improve SEO

[jmckenna]

• try googling a sample EPSG code, such as "epsg 3978"
• notice that the spatialreference.org associated page is not highly ranked (if at all)
• view-source of that page, and you'll see missing meta tags for description, keywords etc (that help search engines crawl the pages)
• other tips for discovery (this is nothing new) include managing your site in the Google Search Console, setting up a sitemap for your site, etc.

Maybe try adding a description tag first?

For comparison, view-source of https://epsg.io/3978

[jjimenezshaw]

Hi @jmckenna
I know that unfortunately we are not very high in the rank. To be honest, I am surprised that in 2024 search engines are making any difference if there is data in the description tag that is already in the content of the page. It would be basically duplicating the text. The main information is already in the title tag (code and name)!

About the sitemap, #17 is there since March

If you let me be evil, I understand that epsg dot io is better ranked: it has a lot of adds from Google. We have none. That makes our page less interesting to be visited for the adds provider... that is also the search engine. But maybe I am too suspicious.

[jmckenna]

Hi @jjimenezshaw I've found that even in 2024, doing the basics still helps. For example, I notice that we lack a robots.txt, for machines to crawl. (see how-to)

I'm also ok to close this ticket now, someday someone can come back to tackle, and re-open.

[jjimenezshaw]

I will add a non restrictive robots.txt (2 lines) and the description and keywords tags... just repeating the information that is already there.
Probably it is more effective that other pages link to ours... but I have no control over that ;)

[neteler]

This tool is giving some insights:
https://seorch.net --> URL: https://spatialreference.org/

Besides many good SEO test results there are also some issues listed. Summary:

• No Meta Description found.
• The <title> Tag is too short: 25 characters.
• The <title> Tag has too few words: 3.
• The website text is too short: 54 words. Text length should be more than 400 words.
• Links without TITLE attribute: 15
• No <h1> Tags found. (Missing heading)
• No robots.txt found.

[jjimenezshaw]

Thanks @neteler that is giving some useful tips.
I run it in a specific CRS, and it gives slightly different (but similar) results. I think what we want to be reached per CRS, that is what people search.

What make me nuts is the "The <title> Tag has too few words: 3." Really? Look at the title of a Google page ;)

[neteler]

What make me nuts is the "The <title> Tag has too few words: 3." Really? Look at the title of a Google page ;)

Seorch is not my system, I was just the messenger :-)

[jmckenna]

thanks @jjimenezshaw, worth a try!

[jjimenezshaw]

Two weeks later... do you (anybody) have any feeling of improvement? (maybe I am too optimistic expecting any change in google in two weeks)

[neteler]

I have made an attempt to add an intro in #26.

Still, pages like https://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/3978/ are looking pretty nerdy to me.
For people coming directly to this page, it may not be obvious what this is all about :-)

So, what about adding some text between

EPSG:3978

and

NAD83 / Canada Atlas Lambert

?

[neteler]

Update: trying the search from above again:
https://www.google.com/search?q=epsg+3978

Now (at least here in Germany) this site ranks 3rd, so the situation slowly seems to improve.

[jmckenna]

Agreed, improving (2nd result here).