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SEO
How to improve documentation SEO
This article covers fundamental strategies to optimize your documentation SEO.

1. Content basics

Make your writing and structure easy for search engines to scan.

  • Headings and subheadings: Use clear H1, H2, and H3 to structure your content. Include keywords in these headings when relevant.
  • Short paragraphs & bullet points: Break down large chunks of text into easily digestible sections. Use bullet points and numbered lists where appropriate.
  • Internal linking: Link to related content using descriptive anchor text (e.g., “Learn more about rate limiting” instead of “Click here”).

2. Technical SEO basics

Once your content is optimized, it’s important to ensure your documentation performs well from a technical standpoint.

These basic technical SEO practices help make your docs more discoverable:

  • Meta Titles & Descriptions: Craft SEO-friendly titles (50-60 characters) and descriptions (150-160 characters) for each page. If you’re using Mintlify, meta tags are automatically generated, but it's still worth checking to ensure they align with your content goals.
  • Alt Text for Images: Provide descriptive alt text for images with relevant keywords (e.g., “OAuth 2.0 API authentication flow” instead of just “diagram”). This enhances SEO and accessibility.
  • Mobile Optimization: Make sure your documentation is mobile-friendly. A responsive site improves both user experience and SEO performance.
  • Sitemaps: Ensure your sitemap is up-to-date. Most platforms, like Mintlify, automatically generate a sitemap for you. However, if your platform doesn’t, you may need to create one manually. Once created, search engines will eventually index it on their own, but you can also submit it directly to Google Search Console to speed up the process.

3. Advanced: Page Performance

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for technical SEO improvement.

Examples of more advanced optimizations:

  • Optimize media for speed: Compress images using formats like WebP or AVIF and ensure your pages load quickly (ideally under 3 seconds).
  • Structured Data (Schema Markup): Add schema markup (like HowTo, FAQ) to your pages to help search engines better understand and rank your content.

4. Advanced: Keyword research

If organic traffic is critical for you, it's worth investing some time into understanding which keywords might help users land on your docs.

  • Keyword research: Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner or Keywords Everywhere (tutorial on how to research) to identify common phrases or long-tail keywords (e.g., “debug Python API errors”).
  • Integrate keywords naturally: Sprinkle these keywords naturally into headings, subheadings, and throughout the body text. Don't overstuff keywords—focus on context.

While not necessary, this will help you attract organic search traffic and make your docs easier to find for people searching for specific problems.