The rendering process

The rendering process can be reduced to a situation where the Google bot performs several key steps for the final perception of the website. The first is to download the page, the next – to run the code. Then – on its basis – makes its own analysis of the page layout and the entire structure of the site. The set of information downloaded for a specific assessment is collected by this – usually not perceptible moment – which accompanies rendering of the page. As a result, qualitative content, effective link building or meticulously guarded Google Search Console become secondary factors if website rendering generates errors, delays, departures from the norms adopted by magicians from Alphabet Inc.

It can be assumed – from a technical point of view – that every website is two HTML faces: before rendering and after rendering the resources. The first is a set of basic information generated – from content through images to JS and CSS codes. The second face is the same basic code, but enriched with the changes that HTML has caused. And in this narrow space between the two modes lies one of the paths to SEO effectiveness. How the initially assumed commands are implemented in the user’s browser is one of the foundations of proper operation.

How does it look in practice? Launching a website in a browser causes the server to send specific data to a computer or other device. Data collected in HTML format – as well as, for example, XML – are analyzed by the system in terms of obtaining the planned graphic effect. What is presented on the user’s screen is the rendering effect – regardless of its type. And the types of technology provide a lot: from continuous to progressive.

Why is rendering so important?

The reason is simple, prosaic and ruthless: a site that cannot be rendered is not indexed by Google. Does not exist. It’s somewhere in cyberspace, but without much significance and no chance to show itself to the world. Indexation is rendering, rendering is indexation – in this case Google leaves no wicket and mitigating circumstances.

That is why it is so important to check both the home page and other internal websites for, e.g., whether the website contains resources that are blocked or otherwise not made available for Google bots. These are both CSS and JS files or images.

How to render a website effectively?

Google has its own rules, bots are walking their own paths, and all this is hidden in a thicket of code to which ordinary mortals outside Silicon Valley have at most limited access. How can you then verify that the website meets the requirements of a search engine ruthless in this context?

The basic option for a long time was a test for mobile devices. Contrary to what it seems, it does not have to be used only for smartphones or tablets. Checking how the Google bot downloads and renders a mobile page also gives an answer to its rendering quality. In a situation where the website is responsive, problems – and a bad result – mobile rendering also means incorrect adaptation to computers.

In mid-2019, Google announced that the bot would regularly update the rendering engine – Chrome 41 and its function of detecting functions, filling and log errors became the determinant. Blocked resources cannot be seen – after all, the browser will render them anyway – but this path can still be considered as particularly valuable.

It does not require much commitment: just download and install Chrome 41. Before, it is worth uninstalling the other – newer – versions temporarily and backing up bookmarks and files. Having Chrome 41 already, it is enough to enter any URL, and then – in a typical way – examine the page after pressing the right mouse button. This way, developer tools will be open. In the console tab you can see the errors found – just copy the data to programmers to start the process of repairing the shortcomings.

Complicated? The alternative – how trivial! – there is a rendering plugin. View Rendered Source is an excellent solution that captivates with its simplicity of operation.

Plugin link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/view-rendered-source/ejgngohbdedoabanmclafpkoogegdpob

As an extension added to Chrome, it shows how the browser has built – and therefore rendered – the original HTML for the DOM, including all Javascript modifications. So if a programmer uses the JS framework – Angular, React JS, Vue.js – it lets you understand how search engines see the page. It cannot be presented clearly: the differences between the “raw” and the rendered version are marked with an illuminated line.

Why is it worth verifying the website’s appearance?

– for Mobile First Index
– due to blocked resources that may make ranking difficult
– verification of the size of photos that may obscure the text
– a simple test whether the firewall is working properly
– crawl budget analysis
– Google Search Console doesn’t show everything (unfortunately)

Website positioning for free

Running a professional business is connected with the necessity of incurring many costs. Paying salaries, renting an office, bill payment – these are just the basic expenses to consider. So wouldn’t it be beautiful if some useful advertising tools and forms were available for free? Or maybe you need to put cost-free positioning between cartoons? Before we have to solve the mystery of website positioning for free, it is worth to outline what it really is and what factors can influence the success of our efforts. If you do not spend money on positioning, you will definitely spend on it … your time!

Positioning from scratch

Creating a website is a relatively simple process. Difficulties arise when it is to acquire appropriate coverage and reach a specific group of recipients. The dream of most e-stores is that after the user types a given category or specific product, their platform appears in the first place or at least on the first page in the search engine.

Remember, however, that creating a page is just the tip of the iceberg. Even if it is done respecting the basic principles of SEO, it will still have to work out its place in the search engine.

The task of positioning is to help in this. Everything, however, requires skilful distribution of planned operational activities. Developing a schedule for implementing the necessary modifications allows you to increase control over the process of adapting your site to the requirements dictated by search algorithms. A number of actions necessary to take include optimization of meta tags, content on the page, graphics used and links posted. It may not sound so bad, but when you have an online store and we are talking about optimizing hundreds or thousands of product pages, then it gets interesting.

In addition, you must also remember about other improvements that will allow the smooth functioning of the site (e.g. by eliminating unnecessary duplicates). The list begins to grow as the company begins to increase its reach and becomes more and more popular. When you manage to join the strategic group of market leaders, you should monitor your online presence and respond quickly to any changes.

So conducted SEO activities – or more generally positioning – is a path leading straight to success. However, before you catch up and overtake the competition, you have to spend a lot of time in the peloton of this specific race. The use of cycling metaphor is not accidental, because there are many seemingly imperceptible analogies between these two areas. The best results are achieved by players who have full comfort – they have excellent technical facilities, and the sponsor’s support allows the purchase of high-end equipment. Although cycling is an individual sport, the whole team works hard for individual successes. It is no different in the case of positioning.

The first few laps, or how to overtake the competition?

There are two strategies that can lead to positive SEO results. The first is painstaking individual work. It largely involves independent search for solutions, which means the necessity of using trial and error methods. At the initial stage of business development, a good start is the basis, which is why a large number of mistakes occurring at the very beginning can make the time for prosperity not come. You can put a lot of effort in the process of positioning the page, but without a proper budget and substantive support, it is difficult to obtain positive and long-lasting effects.

It is worth focusing on a second strategy. This is a variant in which the owner of the page asks for help to a professional company, fluent in SEO activities. The solution is beneficial not only during the initial phase of preparing the concept of brand presence on the Internet. At every stage of the company’s activity, you can reach for the experience and knowledge of specialists. This substantive and technological base allows not only to save time, but also money.

Before decisions are made regarding the will to cooperate, the recommended action is to audit the website. Some companies offer this option completely free. At a rapid pace, reaching up to 20 seconds, you can check which elements of the current web page are working incorrectly, what to improve, and which aspects do not require modification. We are talking here about automatic audits, which of course operate to a large degree of generalization – if we are serious about positioning and want to allocate more funds to it, then it will be reasonable to order such an audit to a specialist.

Free positioning tools

Once you have successfully carried out the WWW audit, you can start your adventure with positioning on your own. As already mentioned, although individual work brings results only to a certain extent, it is worth at least taking this effort to be better prepared when talking with SEO specialists. The use of free positioning tools allows you to learn the basic concepts and principles on which the whole process is based.

Every day, most Internet users use Google search and only a few remain faithful to solutions such as Bing or DuckDuckGo. This is for a reason, because it is this gigantic company that has several tools in its portfolio, the use of which helps to elevate the site to the highest positions. Here are some examples that are most useful in business:

a) Google Advertising Academy
Before choosing specific solutions, you should familiarize yourself with the entire system of related opportunities that Google offers. Although the Academy of Ads deals strictly with advertising campaigns, it contains valuable knowledge about how to use Google Ads, Google Analytics or the Double Click platform. Completing virtual training gives you a broader understanding of not only positioning, but also any activity in virtual space. Graduates of the Google Advertising Academy receive certificates, which are an additional asset because their possession is appreciated by the best positioning companies.

In Academy for Ads you will not find direct references to the positioning process, but you will learn the specifics of how Google search engine works, how customers navigate and how to use analytics to achieve business goals. That’s why it’s worth it.

b) Google Keyword Planner
This extremely useful tool facilitates selection of key phrases. It is especially useful when circling a product and service promotion plan. Google Keyword Planner allows you to choose the right solution when developing your Ads campaign and of course – for positioning. An additional advantage is the function that provides verification of the number of queries for specific terms entered by Internet users in the search engine.

The clear interface gives full insight into statistics on selected operations performed on queries and forecasts of the effectiveness of operations. The results are given on an average monthly basis, taking into account the relevance of a specific key phrase. To use Google Keyword Planner you must have an advertising account in Google Ads (formerly: Google AdWords). The tool suggestions result from the ongoing analysis of data flowing into the Google database.

c) Google Analytics
A basic tool that should be familiar to anyone who is going to get involved in professional site positioning. From the statistics set you can read, among others at what times the website and specific subpages are most often visited, and in which places in the world there is interest in a given website. Traffic analysis is a key factor in the effectiveness of SEO because it gives an overview of the profile of users interested in the product or service.

What’s more, Google Analytics can indicate how potential customers came to the page. Based on only this one information, you can evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing strategy implemented so far and possibly make new assumptions about communication channels with recipients. In direct translation into SEO activity, this means a change in keywords in the positioning process. Having full control over online marketing activities allows you to better respond to the real expectations of customers.

d) Google Maps
The user types in the search query. When it is possible to find the right company that provides a specific service or has the dream product in the range, the internet user makes the key decision – he intends to visit a point of sale, restaurant or hotel. A business card created in Google My Business points to a specific location.

At this point, Google Maps comes to the rescue. This is one of the most recognizable and most frequently used solutions of the American company. Few people know, however, that it is also a great positioning tool. Integration with the search engine allows not only to find the location on the map, but also to lead the client to the destination. Having a tag with the right name allows you to be among competitors.

e) Google Search Console
Another tool after Google Analytics and Keyword Planner that is hard to do without. It’s a free platform for professionals involved in website administration. Its task is to monitor the site and to control the indexing of pages. Google Search Console is an extensive analytical database which contains information about links to the site, possible errors and keywords contained on the page.

Website positioning for free and the help of professionals

Examples of solutions that have been successfully presented are available for free to every Internet user. However, as any statistics prove, it is not the number of data collected that counts, but the ability to interpret it. In addition, you need to spend a lot of time devoted to product or service development to become familiar with all the features of specific proposals.

Positioning sites for free will certainly prove very time-consuming. So it all depends on whether you can afford it or if you prefer to devote yourself to another part of your business activity.

When a company aims at positioning a website, it is a good idea to report the needs of an SEO agency. Many years of experience and knowledge that specialists have at their disposal allows us to accurately respond to business needs. The advantage of this output is the fact that all the tool is received in the package together with the service provided. This is a huge saving of time and money. Hard to believe? It is worth getting acquainted with the materials available for free on the Paraphrase-Online.com  blog, which prove that it pays to invest in positioning.