{"id":166242,"date":"2023-09-07T21:40:32","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T02:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=166242"},"modified":"2026-03-02T05:41:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:41:01","slug":"seo-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-best-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"15 SEO Best Practices to Improve Rankings and AI Visibility"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-txt\">If you want to improve your website\u2019s performance in search, the best place to start is by putting solid SEO fundamentals in&nbsp;place.<\/div>\n<p>Search has changed a lot recently. Google now shows AI-generated answers at the top of many results pages. Tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are sending traffic to websites directly. And the bar for what counts as \u201cgood content\u201d has never been higher.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that the core principles of SEO haven\u2019t changed. The sites that rank well (and get cited by AI tools) are the ones that create genuinely helpful content, earn trust, and give users a great experience.<\/p>\n<p>Here are 15 SEO best practices to help you do exactly that.<br>\n<\/p><table id=\"tablepress-248\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-248 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">SEO Best Practices: Impact vs. Difficulty<\/th><th class=\"column-2\"><\/th><th class=\"column-3\"><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><b>Impact<\/b><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><b>Difficulty<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Build your online brand foundation<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Demonstrate credibility and trust with E-E-A-T signals<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Improve your site\u2019s user experience<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Target topics with search and AI traffic potential<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Match content with search intent<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Create AI-friendly content<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Create click-worthy title tags and meta descriptions<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Use your target keyword in the right places<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Use a short and descriptive URL<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Optimize images for SEO to get additional traffic<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Add internal links from other relevant pages<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Cover everything searchers want to&nbsp;know<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Get more backlinks to build authority<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Get good scores to pass Core Web Vitals<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-17 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Use HTTPS to secure your&nbsp;site<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">\u2b50\u2b50<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">\u2b50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-248 from cache -->\n<h2><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 1. Build your online brand foundation&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>Google and AI tools increasingly favour brands they recognize. Brand signals such as branded search volume, web mentions, and anchor text <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-overview-brand-correlation\/\">directly correlate with visibility<\/a> in both traditional search and AI Overviews.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1447\" height=\"1600\" class=\"wp-image-195533\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-1.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-1.png 1447w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-1-384x425.png 384w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-1-768x849.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-1-1389x1536.png 1389w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1447px) 100vw, 1447px\"><\/p>\n<p>When building your brand foundations online:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Document how your brand should be referenced (name, capitalisation, a short elevator pitch)<\/li>\n<li>Create dedicated pages for each of your core products and services<\/li>\n<li>Keep your Google Business Profile complete and up to&nbsp;date<\/li>\n<li>Ensure your core business information is accurate on all business profiles and directories<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is easy for AI and search engines to misrepresent your brand if there is inconsistent, outdated, or incorrect information about you on the web. Start by tidying up these loose ends before you chase improvements in brand authority and visibility.<\/p>\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/brand-seo\/\">My Exact 7-Step Framework for Brand&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-brand-marketing\/\">SEO Brand Marketing: Create a Brand Guide That Drives Search Visibility<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_wu9tqmr5uuxw\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 2. Demonstrate credibility and trust with E-E-A-T signals&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, a framework Google uses to assess content quality.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not a direct ranking factor you can switch on, but it shapes how Google\u2019s algorithms and quality raters judge whether your content deserves to rank. Sites that demonstrably lack it have seen major traffic drops following core updates.<\/p>\n<p>With AI-generated content flooding the web, genuine first-hand experience and real expertise have become stronger differentiators. Google and AI tools are more likely to surface content from sources they recognise as credible.<\/p>\n<p>To strengthen your<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/eeat-seo\/\"> E-E-A-T signals<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Add detailed author bios with credentials, experience, and links to published work<\/li>\n<li>Include original research, first-hand experience, or expert commentary that AI can\u2019t replicate<\/li>\n<li>Show content has been reviewed by a subject matter expert where relevant<\/li>\n<li>Keep your About page, contact details, and editorial policies accurate and easy to&nbsp;find<\/li>\n<li>Collect and display reviews, testimonials, and third-party recognition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The best way to assess where you stand is to run an<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/eeat-audit\/\"> E-E-A-T audit across your brand, people, and pages<\/a> \u2014 covering 220+ markers tied to Google\u2019s Quality Rater Guidelines.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1336\" height=\"724\" class=\"wp-image-195534\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-2.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-2.png 1336w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-2-680x369.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-2-768x416.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1336px) 100vw, 1336px\"><\/p>\n<h2><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 3. Improve your site\u2019s user experience&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>User experience (UX) focuses on your site\u2019s usability and how visitors interact and experience it. Good UX goes beyond making your website look nice since it directly influences your&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n<p>Internal Google documents confirmed during the <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-search-ranking-documents-434141\">2023 DOJ antitrust trial<\/a> that user interaction data is one of the three core pillars Google uses to rank content. Every click, scroll, and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/bounce-rate\/\">bounce back<\/a> feeds into the machine learning models that shape future search results.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1156\" class=\"wp-image-195535\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-3.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-3.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-3-565x425.jpg 565w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-3-768x578.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"><\/p>\n<p>In short, if people consistently have a poor experience on your site, it will hurt your rankings and AI visibility over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n<p>To improve your UX and stop users from leaving your website quickly, try testing the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Visual appeal<\/strong> \u2013 Can your website\u2019s visual appeal be improved?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Easy to navigate<\/strong> \u2013 Is the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\">website\u2019s structure<\/a> well-designed and easy to navigate?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Intrusive pop-ups<\/strong> \u2013 Are there any intrusive pop-ups that may harm the user experience?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Too many ads<\/strong> \u2013 Are the ads distracting from the main content?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mobile friendly<\/strong> \u2013 Is your website easy to use on a mobile device?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p><div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">For a deeper look at how UX and SEO work together, see<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ux-and-seo\/\"> UX and SEO: A Guide for Winning the Searcher, Not Just the SERP<\/a>.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_y9healeqfrhp\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 4. Target topics with search and AI traffic potential&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>Trying to rank for keywords nobody\u2019s searching for is a fool\u2019s errand. You won\u2019t get traffic even if you rank number one.<\/p>\n<p>For example, say you sell software tutorials. It won\u2019t make sense to target \u201chow do I make font larger in coffee cup html editor\u201d because it has no search volume:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1090\" height=\"832\" class=\"wp-image-195536\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/easy-keyword-difficulty-example-via-ahrefs-keywo.png\" alt=\"Easy Keyword Difficulty example, via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/easy-keyword-difficulty-example-via-ahrefs-keywo.png 1090w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/easy-keyword-difficulty-example-via-ahrefs-keywo-557x425.png 557w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/easy-keyword-difficulty-example-via-ahrefs-keywo-768x586.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1090px) 100vw, 1090px\"><\/p>\n<p>And the top-ranking page gets zero organic traffic:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1172\" height=\"392\" class=\"wp-image-195537\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/top-ranking-page-getting-zero-traffic-example-via.png\" alt=\"Top-ranking page getting zero traffic example, via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/top-ranking-page-getting-zero-traffic-example-via.png 1172w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/top-ranking-page-getting-zero-traffic-example-via-680x227.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/top-ranking-page-getting-zero-traffic-example-via-768x257.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1172px) 100vw, 1172px\"><\/p>\n<p>To find topics people are searching for, you need a keyword research tool like Ahrefs\u2019<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\"> Keywords Explorer<\/a>. Enter a broad topic as your \u201cseed\u201d keyword and go to the <strong>Matching terms<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you have a coffee-related website, you may enter \u201ccoffee\u201d as your&nbsp;seed:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1240\" height=\"934\" class=\"wp-image-195538\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-for-coffee-via-ahrefs-ke.png\" alt=\"Matching terms report for &quot;coffee,&quot; via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-for-coffee-via-ahrefs-ke.png 1240w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-for-coffee-via-ahrefs-ke-564x425.png 564w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-for-coffee-via-ahrefs-ke-768x578.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1240px) 100vw, 1240px\"><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll notice that the keyword ideas are sorted by their estimated monthly search volumes, so it\u2019s easy to find the ones people are searching for. That said, there are a lot of ideas here (over 3.7M), and not all will make sense for your&nbsp;site.<\/p>\n<p>For example, there\u2019s no point in trying to rank for \u201ccoffee cake recipe\u201d with a coffee affiliate site, as there\u2019s no way to monetize the content. It doesn\u2019t matter that it gets an estimated 60K monthly searches:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"838\" height=\"164\" class=\"wp-image-195539\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kd-and-volume-of-coffee-cake-recipe-via-ahrefs.png\" alt=\"KD and volume of &quot;coffee cake recipe,&quot; via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kd-and-volume-of-coffee-cake-recipe-via-ahrefs.png 838w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kd-and-volume-of-coffee-cake-recipe-via-ahrefs-680x133.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kd-and-volume-of-coffee-cake-recipe-via-ahrefs-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\"><\/p>\n<p>This is where the filters come in handy. If you wanted to find classic \u201cbest [whatever]\u201d affiliate keywords, you could just add the word \u201cbest\u201d to the <strong>Include<\/strong> filter:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"774\" height=\"1068\" class=\"wp-image-195540\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied.jpeg\" alt=\"Matching terms report results with filters applied, via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied.jpeg 774w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-308x425.jpeg 308w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-768x1060.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\"><\/p>\n<p>You could then filter for keywords with low Keyword Difficulty (KD) scores to hone in on easy-to-rank-for keywords:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"674\" height=\"1132\" class=\"wp-image-195541\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Matching terms report results with filters applied, via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-1.jpeg 674w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-1-253x425.jpeg 253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 674px) 100vw, 674px\"><\/p>\n<p>Basically, relevant keywords with Traffic Potential that you can actually rank for are what you\u2019re looking for. Here\u2019s how to find them in&nbsp;bulk:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enter a broad topic into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer\u2019s<\/a> search bar<\/li>\n<li>Head to the <strong>Matching terms<\/strong> report<\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Phrase match<\/strong> on the toggle<\/li>\n<li>Filter for keywords with a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-difficulty\/\">Keyword Difficulty<\/a> score under&nbsp;20<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"882\" height=\"1052\" class=\"wp-image-195542\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied.png\" alt=\"Matching terms report results with filters applied, via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied.png 882w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-356x425.png 356w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matching-terms-report-results-with-filters-applied-768x916.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px\"><\/p>\n<p>You can also validate the visibility potential in AI responses using <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/brand-radar\">Brand Radar<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Search volume tells you how many people are searching Google, but it doesn\u2019t tell you whether AI tools are already answering those queries, or whether there\u2019s an opportunity to be cited in&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n<p>To check AI traffic potential for a topic, enter your topic in Brand Radar and check out the <strong>AI Responses<\/strong> report to see how often AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google\u2019s AI Overviews are responding to queries in that&nbsp;space:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1428\" height=\"706\" class=\"wp-image-195543\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-11.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-11.png 1428w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-11-680x336.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-11-768x380.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\"><\/p>\n<p>This gives you a directional sense of whether a topic has AI visibility potential and is useful for prioritizing content that can earn both traditional rankings and AI citations.<\/p>\n<h2><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 5. Match content with search intent&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>Search intent is the underlying reason for a user\u2019s search. It\u2019s important because Google\u2019s main job is to provide the best results for its users\u2019 queries. The same logic applies to AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.<\/p>\n<p>If your content doesn\u2019t match what someone is actually looking for, it won\u2019t rank or get cited, regardless of how well-optimised it&nbsp;is.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll stand the best chance of ranking if you align your page with searchers\u2019 intent.<\/p>\n<p>For example, look at the search results for \u201chow to make a protein shake.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1352\" height=\"1212\" class=\"wp-image-195544\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-how-to-make-a-protein-shake.jpeg\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;how to make a protein shake&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-how-to-make-a-protein-shake.jpeg 1352w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-how-to-make-a-protein-shake-474x425.jpeg 474w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-how-to-make-a-protein-shake-768x688.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1352px) 100vw, 1352px\"><\/p>\n<p>There are no products to purchase in this search result. That\u2019s because searchers are looking to learn, not to&nbsp;buy.<\/p>\n<p>The opposite is true for a query like \u201cbuy protein powder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>People aren\u2019t looking for a protein shake recipe; they want to buy some powder. This is why most of the top 10 results are ecommerce category pages, not blog&nbsp;posts.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1360\" height=\"1200\" class=\"wp-image-195545\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-buy-protein-powder.jpeg\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;buy protein powder&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-buy-protein-powder.jpeg 1360w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-buy-protein-powder-482x425.jpeg 482w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-buy-protein-powder-768x678.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1360px) 100vw, 1360px\"><\/p>\n<p>Looking at Google\u2019s top results like this can tell you a lot about the intent behind a query, which helps you understand what kind of content to create if you want to&nbsp;rank.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s look at a less obvious keyword like \u201cbest eye cream,\u201d which gets an estimated 31K monthly searches in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"816\" height=\"254\" class=\"wp-image-195546\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/search-volume-for-best-eye-cream-via-ahrefs-ke.png\" alt=\"Search volume for &quot;best eye cream,&quot; via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/search-volume-for-best-eye-cream-via-ahrefs-ke.png 816w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/search-volume-for-best-eye-cream-via-ahrefs-ke-680x212.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/search-volume-for-best-eye-cream-via-ahrefs-ke-768x239.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\"><\/p>\n<p>For an eye cream retailer, it may seem perfectly logical to try to rank a product page for this keyword. However, the search results tell a different story:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1376\" height=\"1250\" class=\"wp-image-195547\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-eye-cream.jpeg\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;best eye cream&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-eye-cream.jpeg 1376w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-eye-cream-468x425.jpeg 468w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-eye-cream-768x698.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1376px) 100vw, 1376px\"><\/p>\n<p>Almost all of the search results are blog posts listing top recommendations, not product pages. To stand any chance of ranking for this keyword, you should follow suit.<\/p>\n<p>Catering to search intent goes way beyond creating a certain type of content. You also need to consider the content format and angle. And for AI search in particular, content that directly and clearly answers the query is more likely to be cited than content that buries the answer.<\/p>\n<p>Learn more in<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-intent\/\"> our guide to optimising for search intent<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_t8i411l0vpwo\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 6. Create AI-friendly content and keep it&nbsp;fresh&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>As AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google\u2019s AI Overviews become more common entry points for search, being \u201cfound\u201d online increasingly means being cited by these systems.<\/p>\n<p>What makes content useful for AI tools is largely the same as what makes it rank well in Google: clarity, accuracy, and genuine depth.<\/p>\n<p>A few specific things are worth focusing on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Structure your content clearly.<\/strong> Use descriptive headings, short paragraphs, and direct answers. If a section answers a specific question, consider making that question the heading. AI systems extract information more reliably from well-structured content.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Answer questions directly.<\/strong> Lead with the answer, then provide supporting detail. Content that buries the answer is less likely to be cited in AI Overviews or chatbot responses.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep content fresh with substantive updates.<\/strong> Stale content gets deprioritised in both traditional and AI search.<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/republishing-content\/\"> Republish content<\/a> by revising outdated information, adding new sections, and removing what\u2019s no longer relevant. Just changing the date without editing the content won\u2019t fool anyone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s worth checking out Ahrefs\u2019<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/ai-content-helper\"> AI Content Helper<\/a> for this entire process.<\/p>\n<p>It helps you identify content angles and topic ideas, analyzes what subtopics top-ranking pages cover, and flags gaps in your own content, all in one place. You can also bake in your brand\u2019s style and positioning via the Brand Kit feature.<\/p>\n\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-provider=\"html5\" id=\"arve-html5-\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"arve-embed\">\n\t\t\t<video class=\"arve-video fitvidsignore\" controls controlslist data-arve=\"arve-html5-\" onloadstart=\"this.volume=1\" preload=\"metadata\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/assets\/esbuild\/cover-every-angle-QPXPJDRG.mp4#t=0.1\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n<h2><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 7. Use your target keyword in the right places&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>A target keyword is the main keyword that describes the focus or topic of your page. You should use this keyword in three key places:<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-195532-_i5o7cbn3cnqf\"><\/a>A. Title&nbsp;tag<\/h3>\n<p>Google <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/7451184?hl=en\">says<\/a> to write title tags that accurately describe the page\u2019s content. If you\u2019re targeting a specific keyword or phrase, this should do precisely that.<\/p>\n<p>It also demonstrates to searchers that your page offers what they want, as it aligns with their&nbsp;query.<\/p>\n<p>Is this a hugely important ranking factor? Probably not, but it\u2019s still worth including. That\u2019s why we do it with almost all our blog&nbsp;posts:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1132\" height=\"310\" class=\"wp-image-195548\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-title-of-an-ahrefs-post-via-goo.png\" alt=\"Target keyword in title of an Ahrefs post, via Google\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-title-of-an-ahrefs-post-via-goo.png 1132w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-title-of-an-ahrefs-post-via-goo-680x186.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-title-of-an-ahrefs-post-via-goo-768x210.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1132px) 100vw, 1132px\"><\/p>\n<p>Just don\u2019t shoehorn the keyword in if it doesn\u2019t make sense. Readability always comes&nbsp;first.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if your target keyword is \u201ckitchen cabinets cheap,\u201d that doesn\u2019t make sense as a title&nbsp;tag.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t be afraid to rearrange things or add in stop words so it makes sense\u2014Google is smart enough to understand what you&nbsp;mean.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"882\" height=\"218\" class=\"wp-image-195549\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-a-title-tag-via-google-com.png\" alt=\"Example of a title tag, via google.com \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-a-title-tag-via-google-com.png 882w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-a-title-tag-via-google-com-680x168.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-a-title-tag-via-google-com-768x190.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px\"><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-195532-_3t7zdll9aus9\"><\/a>B. Heading (H1)<\/h3>\n<p>Every page should be wrapped in an <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/h1-tag\/\">H1 tag<\/a> and include your target keyword where it makes&nbsp;sense.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"904\" class=\"wp-image-195550\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-an-h1-heading-via-ahrefs-blog.png\" alt=\"Example of an H1 heading, via Ahrefs Blog \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-an-h1-heading-via-ahrefs-blog.png 1456w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-an-h1-heading-via-ahrefs-blog-680x422.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/example-of-an-h1-heading-via-ahrefs-blog-768x477.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\"><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-195532-_kfbqegwh4jug\"><\/a>C. URL<\/h3>\n<p>Google says to use words in URLs relevant to your page\u2019s content.<\/p>\n<p>Unless the keyword you\u2019re targeting is unusually long, using that as the slug is the best way to do&nbsp;this.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"938\" height=\"204\" class=\"wp-image-195551\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-slug-via-google.png\" alt=\"Target keyword in slug, via Google\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-slug-via-google.png 938w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-slug-via-google-680x148.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/target-keyword-in-slug-via-google-768x167.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 938px) 100vw, 938px\"><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_5oxuo09abbr5\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 8. Create click-worthy title tags and meta descriptions&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>Your title tags and meta descriptions act as your virtual shop front on Google\u2019s search results.<\/p>\n<p>They usually look like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1060\" class=\"wp-image-195552\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/components-of-a-typical-google-search-result.png\" alt=\"Components of a typical Google search result \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/components-of-a-typical-google-search-result.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/components-of-a-typical-google-search-result-642x425.png 642w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/components-of-a-typical-google-search-result-768x509.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/components-of-a-typical-google-search-result-1536x1018.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>Users will be less likely to click on your search result if they\u2019re unenticing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> Google doesn\u2019t always show the defined title and description in the search results. Sometimes, it rewrites the title and chooses a more appropriate description from the page for the snippet.<\/div>\n<p>How can you improve your click-through rate (CTR)?<\/p>\n<p>First, keep your title tag under 60 characters and your descriptions under 150 characters. This helps to avoid truncation.<\/p>\n<p>Second, align your title and description with the search intent.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, almost all of the \u201cbest headphones\u201d results specify the year in their titles and descriptions.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1342\" height=\"1216\" class=\"wp-image-195553\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-headphones.jpeg\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;best headphones&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-headphones.jpeg 1342w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-headphones-469x425.jpeg 469w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/google-serp-for-best-headphones-768x696.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1342px) 100vw, 1342px\"><\/p>\n<p>This is because people want lists of up-to-date recommendations, as new headphones are constantly released.<\/p>\n<p>Third, use <a href=\"https:\/\/sumo.com\/stories\/power-words\">power words<\/a> to entice the click\u2014without being \u201cclickbaity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"988\" height=\"198\" class=\"wp-image-195554\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/power-words-in-a-google-serp-result.png\" alt=\"Power words in a Google SERP result \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/power-words-in-a-google-serp-result.png 988w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/power-words-in-a-google-serp-result-680x136.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/power-words-in-a-google-serp-result-768x154.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 988px) 100vw, 988px\"><\/p>\n<p>Read more about <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/title-tag-seo\/\">how to craft the perfect title tag<\/a>, or watch this&nbsp;video:<\/p>\n\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-jqeozsioryw\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts;magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';summarizer 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-jqeozsioryw\" data-lenis-prevent data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/jqEoZsIOrYw?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/jqEoZsIOrYw?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_izq1di6lae6z\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 9. Use a short and descriptive URL&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>URLs in SEO play a crucial role in informing users and search engines about the content and structure of a webpage.<\/p>\n<p>Google says to avoid using long URLs because they may intimidate searchers.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, using the exact target query as the URL isn\u2019t always the best practice.<\/p>\n<p>Just imagine your target keyword is \u201chow to get rid of a tooth abscess without going to the dentist.\u201d Not only is that a mouthful (no pun intended), but it\u2019s also going to get truncated in the search results:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1498\" height=\"292\" class=\"wp-image-195555\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/truncated-keywords-example-via-google-com.png\" alt=\"Truncated keywords example, via google.com \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/truncated-keywords-example-via-google-com.png 1498w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/truncated-keywords-example-via-google-com-680x133.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/truncated-keywords-example-via-google-com-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1498px) 100vw, 1498px\"><\/p>\n<p>Removing stop words and unnecessary details will give you something shorter and sweeter while keeping the important words.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1490\" height=\"311\" class=\"wp-image-195556\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/removing-unnecessary-stop-words-via-google-com.png\" alt=\"Removing unnecessary stop words, via google.com \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/removing-unnecessary-stop-words-via-google-com.png 1490w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/removing-unnecessary-stop-words-via-google-com-680x142.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/removing-unnecessary-stop-words-via-google-com-768x160.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1490px) 100vw, 1490px\"><\/p>\n<p>That said, don\u2019t be afraid to describe your page more succinctly where needed.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1510\" height=\"300\" class=\"wp-image-195557\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/descriptive-url-example-via-google-com.png\" alt=\"Descriptive URL example, via google.com \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/descriptive-url-example-via-google-com.png 1510w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/descriptive-url-example-via-google-com-680x135.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/descriptive-url-example-via-google-com-768x153.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1510px) 100vw, 1510px\"><\/p>\n<p>Note that if your CMS already has a predefined, ugly URL structure, it\u2019s not a huge deal. And it\u2019s certainly not worth jumping through countless hoops to&nbsp;fix.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_pemmbdn4xr6r\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 10. Optimize images for SEO to get additional traffic&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/image-seo\/\">Image optimization for SEO<\/a> is the process of ensuring your images are optimized for search.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to optimize images because they can show up in Google Images and drive additional search traffic to your&nbsp;site.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnMu\/status\/1036901608880254976\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnMu\/status\/1036901608880254976<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t overlook the importance of Google Images. It\u2019s sent us over 5.5K clicks in the past three months:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"946\" height=\"496\" class=\"wp-image-195558\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/total-clicks-for-ahrefs-images-via-gsc.png\" alt=\"Total clicks for Ahrefs' images, via GSC\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/total-clicks-for-ahrefs-images-via-gsc.png 946w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/total-clicks-for-ahrefs-images-via-gsc-680x357.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/total-clicks-for-ahrefs-images-via-gsc-768x403.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px\"><\/p>\n<p>Optimizing file names is simple. Just describe your image in words and separate those words with hyphens.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" class=\"wp-image-195559\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/joshua-hardwicks-photograph-via-ahrefs-com.jpeg\" alt=\"Joshua Hardwick's photograph, via ahrefs.com \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/joshua-hardwicks-photograph-via-ahrefs-com.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/joshua-hardwicks-photograph-via-ahrefs-com-120x120.jpeg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Filename:<\/strong> number-one-handsome-man.jpg<\/p>\n<p>For alt tags, do the same\u2014but use spaces, not hyphens.<\/p>\n<p>&lt;img src=\u201d\u2026\/number-one-handsome-man.jpg\u201d alt=\u201cthe world\u2019s most handsome man\u201d&gt;<\/p>\n<p>Alt text isn\u2019t only important for Google but also for visitors.<\/p>\n<p>If an image fails to load, the browser shows the alt tag to explain what the image should have&nbsp;been:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1358\" height=\"406\" class=\"wp-image-195560\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/alt-tag-replacing-image-that-failed-to-load.png\" alt=\"Alt tag replacing image that failed to load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/alt-tag-replacing-image-that-failed-to-load.png 1358w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/alt-tag-replacing-image-that-failed-to-load-680x203.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/alt-tag-replacing-image-that-failed-to-load-768x230.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1358px) 100vw, 1358px\"><\/p>\n<p>Plus, around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interactiveaccessibility.com\/accessibility-statistics\">8.1M Americans<\/a> have vision impairments and may use a screen reader. These devices read alt tags out&nbsp;loud.<\/p>\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/image-seo\/\">Image SEO: 12 Actionable Tips (For More Organic Traffic)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 11. Add internal links from other relevant pages&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/internal-links-for-seo\/\">Internal links<\/a> are links from one page to another within your website. They\u2019re used for internal navigation, allowing visitors to move from A to&nbsp;B.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re important because they have a special role in SEO. Generally speaking, the more links a page has\u2014from external and internal sources\u2014the higher its <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-pagerank\/\">PageRank<\/a>. This is the foundation of Google\u2019s ranking algorithm and remains important today.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1352\" height=\"1600\" class=\"wp-image-195561\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/line-graph-showing-url-rating-vs-search-traffic.png\" alt=\"Line graph showing URL Rating vs. search traffic \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/line-graph-showing-url-rating-vs-search-traffic.png 1352w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/line-graph-showing-url-rating-vs-search-traffic-359x425.png 359w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/line-graph-showing-url-rating-vs-search-traffic-768x909.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/line-graph-showing-url-rating-vs-search-traffic-1298x1536.png 1298w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1352px) 100vw, 1352px\"><\/p>\n<p>Internal links also help Google understand what a page is&nbsp;about.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1108\" height=\"664\" class=\"wp-image-195562\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/john-mueller-says-anchor-text-gives-additional-con.png\" alt=\"John Mueller says anchor text gives additional context\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/john-mueller-says-anchor-text-gives-additional-con.png 1108w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/john-mueller-says-anchor-text-gives-additional-con-680x408.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/john-mueller-says-anchor-text-gives-additional-con-768x460.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1108px) 100vw, 1108px\"><\/p>\n<p>Luckily, most CMSes add internal links to new webpages from at least one other page by default. This may be on the menu bar, on the blog homepage, or somewhere else.<\/p>\n<p>However, it\u2019s good practice to add internal links from other relevant pages whenever you publish something new.<\/p>\n<p>To do this, search <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit\u2019s<\/a> Page Explorer for the topic you are searching for. In this example, I\u2019ve entered the keyword \u201clsi\u201d into the search box and set the dropdown to \u201cPage&nbsp;text.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"846\" height=\"638\" class=\"wp-image-195563\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/page-explorer-results-with-filters-applied-via-ah.png\" alt=\"Page Explorer results with filters applied, via Ahrefs' Site Audit \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/page-explorer-results-with-filters-applied-via-ah.png 846w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/page-explorer-results-with-filters-applied-via-ah-564x425.png 564w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/page-explorer-results-with-filters-applied-via-ah-768x579.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 846px) 100vw, 846px\"><\/p>\n<p>This will find mentions of a keyword or topic on your site in the same way that a Google site: search would do. These are relevant places to add internal links.<\/p>\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/internal-links-for-seo\/\">Internal Links for SEO: An Actionable Guide<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 12. Cover everything searchers want to&nbsp;know&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>Google and AI platforms want to surface the best content for searchers, and that\u2019s the content that covers everything they want to&nbsp;know.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a couple of ways to find out what those things might&nbsp;be:<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-195532-_t098yeaw3y1u\"><\/a>A. Look for common subtopics on the top-ranking pages<\/h3>\n<p>You can identify common subtopics by opening two or three top-ranking pages, opening up Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo-toolbar\">SEO Toolbar<\/a>, and clicking on the \u201cContent\u201d tab.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve run a search for \u201cthings to do in london,\u201d and I can see that both the Tripadvisor page and Lonely Planet page mention the Tower of London as the top attraction to&nbsp;visit.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the content structure of the Tripadvisor page:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1380\" height=\"278\" class=\"wp-image-195564\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-32.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-32.png 1380w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-32-680x137.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-32-768x155.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1380px) 100vw, 1380px\"><\/p>\n<p>And here\u2019s the same for the Lonely Planet page:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1308\" height=\"262\" class=\"wp-image-195565\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-33.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-33.png 1308w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-33-680x136.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-33-768x154.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1308px) 100vw, 1308px\"><\/p>\n<p>We can see that the common subtopic between the two is the \u201cTower of London.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This is likely something searchers expect and want to see on a list of things to do in London because multiple top-ranking pages talk about&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-195532-_mbjpr96451fl\"><\/a>B. Run a content gap analysis<\/h3>\n<p>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-gap-analysis\/\">run a content gap analysis<\/a> if you want to take things further.<\/p>\n<p>To do this, paste the URLs of the three top-ranking pages into Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/content-gap\">Content Gap tool<\/a>. Leave the bottom field blank and hit \u201cShow keywords.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1034\" height=\"612\" class=\"wp-image-195566\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-34.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-34.png 1034w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-34-680x402.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-34-768x455.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1034px) 100vw, 1034px\"><\/p>\n<p>Then, if you set the competitor filter to at least 2 competitors, this shows queries that at least two of the targets rank for. These are probably important subtopics if more than one page is already ranking for&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"676\" height=\"630\" class=\"wp-image-195567\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-35.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-35.png 676w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-35-456x425.png 456w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\"><\/p>\n<p>There are 222 interesting variations here of \u201cthings to do in london,\u201d such as \u201cthings to see in london,\u201d \u201cwhat to see in london,\u201d and \u201cmust see in london.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1458\" height=\"1246\" class=\"wp-image-195568\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/content-gap-report-results-via-ahrefs-site-explo.jpeg\" alt=\"Content Gap report results, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/content-gap-report-results-via-ahrefs-site-explo.jpeg 1458w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/content-gap-report-results-via-ahrefs-site-explo-497x425.jpeg 497w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/content-gap-report-results-via-ahrefs-site-explo-768x656.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1458px) 100vw, 1458px\"><\/p>\n<p>This shows that sightseeing is one of the things searchers are interested in doing in London, and they want recommendations.<\/p>\n<p>These are just a few subtopics you can cover to make your content more thorough.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_mbpoql490vls\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 13. Get more backlinks and brand mentions to build authority&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-are-backlinks\/\">Backlinks<\/a> are links from other websites to yours, and they act as votes of confidence in your brand or content. They remain one of the most important Google ranking factors. Google\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search\/howsearchworks\/\">How Search Works<\/a>\u201d page confirms that links from prominent websites on a subject are a strong signal of quality.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-traffic-study\/\">Our study<\/a> of over 1 billion webpages also shows a clear correlation between organic traffic and the number of websites linking to a&nbsp;page.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1352\" height=\"1600\" class=\"wp-image-195569\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-37.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-37.png 1352w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-37-359x425.png 359w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-37-768x909.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-37-1298x1536.png 1298w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1352px) 100vw, 1352px\"><\/p>\n<p>But sometimes you can get mentioned on a website without a link. In traditional SEO, these mentions did not directly impact rankings and SEO performance.<\/p>\n<p>Now that AI is deeply integrated into most search platforms, this is no longer an issue. Brand mentions (with or without a link back to your site) can influence visibility in search results, especially AI responses.<\/p>\n<p>AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity build their understanding of your brand from everything written about you across the web including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Links<\/li>\n<li>Mentions<\/li>\n<li>Citations<\/li>\n<li>References on reputable sites<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Just remember that this is about quality, not just quantity. You should aim to build backlinks and positive mentions from authoritative and relevant websites.<\/p>\n\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-e3mdlvutw_o\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts;magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';summarizer 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-e3mdlvutw_o\" data-lenis-prevent data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/E3mDlVutW_o?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/E3mDlVutW_o?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_wl7gbw64r4zs\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 14. Get good scores to pass Core Web Vitals&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/core-web-vitals\/\">Core Web Vitals<\/a> are website performance metrics introduced by Google to measure and evaluate user experience.<\/p>\n<p>These are the core metrics that you should benchmark against:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/largest-contentful-paint-lcp\/\">Largest Contentful Paint<\/a> (LCP): How long it takes for the page\u2019s main content to load. Aim for under 2.5 seconds.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/web.dev\/inp\/#what-is-a-good-inp-score\">Interaction to Next Paint<\/a> (INP): How quickly the page responds to user interactions, like clicks, taps, and keyboard inputs. Aim for under 200 milliseconds.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/cumulative-layout-shift-cls\/\">Cumulative Layout Shift<\/a> (CLS): How much the page layout shifts unexpectedly as it loads. Aim for a score under 0.1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When monitoring these metrics, start by using Google Search Console\u2019s Core Web Vitals report.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"853\" class=\"wp-image-195570\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-38.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-38.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-38-680x378.jpeg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/word-image-195532-38-768x427.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"><\/p>\n<p>If you need more data, check out the Performance report in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1479\" class=\"wp-image-195571\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/performance-report-via-ahrefs-site-audit.jpeg\" alt=\"Performance report, via Ahrefs' Site Audit \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/performance-report-via-ahrefs-site-audit.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/performance-report-via-ahrefs-site-audit-460x425.jpeg 460w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/performance-report-via-ahrefs-site-audit-768x710.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/performance-report-via-ahrefs-site-audit-1536x1420.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>Fixing these issues can be complicated, so your best bet is usually to ask a developer (or an <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-expert\/\">SEO expert<\/a>) to fix&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some general tips to help keep your pages optimized for speed and usability:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use a CDN<\/strong> \u2013 Most sites live on one server in one location. So, for some visitors, data has to travel long distances before it appears in their browsers. This is slow. CDNs solve this by copying critical resources like images to a network of servers around the globe so that resources are always loaded locally.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Compress images<\/strong> \u2013 Image files are big, which makes them load slowly. Compressing images decreases the file size, which makes them faster to load. You just need to balance size with quality.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use lazy-loading<\/strong> \u2013 Lazy-loading defers the loading of offscreen resources until you need them. This means that the browser doesn\u2019t need to load all of the images on a page before it\u2019s usable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use an optimized theme<\/strong> \u2013 Choose a well-optimized website theme with efficient code. Run the theme demo through <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/speed\/pagespeed\/insights\/\">Google\u2019s Pagespeed Insights tool<\/a> to&nbsp;check.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_suxlaa9wjw0u\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> 15. Use HTTPS to secure your&nbsp;site&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-is-https\/\">HTTPS<\/a> (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) indicates that the site is using an SSL certificate. It means your data is encrypted as it passes from your browser to the website\u2019s server.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-ranking-factors\/\">It\u2019s been a Google ranking factor since 2014<\/a>, and is still important.<\/p>\n<p>You can tell if your site is already using HTTPS by checking the loading bar in your browser. If there\u2019s a \u201clock\u201d icon before the URL, then you\u2019re good.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"294\" height=\"72\" class=\"wp-image-195572\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lock-icon-via-google-chrome-browser.png\" alt=\"&quot;Lock&quot; icon, via Google Chrome Browser \"><\/p>\n<p>If not, you need to install an SSL certificate.<\/p>\n<p>Lots of web hosts offer these in their packages. If yours doesn\u2019t, you can pick one up for free from <a href=\"https:\/\/letsencrypt.org\/\">Let\u2019s Encrypt<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that switching to HTTPS is a one-time job. Once installed, every page on your site should be secure\u2014including those you publish in the future.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-195532-_mbj687dmroj2\"><\/a>Next steps<\/h2>\n<p>Implementing these 15 SEO best practices is a great starting point to ranking higher on Google and becoming more visible in AI responses, but you\u2019ll need to monitor your progress, be consistent in your delivery, and, most importantly, be patient.<\/p>\n<p>Results don\u2019t always come immediately\u2014but if you trust the process and consistently try to improve your SEO, you should see incremental results in&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-rm1mbjnelsi\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts;magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';summarizer 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-rm1mbjnelsi\" data-lenis-prevent data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/Rm1MbJneLSI?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/Rm1MbJneLSI?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Search has changed a lot recently. Google now shows AI-generated answers at the top of many results pages. Tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are sending traffic to websites directly. And the bar for what counts as \u201cgood content\u201d has never<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":178,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[437,458],"class_list":["post-166242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>15 SEO Best Practices to Improve Rankings and AI Visibility<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here are 15 SEO best practices to help you rank higher in Google and improve your brand&#039;s visibility in AI search.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-best-practices\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"15 SEO Best Practices to Improve Rankings and AI Visibility\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Level up your site performance.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-best-practices\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-09-08T02:40:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-02T10:41:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" 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