# Source: https://www.mintlify.com/docs/optimize/seo.md

# Source: https://www.mintlify.com/docs/guides/seo.md

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.mintlify.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SEO

> Improve SEO to increase documentation discoverability.

<Tip>
  This page explains fundamental strategies to optimize your documentation SEO.
</Tip>

## Content basics

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

* **Headings and subheadings:** Use sequential, meaningful headers to structure your content. Each page has an H1 created from the `title:` property in the frontmatter.
* **Short paragraphs and bullet points:** Break down large chunks of text into easily readable sections. Use bullet points and numbered lists where appropriate.
* **Internal linking:** Link to related content using descriptive anchor text. For example, "Learn more about rate limiting" instead of "Click here."

## Technical SEO basics

Once your content is optimized, ensure your documentation performs well from a technical standpoint.

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

* **Meta tags and descriptions:** Craft SEO-friendly titles (50-60 characters) and descriptions (150-160 characters) for each page. Most [meta tags](/optimize/seo) are automatically generated.
* **Alt text for images:** Provide descriptive alt text for images with relevant keywords. For example, "OAuth 2.0 API authentication flow" instead of just "diagram". This enhances SEO and accessibility.
* **Sitemaps:** Ensure your sitemap is up-to-date. Mintlify automatically generates a sitemap. However, you can manually create a sitemap if you prefer a custom format. Once created, search engines index site maps over time, but you can submit your sitemap directly to Google Search Console to speed up the process.

## Page performance

Use tools like [Google PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev) 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.

## Keyword research

To increase organic traffic, invest time into understanding which keywords help users land on your documentation.

* **Keyword research:** Use free tools like [Google Keyword Planner](https://ads.google.com/intl/en_us/home/tools/keyword-planner/) or [Keywords Everywhere](https://keywordseverywhere.com) to identify common phrases or long-tail keywords.
* **Integrate keywords naturally:** Add keywords naturally into headings, subheadings, and throughout the body text. Don't overstuff keywords. Your documentation should be written for your users, not search engines.