4a5f1234bb
* chore: upgrade maintenance scripts to robust PyYAML parsing - Replaces fragile regex frontmatter parsing with PyYAML/yaml library - Ensures multi-line descriptions and complex characters are handled safely - Normalizes quoting and field ordering across all maintenance scripts - Updates validator to strictly enforce description quality * fix: restore and refine truncated skill descriptions - Recovered 223+ truncated descriptions from git history (6.5.0 regression) - Refined long descriptions into concise, complete sentences (<200 chars) - Added missing descriptions for brainstorming and orchestration skills - Manually fixed imagen skill description - Resolved dangling links in competitor-alternatives skill * chore: sync generated registry files and document fixes - Regenerated skills index with normalized forward-slash paths - Updated README and CATALOG to reflect restored descriptions - Documented restoration and script improvements in CHANGELOG.md * fix: restore missing skill and align metadata for full 955 count - Renamed SKILL.MD to SKILL.md in andruia-skill-smith to ensure indexing - Fixed risk level and missing section in andruia-skill-smith - Synchronized all registry files for final 955 skill count * chore(scripts): add cross-platform runners and hermetic test orchestration * fix(scripts): harden utf-8 output and clone target writeability * fix(skills): add missing date metadata for strict validation * chore(index): sync generated metadata dates * fix(catalog): normalize skill paths to prevent CI drift * chore: sync generated registry files * fix: enforce LF line endings for generated registry files
176 lines
5.8 KiB
Markdown
176 lines
5.8 KiB
Markdown
---
|
||
name: seo-fundamentals
|
||
description: Core principles of SEO including E-E-A-T, Core Web Vitals, technical foundations, content quality, and how modern search engines evaluate pages.
|
||
risk: unknown
|
||
source: community
|
||
date_added: '2026-02-27'
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
# SEO Fundamentals
|
||
|
||
> **Foundational principles for sustainable search visibility.**
|
||
> This skill explains _how search engines evaluate quality_, not tactical shortcuts.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## 1. E-E-A-T (Quality Evaluation Framework)
|
||
|
||
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 (Page Experience Signals)
|
||
|
||
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
|
||
|
||
Technical SEO ensures pages are **accessible, understandable, and stable**.
|
||
|
||
### Crawl & Index Control
|
||
|
||
| 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 |
|
||
|
||
### 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-Level Elements
|
||
|
||
| 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 Signals
|
||
|
||
| 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. Structured Data (Schema)
|
||
|
||
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-Assisted Content Principles
|
||
|
||
Search engines evaluate **output quality**, not authorship method.
|
||
|
||
### 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. Relative Importance of SEO Factors
|
||
|
||
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 & Evaluation
|
||
|
||
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 |
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
> **Key Principle:**
|
||
> Sustainable SEO is built on _useful content_, _technical clarity_, and _trust over time_.
|
||
> There are no permanent shortcuts.
|
||
|
||
## When to Use
|
||
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
|