As a researcher, it is very important to make your research article discoverable on the internet. However, to be able to learn this properly, you must have a good knowledge on the search engine optimization. The SEO is a powerful tool that can help to make your research more visible to search platforms like google or google scholar.

Definition of SEO

By optimizing your SEO, you are simply enabling improvement of your web page when a related topic is being searched for. While surfing, google and other search engines ranks the high quality and the relevant content first in the result pages. Hence, by optimizing your research article, you are enabling your work to be rank on the first page of the search result.

Ways to optimize your articles on SEO

1. Choose keywords
In every research articles, keywords are very important element that often help reader navigate down to your article easily. However, this is also important when thinking about ways you can use to optimize your articles on SEO. These keywords when searched on the search engines, will be a label on your work that will help the reader to reach it and get the necessary information. Also, while choosing keywords you should make it more accurate as to be able to narrow down your research article.

2. Creating a search-engine easy title

Apart from accurate keywords, another way you can take to optimize your article on SEO is by getting an easy title. By using an easy title, your research article will be displayed when related topic is being searched. When choosing a title, have the knowledge of your readers in mind and this will help you to pick a title that summarizes the aim of your article as well as using corresponding word with your research discipline.

3. By building external links connections

By using external links, you are making your research article easily accessed on the search engine. Once your work is published, you can build external links by linking it to the articles on your webpage or blog. Also, through social networking websites and also linking it to your departmental website will make it more accessible on search engines.

4. Using social media

By using social media to promote your research article, you are also making it easily discoverable on the search engine. By tweeting it with hashtags, posting it on Facebook or LinkedIn can also increase the number of people finding or reading your work.

Some SEO guidelines

• Learn how to use best keywords to convey key concepts

• Choose keywords that are often searched for

• Use descriptive keywords in titles

• Key words that points your research article in article, caption, tables and figures

• Try to create links from your keywords to various websites and social media

• Use up to four keywords for your list and use their synonyms too.

• Specific historical places, book titles, and well-known events should be evident in your keyword list.

Some of the tools that can formulate keywords for your research articles are,

• Google keyword planner: It helps find keywords and search trends that are important to your field of specialization

• Google Trends: It tracks a particular search item to the total search of related item

• Keyword Tool: It uses common google searches to provide keyword suggestions.