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The chapter discusses the importance of on-page optimization techniques to improve user engagement and please Google’s RankBrain algorithm. RankBrain is Google’s machine learning system that analyzes user behavior to determine the relevance and quality of search results. It looks at factors such as click-through rate, bounce rate, and whether a user continues searching after visiting a website.

The chapter provides six ways to improve user engagement and please RankBrain:

  1. Great Meta Descriptions: The meta description is the brief preview of a webpage displayed in search results. Creating compelling meta descriptions that highlight the benefits of reading the page can improve click-through rates.

  2. Site Speed: Slow loading web pages can result in high bounce rates and poor user experience. It is recommended to have web pages load in under 5 seconds. Website owners are advised to use tools like Pingdom or Google Page Insights to identify and fix speed issues.

  3. Good Media: Adding engaging media such as images and videos to web pages can improve user engagement. Embedding a YouTube video related to the keyword above the fold (visible without scrolling) can keep readers interested.

  4. Keeping People Reading: To keep users on web pages longer, it is recommended to use short sentences, whitespace, teasers, and varied text formatting. Keeping content simple and easy to read can improve user engagement.

  5. 1000+ Words Please: Long-form content tends to perform well in search engine rankings. Writing over 1000 words of high-quality content related to the keyword’s niche can establish a website as a thorough resource.

  6. Put a Sock in the Popups: Popups and obtrusive advertising disrupt the user experience and can result in high bounce rates. Google introduced a popup penalty in 2017, which can result in lower rankings for web pages with popups.

Additionally, the chapter briefly discusses the importance of online reviews in social proof and user engagement. It mentions three ways to incorporate reviews into online marketing: Google reviews, schema reviews, and third-party review websites like Trustpilot and Yelp.

The chapter concludes by introducing the next stage of the SEO campaign, off-page optimization, which includes link building, content marketing, and social media. The chapter emphasizes the importance of consistent effort to achieve success in search engine rankings.

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