Wix SEO Review and Optimization Guide

Wix Page Speed, Seconds Matter

In the end, a variety of the above points directly influence a website’s page speed. Google most definitely highly considers Google page speed in their search engine algorithm (and for a good reason).

Slow websites frustrate consumers.

Image optimization is essential to site speed. As of the summer of 2018, website speed is an official ranking factor.

If you use a site builder and free host, make sure you don’t post bloated images on your website.

Google is always looking for ways to improve the search experience.

Anytime you use a free website builder and a free host; you limit your ability to influence technical change that could help improve your website’s speed.

Bloated Javascript codes, oversized and unoptimized images, poor host responsiveness, and subpar DNS settings can all crush a site’s responsiveness, particularly on mobile.

One of Wix’s downfall is that they did not allow for site owners to merely optimize images.

To solve this issue, my recommendation is to use a third party source to optimize your images.

If you do not understand how to do this in Photoshop or don’t have access to it, there are several free optimization programs such as Tinypng.

1. Verify URL With Google and Bing

If Google and Bing do not know your site is there, how can they index it?

By submitting your site to all the major search engines verifies your website’s existence.

For Google, use the Google Search Console to submit your URL. In this case, we are not exactly “submitting” as much as we are “verifying.”

1. Using the Submit Your URL function, you will need to click on the Alternative Methods option.
2. Grab that HTML code.
   
3. Now, inside of your functions, click on the “site manager” portion.
4. Choose the SEO option.
5. Choose the More Settings option.
6. Insert the Google HTML tag you saved earlier into this area.
7. Return to Google’s Search Console and proceed to verify your site.

Now you have successfully verified your Wix site with Google,

For Bing, the verification works the same; you simply need to get Bing’s code to insert in same place in your Wix editor.

2. Utilize Google Analytics

Many website owners think of Google Analytics as just a tool for website stats. There is no doubt that Google Analytics is the most robust website stats system on the planet. Did you know it can also be vital for SEO?

Google typically uses the information to extract important algorithmic data, such as user time on website pages, bounce rates, pages visited per session, and the demographics of the people visiting your website.

The good news is that Wix allows you to insert your GA code.

The bad news is Wix will require you to upgrade to do so.

To utilize Google Analytics with Wix, do the following:

1. Upgrade your plan and make sure you are using your own domain, this will help with your SEO domain authority.
2. Inside your account, on the top right, scroll over the user panel area and choose “domains.”
3. Click the arrow that’s located next to your domain you want to add GA code to.
4. Click “analytics.”
5. If you do not already have a Google Analytics account, get one here.
6. When you are finished signing up, you will be given some code. Copy that code.
7. Back in your account, click Analytics.
8. Place your GA code inside the form and make sure you hit the submit button.

It may take 24 hours before Google Analytics will begin displaying your stats.

If you see no statistics inside your Google Analytics account for longer than a day, this either means your site seriously has no traffic or, you pasted the GA code incorrectly.

4. Edit Meta Description Tags

Now that your Wix site has more engaging titles, it is time to take things a step further.  Improve meta descriptions will help improve your search click-thru rate with is a small ranking factor.

Google bots utilize meta descriptions as a way to log a more in-depth understanding of what your content is about. Think of meta descriptions as quick summaries of your content.

Unlike meta titles, your meta descriptions can be longer at 200-230 characters.

Example Title and Meta Description Tags

This will allow you to summarize better what your article is truly about. You should note, if you pass on inserting your meta description, Google will do the best it can to choose one for your content.

That can either be a good or bad thing depending on what Google runs with. You are always best off controlling your destiny in these type things.

1. Click the pages menu (just like before with the meta title).
2. And again, click the (…) show more option.
3. Now, “pages SEO.”
4. Under “What’s the page about,” add your description.
5. Click “Done,” make sure you publish changes.

At this point, your site should have both a meta title and meta description.

5. Edit/Create Permalinks

Just like on non-Wix hosted websites, permalinks are essential.

They allow Google a concise, quick insight into what your page is about. Your permalink should contain vital keywords that your article is targetting to rank in the search results.

You do not want your permalinks to be spammy; you want them to be succinct and specific.

1. In the Editor, click the “advanced editor.”

1. Now, type in the most relevant keywords which support your content’s search goal.
2. Click on the “show more” button (looks like ellipses …).
3. You now need to create the title you prefer under the section titled, What’s the page’s title on search engines?
4. Once you are finished, click “done” and then publish the change.
5. Now, your Wix titles will not only be serving up more optimal search engine fuel, but they will be more lively, more engaging, and hopefully, attract more clicks.