing more articles?

Create a dedicated section for each important question when it adds value. Answer the question directly, then explain the reasoning, steps, limitations, and relevant examples. Avoid adding questions simply to insert more keywords.

Give Direct Answers Before Detailed Explanations

Readers often want a clear answer before they explore the details. Start each question-based section with a concise response, usually one or two sentences. Then provide supporting information that helps readers understand what to do next.

For example:

Why are my website pages not getting indexed?

Pages may remain unindexed because search engines have not discovered them, crawling is blocked, indexing directives prevent inclusion, or the pages do not meet the search engine's indexing criteria. Check Google Search Console, inspect the affected URL, and investigate the specific issue before making changes.

This structure helps readers find information quickly without sacrificing depth. Keep answers accurate and specific. If a question depends on the website, industry, or situation, explain those limitations rather than offering an oversimplified answer.

Participate in Reddit and Quora Discussions

Community platforms can help you understand real questions and share useful expertise. Reddit and Quora are useful places to explore discussions about SEO, website performance, content strategy, and digital marketing.

Look for relevant questions where you can contribute a meaningful answer. Explain the problem, offer practical steps, and mention important limitations. If your own article genuinely provides additional detail, share it only when the community's rules allow it and the link helps the reader.

Avoid posting the same answer repeatedly, adding promotional links to unrelated discussions, or creating artificial mentions of your name or business. Community participation should build trust through useful contributions, not manipulate search or AI systems.

Make Your Website Easy to Understand and Discover

Publish original information, use descriptive headings, keep important content available as readable text, and connect related pages through useful internal links. Add accurate author information and ensure your website is accessible to search crawlers.

You can also review your site's crawler access settings. For example, OpenAI documents OAI-SearchBot as the crawler used to discover websites for ChatGPT search features. Allowing access can support eligibility for discovery, but it does not guarantee that your pages will appear in answers.

The same principle applies to Google AI features. Google's guidance emphasizes helpful, original content and established SEO practices rather than a special AI ranking trick.

Measure Visibility Beyond Traditional Rankings

Traditional rankings and organic traffic remain important, but they do not show every way people discover a business. Where suitable tools and data are available, monitor referral traffic from AI platforms, brand mentions, relevant search queries, and enquiries from visitors who discover your content.

Record what you can measure reliably. Do not assume that every increase in traffic or brand mentions comes from AI visibility.

The goal is to create useful content that deserves to be discovered, referenced, and shared. Strong SEO foundations, original expertise, clear answers, and genuine community participation provide a more sustainable approach than chasing shortcuts.

Final Thoughts

Improving website rankings requires a combination of useful content, technical accessibility, relevant links, and continuous measurement.

Start by understanding what your audience needs. Make important pages easy to discover and use. Then review performance data to identify the changes most likely to make a meaningful difference.

Question-based content and clear answers can also make information easier to understand across search and AI-powered discovery tools. There is no guaranteed shortcut to rankings or AI citations, so focus on accuracy, originality, and long-term value.

SEO works best as an ongoing process of testing, learning, and improving.

About the Author

I'm Junaid Majeed, an SEO Specialist and Digital Marketer based in Faisalabad, Pakistan. My areas of focus include technical SEO, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, local SEO, keyword research, content optimization, and website performance.

I share practical insights on search optimization, content strategy, and organic growth.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junaidmajeed07/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junaidmajeed07
Website: https://junaidmajeed07.github.io/

How to Conduct an SEO Audit: 7 Steps to Find Website Issues

Junaid Majeed — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 06:31:38 +0000

How to Conduct an SEO Audit: 7 Steps to Find Website Issues

An SEO audit helps you understand why a website may not be performing as expected in search results. It reveals technical problems, content gaps, and opportunities to improve the user experience.

As an SEO specialist, I believe an audit should do more than generate a list of errors. It should help you identify priorities and create a practical plan for improvement.

Here are seven areas I review when auditing a website.

1. Check Indexing and Crawlability

Start by checking whether search engines can access your important pages. Google Search Console is a useful starting point because it provides information about indexing, crawling, and search performance.

Review the Pages report, sitemap, robots.txt file, and relevant page-level directives. Look for important URLs that are excluded from indexing or return unexpected errors.

Not every excluded URL is a problem. Some pages should remain outside search results. Focus on URLs that matter to your website's goals.

2. Review Website Performance

Website performance affects how visitors experience your pages. Slow loading, unexpected layout shifts, and delayed interactions can make a site frustrating to use.

Use PageSpeed Insights to review Core Web Vitals and identify possible improvements. Check mobile performance separately because visitors may experience different issues on smaller screens.

Avoid making changes based only on a single performance score. Investigate the specific issues and test improvements after implementation.

3. Analyze Keyword Targeting

Review the search queries that bring impressions and clicks to your website. Google Search Console can help you identify pages that already have visibility and may offer opportunities for improvement.

Compare each page's target topic with the queries it appears for. Check whether the page satisfies the searcher's intent and provides the information they expect.

Also, look for multiple pages targeting nearly identical topics. If their purposes overlap, consider whether their content and targeting need clearer differentiation.

4. Evaluate Content Quality

Useful content answers questions clearly and provides information readers can apply. During an audit, review whether important pages are accurate, relevant, readable, and sufficiently detailed.

Check titles, headings, meta descriptions, internal links, and image alt text where appropriate. Make sure each page has a clear purpose rather than repeating information found elsewhere.

Updating an existing page can sometimes be more useful than publishing another article. Choose updates based on evidence, not simply because a page is old.

5. Improve Internal Linking

Internal links connect related pages and help visitors discover additional information. They also help search engines understand how your website's content is organized.

Identify important pages that receive few internal links. Look for relevant opportunities to connect supporting articles with service pages and other useful resources.

Use descriptive anchor text that makes sense in context. Avoid forcing exact-match keywords into every link.

6. Review Backlinks

Backlinks can help search engines understand how other websites reference your content. However, backlink quantity alone does not determine a website's performance.

Review referring domains, relevant editorial links, and unusual patterns. Consider the context and quality of links rather than treating every unfamiliar link as harmful.

Focus on earning useful references through original resources, helpful content, and genuine industry relationships. Avoid buying large quantities of links in an attempt to manipulate rankings.

7. Build an Action Plan

An SEO audit becomes useful when its findings lead to action. A report without clear priorities can leave website owners unsure where to begin.

Group issues by potential impact, urgency, and implementation effort. For example, an indexing problem affecting an important service page may deserve attention before a minor formatting issue.

Record baseline metrics before making significant changes. Monitor relevant impressions, clicks, organic traffic, conversions, and technical performance over time.

Final Thoughts

A successful SEO audit combines technical checks, keyword analysis, content evaluation, internal linking, and backlink review. Each area provides a different perspective on website performance.

The best approach is to investigate the actual problems, prioritize meaningful improvements, and measure the results. SEO requires ongoing attention, so an audit should support a continuing process rather than a one-time checklist.

I recommend starting with your most important pages and the problems that could prevent search engines or visitors from accessing them properly. From there, use performance data to guide your next steps.

What do you usually check first when auditing a website: technical SEO, content quality, or search performance?

Connect With Me

I'm Junaid Majeed, an SEO Specialist and Digital Marketer. I share practical insights on SEO, website optimization, and organic growth.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junaidmajeed07/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junaidmajeed07
Website: https://junaidmajeed07.github.io/