Today’s SEO question comes from Kate in Louisville, who wrote:
“I work for a company that builds microsites for their clients.
What factors should I focus on when there is a drop in organic traffic?
In the fourth quarter of 2021, for example, we rebranded and the metadata changed.
Would this have a massive impact on traffic in the future? »
Strictly speaking, there is nothing different when it comes to how search engines treat a microsite compared to a regular website.
They still look at URLs, links, titles, content, and hundreds of other ranking factors, so the same SEO best practices for diagnosing a ranking drop will also apply to microsites.
Let’s First Talk About Traffic Drops
I want to share some thoughts on microsites in general, but before that, let’s look at how to deal with this drop in traffic.
The specific answer to your metadata question is: Maybe.
If you’ve drastically changed the title tag so it’s no longer relevant to your page, eg, “home” – then you’re probably not ranking as highly for your query and not getting many clicks if you rank.
(Just a reminder: meta descriptions and keywords are not ranking factors in major search engines. However, a description can have an effect on your click-through rates, when Google decides to display the one you wrote.)
The good news is that putting it back on and seeing what happens is a really easy and quick test to perform.
The first thing to do when there is a traffic drop with any site is to understand where the traffic drop has occurred.
Is it a specific query or a set of queries? is it a specific page or group of pages? Is it sitewide?
Look for patterns. This can be a “style” of the keyword (e.g. keywords around a specific section of the site) or a certain page template.
This information can direct you where to look.
Once you figure out where the traffic drop is, find that query/page and see what happens.
If you don’t show up at all, check your site for a technical issue.
If you show up, has someone else skipped your position?
If you have lost rankings, you should first ask what changes have been made to the page.
Often an unwanted title tag or random content change or technical issue can be to blame.
Assuming there is no change at fault, the next step requires introspection.
Ask yourself, “Is this really the best outcome for a user?” If I was looking for this query, is this what I would want? Is it better than what outclasses me?”
Often as SEO professionals we think in terms of push marketing – “how do I get this page to rank for this query”, but real success comes from a pull marketing mindset which is to figure out what the user is trying to do and create something that accomplishes that.
We see this a lot lately with major Google updates.
Search queries that previously returned product description pages now return recommendations and curated lists of the best products in that category.
Google has decided that these pages serve the user better than a single product page.
If something like this is happening in your area, the only solution is to reevaluate your content in the context of the query and what the engines are showing.
Usually it’s not fast or cheap, but it’s the best way to succeed.
Okay, Let’s Talk About Microsites
Apart from a few rare cases, I’m not a big fan of microsites.
Big brands love them because they can hire a cheaper/faster vendor for a smaller project and separate it from the codebase, budgets, processes, etc. from their main website – but there are many downsides.
I’ve seen companies implement microsites to the point where user flow has become: enter the main website, click on a promotion to go to the microsite, then click on another call to action to return to the site Main web.
It sounds like a lot of unnecessary overhead that introduces more starting points for conversion.
It can also be an analytics tracking nightmare.
From a strictly SEO perspective, a microsite starts over without the PageRank, link juice, or domain authority of the main website.
Whether or not you believe these metrics, links still matter – and often microsites have fewer links to their pages than if they were placed on the main domain.
The other problem is competition. Too often, a microsite made by another agency doesn’t collaborate with the agency responsible for the main website, and they end up competing for the same keywords.
In some spaces it might be a good idea to own the search result and push other pages – but the key here is to have a plan and collaborate with the main site.
Having multiple search results or pushing something else for ORM (online reputation management) could be one of the reasons you would want a microsite.
Paid search could also be another reason.
Google and Bing won’t let you show two ads from the same domain, but if you have a microsite, you can place 2 different ads on the same query.
Generally though, if there isn’t a good reason for a microsite, I would recommend just creating a new page or section on the main website.
When in doubt, let user experience dictate the decision, not SEO.
If it’s going to be branded differently or there’s a good reason to separate users, create a microsite.
Otherwise, you will have better rankings and more success by including it in the main domain.
Featured Image: Soagraphics/Shutterstock
Linktree is an all-in-one microsite building platform loved by many social media influencers and other brands, primarily for its simplicity when it comes to sharing links online.
What is iFrame in SEO?
By Tyson Braun, January 21, 2021, in Technical SEO and SEO. An iFrame, or “inline frame”, is an HTML element that allows you to add content from another or third-party website directly onto your own, without disrupting the interactive elements of that content.
Is iframe good for SEO? iFrames do not help or hurt your search engine rankings. For this reason, it’s best to refrain from using iFrames on the main pages that you want to rank high in search engine results. Instead, populate high priority pages with useful and unique content and save iFrames for other pages.
What is an iframe?
An inline frame (iframe) is an HTML element that loads another HTML page into the document. It basically places another web page inside the parent page. They are commonly used for advertisements, embedded videos, web analytics, and interactive content.
What is the difference between iframe and HTML?
| Attribute | Values | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| CRS | URLs | Specifies the address of the embedded file in EMBED. |
Why iframe should not be used?
Iframes bring security risks. If you create an iframe, your site becomes vulnerable to cross-site attacks. You may get a malicious web form to submit, phishing your users’ personal data. A malicious user can run a plug-in.
What is an iframe URL?
An iframe (short for inline frame) is an HTML element that allows you to embed an external web page in an HTML document. Unlike traditional frames, which were used to create the structure of a webpage, iframes can be inserted anywhere in the layout of a webpage.
What is an iframe embed code?
An IFrame (Inline Frame) is an HTML document embedded in another HTML document on a website. The HTML IFrame element is often used to insert content from another source, such as an advertisement, into a web page.
Does an iframe count as a backlink?
Yes, it’s a backlink.
What is an example of a backlink?
Backlinks are links from one page of one website to another. If someone links to your site, you have a backlink from them. If you link to another website, they have a backlink from you. For example, these words are linked to YouTube, so they now have a backlink from us.
What is iFrame in SEO?
By Tyson Braun, January 21, 2021, in Technical SEO and SEO. An iFrame, or “inline frame”, is an HTML element that allows you to add content from another or third-party website directly onto your own, without disrupting the interactive elements of that content.
Do pins count as backlinks?
If a lot of your pins are linking to your website and you have a strong audience that continually repins your content, that will drive backlinks to your website.
Why is an iframe is used?
Essentially, iFrame (Inline Frame) is an element that loads another HTML element inside a webpage. They are commonly used to embed external advertisements, videos, beacons or other interactive elements into the page.
What is difference between iframe and frame?
Each executive is assigned its own web page. Graphical browsers frequently distinguish frame commands. The term Iframe refers to an inline frame similar to a single page frame usually containing another page. The collection of frames is called a frameset which are defined in a frameset document.
Why iframes are used in HTML?
The iframe in HTML stands for Inline Frame. The “iframe” tag defines a rectangular area in the document where the browser can display a separate document, including scrollbars and borders. An inline frame is used to embed another document inside the current HTML document.
When should you use an iframe?
Developers mainly use the iframe tag to embed another HTML document into the current document. You may have come across it when you needed to include a third-party widget (like Facebook’s infamous Like button), YouTube video, or advertising section on your website.
Is a subdomain the same as a microsite?
Microsites are not subdomains It’s important not to confuse microsites with subdomains, which are, as the name suggests, sites that exist under your main domain. You may have noticed that the blog section of some of your favorite websites have the word “blog” in front of their normal URLs.
Why microsites are a good idea?
True to its name, a microsite is like a mini-website for your branded content. Brands often create these sites for a specific event or campaign. Having a microsite is convenient because it allows visitors to view information about an event or campaign in one place without having to browse the entire site.
What are the benefits of a microsite? Here are some of the benefits of creating a microsite.
- Increased awareness. With a microsite dedicated to your product, project or campaign, it will help increase awareness not only of the specific item, but also of your brand. …
- More targeted content. …
- Faster development. …
- Cost efficiency. …
- Benefits of research.
What is the function of microsite?
Microsites are generally used in web design to add a specialized group of information, editorial or commercial. These sites may or may not be linked to a main site or removed completely from a site’s server when the site is being used for temporary purposes.
Are microsites good for SEO?
Although microsites can serve legitimate purposes, it is not recommended to use them solely for SEO. For SEO, focus on getting your main website ranked by producing quality, well-optimized content and building relevant links.
Do microsites Help SEO?
SEO for niche keywords Microsites can help businesses achieve higher search engine rankings for particular keywords by using targeted content.
Are microsites effective?
While many microsites promote products, they rarely have their own e-commerce infrastructure, with businesses preferring to redirect shoppers to the main retail portal. All of these components mean that microsites can be effective when targeting specific audiences and are a great lead generation tool.
When should I create a microsite?
Marketers will create a microsite to give a significant boost to almost any marketing campaign in a way that mainstream brand websites and other marketing tools cannot. Microsites are typically built outside of a brand’s main website with a single domain, eliminating the need for IT intervention.
How long does it take to build a microsite?
With a site builder, the phase can take you 4-8 hours. Otherwise, expect to spend at least a week. Revisions or small changes may take a few extra days. Test the website and make any necessary adjustments before launching.
How long does it take to build a web portal? DIY website development. In total, the process of designing and deploying a professionally designed website can take five to six months. If you can’t afford to wait that long – or don’t have the budget to hire a professional web design company – you can opt for do-it-yourself (DIY) website development. .
How many hours does it take to build a simple website?
To conclude, expect a 6-8 page website template to take 40-100 hours and think twice before you start asking for changes or getting frustrated over small imperfections. You might notice them, but your website visitors probably won’t trust your agency’s judgment as much.
How many hours does it usually take to build a website?
The time required to develop a website varies from 150 to 500 hours. The website creation process will go through different stages if you have it built by a technical partner. The discovery phase of the project, the design phase, the development phase and the improvement phase of the website.
How long does it take to build a simple website?
A typical website will take a minimum of 14 weeks from inception to launch. This includes 3 weeks of discovery, 6 weeks of design, 3 weeks of initial development and 2 weeks of modifications. It could take a lot longer if you wait until the end to start writing content.
How many hours does it take to build a WordPress site?
Building a WordPress site is easy. It can take less than 24 hours to create a competent site that looks like a brand you want to do business with. However, it will take much longer to create a great online presence that drives traffic consistently. So play with it.
How much should I charge for a WordPress website?
| Costs | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| –In-house | $0 – $25 | Per month |
| –Freelance | $50 – $100 | Per hour |
| –Agency | $119 – $449 | Per month |
| WordPress website design |
How do I make my WordPress site 10 minutes?
How long it will take to learn WordPress?
WordPress CMS management software is used to create blogs and business websites. It will take 3-6 months to learn the skills of creating and managing websites. Although you can learn WordPress in 1-2 hours if you already have experience in website design and development.