How SEO Actually Works (And Why Google Ignores Your Site)

Sitemaps help in three big ways:

1. Let Google know your pages exist.
2. Show what’s been recently updated.
3. Include important metadata like images and publish dates.

If your site isn’t being indexed, double-check whether your sitemap was:

• Submitted via Google Search Console
• Generated correctly (most platforms offer auto-sitemaps)
• Accepted without errors (no 404s or redirects)

Platforms like Netlify, Vercel, or Blogger sometimes confuse the sitemap setup, especially if you don’t control DNS. But once you own your domain and verify it through DNS, it clears the way for Google to trust you.

🎯 Keywords: Not Too Many, Not Too Few#

There’s an old debate: How many keywords should you use per page? Some say one, others go for ten. In my experience (and echoed by many SEOs), five well-targeted keywords per article hit the sweet spot.

Why five? Because:

• It gives your article variety without becoming spammy.
• Google understands context and semantically related terms.
• You can repeat them naturally across headers, body text, image alt tags, and meta descriptions.

Too few = under-optimized. Too many = Google might see it as keyword stuffing. Five = just right.

🖼️ Images Are SEO Gold (If You Use Them Right)#

Google doesn’t just rank words—it ranks images. Unique, original images help your post appear in Google Images and increase the overall engagement on your site.

But here’s the key: if you want Google to recognize your images:

• Include them in your sitemap
• Use descriptive filenames and alt tags
• Make sure they load fast (compressed but high quality)

It’s not only about visuals—it’s about visibility. Google can “see” your images if you describe them well enough.

🧠 Don’t Skip Meta Descriptions or Dates#

Your meta description is often what users read first on Google’s results page. It’s your hook. Google sometimes writes its own, but when you provide one, you’re controlling the narrative.

Keep it under 160 characters—including spaces and punctuation—or it’ll get cut off with an ellipsis

Also, always add:

• A correct published date
• An updated modified date if you make changes

Wrong or missing dates can push your article out of Google News, trend feeds, or time-sensitive searches.

🔍 Choosing What to Write: Trends vs. Opportunities#

Here’s the truth: chasing trends rarely works for small websites. By the time you write and publish, you’re already on page five—and let’s be honest, how often do you click past the first page?

So instead of chasing trending topics, start with:

• AnswerThePublic: to find questions people ask
• Google Autocomplete: to see what users search in real time
• Your location: Google ranks you higher where you physically are

And here’s the secret sauce: look for topics no one else is writing about. There are thousands of questions online that have no proper answers yet. If you know the answer—even if it feels small or niche—write it. That’s how you win early traffic.

🎁 Conclusion: Visibility Is Earned, Not Given#

Every visit matters. Even when someone doesn’t click your link, just appearing in their search is a win. It means you’re on the radar. And with every search impression, you’re collecting data through Google Search Console that tells you what your audience cares about.

SEO is a journey—not a hack. And like any journey, it starts with understanding where you’re going and how to get seen. You don’t need to travel all the miles at once. One page at a time, one improvement at a time—that’s how you build real, lasting visibility.

In a world filled with loud content and fast publishing, the ones who take time to learn how SEO really works are the ones who stand out—not just once, but every time someone searches.