Optimising to win an SEO contest
On-page, link building, indexing and structured data: levers proven by entrants, from PageRank to GEO.
On-page optimisation
Keyword in title, H1 and URL, semantic variations, internal linking and structured data. Useful content withstands updates such as Panda (2011), Penguin (2012) or Helpful Content (2022).
Backlinks: natural versus artificial
Golden-age contests such as Black Hattitude tested the limits of black hat; after Pandanarol and Penguin, quality prevails.
Indexing and GEO
Sitemap, Search Console and speed ensure indexing. For generative engines see GEO and AIEO.