diff --git a/skills/seo-fundamentals/SKILL.md b/skills/seo-fundamentals/SKILL.md index 682fea80..950aa928 100644 --- a/skills/seo-fundamentals/SKILL.md +++ b/skills/seo-fundamentals/SKILL.md @@ -1,129 +1,176 @@ +```yaml --- name: seo-fundamentals -description: SEO fundamentals, E-E-A-T, Core Web Vitals, and Google algorithm principles. +description: > + Core principles of SEO including E-E-A-T, Core Web Vitals, technical foundations, + content quality, and how modern search engines evaluate pages. This skill explains + *why* SEO works, not how to execute specific optimizations. allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep +--- +``` + --- # SEO Fundamentals -> Principles for search engine visibility. +> **Foundational principles for sustainable search visibility.** +> This skill explains *how search engines evaluate quality*, not tactical shortcuts. --- -## 1. E-E-A-T Framework +## 1. E-E-A-T (Quality Evaluation Framework) -| Principle | Signals | -|-----------|---------| -| **Experience** | First-hand knowledge, real examples | -| **Expertise** | Credentials, depth of knowledge | -| **Authoritativeness** | Backlinks, mentions, industry recognition | -| **Trustworthiness** | HTTPS, transparency, accurate info | +E-E-A-T is **not a direct ranking factor**. +It is a framework used by search engines to **evaluate content quality**, especially for sensitive or high-impact topics. + +| Dimension | What It Represents | Common Signals | +| --------------------- | ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | +| **Experience** | First-hand, real-world involvement | Original examples, lived experience, demonstrations | +| **Expertise** | Subject-matter competence | Credentials, depth, accuracy | +| **Authoritativeness** | Recognition by others | Mentions, citations, links | +| **Trustworthiness** | Reliability and safety | HTTPS, transparency, accuracy | + +> Pages competing in the same space are often differentiated by **trust and experience**, not keywords. --- -## 2. Core Web Vitals +## 2. Core Web Vitals (Page Experience Signals) -| Metric | Target | Measures | -|--------|--------|----------| -| **LCP** | < 2.5s | Loading performance | -| **INP** | < 200ms | Interactivity | -| **CLS** | < 0.1 | Visual stability | +Core Web Vitals measure **how users experience a page**, not whether it deserves to rank. + +| Metric | Target | What It Reflects | +| ------- | ------- | ------------------- | +| **LCP** | < 2.5s | Loading performance | +| **INP** | < 200ms | Interactivity | +| **CLS** | < 0.1 | Visual stability | + +**Important context:** + +* CWV rarely override poor content +* They matter most when content quality is comparable +* Failing CWV can *hold back* otherwise good pages --- ## 3. Technical SEO Principles -### Site Structure +Technical SEO ensures pages are **accessible, understandable, and stable**. -| Element | Purpose | -|---------|---------| -| XML sitemap | Help crawling | -| robots.txt | Control access | -| Canonical tags | Prevent duplicates | -| HTTPS | Security signal | +### Crawl & Index Control -### Performance +| Element | Purpose | +| ----------------- | ---------------------- | +| XML sitemaps | Help discovery | +| robots.txt | Control crawl access | +| Canonical tags | Consolidate duplicates | +| HTTP status codes | Communicate page state | +| HTTPS | Security and trust | -| Factor | Impact | -|--------|--------| -| Page speed | Core Web Vital | -| Mobile-friendly | Ranking factor | -| Clean URLs | Crawlability | +### Performance & Accessibility + +| Factor | Why It Matters | +| ---------------------- | ----------------------------- | +| Page speed | User satisfaction | +| Mobile-friendly design | Mobile-first indexing | +| Clean URLs | Crawl clarity | +| Semantic HTML | Accessibility & understanding | --- ## 4. Content SEO Principles -### Page Elements +### Page-Level Elements -| Element | Best Practice | -|---------|---------------| -| Title tag | 50-60 chars, keyword front | -| Meta description | 150-160 chars, compelling | -| H1 | One per page, main keyword | -| H2-H6 | Logical hierarchy | -| Alt text | Descriptive, not stuffed | +| Element | Principle | +| ---------------- | ---------------------------- | +| Title tag | Clear topic + intent | +| Meta description | Click relevance, not ranking | +| H1 | Page’s primary subject | +| Headings | Logical structure | +| Alt text | Accessibility and context | -### Content Quality +### Content Quality Signals -| Factor | Importance | -|--------|------------| -| Depth | Comprehensive coverage | -| Freshness | Regular updates | -| Uniqueness | Original value | -| Readability | Clear writing | +| Dimension | What Search Engines Look For | +| ----------- | ---------------------------- | +| Depth | Fully answers the query | +| Originality | Adds unique value | +| Accuracy | Factually correct | +| Clarity | Easy to understand | +| Usefulness | Satisfies intent | --- -## 5. Schema Markup Types +## 5. Structured Data (Schema) -| Type | Use | -|------|-----| -| Article | Blog posts, news | -| Organization | Company info | -| Person | Author profiles | -| FAQPage | Q&A content | -| Product | E-commerce | -| Review | Ratings | -| BreadcrumbList | Navigation | +Structured data helps search engines **understand meaning**, not boost rankings directly. + +| Type | Purpose | +| -------------- | ---------------------- | +| Article | Content classification | +| Organization | Entity identity | +| Person | Author information | +| FAQPage | Q&A clarity | +| Product | Commerce details | +| Review | Ratings context | +| BreadcrumbList | Site structure | + +> Schema enables eligibility for rich results but does not guarantee them. --- -## 6. AI Content Guidelines +## 6. AI-Assisted Content Principles -### What Google Looks For +Search engines evaluate **output quality**, not authorship method. -| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't | -|-------|----------| -| AI draft + human edit | Publish raw AI content | -| Add original insights | Copy without value | -| Expert review | Skip fact-checking | -| Follow E-E-A-T | Keyword stuffing | +### Effective Use + +* AI as a drafting or research assistant +* Human review for accuracy and clarity +* Original insights and synthesis +* Clear accountability + +### Risky Use + +* Publishing unedited AI output +* Factual errors or hallucinations +* Thin or duplicated content +* Keyword-driven text with no value --- -## 7. Ranking Factors (Prioritized) +## 7. Relative Importance of SEO Factors -| Priority | Factor | -|----------|--------| -| 1 | Quality, relevant content | -| 2 | Backlinks from authority sites | -| 3 | Page experience (Core Web Vitals) | -| 4 | Mobile optimization | -| 5 | Technical SEO fundamentals | +There is **no fixed ranking factor order**. +However, when competing pages are similar, importance tends to follow this pattern: + +| Relative Weight | Factor | +| --------------- | --------------------------- | +| Highest | Content relevance & quality | +| High | Authority & trust signals | +| Medium | Page experience (CWV, UX) | +| Medium | Mobile optimization | +| Baseline | Technical accessibility | + +> Technical SEO enables ranking; content quality earns it. --- -## 8. Measurement +## 8. Measurement & Evaluation -| Metric | Tool | -|--------|------| -| Rankings | Search Console, Ahrefs | -| Traffic | Analytics | -| Core Web Vitals | PageSpeed Insights | -| Indexing | Search Console | -| Backlinks | Ahrefs, Semrush | +SEO fundamentals should be validated using **multiple signals**, not single metrics. + +| Area | What to Observe | +| ----------- | -------------------------- | +| Visibility | Indexed pages, impressions | +| Engagement | Click-through, dwell time | +| Performance | CWV field data | +| Coverage | Indexing status | +| Authority | Mentions and links | --- -> **Remember:** SEO is a long-term game. Quality content + technical excellence + patience = results. +> **Key Principle:** +> Sustainable SEO is built on *useful content*, *technical clarity*, and *trust over time*. +> There are no permanent shortcuts. +