# Satelo — full text > Full plain-text copy of the key pages of https://satelo.io: how Satelo works, pricing, about, the MCP server for AI agents, topic hubs, glossary and all blog posts. English first; the Russian section has the key pages, the RU glossary and Russian-only posts (Russian translations of English posts are at the same path under /ru/). Generated from the same source as the website on each build. Short index: https://satelo.io/llms.txt --- URL: https://satelo.io/how-it-works/ # How Satelo works Satelo is a network where websites of a similar level and niche publish labelled partner articles about each other in a circle (A→B→C→A), never as direct swaps. You earn satellites (◉), Satelo's internal credits, by hosting articles, and spend them on articles about your own site. Satelo is in public beta. Updated: 2026-10-16 ## Satelo in five lines - **What:** a cross-promotion network for small and mid-size websites and blogs, plus a free website [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) checker. - **How:** sites publish partner articles about each other in circles A→B→C→A; no direct A↔B exchange within 180 days. - **Currency:** [satellites ◉](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/), earned by hosting and spent on articles about you; can be bought, cannot be cashed out. - **Labelling:** every article is marked as partner content and its links carry [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/). - **Connect:** WordPress plugin (one-click join, auto-publishing), an API feed for any other site, or an AI agent through the [MCP server](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## Step by step - **Check your site.** Enter a domain on [/check/](https://satelo.io/check/). You get a free Quality Score from 0 to 100 with the evidence behind it. No sign-up needed. - **Sign up and add the site.** Sign-in is by an emailed link, no password. One account can hold up to 20 sites. - **Prove you own it.** On WordPress, install the Satelo plugin and join in one click from Settings → Satelo (you enter your email and accept the terms; nothing is sent before that). Any other site joins through the API feed and proves ownership with a verification file or meta tag. Details: [Connect a site](https://satelo.io/connect/). - **Host your first article.** The first article on every newly connected site is about Satelo itself. Satelo pays for it: your site's price plus 20%, at least 2 ◉. That is your starting balance. - **Host articles about other sites.** Articles from sites of a similar Quality Score, language and niche arrive at your site. Auto-placement is on by default; you can switch it off and approve each article. When an article goes live, you receive your full price in satellites. - **Spend satellites on articles about you.** You (or your AI agent) write an original article for the host's readers, at least 1,500 characters with one or two natural links, and choose a host. You pay the host's price plus Satelo's 10% fee. Satelo publishes it through the host's plugin or feed and confirms publication by checking the page. ## The circle: why A→B→C→A and not A↔B Two sites linking to each other by agreement is a [reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/), and Google's spam policies name excessive link exchanges as link spam. Satelo never forms those pairs. When it looks for a host for site A, it skips sites of the same owner and any site that A itself published an article about in the previous 180 days, and it does not send a second article about A to the same host within 7 days. Candidates are ordered by the same niche first, then the same language, then the closest Quality Score. Because everyone pays in satellites rather than in favours, A can host an article about B, B about C, and C about A. ## Satellites ◉ Satellites are internal credits, not websites and not money. You earn them by hosting partner articles and spend them on partner articles about your sites. They can be bought in packs (10 ◉ for $25, 50 ◉ for $120, 200 ◉ for $460) but never withdrawn, converted or transferred outside Satelo. The word has nothing to do with “satellite sites” in SEO; see [Satellite sites (PBNs) vs Satelo satellites](https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Prices - **The owner sets the price.** Every site has an article price in satellites. Satelo recommends one from the Quality Score and verified traffic; the owner can keep it or set their own (from 1 to 10,000 ◉). - **Recommended price:** 1 ◉ for a site with a score of 0, then 1 + 0.02 × score², multiplied by a small factor that grows logarithmically with verified monthly visits. Without verified traffic that is 3 ◉ at score 10, 9 ◉ at 20, 19 ◉ at 30 and 51 ◉ at 50 (computed from the formula). - **Fee:** the host receives 100% of its price; the buyer pays the price plus a 10% service fee. That fee is how Satelo makes money, along with optional satellite packs. No subscription. - **Free:** the Quality Score checker, joining, the WordPress plugin, the API feed, the MCP server and earning satellites by hosting. All numbers and limits are on [Pricing](https://satelo.io/pricing/). ## Rules and protections - **Verified owners only.** A site joins only after the plugin handshake or a verification file / meta tag proves ownership. - **The host decides.** Auto-placement can be switched off; topics and whether the site accepts articles at all are set in the dashboard. Deactivating the WordPress plugin stops new articles immediately. - **Automatic refunds in satellites** if an order fails to publish, if the host does not approve it within 7 days, if it stays an unpublished draft on the host for 14 days, or if an API-feed site does not render it within 7 days. - **Content rules.** Articles must be original and useful to the host's readers, 1,500–30,000 characters, with one or two natural links. Up to 20 orders per account per day. - **Labelling.** The WordPress plugin adds a “Partner content” label and sets rel="sponsored" on outgoing links by default. - **Verified traffic without tracking.** The plugin counts pageviews without cookies, IP addresses or personal data and sends daily totals; after about 7 days the Quality Score uses them instead of estimates. ## Quality Score in short The [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) (0–100) is built mostly from open data. Evidence of use: traffic signals (Tranco rank, Chrome UX Report, verified plugin pageviews; Similarweb or Semrush estimates for network sites), link popularity (Open PageRank, Majestic Million, Common Crawl web graph) and age (RDAP/WHOIS, Wayback Machine), weighted 45 / 35 / 20. That evidence is multiplied by 0.5–1.0 for content and technical health from Satelo's own crawl. Parked or nearly empty sites are capped at 5. A brand-new site scores close to 0. The score is Satelo's estimate; it is not a Google metric and does not predict rankings. ## Ways to connect - **WordPress plugin** “Satelo”: one-click join, verifies ownership, publishes articles with cover image, inline images, category, tags, SEO description and a “Partner content” label, auto-placement or drafts. [Connect WordPress](https://satelo.io/connect/). - **API feed** for any CMS or framework: the site renders articles from a JSON feed at its own URL pattern (by default `/partners/`), and Satelo confirms publication by crawling that page. - **MCP server** `io.satelo/satelo` at `https://satelo.io/mcp`: an AI agent can check a site, enrol it with the owner's consent, find hosts and place articles. [Satelo for AI agents](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## What Satelo is not - **Not a PBN.** Satelo does not create, buy or own the sites in the network. Every site belongs to a verified owner. See [PBN](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/). - **Not a link seller.** Satelo does not sell links and does not take cash for placing links on sites it controls; sites exchange labelled articles for internal credits. - **No dofollow promise, no ranking promise.** Links are rel="sponsored". The value is a labelled mention on a related site with real readers. - **Not direct link swapping.** No A↔B within 180 days. - **Not a cash-out scheme.** Satellites cannot be withdrawn. - **Not a big network yet.** Satelo is in public beta; the network is small. The live number of active sites is returned by the `satelo_about` MCP tool. - **“Satellites ◉” are not satellite sites.** Read [the explainer](https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Who it is for Owners of small and mid-size websites and blogs (especially on WordPress), indie makers and small-business marketers who want their first real mentions on related sites without outreach or a budget, in English or Russian. It is not for anyone looking to buy rankings fast. ## FAQ ### Is Satelo free? Joining, the Quality Score checker, the WordPress plugin, the API feed and the MCP server are free. You earn satellites by hosting articles. Each placement costs the host's price in satellites plus a 10% service fee; satellite packs are optional (10 ◉ for $25). ### Is Satelo a PBN or a link farm? No. Satelo does not create or own websites; every site in the network belongs to a verified owner who connected it. Articles are labelled as partner content and links use rel="sponsored". ### Do I get dofollow links? No. Exchange links carry rel="sponsored" and Satelo does not promise rankings or transfer of ranking credit. The value is a labelled mention on a related site with real readers. ### Why can't two sites just swap articles? Direct swaps are reciprocal links, which Google's spam policies list as link spam when excessive. Satelo never offers a host that your site published an article about in the previous 180 days, so articles move in circles A→B→C→A. ### Can I withdraw satellites? No. Satellites are internal credits: earned by hosting, spent on articles about your sites, optionally bought, never cashed out. ### Will articles appear on my site without my approval? Only if auto-placement is on (the default). Switch it off and every article waits for your approval; orders you don't approve within 7 days are refunded to the buyer. ### Are “satellites ◉” the same as satellite sites? No. In SEO a satellite site is a site built only to link to another site. Satelo's satellites are internal credits. --- URL: https://satelo.io/pricing/ # Pricing Satelo is free to join. Sites trade articles in satellites (◉): the host sets its price and receives all of it, the buyer pays that price plus a 10% service fee. Buying satellites is optional. No subscriptions. Satelo is in public beta. Updated: 2026-10-16 ## What is free - The [Quality Score checker](https://satelo.io/check/) for any domain, without sign-up. - An account (sign-in by email link) with up to 20 sites. - The WordPress plugin, the API feed for other sites and the [MCP server](https://satelo.io/agents/) for AI agents. - Earning satellites by hosting articles, including the first article about Satelo, which Satelo pays for: your price plus 20%, at least 2 ◉. ## How a placement is priced - Each site has an article price in satellites. Satelo recommends it from the [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) and verified traffic; the owner can keep it or set any price from 1 to 10,000 ◉. - The host receives 100% of its price when the article is live. - The buyer pays the host's price plus a 10% service fee to Satelo. Example: a host price of 9 ◉ costs the buyer 9 ◉ + 10%. - If the order fails to publish, is not approved within 7 days, stays an unpublished draft on the host for 14 days, or an API-feed site does not render it within 7 days, the buyer's satellites are refunded automatically. ## Recommended article price 1 ◉ for a site with a score of 0, then 1 + 0.02 × score², multiplied by a factor that grows logarithmically with verified monthly visits. Without verified traffic, computed from the formula: | Quality Score | Recommended price | | 0 | 1 ◉ | | 10 | 3 ◉ | | 20 | 9 ◉ | | 30 | 19 ◉ | | 50 | 51 ◉ | ## Satellite packs (optional) | Pack | Price | Per satellite | | 10 ◉ | $25 | $2.50 per ◉ | | 50 ◉ | $120 | $2.40 per ◉ | | 200 ◉ | $460 | $2.30 per ◉ | - Payment by card (Stripe) or crypto (USDT, BTC, ETH via PayKilla), where enabled in your dashboard. Satellites are credited only after the payment provider confirms the payment. - Purchase limit: 400 ◉ per account per calendar month. - Satellites cannot be withdrawn, converted to money or transferred outside Satelo. ## Limits | Limit | Value | | Sites per account | 20 | | Satellite purchases | 400 ◉ per calendar month | | Orders (articles about your sites) | 20 per day | | Article length | 1,500–30,000 characters, 1–2 natural links | | Article price set by an owner | 1–10,000 ◉ | | Fresh Quality Score checks from the dashboard | 10 per hour | | MCP server | 120 calls per hour per IP, 10 fresh Quality Score checks per hour | | API keys for AI agents | 5 active per account | ## What you do not pay for, and what does not exist - No subscription, no fee for joining or for hosting articles. - No cash payouts: satellites are internal credits. - No paid “dofollow” or ranking packages. Exchange links carry rel="sponsored"; see [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/). ## FAQ ### How much does Satelo cost? Joining and the tools are free. Each article about your site costs the host's price in satellites plus a 10% service fee. Satellites are earned by hosting or bought in optional packs: 10 ◉ for $25, 50 ◉ for $120, 200 ◉ for $460. ### Who pays the 10% fee? The buyer. The host receives 100% of the price it set. ### Can I cash out satellites I earn? No. Satellites can only be spent inside Satelo. ### Is there a monthly limit? You can buy up to 400 satellites per account per calendar month. ### What if my article is never published? The satellites are refunded automatically if the order fails, isn't approved within 7 days, or stays an unpublished draft on the host for 14 days. --- URL: https://satelo.io/about/ # About Satelo Satelo helps small and mid-size websites get their first real mentions: sites of a similar level and topic publish articles about each other in circles, and every site gets an honest Quality Score. ## What Satelo is Satelo is a network where websites of a similar level publish partner articles about each other in a circle. Free site checker, WordPress plugin, MCP server. In detail: sites of a similar Quality Score and niche host labelled partner articles about each other in circles (A→B→C→A), paid in satellites (◉), internal credits earned by hosting and spent on articles about your site. Step by step: [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/); numbers: [Pricing](https://satelo.io/pricing/); terms: [Glossary](https://satelo.io/glossary/). ## What Satelo is not - **Not a PBN.** Satelo does not create, buy or own the sites in the network; each belongs to a verified owner. - **Not a link seller** and not a dofollow or ranking service: exchange links carry rel="sponsored", and Satelo makes no ranking promises. - **Not direct link swapping:** no A↔B within 180 days. - **Not a cash-out scheme:** satellites cannot be withdrawn. - **“Satellites ◉” are not satellite sites**: see [Satellite sites vs Satelo satellites](https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Status: public beta Satelo is in public beta. The network is small, and we do not publish user counts we cannot back up; the live number of active sites is returned by the `satelo_about` tool of our [MCP server](https://satelo.io/agents/). Features and limits may change; current numbers are on [Pricing](https://satelo.io/pricing/). ## Why we built it A new website has no readers, no links and no budget for ads. Sponsored-post marketplaces mostly serve sites that already have traffic, and direct link swaps are risky. We wanted a way for small sites to help each other that is fair, transparent and safe under search engines' rules. ## Principles - **Honest metrics.** The Quality Score is built from open data and verified analytics; a brand-new site scores 0. We show where every number comes from on the [check page](https://satelo.io/check/). - **No direct swaps.** Articles move in circles (A→B→C→A), never A↔B. - **Clear labelling.** Exchange articles are published as partner content with `rel="sponsored"`. - **The owner decides.** Satelo recommends a price in satellites; the owner can set their own, switch auto-placement off and approve each article. ## How Satelo makes money A 10% service fee on each article placement, paid by the buyer on top of the host's price (the host keeps 100% of its price), and optional satellite packs. No subscriptions. Satellites cannot be cashed out. Details: [Pricing](https://satelo.io/pricing/). ## Who runs Satelo Satelo is founded and operated by **Anton Kirienko** (private individual). Blog guides are prepared by the Satelo team with the help of AI tools and checked against public sources; competitor data in comparisons is dated. ## Founder **Anton Kirienko** founded Satelo and runs it: product, code and operations. Contact him through [info@satelo.io](mailto:info@satelo.io). ## Contact Satelo has no physical office or phone line; the contact is email. Email: [info@satelo.io](mailto:info@satelo.io). Privacy: [privacy policy](https://satelo.io/privacy.html). Terms: [terms of use](https://satelo.io/terms.html). --- URL: https://satelo.io/agents/ # Satelo for AI agents (MCP) Satelo has a remote MCP server. An AI agent that builds or grows a website can check any site's Quality Score, add the site to the exchange, find partner sites and publish articles about it — the site joins the circle of mutual promotion without manual work. ## Endpoint `https://satelo.io/mcp` — Streamable HTTP (JSON-RPC over POST). Public tools need no key; account tools need `Authorization: Bearer sk_satelo_…`. Create the key in the [dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) (section “API for AI agents”). ## Connect ### Claude Code ``` claude mcp add --transport http satelo https://satelo.io/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer sk_satelo_…" ``` ### Claude Desktop, Cursor and other clients (JSON) ``` { "mcpServers": { "satelo": { "type": "http", "url": "https://satelo.io/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer sk_satelo_…" } } } } ``` Without a key the server still works for the public tools (Quality Score, network search, sign-up). ## Tools | Tool | What it does | Key | | `satelo_about` | How Satelo works, satellites, flows | no | | `satelo_check_site` | Free Quality Score of any domain with evidence | no | | `satelo_find_sites` | Active sites in the network by niche, language, Quality Score | no | | `satelo_signup` | Email the owner a sign-in link | no | | `satelo_account` | Balance, sites, incoming and outgoing articles | yes | | `satelo_add_site` | Add a site, get the connection key and steps | yes | | `satelo_verify_site` | Verify the connection and activate the site | yes | | `satelo_site_settings` | Auto-placement, accepting articles, niche, own price | yes | | `satelo_find_hosts` | Hosts for an article about my site, with prices | yes | | `satelo_place_article` | Order an article the agent wrote; refunded if not published | yes | | `satelo_review_article` | Approve or reject an incoming article | yes | ## Typical flow - `satelo_check_site` — see where the site stands. - `satelo_signup` with the owner’s email → the owner signs in and creates an API key. - `satelo_add_site` → install the WordPress plugin or render the API feed → `satelo_verify_site`. The first article (about Satelo) earns satellites. - `satelo_find_hosts` → write an original, useful article for the host’s readers → `satelo_place_article`. ## Rules for agents - Only add sites the user owns, and only use the owner’s own email. - Articles must be original and useful to the host’s readers; 1–2 natural links. They are published as partner content with `rel="sponsored"`. - Limits: 120 calls per hour per IP, 10 fresh Quality Score checks per hour, 20 orders per day. ## FAQ ### Do I need an account to use the MCP server? No for the public tools (Quality Score, network search, sign-up). Yes for adding sites and placing articles: the owner creates an API key in the dashboard. ### Who writes the articles? The agent writes them. Satelo checks length and links, publishes through the host's WordPress plugin or API feed, and confirms publication by crawling the page. ### Does it spend money? It spends satellites from the account balance, never card money. Unpublished orders are refunded automatically. --- URL: https://satelo.io/link-exchange/ # Link exchange for small sites: how it works, what's allowed, where to start "Link exchange" covers several very different things: a footer swap between two friends, a three-way scheme run by a link broker, and an honest article exchange between sites in the same niche. Search engines treat them differently, so it pays to know which one you are actually doing. ## What people mean by link exchange - **Reciprocal links (A↔B).** Two sites link to each other. One-off, relevant mentions between partners are normal on the web. Swapping links at scale, purely to cross-link, is not. - **Three-way exchange (A→B→C→A).** Each site links to the next one in a circle, so no two sites link to each other directly. The shape hides the swap from a casual look, but it does not change the intent behind it. Our article on [three-way link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/three-way-link-exchange/) goes through how it works and where it goes wrong. - **Article or guest post exchange.** Sites publish useful articles about each other for their readers. The link is a side effect of the article, not the point of it. This is closer to [guest posting than to a link swap](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). - **Paid placements.** Money or another benefit changes hands for the placement. That is allowed for advertising, as long as the link is labelled. ## What Google and Yandex actually say Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#link-spam) list "excessive link exchanges" and partner pages made only for cross-linking among the examples of link spam, together with buying or selling links that pass ranking credit. The same policy says what is fine: links that are bought for advertising or exchanged for some benefit should be qualified. Google's page on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) explains the attributes: `rel="sponsored"` for paid or compensated links, `rel="ugc"` for user content and `rel="nofollow"` for everything else you don't want to vouch for. Yandex's webmaster help on [links](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) covers paid links and link exchanges too: they make it harder for Yandex to judge how much a site can be trusted, and the page recommends marking such links with `rel="sponsored"`. The short version: the problem is not that two sites mention each other. The problem is links arranged in order to manipulate rankings, especially when they are hidden as editorial links. The shape of the arrangement (two-way, three-way, ten-way) does not change that. Our guide to [link exchange and Google's rules](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/) covers the details, and [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) explains which attribute to use where. ## What a safe exchange looks like - **The article is written for the host's readers.** If you would not publish it without the link, it is not worth publishing with one. - **The partner is relevant and real.** Similar topic, real visitors, a site that has existed for a while. Learn [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) before you agree to anything. - **The link is labelled.** Exchanged and paid links carry `rel="sponsored"`, and the article is marked as partner content. - **Volume stays natural.** A few relevant mentions a month from sites of your level look like what they are: partnerships. Hundreds of identical placements look like a scheme. - **You measure readers, not "link juice".** Visits, brand searches and mentions in your niche are the result you can check. Nobody can honestly promise you positions. ## How the Satelo exchange works Satelo is built around the safe version of the idea. Sites of a similar level and topic publish partner articles about each other in circles (A→B→C→A), never directly A↔B. Hosting an article earns you satellites (◉), the internal currency; you spend them on articles about your own site on other sites in the network. Links in exchange articles are published with `rel="sponsored"`, and every site gets an open [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) so partners can see who they are dealing with. Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small, so matching takes time in some niches. If you'd rather compare options, see how Satelo stacks up against established [guest post marketplaces](https://satelo.io/vs/). ## When link exchange is a bad idea Skip it if the partner's site has no real traffic, covers everything from casinos to recipes, sells "dofollow" placements in bulk, or asks you to hide the link from labelling. Skip it too if your own site has nothing worth recommending yet: [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) starts with one genuinely useful page, not with swaps. [Join the article exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) **Free tools:** [Sponsored link checker](https://satelo.io/tools/sponsored-link-checker/) ## How link exchange works [Article**Three-Way Link Exchange (ABC Linking): How It Works and What Google Says**How a three-way (ABC) link exchange works, what Google's link spam policy actually says about it, red flags in ABC offers, and how to do an honest version.](https://satelo.io/blog/three-way-link-exchange/)[Article**Is link exchange bad for SEO?**Is link exchange bad for SEO? What Google’s spam policies actually say, which swaps are risky, which are normal, warning signs and safer ways to get mentions.](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/)[Article**Guest posting vs link exchange**Guest posting vs link exchange compared: how each works, what Google’s spam policies say, risks, costs and effort, and when an article exchange network fits.](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/)[Guide**Link exchanges and sponsored posts: what Google allows**What Google's spam policies say about link exchanges, paid links and guest posts, how rel="sponsored" and nofollow work, and how to promote a site without risking a penalty.](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/)[Article**Satellite Sites in SEO (PBNs) vs Satelo Satellites: Two Different Things**What satellite sites and PBNs are in SEO, why Google and Yandex treat them as link manipulation, and why Satelo's satellites are a credit unit, not sites.](https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/) ## Building links safely [Article**Link building for new websites**Link building for new websites without risk: what to fix first, easiest first links and mentions, a 90-day plan, and the shortcuts that can hurt a new domain.](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/)[Article**Free link building strategies for small sites**Free link building strategies that work for small sites: linkable assets, unlinked mentions, broken links, partners, communities, expert quotes and exchanges.](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/)[Article**How many backlinks do I need to rank?**How many backlinks do I need? There is no magic number. Here is how to estimate it from the pages that already rank, and why quality and relevance matter more.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/)[Article**Resource Page Link Building: How to Find, Vet and Pitch Curated Pages**Resource page link building step by step: search operators that find real curated pages, a checklist to vet them, an outreach template and a tracking sheet.](https://satelo.io/blog/resource-page-link-building/)[Article**How to Do Broken Link Building With Free Tools (Small-Site Edition)**How to do broken link building with free tools: find dead links, confirm them, build a better page, vet the site and send a short, helpful outreach email.](https://satelo.io/blog/broken-link-building/)[Article**How to Find Unlinked Brand Mentions (and Reclaim Lost Links) for Free**Find unlinked brand mentions for free with Google search operators, Google Alerts and Search Console, then reclaim lost links and ask politely for credit.](https://satelo.io/blog/unlinked-brand-mentions/)[Article**Brand mentions vs backlinks: which one should you build?**Brand mentions vs backlinks: what each does for search and AI visibility, what is documented versus assumed, and how to plan a mix that suits a small site.](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/)[Article**Digital PR vs Link Building: A Practical Guide for Small Sites**Digital PR vs link building for small sites: how the goals differ, which tactics fit a tiny budget, why press release links don't help, and how to measure it.](https://satelo.io/blog/digital-pr-vs-link-building/)[Article**HARO Alternatives in 2026: Where Journalists Find Expert Sources Now**HARO alternatives for 2026: what happened to HARO and Connectively, how Source of Sources, Qwoted, Featured and SourceBottle compare, and how to pitch well.](https://satelo.io/blog/haro-alternatives/)[Article**Link Building Outreach Email Templates (With Follow-Ups)**Link building outreach email templates for broken links, resource pages, unlinked mentions and corrections, plus two follow-ups and the rules for cold email.](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-outreach-templates/) ## Link attributes, anchors and risks [Article**Nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC: which rel attribute to use**Nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC explained: what each rel attribute means, when Google expects it, how to combine them and how to set them up in WordPress.](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/)[Article**Anchor text for SEO: types, official rules, and how to pick it**Anchor text SEO without myths: anchor types, what Google and Yandex actually say, why exact-match anchors look like link schemes, and how to check your own.](https://satelo.io/blog/anchor-text-guide/)[Article**How to Spot PBN Sites Before You Buy a Link**How to spot PBN sites before you pay for a guest post: 15 practical signs, free tools to check them, and a 10-minute workflow for vetting any link seller.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) ## Platforms and exchanges [Article**Backlink Exchange Platforms in 2026: How They Work and Which Rules They Break**Backlink exchange platforms compared: how swap, credit and ring models work, what each tool publicly says, where Google's link spam policy draws the line.](https://satelo.io/blog/backlink-exchange-platforms/)[Comparison**Satelo vs Collaborator**10% on the buyer's deposit + 15% on the publisher's withdrawal](https://satelo.io/vs/collaborator/)[Comparison**Satelo vs Adsy**About 30% markup for buyers (Adsy's own reply on Trustpilot, 2023) + 7.9% on publisher withdrawals](https://satelo.io/vs/adsy/)[Comparison**Satelo vs Miralinks**5–12% on the buyer's deposit (non-refundable) + 18% for the webmaster (2014 notice)](https://satelo.io/vs/miralinks/)[Comparison**Satelo vs Sape**Commission is built into the catalog price (rate not published); 5% on deposits for companies](https://satelo.io/vs/sape/)[Comparison**Satelo vs GoGetLinks**30% of the link price (the publisher gets 70%); extra fees on bank-transfer deposits](https://satelo.io/vs/gogetlinks/) ## FAQ ### Is link exchange against Google's rules? Excessive link exchanges made only for cross-linking are listed as link spam in Google's spam policies. Occasional relevant mentions between partners are normal, and exchanged or paid links should be marked with rel="sponsored". ### Is a three-way link exchange safer than a direct swap? Not by itself. A circle A→B→C→A only changes the shape. What matters is intent, relevance, volume and labelling: useful articles on relevant sites with rel="sponsored" links are the safer pattern. ### Which rel attribute should exchanged links use? rel="sponsored". Google asks to use it for links that are paid or given in exchange for a benefit, and Yandex recommends the same for paid links. ### How many exchange links per month is too many? There is no published safe number. Keep volume in line with the real partnerships you have, and stop if placements start to look identical or come from unrelated sites. ### How is Satelo different from a link exchange network? Satelo exchanges labelled partner articles in circles between sites of a similar level and topic, never direct swaps. You earn satellites for hosting and spend them on articles about your site. It does not sell dofollow links or promise rankings. ### Is Satelo free? The article exchange is free: you pay with satellites earned by hosting articles. Satellites can also be bought, and Satelo takes a 10% fee on exchanges and marketplace orders. Satelo is in public beta. --- URL: https://satelo.io/guest-posts/ # Guest posts: how to buy, sell and price them without hurting your site A guest post is an article you write for someone else's site, usually with a mention of or a link to your own. Done well, it puts you in front of an audience that already trusts the host. Done as a link-buying scheme, it is exactly what search engines' spam rules describe. This hub covers both sides of the deal: buying placements and selling them. ## What counts as a guest post today The term now covers three different deals. An **editorial guest post** is written for free because the host wants good content and the author wants exposure. A **sponsored post** is paid for, with money or some other benefit, and has to be labelled as advertising. A **link insertion** adds a link to an article that already exists, which is the version most likely to look like plain link buying. Each has its own risks and prices. Start with [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/) and how it compares with [link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## What Google says about guest posting Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#link-spam) list large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links as an example of link spam. Guest posting as such is not banned. The trouble is volume, keyword-stuffed anchors and links that exist only to pass ranking credit. The same policies say that links bought for advertising or exchanged for a benefit should be qualified, and Google's page on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) recommends `rel="sponsored"` for them. If a host offers "dofollow links, no labels", what they are offering you is a policy violation. ## If you are buying a placement - **Start from the audience, not the metrics.** Ask whether the host's readers could actually need what you offer. A smaller blog on your exact topic often sends more real visitors than a big generic one. - **Check the site.** Look for real traffic signals, a consistent topic, a domain that has existed for a while and no pages full of casino and pill links. Our checklist [how to check a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) walks through it, and the free [Quality Score checker](https://satelo.io/check/) shows traffic signals, links and domain age in one report. - **Know the price range.** Prices depend on the audience, the niche and who writes the article. See [how much a guest post costs](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/) and [how sponsored posts are priced](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/). - **Find sites and pitch well.** [How to find guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) and our [outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/) cover search operators, lists and pitches that editors answer. If you'd rather use a marketplace, compare the [guest post marketplaces](https://satelo.io/blog/best-guest-post-marketplaces/). - **Expect a labelled link.** A sponsored placement with `rel="sponsored"` still brings readers, brand searches and a mention in your niche. It is the safe version and the only one we recommend. ## If you are selling placements Selling sponsored posts is a legitimate way to earn from a blog, as long as readers can tell what is paid. A few rules keep it sustainable: - **Keep editorial control.** Publish only articles you would be happy for your readers to see, and turn down off-topic requests even when they pay well. - **Label both the article and the link.** Mark the post as sponsored or partner content and use `rel="sponsored"`. In the US, the FTC's [native advertising guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/native-advertising-guide-businesses) and its [Endorsement Guides FAQ](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) explain that paid content must be clearly identifiable as advertising. Our article on [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers the US, the EU and Russia. - **Set a clear price and process.** [How to sell guest posts](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/) and [making money from guest posts](https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/) cover pricing, briefs and what to put in a media kit. If your traffic is modest, [monetizing a low-traffic site](https://satelo.io/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/) is a realistic place to start. - **On WordPress, automate the boring parts.** [Accepting sponsored posts on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) shows how to set up submissions, labels and link attributes, and [guest post plugins](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/) compares the tools. ## Writing a guest post that works The article has to be worth reading without the link. Answer one concrete question the host's audience has, bring something the host couldn't write alone (a process from your own work, a checklist, a worked example) and link to your site where it genuinely helps the reader, not inside a keyword anchor. [How to write a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/) has a structure you can reuse. ## Guest posts vs article exchange Paying for every placement adds up quickly for a small site. The alternative is to exchange articles with sites of a similar level: you host a partner's article, and another site in the circle hosts yours. Satelo runs this in circles A→B→C→A, never as direct swaps. You earn satellites (◉) for hosting and spend them on articles about your site, and exchange links carry `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small, so if you need a placement on one specific site tomorrow, a direct pitch or a marketplace will be faster. More on the [link exchange](https://satelo.io/link-exchange/) hub. [Check a site before you buy](https://satelo.io/check/) **Free tools:** [Sponsored link checker](https://satelo.io/tools/sponsored-link-checker/) ## Guest posting basics [Article**What is guest posting?**What is guest posting, why sites still do it, how Google treats guest post links, and a step-by-step process to publish your first article without risk.](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/)[Article**Guest posting vs link exchange**Guest posting vs link exchange compared: how each works, what Google’s spam policies say, risks, costs and effort, and when an article exchange network fits.](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/)[Article**Link Insertion vs Guest Post: Cost, Risk and When Each Makes Sense**Link insertion vs guest post compared: cost, speed, control and risk, what Google's link rules require for paid placements, and a safer, disclosed third option.](https://satelo.io/blog/link-insertion-vs-guest-post/)[Article**Guest Post Exchange: How to Swap Guest Posts Without a Link Scheme**A guest post exchange done right: how to find a partner, agree on topic, links and disclosure, a pitch template, and where a swap turns into a link scheme.](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-exchange/) ## If you're buying: finding and vetting sites [Article**How to find guest post sites in your niche**How to find guest post sites in your niche: search operators, competitor backlinks, communities and networks, plus a checklist to vet each site before pitching.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/)[Article**Guest Post Marketplaces Compared: Prices, Vetting and Link Rules**Guest post marketplaces compared on what they publish: fees, link attribute rules, guarantees and refunds, plus a checklist to vet any site before you pay.](https://satelo.io/blog/best-guest-post-marketplaces/)[Guide**How much does a guest post cost?**What actually sets the price of a guest post or sponsored article: traffic, authority, niche, link terms and guarantees — plus a simple model to sanity-check any quote.](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/)[Guide**How to check a website before buying a guest post**A practical 10-point checklist to vet a site before you pay for a sponsored article: real traffic, index presence, outbound links, content quality and guarantees.](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/)[Article**Guest post outreach email templates**Free guest post outreach email templates: first pitch, follow-up, partner pitch, interview request and more, with tips on subject lines and personalisation.](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/) ## If you're selling: pricing and publishing [Guide**How to sell guest posts on your blog without hurting it**Earn from sponsored articles while keeping readers and search engines happy: pricing, limits, labelling, rel="sponsored", topic fit and what to refuse.](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/)[Article**How to make money selling guest posts on your blog**A practical plan to make money selling guest posts: what buyers pay for, how to set rules and prices, where to find orders and what to refuse to stay safe.](https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/)[Article**How to price sponsored posts on your blog**How to price sponsored posts on a blog: the factors buyers care about, a worked pricing model, add-ons, sensible discounts and when to raise your rates.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/)[Article**Blog Media Kit: What to Include When Your Traffic Is Small**A blog media kit for small sites: what to include, which numbers to show and how to prove them, how to sell niche and engagement, plus a one-page structure.](https://satelo.io/blog/blog-media-kit/)[Article**How to Prove Your Website Traffic to Advertisers and Partners**Verified website traffic for small publishers: share read-only GA4 or Search Console access, public dashboards and an honest media kit, without leaking data.](https://satelo.io/blog/prove-website-traffic-to-advertisers/)[Article**How to accept sponsored posts on WordPress**Step-by-step setup to accept sponsored posts on WordPress: user roles, review workflow, labels, rel=sponsored links, SEO plugin settings and automation.](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/)[Article**WordPress Guest Post Plugins: Accept Submissions, Sponsored Posts or Partner Articles**WordPress guest post plugins compared: front-end submission forms, paid post packs and partner-article exchange, with installs and update dates checked today.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/)[Article**How to Monetize a Low Traffic Website (Without Ruining It)**How to monetize a low traffic website without wrecking it: ad networks, affiliates, sponsored posts, digital products and content exchange, with real risks.](https://satelo.io/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/) ## Writing, labelling and disclosure [Article**How to write a sponsored article people actually read**How to write a sponsored article that editors accept and readers trust: structure, brand placement, disclosure, links, a ready outline and a final checklist.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/)[Article**Sponsored content disclosure rules for blogs and websites**Sponsored content disclosure rules for blogs explained: what the FTC, UK CAP Code, EU law and Google expect, where to put labels and wording you can copy.](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/)[Article**Nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC: which rel attribute to use**Nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC explained: what each rel attribute means, when Google expects it, how to combine them and how to set them up in WordPress.](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) ## FAQ ### Are guest posts against Google's rules? Not by themselves. Google's spam policies list large-scale guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links as link spam, and paid or exchanged links should be marked with rel="sponsored". ### Should a paid guest post link be dofollow? No. Google asks site owners to mark paid links and links given in exchange for a benefit with rel="sponsored". A host selling unlabelled "dofollow" links is breaking that guidance. ### How much does a guest post cost? There is no single market price. It depends on the site's real audience, the niche, and whether you or the host write the article. Compare several offers and judge them by audience, not by third-party scores alone. ### How do I check a site before buying a guest post? Look at traffic signals, topic consistency, outbound links on existing posts and domain age. The free Satelo checker shows these signals with their sources in one report. ### Do I have to disclose sponsored posts? In many countries, yes. In the US the FTC expects paid content to be clearly identifiable as advertising; Russia requires ad labelling under its advertising law. Check the rules for your audience's country. ### Can I get guest posts without paying money? Yes: pitch editorial guest posts to relevant blogs, or exchange articles. In Satelo you host partner articles, earn satellites and spend them on articles about your site. Satelo is in public beta. --- URL: https://satelo.io/website-promotion/ # Website promotion for small sites: channels, partnerships and a realistic plan Small sites rarely fail because they lack a secret growth hack. They fail because nobody outside the owner's circle ever hears about them. Promotion is the work of getting your best pages in front of people who need them, through search and through other people's sites, newsletters and communities. If you want the short list first, start with [how to promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## First, make one page worth promoting Every channel below works better when it leads somewhere useful. Google's guide to [creating helpful, reliable, people-first content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks questions worth answering before you promote anything: does the page provide original information, would a reader leave satisfied, would they bookmark it or share it? One page that clearly answers a real question beats twenty thin posts. For niche sites, [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) shows how to pick those questions. ## Channels that work for small sites - **Search.** Slow to start, but it compounds. Pick specific, low-competition questions and answer them better than what's already ranking. Make sure your pages are actually in the index first; see the [indexing](https://satelo.io/indexing/) hub. - **Partnerships and cross-promotion.** Sites with the same audience but a different offer can recommend each other in newsletters, resource pages and joint content. [Cross-promotion ideas](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/) and the [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) list formats that don't look like link swaps. - **Guest posts and article exchange.** A useful article on a relevant site brings readers who already trust the host. Paid placements must be labelled; the [guest posts](https://satelo.io/guest-posts/) and [link exchange](https://satelo.io/link-exchange/) hubs cover how to do both safely. - **Content syndication.** Republishing your article on a bigger platform can reach new readers, but it creates duplicate copies. Read Google's guidance on [consolidating duplicate URLs](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls) and our [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/) before you agree to it. - **Communities.** Forums, Reddit, Pinterest, podcasts and niche chats work when you answer questions and share expertise, not when you drop links. See [Reddit for bloggers](https://satelo.io/blog/reddit-marketing-for-bloggers/), [Pinterest traffic](https://satelo.io/blog/pinterest-traffic-for-blogs/) and [podcast guesting](https://satelo.io/blog/podcast-guesting-for-seo/). - **Local listings.** For a local business, a complete Google Business Profile matters as much as the website. Google's help on [improving your local ranking](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091) names relevance, distance and prominence as the main factors. More in [promoting a local business website](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## What to avoid Some "promotion" shortcuts cost more than they bring. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) describe link schemes, including buying or selling links that pass ranking credit and excessive link exchanges, and sites that take part can rank lower or drop out of results. Mass directory submissions, comment spam, purchased followers and fake reviews belong to the same family: easy to do, hard to undo. If an offer promises a fixed number of "dofollow backlinks" or guaranteed positions, walk away. ## A simple plan for the first months - Pick one audience and three to five questions it asks that nobody answers well. - Publish one strong page per question and link them to each other. - Make sure the pages are indexed in Google and, for Russian-speaking audiences, in Yandex. - Find a handful of sites with the same audience and propose something useful for their readers: a guest article, a joint guide, a mention in a roundup. Our guide to [getting your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) has scripts. - Pick one community where your audience already talks and contribute there every week. - Check what worked after a few weeks and do more of it. None of this guarantees traffic by a certain date, and anyone who promises that is guessing. What it does give you is a site that more people know about every month. ## Measuring promotion Look at referral traffic in your analytics (which sites send readers), Search Console impressions and clicks for your target questions, brand searches, and how many independent sites mention you. Third-party traffic estimates are rough for small sites; for your own site, first-party data is always better. To see how your site looks from the outside, run it through the free [traffic checker](https://satelo.io/website-traffic-checker/). ## Where Satelo fits Satelo turns the partnership step into a system: sites of a similar level and topic publish articles about each other in circles (A→B→C→A). You earn satellites (◉) by hosting partner articles and spend them on articles about your site; links are labelled `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is in public beta and the network is small, so treat it as one channel among several, not a replacement for the rest. [Start exchanging articles](https://satelo.io/app/) ## Promotion strategies that cost time, not money [Article**How to promote your website for free: a practical 30-day plan**How to promote your website for free: 20 practical methods across search, listings, content, communities and partners, plus a 30-day plan for a new site.](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/)[Article**Free Website Promotion Sites: 25 Places to List and Share Your Site**Free website promotion sites checked on October 16, 2026: 25 places to list and share your site, what each one really gives you, the rules, and what to skip.](https://satelo.io/blog/free-website-promotion-sites/)[Article**How to Promote Your Blog Without Social Media: 11 Channels That Work**How to promote your blog without social media: 11 channels that work without a following, from search and email to partner articles, forums and AI answers.](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-blog-without-social-media/)[Article**How to Get Traffic to a New Blog: What Happens in Months 1, 3 and 6**How to get traffic on a new blog: what to do in months 1, 3 and 6, why search traffic starts slow, what to measure first, and mistakes that waste year one.](https://satelo.io/blog/get-traffic-to-new-blog/)[Article**15 cross-promotion ideas for websites (and how to run them well)**15 practical cross-promotion ideas for websites: content swaps, bundles, joint webinars and newsletters, plus how to find partners and follow Google rules.](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/)[Article**Blogger collaboration: a practical guide for small sites**A practical blogger collaboration guide: formats that work, how to find partners, an outreach template, how to split work and how to keep it safe for SEO.](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/)[Article**Content syndication: how to republish your articles without losing traffic**A practical content syndication guide: where to republish, how to handle duplicates with noindex or canonical, timing, and a checklist for small sites.](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/)[Guide**How to get your first mentions and visitors for a new website**A practical plan for a brand-new site: get indexed, earn real mentions in your niche, use communities without getting banned, and measure progress.](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) ## Channels beyond search [Article**How to Get Blog Traffic From Pinterest in 2026: What Actually Works**How to get blog traffic from Pinterest in 2026: business account, claiming your site, keyword-rich pins and boards, rich pins, a weekly routine and real limits.](https://satelo.io/blog/pinterest-traffic-for-blogs/)[Article**Reddit Marketing for Bloggers: How to Promote Your Blog Without Getting Banned**How to use Reddit for marketing as a blogger: learn the rules, join in before posting links, share posts that stand alone, and avoid what gets you banned.](https://satelo.io/blog/reddit-marketing-for-bloggers/)[Article**Podcast Guesting for SEO: How to Get Booked and Make Each Episode Count**How to get booked as a podcast guest as a small site owner: find the right shows, write a pitch hosts answer, and make show notes and transcripts work for you.](https://satelo.io/blog/podcast-guesting-for-seo/)[Article**How to Get More Comments on Your Blog (Without Begging or Spam)**How to get more comments on your blog: ask better questions, reply fast, fix your comment form, find new readers and keep spam out without losing real people.](https://satelo.io/blog/get-more-blog-comments/) ## Growing a niche blog [Article**SEO for niche blogs: a practical plan**SEO for niche blogs without a big budget: choosing topics, topic clusters, on-page basics, internal links, technical checks and earning mentions the safe way.](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/)[Article**How to Build Topical Authority on a Small Website (30 to 60 Posts)**How to build topical authority on a small site with 30 to 60 posts: a topic map from free data, hubs and spokes, internal links, and Search Console tracking.](https://satelo.io/blog/topical-authority-small-sites/)[Article**E-E-A-T for Small Blogs: What You Can Actually Show**E-E-A-T signals a one-person blog can show: first-hand experience, a real About page, sources, dates and bylines. What Google says, plus a 10-point checklist.](https://satelo.io/blog/eeat-for-small-blogs/)[Article**How to Find Low-Competition Keywords for a New Blog (Free Method)**How to find low competition keywords for a new blog with free tools only: autocomplete, People Also Ask, reading the top results, Trends and Search Console.](https://satelo.io/blog/low-competition-keywords-new-blog/)[Article**How to Grow a Food Blog: Recipe SEO, Pinterest and the Channels That Last**How to grow a food blog in 2026: Recipe structured data done right, long-tail recipe SEO, photos that rank, Pinterest, email and honest collaborations.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-grow-food-blog/)[Article**How to Promote a Travel Blog: 12 Channels That Don't Depend on Instagram**How to promote a travel blog without relying on Instagram: destination SEO, Pinterest, Reddit, email, tourism boards, media kits and blogger collaborations.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-travel-blog/)[Article**How to Promote a Tech Blog: Communities, Tutorial SEO and Syndication Done Right**How to promote a tech blog: Hacker News and Lobsters etiquette, Reddit rules, dev.to and Medium with canonical URLs, tutorial SEO, GitHub and newsletters.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-tech-blog/)[Article**How to Start and Grow a Mom Blog When You Only Have a Few Hours a Week**How to start and grow a mom blog on a few hours a week: a narrow niche, content clusters, batching, Pinterest, collaborations, kids' privacy and disclosure.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-grow-a-mom-blog/)[Article**How to Start and Grow a Personal Finance Blog Without Fighting YMYL**How to start and grow a personal finance blog when Google treats money as YMYL: experience-first topics, author pages, sources, disclosures and early channels.](https://satelo.io/blog/grow-personal-finance-blog/) ## Local businesses and Yandex [Article**How to promote a local business website**How to promote a local business website on a small budget: Google Business Profile, local pages, reviews, citations, local partners and tracking results.](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/) ## FAQ ### What is the best free way to promote a website? There isn't one best channel. For most small sites the core is one genuinely useful page, indexing in the main search engines, partnerships with sites that share your audience, and steady participation in one community. ### How long does website promotion take to work? There is no honest fixed timeline. Referral channels like partnerships and communities can send visitors within days; search usually takes longer and is never guaranteed. ### Are directory submissions still worth it? Mass submissions to generic directories rarely bring visitors, and link schemes are listed in Google's spam policies. A few relevant listings, such as a Google Business Profile for a local business, can still be useful. ### Is content syndication bad for SEO? It creates duplicate copies, so the bigger site may outrank yours with your own article. Read Google's guidance on duplicate URLs and agree on how the partner's copy is handled before you republish. ### How do I promote a local business website? Complete and verify your Google Business Profile, keep your name, address and phone consistent, collect genuine reviews, and add local pages that answer customers' real questions. ### How does Satelo help with promotion? Satelo connects sites of a similar level and topic that publish labelled partner articles about each other in circles. You earn satellites by hosting and spend them on articles about your site. It is one channel among several and is in public beta. --- URL: https://satelo.io/website-traffic-checker/ # Website traffic checker: see how popular any site is, for free Check traffic Enter a domain like example.com Free, no sign-up. You'll see the traffic signals we found, plus authority and domain age. Only the owner of a website knows its exact traffic: it lives in their analytics. Everyone else, including every "traffic checker" on the market, works with estimates. A good checker tells you where each number comes from and how rough it is. That's what this one does. ## What the Satelo checker shows Enter a domain and the checker collects public signals about how many people actually use the site. Depending on the site, you'll see one or more of these: - **Verified visits.** If the site is connected to Satelo, traffic comes from the plugin's own counter and is marked as verified. This is the only case where we show a measured number rather than an estimate. - **Popularity rank (Tranco).** [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/) is a research list of the top one million domains, built by combining several popularity rankings over time to make it harder to manipulate. If a domain is in it, we show its rank and a rough monthly visits band. The band is our own coarse rule of thumb: top 1,000 means 10M+ visits a month, top 10,000 means 1M–10M, top 100,000 means 100k–1M, and the rest of the list 10k–100k. Treat it as an order of magnitude, not a measurement. - **Real Chrome users (CrUX).** The [Chrome UX Report](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux) only includes sites with enough real Chrome visitors to report on. If a site is in it, real people visit it regularly; if it isn't, the site is either small or new. We use this as a presence signal, not a visit count. - **Third-party estimates for network sites.** For sites in the Satelo network, we also show Similarweb or Semrush estimates where they exist. Next to traffic, the same report shows link authority from the open web index and domain age, which together make up the [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/). Every value is shown with its source. ## What it doesn't show (and why) We don't invent precise visit counts for sites that aren't connected. Most small sites are below the threshold of any public dataset, so a tool that confidently says "2,413 visits a month" for a ten-page blog is guessing. We also don't show traffic sources, keywords or country splits for third-party sites: that data either belongs to the owner or comes from paid panels. Our article on the [best free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/) compares what other tools offer. ## How traffic estimates are made elsewhere Commercial tools mostly combine three methods. **Clickstream panels** watch a sample of users through browser extensions or apps and scale it up, which works for big sites and gets noisy for small ones. **Search models** take a site's rankings, multiply by search volume and an assumed click-through rate, so they only see search traffic. **Rank lists** such as Tranco say how popular a domain is relative to others, not how many visits it gets. That's why two tools can disagree several times over on the same small site. If you need to decide something based on traffic, look at several signals together. ## How to check a competitor's traffic - Run the domain through the checker above and note the rank, CrUX presence and domain age. - Compare with a free plan of Similarweb or Semrush, keeping in mind that both are estimates. - Look for public stats: some sites publish an open analytics counter or a media kit with numbers. - Check how many of their pages are indexed and whether they rank for the queries you care about. The step-by-step version is in [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). If you're vetting a site before buying a guest post, use the checklist in [how to check a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## Checking your own site For your own site, skip estimates and use first-party data: Google Search Console shows clicks and impressions from Google, your analytics shows all visits, and Bing Webmaster Tools covers Bing. If you connect your site to Satelo, partners in the network see your traffic as verified, which makes it easier to find article exchange partners of your level. [Open the website checker](https://satelo.io/check/) ## Checking website traffic [Article**How to Check Website Traffic for Free**How to check website traffic free: 8 methods for your own site and for competitors, what each one really measures, and how to spot inflated numbers fast.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/)[Article**Free Website Traffic Checkers Compared: What You Get Without Paying**Free website traffic checkers compared: what Similarweb, Semrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest and Satelo show without paying, their limits, and how to cross-check them.](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/)[Article**How Accurate Are Similarweb, Semrush and Other Traffic Estimates?**How accurate is Similarweb, and Semrush or Ahrefs? What vendors and independent studies say, why small sites get the worst estimates, and what to check instead.](https://satelo.io/blog/website-traffic-estimate-accuracy/)[Article**Free Similarweb Alternatives: How to Estimate Any Site's Traffic**Free Similarweb alternatives compared by data source: keyword-based estimates, popularity ranks like Tranco and CrUX, and open data that works for small sites.](https://satelo.io/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/)[Article**Competitor Traffic Analysis: How Many Visitors They Get and From Where**Competitor traffic analysis without paid tools: estimate visits, find their channels, top pages, keywords and links, then turn it into a plan for your own site.](https://satelo.io/blog/competitor-traffic-analysis/)[Article**How to Prove Your Website Traffic to Advertisers and Partners**Verified website traffic for small publishers: share read-only GA4 or Search Console access, public dashboards and an honest media kit, without leaking data.](https://satelo.io/blog/prove-website-traffic-to-advertisers/)[Article**Website Traffic Dropped Suddenly? Work Through This Checklist**Website traffic dropped suddenly? Check tracking first, then indexing, Google updates, seasonality and AI answers. A 15-minute checklist for small sites.](https://satelo.io/blog/website-traffic-dropped/) ## Analytics for your own site [Article**GA4 for Bloggers: A Simple Setup for Small Sites**GA4 for beginners who run a blog: install the tag, set up two key events, link Search Console and read the five reports that actually matter for a small site.](https://satelo.io/blog/ga4-for-bloggers/)[Article**How to Track ChatGPT and AI Traffic in GA4**How to check ChatGPT traffic in GA4: the built-in AI Assistant channel, a custom channel group for missed sources, Explorations, and why AI visits undercount.](https://satelo.io/blog/track-ai-traffic-ga4/) ## Related site metrics [Article**Tranco Rank Explained**Tranco rank explained: where the list comes from, how it combines five data sources, what a rank of 50,000 or 900,000 means, and how to use it to vet websites.](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/)[Article**Domain Authority Explained: What the Number Really Tells You**Domain authority explained in plain terms: who makes DA, DR and similar scores, what Google actually uses, and how to read the numbers without being fooled.](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/)[Article**Domain Age and SEO: Does Website Age Matter?**Domain age and SEO: what Google has said about website age, why older sites often rank anyway, expired domain risks, and how to check any domain’s age.](https://satelo.io/blog/website-age-and-seo/)[Guide**How to check a website before buying a guest post**A practical 10-point checklist to vet a site before you pay for a sponsored article: real traffic, index presence, outbound links, content quality and guarantees.](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) ## FAQ ### Can I see the exact traffic of someone else's website? No. Exact numbers live only in the owner's analytics. Every public tool shows estimates; the Satelo checker shows a measured number only for sites connected to Satelo, marked as verified. ### Is the Satelo traffic checker free? Yes. Checking any domain is free and doesn't require an account. Satelo is in public beta. ### Where does the traffic data come from? From the Satelo plugin counter for connected sites, the Tranco top-1M list, the Chrome UX Report, and Similarweb or Semrush estimates for sites in the Satelo network. Each value is shown with its source. ### Why does a small site show no traffic data? Most small sites are below the threshold of public datasets such as Tranco and the Chrome UX Report. No data doesn't mean no visitors; it means there is no public evidence yet. ### Why do traffic checkers disagree with each other? They use different methods: user panels, search ranking models or popularity lists. For small sites the differences can be large, so compare several signals instead of trusting one number. ### How do I get my traffic shown as verified? Connect your site to Satelo with the WordPress plugin or the API feed. The plugin's counter then reports your visits, and the checker marks them as verified. --- URL: https://satelo.io/free-seo-tools/ # Free SEO tools: a task-by-task map for small sites You can run a small site's SEO without a paid subscription. The trick is to know which free tool answers which question, and where free data stops being reliable. The most accurate data about your own site is free and comes from the search engines themselves. Free plans of commercial tools are for looking at other sites, and they come with limits. ## Start with first-party tools These are free, official and about your own site, so nothing else is more accurate: - **[Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about).** Queries, clicks and impressions from Google, the Page indexing report, links to your site and Core Web Vitals. Google notes that its Links report [isn't a complete list](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606), but it's the closest you'll get for free. - **[Bing Webmaster Tools](https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/add-and-verify-site-12184f8b).** The same kind of data for Bing, which also matters because many AI assistants use Bing's index. - **[Yandex Webmaster](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/).** Essential if any of your audience speaks Russian: indexing, excluded pages, queries and the site quality index. - **[PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/)** for speed and real-user Core Web Vitals, and Google's [Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) for structured data. - **Your analytics.** GA4, Yandex Metrica or a privacy-friendly counter show all visits, not only search. See [GA4 for bloggers](https://satelo.io/blog/ga4-for-bloggers/). ## Links and authority To see who links to a site, you need a crawler of the whole web, which is expensive to run, so free access is limited. [Ahrefs Webmaster Tools](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) is free for sites you can verify as yours. Moz's [Link Explorer](https://moz.com/link-explorer) gives limited free queries. For a quick look at any domain, the Satelo [Quality Score checker](https://satelo.io/check/) combines open data (Majestic Million, the Common Crawl web graph, Tranco, the Chrome UX Report, Internet Archive and WHOIS) into one 0–100 score with sources. Comparisons: [free domain authority checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/free-domain-authority-checkers/), [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) and [cheap Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/). What the scores mean is on the [website authority](https://satelo.io/website-authority/) hub. ## Traffic of other sites Nobody outside a site has its real traffic, so every free traffic tool shows estimates. Use them for orders of magnitude and comparisons, not exact numbers. Our [traffic checker](https://satelo.io/website-traffic-checker/) shows which signals exist for a domain and where each comes from; [best free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/) compares the alternatives. ## Keywords and content For keyword ideas, start with what you already rank for: the Search Console Performance report shows real queries. Google's [Keyword Planner](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7337243) is free but requires a Google Ads account and shows broad volume ranges unless you run ads. Autocomplete, "People also ask" and the questions in your niche's communities are free and often closer to how people really search. For a full suite on a budget, see [free Semrush alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-semrush-alternatives/). ## AI helpers AI assistants are useful for drafts, clustering keywords, writing schema and checking pages at scale, as long as you verify their output. Through MCP servers they can also call SEO data tools directly: see [the best MCP servers for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-seo/) and [Claude Code for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/claude-code-for-seo/). Satelo has an MCP server too, described on the [AI agents page](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## How to choose and what to watch for - **One tool per question.** Indexing → Search Console and Yandex Webmaster. Links → a link index. Traffic of others → several estimates side by side. - **Check the limits.** Free plans change, and limits on queries, rows and history are common. Look at the current terms on the vendor's site before building a routine around one. - **Don't chase third-party scores.** DA, DR and similar metrics are estimates from each vendor's own data, and they differ between tools. Use them to compare sites, not as a goal. - **Prefer tools that show sources.** A number without an explanation of where it came from is hard to act on. [Run a free site check](https://satelo.io/check/) **Free tools:** [AI crawler checker](https://satelo.io/tools/ai-crawler-checker/) · [llms.txt generator](https://satelo.io/tools/llms-txt-generator/) · [Sponsored link checker](https://satelo.io/tools/sponsored-link-checker/) ## Free and cheaper alternatives to paid suites [Article**Free Ahrefs Alternatives for Small Sites**Free Ahrefs alternatives for backlinks, keywords, site audits and competitor checks: 12 tools, what each one does well, and a zero-budget SEO stack to copy.](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/)[Article**Cheaper Ahrefs Alternatives for Small Sites and Solo SEOs**Cheaper alternatives to Ahrefs, checked on vendor pricing pages: Ubersuggest, Mangools, SpyFu, Moz Starter, Ahrefs Starter, and what you give up at each price.](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/)[Article**Free Semrush Alternatives That Small Sites Can Actually Use**Free Semrush alternatives matched to each job: keywords, rank tracking, site audits, backlinks and competitor checks, with free limits checked October 16, 2026.](https://satelo.io/blog/free-semrush-alternatives/) ## Authority, links and traffic [Article**Free Domain Authority Checkers: Moz DA, Ahrefs DR, Semrush AS and Others**Free domain authority checkers side by side: Moz DA, Ahrefs DR, Semrush Authority Score and Satelo QS. Free limits, data sources and why the scores disagree.](https://satelo.io/blog/free-domain-authority-checkers/)[Article**Free Website Traffic Checkers Compared: What You Get Without Paying**Free website traffic checkers compared: what Similarweb, Semrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest and Satelo show without paying, their limits, and how to cross-check them.](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/)[Article**Free Similarweb Alternatives: How to Estimate Any Site's Traffic**Free Similarweb alternatives compared by data source: keyword-based estimates, popularity ranks like Tranco and CrUX, and open data that works for small sites.](https://satelo.io/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/) ## Keywords and content [Article**SEO Content Brief Template for Bloggers: Copy It, Fill It, Hand It Off**A free SEO content brief template for bloggers: each field explained, a filled-in example, free ways to gather the data, and a version to hand to an AI writer.](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-content-brief-template/)[Article**How to Find Low-Competition Keywords for a New Blog (Free Method)**How to find low competition keywords for a new blog with free tools only: autocomplete, People Also Ask, reading the top results, Trends and Search Console.](https://satelo.io/blog/low-competition-keywords-new-blog/) ## Analytics [Article**GA4 for Bloggers: A Simple Setup for Small Sites**GA4 for beginners who run a blog: install the tag, set up two key events, link Search Console and read the five reports that actually matter for a small site.](https://satelo.io/blog/ga4-for-bloggers/)[Article**How to Track ChatGPT and AI Traffic in GA4**How to check ChatGPT traffic in GA4: the built-in AI Assistant channel, a custom channel group for missed sources, Explorations, and why AI visits undercount.](https://satelo.io/blog/track-ai-traffic-ga4/) ## AI tools and automation [Article**MCP Servers for SEO: What Each One Gives Your AI Agent**SEO MCP servers compared from their own docs: Search Console, Analytics, Ahrefs, Semrush, SE Ranking, DataForSEO, Screaming Frog and Satelo. Data, cost, setup.](https://satelo.io/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-seo/)[Article**Claude Code for SEO: How to Set Up MCP Servers and Run Real SEO Tasks**How to use Claude Code for SEO: connect Search Console and other MCP servers, run five real tasks with copy-paste prompts, and know where to check its work.](https://satelo.io/blog/claude-code-for-seo/) ## FAQ ### What is the best free SEO tool? For your own site, Google Search Console, plus Bing Webmaster Tools and Yandex Webmaster depending on your audience. They are free, official and more accurate than any third-party estimate. ### Is there a free alternative to Ahrefs? For your own verified sites, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is free. For other sites, free options give limited link data; the Satelo checker combines open datasets into a free Quality Score with sources. ### Can I check another site's traffic for free? Only as an estimate. Free tools use rank lists, user panels or search models. Compare several signals and treat the result as an order of magnitude. ### Is Google Keyword Planner free? Yes, but it requires a Google Ads account and shows broad search volume ranges unless you run campaigns. Search Console queries are often more useful for a small site. ### Are free SEO tools accurate? First-party tools such as Search Console are accurate for your own site. Third-party free tools show estimates from their own data, which can differ a lot between vendors, especially for small sites. ### Is the Satelo checker free? Yes. Checking any domain's Quality Score is free and requires no account. The score is based mostly on open data, and every value is shown with its source. Satelo is in public beta. --- URL: https://satelo.io/indexing/ # Indexing for small sites: why pages don't get indexed and what to do A page that isn't indexed can't rank, can't be cited by an AI assistant and can't bring a single search visitor. On small and new sites, indexing problems are one of the most common reasons "SEO isn't working". The good news is that most of them have a known cause and an unglamorous fix. ## How indexing works, in one paragraph Search engines discover URLs from links, sitemaps and pings, crawl them, decide whether each page is worth storing, and only then can show it. Google says plainly in [how Search works](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/how-search-works) that it doesn't guarantee it will crawl, index or serve a page, even one that follows its guidelines. Yandex makes the same kind of decision and documents the reasons it [excludes pages from search](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-indexing/excluded-pages.html). Indexing is a choice the search engine makes, not something a sitemap buys. ## Google: reading the Page indexing report Search Console's [Page indexing report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203) lists every reason a known URL is not indexed. Two statuses cause most of the worry on small sites: - **Discovered – currently not indexed.** Google knows the URL but hasn't crawled it yet. On a small site this usually means Google doesn't see enough reason to spend time on the page yet: few internal links point to it, or the site as a whole is new and little known. - **Crawled – currently not indexed.** Google fetched the page and decided not to index it for now. The report documentation says such a URL may or may not be indexed in the future and doesn't need to be resubmitted. The fix is usually the page itself: make it more useful and less like other pages. See [crawled – currently not indexed](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) for a step-by-step diagnosis. For a single page, the [URL Inspection tool](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9012289) shows what Google knows about it and lets you request indexing. Google's page on [asking Google to recrawl](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/ask-google-to-recrawl) explains the options and warns that a request doesn't guarantee inclusion. Pressing the button daily won't help; fixing the reason will. ## Yandex: Webmaster, excluded pages and IndexNow In [Yandex Webmaster](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/), the pages-in-search report shows excluded URLs together with the reason. A frequent one for small sites is the low-value or low-demand page status; Yandex's help on [low-value pages](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-indexing/low-demand.html) explains what it means and how to deal with duplicates. Yandex also supports [IndexNow](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/index-now.html), an open protocol for telling search engines that a URL was added or changed; [indexnow.org](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation) lists the engines that take part. If your audience speaks Russian, Yandex is worth the extra hour of setup. ## Fixes that work on almost every small site - **Link to every important page from real pages.** A page reachable only through the sitemap looks unimportant. Add links from the homepage, category pages and related articles, using normal `` links as Google describes in [making links crawlable](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable). - **Submit a clean sitemap.** Only canonical, indexable URLs that return 200. Google's [sitemap guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap) covers format and limits. - **Merge or remove thin and duplicate pages.** Tag archives, near-identical posts and URL parameters spread the site thin. [Content pruning](https://satelo.io/blog/content-pruning/) explains how to decide what to keep, merge or delete. - **Check the technical basics.** No accidental `noindex`, nothing important blocked in `robots.txt`, a self-referencing canonical, a 200 response and a page that loads reasonably fast. [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) covers speed without the jargon. - **Give new sites time.** There is no fixed timeline. [How long a new website takes to rank](https://satelo.io/blog/how-long-new-website-to-rank/) explains what affects it without promising dates. - **Earn mentions on other sites.** Links from other sites are one of the ways search engines discover pages. Partnerships, guest posts and article exchange all help here; see the [website promotion](https://satelo.io/website-promotion/) hub. Once your pages are in the index but get few clicks, the problem moves from indexing to relevance and snippets: see [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/). ## Where Satelo fits Satelo doesn't index anything for you, and nobody can honestly promise indexing. What it can do: partner articles in the Satelo exchange put a labelled link to your site on relevant pages, which gives readers another path to it, and the free [checker](https://satelo.io/check/) shows your domain age, link signals and whether your site appears in public datasets such as the Chrome UX Report. [Run a free site check](https://satelo.io/check/) **Free tools:** [AI crawler checker](https://satelo.io/tools/ai-crawler-checker/) ## Google: pages not indexed [Article**"Crawled – Currently Not Indexed": What It Means and What We Did on a New Site**What "Crawled – currently not indexed" means in Google Search Console, how to diagnose it step by step, and the real indexing timeline of our new site.](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/)[Article**"Discovered – Currently Not Indexed": Why Google Hasn't Crawled Your Pages Yet**What "Discovered – currently not indexed" means in Search Console, why it is usually about priority on small sites, and what to fix first, step by step.](https://satelo.io/blog/discovered-currently-not-indexed/)[Article**How Long Does It Take a New Website to Rank? Sandbox, Data and a Real Timeline**How long a new website takes to rank on Google: what Ahrefs data shows, what Google says about the sandbox, a realistic timeline and what to do while you wait.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-long-new-website-to-rank/)[Article**Impressions but No Clicks in Search Console: Why It Happens and What to Do**Getting impressions but no clicks in Search Console? Check position bands, titles, query intent and AI impressions. A step-by-step fix with our own real data.](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/)[Article**Keyword Cannibalization: A Free Checker Method and How to Fix It**Find keyword cannibalization with free Search Console filters, tell real problems from harmless overlap, and fix it with merges, 301s, canonicals, or new focus.](https://satelo.io/blog/keyword-cannibalization/) ## Yandex indexing [Article**How to Speed Up Indexing in Yandex (and Bing) with IndexNow**How to speed up indexing in Yandex and Bing: set up IndexNow on WordPress or a static site, use Yandex page recrawl, fix sitemaps and link new pages properly.](https://satelo.io/blog/speed-up-indexing-yandex/) ## Technical basics for small sites [Article**SEO Checklist for a New Blog: One List for Launch Day, One for Every Post**An SEO checklist for a new blog in two parts: what to set up once on launch day, and what to check on every post before and after you hit publish. Any platform.](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-checklist-for-new-blog/)[Article**SEO Checklist for a New Website: What to Do Before Launch**An SEO checklist for a new website: technical setup, analytics, content, trust signals, local listings and AI search, with what to check before launch day.](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-checklist-new-site/)[Article**Core Web Vitals for Small Sites**Core Web Vitals for small sites and WordPress blogs: what LCP, INP and CLS mean, the thresholds, why you may see no data, and the fixes that matter most.](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/)[Article**An Internal Linking Strategy for Blogs With Fewer Than 100 Posts**A simple internal linking strategy for small blogs: hubs and spokes, finding orphan pages for free, writing anchor text, and a 10-minute routine per new post.](https://satelo.io/blog/internal-linking-for-blogs/)[Article**IndexNow on WordPress: How to Set It Up and What It Does (and Doesn't) Do**How to set up IndexNow on WordPress with the official plugin, Rank Math or Yoast, check that pings work in Bing Webmaster Tools, and what it does for Google.](https://satelo.io/blog/indexnow-wordpress/) ## Keeping content healthy [Article**Content Pruning for Small Blogs: When to Delete, Merge or Keep a Post**Content pruning for SEO on a small blog: a simple keep, improve, merge or delete decision, when to use 301, 404, 410 or noindex, and what you should never cut.](https://satelo.io/blog/content-pruning/)[Article**How to Update Old Blog Posts for SEO (Without Faking Dates)**How to update old blog posts for SEO: pick posts with Search Console, fix facts and intent, handle dates and dateModified honestly, and keep URLs or use a 301.](https://satelo.io/blog/update-old-blog-posts/)[Article**Website Traffic Dropped Suddenly? Work Through This Checklist**Website traffic dropped suddenly? Check tracking first, then indexing, Google updates, seasonality and AI answers. A 15-minute checklist for small sites.](https://satelo.io/blog/website-traffic-dropped/) ## FAQ ### Why is my page discovered but not indexed? Google knows the URL but hasn't crawled it yet. On small sites it usually means weak internal linking or a new, little-known site. Link to the page from important pages and make sure it offers something other pages don't. ### Should I resubmit pages that are crawled but not indexed? Google's Page indexing report documentation says such URLs may or may not be indexed later and don't need to be resubmitted. Improving the page and its internal links is more useful than repeated requests. ### Does requesting indexing in Search Console guarantee it? No. Google says requesting a recrawl doesn't guarantee the page will be included in search results. It only puts the URL in the queue. ### Does Google support IndexNow? IndexNow is supported by the search engines listed on indexnow.org, including Yandex and Bing. For Google, use a sitemap, internal links and the URL Inspection tool. ### How long does it take a new site to get indexed? There is no fixed timeline, and Google doesn't guarantee indexing at all. A crawlable site with a sitemap, good internal links and a few mentions elsewhere usually gets discovered faster. ### Can Satelo get my pages indexed? No service can honestly promise that. Satelo partner articles add labelled links to your site from relevant pages, and the free checker shows link signals and domain age. Satelo is in public beta. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ai-search/ # AI search visibility: how small sites get found and cited by AI assistants More and more questions are answered by an AI assistant instead of a list of ten links. The good news for small sites: these assistants still need sources, and they cite them. The less good news: there is no special trick that makes an assistant pick you. Below is how AI search finds pages, what is under your control and what is not. ## How AI search finds and picks sources Assistants with web access (ChatGPT search, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, Yandex's Alice) work in roughly the same way: they turn the question into one or more searches, retrieve pages from a search index or their own crawl, and write an answer that links to some of those pages. Two consequences follow. First, a page that is not crawled and indexed cannot be cited. Second, the assistant favors pages that answer a specific question clearly, and sites that other sources already mention. ## Google: AI Overviews and AI Mode Google's page on [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) says there are no extra requirements for appearing in AI Overviews or AI Mode: the page has to be indexed and eligible to be shown in Search with a snippet, and the usual SEO best practices apply. No special markup, no separate file. That makes classic hygiene the foundation: crawlable pages, clear titles, real answers and no blocking of Googlebot. See [how AI Overviews pick brands to mention](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/). ## ChatGPT, Perplexity and their crawlers OpenAI documents separate [crawlers](https://platform.openai.com/docs/bots) for different jobs: OAI-SearchBot for showing sites in ChatGPT search results, GPTBot for collecting training data, and ChatGPT-User for pages fetched on a user's request. You can allow search while opting out of training, because they are controlled separately in `robots.txt`. Perplexity describes its [PerplexityBot and Perplexity-User](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/bots) in the same way. Google lists Google-Extended among its [crawlers](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/overview-google-crawlers): it controls whether content is used for Gemini models and does not affect inclusion in Google Search. Our guide [how to get your website indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/) walks through the setup step by step. ## What llms.txt is (and isn't) `llms.txt` is a community proposal ([llmstxt.org](https://llmstxt.org/)): a Markdown file at the root of a site that summarizes it and lists the key pages for language models. It is cheap to add and useful for AI agents and coding tools that read it. It is not a ranking factor: Google's documentation on AI features does not mention it, so treat it as optional. Details in our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/). ## What actually raises your chances - **Be indexable everywhere.** Google, Bing (which powers many assistants' web results) and, for Russian-speaking audiences, Yandex. Submit your sitemap and use IndexNow where supported. - **Answer one question per page, early and plainly.** A clear definition or step list near the top is easy to quote. - **State facts about yourself consistently.** The same name, description and product facts on your site, your profiles and in structured data help assistants understand who you are. - **Get mentioned on other sites.** Assistants lean on what independent sources say. Real mentions in your niche matter more than anything you write about yourself; this is where [article exchange](https://satelo.io/link-exchange/) and partnerships help. Read [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) and our guide on [getting mentioned by AI assistants](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). - **Don't block the crawlers you want traffic from.** Check `robots.txt` and any firewall or CDN bot rules. ## MCP: when AI agents use your site directly Beyond answering questions, AI agents can now call tools through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). A site that exposes an MCP server can be used by an agent, not just quoted. Satelo has one: an agent can check a site's Quality Score, find partner sites and place articles. See [Satelo for AI agents](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## How to measure it Referral visits from chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai and copilot.microsoft.com show up in your analytics as referrers. Google's AI features page also explains how AI Overviews and AI Mode appear in Search Console reports. For a rough check, ask the assistants the questions your customers ask and note who gets cited. Results vary from run to run, so look at trends over weeks, not single answers. [Satelo for AI agents (MCP)](https://satelo.io/agents/) **Free tools:** [AI crawler checker](https://satelo.io/tools/ai-crawler-checker/) · [llms.txt generator](https://satelo.io/tools/llms-txt-generator/) ## Getting cited by AI assistants [Article**How to get cited by ChatGPT**How to get cited by ChatGPT and other AI assistants: let the right crawlers in, write answer-ready pages and earn mentions on sites the models already trust.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/)[Article**How to Get Your Website Into ChatGPT Search: OAI-SearchBot, Bing and Mentions**How to get your website indexed by ChatGPT: allow OAI-SearchBot, unblock OpenAI at your CDN, get into Bing, earn mentions and check server logs to confirm.](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/)[Guide**How to get mentioned by ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI Overviews**How AI assistants pick the sites they cite, and practical steps to become one of them: clear pages, llms.txt, structured data, third-party mentions and original data.](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/)[Article**How to Rank in Perplexity When Your Site Is Small**How to rank in Perplexity as a small site: allow PerplexityBot, answer in the first sentence, add sources and dates, earn mentions, and check your citations.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-perplexity/)[Article**How to Get Your Site Mentioned by Google Gemini**How to rank in Google Gemini: what Google-Extended really controls, why Search indexing comes first, how to earn mentions, and how to check if Gemini cites you.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-gemini/)[Article**How to Rank in Microsoft Copilot: Start With the Bing Index**How to rank in Microsoft Copilot: get indexed by Bing, set up Bing Webmaster Tools, ping IndexNow, fix meta tags that block citations, and track citations.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-copilot/)[Article**GEO vs SEO vs AEO: What Actually Changes for a Small Website**GEO vs SEO vs AEO explained: where the terms came from, what Google and OpenAI officially say, what changes for a small site, and a 30-day plan to act on it.](https://satelo.io/blog/geo-vs-seo/)[Article**Generative engine optimization: how to get cited in AI answers**Generative engine optimization (GEO) without hype: where the term comes from, what Google, OpenAI and Yandex say about AI answers, plus a page checklist.](https://satelo.io/blog/geo-optimization/) ## Google AI Overviews and brand mentions [Article**AI Overviews brand mentions: how to get your brand into Google’s AI answers**How AI Overviews brand mentions work, what Google officially says about appearing in AI features, and a practical plan to get your brand named and linked.](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) ## Crawlers, llms.txt and technical setup [Article**llms.txt: what it is and whether your site needs one**An honest llms.txt guide: what the proposed standard is, a ready template, how it differs from robots.txt and what it can and cannot do for AI visibility today.](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/)[Article**How to Block AI Crawlers in robots.txt and Still Show Up in AI Search**Block AI crawlers in robots.txt the right way: which bots train models, which power AI search, and copy-paste rules checked against each vendor's docs.](https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/)[Article**Schema Markup for AI Search: What Actually Helps and What's Myth**Schema markup for AI search, checked against Google's docs: no special markup is needed for AI Overviews, but a few schema types still help a blog. See which.](https://satelo.io/blog/schema-markup-for-ai-search/)[Article**How to Track ChatGPT and AI Traffic in GA4**How to check ChatGPT traffic in GA4: the built-in AI Assistant channel, a custom channel group for missed sources, Explorations, and why AI visits undercount.](https://satelo.io/blog/track-ai-traffic-ga4/) ## AI tools for SEO work [Article**MCP Servers for SEO: What Each One Gives Your AI Agent**SEO MCP servers compared from their own docs: Search Console, Analytics, Ahrefs, Semrush, SE Ranking, DataForSEO, Screaming Frog and Satelo. Data, cost, setup.](https://satelo.io/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-seo/)[Article**Claude Code for SEO: How to Set Up MCP Servers and Run Real SEO Tasks**How to use Claude Code for SEO: connect Search Console and other MCP servers, run five real tasks with copy-paste prompts, and know where to check its work.](https://satelo.io/blog/claude-code-for-seo/) ## FAQ ### Do I need special markup to appear in Google AI Overviews? No. Google says there are no additional requirements: the page must be indexed and eligible to appear in Search with a snippet, and normal SEO best practices apply. ### Which robots.txt user agents matter for ChatGPT? OAI-SearchBot is used for ChatGPT search results, GPTBot for training data and ChatGPT-User for pages fetched on a user's request. They are controlled separately, so you can allow search and block training. ### Does blocking Google-Extended remove my site from Google Search? No. According to Google, Google-Extended only controls whether content is used for Gemini models; it does not affect inclusion or ranking in Google Search. ### Does llms.txt help me rank in AI answers? There is no evidence that it does. It is a community proposal that some AI tools and agents read. It is cheap to add, but treat it as optional. ### How can a small site get cited by AI assistants? Be crawlable and indexed, answer specific questions clearly near the top of the page, describe your brand consistently, and earn real mentions on other sites in your niche. ### How do I know if AI assistants send me traffic? Look for referrers such as chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai and copilot.microsoft.com in your analytics, and check Search Console for Google. Spot-check answers for your key questions over several weeks. --- URL: https://satelo.io/wordpress/ # WordPress promotion: settings, plugins and getting readers to your blog WordPress gives you a solid technical base out of the box, but publishing a post is where promotion starts, not where it ends. This hub collects what a WordPress owner actually needs: the few settings that can quietly block search, the plugins worth installing, and the work that brings readers after you press Publish. ## Check the settings that can block search Two screens matter more than any plugin. On the [Reading settings](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-reading-screen/) screen, the "Search engine visibility" checkbox asks search engines not to index the site. It's often switched on during development and forgotten. On the [Permalinks](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-permalinks-screen/) screen, pick a readable structure such as post name before you publish much, because changing it later means redirects. Then add the site to Google Search Console and, for Russian-speaking readers, Yandex Webmaster. ## Pick one SEO plugin and configure it An SEO plugin handles titles, meta descriptions, canonical tags, XML sitemaps and basic structured data. The two most common choices are [Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/) and [Rank Math](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/). Both do the essentials; running two at once only creates duplicate tags. Whatever you choose, the plugin doesn't write good titles for you: it only gives you a place to put them. Our guide to [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the setup in order. ## Help search engines find new posts - **Sitemap.** Submit the sitemap your SEO plugin generates in Search Console and Yandex Webmaster. - **IndexNow.** The protocol notifies participating search engines (Bing and Yandex among them, see [indexnow.org](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation)) when you publish or update a URL. There is an official [IndexNow plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/); setup details in [IndexNow for WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/indexnow-wordpress/). - **Internal links.** Link every new post from at least one older related post. It's the cheapest way to help both readers and crawlers. - **llms.txt.** An optional file some AI tools read; see [llms.txt on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-wordpress/) and the [AI search](https://satelo.io/ai-search/) hub for what it does and doesn't do. ## Keep the site fast and clean Most slow WordPress sites suffer from too many plugins, heavy themes, unoptimized images and no caching. WordPress's own [optimization guide](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/performance/optimization/) covers caching, hosting and database basics. Remove plugins you don't use, compress images before upload, and test key pages with PageSpeed Insights. Comment spam is another quiet drain: the Discussion settings and an anti-spam plugin keep it out of your pages. ## Accepting sponsored and guest posts If you sell placements or accept guest articles, set it up properly: a submission page, a review step, a visible "sponsored" label and `rel="sponsored"` on paid links, as Google's page on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) recommends. [Accepting sponsored posts on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) walks through the workflow, and [WordPress guest post plugins](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/) compares the tools. Pricing and disclosure are covered on the [guest posts](https://satelo.io/guest-posts/) hub. ## Promotion after you publish A post gets its first readers from people who already know you: your newsletter, communities you take part in, partners who share your audience. Search traffic grows later and isn't guaranteed. Plan where each post will be shared before you write it, and update posts that already get impressions instead of only writing new ones. The [website promotion](https://satelo.io/website-promotion/) hub lists channels that work for small blogs. ## The Satelo WordPress plugin Satelo has a free WordPress plugin. It confirms that you own the site, publishes exchange articles automatically with `rel="sponsored"` links, and counts pageviews without cookies, so your Quality Score and your partners see verified traffic instead of estimates. You earn satellites (◉) for hosting partner articles and spend them on articles about your site elsewhere in the network. Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small; the plugin doesn't promise traffic or rankings. Details and download on the [connect page](https://satelo.io/connect/). [Connect your WordPress site](https://satelo.io/connect/) ## Promoting a WordPress blog [Article**How to Promote a WordPress Blog: A 14-Step Plan for the First 90 Days**How to promote a WordPress blog in its first 90 days: settings to fix, sitemaps, IndexNow, content structure, email, communities and partner posts, in 14 steps.](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/)[Article**WordPress SEO Setup for a New Blog: 15 Settings to Fix Before You Publish**WordPress SEO setup for a new blog in 15 steps: visibility, permalinks, one SEO plugin, Search Console, sitemap, archives and speed, plus what to skip.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-seo-setup-new-blog/)[Article**Must-Have WordPress Plugins for a New Blog (Free First)**The must have plugins for a WordPress blog, as a minimal free set: SEO, backups, spam, security, speed, forms and email, with alternatives and what to skip.](https://satelo.io/blog/must-have-wordpress-plugins-for-blog/) ## SEO plugins, speed and settings [Article**Rank Math vs Yoast: Which Free SEO Plugin Fits a New Blog?**Rank Math vs Yoast for a new WordPress blog: what each free version includes, how setup differs, sitemaps, schema, switching, and which one fits your blog.](https://satelo.io/blog/rank-math-vs-yoast/)[Article**Best WordPress Schema Plugins for Blogs: What You Need and What You Can Skip**The best WordPress schema plugin for a blog may be the SEO plugin you already have. Free options compared, which schema types still matter, and how to test.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-schema-plugin/)[Article**IndexNow on WordPress: How to Set It Up and What It Does (and Doesn't) Do**How to set up IndexNow on WordPress with the official plugin, Rank Math or Yoast, check that pings work in Bing Webmaster Tools, and what it does for Google.](https://satelo.io/blog/indexnow-wordpress/)[Article**How to Add llms.txt to WordPress (and What It Will Not Do)**How to add llms.txt to WordPress with Yoast, Rank Math, a dedicated plugin or by hand, what a small blog should put in it, and what the file will not do.](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-wordpress/)[Article**WordPress Slow Loading? Diagnose It First, Then Fix It**WordPress slow loading fix for small blogs: find out if the server, a plugin or heavy images are to blame, then fix it with caching, PHP updates and less code.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-slow-loading-fix/)[Article**WordPress Comment Spam: A Layered Setup That Keeps Real Readers**Stop WordPress comment spam in layers: Discussion settings, a honeypot plugin, link rules and moderation habits that block bots but keep real commenters.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-comment-spam/) ## Sponsored and guest posts on WordPress [Article**How to accept sponsored posts on WordPress**Step-by-step setup to accept sponsored posts on WordPress: user roles, review workflow, labels, rel=sponsored links, SEO plugin settings and automation.](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/)[Article**WordPress Guest Post Plugins: Accept Submissions, Sponsored Posts or Partner Articles**WordPress guest post plugins compared: front-end submission forms, paid post packs and partner-article exchange, with installs and update dates checked today.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/) ## WordPress vs other platforms [Article**Best Blogging Platform for SEO: An Honest Comparison by Criteria**The best blogging platform for SEO is the one that gives you your own domain, HTML control and an easy exit. WordPress, Ghost, Substack and others compared.](https://satelo.io/blog/best-blogging-platform-for-seo/)[Article**Ghost vs WordPress for Blogging: An Honest Comparison**Ghost vs WordPress for blogging: built-in SEO, multilingual sites, real costs, speed, newsletters and plugins compared, with a clear verdict for each blogger.](https://satelo.io/blog/ghost-vs-wordpress/)[Article**Substack vs WordPress for SEO: Newsletter or Blog?**Substack vs WordPress for SEO, checked against both platforms' own docs: indexing, custom domains, fees, data export, and when a hybrid setup makes most sense.](https://satelo.io/blog/substack-vs-wordpress/)[Article**WordPress vs Blogger: Which Platform Is Better for Growing a Blog?**WordPress vs Blogger compared: ownership, domains, SEO controls, speed, monetization and how to move from Blogger to WordPress without losing your URLs.](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-vs-blogger/) ## FAQ ### Why isn't my WordPress site showing up in Google? First check Settings → Reading: if "Search engine visibility" is ticked, WordPress asks search engines not to index the site. Then add the site to Search Console, submit the sitemap and check the Page indexing report. ### Do I need an SEO plugin on WordPress? It's not required, but it's the easiest way to manage titles, descriptions, canonical tags and sitemaps. Use one SEO plugin, not two, to avoid duplicate tags. ### Yoast or Rank Math? Both cover the essentials for a small blog. Pick the one whose interface you find clearer and configure it properly; the choice matters less than the titles and content you put in. ### Does IndexNow work for Google? IndexNow notifies the search engines listed on indexnow.org, including Bing and Yandex. For Google, rely on your sitemap, internal links and Search Console. ### How do I accept sponsored posts on WordPress safely? Use a submission and review process, label sponsored posts visibly and add rel="sponsored" to paid links, as Google recommends for links given in exchange for compensation. ### What does the Satelo WordPress plugin do? It confirms you own the site, auto-publishes exchange articles with rel="sponsored" links and counts pageviews without cookies, so your traffic shows as verified. It's free; Satelo is in public beta. --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/ # Glossary Short, sourced definitions for owners of small websites. Satelo's own terms come first, so it is clear that satellites ◉ are internal credits, not satellite sites. Updated: 2026-10-16 ## Satelo terms - [**Satellites ◉ (Satelo credits)**](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/): Satellites (◉) are the internal credits of the Satelo network. A site earns them by publishing partner articles about other sites and spends them to get articles about itself published elsewhere in the network. They can be bought in packs but never cashed out. They have nothing to do with “satellite sites” in SEO. - [**Satelo Quality Score**](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/): The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. A brand-new site with no evidence of visitors or links scores close to 0. Anyone can check any domain free at /check/. ## Links and link building - [**Backlink exchange**](https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/): A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. Whether it is acceptable depends on intent and labelling: trades meant to manipulate rankings are link spam; disclosed partner content with qualified links is advertising. - [**Guest post**](https://satelo.io/glossary/guest-post/): A guest post is an article written by someone outside the site and published on that site under the author's or a partner's name. Done well it brings the author readers and credibility and gives the host useful content; done as a link-buying tactic it becomes link spam. - [**PBN (private blog network)**](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/): A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites controlled by one person or company and used mainly to link to a “money site” in order to raise its search rankings. The sites are often built on expired domains and disguised as independent blogs. Search engines treat this as a link scheme. - [**Reciprocal link**](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/): A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). Occasional mutual links between related sites are normal on the web; exchanging them at scale to influence rankings is treated as a link scheme. - [**rel="sponsored"**](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. Google introduced it in 2019 and asks site owners to use it on paid or traded links so they are not treated as attempts to manipulate rankings. - [**Three-way link exchange**](https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/): A three-way link exchange (also called ABC linking) is an arrangement where site A links to site B, B links to C, and C links back to A, so no two sites link to each other directly. It is usually done to make traded links look less like reciprocal swaps. ## Site metrics - [**Domain Rating (DR)**](https://satelo.io/glossary/domain-rating/): Domain Rating (DR) is a proprietary 0–100 metric from Ahrefs that estimates the strength of a website's backlink profile compared with other sites in Ahrefs' index. It is based on links only and is not used by Google; a higher DR means more and stronger linking domains, not more traffic. - [**Tranco list**](https://satelo.io/glossary/tranco/): Tranco is a free, research-oriented ranking of the most popular one million domains on the web. It averages several provider rankings over 30 days to resist manipulation and daily noise, and each list gets a permanent ID so studies can cite the exact version they used. ## Crawling and indexing - [**Crawl budget**](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/): Crawl budget is the number of URLs a search engine crawler can and wants to fetch from a site in a given period. Google describes it as a combination of crawl capacity (how much your server can handle) and crawl demand (how much Google wants to crawl, based on popularity and freshness). - [**IndexNow**](https://satelo.io/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website notify participating search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting for the next crawl. The site proves ownership with a key file hosted on its own domain, and a notification sent to one participating engine is shared with the others. - [**noindex**](https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/): noindex is a rule, set in a robots meta tag or an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header, that tells search engines not to show a page in search results. The crawler must be able to fetch the page to see the rule, so a page blocked in robots.txt can stay indexed despite a noindex tag. ## AI search and agents - [**llms.txt**](https://satelo.io/glossary/llms-txt/): llms.txt is a proposed standard for a Markdown file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a short, curated overview of the site: a title, a summary, and lists of the most useful links. An optional llms-full.txt can carry the full text. - [**MCP (Model Context Protocol)**](https://satelo.io/glossary/mcp/): MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol for connecting AI applications such as Claude, ChatGPT-based tools or Cursor to external tools and data. An MCP server exposes named tools with typed inputs; an MCP client inside the AI app lists those tools and calls them when the model decides they are needed. --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/ # Satellites ◉ (Satelo credits) Satellites (◉) are the internal credits of the Satelo network. A site earns them by publishing partner articles about other sites and spends them to get articles about itself published elsewhere in the network. They can be bought in packs but never cashed out. They have nothing to do with “satellite sites” in SEO. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Satelo terms ## How satellites move Every site in the network has an article price in satellites. Satelo recommends a price from the site's [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) and verified traffic (a brand-new site starts at 1 ◉), and the owner can keep that recommendation or set their own. When an article about site A is placed on site B, A's owner pays B's price plus Satelo's 10% service fee; B's owner receives B's full price in satellites once the article is live. B can then spend those satellites on an article about B on site C. That is the circle A→B→C→A described on [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/). ## What you can and cannot do with them - **Earn** by hosting articles. The first article on a newly connected site is about Satelo itself and pays the site's price plus 20% (minimum 2 ◉). - **Spend** on articles about your own sites, through the dashboard or an AI agent using the [MCP server](https://satelo.io/glossary/mcp/). - **Buy** optional packs: 10 ◉ for $25, 50 ◉ for $120, 200 ◉ for $460, up to 400 ◉ per account per calendar month. See [Pricing](https://satelo.io/pricing/). - **Not withdraw.** Satellites have no cash-out, no conversion and no transfer outside Satelo. If an order fails to publish, is not approved by the host within 7 days, or sits as an unpublished draft on the host for 14 days, the satellites return to the buyer automatically. ## Why the name is not a satellite site In SEO slang a “satellite site” is a site created only to link to a main site, usually as part of a [private blog network](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/). Satelo's satellites are a unit of account, not websites. Satelo does not create sites, does not own the sites in the network and does not sell links. The full comparison is in [Satellite sites (PBNs) vs Satelo satellites](https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Why credits instead of money between sites Paying cash for links that pass ranking credit is listed as link spam in [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). In Satelo, articles are labelled as partner content and links carry [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/), so the exchange is disclosed advertising between real sites rather than an attempt to buy rankings. ## Related terms - [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/): The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. - [Three-way link exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/): A three-way link exchange (also called ABC linking) is an arrangement where site A links to site B, B links to C, and C links back to A, so no two sites link to each other directly. - [PBN (private blog network)](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/): A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites controlled by one person or company and used mainly to link to a “money site” in order to raise its search rankings. - [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/ # Satelo Quality Score The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. A brand-new site with no evidence of visitors or links scores close to 0. Anyone can check any domain free at /check/. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Satelo terms ## How the score is built The score has two layers. The first is **evidence that people use and link to the site**: - **Traffic (weight 45)**: the best available signal among the [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/) popularity rank, presence in the Chrome UX Report (real Chrome users), traffic estimates for sites in the network, and verified pageviews from a connected site's Satelo plugin counter, which replace estimates. - **Authority (weight 35)**: the strongest of Open PageRank, the Majestic Million and the Common Crawl domain web graph; for network sites, Semrush and Moz figures fetched through Apify can also count. - **Age (weight 20)**: the earliest of the domain registration date (RDAP or WHOIS) and the first Wayback Machine snapshot. If a source is unavailable, its weight is redistributed among the others. The second layer is a **quality multiplier from 0.5 to 1.0**, based on content (pages in the sitemap and web index, text volume, freshness) and technical checks (HTTPS, mobile viewport, compression, title and description, response time, PageSpeed). The multiplier can lower the evidence score but never creates value on its own. Two caps apply: parked or nearly empty sites are limited to 5, and a high Moz Spam Score (60 or more, when known) multiplies the result by 0.6. ## Why it matters for small sites Third-party scores such as [Domain Rating](https://satelo.io/glossary/domain-rating/) look only at backlinks and often give a young site 0 forever. The Quality Score shows which evidence is missing and updates when verified traffic arrives, about 7 days after the WordPress plugin starts counting. ## How Satelo uses it The score sets the recommended article price in [satellites](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/) (1 ◉ at score 0, growing with the square of the score and with verified traffic) and the matching: hosts with the same niche and language and the closest score come first. The report also shows an “orbit” of ±10 points around the site's score. The score is Satelo's own estimate, not a Google metric, and it does not predict rankings. Check a site at [satelo.io/check/](https://satelo.io/check/), or ask an AI agent to call `satelo_check_site`. ## Related terms - [Satellites ◉ (Satelo credits)](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/): Satellites (◉) are the internal credits of the Satelo network. - [Domain Rating (DR)](https://satelo.io/glossary/domain-rating/): Domain Rating (DR) is a proprietary 0–100 metric from Ahrefs that estimates the strength of a website's backlink profile compared with other sites in Ahrefs' index. - [Tranco list](https://satelo.io/glossary/tranco/): Tranco is a free, research-oriented ranking of the most popular one million domains on the web. - [Crawl budget](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/): Crawl budget is the number of URLs a search engine crawler can and wants to fetch from a site in a given period. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/ # PBN (private blog network) A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites controlled by one person or company and used mainly to link to a “money site” in order to raise its search rankings. The sites are often built on expired domains and disguised as independent blogs. Search engines treat this as a link scheme. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Links and link building ## How a PBN usually looks The operator buys expired domains that still have backlinks, puts thin or spun content on them, hides common ownership (different hosting, themes, registrars) and places links to the sites they want to rank. Readers are an afterthought: the network exists for search engines. ## What search engines say [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list link schemes, including links intended to manipulate rankings, and separately describe expired domain abuse: buying an expired domain and repurposing it mainly to manipulate rankings with low-value content. Sites that rely on such links risk a manual action or the links being ignored. Yandex also warns against link manipulation in its [webmaster recommendations](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html). ## Why it matters for small sites Small sites meet PBNs mostly as sellers: cheap “high DR” guest posts on sites with no real audience. The link may stop counting, and the money is gone. Before buying or exchanging, look for real traffic, a coherent topic history and outbound links that are not all commercial. A practical checklist is in [How to spot PBN sites before you buy a link](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## How Satelo differs Satelo is not a PBN. It does not create or own sites; every site in the network belongs to a verified owner who connected it with the WordPress plugin or a verification file. Articles are labelled as partner content, links carry [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/), and Satelo does not promise dofollow links or rankings. The word “satellites” in Satelo means its [internal credits](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/), not satellite sites; see [Satellite sites vs Satelo satellites](https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). To see whether a site shows signs of real use, check it free on [the Quality Score page](https://satelo.io/check/). ## Related terms - [Reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/): A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). - [Backlink exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/): A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. - [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. - [Satellites ◉ (Satelo credits)](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/): Satellites (◉) are the internal credits of the Satelo network. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/ # Reciprocal link A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). Occasional mutual links between related sites are normal on the web; exchanging them at scale to influence rankings is treated as a link scheme. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Links and link building ## Normal vs excessive Two partner businesses that mention each other, a podcast and its guest, a conference and its speakers: mutual links happen naturally. The problem starts when the links exist only because of the trade. [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) name “excessive link exchanges” and partner pages created only for cross-linking as examples of link spam. ## Why it matters for small sites New site owners often start with direct swaps because they are free. A handful of relevant, honest mentions will not hurt, but a “links” page full of unrelated partners, or dozens of swaps with the same anchor text, is a pattern that is easy to detect and can lead to links being ignored. A balanced answer is in [Is link exchange bad for SEO?](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/) ## How Satelo handles it Satelo does not do reciprocal pairs. When an article about your site is placed, the host is chosen from other owners' sites, and the matching engine skips any host that your site published an article about in the previous 180 days, so A↔B pairs do not form. Articles move in a circle instead (see [three-way link exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/)), are labelled as partner content, and links carry [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/). Satelo does not promise that links pass ranking credit. ## Safer alternatives - Mention partners where it genuinely helps readers, and qualify paid or traded links with rel="sponsored" ([Google's guidance on qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links)). - Write useful guest articles rather than trading footer links. - Build things people reference on their own: data, tools, guides. The full picture of exchange formats is on the [link exchange hub](https://satelo.io/link-exchange/). ## Related terms - [Three-way link exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/): A three-way link exchange (also called ABC linking) is an arrangement where site A links to site B, B links to C, and C links back to A, so no two sites link to each other directly. - [Backlink exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/): A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. - [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. - [PBN (private blog network)](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/): A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites controlled by one person or company and used mainly to link to a “money site” in order to raise its search rankings. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/ # Three-way link exchange A three-way link exchange (also called ABC linking) is an arrangement where site A links to site B, B links to C, and C links back to A, so no two sites link to each other directly. It is usually done to make traded links look less like reciprocal swaps. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Links and link building ## How it works Instead of a direct pair, three or more sites form a loop. Often one participant owns two of the sites (“I'll link to you from site C if you link to my site A”). The loop hides the reciprocity from a quick look at either site's backlinks. ## What the rules say Search engines judge intent, not geometry. [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) treat links exchanged to manipulate rankings as link spam whether the trade is direct or routed through a third site; the same document says paid or sponsored links are fine when qualified with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". So the honest version of a circle is labelled, useful content with qualified links, and the dishonest version is a disguised swap. A deeper walkthrough is in [Three-way link exchange (ABC linking)](https://satelo.io/blog/three-way-link-exchange/). ## Why it matters for small sites A circle solves a real problem: two small sites rarely need each other at the same moment, while a network can match each site with a host of a similar level. The risk is in how the links are presented, not in the number of participants. ## How Satelo uses the circle - Articles move A→B→C→A, paid in [satellites](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/): you earn by hosting and spend on articles about you. - No direct A↔B: a site that your site published an article about within 180 days is never offered as a host for you. - Hosts are matched by niche, language and the closest [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/). - Every article is labelled as partner content and its links use [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/). No dofollow promise, no ranking promise. Step by step: [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/). Formats compared: [link exchange hub](https://satelo.io/link-exchange/). ## Related terms - [Reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/): A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). - [Backlink exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/): A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. - [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. - [Satellites ◉ (Satelo credits)](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/): Satellites (◉) are the internal credits of the Satelo network. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/ # Backlink exchange A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. Whether it is acceptable depends on intent and labelling: trades meant to manipulate rankings are link spam; disclosed partner content with qualified links is advertising. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Links and link building ## Common formats - **Direct swap**: A links to B, B links to A. See [reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/). - **Three-way loop**: A→B→C→A. See [three-way link exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/). - **Exchange platforms**: catalogs or credit systems where members place links for each other. A review of how they work is in [Backlink exchange platforms](https://satelo.io/blog/backlink-exchange-platforms/). - **Article exchange**: sites publish full articles about each other, usually with one or two links. Compared with guest posting in [Guest posting vs link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## What the rules say [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list excessive link exchanges and exchanging goods or services for links among link spam. The same policies note that links for advertising and sponsorship are fine when they carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". Google's [guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) explains the attributes. ## Why it matters for small sites An exchange is attractive because it costs no cash. The safe question to ask is not “will this link pass PageRank?” but “would I publish this for my readers if no link were involved?” If the answer is yes and the link is labelled, the risk is low. ## How Satelo fits Satelo is an article exchange with guard rails: articles move in circles, never A↔B within 180 days; each article is at least 1,500 characters and written for the host's readers; it is labelled as partner content; links use [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/). Payment is in [satellites](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/), not cash between sites. Satelo is not a link seller and does not promise dofollow links or rankings. Details: [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/). ## Related terms - [Reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/): A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). - [Three-way link exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/three-way-link-exchange/): A three-way link exchange (also called ABC linking) is an arrangement where site A links to site B, B links to C, and C links back to A, so no two sites link to each other directly. - [Guest post](https://satelo.io/glossary/guest-post/): A guest post is an article written by someone outside the site and published on that site under the author's or a partner's name. - [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/ # rel="sponsored" rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. Google introduced it in 2019 and asks site owners to use it on paid or traded links so they are not treated as attempts to manipulate rankings. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Links and link building ## The three link qualifiers - `rel="sponsored"`: links that are ads, sponsorships or other compensation agreements. - `rel="ugc"`: links in user-generated content such as comments and forum posts. - `rel="nofollow"`: other cases where you do not want to associate your site with the target or pass ranking signals. Both [Google's guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) and the [2019 announcement](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2019/09/evolving-nofollow-new-ways-to-identify) describe these values; values can be combined, for example `rel="sponsored nofollow"`. Google treats them as hints. Its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) say that paid links are not a violation when they are qualified with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". ## Why it matters for small sites If you host a sponsored post, a partner article or any link you received something for, marking it protects your site: you are telling search engines it is advertising, not an editorial vote. Disclosure to readers is a separate obligation; see [Sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). The differences between the attributes are covered in [Nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## How Satelo uses it Every exchange article in Satelo is sent to the host with `rel="sponsored"` on its links, and the WordPress plugin applies it by default together with a visible “Partner content” label. This is why Satelo does not promise dofollow links or a transfer of ranking credit: the value of a placement is readers, a labelled mention on a related site and a signal that other sites write about you. See [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/). ## Related terms - [Reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/): A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). - [Backlink exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/): A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. - [Guest post](https://satelo.io/glossary/guest-post/): A guest post is an article written by someone outside the site and published on that site under the author's or a partner's name. - [PBN (private blog network)](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/): A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites controlled by one person or company and used mainly to link to a “money site” in order to raise its search rankings. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/guest-post/ # Guest post A guest post is an article written by someone outside the site and published on that site under the author's or a partner's name. Done well it brings the author readers and credibility and gives the host useful content; done as a link-buying tactic it becomes link spam. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Links and link building ## Legitimate and manipulative guest posts A legitimate guest post is written for the host's audience, is edited by the host and contains links only where they help the reader. The manipulative version is a thin article bought or traded mainly for a keyword-rich link. [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, including posts that contain links, as link spam, and say that sponsored links are acceptable when qualified with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". ## Why it matters for small sites For a new site, guest posts are one of the few ways to reach an existing audience. The practical rules: pick hosts whose readers overlap with yours, write something the host could not easily write themselves, keep links natural, and accept that a paid or traded placement should carry [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/). A full introduction is in [What is guest posting?](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/), and finding hosts is covered in [How to find guest post sites in your niche](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/). ## How Satelo relates A Satelo exchange article is a kind of labelled guest post. You (or your AI agent) write an original article of 1,500 characters or more for the host's readers with one or two links; it is published on a host of a similar [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) and niche through the WordPress plugin or API feed, labelled as partner content, with rel="sponsored" links. You pay in [satellites](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/) earned by hosting other sites' articles, so no cash changes hands between sites. See [How Satelo works](https://satelo.io/how-it-works/). ## Related terms - [Backlink exchange](https://satelo.io/glossary/backlink-exchange/): A backlink exchange is any arrangement in which websites trade links instead of earning them independently: direct reciprocal swaps, three-way loops, link-exchange platforms or article exchanges. - [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/): rel="sponsored" is a value of the HTML rel attribute that marks a link as advertising, sponsorship or another kind of compensated placement. - [Reciprocal link](https://satelo.io/glossary/reciprocal-link/): A reciprocal link is a pair of links where site A links to site B and site B links back to site A, usually by agreement (“link to me and I'll link to you”). - [Domain Rating (DR)](https://satelo.io/glossary/domain-rating/): Domain Rating (DR) is a proprietary 0–100 metric from Ahrefs that estimates the strength of a website's backlink profile compared with other sites in Ahrefs' index. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/domain-rating/ # Domain Rating (DR) Domain Rating (DR) is a proprietary 0–100 metric from Ahrefs that estimates the strength of a website's backlink profile compared with other sites in Ahrefs' index. It is based on links only and is not used by Google; a higher DR means more and stronger linking domains, not more traffic. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Site metrics ## What DR measures According to [Ahrefs' explanation](https://ahrefs.com/blog/domain-rating/), DR looks at how many unique domains link to a site and how strong those domains are, on a logarithmic scale: moving from 70 to 80 is much harder than from 10 to 20. It does not consider traffic, content quality, spam signals or whether links are nofollow in the same way a search engine might. Moz's Domain Authority and Semrush's Authority Score are similar third-party metrics; see [Domain Authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/). ## Why it matters for small sites DR is widely used as a price filter in guest post marketplaces, which makes it a target for manipulation: links from PBNs can raise DR without bringing a single visitor. For a small site, DR mostly matters when buyers or partners ask for it. A realistic view of target numbers is in [What is a good Domain Rating?](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-a-good-domain-rating/) ## How Satelo differs Satelo does not use Ahrefs DR. Its own [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) combines evidence of visitors (Tranco, Chrome UX Report, verified plugin pageviews), open link graphs (Open PageRank, Majestic Million, Common Crawl) and domain age, multiplied by content and technical health, so a site with real readers but few links is not stuck at zero. The score sets the recommended article price in [satellites](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/) and helps match sites of a similar level. Check any domain free at [satelo.io/check/](https://satelo.io/check/). ## Related terms - [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/): The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. - [Tranco list](https://satelo.io/glossary/tranco/): Tranco is a free, research-oriented ranking of the most popular one million domains on the web. - [PBN (private blog network)](https://satelo.io/glossary/pbn/): A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites controlled by one person or company and used mainly to link to a “money site” in order to raise its search rankings. - [Guest post](https://satelo.io/glossary/guest-post/): A guest post is an article written by someone outside the site and published on that site under the author's or a partner's name. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/tranco/ # Tranco list Tranco is a free, research-oriented ranking of the most popular one million domains on the web. It averages several provider rankings over 30 days to resist manipulation and daily noise, and each list gets a permanent ID so studies can cite the exact version they used. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Site metrics ## Where the rank comes from The [Tranco project](https://tranco-list.eu/) was created by academic researchers after the retirement of Alexa rankings left a gap and earlier lists proved easy to manipulate. Its site lists the providers it combines, among them Cisco Umbrella, Majestic, the Chrome User Experience Report and Cloudflare Radar, and the standard list is built by averaging the rankings over the past 30 days. Only domains that make the top million get a rank. ## What it tells you - A rank is an order-of-magnitude popularity signal, not a visit count. - Being absent does not mean a site has no visitors; most small sites are below the top million. - Ranks move slowly because of the 30-day averaging. A longer explanation with examples is in [Tranco rank explained](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/). ## Why it matters for small sites Tranco is one of the few free, transparent popularity sources, so it is useful for sanity-checking traffic claims from guest post sellers and comparing sites of different sizes. For sites below the top million you need other signals: real-user data, verified analytics or your own logs. ## How Satelo uses it The [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) turns a Tranco rank into a rough monthly-visits band (for example, top 10,000 or top 100,000) as one input to the traffic component, alongside presence in the Chrome UX Report and verified pageviews from the Satelo plugin, which replace estimates when available. See how a site looks on the [website traffic checker](https://satelo.io/website-traffic-checker/). ## Related terms - [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/): The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. - [Domain Rating (DR)](https://satelo.io/glossary/domain-rating/): Domain Rating (DR) is a proprietary 0–100 metric from Ahrefs that estimates the strength of a website's backlink profile compared with other sites in Ahrefs' index. - [Crawl budget](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/): Crawl budget is the number of URLs a search engine crawler can and wants to fetch from a site in a given period. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/ # Crawl budget Crawl budget is the number of URLs a search engine crawler can and wants to fetch from a site in a given period. Google describes it as a combination of crawl capacity (how much your server can handle) and crawl demand (how much Google wants to crawl, based on popularity and freshness). Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Crawling and indexing ## Who should worry [Google's crawl budget guide](https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawl-budget) says it is intended mainly for large sites (around a million or more unique pages changing weekly), medium or larger sites (10,000+ pages) whose content changes daily, and sites with a large share of URLs reported as “Discovered – currently not indexed”. For most small sites, Google states that keeping the sitemap up to date and checking index coverage is enough. ## Why it matters for small sites anyway Small sites rarely run out of crawl capacity, but they often have low crawl demand: few links and little popularity mean the crawler visits rarely. The symptoms look like a budget problem (new pages not indexed for weeks) but the cause is weak signals. Our notes from a new site are in [“Crawled – currently not indexed”](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). Useful steps: - Do not waste crawls: avoid endless parameter URLs, keep thin tag archives out of the index with [noindex](https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/), fix redirect chains. - Make the server fast and stable; errors reduce crawl capacity. - Submit a clean XML sitemap and, for Bing and Yandex, notify changes with [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/glossary/indexnow/). - Raise demand with real mentions on related sites. ## How Satelo relates Satelo does not control crawling. Its [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/) looks at content signals a crawler also sees (sitemap size, freshness, response time), and a labelled partner article on a related site in the network is one more place where crawlers and readers can discover your site. Satelo makes no indexing or ranking promises. ## Related terms - [noindex](https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/): noindex is a rule, set in a robots meta tag or an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header, that tells search engines not to show a page in search results. - [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website notify participating search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting for the next crawl. - [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/): The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. - [llms.txt](https://satelo.io/glossary/llms-txt/): llms.txt is a proposed standard for a Markdown file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a short, curated overview of the site: a title, a summary, and lists of the most useful links. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/ # noindex noindex is a rule, set in a robots meta tag or an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header, that tells search engines not to show a page in search results. The crawler must be able to fetch the page to see the rule, so a page blocked in robots.txt can stay indexed despite a noindex tag. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Crawling and indexing ## How to set it - In HTML: `` in the page's head. - In an HTTP header (works for PDFs and other files): `X-Robots-Tag: noindex`. [Google's documentation on blocking indexing](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing) explains both methods and warns that if robots.txt blocks the URL, Googlebot never sees the noindex rule, so the page can still appear in results (usually without a snippet) when other pages link to it. [Yandex's help](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/metatags) documents the same directive for its robot. ## When small sites should use it - Thin archive pages: tag pages with one post, internal search results, empty category pages. - Thank-you, login, cart and account pages. - Staging copies, if they cannot be password-protected. Do not noindex pages you want to rank, and check after theme or SEO-plugin changes: an accidental site-wide noindex is a classic reason for traffic to vanish. If pages are indexed but not shown, look at [“Crawled – currently not indexed”](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) instead. ## How Satelo relates Partner articles in Satelo are published as normal, indexable posts on the host site, labelled as partner content, with [rel="sponsored"](https://satelo.io/glossary/rel-sponsored/) links; the host keeps control over its own SEO settings. On satelo.io itself, the dashboard and API endpoints are kept out of search while content pages stay open to search and AI crawlers. Related: [crawl budget](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/). ## Related terms - [Crawl budget](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/): Crawl budget is the number of URLs a search engine crawler can and wants to fetch from a site in a given period. - [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website notify participating search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting for the next crawl. - [llms.txt](https://satelo.io/glossary/llms-txt/): llms.txt is a proposed standard for a Markdown file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a short, curated overview of the site: a title, a summary, and lists of the most useful links. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/indexnow/ # IndexNow IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website notify participating search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting for the next crawl. The site proves ownership with a key file hosted on its own domain, and a notification sent to one participating engine is shared with the others. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: Crawling and indexing ## How it works - Generate a key and host it as a text file on your domain (for example `/.txt`). - When a page changes, send its URL (or a batch of URLs) with the key to an IndexNow endpoint. - The engine checks the key file and may crawl the URL sooner. The [official IndexNow site](https://www.indexnow.org/) lists support from Microsoft Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex and Yep. Google is not among the listed participants, so Google still relies on sitemaps and its normal crawling. ## What it does and does not do - It speeds up discovery; it does not guarantee indexing or rankings. - It matters most for sites that publish or update often, and for visibility in Bing, which also feeds some AI assistants. - Many CMS plugins and hosts send IndexNow pings automatically. For WordPress, see [IndexNow for WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/indexnow-wordpress/). ## Why it matters for small sites A new site has low [crawl demand](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/), so a new article can wait days before a crawler visits. IndexNow is a free way to shorten that wait in the engines that support it. Combine it with a clean sitemap and correct [noindex](https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/) rules. ## How Satelo uses it satelo.io hosts its own IndexNow key and notifies participating engines when its pages are published or updated. Whether a partner article on a host site is pinged depends on the host's own setup (for example its SEO plugin), not on Satelo. ## Related terms - [Crawl budget](https://satelo.io/glossary/crawl-budget/): Crawl budget is the number of URLs a search engine crawler can and wants to fetch from a site in a given period. - [noindex](https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/): noindex is a rule, set in a robots meta tag or an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header, that tells search engines not to show a page in search results. - [llms.txt](https://satelo.io/glossary/llms-txt/): llms.txt is a proposed standard for a Markdown file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a short, curated overview of the site: a title, a summary, and lists of the most useful links. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/llms-txt/ # llms.txt llms.txt is a proposed standard for a Markdown file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a short, curated overview of the site: a title, a summary, and lists of the most useful links. An optional llms-full.txt can carry the full text. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: AI search and agents ## Format The [llms.txt proposal](https://llmstxt.org/) describes a file with an H1 title, a blockquote summary, optional free-text notes and H2 sections containing Markdown link lists, with an “Optional” section for links an agent can skip when context is short. Its purpose is to help models use a site at inference time, for example when an assistant or coding agent is asked about a product, rather than to control training or crawling. ## What it does not do - It is not a robots.txt replacement and grants or blocks nothing; crawler access is still set in robots.txt. - Major search engines have not adopted it as a ranking or indexing input; treat it as a convenience for AI agents and IDE assistants. - It cannot fix content an assistant cannot find or trust. A fuller discussion of whether your site needs one is in [llms.txt: what it is and whether your site needs one](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/), and WordPress setup is in [llms.txt on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-wordpress/). ## Why it matters for small sites For a small brand, an AI assistant often has little to go on. A clear llms.txt that states what you do, what you do not do, prices and key pages costs an hour and reduces the chance of an assistant guessing wrong. More on AI visibility is on the [AI search hub](https://satelo.io/ai-search/). ## How Satelo uses it satelo.io publishes [/llms.txt](https://satelo.io/llms.txt) with what Satelo is and is not, tools, pricing, the MCP server, topics and glossary, and [/llms-full.txt](https://satelo.io/llms-full.txt) with the full text of the key pages and blog posts, both generated from the same source as the website. ## Related terms - [MCP (Model Context Protocol)](https://satelo.io/glossary/mcp/): MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol for connecting AI applications such as Claude, ChatGPT-based tools or Cursor to external tools and data. - [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website notify participating search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting for the next crawl. - [noindex](https://satelo.io/glossary/noindex/): noindex is a rule, set in a robots meta tag or an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header, that tells search engines not to show a page in search results. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/glossary/mcp/ # MCP (Model Context Protocol) MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol for connecting AI applications such as Claude, ChatGPT-based tools or Cursor to external tools and data. An MCP server exposes named tools with typed inputs; an MCP client inside the AI app lists those tools and calls them when the model decides they are needed. Updated: 2026-10-16 · Glossary: AI search and agents ## How it works The [official MCP documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) describes a client–server design: a host application runs MCP clients, each connected to a server that offers tools, resources and prompts. Servers can run locally or remotely; remote servers commonly use the Streamable HTTP transport (JSON-RPC over HTTP POST). Public servers can be listed in the official MCP Registry so clients can discover them. ## Why it matters for small sites MCP lets an AI agent do real work on a site's behalf instead of only giving advice: checking data, filling forms through APIs, or publishing content. For site owners it also means agents can recommend and use services that expose clear tools. A curated list for SEO work is in [Best MCP servers for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-seo/). ## Satelo's MCP server Satelo runs a remote MCP server at `https://satelo.io/mcp`, listed in the MCP Registry as `io.satelo/satelo`. Public tools work without a key: - `satelo_about`, `satelo_check_site` (free [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/)), `satelo_find_sites`, `satelo_signup`. Account tools need a Bearer API key that the site owner creates in the dashboard: `satelo_account`, `satelo_add_site`, `satelo_verify_site`, `satelo_site_settings`, `satelo_find_hosts`, `satelo_place_article`, `satelo_review_article`. An agent can enrol a site the user owns, write an original article and place it on a matching host; it spends [satellites](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/), never card money, and unpublished orders are refunded. Setup for Claude Code, Claude Desktop and Cursor is on [Satelo for AI agents](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## Related terms - [llms.txt](https://satelo.io/glossary/llms-txt/): llms.txt is a proposed standard for a Markdown file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a short, curated overview of the site: a title, a summary, and lists of the most useful links. - [Satellites ◉ (Satelo credits)](https://satelo.io/glossary/satellites/): Satellites (◉) are the internal credits of the Satelo network. - [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/glossary/quality-score/): The Satelo Quality Score is a 0–100 rating of a website built mostly from open data: popularity lists, open link graphs, domain age, plus a crawl of the site's content and technical health. [← All glossary terms](https://satelo.io/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/anchor-text-guide/ Link building # Anchor text for SEO: types, official rules, and how to pick it Anchor text is the clickable text of a link, and for SEO the rule is simple: Google's own documentation asks for descriptive, concise link text and lists keyword-optimized anchors in guest posts as an example of link spam. There is no official 'safe ratio' of anchor types. This guide covers the anchor types with examples, what Google and Yandex say, how to choose link text in a partner article, and how to see the anchors pointing to your site. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What anchor text is Anchor text is the visible, clickable part of a link. In `sourdough starter guide`, the anchor is "sourdough starter guide." Search engines read it as a short description of the page on the other end. Google says it plainly in its [link best practices](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable): anchor text helps people and Google make sense of the page you're linking to. For image links there is no visible text, so Google uses the image's `alt` attribute as the anchor. An image link with an empty `alt` has, in effect, no anchor at all. ## The main types of anchor text All examples below are illustrative, built around a made-up baking blog at example.com. | Type | Example | When it fits | | Branded | "Example Bakes" | Mentioning the site or company by name; the most natural option in reviews and roundups | | Naked URL | "example.com/sourdough" | Citations, source lists, footnotes | | Generic | "here," "read more," "this site" | Rarely the best choice; both Google and Yandex advise against it | | Descriptive | "a step-by-step sourdough starter guide" | Most in-text links: tells the reader exactly what they'll get | | Exact-match keyword | "best sourdough starter" | Natural only when the phrase genuinely fits the sentence; repeated across many sites it reads as an SEO link | | Image link | `alt` = "sourdough starter in a glass jar" | Logos and banners; write a real alt text | "Descriptive" and "exact-match" can look similar. The difference is intent: a descriptive anchor is written for the reader in that sentence; an exact-match anchor is the phrase someone wants to rank for, dropped in wherever possible. ## What Google says about link text Google's [documentation on crawlable links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable) boils down to a few practical points: - **Be descriptive.** "Click here" or "read more" tells nothing about the destination. - **Be concise.** An anchor that swallows a whole sentence is hard to read; trim it to the core subject. - **Mind the context.** The words around the link help explain it, and chaining several links side by side robs each of that context. - **Don't stuff keywords.** Google explicitly says keyword stuffing violates its spam policies and that if the anchor feels forced, it probably is. Then there is the [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) page itself. In the link spam section, Google lists "links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites" as an example of a link scheme, and keyword-rich links in forum signatures and widgets as others. ## What Yandex says Yandex's [Webmaster recommendations on links](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) point the same way. Link text should describe your site rather than say "here," "there," or "this site," and Yandex suggests asking partners to rewrite such links to carry meaning. The same page says paid links, especially from exchanges aimed at search engines rather than visitors, interfere with how Yandex judges a site's trustworthiness, and it recommends `rel="sponsored"` for advertising and partner links. ## Why over-optimized anchors look like SEO links Think about how people link when nobody asks them to. They use your brand name, your URL, a page title, or a phrase that fits their sentence: "this guide by Example Bakes," "their starter tutorial," "example.com." A natural set of links pointing to one site is messy and varied. Now picture 30 articles on 30 different sites, all linking with the identical commercial phrase "buy sourdough starter online" (an illustrative scenario). No group of independent writers phrases things that way. That uniformity is exactly the pattern Google's spam policy describes, which is why exact-match anchors repeated across guest posts are a red flag rather than a "boost." So what about the "safe anchor ratios" you see in other guides, like a fixed percentage of branded vs. keyword anchors? Neither Google nor Yandex publishes any such numbers. Those figures come from people's own observations, not from search engine documentation, and following a quota misses the point: the anchor should fit the sentence. ## How to choose link text in a partner or guest article Whether you're writing an article that mentions a partner or someone is writing about you, the same checklist works: - **Write the sentence first, link second.** Make the sentence useful on its own, then pick the words in it that best describe the destination. - **Read only the anchor.** Google's own tip: if the link text makes no sense on its own, make it more specific. - **Prefer brand and descriptive anchors.** "Example Bakes' starter guide" or "a guide to feeding a sourdough starter" beats "best sourdough starter." - **One link where it helps the reader.** Don't add links just to have more of them. - **Label it honestly.** If the article is paid or part of an exchange, the link gets `rel="sponsored"`. Our guide to [nofollow, sponsored, and ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) explains which attribute goes where. - **Don't dictate the exact phrase to the author.** Asking every partner to use the same keyword is how you end up with the uniform pattern described above. For the article itself, see [how to write a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/). ### Before and after (illustrative) | Weak | Better | Why | | "For more info, click here." | "Example Bakes has a day-by-day starter feeding schedule." | Says what the reader gets | | "Get the best sourdough starter cheap online." | "We tested the starter kit from Example Bakes." | Brand anchor, no keyword stuffing | | "This amazing step-by-step guide to making sourdough bread at home for beginners." | "This beginner sourdough guide covers it step by step." | Concise, context does the rest | ## Internal links: the anchors you fully control Anchor text matters just as much inside your own site, and here you decide every word. Google recommends that every important page has at least one link from another page on the site, with descriptive anchors in context. On a small blog, that usually means linking related posts to each other from the body, not just from a "Related posts" widget. Our notes on [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) cover how to structure that. ## What if you find anchors you don't like Most sites eventually find a few odd anchors pointing at them: a scraper that copied an article, a directory you never submitted to, a forum signature in a language you don't speak. A few steps, in order of effort: - **Generic anchors from real partners.** If a genuine site links to you with "here," it's fine to ask politely for a more descriptive phrase. Yandex suggests exactly that. Don't push for a keyword. - **Anchors you asked for earlier.** If you once asked partners for the same commercial phrase, ask them to switch to your brand name or a descriptive phrase and to label paid links `rel="sponsored"`. - **Spam you never asked for.** Usually leave it alone. Google's [disavow help page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487) says most sites will not need the tool; it's meant for many artificial links that have caused or are likely to cause a manual action, after you've tried to get them removed. If you're unsure whether swapping articles with other sites crosses a line, our breakdown of [whether link exchange is bad for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/) walks through the official wording. ## How to see the anchors pointing to your site - **Google Search Console → Links.** The "Top linking text" table shows the anchor text used in external links to your site. Google notes the report is a sample, not a full list, and tables are capped at 1,000 rows ([Links report help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606)). - **Yandex Webmaster.** The report on broken inbound links shows the link text on the referring page for each entry ([Yandex help](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/external-links.html)). - **Third-party backlink tools.** Free tiers show part of the picture; we compared them in [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). What to look for: does one commercial phrase dominate? Are there anchors in languages or topics unrelated to your site? The first suggests someone built links for you too eagerly; the second usually means spam links you didn't ask for. ## What to do next Open the "Top linking text" table in Search Console today and see what your link profile looks like. If you want new mentions without negotiating link text, the [Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) works the natural way: the author of each partner article writes the link text for their own readers, and exchange links carry `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is a public beta with a small network. Before accepting any partner, you can [check their site](https://satelo.io/check/): you'll see its Quality Score with the evidence behind each number, mostly from open data, in 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### What is anchor text in SEO? It is the visible, clickable text of a link. Search engines use it to understand what the linked page is about, so it should describe the destination. ### What is a good anchor text ratio? Neither Google nor Yandex publishes any ratio. Percentages in SEO guides are personal observations. Write anchors that fit the sentence and describe the page. ### Are exact-match anchors bad? Not in themselves. A single natural use is fine. Google's spam policies list optimized anchor text in guest posts and articles distributed on other sites as link spam. ### Is 'click here' bad anchor text? It is weak. Google and Yandex both recommend descriptive text, because 'click here' tells nothing about the destination. ### How do I check the anchor text of my backlinks? In Google Search Console, open Links and look at the 'Top linking text' table. It is a sample, not a complete list. ### What anchor text should I use for internal links? Descriptive, concise text in context, such as the topic of the target page. Make sure every important page has at least one internal link. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/backlink-exchange-platforms/ Link exchange # Backlink Exchange Platforms in 2026: How They Work and Which Rules They Break A backlink exchange platform is a service that matches websites so they link to each other, either as direct swaps, through a credit system, or in a ring where nobody links back directly. The model matters less than you'd think: Google's link spam policy judges why a link exists and whether it's qualified, not how the trade was arranged. Below you'll find how the main platforms work, based on their own public pages as of October 16, 2026, the exact policy wording, and a checklist to run before you join any of them. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## The three models behind every backlink exchange Almost every backlink exchange network you'll find in search, on Reddit, or on Product Hunt is a variation of one of three designs. - **Direct swap (reciprocal).** Site A links to site B, and B links back to A. Some services act as matchmakers: they find the partner and negotiate, but the trade is still one-for-one. - **Credit-based exchange.** You earn credits when a link to another member appears on your site, and you spend credits to get links to yours. Most credit systems live inside AI content tools: the links are placed into articles the tool writes for other members, often with no human picking each placement. - **Ring (A→B→C→A).** Each site gives to the next and receives from the previous one, so no pair links to each other. This is the structure behind "three-way" or "ABC" offers. We covered it separately in [our guide to three-way link exchanges](https://satelo.io/blog/three-way-link-exchange/). Rings and credits are often pitched as "safer" because they avoid obvious A↔B pairs. That's a claim about detection, not about the rules. We'll come back to that. ## What Google's spam policy actually says Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) (last updated August 28, 2026) define link spam as creating links "primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings." The examples that apply directly to exchange platforms include: - "Buying or selling links for ranking purposes," which the policy says includes exchanging goods or services for links. - "Excessive link exchanges ('Link to me and I'll link to you') or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking." - "Using automated programs or services to create links to your site." - "Text advertisements or text links that don't block ranking credit." The same page also says the opposite thing, and it's just as important: Google "does understand that buying and selling links is a normal part of the economy of the web," and such links are fine "as long as they are qualified" with `rel="nofollow"` or `rel="sponsored"`. Google's [guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) tells you to mark "advertisements or paid placements" with `sponsored`. So the dividing line isn't "exchange vs. no exchange." It's whether a link was traded **to pass ranking credit** without being labeled. A credit or a reciprocal placement is a form of payment. A link that you got in return for something counts as compensated, whatever currency was used. One more detail people miss: since 2019, Google treats `nofollow`, `sponsored` and `ugc` as [hints rather than strict directives](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2019/09/evolving-nofollow-new-ways-to-identify). That means a qualified link isn't worthless to Google, and an unqualified one isn't automatically counted. Nobody, including any platform, can promise you what a specific link will do for rankings. ## Backlink exchange platforms compared (checked October 16, 2026) The table only uses what each company states on its own public pages. Where a page doesn't say something, the cell says "not stated." We didn't sign up for paid tiers, so this is a comparison of published terms, not of results. | Platform | Model | Entry requirement (as published) | How links get placed | Link attribute stated? | Published pricing for the exchange | | [SEO Rocket](https://seorocket.featurebase.app/help/articles/0625724-backlink-exchange) | Credits; matching designed as an A→B→C→A cycle | Not stated; you set a minimum DR for incoming links | Contextual links added automatically to articles during publishing, 1 to 3 partner links per article (default 2) | Not stated | Monthly credits come with a plan; extra credits can be bought; prices not stated on the help page | | [Arvow](https://arvow.featurebase.app/help/articles/3434147-backlink-exchange) | Network pool with credits | Not stated; projects join the pool after setup | Placed automatically as other users publish articles | Not stated | 1 free backlink per day per account; each additional verified backlink costs 15 credits | | [LinkRocket](https://linkrocket.ai/) | Credits (earn by providing links, spend to get them) | Not stated | Not stated on the homepage | Not stated | The Free plan includes access to the exchange; exchange limits not stated | | [Outrank](https://www.outrank.so/) | Automated placement network | Not stated | AI places links "inside real articles on real blogs"; turned on once, runs on its own | Not stated | Included in the Organic Growth plan, listed at $99/month | | [BabyLoveGrowth](https://www.babylovegrowth.ai/) | "Automated Link Exchange" between customers | Not stated | Links placed in articles where they fit the context | Not stated | Not stated on the homepage (trial available) | | [BacklinkSwappers](https://backlinkswappers.com/) | Managed reciprocal swaps | DR 30+, manual review | You approve an emailed offer and mention a member in your blog | Not stated | Not stated | | [Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/) (public beta) | Ring of partner articles, paid in internal credits | No published DR threshold; partners matched by topic and site level | You approve and publish a full partner article; nothing is inserted into your existing posts | Yes: every exchange link is `rel="sponsored"` | Free to start by publishing; credits can also be bought (10 credits = $25), 10% fee paid by the buyer | The pattern is hard to miss. **None of the six other platforms states a link attribute on the pages we checked**, and most of the credit systems insert links automatically. That doesn't prove they're unqualified, only that you'd have to ask before joining. If you're comparing paid placement marketplaces rather than exchanges, see our side-by-side pages such as [Satelo vs. Adsy](https://satelo.io/vs/adsy/) and the rest of the [comparison index](https://satelo.io/vs/), which cover fees, guarantees and payouts. A fair note about Satelo: it's a public beta with a small network, far smaller than the established tools above. If you need lots of partners in a narrow niche today, a bigger network will match you faster. What it offers instead is a design that stays inside Google's stated rules. ## Which models run into the link spam policy Take each model against the policy wording, not against marketing copy. ### Direct swaps A handful of reciprocal links between genuinely related sites happens naturally on the web. A service whose whole purpose is arranging swaps for rankings is the textbook "excessive link exchanges" example. Labeling the links `sponsored` fixes the policy problem, but most swap services sell the opposite. ### Credit-based exchanges Credits are payment by another name. If the link is placed so that it passes ranking credit and isn't qualified, it fits "exchanging goods or services for links." The automated part adds a second issue, covered in the next section. ### Rings A ring changes the shape of the trade, not its purpose. If each link exists only because another site gave one, the policy still applies. What makes a ring acceptable is the same thing that makes any paid link acceptable: the content is useful to readers, the arrangement is disclosed, and the link carries `rel="sponsored"`. Our [deep dive on whether link exchanges are bad for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/) walks through borderline cases. The question isn't "Will Google notice?" It's "Would this link exist, labeled as it is, if nobody were trading?" If the honest answer is no, it needs `rel="sponsored"`. ## Why automatic link insertion is a separate risk Many credit platforms are built into AI writing tools: the tool writes an article for member A and drops in a link to member B. Three things go wrong here. - **It matches a listed example almost word for word.** "Using automated programs or services to create links to your site" is one of Google's named link spam examples. - **Nobody chose the link.** The publishing site didn't decide to recommend that page; a matching algorithm did. That's hard to defend as an editorial link. - **You may not see your outgoing links.** If the tool publishes straight to your CMS, links to strangers can appear on your site without review. SEO Rocket, to its credit, lets you exclude niches and remove partners, and notes that existing links stay in place after you opt out. Check whether your platform gives you the same controls. There's also a footprint problem: hundreds of sites written by the same AI tool, linking to each other in similar positions with similar anchors. Whether that gets detected is speculation. Whether it's allowed is answered by the policy above. ## Checklist: vet any backlink exchange platform before joining Run through these questions. If a platform can't answer one in writing, treat that as the answer. - **What attribute do the links carry?** Ask directly. "Dofollow guaranteed" is a red flag, not a feature. - **Can you see partner sites before anything goes live?** You should know the domain, the page, and the anchor. - **Can you refuse a placement?** Both incoming and outgoing. Automatic acceptance means you've outsourced your site's editorial judgment. - **Are links inserted into existing content?** Edits to old posts are harder to disclose and easier to mistake for editorial endorsement. - **Is the arrangement disclosed to readers?** Compensated content usually needs a visible label. Rules vary by country; check your obligations. - **Who are the partners?** Look at a sample. Thin sites with no audience and random topics are what [Google calls](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) "low-value content primarily for the purposes of manipulating linking and ranking signals." - **What happens when you leave?** Do links on your site get removed, or do they stay forever? - **What does the platform promise?** Any promise of rankings, DR gains, or "link juice" is a promise nobody can keep. For checking individual partner sites, our guide on [how to check a site before buying a placement](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) covers traffic, indexation and topical fit step by step. ## A worked example: evaluating an offer (for illustration) Say a tool offers you "5 contextual backlinks a week from DR 40+ sites, fully automatic, in exchange for hosting 5 links on your blog." Run it through the checklist: | Question | What the offer tells you | Verdict | | Attribute | Not mentioned; "DR 40+" suggests they're selling ranking credit | Ask before joining | | Partner visibility | "Fully automatic" | Probably no review step | | Refusal | Not mentioned | Ask | | Disclosure | Not mentioned | Likely none | | Purpose | Links traded for links, measured in DR | Fits the policy's link spam examples unless qualified | The same offer becomes defensible if it reads: "You review each partner article, it's labeled as a partnership, links are `rel="sponsored"`, and you can decline any placement." The volume might be lower. The risk is far lower too. ## What an honest backlink exchange looks like An exchange can stay within the rules if it treats links as what they are: compensated placements that bring readers and visibility, not hidden ranking boosts. - **Full articles, not inserted links.** A partner piece written for your readers has value even if the link passes nothing. - **Human approval on both sides.** You choose what appears on your site. - **A visible label and `rel="sponsored"`.** That's the condition Google sets for compensated links. - **Partners matched by topic and level.** A link from a relevant site can send real visitors; a random one can't. - **No promises about rankings.** The realistic benefits are referral traffic, brand mentions, and being seen by an adjacent audience. This is the design Satelo follows: partner articles move in a ring, each one is labeled, every link is `rel="sponsored"`, and nothing is inserted into your existing posts. The trade-off is plain: it's slower and smaller than automated networks, and it won't pump up a link metric. ## What to do next - List the platforms you're considering and send each one the first three checklist questions. - Audit links any platform already placed on your site. Add `rel="sponsored"` to traded links, or remove them. - Before any exchange, check the partner. On [Satelo's free checker](https://satelo.io/check/) you can see any site's Quality Score in about 30 seconds, with the evidence behind each number. It's built mostly from open data such as Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl size and PageSpeed, so you can verify what you see. - If you want an exchange that stays inside Google's stated rules, [try Satelo's partner-article exchange](https://satelo.io/app/): you're matched by topic and site level, every link is labeled and `rel="sponsored"`, and you can start by publishing one partner article instead of paying. ## FAQ ### Is a backlink exchange legal? Exchanging links isn't illegal in itself. The risks are search-engine policy and advertising disclosure. Google lists excessive link exchanges and links traded for ranking purposes as link spam, and many countries require compensated content to be labeled. Check the rules where you and your readers are. ### Are backlink exchange platforms safe for SEO? It depends on how links are placed and labeled, not on the platform's name. Links traded to pass ranking credit without rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" fall under Google's link spam policy, and automated link creation is a named example. A disclosed, qualified exchange with real articles carries far less risk. ### Do backlink exchanges still work in 2026? Nobody can promise a ranking effect from any link, and Google treats link attributes as hints. What a well-placed partner article can reliably do is put your site in front of a relevant audience and send referral visitors. ### What is a free backlink exchange? Usually a credit system where you pay by hosting links to other members instead of paying money. It's still compensation: a link you got in return for a link counts as a traded link under Google's policy, so it needs to be qualified. ### Is a three-way or ring exchange safer than a direct swap? It's harder to spot, not more allowed. Google's policy looks at the purpose of a link, not the shape of the trade. A ring is fine when the content is useful, the arrangement is disclosed, and links carry rel="sponsored". ### Should exchange links be dofollow or sponsored? Links you received because you gave something in return should be rel="sponsored" (or nofollow), according to Google's guidance on qualifying outbound links. Treat any platform that guarantees dofollow links as a red flag. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/best-blogging-platform-for-seo/ Wordpress # Best Blogging Platform for SEO: An Honest Comparison by Criteria The best blogging platform for SEO is the one that lets you publish on your own domain, control titles, URLs and markup, and leave with your content whenever you want. For most people who want search traffic, that means self-hosted WordPress or Ghost; Substack and Medium are better at distribution than at search. Below are the criteria that actually matter, how each platform scores on them, and a quick way to choose by situation. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What "good for SEO" actually means for a blog platform No platform ranks your posts for you. Google ranks pages, and a page on a cheap theme with genuinely useful content can beat a slick page with nothing to say. What a platform can do is get in your way. So instead of asking "which platform ranks best?", ask "which platform removes the most obstacles and traps?" Six criteria cover almost everything: - **Your own domain.** Links, reputation and bookmarks accumulate on a domain. If your posts live on someone else's subdomain or path, the asset you build partly belongs to the platform. - **Control over the basics.** Editable title tags, meta descriptions, URL slugs, canonical tags, headings and image alt text. - **Crawlability.** Clean HTML, a sitemap, sensible internal links and no JavaScript-only content. Google notes that [most CMSs generate sitemaps automatically](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap), so check that yours does and that you can submit it. - **Speed.** Lightweight themes and good hosting make it easier to pass Core Web Vitals. Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) shows what to check. - **Exit options.** Can you export posts, images and subscribers, and set up 301 redirects when you move? A platform you cannot leave cleanly is a long-term risk. - **Ability to extend.** Structured data, multilingual pages, newsletters, monetization, integrations. You may not need them on day one, but you will not want to migrate to get them. ## The platforms at a glance | Platform | Own domain | SEO control | Exit / redirects | Best for | | WordPress.org (self-hosted) | Yes | Full (theme + plugins) | Full export; redirects under your control | Anyone serious about search traffic | | Ghost (self-hosted or Ghost(Pro)) | Yes | Strong defaults, less tinkering | Export available; redirects configurable | Writers who want blog + newsletter in one tool | | WordPress.com | On paid plans | Good on paid plans | Export available | People who want WordPress without managing hosting | | Blogger | Yes (free) | Basic | Limited theme and redirect control | Free hobby blogs | | Wix / Squarespace | Yes (paid) | Decent built-in tools | Blog export is more limited | Small business sites with a blog section | | Substack | Optional, one-time fee | Limited | Export posts and email list | Newsletter-first writers | | Medium | Restricted | Minimal | Content stays in Medium's design | Reaching Medium's readers, not building a site | The table is a summary, not a scoreboard. The sections below explain where each platform shines and where it costs you. ## WordPress.org: maximum control, maximum responsibility Self-hosted WordPress is the default answer for a reason. According to W3Techs, it runs [39.7% of all websites](https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management) (data as of October 2026). That popularity matters for SEO in practical ways: every problem you hit has been solved and documented, SEO plugins expose every setting you might need, and almost any developer can work on your site. **What you get:** full control of titles, slugs, canonicals, schema, sitemaps, redirects and server settings; thousands of themes; the ability to add multilingual setups, membership, shops or anything else later. **What it costs:** you pay for hosting and you maintain updates, backups and security. Heavy themes and too many plugins are the most common reason WordPress blogs end up slow. Pick a lightweight theme and add plugins only when you need them. If you go this route, our guide on [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers what to do after launch. ## Ghost: fast and clean out of the box Ghost is an open-source publishing platform focused on blogs and newsletters. You can self-host it or pay for the managed Ghost(Pro) service, where [Ghost's pricing page](https://ghost.org/pricing/) lists plans starting at $18/month billed yearly, with a custom domain included on every plan (prices checked October 2026). **Strengths:** sensible SEO defaults (meta fields, sitemaps and canonical tags are built in), a lean front end that tends to be fast, and native email newsletters and paid memberships. You spend less time configuring and more time writing. **Trade-offs:** a much smaller ecosystem than WordPress, so unusual needs (complex multilingual setups, specific integrations) can require custom work. Managed hosting is also more expensive than budget WordPress hosting. ## Substack and Medium: great for distribution, weak as a search asset Substack and Medium solve a different problem: finding readers through a built-in network and email. That is valuable, especially when you are starting from zero. But they give you far less control over the things that make a site a long-term search asset. - **Substack** lets you connect your own domain for a [one-time $50 fee per publication](https://on.substack.com/p/new-add-a-custom-domain-to-your-substack). Without it, your posts live on a substack.com subdomain. Templates, markup and site structure stay mostly in Substack's hands. - **Medium** keeps your content inside Medium's design and domain by default, and you cannot add your own scripts, schema or site structure. Your posts may rank, but the reputation they earn mostly accrues to Medium. A sensible pattern: publish the canonical version on your own site and use Substack or Medium as a distribution channel, with a canonical link or a clear link back. Our [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/) explains how to republish without competing with yourself in search. ## WordPress.com, Blogger, Wix and Squarespace ### WordPress.com The hosted version of WordPress. The [free plan](https://wordpress.com/pricing/) uses a WordPress.com subdomain, shows WordPress.com ads to visitors and does not allow plugins; paid plans add a custom domain and plugin installation. If you like WordPress but do not want to manage a server, a paid plan is a reasonable middle ground. ### Blogger Google's free platform is still running and supports a [custom domain via DNS records](https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1233387), with no Blogger fee beyond buying the domain. It is fine for a hobby blog. The limits show up later: fewer theme options, basic SEO controls and an awkward path if you outgrow it. ### Wix and Squarespace Both are site builders with blogs attached. Their built-in SEO tools cover titles, descriptions, URLs and redirects reasonably well, and they make sense when the blog is one section of a business site. As pure blogging platforms they are less flexible, and moving a large archive off them takes more work than moving off WordPress or Ghost. ## How to choose: five common situations | Your situation | Sensible choice | Why | | You want search traffic to be your main channel | WordPress.org | Full control, biggest ecosystem, easiest to extend and hire for | | You write a lot and want a newsletter built in | Ghost | Fast, clean SEO defaults, email and memberships native | | You have no budget and just want to start | Blogger with a custom domain, or WordPress.com free to test | Free; move later with redirects if it works | | You already have an audience on email | Substack with a custom domain, plus a site later | Distribution first; buy the domain so you can move | | The blog supports a local or service business | Whatever runs your main site (Wix, Squarespace, WordPress) | One domain, one place to manage | Whatever you pick, buy your own domain on day one. It is the single decision that keeps every future option open, including switching platforms without losing what you built. ## If you switch platforms later Migrations go wrong when URLs change silently. Before you move: - Export every post and image, and crawl your current site to get a full URL list. - Keep the same slugs where possible. Where they must change, map old URL to new URL in a spreadsheet. - Set up permanent server-side redirects. Google recommends a [permanent server-side redirect](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects) whenever a URL in search results needs to change, with meta refresh or JavaScript only as fallbacks. - Submit the new sitemap in Search Console and watch the Pages report for a few weeks. This is exactly why hosted platforms with weak redirect control are risky: the cost of leaving shows up years after you joined. ## Common mistakes when picking a platform - **Choosing for themes, not for exit.** A beautiful template is easy to replace; a domain you do not own is not. - **Installing every SEO plugin.** On WordPress, one well-configured SEO plugin is enough. Overlapping plugins create duplicate meta tags and sitemaps. - **Expecting the platform to bring traffic.** Platform choice removes obstacles. Traffic comes from content people search for and from other sites mentioning you; see [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) for the part that does the work. - **Splitting content across platforms.** Ten posts on Medium, ten on a blog and ten on Substack is three weak sites instead of one decent one. ## What to do next Pick a platform with your own domain, publish your first posts, and then measure where the site stands instead of guessing. You can [see your site's Quality Score in about 30 seconds](https://satelo.io/check/), with the open data behind each number, and run the same check again in a few months to see what changed. When you start looking for other sites to mention you, Satelo can help: WordPress sites connect through the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/), and sites on other platforms where you control the templates can join from the [dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) via an API feed. Satelo is in public beta with a small network, and exchange links carry rel="sponsored", so treat it as a way to reach relevant readers, not a ranking shortcut. ## FAQ ### What is the best blogging platform for SEO? For most people who want search traffic, self-hosted WordPress. It gives full control over your domain, URLs, metadata, structured data and redirects, and has the largest ecosystem. Ghost is a strong alternative if you want speed and a built-in newsletter with less configuration. ### Is WordPress or Ghost better for SEO? Both can rank equally well, because content matters more than the platform. Ghost has cleaner SEO defaults and tends to be faster out of the box; WordPress is more flexible and easier to extend with plugins, multilingual setups and integrations. ### Is Substack good for SEO? Substack posts can appear in Google, but you have limited control over markup and site structure, and without a custom domain your posts live on a substack.com subdomain. It works best as a newsletter and distribution channel alongside a site you own. ### What is the best free blogging platform? Blogger is free and supports your own domain at no extra platform cost, which makes it a reasonable free start. WordPress.com has a free plan too, but it uses a subdomain, shows ads and does not allow plugins. ### What is the best blogging platform for beginners? Choose the simplest tool that still lets you use your own domain. Ghost(Pro) and paid WordPress.com plans need no server management; self-hosted WordPress takes a little more setup but offers the most room to grow. ### Does the blogging platform affect Google rankings? Indirectly. The platform does not earn rankings, but it can help or hurt crawlability, speed, metadata control and your ability to redirect URLs. Pick one that removes obstacles and then focus on content. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/ Website traffic # Free Website Traffic Checkers Compared: What You Get Without Paying A free website traffic checker gives you an estimate, not a measurement: for any site you do not own, Similarweb, Semrush, Ahrefs and Ubersuggest model traffic from panels, clickstream or rankings, and each free tier shows only part of the picture. For your own site, Google Search Console and an analytics tool give real numbers for free. This guide shows what each free checker displays, its limits as stated by the vendor, and how to combine them into an estimate you can trust. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## First, the honest caveat: nobody measures someone else's traffic Only the site owner has real traffic numbers, from analytics code or server logs. Every outside tool **estimates**. Some use panels of browser users, some use clickstream data, some take the keywords a site ranks for and multiply by expected click rates. All of these get less reliable as a site gets smaller. Similarweb is open about this. Its [data accuracy article](https://support.similarweb.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002219177) says the tool does not expect estimates to match direct measurement exactly, and that if a site's latest snapshot is under 5,000 visits, no data is displayed. That covers a large share of niche blogs and local business sites. So the right question is not "which checker is accurate?" but "which checkers, combined, give me a reasonable range?" Keep that in mind for every number below. ## The free checkers compared | Tool | What the free version shows | Free limit (vendor's own wording) | Data comes from | | [Similarweb](https://www.similarweb.com/website/) (free site pages) | A high-level overview of estimated visits and traffic channels | Similarweb's [pricing FAQ](https://www.similarweb.com/corp/pricing/) calls free data a "high-level sample"; no data for sites under 5,000 visits | Many data inputs, modeled into estimates | | [Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/kb/1011-subscriptions) (free account) | Domain overview with an organic traffic estimate and top keywords | Free plan: 1 demo project and 10 reports a day across tools | Keyword rankings, modeled | | [Ahrefs Traffic Checker](https://ahrefs.com/traffic-checker) | Estimated organic search traffic for a domain or URL, top pages and keywords | Free version with limited results; full reports need a paid plan | Ahrefs' keyword index and rankings | | [Ahrefs Free](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) (your sites) | Your organic keywords, backlinks, audit, simple web analytics | Verified sites only; up to 1,000 backlinks and keywords visible at once; 5,000 crawl credits a month per project | Ahrefs' index plus its own analytics script | | [Ubersuggest](https://app.neilpatel.com/en/pricing) | Organic traffic estimate, top pages, keywords | A small number of free searches a day; paid plans start at €29 a month | Keyword rankings, modeled | | [Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/) | Quality Score with the evidence behind it: Tranco rank, Common Crawl presence, domain age, page speed | Free, no signup | Mostly open data; verified pageviews for sites in the Satelo network | Notice the split. Similarweb tries to estimate **all** traffic (search, direct, social, referral). Semrush, Ahrefs and Ubersuggest mostly estimate **organic search** traffic from rankings. Satelo does not estimate visits at all; it shows popularity and quality signals you can verify yourself. Comparing a Similarweb number with an Ahrefs number is comparing two different things. ## When to use which - **Sizing up a big competitor:** Similarweb's free page for total visits and channel mix, then Semrush or Ahrefs for which pages pull search traffic. - **Checking whether a small blog ranks for anything:** Ahrefs Traffic Checker or Ubersuggest. If both show no keywords, the site likely gets little search traffic. - **Vetting a guest post or partner site:** start with signals that are hard to fake, such as Tranco presence and Common Crawl coverage, then look at organic estimates. Our guide to [checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) has the full routine. - **Measuring your own site:** skip the estimators and use first-party data (next section). ## Tool-by-tool notes ### Similarweb The best free option for a large site's overall picture, because it looks beyond search. Its weakness is the other end of the scale: below the 5,000-visit threshold you simply get no number. Similarweb also lets owners connect Google Analytics to their own site, publicly or privately, so if you own the site you can see how far the estimate was off. ### Semrush A free account is enough for a handful of lookups a day. The organic estimate is driven by the keywords Semrush tracks, so a site that ranks mostly for long-tail phrases outside its database can look smaller than it is. Ten reports a day go quickly if you check several domains, so plan which ones matter before you start. ### Ahrefs Traffic Checker and Ahrefs Free The public traffic checker gives a quick organic estimate plus top pages for any domain. Ahrefs Free is a different product: it only works on sites you verify, but there it shows your keywords and backlinks with far more depth than the public checker. Use the first for other sites, the second for yours. ### Ubersuggest Easy to read and good for a second opinion on organic traffic and top pages. The free allowance is small, and Ubersuggest does not publish the exact number on its pricing page, so expect to hit a limit after a few searches. ### Satelo check Not a traffic estimator. It answers a different question: does this site show signs of a real, established presence? That is often what you actually need before a deal, and it is harder to game than a backlink count. ## Getting more out of free limits - **Decide the question first.** "Is this site real?" needs one or two lookups. "How big is this competitor's search traffic?" needs a keyword tool. Do not burn daily limits browsing. - **Write down each estimate with the tool and date.** Estimates change monthly, and a note like "estimate by tool X on October 16" keeps you honest later. - **Compare like with like.** Put organic estimates next to organic estimates, and total-visit estimates next to total-visit estimates. - **Check your own site as a control.** If a tool overstates your known traffic, it probably overstates similar sites too. ## Your own site: use measurement, not estimates For a site you own, free tools give real numbers: - **Google Search Console.** The [Performance report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553) shows clicks, impressions, average position and queries from Google Search. It does not include other channels. - **An analytics tool.** [Google Analytics 4](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9304153) is free and covers all channels. Privacy-focused counters work too. - **Ahrefs Free.** Adds backlinks, an audit and a lightweight analytics option for verified sites. Our step-by-step guide on [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) covers setup for each. One useful habit: look up your own site in the free estimators too. Seeing how far they miss on a site where you know the truth tells you how much to trust them on others. ## "Website stats checker" vs "website status checker" These two searches look alike and mean different things, and search suggestions show people mixing them up. - A **website stats checker** estimates traffic, rankings and popularity. Everything in the table above is one. - A **website status checker** tells you whether a site is up or down right now and what HTTP status it returns. For your own site, an uptime monitor or the URL Inspection tool in Search Console does that job. If you landed here because a site will not load, you want a status checker, not a traffic checker. ## How to cross-check estimates in 10 minutes One estimate is a guess. Three independent signals pointing the same way are evidence. Here is a routine that costs nothing: - **Popularity list.** Check whether the domain appears in the [Tranco list](https://tranco-list.eu), a research ranking that combines several data sources and averages them over time. Being in it means real traffic; not being in it is normal for small sites. More in [Tranco rank explained](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/). - **Crawl footprint.** [Common Crawl](https://commoncrawl.org) publishes an open web crawl. A site with many crawled pages has been around and linked; a tiny footprint suggests a new or isolated site. - **Real-user speed data.** If a site has field data in the [Chrome UX Report](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux), enough real Chrome users visit it to be measured. Missing field data is a hint of low traffic. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **Organic estimate from two tools.** Look up the site in Ahrefs Traffic Checker and Ubersuggest or Semrush. Note the order of magnitude, not the exact figure. - **Trend and country.** A sharp drop or traffic from countries that do not match the site's language deserves a question. - **Ask the owner.** For any paid deal, ask for a Search Console or analytics screenshot for the last three to six months, with the domain visible. Illustrative example: a cooking blog shows no Similarweb data, about a thousand monthly organic visits in one keyword tool and about two thousand in another, is not in the Tranco list, has a few hundred pages in Common Crawl and no CrUX field data. Read together, that points to a small but real site getting low four-figure monthly visits. The owner's Search Console screenshot then confirms or corrects the range. ## How to read disagreements between tools - **Similarweb much higher than keyword tools:** the site may get a lot of direct, social or referral traffic that ranking-based tools cannot see. - **Keyword tools much higher than everything else:** the site may rank for high-volume terms in positions that get few clicks, or the estimate is stale after an update. - **All tools show almost nothing, but the owner claims big numbers:** ask for proof before paying. See [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) for patterns that often come with inflated claims. - **Tools roughly agree:** good sign, but still treat the number as a range. ## What free checkers will not tell you Even used together, free checkers leave gaps. They will not show conversions or revenue, exact traffic for small sites, traffic from newsletters or apps, or whether an audience is engaged. They also cannot tell you whether a site is a good fit for your topic. For that, read the site: recent posts, comments, author pages and who it links to. ## What to do next If you need a quick read on a site before a guest post, exchange or purchase, start with signals you can verify. [Satelo's free check](https://satelo.io/check/) needs no signup and shows a Quality Score built mostly from open data, including Tranco rank, Common Crawl presence, domain age and page speed, with the evidence behind each number. For sites in the Satelo network, it also uses verified pageviews from the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/). Then add one or two organic estimates from the tools above, and you have a range you can defend. ## FAQ ### How can I check a website's traffic for free? For a site you do not own, use free estimators such as Similarweb's site pages, Semrush's free account, Ahrefs' Traffic Checker or Ubersuggest, and compare results. For your own site, use Google Search Console and an analytics tool, which measure real visits. ### Which free website traffic checker is most accurate? None is accurate for every site. Accuracy varies by size and niche, and all of them estimate. Cross-check two or three tools and look at independent signals such as Tranco presence before trusting a number. ### Can I see exactly how much traffic a website gets? Only if the owner shares analytics or Search Console data. Outside tools model traffic from panels, browser data or rankings, so treat their figures as a range. ### Why does Similarweb show no data for a site? Similarweb says it does not display data when a site's latest snapshot is below 5,000 visits, and some features need 5,000 monthly desktop visits. Many small sites fall under that line. ### Is Semrush's traffic checker free? Semrush's free plan includes 10 reports a day across its tools and one demo project, which is enough for a few quick lookups. Deeper traffic analytics requires a paid plan. ### What is the difference between a website stats checker and a status checker? A stats checker estimates traffic and popularity. A status checker tells you whether a site is online and which HTTP status code it returns. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/best-guest-post-marketplaces/ Guest posting # Guest Post Marketplaces Compared: Prices, Vetting and Link Rules The best guest post marketplace is the one whose rules you can read before you pay: visible fees, real site moderation, a clear link attribute policy and a refund path. Most "best of" lists skip those rules and rank the author's own product first. Below is a neutral comparison of seven platforms based on their public pages as of October 16, 2026, plus a checklist for vetting any site on any marketplace. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## How we compared the marketplaces We did not buy placements for this article, so there are no "we tested it" scores here. Instead, we read each platform's public homepage, FAQ or rules on October 16, 2026 and recorded what they actually commit to. That turned out to be revealing: some platforms publish detailed terms, others publish almost nothing. Five criteria matter more than catalog size: - **Fee transparency.** Is the commission stated in public, and who pays it: buyer, publisher or both? - **Site moderation.** Does the platform say how sites get in, and can it remove them? - **Link attribute policy.** Does the listing tell you whether the link will be `nofollow`, `sponsored` or neither? This decides whether the placement fits Google's rules. - **Guarantee.** How long is the link monitored, and what happens if it disappears? - **Refunds.** Do you get money back to your card, credit on a balance, or nothing? ## Comparison table (checked October 16, 2026) | Platform | Model | Fees in public | Link attribute | Guarantee / refund | | [Collaborator](https://collaborator.pro/faq) | Self-serve catalog, guest posts | Yes: 10% on deposits, 15% on withdrawals | Publisher sets dofollow, nofollow or sponsored in site settings | 3 months free; 12 months for +10% of price; guarantee payouts go to balance | | [Adsy](https://adsy.com/faq) | Guest posts, link insertions | Not stated in FAQ | No policy; FAQ tells buyers to check nofollow/dofollow before accepting | FAQ: "All purchases are final and non-refundable"; tasks can be sent back for fixes | | [WhitePress](https://www.whitepress.com/en) | Pay-as-you-go: sponsored articles, guest posts, PR | No prices on the homepage | Not mentioned on the homepage | Advertises a 36-month guarantee with daily monitoring | | [Miralinks](https://www.miralinks.com/) | Article placement exchange, manual placement | Commission described only as "low"; per-placement prices in RUB | Not stated on the homepage | Insurance against removal sold as a paid add-on | | [Icopify](https://icopify.co/) | Self-serve marketplace, fixed prices | Prices shown per post, service fee included | Not specified | Escrow until live link is verified; missed orders refunded to wallet balance | | [Getfluence](https://www.getfluence.com/en/) | Pay-per-placement on media sites | No price list; no minimum spend | Homepage promotes "do-follow backlinks" in sponsored articles | Not stated on the homepage | | Satelo (public beta) | Partner-article exchange plus optional orders | 10% on exchanges and orders, paid by the buyer | Always `rel="sponsored"`, labeled as partner content | Unpublished orders refunded automatically | Terms change often. Treat the table as a snapshot and open the source link before you deposit money. We have separate, deeper comparisons for [Collaborator](https://satelo.io/vs/collaborator/), [Adsy](https://satelo.io/vs/adsy/) and [Miralinks](https://satelo.io/vs/miralinks/). ## The link attribute question nobody puts in the headline Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list "buying or selling links for ranking purposes", including "exchanging money for links", as link spam. The same page says paid links are fine "as long as they are qualified with a rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" attribute value." It also flags advertorials where "payment is received for articles that include links that pass ranking credit." So when a marketplace leaves the attribute to the publisher, or advertises followed links in paid articles, the compliance decision lands on you. A paid placement can still be worth it for what it legitimately buys: exposure to the host's readers, a brand mention, referral clicks. If you are paying, ask for `sponsored` in writing before the article goes live. ## Typical marketplace problems ### Dead and parked domains Catalogs age. In September 2026, blogger Lilach Bullock ran a live HTTP check on 3,204 domains collected from guest post listings and found 568 of them, or 17.7%, dead or parked ([her write-up](https://www.lilachbullock.com/guest-posting-statistics-2026/)). It is a single author's audit, not independently verified, and it covers listings in general rather than one marketplace. Still, the lesson holds: a site being listed does not mean it is alive today. ### Sites that exist only to sell posts Some domains have strong link metrics and almost no readers. Every recent post is a "sponsored" piece on an unrelated topic, and there is no author, no comments, no social presence. These sites can look great in a filter for domain rating and still deliver nothing. Check the archive, not just the metrics. ### Metrics you cannot verify Traffic numbers in catalogs often come from third-party estimates or from the publisher's own claim. Some platforms let publishers connect Google Analytics or Search Console; when that option exists, prefer sites that used it. ### Refunds that are really credit "Refunded to your balance" means the money stays on the platform. That is fine if you plan to keep buying there, and a real cost if you do not. ## A 10-minute checklist before you pay any site - **Open the homepage yourself.** Does it load fast, look maintained and have posts from the last month? - **Read three recent articles.** Are they written for readers, or are they thin pieces stuffed with links to casinos, loans and supplements? - **Search `site:domain.com` in Google.** If almost nothing is indexed, a new post will likely not be either. - **Check topical fit.** Would the site's real readers care about your product? If not, the clicks will not come. - **Look at an existing sponsored post.** Is it labeled? Which `rel` do its outbound links carry? That is what you will get. - **Compare two traffic sources.** If a free checker shows near zero while the catalog claims thousands of visits, ask why. - **Read the refund and guarantee terms** for that exact order type, not the platform's marketing page. Our guide [how to check a site before buying a placement](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) goes deeper, and you can run any domain through the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data such as Tranco rank, Common Crawl, domain age and page speed. ## How much does a guest post cost on a marketplace? Prices range from a few dollars to well into four figures, and the spread is real: Icopify's homepage, for example, shows sample listings between $5.99 and $29.95 on the day we checked, while media placements on other platforms are quoted only on request. Cheap is not a bargain if the site is dead or has no readers. For how publishers set prices and what drives the range, see our [guest post cost guide](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/). ## Where Satelo fits (and where it does not) Satelo is not a classic marketplace, and it is not the biggest option. It is a public beta with a small network of sites. The core idea is an exchange: you publish a partner article on your site, earn internal credits called satellites, and spend them on an article about your site on a related site. Placements go in a circle (A writes about B, B about C, C about A), never as a direct swap. - Every partner link is `rel="sponsored"` and the article is labeled, so the compliance question above is already settled. - Marketplace orders are optional. The 10% fee is paid by the buyer. - Each site in the network shows its Quality Score with the evidence behind each component. If you need a large catalog in many languages today, an established marketplace will have more choice. If you run a small site and would rather trade useful articles with peers than pay per post, Satelo is built for that. ## Which marketplace suits which buyer | You want | Look for | | Clear fees and written guarantee terms | A platform with a public FAQ that states commissions and guarantee length | | Placements on recognizable media | Media-focused platforms; expect quote-based pricing | | Small budget, many tiny sites | Fixed-price self-serve catalogs, plus strict manual vetting on your side | | Russian-language sites | RU exchanges such as Miralinks; compare terms on our [Miralinks page](https://satelo.io/vs/miralinks/) | | No cash spend, peer-level small sites | An article exchange with sponsored links, such as Satelo | ## What to do next - Shortlist two or three platforms from the table and read their FAQ pages in full. - Pick five candidate sites and run each through the checklist above. - Decide what you are paying for: readers, a mention, referral clicks. Not ranking credit. Want to see how a candidate site really looks before you pay? [Check its Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) and get the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. If you run a site yourself, [join the exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) and earn your first satellites by publishing one partner article. ## FAQ ### What is the best guest post marketplace? There is no single best one. Pick a platform that publishes its fees, moderation rules, link attribute policy and refund terms, then vet each site yourself before paying. ### How much does a guest post cost on a marketplace? From a few dollars on small fixed-price catalogs to quote-only pricing for media sites. Our guest post cost guide explains what drives the range. ### Are guest post marketplaces safe for SEO? Google's spam policies treat buying links for ranking as link spam, but allow paid links marked rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". Buy placements for readers and mentions, with the right attribute. ### What is a good Adsy alternative? It depends on what you need from Adsy. Collaborator publishes detailed fee and guarantee terms; fixed-price catalogs suit small budgets; Satelo offers a sponsored article exchange without cash spend. ### How do I check a guest post site before buying? Open the site, read recent posts, check site: results in Google, look at how existing sponsored posts are labeled, and compare traffic sources. A free Quality Score check helps with the open data. ### Do marketplaces refund money if a link is removed? Terms vary. Some credit your platform balance during a guarantee period, some sell longer guarantees as add-ons, and some state that purchases are non-refundable. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-seo/ Ai agents # MCP Servers for SEO: What Each One Gives Your AI Agent The best MCP servers for SEO are the ones that connect your AI agent to data you already trust: Google Search Console and Analytics for your own site, and one paid index (Ahrefs, Semrush, SE Ranking or DataForSEO) for everything else. Most "best SEO MCP" lists are written by a vendor that ranks itself first. This one compares eight servers using only their official documentation, checked on October 16, 2026, including our own, which we label as such. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What an MCP server actually adds The [Model Context Protocol specification](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18) describes MCP as "an open protocol that enables seamless integration between LLM applications and external data sources and tools." In practice, a server exposes **tools** (functions the model can call), **resources** (data) and **prompts** (templates) to a client such as Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor or ChatGPT. For SEO, that means your agent stops guessing. Instead of "estimating" a site's backlinks from training data, it calls an API and gets real rows. That is the whole value, and it is also the main limit: an MCP server is only as good as the data source behind it. Several popular SEO MCP servers are thin wrappers around the same REST API the vendor already sells. ## How we judged them - **Data source.** Your own first-party data (Search Console, Analytics) or a third-party index (backlinks, keywords, competitors)? - **Cost model.** Free, included in a plan, or pay per API unit? - **Remote or local.** A hosted URL is easier to set up; a local server keeps credentials on your machine. - **Maintenance.** Is it run by the data owner or by a community developer, and is it still updated? - **Write access.** Can the agent change anything, or only read? ## Comparison table (official docs, checked October 16, 2026) | Server | Run by | What your agent gets | Hosting | Cost model | | [mcp-gsc](https://github.com/AminForou/mcp-gsc) (Search Console) | Community, MIT license | Search analytics, URL inspection, sitemaps for your verified properties | Local by default; optional remote mode | Free; uses your Google account via OAuth or a service account | | [Google Analytics MCP](https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/MCP) | Google | Your GA4 reports in natural language | Self-set-up; guide on Google's page | Free; read-only, "can't edit your Google Analytics configuration" | | [Ahrefs MCP](https://docs.ahrefs.com/en/mcp/docs/introduction) | Ahrefs | Ahrefs API data: backlinks, keywords, site metrics | Remote, Streamable HTTP | Paid plans from Lite; calls consume monthly API units | | [Semrush MCP](https://developer.semrush.com/api/v4/introduction/semrush-mcp/) | Semrush | SEO data (Standard API); traffic and market data with Trends API | Remote, Streamable HTTP only | Included in certain plans; uses API units | | [SE Ranking MCP](https://seranking.com/mcp.html) | SE Ranking | Keywords, domains, backlinks, audits, AI search visibility | Remote, hosted | Included in subscriptions; pay-as-you-go API plan also offered | | [DataForSEO MCP](https://github.com/dataforseo/mcp-server-typescript) | DataForSEO, Apache-2.0 | Documentation search plus authenticated calls to any DataForSEO endpoint | Local (npx) or hosted endpoint | Server is free; API calls billed by DataForSEO | | Screaming Frog SEO Spider MCP | Screaming Frog | Run and analyze crawls in the desktop SEO Spider | Local, alongside the app | Requires the SEO Spider; see the [SEO Spider FAQ](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/faq/) for licence terms | | Satelo MCP (ours) | Satelo | Quality Score of any domain with evidence; partner-article exchange tools with a key | Remote, Streamable HTTP | Free; account tools need a free API key | Plan names, unit allowances and prices change often, so we link to each vendor's page instead of copying numbers that may be out of date by the time you read this. ## Notes on each server ### Search Console: start here For your own site, Search Console is the most honest data you can give an agent: real queries, real impressions, real indexing status. We could not find an official Google Search Console MCP server when we checked in October 2026, so the common choice is the community `mcp-gsc` project. Its README lists tools for search analytics, URL inspection and sitemaps, and says destructive operations such as deleting a sitemap are disabled by default. Because it is community code, read it before granting access to your account. ### Google Analytics Google's own page describes the server as a way to "chat with your data" and notes it is available "for read requests only". Pair it with Search Console to connect search queries to what visitors did next. ### Ahrefs Ahrefs runs a hosted server at a single Streamable HTTP URL. Its docs say it is "available on paid plans starting from Lite" and that agent calls consume API units "the same way as direct API usage." Keys created through the OAuth consent flow default to a monthly limit of 200,000 API units per key. If you do not have an Ahrefs plan, our list of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) covers what you can do without one, and our [cheap Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/) compare lower-cost plans. ### Semrush Semrush's developer docs list a remote endpoint with OAuth by default and an API key option, and state the server "uses the same unit-based system as the Semrush API." Which data you see depends on your plan: SEO data comes through the Standard API, traffic and market data through the Trends API. ### SE Ranking SE Ranking says MCP is included in every subscription and uses the plan's API credits. Its review of SEO MCP servers, [published on its own blog](https://seranking.com/blog/best-seo-mcps/), puts its own product first; it is still a useful list, just read it as a vendor piece. ### DataForSEO The current v3 server is small on purpose: tools to search DataForSEO's documentation plus one `api_request` tool that calls any endpoint. That is flexible and cheap to run, but the agent needs to pick the right endpoint, so check what it sends before running anything expensive. ### Screaming Frog The SEO Spider ships an MCP server that lets an assistant drive crawls on your desktop. The FAQ says it launched in version 24.1 and that the Claude extension assumes the default install location. It is the closest thing to a full technical crawler inside an agent. ### Satelo Our server, listed in the [official MCP Registry](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io) as `io.satelo/satelo`, does two narrow jobs. Without a key, `satelo_check_site` returns a free Quality Score for any domain, built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each component. With a free key from your [Satelo dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/), an agent can add a site you own, find partner sites and place partner articles, which are published labeled and with `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, so it complements a data MCP; it does not replace one. Full tool list on the [Satelo for AI agents page](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## Three stacks that make sense | Budget | Stack | Good for | | $0 | mcp-gsc + Google Analytics MCP + Satelo (public tools) | Your own site's queries, indexing and traffic; quick checks of partner sites | | Pay as you go | The free stack + DataForSEO | Occasional SERP, keyword and backlink pulls without a monthly plan | | Existing subscription | The free stack + the MCP of the tool you already pay for (Ahrefs, Semrush or SE Ranking) | Competitor research and backlink analysis inside the agent | Adding all of them at once is rarely a good idea. Every server adds tool definitions to the agent's context, and Ahrefs' [tool categories page](https://docs.ahrefs.com/en/mcp/docs/tool-categories) notes that "some MCP clients limit the amount of tools" a server may advertise, offering a way to load a smaller set. ## Security: what to check before you connect The MCP spec is blunt: tools "represent arbitrary code execution and must be treated with appropriate caution," and hosts "must obtain explicit user consent before invoking any tool." Anthropic's [Claude Code MCP documentation](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp) adds: "Verify you trust each server before connecting it. Servers that fetch external content can expose you to prompt injection risk." - **Prefer read-only access** to Search Console and Analytics. Keep destructive tools disabled. - **Use separate keys per agent** and set spending or unit limits where the vendor allows it. - **Never commit keys** to a shared project config. Use environment variables or OAuth. - **Review anything the agent publishes.** If a server can post content or place orders, decide in advance which actions need your approval. - **Treat fetched web content as untrusted.** A crawled page can contain instructions aimed at your agent. ## An honest caveat about "SEO MCP" hype An MCP server does not make the data better. If you would not trust a metric in the vendor's web app, you should not trust it in a chat window either. What MCP changes is speed: the agent can pull, join and summarize data from several sources in one conversation. You still need to check the conclusions, especially anything phrased as a ranking prediction. ## What to do next - Connect Search Console first and ask your agent for pages with impressions but no clicks. - Add one paid data source only if you already have the plan, or try pay-as-you-go. - Add Satelo's free server so your agent can check any site's quality before you work with it. Satelo's MCP server lets your agent check a site's Quality Score, with the evidence behind each number, and manage partner articles for sites you own, free. Setup takes one command on the [agents page](https://satelo.io/agents/), or try a domain by hand on the [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) first. ## FAQ ### What is the best MCP server for SEO? For your own site, a Search Console MCP server, because it returns Google's real data. For competitor and backlink research, use the MCP of the paid tool you already trust: Ahrefs, Semrush, SE Ranking or DataForSEO. ### Is there an official Google Search Console MCP server? We could not find one from Google when we checked in October 2026. Google does publish an Analytics MCP server; for Search Console most people use the community mcp-gsc project. ### Are SEO MCP servers free? The servers themselves are often free, but the data usually is not. Ahrefs, Semrush and SE Ranking require a plan and consume API units; DataForSEO bills per call. ### Does Ahrefs have a remote MCP server? Yes. Ahrefs documents a hosted Streamable HTTP server for paid plans from Lite, and calls use your monthly API units. ### Is it safe to give an AI agent access to Search Console? Use read-only scopes, keep destructive tools off, store credentials outside shared config files and review what the agent does. Only connect servers you trust. ### Can an MCP server improve my rankings? No. It gives an agent faster access to data. Decisions and content quality still determine results, and nobody can promise rankings. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/ Ai search # How to Block AI Crawlers in robots.txt and Still Show Up in AI Search To block AI crawlers in robots.txt without disappearing from AI search, disallow the training bots (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, Applebot-Extended, CCBot) and leave the search bots (OAI-SearchBot, Claude-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Googlebot) alone. Most vendors now run separate user agents for training, for search indexing and for live fetches a user asks for, and each one is controlled separately. Below is a bot-by-bot table built only from the vendors' own documentation, three ready-to-paste robots.txt files, and a way to check that the rules actually work. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## Three kinds of AI bots, three different decisions "AI crawler" used to mean one thing: a bot collecting text to train a model. That is no longer true. The big vendors now split their traffic into three roles, and blocking each role costs you something different. - **Training crawlers** collect pages that may be used to train future models. Blocking them means your content should stay out of future training data. You lose nothing in search. - **Search crawlers** build the index that AI search answers draw from, and those answers link back to the source. Blocking them means you stop being shown or cited as a source in that product. - **User-triggered fetchers** visit a single page because a person asked the assistant about it or pasted the link. They don't crawl the web on their own, and several vendors say robots.txt may not apply to them. The common mistake is treating all three as one. A blanket "block all AI" rule usually hits the search crawlers too, and that removes you from exactly the answers you might want to be cited in. If AI visibility matters to you, read our guide on [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) first, then come back and decide what to block. ## The bot table: what each user agent does and what blocking costs Every token below was checked against the vendor's own page on October 16, 2026. Tokens are case-insensitive in robots.txt, but copy them exactly as shown anyway. | Vendor | robots.txt token | Role | What you lose if you block it | | OpenAI | `GPTBot` | Training | Nothing in ChatGPT search. Blocking signals that your content should not be used to train OpenAI's foundation models. | | OpenAI | `OAI-SearchBot` | Search | Your pages drop out of ChatGPT search answers. OpenAI notes they can still appear as plain navigational links. | | OpenAI | `ChatGPT-User` | User fetch | Fetches a user asks for, including Custom GPT actions. OpenAI says robots.txt rules "may not apply" here. | | Google | `Google-Extended` | Training and grounding | Use in training future Gemini models and in grounding for Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. Google says it does not affect inclusion or ranking in Google Search. | | Anthropic | `ClaudeBot` | Training | Nothing in Claude's search. Your future content should be excluded from Anthropic's training data. | | Anthropic | `Claude-SearchBot` | Search | Your pages aren't indexed for Claude's search results, which Anthropic says may reduce your visibility there. | | Anthropic | `Claude-User` | User fetch | Claude can't retrieve your page when a user's question calls for it. | | Perplexity | `PerplexityBot` | Search | You stop being surfaced and linked in Perplexity answers. Perplexity says this bot is not used to crawl content for AI foundation models. | | Perplexity | `Perplexity-User` | User fetch | Perplexity says it "generally ignores robots.txt" because a user requested the fetch. | | Apple | `Applebot-Extended` | Training (control token only) | Nothing in Siri, Spotlight or Safari search. It doesn't crawl at all; it only tells Apple not to use what Applebot collected to train its foundation models. | | Common Crawl | `CCBot` | Open web archive | Your future pages stay out of the free public dataset, which anyone can download and reuse. | | ByteDance | `Bytespider` | Undocumented | Unclear. We couldn't find an official ByteDance page describing this bot, so treat any rule for it as best effort. | Sources, each opened on the day of writing: [OpenAI crawlers](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots), [Google common crawlers](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/google-common-crawlers), [Anthropic crawlers](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler), [Perplexity crawlers](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/bots), [About Applebot](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829), [Common Crawl FAQ](https://commoncrawl.org/faq). One detail from OpenAI's page matters for planning: the settings are independent, and if you allow both GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot, OpenAI may use one crawl for both purposes. So "allow search, block training" is a real, supported setup, not a loophole. ## Copy-paste file 1: block training, keep AI search This is the setup most content sites are looking for. Training bots get a full disallow. Search bots, user fetchers and ordinary search engines are untouched. ``` # Training crawlers: opt out User-agent: GPTBot User-agent: ClaudeBot User-agent: Google-Extended User-agent: Applebot-Extended User-agent: CCBot User-agent: Bytespider Disallow: / # Everyone else, including OAI-SearchBot, Claude-SearchBot, # PerplexityBot, Googlebot and Bingbot User-agent: * Disallow: Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml ``` Several `User-agent` lines on top of one rule set is valid syntax; Google's robots.txt documentation says you can group rules for several crawlers "by repeating user-agent lines". Replace the sitemap URL with your own. ## Copy-paste file 2: block every AI bot, search included Use this only if you've decided you don't want to appear in ChatGPT search, Claude or Perplexity at all. It keeps classic search engines working. ``` # Training, AI search and user-triggered AI fetchers User-agent: GPTBot User-agent: OAI-SearchBot User-agent: ChatGPT-User User-agent: ClaudeBot User-agent: Claude-SearchBot User-agent: Claude-User User-agent: PerplexityBot User-agent: Perplexity-User User-agent: Google-Extended User-agent: Applebot-Extended User-agent: CCBot User-agent: Bytespider Disallow: / User-agent: * Disallow: ``` Be honest with yourself about the trade: this file asks AI assistants not to read or cite you, but it can't stop them from talking about your brand using other sources. And as the next sections show, the user-triggered fetchers may ignore it. ## Copy-paste file 3: allow everything, protect only private paths If you want maximum visibility, the simplest file is also the safest. This is roughly what we run on satelo.io (more on that below). ``` User-agent: * Allow: / Disallow: /api/ Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml ``` ## The merge trap: a bot obeys only one group Most broken AI rules come from editing an existing file badly. Google's [robots.txt specification](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/robots_txt) says "only one group is valid for a particular crawler": the crawler picks the group with the most specific matching user agent and ignores the rest. Two consequences: - **Named groups don't inherit from `*`.** If your `User-agent: *` group hides `/admin/` and `/cart/`, and you add a separate `User-agent: OAI-SearchBot` group with only `Allow: /`, OAI-SearchBot will now crawl `/admin/` and `/cart/`. Copy your private-path rules into every named group. - **A blanket disallow catches search bots.** `User-agent: *` with `Disallow: /` blocks OAI-SearchBot, Claude-SearchBot and PerplexityBot too, unless each has its own allowing group. We cover this case in [how to get your website indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/). Also remember that robots.txt works per host. Anthropic's page explicitly says to add the rules to each subdomain you want to opt out, and the same logic applies to every vendor: `blog.example.com/robots.txt` is a separate file from `example.com/robots.txt`. ## Google is a special case: there is no "AI Overviews" bot People often ask for a token that blocks Google's AI Overviews but keeps normal search. There isn't one. Google's [AI features documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) says AI Overviews and AI Mode rely on the regular Search crawl, so they're controlled through Googlebot and the usual preview controls: `nosnippet`, `data-nosnippet`, `max-snippet` and `noindex`. - **Google-Extended** covers Gemini training and grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. It's not a Search switch. - **Blocking Googlebot** removes you from Google Search crawling as a whole, not just from AI features. Almost no site should do that. - **Snippet controls** limit how much text Google can show, in classic results and in AI features alike. If showing up in those summaries is the goal rather than the worry, see [how brand mentions work in AI Overviews](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/). ## robots.txt is a request, not a lock Google says it plainly in its [introduction to robots.txt](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro): the file "cannot enforce crawler behavior", and while reputable crawlers obey it, "other crawlers might not". For AI bots, that means: - **User-triggered fetchers sit in a gray zone.** OpenAI says robots.txt may not apply to ChatGPT-User, and Perplexity says Perplexity-User generally ignores it. Anthropic's page says its bots honor robots.txt and lists Claude-User among them. - **Anyone can fake a user agent.** A scraper can call itself GPTBot. That's why OpenAI publishes IP ranges for its bots (linked from its crawler page) and why log checks should look at IPs, not just names. - **It only affects future visits.** The rules tell bots what to do from now on. None of the vendor pages above promise to delete what was collected before you added the block, so don't expect that. - **Changes take time.** OpenAI and Perplexity both mention roughly 24 hours before their systems pick up a robots.txt change, and Google says it generally caches robots.txt for up to 24 hours. If content truly must not be read by machines, put it behind a login. robots.txt is for polite bots. ## Check your CDN and firewall: the silent block Your robots.txt can be perfect while your CDN blocks the bots anyway. Many hosts and CDNs now offer one-click AI bot blocking. Cloudflare, for example, lets you allow or block individual AI crawlers in [AI Crawl Control](https://developers.cloudflare.com/ai-crawl-control/features/manage-ai-crawlers/). These switches act before robots.txt is ever read, and some cover search and assistant bots, not just training bots. Checklist, five minutes: - Open your CDN or WAF dashboard and look for "AI bots", "AI crawlers" or "bot fight" settings. - List exactly which bots each setting blocks. Make sure OAI-SearchBot, Claude-SearchBot and PerplexityBot are allowed if you want AI search traffic. - Check rate limits and country blocks. A crawler that keeps getting 403 or 429 responses is effectively blocked. - Look at security plugins too. Some WordPress firewall plugins block unfamiliar user agents by default. ## How to verify it's working Don't trust the file, trust the logs. Three checks: - **Open your live file** at `https://yourdomain.com/robots.txt` in a private window. Caching plugins and CDNs sometimes serve an old copy. - **Grep your access logs** for the tokens and look at the status codes you return: ``` grep -Ei "GPTBot|OAI-SearchBot|ChatGPT-User|ClaudeBot|Claude-SearchBot|Claude-User|PerplexityBot|Perplexity-User|CCBot|Bytespider" access.log \ | awk '{print $1, $9}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn | head -30 ``` The first column is the hit count, then IP and HTTP status. Blocked training bots should mostly request only `/robots.txt` after the change. Search bots should get 200s. - **Match IPs** for anything surprising against the vendor's published ranges. A "GPTBot" from an IP not on OpenAI's list isn't OpenAI. The log format above is the common Apache/Nginx combined format; adjust the column numbers if yours differs. ## What we do on satelo.io, and why Our own [robots.txt](https://satelo.io/robots.txt) allows every bot and disallows only `/api/`. That is a deliberate choice for a small site in public beta. We want people asking AI assistants about content exchanges, guest posts or site quality to have a chance of seeing our guides, and we have no paywalled archive whose value would leak into training data. The `/api/` paths are endpoints, not pages, so there is nothing there for any crawler to index. We also publish an [llms.txt file](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/), with no illusion that it's a ranking factor; it's just a cheap, readable map. Your situation may differ. A publisher whose business is original reporting has a strong case for file 1. A local business or a young blog usually gains more from being readable everywhere. ## What to do next - Decide per role: training, search, user fetch. Write the decision down in one sentence. - Paste file 1, 2 or 3, copying your private-path rules into every named group. - Check your CDN, WAF and security plugins for AI bot switches. - Recheck your logs after a few days. - If you want AI to mention you, blocking is only half the job; see [how to get mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). If you build AI agents yourself, there's a fairer path than scraping: talk to sites through APIs that their owners opted into. Satelo's [MCP server for AI agents](https://satelo.io/agents/) lets an agent check any domain's Quality Score with the evidence behind each number, find sites in the network and handle article exchanges through official tools, with no scraping involved. And if you just want to know how your own site looks from the outside, [run the free check](https://satelo.io/check/); it's built mostly from open data and takes about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### Does blocking GPTBot remove my site from ChatGPT search? No. OpenAI documents GPTBot as its training crawler and OAI-SearchBot as the crawler for ChatGPT search, and the two settings are independent. Block GPTBot and allow OAI-SearchBot to stay out of training while remaining eligible for ChatGPT search answers. ### How do I block AI crawlers but not Google? Disallow the AI tokens by name (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, Applebot-Extended, CCBot and so on) and leave Googlebot and the User-agent: * group open. Google says Google-Extended does not affect inclusion or ranking in Google Search. ### Can I block Google AI Overviews with robots.txt? Not separately. Google's AI features use the normal Search crawl, so the only robots.txt control is Googlebot, which would remove you from Search too. Use nosnippet, data-nosnippet or max-snippet to limit what text Google can show. ### Do AI crawlers actually respect robots.txt? The documented training and search crawlers from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Perplexity, Apple and Common Crawl say they follow it. User-triggered fetchers are different: OpenAI says robots.txt may not apply to ChatGPT-User, and Perplexity says Perplexity-User generally ignores it. robots.txt can't enforce anything; use logins for content that must stay private. ### What is the difference between ClaudeBot and Claude-SearchBot? Anthropic describes ClaudeBot as the crawler that collects content that may be used for model training, and Claude-SearchBot as the one that indexes content to improve Claude's search results. Blocking ClaudeBot opts you out of training; blocking Claude-SearchBot may reduce your visibility in Claude's answers. ### How long does a robots.txt change take to work? OpenAI and Perplexity both mention about 24 hours for their systems to adjust, and Google says it generally caches robots.txt for up to 24 hours. Check your server logs a few days after the change. ### Does blocking AI bots delete content they already collected? Don't count on it. robots.txt tells bots what to do from now on, and none of the vendor pages cited here promise to remove previously collected content when you add a block. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/blog-media-kit/ Monetization # Blog Media Kit: What to Include When Your Traffic Is Small A blog media kit is a short document that tells brands who reads your blog, what you can create for them, and on what terms. When your traffic is small, the kit works by being specific and verifiable rather than impressive: a tight audience, honest numbers with proof, clear formats and clear rules. This guide covers what to put in each section, how to back up your numbers, what to lead with when traffic is modest, and a one-page structure you can copy. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What a media kit is for (and why small blogs need one too) A brand or agency deciding whether to work with you needs answers to the same few questions every time: who reads this blog, how many, what can you make, what does it cost, and can I trust these numbers? A media kit answers them in one place, so the conversation starts at "which format?" instead of a long back-and-forth. Small blogs often skip the kit because they think the numbers will not impress anyone. That gets it backward. Brands that work with small publishers are usually buying relevance, not reach: a specific audience they cannot easily get elsewhere. A clear, honest kit is how you show that. ## What to include: the seven sections - **One-line positioning.** What the blog is about and for whom. "Gluten-free baking for beginners, with tested recipes" beats "a lifestyle blog about food and life". - **About you.** Two or three sentences on who writes the blog and why readers trust you: experience, credentials, what you test or make yourself. Add a photo. - **Audience.** Who the readers are: interests, problems, where they are located, how they find you (search, newsletter, social). Use what your analytics actually shows. - **Numbers, with proof.** The few metrics that matter, the period they cover and how a brand can verify them (more on this below). - **Formats and examples.** What you offer: sponsored articles, reviews, newsletter mentions, giveaways, social posts. Link one or two past examples, even unpaid ones that show your style. - **Terms.** Starting prices or "from" prices, what is included (revisions, images, how long the post stays live), turnaround time and your disclosure rules. - **Contact.** Email, preferred response time, and a link to the live kit if you host it on your site. Keep it to one or two pages. A brand manager will skim it in a minute; the goal is to make that minute enough. ## Which numbers to show, and how to prove them Show a small number of metrics you can defend, always with the date range: | Metric | Where to get it | How a brand can verify it | | Monthly users or sessions (last 3 or 12 months) | Your analytics tool | Screenshot with date range; or read-only access | | Search clicks and top queries | Google Search Console, Performance report | Screenshot showing the property and dates | | Newsletter subscribers and open rate | Your email platform | Dashboard screenshot | | Top countries / devices | Your analytics tool | Screenshot | | Independent site signals | A third-party checker | A public link the brand can open themselves | The strongest proof is access the brand controls. In Google Analytics you can [add a user to a property with the Viewer role](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9305788?hl=en), which lets them see reports without changing settings. Offer it to serious prospects and remove it when the deal ends. Our guide on [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) explains which outside estimates brands are likely to look at, so your numbers do not surprise them. A public, third-party link helps too: it shows you are not hiding anything and saves the brand a step. That is one reason to include a Satelo [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) link; more on that at the end. ## When traffic is small: lead with what you do have If your monthly numbers are modest, do not bury them and do not inflate them. Put them in context and lead with your real strengths: - **Niche precision.** "Readers are home bakers with celiac disease or gluten intolerance" is worth more to the right brand than a vague, larger audience. Spell out the niche in the first line. - **Search intent.** List a few queries readers use to find you (from Search Console). Queries like "best gluten-free flour for bread" show buying intent a brand can understand instantly. - **Engagement.** Comments, replies to your newsletter, saves or shares. Quote a reader comment only if it is real and you have permission. - **Newsletter.** A small list of people who chose to hear from you is often the most valuable thing a small blog owns. Show subscriber count and open rate with the date. - **Content quality.** Link your best post. Brands are paying for your work and your audience's trust, and the work is visible. - **Longevity.** A sponsored article stays on your site and can be found in search for years, unlike a social post that disappears from feeds in days. Mention how long sponsored posts stay live. Pricing follows from all of this. If you are unsure what to charge, our guide on [how to price sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/) walks through the inputs. ## Disclosure rules belong in the kit State your disclosure policy up front, so no brand is surprised later. Two separate rules matter: - **Disclosure to readers.** If you work with US brands or US readers, the FTC's guidance [FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) says a disclosure should be hard to miss and placed close to the endorsement, and that a single site-wide disclosure page is generally not enough. That covers free products and trips as well as payments. Other countries have their own rules; our overview of [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers the main ones. - **Link attributes.** Google asks that paid links be marked: [rel="sponsored" is preferred, and rel="nofollow" is still acceptable](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links). Say in your kit that all links in sponsored content carry one of these. A line such as "All sponsored content is clearly labeled for readers, and links in it use rel="sponsored"" filters out buyers who only want a ranking link and reassures the ones who want a real audience. That is the clientele you want. ## A one-page media kit structure you can copy Here is a skeleton. The example values are **for illustration only**; replace them with your own verified data. **[Blog name]**: [one-line positioning, e.g., "Tested gluten-free baking for beginners"] **About:** [Name], [relevant experience]. Writing since [year]. Every recipe is baked and photographed at home. **Audience:** [who they are]. Top countries: [from analytics]. Main traffic sources: [search / newsletter / social]. **Numbers ([date range]):** [monthly users] · [search clicks] · [newsletter subscribers, open rate]. Read-only analytics access available on request. Independent site check: [link]. **Top reader questions:** [3 real queries from Search Console]. **Formats:** Sponsored article (from [price]) · Product review (from [price]) · Newsletter feature (from [price]). Examples: [links]. **Terms:** [turnaround], [revisions], posts stay live for [period]. All sponsored content is labeled; links use rel="sponsored". **Contact:** [email] · replies within [time]. Host the same content as a page on your blog (for example `/work-with-me/`) and keep a PDF version for email. Update both on a fixed schedule, such as every quarter, and always show the date of the data. ## Niche variations: travel and food blogs - **Travel bloggers:** add the regions you cover, upcoming trips (brands plan ahead), and whether you accept hosted stays. Hosted trips count as material connections, so say how you disclose them. - **Food bloggers:** add recipe development and photography as separate formats, mention dietary niches, and show which recipe posts get steady search traffic, since those are the pages where a product placement keeps working. - **Any niche:** include the formats you will not do. "No reviews of products I have not tested" makes the rest of your kit more credible. ## Mistakes that undermine a media kit - **Inflated or undated numbers.** Brands can check traffic estimates in a few minutes. One number that does not hold up casts doubt on everything else. - **Lifetime totals instead of recent data.** "500,000 page views since 2019" says little about today's audience. Use the last 3 or 12 months. - **Vanity metrics only.** Follower counts without engagement or traffic do not tell a brand what it will get. - **Promising rankings or "dofollow" links.** It invites the wrong buyers and puts your site at risk with Google's link policies. - **Fake testimonials or logos of brands you have not worked with.** Never. Show real examples or none. - **A ten-page design showpiece.** Clarity beats decoration. One clean page wins. ## What to do next - Pull your last 3 to 12 months of data from your analytics, Search Console and email platform, and write down the date range. - Fill in the one-page structure above and publish it as a page on your blog. - Add an independent proof line. Satelo's free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives your site a 0–100 score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number on a public page you can link from your kit, so a brand can verify your site in about 30 seconds without asking you for screenshots. Once your kit is live, our guides on [making money from guest posts](https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/) and [writing a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/) cover the next steps after a brand says yes. ## FAQ ### What should be included in a blog media kit? A one-line positioning statement, a short bio, an audience description, a few recent metrics with dates and proof, the formats you offer with examples, your terms and starting prices, disclosure rules, and contact details. ### Do I need a media kit if my blog has low traffic? Yes. Brands that work with small blogs are usually buying a specific, engaged audience. A clear kit that shows your niche, search intent, newsletter and content quality makes that case better than raw traffic numbers. ### How do I prove my blog traffic to brands? Share dated screenshots from your analytics and Search Console, offer read-only access to serious prospects (Google Analytics supports a Viewer role), and add a public third-party site check they can open themselves. ### Should I put prices in my media kit? Starting or "from" prices save time for both sides and filter out mismatched requests. You can keep final pricing for the conversation, since it depends on format, scope and deadlines. ### How long should a media kit be? One or two pages. Brand managers skim; a clean single page with verifiable numbers and clear formats works better than a long designed brochure. ### Do sponsored blog posts need a disclosure? Yes. Under FTC guidance for US audiences, payments and free products should be disclosed clearly and close to the content, not only on a separate page. Google also asks that paid links use rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/broken-link-building/ Link building # How to Do Broken Link Building With Free Tools (Small-Site Edition) Broken link building means finding links on other sites that point to pages that no longer exist, creating a genuinely useful replacement, and letting the editor know so they can fix the dead link. You can do the whole process without a paid SEO subscription: search operators, a link checker, the Wayback Machine and a short, polite email. This guide walks through each step with the free tools that work, a template and a realistic picture of what to expect. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## How broken link building works (and why editors say yes) Every site that links out slowly collects dead links. Pages get deleted, domains expire, blogs move without redirects. A reader who clicks one of those links lands on an error page, which makes the linking page look neglected. Broken link building turns that problem into an opening. You find the dead link, you make sure you have a page that serves the same reader need, and you tell the editor: "this link is broken, here is a working alternative if it helps." The editor gets a free maintenance report; you get a chance at a relevant, editorially chosen link. Two things make it legitimate rather than spammy. First, the editor decides; you never pay or trade for the link. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list buying links for ranking purposes and "link to me and I'll link to you" schemes as link spam, so keep your outreach free of both. Second, your replacement has to genuinely help the page's readers. If it does not, do not pitch it. ## Step 1: Start with your own broken links (the easiest win) Before you hunt on other sites, check whether other sites already link to pages on your site that now return a 404. Those links were earned once and are being wasted. - **Free tool:** [Ahrefs Webmaster Tools](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) is free for sites you verify. Its Site Explorer shows who links to you and flags broken internal and external links, and Site Audit crawls your own pages. - **Google Search Console:** the Pages report lists URLs Google sees as "Not found (404)". Cross-check those against your backlinks. - **Fix:** restore the page, or add a permanent redirect to the closest relevant page. No outreach needed. For a small site this can be the whole job for the first month, and it costs nothing but an afternoon. Our list of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) covers other tools for checking your own backlinks. ## Step 2: Find pages that link out a lot in your topic Broken links hide on pages with many outbound links: resource lists, "further reading" sections, tool roundups, glossaries and older guides. Use [Google's documented search operators](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en) (quotes, `site:`, minus) to find them: - `"your topic" "useful resources"` - `"your topic" "further reading"` - `"your topic" "recommended tools"` - `"your topic" resources site:.edu` or `site:.org` - `"your topic" "links" -jobs -shop` to strip out noise Google explains how the [`site:` operator](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/search-operators/all-search-site) works if you want to search inside one domain. Resource pages are a strategy of their own; our guide to [resource page link building](https://satelo.io/blog/resource-page-link-building/) goes deeper on finding and vetting them. Collect 20 to 40 candidate pages in a spreadsheet before checking anything. Batch work is faster than hopping between search and checking. ## Step 3: Check those pages for dead links You do not need a paid crawler for a few dozen pages: - **Browser link-checker extensions** highlight broken links on the page you are viewing. Run one on each candidate page. - **The free tier of a desktop SEO crawler** can crawl a single page's outbound links and report status codes. - **Command line**, if you are comfortable with it: `curl -I https://example.com/old-page` shows the status code. Then confirm each hit before you act on it: - Open the link in a normal browser. Some sites block crawlers but work for people. - Look for a real 404 or 410, an expired domain, or a parked page full of ads. A slow page or a temporary 500 error is not a broken link. - Check whether the content simply moved. A quick search for the page title often finds the new URL; if so, tell the editor the new address and do not pitch your own page. That last point matters. Pointing out a moved page with no pitch attached builds goodwill, and goodwill is what gets your next email opened. ## Step 4: See what the dead page offered Paste the dead URL into the [Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/) to see archived snapshots. You want to understand three things: what reader need the page served, why sites linked to it, and what it was missing. Use the archive for understanding, not for copying. Republishing someone else's archived text is plagiarism and also a weak pitch, because the editor linked to the original author for a reason. Write your own page that serves the same need better: more current, clearer, with examples or data you can actually source. The best opportunities are dead pages that many sites linked to. In Ahrefs Webmaster Tools you can only see backlinks for sites you verify, so for other people's dead pages, a practical free signal is simply how often the dead URL shows up on the resource pages you collected in Step 2. ## Step 5: Vet the site before you write to it Not every page with a broken link is worth a link from. Spend two minutes on each site: - Is it a real site with real readers, a visible author and recent updates? - Does it rank for anything, or is it a shell built to sell links? Our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) lists the warning signs. - Is the topic close enough that a reader would genuinely follow a link to your page? The checklist in our guide to [checking a site before you buy or pitch](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) covers this in detail. ## Step 6: Write a short, helpful email Lead with the help, keep the pitch to one line and make the editor's job easy. A template you can adapt: **Subject:** Broken link on your [page topic] page Hi [Name], I was reading your [page title] and noticed the link to [description of resource] in the "[section name]" section goes to a page that no longer exists: [dead URL]. If you are looking for a replacement, I recently published [your page title], which covers [what it covers, in one line]: [your URL]. No worries if it is not a fit; I just wanted to flag the dead link. Thanks for maintaining the list, [Your name] Use a real name, send from your own domain's address, and do not attach anything. One follow-up after a week or so is fine; more than that is pestering. For more variations, see our [outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). If an editor replies asking for payment to add your link, that is no longer broken link building. Paid placements are advertising and should carry `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="nofollow"`, which Google's spam policies explicitly allow. ## Step 7: Track everything in one sheet A simple tracker keeps you from emailing the same person twice and shows which page types respond best. An illustrative layout: | Linking page | Dead link | Status confirmed | Your replacement | Contact | Sent | Follow-up | Result | | Hiking club "Gear guides" page | /old-boot-fitting-guide | 404, checked in browser | Your boot fitting guide | Editor (contact form) | Day 1 | Day 8 | Replaced | | Outdoor blog "Resources" | expired domain | Parked page | Your trail checklist | Author email | Day 1 | Day 8 | No reply | | Library guide "Local trails" | moved page | Found new URL | None (reported new URL) | Librarian | Day 2 | – | Fixed, thanked | The rows above are for illustration only. ## Realistic expectations Broken link building is slow, manual work. Many emails get no reply, and some editors fix the dead link without adding yours. That is normal. A few things improve your odds: - Pitch only where your page is a genuinely close replacement. - Prefer pages that are clearly maintained; neglected pages are full of broken links precisely because nobody reads the inbox. - Write fewer, more personal emails rather than many generic ones. - Count the goodwill. An editor you helped once is more open to your next idea. Treat any link you win as a bonus on top of a page that should exist anyway. The page earns links over time; the outreach just makes sure the right people see it. For other no-budget tactics that combine well with this one, see our [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## What to do next - Verify your site in Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and Search Console, and fix any broken pages that already have links pointing to them. - Build a list of 20 to 40 resource-style pages in your topic and check them for dead links. - Before you write to a site, run it through Satelo's free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see its open-data signals (domain age, Tranco rank, crawl footprint, page speed) in about 30 seconds, with the source behind each number. It is a quick way to skip shells and dead sites before you spend time on a personal email. ## FAQ ### What is broken link building? It is a link building method where you find links on other websites that point to pages that no longer exist, create or identify a useful replacement on your site, and suggest it to the site owner so they can fix the dead link. ### How do I find broken links on other websites for free? Use Google search operators to find resource-style pages in your topic, then run a browser link-checker extension or the free tier of a desktop crawler on those pages. Confirm each result in a normal browser before contacting anyone. ### Is broken link building still effective? It can work when your replacement genuinely serves the same readers and the linking page is actively maintained. It is slow and many emails go unanswered, so treat it as one tactic among several rather than a main growth channel. ### Can I copy the dead page's content from the Wayback Machine? No. Use the archive to understand what the page offered and why people linked to it, then write your own, better resource. Republishing someone else's archived text is plagiarism and makes a weak pitch. ### What should a broken link outreach email say? Name the page, point to the exact dead link and where it sits, offer your replacement in one line, and make it clear there is no obligation. Keep it short, personal and send at most one follow-up. ### Is it okay to pay a site to replace a broken link with mine? Paying for a link for ranking purposes violates Google's spam policies. If a placement is paid, it is advertising and the link should carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/ Seo tools # Cheaper Ahrefs Alternatives for Small Sites and Solo SEOs The cheapest alternative to Ahrefs is often Ahrefs itself: its Starter plan costs a fraction of Lite, and Ubersuggest, Mangools, SpyFu and Moz Starter also sit under $50 (or €50) a month. Each one cuts something different, from backlink rows to exports to history. Below are prices checked on each vendor's own pricing page on October 16, 2026, what you lose at each level, and a simple way to pick one paid tool and fill the gaps with free ones. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## What Ahrefs costs and what you pay for On the day we checked, the [Ahrefs pricing page](https://ahrefs.com/pricing) showed Lite at €119 a month, Standard at €229 and Advanced at €419 (the page shows local currency, so you may see dollars). Ahrefs' own [help article on the Starter plan](https://help.ahrefs.com/en/articles/9419051-about-ahrefs-starter-plan) lists Lite at $129 and Starter at $29. The same pricing page shows Starter at €27 a month and a free tier called Ahrefs Free. What the money buys is mostly **data about other people's websites**: a large backlink index, keyword data for many countries, historical charts and big exports. If you only care about your own site, a lot of that is available for free (see our list of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/)). You pay when you need to research competitors, vet partners or track many keywords. So before comparing tools, write down the two or three jobs you actually do every week. Most small-site owners land on some mix of these: - Keyword research for new articles. - A look at a competitor's top pages and backlinks. - Rank tracking for a few dozen keywords. - A technical audit of your own site. - Vetting a site before a guest post or a partnership. ## How we defined "cheaper" A tool counts as a cheaper Ahrefs alternative here if it meets three conditions: - **Entry price under $50 or €50 a month**, as shown on the vendor's pricing page on October 16, 2026. Where the price only drops under that line with annual billing, we say so. - **Competitor research is included**, not just your own site. Otherwise it is a free-tool substitute, not an Ahrefs alternative. - **Some backlink data**, even if limited, because that is the main reason people look at Ahrefs in the first place. One caveat: several vendors localize prices, so a visitor in Europe sees euros and a visitor in the US sees dollars, and the numbers are not always a straight conversion. Treat the table as a snapshot and confirm on the pricing page before you pay. ## Comparison table: prices checked October 16, 2026 | Tool and entry plan | Price shown | Main limits on the entry plan | Best for | | [Ahrefs Starter](https://help.ahrefs.com/en/articles/9419051-about-ahrefs-starter-plan) | $29/mo in the help center; €27/mo on the pricing page; monthly renewal only | 200 credits a month, 1 unverified project, 1 month of history, 250 rows per report, 25 rows in Top pages, no exports, 50 tracked keywords | People who want Ahrefs data in small doses | | [Ubersuggest Individual](https://app.neilpatel.com/en/pricing) | €29/mo, or €290 once for lifetime access | 1 project, 150 searches a day, 125 tracked keywords, 2,000 backlink rows per report, 1,000 pages per site audit | One site, keyword ideas, a simple audit | | [Mangools Basic](https://mangools.com/plans-and-pricing) | €37.70/mo billed yearly (€452.40/yr); €61 if paid monthly | 100 keyword lookups and 100 SERP checks per 24h, 200 tracked keywords, 100k backlink rows a month, 20 site analyses per 24h | Keyword research with a clean interface | | [SpyFu Basic](https://www.spyfu.com/pricing) | $39/mo monthly; annual billing advertised as 25% cheaper | 10k rows per search and export, 5k tracked keyword rankings a week, 1 site in Site Audit | Competitor keywords and paid search history | | [Moz Pro Starter](https://moz.com/products/pro/pricing) | $49/mo | Moz describes it as an entry-level plan for people managing a single website; detailed limits are not listed on the pricing page | Moz's Domain Authority and link data for one site | | [Serpstat Individual](https://serpstat.com/page/pricing-plans/) | $50/mo as shown, with an annual discount advertised | 5 projects, 100 searches a day, 2,000 results per backlink report, no API | All-in-one on a budget, right at the line | | [SE Ranking Core](https://seranking.com/subscription.html) (above the line) | €109/mo monthly, €87.20/mo billed yearly | 10 projects, 2k keywords tracked daily, 6 months of history; 14-day trial without a card | Rank tracking plus audits for several sites | | [Semrush SEO](https://www.semrush.com/prices/) (for reference) | €134/mo monthly, €112.52/mo billed yearly | 5 websites, 500 keywords tracked daily | Teams that need the full suite | Five tools come in under the $50/€50 line: Ahrefs Starter, Ubersuggest, Mangools (only on yearly billing), SpyFu Basic and Moz Starter. Serpstat sits exactly at it. SE Ranking and Semrush are listed so you can see where the next step up begins. ## The short reviews: who each tool suits ### Ahrefs Starter: same data, small portions If you like Ahrefs and simply cannot justify Lite, Starter is the obvious first check. You get the same Site Explorer and Keywords Explorer, but with tight caps: 200 credits a month, one month of history and no exports. It works for occasional lookups. It does not work if you open the tool every day. ### Ubersuggest: the cheapest way to cover several jobs Ubersuggest bundles keyword research, a site audit, rank tracking and backlinks for one project. The lifetime option is unusual in this market; Ubersuggest's pricing page says lifetime purchases are non-refundable, so use the 7-day trial of the monthly plan first. Backlink depth is the weak spot compared with Ahrefs. ### Mangools: keyword research first Mangools is built around a keyword tool with SERP analysis, plus link and rank tools. Its daily request limits suit a solo blogger who writes a few articles a week. The yearly price is what puts it under the line; month to month it costs more than Ubersuggest. ### SpyFu: competitor and ads history SpyFu's strength is seeing which keywords a competitor ranks for and bids on, with a long history. The Basic plan caps results at 10k rows, which is plenty for small niches. If backlinks are your main concern, look elsewhere. ### Moz Starter: Domain Authority from the source If partners, clients or marketplaces quote Moz's Domain Authority, getting it from Moz directly removes guesswork. The pricing page says little about Starter's exact limits, so read the plan details at checkout. Our explainer on [domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/) covers what DA can and cannot tell you. ### Serpstat: wide feature set at the line Serpstat's Individual plan includes keyword research, site analysis, rank tracking, audits and backlink analysis, with 100 searches a day. It is the most "suite-like" option near $50, but check whether the price you see is monthly or yearly before you buy. ## Ahrefs vs Ubersuggest and Ahrefs vs Semrush These two comparisons come up most often, so here is the plain version. - **Ahrefs vs Ubersuggest.** Ahrefs has a much larger link and keyword dataset and far higher row limits, but Ubersuggest's Individual plan costs about a quarter of Ahrefs Lite and has a lifetime option. If you run one site and mainly need keyword ideas, Ubersuggest covers it. If backlink research is your daily work, it will feel thin. - **Ahrefs vs Semrush.** Neither is a cheaper alternative to the other. On the day we checked, Semrush's SEO plan (€134 monthly) cost more than Ahrefs Lite (€119). Choose based on workflow and data, not price; both offer limited free tiers (Semrush's [free plan](https://www.semrush.com/kb/1011-subscriptions) includes 10 reports a day). ## What you lose by going cheaper Be honest with yourself about these trade-offs before switching: - **Backlink depth.** Smaller indexes find fewer links, especially for small sites. Two tools can disagree a lot about the same domain. - **Row limits.** A 250- or 2,000-row cap is fine for a niche blog and painful for a large competitor. - **History.** Entry plans often show a month or a few months. You may miss a traffic drop that happened last year. - **Exports and API.** Several entry plans block exports or API access, which matters if you build reports. - **Different metrics.** DR, DA and Authority Score are not interchangeable. If you switch tools, compare trends inside one tool rather than numbers across tools. ## The best value setup: free tools plus one cheap tool For most small sites the strongest setup is not a single subscription. It is free first-party data for your own site plus one paid tool for everything outside it. - **Your own site:** Google Search Console for queries and clicks, plus Ahrefs Free for audits and your own backlinks. Both are free for sites you verify. - **Other sites:** one paid tool from the table above, chosen by the job you do most (keywords: Mangools or Ubersuggest; competitor history: SpyFu; Ahrefs data: Starter). - **Vetting partners:** a quick check that does not depend on backlink counts, which are easy to inflate. Our guide to [checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) walks through it, and [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) covers the red flags. Illustrative example: a solo blogger with one site uses Search Console and Ahrefs Free for her own pages, pays for Mangools on a yearly plan for keyword research, and uses a free quality check before agreeing to any guest post. She opens Ahrefs Starter only in months when she runs a competitor deep dive. ## A 15-minute way to choose - List your three weekly jobs and circle the one that takes most time. - Pick the two tools from the table that are strongest at that job. - Start the free trial or the lowest monthly plan of each, never the yearly or lifetime plan first. - Run the same test on both: your site, one competitor and five target keywords. - Keep the one whose numbers make sense for sites you know well, and cancel the other before renewal. ## When paying for full Ahrefs still makes sense Cheaper is not always better value. Ahrefs Lite or a similar suite earns its price when: - You research competitors' backlinks several times a week and keep hitting row limits. - You need long history to explain traffic changes to a client. - You export data into reports or spreadsheets every month. - You manage several sites, and per-project caps on entry plans would force you into two subscriptions. If none of these applies, start cheap and upgrade only when a limit blocks real work. ## What to do next Many people pay for Ahrefs mainly to check a site's authority before a deal. For that one job you may not need a subscription at all. [Satelo's free check](https://satelo.io/check/) needs no signup and shows a Quality Score built mostly from open data, such as Tranco rank, Common Crawl presence, domain age and page speed, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. Use it alongside one paid tool, or before you decide whether you need one. ## FAQ ### Is there a cheaper alternative to Ahrefs? Yes. On October 16, 2026, Ahrefs Starter, Ubersuggest Individual, SpyFu Basic and Moz Pro Starter were all under $50 or €50 a month on their own pricing pages, and Mangools Basic was under that line on yearly billing. Each has lower limits than Ahrefs Lite. ### What tools are similar to Ahrefs? Semrush, SE Ranking, Serpstat, Moz Pro, Mangools, Ubersuggest and SpyFu all cover some mix of keyword research, backlinks, rank tracking and audits. Semrush and SE Ranking are closest in scope but not cheaper at the entry level. ### Is Ubersuggest as good as Ahrefs? Not for backlink research: Ahrefs has much higher row limits and a larger link dataset. For one site that mainly needs keyword ideas, a basic audit and rank tracking, Ubersuggest covers the job for a much lower price. ### Is Semrush cheaper than Ahrefs? No. On the day we checked, Semrush's entry SEO plan was €134 a month, while Ahrefs Lite was €119. Ahrefs also has a cheaper Starter plan. Both have limited free tiers. ### Does Ahrefs have a free plan? Yes. Ahrefs Free, formerly Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, gives free access to Site Audit, Site Explorer and Web Analytics for websites whose ownership you verify. It does not let you research competitors in depth. ### Should I buy a lifetime SEO tool deal? Only after testing the tool on a monthly plan or trial. Ubersuggest, for example, says lifetime purchases are final and non-refundable, so make sure the data fits your niche first. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/claude-code-for-seo/ Ai agents # Claude Code for SEO: How to Set Up MCP Servers and Run Real SEO Tasks Claude Code is useful for SEO because it can read your whole site's source, edit files and call data sources through MCP servers in one session. It is strong at repetitive on-page work like titles, internal links and structured data, and weak at anything that needs judgment about your market. This guide covers setup from the official docs, five tasks with prompts you can paste, and the checks a human still has to do. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What Claude Code is good at for SEO Claude Code runs in your terminal or editor with access to your project folder. For an SEO workflow that matters more than any clever prompt: the agent sees the actual templates, content files and build scripts, not a screenshot of the page. - **Bulk on-page audits.** Every ``, meta description, H1 and canonical across hundreds of files, in one pass. - **Internal linking.** Finding pages nothing links to and suggesting links from related content. - **Structured data.** Writing and checking JSON-LD against your real page content. - **Working with data.** With MCP servers connected, joining Search Console queries with the files that serve those pages. - **Drafting.** Content briefs and outlines based on what your site already covers. What it does not do well: decide what your audience wants, judge whether a claim is true, or know how competitive a query is without a data source. Treat it as a fast junior who never gets bored, not as an SEO strategist. ## Step 1: connect MCP servers MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard for connecting AI applications to tools and data; the [specification](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18) defines servers that expose tools, resources and prompts. Claude Code adds them with one command. Per Anthropic's [Claude Code MCP documentation](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp): - Remote server: `claude mcp add --transport http <name> <url>`, with `--header "Authorization: Bearer …"` when the server uses a key. - Local server: `claude mcp add <name> -- <command> [args…]`. Everything after `--` is passed to the server unchanged. - OAuth servers: run `/mcp` inside Claude Code and follow the browser login. - Check and manage: `claude mcp list`, `claude mcp get <name>`, `claude mcp remove <name>`. ### Choose the scope deliberately | Scope | Where it is stored | Use it for | | `local` (default) | `~/.claude.json`, current project only | Servers with your personal credentials | | `project` | `.mcp.json` in the repo, shared via version control | Servers your team uses, without secrets in the file | | `user` | `~/.claude.json`, all your projects | Tools you use everywhere | The scope table comes from the same documentation. The practical rule: anything with a key stays out of `.mcp.json`. ## Step 2: a sensible starter set | Server | Why | How to add | | Google Search Console (community `mcp-gsc`) | Your real queries, impressions, indexing status | Local server; follow the [project's README](https://github.com/AminForou/mcp-gsc) for OAuth setup, then `claude mcp add gsc -- <command from the README>` | | Satelo | Free Quality Score for any domain; partner-article exchange for your own sites | `claude mcp add --transport http satelo https://satelo.io/mcp` (add the key header later for account tools) | | A crawler | Rendered HTML, status codes, redirects | Use your crawler's MCP if it has one, or let Claude Code run a crawl script locally | [Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about) is the one source here that comes straight from Google, which is why it belongs in every setup. The Satelo server is listed in the [official MCP Registry](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io) as `io.satelo/satelo`; its public tools work without a key, and the full list is on our [agents page](https://satelo.io/agents/). ## Step 3: five real tasks with prompts Each prompt below is a starting point. Edit the paths and site details to match your project. ### 1. Audit titles and meta descriptions Find every page template and content file that outputs a <title> or meta description. Build a table: URL or file, title, title length, description, description length. Flag duplicates, empty values, titles that don't describe the page, and repeated boilerplate. Don't edit anything yet. Google's [title link guidance](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link) asks for unique, descriptive, concise titles and warns against "repeated or boilerplate text." It also says there is no length limit on the element itself; titles are truncated in results "as needed." So use length as a flag for review, not a hard rule. ### 2. Find orphan pages List all public pages from the sitemap or build output. For each, count internal links pointing to it from other pages, excluding nav and footer. Show pages with zero or one incoming link, and for each suggest two existing pages that could link to it naturally, with the sentence where the link would go. ### 3. Check a partner site before you work with it Use the Satelo tool satelo_check_site for example.com. Summarize the Quality Score, list the evidence behind each component, and tell me which parts are weak or missing. Then fetch the homepage and three recent posts and tell me whether the site looks maintained and on-topic for my audience. The score is built mostly from open data, so the agent can show you where each number comes from. You can run the same check by hand on the [Quality Score page](https://satelo.io/check/). ### 4. Draft a content brief from Search Console Using Search Console data for the last 28 days, find queries where we get impressions but almost no clicks. Group them by topic. For the top group, check which of our existing pages ranks, then draft a brief: search intent, what the page currently misses, proposed H2s, and internal links to add. Don't invent statistics; mark anything you're unsure of. If you get a list of queries with impressions and no clicks, our guide to [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) explains how to read it. ### 5. Validate JSON-LD Find all JSON-LD blocks in the templates. For each, check that it is valid JSON, that the @type matches what the page actually shows, and that values like headline, dates and author match the visible content. List mismatches. Then give me the URLs to test in the Rich Results Test. Google [recommends JSON-LD](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data) where your setup allows it and points to the Rich Results Test for validation. The agent can catch mismatches; the official test is still the final check. ## Step 4: turn repeat tasks into a skill Once a prompt works, save it. Claude Code [skills](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills) are `SKILL.md` files with a short YAML header (`name`, `description`) and instructions underneath. Put them in `.claude/skills/<name>/` to share with the repo or `~/.claude/skills/<name>/` for yourself. You can then run the audit with `/name`, or let Claude pick it up when a request matches the description. This is what people mean by a "Claude Code SEO skill": a saved, repeatable checklist, not a ranking trick. ## Limits: what a human must check - **Facts and numbers.** The model can produce confident statistics with no source. Require a link for every number, and delete any it cannot back up. - **Data it did not fetch.** Without a connected data source, anything about search volume, rankings or backlinks is a guess. Ask it to say which tool each figure came from. - **Big diffs.** Review changes in small batches. A bulk title rewrite across 300 files is easy to make and hard to undo. - **Large outputs.** Claude Code warns when one MCP tool output exceeds 10,000 tokens and caps it at 25,000 by default (adjustable with `MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS`), per the MCP docs. Ask for filtered, smaller pulls. - **Indexing.** The agent can fix what is in your files. It cannot make Google crawl or index a page; see [Crawled – currently not indexed](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) for what you control there. ## Keep keys and actions safe Anthropic's docs warn: "Verify you trust each server before connecting it. Servers that fetch external content can expose you to prompt injection risk." The MCP spec adds that tools "must be treated with appropriate caution" and that hosts must get explicit consent before invoking them. - Keep credentials in `local` or `user` scope or in environment variables, never in a committed `.mcp.json`. - Use read-only access to Search Console where possible. - Give each agent its own key so you can revoke one without breaking the rest. - Decide which actions need your approval: publishing, placing orders, deleting sitemaps. - Treat content the agent fetches from other sites as untrusted input. ## What to do next - Install the Search Console server and run task 1 on your own site today. - Fix titles in a small batch, commit, and compare in Search Console after a few weeks. - Save the prompts that worked as skills. Want your agent to check sites and handle partner-article exchanges for you? Add Satelo's MCP server to Claude Code in one command from the [agents page](https://satelo.io/agents/). Public tools need no key; for account tools, create a free key in your [dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/). Partner articles are labeled and published with `rel="sponsored"`. ## FAQ ### Can Claude Code do SEO? It can do much of the hands-on work: audit titles and meta tags, find orphan pages, write and check JSON-LD and draft briefs. Strategy and fact-checking still need a person. ### How do I add an MCP server to Claude Code? Run claude mcp add --transport http <name> <url> for a remote server, or claude mcp add <name> -- <command> for a local one. Use /mcp inside Claude Code to log in to OAuth servers. ### What is a Claude Code SEO skill? A SKILL.md file with a name, description and instructions, saved in .claude/skills/ or ~/.claude/skills/. It turns a working SEO prompt into a reusable command. ### Is there a Google Search Console MCP server for Claude? We could not find an official Google one when we checked in October 2026. The community mcp-gsc project is a common choice and runs locally with your own Google credentials. ### Is it safe to give Claude Code my API keys? Keep keys out of shared project files, prefer read-only scopes and OAuth, give each agent its own key and only connect servers you trust. ### Will Claude Code improve my rankings? No tool can promise that. It speeds up on-page fixes and analysis; results depend on the quality of your pages and how search engines evaluate them. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/competitor-traffic-analysis/ Website traffic # Competitor Traffic Analysis: How Many Visitors They Get and From Where A competitor traffic analysis answers four questions: roughly how many visitors a rival site gets, which channels bring them, which pages pull the most weight, and which searches and links feed those pages. You can't see a competitor's analytics, but free tools and a few manual checks get you close enough to make decisions. Below is a step-by-step method, a comparison template, and how to turn the findings into topics and partners for your own site. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What the analysis should answer Before opening any tool, write down the decisions you want to make. A traffic study that ends with “they get about 40k visits” is trivia. One that ends with “they win on comparison guides and get steady referrals from two niche newsletters” is a plan. Aim for answers to these: - **Volume:** what order of magnitude is their traffic, and is it growing or shrinking? - **Channels:** how much comes from search, from other sites, from social, from email? - **Top pages:** which sections or articles do the heavy lifting? - **Demand:** which searches bring those visitors, and who links to or mentions them? Everything below is an estimate. Treat each number as a range, and trust a conclusion only when two independent signals agree. ## Step 1: pick the right competitors Your business competitors and your search competitors are often different sites. A small cooking blog competes in search with recipe portals, other blogs and forum threads, not with the restaurant down the street. - Take 5 to 10 searches that matter to you and note which domains appear on page one again and again. - Drop giants you can't realistically match (marketplaces, encyclopedias). Keep 3 sites that are one or two steps ahead of you. - Add one site at your level. It's the best benchmark for what is achievable right now. ## Step 2: estimate their volume Third-party panels model traffic from browsing data. The free public page on [Similarweb](https://www.similarweb.com/) shows total visits for recent months, engagement, top countries and a few channels, and it labels the figures as “Similarweb estimated data.” For small sites these models get noisy, so read them as orders of magnitude, not facts. Cross-check with at least one more source. Our roundup of [free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/) compares what each tool shows and where it tends to miss, and the guide on [checking any site's traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) covers indirect signals such as public counters and Tranco rank. If two tools disagree by ten times, you have learned something too: the site is probably too small for panel data, and you should rely on the steps below. ## Step 3: see each channel indirectly | Channel | Indirect signal | Where to look | | Search | Many indexed pages ranking for informational queries; keyword list in panels | Manual search checks, Similarweb keywords block | | Referrals | Mentions in newsletters, directories, partner blogs, resource pages | Backlink checkers, brand-name searches | | Social | Active accounts with real comments, links to articles in posts | Their profiles, the social block in panels | | Email | Signup forms, archive pages, “issue #” URLs | Subscribe yourself and watch what they promote | | Paid | Ads on their brand and category terms | Search their key terms; public ad libraries | Free panel pages often show only the top channels and hide the full split behind a trial. That's fine: you need the ranking of channels, not the exact percentages. ## Step 4: find the searches that feed them Paid keyword databases are fastest, but you can get a working list for free: - **Seed list.** Write down the topics of their main sections and article titles. - **Demand check.** Compare topics in [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) to see which ones people actually search for and whether interest is seasonal. For Russian-language markets, Yandex Wordstat does the same job. - **Manual SERP check.** Search each topic in a private window and note whether the competitor ranks on page one, and with which page. - **Panel hints.** The free Similarweb page lists a few top keywords by traffic share. Use them as confirmation, not as the full list. Keep the result small: 20 to 30 queries where you know the competitor ranks and you could write something better. ## Step 5: identify their top pages without paid tools - **Search the site itself.** The `site:` operator restricts results to one domain. Google notes the list [is not always exhaustive](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/search-operators/all-search-site), but pages that show up first for `site:competitor.com topic` are usually the ones search engines consider strongest. - **Read their navigation.** “Popular,” “Start here,” and sidebar blocks are often driven by real traffic or chosen by the owner as money pages. - **Check the sitemap.** `/sitemap.xml` shows how many pages they have and which sections grow fastest. - **Look for engagement.** Comment counts, shares and update dates hint at which articles get attention. - **Look at history.** The [Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/) shows which pages they kept updating for years. Content that gets refreshed again and again usually earns traffic. ## Step 6: links and mentions Search Console only shows data for properties you own or have been given access to ([Google's verification help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9008080)), so you can't open a rival's link report. Use public tools instead: - The free [Ahrefs Backlink Checker](https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker) shows referring domains, backlink counts and a sample of links for any domain. More options are compared in our guide to [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). - Search the competitor's brand name minus their own domain to find unlinked mentions, reviews and roundups. - Group what you find: niche blogs, directories, newsletters, podcasts, forums. The groups matter more than individual links. The goal is to learn which kinds of sites in your niche talk about projects like yours, not to copy the link list or try to get their links removed. ## A comparison template: you vs. three competitors A filled-in example, **for illustration only** (made-up sites and figures): | Metric | You | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C | | Estimated monthly visits (range) | 1–3k | 20–50k | 5–10k | 2–5k | | Main channel | Search | Search | Social | Referrals | | Pages in sitemap | 60 | 900 | 150 | 110 | | Strongest section | How-tos | Comparisons | Video recaps | Tool lists | | Referring domains (checker) | 25 | 800 | 120 | 140 | | Typical referrers | Directories | News, niche blogs | Social profiles | Newsletters, resource pages | | Queries where they rank and you don't | — | 14 | 3 | 6 | In this example the takeaway is not “become Competitor A.” It's that Competitor C, a site close to your size, wins with tool lists and newsletter mentions, which is a realistic next step. ## Common mistakes that skew the picture - **Comparing with the wrong sites.** Benchmarking a small blog against a national publisher produces only discouragement. Keep at least one competitor at your own level. - **Trusting a single number.** One tool's estimate can be off by a lot for small sites. A conclusion supported by traffic estimates, rankings and referrers together is far safer than any one figure. - **Counting pages instead of looking at them.** A competitor with 900 pages may get most of its traffic from 20 of them. Find those 20 before you plan a publishing marathon. - **Ignoring seasonality.** A spike in one month may be a holiday or a news cycle. Compare the same months, or look at the trend over at least a quarter. - **Copying instead of learning.** Rewriting a competitor's top article gives readers nothing new. Use their wins to understand demand, then answer it with your own experience and data. ## Turn findings into a plan - **Topics.** From the query list, pick the ones where the ranking page is thin or outdated and you have first-hand experience. Write the better answer, don't rewrite theirs. Our guide on [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) shows how to build those topics into clusters. - **Platforms.** From the referrer groups, list 10 sites, newsletters or communities that already cover your niche and pitch them something useful for their readers. - **Format.** If a competitor wins with comparisons or calculators, that's a signal about what readers want in your niche. - **Re-check quarterly.** Rerun the same template every three months. Trends matter more than snapshots. ## What to do next For a fast, comparable baseline, run your domain and each competitor through the [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/). In about 30 seconds you get a Quality Score from 0 to 100 for each site plus the evidence behind it: Tranco rank, domain age, pages in Common Crawl, page speed. The score is built mostly from open data, so it works even for sites that hide their analytics, and you can put the numbers straight into the template above. Sources checked on October 16, 2026. ## FAQ ### Can I see exactly how much traffic a competitor gets? No. Only the site owner sees real analytics. Third-party tools estimate traffic from panels and models, so use their numbers as ranges and confirm conclusions with a second source. ### What is the best free tool for competitor traffic analysis? Similarweb's free public page gives the broadest overview: estimated visits, top countries, a few channels and keywords. Combine it with a backlink checker and manual search checks for a fuller picture. ### How accurate are traffic estimates for small sites? They get less reliable as sites get smaller, because panels see fewer visits. If two tools disagree widely, rely on indirect signals such as indexed pages, rankings and referrers. ### How do I find a competitor's top pages for free? Use the site: operator with topic words, check their navigation and sitemap, look at comments and update dates, and use the Wayback Machine to see which pages they keep refreshing. ### Can I see a competitor's backlinks in Search Console? No. Search Console only shows data for properties you own or have been given access to. Use public backlink checkers for competitors. ### Is competitor traffic analysis legal? Yes, when you use public data and published tool estimates. Don't copy their content, and don't try to get their links removed through false complaints. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/content-pruning/ Content # Content Pruning for Small Blogs: When to Delete, Merge or Keep a Post Content pruning in SEO means reviewing old posts and deciding, one by one, whether to keep, improve, merge or remove them. On a small blog the honest answer is that deleting is rarely the right call: most weak posts should be improved or merged into a stronger one, and only a few truly have no reason to exist. This guide gives you a decision flow, the correct technical handling for each outcome, and an illustrative audit of a 40-post blog. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What content pruning is, and what it is not Pruning is an editorial review, not a cleanup by traffic number. You go through your posts and ask whether each one still helps a reader. If it does, keep it. If it could, improve it. If two posts answer the same question, combine them. If a post has no reader value and never will, remove it properly. What pruning is **not**: deleting old posts because they are old. Google's guide to [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) specifically warns against removing a lot of older content primarily because you think it will help rankings, and against changing dates to make pages look fresh when nothing substantial changed. Age alone is not a problem. Unhelpfulness is. There is also a crawl argument that gets borrowed from big publishers. Google says its [crawl budget guide](https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawl-budget) is aimed at sites with roughly a million or more pages, or tens of thousands of fast-changing pages. A blog with 40 or 400 posts does not have a crawl budget problem, so "freeing up crawl budget" is not a reason for a small site to delete anything. ## Why small blogs should prune differently Advice and case studies about pruning mostly come from large sites with thousands of thin, near-duplicate or outdated pages. A small blog has the opposite problem: too little content, not too much. Every post you delete is a page that can no longer be found, linked to or cited. So for a small blog, change the default. Instead of "what can I cut?", ask "what can I make worth reading?" Merging and improving get you most of the benefit people expect from pruning, without throwing anything away. ## Gather the data first (free tools only) Make a spreadsheet with one row per post and these columns: - **URL and topic**, plus the main question the post answers. - **Search Console clicks and impressions** for the last 12 months (Performance report, Pages tab). A full year smooths out seasonal posts. - **Index status** from the Search Console Pages report. If many posts sit in "Crawled, currently not indexed", read our guide on [crawled but not indexed pages](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) first; it is often a quality signal worth fixing before you prune. - **External links** pointing to the post (Search Console's Links report shows top linked pages). - **Business value**: does the post lead to sign-ups, sales or newsletter subscribers? - **Accuracy**: is anything outdated, broken or plain wrong? Posts with plenty of impressions but few clicks are not pruning candidates; they are title and snippet problems. Our guide to [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) covers those. ## The decision: keep, improve, merge or remove Run each post through these questions in order and stop at the first "yes": - **Does it get search traffic, earn links, or convert?** Keep it. Refresh facts and links if needed. - **Does it answer a question people still ask, but answer it poorly?** Improve it: rewrite, add examples, update sources, fix the title. - **Does another post on your site answer the same question?** Merge the weaker into the stronger and redirect. - **Is it time-bound but still useful as a record** (an event recap, a changelog, an old announcement)? Keep it, possibly with a note at the top pointing to the current version. - **Is it off-topic, thin with no way to fix, or factually dangerous and not worth updating?** Remove it, and choose the right status code below. | Outcome | When | Technical handling | | Keep | Useful, gets traffic, links or conversions | Nothing; update facts if needed | | Improve | Good topic, weak execution | Rewrite in place on the same URL | | Merge | Two or more posts answer the same question | Combine into one URL, 301 the others to it | | Noindex | Useful to visitors, not useful in search (e.g., tag archives, thank-you pages) | `noindex` meta tag, page stays live | | Remove | No reader value and no close replacement | 404 or 410; redirect only if a truly relevant page exists | ## Merging posts: how to do it with 301 redirects Merging is the most useful pruning move on a small blog. Three short posts about the same problem usually make one solid guide. - Pick the **target URL**: usually the post with the most clicks or links. - Move the best material from the other posts into it. Do not paste whole posts in; rewrite so it reads as one piece. - Redirect the old URLs to the target with a permanent redirect. Google recommends a [permanent server-side redirect](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects) when a URL needs to change, with meta refresh or JavaScript only when the server option is unavailable. - Update your internal links to point straight at the target, so you do not rely on redirects inside your own site. - Check the target in Search Console's URL Inspection tool and request indexing. Only redirect to a page that genuinely covers the same topic. Redirecting unrelated posts to your homepage does not help readers who arrive expecting something specific. ## 404 or 410 when you remove a post? For Google, it barely matters. Its documentation on [HTTP status codes](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/http-network-errors) says all 4xx errors except 429 are treated the same: the URL is dropped from the index and a newly found 404 is not processed further. Use 410 if your setup makes it easy and you want to state "gone on purpose"; otherwise a normal 404 is fine. What does matter: the removed page should actually return an error code. A page that says "not found" but returns 200 is a soft 404, and Search Console will flag it. ## When noindex is the right tool A [noindex rule](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing) keeps a page out of Google's results while leaving it available to visitors. It suits pages that serve people on your site but have no business ranking: tag and date archives, internal search results, thank-you pages, thin author pages. Two common mistakes: blocking the same page in robots.txt (Google then cannot see the noindex rule, so the page can still appear in results), and using noindex on a real article you simply do not like. If an article should not be found, improve it or remove it. ## What never to cut - **Posts with external links.** If other sites link to a post, keep it or redirect it to a close match. Deleting it wastes those links and leaves broken links on other people's pages. - **Posts that convert**, even with low traffic. A post with little traffic that regularly brings in subscribers is doing its job. - **About, contact, editorial policy and author pages.** They rarely get search traffic but help readers understand who is behind the site. - **Seasonal posts** during their off-season. Judge them on 12 months of data, not 30 days. - **Your best evidence of experience.** Original photos, case notes and first-hand tests are exactly what helpful-content guidance asks for. ## An illustrative audit of a 40-post blog The example below is invented for illustration; it is not data from a real site. Imagine a home-baking blog with 40 posts, two years old. After filling in the spreadsheet, the owner finds: | Group | Posts | Decision | | Recipes with steady clicks | 14 | Keep; refresh photos and fix two broken links | | Good recipes with weak titles and thin instructions | 9 | Improve in place | | Four short posts on sourdough starter problems | 4 | Merge into one guide; 301 three URLs | | Two "best stand mixers" posts from different years | 2 | Merge into one current post; 301 the older one | | Event recaps from local markets | 5 | Keep as a record | | Off-topic posts (a phone review, a travel diary) | 3 | Remove; 404; one had a link from a forum, so redirected to the closest post instead | | Tag archive pages | 3 | Noindex | Result: zero good content lost, five URLs redirected, two posts removed, and a blog where every indexable page has a clear purpose. Most of the work went into improving and merging, not deleting. ## How often to prune For a small blog, once a year is plenty, plus a quick check whenever you notice two posts competing for the same query. Put a recurring reminder in your calendar and rerun the spreadsheet with fresh 12-month data. Between audits, the best prevention is planning: before writing a new post, search your own site for the topic and update the existing post if there is one. ## What to do next - Export 12 months of page data from Search Console and build the spreadsheet above. - Run every post through the five questions and mark the outcome. - Do merges first, then improvements, then the few removals. - Get an outside baseline before and after. Satelo's free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows where your site stands on mostly open data (domain age, Tranco rank, crawl footprint, page speed) in about 30 seconds, with the source behind each number, so you can compare the same signals a few months after the cleanup. For the bigger picture on growing a small topical site, see our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## FAQ ### What is content pruning in SEO? Content pruning is reviewing existing pages and deciding whether to keep, improve, merge or remove each one, so that every indexable page on the site has a clear purpose for readers. ### Should I delete old blog posts? Usually not just because they are old. Google's helpful-content guidance warns against removing lots of older content mainly to boost rankings. Improve or merge weak posts, and remove only those with no reader value and no close replacement. ### Does content pruning improve rankings? It can help indirectly when it turns several weak pages into one strong one or removes genuinely unhelpful pages. Deleting posts by itself does not make a site rank better, and on a small blog the gains come mostly from improving and merging. ### Should I use a 404 or 410 for deleted pages? Google treats all 4xx errors except 429 the same way, so either works. Use 410 if it is easy to set up and you want to signal intentional removal; otherwise a standard 404 is fine. Make sure the page really returns the error code. ### When should I redirect a deleted post instead of returning 404? Redirect with a permanent 301 when there is a page on your site that covers the same topic, especially if the old post has external links. Do not redirect unrelated posts to the homepage. ### Is noindex better than deleting a page? Noindex suits pages that help visitors but should not appear in search, like tag archives or thank-you pages. For a weak article, improving, merging or removing it is usually better than hiding it from search. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/ Indexing # "Crawled – Currently Not Indexed": What It Means and What We Did on a New Site "Crawled – currently not indexed" means Googlebot fetched your page but decided not to add it to the index, at least for now. On a new site it is usually a quality, duplication or priority question, not a technical error, and it often changes on its own. Below is Google's definition, a diagnostic order that works, and the real Search Console timeline of satelo.io in its first two weeks. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## What "Crawled – currently not indexed" actually means Google's [Page indexing report documentation](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203) describes the status briefly: "The page was crawled by Google but not indexed." It adds that the page "may or may not be indexed in the future" and that there is no need to resubmit the URL for crawling. Three things follow from that wording: - **Google could reach the page.** Robots.txt did not block it, the server answered, and the HTML was downloaded. So this is not a crawlability bug in the usual sense. - **Google chose not to index it.** The decision happened after crawling, which points to content, duplication or overall site signals. - **It is not a penalty.** The status is not a manual action, and the same help page says plainly: "Don't expect every URL on your site to be indexed." The same page also sets expectations for new sites: "It can take a week or so for Google to start crawling and indexing a new page or site." If your domain is a few days old, panic is premature. ## Crawled vs. Discovered – currently not indexed These two statuses look alike but sit at different stages of the pipeline. Mixing them up leads to the wrong fix. | Status | Stage | What Google says | Where to look first | | Discovered – currently not indexed | Known URL, not fetched yet | Found but "not crawled yet"; typically Google expected crawling to overload the site and rescheduled it | Server response time, internal links, sitemap | | Crawled – currently not indexed | Fetched, then left out | Crawled, not indexed, "may or may not be indexed in the future" | Content value, duplicates, canonical, internal links | | Excluded by "noindex" tag | Fetched, told not to index | Google found a noindex directive and respected it | Only a problem if the noindex is a mistake | | Alternate page with proper canonical tag | Duplicate pointing to an indexed original | "There is nothing you need to do" | Nothing, if the canonical target is right | | Page with redirect | URL redirects elsewhere | A non-canonical URL that "will not be indexed" | Nothing, if the redirect is intended | All definitions are paraphrased or quoted from the [Page indexing report help page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203). ## Why Google crawls a page and still skips it Google does not publish a per-URL reason, so treat the list below as the usual suspects to rule out, not as a confirmed diagnosis. - **Thin or near-duplicate content.** Tag pages, empty category archives, auto-generated profiles and pages that say what ten other pages already say. Google's [helpful content guidance](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks: "Does the content provide original information, reporting, research, or analysis?" - **Canonical confusion.** If a page's `rel="canonical"` points to a different URL, you are telling Google that other URL is the real one. Google calls the tag "a strong signal", not a command, in its [duplicate URL guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls), and it also recommends absolute URLs and a self-referencing canonical on the main version. - **Weak internal linking.** A post reachable only through page 7 of a blog archive or a footer looks unimportant. The same canonical guide advises linking internally to the URL you want treated as canonical. - **Few external signals.** A brand-new domain with no mentions anywhere gives Google little reason to prioritize it. This is the slowest factor to change and the one you control least. - **Site-wide quality signals.** Hundreds of low-value URLs can make the whole site look less worth indexing. This is a common hypothesis among SEOs; Google's own docs speak about helpful content in general rather than giving a threshold. ## A diagnostic order that saves time Go from cheapest check to most expensive. Most issues on small sites show up in the first four steps. - **Open URL Inspection for the exact URL.** Check "Page indexing", the user-declared canonical and the Google-selected canonical. If they differ, you have a canonical problem, not a quality problem. - **Run "Test live URL".** Look at the rendered HTML. Is the main text actually there, or does it appear only after JavaScript that failed? - **Look for an accidental noindex.** Check the meta robots tag and the `X-Robots-Tag` header. Note that Google can only see noindex on a page it is allowed to crawl; a page blocked by robots.txt never shows its noindex, per Google's [noindex documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing). - **Check robots.txt** for rules that block CSS, JS or whole sections. Google's [robots.txt introduction](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro) explains that robots.txt controls crawling, not indexing. - **Compare the page with its closest sibling.** If two of your URLs answer the same query, merge them or make one clearly different. - **Count internal links to the page.** Is it linked from the homepage, a hub page or related articles, or only from the sitemap? - **Check speed and server errors.** Slow or flaky responses mostly cause "Discovered" rather than "Crawled", but it is worth ruling out. Our [Core Web Vitals guide for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) covers the basics. ## Our own case: satelo.io in its first two weeks Satelo launched in early October 2026, which makes it a clean example of a new domain with no history. Everything below comes from our Google Search Console account. We report what we did and what the report showed on given dates. We cannot prove which step caused which change, and we will not pretend we can. ### The timeline | Date (2026) | What Search Console showed | | October 9 | 2 pages indexed. Our internal audit that day also logged 7 URLs as "Crawled – currently not indexed". | | October 16 | 97 pages indexed, 137 not indexed | The 137 not-indexed URLs on October 16 broke down like this: | Reason in the Pages report | URLs | Our reading | | Excluded by "noindex" tag | 111 | Intentional. These are bulk-computed site profile pages we noindexed on purpose. | | Discovered – currently not indexed | 23 | Known to Google, not crawled yet. Normal for a site this young. | | Alternate page with proper canonical tag | 2 | Duplicates pointing to the right original. Nothing to do. | | Page with redirect | 1 | An intended redirect. | So on October 16 the "Crawled – currently not indexed" bucket was not among the reasons listed. Most of the "not indexed" total was our own choice, which is exactly why you should read the reasons, not the headline number. ### What we did between those dates - **Submitted an XML sitemap** with 96 URLs, plus a second sitemap for another section of the site. - **Fixed a wrong canonical.** Our tool page `/check/` declared its canonical as `/check/index.php`, a URL nobody should ever see. A server rewrite rule was treating "index.php" as a domain name. We fixed the rule and the canonical now points to `https://satelo.io/check/`. - **Linked the blog from the homepage.** Before, blog posts were reachable mainly from the footer. We added a block of links from the homepage to articles and guides. - **Requested indexing manually** in URL Inspection for a handful of key URLs: the homepage, the tool, the blog index and our strongest articles. - **Noindexed thin bulk pages.** We generate profile pages for many sites automatically. Most of them carry little unique text, so we marked them noindex rather than ask Google to judge hundreds of near-identical pages. - **Pinged IndexNow on every deploy.** IndexNow notifies participating engines such as Bing and Yandex. Google is not among the endpoints listed in the [IndexNow FAQ](https://www.indexnow.org/faq), so this step does not explain anything in our Google numbers. ### What we can and cannot conclude We can say the index grew from 2 to 97 pages in a week while we did the steps above. We cannot say which step mattered most. Some of that growth may simply be Google getting around to a new domain, which its own help page says can take "a week or so". If you read a case study that claims "do X and your pages get indexed in 48 hours", ask what else changed at the same time. ## When requesting indexing is useless The "Request indexing" button is useful once, after a real change. It is not a lever you can pull until it works. Google's [recrawl documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/ask-google-to-recrawl) says there is a quota for individual URLs and that "requesting a recrawl multiple times for the same URL won't get it crawled any faster." It also says crawling "can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks." Skip the request when: - You changed nothing since the last crawl. Google already saw that version and passed on it. - The page is a near-duplicate. Fix the duplication first. - You have dozens of URLs. Submit or update a sitemap instead; Google recommends sitemaps for large numbers of URLs, while noting in its [sitemap guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap) that a sitemap "is merely a hint". ## Should you noindex thin pages? Often, yes. A noindexed page is your decision, visible as such in the report. A crawled-but-skipped page is Google's decision, and you do not learn why. If a group of pages exists for users (filters, internal search results, auto-generated profiles) but has little unique text, noindex is the honest label. Keep them crawlable so Google can see the tag, and keep them out of your sitemap. Do not noindex pages just to "push" others into the index. There is no documented mechanism for that. The benefit is clarity: your sitemap and internal links then point only at pages you actually want judged. ## A checklist for a new site, in order - Confirm the property in Search Console and submit one clean sitemap with only indexable, canonical URLs. - Inspect your five most important URLs. Fix any canonical mismatch first. - Link those pages from the homepage and from each other. - Merge or rewrite pages that duplicate each other. Noindex helper pages that exist for users only. - Request indexing once per key URL, after the fixes, not before. - Earn a few real mentions on other sites. Our guide to [getting your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) and the article on [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) list realistic sources. - Wait a week, then read the Pages report by reason, not by total. ## What to do next If Google crawled your pages, it can reach your site. The next question is whether the rest of the web knows you exist. [Satelo's free check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows whether Common Crawl and the Tranco list already see your domain and how fast it loads, built mostly from open data, so you can tell a crawler-reach problem from a "nobody links here yet" problem in one run. When you are ready for your first outside mentions, the [Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) places labeled partner articles about your site on sites of a similar level; it is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one source of mentions among several. ## FAQ ### Is "Crawled – currently not indexed" a penalty? No. It is a normal status in the Page indexing report, not a manual action. Google says the page may or may not be indexed in the future and that not every URL on a site should be expected in the index. ### How long does it take for a crawled page to get indexed? Google gives no fixed time. Its help pages say a new site can take a week or so to start being indexed and that crawling can take from a few days to a few weeks. Some pages are never indexed. ### Should I click "Request indexing" again and again? No. Google says repeated recrawl requests for the same URL won't make it faster, and there is a quota. Request once after you have actually improved the page or fixed its canonical. ### What is the difference between crawled and discovered – currently not indexed? Discovered means Google knows the URL but has not fetched it yet. Crawled means Google fetched the page and decided not to index it for now. The first points to crawling priority and server capacity, the second to content and duplication. ### Why is my website not indexed by Google at all? On a brand-new domain, usually because Google has not got to it yet. Check that the site is verified in Search Console, a sitemap is submitted, robots.txt doesn't block important sections, and no page carries an accidental noindex. ### How do I get my blog posts indexed faster? Link new posts from your homepage and related articles, keep them in an up-to-date sitemap, avoid publishing near-duplicates, and request indexing once for the most important ones. Mentions on other sites help Google discover you, but nothing guarantees indexing. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/digital-pr-vs-link-building/ Link building # Digital PR vs Link Building: A Practical Guide for Small Sites Digital PR vs link building comes down to one difference: link building asks for a link on a page, while digital PR earns coverage because you have something worth writing about, and links follow as a side effect. A small site can do both without an agency if it stays honest about what it has to offer. This guide shows the tactics that fit a small budget, the ones that waste time, and how to measure results beyond a link count. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## The short answer: different goals, overlapping results **Link building** is the practice of getting other sites to link to a specific page: a guest post, a resource page listing, a fixed broken link, a directory entry. The unit of work is a link, and you usually know in advance which page should receive it. **Digital PR** is the practice of getting your brand, data or expert opinion into publications that people already read: news sites, trade media, niche newsletters, podcasts. The unit of work is a story. Some coverage includes a link, some only names you, and both can be valuable. | | Link building | Digital PR | | Main goal | A link to a chosen page | Coverage and brand awareness | | What you offer | A useful page, a fix, a guest article | Data, a story, a quote, an expert view | | Who you contact | Site owners, editors, webmasters | Journalists, newsletter writers, podcast hosts | | Typical result | One link per successful pitch | Mentions across several outlets, sometimes with links | | Main risk | Sliding into paid or swapped links | Spending weeks on a story nobody picks up | | Best success metric | Relevant referring domains | Mentions, referral visits, branded searches | For a small site, the useful question is not which one is better, but which tactic matches what you already have: expertise, data, a local angle, or simply good pages. ## Where link building crosses a line Before choosing tactics, know the rules. Google’s [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list as link spam “buying or selling links for ranking purposes,” excessive link exchanges, and “links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites.” The same policies say paid links are fine when they are qualified with `rel="nofollow"` or `rel="sponsored"`. Google’s guide on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) says to mark advertisements and paid placements with `rel="sponsored"`. If you want the full breakdown of the attributes, read [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). The practical takeaway: any link you pay for, swap for, or write the anchor text of yourself should not be your plan for rankings. Earned coverage is where digital PR has the edge. ## Why press release links rarely help Many small businesses start “PR” by paying a wire service to distribute a press release with keyword-rich links. Google’s spam policies name optimized-anchor links in distributed press releases as an example of link spam, so these links are not a ranking shortcut. A press release still has a place: as a factual reference page you can send to journalists, or as an announcement on your own site. Just don’t measure it by links. Measure it by whether a real editor picked up the story. ## Digital PR tactics that fit a small budget ### 1. Publish your own data, with the method in the open Journalists need numbers. A small site often has data nobody else has: survey answers from your customers, prices you track, results from your own tests. Turn that into a short report. - State the sample size, dates and how you collected the data, right on the page. - Show the limitations. A survey of your own newsletter readers is not “Americans,” and saying so makes you more quotable, not less. - Offer the raw table or a chart people can reuse with credit. - Never inflate. A made-up statistic that gets picked up can be traced back to you. ### 2. Go local and niche, not national A national outlet ignores a small bakery; the local news site, the city newsletter and the neighborhood association often won’t. The same goes for niche newsletters in your topic. Coverage there brings readers who can actually become customers. Our guide to [promoting a local business website](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/) lists local channels worth trying. ### 3. Answer journalist requests Services such as HARO, Qwoted and Source of Sources send requests from writers who need expert comments. Pick only requests where you have real experience, answer within hours, keep it to a few sentences a writer can paste, and add a one-line bio. Check each service’s current terms before you sign up, since this market changes often. ### 4. React to news in your niche Newsjacking means offering a timely expert angle on something already in the news: a regulation change, a price jump, a product launch. It works when you have a genuine take and reach the writer fast. It backfires when you force your brand into a story where it doesn’t belong, especially a tragedy. ### 5. Collaborate with peers Co-written guides, joint webinars, podcast appearances and expert roundups put your name in front of a neighbor’s audience. Disclose anything paid or exchanged, and mark it accordingly. Our [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/) guide covers more ideas that do not involve paying for links. ## Link building tactics that still make sense Link building is not dead; it just works best when the link helps the reader of the other site. - **Resource pages and broken links.** If a page lists tools or guides and one is dead, your replacement solves a real problem for the editor. - **Unlinked mentions.** When a site already names you, a polite note asking to link the name is a small, fair request. - **Guest articles for real audiences.** Write for the readers of the host site; don’t stuff anchors. Paid placements get `rel="sponsored"`. - **Partner content in the open.** Exchanges are where people slip into the “link to me and I’ll link to you” pattern Google flags, so keep any arrangement disclosed and labeled. ## A combined 90-day plan (illustrative) Here is how a one-person site could mix both approaches. The time estimates are for illustration only. - **Weeks 1–2:** List what you can offer: one dataset, three topics where you are a genuine expert, two local angles. Fix your About page so a journalist can verify who you are. - **Weeks 3–4:** Publish one small data piece with the method visible. Sign up for one or two journalist-request services. - **Weeks 5–8:** Pitch the data piece to five local or niche outlets with a short, personal email. Answer two or three relevant requests a week. - **Weeks 9–12:** Run classic link building on your best pages: resource pages, unlinked mentions, one guest article for a relevant site. - **Every week:** Log every mention and link in a simple sheet. ## How to measure digital PR and link building Counting links alone undervalues PR. Track a few signals together: | Signal | Where to see it | What it tells you | | New referring sites | Search Console Links report | Who links to you; Google notes it is [not a complete list](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) and does not show nofollow status | | Brand mentions | [Google Alerts](https://www.google.com/alerts) or manual searches for your name | Coverage that names you without a link | | Referral visits | Your analytics, referral channel | Whether the coverage sent real readers | | Branded searches | Search Console queries containing your name | Whether more people look for you directly | | Replies and requests | Your inbox | Whether writers start contacting you | Unlinked mentions are not wasted effort. They build recognition, and AI assistants increasingly name brands they see discussed. The difference is covered in [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). ## Common mistakes small sites make - **Pitching the brand instead of the story.** “We launched a new feature” is rarely news; “here is what our data shows” might be. - **Mass emailing journalists.** Ten personal pitches beat a hundred templates. - **Hiding the method.** Unverifiable data is easy to ignore and risky to cite. - **Buying “guaranteed coverage” packages.** These often place paid articles on sites that exist to sell links. - **Judging success after two weeks.** PR results arrive unevenly; review after a full quarter. ## What to do next Pick one asset you already have, a dataset, an expert topic or a local angle, and turn it into one pitch this week. In parallel, keep a steady, disclosed channel running. Satelo, a public beta network, matches sites of a similar level for partner articles that are disclosed and marked `rel="sponsored"`, so they sit next to PR as a source of readers rather than a ranking trick. In [your Satelo account](https://satelo.io/app/) you can see which sites in the network match your topic and level before you commit to anything, and you can [check your site’s Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) first to see where you stand. ## FAQ ### What is the difference between digital PR and link building? Link building aims to get a link to a specific page. Digital PR aims to get coverage in publications people read; links may follow, but mentions and referral visits are also part of the result. ### Is digital PR good for SEO? It can help indirectly: coverage on relevant sites can bring links, brand searches and referral visitors. Google does not promise any ranking effect, so judge it by real coverage and traffic. ### Do press release links help SEO? Not as a shortcut. Google's spam policies list links with optimized anchor text in distributed press releases as an example of link spam so they should not be part of a ranking plan. ### Can a small business do digital PR without an agency? Yes. Local media, niche newsletters, journalist-request services and your own small data studies are realistic for one person with a few hours a week. ### Are unlinked brand mentions worth anything? Yes. They bring recognition and referral readers, and you can sometimes politely ask the publisher to link your name. ### Should I buy guaranteed media placements? Be careful. Paid placements must be disclosed and marked rel="sponsored" or nofollow, and many guaranteed packages use sites that mainly exist to sell links. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/discovered-currently-not-indexed/ Indexing # "Discovered – Currently Not Indexed": Why Google Hasn't Crawled Your Pages Yet "Discovered – currently not indexed" means Google knows the URL exists but has not crawled it yet. Google's own explanation is that crawling was expected to overload your site, so it rescheduled. On a small site this is usually about priority and server response, not a crawl budget you have used up, and it often clears as the site earns trust. Here is what the status means, what to check first, and what is a waste of time. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What Google says the status means Google's [Page indexing report documentation](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203) defines it in two sentences: "The page was found by Google, but not crawled yet." And: "Typically, Google wanted to crawl the URL but this was expected to overload the site; therefore Google rescheduled the crawl." Three points follow: - **Discovery worked.** Google found the URL through a sitemap, an internal link or an external link. - **Nothing has been judged yet.** Google has not fetched the page, so it cannot have rejected the content. That is the key difference from "Crawled – currently not indexed". - **It is not a penalty.** The same help page reminds site owners: "Don't expect every URL on your site to be indexed." ## Discovered vs. Crawled – currently not indexed | | Discovered – currently not indexed | Crawled – currently not indexed | | Has Google fetched the page? | No | Yes | | Google's stated reason | Crawl rescheduled, typically to avoid overloading the site | No per-URL reason given | | What it usually points to | Crawl priority: server capacity, internal links, overall site signals | Content value, duplication, canonical choices | | First thing to check | Server response times and how the page is linked | The content and the Google-selected canonical | If your problem is the second column, our guide to [Crawled – currently not indexed](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) covers that diagnosis in detail. ## Is it crawl budget? Usually not on a small site "You have run out of crawl budget" is the most common answer on forums, and for most small sites it is the wrong one. Google's [crawl budget guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/large-site-managing-crawl-budget) says it is written for "large sites (1 million+ unique pages)" with content that changes weekly, or "medium or larger sites (10,000+ unique pages)" with content that changes daily. Google calls those figures "a rough estimate". It also lists sites with "a large portion of their total URLs classified by Search Console as Discovered - currently not indexed" among the audience, so a big share of this status is worth reading about even on a mid-sized site. The guide is still useful for the two ideas it defines: - **Crawl capacity limit:** how much Google will crawl without straining your server. If the site responds quickly for a while, the limit goes up; if it slows down or returns server errors, "the limit goes down and Google crawls less." - **Crawl demand:** how much Google wants to crawl your site, based on size, update frequency, and page quality and relevance compared with other sites. On a 50-page blog, capacity is rarely the bottleneck unless the hosting is genuinely slow. Demand is: a new or little-known site simply is not high on Google's list yet. ## Check 1: server speed and errors Because Google's definition names server load, start here. It takes ten minutes. - Open **Settings → Crawl stats** in Search Console. Look at average response time and any spikes in server errors or timeouts. - Run a few affected URLs through **URL Inspection → Test live URL**. Failures or very slow fetches are a signal. - Check your host's resource limits. Cheap shared plans sometimes throttle bursts of requests, which is exactly what a crawler produces. - Make sure the URLs return a plain 200 without long redirect chains. Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) covers the speed basics that also help crawlers. ## Check 2: internal links and sitemap A URL known only from a sitemap is a weak candidate for crawling. A URL linked from your homepage and several related posts tells Google it matters. - **Link new posts from somewhere crawled often:** the homepage, a hub page or a category page near the top of your navigation. - **Add contextual links** from two or three related articles that are already indexed. - **Keep the sitemap clean.** Google's [sitemap documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap) says Google ignores `<priority>` and `<changefreq>` and uses `<lastmod>` only if it is "consistently and verifiably" accurate. List only canonical, indexable URLs with honest dates. - **Remember a sitemap is a hint,** not an order. The same page notes that submitting one does not guarantee Google will use it. ## Check 3: how many URLs you are asking Google to crawl Small sites can still generate a lot of URLs: tag archives, filters, search pages, parameter variants, auto-generated profiles. Every one of them competes for the same limited attention. - Noindex or remove thin archives you would not want as a search result. - Stop linking to internal search results and endless filter combinations. - Consolidate near-duplicate pages into one stronger page. Fewer, better URLs make it easier for Google to get to the ones you care about. ## Check 4: external signals Crawl demand rises when a site is referenced elsewhere. For a new site that means honest visibility: being mentioned in relevant communities, getting featured by related blogs, listing on directories your audience actually uses. Our guide to [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) covers safe ways to start. This is the slowest lever and the one you control least, so do it alongside the technical checks, not instead of them. ## What to do, and what not to do | Do | Don't | | Fix slow responses and server errors first | Assume "crawl budget" on a site with a few dozen pages | | Link important pages from the homepage and related posts | Rely on the sitemap alone | | Request indexing once for a few key URLs after a real change | Click "Request indexing" every day; Google says "requesting a recrawl multiple times for the same URL won't get it crawled any faster" | | Trim thin and duplicate URLs | Publish hundreds of auto-generated pages and hope | | Give a new site a few weeks | Buy "instant indexing" services | The quote above is from Google's [recrawl documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/ask-google-to-recrawl), which also notes a quota on individual URL submissions and recommends a sitemap when you have many URLs. ## About "Validate fix" You can click **Validate fix** on the issue in the Page indexing report. Google says validation "typically takes up to about two weeks, but in some cases can take much longer." It is marked **Passed** when "all known instances of the issue are gone (or the affected URL is no longer available)" and **Failed** when "a certain threshold of pages still contain this issue." A pass means Google has now crawled those URLs; it does not promise they will all be indexed. A failed validation on a young site often just means Google has not got to everything yet. ## Our own numbers: satelo.io Satelo launched in early October 2026. On October 16, 2026, our Search Console Pages report showed 97 pages indexed and 137 not indexed. Of those 137, 23 were "Discovered – currently not indexed". Most of the rest, 111, were pages we had deliberately marked noindex. Between our internal audit on October 9 (2 pages indexed) and October 16, we submitted a sitemap, linked the blog from the homepage, fixed a wrong canonical, noindexed thin bulk pages and requested indexing for a handful of key URLs. We cannot tell you which of those steps mattered; Google's help page also says it "can take a week or so" to start crawling a new site. The full timeline is in our [Crawled – currently not indexed case](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). The point here is simpler: 23 discovered URLs on a two-week-old site is normal, and we are treating it as a priority question, not a technical emergency. ## What to do next - Open Crawl stats and rule out slow responses and server errors. - Pick your five most important discovered URLs and link each from the homepage or a hub page plus two related posts. - Remove thin URLs from the sitemap and navigation. - Request indexing once for those five, then wait two to three weeks before judging. Want to see how your site looks from the outside? The free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows page speed, domain age, Common Crawl coverage and other open signals, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. If your problem is visibility rather than speed, [Satelo's article exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) can get your site written about on related blogs, with labeled, `rel="sponsored"` links. ## FAQ ### What does "Discovered – currently not indexed" mean? Google found the URL but has not crawled it yet. Google says it typically rescheduled the crawl because crawling was expected to overload the site. ### How do I fix Discovered – currently not indexed? Check server response times and errors, link the pages from your homepage and related posts, keep the sitemap clean, trim thin URLs and request indexing once for key pages. ### How long does Discovered – currently not indexed last? There is no fixed time. Google says new sites can take a week or so to start being crawled, and validation of a fix typically takes up to about two weeks. ### Is it a crawl budget problem? Rarely on small sites. Google's crawl budget guide targets sites with roughly 10,000 to over a million pages, though it also mentions sites with many discovered but uncrawled URLs. ### What does "validation passed" mean for this issue? Google says validation passes when all known instances of the issue are gone or the URLs are no longer available. It means the pages were crawled, not that every one was indexed. ### Should I keep clicking Request indexing? No. Google says requesting a recrawl multiple times for the same URL won't get it crawled any faster, and there is a quota for individual URLs. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/eeat-for-small-blogs/ Content # E-E-A-T for Small Blogs: What You Can Actually Show E-E-A-T signals are the visible clues that tell readers, and Google's quality raters, who wrote a page, why they know the topic, and whether the page can be trusted. You don't need awards or a newsroom to show them. This guide explains what Google actually says about E-E-A-T, separates it from the myths, and gives a solo blogger concrete things to add this week. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What E-E-A-T is, according to Google E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust. The concept comes from Google's [Search Quality Rater Guidelines](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/guidelines.raterhub.com/en//searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf), the handbook for people who evaluate search results (the current edition is dated September 11, 2025). Two statements from Google's guide on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) matter most: - “E-E-A-T itself isn't a specific ranking factor.” Google's systems use a mix of signals that can identify content with good E-E-A-T. - “Of these aspects, trust is most important.” Content doesn't need to demonstrate all four. The same page says raters “have no control over how pages rank”; their ratings help Google check whether its systems work. So there is no E-E-A-T score to raise. What you can do is make the evidence of trust easy to find, for readers first. ## The four letters, translated for a solo blogger | Letter | What it means | What a small blog can show | | Experience | You have actually done, used or visited the thing | Your own photos, test results, mistakes, timelines | | Expertise | You know the subject in depth | Accurate details, clear method, correct terms used plainly | | Authoritativeness | Others recognize you as a source on the topic | Mentions, interviews, guest articles, a consistent topic focus | | Trust | The page is accurate, honest and safe | Who you are, how to reach you, sources, disclosures, dates | The rater guidelines note that these qualities overlap; for example, someone may build expertise through years of first-hand experience. For most hobby and niche blogs, Experience is the easiest letter to prove and the hardest for big generic sites to copy. ## Experience: show the work, not the adjectives Google's helpful content guide asks whether content “clearly demonstrate[s] first-hand expertise and a depth of knowledge,” for example from using a product or visiting a place. Writing “I'm an expert” does nothing. Showing the process does. - **Original photos and screenshots.** Your own setup, your own dashboard, the dish you actually cooked. Not stock images. - **Specific details only a doer knows.** What went wrong on the first try, how long it really took, what you would buy differently. - **Your own data.** A small log, a before/after comparison, a table from your tests. State how you measured. - **Time in the subject.** “I've grown tomatoes on this balcony for six seasons” is a fact a reader can weigh. - **Honest limits.** Saying what you didn't test raises trust. ## Who wrote it: bylines, author bio and the About page Google's “Who, How, Why” questions start with: “Is it self-evident to your visitors who authored your content?” The guide also asks whether pages carry a byline where one might be expected, and suggests bylines lead to background about the author and the areas they write about. The rater guidelines tell raters to start with what the site says about itself: the About page or the author's profile. For a one-person blog that means: - **A byline on every post** linking to an author page. - **An author page** with your real name (or a consistent pen name you explain), your background in this topic, and links to your profiles elsewhere. - **An About page** that answers: who runs this site, why it exists, how it makes money, how to contact you. - **A real contact method.** An email address is enough. If you use structured data, Google's [Article markup documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article) recommends listing each author separately, keeping `author.name` to the name only, and adding a `url` or `sameAs` link to a page that identifies the author. Markup describes your byline; it doesn't replace it. ## Sources, dates and corrections Trust is built page by page: - **Link to primary sources** for any fact, rule or number: the official documentation, the law, the study. If you can't find a source for a number, drop the number. - **Show a published date and an updated date** where they matter. In Article markup, Google recommends `datePublished` and `dateModified` with timezones. - **Update meaningfully.** Changing the date without changing the content misleads readers. - **Correct mistakes in the open.** A short “Updated: fixed the price in step 3” note builds credibility. ## How and why: AI, affiliate links and sponsorship Google's guide also asks “How” content was made, including background on whether automation or AI was used, and “Why” it was created, with people-first content as the goal. For a small blog: - If AI helped draft or translate, say how you checked and edited it. - Disclose affiliate links and sponsored posts near the content, not only in a footer. Our guide to [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers what that means in practice. - Mark paid or exchanged links with `rel="sponsored"`. ## Authoritativeness: being known for one thing The rater guidelines tell raters to look at what independent sources say about a site or creator: references, news articles, reviews. A small blog can't buy this honestly, but it can earn it slowly: - **Stay on topic.** A blog about sourdough that suddenly covers crypto loses focus. See [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) for how focus helps. - **Write for others in your niche.** Guest articles, interviews and podcast appearances put your name on sites readers already trust. - **Get mentioned.** Even a mention without a link shows others see you as a source; our guide on [getting your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) has practical steps. ## YMYL topics need more Google says it gives extra weight to E-E-A-T for “Your Money or Your Life” topics: health, financial stability and safety. If your blog touches these, personal experience is welcome, but you should: - Separate your experience from advice (“what worked for me” vs “what you should do”). - Cite official or professional sources for every factual claim. - Consider review by a qualified person and name them. - Avoid giving specific medical, legal or financial instructions you're not qualified for. ## A worked example: rewriting one About page (illustrative) Here is a hypothetical before and after for a small coffee blog. **Before:** “Welcome to BrewLab! We are passionate about coffee and share the best tips and reviews.” No name, no reason to believe the reviews, no way to get in touch. **After:** “BrewLab is written by Sam Ortiz, a home roaster since 2019. I test every grinder and brewer on this site in my own kitchen and post the raw notes. The site earns money through affiliate links, which are marked in each review; brands can't pay to change a verdict. Found a mistake? Email sam@example.com.” The second version is not longer by much, but it answers who, how and why, and every claim in it can be checked against the posts. ## Common E-E-A-T myths - **“E-E-A-T is a score Google calculates.”** Google says it isn't a specific ranking factor. - **“An author bio box fixes everything.”** A bio helps readers verify you; it doesn't make a thin page helpful. - **“Only experts with credentials can rank.”** For many topics, lived experience is exactly what readers want. - **“Adding schema adds E-E-A-T.”** Markup only describes what is already on the page. - **“Fake reviewers or invented credentials help.”** They break the Trust part, the one Google calls most important. ## The 10-point E-E-A-T checklist for a small blog - Every post has a byline linking to an author page. - The author page explains your real background in this topic. - The About page says who runs the site, why, and how it earns money. - A working contact email is easy to find. - Your top posts include original photos, screenshots or data. - Every number and rule links to a primary source. - Published and updated dates are visible and honest. - Affiliate and sponsored content is disclosed near the content and marked `rel="sponsored"`. - You explain how AI or other tools were used, if they were. - Your name appears on at least a few other relevant sites in your niche. ## What to do next Start with the top five posts that bring most of your visitors: add one piece of first-hand evidence to each and fix your About page. Then work on point 10. Satelo, a public beta network, connects small sites with similar topic and level for disclosed partner articles marked `rel="sponsored"`: a way to get your name and expertise in front of a neighbor's readers. In [your Satelo account](https://satelo.io/app/) you can see which sites in the network match your niche before you write anything. To see how your own site looks from outside, run a free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/); it is based mostly on open data and shows the evidence behind each number. ## FAQ ### Is E-E-A-T a ranking factor? Google says E-E-A-T itself isn't a specific ranking factor. Its systems use a mix of signals that can identify content with good experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust. ### Which part of E-E-A-T is most important? Trust. Both Google's helpful content guide and the rater guidelines say trust is the most important part, and the other qualities support it. ### How can a small blog show experience? Use original photos, screenshots, your own data and specific details that only someone who did the thing would know, and say what you didn't test. ### Do I need an author bio for E-E-A-T? Google encourages accurate bylines that lead to background about the author. A short author page with your real experience in the topic is enough for most blogs. ### Do quality raters affect my rankings? No. Google says raters have no control over how pages rank; their ratings help Google evaluate whether its systems work well. ### Does E-E-A-T matter more for some topics? Yes. Google gives extra weight to it for Your Money or Your Life topics such as health, finances and safety. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/free-domain-authority-checkers/ Seo tools # Free Domain Authority Checkers: Moz DA, Ahrefs DR, Semrush AS and Others A free domain authority checker gives you one vendor's estimate of how strong a site looks, and each vendor measures something slightly different: Moz DA and Ahrefs DR are mostly about backlinks, Semrush Authority Score adds traffic and spam signals, and Satelo's Quality Score leans on open data. None of them is a Google metric. Below you'll find what each free checker shows, its free limits as checked on October 16, 2026, and how to use two or three together without being fooled by an inflated number. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## The short answer: which free checker to use - **One quick DR lookup:** Ahrefs' free Website Authority Checker. - **DA plus Spam Score and link counts:** Moz Link Explorer, with a free account and a monthly cap. - **Authority plus traffic and spam signals:** a free Semrush account, with a daily report cap. - **Many domains at once:** Ahrefs' free Domain Rating API, if you're comfortable with a few lines of code. - **"Is this site real?" from open data, with the evidence shown:** Satelo's [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). If you only remember one rule, make it this: compare scores from the **same** tool, and never compare a DA with a DR. The scales look identical (roughly 0 to 100) but they are built from different data. For the definitions behind each metric, see our explainer on [what domain authority really is](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/); this article is about the tools. ## Comparison table: free authority checkers (checked October 16, 2026) | Checker | Metric | What it's built from | Free limit | | [Moz Link Explorer](https://moz.com/link-explorer) | Domain Authority (DA), Page Authority, Spam Score | Moz's link index, run through a machine-learning model | 10 queries per month with a free Moz Community account; compare up to 5 sites at a time | | [Ahrefs Website Authority Checker](https://ahrefs.com/website-authority-checker) | Domain Rating (DR) | Quantity and quality of external backlinks only | No limit stated on the page | | [Ahrefs free DR API](https://docs.ahrefs.com/api/reference/public/post-domain-rating-free) | Domain Rating (DR) | Same as above | Free, but needs a free APIv3 key; up to 1,000 domains per request; attribution "Domain Rating by Ahrefs" required | | [Semrush free account](https://www.semrush.com/kb/1011-subscriptions) | Authority Score (AS) | Link power, estimated organic traffic and spam factors | 10 reports per day across core tools, 1 demo project | | [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) | Quality Score (QS), 0–100 | Mostly open data: Tranco, Majestic Million, Common Crawl, Internet Archive, RDAP/WHOIS, Google PageSpeed/CrUX | Free, no signup | Limits change often. Treat the table as a snapshot and confirm on each vendor's page before you build a workflow around it. ## Moz DA: the original "authority" score Moz's own [Domain Authority guide](https://moz.com/learn/seo/domain-authority) describes DA as a score from 1 to 100 that predicts how likely a site is to rank compared with competitors, calculated by a machine-learning model that mainly looks at backlink data. The same page is blunt that DA "is not a Google ranking factor and has no effect on the SERPs." The free route is [Link Explorer](https://moz.com/link-explorer). After you create and verify a free Moz Community account, you get 10 queries a month, and each query shows DA, Page Authority, [Spam Score](https://satelo.io/blog/moz-spam-score/), inbound links, linking domains, anchor text and follow vs. nofollow counts. You can compare link metrics for up to five sites at once, which stretches the monthly allowance further than it sounds. Moz also lists its free MozBar extension, which shows DA as you browse. **Good for:** a handful of serious checks a month, especially when you want Spam Score next to DA. **Weak for:** anything in bulk. ## Ahrefs DR: links and nothing else On its [free authority checker](https://ahrefs.com/website-authority-checker), Ahrefs says DR "looks at the quantity and quality of external backlinks" on a 0–100 scale, and that it does not take into account "link spam, traffic, domain age, etc." That makes DR the purest link metric of the group. It also means a site with zero visitors can carry a respectable DR if it has bought or swapped its way into a lot of links. Two free extras are worth knowing: - **The free DR API.** Ahrefs' [API documentation](https://docs.ahrefs.com/api/reference/public/post-domain-rating-free) lists a free endpoint that accepts up to 1,000 domains per request. It needs a free APIv3 key from your account settings, and use of the data requires the credit "Domain Rating by Ahrefs." This is the most practical free option for bulk checks. - **Ahrefs Free (formerly Webmaster Tools).** The [free plan](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) covers sites you verify: Site Audit, Site Explorer with up to 1,000 backlinks visible at once, and web analytics. Competitor sites need a paid plan. ## Semrush Authority Score: links plus traffic plus spam checks Semrush's [knowledge base](https://www.semrush.com/kb/747-authority-score) calls Authority Score a compound metric on a 1–100 scale built from three groups of signals: link power, estimated organic traffic and a "natural profile" check for spam patterns. Among those checks: no rankings in Google's top 100, more than 90% dofollow referring domains, and a mismatch between links and traffic. Semrush adds that the score works best for comparing domains rather than judging one site in isolation. The [Semrush free plan](https://www.semrush.com/kb/1011-subscriptions) includes one demo project and 10 reports a day across its core tools, so a few domain overviews a day are realistic. **Good for:** catching sites whose links don't match their traffic. **Weak for:** small, new sites, where the traffic estimate is often near zero and the score tells you little. ## Why DA, DR and AS disagree for the same site It's normal to see a DA of 20, a DR of 35 and an AS of 12 for the same domain. Four reasons: - **Different link indexes.** Each vendor crawls the web with its own bot and finds a different set of links. - **Different formulas.** DR counts links only. DA is a model trained to predict rankings. AS mixes in traffic and spam penalties. - **Different scales.** Moz and Semrush both describe their scores as comparative. A 30 in one tool is not "worth" a 30 in another. - **Different update timing.** Scores move when the vendor recrawls, when competitors gain links, or when the model changes. Moz notes that DA can rise or fall because of changes in competitors' scores or the calculation itself. What to do with the disagreement: look at the **direction** each tool agrees on. If all three put a site near the bottom of its niche, believe it. If DR is high while AS is low and the site shows no organic traffic, treat that as a warning sign rather than a rounding error. ## What Google says about these scores None of these metrics comes from Google. Moz states on its [DA page](https://moz.com/learn/seo/domain-authority) that DA is not used by Google to rank pages, and Ahrefs writes on its [checker page](https://ahrefs.com/website-authority-checker) that Google representatives consistently deny using "domain authority" as a ranking factor. Third-party scores are useful as shortcuts for comparing sites, but raising a number in a tool is not the same as earning visibility in search. If you're tempted to chase the number itself, read [how to increase domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/) first, especially the part about what not to do. ## Satelo Quality Score: what's inside and where it falls short Satelo's [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) runs from 0 to 100 and is built mostly from open data that you can check yourself: - **[Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/)**, a research ranking of the top one million domains that averages several sources (including Cisco Umbrella, Majestic, the Chrome UX Report and Cloudflare Radar) over 30 days. More in our [Tranco rank explainer](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/). - **Majestic Million**, a free list of top domains published by Majestic. - **[Common Crawl](https://commoncrawl.org/)**, a free, open repository of web crawl data, used here to see whether the domain is actually being crawled. - **Internet Archive and RDAP/WHOIS**, for domain age and history. - **Google PageSpeed and CrUX**, for how fast the site loads for real visitors. The point is transparency: the check shows the evidence behind each number, so you can see why a site scored the way it did. The limits are just as real. QS doesn't count individual backlinks the way DR does, it is not used by Google, and most small or new sites sit low on open lists simply because they are small. A low QS on a brand-new blog means "too early to tell," not "bad site." For sites inside the Satelo network there are additional estimates from Semrush and Similarweb, but for an arbitrary domain you get the open-data view. ## How not to get fooled by an inflated DA or DR Link sellers know buyers filter by DA and DR, so those are the scores that get gamed. Before you pay for a placement or agree to a partnership, check these five things: - **Does the authority match the traffic?** A DR 50 site with almost no estimated organic traffic deserves a closer look. Semrush's spam checks flag exactly this mismatch. - **Who links to it?** Open the top linking domains. A pile of unrelated directories, foreign-language blogs or sites with names like "best-seo-links-2026" is a red flag. - **What does the site publish?** Scroll the last 20 posts. Casino, loans and CBD next to recipes and travel is a link farm, whatever its DA. - **Is it on open lists?** A site that claims to be big but is absent from Tranco and barely visible in Common Crawl is unlikely to have real readers. - **Does it look like part of a network?** Same theme, same footer, same outbound links across many domains. Our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) walks through the signs. For a full pre-purchase checklist, see [how to check a site before buying a placement](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## Checking many domains for free Bulk checks are where free plans pinch hardest. Your realistic options: | Need | Free option | Catch | | 5 domains side by side | Moz Link Explorer comparison | Counts against 10 queries a month | | Dozens to hundreds of domains | Ahrefs free DR API (up to 1,000 per request) | Needs an API key and a small script; DR only | | A shortlist of 10–20 prospects | Satelo check, one by one | Open-data view, not a link count | | Rough popularity filter | Download the Tranco list and match your domains | Only covers the top one million domains | **Illustrative example:** you have 60 guest-post prospects. Run all 60 through the free DR API to drop obvious zeros, check the remaining dozen in Satelo and Semrush's free account for traffic and spam signals, and spend your Moz queries on the final five. That workflow costs nothing and uses each tool for what it does best. ## What to do next - Pick one main metric for comparisons and stick with it. - Add one second opinion that measures something different (traffic, spam signals or open-data presence). - Write down today's numbers for your own site so you can track direction over months, not days. Want to see your site's Quality Score with the evidence behind each number? [Run the free check](https://satelo.io/check/): it takes about 30 seconds, needs no account, and shows which open sources see your domain and which don't yet. ## FAQ ### Is there a free domain authority checker? Yes. Moz Link Explorer shows DA with 10 free queries a month on a free account, Ahrefs' Website Authority Checker shows DR, a free Semrush account shows Authority Score within 10 reports a day, and Satelo's check shows a Quality Score from open data without signup. ### Is DA or DR more accurate? Neither is more accurate; they measure different things. DR is based only on backlinks, while DA is a Moz model trained to predict ranking ability. Compare sites within the same metric rather than across them. ### Does Google use Domain Authority? No. Moz says DA is not a Google ranking factor, and Ahrefs notes that Google representatives consistently deny using "domain authority" as a ranking factor. These are third-party estimates. ### How can I check DA for many websites at once for free? Moz lets you compare up to five sites at a time within its monthly limit. For larger lists, Ahrefs offers a free DR API endpoint that accepts up to 1,000 domains per request with a free API key. ### Why is my new site's domain authority zero? Authority scores depend on links and visibility that a new site hasn't had time to earn. A zero or very low score early on is normal and says more about age than quality. ### What is a good domain authority score? There is no universal good score, because DA, DR and Authority Score are comparative. Compare a site with others in the same niche and size range instead of aiming for a fixed number. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/free-semrush-alternatives/ Seo tools # Free Semrush Alternatives That Small Sites Can Actually Use The best free Semrush alternative is not one tool but a small set: Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools for your own data, a free crawler for audits, an open-source rank tracker, and a few limited free accounts for peeking at competitors. Semrush itself also has a free plan, which is worth knowing before you replace it. Below, each Semrush job is matched with a free tool, with limits checked on October 16, 2026, plus an honest list of what free tools still can't do. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Is Semrush free? Partly. The [Semrush pricing page](https://www.semrush.com/prices/) lists a $0 plan that needs no credit card, and Semrush's [subscription help page](https://www.semrush.com/kb/1011-subscriptions) says it includes one demo project and 10 reports per day across its core tools. That is enough for a couple of domain overviews or keyword lookups a day, not for regular work. The cheapest paid plan on the same page, called SEO, was shown at €134 a month billed monthly (€112.52 a month billed annually) on the day we checked, with 5 websites to monitor and 500 keywords tracked daily. Prices are localized, so you may see dollars. There is also a seven-day trial. So the real question for a small site is: **which Semrush jobs do you actually need every week?** For most solo owners it's four or five, and each has a free substitute. ## Semrush job by job: the free replacement | Semrush job | Free alternative | What you give up | | Keyword research | Google Keyword Planner, Bing Keyword Research, Google Trends, Search Console queries | Exact volumes, keyword difficulty, big filtered lists | | Position tracking | Search Console Performance report; SerpBear (open source) | Daily SERP snapshots for keywords you don't rank for yet | | Site audit | Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs), Bing Site Scan, Ahrefs Free Site Audit, Lighthouse | Scheduled crawls and one combined dashboard | | Backlinks | Search Console Links, Bing Backlinks, Ahrefs Free (your own site) | A big competitor backlink index | | Competitor traffic | Semrush free plan (10 reports/day), Similarweb's free site pages, Satelo check | Detailed, exportable estimates | ## The 10 tools, and what each one is good for ### 1. Google Search Console The foundation. [Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about) shows "which queries bring users to your site," with impressions, clicks and average position, plus index coverage and URL Inspection. For your own site, this is real Google data, which no third-party tool has. Its weakness: it only covers sites you verify, and only queries you already appear for. If you have impressions but almost no clicks, our guide to [impressions without clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) explains what to look at first. ### 2. Bing Webmaster Tools The most underrated free Semrush substitute. Bing's own [announcement of the current version](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/july-2020/Announcing-the-new-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-(migration-complete)) describes a Backlinks tool that "lists backlinks for any site, including similar sites," a Keyword Research tool filterable by country, language and device, and Site Scan, "an on-demand site audit tool which crawls your site." That's three Semrush jobs in one console, from a search engine's own data. ### 3. Google Keyword Planner Google's keyword tool lives inside Google Ads. Google's [help page](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7337243) says you need to complete your Ads account setup, including billing information, to use it. Use it for keyword ideas and rough demand, not for precise numbers. ### 4. Google Trends Good for one question Semrush answers poorly for small niches: is interest in this topic growing, seasonal or fading? Compare two or three phrasings of the same idea before you write. ### 5. Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free version) A desktop crawler. The [Screaming Frog page](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/) says the free version is limited to 500 URLs per crawl, and some advanced features are reserved for the paid licence. For a blog with a few hundred posts, 500 URLs covers the whole site: broken links, redirects, missing titles, duplicate descriptions. ### 6. Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights [Lighthouse](https://github.com/GoogleChrome/lighthouse) is Google's open-source (Apache-2.0) auditing tool with categories for performance, accessibility, best practices and SEO. It's built into Chrome DevTools and powers PageSpeed Insights. It audits one page at a time, so pair it with a crawler. ### 7. Ahrefs Free (formerly Ahrefs Webmaster Tools) For sites you verify, [Ahrefs Free](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) includes Site Audit with 5,000 crawl credits per project per month, Site Explorer with up to 1,000 backlinks and keywords visible at once, and web analytics. Competitor sites need a paid plan. It's the closest free thing to Semrush's backlink and audit reports, as long as you only look at yourself. ### 8. SerpBear (open source) If you searched for a "Semrush open source alternative," this is the honest answer for one job. [SerpBear](https://github.com/towfiqi/serpbear) is an MIT-licensed rank tracker you host yourself (Docker image available). It doesn't scrape Google directly: it uses a third-party scraping API or your own proxies, and most of those services are paid or pay-as-you-go. It can connect to Search Console to show real visits for tracked keywords. Good for tracking 20–50 keywords if you're comfortable deploying a small app. ### 9. Semrush's own free plan Don't skip it. Ten reports a day is enough to check a competitor's top pages or a prospect's Authority Score once in a while. Use it for the jobs that free Google and Bing tools can't do: looking at other people's sites. ### 10. Satelo free check For the narrow question "is this site any good?" (before a guest post, partnership or purchase), [Satelo's free check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives a 0–100 Quality Score built mostly from open data, such as Tranco rank, Common Crawl presence, domain age and page speed, without an account. It doesn't do keywords or rank tracking. It answers one question quickly and shows the evidence behind the number. ## Open-source Semrush alternatives: what exists and what doesn't There is no open-source project that replaces Semrush as a whole, because the expensive part of Semrush isn't the software. It's the data: a crawled backlink index and keyword databases collected at scale. Open-source tools can do the jobs that run on **your** data or on a crawl you run yourself: - **Rank tracking:** SerpBear, with a paid or self-run scraping source. - **Page audits:** Lighthouse. - **Popularity lists:** open datasets like Tranco and Common Crawl, which you can query yourself. Our [Tranco rank explainer](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/) shows how to read one. Anything that tells you a competitor's keywords or backlinks needs someone's index, so it will be either a vendor's free tier or a paid plan. ## A zero-budget weekly routine (illustrative) **Illustrative example** for a 150-post blog with no SEO budget: - **Monday, 15 minutes:** Search Console Performance, last 28 days vs. previous period. Note pages with rising impressions. - **Monday, 10 minutes:** Bing Webmaster Tools, new backlinks and Site Scan issues. - **Wednesday, 20 minutes:** Keyword ideas for the next post from Search Console queries you rank for on page 2, cross-checked in Keyword Planner and Trends. - **Monthly:** a full Screaming Frog crawl (fits under 500 URLs), fix broken links and missing titles. - **As needed:** Semrush free reports or the Satelo check when you're evaluating another site. ## When paying for Semrush (or something cheaper) is worth it - You do competitor research every week and keep hitting the 10-report limit. - You track keywords for several sites or clients. - You need exports and history for reports. - Your time spent stitching five free tools together costs more than a subscription. If you're at that point but Semrush's price is too high, compare the entry plans in our roundup of [cheaper Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/); most of those tools cover the same jobs as Semrush. ## How this differs from our free Ahrefs alternatives list Our [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) article is organized around backlinks first, because that's why people use Ahrefs. Semrush users usually come for keywords, rank tracking and competitor traffic, so this list adds Bing's keyword tool, an open-source rank tracker and Semrush's own free plan. For traffic estimates specifically, see our test of [free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/). ## What free tools won't give you - **Exact search volumes.** Free tools give ranges or relative interest. - **Competitor keyword lists at scale.** That's the core of what Semrush sells. - **One dashboard.** You'll switch between tabs. - **History.** Search Console keeps a limited window; export monthly if you want long trends. None of that matters much for a small site in its first year, when the main job is publishing useful pages and getting them indexed. ## What to do next - Verify your site in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools today if you haven't. - Run one free crawl and fix the top five issues. - Save Semrush's free reports for competitor questions. When you need to size up another site fast, [run Satelo's free check](https://satelo.io/check/): one Quality Score from mostly open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds and with no signup. ## FAQ ### Is there a free version of Semrush? Yes. Semrush's pricing page lists a $0 plan with no credit card required, which includes one demo project and 10 reports per day across core tools. There is also a seven-day free trial of paid plans. ### What is the best free alternative to Semrush? For your own site, Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools together cover performance data, keyword research, backlinks and a site scan. For other sites, combine Semrush's free plan with limited free tiers from other vendors. ### Is there an open-source alternative to Semrush? Not for the whole suite, because Semrush's value is its keyword and backlink data. Open-source tools cover single jobs, such as SerpBear for rank tracking and Lighthouse for page audits. ### Can free tools replace Semrush completely? Not completely. Free tools cover your own site well, but competitor keyword lists, large backlink indexes and history are mostly behind paid plans. ### Is Bing Webmaster Tools useful if my traffic comes from Google? Yes. Its backlink and keyword tools give a second data source, and its Site Scan finds technical issues that affect any search engine. ### How much does Semrush cost per month? On October 16, 2026 the cheapest paid plan, SEO, was shown at €134 a month billed monthly or €112.52 a month billed annually. Prices are localized, so check the pricing page for your currency. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/free-website-promotion-sites/ Promotion # Free Website Promotion Sites: 25 Places to List and Share Your Site The free website promotion sites that still work in 2026 fall into five groups: search engine tools, local listings, launch platforms, communities, and republishing or partner channels. We checked every place below on October 16, 2026, including whether it is still free, because several well-known ones are not. Use the list as a menu, not a to-do list: five places done properly beat fifty submissions nobody reads. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## How we picked these 25 places Most lists of "free submission sites" are copied from older lists, so they are full of dead domains and directories that exist only to collect links. We kept a place only if it passed four checks: - **It is alive.** The site loaded and the submission or sign-up flow existed on October 16, 2026. - **Someone moderates it.** A human or a clear rule set decides what gets listed or stays up. - **Real people read it.** It has an audience of its own, not just pages of other submitted links. - **The free option is real.** If the "free" tier is a months-long queue or requires something in return, we say so. We did not pick places by the kind of link they give. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list "low-quality directory or bookmark site links" as an example of link spam, so the goal here is visibility with real readers, not backlinks. If you want the strategy behind these channels, read our broader guide to [free website promotion](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/); this article is the checked list. ## Group 1: Search engine tools (do these first) These are not promotion sites in the classic sense, but nothing else on this list matters if search engines do not know your pages exist. All four are free. - **[Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about).** Verify your site, submit your sitemap and use URL Inspection on your most important pages. Its Performance report shows the queries, impressions and clicks you get from Google, which is how you will measure everything else on this list. - **Bing Webmaster Tools.** Bing lets you [import verified sites from Search Console](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/september-2019/Import-sites-from-Search-Console-to-Bing-Webmaster-Tools), so setup takes a couple of minutes once Google is done. - **IndexNow.** A protocol for telling search engines a URL was added or changed. Per the [IndexNow FAQ](https://www.indexnow.org/faq), participating engines include Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam.cz and Yep, and a submission to one endpoint is shared with the others. Google is not on that list. - **[Yandex Webmaster](https://webmaster.yandex.com/).** Worth ten minutes if any of your audience reads Russian or other languages common in Yandex markets; skip it otherwise. ## Group 2: Local listings (if customers can visit you or you visit them) - **Google Business Profile.** Free, and the single most useful listing for a local business. Check the [eligibility rules](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177) first: you need a location customers can visit or a service area you travel to, and a rented mailing address without real operations does not qualify. Purely online sites generally are not eligible. - **[Bing Places](https://www.bing.com/forbusiness/).** The Bing equivalent for Bing Search and Bing Maps. Fill it in right after your Google profile so your name, address and hours match. - **Apple Business Connect.** A free tool for claiming your place card in Apple Maps, announced by Apple in [January 2023](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/01/introducing-apple-business-connect/). Useful if your customers use Apple Maps, Siri or other Apple apps to find places. For the local side in depth, including reviews and consistency of your business details, see our guide on how to [promote a local business website](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Group 3: Launch platforms and product directories These suit software, tools, apps and online services. A content blog will usually get more from Groups 4 and 5. Read each platform's rules before you post; a rejected or removed launch is hard to repeat. - **Product Hunt.** Its [launch guide](https://www.producthunt.com/launch) says launching is free, makers can hunt their own product, company accounts are not allowed, and you may not ask people directly for upvotes (inviting them to visit and comment is fine). - **Hacker News: Show HN.** Free, with strict [Show HN rules](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html): it is for things people can try, that you built yourself. Blog posts, sign-up pages and landing pages do not qualify, and you should not ask friends to upvote. - **Indie Hackers.** A community of founders who share products and progress. It works best when you post something useful, such as numbers or lessons from building, rather than a launch announcement. Its pages blocked our automated check, so read the current posting guidelines when you sign in. - **AlternativeTo.** Free to suggest an app as an alternative to a better-known one. Per its [FAQ](https://alternativeto.net/faq/), you must verify your email first, and an optional paid priority review moves you to the front of the queue without guaranteeing approval. - **SaaSHub.** Free listing for software, plus a [free submit tool](https://www.saashub.com/submit) that helps you post your product to a monitored list of other directories after you verify it. - **Uneed.** A daily launch board. The [free option](https://www.uneed.best/pricing) gives you a launch date up to five months out; paid options are faster. - **Launching Next.** A startup directory where [submission is free](https://www.launchingnext.com/submit/); a paid upgrade only speeds up review. - **DevHunt.** For developer tools, open-source projects and APIs. Its [about page](https://devhunt.org/about) says listing is free, with a paid option to choose your launch week. - **TinyLaunch.** A launch board with a [free standard launch](https://www.tinylaunch.com/pricing) that goes through a queue, plus paid tiers. **Two places that often appear on "free" lists but need a second look.** BetaList's [FAQ](https://betalist.com/faq) now says all submissions are paid and there is no free option. Fazier's [free tier](https://fazier.com/submit) requires you to put a link back to Fazier on your homepage or footer; decide whether you are comfortable with that before you sign up. ## Group 4: Communities where your readers already are Communities can send the most engaged visitors of anything on this list, and they are also where self-promotion backfires fastest. The rule of thumb is simple: be a member first, a promoter second. - **Reddit (niche subreddits).** Reddit's [content policy](https://redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) asks you to participate authentically in communities where you have a personal interest and not to spam. Each subreddit adds its own rules in the sidebar, and many ban self-promotion outright. Answer questions for a few weeks; link your page only where it is the best answer. - **Quora and other Q&A sites.** Search for questions your best article answers, write a complete answer in the thread, and link to your page for the details. An answer that only says "read my post" tends to get collapsed or removed. - **Niche forums.** Older forums in hobbies, trades and professions are still active and often rank in search themselves. Fill in your profile, add your site to your signature if the forum allows it, and contribute. - **Discord and Slack groups.** Many niches have active chat communities. Most have a dedicated channel for sharing your own work; use only that channel. ## Group 5: Republishing and partner channels These help you reach audiences that already exist on other platforms or other sites, without waiting for search traffic. - **Medium.** Its import tool republishes a post from your site and, according to Medium's help center, [adds a canonical link](https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/214550207) pointing back to the original, so search engines know which version is yours. Publish on your site first, wait until the page is indexed, then import. - **DEV Community.** For technical content. The [DEV editor guide](https://dev.to/p/editor_guide) supports a `canonical_url` field for posts first published elsewhere. - **Pinterest.** Underrated for recipes, crafts, home, travel and design. A [business account is free](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/get-a-business-account) and gives you analytics on your Pins. Each Pin can point to a specific post. - **Newsletter and cross-promotion swaps.** Find a site with a similar audience but a different offer and recommend each other in a newsletter, a resource page or a joint guide. Our list of [cross-promotion ideas for websites](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/) has formats that work without anyone feeling used. - **Article exchange networks.** Instead of one listing, you get an article about your site on a related blog. On Satelo, sites of a similar level host labeled partner articles about each other in a circle (A writes about B, B about C, C about A), never as a direct swap, and links in those articles carry `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is in public beta with a small network, so treat it as one channel among several, not the whole plan. More on reusing your own posts safely in our [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/). ## Comparison: which free promotion sites fit which site | Place | Best for | Free option (checked Oct 16, 2026) | What you actually get | | Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools | Every site | Free | Indexing, query data, error alerts | | IndexNow | Sites that publish or update often | Free | Faster discovery on participating engines | | Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect | Local businesses | Free, eligibility rules apply | Map and local search visibility | | Product Hunt, Show HN | Software and tools you can try | Free, strict rules | A one-day spike of early adopters and feedback | | AlternativeTo, SaaSHub | Software with known competitors | Free, paid priority optional | A permanent listing people find while comparing | | Uneed, Launching Next, DevHunt, TinyLaunch | Startups and indie products | Free queue, paid to skip | A launch-day listing; small but targeted audience | | Reddit, Q&A, forums, chat groups | Any niche with an active community | Free | Engaged visitors, if you contribute first | | Medium, DEV, Pinterest | Blogs and content sites | Free | Reach on a platform with its own audience | | Cross-promotion, article exchange | Blogs and small businesses | Free or internal credits | Mentions in front of a related audience | ## What to avoid - **"Submit to 1,000 directories" services.** Mass submissions put your site on exactly the low-quality directory pages Google's spam policies describe. They bring no visitors and can create a link profile you later want to clean up. - **Bookmarking and "web 2.0" farms.** If a site exists only to hold submitted links, nobody reads it. - **Lists that ask for your username and password in a spreadsheet.** These are built for automated posting, which is both spam and a security risk. - **Free tiers with a catch.** A free listing that requires a link back to the directory is closer to a link exchange than a listing. Our guide on [link exchange and Google's rules](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/) explains where the line is. - **Posting the same link everywhere on the same day.** Community moderators notice. Space it out and tailor each post. ## Your first week: a realistic order Illustrative plan for a new site, assuming about an hour a day: - **Day 1:** Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools; submit your sitemap. Set up IndexNow if your platform supports it. - **Day 2:** Local listings if you qualify. Otherwise, pick the two communities where your readers spend time and read their rules. - **Day 3:** Start answering questions in those communities without linking to yourself. - **Day 4:** If you sell software, submit to AlternativeTo and SaaSHub and queue a free launch on one launch board. If you run a blog, set up Pinterest or prepare one post for Medium or DEV. - **Day 5:** Make a list of five sites with a similar audience and draft one cross-promotion idea for each. - **Days 6 and 7:** Share one genuinely useful post where it fits, then check Search Console for indexing problems. Repeat the community and partner steps weekly. The listings are one-time work; the relationships are what keep paying off. ## How to check a promotion site before you submit Before you spend time on a directory or a partner site that is not on this list, take two minutes to check that it is real: - Search its name plus "reviews" or "scam" and look for recent, specific complaints. - Open three or four recent listings. Are they real products and sites, or spam and parked domains? - Look for signs of an audience: comments, votes, a newsletter, social accounts that people actually reply to. - Run the domain through [Satelo's free site check](https://satelo.io/check/). The Quality Score is built mostly from open data, such as the Tranco top-sites list, domain age, Common Crawl coverage and PageSpeed, and it shows the evidence behind each number, so a site with no visible footprint stands out quickly. ## What to do next Pick one group above that matches your site, finish it this week, and measure the result in Search Console and your analytics before adding more. Listings give you a single mention each. If you also want articles about your site on related blogs, in exchange for hosting theirs, you can [add your site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/): you earn satellites by publishing labeled partner articles and spend them on articles about your own site. Start by seeing your site's Quality Score, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### Where can I promote my website for free? Start with Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools so search engines can find your pages. Then add local listings if you qualify, one or two launch platforms if you sell software, and the communities where your readers already spend time, such as niche subreddits, forums and Q&A sites. ### Do free directory submissions still help SEO? Not in the way old guides promise. Google's spam policies list low-quality directory links as link spam. A handful of real, moderated directories can bring visitors and help people find you, but mass submissions bring neither. ### Is Product Hunt free? Yes. Product Hunt's launch guide says launching is free and that makers can hunt their own products. You cannot ask people directly for upvotes, and company accounts are not allowed. ### Is BetaList still free? No. As of October 16, 2026, BetaList's FAQ says all submissions are paid and there is no free submission option, with a refund if your startup is not selected. ### What are the best free blog promotion sites? For most blogs: Pinterest for visual niches, Medium or DEV for republishing with a canonical link, niche communities and Q&A sites for answering questions, and cross-promotion with similar blogs. Launch boards suit software more than blogs. ### How long does free website promotion take to work? Listings and launches can bring visitors within days, but usually as a short spike. Search traffic and community reputation build over months. Measure impressions in Search Console weekly rather than expecting quick rankings. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/ga4-for-bloggers/ Seo metrics # GA4 for Bloggers: A Simple Setup for Small Sites GA4 for beginners can be boiled down to three jobs: install the tag correctly, mark the few actions that matter as key events, and read five reports instead of fifty. Google Analytics 4 looks complicated because it was built for big businesses, but a blog needs only a small part of it. This guide walks through that part step by step, including AI assistant traffic, Search Console and consent. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What GA4 is good for on a blog Google Analytics 4 measures what happens on your site: which pages people read, where they came from, and what they do next. For a blog it answers four practical questions: - Which posts bring readers, and which are dead weight? - Which channels send people: search, social, newsletters, other sites, AI assistants? - Do readers do what you hope: subscribe, click an affiliate link, contact you? - Is anything broken: a sudden drop, a page nobody finishes? It does not show how people searched before they arrived; that comes from Search Console, which you'll connect below. And it only measures your own site. To compare yourself with other sites, see [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Step 1: Create the property and data stream Google's [setup guide](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9304153) describes the steps: - In Analytics, open **Admin** and create an account (skip if you have one). - Create a **property**: name, reporting time zone and currency. Use your own time zone so “yesterday” means yesterday. - Under **Data streams**, add a **Web** stream with your site URL. - Keep **enhanced measurement** on. Google recommends it; it collects page views and other events automatically. - Copy your **Measurement ID**, which starts with `G-`. ## Step 2: Install the tag (WordPress or any site) You have three options. Use only one, or you'll count every visit twice. | Method | Best for | Notes | | [Site Kit by Google](https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-site-kit/) | WordPress blogs | Google's official, free plugin; also connects Search Console and PageSpeed Insights without editing code | | Paste the Google tag | Static sites, other CMSs | Google says to place it immediately after the `<head>` tag on every page | | Google Tag Manager | Sites with several tags | More flexible, more to learn | To confirm it works, open your site in another browser and check the **Realtime** report. Google notes data collection can take up to 30 minutes to begin. ## Step 3: Two settings to change on day one - **Data retention.** In Admin → Data collection and modification → Data retention, choose 14 months instead of 2. Per [Google's help page](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196), this affects explorations and funnel reports, not standard reports, but you'll want year-over-year explorations later. - **Exclude your own visits.** Define internal traffic by your IP address and activate the filter, or use a browser extension that blocks GA on your devices. ## Step 4: Mark the actions that matter as key events Enhanced measurement already records several events. According to [Google's list](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9216061), these include `page_view`, `scroll` (when 90% of the page becomes visible), `click` for outbound links, `file_download`, `view_search_results` and `form_start`/`form_submit`. “Key events” are the events you decide matter most. You mark them with the star icon in Admin → Events, as described in [Google's help](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/13128484); marking applies from that moment on, not to past data. For a blog, start with two: - **Newsletter signup.** If your form sends readers to a thank-you page, create an event for that page view and mark it. If not, `form_submit` is a start, but check it doesn't fire on search or comment forms too. - **Affiliate or partner click.** Outbound clicks are recorded as `click` with the link domain. Create a custom event that matches your affiliate domains and mark it as key. Two is enough. If everything is a key event, nothing is. ## Step 5: Link Search Console In Admin → Product links → **Search Console links**, link your verified Search Console property to your web stream. Google's [instructions](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10737381) note you need the Editor role in Analytics and verified ownership in Search Console, and that the Search Console report collection is unpublished by default; publish it from the **Library**. You then get two reports: Google organic search queries and Google organic search traffic by landing page. If you see many impressions but few clicks there, read [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/). ## The five reports a blog actually needs | Report | Where | Question it answers | | 1. Traffic acquisition | Reports → Acquisition | Which channels bring sessions and engaged sessions | | 2. Pages and screens | Reports → Engagement | Which posts are read, and for how long | | 3. Landing page | Reports → Engagement | Which posts are the first page people see | | 4. Key events | Reports → Engagement → Events | How many signups and partner clicks, from which pages | | 5. Search Console queries | Search Console collection | Which searches lead to your posts | A useful habit: once a month, sort Landing page by sessions, then look at engagement rate and key events. Posts with many visitors and no signups are candidates for a better call to action; posts with few visitors and high engagement are candidates for more promotion. ### How to read engagement rate GA4 counts a session as engaged if it lasts more than 10 seconds, has a key event, or includes two or more page views, per [Google's definition](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12195621). Engagement rate is the share of engaged sessions; bounce rate is the opposite. A long post with a low engagement rate usually means readers left within seconds: check the opening, the page speed and whether the title matches the content. ## Traffic from ChatGPT and other AI assistants GA4's [default channel group](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9756891) now includes an **AI Assistant** channel: when the referrer matches Google's list of AI assistants, the visit is grouped there instead of under Referral. Open Traffic acquisition and look for that row. Two caveats. Many AI answers don't link at all, and some apps strip the referrer, so those visits land in Direct. Treat the AI Assistant number as a minimum, not the full picture. If you want to appear more often in those answers, read [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). To tag your own links (in a newsletter, for example), use UTM parameters. Consistent lowercase values like `utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email` keep the channel grouping clean. ## Privacy and the consent banner GA4 uses cookies, and privacy laws differ by region. Google's [consent mode](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9976101) passes your visitors' choices from your banner to Google tags. In basic mode, tags wait until the visitor consents; in advanced mode, tags send cookieless pings when consent is declined, which lets Analytics model the missing data. Consent mode is not a banner itself; you still need a consent tool. If you have readers in regions with strict rules, check the requirements that apply to you, and expect GA4 numbers to be lower than reality when many visitors decline. ## A monthly GA4 routine for a blog Put a recurring reminder on the first of each month and go through the same short list: - **Traffic acquisition:** compare last month with the month before. Did any channel jump or drop? - **Landing page:** note the top ten posts. Did a new post enter the list? Did an old one fall out? - **Key events:** which three pages produced the most signups or partner clicks? Link to them more from other posts. - **Search Console queries:** find searches where you get impressions for a post that doesn't fully answer them, and update that post. - **Write one line** in a notes file: what changed and what you'll try next month. Over a year, those twelve lines become the most useful analytics report you own. ## Common GA4 mistakes on small blogs - **Two tags installed** (plugin plus theme field), doubling page views. - **Counting your own visits** on a site with modest traffic. - **Too many key events,** making the reports meaningless. - **Checking daily.** Small numbers swing a lot; compare month to month. - **Treating GA4 as the whole truth.** Ad blockers and declined consent hide some visits, so Search Console clicks and GA4 sessions will never match exactly. ## What to do next Install the tag, set retention to 14 months, mark two key events and link Search Console today; then open the five reports once a month. GA4 shows your site from the inside. To see how it looks from the outside, the view a potential partner or advertiser gets, run a free [Satelo Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/): it is built mostly on open data and shows the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. On WordPress, the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) can also verify your traffic for the score. For other free tools to compare, see [the best free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/). ## FAQ ### Is GA4 free for bloggers? Yes. The standard version of Google Analytics 4 is free. Google's Site Kit plugin for WordPress is also free. ### How long does it take for GA4 to show data? Google says data collection can take up to 30 minutes to begin. Use the Realtime report to confirm the tag works; standard reports can take longer to fill. ### What are key events in GA4? Key events are the events you mark as most important, such as a newsletter signup or an affiliate click. You mark them with the star icon in Admin → Events. ### How do I see ChatGPT traffic in GA4? Open the Traffic acquisition report and look for the AI Assistant channel. Some AI visits still appear as Direct when the referrer is missing. ### Should I use Site Kit or paste the tag manually? On WordPress, Site Kit is the simplest option and also connects Search Console. Use one method only, or every visit is counted twice. ### Why don't GA4 and Search Console numbers match? They measure different things: Search Console counts clicks from Google Search, GA4 counts sessions on your site, and ad blockers or declined consent hide some GA4 visits. ### What is a good engagement rate for a blog? There is no universal benchmark. Compare your own posts with each other and track the trend month over month. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/geo-optimization/ Ai search # Generative engine optimization: how to get cited in AI answers Generative engine optimization (GEO) means making your pages easy for AI assistants such as ChatGPT search, Google AI Overviews and Yandex's Alice to find, understand and cite. In practice it is ordinary SEO plus a few habits: answer questions plainly, back claims with sources, and get mentioned on other sites. Here is where the term comes from, what the platforms actually document, and a checklist you can apply today. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Where the term GEO comes from "Generative Engine Optimization" was coined in a 2023 research paper by Pranjal Aggarwal and co-authors, [first posted on arXiv in November 2023](https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735) and later accepted to KDD 2024. The authors built a benchmark of queries, rewrote source pages in different ways and measured how much of each source ended up in an AI-generated answer. The abstract reports visibility gains of up to 40%, and notes that what works varies by domain. The [full paper](https://arxiv.org/html/2311.09735v3) is worth knowing for three findings: - **Adding citations, quotations and statistics helped most.** Pages that cited credible sources, quoted people and included concrete figures were reproduced more in answers. - **Keyword stuffing did not help.** The authors found little to no improvement, and on Perplexity it scored below the unoptimized baseline. - **Lower-ranked pages gained most.** Citing sources raised visibility sharply for the fifth-ranked result while lowering it on average for the top-ranked one. Keep the limits in mind: most experiments ran on the authors' own engine (gpt-3.5-turbo over the top five Google results), plus a 200-query check on Perplexity. It is a useful direction, not a ranking formula for every assistant in 2026. ## GEO vs SEO: what actually changes AI assistants with web access mostly work the same way: they turn a question into searches, retrieve pages, and write an answer that links to some of them. That makes SEO the foundation, not a separate discipline. | | Classic SEO | GEO | | Goal | Rank a page and earn the click | Get a passage used and cited inside an answer | | Unit of competition | The whole page | A paragraph, list or table that answers one sub-question | | Prerequisite | Crawlable, indexed page | The same, plus access for the assistant's own crawler where it has one | | Off-site signal | Links | Links and plain brand mentions in sources the assistant trusts | | Measurement | Rankings, clicks | Citations, share of answers, referral visits | Our [AI search overview](https://satelo.io/ai-search/) covers how each assistant finds sources in more depth. ## What the platforms officially say ### Google AI Overviews and AI Mode Google's page on [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) is blunt: to be shown as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to appear in Search with a snippet, and there are no additional technical requirements. Google says you don't need special schema.org markup or new machine-readable "AI text files." Traffic from these features is counted in Search Console's Performance report under the Web search type. To limit what is shown, you use the usual `nosnippet`, `max-snippet` or `noindex` controls. ### ChatGPT search OpenAI's [crawler documentation](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) separates OAI-SearchBot, used to show sites in ChatGPT search, from GPTBot, used for model training. Blocking OAI-SearchBot keeps a site out of ChatGPT search answers; blocking GPTBot only opts out of training. Check your robots.txt: a blanket rule meant for training crawlers can block search crawlers too. Our guide on [getting indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/) walks through the setup. ### Yandex Alice AI Yandex's help page on [Alice AI answers](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/alice.md) (in Russian) says Alice draws on sources that rank highly in Yandex Search and names expertise, usefulness, originality and substance as the key qualities. Yandex Webmaster also has a [Site visibility in Alice AI report](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/alice-answers.md) showing how often your site is cited, but only for queries where you already rank fairly high. The common thread: none of these platforms documents a special GEO switch. Visibility in search comes first. ## How to structure a page so it gets quoted An assistant lifts passages, not whole articles. Write so that any one section can stand on its own: - **Answer in the first two sentences.** Put the direct answer under the heading, then explain. The intro of this article is an example. - **Make headings real questions or claims.** "How long does indexing take?" beats "Timing considerations." - **Use lists and tables for comparisons and steps.** They are easy to extract and hard to misquote. - **Back facts with linked sources.** This matches what the GEO paper found and what readers trust. One claim, one source. - **Add first-hand detail.** Your own numbers, screenshots described in text, a process you actually ran. Generic text has nothing worth citing. - **Define terms once, precisely.** A one-sentence definition is the passage most likely to be reused. - **Keep it current.** Show an updated date and actually update facts, prices and limits. What not to do: stuff the page with keyword variants, publish dozens of near-identical "AI-optimized" pages, or hide text for bots. The paper and the platforms' spam policies point the same way. ## Mentions on other sites Assistants answer "what is the best tool for X" by reading what other sites say. If no one mentions you, there is nothing to cite, however good your own page is. Practical sources of mentions for a small site: - Niche roundups and "best of" lists that already rank for your topic. - Guest articles and partner posts on related blogs. - Community answers where you genuinely help (and disclose your affiliation). - Your own data that others can quote. We explain why a plain mention can matter as much as a link in [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). Satelo can help with one part of this: sites in similar niches publish partner articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`, so you get mentions in relevant context without buying links. It is a public beta and the network is still small. ## How to check your AI visibility | Assistant | How to check | Limits | | Google AI Overviews / AI Mode | Search your key questions; watch Search Console clicks and impressions | No separate AI report; data is mixed into Web | | ChatGPT search | Ask your target questions with search on; look for referrals from chatgpt.com in analytics | Answers vary between runs | | Alice AI | Yandex Webmaster visibility report | Only queries where you already rank | | Perplexity, Copilot | Manual checks on a fixed list of questions | No official site-owner report | Keep a simple log: 10–20 questions your customers ask, checked monthly, noting which sites get cited. More on this in [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). ## Before and after: a worked example (for illustration) Imagine a small gardening blog with a post titled "Tomato tips." A reader asks an assistant: "When should I start tomato seeds indoors?" Here is how the same section could look before and after a GEO pass. The blog and its numbers are made up for illustration. **Before:** a heading "Getting started," then three paragraphs about the author's love of gardening, with the actual timing buried in the middle of the third paragraph and no source. **After:** - Heading: "When to start tomato seeds indoors." - First sentence: a direct answer that ties the timing to your area's last frost date, with a link to the local extension service or weather source that publishes those dates. - A short table: frost date, sowing date, transplant date, for three example regions. - One paragraph of first-hand detail: what happened when the author started seeds too early, with the actual dates from their own garden log. Nothing here is a trick. The section simply became the clearest, best-sourced answer to one question, which is exactly what an assistant is looking for when it assembles a reply. Do this for the five to ten questions your readers ask most, rather than rewriting the whole site at once. ## A GEO checklist for this week - robots.txt allows Googlebot, Bingbot, YandexBot and OAI-SearchBot (decide separately on training crawlers). - Your key pages are indexed in Google and Yandex. - Each key page opens with a direct answer and has question-style H2s. - Every statistic and rule on the page links to its source. - There is at least one table or step list per long page. - About, author and contact pages exist and say who is behind the site. - You have a list of 10 sites in your niche where a mention would make sense. - An optional [llms.txt](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/) is fine, but Google says it is not required. ## What to do next Start with what assistants check first: whether your site looks credible at all. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) for free and see, in about 30 seconds, how it looks on mostly open data, with the evidence behind each number. Then use our step-by-step [guide to getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). ## FAQ ### What is generative engine optimization? It is the practice of making pages easy for AI assistants to find, understand and cite in their answers. The term comes from a 2023 research paper; in practice it builds on regular SEO. ### Is GEO different from SEO? Partly. The base is the same: crawlable, indexed, useful pages. GEO adds a focus on self-contained passages, cited facts and brand mentions on other sites, and it is measured in citations rather than rankings. ### Do I need special markup or llms.txt for AI Overviews? No. Google says pages only need to be indexed and eligible for a snippet, with no special schema or AI text files required. llms.txt is optional. ### How do I get my site into ChatGPT answers? Allow OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt, make sure pages are indexed in regular search engines, write clear answers with sources, and earn mentions on sites ChatGPT already cites. ### How long does GEO take to work? There is no official timeline. Since assistants rely on search indexes, changes usually show up no faster than regular SEO changes. Track a fixed list of questions monthly. ### Can you guarantee a citation in ChatGPT or Google AI? No. Assistants generate a new answer each time and no platform lets site owners control citations. Anyone promising guaranteed AI placement is overselling. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/geo-vs-seo/ Ai search # GEO vs SEO vs AEO: What Actually Changes for a Small Website GEO vs SEO is mostly a question of where your content shows up: SEO aims for a place in search results, while GEO (generative engine optimization) aims to be used and cited inside AI-generated answers. AEO, answer engine optimization, is an older name for roughly the same idea. For a small website, the foundations are the same; what changes is how you write, how you are mentioned elsewhere, and how you measure. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Three acronyms in one table | | SEO | AEO | GEO | | Stands for | Search engine optimization | Answer engine optimization | Generative engine optimization | | Target | Rankings in search results | Direct answers: featured snippets, voice assistants, AI answers | Being cited or used in answers from AI systems | | Success looks like | A click from a results page | Your text chosen as “the” answer | Your site named or linked in an AI response | | Main measurement | Impressions, clicks, positions | Snippet ownership, answer presence | Citations, mentions, AI referral visits | Other labels such as “LLM SEO” or “AI SEO” describe the same territory. The names compete; the work overlaps heavily. ## Where “GEO” came from The term was popularized by a research paper, [“GEO: Generative Engine Optimization”](https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735) by Aggarwal and colleagues, first posted in November 2023 and accepted to KDD 2024. The authors built a benchmark of queries, rewrote source pages in different ways, and measured how visible each source became in AI-generated answers. Some findings are useful for small sites, read with the caveats below: - Adding cited sources, quotations and statistics to content worked best among the methods tested, according to the [full paper](https://arxiv.org/html/2311.09735v3). - Keyword stuffing offered little to no improvement and did worse than the unchanged text in their main results. - Sources that ranked lower in the underlying search results gained more from citing sources than the top result did. Caveats: the main experiments used a custom engine built on an older OpenAI model, plus a smaller test on Perplexity. Real AI products change constantly. Treat the paper as evidence about writing style, not a recipe that guarantees citations. ## What Google officially says Google's page on [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) is short and direct: - “There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary.” - To be shown as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to appear in Google Search with a snippet. - AI Overviews and AI Mode may run several related searches across subtopics (“query fan-out”), which can surface a wider set of pages than a classic results page. - Traffic from AI features is included in Search Console's Performance report under the “Web” search type; it is not broken out separately. - The controls are the usual ones: `nosnippet`, `data-nosnippet`, `max-snippet` and `noindex`. In other words, for Google, GEO is SEO. If you are not indexed, you can't be cited. ## What OpenAI says about ChatGPT search ChatGPT search uses its own crawler. OpenAI's [bot documentation](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) separates three agents: OAI-SearchBot (for showing sites in ChatGPT search), GPTBot (for model training) and ChatGPT-User (visits on behalf of a user). OpenAI recommends allowing OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt to help your site appear in search results. You can block training while still allowing search; our guide to [blocking AI crawlers in robots.txt](https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/) shows how. ## What really changes for a small site ### 1. Passages matter more than pages AI answers quote or paraphrase parts of a page. A section that answers one question in its first two sentences, with a clear heading, is easier to use than a long intro. Write so each H2 can stand alone. ### 2. Evidence is the new keyword The GEO paper's strongest methods were citing sources, adding quotations and adding statistics. For a small site that means real, linked sources and your own data with its method shown. It never means invented numbers: a made-up statistic that gets quoted by an AI is still made up. ### 3. Mentions count, not just links AI systems learn what a brand is from how others describe it. Being named on relevant sites, forums and reviews helps them connect your name to your topic, link or not. See [AI Overviews and brand mentions](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) and our guide to [getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). ### 4. Clear entity information Say plainly who you are, what the site covers, and where else you exist (profiles, organization details). Consistent names and descriptions across the web reduce confusion between you and similarly named sites. ### 5. Measurement gets fuzzier Many AI answers satisfy the question without a click. Expect to track mentions and AI referral visits alongside classic clicks, and accept that the data will be incomplete. ## What does not change - **Crawlability and indexing.** Blocked or unindexed pages can't be cited by Google's AI features or ChatGPT search. - **Helpful, original content.** Thin rewrites of other pages give an AI nothing new to cite. - **Trust signals.** A real author, an About page, sources and honest dates. - **Spam rules.** Manipulative tactics, from keyword stuffing to bought links, don't become acceptable because the target is an AI. ## A worked example: one section, before and after (illustrative) Imagine a small gardening blog with a post on growing basil indoors. A typical section reads: “Basil is one of the most popular herbs in the world, loved by cooks everywhere. Many people wonder about light. In this section we'll explore everything you need to know about light for basil, so keep reading!” Nothing here can be quoted as an answer. A passage-friendly rewrite: “How much light does indoor basil need? In my apartment, basil on a south-facing sill grew steadily, while plants on a north-facing sill stretched and dropped leaves within weeks. If you don't have a bright window, a small LED grow light placed close to the plants is the usual fix; check the light maker's guidance for distance and hours.” The rewrite answers the question in the first sentence after the heading, adds first-hand experience, avoids invented numbers, and points to where the precise figures should come from. That is the same edit that helps a featured snippet, a reader skimming on a phone, and an AI answer. ## Should a small site invest in GEO now? A simple way to decide: - **If your pages aren't indexed or rarely rank,** fix classic SEO first. Google's AI features draw on the same index. - **If you rank but clicks are falling,** passage-friendly rewrites and evidence help both results pages and AI answers. - **If your niche is often asked about in AI assistants,** add weekly spot checks and work on mentions on other relevant sites. In every case, the work is the same work: no separate “GEO budget” is needed to start. ## Myths to ignore - **“llms.txt is a ranking factor.”** [llms.txt](https://llmstxt.org/) is a proposal from September 2024 for a Markdown file that helps AI agents use a site. Its own site does not claim any search engine uses it, and Google lists no special requirements for AI features. It can be useful for agents; it is not a ranking lever. More in our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/). - **“You need special schema for AI Overviews.”** Google says no special optimizations are necessary. - **“SEO is dead.”** Google's AI features draw on indexed pages; ranking well and being cited are tied together. - **“GEO agencies can guarantee citations.”** No one controls which sources an AI picks for a given answer. ## A 30-day plan for a small website - **Days 1–3: check access.** Confirm key pages are indexed in Search Console and that robots.txt allows Googlebot and OAI-SearchBot (if you want ChatGPT search). Check no page you want cited uses `nosnippet`. - **Days 4–10: rewrite your top five pages for passages.** Put a direct answer under each H2. Add sources for every claim and remove any number you can't source. - **Days 11–17: add first-hand evidence.** Your own data, tests, photos or examples with the method shown. - **Days 18–24: fix entity basics.** About page, author pages, consistent name and description across your profiles. - **Days 25–30: set up measurement.** In GA4, watch the AI Assistant channel; in Search Console, track clicks on the Web search type; once a week, ask a few AI assistants the questions your pages answer and log whether you appear. Repeat the cycle on the next five pages. For platform-specific details, see [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) and [how to rank in Copilot](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-copilot/). ## What to do next Start with step one of the plan: access. Satelo's free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows how your site looks from outside, using mostly open data such as domain age, Common Crawl presence and PageSpeed, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. That gives you a baseline before you rewrite anything. ## FAQ ### What is the difference between GEO and SEO? SEO aims for visibility in search results; GEO aims for your content to be used and cited in AI-generated answers. For Google's AI features, the foundations are the same: indexing, helpful content and snippet eligibility. ### Is AEO the same as GEO? Mostly. AEO (answer engine optimization) is an older term focused on direct answers such as featured snippets and voice assistants; GEO focuses on generative AI answers. The practical work overlaps heavily. ### Do I need special optimization for Google AI Overviews? Google says there are no additional requirements or special optimizations needed. A page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet to be a supporting link. ### Does llms.txt help with GEO? There is no evidence it affects rankings or citations. llms.txt is a proposal to help AI agents use a site, and Google lists no special requirements for AI features. ### How do I track traffic from AI search? In Search Console, AI feature traffic is part of the Web search type. In GA4, check the AI Assistant channel; some AI visits still appear as Direct. ### Where did the term GEO come from? It was popularized by the 2023 research paper “GEO: Generative Engine Optimization” by Aggarwal and colleagues, later accepted to KDD 2024. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/get-more-blog-comments/ Blog growth # How to Get More Comments on Your Blog (Without Begging or Spam) To get more comments on your blog, give readers a specific reason to reply, make the comment form painless, answer every comment quickly and keep bringing new, relevant readers to your posts. Comments are a side effect of a conversation you start, not something you can force. This guide covers what to change in your posts, your settings and your habits, plus what not to do. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## Why blog comments got quieter If your comment section feels empty, it is not only you. A lot of discussion that used to happen under blog posts moved to social networks, newsletters, Discord servers and group chats. Readers often share a post somewhere else and talk about it there. That changes the goal. You are not trying to bring back 2010-era comment threads with hundreds of replies. You are trying to make your comment section the most useful place to talk about this specific post: where the author answers, where readers add their own experience, and where the next visitor learns something from the thread. Three things decide whether people comment: - **A reason.** The post leaves something open that readers can add to or disagree with. - **Low friction.** Commenting takes seconds, works on a phone and does not demand an account. - **Proof of life.** Visitors can see that the author reads and answers comments. The sections below go through each of them, then cover where new commenters come from and how to keep spam from drowning them. ## Write posts that invite a reply A post that says everything leaves nothing to add. A post that shares a clear opinion and admits its limits gives readers room to join in. - **Share first-hand experience.** "What I tried, what failed, what I would do differently" invites readers to compare notes. Generic advice invites a nod and a closed tab. - **Take a position.** "I stopped using X, and here is why" gets more replies than "X has pros and cons." You can still be fair to the other side. - **Leave a real gap.** Say what you have not figured out yet: "I have not found a good way to handle Y. If you have, tell me below." - **End with one specific question.** "What do you think?" is too vague to answer. "Which of these three setups are you running, and what broke first?" is easy to answer in one line. Put the question where people actually finish reading: right after the last useful paragraph, not under a long author bio and five related-post widgets. Example (for illustration): instead of "Let me know your thoughts!", a gardening post ends with "What is the first vegetable you would plant in a north-facing bed? I am deciding between chard and lettuce for next spring." ## Remove friction from the comment form Many blogs lose comments before a word is typed. Open one of your posts on a phone and try to leave a comment as a stranger would. Look for: - **Forced registration.** Requiring an account stops spam, but it also stops most casual readers. - **A form hidden below the fold of everything.** If the form is under ads, newsletter boxes and related posts, many readers never reach it. - **Broken or heavy third-party widgets.** Some comment embeds load slowly or need cookies the reader blocks. If the box does not appear, nobody comments. - **No sign of what happens next.** If a comment vanishes into moderation with no message, readers assume it failed and do not try again. On WordPress, most of this lives under **Settings → Discussion**. The official [Settings Discussion screen documentation](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-discussion-screen/) explains each option. The ones that matter most for comment volume: | Setting | What it does | Suggestion for a small blog | | Users must be registered and logged in to comment | Only logged-in users can comment | Leave off unless you run a members-only site | | Comment author must fill out name and email | Adds a small hurdle; WordPress does not verify the details | Usually fine to keep on | | Automatically close comments on articles older than X days | Disables the form on older posts; existing comments stay visible | Leave off if old posts still get search traffic and questions | | Enable threaded (nested) comments | Lets people reply to each other, up to 10 levels; the theme must support it | Turn on, 3–5 levels is easy to read | | Comment author must have a previously approved comment | First comments from a new email are held for moderation; later ones go through | Good balance between spam control and speed | | Email me whenever anyone posts a comment | Notifies the post author | Turn on so you can reply fast | If you use another platform, look for the same switches: guest comments allowed or not, nested replies, notification emails and auto-closing old posts. ## Reply to every comment, and do it fast The strongest signal you can send is a visible author who answers. When a visitor sees a thread where the writer replied to every person thoughtfully, it feels like a room where talking is worth it. - **Answer within a day if you can.** The commenter is still interested, and they may come back to read your reply. - **Add something in each reply.** A follow-up question, a link to a related post, a correction to your own article. "Thanks!" alone ends the conversation. - **Use names.** Address people as people, not as "great comment." - **Update the post when a comment improves it.** Credit the reader in the text ("Thanks to Dana in the comments for this tip"). Readers notice, and it encourages others. - **Help commenters see your reply.** If your platform supports reply notifications or "notify me of follow-up comments," make sure they work. Otherwise people never learn you answered. Disagreement is fine. Answer critical comments calmly and specifically. A respectful argument in the comments is often the most useful part of a post for later readers. ## Bring new, relevant readers to your posts Comments come from readers. If the same small group sees every post, the same few people will comment, or nobody will. You need a steady flow of new people who care about your topic. - **Collaborate with nearby blogs.** Interviews, roundups and guest posts with blogs in your niche introduce you to readers who already like the subject. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) covers formats that work for small sites. - **Share each post where your readers already talk.** A niche forum, subreddit or community chat, following each group's rules. Join the conversation there first; drop links only where they answer a question. - **Cross-promote with partners.** Swap mentions in newsletters, co-host a small event, run a joint resource. See [cross-promotion ideas for websites](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/) for more formats. - **Keep basic SEO in shape.** Search visitors arrive with a specific problem, and people with a specific problem often ask a follow-up in the comments. If you run WordPress, [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the basics. Satelo is one more option here: sites of a similar level and topic publish partner articles about each other in a circle, so your blog gets introduced to readers of related sites. It is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as a supplement to your own outreach, not a replacement. ## Comment on other blogs, the right way Leaving thoughtful comments on blogs in your niche is still one of the easiest ways to meet other writers and their readers. The key word is **thoughtful**. - Read the whole post first, then add something specific: your experience, a counterexample, a resource the author missed. - Use your real name. Put your blog in the website field if the form has one; do not paste links into the comment text unless they directly answer a question. - Pick a handful of blogs and become a regular there rather than leaving one-line comments on dozens. Do not comment to get backlinks. Google lists comment spam on blogs as an example of user-generated spam, and forum comments with optimized links as link spam, in its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). Google also recommends that sites mark comment links with `rel="ugc"`, as explained in its guide on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links). The value of commenting is the relationship and the readers who click through, not the link. Our post on [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) explains the attributes in more detail. ## Turn commenters into a community Once a few people comment regularly, give them reasons to stick around. - **Start a newsletter.** Mention the best reader comments in it and link back to the thread. Readers who see their names tend to comment again. - **Write posts from comments.** A good question in a comment can become its own article. Tell the reader and link to the new post in your reply. - **Run a regular open thread.** A monthly "ask me anything about [topic]" post gives readers a clear place to show up. - **Ask for stories, not just opinions.** "Tell us about your worst [topic] mistake" posts can collect useful experience and become a resource themselves. Treat the comment section like part of your content. A long, useful thread makes the page more helpful for the next visitor. ## Keep spam out without blocking real people Nothing kills comments faster than a section full of spam, and nothing frustrates real readers more than comments that disappear. Aim for a balance: - **Hold comments with many links.** WordPress has a setting to hold a comment in the moderation queue if it contains a set number of links; spam often carries one or two. - **Use moderation word lists carefully.** Words in the moderation list match inside other words ("press" matches "WordPress"), so keep the list short and specific. - **Add a spam filter.** A spam-filtering plugin or a honeypot field catches most bots without a puzzle for humans. Check each tool's privacy terms if you have readers in the EU. - **Check the spam folder weekly.** Real comments sometimes land there. Approve them and reply, so the reader does not feel ignored. - **Turn off pingbacks and trackbacks if they only bring junk.** Many small blogs get more spam than value from them. Quick comment approval matters as much as filtering. A first-time commenter who waits days for approval may not come back. ## A 30-minute checklist for today - Open your most recent post on a phone and leave a test comment as a guest. Fix anything that gets in the way. - In **Settings → Discussion** (or your platform's equivalent), enable threaded comments and comment notifications; turn off forced registration. - Rewrite the last paragraph of your three most-read posts so each ends with one specific question. - Reply to every unanswered comment you have, adding something new in each reply. - Check your spam and pending folders and approve real comments. - Pick three blogs in your niche, read their latest posts and leave one useful comment on each. - Decide on one channel for new readers this month: a collaboration, a community or a partner newsletter. ## What to do next More comments start with more of the right readers. Collaborations and partner sites are the most direct way to reach them, but before you pitch another blog, it helps to know how your site looks from the outside. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see the open-data signals behind each number in about 30 seconds. If you want partner articles from related sites, you can [join the Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) (free, public beta) and see which sites in your niche are already there. ## FAQ ### Do blog comments still matter in 2026? Yes, though less as a traffic metric and more as a sign of an engaged audience. A useful comment thread can answer follow-up questions, add first-hand experience to the page and turn one-time visitors into regular readers. ### Why does my blog get traffic but no comments? Usually because there is no clear reason to reply, the comment form is hard to use, or visitors see no sign that the author answers. End posts with a specific question, test the form on a phone and reply to every comment you get. ### Should I require registration to comment? For most small blogs, no. Registration reduces spam but also stops many casual readers. Holding first-time comments for moderation is a gentler way to filter spam. ### Is commenting on other blogs good for SEO? Not as a link-building tactic. Google lists blog comment spam as user-generated spam and recommends that sites mark comment links with rel="ugc". Comment to build relationships and reach readers, not for backlinks. ### How do I build a community around my blog? Reply to every comment, feature good reader comments in a newsletter or follow-up post, run a regular open thread, and collaborate with other blogs in your niche so new readers keep arriving. ### Should I close comments on old posts? Only if old posts mostly attract spam. If older articles still get search traffic, open comments let readers ask questions that help you update the post. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/get-traffic-to-new-blog/ Website traffic # How to Get Traffic to a New Blog: What Happens in Months 1, 3 and 6 To get traffic on a new blog, you combine two tracks: search traffic, which takes months to build, and direct traffic from people and communities, which you can start this week. In the first month the job is technical: get pages crawled and indexed. Months two to six are about long-tail articles, internal links and your first mentions on other sites. Below is a realistic timeline, what to measure at each stage, and our own numbers from a young site so you can see what "early" actually looks like. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why a new blog gets almost no traffic at first Google's [How Search works](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/how-search-works) page breaks search into three stages: crawling, indexing and serving results. Each stage is a separate hurdle, and Google states plainly that it "doesn't guarantee that it will crawl, index, or serve your page." A new blog has to clear all three, and the third one, ranking where people actually look, is where most of the waiting happens. The data agrees. In Ahrefs' study [How long does it take to rank](https://ahrefs.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-rank/), only 1.74% of a random sample of one million newly published pages reached the top 10 within a year. In a second sample of English pages with real content, the figure was 6.11%. The same article reports that 72.9% of pages in Google's top 10 are more than three years old. None of that means you can't get traffic early. It means search alone is the slow lane, so you need a second one. Google's own [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) sets expectations the same way: some changes "might take effect in a few hours, others could take several months," and you should usually wait a few weeks before judging a change. ## What "early" looks like: our own numbers Satelo's blog is young, so here is our snapshot rather than a success story. On October 16, 2026, Search Console showed about 1,400 impressions, zero clicks and an average position around 75 over the last 28 days, with 97 pages indexed. We break those numbers down in [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/); how the index grew from 2 pages to 97 is in our ["crawled, currently not indexed" write-up](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). The lesson: impressions come weeks before clicks. If your new blog shows impressions and no clicks, that's a normal stage, not a failure. ## Month 1: get crawled and indexed Your only goal this month is to make sure search engines can find and store your pages. - **Verify the site in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.** [Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about) lets you review index coverage, submit sitemaps and individual URLs, and use URL Inspection. - **Submit a sitemap.** Google's [sitemap overview](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/overview) says sitemaps help most on new sites, because Googlebot "might not discover your pages if no other sites link to them." A sitemap helps discovery but doesn't guarantee indexing. - **Link every post from somewhere.** Home page, category pages, related posts. The SEO Starter Guide notes that "the vast majority of the new pages Google finds every day are through links." - **Publish 8–15 solid posts, not 50 thin ones** (a rule of thumb, not a magic number). Google describes helpful content as "created primarily for people, and not to manipulate search engine rankings" in its [helpful content guidance](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content). - **Check speed and mobile layout once.** Fix anything glaring, then move on. **What to measure:** pages indexed in Search Console. Not visits. ## Months 2–3: long-tail posts and internal links Now you write for searches that bigger sites ignore. Long-tail queries are specific, often four or more words, and usually come from people with a clear problem. - **Mine Search Console.** After a few weeks, the Performance report shows queries you already appear for, often on page 3 or deeper. Each one is a hint about what Google thinks you're relevant for. Write a dedicated post or expand an existing one. - **Answer narrow questions completely.** "Best hiking boots" is out of reach. "Hiking boots for wide feet under $150 that work in wet weather" might not be. - **Build topic clusters.** One main guide, five to ten supporting posts, all linked both ways. This helps readers and crawlers find related pages. - **Update, don't just add.** If a post has impressions but sits at position 30, improve it before writing something new. Our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers keyword picking for small topics in more detail. **What to measure:** impressions and the number of queries you appear for. Both should grow month over month even while clicks stay low. ## The second lane: traffic you can get without Google Start this in week one, in parallel with the search work. The SEO Starter Guide itself says that promoting new content "will lead to faster discovery," and lists social media, community engagement, advertising and word of mouth. It also warns that you can overdo promotion and harm your site, so be useful first. | Channel | How to use it on a new blog | Time to first visitors | | Niche communities (forums, subreddits, Discord, Facebook groups) | Answer questions; share a post only when it's the best answer and the rules allow links | Days | | Email list | Add a signup box from day one; send each new post to the people who already know you | Days, but slow to grow | | One social platform where your readers are | Post summaries, charts or tips that stand on their own, with a link | Days to weeks | | Guest posts and collaborations | Write for blogs your readers already follow, with a byline link back | Weeks | | Directories and promotion sites | A few relevant listings, not hundreds | Weeks | | Search | Everything in the month-by-month plan | Months | For a list of places that are actually worth submitting to, see our roundup of [free website promotion sites](https://satelo.io/blog/free-website-promotion-sites/), and for more no-budget tactics, [how to promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## Months 3–6: first mentions and partnerships Once you have a solid base of useful posts, other sites have a reason to mention you. This is where links and referral traffic start, and both help with discovery. - **Guest posts on relevant blogs.** Pick sites your readers read, not sites with the highest score. One post on a blog with real readers beats ten on sites nobody visits. - **Resource pages and roundups.** If you've written the most complete guide on a narrow topic, tell the people who maintain lists on that topic. - **Collaborations with blogs of a similar size.** Interviews, joint guides, mutual recommendations in newsletters. - **Avoid shortcuts that look like link schemes.** Bought links, PBNs and mass link swaps can hurt a new site more than they help. Our [link building guide for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) explains what to do instead. If finding partners by hand is the bottleneck, Satelo's [article exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) matches you with sites of a similar level and topic and runs the exchange in a ring (A writes about B, B about C, C about A). Articles are labeled as partner content and links carry `rel="sponsored"`, so it's a way to reach new readers, not a ranking trick. It's a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one channel among several. **What to measure:** referral visits per mention, and first clicks from search. ## Month 6 and beyond: what a realistic picture looks like There's no honest universal number for traffic at month six; it depends on niche, competition, how much you publish and how good it is. What you can expect if things are working: - Impressions in Search Console rising steadily for several months. - A growing list of queries, with some moving from page 5 to page 2 or better. - The first posts earning regular clicks, usually long-tail ones. - A small but repeatable stream of visitors from email, communities and partners. If impressions are flat after six months of regular publishing, the problem is usually topic choice (too competitive), content depth, or pages not being indexed. Go back to Search Console's indexing report first. ## Mistakes that waste a new blog's first year - **Judging by visits in month one.** Watch indexing, then impressions, then clicks, in that order. - **Writing for head terms.** Broad keywords belong to sites that have been around for years. - **Publishing and never updating.** Your best opportunities are posts that already get impressions. - **Promoting everywhere at once.** Pick one community and one social platform and show up consistently. - **Buying traffic or links to "kickstart" things.** Fake visits teach you nothing about readers, and Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) treat buying links for ranking purposes as link spam unless they are marked `sponsored` or `nofollow`. - **Orphan posts.** Every new post should get at least two internal links from older ones. ## A one-page checklist - Week 1: Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools verified, sitemap submitted, one community joined. - Month 1: 8–15 strong posts, every one linked from somewhere, pages indexed. - Months 2–3: long-tail posts from Search Console queries, topic clusters, email signup live. - Months 3–6: guest posts or collaborations each month, old posts updated, referral traffic tracked. - Every month: write down indexed pages, impressions, queries, clicks and referral visits. ## What to do next Pick today's task from the stage you're in, and set a baseline you can compare against next month. [Satelo's free check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows where your blog stands today on open data (Tranco, Common Crawl, domain age, page speed), with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds and without signup. Run it again in a month and you'll see whether outside signals are moving, not just your own analytics. ## FAQ ### How long does it take for a new blog to get traffic? Search traffic usually takes months. Google says some changes take effect in hours and others take several months, and Ahrefs found that only a small share of new pages reach the top 10 within a year. Traffic from communities, email and partners can start within days. ### How do I get traffic to my blog for free? Get indexed via Search Console and a sitemap, write long-tail posts, link posts to each other, answer questions in niche communities, build an email list and write guest posts for blogs your readers follow. ### Why does my new blog have impressions but no clicks? Usually because your pages rank deep in the results, around page five or beyond, where few people look. It is a normal early stage; improve the posts that already get impressions. ### How many blog posts do I need before I get traffic? There is no fixed number. A rule of thumb is to start with 8 to 15 thorough posts on a focused topic and build clusters around them, rather than publishing many thin posts. ### Should I pay for traffic to a new blog? Paid ads can test whether a post converts, but bought visits or bot traffic teach you nothing about real readers, and paid links that are not labeled break Google's spam policies. ### Does social media help a new blog rank in Google? Promotion helps people and search engines discover new content faster, according to Google's SEO Starter Guide, but social shares are not a shortcut to rankings. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/ Ai search # How to Get Your Website Into ChatGPT Search: OAI-SearchBot, Bing and Mentions To get your website indexed by ChatGPT, you do not submit it anywhere: you let OpenAI's OAI-SearchBot crawl it, make sure your host or CDN does not block OpenAI's IP addresses, and make the site easy to find through the search providers ChatGPT works with. This guide walks through each step with OpenAI's own documentation, explains what is known (and not known) about Bing, and shows how to check that it worked. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## You cannot "register" a website with ChatGPT There is no ChatGPT equivalent of a submission form or a Search Console where you add your URL. OpenAI's help article on [searching the web with ChatGPT](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9237897-chatgpt-search) describes eligibility in two conditions: allow OAI-SearchBot to crawl the site, and confirm that your website host or content delivery network allows traffic from OpenAI's published search bot IP addresses. The same article says ChatGPT ranks results using multiple factors and that "placement is not guaranteed". So "getting indexed by ChatGPT" really means three things: - OpenAI's search crawler can reach and read your pages. - Your pages can be found through the search providers ChatGPT queries. - Your site is relevant and trusted enough to be picked as a source for a given question. This article is about the first two, the technical side. The third, earning citations, is covered in our guide on [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). ## OAI-SearchBot, GPTBot and ChatGPT-User: three bots, three jobs OpenAI documents its crawlers on one page, [Overview of OpenAI crawlers](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots). Each one has its own robots.txt user agent, so you can allow one and block another. | User agent | What it does | Affects ChatGPT search? | Follows robots.txt? | | `OAI-SearchBot` | Surfaces websites in ChatGPT's search features | Yes. OpenAI says sites opted out of it "will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers", though they can still appear as navigational links | Yes | | `GPTBot` | Crawls content that may be used to train OpenAI's foundation models | No. Blocking it is a training opt-out, not a search opt-out | Yes | | `ChatGPT-User` | Fetches a page when a user's action in ChatGPT or a custom GPT requires it; not an automatic crawler | Indirectly: it is how ChatGPT opens a page during a conversation | OpenAI says robots.txt rules "may not apply" because a user started the request | The common mistake is blocking "all AI bots" with one rule copied from a forum. That removes you from ChatGPT search along with training. Decide separately: do you want to appear in ChatGPT answers (OAI-SearchBot), and do you want your content used for training (GPTBot)? ## The robots.txt you probably want For most small sites the sensible default is: allow search, decide about training. A robots.txt that allows ChatGPT search and opts out of training looks like this: - `User-agent: OAI-SearchBot` - `Allow: /` - `User-agent: GPTBot` - `Disallow: /` If you are happy for your content to be used for training too, change the last line to `Allow: /` or simply leave GPTBot out. OpenAI notes that if a site allows both bots, it may use the results of one crawl for both purposes to avoid crawling twice. Three details people miss: - **A blanket rule counts.** If your file has `User-agent: *` with `Disallow: /` and no specific OAI-SearchBot group, the search bot is blocked too. - **Changes are not instant.** OpenAI says it takes about 24 hours after a robots.txt update for its systems to adjust for search. - **Plugins and hosts edit robots.txt.** On WordPress, SEO plugins and some managed hosts generate a virtual robots.txt. Open `yoursite.com/robots.txt` in a browser and read what is actually served. ## Check your firewall and CDN, not just robots.txt A perfect robots.txt does nothing if your CDN answers OpenAI's crawler with a challenge page or a 403. Bot protection on Cloudflare, managed WordPress hosts and security plugins can block unfamiliar crawlers by default. This is exactly why OpenAI's eligibility rule mentions hosts and CDNs. OpenAI publishes the IP ranges for each bot as JSON files, linked from its crawler page: [searchbot.json](https://openai.com/searchbot.json) for OAI-SearchBot, [gptbot.json](https://openai.com/gptbot.json) for GPTBot and [chatgpt-user.json](https://openai.com/chatgpt-user.json) for ChatGPT-User. If you run a firewall, allow OAI-SearchBot by user agent **and** confirm the request comes from those ranges. User agents are easy to fake; IP ranges are not. ## Does ChatGPT use Google or Bing? This is the most searched question around the topic, and the honest answer is that OpenAI does not publish the full picture. What the primary sources say: - OpenAI's 2024 launch post, [Introducing ChatGPT search](https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/), says ChatGPT search "leverages third-party search providers, as well as content provided directly by our partners". - OpenAI's current [help article](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9237897-chatgpt-search) says ChatGPT search "sometimes partners with other search providers", rewrites your question into targeted queries for them, and points readers to the Microsoft privacy statement (and Shopify's) for how those providers process queries. It does not name a single index. - Microsoft announced in May 2023 that ["Bing is coming to ChatGPT as the default search experience"](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/05/23/microsoft-build-brings-ai-tools-to-the-forefront-for-developers/), and ChatGPT's first browsing feature that year worked [only via Bing](https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/27/openais-chatgpt-app-can-now-search-the-web-but-only-via-bing/). That is historical context, not a description of how ChatGPT search works today. The practical reading: Microsoft is one of the search providers ChatGPT works with, and OpenAI also runs its own crawler. How much each contributes is not disclosed. Saying "ChatGPT uses the Bing index" as a flat fact goes beyond the sources, but being properly indexed in Bing is cheap insurance, and it helps with Bing and Copilot on their own. ## Get your site into Bing properly Many small sites have spent years in Google Search Console and never opened Bing Webmaster Tools. It takes a few minutes: - **Add the site.** Bing's [add and verify guide](https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/add-and-verify-site-12184f8b) offers an import from Google Search Console: Bing reads your verified properties and their sitemaps, and imported sites are verified automatically. You can also add a site manually and verify it. - **Check the sitemap arrived.** If you imported from Search Console, Bing also picks up new sitemaps from there during its periodic checks. Otherwise, submit your sitemap URL in the Sitemaps section. - **Wait for data.** Bing says it usually takes 48 hours to generate analytics for a newly added site. - **Turn on IndexNow.** [IndexNow](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation) lets you notify participating search engines the moment a URL is added or changed, and submitted URLs are shared with all other participating engines. You host a key file at your site root and ping an endpoint, or let a plugin or your CMS do it. - **Fix what Bing reports.** Crawl errors, blocked resources and pages excluded from the index show up in Bing's reports just as they do in Google's. A quick sanity test: search Bing for `site:yourdomain.com`. If your key pages are missing there, fix that before you worry about ChatGPT. ## Make your pages easy to read for a crawler Once the bot is allowed in, it still has to understand what it finds. The basics are the same as for any search engine, and they matter more for crawlers that may not run your JavaScript the way a browser does: - **Main content in the HTML.** If the article text appears only after client-side JavaScript runs, open "view source" and check that the words are really there. - **One clear topic per page,** with a descriptive title, a direct answer near the top and headings that match real questions. - **Fast, stable responses.** Timeouts and 5xx errors waste a crawl. Our post on [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) covers the fixes that matter most. - **Dates and authorship visible on the page,** so a reader (human or not) can judge how current the information is. - **llms.txt is optional.** It can help some tools navigate your site, but OpenAI's crawler documentation does not mention it. See our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/) for when it is worth the effort. ## Mentions on other sites are part of being found Being crawlable makes you eligible. It does not make you the answer. When ChatGPT searches for "best tool for X" or "how do I fix Y", it picks from pages its providers return and from sources it considers reliable. A small site that nobody else mentions is hard to surface for anything beyond its own brand name. That is why mentions matter: reviews, comparisons, interviews, partner articles and directory listings that name your site in context. We explain the difference in [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/), and the step-by-step version is in the guide to [getting mentioned by AI assistants](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). If you want partner articles about your site on similar sites without cold outreach, that is what Satelo's [exchange dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) does: articles are labeled and links use `rel="sponsored"`, so this is about being discussed, not about passing ranking signals. ## How to check whether ChatGPT can see your site There is no ChatGPT index report, so you combine three signals: - **Server logs.** Search your access logs for `OAI-SearchBot`. Visits from IPs listed in searchbot.json mean the crawler is reaching you. Look at the status codes too: a stream of 403 or 503 responses means something is blocking it. On shared hosting, raw logs are usually under "Logs" or "Raw access" in the control panel. - **Manual queries.** In ChatGPT, turn on search and ask questions your page answers well, including one with your brand name. Look at the cited sources. Try a few phrasings; results change from query to query. - **Referral traffic.** In your analytics, filter referrals from chatgpt.com. Visits there mean people are clicking through from answers. If OAI-SearchBot appears in your logs with 200 responses but you never show up in answers, the problem is no longer indexing. It is relevance and reputation, which brings you back to content and mentions. ## Perplexity and others run their own bots ChatGPT is not the only AI search engine, and its rules do not carry over. Perplexity documents [its own crawlers](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/bots): `PerplexityBot`, which surfaces and links websites in Perplexity's search results and which Perplexity says is not used to crawl content for foundation models, and `Perplexity-User`, which fetches pages for user requests and generally ignores robots.txt. Perplexity also says robots.txt changes can take up to 24 hours. If you want to appear there, allow PerplexityBot the same way you allowed OAI-SearchBot. ## Checklist: get your website indexed by ChatGPT | Step | How to confirm it is done | | OAI-SearchBot allowed in robots.txt | Live robots.txt has no rule blocking it, directly or via `User-agent: *` | | GPTBot decision made | Allowed or disallowed on purpose, not by accident | | CDN and firewall allow OpenAI's search bot | Log entries from searchbot.json IPs return 200 | | Site added to Bing Webmaster Tools | Verified, sitemap processed, key pages found with `site:` | | IndexNow running | Key file reachable at your root, pings sent on publish | | Content readable in HTML | Main text visible in "view source" | | Mentions on other sites | Your brand appears in context on relevant, independent pages | ## What to do next Today: open your live robots.txt, check it against the table above, search your logs for OAI-SearchBot and add the site to Bing Webmaster Tools. Those three steps cover most of the technical reasons a site never appears in ChatGPT search. Then [check your site's basics in one free run](https://satelo.io/check/): whether it is crawlable, how fast it responds, and whether it is known to Common Crawl and the Tranco list, with the evidence behind each number. It takes about 30 seconds and shows what a crawler sees before you start working on mentions. ## FAQ ### How do I list or register my website on ChatGPT? You cannot submit a site to ChatGPT. OpenAI says a site becomes eligible for ChatGPT search when OAI-SearchBot is allowed to crawl it and the host or CDN allows OpenAI's published search bot IP addresses. Placement in answers is not guaranteed. ### Does ChatGPT use Google or Bing? OpenAI says ChatGPT search uses third-party search providers and content from partners, and its help article points to Microsoft's privacy statement for how providers process queries. It does not say that ChatGPT relies on one index, so being well indexed in Bing helps but is not the whole story. ### Should I block GPTBot? Only if you do not want your content used for training. GPTBot is OpenAI's training crawler; blocking it does not remove you from ChatGPT search. OAI-SearchBot is the bot that controls search visibility. ### How long does it take to appear in ChatGPT search? OpenAI says its systems adjust to robots.txt changes in about 24 hours, but there is no published timeline for when a page is crawled or cited. Check your logs for OAI-SearchBot visits to see when crawling starts. ### How can I tell if ChatGPT has crawled my site? Search your server access logs for the OAI-SearchBot user agent and confirm the IP is in OpenAI's searchbot.json list. Then test questions in ChatGPT with search on and look at the cited sources. ### Do I need llms.txt to appear in ChatGPT? No. OpenAI's crawler documentation does not mention llms.txt. It can help some tools navigate a site, but allowing OAI-SearchBot and having readable pages matter far more. ### Does blocking OAI-SearchBot remove my site completely? OpenAI says sites opted out of OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers, but they can still appear as navigational links. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/ghost-vs-wordpress/ Blogging platforms # Ghost vs WordPress for Blogging: An Honest Comparison Ghost vs WordPress for blogging comes down to one trade-off: Ghost gives you a fast, focused publishing and newsletter tool with good SEO defaults, while WordPress gives you almost unlimited flexibility at the cost of more setup and upkeep. Both can rank well in Google; neither does it for you. This comparison covers SEO, multilingual sites, cost, speed, memberships and plugins, then tells you which to pick for your situation. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## The short answer - **Pick Ghost** if you mainly write articles and want a newsletter or paid subscriptions built in, with little maintenance. - **Pick WordPress** if you need custom features, several languages, a shop, a directory, deep SEO plugins or full control over every template. - **Either works** for a classic personal or niche blog. Your writing, topic focus and promotion will matter far more than the platform. Throughout this article, "WordPress" means self-hosted WordPress from wordpress.org, not the hosted WordPress.com service, and "Ghost" covers both the hosted Ghost(Pro) service and self-hosted Ghost. ## Ghost vs WordPress at a glance | | Ghost | WordPress (self-hosted) | | What it is | Open-source publishing platform focused on posts, newsletters and memberships | Open-source CMS that can run almost any kind of site | | Share of websites | About 0.1% of all websites ([W3Techs](https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management), October 2026) | About 39.7% of all websites (same source) | | SEO basics out of the box | Sitemap, canonical tags, structured data, meta and social tags built in | Basic; most sites add an SEO plugin | | Multilingual | No documented built-in translation linking; manual workarounds | Mature plugins (for example Polylang, WPML) | | Newsletter and paid members | Built in | Via plugins or external services | | Extensions | Themes plus integrations; no plugin system inside the app | Huge plugin and theme ecosystem | | Hosting | Ghost(Pro) or self-host on a server | Almost any PHP host, from cheap shared hosting up | | Maintenance | Low on Ghost(Pro); moderate if self-hosted | Ongoing: core, theme and plugin updates | ## SEO out of the box, and what you still have to do Ghost's own [SEO help page](https://ghost.org/help/seo) lists what it does automatically: an XML sitemap that updates itself, canonical tags across the site, structured data on all posts and pages, per-post meta fields that fall back to your content when left blank, and Open Graph and X (Twitter) card tags. For a writer who does not want to think about technical SEO, that is a strong default. WordPress core is more basic. Most WordPress bloggers install an SEO plugin to manage titles, meta descriptions, sitemaps, schema and redirects. Once that is set up, WordPress gives you more knobs than Ghost: redirect managers, detailed schema types, per-post indexing controls, internal link suggestions and so on. What neither platform does for you: - Choosing topics people actually search for and writing better answers than what already ranks. - Adding your site to Google Search Console and checking indexing (Ghost's help page itself tells you to do this). - Keeping pages fast: a heavy theme or a pile of third-party scripts slows down any platform. - Earning links and mentions from other sites. So the honest SEO verdict: **Ghost is better by default, WordPress is better when tuned**. If you will not touch settings, Ghost wins. If you want fine control, WordPress wins. ## Multilingual blogs and hreflang This is where the two differ most. If you publish in two or more languages, Google recommends telling it about each language version with hreflang annotations, and its documentation on [localized versions](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/international/localized-versions) says each version must list itself and all other versions, with links pointing both ways. - **WordPress:** multilingual plugins such as [Polylang](https://wordpress.org/plugins/polylang/) (free core plugin, paid Pro version) let you link translations and manage language switchers from the admin. This is a well-trodden path. - **Ghost:** Ghost does not document a built-in way to link translated posts. In community threads such as this [Ghost forum discussion](https://forum.ghost.org/t/multi-language-content-seo/18135), users describe adding `rel="alternate"` hreflang tags by hand through code injection on each post, or running separate Ghost sites per language. It works, but it is manual for every post. If a second language is in your plans, that alone is a strong reason to choose WordPress. ## Cost: Ghost(Pro) vs WordPress hosting Both platforms are free, open-source software. What you pay for is hosting, themes, extensions and your time. **Ghost(Pro).** According to [Ghost's pricing page](https://ghost.org/pricing/) (checked October 16, 2026), plans billed yearly start at $18 per month for Starter, which includes up to 1,000 members, the default theme only and no paid subscriptions. Publisher, at $29 per month, adds custom themes, paid subscriptions and custom integrations. Higher tiers raise the member limit. Ghost takes 0% of your subscription revenue on paid plans, but payment processor fees still apply. Prices scale with your member count, so check the page for your size. **Self-hosted Ghost.** The [Ghost install docs](https://docs.ghost.org/install/) recommend an Ubuntu server with at least 1 GB of memory (Docker is offered as a preview option). That means a VPS, not cheap shared hosting, and you handle updates, backups and email delivery for newsletters yourself. **WordPress.** WordPress runs on most PHP hosts. The [official requirements](https://wordpress.org/about/requirements/) recommend PHP 8.3 or later and MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.11+, with HTTPS. Entry-level shared hosting is usually cheaper than Ghost(Pro), but premium themes, SEO or backup plugins and a newsletter service can add up. Total cost depends heavily on which extras you buy. Example (for illustration): a hobby blog with no paid subscriptions may cost less on basic WordPress hosting with free plugins. A writer who wants paid memberships and newsletters without stitching tools together may find Ghost(Pro) simpler for a similar or lower total. ## Speed and performance Ghost is lean by design: it serves posts and pages without the layers of plugins many WordPress sites accumulate. Ghost's help page also notes that speed still depends on choosing a well-built theme and keeping external scripts and large files to a minimum. WordPress can be just as fast, but it is easier to make it slow. Page builders, heavy themes, dozens of plugins and unoptimized images are the usual causes. A lightweight theme, a caching plugin or host-level caching, and image optimization get most WordPress blogs into good shape. Whatever you choose, measure real performance instead of trusting platform claims. Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) shows what to check and fix. ## Newsletters and paid subscriptions This is Ghost's strongest point. Members, email newsletters and paid subscriptions through Stripe are part of the core product, so a post can go to the web and to subscribers' inboxes in one step, and you can gate content for paying members. WordPress can do all of this too, but through plugins or external services: a newsletter plugin or email platform, a membership plugin and a payment integration. That gives you more choice and sometimes lower cost, and also more pieces to configure and keep updated. If your business model is "newsletter first, website second," Ghost is the more natural fit. If the newsletter is one channel among many, WordPress plus a good email tool is fine. ## Plugins, themes and integrations WordPress's main advantage is its ecosystem. Almost any feature you can imagine, from recipe cards to booking forms to guest post workflows, exists as a plugin. Our roundup of [WordPress guest post plugins](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/) is one example of how specialized it gets. The flip side is quality control: every plugin is code you need to trust and update. Ghost has no plugin system inside the app. You extend it with themes (Handlebars templates), code injection, its APIs and integrations with outside services. That keeps the core clean and stable, but if you need a feature Ghost does not have, you either build it or connect another tool. ## Which one should you choose? | Your situation | Better fit | Why | | Writer who wants a newsletter and paid members | Ghost | Built in, little setup | | Blog in two or more languages | WordPress | Mature multilingual plugins | | Niche blog that may add a shop, directory or tools | WordPress | Plugin ecosystem | | Non-technical writer who hates maintenance | Ghost(Pro) | Managed hosting, few moving parts | | Smallest possible budget | WordPress | Runs on cheap shared hosting | | Developer who wants a clean, API-first publishing core | Ghost | Content API and simple theming | Switching later is possible: both platforms have import and export tools. Plan URL redirects carefully if you ever move, so links pointing to your old URLs keep working. ## Growing the blog after you pick a platform The platform only sets the stage. Traffic comes from consistent useful posts, a clear niche, and other sites mentioning you. A few starting points: - If you are on WordPress, our guide on [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the basics step by step. - On either platform, republishing your posts elsewhere can widen your reach if canonical tags are handled correctly. See the [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/). - Collaborations with related blogs bring new readers on both platforms. Satelo works with both. On WordPress you can use the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/); Ghost, Webflow and other sites connect by pasting the Satelo block into a page. Sites of a similar level publish partner articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. It is a public beta with a small network, so it is one channel to try alongside your own outreach. ## What to do next Before you migrate or launch, see how your current site looks to the outside world. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) for a 0–100 score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. When your blog is live on Ghost or WordPress, you can [join the Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) for free and find partner sites in your niche. ## FAQ ### Is Ghost better than WordPress for SEO? Ghost has better SEO defaults: sitemap, canonical tags, structured data and meta tags work out of the box. WordPress needs an SEO plugin to match it, but then offers more control. Both can rank well; content and links matter more than the platform. ### Is Ghost faster than WordPress? Ghost is lean by default, so a typical Ghost blog is easy to keep fast. A well-configured WordPress site with a light theme, caching and optimized images can be just as fast. Measure your own pages rather than trusting platform claims. ### Is Ghost free? Ghost is open-source and free to self-host, but you need a server with at least 1 GB of memory. Ghost(Pro), the managed service, is a paid subscription priced by plan and member count. ### Can Ghost handle a multilingual blog? Not easily. Ghost does not document a built-in way to link translations, so hreflang tags are usually added by hand through code injection, or each language runs as a separate site. WordPress plugins handle this more smoothly. ### Should I use Ghost, WordPress or Substack? Substack is the simplest for a newsletter but gives you the least control over your site. Ghost combines a real website with built-in newsletters and memberships. WordPress gives the most flexibility for a site that may grow beyond a blog. ### Can I move from WordPress to Ghost or back? Yes. Both platforms offer import and export tools. Keep the same URLs where possible and set up 301 redirects for any that change, so existing links keep working. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/grow-personal-finance-blog/ Niche blogs # How to Start and Grow a Personal Finance Blog Without Fighting YMYL To start a personal finance blog that can actually grow, build it around your own first-hand experience with money, show readers clearly who you are, back every number with a source and disclose every affiliate link. Google treats money topics as "Your Money or Your Life" (YMYL), so a small blog wins by being trustworthy and specific, not by copying the advice sites that already rank. This guide shows how. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why personal finance is a hard niche for small blogs Money content is one of the topics Google is most careful with. In its guide to [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content), Google says it calls topics that could significantly affect people's health, financial stability or safety "Your Money or Your Life" (YMYL), and that for these its systems give even more weight to content showing strong E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. The same page says trust is the most important of the four. Google's [Search Quality Rater Guidelines](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/guidelines.raterhub.com/en//searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf) (PDF, September 2025 version) spell out a category called "YMYL Financial Security": topics that could damage a person's ability to support themselves and their families. "How to invest money" is one of the examples. Two points worth keeping straight: - **E-E-A-T is not a single ranking score.** Google's helpful content page says E-E-A-T itself isn't a specific ranking factor, and that rater data is not used directly in ranking algorithms. Raters help Google check whether its systems work. - **YMYL does not mean small blogs cannot rank.** It means generic, unsourced advice from an anonymous site is a weak bet, especially against banks, government sites and big publishers. ## The opening: experience, not advice This is the most useful part of the rater guidelines for a small finance blogger. Section 3.4.1 explains that pages sharing first-hand life experience on YMYL topics can be considered high E-E-A-T, as long as the content is trustworthy, safe and consistent with well-established expert consensus. Some information and advice, however, should come from experts. The guidelines give financial examples on both sides. Reviews of retirement saving services by people who have actually used them are listed as valuable experience. Advice on how to invest for retirement, such as how much to save or what assets to buy, is listed as something best left to experts. Likewise, a humorous video about the frustration of doing taxes is experience; step-by-step instructions for filling out tax forms are expert territory. So the strategy for a non-credentialed blogger is clear: | Lean into (your experience) | Avoid or hand off (expert advice) | | How you paid off a specific debt, with your real budget and mistakes | Telling readers which debt strategy is right for them | | Your hands-on review of a budgeting app or bank account you use | "Best investments for 2026" lists | | A month-by-month diary of a no-spend challenge | Tax filing instructions written from memory | | How you negotiated a bill or switched providers, step by step | Retirement savings targets by age | | Interviews with credentialed experts, quoted and attributed | Paraphrasing expert rules without sources | If you do hold a relevant qualification, say so prominently and link to where readers can verify it. That opens up advice content, but the same standards of sourcing still apply. ## Show who is behind the blog Google's helpful content guidance encourages accurate authorship information, such as bylines where readers expect them, leading to background about the writer and the areas they cover. For a finance blog this is not optional decoration. Set up: - **A real author bio** on every post: your name (or a consistent pen name with a real story), your situation and why you write about this topic. - **An About page** with your money story, what you are and are not qualified to say, and how to contact you. - **A clear disclaimer** stating that content is educational, based on your experience and not individual financial, tax or legal advice. Keep it short and honest; a disclaimer does not make bad advice safe. - **An editorial policy**: how you choose topics, how you check facts, how often you review older posts and how you handle affiliate partners. - **Contact details** that work. Readers and partners should be able to reach a human. ## Personal finance blog topics a small site can win Pick a narrow audience and a situation you know well. "Personal finance" is too wide; "money for freelance illustrators," "paying off student loans on a teacher's salary" or "frugal living with three kids in a rural area" give you a clear reader and topics big publishers ignore. Topic types that suit the experience-first approach: - **Real numbers, clearly labeled.** Your actual monthly budget, grocery spend or side-income log. Readers love transparency, and it is content nobody can copy. - **Tool and account reviews from long-term use.** Screenshots, what annoyed you, what you would change. Disclose any affiliate relationship. - **Process guides for everyday tasks.** How you set up sinking funds, organize bills, plan a holiday budget. - **Mistakes and lessons.** What went wrong and what you learned resonates with readers and is clearly experience, not advice. - **Expert interviews.** Ask a credentialed planner or accountant to answer reader questions. You add expertise to your site without pretending it is yours. For more on picking a niche angle and finding long-tail keywords, see our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Sources and keeping numbers current Finance content goes stale fast. Interest rates, contribution limits, tax brackets and product fees change, and an outdated number can cost a reader money. That is exactly the kind of inaccuracy the rater guidelines treat as harmful on YMYL topics. - **Link to primary sources** for every rule, limit or rate: the tax authority, the regulator, the provider's own terms page. Not another blog. - **Date-stamp facts in the text** ("as of October 2026") so readers know how fresh they are. - **Keep an update list.** A simple spreadsheet of posts that contain time-sensitive numbers, with the date each was last checked. - **Review on a schedule.** For example, check all tax-related posts after each annual change, and product reviews when the product changes pricing or features. - **Show the update.** A short "Updated on" note with what changed tells readers and partners the page is maintained. ## Affiliate links, sponsors and disclosure Most finance blogs earn through affiliate programs and sponsorships. That is fine, but it raises the trust bar. - **Disclose near the link.** The FTC's [Endorsement Guides FAQ](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) says affiliate relationships should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously, and the closer the disclosure is to the recommendation, the better. It gives "I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post" as example wording. - **Mark paid links in the HTML.** Google asks site owners to mark advertisements and paid placements with `rel="sponsored"`, according to its guide on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links). - **Never let commission decide the verdict.** If the product you earn the most from is not the best fit, say so. One honest negative review builds more trust than ten glowing ones. Our article on [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers the rules in more detail, including sponsored posts. ## Early growth channels that do not depend on Google New YMYL blogs often wait a long time for search traffic. Do not wait. Build channels that bring readers while your authority grows. - **Email newsletter from day one.** A weekly money diary or "what I spent this month" email is easy to keep up and builds a loyal audience you own. - **Pinterest.** Budget templates, printable trackers and checklists do well on visual platforms. [Claiming your website on Pinterest](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/claim-your-website) (via an HTML tag, a file or a DNS record) adds your profile to Pins saved from your site and gives you insight into how often your content is shared. - **Communities.** Personal finance forums and subreddits are active, but strict about self-promotion. Help people first and link only when it answers a question and the rules allow it. - **Collaborations with nearby blogs.** Frugal living, parenting, career and freelancing blogs share your audience. Interviews, roundups and guest posts introduce you to their readers; see our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). - **Expert quotes and media mentions.** Answering journalist requests with your story can earn mentions on bigger sites. Our list of [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/) covers this and other ethical options. Satelo can help with the collaboration part: sites of a similar level and topic publish partner articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. It is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one channel among several. ## A launch checklist for a personal finance blog - Choose a narrow reader and a money situation you have lived through. - Write an About page, a short disclaimer and an editorial policy before your first post. - Add an author bio with your background to every post. - Plan your first ten posts around experience: real numbers, reviews from use, lessons learned. - For every fact, link the primary source and note the date you checked it. - Add a clear affiliate disclosure near any affiliate link and mark paid links with `rel="sponsored"`. - Start a newsletter and claim your site on Pinterest. - Reach out to three related blogs for a collaboration this month. - Set a calendar reminder to review time-sensitive posts. ## What to do next Finance brands, affiliate managers and other bloggers often look at a site before agreeing to work with it. [Check your blog's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see what they are likely to see: a 0–100 score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. When you are ready to find partner sites in your niche, you can [join the Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) for free. ## FAQ ### Can I start a personal finance blog without a finance degree? Yes. Google's rater guidelines say pages sharing first-hand experience on YMYL topics can be trustworthy if they are safe and consistent with expert consensus. Focus on your own experience and leave individual investment or tax advice to qualified experts. ### What does YMYL mean for a finance blog? YMYL stands for "Your Money or Your Life": topics that could significantly affect people's financial stability, health or safety. Google says its systems give extra weight to strong E-E-A-T for these topics, so trust, sourcing and clear authorship matter more than in most niches. ### Is E-E-A-T a ranking factor? Google says E-E-A-T itself isn't a specific ranking factor. It describes qualities Google's systems try to reward, and quality raters use it to evaluate results, but rater data is not used directly in ranking. ### Do I need a disclaimer on a personal finance blog? A short disclaimer that your content is educational and not individual advice is good practice. It does not replace accurate content, and affiliate relationships need their own clear disclosure near the link. ### What are good personal finance blog topics for beginners? Topics based on your own experience: real budgets, debt payoff stories, long-term reviews of apps or accounts you use, money mistakes and lessons, and interviews with credentialed experts. ### How long does it take to grow a personal finance blog? There is no reliable timeline; it depends on your niche, content and promotion. Many finance bloggers build an email list, Pinterest presence and collaborations early so they are not relying only on search traffic. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-exchange/ Link exchange # Guest Post Exchange: How to Swap Guest Posts Without a Link Scheme A guest post exchange is when two bloggers each write an article for the other's site, so both reach a new audience. Done for readers, it's one of the easiest collaborations a small blog can set up. Done to trade links, it runs into Google's spam policies. Below: how to find a partner, what to agree on before anyone writes, a pitch template, where the line sits, and a partner checklist. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What a guest post exchange is (and why bloggers do it) In a guest post exchange, also called a guest post swap or blog post swap, you write an article for a partner's blog and they write one for yours. Each post carries a byline and usually a short bio with a link back to the author's site. The good reasons to do it are all about people: - **Audience.** Your writing reaches readers who already trust the host blog. - **Expertise.** A post on a respected site in your niche shows you know the topic. - **Fresh content.** You get a quality article for your own blog without writing it. - **Relationships.** A good swap often turns into newsletter mentions, interviews and joint projects. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) covers what comes next. The bad reason is "two backlinks for the price of one." That framing is exactly what Google's rules are written against, so let's deal with it first. ## Where a post swap becomes a link scheme Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list as link spam, among other things, "Excessive link exchanges ("Link to me and I'll link to you") or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking," exchanging goods or services for links, and "links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites." Google's Webspam Team addressed guest posts directly in a post titled [A reminder about links in large-scale article campaigns](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2017/05/a-reminder-about-links-in-large-scale). It says Google "does not discourage these types of articles in the cases when they inform users, educate another site's audience or bring awareness to your cause or company." The problem is "when the main intent is to build links in a large-scale way." Warning signs it lists, when taken to an extreme: - Stuffing keyword-rich links into articles. - Publishing articles across many different sites. - Using writers who don't know the topic. - Using the same or similar content across articles. Put together, a safe exchange looks like this: one or a few partners, real topical fit, original articles written by people who know the subject, plain-name links in the bio, and no swap arranged only for the link. If the swap is a straight trade of posts for links, the cautious option is to qualify those links. Google's [guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) says to mark advertisements or paid placements with `rel="sponsored"`, and the spam policies say such links are fine when qualified with `nofollow` or `sponsored`. For the longer version, see our guide on [what Google says about link exchanges](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). ## Direct swap vs. a ring exchange | | Direct swap (A ↔ B) | Ring exchange (A → B → C → A) | | How it works | You publish each other's posts | Each site writes for the next one in a circle | | Effort to arrange | One conversation | Needs a third party or a group to coordinate | | Fairness | Easy to see if both sides delivered | Needs tracking so nobody takes without giving | | Pattern | Reciprocal links between two sites, the pattern the spam policy names | No direct back-and-forth between any two sites | | Best for | One-off collaborations with a blogger you know | Regular exchanges with sites you don't know yet | A ring doesn't make a link-motivated exchange acceptable; intent and labeling still matter. What it changes is the shape: each article stands on its own instead of being one half of a visible trade. Our explainer on [three-way exchanges](https://satelo.io/blog/three-way-link-exchange/) covers the risks honestly. ## How to find a guest post exchange partner - **Start with blogs you already read.** If you'd share their posts anyway, the fit is real. - **Niche communities.** Facebook groups, subreddits, Discord servers and forums for bloggers in your topic often have collaboration threads. Read the rules first. - **Search for writing pages.** Queries like `your topic "write for us"` or `your topic "guest post by"` find blogs that already publish outside authors. Our guide on [how to find guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) has more search operators. - **People who commented on or linked to your posts.** They already know your work. - **Bloggers of a similar size.** A swap is easier to balance when both sites have comparable audiences. ## What to agree on before anyone writes Most failed swaps fail on unclear expectations, not bad writing. Settle these in writing (an email thread is enough): | Item | What to agree | | Topic | A specific working title for each post, chosen for the host's readers | | Length and format | Rough word count, headings, images and who supplies them | | Originality | Unpublished content, not reused elsewhere | | Links | Bio link with the author's name or site name; any in-text links only where useful to readers | | Link attributes | Whether links are qualified (`sponsored` or `nofollow`), decided by the host | | Disclosure | A clear "guest post by" byline; a sponsorship label if anything of value changed hands | | Editing | The host can edit for style and length; major changes go back to the author | | Timing | Draft deadline and publish dates for both posts | | Afterwards | Each side shares the post with its audience; no removing it later without notice | If your swap involves money, free products or any other compensation, disclosure rules may apply as well as Google's. Our overview of [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) links to the FTC and other regulators' own pages. ## A pitch template you can adapt **Subject:** Post swap idea: [their topic] x [your topic] Hi [Name], I run [your blog], where I write about [topic] for [who your readers are]. I liked your post on [specific post] — especially [one concrete detail]. Would you be up for a guest post swap? I'd write "[working title]" for your readers, and you'd write anything you like for mine; I thought "[suggested title]" could work well for my audience. Both posts original, around [length] words, with a short bio. Happy to follow your style guide and link rules. If it's not a fit, no worries at all. [Your name] Keep it short, show you've read their blog, and propose titles that serve their readers. For more variations and follow-ups, see our [guest post outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). ## Partner checklist: vet the site before you swap You're putting your name on their site and their name on yours. Check before you agree: - **Relevance:** would your readers care about their topic? - **Real content:** the last 10–20 posts are written for people, not stuffed with casino, loan or unrelated sponsored links. - **Indexed:** a `site:theirdomain.com` search returns their pages. - **Signs of readers:** comments, social shares, an active newsletter. - **Outbound links:** no pages full of links to unrelated sites with commercial anchors. - **Network patterns:** the same theme and the same outbound links across many sites can point to a private blog network. - **Overall quality:** run their domain through a free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data such as Tranco rank, Common Crawl presence, domain age and page speed, and compare it with yours. ## How to tell if the swap worked Judge a guest post exchange by readers, not by links. A month after both posts go live, check: - **Referral visits** from the partner's post in your analytics, and whether those visitors read a second page. - **New subscribers or followers** in the days after the post was shared. - **Engagement on the guest post you hosted:** comments, shares, time on page compared with your usual posts. - **Whether you'd do it again.** A partner who delivered on time and promoted the post is worth a second collaboration. ## Mistakes to avoid - **Swapping with dozens of blogs at once.** Volume is one of the patterns Google's 2017 post warns about. - **Keyword anchors in the bio.** "Best cheap running shoes" as a link is an optimized anchor. Use your name or blog name. - **Recycled articles.** Each post should be written for the host's readers. - **Outsourcing to writers who don't know the topic.** Readers notice, and so does the host. - **Hidden deals.** If something of value changed hands, label it. ## What to do next Pick three blogs you already read, check each one, and send one pitch this week. If finding and vetting partners by hand is what stops you, Satelo's [exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) skips the matchmaking: it pairs you with sites of a similar level and topic, and articles go in a ring, so nobody swaps directly. Articles are labeled as partner content and links carry `rel="sponsored"`. It's a public beta with a small network, so it complements your own outreach rather than replacing it. ## FAQ ### What is a guest post exchange? Two bloggers each write an original article for the other's site, usually with a byline and a short bio link. The aim is to reach each other's audience. ### Is a guest post swap against Google's guidelines? Not by itself. Google says it doesn't discourage guest articles that inform users or educate another site's audience. It does list excessive link exchanges and optimized anchor text in guest posts as link spam. ### Should links in a guest post exchange be nofollow or sponsored? If the posts are traded mainly for links, qualifying them is the cautious choice. Google recommends rel="sponsored" for paid placements and accepts nofollow, and says qualified links don't violate its policies. ### How do I find bloggers to swap guest posts with? Start with blogs you already read, check niche communities for collaboration threads, search for "write for us" pages in your topic, and approach bloggers of a similar size. ### What is the difference between a guest post exchange and a link exchange? A guest post exchange trades articles for each other's audiences, with links as a byproduct. A link exchange trades links directly, which is the pattern Google's spam policies name when it is excessive. ### How many guest post swaps should I do? A few with relevant partners are better than many. Publishing across many different sites is one of the warning signs Google lists for link-driven article campaigns. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/haro-alternatives/ Link building # HARO Alternatives in 2026: Where Journalists Find Expert Sources Now The best HARO alternatives in 2026 are Source of Sources (free email digests from HARO's founder), Qwoted (profile-based matching with a free tier), Featured (Q&A-style requests with a free plan) and SourceBottle (a free call-out board), plus journalists' own #journorequest posts on social media. HARO itself changed hands twice, so many people are not sure what still works. This guide explains what happened, compares the options for a small site without a PR budget and shows how to write responses journalists actually use. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What happened to HARO Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connected journalists with expert sources through daily emails for years. Its recent history in short, with sources: - **2008:** HARO launched. It later came to Cision through Cision's 2014 merger with Vocus, according to [Cision's April 15, 2025 press release](https://www.cision.com/about/press-releases/2025-press-releases/cision-announces-sale-of-help-a-reporter-out-haro-to-featuredcom-302427990/). - **2024:** Cision rebranded HARO as Connectively. Press Gazette [reported](https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/cision-closes-journalism-jobs-board-and-sells-expert-enquiry-service/) that the service was shut down in December 2024. - **April 15, 2025:** Cision announced the sale of HARO to Featured.com and said it no longer offers the HARO or Connectively services. - **April 2025:** Press Gazette reported that Featured planned to revive HARO on April 22 in its original email format, free to use and supported by advertising, according to Featured's founder. We could not open the HARO site itself on the day of writing, so check `helpareporter.com` for its current format before you rely on it. Either way, HARO is no longer the only game in town, and spreading your effort across two or three services is sensible. ## HARO alternatives compared Prices and limits below were checked on each service's own site on October 16, 2026. They change often, so confirm before you pay. | Service | How it works | Free option | Best for | | [Source of Sources (SOS)](https://sourceofsources.com/) | Email digests of journalist queries, up to three a day; run by HARO founder Peter Shankman | Free for sources | Anyone who liked the original HARO format | | [Qwoted](https://www.qwoted.com/pricing/) | Expert profile; the platform suggests matching journalist requests | Basic plan: 2 pitches per month with a 2-hour delay; Pro is $149/month | Experts with a clear specialty who pitch selectively | | [Featured](https://featured.com/pricing) | Search and answer journalist requests, podcast invites and other opportunities | Free plan with a daily allowance; paid plans from $29/month | Frequent, short expert answers across many topics | | [SourceBottle](https://www.sourcebottle.com/) | Board of journalist and blogger call-outs with deadlines, plus an expert directory | Free profile; optional paid pitching upgrade | Small businesses, case studies, product giveaways | | #journorequest | Journalists post requests on social platforms with this hashtag | Free | Fast, informal requests | Other sources of requests worth watching: newsletters in your industry that collect writer requests, podcast guest platforms, and simply following journalists who cover your niche. ## Which one should a small site start with? If you run a small site and have no PR budget, a simple setup works: - **Subscribe to Source of Sources** and skim the digests. It costs nothing and covers a wide range of topics. - **Create free profiles on Qwoted and SourceBottle.** Fill in your expertise carefully so the right requests find you. - **Try Featured's free plan** for quick answers on topics where you have real experience. - **Save a #journorequest search** on the social platform you already use. Only pay for a plan once you know which service actually brings you requests in your niche. A free Qwoted account with two pitches a month, for example, forces you to pick your best opportunities, which is not a bad habit. ## How to write a response journalists actually use Journalists on these platforms get far more responses than they can read. Most are generic, late or off-topic. A good response is easy to quote and easy to verify. - **Answer the exact question first.** Put a quotable two- or three-sentence answer at the top. No greetings paragraph, no company history. - **Bring something only you can say.** A specific example, a number from your own work (clearly yours), a mistake you made. Experience beats generic tips. - **Show why you are qualified.** One line: your role, how long you have done this, a link to your site or profile. - **Meet the deadline, and the requirements.** If the request asks for a specific country, credential or word count, follow it exactly or skip it. - **Make it easy to contact you.** Name, title, site, and a way to reach you for follow-up. - **Do not attach files or ask for a link.** Journalists decide on links; asking for one is a quick way to be ignored. Example (for illustration): a request asks "How do small online stores handle returns during the holidays?" A strong reply opens with: "We extend our return window from 30 to 60 days every November, and returns barely change, but sales in the last two weeks of December go up because people stop worrying about gifts that don't fit." Then one line about who you are, and your contact details. Our guide to [getting your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) covers more ways to get noticed by writers and editors. ## Links from media coverage: often nofollow, and that is fine Many news sites mark outbound links with `rel="nofollow"` or `rel="sponsored"`, and some mention you without a link at all. Google's guide to [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) describes these attributes and when sites should use them. That does not make the coverage worthless. A quote in a respected publication can bring readers, credibility you can show on your About page, new contacts, and brand mentions that people and AI assistants see. Our articles on [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/) and [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) explain why. Judge these services by the coverage and relationships they bring, not by link attributes. ## How not to drown in AI-written pitches AI writing tools make it easy to send dozens of generic responses a day, so journalists see more of them than ever. That is an opening for real experts who answer specifically. - **Do not paste an AI answer.** Journalists can spot the tone, and services such as Source of Sources warn that off-topic or salesy replies can get a source removed. - **Use AI only as a helper.** To check grammar or tighten your own draft, fine. The substance must be yours. - **Be specific and verifiable.** Names, places, dates and details from your actual work are what generic responses lack. - **Answer fewer, better.** Three strong replies a week beat thirty weak ones, and protect your reputation with the journalists who notice repeat names. ## Red flags: services that promise guaranteed placements Alongside genuine request platforms, you will find offers to "get featured in major publications" for a fee, sometimes with a guaranteed link. Be careful. - **Paid placements are ads.** If money buys the mention, the link should carry `rel="sponsored"` and the content may need an advertising label. It is not earned coverage, and it should not be presented as such. - **Guaranteed links are a warning sign.** Buying links to manipulate rankings is listed as link spam in Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). - **Check the outlet.** Some "publications" in these bundles are sites that publish anything for money. Look at what else they have published and whether real readers would ever see it. The services in the comparison table above do not sell coverage: journalists choose whom to quote. That is what makes a quote worth having. ## Track what you send and what you get Without tracking, it is hard to know which service is worth your time. A simple spreadsheet is enough: | Column | What to record | | Date | When you replied | | Service | SOS, Qwoted, Featured, SourceBottle, social | | Publication and journalist | Who asked | | Topic | The request in a few words | | Result | No reply, follow-up, quoted, quoted with link | | Coverage URL | Where it appeared; check monthly, as articles can appear weeks later | After a few months you will see which service and which kinds of requests work for your niche, and you can drop the rest. Set up a Google Alert for your name and brand to catch mentions nobody tells you about. ## Where this fits in your link building Expert quotes are one of the most legitimate ways to earn mentions: you give a journalist something useful and they decide whether to credit you. They work best combined with other honest tactics. See our roundup of [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/) for the rest. Partner content is another. Satelo is a network where sites of a similar level and topic publish articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. It is a public beta with a small network, so it complements, rather than replaces, earning press mentions. ## What to do next When a journalist considers quoting you, they often look at your website first. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see what they will see: a 0–100 score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. Then pick two services from the table above, set up your profiles today and reply to your first request this week. ## FAQ ### Does HARO still exist? Cision rebranded HARO as Connectively in 2024 and shut it down in December 2024. In April 2025 Cision sold HARO to Featured.com, and Featured announced a free, ad-supported relaunch in the original email format. Check helpareporter.com for its current status. ### What is the best free HARO alternative? Source of Sources is the closest free option: it is run by HARO's founder and sends journalist queries by email up to three times a day. SourceBottle profiles are free, and Qwoted and Featured both have free plans with limits. ### Is Qwoted free? Qwoted has a free Basic plan for experts limited to 2 pitches per month with a 2-hour response delay, according to its pricing page in October 2026. Paid plans remove the delay and allow more pitches. ### Do HARO-style links help SEO? Coverage can bring readers, credibility and brand mentions. Many publications mark outbound links nofollow or sponsored, or mention you without a link, so treat links as a bonus rather than the goal. ### How do I get quoted by journalists? Answer the exact question in the first lines, add a specific example from your own experience, state your qualification in one sentence, meet the deadline and include contact details. Skip requests you are not qualified for. ### Can I use AI to answer journalist requests? Use it only to polish your own draft. Generic AI-written responses are easy to spot, and some services remove sources who send off-topic or salesy replies. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-long-new-website-to-rank/ Indexing # How Long Does It Take a New Website to Rank? Sandbox, Data and a Real Timeline How long does it take for a new website to rank on Google? Getting indexed usually takes days to a few weeks, ranking for your own brand name often follows soon after, and ranking on page one for a competitive query typically takes many months, if it happens at all. Below is what the best public data says, what Google has and has not said about the "sandbox", what our own young domain looks like, and what to do in the meantime. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## The short answer There is no fixed clock. Google itself says that "some changes might take effect in a few hours, others could take several months," and suggests waiting "a few weeks" before judging whether a change worked ([Google SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide)). What you can do is split the question into stages, because each stage has a different typical speed and a different bottleneck. | Stage | What it means | Typical speed for a new site | Main bottleneck | | Discovery and crawling | Googlebot finds and fetches your URLs | Days | Links to your site, sitemap, internal links | | Indexing | Google stores the page and can show it | Days to weeks; not guaranteed | Page quality, duplication, site signals | | Brand queries | You rank for your own name | Often within weeks of indexing | A unique name and consistent mentions | | Long-tail queries | Specific, low-competition searches | Weeks to months | Matching intent better than existing pages | | Competitive queries | Head terms with strong incumbents | Many months to years, often never | Competition, links, reputation | The speed column is a rough orientation for illustration, not a promise. The sections below explain where the evidence comes from. ## Indexing is not ranking Google describes Search as three stages: crawling, indexing and serving results ([How Google Search works](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/how-search-works)). The same page is explicit that "Google doesn't guarantee that it will crawl, index, or serve your page" and that it "doesn't accept payment to crawl a site more frequently, or rank it higher." That matters because many people celebrate when `site:yourdomain.com` starts returning results, then wonder why traffic is zero. Being in the index only means you are eligible. Ranking is a separate competition against every other indexed page that answers the same query. For the first stage, Google's [Page indexing report help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203) sets the expectation: "It can take a week or so for Google to start crawling and indexing a new page or site." If your pages are stuck before that point, the problem is indexing, not ranking. Our guide to ["Crawled – currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) walks through that diagnosis step by step. ## What the data says: Ahrefs' study The most cited dataset is Ahrefs' study by Patrick Stox, updated in May 2025 ([How long does it take to rank in Google?](https://ahrefs.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-rank/)). Its main findings: - **Most top pages are old.** Only 13.7% of pages in the top 10 were under one year old, and 72.9% were more than three years old. - **The average #1 page is about five years old**, up from two years in Ahrefs' 2017 version of the study. - **Few new pages reach the top 10 within a year.** In a sample of one million random URLs, only 1.74% did. In a cleaner sample of English pages with real content, the figure was 6.11%, which the author suggests may be the fairer number. - **Those that make it often do so quickly.** Of the pages that reached the top 10, 40.82% did so within one month. Read these numbers with the caveats Ahrefs gives itself. Page age is measured from when Ahrefs' crawler first saw a URL, not from publication. The samples are pages, not whole sites. And some year-over-year differences may be sampling noise. What the study does support is a sober conclusion: most new pages never reach page one, and the ones that do usually target queries where they genuinely fit. ## Is the Google sandbox real? The "Google sandbox" is the idea that Google holds new sites back for a probation period, so they rank worse than their content deserves. SEOs began describing the effect around 2004. Ahrefs' overview ([Google Sandbox: Does Google Really Hold New Sites Back?](https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-sandbox/)) puts the status clearly: it "has never been officially confirmed by Google." Google's position, as quoted in that article, comes from John Mueller: "we don't really have this traditional sandbox that a lot of SEOs used to be talking about in the years past." Former webspam lead Matt Cutts, quoted in the same article, also played down domain age: "The difference between a domain that's six months old versus one year old is really not that big at all." Note the wording: they deny a deliberate penalty box and a large age effect, not the observation that new sites often struggle. A practical way to hold both views at once: a new domain has no links, no mentions, no history of satisfying searchers and very few pages. Any ranking system that relies on those signals will place it low at first, whether or not anyone calls that a sandbox. You do not need to believe in a special filter to plan for a slow start. We cover the age question in more depth in [website age and SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/website-age-and-seo/). ## What decides how long your site takes ### 1. How competitive the query is This is the biggest variable. A new page can rank for "how to descale a [specific model] coffee machine" far sooner than for "coffee machines". Ahrefs' data points the same way: pages targeting low-volume terms behave very differently from those chasing head terms. ### 2. Whether your page is the best answer Google's ranking systems try to surface helpful, reliable content. A page that answers the query more completely, more clearly or more recently than what already ranks has a real chance. A page that repeats the top three results does not. ### 3. Links and mentions Google "primarily finds pages through links from other pages it already crawled," and the Starter Guide advises you to "first focus on making sure people know about your site" ([SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide)). For a new site, a few genuine mentions from related sites help discovery and context. Paid links must be qualified with `rel="sponsored"` or `nofollow`, and "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" is listed as link spam in [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). ### 4. Site structure and technical basics Clean internal linking, a submitted sitemap, no accidental noindex tags and reasonable speed do not make you rank, but problems here can stall everything else. ### 5. How much you publish, and how focused it is Ten closely related, useful articles build topical context faster than ten scattered ones. A focused niche also makes it easier for other sites in that niche to reference you. ## Our own young domain: what we can honestly report Satelo launched in early October 2026, so satelo.io is a fresh domain with no history. In our [indexing case study](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) we published the Search Console numbers from the first week: 2 pages indexed on October 9 and 97 on October 16, after we submitted sitemaps, fixed a wrong canonical, linked the blog from the homepage and noindexed thin bulk pages. On rankings, the honest answer is that it is too early to say anything useful. A couple of weeks of impressions on a new domain is noise, not a trend, and we are not going to dress it up as one. We will update this section once there are a few months of data. If you see a case study claiming page one in 30 days, check what else was true: an expired domain with old links, a brand that was already famous, or a query nobody else targets. ## A realistic timeline for illustration This is a hypothetical plan for a new niche blog, not a forecast. Use it to set expectations and checkpoints, not deadlines. | When | What to aim for | What to check | | Week 1 | Search Console verified, sitemap submitted, 5–10 solid posts live | Pages report: are URLs being discovered? | | Weeks 2–4 | Most posts indexed, brand name shows up | Performance report: first impressions, brand query | | Months 2–3 | Impressions on long-tail queries, positions 20–60 | Which queries show up that you did not plan for? | | Months 4–6 | Some long-tail pages on page one or two | Pages stuck outside the top 10: rewrite or merge | | Months 6–12 | A few steady traffic pages, first harder queries in reach | Which topics earn mentions? Build more there | Ahrefs' author suggests that if a page is still outside the top 10 after about six months, it is time to update it rather than wait, because its chances fall considerably after that point. ## What to do while you wait - **Pick winnable queries.** Target specific questions where existing results are thin, outdated or off-topic. - **Publish in clusters.** One hub page plus several supporting articles, all linking to each other. - **Watch impressions, not just clicks.** Early impressions at position 40 tell you what Google thinks you are about. If you get impressions but no clicks, see [our guide to that problem](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/). - **Earn first mentions.** Guest articles, partner articles, podcasts, community answers. Our guide to [getting your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) has a step-by-step list, and [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) covers what is safe. - **Do not buy shortcuts.** Link packages and PBNs can turn a slow start into a manual action, which is much harder to fix than patience. - **Get traffic from elsewhere.** Newsletters, communities and partner sites send readers now, while search catches up. ## What to do next Rankings take months; mentions don't have to. In [Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/), a public beta, sites of a similar level and topic publish partner articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"` and clearly disclosed. It is a way to get real readers from related sites while search catches up, not a way to buy rankings. The network is still small, so treat it as one channel among several. Want a baseline first? [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see your domain age, Tranco and Common Crawl presence and page speed in one place, mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number. ## FAQ ### How long does it take for a new website to show up on Google? Indexing often takes from a few days to a few weeks. Google's own help says it can take a week or so for a new site to be crawled and indexed, and indexing is never guaranteed. Submitting a sitemap and getting a few links from other sites helps Google discover your pages. ### Is the Google sandbox real? Google has never confirmed it, and John Mueller has said Google does not have the traditional sandbox SEOs describe. Many site owners still observe that new domains rank poorly at first, which is consistent with a new site simply having few links, mentions and pages. ### How long does it take a blog to get traffic from Google? For most new blogs, steady search traffic takes several months. Long-tail posts can start getting impressions within weeks, but Ahrefs' data shows only a small share of new pages reach the top 10 within a year. ### Can I make my new website rank faster? You can remove obstacles and pick easier targets: fix indexing issues, link pages internally, target specific low-competition queries, publish focused clusters and earn genuine mentions. You cannot pay Google to rank higher, and paid links must be marked sponsored or nofollow. ### Does domain age affect rankings? Google has downplayed domain age as a factor. Older sites tend to rank better mainly because they have had time to collect content, links and reputation, not because of the registration date itself. ### When should I give up on a page that isn't ranking? Ahrefs suggests updating a page that is still outside the top 10 after roughly six months. Rework it to match search intent better, merge it with a stronger page, or retarget it to a more specific query. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-does-a-site-have/ Backlinks # How Many Backlinks Does My Website Have? 5 Free Ways to Check To find out how many backlinks your website has, start with Google Search Console's Links report, then compare it with Bing Webmaster Tools and one third-party index such as Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. No single tool shows every link, so the honest answer is a range, not one number. Here are five free ways to check, what each one actually counts, and how to read the differences. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## The quick answer: which free tool to use | Tool | Works for | What you get free | Main limitation | | Google Search Console | Your verified site only | Top linked pages, top linking sites, anchor text, exports | Sample, not a full list; no link attributes | | Bing Webmaster Tools | Your site and any other site | Referring domains, linking pages, anchors, competitor comparison | Bing's own crawl; partial view | | Ahrefs Webmaster Tools | Your verified sites | Site Explorer with up to 1,000 backlinks visible at once | Competitor data needs a paid plan | | Ahrefs / Moz free checkers | Any domain | Headline counts and a short list of top links | Truncated results and usage limits | | Common Crawl web graph | Any domain | Raw host- and domain-level link graph | Huge files; no per-link UI | If you only have five minutes: check Search Console for your own site, then Bing Webmaster Tools for a second opinion. The rest of this guide covers each method and why the numbers will not match. ## 1. Google Search Console: the Links report For your own site, this is the first stop, because it reflects links Google has actually found. In Search Console, open **Links** in the left menu. Google's [Links report documentation](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) describes what you will see: - **Top linked pages**: which of your pages have the most backlinks from other sites. - **Top linking sites**: which sites link to you most, grouped by root domain. - **Top linking text**: the anchor text other sites use. - **Internal links**: how your own pages link to each other. Know the limits before you quote a number. Google says plainly that "this report isn't a comprehensive list of every link on your site." Tables are capped at 1,000 rows, exports of the "Latest links" and "More sample links" slices go up to 100,000 rows, and some links listed may already be gone. The report also "doesn't specify if a link is marked as nofollow," so you cannot use it to separate sponsored links from editorial ones. **How to get a count:** click **More** under Top linking sites to see the number of linking domains, and use **Export external links** for the latest links. For most small sites, the number of linking sites is more meaningful than the total link count, because one sitewide footer link can create thousands of "links" from a single domain. ## 2. Bing Webmaster Tools: Backlinks Bing runs its own crawler and its own index, which makes it a useful second opinion. In Bing's own words, the Backlinks tool "lists backlinks for any site, including similar sites" ([Bing Webmaster Blog](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/july-2020/Announcing-the-new-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-(migration-complete))). That second part matters: unlike Search Console, Bing lets you look at sites you do not own. To get started you add your own site; if it is already verified in Search Console, Bing lets you [import it from there](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/september-2019/Import-sites-from-Search-Console-to-Bing-Webmaster-Tools) instead of verifying again. - Open **Backlinks** and review referring domains, linking pages and anchor text for your site. - Use the option for other sites to compare your profile with a competitor or a site you are thinking of publishing on. - Export to CSV and keep the file, so you can compare next quarter. Bing will not see exactly the same links as Google. That is a feature, not a bug: two independent crawls together give you a better picture than either alone. ## 3. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (and the free backlink checker) [Ahrefs Webmaster Tools](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) is free for sites you verify. It includes Site Explorer, where free users can see up to 1,000 backlinks at a time with sorting and filtering, plus Site Audit. Analyzing sites you do not own requires a paid plan. For a quick look at any domain without verifying, Ahrefs also has a public [free backlink checker](https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker). It shows headline metrics such as referring domains, backlinks and Domain Rating, plus a short list of top links. Treat it as a glimpse: the full lists are behind the paid product. If you want to go further without paying for a suite, our roundup of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) compares other options, and [cheap Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/) covers low-cost paid tools. ## 4. Moz Link Explorer [Moz Link Explorer](https://moz.com/link-explorer) presents itself as a free backlink checker that shows Domain Authority, Page Authority and linking domains for any site. You need a free Moz account, and the free tier has usage limits that Moz changes from time to time, so check the current allowance on its site before you plan a big audit. Moz is most useful for its linking-domain count and its Domain Authority score. Remember that DA is Moz's own model, not something Google uses; our explainer on [domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/) covers how to read it. Moz also publishes a Spam Score, explained in [our Moz Spam Score guide](https://satelo.io/blog/moz-spam-score/). ## 5. Common Crawl's web graph (raw data) [Common Crawl](https://commoncrawl.org/web-graphs) is a nonprofit that publishes open web crawl data. It "regularly releases host- and domain-level graphs" built from its crawls, with releases covering rolling three-month windows. The domain graph aggregates hosts up to the registrable domain. This is not a point-and-click backlink checker. The files are large and meant for researchers. But it has one big advantage: it is open data that anyone can verify, not a vendor's estimate. It tells you whether a domain is part of the open link graph at all and roughly how central it is, which is a useful sanity check against commercial scores. ## Why the numbers never match Run the same domain through all five methods and you will get five different counts. That is normal. The main reasons: - **Different crawls.** Google, Bing, Ahrefs, Moz and Common Crawl each discover a different slice of the web, at different speeds. - **Different definitions.** Some tools count every link, including sitewide footer links; others group by domain. Some include links to redirects or images. - **Different freshness.** Some tools keep links they saw months ago; others drop links once they are not found again. Google notes that links in its report "may have since been removed." - **Filtering.** Vendors filter spammy or low-value pages from their indexes in different ways, and those rules are not public in full. - **Free-tier truncation.** A free view might show the first page of results or a capped number of rows, not the whole profile. **Worked example, for illustration only:** imagine a small blog. Search Console lists 38 linking sites, Bing shows 31 referring domains, and a third-party checker reports 54. The useful reading is "roughly 30 to 55 sites link to us, and the overlap is the solid core," not "we have exactly 54 backlinks." ## How to audit your backlinks in 20 minutes - Export external links from Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. - Paste both domain lists into one spreadsheet and remove duplicates. The combined, deduplicated list of linking domains is your working count. - Mark each domain: relevant to your topic, unrelated, or obviously spammy. - Note which of your pages attract links. That shows what kind of content earns mentions. - Check a few links by hand. Is the page live? Is the link still there? - Leave random spammy links alone in most cases. Google's [disavow documentation](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487) says it "can assess which links to trust without additional guidance" and that "most sites will not need to use this tool." Disavowing is for a considerable number of artificial links that have caused, or likely will cause, a manual action. - Repeat every quarter with the same tools, so you compare like with like. ## "Have" vs. "need": the next question Knowing how many backlinks you have is a starting point. The usual follow-up, "how many do I need to rank?", has no fixed answer; it depends on the query and on who already ranks for it. We cover how to estimate that from the pages you compete with in [how many backlinks do I need](https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/). One rule applies whatever the number: links you pay for or exchange must be qualified with `rel="sponsored"` or `nofollow`. [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" as link spam. ## What to do next Satelo is not a backlink checker and will not list your links. What it does is different: the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows in one place whether your domain appears in Common Crawl's web graph (and its rank there), whether it is in Tranco and the Majestic Million, plus domain age and page speed. It is built mostly on open data, and every number comes with the evidence behind it, which makes it a quick sanity check next to the counts from the tools above. ## FAQ ### How can I see how many backlinks my website has for free? Use Google Search Console's Links report for your own site, then compare it with Bing Webmaster Tools' Backlinks report. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is also free for verified sites. Combine and deduplicate the linking domains for a realistic count. ### How do I check how many backlinks another website has? Bing Webmaster Tools can show backlinks for other sites, and free checkers from Ahrefs and Moz show headline counts for any domain. For full lists of a competitor's links, most commercial tools require a paid plan. ### Why does Search Console show fewer backlinks than Ahrefs? Each tool crawls a different part of the web and counts links differently. Google also says its Links report is not a complete list, shows a sample, and caps tables at 1,000 rows. Neither number is the true total. ### Does Google Search Console show all backlinks? No. Google states that the Links report isn't a comprehensive list of every link to your site, and some links in it may have been removed. It also does not mark which links are nofollow. ### Is the number of backlinks or referring domains more important? For most sites, referring domains tell you more. One site can create thousands of links with a sitewide footer link, while ten different relevant sites linking once each is a stronger sign of real interest. ### Should I disavow spammy backlinks I find? Usually not. Google says it can assess which links to trust on its own and that most sites will not need the disavow tool. It is meant for cases with a considerable number of artificial or low-quality links that have caused, or are likely to cause, a manual action. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-much-site-earns/ Monetization # How much does a website make? How to estimate it honestly How much a website makes depends on three things you can write down: how many visits it gets, how it is monetized, and how well each visit converts into money. No public tool can see another site's real income, so any number you find online for a site you don't own is a guess. Below is the formula, a worked example for each revenue model, and how to sanity-check your own estimate. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Why you can't see another site's income Revenue lives in private dashboards: an ad network account, affiliate reports, invoices for sponsored posts. None of it is published. So-called "website worth" or "earnings" calculators take an estimated traffic figure and multiply it by an assumed earning rate. Both inputs are guesses, so the output is a guess squared. Even the traffic part is shaky for small sites. Third-party traffic estimates are built from panels and clickstream samples, and they get less reliable the smaller the site. We compare free traffic tools and their blind spots in [this test](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/). If you are evaluating a site to buy or to advertise on, ask the owner for read-only access to analytics and payout reports instead. ## The formula behind every estimate Whatever the model, website income comes down to: **Income = traffic × monetization rate × conversion** - **Traffic** — visits or pageviews per month, ideally from your own analytics. - **Monetization rate** — what you earn per unit: per thousand pageviews for ads, per sale for affiliates, per post for sponsored content. - **Conversion** — the share of visitors who actually produce that unit: see the ad, click the affiliate link and buy, or the share of months you actually sell a sponsored slot. The examples below use made-up round numbers **for illustration only**. They are not industry averages; real rates vary by niche, country, season and audience. ## Model 1: display ads Ad networks pay per impression or click, and site owners usually track it as RPM: revenue per thousand pageviews. Google publishes its [AdSense revenue share](https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/180195?hl=en): for display ads on content, publishers receive 80% of revenue after the advertiser platform's fee, which works out to about 68% when advertisers buy through Google Ads. The same page notes that revenue share alone can mislead; what matters is total revenue. **Illustrative example:** a blog with 20,000 pageviews a month and an assumed RPM of $5 earns 20,000 / 1,000 × $5 = $100 a month. Double the RPM or the traffic and income doubles. That linearity is why ads favor large audiences. ## Model 2: affiliate links You earn a commission when a reader buys through your link. The formula: Visits to pages with offers × click-through to the merchant × purchase rate × commission per sale **Illustrative example:** 5,000 visits a month to review pages, 10% click to the merchant, 3% of those buy, $20 commission per sale: 5,000 × 0.10 × 0.03 × $20 = $300 a month. With fewer visitors than the ad example, affiliates can earn more, because buying-intent traffic is worth more per visit. Affiliate links must be disclosed: the FTC's [Endorsement Guides FAQ](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) says you should disclose your relationship to the retailer clearly and conspicuously on your site. More in our [disclosure rules guide](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). ## Model 3: sponsored posts and guest posts Here traffic matters less directly. Brands pay for an article on a relevant site with a real audience. Income = posts sold per month × price per post. **Illustrative example:** two sponsored posts a month at $80 each = $160 a month, even if the site only gets a few thousand visits. The ceiling is reputation: too many paid posts and readers (and search engines) stop trusting the site. Links in paid posts should carry `rel="sponsored"`. How to set a fair price is covered in [how to price sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/), and the selling side in [our guide to selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/). ## Other ways websites make money - **Your own product or service.** Consulting, templates, courses, a local service. Income = leads × close rate × price, and even a few hundred visitors a month can be enough if the offer is right. - **Newsletter sponsorships.** The site grows an email list, and sponsors pay per issue. The audience is owned, not rented from a search engine. - **Memberships and donations.** Work best for sites with a loyal community or unique data. - **Lead generation.** Passing qualified inquiries to a business for a fee per lead, common in local and B2B niches. Each follows the same formula: find the unit you are paid for, count how often it happens, multiply. ## Comparing the models at a glance | Model | What drives income | Works at low traffic? | Main risk | | Display ads | Pageviews × RPM | Weakly: income scales with volume | Slower pages, network policy changes | | Affiliates | Buying-intent visits × conversion × commission | Yes, if the topic is commercial | Program terms and commissions change | | Sponsored posts | Posts sold × price | Yes, if the audience is relevant | Trust erosion, disclosure obligations | | Own product or service | Leads × close rate × price | Yes | Needs time to build | Most small sites mix two or three models. The useful question is not "how much do websites make" but "which model fits my traffic and topic." ## How to estimate your own site's earning potential - **Get real traffic numbers.** Last 3–6 months of pageviews and visits from your analytics, split by page. - **Sort pages by intent.** Informational ("what is"), commercial ("best X for Y"), navigational. Commercial pages carry affiliate potential; informational ones carry ad potential. - **Pick conservative rates.** Use your own data if you have any. If not, take the lowest figure you can justify and label it an assumption. - **Run each model separately** with the formulas above, then add only the models you'd actually use together. - **Subtract costs:** hosting, tools, writing time, and the speed cost of heavy ad code. - **Re-check in 90 days** against what really came in, and replace assumptions with facts. ## Putting it together: a mixed example (for illustration) Real sites rarely use one model. Take an imaginary hiking blog with 15,000 pageviews a month, of which 3,000 land on gear reviews. Using the same made-up rates as above: | Source | Calculation | Monthly (illustrative) | | Ads on informational pages | 12,000 / 1,000 × $5 | $60 | | Affiliate links on reviews | 3,000 × 0.10 × 0.03 × $20 | $180 | | One sponsored post | 1 × $80 | $80 | | Total | | $320 | Two lessons from even a toy example. First, the review pages, a fifth of the traffic, bring more than the other four-fifths. Second, one sponsored post a month changes the picture more than doubling ad impressions would. That is why "how much does a website make per visitor" has no universal answer: it depends on what each page is for. ## Mistakes that inflate estimates - **Using a single good month.** Traffic and ad rates are seasonal. Average at least a quarter, better a year. - **Counting sessions as pageviews.** Ads pay on impressions, affiliates on clicks. Mixing units can double an estimate by accident. - **Borrowing someone's "income report" rate.** A rate from another niche or country says little about yours. - **Ignoring the cost of ads.** Heavy ad code slows pages; slower pages can lose readers. Measure page speed before and after adding ads. - **Adding models that conflict.** Ads next to affiliate links can pull clicks away from the higher-value link. - **Forgetting taxes and fees.** Payment processors, currency conversion and taxes all come out of the headline number. ## How to check a site you might buy or advertise on - Ask for read-only analytics access, not screenshots. - Ask for payout reports from the ad network or affiliate programs, covering at least several months. - Compare traffic sources: a site living on one source (one search engine, one social network) is riskier. - Check the site's history, link profile and whether it already sells too many sponsored posts. - Be skeptical of any income figure that comes from a calculator rather than the owner's accounts. ## What to do next Advertisers and buyers decide quickly whether a site is worth their money. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see in about 30 seconds how it looks from the outside on mostly open data, with the evidence behind each number. If sponsored content fits your site, you can also join Satelo, a public beta network where similar sites publish partner articles about each other with `rel="sponsored"` links. ## FAQ ### How much does a website with 10,000 visitors make? There is no single answer: the same traffic can earn very different amounts depending on niche, country and model. Multiply your pageviews by your actual RPM for ads, or model affiliate and sponsored income separately with your own numbers. ### Can I see how much another website earns? No. Income sits in private ad, affiliate and invoicing accounts. Online calculators only multiply a traffic estimate by an assumed rate, so treat them as guesses. ### How much does AdSense pay? Google's published revenue share for display ads on content is 80% to the publisher after the advertiser platform's fee, about 68% when ads are bought through Google Ads. What you earn per visit depends on niche and audience. ### What is RPM? Revenue per thousand pageviews. Divide monthly ad revenue by pageviews and multiply by 1,000. It is the easiest way to compare ad income across months. ### Can a small website make money? Yes, usually through affiliates, sponsored posts or its own product rather than ads, because those models depend less on raw traffic volume. ### Are website worth calculators accurate? Not for income. They rely on estimated traffic and generic rates. Use them as curiosities and rely on the owner's analytics and payout reports. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-grow-a-mom-blog/ Niche blogs # How to Start and Grow a Mom Blog When You Only Have a Few Hours a Week To start and grow a mom blog, pick a narrow corner of parenting you know from experience, write evergreen posts that answer specific questions in connected clusters, and reuse each post across Pinterest, email and one community instead of chasing every platform. The constraint most parent bloggers face is time, not ideas, so this guide is built around a small weekly time budget. It also covers the part many guides skip: protecting your children's privacy as the blog grows. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Choose a narrow lane inside "mom blog" "Mom blog" describes who you are, not what readers search for. Parents search for answers to specific situations: "toddler won't nap in daycare," "pumping schedule back to work," "screen time rules for twins." The narrower your lane, the faster you become the obvious resource for it, and the less you compete with huge parenting publishers. | Broad topic | Narrower lanes (examples) | | Parenting | Raising twins, parenting a child with ADHD, single parenting on shift work | | Family food | Lunchboxes for picky eaters, allergy-friendly family dinners | | Family money | Budget baby gear, one-income households (share your experience, not financial advice) | | Family travel | Road trips with toddlers, camping with babies | | Home and routines | Small-apartment organization with kids, homeschool routines | Pick the lane where you have lived experience. Google's guidance on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks whether content shows first-hand expertise and warns against entering a niche without real expertise just because it might bring search traffic. Your everyday experience as a parent in a specific situation is exactly the kind of first-hand knowledge that is hard for others to copy. ## Set a time budget before you set goals Burnout usually starts when the plan assumes time you don't have. Decide how many hours you can protect each week, then build the plan to fit. Here is one way to split a small budget. | Weekly hours | Writing | Promotion | Maintenance | | 3 hours | One post every two weeks | Pins for each new post, one community | Monthly check of Search Console | | 5 hours | One post a week | Pins, one community, short email | Update one old post a month | | 8 hours | One post a week plus a refresh | Pins, two communities, weekly email, one collaboration a month | Monthly review of what worked | Illustrative example; adjust to your own schedule. Consistency at a sustainable pace beats a burst of daily posts followed by months of silence. ## Write evergreen clusters, not a diary Personal updates build connection with readers who already know you, but they rarely bring new readers from search. Evergreen posts that answer a recurring question keep working for years. Combine both: lead with your own experience, then deliver the practical answer. Organize posts in clusters. A cluster is one main guide plus several focused posts that link to it and to each other. For a "starting solids" lane, it might look like this: - **Main guide:** Starting solids: a month-by-month guide from our kitchen. - **Supporting posts:** first foods we tried and what flopped; how we handled gagging; a baby-led weaning shopping list; what changed with our second baby. Each supporting post links to the main guide; the guide links back to each one. Readers who arrive on one post find the rest, and search engines see a connected body of work. Our [SEO guide for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) explains clusters and internal linking in more depth. If your blog runs on WordPress, our [WordPress promotion plan](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the settings to check first. For health, sleep and feeding topics, link to pediatric or public health sources for medical facts and present your own story as experience, not medical advice. ## Batch once, publish everywhere you already are The biggest time saver is repurposing. Write one post, then cut it into the formats your channels need in the same sitting: - Write the post (your main time investment). - Make two or three vertical Pin images with different headlines. - Turn the key takeaway into a short email for your list. - Pull one tip into a helpful answer for your chosen community. - Schedule everything, then close the laptop. Skip platforms that don't send readers to your blog, at least at the start. You can always add them later when the core routine runs on autopilot. ## Pinterest: the parenting search engine Parents plan on Pinterest: birthday parties, nursery ideas, lunchbox lists, printable chore charts. Pins also keep circulating long after you post them, which suits a small time budget. Start by [claiming your website](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/claim-your-website) on Pinterest so you can see how often your content gets saved and your profile appears on Pins from your site. Then create boards that mirror your blog clusters and use the words parents actually search for in Pin titles and descriptions. Printables and checklists tend to fit the platform well, and they double as email signup incentives. ## Facebook groups and parenting communities Local parent groups, groups for specific situations (NICU parents, twin parents, homeschooling families) and forums are where parents ask for help in real time. Read each group's rules; many ban links or allow them only on a set day. Answer questions thoroughly in the group itself. Over time, members check your profile and find your blog. Never post photos of other people's children or share details from private groups on your blog. ## Collaborate with other parenting bloggers Other parent bloggers are your best allies, especially those in neighboring lanes. A sleep-routine blogger and a family-food blogger share readers but don't compete. Formats that fit a tight schedule: - Round-up posts ("8 moms share their best road-trip snack"). - Guest posts swapped once a quarter. - Shared printable bundles promoted to both email lists. - Joint Pinterest boards for a seasonal topic. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) has outreach templates. Keep the focus on readers rather than links: Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list excessive link exchanges among link schemes. If outreach is the part you never get to, the [Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) places clearly labeled partner articles among sites of a similar level and topic in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. You publish a partner article, earn satellites, and spend them on an article about your blog on another site. Satelo is in public beta and the network is small, so treat it as an addition to the collaborations above. ## Protect your children's privacy as you grow Your blog will outlive your children's toddler years, and what you publish now will be searchable when they are teenagers. Decide your rules before the blog gets popular: - **Names:** use nicknames or initials instead of full names. - **Faces and identifying details:** consider photos that don't show faces, and avoid school uniforms, house numbers and car plates. - **Location:** post about places after you've left, and strip location data from photos. - **Sensitive topics:** potty training, health issues and behavior struggles can embarrass an older child. Write about your experience as a parent rather than detailed stories about the child. - **Consent:** as kids get older, ask them before posting about them. On the legal side, the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is often misunderstood. The FTC's [COPPA FAQ](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/complying-coppa-frequently-asked-questions) says the rule covers commercial sites directed to children under 13, and general-audience sites with actual knowledge that they collect personal information from children under 13. A site is not considered directed to children just because some children visit it. A blog written for parents is generally aimed at adults, but if you add kids' activities, games or signup forms that children might use, read the FAQ and the amended rule (the FAQ notes the rule was amended in April 2025) or ask a lawyer. This is general information, not legal advice. ## Making money as a mom blogger, honestly Common income routes are display ads, affiliate links, sponsored posts, digital products such as printables, and paid workshops. Income varies enormously and depends on traffic, niche and time, so we won't quote any figure as typical. Whatever you choose, disclose. The FTC's [Disclosures 101](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) says to disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationship with a brand, including free products, and to use clear words such as "ad" or "sponsored" placed where readers will see them. Our guide to [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers labels and link attributes for blog posts. Parents trust recommendations from other parents; clear disclosure protects that trust. ## Your first 30 days - Write one sentence describing your lane and who it helps. - Decide your weekly time budget and your privacy rules. - Plan one cluster: a main guide and four supporting posts. - Publish the main guide and two supporting posts. - Claim your site on Pinterest and make Pins for each post. - Set up an email signup with a printable that fits your lane. - Join one community and answer questions without linking for two weeks. - Message two bloggers in neighboring lanes about a round-up or swap. ## What to do next Run the 30-day plan, then look at what moved: Pinterest clicks, email signups and the first search impressions. When brands or other bloggers start looking at your site, it helps to know what they see. You can [see your blog's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How do I start a mom blog? Pick a narrow parenting topic you know from experience, set up a self-hosted blog on your own domain, plan a cluster of posts that answer specific questions, decide your privacy rules for your children, and start an email list and Pinterest account from the beginning. ### Do mom blogs still make money? Some do, through ads, affiliate links, sponsored posts and digital products, but income varies widely and depends on niche, traffic and time invested. Treat income case studies as exceptions, not typical results. ### How often should a mom blogger post? As often as you can sustain. One solid evergreen post every week or two, promoted on Pinterest and email, usually works better than daily posting followed by burnout. ### Does COPPA apply to my mom blog? According to the FTC, COPPA covers sites directed to children under 13 and sites with actual knowledge that they collect personal information from children under 13. A blog for parents is generally aimed at adults, but check the FTC FAQ or a lawyer if you add features children might use. ### Should I show my kids' faces on my blog? That is a personal decision, but many parent bloggers use nicknames, avoid faces and identifying details, and ask older children for consent. What you post stays searchable for years. ### What is the best platform to grow a mom blog? Your blog plus Pinterest and an email list is a strong core, because Pinterest is where many parents plan and email is the audience you own. Add one community where parents in your niche ask questions. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-grow-food-blog/ Niche blogs # How to Grow a Food Blog: Recipe SEO, Pinterest and the Channels That Last To grow a food blog, make every recipe page easy for Google and Pinterest to understand (Recipe structured data, good photos, a fast page), aim at specific long-tail dishes you have actually cooked, and turn first-time visitors into email subscribers. Food is one of the most crowded niches online, so the blogs that grow usually win on specificity and trust rather than volume. This guide covers the technical basics first, then the channels, in the order we would tackle them. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## Start with a narrower food blog than you think "Recipes" is not a niche. "Weeknight dinners for two," "gluten-free baking at high altitude" or "Georgian home cooking in an American kitchen" are. A narrow angle does three things for a new blog: it gives you a realistic set of searches to target, it makes your posts recognizable on Pinterest, and it makes it obvious to readers why you are the person to trust. Google's guidance on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks whether your content clearly shows first-hand expertise, and it warns against entering a topic area "mainly because you thought you'd get search traffic." For a food blog, first-hand expertise is easy to show and hard to fake: your own process photos, the substitution that failed, the oven that runs hot, the exact brand of flour you used. Put those details in every recipe. They are what a copied or AI-spun recipe page cannot have. ## Recipe structured data: what is required and what actually matters Recipe markup is what makes a recipe eligible for rich results such as images, ratings and cook times in Google Search. According to Google's [Recipe structured data documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/recipe), only two properties are required: `name` and `image`. Everything that makes the result useful, though, sits in the recommended list. | Property | Status | Practical note | | `name`, `image` | Required | The image must show the finished dish and be crawlable. | | `recipeIngredient`, `recipeInstructions` | Recommended | Use `HowToStep` for each step; `HowToSection` only if the recipe has parts (crust, filling). | | `prepTime`, `cookTime`, `totalTime` | Recommended | ISO 8601 durations. Use `totalTime` or both prep and cook times. | | `recipeYield`, `nutrition.calories` | Recommended | If you add calories, you must also add the yield in servings. | | `author`, `datePublished`, `description` | Recommended | Cheap to add and support the "who made this" question. | | `recipeCuisine`, `recipeCategory`, `keywords` | Recommended | Describe the dish honestly; do not stuff keywords. | | `aggregateRating`, `video` | Recommended | Only mark up ratings that real readers left on the page. | The same documentation recommends several high-resolution images (at least 50K pixels when you multiply width by height) in 16:9, 4:3 and 1:1 ratios. Practically, that means exporting three crops of your hero shot rather than one. On WordPress you rarely write this markup by hand: a recipe card plugin generates it from the fields you fill in. The plugin only outputs what you give it, so a recipe card with an empty cook time and no yield produces thin markup. After you publish, run the page through the [Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results), fix critical errors, then watch the recipe report in Search Console. Google notes that crawling and indexing can take several days after publishing, so do not expect rich results the same afternoon. ## Recipe SEO: target the dish people actually type Head terms like "banana bread" are owned by large recipe sites with years of links. A new food blog should go after the longer, more specific version of a dish, where the searcher has a constraint you can solve: - **Constraint + dish:** "banana bread without eggs," "one-pan chicken thighs no oven." - **Equipment + dish:** "air fryer falafel from canned chickpeas." - **Occasion + dish:** "make-ahead brunch casserole for 12." - **Problem + dish:** "why is my sourdough gummy," which is often a great post to link to your recipe from. To find these, type your dish into Google and read the autocomplete suggestions and the "People also ask" box. Once your blog has some history, open the Performance report in Search Console and look for queries where you get impressions but sit on page two; those are the posts to improve first. If you see impressions without clicks, our guide on [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) walks through the usual fixes. Keep each recipe page focused on one dish and answer the obvious follow-ups on the page: substitutions, storage, freezing, scaling. Group related recipes with internal links ("more weeknight pasta") so both readers and crawlers can move around. Our broader [SEO guide for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers topic clusters in more depth. ## Food photos that work in search and on Pinterest Photos are your product. Google's [image SEO best practices](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/google-images) give a short checklist that food bloggers often skip: - Use regular `<img>` elements; Google does not index CSS background images. - Give files descriptive names (`eggless-banana-bread-slice.jpg`, not `IMG_4021.jpg`). - Write alt text that describes the image in context, without keyword stuffing. - Place images near the text they illustrate, and balance quality against file size. - Use a supported format such as JPEG, WebP or AVIF, and keep the extension honest. Shoot at least one vertical image per recipe for Pinterest and one clean horizontal or square image for the recipe card. Step photos help readers and can be attached to `HowToStep` markup. ## Keep the recipe page fast Recipe pages tend to collect weight: big photos, ad scripts, video players, social widgets and the recipe card plugin itself. A slow page frustrates the person standing at the counter with flour on their hands. Compress images, lazy-load anything below the first screen, limit third-party scripts, and test the page on a phone over mobile data. Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) explains which metrics to check and how to read them. A practical rule: put a "jump to recipe" link near the top, but keep your personal notes. The story is where your first-hand experience lives; just make it useful (what went wrong in testing, why this method) instead of filler. ## Pinterest: a second search engine for recipes Pinterest behaves more like a visual search engine than a social feed, which makes it a natural fit for recipes. Two setup steps are worth doing on day one: - **Claim your website.** Pinterest's help center explains [how to claim your site](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/claim-your-website) with an HTML tag, an uploaded file or a DNS TXT record. Claiming lets you see how often your content is saved and puts your profile picture on Pins from your site. A business account is not strictly required, though Pinterest recommends one. - **Enable recipe Rich Pins.** [Rich Pins](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/rich-pins) pull the title, servings, cook time and ingredients from your page and update when the page changes. For recipes, Pinterest reads schema.org Recipe markup, the same markup you added for Google, so this costs you almost nothing extra. Then create several Pin designs per recipe over time, use the words people search for in the Pin title and description, and organize boards by the same clusters you use on the blog (by course, diet or occasion). Watch which Pins drive clicks to your site, not just saves. ## Email: the channel you own Search and Pinterest traffic can swing with every algorithm change. An email list is the one audience no platform can take away. Offer something a cook actually wants (a printable weekly meal plan, a holiday baking schedule, a pantry checklist for your niche) instead of a generic "subscribe for updates." Send on a predictable rhythm, and in each email link back to two or three recipes, including one older post that deserves a second life. ## Collaborations, round-ups and partner posts Food bloggers have a long tradition of working together: recipe round-ups, seasonal link parties, guest recipes, cook-along challenges. These bring in readers who already like your kind of food. Some ground rules keep them clean: - Pick partners whose readers would genuinely enjoy your recipes, not just any blog with traffic. - Write the guest recipe properly; it represents you on someone else's site. - Do not trade links in bulk. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) name excessive link exchanges among link schemes. - Disclose paid or gifted work. Our post on [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers labels and link attributes. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) has outreach templates and formats. If finding partners manually takes too long, the [Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) matches you with sites of a similar level and topic: you publish a labeled partner article on one site and another site publishes one about yours, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small, so treat it as one channel among the ones above, not a replacement for them. ## Are food blogs still worth it? Honest answer: it depends on your patience and your angle. Food is competitive, and income figures you see in case studies are the exception, not the norm, so we will not quote any as typical. What is true is that a focused food blog with good photos, solid Recipe markup and an email list builds assets that keep working: recipes get searched every year, Pins resurface, and subscribers come back. Plan for months, not weeks, before search traffic becomes steady. ## A 30-day starter checklist - Write a one-sentence niche statement and test five post ideas against it. - Install a recipe card plugin and fill every field, including times, yield and cuisine. - Verify the site in Search Console and run your first recipes through the Rich Results Test. - Export three crops of each hero image and one vertical Pin image. - Claim your site on Pinterest and enable recipe Rich Pins. - Publish four long-tail recipes in one cluster, linked to each other. - Set up an email signup with a specific freebie. - Contact three food bloggers in an adjacent niche about a round-up or recipe swap. ## What to do next Work through the checklist, then measure what moved: indexed recipes and impressions in Search Console, outbound clicks from Pinterest, and email signups. Before you pitch collaborations or brand partners, it helps to know how your blog looks from the outside. You can [see your food blog's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How do I grow my food blog fast? There is no reliable shortcut. The fastest honest route is a narrow niche, long-tail recipes you have actually tested, complete Recipe structured data, strong photos for Pinterest and an email list from day one. Expect months before search traffic is steady. ### Do food blogs need Recipe schema? Recipe structured data is what makes a recipe eligible for recipe rich results in Google. Only name and image are required, but adding ingredients, instructions, times, yield and author makes the markup far more useful. Pinterest also reads it for recipe Rich Pins. ### Is Pinterest still good for food bloggers? Pinterest works like a visual search engine and recipes fit it well. Claim your website, enable recipe Rich Pins, and track which Pins send clicks to your site rather than only saves. ### How do food bloggers make money? Common models are display ads, affiliate links, sponsored recipes, digital products such as meal plans, and email-based offers. Paid and affiliate content must be clearly disclosed. Income varies widely, so case-study numbers are not a typical outcome. ### What should a new food blog post about first? Specific dishes with a constraint you can solve, such as a diet, piece of equipment, occasion or common problem. Group them into clusters and link related recipes together. ### Do I need to tell my story before the recipe? Keep personal notes that help the cook, such as testing results, substitutions and why the method works, and add a jump-to-recipe link near the top. That shows first-hand experience without making readers scroll through filler. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-tech-blog/ Niche blogs # How to Promote a Tech Blog: Communities, Tutorial SEO and Syndication Done Right To promote a tech blog, write posts that solve a specific technical problem, share them in developer communities on those communities' terms, cross-post to dev.to or Medium with a canonical link back to your site, and use your GitHub projects and docs as entry points. Developers are allergic to marketing, so the promotion that works looks a lot like being useful in public. Here is how to do each part without getting flagged or ignored. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What makes tech blog promotion different Technical readers search for exact error messages, compare approaches, and share posts that saved them an afternoon. They also downvote anything that smells like an ad. That shapes the strategy: the content itself has to carry most of the promotion, and every community you post in has its own written rules. Read them before you post, not after your account gets flagged. ## Write posts that are worth sharing The tech posts that travel share a few traits: - **One concrete problem per post.** "Fixing `ECONNRESET` in Node 22 behind an nginx proxy" beats "Networking tips." - **Reproducible code.** Minimal examples that run, with versions stated. Link a repo or gist when the example is longer than a screen. - **Honest trade-offs.** When not to use your approach, and what you measured (with your setup described) rather than claimed. - **A clear "who wrote this."** Google's guidance on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks whether it is self-evident who authored the content and whether it shows first-hand expertise. A short author note with your GitHub profile does both. Formats that tend to get shared: deep dives into how something works internally, post-mortems of real bugs, benchmarks with full methodology, and "I built X, here is what I learned" write-ups. ## Hacker News: share occasionally, never ask for votes The [Hacker News guidelines](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html) allow posting your own work "part of the time," but the site is not meant to be a promotion channel. A few rules matter most for bloggers: - Use the post's original title unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize. - Don't ask anyone to upvote, comment or submit your post. HN treats this as manipulation. - Show HN is for things people can try, not articles. The [Show HN rules](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html) list blog posts among off-topic submissions, so submit your post as a regular story. If a post does get traction, show up in the comments, answer questions and accept corrections gracefully. That discussion is often worth more than the traffic spike. ## Lobsters and Reddit: participate first [Lobsters](https://lobste.rs/about) registers new users by invitation, and its guidelines say self-promotion should be less than a quarter of your stories and comments. The site explicitly discourages using it as a write-only tool for driving traffic to your work. Reddit's sitewide [rules](https://redditinc.com/policies/reddit-rules) ask users to follow each community's rules, participate authentically in communities where they have a personal interest, and not spam. Programming subreddits often add their own limits on self-posted links. A practical approach: - Pick two or three subreddits that match your stack. - Spend a few weeks answering questions there without linking anything. - When you share your own post, add a comment explaining the context and what readers will learn. - Keep your own links a small share of your activity. ## Cross-post to dev.to, Hashnode and Medium with a canonical link Developer platforms come with built-in audiences. Cross-posting lets you reach them while keeping your own site as the original. The tool for that is the canonical URL, which tells search engines which version you consider the main one. | Platform | How to point back to your post | | dev.to (Forem) | Set `canonical_url` in the post's front matter or via the API. The [Forem API docs](https://developers.forem.com/api/v1) describe it as the field to use if the post was originally published elsewhere. | | Medium | Use the [Import a story](https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/214550207-Import-post) tool, which Medium says adds a canonical link to the original, or set the canonical manually in the story settings. | | Hashnode and others | Look for an "originally published at" or canonical URL field in the post settings, then check the page source of the published copy. | Two caveats. First, Google calls `rel="canonical"` a strong signal, not a command, and says it decides which pages are duplicates based on content similarity (see [Consolidate duplicate URLs](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls)). A copy on a large platform can still show up in search. Second, wait until Google has indexed your original before you cross-post, and always check the published copy's source for the canonical tag. Our [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/) covers timing and partner sites in more detail. ## SEO for tutorials: errors, versions and freshness Technical search is unusually literal. People paste errors, API names and version numbers into the search box. Use that: - **Put the exact error string in the text** (in a `code` element and in a heading if it is the main topic). - **State versions** in the intro: framework, runtime, OS. Readers decide in seconds whether your fix applies to them. - **Update when versions change.** Add a note with the date and what changed, instead of silently editing. - **Link to official docs** for every API you use. It helps readers and shows you checked the source. - **Build a series** around one tool or stack and link the parts together, so readers and crawlers find the whole set. For niche-blog SEO basics like topic clusters and internal links, see our [SEO guide for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Use GitHub and documentation as channels If you write about your own code, the repository is often the best-targeted promotion you have. Developers who find your project are exactly the readers who care about how it works. - Link relevant posts from the README ("Why we chose SQLite," "Benchmarks"). - Link from issues and discussions when a post answers a recurring question, instead of repeating the explanation. - Write the post you wish existed when you got stuck on a library, and offer it as an example to the project's docs or community page if they accept contributions. - Put your blog URL in your GitHub profile; people who like your code check it. ## Newsletters, aggregators and podcasts Many language and framework ecosystems have curated weekly newsletters that accept link suggestions. Find the ones for your stack, read a few issues to see what they include, and submit only your strongest, most relevant posts. The same goes for community podcasts that invite guests: a well-researched post is often the best pitch for an episode. Start your own newsletter too, even a small one. An RSS feed plus an email digest of your posts keeps readers who arrived from a one-time spike. ## Collaborate with other tech bloggers Pair up with writers working on adjacent stacks: a joint benchmark, a "two ways to solve this" post, a guest tutorial, or a shared series. Each brings their own readers and the result is usually better than either could write alone. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) has outreach templates. Keep collaborations about content: Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list excessive link exchanges among link schemes. If you want regular mentions on related sites without managing outreach, the [Satelo exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) places labeled partner articles in a circle among sites of a similar level and topic, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. It is a public beta with a small network, so use it as an extra channel, not the main one. If you work with AI agents, you can also drive Satelo through its [MCP server](https://satelo.io/agents/) from your editor or agent of choice. ## Mistakes that quietly kill tech blog promotion - **Posting the same link everywhere on day one.** Communities notice cross-posted announcements; tailor the context to each one or skip it. - **Cross-posting before your original is indexed.** The copy on a big platform may be found first. - **Stale code with no date.** A tutorial that breaks on the current version costs you trust with every reader who tries it. - **Asking friends to upvote.** HN forbids it, and vote rings get noticed on most sites. - **Hiding who you are.** Anonymous tech advice is harder to trust; an author note with real projects helps readers judge your experience. ## A weekly routine that fits around coding | When | Task | Time | | Monday | Note one problem you solved last week as a post idea | 10 min | | Midweek | Answer two questions in your chosen communities, no links | 20 min | | Publish day | Publish, check it is indexable, link it from the README or related posts | 30 min | | A few days later | Cross-post with a canonical URL; share in one community where it fits | 20 min | | Monthly | Review Search Console queries; update posts for new versions | 45 min | Times are illustrative; adjust them to your own pace. ## What to do next Pick one recent problem you solved, write it up with exact errors and versions, and run it through the routine above. If you plan to approach other blogs for collaborations, check how your site looks from their side first: you can [see your tech blog's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How do I get readers for my tech blog? Write posts that solve one specific technical problem with reproducible code, share them occasionally in communities like Hacker News, Lobsters or relevant subreddits within their rules, cross-post with canonical links, and link posts from your GitHub projects. ### Can I post my own blog on Hacker News? Yes, occasionally. The HN guidelines allow posting your own work part of the time, ask you to keep the original title and forbid asking for upvotes. Blog posts are not allowed as Show HN; submit them as regular stories. ### Should I cross-post to dev.to or Medium? It can reach new readers. Set a canonical URL pointing to your original post (dev.to supports a canonical_url field; Medium's import tool adds one) and wait until your original is indexed. Canonical is a strong signal, not a guarantee. ### Does cross-posting hurt SEO? Duplicate copies can compete with your original in search. A correct canonical link reduces that risk but Google may still choose another version, so publish on your own site first and check the canonical tag on every copy. ### What should a tech blog write about? Problems you have actually solved: exact errors, migrations, performance investigations, post-mortems and honest comparisons with the setup and versions stated. ### Is Reddit good for promoting a tech blog? It can be, within each subreddit's rules. Reddit asks users to participate authentically and not spam, so answer questions first and keep your own links a small part of your activity. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-travel-blog/ Niche blogs # How to Promote a Travel Blog: 12 Channels That Don't Depend on Instagram To promote a travel blog, build on channels where people are actively planning a trip: search results for specific destinations, Pinterest, travel communities and your own email list, then add collaborations with other bloggers and tourism partners. Instagram can help, but it rarely sends readers to your site. Below are 12 channels, what each is good for, and the rules that keep you out of trouble. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why Instagram alone won't grow a travel blog Instagram is built to keep people inside the app, so a beautiful feed often turns into likes rather than readers on your blog. Travel planning, on the other hand, happens with intent: someone types "3 days in Porto with kids" or saves "Lisbon itinerary" Pins weeks before a trip. The channels below are sorted roughly by how directly they reach that planning moment. You don't need all 12. Pick three or four that fit your style, run them for a few months, and keep the ones that send readers. | Channel | Best for | Effort | Time to results | | 1. Destination long-tail SEO | Steady planning traffic | High | Months | | 2. Updating old posts | Keeping traffic you earned | Medium | Weeks | | 3. Pinterest | Itineraries, lists, visual guides | Medium | Weeks to months | | 4. Email newsletter | Repeat readers | Medium | Ongoing | | 5. Reddit and forums | Niche destinations, honest advice | Medium | Days | | 6. Facebook groups | Specific countries, travel styles | Low to medium | Days | | 7. Blogger collaborations | New audiences who trust a peer | Medium | Weeks | | 8. Tourism boards and local businesses | Credibility, trips, partnerships | High | Months | | 9. Media kit | Converting interest into deals | Low | One-off | | 10. Video repurposing | Reach on YouTube and Shorts | High | Months | | 11. Guest articles | Exposure on bigger travel sites | Medium | Weeks | | 12. Partner article exchange | Regular mentions on similar sites | Low | Weeks | ## 1. Destination long-tail SEO "Paris travel guide" belongs to publishers with large teams. "Paris with a toddler in winter," "Day trip from Kyoto to Nara without a tour" or "Is the Faroe Islands ferry worth it" are winnable for a small blog, and they match exactly what a traveler types when the plan gets specific. Look at Google autocomplete and the "People also ask" box for your destination, and write one focused post per real question. Your advantage is that you were there. Google's guidance on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks whether content shows first-hand expertise, and it uses "visiting a place" as an example. Show it: your own photos, the bus that didn't run on Sundays, what you actually paid and when, the mistake you'd avoid next time. Link posts for the same country or region into a cluster so readers can plan a whole trip on your site. Our [SEO guide for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers clusters and internal linking step by step. ## 2. Update old posts instead of only writing new ones Travel information goes stale fast: prices, opening hours, visa rules, transport routes. An outdated post loses reader trust and usually its rankings with it. Every few months, open Search Console, find posts with falling clicks, and refresh the facts. Add a visible "last updated" note with what changed. For anything regulatory (entry requirements, visas), link to the official government source instead of restating details that may change after you publish. ## 3. Pinterest for itineraries and guides Pinterest works like a visual search engine for trips that haven't happened yet. Start by [claiming your website](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/claim-your-website), which lets you see how often your content is saved and adds your profile to Pins from your site. Then create vertical Pins for each itinerary, packing list and "where to stay" guide, with the destination name in the Pin title and description. Organize boards by destination and travel style, the same way your blog clusters are organized. ## 4. An email newsletter Search rankings and social reach change without warning; your list doesn't. Give people a concrete reason to subscribe that fits your niche: a printable itinerary, a packing checklist for a specific climate, or a monthly "where to go next month" note. Each email should link back to a couple of posts, including an older one that is still accurate. Readers who planned one trip with your help often come back for the next. ## 5. Reddit and travel forums Destination subreddits and forums are full of people asking exactly the questions your posts answer. They are also quick to spot self-promotion. Reddit's sitewide [rules](https://redditinc.com/policies/reddit-rules) ask users to abide by community rules, participate authentically in communities where they have a personal interest, and not spam. Each subreddit adds its own rules, and many restrict links to personal blogs. What works: answer the question fully in the thread, then link your detailed post only when it truly adds something (a map, a full itinerary) and the community allows it. Build a history of helpful comments first. A profile that only posts its own links tends to get removed. ## 6. Facebook groups and niche communities Country-specific groups, digital nomad groups, family travel groups and van life communities are often more active than a blog's comments section ever will be. Read the group rules first; many have a weekly promotion thread or ban links entirely. Being the person who gives accurate, specific answers about one region builds a reputation that eventually sends readers to your site through your profile. ## 7. Collaborations with other travel bloggers Other travel bloggers are not only competitors. A blogger who covers Japan and one who covers South Korea share readers who plan regional trips. Collaboration formats that work well in travel: - Expert round-ups ("12 bloggers on their favorite Balkan town"). - Itinerary swaps, where each of you writes the region you know best for the other's site. - Joint newsletters or shared giveaways. - Interviews or podcast episodes. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) includes outreach templates. Keep collaborations about readers, not links: Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list excessive link exchanges and partner pages made only for cross-linking among link schemes. ## 8. Tourism boards, hotels and local businesses Tourism boards and local businesses want accurate, well-photographed coverage of their area. Small, focused blogs can be attractive partners because their readers are a precise match. Start local or with a destination you already cover well, and pitch a specific idea (for example, "an off-season guide to the coast, with three family-run guesthouses") rather than asking for a free trip. If you receive anything of value, from a free night to a paid campaign, disclose it. The FTC's [Disclosures 101 for influencers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) says to disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationship with a brand, to place the disclosure where people will see it, and to use clear words such as "ad" or "sponsored." Our post on [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers labels and link attributes for blog posts. ## 9. A one-page media kit A media kit turns "this blog looks nice" into a conversation. Keep it to one page: who you are, what you cover, who your readers are, a few best posts, collaboration formats and contact details. Use real numbers from your analytics and date them; never round up or estimate audience size. If you are unsure what to charge, our guide on [how to price sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/) explains the factors brands look at. ## 10. Repurpose trips into video You already have the footage. A short video per destination ("3 mistakes to avoid in Marrakech") can reach people on YouTube and Shorts who will never search for a blog. Put the link to the full written guide in the description and in a pinned comment. Treat video as a separate channel with its own pace; it takes time to build, so add it once your written content is in place. ## 11. Guest articles on larger travel sites Writing for an established travel publication puts your name in front of its readers. Pitch an angle the site doesn't cover yet, write it as carefully as you would for your own blog, and use your author bio to point readers to your site. Avoid sites that publish anything for a fee with keyword-stuffed links: the same spam policies list paid articles with links that pass ranking credit, and links with optimized anchor text in guest posts, as link schemes. ## 12. A partner article exchange If manual outreach takes more time than you have, a structured exchange can add regular mentions. On [Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/), sites of a similar level and topic publish clearly labeled partner articles about each other in a circle (A writes about B, B about C, C about A) rather than swapping links directly, and links are marked `rel="sponsored"`. It's a way to reach readers of related travel sites, not a ranking shortcut. Satelo is in public beta with a small network, so use it alongside the channels above. ## A simple 90-day plan - **Weeks 1 to 4:** pick one destination cluster, publish four or five long-tail posts, claim your site on Pinterest and set up an email signup. - **Weeks 5 to 8:** create Pins for every post, start answering questions in two communities, and contact three bloggers in neighboring regions about a collaboration. - **Weeks 9 to 12:** refresh your oldest posts, write your media kit with real dated numbers, and pitch one local tourism partner. Measure what matters for each channel: impressions and clicks in Search Console, outbound clicks from Pinterest, referral visits from communities, and email signups. Drop the channels that don't move after a fair try. ## What to do next Before you pitch tourism boards or other bloggers, check how your blog looks from their side. You can [see your travel blog's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How do I promote my travel blog for free? Focus on long-tail destination posts written from first-hand experience, claim your website on Pinterest, answer questions in travel communities where links are allowed, start an email list and collaborate with bloggers who cover neighboring destinations. ### How do travel bloggers get traffic? Most steady traffic comes from search and Pinterest, because that is where people plan trips. Communities, newsletters and collaborations add readers who are already interested in your destinations. ### Is SEO worth it for a travel blog? Yes, if you target specific questions instead of broad destination guides. Specific posts based on real visits are winnable for small blogs, and they keep bringing planning traffic as long as you keep the facts up to date. ### Do I need to disclose free trips or hotel stays? The FTC says to disclose when you receive anything of value or have a financial relationship with a brand, using clear words such as ad or sponsored, placed where readers will see them. Check the FTC guidance and the rules in your country. ### What should a travel blogger media kit include? A short bio, what you cover, who your readers are, a few best posts, collaboration formats, real dated audience numbers from your analytics and contact details. One page is enough. ### Can I promote my travel blog on Reddit? Only within each community's rules. Reddit asks users to participate authentically and not spam, and many travel subreddits restrict links to personal blogs. Answer questions fully in the thread and link only when it genuinely helps. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/ Promotion # How to Promote a WordPress Blog: A 14-Step Plan for the First 90 Days To promote a WordPress blog, first make sure search engines can find and read it, then publish focused content in a clear structure, then take it to the people who want it through email, communities and partner sites. Most generic promotion advice skips the first part, and on WordPress that part is a handful of settings that take an afternoon. Below are 14 steps in the order we would do them on a new blog, with what to measure at each stage. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## Why WordPress needs its own promotion plan WordPress runs [39.7% of all websites](https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress) according to W3Techs (data as of October 16, 2026). That means almost every promotion tip you read was written with a WordPress site somewhere in mind, but very few of them tell you which WordPress settings and features to use. The plan below is split into three phases: technical setup in week one, content structure in weeks two to six, and distribution from week three onward. The phases overlap; do not wait for one to be perfect before starting the next. ## Phase 1, week one: make the blog findable ### Step 1. Turn off "Discourage search engines" Go to **Settings > Reading** and check the **Search engine visibility** box is unticked. It is easy to leave ticked if you built the site privately before launch. According to the [WordPress documentation](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-reading-screen/), when it is ticked WordPress adds a `noindex,nofollow` robots meta tag to your pages and stops update pings. A blog with this box ticked can do everything else on this list and still never appear in search. ### Step 2. Choose your permalink structure before you publish In **Settings > Permalinks**, the [available options](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-permalinks-screen/) range from Plain (`/?p=123`) to Post name (`/sample-post/`). Google's [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) recommends including words in URLs that are useful for users, which makes Post name the simple choice for most blogs. Decide now: changing the structure later changes every URL, and you would need redirects from the old addresses. ### Step 3. Check your sitemap Since WordPress 5.5, core generates an XML sitemap at `/wp-sitemap.xml`, as described in the [release notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/07/22/new-xml-sitemaps-functionality-in-wordpress-5-5/). If you use an SEO plugin, it usually replaces this with its own sitemap at a different address; use whichever one actually loads. Open it in a browser and confirm your posts are listed. Note that the core sitemap is disabled while the "Discourage search engines" box from Step 1 is ticked. ### Step 4. Connect Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools Verify your site in [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about) and submit the sitemap URL from Step 3. Google is clear that a sitemap is [only a hint](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap) and does not guarantee crawling, but it helps a new site get discovered. Then add the site to Bing Webmaster Tools, which can [import verified sites from Search Console](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/september-2019/Import-sites-from-Search-Console-to-Bing-Webmaster-Tools) in a few clicks. ### Step 5. Add IndexNow IndexNow lets your site notify participating search engines whenever a post is published, updated or deleted. The [IndexNow FAQ](https://www.indexnow.org/faq) lists Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam.cz, Amazon and Yep as participants, and a submission to one is shared with the others; Google is not among them. On WordPress, the simplest route is the [IndexNow plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/) published by the Bing Webmaster team, which hosts the key file and submits changed URLs in the background. Several SEO plugins include IndexNow too; use one method, not both. ### Step 6. Fix the speed problems that are easy to fix Choose a lightweight theme, remove plugins you do not use, compress images before upload, and turn on caching through your host or a caching plugin. Then check the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console once you have enough visitors for it to show data. Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) covers what to fix first without hiring a developer. ## Phase 2, weeks two to six: structure content so it can be found ### Step 7. Pick a narrow topic and write for specific questions New blogs rarely win broad queries. Pick one topic area and write posts that answer specific questions people type, such as "how to repot a snake plant" rather than "houseplants." Google's starter guide says there is "no magical word count target," so make each post as long as the answer needs and no longer. Our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) shows how to find these questions without paid tools. ### Step 8. Use categories as topic hubs and link between posts Keep categories few and broad, so each category page becomes a real hub for one topic. Use tags sparingly, or not at all; dozens of near-empty tag archives add little. Inside every new post, link to two or three related older posts with descriptive anchor text, which Google's starter guide recommends because it tells readers and search engines what the linked page is about. Then go back and add a link to the new post from an older one. ### Step 9. Publish on a schedule you can keep, then update One solid post a week for three months is better than ten posts in week one and silence afterward. From the second month, spend part of your writing time improving posts that already get impressions in Search Console: answer the queries they are showing up for, add missing steps, fix outdated details. If two posts compete for the same question, merge them and redirect the weaker one. ## Phase 3, from week three: take the blog to readers ### Step 10. Start an email list on day one Search and social platforms can change their rules; your list is yours. WordPress already publishes [RSS feeds](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/wordpress/feeds/) of your posts, and most newsletter tools can turn that feed into an automatic email. Add one signup form at the end of each post and offer something small but specific, such as a checklist that goes with your most popular article. ### Step 11. Join two communities and answer questions Find the subreddits, forums, Facebook groups or Discord servers where your readers ask questions. Read the rules, answer questions in full for a few weeks, and link a post only when it is the best answer. One helpful community presence brings more lasting readers than a dozen drive-by link drops, which most moderators remove anyway. ### Step 12. Collaborate with bloggers in your niche Guest posts, expert roundups, joint guides and newsletter swaps all put your work in front of an audience that already trusts someone else. Start with bloggers at a similar stage to you; they are more likely to say yes and to stay in touch. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) has outreach examples and formats. ### Step 13. Exchange partner articles, labeled honestly Partner and sponsored articles can introduce your blog to readers of related sites, as long as they are disclosed. Google's guidance on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) says paid placements should be marked `rel="sponsored"`, and its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) name excessive "link to me and I'll link to you" exchanges as link spam. So the goal is readers and mentions, not search rankings. If you host such articles yourself, our guide on how to [accept sponsored posts on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) covers labeling and pricing. One thing to watch for: be skeptical of any plugin that promises more traffic. WordPress.org's [plugin guidelines](https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/detailed-plugin-guidelines/) do not allow directory plugins to offer "to drive more traffic to sites that use the plugin," and no plugin can honestly guarantee it. ### Step 14. Measure the right things for 90 days Google's starter guide notes that some changes take effect in hours and others take several months. For a new blog, rankings are the wrong early metric. Track these instead: | When | What to check | Where | Healthy sign | | Weeks 1 to 2 | Sitemap read, pages discovered | Search Console: Sitemaps, Pages | No errors; posts move from "Discovered" to indexed | | Weeks 3 to 6 | Indexed posts and first impressions | Search Console: Pages, Performance | Most posts indexed; impressions for long, specific queries | | Weeks 6 to 12 | Queries per post, clicks, email signups | Search Console, your analytics, your newsletter tool | Impressions rising week over week; first signups from posts | | Ongoing | Referral visits from communities and partners | Your analytics: referral sources | A few sources you can name and repeat | ## The 14 steps as a checklist - Week 1: search visibility on, Post name permalinks, sitemap checked, Search Console and Bing connected, IndexNow active, theme and plugins trimmed. - Weeks 2 to 6: one narrow topic, question-led posts, a few clear categories, internal links in every post, a publishing rhythm you can keep. - From week 3: email signup form, two communities, one collaboration a month, labeled partner articles, a weekly look at Search Console. ## A worked example (illustrative) Imagine a new WordPress blog about home coffee brewing. In week one the owner discovers the host had ticked "Discourage search engines," fixes it, switches to Post name permalinks and connects Search Console, Bing and the IndexNow plugin. Over the next five weeks they publish six posts, each answering one question ("why is my pour-over bitter," "burr vs blade grinder for one cup"), grouped into two categories, Brewing and Gear, with links between them. From week three they answer questions in a coffee subreddit and a forum, start a short weekly email, and co-write a grinder comparison with another small coffee blog. By week twelve, the useful signals are which posts get impressions, which communities send readers who stay, and how many people joined the list; those decide what to write next. This is an example to show the sequence, not a real case or a forecast. ## What to do next Do Phase 1 today; it takes an afternoon and everything else depends on it. Then pick one step from Phase 3 that you will repeat weekly. If you want partner articles to be part of your plan without the manual back-and-forth, you can [connect your WordPress site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) in one click: partner articles from related sites arrive as drafts or publish automatically, always labeled as partner content with `rel="sponsored"` links, and you earn satellites for each one to spend on articles about your own blog. Satelo is in public beta with a small network, so start with it alongside the steps above. You can also [see your blog's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How do I promote my WordPress blog for free? Make sure search engines can index it (check Settings > Reading, permalinks and your sitemap), connect Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, publish focused posts that answer specific questions, link them together, and share them through an email list, niche communities and collaborations with other bloggers. ### How do I increase views on my WordPress blog? Improve the posts that already get impressions in Search Console, add internal links from related posts, and bring readers back with an email list. Community answers and collaborations add visitors who are likely to stay. ### Does WordPress create a sitemap automatically? Yes. Since WordPress 5.5, core generates a sitemap at /wp-sitemap.xml. Many SEO plugins replace it with their own. The core sitemap is disabled when the 'Discourage search engines from indexing this site' option is ticked. ### Is IndexNow worth it for a WordPress blog? It is free and quick to set up, and it notifies participating engines such as Bing and Yandex when you publish or update a post. Google does not participate, so it does not replace Search Console. ### How long does it take for a new WordPress blog to get traffic? Expect weeks for indexing and first impressions and several months for steady search traffic. Google says some changes take effect within hours and others take several months, so judge progress by indexing and impressions first. ### Should I use a plugin that promises more traffic? Be skeptical. WordPress.org's plugin guidelines do not allow plugins in its directory to offer to drive more traffic to the sites that use them, and no plugin can honestly guarantee traffic. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-copilot/ Ai search # How to Rank in Microsoft Copilot: Start With the Bing Index To rank in Microsoft Copilot, you first need your pages in the Bing index, crawled cleanly and refreshed fast, because Copilot answers are grounded in the same crawling and indexing system as Bing search. This guide covers the setup in Bing Webmaster Tools, IndexNow, the meta tags that quietly block Copilot citations, the content rules Bing now spells out for AI answers, and how to see whether Copilot actually cites you. Published: 2026-10-16 · 10 min read · Satelo ## Copilot does not have a separate index you can submit to There is no "Copilot Search Console" and no form to add your site to Copilot. Microsoft's own [Bing Webmaster Guidelines](https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/webmaster-guidelines-30fba23a) now cover Bing search, Copilot, and grounding API results in one document, and they say that Bing and Copilot search experiences "rely on the same core crawling, indexing, and ranking foundation as traditional search." In practice, "ranking in Copilot" means two things: - **Eligibility.** Your page is in the Bing index, is not blocked by robots.txt or meta directives, and can be rendered by Bingbot. - **Selection.** When Copilot looks for sources to ground an answer, your page is a clear, focused, verifiable match for the question. Bing calls the result a **citation**, not a ranking. The guidelines are also honest about limits: "GEO does not guarantee grounding or citations in AI experiences." Nobody can promise you a Copilot citation, including the tactics below. What you can do is remove every reason Bing has to skip you. ## Step 1: Add and verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools Bing Webmaster Tools is free and is where everything else in this guide happens. Per Bing's [Add and Verify site](https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/add-and-verify-site-12184f8b) help page, you have two routes: - **Import from Google Search Console.** If your site is already verified in Search Console, Bing can import it, verify it automatically, and pull in the sitemaps you submitted there. Bing keeps checking your Search Console account periodically and imports new sitemaps it finds. This is the fastest option for most small sites. - **Add the site manually** and verify ownership with an XML file (`BingSiteAuth.xml` in the site root), a meta tag in the `<head>` of your home page, a CNAME record, or DNS auto-verification if your DNS provider supports Domain Connect. Bing's help page says it usually takes about 48 hours after adding a site before reports show data, so do this first and work on the other steps while you wait. ## Step 2: Give Bing a clean sitemap The guidelines list four discovery channels: IndexNow, XML sitemaps, crawlable internal links, and external links from relevant websites. Sitemaps are the baseline. Bing's rules for them are short: - List only canonical URLs. - Remove deleted or redirected URLs promptly. - Include freshness signals such as `lastmod`. - Reflect the current site structure. The Bing Webmaster Blog post [Keeping Content Discoverable with Sitemaps in AI Powered Search](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/July-2025/Keeping-Content-Discoverable-with-Sitemaps-in-AI-Powered-Search) adds the details: write `lastmod` in ISO 8601 with date and time (for example `2026-10-16T09:30:00+00:00`), make it reflect when the content really changed rather than when the sitemap was generated, and do not bother with `changefreq` or `priority`, which Bing ignores. Reference the sitemap in robots.txt with a `Sitemap:` line and submit it in the Sitemaps section of Webmaster Tools, where you can see the last read date and any processing errors. A common small-site mistake is a sitemap plugin that stamps every URL with today's date on each rebuild. That teaches Bing your `lastmod` is noise. If your platform does this, fix it or drop `lastmod` until you can. ## Step 3: Turn on IndexNow so Copilot sees your current pages IndexNow is an open protocol for telling search engines that a URL was added, updated, or deleted. Bing's guidelines ask you to use it in all three cases and explain why it matters for AI answers: timely notifications "reduce outdated or incorrect URL references in Copilot responses and grounding results." How it works, per the [IndexNow documentation](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation): - Generate a key (8 to 128 characters: letters, digits, dashes). - Host it as a UTF-8 text file named `{your-key}.txt` in your site root. - Send changed URLs: a single URL with a GET request to `/indexnow?url=...&key=...`, or up to 10,000 URLs in one JSON POST. You submit to one endpoint, and the [IndexNow FAQ](https://www.indexnow.org/faq) says the submission is shared with all participating engines. A 200 response only means the URL was received, not that it will be indexed. The FAQ also says "Do not resubmit unchanged URLs," and Bing's guidelines prefer streaming submissions as pages change over big batches. On WordPress you do not need to write any code. The Bing Webmaster team publishes the free [IndexNow plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/), which submits URLs when posts are created, updated, or deleted and skips pages marked noindex. Some SEO plugins and CDNs include IndexNow too; use one source, not three, so you do not send duplicate pings. ## Step 4: Check the meta tags that block Copilot citations This is the step most guides skip, and it is where a site can be perfectly indexed in Bing and still invisible in Copilot. Section 10 of the Bing Webmaster Guidelines spells out how each directive affects AI answers: | Directive | Effect in Bing search | Effect in Copilot and grounding | | `noindex` | Page not shown | Page not used in Copilot or grounding API results | | `noarchive` | Shown | Content not used in Copilot responses or grounding results | | `nocache` | Shown | Copilot limited to URL, title, and snippet, so citations are thinner | | `nosnippet` / `data-nosnippet` | No captions | May limit Copilot citation quality | | robots.txt `Disallow` | Controls crawling, not indexing | Blocked pages cannot be read and grounded properly | Many sites add `noarchive` years ago to stop cached copies and forget about it. Open your page source, search for `name="robots"` and `name="bingbot"`, and check HTTP headers for `X-Robots-Tag`. If you want to steer which text Bing may cite rather than block it, the guidelines point to the `data-snippet` attribute. Also check robots.txt and your firewall. The guidelines list "Blocking Bingbot in your robots.txt file" as something to avoid, and an overly aggressive bot-protection rule at the CDN can do the same job silently. Our guide to [getting indexed by ChatGPT Search](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/) walks through the same firewall check for OpenAI's crawlers. ## Step 5: Make pages Bing can render and consolidate Copilot can only cite what Bingbot can read. The guidelines ask you to avoid "hiding critical content behind client-side rendering," to serve each piece of content on one URL with a canonical, to use 301 redirects for permanent moves (302 only for changes shorter than two days), and to return a 404 when content is gone and tell IndexNow about it. Quick self-test: load a key page with JavaScript disabled. If the main text disappears, Bingbot may struggle too. Then use URL Inspection in Webmaster Tools to see the page as Bing indexed it. If Bing reports pages as discovered but not indexed, the causes overlap heavily with Google's version of the problem, covered in [Crawled, currently not indexed](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). ## Step 6: Write pages Copilot can ground an answer on The 2026 rewrite of the guidelines added a block of content rules aimed squarely at AI answers. Condensed: - **Surface key information early.** Put the answer near the top and "avoid long introductions." - **Focus each URL on a single topic,** with the title, headings, and body aligned. - **Make content verifiable on its own.** Facts and definitions explicit, nothing important hidden in implied context or only in an image. - **Define entities consistently.** Use the same name for your product, company, and people everywhere. - **Use clean HTML structure:** unique titles and meta descriptions, a logical H1 to H6 hierarchy, semantic elements. Structured data must match visible content and "does not guarantee visibility." - **Keep it current.** Update or remove outdated facts and ping IndexNow when you do. The Bing Webmaster Blog post [introducing AI Performance](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/February-2026/Introducing-AI-Performance-in-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-Public-Preview) gives similar advice to publishers: clear headings, tables, and FAQ sections, claims supported by examples and cited sources, and regular updates. **Illustrative example (not real data).** A small bike-repair blog has one long page called "Bike maintenance tips" that mixes chains, brakes, and tire pressure. For a question like "how often should I lube a road bike chain," Copilot needs a passage that answers exactly that. Splitting the page into focused URLs, each opening with a one-paragraph direct answer and a small table, gives Bing a clean candidate to cite. The old page stays as a hub linking to them. For the off-site half of AI visibility, such as being mentioned by other sites Bing trusts, see our guide on [how to get mentioned by AI assistants](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). ## What not to do The guidelines' abuse section now names AI-specific tactics. These reduce visibility or get a site removed: - **Prompt injection.** Hidden text that tries to instruct language models used by Bing or Copilot. - **"Artificially engineered language."** Content written to "trigger citations or AI responses" rather than for people, including keyword stuffing. - **Automatically generated content at scale** without oversight or editorial review. - **Link schemes,** including link buying and private networks. - **Scraped or lightly rewritten content** with no added value, and affiliate-only pages. If a vendor offers to "get you into Copilot" with any of the above, you now have Microsoft's own wording to say no. ## Step 7: Measure Copilot citations in AI Performance Since February 2026, Bing Webmaster Tools has an **AI Performance** report in public preview. According to the [announcement](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/February-2026/Introducing-AI-Performance-in-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-Public-Preview), it covers Microsoft Copilot, AI-generated summaries in Bing, and select partner integrations, and shows: - **Total Citations** in AI answers for the selected period; - **Average Cited Pages**, the average number of unique pages from your site cited per day; - **Page-level citation activity**, showing which URLs get cited; - **Grounding queries**, a sample of the key phrases the AI used when retrieving your content; - a **trend over time**. Two caveats from the same post: citations "do not indicate ranking, authority, or a page's role" in an answer, and grounding queries are a sample. The report does not show clicks. Bing's guidelines make the same point from the other side: "A decline in clicks does not always indicate a loss of visibility." A simple monthly routine: - Export the cited pages. These are your proven Copilot sources; keep them accurate and updated first. - Read the grounding queries. Each phrase that matches a topic you cover only thinly is a candidate for a new focused page or a clearer section. - Compare with the Search Performance report. Pages with Bing impressions but zero citations are often the long, unfocused ones. - Spot-check in Copilot itself with a few real questions from your niche and note which sources it shows. Answers vary between sessions, so treat this as a sanity check, not a rank tracker. ## Copilot setup checklist | Check | Where | Done when | | Site verified | Bing Webmaster Tools | Imported from Search Console or verified manually | | Sitemap submitted | Webmaster Tools, Sitemaps; robots.txt | Status OK, recent last read date, canonical URLs only | | Honest lastmod | sitemap.xml | Dates change only when content changes | | IndexNow on | Plugin, CMS, or CDN | Key file reachable; new and updated URLs get a 200 or 202 | | No blocking directives | Page source, HTTP headers | No unintended noindex, noarchive, nocache on pages meant for Copilot | | Bingbot allowed | robots.txt, firewall/CDN | URL Inspection fetches the page | | Renders without JS | Browser with JS off | Main text visible | | Answer-first pages | Key URLs | One topic per URL, direct answer near the top | | Citations tracked | AI Performance report | Monthly export of cited pages and grounding queries | The same groundwork pays off beyond Copilot. Bing's guidelines state that SEO fundamentals support AI eligibility, and our piece on [getting cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) covers the overlap with OpenAI's search. ## What to do next Today: verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools via the Search Console import, submit your sitemap, and search your templates for `noarchive` and `nocache`. This week: turn on IndexNow and rewrite the intro of your three most important pages so the answer comes first. Next month: open AI Performance and see which pages Copilot actually cites. If you run WordPress, you can also [connect your site to Satelo in one click](https://satelo.io/connect/). The plugin does not send IndexNow pings, so keep Bing's IndexNow plugin for that. What it adds is a different discovery path: auto-publishing labeled partner articles from similar small sites, and articles about your site on theirs, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one extra channel, not a Copilot shortcut. Not on WordPress? [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, and see the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### Does Microsoft Copilot use Bing search results? Yes. Microsoft's Bing Webmaster Guidelines say Bing and Copilot search experiences rely on the same core crawling, indexing, and ranking foundation. If a page is not in the Bing index, Copilot cannot ground an answer on it. ### How do I get my website on Copilot? There is no separate submission. Verify the site in Bing Webmaster Tools, submit an XML sitemap, enable IndexNow, make sure Bingbot is not blocked, and remove noindex, noarchive, or nocache from pages you want Copilot to cite. ### What is the AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools? A public preview report launched in February 2026 that shows how often your pages are cited in Microsoft Copilot, AI summaries in Bing, and some partner integrations, which URLs are cited, and a sample of grounding queries. It does not show clicks. ### Does IndexNow help with Copilot? Bing's guidelines recommend IndexNow so Bing can refresh its index and reduce outdated URL references in Copilot responses. It speeds up discovery of changes but does not guarantee indexing or citations. ### Does noarchive block Copilot? According to the Bing Webmaster Guidelines, noarchive prevents content from being used in Copilot responses and grounding results, while nocache limits Copilot to the URL, title, and snippet. ### Can I pay to rank in Microsoft Copilot? No organic method guarantees a citation. Bing's guidelines state that GEO does not guarantee grounding or citations, and they list link buying, prompt injection, and content written to trigger AI responses as abuse. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-gemini/ Ai search # How to Get Your Site Mentioned by Google Gemini To rank in Google Gemini, your pages need to be in Google's Search index, allowed for Gemini grounding through the Google-Extended robots.txt token, and clear enough to be quoted as a source. There is no separate Gemini submission and no special markup. This guide separates what Google documents from what agencies guess, and shows how to check whether Gemini mentions your site. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Gemini, AI Overviews, and AI Mode are three different things People say "rank in Gemini" and mean different products. They have different controls, so it helps to name them first: | Product | Where it appears | What controls your eligibility | | Gemini app | gemini.google.com and the mobile apps, as a chat assistant | Google Search index plus the `Google-Extended` token for grounding | | AI Overviews | Summaries at the top of some Google Search results | Normal Search rules: Googlebot, indexing, snippet eligibility | | AI Mode | A conversational mode inside Google Search | Normal Search rules, same as AI Overviews | The Gemini models power all three, which is where the confusion comes from. But your levers differ. This guide focuses on the Gemini app and covers the shared groundwork. If AI Overviews are your main target, read our post on [AI Overviews and brand mentions](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/). ## What Google-Extended does, and what it does not Google-Extended is the most misunderstood part of this topic. Google's [common crawlers documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/google-common-crawlers) describes it as a robots.txt product token that lets you control whether content Google crawls is used for two things: - **Training** future generations of Gemini models. - **Grounding**, which Google defines as providing content from the Google Search index to the model at prompt time. The documentation ties this to Gemini Apps and to Grounding with Google Search on Vertex AI. And the two things it explicitly does not do, per the same page: - It "does not impact a site's inclusion in Google Search." - It is not used as a ranking signal in Google Search. Google-Extended also has no separate user agent. Crawling still happens with Google's regular crawlers; the token only tells Google how the content may be used. You will never see "Google-Extended" in your server logs. So the decision is simple. If you block Google-Extended with `User-agent: Google-Extended` followed by `Disallow: /`, you stay in Google Search, but you also opt out of Gemini grounding, which is the mechanism that lets the Gemini app use your page as a live source. If your goal is to be mentioned by Gemini, do not add that block. Check your robots.txt, and check whether an SEO plugin or CDN "AI bot" setting added it for you. Our guide to [blocking AI crawlers in robots.txt](https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/) lists which tokens affect training only and which affect AI search. ## Google Search indexing comes first Grounding pulls from the Google Search index. A page that is not indexed cannot be grounded on. That makes ordinary technical SEO the foundation of Gemini visibility. Google's own document [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) is blunt about AI Overviews and AI Mode: there are "no additional requirements" and no special optimizations needed beyond being indexed and eligible to be shown with a snippet. It also says you do not need new machine-readable files or special schema.org markup for AI features. Your baseline checklist: - **Verify the site in Google Search Console** and submit your XML sitemap. - **Inspect your key URLs** with the URL Inspection tool. "URL is on Google" is the goal. - **Allow Googlebot** in robots.txt and your CDN or firewall. - **Remove `nosnippet`** and overly tight `max-snippet` values from pages you want quoted. Google lists these as the controls that limit what is shown from your pages in AI features. - **Fix pages stuck in "Crawled, currently not indexed."** Our walkthrough of [that status](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) covers the common causes on small sites. ## Write pages Gemini can quote Gemini's help center says responses can show a Sources button with links, and that when Gemini quotes a large amount of text from a webpage, it lists [a link to that webpage in the sources](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/14143489?hl=en). It also notes that not every response includes sources. You cannot force a link, but you can make your page the easiest one to quote accurately: - **Answer first.** Put a one- or two-sentence direct answer right below each question-style heading. - **One topic per URL.** A focused page matches a specific question better than a catch-all. - **Use specific, checkable facts.** Your own measurements, prices with the date you checked them, steps you tested. Link primary sources for everything else. - **Use tables for comparisons.** Plain HTML tables are easy to parse and quote. - **Keep the text in HTML.** Content that only appears after JavaScript runs, or only inside images, is harder for any system to use. Illustrative example of an answer-first opening: "A 10x20 ft vegetable bed needs about 2 cubic yards of soil at 4 inches deep. Here's how to calculate it for any size." (Numbers for illustration only.) That sentence can stand alone as a quote; a paragraph that starts with "Gardening is a rewarding hobby" cannot. Google's AI features page also describes "query fan-out": AI features may run several related searches across subtopics. A page that covers the follow-up questions a reader would ask (costs, alternatives, common mistakes) has more chances to match one of those sub-searches. ## Help Google understand who you are When someone asks Gemini about your site, brand, or product by name, it can only answer well if consistent information about you exists. Steps that cost nothing: - **An About page** that states plainly who runs the site, what it covers, and how to contact you. - **Consistent naming.** Use the same site name and author name across your site, social profiles, and directories. - **Author bylines** that link to an author page with real background. - **Organization or Person structured data** that matches what is visible on the page. Google's AI features page says structured data should match visible text; it is not a special AI signal, but it removes ambiguity. ## Earn mentions on other sites Gemini answers often draw on several sources. If the only place your site is described is your own site, you depend on one page being picked. Mentions on other relevant sites add more places where your name appears in context. - Publish something original others want to reference: a test, a dataset, a free tool. - Contribute genuinely useful answers in communities in your niche. - Collaborate with sites of a similar size in your topic: guest articles, interviews, roundups, with clear disclosure. Do not buy links to manipulate rankings. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam, and paid links must carry `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="nofollow"`. Satelo is one disclosed option for the collaboration route: a public beta network where similar small sites publish labeled articles about each other in a circle, links marked `rel="sponsored"`. The network is small for now, so treat it as one channel for mentions, not a Gemini shortcut. More on why mentions matter in [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). ## How to check whether Gemini mentions you Google does not offer a Gemini app report in Search Console. Here is what you can track: - **Manual prompts.** Make a list of 10 to 20 questions your pages answer plus 2 or 3 questions about your brand by name. Ask them in the Gemini app once a month and log whether your domain shows up in the Sources panel. - **Search Console for AI Overviews and AI Mode.** Google says traffic from these features is included in the overall Search traffic under the "Web" search type in the Performance report. It is not broken out separately, so watch your question-style queries over time. - **Analytics referrals.** Look for visits from `gemini.google.com` in your referral reports. Some app traffic arrives without a referrer and is counted as direct, so treat the number as a minimum. - **robots.txt audit.** Re-check quarterly that no plugin update added a Google-Extended block. Gemini responses vary between sessions and users. Look at patterns over months, not one screenshot. ## Myths to ignore | Claim | What Google documents | | "You need special schema for Gemini." | No special schema.org markup is needed for AI features. | | "Blocking Google-Extended hurts your Google rankings." | It does not affect inclusion in Search and is not a ranking signal. | | "Allowing Google-Extended boosts Search rankings." | Same answer: no effect on Search ranking. | | "You need an AI text file like llms.txt." | Google says no new machine-readable or AI text files are required. See our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/). | | "An agency can guarantee Gemini placement." | Google says indexing and serving are not guaranteed, even when all requirements are met. | ## What to do next Today: open your robots.txt, search for `Google-Extended`, and remove the block if you want Gemini to use your pages. Then run URL Inspection on your five most important pages. This week: rewrite their openings so the answer comes first and every claim has a source. This month: start a simple log of Gemini prompts and sources, and compare it in 30 days. Our guide to [getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/) covers the same routine for other assistants. Want to see how your site looks to an outsider before you start outreach? [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, and see the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### What is Google-Extended? A robots.txt product token Google uses to let sites control whether their content is used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. It has no separate user agent; crawling happens with Google's existing crawlers. ### Does blocking Google-Extended affect my Google rankings? No. Google's crawler documentation says Google-Extended does not impact a site's inclusion in Google Search and is not used as a ranking signal. It does opt your content out of Gemini grounding, which can reduce your chances of being used as a source in the Gemini app. ### How does Google Gemini choose sources? Google does not publish a formula. Its documentation says grounding provides content from the Google Search index to the model at prompt time, so your page must be indexed and not opted out via Google-Extended. Clear, focused, well-sourced pages are easier to quote. ### Do I need special markup to appear in Gemini or AI Overviews? No. Google's AI features documentation says there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add and no new AI text files are required. Structured data you do use should match the visible text. ### How can I see if Gemini cites my website? Ask the Gemini app the questions your pages answer and check the Sources panel, look for referrals from gemini.google.com in analytics, and watch question-style queries in Search Console, where AI Overviews and AI Mode traffic is included under the Web search type. ### Is Gemini SEO different from regular SEO? Mostly not. Google says normal Search best practices apply to its AI features. The additions are making sure Google-Extended is not blocked if you want grounding, writing answer-first pages, and earning mentions on other relevant sites. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-perplexity/ Ai search # How to Rank in Perplexity When Your Site Is Small To rank in Perplexity, your page has to be reachable by PerplexityBot, clearly answer a specific question near the top, and look like a trustworthy source worth citing. Perplexity does not publish a ranking formula, so this guide sticks to what its own documentation confirms, what one peer-reviewed study measured, and checks you can run on your site today. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## "Ranking" in Perplexity means being cited Perplexity is an answer engine. You type a question, it searches the web, writes an answer, and shows numbered citations that link to the pages it used. Its help center describes answers as content "sourced from the web in real-time as you ask your questions," and says that each response [includes citations and links to original sources](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352155-what-is-perplexity). So there is no position 1 to chase. There are two goals instead: - **Be retrievable.** Perplexity's crawler can reach and read your page. - **Be citable.** When the page is retrieved for a question, it gives a clear, verifiable answer that the model can quote or summarize. What Perplexity does **not** publish: how many candidate pages it considers, how it weighs domains, or why one page wins a citation over another. Many guides in this SERP list "ranking factor weights" for Perplexity. None of them cite Perplexity for those numbers, because Perplexity has not released them. Treat any such percentages as guesses. ## Step 1: Make sure PerplexityBot can reach you Perplexity documents two agents on its [crawlers page](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/bots): | Agent | What it does | Follows robots.txt? | | `PerplexityBot` | Crawls pages so Perplexity can surface and link them in search results. Perplexity says it is not used to crawl content for AI foundation models. | Yes. Managed through robots.txt. | | `Perplexity-User` | Visits a page when a user's question needs it, then links to that page in the answer. Not used for training. | Generally no, because a user requested the fetch. | The practical takeaway: if you block `PerplexityBot`, you are not opting out of model training (Perplexity says that bot does not do it); you are opting out of Perplexity's search index. For most small sites that want AI visibility, that is the opposite of what you want. Check three places: - **robots.txt.** Look for `User-agent: PerplexityBot` followed by `Disallow: /`, or a blanket `User-agent: *` / `Disallow: /`. The docs say robots.txt changes can take up to 24 hours to apply. - **Your firewall or CDN.** "Block AI bots" toggles in Cloudflare and similar services often catch PerplexityBot. Perplexity recommends matching both the user agent and its published IP ranges ([perplexitybot.json](https://www.perplexity.com/perplexitybot.json)) if you allow it through a WAF. - **Server logs.** Search access logs for `PerplexityBot`. Requests with a 200 status mean it is reading your pages; 403 or 429 means something is stopping it. If you want to keep training crawlers out but stay in AI search, our guide to [blocking AI crawlers in robots.txt](https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/) has copy-paste blocks bot by bot. ## Step 2: Put the answer in the first sentence Perplexity builds an answer from passages. A page that buries the answer under three paragraphs of context gives it less to work with than a page that states the answer and then explains it. For every page you want cited: - **Match the heading to the question.** "How long does sourdough starter last in the fridge?" beats "Storage tips." - **Answer directly under it.** One or two sentences that would make sense if quoted alone, with the key fact, number, or recommendation. - **Then add the detail.** Conditions, exceptions, steps, a table. - **One topic per URL.** A page that tries to answer ten loosely related questions is a weaker match for each of them. Illustrative example. Before: "Many people wonder about starter storage, and there are lots of opinions. In this post we will explore..." After: "A sourdough starter keeps in the fridge for about a week between feedings; after that, discard most of it and feed it twice before baking." (The numbers here are for illustration only; use your own tested facts.) ## Step 3: Add sources, quotes, and specific data The one rigorous study on this topic is [GEO: Generative Engine Optimization](https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735) (Aggarwal et al., accepted at KDD 2024). The researchers rewrote web pages with different methods and measured how much of each source showed up in generative answers. According to the [full paper](https://arxiv.org/html/2311.09735v3): - Adding quotations, adding statistics, and citing sources were the best-performing methods. - Keyword stuffing offered little to no improvement, and in their Perplexity test it did worse than the unmodified page. - They ran a test on Perplexity.ai itself, where adding quotations performed best on their word-count visibility metric. - Lower-ranked sources benefited more from these changes than top-ranked ones, which is encouraging for small sites. Two honest caveats. The study used its own benchmark and visibility metrics, and Perplexity has changed since then. Use it as direction, not as a promise of a specific lift. In practice that means: link to the primary source for every factual claim, quote real people you actually spoke with or official documents, and use your own numbers (test results, prices you checked, measurements) with the date you collected them. Do not invent statistics to look citable. An answer engine that cites a fabricated number exposes it to every reader who clicks. ## Step 4: Show dates and keep pages current Perplexity searches the live web for each question, so it can pick up a page you updated this morning. That rewards pages that are visibly current: - Show a visible "last updated" date, and change it only when the content actually changed. - Put the year in tables of prices, limits, or versions ("checked October 2026"). - Revisit your most important pages when the facts in them change, not on a calendar. - Keep your XML sitemap accurate so crawlers can find new and changed URLs. Faking freshness by bumping dates without changes is easy to spot by comparing versions, and it erodes the trust that makes a page citable in the first place. ## Step 5: Make the page easy to read without JavaScript Crawlers do not always render client-side apps the way a browser does. Open your page with JavaScript disabled. If the main text disappears, a crawler may see an empty shell. Server-render or pre-render the content of pages you want cited. Also keep the important facts in HTML text, not inside images, PDFs-only downloads, or accordions loaded on click. ## Step 6: Earn mentions on other sites Perplexity's help center says answers lean on reputable news organizations, academic publications, and other established sources. A small site rarely is one of those, but it can be mentioned by them, and by niche blogs and communities Perplexity also retrieves. When other pages describe your site, product, or research, your name appears in more of the places an answer engine reads. Realistic ways to get there: - Publish one genuinely original asset (a test, a dataset, a calculator) that others want to reference. - Answer questions in your niche on forums and Q&A sites where you are actually helpful, without dropping links everywhere. - Write partner articles with sites at a similar level in your topic, with clear disclosure. That last route is what Satelo is built for: a public beta network where similar small sites publish labeled articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. The network is still small, so treat it as one channel for mentions, not a Perplexity switch. Our explainer on [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/) covers why unlinked mentions matter for AI answers too. ## Step 7: Check whether Perplexity cites you There is no Perplexity equivalent of Search Console, so tracking is manual but simple: - **List 10 to 20 questions** your pages answer, in the words a real person would type. - **Ask them in Perplexity** once a month, logged out or in a fresh session, and note which domains are cited for each. - **Record results in a sheet:** question, date, cited (yes/no), which URL, which competitors. - **Watch referral traffic.** Visits from `perplexity.ai` appear as referrals in most analytics tools when the browser passes a referrer. Some app traffic arrives without one and shows up as direct, so referral numbers are a floor, not the total. - **Check logs for Perplexity-User.** Hits from that agent mean a user's question led Perplexity to fetch your page live. Answers vary between sessions, so look at trends across months, not a single query. ## What does not help | Tactic | Why to skip it | | Keyword stuffing | The GEO study found it gave little or no benefit and hurt in its Perplexity test. | | Hidden instructions for AI in page text | Manipulative, risky for your reputation, and easy to detect. | | Invented statistics or fake expert quotes | Breaks trust the moment someone checks the citation. | | Buying links or PBN placements | Violates [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) on link schemes and is not a documented Perplexity signal. | | Assuming llms.txt is required | Perplexity's crawler docs do not mention it. See our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/) for what it is and is not. | ## Perplexity checklist for a small site | Check | Where | Pass | | PerplexityBot allowed | robots.txt, CDN/WAF | No disallow, no 403 in logs | | Content in HTML | Page with JS off | Main text visible | | Answer-first structure | Top 10 pages | Direct answer under each question heading | | Sources linked | Every factual claim | Primary source, clickable | | Visible update date | Templates | Changes only with real edits | | Mentions elsewhere | Search your brand name | Growing list of independent pages | | Citation log | Spreadsheet | Monthly checks of 10 to 20 questions | The same groundwork helps across answer engines: see [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) and our [guide to getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). ## What to do next Today: open your robots.txt and CDN bot settings and make sure PerplexityBot is not blocked. This week: rewrite the opening of your five most important pages so the answer comes first, and add a source link to every claim. This month: start a citation log and check it again in 30 days. Before you pitch other sites for mentions, it helps to know how your own site looks from the outside. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, and see the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How does Perplexity choose its sources? Perplexity searches the web in real time for each question and cites the pages it used. Its help center says answers draw on reputable news organizations, academic publications, and other established sources, but Perplexity does not publish a ranking formula or factor weights. ### Should I block PerplexityBot? Only if you do not want to appear in Perplexity. Perplexity's crawler documentation says PerplexityBot surfaces and links websites in its search results and is not used to crawl content for AI foundation models, so blocking it removes you from its index rather than from training. ### Does Perplexity respect robots.txt? PerplexityBot is managed through robots.txt, and changes can take up to 24 hours. Perplexity-User, which fetches pages when a user asks a question, generally ignores robots.txt because the fetch was requested by a person. ### How do I know if Perplexity cites my website? Ask Perplexity the questions your pages answer and log which domains are cited, check analytics for referrals from perplexity.ai, and search server logs for the PerplexityBot and Perplexity-User agents. ### Is Perplexity SEO different from Google SEO? The foundations overlap: crawlable pages, clear answers, and trustworthy sources. The difference is the goal. Perplexity shows citations inside an answer, so a page that states a verifiable answer early is easier to cite than one optimized only for a blue link. ### How long does it take to get cited by Perplexity? There is no published timeline. Because Perplexity searches the live web for each query, a crawlable page can be cited soon after it is published, but nobody can guarantee when or whether a specific page will be selected. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/ Seo metrics # Impressions but No Clicks in Search Console: Why It Happens and What to Do If you are getting impressions but no clicks, the usual reason is simple: Google shows your pages, but so far down the results that almost nobody scrolls to them. Less often it is a weak title, a query with the wrong intent, or impressions from AI features. Below is how to tell which one you have, using our own site as the example. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## Our own case: 1,400 impressions, zero clicks We will start with our own numbers, because they are a textbook case. On 16 October 2026, the Search Console Performance report for satelo.io showed this for the last 28 days: | Metric | satelo.io, last 28 days (as of 16 Oct 2026) | | Impressions | ~1,400 | | Clicks | 0 | | Average position | ~75 | | Pages indexed | 97 | A site that is young and small, with most pages indexed, showing up for plenty of searches, and nobody clicking. It looks worrying at first. In fact, an average position around 75 explains almost the whole thing. Google's results come in pages of about ten links. Position 75 is several pages deep, and real people rarely go that far. So the first lesson is not to panic. Impressions with no clicks often mean Google has **understood what your pages are about** and is testing them against queries. It does not yet trust them enough to rank them where people look. The rest of this article shows how to check whether that is your situation too, or whether something else is going on. ## What Search Console counts as an impression Before you fix anything, make sure you are reading the metric correctly. Google's [help page on impressions, position and clicks](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7042828) defines an impression as a moment when a user saw, or potentially saw, a link to your site. A few details matter here: - **Standard results:** your link counts as an impression if it is on the current page of results, **even if it was never scrolled into view**. Nobody has to actually look at it. - **Carousels and infinite scroll:** the item generally has to be scrolled into view to count. - **AI Overviews and AI Mode:** standard impression rules apply. All links inside an AI Overview share a single position. - **Clicks** count only when someone leaves Google for your page. A click that opens another Google results page does not count. The first point explains many "impressions but no clicks" cases. If you rank at position 9 and the user reads the top three results and leaves, you still got an impression. CTR (clicks divided by impressions, as the [Performance report docs](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553) define it) will look terrible, even though nothing is wrong with your page. ## Step 1: Rule out a reporting mistake Google's own troubleshooting guide, [Why did my site traffic drop?](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9079473?hl=en), calls a property mismatch probably the most common reason for "missing" search traffic. For example, you are looking at an `http://` property while your site lives on `https://`, or at `www` while your canonical is the bare domain. Two quick checks: - Use a **Domain property** if you can, since it covers every protocol and subdomain at once. - Look at the date range. Very recent data can be preliminary. The [Performance report docs](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553) say the newest points may still change, and the chart shows them as a dotted line. Also, compare against your own analytics. If Google Analytics or your server logs show visits from Google but Search Console shows zero clicks, you have a property problem, not a ranking problem. Our guide to [checking website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) covers the tools you can cross-check against. ## Step 2: Split your impressions by position This is the most important step, and most guides skip it. Average position is misleading because Google computes it per query and then averages it, as the [help page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7042828) explains. An average of 75 could mean every query sits around 75. It could also mean a few queries rank at 8 and many sit at 90. Here is how to see the real picture: - Open **Performance → Search results** and turn on all four metrics (clicks, impressions, CTR, position). - Switch the table to **Queries** and sort by **Position**. - Export the table and group the rows into bands. Count the impressions in each band. | Position band | What it usually means | What to do | | 1–3 | You are on top. Zero clicks here is unusual and worth a close look. | Check the snippet and the query intent (steps 3–4) and look for AI impressions (step 5). | | 4–10 | Page one, but below the fold on most screens. | Your best opportunity: improve titles and descriptions, and strengthen the page. | | 11–20 | Page two. Few people get here. | Make the content better and give it internal links. Titles alone will not move it. | | 21–100 | Google is testing relevance. Hardly anyone sees these results. | Treat these as a signal of topics, not traffic. Build authority over time. | For satelo.io, an average position around 75 points to the deep bands. That tells us our job right now is not to tweak titles. It is to make the strongest pages good enough, and well-known enough, to climb. ## Step 3: Fix titles and snippets (only where you rank on page one) If you do have queries in positions 1–10 with no clicks, the snippet is the next suspect. Google builds the clickable headline, called a title link, automatically. Its [title link documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link) lists the sources it uses: your `<title>`, the main heading on the page, `og:title`, prominent text, and the anchor text of links pointing to the page. The same document lists the reasons it may rewrite a title. These include outdated dates, boilerplate titles that repeat across many pages, titles that don't match the content, and several competing headings with no clear main one. Practical fixes: - Search the query yourself in a private window and look at what your result actually shows. The title Google shows may not be the one you wrote. - Put the words the searcher used near the start of the title, and make the title promise exactly what the page delivers. - Remove stale years and generic boilerplate such as "Home" or "Blog post". - Write a specific meta description. Google's [snippet documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet) says it sometimes uses the meta description when that describes the page better than on-page text. It recommends unique, specific descriptions over keyword lists. Changes are not instant. Google notes that title link updates can take from a few days to a few weeks, because the page has to be recrawled. ## Step 4: Check whether the query intent matches the page Sometimes the snippet is fine, but the query is the wrong one. Look at the queries behind your impressions and ask, for each one: "If I typed this, would I want my page?" Common mismatches on small sites: - **Navigational queries.** People search for a brand or tool by name and want that site, not your article about it. - **Different meaning.** Your page is about "link exchange" in the SEO sense, while the query is about something unrelated that uses the same words. - **Different format.** The searcher wants a tool, a definition, or a video, and your page is a long guide. - **Long-tail strays.** Long, oddly specific queries with a handful of impressions each. They add up in the total but carry no real demand. You cannot win clicks on queries your page should not rank for, and you don't need to. Filter them out of your analysis. Spend your effort on queries where your page is a genuinely good answer. ## Step 5: Account for AI features and machine-like impressions Part of your impressions can come from generative AI features, and Search Console now shows them separately. Google [announced Search Generative AI performance reports](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/06/gen-ai-performance-reports) in Search Console on 3 June 2026. They show impressions in AI Overviews, AI Mode and generative features in Discover, broken down by pages, countries, devices and dates. The post's update says the reports were rolled out to all websites as of 31 August 2026. Google also says this data stays in the overall Performance report, so AI impressions are part of the total you see there. That matters for two reasons: - If an AI Overview answers the question, the user may never need to click, even when your link is shown in it. - Some analysts argue that part of the impressions on certain pages are not from people at all. A [freeCodeCamp tutorial](https://freecodecamp.org/news/how-to-tell-if-search-console-impressions-are-human-or-machine) describes a method: split a page's impressions by position band, then look for long, prompt-like or near-duplicate queries as a sign of automated retrieval. This is one author's hypothesis and method, not something Google has confirmed. Treat it as a reason to be careful, not as proof. What to do: open the generative AI report and see which pages show up there. If a page with lots of impressions and no clicks is mostly visible inside AI features, rewriting its title won't help much. Instead, make sure the page is clearly the source worth citing. Our piece on [AI Overviews and brand mentions](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) covers that side. ## Step 6: Raise positions the slow, honest way If your impressions sit mostly beyond page one, like ours, there is no quick trick. The work is the same as for any new site: - **Make sure the right pages are indexed.** If key pages show "Crawled – currently not indexed", fix that first. See our [guide to that status](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). - **Pick your strongest few pages.** Use the queries that already bring impressions as a map. Expand those pages so they fully answer the query, then link to them from related posts. - **Go narrower.** A small site can win specific long-tail topics long before it can win broad ones. Our notes on [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) go into this. - **Earn mentions from relevant sites.** Real coverage from sites in your topic helps people and search engines find you. Our [link building guide for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) sticks to methods within Google's rules. In the Satelo network, partner articles carry `rel="sponsored"` links and are labeled as partner content. The point is exposure to a relevant audience, not ranking manipulation. None of this guarantees a position, and anyone who promises one is guessing. What it does is give Google more reasons to move your pages up into the bands where clicks start to happen. ## Checklist: impressions but no clicks | # | Check | Where | Done | | 1 | The property matches your canonical domain and protocol | Search Console → property selector | ☐ | | 2 | The date range excludes preliminary data | Performance → date filter | ☐ | | 3 | You know your impressions by position band, not just the average | Performance → Queries → export | ☐ | | 4 | Page-one queries have titles that match the query and the content | Private-window search plus your page source | ☐ | | 5 | Off-intent and stray queries are filtered out of your analysis | Performance → Queries | ☐ | | 6 | You know how much of your visibility is inside AI features | Generative AI performance report | ☐ | | 7 | Key pages are indexed and linked internally | Pages report and URL Inspection | ☐ | | 8 | You have a plan to grow the few pages that already get impressions | Your content plan | ☐ | ## What we are doing with our own numbers For satelo.io the diagnosis is clear: the property is right, pages are indexed, and the average position is the problem. Our plan follows the steps above. We are strengthening the pages that already collect impressions, linking them better from the rest of the blog, and earning mentions from relevant sites instead of chasing title tweaks. We will update this section with real numbers when there is something to report. We won't make up a "before and after". ## What to do next Search Console shows how Google sees your pages from the inside. It does not show how your site looks from the outside next to the sites you compete with. To see that, run your domain through the free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/). In about 30 seconds you get a Quality Score from 0 to 100, built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number. It's a quick way to see whether low positions come from a young, little-known site rather than from your titles. ## FAQ ### Why am I getting impressions but no clicks? Most often because your pages rank too low for people to see them. Search Console counts an impression when your link is on the results page, even if it was never scrolled into view. Other causes are weak titles, queries with the wrong intent, and impressions from AI features. ### Is it bad to have high impressions and low CTR? Not by itself. For a new site it usually means Google understands your pages and tests them against queries before ranking them higher. It is a problem only when you rank on page one and still get no clicks. ### Do AI Overviews count as impressions in Search Console? Yes. Google's help documentation says standard impression rules apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode, and all links in an AI Overview share one position. Since 2026 there is also a separate generative AI performance report. ### What average position gets clicks? Clicks mostly come from page one, positions 1 to 10, and especially from the top few results. Remember that average position is averaged across queries, so check individual queries instead of relying on the single number. ### How long does it take for a title change to show in Google? Google says title link changes can take from a few days to a few weeks, because the page has to be recrawled and reprocessed. You can request recrawling with the URL Inspection tool. ### Should I rewrite titles on pages with zero clicks? Only for queries where you already rank on page one. For pages sitting at position 20 or lower, a new title rarely changes much. Improving the content, internal links and the site's overall reputation matters more. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/indexnow-wordpress/ Wordpress # IndexNow on WordPress: How to Set It Up and What It Does (and Doesn't) Do IndexNow on WordPress takes about five minutes: install the official IndexNow plugin from the Bing Webmaster team, or switch on the IndexNow feature in Rank Math or Yoast SEO Premium, and your site will notify participating search engines every time you publish or update a post. It helps Bing, Yandex and the other participating engines discover changes faster. It does not notify Google, which is not part of the protocol. Here is the setup, how to confirm it works, and realistic expectations. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What IndexNow is, in plain terms IndexNow is an open protocol for telling search engines that a URL was added, updated or deleted. Bing describes it as "a free, open-source protocol" for exactly that ([Bing IndexNow](https://www.bing.com/indexnow)). Instead of waiting for a crawler to come back and notice the change, your site sends a short message: "these URLs changed." The mechanics, from the [IndexNow documentation](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation): - You create a key and host it as a text file named `{your-key}.txt` in your site root, which proves you control the site. - You send changed URLs to an IndexNow endpoint, one at a time with a GET request or up to 10,000 per POST request. - Participating engines share submissions with each other, so you only need to send to one endpoint. On WordPress, a plugin does all of this for you. ## Which search engines use IndexNow (and does Google?) The [IndexNow FAQ](https://www.indexnow.org/faq) lists endpoints for Amazon, Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex and Yep, plus a global endpoint at `api.indexnow.org`. Google is not on that list. Google said in November 2021 that it would be "testing the potential benefits of this protocol" ([Search Engine Journal](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-will-be-testing-indexnow/426602/)). It has not joined since. Google's own [recrawl documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/ask-google-to-recrawl) lists two ways to ask for crawling: the URL Inspection tool and sitemaps. IndexNow is not mentioned. Yoast put it bluntly when it shipped its integration: "Google doesn't support it yet and might never" ([Yoast SEO 19.2 release notes](https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-june-28-2022/)). So the honest answer to "does IndexNow help with Google?" is no, not directly. For Google, keep your XML sitemap clean and use URL Inspection for the few pages that really matter. ## Option 1: the official IndexNow plugin The [IndexNow plugin on WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/) is made by the Bing Webmaster team. It is the simplest choice if you do not use an SEO plugin that already includes IndexNow. - Go to **Plugins → Add New**, search for "IndexNow" and install the plugin by the Bing Webmaster team. - Activate it. On activation it generates an API key and hosts it on your site; you do not need to create a key by hand. - Open its admin page under **Settings**. Automatic submission is a toggle you can switch on or off. - Optionally exclude paths you never want submitted, using wildcard patterns. According to the listing, the plugin detects page creation, updates and deletion and submits in the background, skips URLs that are noindexed (it checks meta robots, the X-Robots-Tag header and WordPress's search engine visibility setting), and lets you submit a URL manually. Its dashboard shows recent successful and failed submissions and lets you retry failures. To get a new key, you deactivate and reactivate the plugin. ## Option 2: IndexNow inside your SEO plugin If you already run an SEO plugin, check whether it covers IndexNow before adding another plugin. Running two IndexNow integrations at once just sends duplicate pings. | Plugin | IndexNow availability | How to turn it on | Source | | IndexNow (Bing Webmaster team) | Free | Activate; toggle auto-submit in Settings | [WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/) | | Rank Math | Free version | Enable the Instant Indexing module, pick post types | [Rank Math KB](https://rankmath.com/kb/instant-indexing/) | | Yoast SEO | Premium only | On by default, with an on/off setting | [Yoast](https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-june-28-2022/) | | AIOSEO, SEOPress | Listed by Bing as supporting IndexNow | See the plugin's own documentation | [Bing](https://www.bing.com/indexnow) | **Rank Math** is worth a closer look because it gives you the most control for free. After you enable the Instant Indexing module, go to **Rank Math SEO → Instant Indexing → Settings**, choose which post types to submit automatically and confirm a key exists. Rank Math submits on publish and update, skips noindexed pages, offers single, bulk and paste-a-list manual submission, and keeps a **History** tab with the response code for each URL. If you are deciding between SEO plugins for other reasons, our guide to [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the wider setup. ## How to check that IndexNow actually works Installing a plugin is not the same as pings being accepted. Check three things. ### 1. The key file loads Open `https://yoursite.com/{your-key}.txt` in a browser. It should return the key as plain text. If you get a 404, a security plugin, cache rule or server config may be blocking it. Rank Math has a **Check Key** button for this. ### 2. The response codes look right Your plugin's history shows the code the endpoint returned. The [documentation](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation) defines them: | Code | Meaning | What to do | | 200 | URL submitted successfully | Nothing | | 202 | Received, key validation pending | Normal at first; should turn into 200 | | 400 | Invalid format | Usually a plugin bug or conflict | | 403 | Key not valid or key file not found | Check the key file URL | | 422 | URLs don't belong to the host, or key doesn't match | Check http vs https, www vs non-www | | 429 | Too many requests | Stop resubmitting the same URLs | ### 3. Bing Webmaster Tools sees the submissions Bing's [IndexNow Insights](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/March-2024/Optimize-your-Impact-with-IndexNow-Insights) report, in the Bing Webmaster Tools dashboard, shows how many URLs were submitted, crawled and indexed, and lists your latest 1,000 submitted URLs with index status, first indexed date and whether the submission came late. If your plugin shows 200s but this report stays empty, give it a few days, then confirm the site is verified under the same host and protocol. ## What to expect, honestly - **Discovery, not indexing.** The FAQ is explicit: "Submitting a URL does not guarantee immediate indexing." IndexNow tells engines something changed; they still decide whether the page is worth indexing. - **No ranking effect.** A ping says nothing about quality. A thin post submitted instantly is still a thin post. - **Most useful when content changes often.** News, prices, events and frequently updated guides gain the most. A blog that publishes twice a month gains a little. - **Bing may matter more than its search share suggests.** If you care about Microsoft Copilot, our guide on [ranking in Copilot](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-copilot/) explains how it relates to Bing. - **Don't spam it.** The FAQ says "Do not resubmit unchanged URLs." Submitting your whole site daily is how you collect 429s. If your problem is that Google crawls pages but will not index them, IndexNow is not the fix. See our walkthrough of ["Crawled – currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) instead. ## What we do on satelo.io Satelo is not a WordPress site, so we use IndexNow directly. On every deploy, a small script compares each page in our sitemap with the previous build and sends only the URLs whose HTML changed to `api.indexnow.org` in one POST request, with our key file hosted at the site root. Unchanged pages are never resubmitted, which follows the FAQ's advice. We are not going to claim a measured speed-up. Our site launched in October 2026, and a few weeks of data from one young domain cannot separate the effect of IndexNow from everything else we changed. What we can say is that it costs nothing to run and, by design, has no effect on Google. ## A 10-minute IndexNow checklist for WordPress - Check whether your SEO plugin already supports IndexNow. If yes, turn it on there. - If not, install the official IndexNow plugin. - Make sure only one IndexNow integration is active. - Open the key file URL and confirm it loads. - Publish or update a test post and check for a 200 or 202 in the plugin history. - Verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools and open IndexNow Insights after a few days. - Keep your XML sitemap submitted in Google Search Console; that is still your main signal for Google. ## What to do next If you publish partner articles through [the Satelo WordPress plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/), they are created as normal WordPress posts. With auto-publish on, they go through the standard publishing flow, so your sitemap and whichever IndexNow plugin you use pick them up like any other post. The Satelo plugin does not send IndexNow pings itself; it leaves that to your existing setup. Satelo is a public beta with a small network: sites of a similar level and topic publish disclosed partner articles about each other, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. Before you connect, you can [check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see your domain age, page speed and open-data signals, each with the evidence behind it, in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### Does Google support IndexNow? No. Google is not listed among the participating engines in the IndexNow FAQ, and its recrawl documentation only mentions URL Inspection and sitemaps. Google said in 2021 it would test the protocol but has not joined. For Google, use sitemaps and URL Inspection. ### What is the best IndexNow plugin for WordPress? If you use Rank Math, its free Instant Indexing module already covers IndexNow. Yoast SEO includes it in Premium. Otherwise, the free official IndexNow plugin from the Bing Webmaster team is the simplest choice. Use only one at a time. ### Do I need an IndexNow API key? Yes, but WordPress plugins generate and host it for you. The key is a text file at your site root that proves you control the site. You only create one by hand if you implement IndexNow yourself. ### How do I know IndexNow is working? Check that your key file URL loads, look for 200 or 202 response codes in your plugin's submission history, and open the IndexNow Insights report in Bing Webmaster Tools to see submitted, crawled and indexed counts. ### Does IndexNow improve rankings? No. It only tells participating search engines that a URL changed, which can speed up discovery. The IndexNow FAQ states that submitting a URL does not guarantee immediate indexing, and it says nothing about ranking. ### Should I submit all my old URLs to IndexNow? No. The IndexNow FAQ advises not to resubmit unchanged URLs. Submit pages when they are created, meaningfully updated or deleted. Mass resubmission can trigger 429 Too Many Requests responses. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/internal-linking-for-blogs/ Content seo # An Internal Linking Strategy for Blogs With Fewer Than 100 Posts A good internal linking strategy for a small blog is simple: group posts into a few topics, give each topic a hub page, link every post to its hub and to two or three close siblings, and make sure no post is left without links pointing to it. You do not need a paid tool to do it. This guide shows the rules that matter at 10 to 100 posts, a free way to find orphan pages, and a routine you can run after every new post. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why internal links matter more on a small blog Google's [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) says Google primarily finds pages through links from other pages it has already crawled. On a large site with lots of external links, new pages get discovered from many directions. On a small blog with few external links, your own internal links are often the main path from your home page to a new post. Internal links do three jobs at once: - **Discovery.** Crawlers find new and updated posts by following links. - **Context.** Anchor text tells readers and Google what the linked page is about. The Starter Guide says link text "tells users and Google something about the page you're linking to." - **Reader paths.** A visitor who lands on one post can find the next useful one instead of leaving. What internal links will not do: turn a thin post into a good one, or guarantee a ranking. They help good pages get found and understood. ## What Google actually says about links Google's [link best practices](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable) page is short, and it answers most internal linking questions: | Topic | Google's guidance | What it means for you | | Crawlable links | Google can generally only crawl links that are `<a>` elements with an `href`. | Avoid "links" built from buttons or JavaScript click handlers. | | Internal coverage | Every page you care about should have a link from at least one other page on your site. | Zero orphan posts. | | Anchor text | Descriptive, reasonably concise, relevant to both pages. "Click here" and "Read more" are poor examples. | Use words that describe the target post. | | Keywords in anchors | Do not cram every related keyword; keyword stuffing violates Google's spam policies. | Natural phrases, varied wording. | | Number of links | No ideal number; "if you think it's too much, then it probably is." | Link where it helps the reader, not by quota. | ## Step 1: Map your blog into hubs and spokes With under 100 posts you can do this in a spreadsheet in an hour. List every post with its URL and its main topic. Then group posts into 3 to 6 topics. Each topic gets: - **A hub:** the broadest post on that topic, ideally a complete guide or overview. If you do not have one, that is your next post to write. - **Spokes:** narrower posts that each answer one specific question within the topic. Illustrative example for a 40-post home baking blog (the numbers are for illustration): | Topic | Hub | Spokes | | Sourdough | Sourdough for beginners | Starter feeding, flour types, scoring, troubleshooting dense loaves (12 posts) | | Cakes | Cake baking basics | Sponge, frosting, pan sizes, altitude baking (10 posts) | | Equipment | Baking equipment guide | Dutch ovens, scales, stand mixers (8 posts) | | Gluten-free | Gluten-free baking guide | Flour blends, binders, recipes (10 posts) | Posts that fit no topic are a signal, not a problem to hide. They may belong in a new topic, or they may be off-strategy and worth reconsidering. Our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers choosing topics a small site can realistically cover in depth. ## Step 2: Apply four linking rules - **Every spoke links up to its hub**, early in the post where it is natural ("new to sourdough? start with our beginner's guide"). - **Every hub links down to all its spokes**, grouped by subtopic with a short line on what each one answers. With 8 to 15 spokes, this is still readable. - **Each spoke links to 2 or 3 close siblings** that a reader would genuinely want next. Scoring a loaf and troubleshooting a dense loaf belong together; scoring and stand mixers do not. - **Cross-topic links only when there is a real bridge.** A sourdough post that mentions a Dutch oven can link to the Dutch oven post. Do not link across topics just to spread links around. These rules also keep two posts from competing for the same query: when you are forced to decide which post is the hub and which are spokes, overlaps become obvious. ## Step 3: Find orphan pages for free An orphan page has no internal links pointing to it. Readers cannot reach it by clicking around, and crawlers can only find it through your sitemap or external links. Three free ways to find them: - **Search Console Links report.** Open Links, then "Top linked pages" under Internal links. Google's [Links report help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) says it shows which of your pages are linked most from within your site, and you can export the table. It is a sample, not a full list, so a post missing from it is a suspect, not proof. - **A free desktop crawler.** The free version of [Screaming Frog SEO Spider](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/) crawls up to 500 URLs per crawl, which covers a blog under 100 posts plus tags and pages. Crawl from your home page, export the list of URLs it found, and compare against your sitemap. - **Sitemap vs crawl comparison.** Paste your sitemap URLs in one column and crawled URLs in another. Any sitemap URL the crawler never reached from your home page is orphaned or buried. Fix each orphan by adding a link from its hub and from one or two related posts. If a post has no natural place to be linked from, ask whether it still deserves to exist or should be merged into a stronger post. Orphans and weak linking are a common reason small blogs see posts stuck outside the index. If that is your symptom, also read our guide to ["Crawled, currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). ## Step 4: Write anchor text that describes the target Good anchors read like part of the sentence and tell the reader what they will get: | Weak | Better | Why | | Click here for more | how to feed a sourdough starter | Describes the target page | | best sourdough starter feeding guide easy beginner | our starter feeding schedule | No keyword stuffing | | this post | why loaves come out dense | Useful out of context | Vary the wording naturally across posts. You do not need the exact target keyword in every anchor; you need the reader to know where the link goes. ## Step 5: Use navigation, breadcrumbs, and related posts carefully Templates add links to every page automatically. They help, but they are not a substitute for links inside your text: - **Category menus** should match your topics from Step 1, not a dozen thin categories with two posts each. - **Breadcrumbs** (Home > Sourdough > Scoring) give every spoke a link to its topic page on every page view. - **"Related posts" widgets** often pick by shared tags or recency. Check that they suggest genuinely related posts; if they do not, curate them manually or rely on in-text links. - **Tag pages** with one or two posts each add crawlable URLs with little value. Consolidate tags or set them to noindex if your platform creates many. ## Step 6: The 10-minute routine after every new post - Decide the new post's topic and hub before you publish. - Add a link from the new post to its hub and to 2 or 3 siblings. - Edit the hub to add the new post in the right subsection. - Find 1 or 2 older posts that mention the subject and add a contextual link to the new post. A `site:yourdomain.com "keyword"` search in Google is a quick way to find them. - Check that every link is a normal `<a href>` and the anchor describes the target. Once a quarter, run the orphan check from Step 3 and look at Search Console for posts with impressions but few clicks; they often need clearer linking and a better match to the query. Our post on [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) walks through that diagnosis. ## Internal linking checklist | Check | Target | | Topics defined | 3 to 6, each with a hub | | Spoke to hub links | Every spoke links to its hub | | Hub to spoke links | Every hub lists all its spokes | | Sibling links | 2 or 3 per spoke, genuinely related | | Orphans | Zero, checked quarterly | | Anchor text | Descriptive, no "click here", no stuffing | | Link markup | Standard `<a href>` elements | ## What to do next Today: export your post list into a sheet and assign each post a topic. This week: pick or write a hub for each topic and apply the four rules to your ten most important posts. This month: run the orphan check and fix every result. Internal links organize what you have; links and mentions from other sites help people find it. If you run WordPress, [Satelo's plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) connects you to a small public beta network of similar sites that publish disclosed partner articles about each other, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. Before that, [check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, and see the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### What is an internal linking strategy? A plan for how pages on your site link to each other. For a small blog it usually means grouping posts into topics, giving each topic a hub page, linking spokes to the hub and to close siblings, and making sure no post is orphaned. ### How many internal links should a blog post have? Google's link best practices say there is no magical ideal number of links per page, and if you think it is too much, it probably is. For a typical post, a link to its hub plus 2 or 3 genuinely related posts is a practical starting point. ### What is an orphan page? A page with no internal links pointing to it. Readers cannot reach it by browsing, and search engines can only find it through a sitemap or external links. Google recommends that every page you care about has a link from at least one other page on your site. ### Is there a free internal linking checker? Yes. Google Search Console's Links report shows your top internally linked pages and can be exported, though it is a sample. The free version of Screaming Frog SEO Spider crawls up to 500 URLs, enough for most small blogs, so you can compare what it reaches from your home page against your sitemap. ### Should internal link anchor text use exact-match keywords? Not necessarily. Google advises descriptive, concise anchor text and warns against cramming related keywords, which can violate its spam policies. Natural, varied phrases that describe the target page work best. ### Do related posts widgets count as internal links? Yes, if they output standard HTML links. But they often pick posts by tags or date rather than relevance, so check what they suggest and do not rely on them instead of contextual links in your text. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/keyword-cannibalization/ Content seo # Keyword Cannibalization: A Free Checker Method and How to Fix It Keyword cannibalization happens when two or more pages on your site target the same search intent, so Google keeps switching between them and neither performs as well as one strong page would. You can find it for free with Google Search Console: filter by a query and see how many of your pages get impressions for it. This guide shows that method step by step, how to tell real cannibalization from harmless overlap, and the four fixes that work. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What keyword cannibalization is, and when it is not a problem The term is SEO jargon, not a Google penalty. Google's documentation on [consolidating duplicate URLs](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls) describes the closest official concept: when several pages are very similar, Google decides which one to treat as canonical and shows that one. When two of your pages compete for the same intent, a few things can go wrong: - Google alternates between them, so neither builds stable visibility. - Links and mentions you earn are split across two pages instead of one. - The page Google picks may not be the one you want readers to land on. But overlap alone is not cannibalization. Two pages showing up for the same query is fine, and sometimes great, when: - **They serve different intents.** A "best free tools" list and a "paid tools under $50" list can both appear for a broad tool query. - **Both rank well.** Two results from your site on page one is more real estate, not a problem. - **The query is broad and minor.** Many queries with a handful of impressions touch several pages. Ignore those. The real signal is the same intent, split performance, and neither page doing well. ## Free checker method 1: Search Console, query first This is the core method and needs nothing but a verified [Search Console Performance report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553): - Open **Performance > Search results** and set the date range to the last 3 months. - In the **Queries** tab, sort by impressions and note the queries that matter to you, especially those where your average position is between about 5 and 30. Those are the ones where a fix can move something. - Click one query. This adds a query filter. - Switch to the **Pages** tab. You now see every URL on your site that got impressions for that query, with clicks, impressions, and position for each. - Write down any query where two or more pages have meaningful impressions. Then check the pattern over time. With the query filter still on, filter by one page, then the other, and compare the impressions chart. If one page's impressions rise when the other's fall, Google is swapping them. That swap is the clearest cannibalization signal you can get for free. One detail matters when you read the numbers. Google's help page explains that the chart is aggregated by property: "if two results from the same site appear for one query, they count as a single impression in the chart total," while the Pages table counts per page. So the page rows can add up to more than the chart total. That is expected, not a bug. ## Free checker method 2: Search Console, page first The reverse view finds overlap you did not think to look for: - In the Performance report, filter by one page (Page > URLs containing, or exact URL). - Open the **Queries** tab and export the list. - Repeat for the other pages in the same topic. - In a spreadsheet, put all lists together and look for queries that appear for more than one page. On a blog with under 100 posts, doing this for each topic cluster takes an evening. ## Free checker method 3: Looker Studio for the whole site If you want query and page in one table without exporting page by page, Looker Studio's free [Search Console connector](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/studio/connect-to-search-console) can do it. Choose the **URL Impression** table when you connect (it reports per URL rather than per property), then build a table with the query and landing page fields, impressions, clicks, and average position. Sort by query, and every query with two or more rows is a candidate. Export to Sheets and filter out queries with very few impressions. ## Free checker method 4: a site: search For a quick sanity check on a specific topic, search Google for `site:yourdomain.com topic`. If you see several posts with nearly identical titles answering the same question, you have likely found the cause even before Search Console confirms it. It is not a ranking report, only a way to spot overlapping content. ## How to decide what to do For each pair of competing pages, answer three questions: do they serve the same intent, which one performs better (clicks and position), and which one has external links or mentions pointing to it? Then pick a fix: | Situation | Fix | Notes | | Same intent, one page clearly stronger | Merge the weaker into the stronger, then 301 | Most common fix on small blogs | | Same intent, both weak | Rewrite into one better page, 301 the other | Keep the URL with more links | | Near-duplicate pages you must keep (print versions, parameters) | `rel="canonical"` to the preferred URL | Both stay accessible | | Different intents, blurred content | Differentiate: rewrite titles, headings, and focus | Then link between them | | Overlap on minor queries, both doing fine | Leave it | Not a problem worth fixing | ## Fix 1: Merge and redirect Move the useful, unique parts of the weaker page into the stronger one: missing steps, examples, data, an FAQ answer. Update the stronger page so it fully covers the intent. Then set a permanent redirect from the old URL. Google's [redirect documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects) says 301 and 308 mean a page has permanently moved, and that the indexing pipeline uses a redirect as a signal that the target should be canonical. Use permanent redirects only when you are sure you will not reverse the change. After merging, update your internal links so they point straight to the surviving URL instead of through the redirect, and remove the old URL from your sitemap. ## Fix 2: Canonical, when both pages must stay Sometimes you need both URLs to exist, for example a filtered version of a page or a syndicated copy. Then add `rel="canonical"` on the duplicate pointing to the preferred page. Google's consolidation guide ranks the signals: redirects and `rel="canonical"` are strong signals, sitemap inclusion is a weak one, and you can combine them. Google still makes the final choice. What not to do: Google advises against using robots.txt or `noindex` to pick a canonical within a site. Robots.txt can leave a URL indexed without its content, and `noindex` removes the page from Search entirely rather than consolidating it. ## Fix 3: Separate the intents If both pages deserve to exist, make each one clearly about something different: - Rewrite the title and H1 of each so they target different questions. - Cut sections from one page that duplicate the other, and link to the other page instead. - Make the broader page the hub and the narrower one a spoke, with links both ways. ## An example from this blog Our post on [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) started picking up Search Console impressions for a mix of intents: free tools, cheaper paid tools, Semrush-style suites, and free authority checkers. One page was trying to answer four different questions. Instead of stuffing all of it into one page, we split by intent while planning. The free-tools post stays the hub for "free." Cheaper paid options went to a separate post on [cheaper Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/), and the other intents were assigned to their own planned posts. The hub links to each spoke, and each spoke links back. What Ahrefs itself offers for free stays inside the hub, so no new page competes with it. We are not claiming a ranking result from this; the point is that the split was decided on paper, before writing, which is the cheapest moment to prevent cannibalization. ## Prevention: a 5-minute check before every new post - Search your own site for the target query (`site:yourdomain.com query`) and check your content plan. - In Search Console, filter by the target query and see if an existing page already gets impressions for it. - If one does, update that page instead of writing a new one, or define the new post's different intent in one sentence. - Assign the new post to a topic, with one hub, before you write. - Keep a simple sheet: URL, primary query, intent, hub. One primary query per URL. Our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers building topic clusters that make this sheet easy to keep. And if a page gets impressions but almost no clicks, cannibalization is one possible cause among several; see [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/). ## What to do next Today: open Search Console, take your ten most important queries, and run method 1 on each. This week: decide merge, canonical, separate, or leave for every real case you found, and fix the first one. This month: add the 5-minute check to your publishing routine. Fixing overlap makes your best pages clearer. To see how your site looks from the outside before you plan the next posts, [check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### What is keyword cannibalization? It is when two or more pages on the same site target the same search intent, so Google alternates between them or splits visibility, and neither performs as well as one consolidated page would. It is an SEO term, not a Google penalty. ### Is there a free keyword cannibalization checker? Google Search Console works as one. In the Performance report, click a query and open the Pages tab to see every URL that got impressions for it. For a site-wide view, Looker Studio's free Search Console connector with the URL Impression table can list queries and pages together. ### Is keyword cannibalization always bad? No. Two pages appearing for the same query is fine if they serve different intents or both rank well. It is a problem when the pages target the same intent, Google swaps between them, and neither performs well. ### Should I use a 301 redirect or a canonical tag to fix cannibalization? Use a 301 when you merge pages and no longer need the weaker URL. Use rel=canonical when both URLs must stay accessible, such as filtered or syndicated versions. Google treats both as strong canonical signals but makes the final decision. ### Can I use noindex to fix keyword cannibalization? Google does not recommend noindex for choosing a canonical within a site, because it removes the page from Search entirely instead of consolidating signals. Merge and redirect, use rel=canonical, or differentiate the pages instead. ### What is a keyword cannibalization example? Illustrative case: a blog with two posts titled 'How to Feed a Sourdough Starter' and 'Sourdough Starter Feeding Guide' that answer the same question. In Search Console, both get impressions for the same queries and swap positions over time. Merging them into one post usually fixes it. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-outreach-templates/ Link building # Link Building Outreach Email Templates (With Follow-Ups) Good link building outreach email templates are short, specific to one page, and give the recipient a reason to care that has nothing to do with your rankings. Below are five templates for the situations small sites actually face (a broken link, a resource page, an unlinked mention, a factual error, a useful update), two follow-ups, and the rules that keep cold email legal and your domain out of trouble. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## Before you copy anything: what makes an outreach email work Editors and site owners delete most outreach without reading past the first line. The emails that get answered share four traits: - **One page, one reason.** You name the exact URL on their site and the exact problem or opportunity. "I love your blog" is not a reason. - **The benefit is theirs.** A fixed broken link, a corrected number, a better resource for their readers. Your link is a side effect. - **Short.** If it does not fit on a phone screen without scrolling, cut it. - **Easy to say yes.** Give the replacement URL, the suggested sentence, or the corrected fact, so the change takes them one minute. This article is about earning links and mentions on existing pages. If you want to pitch a full guest article, use our separate [guest post outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/), which cover topic pitches and editor follow-ups. ## Check the recipient's site before you write Five minutes of checking saves you from pitching dead blogs, link farms and sites that will ask for money. Look for: - Recent posts with real authors and comments or social shares. - A "write for us" page that lists prices for links: that is a link seller, not an editor. - Hundreds of unrelated outbound links per post, casino or pharma anchors, and other signs from our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - Whether the site gets any traffic at all. You can run the domain through the free [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), which is built mostly from open data and shows the evidence behind each number. ## Template 1: broken link replacement Use when a page links to a resource that now returns 404 or redirects somewhere irrelevant, and you have a page that covers the same thing. **Subject:** Broken link on your [topic] page Hi [Name], I was reading your page on [topic] ([URL]) and noticed the link to [old resource name] in the "[section name]" section now goes to a 404. If you want a replacement, I wrote a guide that covers the same ground: [your URL]. It includes [one concrete thing, e.g. "the updated 2026 settings screenshots"]. Totally fine if you prefer another source; I mainly wanted to flag the dead link. Thanks, [Your name], [site] Why it works: you report the problem first and offer your page second. Many editors will fix the link even if they pick a different source, and that goodwill is worth more than one link. ## Template 2: resource page suggestion Use for curated pages that list tools, guides or local services. Our full method for finding and vetting them is in [resource page link building](https://satelo.io/blog/resource-page-link-building/). **Subject:** Suggestion for your [topic] resources list Hi [Name], Your list at [URL] has helped me before, especially [specific item they list]. One resource that might fit: [your URL]. It is a free [checklist / calculator / guide] for [audience] that covers [what is missing from their list]. No signup needed. If it's not a fit, no worries at all. [Your name] ## Template 3: unlinked brand mention Use when someone already mentions your site, product or name but does not link. This has the warmest audience of any outreach: they already chose to talk about you. Our piece on [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/) explains why the mention matters even if they never add the link. **Subject:** Thanks for mentioning [brand] Hi [Name], Thank you for including [brand] in your post "[title]". It was great to see [specific thing they said]. A small request: would you consider linking the name to [URL], so readers can find it directly? If there is anything outdated in the description, I am happy to send current details. Either way, thanks again. [Your name] ## Template 4: factual correction Use when a page states something outdated or wrong and you have a primary source. Lead with the source, not with your site. **Subject:** Quick correction on [page title] Hi [Name], In [URL], the section on [topic] says [quote, short]. That changed: [official source URL] now says [current fact]. I covered the change in more detail here, in case it helps: [your URL]. But the official page above is the one that matters. [Your name] Do not invent a "mistake" to get in the door. Editors check, and a false correction burns the relationship for good. ## Template 5: you published something they would want to cite Use sparingly, only when you have original material: your own data, a free tool, a detailed test. Send it to people who wrote about the same question, not to everyone in the niche. **Subject:** [Your finding] (re: your post on [topic]) Hi [Name], You wrote about [topic] in [URL]. I just published [what you made, e.g. "a test of six free spam plugins on a fresh WordPress install"], and one result surprised me: [one-sentence finding]. The full write-up is at [your URL] if it is useful for a future update. No reply needed. [Your name] ## Two follow-ups, then stop People miss emails. One or two polite follow-ups are normal; a sequence of five is spam. **Follow-up 1** (about 5–7 business days later, in the same thread): Hi [Name], just bumping this in case it got buried. The [broken link / outdated stat] is still on [URL]. Happy to help either way. **Follow-up 2** (about a week after that, last message): Hi [Name], last note from me on this. If the timing is wrong or it's not a fit, no problem, I won't follow up again. Thanks for the [topic] page either way. After the second follow-up, mark the contact as closed. If someone replies "no" or "please don't email me", remove them from your list the same day and never re-add them. ## Personalization that does not read like AI Editors now receive many AI-generated pitches that open with flattery and a generic summary of their post. You can tell yours apart with details a template cannot fake: - Quote the exact section heading or sentence you are referring to. - Mention one specific thing you did with their content (followed their setup guide, used their tool). - Drop the adjectives: "amazing", "insightful", "incredible". Plain words read as human. - Write the email yourself and use AI, if at all, only to check spelling. If you could send the same paragraph to fifty people, it is not personalized. ## What not to write (and why) | Phrase | Problem | | "We'll pay $X for a dofollow link" | Google lists buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam in its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). Paid placements must be marked `rel="sponsored"` or `nofollow`. | | "Let's exchange links" | The same policy names excessive link exchanges ("link to me and I'll link to you"). | | "Use this exact anchor text" | Keyword-stuffed anchors in placed content are another listed sign of link schemes, and editors read it as manipulation. | | "I've been following you for years" | Usually false and easy to spot. | | Attachments, tracking-heavy links, URL shorteners | Look suspicious and often land in spam folders. | If a site answers your outreach with a price list, you have found a link seller. Paying for a link that passes ranking credit breaks Google's rules; paying for a clearly labeled sponsored post is advertising. Our explainer on [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) shows how to mark each case. ## Cold email rules: CAN-SPAM and GDPR in plain terms This is general information, not legal advice. Two rule sets come up most often: - **US: CAN-SPAM.** The FTC's [CAN-SPAM compliance guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) says the law makes no exception for business-to-business email when a message is commercial. Its requirements include accurate header information, a subject line that reflects the content, a valid postal address, a clear way to opt out, and honoring opt-outs within 10 business days. Whether a one-to-one link request counts as "commercial" depends on its primary purpose, so the safe habit is to follow the basics anyway: real name, honest subject, a line like "Reply 'no thanks' and I won't email again", and a postal address in your signature if you send at any volume. - **UK and EU.** The UK regulator's guide to [electronic mail marketing](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/guide-to-pecr/electronic-and-telephone-marketing/electronic-mail-marketing/) says you can email corporate bodies without prior consent, but sole traders and some partnerships are treated as individuals and need consent or a soft opt-in. Many small bloggers are individuals, so keep outreach strictly one-to-one, relevant to their published page, and stop at the first objection. EU member states have their own rules on top of the GDPR; check yours before sending at scale. The practical rule: send from your real address, to people whose page you actually read, one at a time. Do not buy email lists or scrape addresses into bulk sequences. ## Track replies in a simple sheet A spreadsheet is enough. Columns that pay off: | Column | Example (illustrative) | | Target URL | example.com/best-hiking-apps/ | | Scenario | Broken link | | Contact and how found | Jane, author box | | Sent / Follow-up 1 / Follow-up 2 | Oct 2 / Oct 9 / Oct 16 | | Outcome | Fixed, linked to us / Fixed, other source / No reply / Declined | | Link attributes | nofollow, sponsored, none | | Notes | Prefers short emails, runs a newsletter | After a few dozen emails, look at which scenario gets replies on your niche and do more of that. Count "fixed with another source" as a win: you made a contact who now knows your name. ## What to do next - Pick one scenario that fits a page you already have (a broken link you can replace is the easiest start). - Find five target pages and check each site before writing. - Send five personalized emails this week, log them, and schedule the follow-ups. - For more ways to earn links without paying, see [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). Before you hit send, run the recipient's domain through the [free Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/): in about 30 seconds you see its Quality Score with the open-data evidence behind each number, so you know whether the site is a real, living publication worth your time. ## FAQ ### How do you write an outreach email for backlinks? Name one specific page on the recipient's site, give them a reason that benefits them (a broken link, an outdated fact, a missing resource), offer your page as one option, and keep it short. Don't offer payment or a link swap. ### How many follow-up emails should I send for link outreach? One or two, spaced about a week apart, in the same thread. After the second, close the contact. If someone says no or asks you to stop, remove them immediately. ### What is a good subject line for outreach emails? A plain description of the reason for writing, such as 'Broken link on your [topic] page' or 'Quick correction on [page title]'. It must reflect the content; misleading subject lines are prohibited under CAN-SPAM for commercial email. ### Is cold outreach for links legal? Generally yes if done one-to-one and honestly, but rules apply. In the US, CAN-SPAM covers commercial email including B2B; in the UK, sole traders need consent while corporate bodies do not. Use your real identity, an honest subject and an easy opt-out. This is not legal advice. ### Is it okay to offer money for a link in outreach? Not for a link that passes ranking credit. Google's spam policies list buying or selling links for ranking as link spam. A paid placement must be marked rel="sponsored" or nofollow and disclosed as advertising. ### What is a good response rate for link building outreach? There is no reliable public benchmark; vendor numbers vary with niche and list quality. Track your own replies by scenario and improve the one that works best for your niche. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/link-insertion-vs-guest-post/ Guest posting # Link Insertion vs Guest Post: Cost, Risk and When Each Makes Sense Link insertion vs guest post comes down to this: a link insertion (niche edit) adds your link to an article that already exists, while a guest post is a new article written for the host site. Insertions are usually faster and cheaper; guest posts give you more control and more value for readers. If money changes hands, both fall under the same Google rule: the link must be marked sponsored or nofollow. Here is how they compare, where each goes wrong, and how to vet the host page. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Definitions: what each format actually is **Link insertion**, also called a niche edit or contextual link placement, means the owner of an existing, already published article adds a link to your site, often by editing a sentence or adding one. Vendors such as [The Hoth](https://www.thehoth.com/blog/link-insertions-vs-guest-posts/) describe it as "placing a backlink into an existing post on a relevant website." **Guest post** means you or your writer create a new article, the host site publishes it under your name or a byline, and the article mentions your site where it is relevant. Our primer on [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/) covers the basics. Both can be done for free (an editor adds your resource because it helps readers; you write a guest article because the host wants the content) or for payment. The difference between the free and paid versions matters far more for risk than the difference between the two formats. ## Side-by-side comparison | Factor | Link insertion | Guest post | | What gets published | A link or a sentence in an old article | A whole new article | | Control over context | Low: the article was written for something else | High: you shape the topic and where the mention sits | | Speed | Fast: the page already exists and is usually indexed | Slower: writing, editing, publishing, indexing | | Effort and cost | Usually lower, no writing needed | Usually higher, you pay for or write the article | | Value for readers | Often marginal: one more link in old text | Can be real, if the article is genuinely useful | | Referral traffic potential | Depends on the old page's existing traffic | Depends on the article and the host's audience | | Disclosure | Often missing; readers can't tell a link was paid for | Easier to label as "sponsored" or "partner" post | | Risk if paid and unmarked | Link spam under Google's policies | Link spam under Google's policies | We deliberately leave out average prices. Price lists vary widely by vendor, niche and host site, and most published "averages" come from sellers. For a breakdown of what drives the price and how to judge a quote, see our [guest post cost guide](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/). ## Where both formats hit Google's rules Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) define link spam as creating links "primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings." The examples include "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" and "advertorials or native advertising where payment is received for articles that include links that pass ranking credit." The same page also says that paid links for advertising or sponsorship are fine "as long as they are qualified with a rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" attribute value." Google's [guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) says `sponsored` is the preferred value for "advertisements or paid placements," with `nofollow` still acceptable. Put together: - A **paid** link insertion without `sponsored` or `nofollow` is link spam. - A **paid** guest post with unmarked links is also link spam; it fits the advertorial example almost word for word. - Either format with a properly marked link is within Google's rules. Even The Hoth, which sells both formats, admits that paying for placements is "technically against Google's Webmaster Guidelines." The format does not launder the payment. If a seller promises a "dofollow" paid link, they are offering exactly what the policy forbids. ## Why insertions into old articles look more like hidden ads A guest post is at least visible as a separate piece of content, and the host can label it "sponsored" or "partner content" at the top. A link inserted into a two-year-old article usually has no label at all. To a reader, it looks like the author recommended your site at the time of writing, when in fact the recommendation was bought later. That is a disclosure problem, separate from search engines. Advertising regulators in several countries expect paid content to be identifiable to readers, not only to crawlers. Our guide to [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) links to the primary sources from the FTC, the UK's ASA and EU law. Insertions also carry practical risks: - **Sites that sell insertions at scale** tend to accumulate outbound links on topics unrelated to the original article, which makes every link on them less credible. - **Edits are easy to reverse.** A link added in an edit can be removed in an edit, and you rarely get notified. - **Context is borrowed.** If the old article is about something only loosely related, the link does little for readers and little for you. ## When each format makes sense ### A link insertion can make sense when - An existing article is clearly incomplete without your resource, and the editor agrees on merit. - You are fixing a broken link: the page links to a dead resource and yours replaces it. - The page has real traffic and you want referral visits, and the link is clearly labeled if paid. ### A guest post makes sense when - You have expertise to share and the host's audience overlaps with yours. - You want to control the angle, examples and where your brand is mentioned. - You want a piece you can point to as a byline, not just a link. ### Neither makes sense when - The only reason is to "pass authority" with an unmarked paid link. - The host site exists mainly to sell links. See [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## How to evaluate the host page before you agree Whichever format you choose, judge the specific page and site, not a vendor's metric. Our longer [checklist for checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) goes deeper; the essentials are: - **Is the page indexed?** Search for the exact URL or a distinctive sentence from it. A page Google has dropped from its index sends no readers. - **Does it get traffic?** Ask for a Search Console or analytics screenshot of that page, not just a sitewide number. - **Is it on topic?** Would a reader of this article actually want to click your link? - **How many outbound links does it already have?** A page with dozens of commercial links on unrelated topics is a warning sign. - **Does the site label sponsored content?** Look for "sponsored" or "partner" labels on other posts and `rel="sponsored"` in the HTML. - **Who runs it?** Real authors, an about page and a contact address are basic signs of a real publication. - **Is the site growing or decaying?** Check whether it still publishes and whether its visibility is stable. **Worked example, for illustration only:** a seller offers an insertion into an article on "best budget laptops" for your project-management app. The page is indexed and gets visits, but the article already contains 14 outbound links to unrelated software, and none are marked sponsored. Verdict: skip. A guest post on a small productivity blog that labels partner posts and would publish a genuinely useful workflow article is the better choice, even if the site's metrics look lower. ## The third option: a disclosed partner article There is a format between "pay for an insertion" and "write for free and hope": a partner article. A site in your niche publishes a new, useful article that mentions you, it is labeled as a partner or sponsored post, and the link carries `rel="sponsored"`. Readers know what they are reading, search engines know the link is not an editorial vote, and you still get context, a byline-quality mention and potential referral traffic. The trade-off is honest: a properly marked link is not a ranking lever. The value is in visibility to a relevant audience, brand mentions and referral visits. If someone promises rankings from paid links, that is the part to distrust. ## What to do next Before you pay for any placement, run the host site through Satelo's free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). It shows domain age, Tranco rank, Common Crawl presence and page speed in one place, mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number. That is a quick way to filter out sites that look strong on a vendor metric but have little real footprint. If you would rather swap content than buy it, [Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/) runs disclosed partner articles in a circle: sites of a similar level and topic publish articles about each other (A writes about B, B about C, C about A), with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. It is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one channel, not the whole plan. ## FAQ ### What is a link insertion in SEO? A link insertion, also called a niche edit, is when a site owner adds a link to your site inside an article that is already published. No new content is created; an existing sentence is edited or a new one is added to include the link. ### Are niche edits better than guest posts? Neither is better in general. Insertions are usually faster and cheaper, while guest posts give you more control over context and are more useful to readers. If either is paid, the link must be marked sponsored or nofollow under Google's spam policies. ### Are link insertions against Google's guidelines? A link insertion given freely on merit is fine. A paid insertion without rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" counts as link spam, because Google lists buying or selling links for ranking purposes as a violation. ### How much does a link insertion cost? Prices vary widely by vendor, niche and host site, and most published averages come from sellers. Judge a quote by the specific page: is it indexed, does it get traffic, is it on topic, and will the link be properly labeled. ### Do I need to disclose a paid guest post or link insertion? For search engines, paid links should carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". For readers, advertising rules in many countries, such as the FTC's in the US, expect paid content to be clearly identifiable. Our disclosure rules guide links to the primary sources. ### Can a sponsored link still help my site? It can bring referral visits, brand visibility and context from a relevant audience. It is not meant to pass ranking credit, so don't buy one expecting a ranking boost. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-wordpress/ Wordpress # How to Add llms.txt to WordPress (and What It Will Not Do) The fastest way to add llms.txt to WordPress is a plugin you may already have: Yoast SEO and Rank Math both have a built-in llms.txt switch, and dedicated plugins add more control. You can also upload a hand-written file in five minutes. This guide covers all four routes, what a small blog should actually put in the file, how to check it works, and the limits nobody selling GEO wants to mention. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What llms.txt is, in one paragraph llms.txt is a proposed standard published at [llmstxt.org](https://llmstxt.org/): a Markdown file at `/llms.txt` that gives language models and AI agents a short, readable map of your site. The only required part is an H1 with the site name. After that come an optional blockquote summary, optional notes, and H2 sections with lists of links in the form `[name](url): notes`. A section called "Optional" marks links an agent can skip when it is short on context. The proposal also suggests offering Markdown versions of important pages (for example `page.md`), though that is a separate step. For the general format, a template and the robots.txt comparison, see our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/). This article is only about getting the file onto a WordPress site. ## First, the honest limit Before you install anything, know what Google says. Its page on [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) (last updated December 10, 2025) states that you don't need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files or markup to appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode. Normal SEO rules apply: the page must be indexed and eligible to show a snippet. So llms.txt is not a ranking lever and not a ticket into ChatGPT or AI Overviews. It is a small courtesy for agents and tools that choose to read it, such as coding assistants and research agents fetching your docs. It takes minutes and costs nothing, which is why it can still be worth doing. Just do it with the right expectations. ## Option 1: Yoast SEO (built in) If Yoast SEO is already installed, you do not need another plugin. According to [Yoast's help page](https://yoast.com/help/enable-llmstxt/): - Open **Yoast SEO → Settings → Site features**. - Under **AI tools**, find **LLMS.txt** and switch the toggle on. - Click **Save changes**. Yoast picks what it considers your most important, up-to-date content. To choose pages yourself, open **Customize llms.txt file** and select **Manual page selection**. Two limits from the same page: the feature is not available on multisite, and you need the latest Yoast version. If the option is missing, update the plugin first. ## Option 2: Rank Math (built in) [Rank Math's knowledge base](https://rankmath.com/kb/llms-txt/) describes a module rather than a toggle: - Go to **Rank Math SEO → Dashboard** and turn on the **LLMS Txt** module. - Open **General Settings → Edit llms.txt**. - Choose post types (Posts, Pages) and taxonomies (Categories, Tags), set the item limit (the default is 100) and add any extra links or text. - Save, then use the preview link. Note that Rank Math's file is empty until you configure it, and posts set to noindex are left out automatically. That second point is useful: your llms.txt will not advertise pages you have hidden from search. ## Option 3: a dedicated llms.txt plugin If you use another SEO plugin, or want scheduled regeneration and finer control, the WordPress.org directory has several generators. Here is what three of them showed on October 16, 2026. Check the listing again before installing, because update dates and compatibility change. | Plugin | What it does | Active installs / last update (wordpress.org) | Watch out for | | [Website LLMs.txt](https://wordpress.org/plugins/website-llms-txt/) | Generates and refreshes the file (immediately, daily or weekly); respects noindex from Yoast, Rank Math, SEOPress and AIOSEO; WooCommerce and multisite support | 50,000+; updated October 2026 | Has an optional, opt-in external connection; leave it off if you only want the file | | [Quick LLMS txt](https://wordpress.org/plugins/quick-llms-txt/) | Automatic or manual mode, covers posts, pages, custom post types and taxonomies, live preview | 10+; updated May 2026 | Very small user base, so fewer people reporting bugs | | [Basis LLMs.txt File Generator](https://wordpress.org/plugins/basis-llms-txt-file-generator/) | Writes a physical file, choice of post types, excerpt limits, update frequency, caching | 10+; updated September 2025 | The listing warns it has not been tested with the latest three major WordPress releases | A simple rule: if you already run Yoast or Rank Math, use the built-in feature and skip the extra plugin. One more plugin means one more thing to update, and two plugins writing the same file will fight each other. ## Option 4: write the file by hand For a blog with a few dozen posts, a hand-written file is often the best one, because you decide what matters instead of dumping your latest 100 posts. - Write the file in any text editor and save it as `llms.txt` (plain UTF-8). - Upload it to the folder that contains `wp-config.php` using SFTP or your host's file manager. - Open `https://yoursite.com/llms.txt` in a browser. This works because WordPress's [default rewrite rules](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/server/web-server/httpd/) only send a request to WordPress when the requested path is not an existing file. A real file in the root is served directly. The downside is that nothing updates it automatically, so put a reminder in your calendar after big content changes. Do not run a hand-written file and a generator plugin at the same time. Either the physical file wins and the plugin's settings do nothing, or the plugin overwrites your work. ## What a small blog should put in it Generators tend to list everything. Agents get more out of a short, curated file. Here is an illustrative example for a fictional cooking blog: `# Weeknight Pantry` `> Budget weeknight recipes from a home cook in Ohio. Every recipe is tested twice and lists cost per serving.` `## Start here` `- [About and testing method](https://example.com/about/): who writes the recipes and how they are tested` `- [Recipe index](https://example.com/recipes/): all recipes by main ingredient` `## Best guides` `- [Pantry staples list](https://example.com/pantry-staples/): what to keep stocked and why` `- [Meal prep for one](https://example.com/meal-prep-for-one/): a full week plan` `## Optional` `- [Archive](https://example.com/blog/): every post by date` What to include: - **A one-line summary that a stranger would understand.** Who you are, what the site covers, what makes it trustworthy. - **Your about page and contact page.** They answer the questions agents and readers most often have about a source. - **Five to fifteen cornerstone posts** with a short note each. Pick the ones you would send a new reader to. - **Category or index pages** in the Optional section. What to leave out: tag archives, author archives, thank-you pages, cart and checkout pages, anything noindexed, and thin posts you would not want quoted. ## How to check that it works - **Open it in a private window.** You should see plain text, not a WordPress page and not a 404. - **Check the headers.** In a terminal, run `curl -I https://yoursite.com/llms.txt`. Look for status `200` and a content type of `text/plain` or `text/markdown`. - **Clear caches.** Caching plugins and CDNs sometimes keep serving an old version or a cached 404. Purge them after changes. - **Check security plugins and firewalls.** If a firewall blocks unknown bots, agents may never reach the file. Our guide to [AI crawlers and robots.txt](https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/) explains which bots do what, so you can decide deliberately. - **Click every link in the file.** Broken or redirected links make the map less useful than none. ## What llms.txt will not do A few claims you will see in plugin listings and agency posts, and what the evidence supports: - **"Get into AI Overviews."** Google says no special AI file is needed (source above). Indexing and helpful content matter. - **"Get cited by ChatGPT."** OpenAI's [crawler documentation](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) ties ChatGPT search visibility to allowing OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt. It does not list llms.txt as a requirement, even though OpenAI's own docs publish one. Our guide on [getting indexed by ChatGPT search](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/) covers the steps that actually apply. - **"Control how AI uses your content."** llms.txt is a map, not a permission system. Access control lives in robots.txt and your server. What tends to get a small site mentioned is being written about by other relevant sites and having pages that answer questions clearly. That is slower work, and it is the subject of our article on [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). ## What to do next - If you run Yoast or Rank Math, switch on the built-in llms.txt feature today and switch to manual selection. - Otherwise, write a short file by hand using the example above and upload it to the site root. - Run the five checks in the list above. - Then spend the rest of your time on things readers and AI tools can find: clear pages and mentions on related sites. For the second part, Satelo's [WordPress plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) connects your blog to a network of related sites: you publish a partner article on your blog and another site in the network publishes one about yours. Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small, so treat it as one channel among several. Our guide to [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the rest. ## FAQ ### Do I need a plugin to add llms.txt to WordPress? No. You can upload a plain text file named llms.txt to the site root with SFTP or your host's file manager. WordPress serves existing files directly. A plugin only helps if you want the file to update automatically. ### Does Yoast SEO support llms.txt? Yes. Yoast's help page describes a toggle under Yoast SEO, Settings, Site features, AI tools, LLMS.txt. You can switch to manual page selection. It is not available on multisite installs. ### Does Rank Math have an llms.txt feature? Yes. Turn on the LLMS Txt module in the Rank Math dashboard, then configure it under General Settings, Edit llms.txt. The file stays empty until you choose post types or taxonomies, and noindexed posts are excluded. ### Will llms.txt help me rank in Google AI Overviews? Google says you don't need AI text files or special markup to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Standard SEO requirements apply: the page must be indexed and eligible for a snippet. ### Where should llms.txt be located? At the root of your domain, so it opens at https://yoursite.com/llms.txt. The llmstxt.org proposal also allows files in subpaths, such as /docs/llms.txt, for sections of a site. ### Can I use two llms.txt plugins at once? You shouldn't. Two generators, or a generator plus a hand-written file, will overwrite or override each other. Pick one source of truth for the file. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/low-competition-keywords-new-blog/ Content # How to Find Low-Competition Keywords for a New Blog (Free Method) To find low competition keywords for a new blog, collect real queries from Google autocomplete and People Also Ask, then open the current top results and look for weak spots: forum threads, old posts, thin pages and sites no bigger than yours. That check of the actual results page tells you more than any free 'difficulty' score. This guide walks through the whole free method, with a spreadsheet template you can copy today. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why "volume" and "difficulty" from free tools mislead new blogs Most keyword tools show two numbers: monthly search volume and a difficulty score. Both are estimates built by the tool vendor from their own data, and free tiers often show rounded or sampled values. Even Google's own figures are estimates: the [Keyword Planner help page](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7337243) describes its monthly numbers as search estimates and notes that very low-volume keywords may not show up at all. That last point matters for a new blog. The long, specific questions a young site can actually win often sit below the reporting threshold of every tool. If you only chase keywords that show a number, you skip the exact queries where you have a chance. Difficulty scores have another problem: most are based mainly on the backlinks of ranking pages. They do not see that the third result is a 2016 forum thread or that the top page never answers the question. You see that in ten seconds by opening the results. ## Step 1: start from topics you can genuinely cover Low competition is useless if the topic does not fit your blog. Google's guidance on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) lists warning signs such as writing about things simply because they seem trending, or producing lots of content on many topics in the hope some of it performs. So begin with a short list of 5–10 seed topics you know first-hand: things you do, test, cook, fix or teach. Write each seed as a two- or three-word phrase, for example "sourdough starter", "budget bikepacking", "wordpress backup". ## Step 2: mine Google autocomplete Type each seed into Google and write down the suggestions. Google says autocomplete predictions [reflect real searches](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/7368877?hl=en) done on Google, shaped by language, location and trending interest. The same page warns that autocomplete is not a popularity ranking and should not be compared with Google Trends. Use it as proof that people ask a question, not as a measure of how many. To widen the list quickly: - Add question words: "how to [seed]", "why does [seed]", "can you [seed]". - Add modifiers: "for beginners", "without [tool]", "vs", "best … for [situation]". - Type the seed followed by each letter, a, b, c…, and note new suggestions. - Use a private window so your own history does not skew the predictions. Longer, more specific suggestions are usually the low-competition ones: "sourdough starter not rising in cold kitchen" rather than "sourdough". ## Step 3: harvest People Also Ask and related searches Search the most promising suggestions and look at the People Also Ask box and the related searches at the bottom. Clicking a question in People Also Ask usually loads more questions. Copy the ones that match your topic. These are often perfect H2 sections or even whole posts. Also check where your readers talk: forum threads, Reddit, Q&A sites, YouTube comments. Repeated questions with poor answers are strong candidates. ## Step 4: read the results page (the real competition check) This is the step that replaces the difficulty score. For each candidate query, open the first page of results and note what you see. | What you see in the top 10 | What it suggests | | Forum threads, Reddit, Quora in positions 1–5 | Google lacks a good dedicated article. Good opportunity. | | Posts last updated years ago, outdated screenshots or prices | A fresh, accurate answer can compete. | | Thin pages: 200 words, no real answer, heavy ads | Opportunity if you answer fully. | | Small blogs similar in size and age to yours | Realistic target for a new site. | | Results that answer a slightly different question | Intent gap: write the page that answers the exact query. | | Top 10 entirely big brands, government sites, major publishers | Hard for now. Look for a longer variation. | | Mostly product pages or videos | Searchers want a different format; a blog post may not fit. | To judge "sites like yours", look at a few signals you can check for free: domain age, whether the site appears in the Tranco top-sites list, and how many of its pages are known to open crawls. Our explainers on [Tranco rank](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/) and [website age and SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/website-age-and-seo/) show how to read them. You can also paste a competitor's domain into the free [Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/), which collects such signals into one Quality Score built mostly from open data. A simple scoring scale is enough. Rate each query's competition **L** (forums, old or thin pages, small sites in the top 5), **M** (a mix of niche blogs and one or two strong sites) or **H** (dominated by big brands). As a new blog, write mostly L, some M, and park H for later. ## Step 5: confirm interest with Google Trends and Keyword Planner Two free Google tools help you avoid dead topics, as long as you know their limits: - **[Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/)** shows relative interest over time, not search counts. Google explains that values are [scaled from 0 to 100](https://support.google.com/trends/answer/4365533) based on a topic's share of all searches, and very low-volume terms may show as zero. Use it to compare two phrasings and spot seasonality (for example, "bikepacking" content is best published before the season starts). - **Keyword Planner** inside Google Ads gives search estimates and related ideas. Google's help says you need to complete account setup, including billing information, to use it. Treat its numbers as a rough order of magnitude. It is an advertising tool, so it says nothing about how hard the organic results are. If a query appears in autocomplete, has a People Also Ask box, and shows weak results, it is worth writing even if Trends and Keyword Planner show almost nothing. ## Step 6: once you have traffic, use Search Console After a few months, your best keyword tool is your own Search Console. The [Performance report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553) shows the queries your site appeared for, with clicks, impressions, CTR and average position. - Filter to queries with impressions but few clicks and an average position between about 8 and 30. These are topics Google already associates with you. - If a query belongs to a page that only touches it in passing, add a section or write a dedicated post. - If impressions are high and clicks are low, read our guide to [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) before writing anything new. ## The spreadsheet template One row per query. Here is a filled example (illustrative, not real data): | Query | Source | Intent | Top 10 notes | Comp. | Fits blog? | Plan | | sourdough starter not rising in cold kitchen | Autocomplete | How-to | 2 forums, 1 thin page in top 5 | L | Yes, tested it | Write now | | sourdough starter smells like acetone | PAA | Problem | Small blogs, one 2019 post | L | Yes | Write now | | best sourdough flour | Autocomplete | Commercial | Big food sites and retailers | H | Maybe | Later | | sourdough vs yeast bread | Related searches | Comparison | Mix of blogs and one major brand | M | Yes | Next month | Group related rows: several low-competition questions on the same subtopic often belong in one strong post, with the others linking to it. That is how a new blog builds topical depth without dozens of thin pages. ## Common mistakes - **Chasing zero-volume tools blindly.** A keyword that "has no volume" in a tool may still bring steady visits; check autocomplete and the results instead. - **Picking queries you can't answer well.** Low competition does not help if your page is no better than the thin one already ranking. - **One post per tiny variation.** "How to clean X" and "how do I clean X" belong on one page. - **Ignoring intent.** If the top results are all product pages, a 2,000-word guide is the wrong format. - **Paying for a tool too early.** Free tiers cover a new blog for months; see our list of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) when you outgrow the manual method. ## What to do next - Write down five seed topics you know first-hand. - Spend 30 minutes collecting autocomplete and People Also Ask questions into the template. - Open the results for your top 15 queries and rate each L, M or H. - Pick three L queries and write the best answer on the page for each. - For more on picking a niche and growing a small blog, read [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). When a competitor in the results looks "about your size", check it: the [free Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows any site's Quality Score in about 30 seconds, with the open-data evidence behind each number, so you can compare yourself with the pages you want to outrank. ## FAQ ### How do I find low competition keywords for free? Collect real queries from Google autocomplete, People Also Ask and related searches, then open the top results for each and look for forums, outdated or thin pages and small sites. Confirm interest with Google Trends, and later use Search Console's Performance report. ### What is considered a low competition keyword? One where the current top results are weak: forum threads, old or thin pages, or sites similar in size to yours, especially for a specific long-tail question. Difficulty scores from tools are estimates based mainly on backlinks. ### Are zero-volume keywords worth targeting? Often yes for a new blog. Keyword tools may not report very low-volume queries at all. If a question appears in autocomplete or People Also Ask and the results are weak, it can still bring steady visitors. ### Is Google Keyword Planner free? It is part of Google Ads. Google's help says you need to complete account setup, including billing information, to get keyword ideas. It is built for advertisers, so it does not measure organic ranking difficulty. ### Does Google Trends show search volume? No. Google Trends shows relative interest scaled from 0 to 100 based on a term's share of all searches, and very low-volume terms may show as zero. ### How many keywords should a new blog target per post? One main query plus closely related questions with the same intent. Put variations of the same question on one page rather than writing separate posts for each wording. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/ Monetization # How to Monetize a Low Traffic Website (Without Ruining It) To monetize a low traffic website, lean on methods that pay per reader or per deal, not per thousand pageviews: affiliate links, sponsored posts, your own products, services and direct sponsors. Display ads work too, but they pay the least while traffic is small. Below are nine options, what each needs to make sense, the rules that apply, and the mistakes that cost small sites their search visibility. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Set honest expectations first Small traffic does not mean no income, but it changes which methods make sense. Display ads earn per impression, so their output scales almost linearly with visitors. Methods that earn per person or per deal (a sale through your affiliate link, a sponsor who wants your exact audience, a consulting client) can work with far fewer readers, as long as the readers are a good fit. So the useful question is not "how many visitors do I need" but "what does my reader want to buy, and who wants to reach my reader". We won't give income figures here: they depend on niche, country, season and conversion, and any average would mislead you. ## 1. Display ads (AdSense and similar networks) Google AdSense does not list a minimum traffic requirement. Its [eligibility page](https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/9724) asks for your own original content that follows program policies, access to your site's HTML, and an applicant aged 18 or older. Approval depends on content quality, not visitor count. The catch is yield. With few visitors, ads bring little money while still slowing pages and distracting readers. If you add ads early, keep them modest: one or two placements, never above the main content on mobile, and check your Core Web Vitals before and after. Never click your own ads or buy traffic to inflate impressions. Every ad network treats that as fraud, and banned accounts are rarely restored. ## 2. Affiliate programs Affiliate links are usually the best fit for a small, focused site. One honest review that matches search intent ("best X for Y", "X vs Z") can earn on its own, because you are paid when a reader buys, not when they look. - Join programs for products you have actually used. You will write better reviews and keep reader trust. - Prefer programs with longer cookie windows and recurring commissions (common for software). - Mark affiliate links with `rel="sponsored"`. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) say paid links are fine when qualified with `nofollow` or `sponsored`. - Disclose. The FTC says affiliate disclosures should appear [clearly and conspicuously](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking), close to the recommendation, not only in a footer. ## 3. Sponsored posts and guest articles Many brands and agencies care more about topic fit and a real audience than about raw traffic, especially in narrow niches. A sponsored article is a paid placement: you publish a brand's article (or write one for them) and mark it as sponsored. Three rules keep this safe: - Every paid link gets `rel="sponsored"` (or `nofollow`). Google lists "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" as link spam in the same [policy](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). - Label the post as sponsored at the top, per the disclosure rules in your country. Our [disclosure guide](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers the US, EU and Russia. - Accept only articles you would be fine showing your regular readers. For pricing and workflow, see [how to price sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/) and our guide to [selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/). On WordPress, [accepting sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) can be set up without manual email back-and-forth. ## 4. Direct sponsorships and newsletter slots Instead of a network, sell one fixed spot directly: "this month's sponsor" in the sidebar, a line in your newsletter, a short mention in each new post. You set the price, choose the advertiser and keep the whole fee. A simple media page (who reads you, what you offer, how to contact you) is enough to start. Disclosure rules apply here too. ## 5. Your own digital products A template, checklist pack, spreadsheet, short course or ebook built from your best-performing posts. Small audiences often convert better because the readers who stay are the ones who care. Start with one product tied to your most-visited page, and sell it through any checkout tool that handles taxes for you. ## 6. Services and consulting If your site shows expertise (design, gardening, tax for freelancers, local repairs), a "hire me" page can out-earn every other method combined. A low traffic site with a clear offer and a contact form is a perfectly good sales tool. This is also the method least sensitive to algorithm updates. ## 7. Donations, memberships and paid newsletters Tip jars and memberships work best for writers with a recognizable voice, open-source projects and community sites. Offer something concrete for members: early access, a private archive, a monthly Q&A. Expect a small share of loyal readers to pay, so pair it with another method. ## 8. Content exchange: traffic instead of money When income is small, the bigger problem is often visibility. Exchanging articles with sites at a similar level in related topics turns your publishing capacity into exposure for your own site. It is not cash, but it grows the audience every other method depends on. Satelo is built for this: you publish partner articles, earn satellites, and spend them on articles about your site, in a circle (A→B→C→A) rather than a direct swap. All links in the exchange are `rel="sponsored"`. Satellites cannot be withdrawn as money. You set your own article price and keep all of it in satellites (the buyer pays the 10% fee on top), but Satelo does not pay out cash, so treat it as a promotion channel, not an income source. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one channel, not the plan. The [WordPress plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) handles publishing automatically. ## 9. Sell or license your content and data Original photos, datasets, local listings or tools can be licensed to other publishers. Some small sites also earn by syndicating articles to bigger outlets with a canonical link back. This is niche, but if you own something unique, it beats ads. ## Worked example: a small niche blog (for illustration) Imagine a hobby blog about home espresso with a few dozen readers a day, mostly from search. Here is how the methods above could stack, in order: - **Month 1.** Rewrite the three most-visited posts as honest comparisons of grinders and machines the author owns, with disclosed affiliate links marked `rel="sponsored"`. - **Month 2.** Publish a "Work with me" page offering sponsored reviews of accessories, with clear rules: on-topic only, labeled, no followed links. - **Month 3.** Turn the most-asked question ("how do I dial in a new bean?") into a printable checklist sold for a small fee. - **Ongoing.** Exchange articles with other coffee and kitchen blogs to reach new readers, and add one ad placement only after search traffic is steady. Nothing here requires big traffic. Each step uses what a small site already has: trust, a narrow topic and readers who came for a reason. ## Comparison: which method fits a small site | Method | When it makes sense (qualitative) | Main risk | | Display ads | Once you have steady search traffic; low yield before that | Slower pages, ad fraud bans | | Affiliate links | From the first reviews that match buying intent | Undisclosed links, thin review pages | | Sponsored posts | When your niche is clear and the site looks alive | Paid links without `sponsored`, off-topic posts | | Direct sponsors | When you know who your readers are | Time spent on sales | | Own products | When readers ask the same questions repeatedly | Upfront work | | Services | Any traffic, if you have a skill to sell | Your time is the limit | | Donations / memberships | Loyal readers, a recognizable voice | Small share of payers | | Content exchange | Any traffic; aim is reach, not cash | Off-topic partners if you do not vet them | | Licensing | Unique photos, data or tools | Finding buyers | ## What not to do - **Selling links in bulk.** Links sold for ranking, without `sponsored`, violate Google's policy and can cost you visibility. Sitewide footer links for money are the classic red flag. - **More ads than content.** It annoys readers and hurts engagement; some ad networks forbid it outright. - **Buying traffic to impress advertisers.** Bot traffic shows up in analytics and in ad-network fraud checks. - **Accepting any post that pays.** Gambling, "miracle" health claims and off-topic casino links can turn a clean site into one search engines distrust. See [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) for the patterns to avoid. ## What to do next - Pick one cash method (affiliate or sponsored posts for most blogs) and one growth method. - Add a disclosure line and `rel="sponsored"` to every paid link you already have. - Write a one-page "Advertise / Work with me" page. - Know how your site looks to sponsors before they check it. Advertisers look at your site's numbers before they reply. [Check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) to see the same signals they see, with the open data behind each number, in about 30 seconds and without signing up. ## FAQ ### Can you monetize a website with low traffic? Yes. Methods that pay per sale, per deal or per client (affiliate links, sponsored posts, your own products and services) can work with a small but focused audience. Display ads pay per impression, so they bring the least while traffic is low. ### How much traffic do you need for AdSense? Google's AdSense eligibility page does not list a minimum traffic requirement. It asks for original content that follows its policies, access to your site's HTML, and an applicant aged 18 or older. ### Is selling sponsored posts bad for SEO? Not if you mark paid links with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" and label the post. Google treats buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam, but qualified paid links are allowed. ### What is the best way to monetize a small blog? For most small blogs, affiliate links in honest reviews and occasional sponsored posts in your niche. If you have a skill, a services page often earns more than both. ### Do I need to disclose affiliate links? Yes. In the US the FTC expects affiliate disclosures to be clear and conspicuous and close to the recommendation. Other countries have similar rules. ### Can I cash out Satelo satellites? No. Satellites are spent on articles about your own site and cannot be withdrawn. Satelo has no cash payouts: you set your price and receive it in full in satellites, and the buyer pays the 10% fee on top. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/moz-spam-score/ Seo metrics # Moz Spam Score Explained: What It Means and When to Worry Moz Spam Score explained in one line: it is the share of sites with features similar to yours that Moz has found penalized or banned by Google, so it measures resemblance, not guilt. It is not a Google metric and it is not a penalty. This guide walks through what the number is built from, why small and new sites often score high, when it actually deserves your attention, and how to use it when you vet another site. Published: 2026-10-16 · 10 min read · Satelo ## What Moz Spam Score actually measures According to [Moz's help page on Spam Score](https://moz.com/help/link-explorer/link-building/spam-score), the number is the percentage of sites with similar features to the one you are researching that Moz has found to be penalized or banned by Google. It comes from a machine learning model that Moz trained on a large set of known penalized and banned domains, and that model settled on 27 features those domains tend to share. Read that definition twice, because most of the confusion around Spam Score comes from skipping it: - **It is a correlation.** A score of 40% does not mean your site is 40% spam. It means that among sites that look like yours on those 27 features, Moz saw that share get penalized or banned. - **It is about your site, not your backlinks.** Moz's [guide to investigating Spam Score](https://moz.com/help/link-explorer/link-building/investigating-spam-score) says plainly that the score does not depend on your backlink profile. It reflects your own site's features, setup and content. - **It is Moz's model, built from Moz's crawl.** Spam Score is a Moz metric, not a Google one: Google does not publish a "spam score" you can look up. Google's own rules live in its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies), and none of them refer to a third-party percentage. Moz itself is careful here: its help page says a high score does not mean a site is necessarily spammy, only that it is worth investigating further. ## Low, medium and high: the official bands Moz splits the scale into three bands. The table below adds what each band usually means in practice. | Band (per Moz) | Range | What it usually means | What to do | | Low | 1%–30% | The site shares few features with penalized sites | Nothing. Moz says you shouldn't be concerned about Low or Medium if you have no penalties. | | Medium | 31%–60% | Some overlap, very common for small, young or minimal sites | Glance at the signal list for anything easy and genuinely useful to fix | | High | 61%–100% | Strong resemblance to sites that got penalized or banned | Investigate: content, outbound links, history. Don't panic, don't mass-disavow | You may also see "--" instead of a number. Moz's FAQ explains that this means the site has not been evaluated yet. It is not a zero and not a warning. Moz also says Spam Score is updated quarterly, and that an individual site's score only moves when its crawlers detect changes to the signals. So if you fix something today, expect to wait for a later update before the number changes. ## The 27 signals, grouped so they make sense Moz lists all 27 signals on its help page and notes that the numbering says nothing about importance. Rather than copy the list, here is what they fall into. For the exact wording of each signal, use the [official list](https://moz.com/help/link-explorer/link-building/spam-score). | Group | What Moz looks at | Can you change it? | | Domain name | TLD often associated with spam, name length, numbers, hyphens, unusual vowel/consonant runs | Not without moving domains (rarely worth it) | | Size and popularity | Few pages found by Moz's crawler, very few visits in clickstream panels | Slowly, by publishing and growing an audience | | Trust and contact details | HTTPS by default, a visible email address, a phone number, a link to LinkedIn, a favicon | Yes, usually in an afternoon | | Common site tooling | Presence of Google Fonts, Google Tag Manager, DoubleClick, the Facebook pixel | Technically yes, but adding trackers just for a score is a bad trade | | On-page markup | Very long or very short titles and meta descriptions, meta keywords tags, unusual canonical tags, odd URL lengths | Yes, and some of it is plain good housekeeping | | Outbound links | Unusually high or low numbers of external links and linked domains, link-to-content ratio | Yes, if your pages are link-heavy for no reason | | Spam-topic language | Words and anchor text tied to typical webspam topics such as pharma, adult or gambling | Yes, if they come from hacked pages or spam comments | Two things jump out. First, a big chunk of the list is about how a site is built (trackers, fonts, a favicon) rather than about anything a reader would call spam. Second, several signals describe exactly what a brand-new blog looks like: a handful of pages, little traffic, no phone number, no ad tags. ## Why small and new sites often score high If you run a young niche blog, a medium or even high Spam Score is not unusual, and it rarely means you did something wrong. A typical pattern, for illustration: A six-month-old hobby blog on a .xyz domain, 25 posts, no contact page, no analytics or ad tags, no favicon, and a long hyphenated domain name. It has never bought a link or published anything shady. Several Moz signals still fire: small page count, low visit rank, TLD, hyphens, missing email and phone, no favicon, none of the common tracking tags. Nothing in that list breaks Google's rules. The blog simply looks, on paper, like many throwaway spam sites do: small, anonymous and stripped down. That is the core limit of any correlation model. It cannot tell a minimalist side project from a disposable spam domain when their surface features match. Moz is explicit about this in its investigation guide: because the score is based on correlation rather than causation, the fix is not necessarily to change those factors, and in many cases you may choose not to change anything. ## When a high Spam Score is worth worrying about The number alone is never the reason to act. These are the situations where it deserves real attention: - **You have a manual action.** Open the [Manual actions report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9044175) in Google Search Console. If it lists an issue, that is a real Google problem, and fixing it matters far more than any third-party score. - **The score jumped and you don't know why.** A sudden rise can mean Moz's crawler found new pages full of spam-topic words or odd outbound links. That is a classic sign of a hacked site or injected pages. Search your site for pharma, casino or adult terms and check recently created URLs. - **Your comments or user pages carry spam links.** Spam comments add outbound links with spam-topic anchors. Clean them up and qualify user links with `rel="ugc"`, as covered in our guide to [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). - **You are buying content or links on another site.** A high score on a site you are about to pay is a cue to look harder before you spend money (more on that below). - **Buyers keep rejecting your site.** If you sell or exchange guest posts, some buyers filter by Spam Score. That is a commercial problem, not a ranking one, but it is real. Situations where you can relax: the score is medium or high, your site is small or new, there is no manual action, and the signals that fire are about size, domain name or missing trackers. ## How to lower your Spam Score without gaming it Only fix things that also make the site better for people. A practical checklist, roughly in order of value: - **Force HTTPS.** Type the `http://` version of your domain into a browser and confirm it redirects to `https://`. - **Add real contact details.** A contact page with an email address, and a phone number if you are a business, helps readers trust you. It also happens to cover two signals. - **Add a favicon.** Five minutes of work, and it makes your tabs and bookmarks recognizable. - **Fix titles and meta descriptions.** Neither empty nor stuffed. Remove the meta keywords tag if your theme still outputs one. - **Check canonical tags.** Each page should normally point to itself, not to a different domain, unless you deliberately syndicate. - **Clean outbound links.** Remove spam comments, old sitewide footer links and pages that are mostly links. Qualify paid or sponsored links with `rel="sponsored"`. - **Look for hacked content.** Run a `site:yourdomain.com` search plus a spam-topic word and see what comes up. - **Keep publishing.** The page-count and visits signals improve on their own as the site grows. What not to do: don't add Google Tag Manager, ad tags or a Facebook pixel you don't need just to tick a box. Doing that adds page weight and privacy obligations to change a third-party number that Google doesn't use. ## Disavow: usually not the answer A lot of forum advice says "high spam score, disavow your bad links." That mixes up two different things. As noted above, Moz says your own Spam Score does not depend on your backlinks, so disavowing links won't lower it. Moz's guide says directly that disavowing is not the best way to improve the score. Google's own guidance points the same way. Its [disavow links help page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487) calls the tool an advanced feature to use with caution, says most sites will not need it, and suggests disavowing only if you have a considerable number of spammy, artificial or low-quality links **and** those links have caused, or likely will cause, a manual action. A Moz percentage meets neither condition. The Spam Score breakdown of your linking domains in Link Explorer is useful for another reason: it sorts your backlinks so you can review the riskiest-looking ones first. Moz recommends checking each site's content and relevance before you decide anything. ## Using Spam Score to vet a site before you buy or exchange This is where Spam Score earns its keep. If you are about to pay for a guest post or agree to a content exchange, a high score is a fast "look closer" flag. Use it as step one of a short review: - **Check the score and the band.** Low: carry on with your usual checks. Medium: normal for small sites. High: read on before you pay. - **Open the site like a reader.** Is the content written for people, or is it a wall of unrelated "guest posts" on every topic? - **Look at outbound links.** Do recent posts link to casinos, loans or pills with exact-match anchors? Is there a "write for us, any niche" page with a price list? - **Compare with other metrics.** High authority, high Spam Score and almost no traffic is a well-known pattern for link farms. Our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) covers the rest of the footprints, and [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/) shows how far authority scores can drift from real visibility. - **Check history.** A domain that changed topic recently, or was obviously bought expired, deserves extra caution. For a full pre-purchase routine, see our guide to [checking a site before buying a guest post](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). A reminder that matters more than any score: Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) treat buying links to manipulate rankings as link spam, and paid placements are fine only when the links are qualified with `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="nofollow"`. A low Spam Score does not make an unqualified paid link safe. ## Where to check Spam Score for free Moz shows Spam Score in [Link Explorer](https://moz.com/link-explorer) and in the Links section of a Moz Pro campaign. At the time of writing, Moz's Link Explorer page offers 10 free queries per month with a free Moz Community account, and Spam Score is among the metrics shown. Many third-party "spam score checker" sites simply resell Moz's number, so going to the source is usually the better option. Keep in mind what Moz states in its FAQ: it cannot tell you which specific signals fired for your site. You have to compare your site against the list yourself, which is what the grouped table above is for. ## How Satelo treats Spam Score Satelo's Quality Score is built mostly from open data: Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl coverage, PageSpeed and, where available, traffic verified by the Satelo plugin. For sites where we also have a Moz Spam Score (it arrives with the Semrush data we pull for some sites), a Spam Score of 60% or higher lowers the Quality Score and adds a spam-risk flag. When there is no Spam Score on file, it plays no part in the number. We use it as a reason for caution, not as a verdict, for the same reasons Moz gives: it is a correlation, and small honest sites can trip it. ## What to do next - **Today:** open Search Console's Manual actions report. If it is empty, a medium or high Spam Score is a to-do list, not an emergency. - **This week:** go through the checklist above and fix only what helps readers too: HTTPS, contact details, favicon, titles, spam comments. - **Before your next purchase or exchange:** treat a high score as the start of a review, not the end. If you want a second opinion that doesn't depend on one vendor's model, [check any domain on Satelo](https://satelo.io/check/). In about 30 seconds you get a 0–100 Quality Score with the evidence behind each component (popularity rank, age, crawl footprint, speed), so you can see why a site scores the way it does instead of guessing which of 27 signals fired. ## FAQ ### What is a good Moz Spam Score? Moz classes 1%–30% as Low, 31%–60% as Medium and 61%–100% as High. Moz says you shouldn't be concerned about a Low or Medium score if your site has no penalties. Many small, legitimate sites sit in the Medium band. ### Does Google use Moz Spam Score? No. Spam Score is Moz's own machine learning model, built from Moz's crawl. Google's rules are set out in its spam policies, and problems Google acts on show up as manual actions in Search Console, not as a third-party percentage. ### Why is my website's spam score high? Usually because your site shares surface features with penalized sites: few pages, little traffic, a TLD or domain name pattern often used by spam, no contact details, no favicon or none of the common tracking tags. A sudden jump can also mean hacked pages or spam comments with outbound links. ### How do I reduce the spam score of my website? Fix the signals that also help readers: force HTTPS, add contact details and a favicon, clean up titles and meta descriptions, remove spam comments and odd outbound links, and keep publishing. Moz updates the score quarterly, so changes take time to show. ### Should I disavow links with a high spam score? Usually not. Moz says your own Spam Score does not depend on your backlinks, so disavowing won't lower it. Google says most sites don't need the disavow tool and suggests it mainly when spammy links have caused or are likely to cause a manual action. ### Where can I check Moz Spam Score for free? In Moz Link Explorer. At the time of writing Moz offers 10 free queries per month with a free Moz Community account, and Spam Score is shown alongside Domain Authority and link counts. ### What does a Spam Score of “--” mean? According to Moz, it means the site has not been evaluated for Spam Score yet. It is neither a zero nor a warning, and a score may appear after a later update. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/must-have-wordpress-plugins-for-blog/ Wordpress # Must-Have WordPress Plugins for a New Blog (Free First) The must have plugins for a WordPress blog fit on one hand: one SEO plugin, one backup plugin, one anti-spam plugin, basic login protection and, depending on your host, a caching plugin. Everything else (forms, newsletter, analytics) you add only when you need it. Below is the minimal free set, what each plugin is for, a good alternative for each, and the plugins a new blog is better off without. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## The rule: fewer plugins, each with one clear job Every plugin is code you have to update and trust. Problems on small blogs often come from overlap: two SEO plugins writing duplicate meta tags, two caching plugins fighting each other, a "toolkit" plugin doing ten things you never use. Before installing anything, ask three questions: - What exact problem does this solve on my blog today? - Does WordPress itself, my theme or my host already do it? - Is it actively maintained? On the plugin's wordpress.org page, check "Last updated" and whether support questions get answers. Install counts below were read from each plugin's wordpress.org page on October 16, 2026, and change over time. They show popularity, not quality. ## The minimal set at a glance | Job | Pick one (free) | Good alternative | Needed on day one? | | SEO basics | Yoast SEO | Rank Math SEO | Yes | | Backups | UpdraftPlus | Your host's backups, Jetpack | Yes | | Comment spam | Antispam Bee | Akismet | Yes, if comments are open | | Login security | Limit Login Attempts Reloaded + Two Factor | Wordfence | Yes | | Caching | WP Super Cache | Your host's built-in cache | Only if the host has none | | Contact form | Contact Form 7 | WPForms Lite | When you want a contact page | | Newsletter | MailPoet | An external email service's form | When you start a list | | Analytics | Site Kit by Google | Paste a tag manually | Optional | ## 1. SEO: Yoast SEO or Rank Math (never both) [Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/) (10+ million active installations) and [Rank Math SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/) (4+ million) cover the same basics: custom titles and meta descriptions, XML sitemaps, canonical tags, basic schema and noindex controls for thin archive pages. Pick one and stick with it; running both duplicates tags and sitemaps. What an SEO plugin does not do: write content people search for or earn links. It handles technical housekeeping. Ignore the green-light scores if they push you to stuff a keyword into every paragraph. ## 2. Backups: UpdraftPlus (or your host) A backup you can restore is the single most important safety net. [UpdraftPlus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/) (4+ million) schedules backups of files and database, and its free version can send them to remote storage such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Amazon S3. Keep copies off your server: a backup stored on the same hosting account disappears with it. Many hosts include daily backups. If yours does, check how long they are kept and test a restore once. You may not need a plugin at all, or you can use one as a second copy. Backups also make auto-updates safe. Since WordPress 5.5 you can turn on [automatic updates](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/plugins-themes-auto-updates/) plugin by plugin from the Plugins screen, and the WordPress documentation suggests setting up regular backups before you do. ## 3. Comment spam: Antispam Bee or Akismet As soon as a blog opens comments, spam arrives. Two solid free choices: - [Antispam Bee](https://wordpress.org/plugins/antispam-bee/) (700,000+) blocks spam without captchas and, according to its page, without sending personal information to third-party services. It is free with no commercial-use restriction. - [Akismet](https://wordpress.org/plugins/akismet/) (5+ million) checks comments and form submissions against a global spam database. Its page says keys are free for personal blogs, while businesses and commercial sites need a paid subscription. If your blog runs ads or sells anything, read Akismet's terms first. If you don't want comments at all, turn them off in Settings → Discussion and skip this plugin. ## 4. Login security: keep it light Bots constantly try common passwords on `wp-login.php`. For a small blog, three measures cover most of the risk: - A strong, unique admin password and a username other than "admin". - [Limit Login Attempts Reloaded](https://wordpress.org/plugins/limit-login-attempts-reloaded/) (1+ million) to slow down password guessing. - [Two Factor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/two-factor/) (100,000+), a lightweight plugin for two-step login with an authenticator app. If you want a firewall and malware scanner in one, [Wordfence](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/) (5+ million) is the usual free choice. It is heavier, so don't stack it with other security suites. ## 5. Caching: only if your host doesn't do it Caching serves saved copies of pages so WordPress doesn't rebuild them for every visitor. Many managed hosts already cache at server level, and adding a plugin on top can cause stale pages or conflicts. Check your host's dashboard or docs first. If there's no server cache, [WP Super Cache](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-cache/) (1+ million) is simple and free. Measure before and after with PageSpeed Insights; our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) explains what to look at. Often a lighter theme and smaller images do more than any plugin. ## 6. Forms and newsletter: add when you need them - **Contact form.** [Contact Form 7](https://wordpress.org/plugins/contact-form-7/) (10+ million) is free and minimal; [WPForms Lite](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpforms-lite/) (5+ million) has a drag-and-drop builder. Pair either with your anti-spam plugin. - **Newsletter.** [MailPoet](https://wordpress.org/plugins/mailpoet/) (500,000+) lets you build signup forms and send newsletters from the dashboard, with a free plan for small senders and paid plans for advanced automations. If you already use an external email service, its embed form works without a plugin. An email list is one of the few audiences you own, so start collecting addresses early, even if you send rarely. ## 7. Analytics: optional, and keep it single [Site Kit by Google](https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-site-kit/) (5+ million) connects Search Console and Google Analytics to your dashboard without editing theme files. Alternatively, paste one tracking snippet manually or use your host's stats. Don't run three analytics plugins at once: each adds scripts and they will disagree anyway. For free ways to see traffic numbers, see [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## 8. Optional: partner articles and cross-promotion Once the basics are in place, growth comes from people finding your blog on other sites. One option is to exchange articles with blogs on related topics. The [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) connects your site in one click and auto-publishes labeled partner articles, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`, and you can review drafts before they go live. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, and the plugin doesn't promise traffic or rankings. If you'd rather accept submissions manually, see our roundup of [WordPress guest post plugins](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/). ## What not to install on a new blog - **A second plugin for a job already covered:** two SEO plugins, two caches, two security suites. - **"All-in-one" toolkits** you install for one feature. Find a plugin that does just that feature, or skip it. - **Abandoned plugins:** no update in a long time, unanswered support threads, or a warning on wordpress.org that it hasn't been tested with recent WordPress versions. - **Nulled premium plugins** from unofficial sites. Pirated copies are a common source of malware. - **Plugins that promise rankings or "link juice."** The wordpress.org [Detailed Plugin Guidelines](https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/detailed-plugin-guidelines/) list offering to drive more traffic to sites that use a plugin, and artificially manipulating search results, as dishonest behavior. Treat any SEO "guarantee" as a red flag. - **Social share bars and sliders** loading heavy scripts on every page, unless you've seen readers actually use them. ## How to vet any plugin in two minutes Before you add something that isn't on this list, open its wordpress.org page and run through this checklist: - **Last updated:** recent activity means someone still fixes bugs and security issues. - **Tested up to:** it should match a current WordPress release. - **Support tab:** are recent threads answered, or full of unresolved complaints? - **Reviews:** read the newest one- and two-star reviews; they reveal conflicts and upsell pressure. - **What loads on the front end:** after activating, view your page source or run PageSpeed Insights again to see whether it added scripts to every page. - **Exit plan:** what happens to your content or settings if you deactivate it? Shortcodes left behind in old posts are a common headache. ## Setup order for day one - Install the backup plugin (or confirm host backups) and take a first backup. - Install the SEO plugin, set your site title format, and submit the sitemap in Search Console. - Add login protection and two-factor for every admin account. - Install anti-spam, or close comments. - Check whether your host caches pages; add a cache plugin only if not. - Turn on auto-updates for plugins you trust. ## What to do next With these plugins in place, your blog is safe and indexable. The rest is content and promotion: our guide to [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the next steps. When you're ready to meet readers on related sites, [connect your blog to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/): one click to join, labeled partner articles published automatically with `rel="sponsored"`, and drafts you approve first. ## FAQ ### What plugins does every WordPress blog need? A minimal set: one SEO plugin (Yoast SEO or Rank Math), one backup plugin or host backups, an anti-spam plugin if comments are open, and login protection. Add caching only if your host doesn't cache, and forms, newsletter and analytics when you need them. ### How many plugins are too many for a WordPress blog? There is no fixed number. What matters is whether each plugin has a clear job, is maintained, and doesn't overlap with another. A handful of well-chosen plugins is safer than dozens of overlapping ones. ### Is Akismet free? Akismet's wordpress.org page says keys are free for personal blogs, and businesses and commercial sites need a paid subscription. Antispam Bee is a free alternative that works without sending personal data to third parties. ### Should I use Yoast SEO and Rank Math together? No. They do the same job, and running both creates duplicate meta tags, schema and sitemaps. Pick one. ### Do I need a caching plugin for WordPress? Only if your host doesn't cache pages at server level. Many managed hosts do, and a second cache layer can cause conflicts. Check your host first, then measure with PageSpeed Insights. ### Are free WordPress plugins safe? Plugins from the official wordpress.org directory have to follow its guidelines, but you should still check the last update date, compatibility notes and support activity. Never install nulled premium plugins from unofficial sites. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/pinterest-traffic-for-blogs/ Website traffic # How to Get Blog Traffic From Pinterest in 2026: What Actually Works To get blog traffic from Pinterest, set up a free business account, claim your website, and publish fresh, vertical pins with clear keywords that link to posts that deliver exactly what the pin shows. Pinterest is a visual search engine, so a pin can keep sending visitors long after you publish it. This guide covers the setup, the pin and board basics Pinterest itself recommends, a weekly routine, how to measure results, and when Pinterest is not worth your time. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Is Pinterest right for your blog? People use Pinterest to plan: meals, trips, rooms, outfits, crafts, parties, workouts. Blogs in those visual, planning-heavy niches tend to fit best. Before you invest hours, check demand in your niche: - Search Pinterest for three of your post topics. Do you see many pins from blogs, linking out to articles? - Open [Pinterest Trends](https://trends.pinterest.com/) and look up your main topics to see interest over the year and when it peaks. - Ask whether your post can be shown as an image people want to save: a finished recipe, a room, a checklist, a step-by-step. If your blog covers B2B software, local news or opinion essays, Pinterest is usually a weak channel. Skip to the end for alternatives. ## Step 1: get a free business account Pinterest describes its [business account](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/get-a-business-account) as free. You can create a new one or convert a personal account; your pins and followers stay the same, and the account must be public. A business account gives you Pinterest Analytics and access to ads, which you don't need to start. Fill in the profile like a mini landing page: your blog name plus a keyword in the display name (for example "Hilltop Kitchen | Easy Weeknight Recipes"), a short description of what you pin, and your website URL. ## Step 2: claim your website Claiming connects your domain to your account. According to Pinterest's help page on [claiming your website](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/claim-your-website), it gives you insight into how often your content is shared on Pinterest, shows your profile picture next to pins saved from your site, and adds a follow option. You can verify with an HTML tag in your site's `<head>`, an HTML file in the root folder, or a DNS TXT record; DNS changes can take up to 72 hours. A website can be claimed by only one Pinterest account. On WordPress, the easiest route is usually the HTML tag: many SEO plugins have a field for Pinterest verification, or you can paste it in your theme's header settings. ## Step 3: turn on rich pins for articles [Rich pins](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/rich-pins) pull extra information from your page, such as the headline, description and author for articles, or ingredients and cook time for recipes, and update when the page changes. Pinterest says they work through metadata: article rich pins use Open Graph or Schema.org markup, recipe pins use Schema.org or h-recipe. Most WordPress SEO and recipe plugins already output this markup. Pinterest notes that listicles and image-heavy pages don't qualify as article rich pins, and that syncing can take up to 24 hours. ## Step 4: plan boards around keywords Boards organize your pins and tell Pinterest what they're about. Name them the way people search, not with clever titles: | Weak board name | Clearer board name (illustrative) | | Yum! | Easy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes | | Wanderlust | Portugal Travel Itinerary Ideas | | My Home | Small Apartment Living Room Ideas | Start with 5–10 boards that match your blog categories, add a one- or two-sentence description to each, and pin your own content to the most relevant board first. To find the wording people use, type a topic into the Pinterest search bar and note the suggestions, the same way you would with Google autocomplete. ## Step 5: create pins Pinterest wants to show Pinterest's own help page on [pin performance and distribution](https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/pin-performance-and-distribution) lists its best practices. The ones that matter most for a blogger: - **Vertical, high-quality images.** Pinterest recommends a 2:3 aspect ratio and warns that blurry or distorted images make your idea hard to see. - **Match the pin to the page.** Images, text and keywords on the pin should match the landing page, and the page should offer more content clearly related to the pin. - **Create your own pins with fresh content** rather than only saving other people's pins. - **Don't duplicate.** Repeatedly saving the same pin or uploading content that already exists on Pinterest can get you flagged as spam and temporarily blocked. - **Fast, working pages.** Avoid broken links, make sure your host doesn't block Pinterest's bot, and keep load time low; Pinterest suggests a domain should load in under 4 seconds. For each pin, write: - **Text on the image:** a short, readable promise ("15-Minute Peanut Noodles", "7-Day Lisbon Itinerary"). - **Title:** the main keyword phrase, written naturally. - **Description:** one or two sentences on what the reader gets, with related phrases people search. - **Destination link:** the exact post, not your homepage. Make two or three different pin designs per post (different photo, headline or layout) over a few weeks. Each new image linking to the same post gives Pinterest fresh content without duplicating anything. ## Step 6: a sustainable weekly routine Pinterest says there's no set engagement window: a pin can gain engagement hours, days, months or even years after publishing, and results shift with season, language and trends. That rewards steady work over bursts. Pinterest recommends creating pins frequently and consistently, aiming for original content weekly, and it lets you schedule pins up to two weeks ahead. A realistic routine for a solo blogger (illustrative): - **Monday, 30 minutes:** make two or three pins for this week's new post. - **Wednesday, 20 minutes:** make one new pin design for an older post that's in season soon. - **Friday, 10 minutes:** schedule the pins and check last week's numbers. Publish seasonal content well before the season: people plan holidays, gardens and back-to-school ahead of time. Pinterest Trends shows when interest starts rising in your topic. Use only automation Pinterest allows. Its [community guidelines](https://policy.pinterest.com/en/community-guidelines) forbid automation not explicitly approved by Pinterest, repetitive content created to make money, deceptive redirects and abused URL shorteners. Use Pinterest's own scheduler or an approved partner tool, and link directly to your post. ## Step 7: measure what Pinterest actually sends Two places to look: - **Pinterest Analytics** (business accounts): impressions, saves and outbound clicks per pin. Pinterest notes that claiming your site is what gives you analytics for pins you publish from your site and pins others create from it. - **Your site analytics:** in GA4, check referral traffic from pinterest.com. If you want to separate your own pins from pins saved by others, add campaign parameters to your pin links using Google's [URL builder guidance](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10917952), for example `utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pin_design_b`. Judge pins by outbound clicks and time on page, not just impressions or saves. A pin with many saves and few clicks is getting attention but not sending readers; try a clearer promise on the image or a closer match to the post. If you want an outside check of your overall traffic, our guide on [checking website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) covers the tools. ## Common mistakes that kill Pinterest traffic - Pins that promise one thing and link to a page about something else. - Pinning to your homepage instead of the specific post. - Square or horizontal images that get cropped and lost in the feed. - Saving the same pin to many boards in one day. - Clickbait or thin landing pages full of ads; Pinterest asks for a safe domain without spam. - Giving up after a few weeks. Pins can take time to find their audience. ## When Pinterest isn't the answer If your niche isn't visual or planning-driven, your time is better spent on search, communities and partnerships. Our list of ways to [promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/) covers other channels, and [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) explains how to grow from Google. Collaborating with related blogs works in any niche: see the [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). ## What to do next - Convert or create your business account and claim your website today. - Check that your posts output Open Graph or Schema.org markup for rich pins. - Create five keyword-named boards and three pins for your best evergreen post. - Block 60 minutes a week in your calendar for pins, and review numbers after a month. Pinterest sends readers looking for ideas; partner articles send readers who already follow your topic. In the [Satelo dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) you can exchange labeled articles with related blogs in a ring, so your site is introduced on sites that readers in your niche already visit. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one more channel alongside Pinterest, not a replacement. ## FAQ ### Can you really get blog traffic from Pinterest? Yes, especially in visual, planning-driven niches like food, travel, home decor, crafts and parenting. Pins link directly to your posts, and Pinterest says a pin can gain engagement months or even years after it's published. Results vary by niche, and there's no guaranteed amount. ### Do I need a Pinterest business account for my blog? It's not strictly required to claim a website, but Pinterest recommends it. A business account is free and gives you Pinterest Analytics. You can convert a personal account without losing pins or followers. ### How do I claim my website on Pinterest? In your account settings, find the option to claim websites, then verify with an HTML tag in your site's head, an HTML file in the root folder, or a DNS TXT record. DNS changes can take up to 72 hours. A website can be claimed by only one Pinterest account. ### How often should I pin to get traffic? Pinterest recommends creating pins frequently and consistently, aiming for original content weekly, and you can schedule pins up to two weeks ahead. Consistency matters more than daily volume, and duplicate pins can be flagged as spam. ### What size should Pinterest pins be? Pinterest recommends a 2:3 aspect ratio for images and videos. Use high-quality, readable images with short text that matches the linked post. ### Are rich pins still available on Pinterest? Yes. Pinterest's help center describes article, recipe and product rich pins. They're enabled by adding Open Graph or Schema.org metadata to your pages, and syncing can take up to 24 hours. ### How long does it take to get traffic from Pinterest? There is no fixed timeline. Pinterest says engagement can come hours, days, months or years after publishing and is affected by season and trends. Give a consistent routine at least a few months before judging the channel. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/podcast-guesting-for-seo/ Link building # Podcast Guesting for SEO: How to Get Booked and Make Each Episode Count To get booked as a podcast guest, pick shows whose listeners match your readers, study a few episodes, and send the host a short pitch with one specific story only you can tell. For SEO, the episode itself matters less than what it leaves behind: a show notes page that names you, a transcript that machines can read, and a reason for people to search for you. This guide covers finding shows, pitching, what to ask for in show notes, and how to track whether any of it worked. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## What podcast guesting actually does for a small site Be realistic before you start. A podcast appearance is not a link-building trick, and it will not move your rankings on its own. What it can do is put your name, your site and your ideas in front of an audience that already trusts the host. That shows up in a few concrete ways: - **A show notes page** on the podcast's website that names you and usually links to your site. That is a real mention on a relevant page. - **Branded searches.** Listeners who liked what you said search for your name or your site. Those visits are hard to get any other way. - **Text that machines can read.** Transcripts make spoken words searchable inside podcast apps and on the web, which gives AI assistants and search engines more text that mentions you in context. - **Relationships.** Hosts are often bloggers, consultants or founders too. One good episode often leads to a guest post invitation, a newsletter mention or another show. Think of it as earning mentions, the same idea behind our guide on [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/): being named in the right places, by people your audience trusts, is valuable whether or not a link comes with it. ## Step 1: Decide what you can talk about for 40 minutes Hosts do not book "a blogger." They book a person with a clear angle that their listeners will care about. Before you search for shows, write down: - **Your one-line angle.** Not "I write about gardening," but "I grow vegetables on a north-facing balcony and track every harvest in a spreadsheet." - **Three talking points** you could explain without notes, each with a story or a mistake you made. - **One thing you have that others don't:** your own data, a process you tested, a failure you can describe honestly. - **A page on your site to send listeners to.** A free checklist, a guide or a tool works far better than your home page. If you cannot fill this in, fix that first. A weak angle is the most common reason a pitch gets ignored. ## Step 2: Find podcasts that fit You want shows where the audience overlaps with your readers and where the host actually interviews guests. Size matters less than fit: a small show in your exact niche usually beats a big general one, and small hosts answer email. ### Free ways to find shows - **Podcast search engines.** [Listen Notes](https://www.listennotes.com/) lets you search show notes and episode text by topic or by person. Search for people similar to you: if a blogger in your niche appeared somewhere, that show books people like you. - **Apple Podcasts and Spotify categories.** Browse your category, then open the episode list. Look for "with [Name]" or "interview" in titles. - **Search operators.** Try `"podcast" "[your topic]" "guest"` or `"[your topic]" "be a guest"` in Google to find shows with a guest application page. - **Your own network.** Ask readers which shows they listen to. Check the "as featured on" sections of bloggers you respect. - **Guest directories and exchanges.** There are paid matchmaking services and free directories where hosts post guest requests. They can save time; read the terms, and see the note on paid placements below. ### Qualify each show before you pitch | Check | Good sign | Red flag | | Recent episodes | Published in the last month or two | Last episode a year ago | | Guest format | Regular interviews | Solo show or co-hosts only | | Show notes page | Each episode has a page on the show's site naming the guest | Only a two-line description in apps | | Audience fit | Topics your readers search for | Only loosely related | | Pay-to-play | Free to appear | "Guest fee" with promises of SEO or links | Keep a simple sheet: show name, host, contact, last episode date, an episode you listened to, and status. ## Step 3: Write a pitch hosts answer Hosts get many generic, often AI-written pitches. Yours should prove in the first two lines that you listened. Keep it under 150 words. **Subject:** Guest idea for [Show]: [specific topic] Hi [Name], I enjoyed your episode with [guest] on [topic], especially the part about [specific detail]. I run [site], where I [one-line angle]. I'd love to talk about [topic idea] for your listeners. A few things I could cover: - [Talking point with a story] - [Talking point with a mistake you made] - [Talking point with your own data or process] Here is a short sample of how I talk about this: [link to a past episode, video or article]. Happy to fit your schedule. [Name] Template for illustration; rewrite it in your own voice for each show. Follow up once after about a week. If there is no answer, move on. Do not add the host to your newsletter. ## Step 4: Prepare so the episode is worth hearing - Send the host a short bio (two sentences), a headshot and the exact URL you want in the show notes. - Use a decent USB microphone and headphones, and record in a quiet room. Good audio gets you invited back. - Prepare stories, not slogans. Concrete examples are what listeners remember and what transcripts make searchable. - Say your site name clearly once or twice, in context: "I wrote up the full spreadsheet on [site]." Do not turn the interview into an ad. ## Step 5: What to ask for in show notes The show notes page is the lasting web asset. Ask politely, after you are booked, and accept what the host normally does: - **Your name and site written out**, so the page mentions you even if the link is removed later. - **A link to a useful page**, such as the resource you mentioned on air, rather than your home page. - **A short summary or timestamps** that describe what you talked about. - **A transcript**, if the show publishes them. Do not ask for a specific anchor text or a "dofollow" link. Hosts decide how they mark links; many use `nofollow`, and if you paid to appear, the link should be marked as paid. Google's guide to [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) describes `rel="sponsored"` for "advertisements or paid placements." Its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) also list guest posts and advertorials with optimized anchor text as link spam. We explain the attributes in [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). A nofollow link from a show your audience listens to still brings people and a mention. ## Step 6: Transcripts and AI search Spoken words used to be invisible to search. That is changing. Apple's support page on [transcripts on Apple Podcasts](https://podcasters.apple.com/support/5316-transcripts-on-apple-podcasts) says Apple generates transcripts automatically after an episode is published, and creators can supply their own VTT or SRT files through the RSS feed. The open [podcast:transcript tag](https://podcasting2.org/docs/podcast-namespace/tags/transcript) lets any show link a transcript file to an episode. What this means for you as a guest: - Speak in clear, quotable sentences that hold up without the surrounding conversation. "The fix that worked for me was X, because Y" is easy for a person, a search engine or an AI assistant to understand. - Say your name and site in full at least once. - If the host does not publish a transcript, offer to send one (many recording tools produce them). A text version on the show notes page is the easiest win. - Write a short post on your own site about the episode, with your key points and a link to it. That page is yours, and you control what it says. Nobody can promise that an AI assistant will cite a transcript. Our guide on [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) covers what you can actually influence. ## Guest swaps between podcasts, done honestly "Podcast guest exchange" usually means two hosts appearing on each other's shows, or a group of hosts recommending guests to each other. That is ordinary collaboration, and it is often how small shows grow. Keep it honest: - Swap because the audiences fit, not to trade links. - Each host decides what goes in their own show notes. - If money or anything of value changes hands, say so. The FTC's [Disclosures 101](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) asks creators to disclose a "financial, employment, personal, or family relationship with a brand." The same principles apply to bloggers working together, which we cover in our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). ## Step 7: Track whether it worked Within a month of each episode going live, check: | Signal | Where to look | | Visits from the show's website | Referrals in your analytics | | Searches for your name or site | Queries report in Google Search Console | | Sign-ups or downloads of the resource you mentioned | Your email tool or a dedicated landing page | | New mentions | A search for your name in quotes | | Follow-up invitations | Your inbox | A dedicated short URL (yoursite.com/podcast) makes this much easier. After five or six episodes you will know which kinds of shows send people who stay. ## A simple 30-day plan - **Week 1:** write your angle and talking points, and create the landing page you will mention. - **Week 2:** build a list of 20 shows and listen to one episode of each of your top 10. - **Week 3:** send 10 personal pitches; follow up once. - **Week 4:** record, send your bio and link, and publish a post about each episode on your site. ## What to do next Podcasts are one way to earn mentions from people who share your audience. Another is to get your site written about on other sites in your niche. In Satelo's [exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) (a public beta with a small network), sites of a similar level publish labeled partner articles about each other in a circle, and every link is marked `rel="sponsored"`. Before you pitch hosts, you can also [check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, to see in 30 seconds what a host will see when they look you up, with the evidence behind each number. For more ways to earn mentions without buying links, see our [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## FAQ ### How do I get booked as a podcast guest with no audience? Pitch small, niche shows where the host interviews regularly, lead with a specific angle and a story only you can tell, and show you have listened. Hosts care more about whether you will interest their listeners than about your follower count. ### How do I find podcasts to be a guest on? Search podcast search engines such as Listen Notes for your topic and for people similar to you, browse your category in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, use Google searches like "be a guest" plus your topic, and ask your readers what they listen to. ### Do podcast appearances help SEO? Indirectly. A show notes page that names you, branded searches from listeners and transcripts that mention you in context all help people and machines find you. Do not expect a podcast link alone to change your rankings. ### Should I pay to be a guest on a podcast? It is your choice, but pay-to-play shows rarely send engaged listeners. If you pay, the appearance is an ad: the show should disclose it, and any link should be marked as paid, for example with rel="sponsored". ### What is a podcast guest exchange? Two or more hosts appearing on each other's shows or recommending guests to each other. It is a normal collaboration when audiences fit; disclose any payment or other material connection. ### What should I send the host before recording? A two-sentence bio, a headshot, the exact URL you want in the show notes, and a few talking points. Ask whether they publish transcripts and offer one if they do not. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/promote-blog-without-social-media/ Promotion # How to Promote Your Blog Without Social Media: 11 Channels That Work You can promote your blog without social media by showing up where people already look for answers: search engines, inboxes, other blogs in your niche, forums, podcasts and AI assistants. These channels reward useful writing rather than posting frequency, so they suit people who would rather write than perform. Below are 11 of them, with a concrete first step for each and the tactics to skip. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Why this works: other people's pages do the discovering Social media is one way strangers find a blog. It is not the main way search engines do. Google's [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) says Google finds most new pages by following links from pages it has already crawled, and calls word of mouth one of the most effective and lasting ways to promote a site. It also warns that results take time: some changes show in hours, others in months. So the plan below is built around two things you control: writing pages people search for, and getting mentioned on pages people already read. Neither needs followers. ## 1. Write for search, starting with long-tail questions A new blog will not rank for "budget travel." It can rank for "how to get from Lisbon airport to Sintra without a car." Long, specific questions have less competition and readers who know exactly what they want. - Type your topic into Google and note the autocomplete suggestions and the "People also ask" box. - Pick questions where the current results are thin, outdated or written by someone who has clearly never done the thing. - Answer the question in the first two sentences, then add what only you know: photos, prices you paid, mistakes you made. First step today: list ten questions your readers ask you by email or in person. Each is a post. ## 2. Make sure search engines can actually find you Verify your blog in [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about), submit your sitemap and check that new posts get indexed. If posts stay out of the index, fix that before writing more. Promoting pages Google has not indexed is wasted effort. ## 3. Build an email list from day one Email is the one channel you own outright. No algorithm decides whether subscribers see your post. - Put one signup box at the end of each post with a specific promise ("one new tested recipe every Sunday"), not "subscribe to my newsletter." - Send every new post to your list, with a few personal lines on why you wrote it. - Ask readers to reply. Replies tell you what to write next. ## 4. Keep your RSS feed clean RSS readers, newsletter tools and many aggregators pull from your feed. WordPress creates one automatically at `/feed/`. Check it shows full titles and a clear excerpt, and add a visible RSS link for readers who still use feed readers. It costs nothing and keeps you in the reading habits of a loyal minority. ## 5. Publish on other blogs: guest posts and partner articles Writing for a blog that already has readers puts you in front of them. The key is relevance and real value, not link counts. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list guest posts with optimized anchor text links as link spam, so write for the audience and let the link be a plain mention of your blog. - Pick five blogs your ideal reader already reads. Our guide on [finding guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) shows how to search for them. - Pitch one specific topic that fits their audience and that you can write better than anyone. - If a placement is paid or exchanged, the link should be marked `rel="sponsored"` and disclosed. A related option is a partner article exchange: you publish an article about a related site, and a site in the same niche publishes one about yours. Done in a circle (A writes about B, B about C, C about A) rather than as a direct swap, with sponsored links and disclosure, it gets you written about without needing an audience first. ## 6. Collaborate with bloggers in your niche Collaboration is the offline version of a social following: a handful of peers who know your work and mention it. Ideas that do not need any social accounts: - Expert roundups: ask ten bloggers one question and publish their answers. Most will mention the post to their readers. - Interview swaps: you interview them, they interview you. - Shared resources: a joint guide or comparison where each blogger writes one section. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) includes outreach templates. ## 7. Answer questions on forums and Q&A sites, without spamming Niche forums, Stack Exchange sites, Quora and subreddits are full of people asking exactly what your posts answer. The rule is simple: answer in full, in the thread, and link your post only when it adds something the answer cannot hold. Every community sets its own self-promotion rules, so read them before posting. Google's spam policies name forum comments with optimized links in the post or signature as link spam, and moderators remove them anyway. ## 8. Go on podcasts Small podcasts in your niche are always looking for guests who know a narrow topic well. Prepare one sentence on what you can talk about, three episode ideas, and a link to your best post. Listeners who like an interview search for the guest by name, which brings them to your blog without any social step in between. ## 9. Get mentioned in AI answers ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot and Google's AI features increasingly answer the same questions your blog does. To be eligible: - Do not block search crawlers. OpenAI's [crawler documentation](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) says sites that block OAI-SearchBot won't appear in ChatGPT search answers. - Write passages that answer a question completely in a few sentences, with a clear heading. - Get mentioned on other relevant sites, which is channels 5 and 6 again. Our guide on [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) goes deeper. ## 10. Syndicate selected posts Republishing a post on a larger platform or partner site can reach new readers, provided the copy points back to your original. The details matter (canonical tags, timing, which platforms allow it), and our [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/) walks through them. ## 11. Get listed on resource pages and in your real-world network Many sites keep curated "useful resources" pages for their readers. If your post is the best free guide on a narrow topic, a short, polite note to the page owner is reasonable. Also use the offline channels people forget: your email signature, clubs and associations in your field, local meetups, and the people you already help in person. ## What not to do | Tactic | Why to skip it | | Submitting to hundreds of directories | Google's spam policies list low-quality directory and bookmark links as link spam | | Blog comments with links | Treated as comment spam; they bring no readers and get deleted | | Excessive link swaps and "partner pages" | Named in the same policy as excessive link exchanges | | Buying traffic or link packages | Bot traffic distorts your analytics; paid links that pass ranking credit violate the policy | | Posting the same link in every forum | Gets you banned and teaches communities to ignore your name | ## A simple weekly routine An illustrative schedule for someone with five hours a week: - **Two hours:** write or update one post that answers a specific question. - **Thirty minutes:** send it to your email list. - **One hour:** answer three questions on a forum or Q&A site in your niche. - **One hour:** one pitch: a guest post, a podcast, a roundup or a partner article. - **Thirty minutes:** check Search Console for new queries and indexing problems. Expect slow progress. Track impressions in Search Console and replies to your emails long before you track visits. ## What to do next Pick three channels from the list: one search channel (1 or 2), one owned channel (3 or 4) and one "other people's audience" channel (5 to 11). Do them for two months before judging. For more free options, see our list of [free website promotion sites](https://satelo.io/blog/free-website-promotion-sites/) and the wider guide to [promoting a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/). If channel 5 is the hard part, [Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/) can help: get your site written about on related blogs without building a following. You publish one partner article and receive one about your site, with links marked sponsored. Satelo is a public beta and the network is still small, so it works best alongside the other channels here. ## FAQ ### Can you grow a blog without social media? Yes. Search, email, guest and partner articles, forums, podcasts and AI answers all bring readers without a social following. They take longer to start but keep working after you stop posting. ### How do I get my blog noticed by Google? Verify it in Google Search Console, submit a sitemap, write posts that answer specific questions, and get mentioned on related sites. Google says it finds most new pages by following links from pages it already knows. ### Where can I promote my blog for free? Relevant forums and Q&A sites, guest posts on niche blogs, podcast guest spots, expert roundups, resource pages and your own email list. Skip mass directory submissions and comment links, which Google lists as spam. ### How long does it take to get traffic without social media? Usually months. Google's SEO Starter Guide says some changes take effect in hours and others take several months. Search impressions typically appear before clicks. ### Is guest posting still worth it? Yes, when the goal is reaching the host blog's readers. Google treats guest posts with optimized anchor text links as link spam, so write for the audience and mark paid or exchanged links as sponsored. ### Do I need a newsletter to promote a blog? Not strictly, but email is the only channel you fully control. Even a small list gives every new post a guaranteed first set of readers and direct feedback. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/prove-website-traffic-to-advertisers/ Website traffic # How to Prove Your Website Traffic to Advertisers and Partners Verified website traffic means the advertiser sees your numbers from the source, not from a screenshot you made: read-only access to Google Analytics or Search Console, a live shared dashboard, or a third-party page that pulls data straight from your analytics. This guide covers each method step by step, what to put in a media kit, what to keep private, and which option fits a small site that third-party estimators barely see. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Why advertisers don't trust your screenshot A screenshot of an analytics dashboard is easy to crop, edit or pick from your best month. Experienced buyers of sponsored posts know this, so they check the site in a third-party tool instead. For small sites that check often goes badly. Similarweb's own [data accuracy page](https://support.similarweb.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002219177) says it is an estimation tool that does not expect to match direct measurement, and that it shows no data at all if a site's last monthly snapshot is under 5,000 visits. Keyword-based tools such as Semrush and Ahrefs only estimate search traffic from rankings. So a real blog with a few thousand loyal readers can look empty to an advertiser, and a site with bought bot traffic can look fine. The fix is to let the buyer see data that you cannot easily fake. Here are the options, from strongest to weakest. ## Method 1: read-only access to Google Analytics 4 This is the strongest proof most publishers can offer: the advertiser logs into GA4 and sees your real reports. Per Google's help pages on [adding users](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9305788): - In GA4, open **Admin** and choose **Access management** at the property level (not the account level, which would expose every property you own). - Click **+**, then **Add users**, and enter the advertiser's Google account email. - Choose the **Viewer** role. - Under data restrictions, tick **No Cost Metrics** and **No Revenue Metrics** if you track ad spend or sales. - Click **Add**, and remove the user when the deal is done. According to Google's [roles and data restrictions page](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9305587), a Viewer can see settings and data and build their own explorations but cannot change your configuration, and restricted cost and revenue metrics show as zero. **Good to know:** a Viewer sees everything else in the property, including traffic sources, countries and all pages. If that is too much, use method 3 or 4 instead. ## Method 2: restricted access to Google Search Console Search Console proves something different: how many clicks and impressions your site gets from Google Search. It does not show direct, email or social traffic, but it is hard to fake and many SEO-minded buyers care most about it. From Google's [Search Console permissions page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7687615): only an owner can add users. Go to **Settings → Users and permissions → Add user**, enter the email and choose **Restricted**. Restricted users can view performance and other reports but cannot add users or use most action tools. Never give a buyer **Owner** access. ## Method 3: a shared live dashboard If you use a privacy-friendly analytics tool, a shared dashboard link gives buyers live numbers without a login and without exposing your whole account. - **Plausible:** in the site settings under **Visibility**, add a [shared link](https://plausible.io/docs/shared-links), optionally with a password. Viewers do not need an account. - **Fathom:** its [dashboard sharing](https://usefathom.com/docs/features/shared-dashboards) settings offer private, password-protected or public dashboards, plus per-person share links you can revoke. A password-protected link sent to one buyer, then rotated, is a good balance. A fully public dashboard is the boldest signal of confidence, but it also shows your numbers to competitors. ## Method 4: a third-party page fed by your own data Sometimes the buyer wants a single link they can check without logging into anything. Two options: - **Connect Google Analytics to Similarweb.** The same Similarweb page notes that you can connect GA either publicly, so all its users see the data, or privately. - **A public check page that shows verified numbers.** For example, a Satelo check page for a site connected to Satelo shows a monthly visits figure labelled "verified" with its source, instead of an estimate. More on how that works, and its limits, below. ## Method 5 (weakest): screenshots and PDFs If a buyer only wants a quick look, a screenshot still has its place. Make it more credible: - Show the full date range and the property name in the frame. - Use a standard period (last 30 or 90 days) rather than your best spike. - Offer a short screen-share call where you open the live dashboard. Most buyers accept this, and it takes five minutes. ## Show that the traffic is real, not just large Careful buyers look past the headline number. Before you share access, look at your own reports the way they will: - **Sudden spikes from one source or country** that do not match anything you published look like bought traffic, even when they are not. Be ready to explain them (a post that went viral on a forum, a newsletter mention). - **Very short engagement** across a whole traffic source suggests bots. Exclude known spam referrers in your analytics filters, and say so. - **Search traffic that matches your topics** is reassuring. If your top queries are about the subjects you write about, the audience is real and relevant to advertisers in that niche. Pointing out an odd spike yourself builds more trust than hoping the buyer misses it. ## What to put in your media kit | Include | Why buyers care | Proof to offer | | Monthly users and pageviews (last 3 months) | Reach, and whether it is stable | GA4 Viewer or shared dashboard | | Top countries | Advertisers often sell to one market | GA4 or dashboard | | Traffic sources split | Search traffic keeps bringing readers to an old post; social spikes fade | GA4 or dashboard | | Search clicks and top queries | Shows which topics you rank for | Search Console restricted user | | Newsletter subscribers and typical open rate | A second channel for the sponsored post | Screenshot from your email tool | | Example sponsored posts and how you label them | Shows you disclose properly and mark links `rel="sponsored"` | Live URLs | | Prices and what each includes | Saves a round of emails | See our guide to [pricing sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/) | Round numbers honestly ("about 4,000 monthly users" for illustration), date the kit, and update it every quarter. A kit with last year's peak is the fastest way to lose a buyer's trust once they check. ## Privacy: what not to share - **Owner or admin roles.** Viewer in GA4 and Restricted in Search Console are enough. - **Account-level access** in GA4 if you run several sites. - **Revenue and cost data:** use GA4's data restrictions. - **Anything about individual visitors.** Aggregated reports only. Your privacy policy promises your readers that much. - **Permanent access.** Set a reminder to remove each buyer once the campaign ends, and rotate shared-dashboard passwords. Also check the other side: the sponsored post itself must be disclosed. Our article on [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers the FTC and other rules with sources. ## How Satelo's verified traffic works, and its limits Satelo's free [site check](https://satelo.io/check/) normally estimates popularity from open data such as Tranco rank and Chrome UX Report presence. For a site connected to Satelo, the traffic line is replaced by a verified figure: - Otherwise, the Satelo WordPress plugin counts pageviews on your own site. After at least seven days of data, the check shows an approximate monthly visits figure derived from those pageviews and labelled "verified, Satelo counter." The limits, plainly: the counter figure is an approximation from pageviews, not a full analytics report. It shows one number, not countries or sources. Very large figures that no public signal backs up are capped as a sanity check. It only exists for sites that installed the plugin or connected analytics. And Satelo is a public beta, so most advertisers have not heard of it yet. Treat it as a convenient public link alongside methods 1 to 3, not a replacement. ## What to do next - Decide what you are proving: total reach (GA4 or a dashboard) or search visibility (Search Console). - Set up one read-only route today, so you can grant access within minutes when a buyer asks. - Write or update a one-page media kit with dated, rounded numbers. - Add a public link buyers can check on their own. For the last step, install the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/): your pageviews are counted on your own site and shown on your public check page as verified, so partners don't have to trust a third-party estimate. If you are just starting to sell placements, our guides to [making money from guest posts](https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/) and [selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/) cover the rest of the process. ## FAQ ### How can I prove my website traffic to an advertiser? Give read-only access to the source: a Viewer role in Google Analytics 4, a Restricted user in Search Console, or a shared dashboard link from Plausible or Fathom. Screenshots are the weakest proof because they are easy to edit. ### Is it safe to share Google Analytics with an advertiser? Yes, with the Viewer role at the property level. Viewers can see data but not change settings. Use GA4's No Cost Metrics and No Revenue Metrics restrictions to hide financial data, and remove access after the deal. ### Why does Similarweb show no traffic for my site? Similarweb says it displays no data when a site's last monthly snapshot is under 5,000 visits, and that its numbers are estimates rather than direct measurement. Small sites are often below that threshold. ### What should a media kit include for a small blog? Monthly users and pageviews for the last three months, top countries, traffic sources, search clicks, newsletter size, example sponsored posts with disclosure, and prices. Date the kit and offer read-only access as proof. ### Can I give an advertiser access to Search Console? Yes. An owner can add them under Settings, Users and permissions, as a Restricted user. Restricted users can view performance reports but cannot add users or use most tools. ### What does verified website traffic mean? Traffic numbers that come straight from the site's own analytics or counter, shown by a system the publisher cannot edit, rather than estimated by a third-party tool or shown in a screenshot. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/rank-math-vs-yoast/ Wordpress # Rank Math vs Yoast: Which Free SEO Plugin Fits a New Blog? Rank Math vs Yoast comes down to this for a new blog: both free versions handle the basics well (titles, meta descriptions, XML sitemaps, basic schema), Rank Math packs more extras like redirects and a 404 monitor into the free tier, and Yoast keeps a simpler interface with paid upgrades for those extras. Neither plugin will rank your posts for you. This comparison covers only the free versions and only what a blog with fewer than about a hundred posts actually needs. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## The short answer - **Pick Yoast** if you want the fewest settings, a familiar readability checker and the most widely used option, and you don't need redirects yet. - **Pick Rank Math** if you want redirects, a 404 monitor and more schema options without paying, and you don't mind more screens to configure. - **Either is fine** for a new blog. The plugin matters far less than what you publish. Pick one, configure it once, and get back to writing. Whatever you choose, run **only one** SEO plugin. Two plugins printing titles, meta tags and sitemaps at the same time is a classic source of duplicate tags. ## The two plugins at a glance Figures below come from the official WordPress.org pages for [Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/) and [Rank Math SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/), checked on October 16, 2026. They change often, so check again before you decide. | | Yoast SEO (free) | Rank Math SEO (free) | | Active installations | 10+ million | 4+ million | | Rating on WordPress.org | 4.8 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | | Version on the check date | 28.7 | 1.0.280 | | Minimum WordPress | 6.9 | 6.7 | | Minimum PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 | Install counts tell you both plugins are mainstream and maintained. They do not tell you which one is better for your blog. ## What you get for free: feature by feature | Feature | Yoast SEO free | Rank Math free | | SEO title and meta description per post | Yes | Yes | | XML sitemaps | Yes | Yes | | Basic schema (structured data) | Yes; more types in Premium | Yes; the page lists 16+ types, more in PRO | | Breadcrumbs | Yes | Yes | | Focus keyphrases per post | Premium allows up to five; check the free limit in your install | Up to five by default | | Readability analysis | Yes | Content checks are part of its SEO analysis | | Redirect manager | Premium only | Yes | | 404 monitor | No | Yes | | Google Search Console / Analytics data in the dashboard | No | Basic integration; advanced reports in PRO | | Import from the other plugin | Check current tools before switching | One-click import from Yoast and AIOSEO | | llms.txt file | Yes, listed as a free feature | Not listed on the plugin page | | Internal link suggestions | Premium only | AI link suggestions in PRO | | AI writing tools | Premium only | Paid tiers | Two notes. First, Yoast's plugin page names the Premium keyphrase limit (five) but not the free one, so look at the post editor after installing. On a new blog, one well-chosen topic per post is plenty anyway. Second, "more features" is not automatically better on a new blog. Each extra module is another setting to understand. ## Setup in about 10 minutes ### Yoast SEO - Install and activate from Plugins → Add New. - Run the first-time configuration: tell it whether the site is a person or an organization, add your name or logo and social profiles. - In Settings, check which content types appear in search. Tag archives and author archives on a single-author blog are often worth hiding from search results. - Open one post, fill in the SEO title and meta description, and look at the preview. ### Rank Math - Install and activate. The [setup wizard](https://rankmath.com/kb/how-to-setup/) first asks you to connect a Rank Math account; there is a Skip Now button if you don't want to. - Choose Easy or Advanced mode (you can switch later). On a new blog, Easy keeps the number of settings down. - In the module list, switch off what you don't use. Leave Sitemap and Schema on; turn on Redirections and 404 Monitor if you want them. - Open one post and fill in the title and description in the Rank Math panel. In both, the work that matters is the same: a clear title, an honest description, and deciding which archive pages should be indexed. ## Sitemaps and schema: does the choice matter? **Sitemaps.** WordPress itself has produced a basic sitemap at `/wp-sitemap.xml` since version 5.5, as the [WordPress core announcement](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/07/22/new-xml-sitemaps-functionality-in-wordpress-5-5/) explains. Each SEO plugin generates its own sitemap instead; its settings page shows the address. Submit whichever one is live to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. For a small blog, either plugin's sitemap does the job. **Schema.** Both output the basics a blog needs: website, organization or person, article and breadcrumbs. Rank Math's free tier lets you choose more types per post (for example recipe or product), which helps if you write reviews or recipes. If you only write articles, the difference is small. ## Snippet tools: what they can and can't do Both plugins give you a field for the meta description and a preview of how your result might look. Useful, but keep expectations right. Google's guide to [snippets](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet) says they are "primarily created from the page content itself" and that Google only "sometimes uses the meta description." Write a good description anyway; just know the green light in a plugin is a checklist, not a ranking signal. The same goes for keyphrase scores. Hitting every green dot does not make a post helpful, and chasing them can make writing stiff. Use the checks as reminders, not rules. ## Speed and weight Both plugins add code to the admin area and some markup to the front end. We have not run our own benchmark, so we won't quote numbers from other sites' tests: results depend heavily on hosting, theme and which modules are on. What you can do: - In Rank Math, switch off modules you don't use. - Measure your own pages in PageSpeed Insights before and after installing, on the same page. - Look at real-user data rather than lab scores; our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) explains which numbers to watch. ## Switching from one to the other Changing SEO plugins on a small blog is not risky if you do it in order: - **Back up** the site and database. - **Install the new plugin** but keep the old one active while you import. Rank Math's plugin page lists a one-click import from Yoast and AIOSEO; for the other direction, check Yoast's current import options or plan to move titles and descriptions manually. - **Check a few posts**: titles, descriptions, canonical URLs and noindex settings should match what you had. - **Deactivate the old plugin**, then check your sitemap URL and submit it in Search Console if it changed. - **Watch Search Console** for the next few weeks. If pages drop out of the index, our guide to ["crawled, currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) covers the usual causes. ## Verdict by scenario | Your situation | Better fit | Why | | First blog, want minimal setup | Yoast | Fewer decisions, familiar checks | | Changing URLs or deleting old posts | Rank Math | Free redirects and 404 monitor | | Recipe or review blog | Rank Math | More schema types in free | | Want an llms.txt file without another plugin | Yoast | Listed as a free feature | | Want Search Console data inside WordPress | Rank Math | Basic integration in free | | Already using one and it works | Keep it | Switching gives no SEO boost by itself | If you want to know more about llms.txt and whether it matters, see our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/). ## What an SEO plugin will not do An SEO plugin formats your pages so search engines can read them. It does not write useful posts, earn mentions from other sites or bring readers. On a new blog, the bigger problem is usually that nobody knows the site exists. Our guide on [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers what to do once the plugin is set up. ## What to do next Set up one of the two plugins today, fill in titles and descriptions for your main posts, and submit your sitemap. Then focus on getting your blog in front of readers. The [Satelo WordPress plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) works alongside either SEO plugin: it gives you one-click connect and auto-publishing of labeled partner articles, with every exchange link marked `rel="sponsored"`, and it fills in the meta description field for both Yoast and Rank Math on the articles it publishes. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, and it does not promise traffic or rankings. If you just want a second opinion on your blog first, [check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number. ## FAQ ### Is Rank Math better than Yoast? Not in general. Rank Math's free version includes more extras such as redirects and a 404 monitor; Yoast's free version is simpler and includes an llms.txt feature. For a new blog, either handles the essentials, and your content matters far more than the plugin. ### Can I use Rank Math and Yoast together? No. Running two SEO plugins at once can output duplicate titles, meta tags and sitemaps. Import your data into the new one, check it, then deactivate the old one. ### Is the free version of Yoast enough? For most new blogs, yes. It covers titles, meta descriptions, XML sitemaps, basic schema and breadcrumbs. Redirects and internal link suggestions require Premium. ### Is Rank Math free? Rank Math has a free version on WordPress.org with redirects, a 404 monitor, schema and basic Search Console integration. Advanced analytics, more schema types and AI features are in paid tiers. ### How do I switch from Yoast to Rank Math? Back up the site, install Rank Math, use its import tool for Yoast data, check a few posts, then deactivate Yoast and resubmit your sitemap in Search Console if the URL changed. ### Does an SEO plugin improve rankings? No plugin ranks a site by itself. It helps search engines read your pages through titles, sitemaps and structured data. Rankings depend on content, usefulness and how others refer to your site. ### Do I even need an SEO plugin on WordPress? WordPress has a basic sitemap built in, but it has no fields for custom titles and meta descriptions. An SEO plugin is the easiest way to control those, so most blogs install one. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/reddit-marketing-for-bloggers/ Blog promotion # Reddit Marketing for Bloggers: How to Promote Your Blog Without Getting Banned To use Reddit for marketing as a blogger, join a few communities your readers already use, take part as a regular member for weeks before you share anything of yours, and when you do post, make it useful on Reddit itself, with your link as an optional extra. Reddit's own rules ask you to participate authentically and not to spam, and every subreddit adds rules of its own. This guide shows how to find the right subreddits, what to post, how links from Reddit help, and the habits that get bloggers banned. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why Reddit is worth a blogger's time (and why it punishes marketers) Reddit is a collection of communities, each run by volunteer moderators, where people ask questions and compare experiences on almost any topic. For a blogger that has three uses: it sends readers who are actively interested in your niche, it shows you the exact questions people ask, and it gives you a place to test ideas before you write them up. It is also one of the least forgiving places to promote anything. Redditors spot marketing quickly, moderators remove it, and accounts that look promotional get banned from communities or from the whole site. The approach that works is the opposite of a campaign: be a useful member first, and let your blog come up when it is genuinely the best answer. ## Step 1: Read the rules that actually apply There are two layers of rules. - **Site-wide rules.** The [Reddit Rules](https://redditinc.com/policies/reddit-rules) ask users to "participate authentically in communities where you have a personal interest, and do not spam or engage in disruptive behaviors (including content manipulation)." Another rule asks you not to "intentionally mislead others or impersonate an individual or entity in a deceptive manner." Enforcement ranges from a warning to account suspension. - **Community rules.** Each subreddit sets its own rules in the sidebar or "About" tab, and they are often stricter. Some ban self-promotion entirely, some allow it only in a weekly thread, some require that a share of your activity has nothing to do with your own site, and some ban links to blogs altogether. Read both before you post anything. Many bloggers are banned not for spam in the everyday sense, but for one link in a community that doesn't allow links. ## Step 2: Find the right subreddits You want communities where your readers spend time, not communities about blogging. A post about sourdough belongs in baking communities, not in a subreddit for bloggers. - Search Reddit for your topic and note which communities show up repeatedly. - Search Google for `site:reddit.com [your topic] [question]` to see which threads people find through search. - For each candidate community, check: How active is it this week? What gets upvoted? What do the rules say about links and self-promotion? - Start with three to five communities. More than that and you won't be a real member of any of them. | Community type | Good for | Watch out for | | Large general topic (e.g. cooking) | Reach, broad questions | Strict rules, fast-moving feed | | Small niche (e.g. a specific diet or hobby) | Engaged readers, detailed questions | Everyone notices a newcomer who only posts links | | Local (city, region) | Local blogs, events, guides | Often ban business promotion | | Help and advice (e.g. "ask" communities) | Answering real questions | Links usually only allowed as sources | | Self-promotion communities | Allowed to share | Audience is mostly other promoters | ## Step 3: Participate before you post a single link Treat the first few weeks as listening and helping. Concretely: - Answer questions you know the answer to, in full, inside the comment. Don't write "I covered this on my blog." - Share your own experience: what worked, what failed, what it cost you in time. - Upvote and thank people who help you. - Note recurring questions. These are your future blog posts. Keep your account honest. Use one account, don't pretend to be a neutral customer of your own blog, and don't ask friends to upvote your posts. Coordinated voting is the kind of "content manipulation" the site-wide rules prohibit. A useful principle to borrow from Hacker News, which has similar etiquette: its [guidelines](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html) say "It's ok to post your own stuff part of the time, but the primary use of the site should be for curiosity." Most of your activity should have nothing to do with your blog. ## Step 4: Post things that work on Reddit itself When you do share something from your blog, the post should be valuable even if nobody clicks. Formats that tend to fit: - **The full answer as a text post**, with a note at the end: "I wrote up a longer version with photos here." Check the rules first; some communities don't allow even that. - **Your own data or experiment.** "I tracked every grocery receipt for six months; here is what changed." Put the main findings in the post. - **Lessons from a mistake.** Honest failure stories tend to get more interest than polished advice. - **An AMA (Ask Me Anything)**, if you have real expertise and the moderators agree. Message them first; many communities schedule AMAs. - **A resource you made** (a checklist, a calculator, a template) that people can use without signing up. Be open about who you are. "I run a small blog about this, so I'm biased" earns more trust than pretending to have just found the link. ### Illustrative example For illustration only. A blogger who writes about balcony gardening notices the same question in a gardening community every week: what grows in shade? She answers it in comments for a month, then writes a text post listing the twelve plants she has tested on her north-facing balcony, with her notes on each, and adds at the end that photos and a planting calendar are on her blog. The post is complete without the link; the link is there for people who want more. ## What gets bloggers banned - Posting the same link in many communities at once. - An account whose history is almost entirely links to one site. - Comments that only say "check out my post" with no content. - Ignoring a community's self-promotion rule, even once. - Asking for, buying or trading upvotes, or using several accounts. - Arguing with moderators after a removal. Read the reason, ask politely if it is unclear, and move on. - Posting AI-written answers that don't reflect your real experience. People notice, and many communities remove them. ## What links from Reddit do (and don't do) for your blog Treat a Reddit link as a traffic and visibility source, not a ranking lever. User-generated links on forums are the kind Google describes as `ugc` in its guide to [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links), and sites commonly mark them that way or with `nofollow`. Our post on [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) explains the difference. What a good Reddit thread can do: - Send interested readers, sometimes for months if the thread ranks in search. - Get your blog or your name mentioned in a discussion that people and AI assistants read. That is a mention, which has value of its own; see [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - Lead to other bloggers or journalists finding your work. Measure it with referral traffic in your analytics and with tagged links if the community allows them. If a community sends visitors who leave in seconds, it is not your audience. ## Reddit as a source of blog topics Even if you never post a link, Reddit is one of the best free keyword research tools a blogger has: - Sort a community by "Top" for the past year and list the questions. - Read the comments for the words people use, not the words you use. - Note what answers are missing or disputed. That is your angle. - Write the post, then come back and answer the original question in the thread, in full, with a link only if allowed. This connects well with a niche strategy; our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers how to turn those questions into a content plan. ## Paid options If you want to promote a post without the risk of community bans, Reddit runs a self-serve [ads platform](https://ads.reddit.com/). For most hobby blogs, organic participation is cheaper and builds more trust, but ads are the honest route if you simply want to pay for visibility. ## A 4-week plan | Week | What to do | | 1 | Pick 3–5 communities, read all rules, read the top posts of the past year | | 2 | Answer questions in full; no links | | 3 | Keep helping; collect recurring questions and draft one post that answers the biggest one | | 4 | Share one text post where rules allow, link optional; reply to every comment | ## What to do next Reddit is one channel; it works best alongside others that don't depend on a single platform's moderators. Our list of [free website promotion sites](https://satelo.io/blog/free-website-promotion-sites/) covers more. Another option is to have your blog written about on other sites in your niche: in Satelo's [exchange](https://satelo.io/app/) (a public beta with a small network), sites of a similar level publish labeled partner articles about each other in a circle, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`. And if you want to see what a curious Redditor will see when they click through to your blog, [check your site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number in 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### Can you promote your blog on Reddit? Yes, where a community's rules allow it and as a small part of genuine participation. Reddit's site-wide rules ask you to participate authentically and not spam, and many subreddits restrict or ban self-promotion, so read each community's rules first. ### Can you blog on Reddit? In a sense: long text posts are normal on Reddit, and many people share full write-ups directly in a post. You can also create your own subreddit or post on your profile, but it won't have an audience until people find value in it. ### How do I promote on Reddit without getting banned? Join a few communities your readers use, answer questions in full for weeks before sharing anything, follow each community's self-promotion rules, use one honest account, never trade upvotes, and make every post useful without a click. ### Do Reddit backlinks help SEO? Not as a ranking lever. Links in user-generated content are typically treated like ugc or nofollow links. A popular thread can still send readers for a long time and get your blog mentioned in discussions people and AI assistants read. ### What is the self-promotion rule on Reddit? There is no single number in the site-wide rules; the principle is authentic participation without spam. Individual subreddits often set specific limits, such as a weekly promotion thread or a required share of non-promotional activity. ### Is Reddit good for blog traffic? It can be for niches with active communities and helpful posts. It is unpredictable, and traffic often comes in bursts, so treat it as one channel alongside search, email and collaborations. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/referring-domains-vs-backlinks/ Seo metrics # Referring Domains vs Backlinks: Which Number Should You Actually Read? Referring domains vs backlinks is a question of what you count: backlinks are individual links pointing to your site, while referring domains are the distinct websites those links come from. One site can give you one link or ten thousand, so the referring domains number usually says more about how many independent sources vouch for you, and the gap between the two numbers says the most of all. This guide explains both, shows how to read them together, and how to check them for free. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## The two definitions - **Backlink:** a single link on another website that points to a page on yours. If a blog links to you from three different posts, that is three backlinks. - **Referring domain:** a distinct website that links to you at least once. That same blog counts as one referring domain, no matter how many links it gives you. So the backlinks number is always equal to or larger than the referring domains number. Both are counts; neither tells you anything about quality on its own. One detail that confuses people: tools disagree about what "one domain" is. Google's [Links report help page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) says it groups external links by root domain, stripping the protocol, subdomain and subdirectory, so `m.example.com` and `example.com/blog/` both count as `example.com`. Some SEO tools count subdomains or IP addresses differently, which is one reason the numbers never match across tools. ## Why referring domains usually matter more Think of each referring domain as a separate person recommending you. Ten recommendations from one person are still one opinion. Ten recommendations from ten people are ten opinions. That intuition matches how Google describes its approach in general terms. Its [ranking systems guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ranking-systems-guide) says Google has "various systems that understand how pages link to each other," with PageRank among them. Google doesn't publish how it weighs repeated links from one site, so don't treat any ratio as a ranking formula. But as a reading tool for humans, referring domains are the better first number: they are much harder to inflate from a single source. ## Read the ratio, not just the totals The most useful thing you can do with the two numbers is compare them. | Pattern | What it usually means | What to check | | Backlinks close to referring domains | Most sites link once or a few times, typically from articles | Nothing unusual; look at relevance | | Backlinks a few times referring domains | Some sites link from several posts, which is normal for partners, local press or friendly blogs | Which sites link many times, and why | | Backlinks many times referring domains | A handful of sites link from every page: footers, sidebars, blogrolls, widgets | Whether those sitewide links are earned, paid or spam | | Referring domains growing fast with no new content or coverage | Possible spam attack, scraper sites or a bought link package | The new domains themselves | ### Illustrative example: 1,000 links from 3 domains Numbers invented for illustration. Two sites in the same niche show up in a backlink tool: | | Site A | Site B | | Backlinks | 1,000 | 140 | | Referring domains | 3 | 95 | | Where the links are | Footer links on three sites with hundreds of pages each | Mostly in articles, a few in resource lists | Site A looks bigger by backlinks, but it has three sources, and its links sit in templates. Site B has fewer links but almost a hundred separate sites that chose to mention it. Site B has the healthier profile, and if you were deciding where to publish a guest post, Site B is the safer bet. ## Sitewide links: the usual cause of a big gap A sitewide link is a link placed in a template (footer, sidebar, header, blogroll) so it appears on every page of a site. One sitewide link on a site with 5,000 pages can show up as thousands of backlinks from one referring domain. Sitewide links aren't automatically bad. Common harmless cases: - "Theme by" or "Powered by" credits. - Your own other sites, linked in a footer. - A partner or sister company listed in a sidebar. - A blogroll from a friend who simply likes your blog. They become a problem when they are part of a scheme. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list "widely distributed links in the footers or templates of various sites" and keyword-rich widget links among examples of link spam, alongside excessive link exchanges and paid links that pass ranking credit. If you see many sitewide links with exact-match anchor text from unrelated sites, that is the pattern to worry about. ## How to check both numbers for free in Search Console Google Search Console's Links report is the only free view of links that comes from Google itself. To use it: - Open Search Console, choose your property, and click **Links** in the left menu. - Under **External links**, open **Top linking sites**. Each row is a referring domain, and the number next to it is how many links Google found from that site. - Sort by links. Sites at the top with very high counts are usually sitewide links; click through to see which pages they link to. - Open **Top linking text** to see the anchor text. A natural profile is mostly your brand name, your URL and generic words. - Use **Export external links** if you want to work with the list in a spreadsheet. Know the limits. The help page says the report "isn't a comprehensive list of every link," that tables show up to 1,000 rows, that it can include links Google saw in the past that no longer exist, and that it doesn't show whether a link is `nofollow`. Use it to spot patterns, not as an exact count. ## Why the numbers never match between tools - **Different crawls.** Each tool crawls its own slice of the web on its own schedule. - **Different definitions.** Some count subdomains or IPs separately, some include nofollow links, some drop lost links quickly and some keep them for months. - **Different filtering.** Tools filter spam differently; one tool's "10,000 backlinks" may be another's 800 after junk is removed. Pick one tool for tracking your own site over time and compare like with like. For free and cheap options, see our roundup of [cheap Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/cheap-ahrefs-alternatives/). ## Types of backlinks worth knowing | Type | Where it appears | Typical attribute | | Editorial | In the text of an article, chosen by the author | Often none (a normal link) | | Resource list | Curated "useful links" pages | Often none | | Sponsored or paid | Ads, sponsored posts, partner articles | `rel="sponsored"` | | User-generated | Comments, forums, profiles | `rel="ugc"` or `nofollow` | | Sitewide | Footers, sidebars, blogrolls | Varies | | Image | A linked image or logo | Varies; alt text acts as anchor | Google's guide to [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) explains the attributes, and our post on [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) covers them in plain terms. The point for this article: a count of referring domains mixes all of these types together, so always look at which kind of links make up the number. ## Using the numbers when you choose where to publish If you are evaluating a site for a guest post, a sponsored article or a partnership, the two numbers give you a quick first filter: - **Check the ratio.** A large gap between backlinks and referring domains means you should look at where those links come from before anything else. - **Open the top referring domains.** Are they real sites in a related niche, or a cluster of thin sites that look alike? Our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) lists the warning signs. - **Compare with traffic.** Many referring domains and no visible audience is a red flag. - **Look at the trend.** Steady growth is normal; a spike of hundreds of new domains in a month deserves a closer look. For your own site, don't chase either number. Our guide on [how many backlinks you need](https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/) explains why the answer depends on your niche and competitors, not on a target count. And if you find spammy links you didn't build, Google's [disavow help page](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487) says "most sites will not need to use this tool"; it is meant for large numbers of artificial links that have caused, or are likely to cause, a manual action. ## Quick checklist - Read referring domains first, backlinks second. - Divide backlinks by referring domains; a large ratio means "go look at the top sources." - Check the top linking sites and anchor text in Search Console. - Separate sitewide, editorial, sponsored and user-generated links. - Compare numbers only within the same tool. - Never buy links to grow either count. ## What to do next Link counts are one lens. To see a site the way a careful editor or partner would, combine them with signals that are harder to fake, such as real traffic, age and visibility in open datasets. [Check any site's Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) on Satelo: it is built mostly from open data, and in 30 seconds it shows the evidence behind each number, so you can see why a site scores the way it does rather than trusting one opaque figure. ## FAQ ### What is the difference between referring domains and backlinks? A backlink is one link from another site to yours. A referring domain is a distinct website that links to you at least once. Ten links from one blog are ten backlinks but one referring domain. ### Which is more important, backlinks or referring domains? For reading a link profile, referring domains are usually more informative, because they show how many independent sites link to you. The ratio between the two numbers is often the most revealing. ### Why do I have many backlinks but few referring domains? Usually because a few sites link to you from a template, such as a footer, sidebar or blogroll, so the link appears on every page. Check those sites in Search Console's Top linking sites report to see whether the links are harmless or part of a scheme. ### How do I check my referring domains for free? In Google Search Console, open Links, then Top linking sites under External links. Each row is a linking site grouped by root domain. It is a sample, not a complete list. ### Do multiple backlinks from the same domain help? Google doesn't publish how it weighs repeated links from one site. Extra links from a site that already links to you add less information than a link from a new, relevant site, and template links at scale can look like link spam. ### Why do SEO tools show different numbers of referring domains? Each tool uses its own crawl, its own definition of a domain and its own spam filtering. Compare numbers only within one tool and use Search Console as Google's own sample. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/resource-page-link-building/ Link building # Resource Page Link Building: How to Find, Vet and Pitch Curated Pages Resource page link building means finding pages where someone curates useful links on a topic, checking that the page is real and maintained, and asking the curator to consider your resource. It works when you have something genuinely worth listing and pitch pages that exist for readers, not for selling links. This guide gives you the search operators, a vetting checklist, an outreach template and a simple tracking sheet. Published: 2026-10-16 · 10 min read · Satelo ## What counts as a resource page (and what does not) A resource page is a page whose main job is to point readers to useful material elsewhere. A librarian's guide to genealogy research, a running club's list of training plans, a university department's page of free statistics tools, a city's page of help for new small businesses: these are resource pages. Someone chose each link because it helps the people who visit. That is what makes them worth your time. The curator already wants to link out; your job is to show that your page deserves a spot. It is also what separates them from pages that only look similar: - **"Link partners" or "friends" pages** full of unrelated sites, usually built for link swaps. - **Directories that charge for a listing** or accept anything submitted. - **Auto-generated "best resources" pages** with hundreds of links, no descriptions and no visible author. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) name "partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking" and low-quality directory links as examples of link spam. A listing on that kind of page is not a win, so the vetting step below matters as much as the search. ## Step 1: Have something a curator would actually list Most failed resource page outreach fails before the first email: the pitched page is a product page or a thin blog post. Curators list things that help their readers do something. Before you search, pick one page on your site that fits: | Type of asset | Fits resource pages about | Why a curator would list it | | Free tool or calculator | The task it solves | Readers can use it right away, no signup | | In-depth guide or checklist | Beginner topics, how-to lists | Saves readers from piecing it together | | Glossary or reference table | Education, professional associations | Stable, rarely goes out of date | | Original data you collected | Research and statistics lists | Can't be found elsewhere | | Local guide | City, neighborhood or community pages | Specific to the area the curator serves | A quick test: would the page still be useful if your brand name were removed from it? If the answer is no, improve the page first. A homepage or a sales page almost never gets listed. ## Step 2: Find resource pages with search operators Search operators narrow Google results to pages that look like curated lists. Google's own [help page on refining searches](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en) documents only a few of them, including quotation marks, `site:`, the minus sign and `filetype:`. The `intitle:` and `inurl:` operators still work in practice but are not on that page, so treat them as useful and occasionally inconsistent. Google also notes that [`site:` results are not always exhaustive](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/search-operators/all-search-site), so run several variations rather than trusting one query. Replace `gardening` with your topic: - `gardening intitle:resources` - `gardening inurl:resources` - `gardening intitle:"useful links"` - `gardening intitle:"helpful resources"` - `gardening "recommended sites"` - `gardening inurl:links intitle:links` - `gardening intitle:resources site:.edu` - `gardening intitle:resources site:.gov` - `gardening intitle:resources site:.org` - `gardening intitle:resources -inurl:pdf -"submit your site"` The last query shows the most useful habit: exclude what you don't want. Adding `-"submit your site"`, `-"add your link"` or `-"paid listing"` filters out many directories before you ever open them. ### Three other ways to find them - **Search for a similar resource.** If a well-known free tool in your niche exists, search its exact URL or name in quotes with `intitle:resources`. Pages that list it may list yours too. - **Look at who links to competing resources.** Free tiers of backlink tools show a sample of linking pages; sort them by URL and look for words like "resources", "links" or "tools". - **Browse local and community sites.** Libraries, chambers of commerce, schools and clubs often keep resource pages that never rank well but are maintained by real people. Collect candidates in a sheet as you go (the format is in Step 6). Don't email anyone yet. ## Step 3: Vet every page before you pitch This is where most guides stop at "check the domain authority". A score alone won't tell you whether a page is a living list kept by a real person or a link farm dressed up as one. Run each candidate through the checklist below. It takes a few minutes per page and saves you from links you would later want to disown. ### Resource page vetting checklist - **Is it on topic?** Most links on the page should relate to one subject. A "resources" page linking to casinos, loans and garden tools at once is a red flag. - **Does a human curate it?** Look for short descriptions under links, an author or department name, an "updated" date, or a contact line. - **Is it maintained?** Click a handful of links. A few dead ones are normal (and give you an opening, see Step 5); a page where most links are dead is probably abandoned. - **Is the page reachable from the site's navigation?** A real resource page is usually linked from a menu, footer or section page, not orphaned. - **Does it ask for money?** "Sponsored listing", "featured placement for $X" or "submit with fee" means it is a paid directory. Skip it or treat any listing as paid (see Step 5). - **Does the site have a real audience?** A popularity signal such as the [Tranco list](https://tranco-list.eu/) or visible community activity (comments, events, newsletters) helps; our guide to [Tranco rank](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/) explains how to read it. Small sites can be perfectly real, so this is a supporting signal, not a cut-off. - **How old is it and has it changed hands?** Open the page in the [Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/). A list that has grown slowly over years is a good sign; a domain that was a bakery until last year and is now a "resources" hub is not. - **Any network footprints?** Same theme, same author bio and same outbound links across many unrelated sites suggests a private blog network. Our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) lists the patterns. Notice what is not on the list: whether existing links are "dofollow". Many good resource pages, especially on institutional sites, qualify outbound links with `nofollow` or similar attributes. A listing there still sends interested readers and puts your name next to trusted sources. If the attributes are unfamiliar, see [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ### Green flags vs. red flags at a glance | Signal | Green flag | Red flag | | Topic focus | One clear subject | Unrelated niches mixed together | | Curation | Descriptions, dates, a named curator | Bare list of anchors, no author | | Upkeep | Most links work | Most links dead or redirect to spam | | Money | No mention of fees | "Featured listing", price list, "submit with payment" | | Site history | Same purpose for years | Recently repurposed domain | | Audience | Comments, events, newsletter, some popularity signal | No sign anyone reads it | For a longer pre-deal process that also covers traffic and indexing, use our [guide to checking a site before a deal](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). It applies just as well to a site you only want a mention from. ## Step 4: Find the right person A pitch sent to a generic "info@" address of a large university rarely reaches the person who edits one department page. Look in this order: - A name or email on the resource page itself ("Maintained by…", "Suggest a resource"). - The department, library or committee page the resource page belongs to. - The site's contact form, with the exact page URL in the first line so it can be forwarded. If the page has its own "suggest a link" form, use it. That is the curator telling you how they want to receive suggestions. ## Step 5: Pitch the curator Good resource page outreach is short, specific and easy to say yes to. The curator should be able to decide in under a minute whether your page fits. Three rules: - **Show you read the page.** Name the section where your resource fits. - **Lead with their readers, not your site.** Say what the resource helps people do. - **Give something first if you can.** A dead link you found on their page is a genuinely useful tip, whether or not they add you. ### Outreach email template This is a **template**. Replace every bracketed part, and delete any line that isn't true for your situation. **Subject:** A resource for your [page name] page Hi [first name], I was reading your [page name] page while looking for [topic] material, and found the [section name] section especially useful. [One specific sentence about a link you liked.] While clicking through, I noticed the link to [resource name] in [section] now returns an error. You may want to remove or replace it. I recently published [your resource title]: [URL]. It [what it helps readers do, in one sentence], and it's free with no signup. If you think it would help your readers, it might fit in [section]. If not, no problem at all. Thanks for keeping the page up to date, [Your name] [Your site, role] ### Follow-up template Send at most one follow-up, about a week later, in the same thread. Also a **template**: Hi [first name], just bringing this to the top of your inbox in case it got buried. Happy to send a short description for the listing if that's easier. Either way, thanks for maintaining the page. [Your name] Pitching a full guest article instead of a listing is a different email; our [guest post outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/) cover that case. Keep this one for curated pages. If you promote a commercial product, US anti-spam rules may apply to these emails too. The FTC's [CAN-SPAM compliance guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) says there is no exception for business-to-business email and requires, among other things, an accurate subject line, a postal address and a working way to opt out. One personal note with no follow-up spam is the safest pattern. ### When the reply asks for money or a link back Sometimes the answer is "we can add you for $50" or "only if you link to us too". Google's spam policies list exchanging money, goods or services for links, and excessive link exchanges, as link spam when done to manipulate rankings. They also say a paid link is not a violation when it is qualified with `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="nofollow"`. So you have two honest options: decline politely, or accept only if the link is marked sponsored and you value it for the readers alone. Don't agree to a hidden paid link. ## Step 6: Track it in a simple sheet Resource page outreach is a numbers-light, patience-heavy process. A spreadsheet stops you from emailing the same curator twice and shows which kinds of pages respond. Columns that are enough: | Column | Example (illustrative) | | Page URL | example.org/gardening/resources | | Found with | `gardening intitle:resources site:.org` | | Vetting result | Pass: on topic, curated, updated this year | | Contact | Garden club secretary, via page form | | Your resource pitched | Seed-starting calendar | | Dead link offered | Yes, soil testing link | | Sent / followed up | Dates | | Outcome | Listed / declined / no reply | | Link attribute | None / nofollow / sponsored | After a few dozen rows, look at the "Outcome" column by page type. If community and library pages respond and big .edu pages don't, spend your time accordingly. ## Realistic expectations Many curators never reply, some pages are updated once a year, and a listing may take weeks to appear. That's normal. Resource page link building is slow because it is selective, which is also why the links you earn this way tend to be ones you would be happy to show anyone. Nobody can promise that a listing will move your rankings, and you shouldn't value it that way. Value it for the readers it sends and the company it puts you in. It works best as one tactic among several; our roundup of [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/) covers the others. ## What to do next - Pick or improve one asset from Step 1. - Run five of the operator queries from Step 2 and collect 20 candidates. - Vet them with the checklist and keep only the ones that pass. - Send personalized pitches to the top ten using the template, with one follow-up each. The slowest part of vetting is judging the site behind each page. [Satelo's free site check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives you a Quality Score built mostly from open data, including domain age, Tranco rank and Common Crawl presence, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds and without signing up. Paste in a candidate's domain before you write the email. ## FAQ ### What is resource page link building? It is the practice of finding pages that curate helpful links on a topic, checking that they are genuine and maintained, and asking the curator to consider adding a useful page from your site. ### How do I find resource pages? Combine your topic with search operators such as intitle:resources, inurl:resources, intitle:"useful links" or site:.edu and site:.gov, and exclude directories with terms like -"submit your site". You can also look at pages that link to similar resources and at local library or community sites. ### Are resource page backlinks still worth it? They can be, when the page is curated for readers and your resource genuinely helps them. Value the listing for the visitors and credibility it brings rather than for any promised ranking effect, which nobody can guarantee. ### Should I pay to be listed on a resource page? Google's spam policies treat paying for links meant to manipulate rankings as link spam, while paid links qualified with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" are not a violation. If a page charges for a listing, either decline or accept only a clearly marked sponsored link that you value for its readers. ### What content works best for resource page outreach? Free tools, in-depth guides and checklists, reference glossaries, original data and local guides. Product pages and homepages are rarely listed because they don't help the curator's readers do anything. ### How many follow-up emails should I send? One, about a week after the first email, in the same thread. More than that tends to annoy curators, and for commercial emails US law requires a working opt-out. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/ Link building # Satellite Sites in SEO (PBNs) vs Satelo Satellites: Two Different Things In SEO, satellite sites are secondary websites built or bought mainly to link to a "money site" and push its rankings up; a network of them is usually called a PBN (private blog network). Satelo also uses the word "satellites", but for something unrelated: an internal credit unit you earn by publishing labelled partner articles on your real site. This page explains both, what Google and Yandex say about the first, and how to tell them apart in thirty seconds. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## What satellite sites are in SEO A satellite site orbits a main site. Its job is not to serve its own readers but to send links (and sometimes traffic) to the main project. The classic setup looks like this: - One owner controls the main site and a handful to hundreds of smaller sites. - The smaller sites have thin or rewritten content, often on loosely related topics. - Each one links to the main site with keyword-rich anchors, usually as plain followed links. - Ownership is hidden: different hosting, different registrars, private WHOIS, different themes. When the satellites are built on expired domains that still carry old backlinks, and the owner works hard to make them look unconnected, the network is called a **PBN**. Russian-speaking SEOs say сателлиты, саты or сетка. The names differ; the idea is the same: links that exist because the owner wants them to, not because an independent editor chose to cite something useful. Not every second site is a satellite. A company with a main site, a separate help center and a regional site for another country is not running a PBN. The test is purpose: does the site exist for its own audience, or mainly to pass links? ## Why people build them The appeal is control. Editorial links are slow and unpredictable; links from your own network appear the day you publish. Owners can choose the anchor text, the target page and the timing. For a while, in competitive niches, this worked often enough that a whole service market grew around it: expired domain auctions, "PBN hosting" with scattered IP addresses, and sellers of "PBN links". The cost is risk, plus the time and money it takes to keep dozens of sites alive and hidden. And the risk is not hypothetical, because both major search engines describe this behavior in their rules. ## What Google says Google's [spam policies for Google web search](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) define link spam as creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings. The listed examples include buying or selling links for ranking purposes, excessive link exchanges, and using automated programs or services to create links to your site. The policy page does not use the phrase "private blog network". It does not need to: a network built so its links lift a money site matches the definition of link spam directly. The same page also describes **expired domain abuse**, where an expired domain is bought and repurposed primarily to manipulate search rankings. That is the raw material of most PBNs. The same page also shows the honest alternative. Paid or exchanged links are not a violation when they are qualified, and Google's guide to [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) asks you to mark advertisements and paid placements with `rel="sponsored"`. A PBN does the opposite: its whole value depends on links that look editorial and are not labelled. For a plain-language walkthrough of the rules around exchanges, see our guide to [link exchanges and Google's rules](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). ## What Yandex says Yandex is just as direct. In May 2015 it announced the [Minusinsk algorithm](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/20337) against link spam: sites promoted with SEO links may rank lower, and the post warns that this can noticeably cut search traffic for up to several months. Yandex's advice was to drop SEO links without waiting for consequences and to work on the site itself. Yandex's [recommendations for site owners](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html) also list, among violations, external links placed to deceive the search engine rather than as an author's recommendation, and groups of sites created to fill several positions in search results and collect traffic. The help page also asks owners not to add links just because someone asked for them. ## How satellite networks get spotted Search engines do not publish their detection methods, so treat this as the practical checklist that SEO practitioners and link buyers use, not as a list of confirmed signals: - Little or no real traffic, while third-party authority scores look high. - A backlink history from an earlier, unrelated life of the domain. - Posts on random topics, each with one outbound link to a commercial page. - Exact-match anchors repeated across several small sites. - No real author, no contact page, no comments, no social presence. - Many sites sharing footprints: the same theme, analytics ID or hosting quirks. We go through each of these in detail, with what to check and where, in [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## What "satellites" mean at Satelo Satelo is a network for mutual promotion of small and mid-sized sites, currently in public beta with a small number of sites. The name nods to satellites, and so does its internal unit, which causes the confusion. Here is what a Satelo satellite (◉) actually is: - **A credit, not a website.** Satellites are a balance in your account. Nobody builds or buys extra sites to get them. - **Earned by hosting.** You publish a partner article on your own real site and receive satellites. How many depends on your site's value, which is based on its Quality Score and verified traffic. - **Spent on coverage.** You spend satellites to have an article about your site published on another real site in the network. - **Moves in circles.** Articles travel A→B→C→A. The site that writes about you is not the site you wrote about, so there are no direct swaps. - **Labelled.** Exchange articles are published as partner content, and their links carry `rel="sponsored"`. - **Not money.** Satellites can be bought, but they cannot be withdrawn or cashed out. Satelo takes a 10% fee on exchanges. In other words, a Satelo satellite is closer to a point in a barter system than to a satellite site. It measures how much partner content you have hosted for others, so you can receive about the same value back. ## Satellite sites vs Satelo satellites: side by side | | Satellite sites / PBN | Satelo satellites ◉ | | What it is | Websites built or bought to link to a money site | An internal credit unit in your account | | Who owns the sites | Usually one owner, hidden | Separate, verified owners of real sites | | Audience | Little or none; the site exists for its links | The host's own readers; the article has to be useful to them | | Link labelling | Disguised as editorial, unlabelled | Partner content with `rel="sponsored"` | | Link pattern | Many sites pointing at one target | A circle A→B→C→A, no direct swaps | | Stated goal | Lift rankings through links | Get mentioned on relevant sites and reach their readers | | Status under Google and Yandex rules | Matches the link spam definition | Qualified paid placement, the format Google describes for such links | | Can be cashed out | Sites can be sold | No; satellites cannot be withdrawn | ## Why the network keeps PBN-like sites out A network of real sites only works if the sites are real. That is a practical concern, not just a principle: if PBNs joined, the articles you pay for in satellites would land on pages nobody reads, and the whole network would start to look like a link scheme. So Satelo's rules work against them in several ways: - **Parked and empty sites score near zero.** The checker detects parked domains ("domain for sale" pages) and sites with almost no content and caps their Quality Score at a near-zero level, so they are not offered as hosts worth paying for. - **Quality Score from mostly open data.** The score combines signals such as Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl size, PageSpeed and verified traffic. A brand-new site scores 0. A network site with inflated link metrics but no visible audience does not get a high score just because its third-party authority number looks good. - **Value follows the score.** What a site earns for hosting an article scales with its value. A site with no traffic and no history earns the minimum, so building throwaway sites to farm satellites does not pay. - **The owner decides.** A host owner can switch on manual approval, so every incoming article waits for their review, and they can reject any article; unapproved articles expire and the buyer is refunded. - **Evidence is visible.** The [check page](https://satelo.io/check/) shows where each number comes from, so anyone can see why a site scored the way it did. None of this is a promise of rankings. A labelled `rel="sponsored"` link is not meant to pass ranking credit; the value is the mention, the readers of a relevant site, and a page that search engines and AI assistants can find. If you want the background on link attributes, read [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## How to tell which "satellite" someone means If you see the word in a forum post, a cold email or a client brief, three questions settle it: - **Is it a site or a number?** "We have 40 satellites" from an SEO agency means sites. "You earned 6 ◉" means credits. - **Are the links labelled?** If the offer insists on followed links with exact-match anchors and "no sponsored tag", it is a PBN-style link sale, whatever it is called. - **Who owns the sites?** If one seller controls all the sites and won't show traffic, treat it as a network built to pass links. Our article on [whether link exchange is bad for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/) covers the gray zone in between. ## An illustrative example For illustration only, with made-up sites. A small hiking blog joins Satelo and publishes a partner article for a camping gear review site; the article is about choosing a sleeping bag, it is useful to the blog's readers, and its one link to the gear site is marked `rel="sponsored"`. The blog earns satellites. It spends them on an article about itself on a regional travel site. The gear site, in turn, hosts an article for someone else. Three owners, three real audiences, no direct swap, and every link labelled. Compare that with a PBN: the same person owns the "hiking blog", the "travel site" and the gear store, the two smaller sites have no readers, and every post ends with an unlabelled link to the store. The shape can even look similar. The purpose and the labelling are what separate them, and those are exactly what Google's and Yandex's rules focus on. ## What to do next - If you run satellite sites today, read the Google and Yandex pages linked above and decide whether the risk is worth it for your main site. - If you buy links, check each site's traffic and history first, and require labelling. Our [sponsored content disclosure guide](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) explains what readers and regulators expect. - If you want honest exposure on real sites, start with an independent look at where your site stands. [Check your site's Quality Score for free](https://satelo.io/check/): in about 30 seconds you get a 0–100 score with the evidence behind each number, plus similar sites at your level you could exchange articles with. ## FAQ ### What is a satellite site in SEO? A secondary website created or bought mainly to link to a main ("money") site and improve its rankings. A hidden network of such sites, often built on expired domains, is called a PBN (private blog network). ### Are satellite sites and PBNs against Google's rules? Google's spam policies define link spam as creating links primarily to manipulate search rankings, and a network built for that purpose fits the definition. The policy also covers expired domain abuse, which many PBNs rely on. ### Does Yandex penalize satellite sites? Yandex's Minusinsk algorithm, announced in 2015, can lower the rankings of sites promoted with SEO links. Yandex's site owner recommendations also list groups of sites created to occupy several search positions as a violation. ### Are Satelo satellites websites? No. Satelo satellites (◉) are an internal credit unit. You earn them by publishing labelled partner articles on your own real site and spend them on articles about your site on other real sites in the network. ### Can I withdraw Satelo satellites as money? No. Satellites can be bought, but they cannot be withdrawn or cashed out. They exist only to exchange articles inside the network. ### Are Satelo exchange links dofollow? No. Exchange articles are labelled as partner content and their links use rel="sponsored", the attribute Google asks for on paid or exchanged placements. ### Can a PBN site join Satelo? It can technically sign up, but parked and empty sites score near zero, and a site with no real audience gets a low Quality Score, so it earns the minimum for hosting. Host owners can also review and reject every incoming article. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/schema-markup-for-ai-search/ AI search # Schema Markup for AI Search: What Actually Helps and What's Myth Schema markup for AI search is not a secret switch: Google states plainly that there is no special structured data you need to add to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. That doesn't make schema useless. It still describes who wrote a page, which organization runs the site and how pages fit together, and that context helps search systems read you correctly. This guide separates what the official docs say from what agency blogs claim, and gives a small blog a markup setup it can finish in an afternoon. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What Google actually says about schema and AI features Google's page [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) is the primary source here, and it is unusually direct. It says there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and that there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add. To be eligible as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet. That's it. The same page lists ordinary SEO best practices that still apply, and one of them is about markup: make sure your structured data matches the visible text on the page. So Google's position has two halves: - **Schema is not a ticket into AI answers.** No markup type makes a page "AI eligible." - **If you use schema, it has to be honest.** Markup that disagrees with what readers see is a problem, not a boost. Anyone who tells you that adding a certain JSON-LD block will "get you into AI Overviews" is contradicting Google's own documentation. ## So why bother with structured data at all? Google's [introduction to structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data) describes it as a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying its content. In plain terms, it removes guesswork. Without it, a crawler has to infer that "Jane Kim" at the top of a post is the author and not a person the post is about. With it, you say so explicitly. That has three practical benefits for a blog: - **Entity clarity.** Organization markup tells Google which name, logo and profiles belong to your site. Google's [Organization documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/organization) says it can help Google understand your organization's administrative details and disambiguate it in search results. - **Accurate facts.** Article markup can state the author, publish date and last-modified date in a form machines don't have to parse out of your design. - **Rich result eligibility.** Some markup types still unlock visual features in classic search results, like breadcrumbs. Eligibility is not a guarantee, as we'll see below. None of this is AI-specific. It is the same groundwork that makes any search system, classic or generative, less likely to get basic facts about you wrong. ## The schema a blog actually needs Most small blogs need four types. Anything beyond that should be justified by the content of a specific page. | Type | Where it goes | What it says | Official doc | | Organization (or Person for a solo blog) | Home page or About page only | Site name, logo, URL, official profiles | [Organization](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/organization) | | Article / BlogPosting | Every post | Headline, author, datePublished, dateModified, image | [Article](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article) | | Person (as the author) | Nested inside Article | Author name and a URL to their bio page | [Article: author](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article) | | BreadcrumbList | Posts and category pages | Where the page sits in your site structure | [Breadcrumb](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/breadcrumb) | Two details from the docs are worth knowing. First, Google's Article page says there are no required properties; you add the ones that apply to your content, and Article objects must be based on Article, NewsArticle or BlogPosting. Second, the Organization page recommends placing that markup on your home page or a single page that describes your organization, and says you don't need it on every page. Google also recommends JSON-LD as the format when your setup allows it. A minimal BlogPosting block, for illustration, looks like this: `{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How We Grow Tomatoes on a Balcony", "datePublished": "2026-10-01", "dateModified": "2026-10-12", "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Kim", "url": "https://example.com/about/jane/"}}` Every value in it must be visible on the page: the same headline, the same author byline, the same dates. ## The visible-content rule (where most "AI schema" advice breaks) Google's [general structured data guidelines](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/sd-policies) say: don't mark up content that is not visible to readers of the page, and your structured data must be a true representation of the page content. The intro page adds that you shouldn't mark up information that isn't visible to the user, even if it's accurate. That rules out several tactics that circulate as "AI optimization": - Stuffing a hidden FAQPage block with questions that don't appear on the page. - Adding author credentials, awards or ratings in markup that the page itself never mentions. - Marking up reviews or aggregate ratings you collected nowhere. - Copying the same "about" text into markup on every post. The guidelines are explicit that a structured data issue can result in a manual action. Per the same page, such an action removes rich result eligibility but doesn't affect how the page ranks in web search. Still, it means you did work that bought you a penalty notice instead of anything useful. ## Rich results are shrinking, and that matters for this debate A lot of older schema advice is built around FAQ snippets. That advice is now out of date. Google's [Search Central changelog](https://developers.google.com/search/updates) shows that in May 2026 Google deprecated the FAQ rich result, which stopped appearing in Google Search starting May 7, 2026, and the documentation for it was later removed. Two takeaways: - An FAQ section is still good for readers, and you can keep it on the page. Just don't expect FAQPage markup to win you extra space in Google. - Even where a rich result exists, Google's guidelines say it does not guarantee your structured data will show up in results; correct markup enables a feature, it doesn't promise it. When someone claims a schema type "increases AI citations by X%," ask for the source. We could not find any official documentation from Google, OpenAI or Microsoft that publishes such a figure. ## What about ChatGPT, Copilot and other AI systems? The honest answer: there is much less public documentation than for Google, so be skeptical of confident claims. - **ChatGPT search.** OpenAI's [crawler documentation](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) says OAI-SearchBot is used to surface websites in ChatGPT's search features and recommends allowing it in robots.txt. It does not mention structured data at all. Crawl access comes first; see our guide on [getting your site indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/). - **Microsoft Copilot.** Copilot draws on Bing, and Bing has its own webmaster guidelines and markup tools. We did not find an official Microsoft statement that schema raises Copilot citations; our [Copilot guide](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-copilot/) covers what Microsoft does document. - **Other assistants.** Treat any "schema for Perplexity" or "schema for Claude" checklist as a hypothesis unless it links to the vendor's own docs. What every system does need is readable HTML with the answer in the text. Markup can label that text; it can't replace it. The same applies to newer files like llms.txt, which we discuss in the [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/). ## Myths vs. what the docs support | Claim | Verdict | Basis | | You need special schema to appear in AI Overviews | Myth | Google: no special schema.org structured data needed | | FAQPage markup gets you extra SERP space | Out of date | FAQ rich result discontinued in May 2026 | | More schema types means more visibility | Myth | Markup must represent visible content; extra types add nothing on their own | | Schema helps Google identify your organization and authors | Supported | Organization and Article docs | | Markup must match what readers see | Supported | AI features page and general guidelines | | Bad markup can trigger a manual action | Supported | General structured data guidelines | ## How to add and check schema on a small blog - **See what you already have.** Many themes and SEO plugins output Article and Organization markup automatically. Run a post through Google's [Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) before adding anything, so you don't end up with duplicate blocks. - **Fix the Organization block once.** Correct name, logo URL and real profile links, on the home page or About page. - **Make the author real.** Every post should show a byline that links to a bio page, and the Person markup should point to that same URL. - **Keep dates honest.** Update dateModified only when the content meaningfully changed, and show that date on the page. - **Validate.** Use the Rich Results Test for Google features and the [Schema Markup Validator](https://validator.schema.org/) for general schema.org syntax. - **Watch Search Console.** Google's intro page recommends the rich result status reports after you deploy; they flag errors across your whole site. Then spend the rest of your time on what AI answers actually quote: clear, sourced paragraphs that answer a question directly. We cover that in [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) and in [AI Overviews and brand mentions](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/), since being mentioned on other relevant sites is part of how AI systems learn who you are. ## What to do next Run one post through the Rich Results Test today and fix whatever doesn't match the visible page. Then work on the part schema can't do for you: being talked about on other sites in your niche. If you run WordPress, the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) connects your blog in one click to a small public-beta network where related sites publish partner articles about each other in a circle. Articles are labeled as partner content with `rel="sponsored"` links, you can review drafts before they go live, and each one you host earns satellites to spend on articles about your own blog. ## FAQ ### Does schema markup help with AI search? Not as a direct ticket in. Google says no special schema is needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Schema still helps search systems identify your authors, organization and page structure, which supports accurate understanding of your content. ### What schema should I use for AI Overviews? None specifically. Google's AI features documentation says there are no additional requirements beyond being indexed and eligible for a snippet. Use normal types that fit your content, such as Article, Organization and BreadcrumbList. ### Does ChatGPT use schema markup? OpenAI's crawler documentation doesn't mention structured data. It recommends allowing OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt so your site can appear in ChatGPT search. Make sure your content is crawlable and readable as plain HTML first. ### Is FAQ schema still worth adding? Not for Google rich results: the FAQ rich result stopped appearing in Google Search in May 2026. A visible FAQ section can still help readers, and the markup is harmless if it matches the page, but don't expect extra search space from it. ### Can wrong schema markup hurt my site? Markup that misrepresents the page can lead to a manual action. According to Google's guidelines, that removes rich result eligibility but doesn't affect web search ranking. Keep markup identical to what readers see. ### How do I test my structured data? Use Google's Rich Results Test for Google-supported features and the Schema Markup Validator for general schema.org syntax. After deployment, check the rich result reports in Search Console for site-wide errors. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/semrush-authority-score/ Seo metrics # Semrush Authority Score Explained: What It Measures and How It Compares to DR and DA Semrush Authority Score explained briefly: it is a 1–100 grade that Semrush builds from a site's backlinks, its estimated organic traffic and a set of spam checks, and it is meant for comparing domains, not as a verdict on one. Unlike Ahrefs DR, it looks at traffic as well as links, which makes it harder to inflate with links alone. This guide walks through how the score is built, why it moves when you change nothing, and how to use it when you vet or pitch a site. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What Authority Score is, in Semrush's own words Semrush's [knowledge base article on Authority Score](https://www.semrush.com/kb/747-authority-score) calls it a compound metric that grades the overall quality of a website or a webpage. It runs from 1 to 100, and higher is better. The same article adds the most important caveat itself: Authority Score is best used for domain comparison, not for deciding good or bad on an absolute scale. A score of 25 isn't "bad" on its own. It's low or high only relative to the sites you're comparing it with. It's also worth being clear about what it isn't. Authority Score is a Semrush metric built from Semrush's databases. Google's [guide to its ranking systems](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ranking-systems-guide) lists Google's own systems, and no third-party authority score is among them. ## The three building blocks According to the Semrush KB, the score combines eight weighted factors grouped into three categories: | Category | What it looks at | Practical meaning | | Link Power | Quantity and quality of backlinks, including follow referring domains and their own authority | Who links to you and how strong they are | | Organic Traffic | Estimated monthly organic traffic from Semrush's Domain Analytics, based on keyword positions | Whether search engines actually send you visitors, by Semrush's estimate | | Natural Profile | Six checks for suspicious SEO behavior | Penalties for patterns that look manipulated | The six Natural Profile checks, as listed in the KB, are: - no organic rankings in Google's top 100; - an unusually high share of dofollow referring domains; - an imbalance between links and organic traffic; - too many referring domains on the same IP address; - too many referring domains on the same IP network; - another domain with an almost identical backlink profile. Read that list as a description of a link scheme: lots of followed links, from sites hosted together, pointing to a domain that gets no search traffic. That's roughly what a private blog network looks like, and it's why our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) checks many of the same things by hand. ## Authority Score vs Domain Rating vs Domain Authority The three scores answer related but different questions, so the same site can sit at very different numbers in each tool. | | Semrush Authority Score | Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR) | Moz Domain Authority (DA) | | Scale | 1–100 | 0–100 | 1–100 | | Links | Yes (Link Power) | Yes, the whole score | Yes, the main input | | Organic traffic | Yes, estimated | No | Not described as an input | | Spam / manipulation checks | Yes (Natural Profile) | Not part of DR | Separate metric (Spam Score) | | Intended use | Comparing domains | Comparing backlink strength | Comparing likelihood to rank | | Official doc | [Semrush KB](https://www.semrush.com/kb/747-authority-score) | [Ahrefs Help](https://help.ahrefs.com/en/articles/1409408-what-is-domain-rating-dr) | [Moz Learn](https://moz.com/learn/seo/domain-authority) | A few specifics from the vendors' own pages: - **Ahrefs DR** shows the strength of a site's backlink profile compared with others in Ahrefs' database. Ahrefs explains that a linking domain splits its rating equally among the domains it links to, so a link from a site that links out to almost everyone counts for little. - **Moz DA** is described by Moz as a comparative metric, not a direct ranking factor, and spam is handled by a separate number; see our explainer on [Moz Spam Score](https://satelo.io/blog/moz-spam-score/). - **Semrush Authority Score** is the only one of the three that folds estimated traffic and spam checks into the headline number. The practical consequence: a site with lots of links but almost no search traffic will usually look better in DR than in Authority Score. When the two disagree sharply, that gap is a question worth asking. We compare the broader family of scores in [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/). ## Why your Authority Score changes when you do nothing Semrush's FAQ lists several reasons a score can drop: competitors outperforming you in your niche, weaker SEO efforts, a negative SEO attack and a weak backlink profile. Two mechanics sit behind most of the surprises: - **It's relative.** If other sites grow faster than yours, your position on the scale can slip with no change on your side. - **It's recalculated regularly.** Semrush says it updates Authority Scores for all domains once every two weeks. Your traffic estimate also moves with keyword positions, so a few lost rankings can show up in the score. The FAQ also says it is highly unlikely that a Google penalty will affect your score, because the score is built from Semrush's data, not Google's. So a drop in Authority Score is not evidence of a penalty, and a stable score is not proof that you're safe. For real search problems, Google Search Console is the place to look. ## How to raise Authority Score honestly Since the score mixes links, traffic and spam checks, the honest path is the one that improves the actual site, and the score follows. Gaming one input tends to trip another. - **Earn links from different, relevant sites.** Semrush's FAQ answers "no" to whether more backlinks from the same referring domain boost the score. Breadth of real referring domains matters more than repeat links. Our [guide to increasing domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/) covers methods that work across all three tools. - **Grow search traffic you can show.** Update pages that already rank on page two, fix titles that get impressions but no clicks, and add content that matches real queries. Traffic is a direct input here. - **Keep the profile natural.** Don't chase only followed links, don't pile up links from one hosting network, and stay away from link schemes. The Natural Profile checks exist to catch exactly those patterns, and Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list link spam as a violation. - **Mark paid or partner links correctly.** Sponsored links should carry `rel="sponsored"`. That's how Google's [guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) asks you to label them, and it keeps your profile honest regardless of what any tool's score does. Treat the score as a lagging indicator. If you need a number to check progress, compare the same tool's score every few months rather than reacting to each update. ## Using Authority Score in guest post and partnership deals Publishers often quote Authority Score or DR as a price justification. Use it as a starting filter, then check the things the score can't tell you: - **Compare two tools.** If Authority Score is far below DR, the site may have links but little traffic. Ask why. - **Look at the traffic trend, not a snapshot.** A sharp recent decline matters more than the current score. - **Read the site.** Recent posts, real authors, topics that match yours, no page stuffed with "write for us" offers in every niche. - **Check outbound links.** A site that links to casinos, loans and crypto in every post is selling links, whatever its score. - **Price on audience fit, not the number alone.** Our [pre-purchase checklist](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) goes through this step by step. For illustration: if one candidate shows Authority Score 30 with steady traffic in your topic and another shows 45 with traffic falling off a cliff, the first is usually the better partner, even though its number is lower. ## Where to check Authority Score - **Free:** Semrush's [Website Authority Checker](https://www.semrush.com/free-tools/website-authority-checker/) is the free option the KB points to. - **In Semrush:** the KB lists Domain Overview, Compare Domains, the Backlinks tool, Backlink Gap, Backlink Audit and other reports. Those are part of a Semrush account. - **Alternatives:** if you want a second opinion built from different data, open-data signals like [Tranco rank](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/) and domain age are free to check. ## The limits worth remembering - It's an estimate built from one company's crawl and traffic model. Your real traffic in Search Console or analytics can differ a lot. - It's comparative. Semrush itself says not to read it as an absolute good or bad grade. - It ignores content quality, topical relevance and whether a site's readers care about your topic. - Small and new sites often score low for a long time, even when they're useful and growing. ## What to do next Look up your own Authority Score once in the free checker and note it, then compare it with a second, independent view. On [Satelo's free checker](https://satelo.io/check/) you can see any site's Quality Score with the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. It's built mostly from open data, such as Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl and page speed; for sites connected to the Satelo network it also shows Semrush and Similarweb estimates. If the two views disagree, you'll know exactly which signal to dig into. ## FAQ ### What is a good Semrush Authority Score? There's no universal threshold. Semrush says the score is best used for comparing domains, not for judging good or bad on an absolute scale. Compare your score with sites in your niche that rank for the same topics. ### How is Semrush Authority Score calculated? Per Semrush, it combines eight weighted factors in three groups: Link Power (backlink quantity and quality), estimated Organic Traffic, and Natural Profile, a set of six checks for manipulative link patterns. ### Is Authority Score better than Domain Rating? Neither is better; they measure different things. DR reflects backlink strength only, while Authority Score also includes estimated traffic and spam checks. Looking at both helps spot sites with links but no audience. ### Why did my Authority Score drop? Semrush lists competitors outperforming you, weaker SEO, a negative SEO attack and a weak backlink profile. Because it's relative and refreshed every two weeks, it can also drop when other sites grow faster than yours. ### Does Google use Semrush Authority Score? No. It's Semrush's own metric built from its databases. Google's documented ranking systems don't include any third-party authority score, so treat it as a comparison tool, not a ranking factor. ### Can I check Authority Score for free? Yes. Semrush offers a free Website Authority Checker. The full set of reports that show the score, like Domain Overview and Backlink Audit, is part of a Semrush account. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/seo-checklist-for-new-blog/ SEO basics # SEO Checklist for a New Blog: One List for Launch Day, One for Every Post This SEO checklist for a blog is split into the two moments that matter: a one-time launch list (domain, HTTPS, Search Console, sitemap, robots.txt, structure) and a repeatable list you run on every post. Each item links to the official documentation behind it, so you know why it's there. It works for WordPress, Ghost, Hugo or any other platform, and it leaves out the busywork that Google itself says doesn't matter. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## How to use this checklist Most SEO checklists mix one-time settings with habits, so beginners re-check their robots.txt every week and forget to link new posts together. This one is split by when you do it: - **Part 1: Launch day.** Done once, takes an afternoon. - **Part 2: Every post.** Before and right after publishing, about 15 minutes. - **Part 3: Once a month.** A short review in Search Console. - **Part 4: What not to do.** Common time-wasters and risks. The baseline for everything here is Google's own [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide). If an item isn't backed by documentation, it isn't on the list. On WordPress specifically, our guide on [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the platform settings. ## Part 1: Launch-day checklist (do once) ### Domain and access - **Pick one canonical version of your domain** (with or without www) and redirect the other to it. - **Serve everything over HTTPS**, and redirect http to https. - **Don't agonize over keywords in the domain.** The Starter Guide says keywords in the domain name or URL path alone have hardly any effect beyond appearing in breadcrumbs. Choose a name people can remember and spell. ### Search engine accounts - **Verify the site in Google Search Console.** Google's [verification help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9008080) explains the options. A Domain property, verified through a DNS record at your domain provider, covers all protocol and subdomain variations, so it's worth the extra step. - **Add the site to [Bing Webmaster Tools](https://www.bing.com/webmasters/about).** Microsoft Copilot draws on Bing's search results, so this matters beyond Bing itself. - **If you have readers in Russia or nearby countries,** add [Yandex Webmaster](https://webmaster.yandex.com/) too. ### Crawling and indexing - **Check that you're not blocking crawlers.** Many platforms have a "discourage search engines" switch that is on during setup. Turn it off when you launch. - **Keep robots.txt simple.** Google's [robots.txt introduction](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro) says it is used mainly to avoid overloading your site and is not a mechanism for keeping a page out of Google. To keep a page out, use `noindex` or password protection. - **Submit a sitemap.** Most CMSs generate one. Google's [sitemap documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap) explains the format; submit the URL in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. The Starter Guide notes a sitemap isn't required, but it costs nothing on a blog. - **Set up IndexNow if your platform supports it.** [IndexNow](https://www.indexnow.org/) lets you notify participating search engines when a page is added, updated or deleted. Its site lists Microsoft Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex and Yep; Google isn't on that list, so it doesn't replace Search Console. ### Site structure - **Create a few clear categories** (three to six is plenty to start) instead of dozens of tags with one post each. - **Use readable URLs.** The Starter Guide recommends words in the URL that are useful for users over random identifiers. Decide your URL pattern now; changing it later means redirects. - **Write a real About page.** Who runs the blog, why, and what experience you bring. Add a contact page or a visible email address. - **Add author bylines that link to a bio.** Google's [helpful content guidance](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) asks whether it's clear who created the content. - **Make navigation crawlable.** Google's [link guidelines](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable) say Google can generally only crawl a link if it's an `a` element with an `href` attribute. Menus built from script-only buttons can hide pages. ### Speed and mobile - **Use a lightweight theme**, compress images, and skip plugins you don't need. - **Test the home page and one post on a phone.** Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) shows what to measure and what to ignore. ## Part 2: Every-post checklist ### Before you write - **One post, one search intent.** Search your target query and look at what ranks: guides, lists, tools, product pages? Match the format people are clearly looking for. - **Check you don't already have a post on it.** Two posts chasing the same query compete with each other. Update the old one instead. - **Know what you add.** Your own test, photos, numbers or experience. If you can't name one thing the current results lack, pick a narrower topic. ### On the page - **Title:** unique, clear, accurate. The Starter Guide describes a good title as unique to the page, clear and concise, and accurately describing its contents. Put the main phrase near the start. See Google's [title link documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link) for how titles get rewritten. - **Meta description:** short and specific to this page. Google may show it as the snippet. - **One H1** that matches the promise of the title; H2s that a skimmer could use as a table of contents. - **Answer the query early.** The first paragraph should give the short answer; the rest of the post earns the detail. - **Images:** descriptive file names and alt text that explains how the image relates to the content, per Google's [image SEO guidance](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/google-images). Compress before uploading. - **Sources:** link to the original source for every statistic, rule or price. If you can't find the source, drop the number. - **Descriptive link text.** "Our guide to sitemaps" tells readers and Google more than "click here." - **Two to five internal links out** to related posts where they genuinely help the reader. ### Right after publishing - **Link to the new post from one or two older related posts.** This is the step most bloggers skip, and it's how new pages get found and understood in context. - **Make sure it's in your sitemap**, and ping IndexNow if you use it. - **For an important post, request indexing** with the URL Inspection tool in Search Console. Don't do this for every minor edit. - **Share it where your readers already are:** a newsletter, a community you take part in, a social profile. Our list of ways to [promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/) has more channels. ## Part 3: Once-a-month review - **Search Console, Pages report:** any posts stuck as "Crawled - currently not indexed"? Our guide to [that status](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) walks through the usual causes. - **Search Console, Performance report:** pages with many impressions and few clicks need a better title or a clearer answer. See [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/). - **Queries ranking on page two:** these are your easiest wins. Expand the post, add the missing subtopic, link to it from more places. - **Update one older post** with new information, and change the visible "updated" date only when the content really changed. - **Check for broken links** in your most-visited posts. - **Look at your site from the outside** once in a while: who links to you, whether you show up for your own name, how your speed looks. ## Part 4: What not to do | Don't | Why (per Google's docs) | | Fill in a meta keywords tag | The Starter Guide: Google Search doesn't use the keywords meta tag. | | Repeat your keyword everywhere | Keyword stuffing is against Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). | | Pad posts to hit a word count | The Starter Guide: length alone doesn't matter for ranking. | | Buy links or join link schemes | Link spam is listed in the spam policies. Paid or partner links should be marked `rel="sponsored"`. | | Mass-publish thin AI or template pages | Scaled content abuse is also in the spam policies. | | Use robots.txt to hide pages | It doesn't keep pages out of Google; use `noindex`. | Links from other sites still matter, but a new blog should earn them through useful content, collaboration and honest outreach. Our guide to [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) covers what works without risk. ## The checklist in short (copy this) **Launch day:** - One canonical domain, HTTPS everywhere. - Search Console (Domain property) and Bing Webmaster Tools verified. - "Discourage search engines" off; robots.txt minimal. - Sitemap submitted; IndexNow set up if available. - 3–6 categories, readable URLs, About and Contact pages. - Author bylines with a bio page; crawlable menu. - Light theme, compressed images, tested on a phone. **Every post:** - One intent; no duplicate post on the same query. - Know what you add that the top results don't have. - Unique title and description; one H1; short answer first. - Alt text, compressed images, sources linked. - 2–5 internal links out; 1–2 links in from older posts. - In sitemap; request indexing for key posts; share it. ## What to do next Work through Part 1 today; it only needs doing once. Then add the last item from the monthly review to your launch list: see how your blog looks from the outside. On [Satelo's free checker](https://satelo.io/check/) you can see your site's Quality Score with the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. It's built mostly from open data, like Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl presence and page speed, so it shows you what other sites and partners see when they look you up, and which of those signals a new blog can actually move. ## FAQ ### What should be on a blog SEO checklist? Two lists: a one-time setup (HTTPS, Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, sitemap, simple robots.txt, clear categories, About page) and a per-post list (one search intent, clear title and description, early answer, images with alt text, sources, internal links). ### Do I need a sitemap for a new blog? Google's SEO Starter Guide says a sitemap isn't required. Most blogging platforms generate one automatically, though, and submitting it in Search Console is free, so it's worth doing on launch day. ### How long does it take for a new blog to show up in Google? There's no fixed time. Verify the site in Search Console, submit a sitemap, link new posts from your home page and older posts, and use URL Inspection to request indexing for key pages. Then check the Pages report. ### Does post length matter for SEO? Not by itself. Google's SEO Starter Guide says the length of content alone doesn't matter for ranking. Write as much as the query needs: cover it completely and cut padding. ### Should I use meta keywords on my blog? No. Google's SEO Starter Guide states that Google Search doesn't use the keywords meta tag. Spend that time on the title, description and the content itself. ### Does Google support IndexNow? Google isn't on IndexNow's list of participating search engines, which names Microsoft Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex and Yep. For Google, use a sitemap and Search Console. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/seo-checklist-new-site/ Seo basics # SEO Checklist for a New Website: What to Do Before Launch An SEO checklist for a new website comes down to six blocks: make the site crawlable on one clean address, connect Search Console and analytics, map each page to a search intent, show who is behind the site, set up local listings if you serve an area, and keep the site readable for AI search. Most of it costs nothing and takes a day or two if you do it before launch rather than after. Below is the full checklist with the reason for each item and a link to the official rule where one exists. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## How to use this checklist This list is for any new site: a service business, a landing page, a small shop or a company blog. If you are launching a blog specifically, we also have a narrower [SEO checklist for a new blog](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-checklist-for-new-blog/) that covers every-post routines. Go through the blocks in order. The first two decide whether search engines can see the site at all; the rest decide whether they understand and trust it. Copy the summary table at the end into a spreadsheet and tick items off. ## Block 1. Technical basics ### One address, HTTPS everywhere Your site can usually be opened in four ways: with and without `www`, over `http` and `https`. Pick one version and permanently redirect (301) the others to it. Google's guide to [consolidating duplicate URLs](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls) says it prefers HTTPS pages as canonical and recommends redirects plus internal links that point only to the preferred URL. ### Remove the staging lock Many builders and CMSs hide a site from search while you work on it. WordPress has a "Discourage search engines" checkbox; other platforms add a `noindex` tag or password. Forgetting to switch this off is one of the most common reasons a "finished" site never appears in search. Check the page source of your home page for `noindex` on launch day. ### robots.txt that blocks only what it should Open `yoursite.com/robots.txt`. It should not contain `Disallow: /` for all crawlers. Keep in mind what Google's [robots.txt introduction](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro) says: the file controls crawling, it is not a way to keep a page out of Google. For that, use `noindex` or a password. ### XML sitemap Generate a sitemap (most CMSs do it automatically) with only the canonical, indexable URLs. Google's [sitemap documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap) sets a limit of 50,000 URLs or 50MB uncompressed per file and lets you announce it with a `Sitemap:` line in robots.txt. A sitemap is a hint, not a guarantee of indexing. ### No accidental duplicates Filters, tracking parameters, print versions and tag pages can create many URLs with the same content. Point duplicates to the main version with `rel="canonical"` or a redirect, and don't put parameter URLs in your sitemap. ### Speed and mobile Check the home page and one typical inner page in PageSpeed Insights on mobile. You don't need a perfect score; you need to fix what is clearly broken, like huge images or layout jumps. Our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) explains what matters and what doesn't. ## Block 2. Analytics and webmaster tools - **Google Search Console.** Verify the domain property and submit the sitemap. This is where you'll see indexing problems and the queries you appear for. - **Bing Webmaster Tools.** Verify the site and submit the same sitemap, so you are not relying on a single search engine. - **Yandex Webmaster**, if you have Russian-speaking audiences. - **Analytics** (GA4 or a privacy-friendly alternative) with at least one conversion: a form submission, a call click or a purchase. Then run a `site:yoursite.com` search after a few days. Google's [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) suggests exactly this as the first check of whether your pages are in the index. If nothing shows up after a couple of weeks, open the page indexing report in Search Console before changing anything else. ## Block 3. Content and on-page basics ### A page for every search intent Before you write, list the questions and services people search for and give each group of similar queries its own page. Don't create one page per wording; don't stuff unrelated services into one page. ### Titles, descriptions, URLs - A unique, clear title for every page, with the main topic near the start. - A short, unique meta description. Per the Starter Guide, Google often builds snippets from page content, so the description is a suggestion, not a rule. - Readable URLs with words, not IDs: `/services/roof-repair/`, not `/?p=123`. - Skip the keywords meta tag: Google states it doesn't use it. ### Headings, images, links - One H1 per page that matches what the page is about. - Descriptive alt text on meaningful images, placed near related text. - Internal links with descriptive anchor text from your main pages to every important page. See our guide to [internal linking](https://satelo.io/blog/internal-linking-for-blogs/). - No empty "coming soon" pages in navigation. Launch with fewer, finished pages. ## Block 4. Trust signals Visitors and search engines both want to know who is behind a site. Before launch: - a real About page with names, photos or company details; - a contact page with an email, phone or address that actually works; - author names on articles, with a short bio showing relevant experience; - privacy policy and, for shops, delivery, returns and payment terms; - prices or at least price ranges where your industry allows it. Google's guide to [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) groups these ideas under E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust), says trust matters most, and recommends accurate authorship information such as bylines. Our article on [E-E-A-T for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/eeat-for-small-blogs/) turns them into concrete page elements. ## Block 5. Local listings (if you serve an area) If customers visit you or you serve a specific city, create a Google Business Profile. Google's [sign-up help](https://support.google.com/business/answer/10514137?hl=en) requires verification before the profile appears, asks service-area businesses without a storefront to hide their street address, and allows up to 20 service areas. Use exactly the same business name, address and phone on the site and in listings. More in our guide to [promoting a local business website](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Block 6. AI search readiness - Don't block the crawlers of AI search tools you want to appear in (check robots.txt rules for OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot and similar). - Put the key facts (what you do, where, prices, contacts) in plain HTML text, not only in images or scripts. - Answer common questions directly on the page, in a sentence or two, before the details. Step-by-step instructions are in [how to get your website indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/). ## What not to do at launch - Don't buy bulk links or join link schemes to "kick-start" a new domain. That's against search engine rules and creates risk, not authority. - Don't publish dozens of thin or auto-generated pages to look bigger. - Don't change URLs a week after launch without redirects. - Don't panic if traffic is near zero in the first weeks; check indexing first. ## Launch day: a 30-minute final pass Settings drift between staging and production, so repeat a short pass on the live domain on the day you open the site: - Open every version of the address (`http://`, `www`, without `www`) and confirm each lands on the one you chose. - View the source of the home page and two inner pages: no `noindex`, a self-referencing canonical, a unique title. - Open robots.txt and the sitemap on the live domain, not the staging copy. - Submit the sitemap in Search Console and request indexing of the home page with the URL Inspection tool. - Send a test form, click the phone link and make a test order if you sell online; confirm each one shows up as a conversion in analytics. - Open the site on a phone over mobile data, not office Wi-Fi, and read one page to the end. - Search for your brand name in a private window to see what people find today; repeat in a week. Write down the date of launch and of any big change afterwards. When you later look at a traffic chart, those notes save hours of guessing. ## The checklist in one table | Block | Item | Done when | | Technical | One version of the address | All other versions 301 to it | | Technical | Staging lock removed | No `noindex` in home page source | | Technical | robots.txt | No site-wide `Disallow: /`; sitemap line added | | Technical | XML sitemap | Only canonical URLs; submitted | | Technical | Duplicates | Canonical or redirect on variants | | Technical | Mobile speed | No obvious red flags in PageSpeed Insights | | Tools | Search Console, Bing, analytics | Verified; one conversion tracked | | Content | Page per intent | Every key service or question has one page | | Content | Titles, descriptions, URLs | Unique and readable on every page | | Content | Internal links | Every important page linked from navigation or a hub | | Trust | About, contacts, authors, policies | Real details, working contacts | | Local | Business Profile | Verified; same name, address, phone as the site | | AI search | Crawlers allowed, facts in text | robots.txt checked; answers on the page | ## What to do next Once the boxes are ticked, get an outside view of where the site stands. [Check your site's Quality Score on Satelo](https://satelo.io/check/): in about 30 seconds you get a 0–100 score with the evidence behind each number, such as Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl presence and PageSpeed. It is built mostly from open data, so it's a useful baseline to re-check a few months after launch. ## FAQ ### What should I do for SEO before launching a website? Pick one HTTPS address and redirect the others, remove any noindex or password left from development, check robots.txt, generate a sitemap, connect Search Console and analytics, and make sure every key page has a unique title and clear content. ### Do I need a sitemap for a small website? Google calls sitemaps optional, and a small, well-linked site can be found without one. Most CMSs create a sitemap automatically, so it's still worth submitting it in Search Console. ### How long after launch will my site appear on Google? There is no fixed time. New pages are often discovered within days to weeks, but ranking for competitive queries takes much longer. Check indexing with a site: search and the Search Console page indexing report first. ### Is meta keywords still needed? No. Google states that Search doesn't use the keywords meta tag. Spend the time on titles, descriptions and the page content instead. ### Should I build backlinks right after launch? Focus first on a finished site, local listings and genuine mentions from partners and communities. Buying links to manipulate rankings is against search engine rules. ### Does a new website need a Google Business Profile? Only if you serve customers in a specific area or have a physical location. For purely online projects it isn't needed. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/seo-content-brief-template/ Content marketing # SEO Content Brief Template for Bloggers: Copy It, Fill It, Hand It Off An SEO content brief template is a one-page plan that tells a writer, or you next week, exactly what a post must do: which query it targets, who it's for, what it must cover, which sources to cite and what to leave out. Below is a template modeled on the briefs we use for our own blog, field by field, with a filled-in example and a plain-text version you can paste into Google Docs or Notion. It also works as a prompt for an AI writer, with one extra section that keeps the facts honest. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## Why a short brief beats a long one Vendor brief tools can generate pages of keyword lists and competitor headings. For a blogger, most of that is noise. A good brief answers five questions a writer can't guess: - What exact query is this post for, and what does the searcher want? - Who is reading, and what do they already know? - What must the post cover, and in what order? - Which sources back the facts? - What should it link to, and what must it never claim? Everything else is optional. Google's guide to [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) is a good test for a brief: it asks whether content provides original information or analysis, and whether it adds substantial value compared with other pages in search results. If your brief can't say where that value comes from, the post isn't ready to write. ## The fields, one by one | Field | What to write | Why it matters | | Working title | Main phrase near the start, under about 60 characters | Forces you to name the promise of the post | | Primary query | One phrase people actually search | One post, one intent; avoids two posts competing | | Secondary queries | 3–5 closely related phrasings or questions | Shapes subheadings and the FAQ | | Search intent | Informational, comparison, template, how-to, local... | Decides the format: guide, table, checklist, tool | | Reader | Who, their level, the problem they arrive with | Sets depth and vocabulary | | What the top results do | Format and gaps of the current page one | Tells you what to match and what to beat | | Our angle | The one thing this post adds: a test, data, experience, a template | The reason the post deserves to exist | | Outline | 6–10 H2s in order, with one line each | The writer's map | | Sources | Official or primary links for every rule, price and statistic | No source, no number | | Internal links | Existing pages to link to, and pages that should link here | Helps readers and crawlers find related posts | | Call to action | One next step for the reader | Keeps the post from ending in a shrug | | Do not write | Claims, tactics or promises to avoid | Prevents the most expensive mistakes | | Length and format | A range, plus required elements (table, checklist, FAQ) | A guide, not a target | On length: Google's helpful content page asks whether you're writing to a particular word count because you heard Google prefers one, and notes that it doesn't have a preferred word count. Give the writer a range so they plan the scope, not a number to pad to. ## The template (copy and paste) Paste this into a Google Doc, a Notion page or a Markdown file. Each line is a field; replace the text in brackets. `# Brief: [working title]` `Primary query: [one phrase]` `Secondary queries: [3–5 phrases or questions]` `Search intent: [informational / comparison / template / how-to]` `Reader: [who, their level, the problem they arrive with]` `Top results today: [format of page one, what they all have, what they all miss]` `Our angle: [the one thing this post adds]` `Outline: [H2 1 — one line] / [H2 2 — one line] / ... / What to do next / FAQ` `Sources (must open each): [official link 1] [official link 2] [primary data link]` `Internal links out: [existing URL — anchor idea] x 4–7` `Internal links in: [existing posts that should link here]` `CTA: [one next step and the page it goes to]` `Do not write: [claims, tactics, promises to avoid]` `Length / format: [word range], must include [table / checklist / FAQ with 5–7 questions]` `Fact rules: every number has a clickable source; illustrations are labeled; no invented quotes or studies` ## A filled-in example For illustration, here is a brief for a fictional gardening blog. The queries and angle are made up to show how the fields work, not research. **Brief: Balcony Tomatoes: 7 Varieties That Fit a Small Pot** **Primary query:** best tomatoes for balcony pots **Secondary queries:** dwarf tomato varieties; how big a pot for tomatoes; can tomatoes grow on a shaded balcony **Search intent:** comparison (a short list with reasons) **Reader:** first-time container gardener in an apartment, no garden tools, wants a harvest this summer **Top results today:** long lists of 20+ varieties from seed shops, few say which ones they grew themselves **Our angle:** we grew these seven on our own balcony over two seasons; photos and notes for each **Outline:** Quick answer / What "balcony-friendly" means / The 7 varieties (table) / Pot size and soil / Sun and shade / Watering schedule / Common mistakes / What to do next / FAQ **Sources:** a university extension guide on container tomatoes; seed supplier pages for each variety's stated size **Internal links out:** potting mix guide; watering calendar; small-space herbs post **CTA:** download the printable watering calendar **Do not write:** yield numbers we didn't measure; "guaranteed harvest"; pest advice without a source **Length / format:** 1,400–1,800 words; comparison table; 6 FAQs Notice what the example does: the angle names first-hand experience, and the "do not write" line blocks the claims a writer would be tempted to invent. Those two fields do most of the work. ## How to fill the brief with free data - **Your own Search Console.** The [Performance report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553) shows queries you already get impressions for. Queries with impressions but no dedicated post are the best brief candidates you have. - **The results page itself.** Search the primary query in a private window. Note the format of the top results, the "People also ask" questions and the autocomplete suggestions. Those questions become your FAQ. Answering them directly near the top also helps with AI answers; see [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). - **[Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/).** Useful for comparing two phrasings or seeing seasonality, for example whether a gardening topic peaks in spring. - **Competitor sites.** Before you plan a post around beating someone, [check their site](https://satelo.io/check/) to see how established it is; a brand-new blog rarely outranks a decade-old reference site on its main query. - **Communities your readers use.** Forums, subreddits and comment sections show the words people really use and the questions the top results leave open. - **Official documentation.** For any rule, limit or price, go to the source and paste the link straight into the brief. That way the writer never has to guess. If you write in a narrow niche, our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) shows how to choose which briefs to write first. ## A brief for a human writer vs a brief for an AI The fields are the same. What changes is how much you spell out. | | Human writer | AI writer | | Context | Can ask questions and read your other posts | Knows only what's in the brief; paste the reader profile and tone in full | | Sources | Will usually find and check sources | List the exact URLs; tell it not to cite anything else | | Facts | Mistakes are occasional | Can invent numbers, studies and quotes that look real | | Experience | May have their own | Has none; give it your notes, photos and results to work from | | Review | Edit for style and accuracy | Check every claim against the sources before publishing | Google's guidance on [using generative AI content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/using-gen-ai-content) says it can help with researching and structuring original content, warns that generating many pages without adding value for users may violate its spam policy on scaled content abuse, and says it's critical to fact-check AI output, including titles, descriptions and structured data. The "Fact rules" line in the template exists for exactly this reason. With an AI writer, add one more instruction: "If a source doesn't support a claim, leave the claim out and tell me." ## Checking the draft against the brief A brief is also your review checklist. Before publishing, go through it line by line: - Does the first paragraph answer the primary query? - Is every H2 from the outline there, and is there nothing irrelevant added? - Does every number, rule and price have a working link to the source in the brief? - Is "our angle" visible on the page, not just promised in the intro? - Are the internal links in place, and did you add links to this post from older ones? - Did anything from "do not write" slip in? - Does the CTA offer something the post itself doesn't already give? If you write sponsored or partner posts for other sites, the same brief keeps them useful to the host's readers; see [how to write a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/). ## Common brief mistakes - **Targeting three intents in one post.** "Best X," "how to use X" and "X vs Y" are usually three posts. - **Copying competitor headings.** Matching the format is good; cloning the outline gives you no reason to rank above them. - **Sources added after writing.** When facts are found after the draft, they get bent to fit it. Put sources in the brief first. - **No "do not write" field.** This is the cheapest insurance against invented statistics and promises you can't keep. - **Briefing posts you can't support.** If you have no experience, data or access to an expert, pick a different topic. ## What to do next Copy the template, fill it in for the next post you plan to write, and keep the filled brief next to the published post so you can reuse it when you update. Once it's live, share it using the channels in our guide to [promoting a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/). If you work with an AI agent, the brief is also its instructions. Through Satelo's [MCP server](https://satelo.io/agents/), an agent can go a step further than writing: it can look up partner sites in the network that accept articles about your site, place an original article it wrote from your brief, paid in satellites from your balance, and have it published as labeled partner content with `rel="sponsored"` links. Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small, so check which sites in your niche are available first. Public tools, including the site check and network search, need no API key. ## FAQ ### What is an SEO content brief? A short document that tells a writer what a post must achieve: the target query and intent, the reader, the outline, the sources to cite, internal links, the call to action and claims to avoid. It keeps the post focused and the facts checkable. ### What should a content brief include? At minimum: primary and secondary queries, search intent, reader profile, a note on what the current top results do, your unique angle, an outline, sources, internal links, a CTA, a do-not-write list and a length range. ### How long should a content brief be? About one page. Longer briefs full of keyword lists and competitor headings tend to produce copied outlines. The fields that matter most are the angle, the sources and the do-not-write list. ### Can I use a content brief template in Google Docs? Yes. The template above is plain text, so you can paste it into Google Docs, Notion or a Markdown file and duplicate it for each new post. ### How do I write a content brief for AI writing tools? Use the same fields, but paste the full reader profile and tone, list the exact source URLs, add your own notes and results, and instruct the tool to leave out any claim a source doesn't support. Then fact-check every claim before publishing. ### Does Google penalize AI-written content? Google's guidance says generative AI can help create original content, but generating many pages without adding value may violate its scaled content abuse policy. It recommends fact-checking all AI-generated content. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/ Website traffic # Free Similarweb Alternatives: How to Estimate Any Site's Traffic The best free Similarweb alternatives depend on the site you are checking: for big sites any estimator works, while for small sites you need keyword-based tools, popularity ranks such as Tranco or CrUX, and open data. No outside tool sees real visits; each one models them from a different source. This guide shows which source fits which site, how to cross-check two or three estimates, and when not to trust any of them. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Why Similarweb often shows nothing for small sites Similarweb does not count a site's visits directly unless the owner connects analytics. Its [data page](https://www.similarweb.com/corp/ourdata/) lists four inputs: first-party analytics from site owners who connect it, an anonymous contributors network of devices running its products, public data, and partner data. These signals are then extrapolated into estimates. Extrapolation needs enough signals. A site with a few hundred visitors a month leaves too few traces in a panel, so the estimate is either missing or very noisy. This is not a Similarweb flaw specifically; every panel- or clickstream-based tool has the same limit. For small sites you need tools that look at different evidence. ## The three kinds of traffic estimates - **Panel and clickstream models** (Similarweb and similar). Good for large sites and for comparing big competitors; weak or empty for the long tail. - **Keyword-based estimates** (SE Ranking, Serpstat, Semrush, Ahrefs). The tool tracks which keywords a site ranks for, multiplies search volume by an expected click-through rate, and sums it up. SE Ranking says outright that its [traffic checker](https://seranking.com/website-traffic-checker.html) gives third-party estimates based on keyword rankings, search volume and CTR. These estimate **organic search** only. - **Popularity ranks** (Tranco, CrUX). They don't give visit counts; they tell you roughly where a site sits among millions of others. Useful as a sanity check. ## Free Similarweb alternatives compared | Tool | Data source | Best for | Free access | | [Similarweb](https://www.similarweb.com/) free checker | Panel, contributors network, partner and public data | Large sites, rough channel split | Free website traffic checker with a limited set of features; full data needs a trial or plan | | [SE Ranking](https://seranking.com/website-traffic-checker.html) | Keyword rankings × volume × CTR | Sites with Google organic traffic | Free traffic checker; limits change, check the site | | [Serpstat](https://serpstat.com/) | Keyword database (Google, Bing) | Competitor keywords and visibility | 7-day free trial of paid features | | [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/) | Average of Cisco Umbrella, Majestic, CrUX and Cloudflare Radar ranks | Is the site in the top 1M at all? | Free, daily list | | [CrUX](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux/methodology/metrics) popularity rank | Real Chrome navigations, bucketed | Order-of-magnitude popularity | Free (BigQuery / API) | | [Satelo /check/](https://satelo.io/check/) | Mostly open data: Tranco, domain age, Common Crawl, PageSpeed and CrUX presence, verified traffic for connected sites | Small sites with no estimator data | Free, no sign-up | Free limits change often, so we describe them without numbers where the vendor does not publish them. For a wider list, see our tests of the [best free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/). ## Why keyword-based estimates miss reality A keyword estimate is a model on top of a model: the tool's keyword database, its guess of search volume and its guess of CTR. Each step adds error: - **Database coverage.** If the tool doesn't track a site's long-tail queries, the traffic from them is invisible. - **CTR assumptions.** AI answers, ads and other SERP features change how many people click, and averages can't capture that for a specific query. - **Only organic search.** Direct visits, newsletters, social and referral traffic are not counted at all. - **Regional bias.** Many tools focus on Google. If a site gets most of its traffic from another search engine or a country the tool barely covers, the estimate will be low. ## What popularity ranks tell you about a small site [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/) publishes a top one million domains averaged over 30 days, updated daily. If a site is in it, it has meaningful traffic; if it is not, that is normal for a small site and says little. Our [Tranco rank explainer](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/) covers how to read it. CrUX goes deeper. Its [popularity rank](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux/methodology/metrics) is based on the total number of navigations to an origin and is grouped into buckets on a log scale (top 1k, 5k, 10k, 50k and so on). To appear in CrUX at all, an origin must be [publicly discoverable and sufficiently popular](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux/methodology); Google does not disclose the exact threshold. So "present in CrUX" is itself a weak positive signal for a small site. ## How to cross-check two or three estimates - **Start with a popularity rank.** Tranco and CrUX bucket give the order of magnitude. - **Add a keyword estimate.** It shows how much of that traffic could come from organic search, and from which pages. - **Check the site itself.** Publishing frequency, comments, social followers, newsletter size. A site with a large estimate and no visible life is suspicious. - **Look for verified numbers.** Some sites publish open stats; marketplaces sometimes show owner-verified analytics. - **Write down a range, not a number.** "Roughly a few thousand visits a month, mostly organic" is honest. "4,312 visits" from an estimator is false precision. A worked example (for illustration): a niche blog is absent from Tranco, present in CrUX in a deep bucket, and SE Ranking estimates a modest organic flow from a dozen keywords. Together that suggests a small but real site with search traffic, which is exactly what a quick manual look should confirm. ## When not to trust any estimate - **Sites driven by social, Telegram or newsletters.** Keyword tools see none of it; panels see little. - **New sites.** Rankings, panels and CrUX all lag by weeks or months. - **Sites with sudden spikes.** A sharp jump can be a viral post, or bought bot traffic. Look at what changed on the site. - **Sites you are about to pay.** Ask the owner for a read-only analytics screenshot or shared dashboard. Our guide on [checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) lists what to request. ## What Similarweb's free version is still good for An alternative does not have to replace Similarweb completely. Its free checker is still useful when the site is large enough to have data: - **Channel mix.** A rough split between search, direct, social and referral traffic is something keyword tools cannot give at all. - **Relative comparison.** Even if absolute numbers are off, comparing two large competitors in the same tool usually shows who is bigger. - **Trend direction.** Growth or decline over several months is more reliable than any single month's figure. Treat these as directional. And when Similarweb shows nothing, that is information too: the site is probably below the level where panel data becomes reliable, so switch to keyword estimates and popularity ranks instead of reading meaning into a blank page. ## Quick decision guide: which alternative to use | Your situation | Use first | Then cross-check with | | Comparing big, well-known competitors | Similarweb free checker | One keyword tool for the organic share | | Researching a niche blog or local site | Keyword-based checker (SE Ranking, Serpstat trial) | Tranco presence and CrUX bucket | | Vetting a site before a guest post or exchange | Open-data check (domain age, popularity, crawl size) | A manual look at recent posts and engagement | | Site lives on social or Telegram traffic | Follower counts and engagement on those channels | Ask the owner for analytics | | Your own site | Your own analytics and Search Console | Nothing: first-party data beats every estimate | ## Your own site: skip estimators entirely For your own site, no alternative beats first-party data. Google [Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about) shows real clicks and impressions from Google Search, and any analytics tool (Google Analytics, Plausible, Yandex Metrica, Cloudflare Web Analytics) shows real visits from every channel. It is worth checking your own site in two or three estimators anyway: comparing their numbers with your real ones shows how far off each tool is in your niche, which tells you how much to trust it on competitors. The same habit helps when you [check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) on other sites: calibrate the tool on a site whose real numbers you know, then use it on sites you don't. ## What to do next For a big competitor, use Similarweb's free checker plus one keyword tool. For a small site, combine a popularity rank, a keyword estimate and a manual look. Or do all the open-data checks at once: [Satelo's free checker](https://satelo.io/check/) shows a 0–100 Quality Score with the evidence behind each component, in about 30 seconds, and it works for small sites that estimators leave blank. ## FAQ ### Is there a free alternative to Similarweb? Yes. Keyword-based checkers like SE Ranking's free traffic checker, popularity ranks like Tranco and CrUX, and open-data tools like Satelo /check/ are free. Each uses a different data source, so combine two or three. ### Why does Similarweb show no data for my site? Similarweb extrapolates from panel, partner and public data. A small site leaves too few signals for a reliable estimate, so the tool shows little or nothing unless the owner connects analytics. ### How accurate are traffic estimators? They are models, not counts. Keyword-based tools estimate only organic search and depend on their keyword coverage and CTR assumptions. Treat any single number as a rough range. ### Can I see another website's traffic for free? You can see estimates for free, not real visits. Real numbers are only available if the owner publishes them or shares analytics with you. ### What is the CrUX popularity rank? A bucketed ranking from the Chrome UX Report based on the total number of navigations to an origin, grouped on a log scale such as top 1k, 10k or 50k. ### Is Tranco useful for small sites? Only as a yes/no signal. Tranco covers the top one million domains, so most small sites are not listed, and that is normal. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/speed-up-indexing-yandex/ Indexing # How to Speed Up Indexing in Yandex (and Bing) with IndexNow To speed up indexing in Yandex, tell it about new and changed pages directly: submit them with IndexNow, send key URLs to page recrawl in Yandex Webmaster, keep an accurate sitemap and link every new page from pages the robot already visits. IndexNow also notifies Bing and other participating engines in the same request. None of this guarantees indexing, but it removes the wait for the robot to stumble on your pages. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## How Yandex finds your pages Yandex discovers URLs in three main ways: by following links from pages it already knows, by reading your sitemap, and by direct notifications from you (page recrawl requests and IndexNow). In its [IndexNow help page](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/index-now.html), Yandex also names crawling based on the Yandex Metrica counter as an option for full-site coverage. Speeding up indexing means shortening the discovery step. If a page is found quickly but still doesn't get indexed, the problem is usually quality or technical, not speed. For that case, see our guide to ["crawled, currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). ## Step 1: Page recrawl in Yandex Webmaster For a handful of important URLs, the fastest manual option is Yandex Webmaster. Go to **Indexing → Page recrawl** and paste the addresses. According to [Yandex's help](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/new-changed), the robot will visit them with priority the next time it accesses your site. The same screen shows the status of each submitted URL. There is a daily limit on how many URLs you can submit; check the current number in the interface, since it is shown there and can change. Use it for new key pages and pages with significant updates, not for your whole site. ## Step 2: Set up IndexNow IndexNow is an open protocol for telling search engines that a URL was added, changed or deleted. According to [indexnow.org](https://www.indexnow.org/), it is supported by Microsoft Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex and Yep. Google is not on that list. The [protocol documentation](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation) says participating engines share submitted URLs with each other, so one request is enough. Setup in three parts: - **Create a key.** The documentation requires 8 to 128 characters (letters, digits and dashes). - **Host the key file.** Put a UTF-8 text file named `{your-key}.txt`, containing the key, at the root of your site. A key file in a subfolder only validates URLs inside that folder. - **Send requests.** One URL: a GET request to `https://yandex.com/indexnow?url=...&key=...`. Many URLs: a POST with JSON containing `host`, `key`, optional `keyLocation` and `urlList`, up to 10,000 URLs per request. Response codes tell you what happened: 200 means accepted, 202 means received with key validation pending, 403 means the key was not found or doesn't match, 422 means the URLs don't belong to the host, and 429 means too many requests. Two limits to keep in mind. Yandex states plainly that the method [does not guarantee](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/index-now.html) that submitted pages will be indexed. And it asks you to send only new, changed or deleted pages; for full-site crawling it recommends a sitemap or Metrica-based crawling instead. ## IndexNow on WordPress The simplest route is the official [IndexNow plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/) from the Bing Webmaster team. It detects when posts and pages are created, updated or deleted and submits those URLs in the background. It skips pages marked noindex and lets you exclude paths. Many SEO plugins also include IndexNow; enable it in only one place so you don't send duplicate requests. For a broader WordPress checklist, see [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/). ## IndexNow on a static site: how we do it satelo.io is a static site built by Python scripts. Our deploy script does this after each build: - Reads every URL from `sitemap.xml`. - Hashes each built HTML page and compares it with the hashes saved at the previous deploy. - Sends only the changed URLs in a single POST to `https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow` with our key and `keyLocation`. - Saves the new hashes for next time. Comparing page content, not file dates, matters: a full rebuild touches every file, and pinging all of them each time would go against the "only changed pages" rule. The same approach works for Hugo, Jekyll, Eleventy or Astro in a CI step. ## Step 3: A sitemap the robot can trust - **Accurate `lastmod`.** Google says it uses `lastmod` only if it is [consistently and verifiably accurate](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap), and ignores `priority` and `changefreq`. Update `lastmod` only on significant changes, not on every rebuild. - **Split large sitemaps.** Both [Yandex](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/controlling-robot/sitemap.html) and Google limit one file to 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed. Use a sitemap index and mark frequently updated files with `lastmod`, as Yandex recommends. - **Only indexable URLs.** No redirects, 404s, noindex or duplicate pages in the sitemap. - **Tell the engines where it is.** Add a `Sitemap:` line in robots.txt and submit the file in Yandex Webmaster and Search Console. ## Step 4: Link new pages from pages the robot already visits A notification says a page exists; links say it matters. When you publish, add links to the new page from your homepage or blog index, from two or three related older posts, and from category pages. Mentions on other relevant sites help discovery too. Our guide to [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) covers safe ways to get them. ## Common IndexNow mistakes and how to spot them - **Key file not reachable.** The file must open at `https://yoursite.com/{key}.txt` and contain exactly the key. Redirects to a login page, a cached 404 or a security plugin blocking `.txt` files all lead to 403 responses. - **Wrong host or protocol.** URLs in `urlList` must belong to the `host` you send; a mismatch returns 422. Watch www vs non-www and http vs https. - **Submitting URLs that shouldn't be indexed.** Redirects, noindex pages, filters and tag archives waste requests and send mixed signals. Submit only canonical, indexable URLs. - **Two plugins sending the same URLs.** An SEO plugin and the IndexNow plugin both enabled means duplicate submissions on every save. - **Ignoring the response.** Log the status code of each request. A silent 403 can go unnoticed for months. ## How to tell whether it worked Check three places a few days after publishing: - **Page recrawl status** in Yandex Webmaster for the URLs you sent manually. - **Pages in search** in Yandex Webmaster: is the new page included, or excluded with a stated reason? - **Server logs.** Look for visits from YandexBot and Bingbot to the new URL. If the robot visited but the page is not in search, the problem is no longer discovery. If you also care about visibility in Microsoft's AI answers, IndexNow is only one piece; see [how to rank in Copilot](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-rank-in-copilot/) for the rest. ## What doesn't speed up indexing - **Old "ping services".** Neither Yandex's IndexNow help nor Google's sitemap guide lists them as a way to submit pages. Google's listed methods are Search Console, its API, a robots.txt line and WebSub for feeds. - **Buying links to "push" pages into the index.** It is a ranking-manipulation tactic that both engines' rules target, and it does not fix the real reason a page is skipped. - **Resubmitting the same URLs every day.** IndexNow can answer 429 for too many requests, and nothing changes for pages that didn't change. - **Mass-submitting thin pages.** Faster discovery of low-value pages just gets them excluded faster. ## Checklist: speed up indexing today | Task | Where | How often | | Add site and sitemap | Yandex Webmaster, Bing Webmaster Tools | Once | | Host IndexNow key file | Site root | Once | | Auto-submit changed URLs | WordPress plugin or deploy script | On every change | | Recrawl key pages | Webmaster → Indexing → Page recrawl | For important new or updated pages | | Internal links to new pages | Homepage, related posts, categories | On every publish | | Check excluded pages | Webmaster → Pages in search | Monthly | ## What to do next Fast indexing helps only if there is something worth indexing and something pointing to it. If you run WordPress, the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) publishes partner articles automatically, and articles about your site on similar sites give the robot more paths to your new pages (Satelo is a public beta with a small network). To see how your site looks from the outside first, [check your Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/): you get a 0–100 score with the open data behind each part in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### How do I speed up indexing in Yandex? Submit new and changed URLs via IndexNow, send key pages to page recrawl in Yandex Webmaster, keep an accurate sitemap, and link new pages from pages the robot already visits. ### Does IndexNow guarantee indexing? No. Yandex states that the method does not guarantee that submitted pages will be indexed. It only tells the engine that a URL is new, changed or deleted. ### Does Google support IndexNow? Google is not listed among IndexNow participants on indexnow.org. For Google, use a sitemap, Search Console and good internal linking. ### Do I need to submit to Yandex and Bing separately? No. The IndexNow documentation says participating engines share submitted URLs with each other, so one request is enough. ### How many URLs can I send with IndexNow? The protocol documentation allows up to 10,000 URLs in one POST request. Send only pages that were added, changed or deleted. ### Is there a WordPress plugin for IndexNow? Yes. The official IndexNow plugin from the Bing Webmaster team submits URLs automatically when posts are created, updated or deleted. Many SEO plugins include IndexNow too. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/substack-vs-wordpress/ Blogging platforms # Substack vs WordPress for SEO: Newsletter or Blog? Substack vs WordPress for SEO comes down to one trade-off: Substack gives you an inbox audience with almost no setup, while a self-hosted WordPress site gives you full control over everything search engines see. If search traffic is a goal you plan to work on, WordPress (or a WordPress blog plus a newsletter) is usually the stronger base. If your readers will mostly come from email and Substack's own network, Substack is the faster start. Below is the comparison, sourced from each platform's own documentation. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## The short answer These two tools were built for different jobs. Substack is a newsletter platform whose posts also live on the web. WordPress is a website platform that can also send a newsletter if you add one. That difference shapes almost every SEO question: - **Pick Substack** if your main channel is email, you want to write today without touching hosting, and you are comfortable with Substack deciding most technical SEO details for you. - **Pick WordPress** if you want search traffic to be a real channel, need control over URLs, structured data, internal linking and site speed, or plan to grow the site into something bigger than a newsletter archive. - **Pick both** if you want a website that ranks and an email list that you own. This hybrid is common and is covered in its own section below. In this article, "WordPress" means self-hosted WordPress (the software from WordPress.org), not WordPress.com plans, which have their own limits. ## Side-by-side comparison | Question | Substack | Self-hosted WordPress | | Cost to start | Free to publish; 10% of paid subscription revenue plus Stripe fees if you charge | Software is free; you pay for hosting and a domain | | Custom domain | One-time $50 fee; must use a subdomain such as www | Any domain or subdomain you own | | Sitemaps and Search Console | Unlocked "as your publication grows," per Substack | Available from day one (core sitemaps or an SEO plugin) | | Post URL control | Editable slug, 2 to 48 characters | Full control over permalinks and site structure | | Structured data, templates, speed tuning | Handled by Substack | Your choice of theme, plugins and hosting | | Built-in email delivery | Yes, core feature | Needs a plugin or an email service | | Built-in discovery network | Substack app and recommendations | None by default | | Data export | Posts, subscriber list and stats as a zip | Full database and files; it is your server | Every Substack row above comes from Substack's help center and is linked in the sections below. Prices are as listed on the day of writing; check the linked pages before you decide. ## How Substack posts get found in search Substack posts are public web pages, so Google can crawl and index them. Substack's own [SEO help article](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407702258836-How-can-I-optimize-my-Substack-publication-for-SEO) says the platform does "a number of things behind the scenes" to get publications indexed. The same page adds an important detail: some SEO features, such as sitemaps and Google Search Console verification, become available as a publication grows, and publishing regularly, growing subscribers and enabling paid subscriptions help unlock them. In practice that means a brand-new Substack may not let you verify it in Search Console. Without Search Console, you can't see which queries show your posts, request indexing, or spot indexing problems. On WordPress you can verify the site and submit a sitemap on the first day. What Substack does let you control is modest: - **The post URL.** Under a draft's Settings, "SEO Options" lets you edit the slug. Substack's [URL help page](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051140332-How-do-I-edit-my-post-s-URL) says it can only contain lower-case letters, numbers and dashes, and must be 2 to 48 characters long. - **Your publication name and subdomain.** Substack recommends using your own name in the subdomain, since readers are more likely to search for your name than for a publication title they don't know yet. - **Links from elsewhere.** Substack's SEO page says the best way to improve ranking is more inbound links and suggests guest posts and recommendations from fellow writers. That last point applies equally to WordPress. Neither platform ranks a post for you; the content and the sites that reference it do most of the work. ## What WordPress gives you that Substack doesn't WordPress is open-source software under the GPL, and [WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/about/) describes the freedom to run it for any purpose and change how it works. For SEO, that freedom shows up in very concrete places: - **Site structure.** Categories, hub pages, breadcrumbs and internal links are yours to design. A newsletter archive is a chronological list; a website can be organized by topic, which helps readers and search engines understand what you cover. - **Search Console from the start.** Verify, submit a sitemap, inspect URLs, and see the actual queries you appear for. - **Templates and speed.** Choose a lightweight theme, control what scripts load, and pick hosting that fits your traffic. - **Structured data and metadata.** SEO plugins let you edit titles, descriptions and schema per post. - **Page types.** Landing pages, comparison tables, tools and resource pages sit next to your posts. The cost of that control is maintenance: updates, backups, security and hosting are on you. If you go this way, our guide on [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the first channels to set up. ## Custom domains: the detail that matters most If you start on Substack, use a custom domain early. According to Substack's [custom domain guide](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051222571-How-do-I-set-up-my-custom-domain-on-Substack), connecting one costs a one-time $50, you must already own the domain (Substack doesn't sell them), and the publication must live on a subdomain such as www, with the root domain redirected to it. Newsletters are still sent from a substack.com address. Why it matters for SEO: links people give you point at whatever address you share. If that is `yourname.substack.com`, those links point to Substack's domain. If it is `www.yourname.com`, they point to a domain you can later move to any platform. Should you ever leave, a domain you own lets you set up redirects on the new platform so old links keep working; a substack.com subdomain does not give you that option. ## Owning your audience and your archive Substack is clear that what you publish is yours. Its [export article](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037466012-How-do-I-export-my-posts) says you can download your posts, subscriber list and related statistics as a zip from Settings, under Exports. A separate help page on [exporting your email list](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/6314498343700-How-do-I-export-my-email-list-on-Substack) explains the CSV export and notes that a file with subscriber full names is not currently available. That is a reasonable exit path. Still, two things are worth doing regardless of platform: - Export your list and posts on a schedule (monthly is a sane default) and store them somewhere safe. - Keep copies of your images. If you migrate, test that images and internal links still resolve on the new site. With self-hosted WordPress, the whole database and every file sits on your hosting, so "export" is simply a backup. ## Money: fees vs hosting Substack's [pricing page](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost) says publishing is free at any subscriber count. If you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue, and Stripe charges its own processing fees on top. A custom domain is the optional one-time $50. WordPress inverts that model: the software costs nothing, but you pay for hosting and a domain whether you earn or not, and paid newsletters require a membership or email tool, each with its own pricing. A rough way to compare, for illustration only: - **Free newsletter, no revenue:** Substack costs nothing; WordPress costs hosting. - **Growing paid newsletter:** Substack's 10% grows with revenue; WordPress costs stay closer to flat, plus whatever your membership tool charges. Run your own numbers with current prices from the tools you'd actually use. ## The hybrid setup: WordPress blog plus newsletter Many writers end up with both: a website that earns search traffic and an email list that brings readers back. Two ways to wire it: - **WordPress as home, newsletter as distribution.** Publish the full article on your site, then email it (or a summary with a link). Search engines index one canonical version on your domain. - **Substack as home, WordPress for evergreen pages.** Keep the newsletter on Substack under a custom domain such as `news.yourname.com`, and put guides, resources and service pages on `www.yourname.com`. Link the two prominently. ### Cross-posting without creating duplicates The risky version is publishing the same full article on both. Google can show only one version, and it may not pick yours. In its [canonicalization troubleshooting guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/canonicalization-troubleshooting), Google says the canonical link element is not recommended for avoiding duplication with syndication partners, and that the most effective solution is for partners to block indexing of your content. We could not find a per-post canonical URL setting documented in Substack's help center, so the safer pattern is to keep the full text in one place and send a summary with a link from the other. For more patterns, see our [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/). ## How to decide in five minutes - **Where will readers come from in year one?** Mostly email, social and recommendations: Substack is enough. Mostly search: WordPress. - **Do you want to build topic pages, tools or comparisons?** If yes, you need a website. - **Will you maintain software?** If updates and backups sound like a burden, start on Substack with a custom domain and add a site later. - **Do you plan paid subscriptions?** Compare Substack's 10% against your own tool stack at your expected revenue. - **Whatever you pick:** own the domain, export regularly, and keep one full version of each article. ## What to do next A new blog or newsletter, on either platform, has one shared problem: nobody links to it yet. Free channels help, and our list of [ways to promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/) is a good place to start. If you run a site you control (WordPress, or any site that can show articles from an API feed), Satelo's [WordPress plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) connects in one click and auto-publishes labeled partner articles with `rel="sponsored"` links. Satelo is in public beta with a small network, so treat it as one more honest channel, not a shortcut. In [the Satelo dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) you can see sites at a similar level and on related topics that are open to a partner article about you. ## FAQ ### Is Substack good for SEO? Substack posts are public and can be indexed, and Substack handles the technical setup. But some SEO features, such as sitemaps and Search Console verification, unlock only as a publication grows, and you have little control over site structure. It works if search is a secondary channel. ### Is WordPress better than Substack for SEO? Self-hosted WordPress gives you more control: Search Console from day one, your own URL structure, themes, structured data and topic pages. That control helps if you actively work on SEO. It doesn't rank posts by itself. ### Can I use my own domain on Substack? Yes. Substack charges a one-time $50 fee, you must already own the domain, and the publication has to run on a subdomain such as www with the root domain redirected to it. Emails still come from a substack.com address. ### Can I move from Substack to WordPress later? Yes. Substack lets you export posts, your subscriber list and stats as a zip. A custom domain makes the move much easier, because you can redirect old URLs on the new site. ### How much does Substack take? Publishing is free. If you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue, and Stripe charges its own payment processing fees. ### Should I post the same article on Substack and WordPress? Avoid publishing the same full text in both places. Keep the full article on one site and send a summary with a link from the other, so search engines index one clear version. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/three-way-link-exchange/ Link exchange # Three-Way Link Exchange (ABC Linking): How It Works and What Google Says A three-way link exchange (ABC link exchange) is a swap where site A links to site B, and in return site C links back to A, so no two sites link to each other directly. It is sold as a way to make a link swap "invisible" to Google, but Google's link spam policy judges the purpose of a link, not its shape. This guide explains the mechanics, quotes the policy, lists the red flags in ABC offers, and shows what an honest version looks like. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## What a three-way link exchange is In a classic reciprocal exchange, two sites link to each other: A links to B, B links to A. In a three-way (ABC) exchange, a third site breaks the pair: | Site | Gives a link to | Gets a link from | | A (you) | B | C | | B (the other party's site) | nobody in this deal | A | | C (the other party's second site) | A | nobody in this deal | In the typical cold-email offer, B and C belong to the same person. They want a link to their main site (B) and offer one from a secondary site (C). You are the only party giving a link from a site you care about, which is worth noticing before anything else. A variant is a ring with more members: A links to B, B to C, C to D, and D back to A. Each site gives one link and gets one, and no pair is reciprocal. ## Reciprocal vs. three-way vs. ring | | Reciprocal (A ↔ B) | Three-way (A → B, C → A) | Ring (A → B → C → A) | | Sites involved | 2 | 3, often 2 owners | 3 or more, separate owners | | Direct link back | Yes | No | No | | Who controls the deal | Both sides | Usually the person who owns B and C | An organizer or platform | | Typical pitch | "Link to me and I'll link to you" | "Google can't detect it" | "Each site features the next one" | | Covered by Google's link spam policy? | Yes, if made for rankings and not qualified | Yes, if made for rankings and not qualified | Yes, if made for rankings and not qualified | ## What Google's link spam policy actually says Google's [spam policies for Google web search](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) (last updated August 28, 2026) define link spam as "the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings." Two of the listed examples matter here: - **Buying or selling links for ranking purposes**, which explicitly includes "Exchanging goods or services for links". A link given in return for another link is an exchange of value. - **"Excessive link exchanges"** ("Link to me and I'll link to you") or partner pages built only for cross-linking. The same page also lists "Creating low-value content primarily for the purposes of manipulating linking and ranking signals", which describes many of the throwaway posts written only to host an ABC link. Notice what the policy does not say. It does not say "links between two sites" or "reciprocal links". Nothing in the wording depends on whether the link comes back directly, through a third site, or through a ring of ten. A three-way structure changes the shape of the exchange, not its purpose. The policy also gives the legitimate path. Google writes that buying and selling links is a normal part of the web "for advertising and sponsorship purposes", and that such links are not a violation as long as they are qualified with `rel="nofollow"` or `rel="sponsored"`. Google's [guide to qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) says to mark advertisements or paid placements with `sponsored`. As for consequences, the spam policies page says sites that violate the policies "may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all", and that Google detects violations through automated systems and, as needed, human review. ## Why "Will Google notice?" is the wrong question Most ABC pitches rest on one argument: Google looks for A ↔ B pairs, so a triangle slips through. Maybe a given triangle does go unnoticed for a while. That is not the test the policy uses. The test is whether the link exists primarily to manipulate rankings. Think about what an unqualified ABC link is for. Nobody arranges a three-site swap to send a few readers along; that could be done with any ordinary mention. The structure exists because the parties want ranking credit and want to hide the exchange. In other words, the very feature that makes ABC attractive (concealment) is evidence of the purpose the policy describes. There is a practical side too. You never see the whole network. If site C also takes part in dozens of other swaps, its outbound links form a pattern you cannot audit. We cover what happens when exchanges cross the line in [Is link exchange bad for SEO?](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/), and the rules in more detail in our guide to [what Google allows for link exchanges and sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). ## The honest version: what changes A circular exchange can be done in a way that stays inside Google's rules. Three things have to change, and none of them is about the shape: - **The content is for the reader.** An article that a site's regular audience would actually read, about a site relevant to them, with the partner mentioned once where it fits. Not a 300-word post written around an anchor. - **The link is qualified.** `rel="sponsored"` on any link given in exchange for value. Google has treated `sponsored`, `ugc` and `nofollow` as hints since its [September 2019 announcement](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2019/09/evolving-nofollow-new-ways-to-identify), so do not assume anything about ranking credit either way. The difference between the attributes is explained in [nofollow vs. sponsored vs. UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). - **The reader knows.** A visible "Partner content" or "Sponsored" label. Advertising rules in many countries expect this too; see our overview of [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). The honest consequence: once the link is `sponsored`, you are no longer doing the exchange for rankings. What you get is the article itself, the readers who see it, the clicks it sends and your brand named on a relevant site. If those things are not worth it to you without ranking credit, the exchange was never about them, and the policy is written for exactly that case. ## Red flags in an ABC link exchange offer If an email offers you a three-way swap, check these before replying: - **"Google can't detect it"** or "100% safe". The pitch is about hiding, which tells you the purpose. - **Dofollow required.** A demand to drop `rel="sponsored"` or `nofollow` means they want ranking credit, and you carry the risk on your site. - **Exact-match anchor text** chosen by them ("best cheap running shoes"). Google's policy lists optimized anchor text in guest posts as an example of link spam. - **Site C has no real audience.** Generic name, posts on every topic, every post with outbound commercial links, no comments, no social presence. Our checklist on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) walks through the signs. - **Niche mismatch.** A crypto blog offering a link to your bakery. Readers would not follow it, so it exists only for search engines. - **"Write-for-us" sites with dozens of posts a month** on unrelated topics. That is a link farm, whatever it calls itself. - **They control which page links and when it disappears.** Links on C often vanish after B's link is live. ## A worked example (illustrative) **Illustrative example, not a real case.** You run a small hiking blog. An email arrives: "We'll give you a link from our outdoor gear review site if you add a link to our travel insurance site in one of your posts. It's a three-way exchange, totally safe." - The gear site and the insurance site have the same owner (same contact address, same theme). Classic A → B, C → A. - They ask for the anchor "cheap travel insurance" and say no `nofollow`. - The gear site publishes several posts a week, each with an outbound commercial link. Verdict: decline. The offer fails three red flags, and accepting would put an unqualified, keyword-anchored commercial link on your site. If the insurance company genuinely interests your readers, the honest alternative is a labeled sponsored post with `rel="sponsored"` and a brand anchor, priced or exchanged openly. ## What Satelo does differently, and what it doesn't promise Satelo runs a circular exchange of partner articles: your site hosts an article about another member, and another member hosts one about you, so nobody swaps directly. The differences from an ABC email deal are in the rules, not the shape: - **Articles, not inserted links.** Each piece is written for the host site's readers, and the partner is mentioned once. - **Labeled and qualified.** Articles carry a "Partner content" label, and exchange links use `rel="sponsored"`. - **Matched by level and topic.** Sites are paired with members of a similar Quality Score and niche, so readers see something relevant. The score is built mostly from open data, and you can see any site's at [satelo.io/check](https://satelo.io/check/) before agreeing to anything. - **You stay in control.** Host sites can review, reject or remove an article. What it does not do: it does not make links count for rankings, and it cannot make any exchange risk-free. The point is readers, mentions and visits from relevant sites. It is also a public beta with a small network, so matches in a narrow niche may take time. ## Checklist before any three-way or ring exchange - Would I publish this article for my readers if no link came back? - Is every link given in return marked `rel="sponsored"`? - Is the article labeled as partner or sponsored content? - Is the partner site real: indexed, on-topic, with an audience and few commercial posts? - Is the anchor a brand name or URL, not a money keyword? - Would I be comfortable if a Google reviewer read the email thread? If any answer is no, skip the deal. ## What to do next If you want the circular model without the cold emails, [Satelo](https://satelo.io/app/) runs the A → B → C → A loop for you: partner articles rather than footer links, every link `rel="sponsored"` and labeled, and partners matched by niche and site level, the one thing this guide cannot do for you. A new site can start with zero satellites by hosting one partner article. ## FAQ ### What does ABC link exchange mean? It is a three-way link swap: site A links to site B, and site C links back to A, so there is no direct reciprocal link. In most offers B and C have the same owner. ### Is a three-way link exchange safe? Not by itself. Google's link spam policy targets links made primarily to manipulate rankings, including exchanging links for value, regardless of whether the exchange is direct or goes through a third site. Links qualified with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" are not a violation under the same policy. ### Does a three-way link exchange pass link equity? Nobody outside Google can promise that. If the link is qualified with rel="sponsored", as Google's policy requires for links given in exchange for value, you should not count on ranking credit; Google treats such attributes as hints. Value the exchange for readers, clicks and mentions instead. ### Is ABC linking better than reciprocal linking? Only in how hard it is to spot, which is not the criterion Google's policy uses. Both are link spam when done for rankings, and both are fine when the links are qualified and the content serves readers. ### Can Google detect three-way link exchanges? Google says it detects policy violations through automated systems and, when needed, human review. It does not publish how it detects specific patterns, so any claim that a scheme is undetectable is a guess. ### What is a link exchange ring? A circular exchange with three or more sites where each links to the next and the last links back to the first. Like ABC, it is judged by purpose and link qualification, not by the number of sites in the loop. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/topical-authority-small-sites/ Content strategy # How to Build Topical Authority on a Small Website (30 to 60 Posts) To build topical authority on a website, pick one clearly bounded topic, map the questions people actually ask about it, and cover them in depth with hub pages, supporting posts and internal links that tie them together. On a small site that means 30 to 60 genuinely useful pages, not hundreds. This guide shows how to plan that map with free data, how to structure it, and how to tell whether it is working. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What topical authority is (and what it isn't) "Topical authority" is an SEO concept, not a metric Google publishes. The idea is simple: a site that covers one subject thoroughly and well is easier for readers and search engines to trust on that subject than a site that touches everything once. Google has used a similar term in one specific place. In 2023 it described a [topic authority system for news](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/05/understanding-news-topic-authority), which looks at signals such as how notable a publication is for a topic or location, how often its original reporting is cited by other publishers, and its reputation. That post is about news results such as Top Stories, so don't read it as a ranking formula for every blog. What it does show is the direction: expertise in particular areas is something Google tries to recognize. For regular sites, the closest official guidance is Google's page on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content). Among its self-assessment questions: does your site have a primary purpose or focus, and are you producing lots of content on many different topics in hopes that some of it performs? Topical authority is basically answering the first question with "yes" and the second with "no." What you won't find here: a "topical authority score" you can look up. Tools that show one are estimating with their own model. Useful as a rough signal, but it's their number, not Google's. ## Why small sites have an advantage here A big publisher can't go deep on every narrow subject. You can. A small site that covers, say, "sourdough baking in small apartments" or "SEO for one-person businesses" from every useful angle can be the most complete resource on that slice, while bigger sites only have one generic article on it. The trade-off is focus. Every post outside your topic dilutes the signal you are trying to send about what the site is for. Saying no to off-topic ideas is the cheapest SEO decision you will make. ## Step 1: Draw the boundary of your topic Write one sentence: "This site helps [who] do [what]." Then list what is in and what is out. For example: - **In:** how to grow a small website, promotion channels, link earning, measuring traffic, AI search visibility. - **Out:** general marketing news, enterprise SEO tooling, unrelated tech reviews. The boundary should be narrow enough that 30 to 60 pages can cover the core questions well, and wide enough that you will still have things to write next year. ## Step 2: Build a topic map from free data You don't need paid keyword tools to see what people ask. Collect questions from: - **Google autocomplete.** Type your core terms with "how," "why," "vs," "best," "for beginners," and note every suggestion. - **People Also Ask boxes.** Expand a few on each core query; the questions branch outward. - **Search Console.** If the site is live, the queries you already get impressions for show where Google thinks you are relevant (see the [Performance report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553)). - **Communities.** Forum threads, Reddit, Q&A sites and your own inbox show the wording real people use. - **Competitor structure.** Look at how the best niche sites organize their categories, not just which keywords they rank for. Put everything in a spreadsheet with columns: question, intent (learn, compare, do, buy), cluster, and "existing page?" Merge questions that a single page would answer. What remains is your map. ## Step 3: Group into hubs and spokes Each cluster gets one **hub**: a page that answers the broad question and links to every **spoke**, the narrower posts that go deep on one sub-question. Each spoke links back to its hub and to its closest siblings. | Element | Job | Typical count on a small site | | Hub page | Answers the broad question, routes readers to details | 3 to 6 (one per cluster) | | Spoke posts | Each solves one specific question completely | 6 to 12 per hub | | Comparison or "vs" pages | Help readers choose between options in your topic | A few, where people actually compare | | Tools, checklists, templates | Give readers something to use, not just read | 1 to 3, if you can build them | The counts are a planning range for illustration, not a rule. Google's [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) says there is no magical word count target, and the same logic applies to page counts: cover the questions, then stop. ### An honest example: this blog Satelo's own content plan is built this way. Topics are grouped into clusters such as WordPress, blogging platforms, niche blogs, SEO metrics, AI search, and content work, and each cluster leads to an existing hub. For example, our post on [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) is the hub for niche topics, and [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) anchors the AI search cluster. We can't promise it will work for rankings; we can show you the method because we're using it. ## Step 4: Link it together on purpose Internal links are how the structure becomes visible. Google's starter guide notes that links connect users and search engines to other parts of your site, and that anchor text tells users and Google something about the page you're linking to. - **Hub to every spoke,** with descriptive anchors ("how to price sponsored posts," not "click here"). - **Spoke to hub,** early in the text where it makes sense. - **Spoke to sibling spokes,** only when the reader would genuinely want that next. - **No orphans.** Every new post gets at least two internal links pointing to it on the day it is published. - **Vary anchors naturally.** Write them for readers; repeating one exact phrase everywhere looks mechanical. Optional but helpful: group URLs by topic. The starter guide suggests directories that group similar topics, mainly for larger sites, and warns against reorganizing an existing site in a hurry. ## Step 5: Go deep, not wide Depth is where small sites win or lose. Before you publish a spoke, check it against Google's helpful-content questions: does it give a substantial, complete description of the topic, and does it show first-hand experience? Practical ways to add depth: - Include something you did: a test, a screenshot description, your actual settings, a mistake you made. - Add the decision help readers need: a comparison table, a checklist, "if X, do Y." - Cite primary sources for every rule or number, so readers can verify. - Update when facts change, instead of writing a new post on the same question. Avoid writing five thin posts that answer variations of the same question. One strong page usually serves readers better and keeps your map clean. ## Step 6: Earn mentions from sites in your topic Coverage on your own site is half the picture. Google's news post lists citations from other publishers as a signal of influence, and while that system is specific to news, the general idea is familiar: people in your field referencing your work is evidence that you know the subject. For a small site, realistic ways to get there include collaborating with bloggers in adjacent niches (see our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/)), publishing original data or tools others want to cite, and being useful in communities where your topic is discussed. What not to do: buy links or join private blog networks to fake relevance. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) treat links intended to manipulate rankings as link spam, and they don't build anything a reader would trust anyway. ## Step 7: Measure progress in Search Console There is no single authority number, so track several signals per cluster, monthly: - **Queries per cluster.** In the Performance report, filter by pages in one cluster and watch how many distinct queries bring impressions. A growing count means Google sees you as relevant to more of the topic. - **Average position of the hub.** Hubs usually take the longest to move; watch the trend over months. - **Impressions to clicks.** Impressions on deep positions rarely turn into clicks. If you see many impressions and few clicks, our guide on [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) explains what to check. - **Indexing.** Spokes stuck as ["Crawled, currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) are often a sign the page isn't adding enough beyond what you or others already have. Expect this to take months. A new cluster can show impressions within weeks and still need a long time before clicks follow. ## A checklist you can use today - One-sentence site purpose written down, with an in/out list. - Question spreadsheet from autocomplete, People Also Ask, Search Console and communities. - 3 to 6 clusters, each with a named hub. - Every existing post assigned to a cluster, or marked off-topic for merging or noindexing. - Hub pages link to all their spokes; spokes link back. - No orphan pages. - Next five posts chosen from gaps in the map, not from random ideas. - Monthly Search Console check per cluster. ## What to do next Once your map is in place, the slow part is getting other sites in your topic to know you exist. Satelo is one honest way to help with that: in [the Satelo dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) you can find sites at a similar level and on related topics, and each partner article you receive is labeled and uses `rel="sponsored"` links. It won't move rankings on its own, and Satelo is a public beta with a small network, but it puts your site in front of readers who already care about your subject. ## FAQ ### What is topical authority in SEO? It's an SEO concept describing a site that covers one subject thoroughly enough that readers and search engines see it as a reliable source on that subject. Google doesn't publish a topical authority metric; its documented 'topic authority' system applies to news results. ### How many articles do you need for topical authority? There is no fixed number. On a small site, 30 to 60 well-planned pages often cover the core questions of a narrow topic. Google says there is no magical word count, and the same applies to page counts: cover what people ask, then stop. ### How long does it take to build topical authority? Usually months. New clusters may get impressions within weeks, but clicks and stable positions tend to come later, especially for hub pages on competitive questions. ### Is there a topical authority checker? Some SEO tools estimate a topical score with their own models. Treat it as a rough signal. A practical free check is Search Console: count how many distinct queries each cluster of pages gets impressions for over time. ### What is a topical map? A topical map is a list of all the questions in your topic grouped into clusters, each with a hub page and supporting posts, plus how they link together. You can build one from autocomplete, People Also Ask, Search Console and community questions. ### Do backlinks matter for topical authority? Mentions from sites in your field help show that others trust your work. Earn them through collaboration, original data and useful tools. Buying links to manipulate rankings is against Google's spam policies. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/track-ai-traffic-ga4/ Ai search # How to Track ChatGPT and AI Traffic in GA4 To check ChatGPT traffic in GA4, open Reports, then Acquisition, then Traffic acquisition, and look for the AI Assistant row in the session default channel group: since May 2026 Google Analytics sorts visits from recognized AI assistants there automatically. For assistants GA4 doesn't recognize, or for a cleaner breakdown by tool, add a custom channel group with a regex rule. This guide covers both, plus where AI visits still hide and what the numbers can and can't tell you. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## What changed in 2026: GA4 now has an AI Assistant channel For a long time, visits from ChatGPT and other assistants landed in Referral (when the browser passed a referrer) or Direct (when it didn't), and the only way to separate them was a custom regex. That's no longer the whole story. In its [release notes dated May 13, 2026](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en), Google Analytics announced a new AI Assistant channel in the default channel group, naming chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. Three things happen when the referrer matches a recognized AI assistant: - **Medium** is set to `ai-assistant`. - **Default channel group** is set to AI Assistant. - **Campaign** is set to `(ai-assistant)`. The [default channel group documentation](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9756891?hl=en) describes the channel as visits from sources like ChatGPT, Gemini, Deepseek, Copilot or Grok, and states that it excludes Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google doesn't publish the full list of recognized assistants on that page, which is why a custom group is still worth setting up (see below). ## Step 1: Check the built-in AI Assistant channel - In GA4, go to **Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition**. - Make sure the table's primary dimension is **Session default channel group**. - Find the **AI Assistant** row. Click the "+" next to the dimension and add **Session source** as a secondary dimension to see which assistants sent the visits. - Set a date range that starts after mid-May 2026 if you want a clean comparison. Before the channel existed, the same kind of visits sat in Referral or Direct, so a range that crosses the change mixes two classifications. If you see no AI Assistant row at all, that may simply mean no recognized assistant sent a visit in that period. Small sites often see very few, which is normal. ## Step 2: Do a quick source/medium check for assistants GA4 misses Some assistants may not be on Google's list, and new ones appear often. A two-minute check: - In the same Traffic acquisition report, switch the primary dimension to **Session source / medium**. - In the search box above the table, type parts of known assistant domains one at a time: `chatgpt`, `openai`, `perplexity`, `gemini`, `copilot`, `claude`, `deepseek`, `grok`. - Anything that shows up with medium `referral` instead of `ai-assistant` is AI traffic that the default channel isn't catching. If that list is empty, the built-in channel may be enough for you. If it isn't, build a custom group. ## Step 3: Build a custom channel group (copy-paste regex) Custom channel groups let you define your own channels with rules, and per Google's [custom channel groups help page](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/13051316?hl=en) they apply to reports retroactively. The same page lists the limits: standard properties can have 2 custom groups besides the predefined one, and each group can contain up to 50 channels. - Go to **Admin → Data display → Channel groups**. - Click **Create new channel group**. GA4 starts you with a copy of the default group, so the built-in AI Assistant channel is already in it. - Name it, for example "Channels with AI detail." - Click **Add new channel**, name it "AI assistants (extended)," and set the condition: **Source** → **matches regex** → paste the pattern below. - Add a second condition with **OR**: **Medium** → **exactly matches** → `ai-assistant`. This keeps everything the built-in channel already recognizes. - Click **Reorder** and drag your new channel **above Referral** (and above the built-in AI Assistant channel, if you want one combined row). Save. Regex for the Source condition (domains as of October 2026; add new ones as they appear): `.*(chatgpt\.com|openai\.com|perplexity\.ai|gemini\.google\.com|copilot\.microsoft\.com|claude\.ai|deepseek\.com|grok\.com|meta\.ai|mistral\.ai|you\.com).*` Order matters. Google's help page says traffic is included in the first channel whose definition it matches, given the current order. If Referral sits above your AI channel, Referral wins. ### A note on Google's example regex Google's help page includes its own AI assistants example. It works as a starting point, but its first alternative, `^.*ai`, matches any source containing the letters "ai," which can pull in unrelated sources such as email or "daily" newsletters. Listing the actual domains, as above, is more predictable. Whichever pattern you use, check the source list under your new channel after a few days and fix anything that doesn't belong. ## Step 4: Analyze AI visits in Explorations Standard reports show volume. Explorations show behavior. A simple setup: - Go to **Explore → Free form**. - Import dimensions: **Session default channel group** (or your custom group), **Session source**, **Landing page + query string**. - Import metrics: **Sessions**, **Engaged sessions**, **Engagement rate**, **Key events**. - Rows: Landing page. Columns: channel. Filter: channel exactly matches AI Assistant (or your extended channel). Now you can answer the useful questions: which pages AI tools send people to, whether those visitors engage, and whether any of them convert. Pages that keep showing up are the ones AI tools cite; keep them accurate and current. ## Where AI traffic still hides Even with a dedicated channel, GA4 will undercount AI-driven visits. Plan for that instead of trusting a single number. | Situation | Where it shows up in GA4 | What you can do | | Link opened with no referrer passed (some apps and privacy settings strip it) | Direct | Nothing reliable; treat Direct growth after AI mentions as a hint, not proof | | Google AI Overviews and AI Mode | Organic Search (excluded from AI Assistant by Google) | Use Search Console for Google's AI features | | Assistant not on Google's list | Referral | Custom channel group with regex | | User reads the AI answer, later types your URL or searches your brand | Direct or Organic Search | Watch branded search queries in Search Console | | Ad blockers or rejected consent | Not recorded, or Direct | Accept a gap; compare with server logs if you need a sanity check | Google's article on [(direct) / (none) traffic](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/15258820?hl=en) lists the general causes: links without UTM parameters, redirects or shorteners that strip source data, typed URLs and links in documents, and ad blockers. A related point: AI crawlers fetching your pages are a different thing from people clicking through from an answer, and this report is about the people. To see whether assistants can reach your site at all, check your robots.txt and server logs (our guide on [AI crawlers and robots.txt](https://satelo.io/blog/block-ai-crawlers-robots-txt/) explains which bot does what). ## Step 5: Use UTMs where you control the link You can't tag links that AI tools generate, but you can tag links you place yourself, and those links are often what AI tools pick up and repeat: - Links in your profiles on directories, communities and partner sites. - Links in your newsletter, documentation or downloadable PDFs (otherwise those land in Direct). - Links you share in AI-indexed places such as public forums, if the platform allows it. Use a consistent scheme, for example `utm_source=partner-name&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=profile`, so these visits don't get confused with assistant clicks. Don't tag internal links on your own site; that overwrites the original source. ## What to do with the numbers - **Track the trend, not the absolute.** Since part of AI traffic hides in Direct and Organic, the visible AI channel is a floor. Month-over-month direction is more meaningful than the raw count. - **Look at landing pages.** The pages AI assistants send people to tell you what they trust you for. Improve those first: clear answers near the top, sources, up-to-date facts. - **Compare engagement.** If AI visitors engage more or less than organic visitors on the same pages, that tells you whether the AI answer set the right expectation. - **Connect it to visibility work.** If you get no AI traffic at all, the issue is usually upstream: being crawlable, indexed and cited. Start with our guides on [getting indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/) and [getting cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). ## Checklist - Traffic acquisition report checked for the AI Assistant row, with Session source as a secondary dimension. - Source / medium searched for assistant domains still classed as referral. - Custom channel group created, AI channel placed above Referral, OR condition on medium `ai-assistant`. - Free-form exploration saved: AI channel by landing page, with engagement and key events. - UTMs on links you control; none on internal links. - Date ranges compared only after mid-May 2026 for the built-in channel. ## What to do next GA4 shows how many people arrive from AI tools, but not how your site looks to the systems and people deciding whether to reference it. Run your domain through [Satelo's free site check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see a 0 to 100 Quality Score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. It's a quick way to spot weak points (indexing, traffic signals, trust basics) before you work on AI visibility. For more on traffic measurement without paid tools, see [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## FAQ ### How do I see ChatGPT traffic in Google Analytics 4? Open Reports, Acquisition, Traffic acquisition and look for the AI Assistant row in the session default channel group. Add Session source as a secondary dimension to see ChatGPT separately. Google added this channel in May 2026. ### Why does ChatGPT traffic show as referral or direct in GA4? Before May 2026, GA4 had no AI channel, so assistant visits with a referrer were classed as Referral. Visits without a referrer, for example from some apps, still land in Direct, because GA4 can't tell where they came from. ### Does the GA4 AI Assistant channel include Google AI Overviews? No. Google's documentation says the AI Assistant channel excludes Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode. Those clicks are counted under Organic Search. ### What regex should I use to track AI traffic in GA4? List the assistant domains explicitly, for example a Source condition matching chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, gemini.google.com, copilot.microsoft.com and claude.ai, and place the channel above Referral. Review the matched sources after a few days. ### Do custom channel groups work on historical data? Yes. Google says custom channel groups can be applied to reports retroactively. Audiences are the exception: changes there apply only going forward. ### Is GA4 AI traffic data accurate? It's a floor, not a full count. Visits without a referrer, later branded searches and Google's AI features all land in other channels. Use it for trends and landing-page insights, not as an exact total. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/trust-flow-vs-citation-flow/ Seo metrics # Trust Flow vs Citation Flow: How to Read Majestic's Flow Metrics Citation Flow vs Trust Flow in one line: Citation Flow estimates how much link influence a site has based on how many sites link to it, while Trust Flow estimates quality based on how closely the site is linked to a set of manually reviewed, trusted seed sites. Both are Majestic scores from 0 to 100, not Google metrics. Read together, they help you spot sites with lots of links but little trust, which is exactly what you want to catch before you pitch, partner or pay for a guest post. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What Majestic says each metric measures Both scores are Majestic trademarks and together form what Majestic calls its Flow Metric algorithm. From the [Majestic glossary](https://majestic.com/help/glossary): - **Citation Flow (CF)** is a score between 0 and 100 that helps measure the link equity or "power" a website or link carries. The glossary says it predicts how influential a URL might be based on how many sites link to it, with stronger links counting for more. - **Trust Flow (TF)** is a score between 0 and 100 based on quality. Majestic collected many trusted seed sites through a manual review of the web. Sites closely linked to a trusted seed can see higher scores; sites with questionable links see much lower ones. - **Flow Metric scores** use a logarithmic scale, per the same glossary. Moving from 10 to 20 is far easier than moving from 50 to 60. The practical summary: CF is mostly about **how much** links point at a site. TF is about **who** links to it, and how far that is from sources Majestic trusts. Majestic itself notes, in a post on [why Trust Flow changes](https://blog.majestic.com/company/why-your-trust-flow-score-may-change/), that Citation Flow does not use the human-reviewed seed set that Trust Flow benefits from. ## Trust Flow vs Citation Flow at a glance | | Citation Flow | Trust Flow | | Measures | Link influence, driven by how many sites link and how strong they are | Link quality, driven by closeness to manually reviewed seed sites | | Scale | 0 to 100, logarithmic | 0 to 100, logarithmic | | Easy to inflate? | Easier: volume of links, including low-quality ones, raises it | Harder: needs links from sites that are themselves well connected to trusted sources | | Best used for | Seeing how much link activity a site has | Judging whether that activity comes from credible places | | Owned by | Majestic | Majestic | ## How to read the TF/CF ratio The "trust ratio" is simply Trust Flow divided by Citation Flow. It isn't a separate Majestic score; it's a shortcut the SEO industry uses to compare the two numbers. Majestic's own blog has discussed it as a quick screen for link prospects: in a [2014 post on checking link prospects](https://blog.majestic.com/case-studies/using-majestic-citation-flow-trust-flow-check-quality-link-prospects/), the author writes that it's difficult to say exactly what an OK ratio is and that it depends on the niche, and that the check is only a quick overview. So treat the ratio as a question generator, not a verdict. A rough reading guide, for illustration: | Pattern (illustrative) | What it may suggest | What to check next | | TF and CF close together, both moderate | Link activity and link quality roughly in balance | Topical Trust Flow: are the topics relevant to the site? | | CF much higher than TF (e.g. CF 35, TF 7) | Many links, few from well-trusted places. Common with link schemes, but also with sites that get lots of directory or forum links | Backlink list: where do links come from, what anchors, how many from one domain? | | TF higher than CF | A few links from very trusted sources. Often fine, sometimes a sign of a small but well-cited site | Confirm the trusted links are real and still live | | Both very low | New or small site, or Majestic hasn't found many links | Nothing alarming by itself; look at the content and traffic instead | The "CF 35, TF 7" example comes from that same Majestic post, where the author says such sites are nearly always going to be poor quality. Even there, it is a pattern to investigate, not a rule. ## Topical Trust Flow: the part most people skip The glossary describes **Topical Trust Flow** as Majestic's categorization of the web: a set of numbers, also on a 0 to 100 log scale, showing the relative influence of a page, subdomain or root domain in a given topic or category. The **Topics** view lets you drill into which topics the incoming links carry. This is often more useful than the headline numbers. A cooking blog with a decent Trust Flow whose top topic is "Recreation/Food" is coherent. The same Trust Flow with top topics in gambling, pharma or unrelated adult categories tells a very different story, whatever the ratio says. When you vet a site, check: - Is the top topic close to what the site actually publishes? - Do the top topics stay consistent, or are they scattered across unrelated categories? - Does the topic mix make sense for an audience you'd want to reach? ## Why Flow Metrics change without you doing anything Majestic's post on [Trust Flow changes](https://blog.majestic.com/company/why-your-trust-flow-score-may-change/) explains that the scores are rebuilt with every full build of the Fresh Index, approximately once every 24 hours, so slight variation between builds is normal. Larger moves usually have a cause: - **Lost links.** If links are deleted or the linking pages disappear, scores drop. - **Crawl problems.** If Majestic's crawler gets errors such as 403 or 404, or connection and DNS failures, it may not be able to verify links that still exist. - **The web itself changes.** Since the scores flow through a map of the whole web, changes far away can nudge your numbers. Majestic's own advice is to investigate significant changes without overreacting, because Trust Flow is simply a signal based on a map of the web. ## Common ways these metrics mislead - **Different index, different numbers.** Majestic's numbers come from Majestic's crawl. Ahrefs DR, Moz DA and Semrush AS use other crawls and formulas, so they disagree all the time. Our explainer on [domain authority metrics](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/) compares them. - **Fresh vs Historic index.** The glossary describes a Fresh Index with recently crawled links and a Historic Index going back to 2006. Make sure you compare the same index across sites; historic data includes links that may be long gone. - **Site-wide links.** One partner with a footer link on thousands of pages can lift Citation Flow while adding little real trust. Look at referring domains, not just link counts (see [how many backlinks you need](https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/)). - **Bought or exchanged links.** Metrics can be pushed up by link schemes. Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) define link spam as links created primarily to manipulate rankings. A good TF/CF on a site that sells links openly doesn't make those links safe for you. - **Small sites look weak.** A new, honest site with a handful of links will have low numbers. That's a size signal, not a quality verdict. - **It's not Google.** Trust Flow is a Majestic score. Google doesn't publish one, so don't read a TF change as a Google judgment about your site. ## Using TF and CF when you vet a site for a guest post or partnership Here's a five-minute workflow that uses Flow Metrics where they're strong and doesn't stop there: - **Pull TF, CF and top topics** from Majestic's Site Explorer for the root domain. - **Flag big gaps**, like CF several times higher than TF, or topics unrelated to the site's content. - **Open the backlink list.** Look for patterns: many links from one domain, exact-match commercial anchors, obvious link farms. - **Read the site.** Real authors? Real comments or engagement? Articles readers would actually want? Lots of "write for us" pages and casino posts are a stronger signal than any score. Our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) lists the tells. - **Check traffic and indexing.** A site with good Flow Metrics but no search visibility may have been hit by a penalty or may be a link network. Our [checklist for vetting a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) covers the rest. The same logic applies to Moz's [Spam Score](https://satelo.io/blog/moz-spam-score/): every third-party metric describes a model's view of a crawl. Use several, and let what you see on the site have the final word. ## What to do next Flow Metrics answer one question: what do links say about this site? To see the wider picture in one place, run any domain through [Satelo's free site check](https://satelo.io/check/). It gives a 0 to 100 Quality Score built mostly from open data, shows the evidence behind each number, and takes about 30 seconds. It's useful for a first look at a site you might partner with, or at your own site before you start outreach. ## FAQ ### What is the difference between Trust Flow and Citation Flow? Citation Flow estimates how influential a site is based on how many sites link to it. Trust Flow estimates quality based on how closely the site is linked to a set of manually reviewed, trusted seed sites. Both are Majestic scores from 0 to 100. ### What is a good Trust Flow score? There is no universal cut-off. The scale is logarithmic and depends on the niche, so compare a site with similar sites in its topic. Low scores are normal for new or small sites and aren't a quality verdict on their own. ### What is a good Trust Flow to Citation Flow ratio? Majestic's own blog says it's hard to define an OK ratio and that it depends on the niche. As a rough screen, Trust Flow far below Citation Flow is worth investigating, but always confirm by looking at the actual backlinks and the site. ### Does Google use Trust Flow? Trust Flow is a Majestic metric built from Majestic's own crawl. Google doesn't publish a Trust Flow score, so a change in TF is not a Google judgment about your site. ### What is Topical Trust Flow? Topical Trust Flow is Majestic's categorization of the web. It shows a site's relative influence in specific topics on a 0 to 100 log scale, which helps you check whether a site's links come from relevant subject areas. ### Why did my Trust Flow drop? Majestic rebuilds Flow Metrics with each Fresh Index build, roughly daily, so small changes are normal. Larger drops usually come from lost links or crawl errors that stop Majestic from verifying links. ### How can I check Trust Flow and Citation Flow? Use Majestic's Site Explorer, which shows both numbers and the top topics for a domain. For a broader first look at a site, a free check like Satelo's Quality Score combines several open-data signals. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/unlinked-brand-mentions/ Link building # How to Find Unlinked Brand Mentions (and Reclaim Lost Links) for Free To find unlinked brand mentions for free, search Google for your brand name in quotes while excluding your own domain, set up Google Alerts for new mentions, and check Search Console for links that point to pages you have since moved or deleted. That covers most of what paid monitoring tools do for a small site. This guide walks through each step, gives you a tracking sheet and a short email, and explains when a mention without a link is already good enough. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## What counts as an unlinked brand mention An unlinked brand mention is any page that names your site, product or person but does not link to you. A blogger writes “I switched to Acme Notes last year” with no link. A local news piece quotes you by name. A roundup lists your tool in plain text. In each case the writer already knows and likes you; only the link is missing. Two related situations belong in the same workflow: - **Broken links to you.** Someone linked to a page on your site that now returns a 404, because you changed a URL or deleted a post. - **Wrong links.** The link points to an old domain, a misspelled URL or a competitor with a similar name. Fixing all three is usually called link reclamation. It is one of the few link-building tactics where you are not asking a stranger for a favor, which is why it sits near the top of our list of [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). If you want the conceptual comparison of what a mention is worth versus a link, read [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/); this page is the practical process. ## Step 1: Search Google with operators Google documents a small set of operators on its [Refine web searches](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433) help page: quotes for an exact phrase, a minus sign to exclude something, `site:` to limit results to a domain, and `before:` / `after:` to filter by date. Those four are enough. Start with this query, replacing the brand and domain with yours: `"Acme Notes" -site:acmenotes.com` Then narrow it down: | Goal | Query | | Recent mentions only | `"Acme Notes" -site:acmenotes.com after:2026-01-01` | | Exclude your own social profiles | `"Acme Notes" -site:acmenotes.com -site:x.com -site:linkedin.com` | | Mentions of the founder | `"Jane Doe" "Acme" -site:acmenotes.com` | | Mentions of a signature asset | `"Acme Notes template" -site:acmenotes.com` | | Common misspellings | `"AcmeNotes" -site:acmenotes.com` (one query per spelling) | Two practical notes. First, a generic brand name (“Bloom”, “Nova”) will drown in noise, so pair it with a category word: `"Bloom" "budget app"`. Second, Google itself says that `site:` results “are not always exhaustive” on its [site: operator documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/search-operators/all-search-site). Treat any operator search as a sample, not a full census, and repeat it every month or two. Open each result and press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) for your domain. If your domain is not in the page source as a link, it goes into the sheet. ## Step 2: Let Google Alerts catch new mentions Operator searches find what already exists. [Google Alerts](https://www.google.com/alerts) catches what appears next. According to the [Google Alerts help page](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/4815696), you enter a topic, and under “Show options” you can choose how often you get notified, the types of sites, language, region and how many results you want. Set up three to five alerts, not thirty: - Your exact brand name in quotes, minus your domain. - Your founder or main author name in quotes. - Your best-known asset (a free tool, a study, a template) in quotes. - A common misspelling, if you have one. Pick a daily or as-it-happens frequency for the brand alert, and reduce the number of results if a generic name sends too much noise. Alerts are not complete either, so keep the monthly operator search as a second net. ## Step 3: Check social, forums and AI answers by hand Many mentions never reach web search quickly. Spend ten minutes a month on the native search of the places your audience uses: Reddit, X, LinkedIn, Hacker News, niche forums, YouTube descriptions. Links in those places are usually user-generated and often nofollow, so the goal there is not a link. It is to answer questions, thank people and correct mistakes. Also ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI features the questions your customers ask, and note which sources they cite next to your name. If an assistant mentions you but cites a third-party page, that page is a good candidate for a polite correction or update. Our guide on how to [get mentioned by AI assistants](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/) covers the rest of that process, and [brand mentions in AI Overviews](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) explains why third-party mentions matter there. ## Step 4: Reclaim links that point to dead pages This is the fastest win and needs no outreach at all. Google Search Console’s [Links report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) shows your top linked pages, top linking sites and top linking text. Its export from the landing page gives you “Latest links” and “More sample links”. Google notes that the report is a sample, not every link, and that some listed links may already be gone. - Open **Links → Top linked pages** in Search Console and export it. - Check the status code of every target URL on your own site. A quick way: paste the list into a text file and run `curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code} %{url_effective}\n" URL` for each line, or use any free crawler. - For each URL that returns 404, decide where it should go: the new version of the same post, the closest relevant page, or (if nothing fits) leave it as 404. - Add a permanent redirect. Google’s [redirect documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects) says a permanent server-side redirect is the recommended way to change a URL and that Google uses it as a signal that the target should be canonical. Avoid redirecting every dead page to the homepage. A redirect should send people to what they expected to find; if there is no equivalent, a clean 404 is more honest. For links that point to the wrong domain or a misspelled URL, you have two options: redirect the misspelled path on your side (if it is on your domain), or email the site owner with the exact fix. ## Step 5: Track everything in one sheet A spreadsheet beats a paid dashboard for a small site because you will actually read it. Use these columns: | Column | Why | | URL of the mention | The page you will reference in the email | | Type | Unlinked mention / broken link / wrong link | | Context | Positive review, list, quote, neutral, complaint | | Site quality check | Real audience? Real author? Topic relevant to you? | | Contact | Author page, contact form or editor email | | Date asked / follow-up | So you send one follow-up, not five | | Outcome | Linked, declined, no reply, fixed by redirect | The quality column matters. A mention on a scraper site or a link farm is not worth a request; if you are not sure, our guide on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) lists the warning signs, and the free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows domain age, Tranco rank and other open signals in one place. ## Step 6: Write the request email The writer already chose to mention you, so the email can be short. Keep it to four parts: thanks, the exact location, the exact fix, and something useful for their readers. **Subject:** Thanks for mentioning Acme Notes Hi Maria, I just found your post “Note apps I actually use” and saw Acme Notes in the third section. Thank you, that made our week. If it helps your readers, the name could link to acmenotes.com so they can find it directly. Also, the pricing you mention changed in March; the current plans are on acmenotes.com/pricing in case you want to update that line. Either way, thanks again. Jane, founder of Acme Notes What not to write: no offer of money, products or a link back in exchange. Google’s [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) list exchanging money, goods or services for links, and excessive link swaps, as link spam. Do not ask for a specific anchor text or for the link to be “dofollow”; the writer decides how to mark it. Send one follow-up after a week or two, then stop. For more email patterns, see our [outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). ## When a mention without a link is already good Not every unlinked mention needs an email. Skip the request when: - The mention is in a news article where the outlet has a no-links policy for brands. Asking can cost you goodwill with a journalist you may want to talk to again. - The context is neutral or negative. Fix the problem the person describes first; a link request on a complaint reads badly. - The site looks low quality or unrelated to your topic. You do not need that link. - The mention already does its job: it names you in a place your future customers read, and people can find you by searching your name. A plain-text mention can still send people to you through branded searches, and AI assistants read text, not just links. A link is a nice addition, not the whole point. ## A 30-minute monthly routine - **5 minutes:** read the last month of Google Alerts emails and add new unlinked mentions to the sheet. - **10 minutes:** run your operator queries with `after:` set to the first day of last month. - **5 minutes:** check the Search Console Links export for new target URLs that return 404, and add redirects. - **5 minutes:** search Reddit, X or your niche forum for your brand and reply where it helps. - **5 minutes:** send two or three short emails from the sheet and one follow-up for last month’s requests. Done monthly, this keeps the list short and the emails timely. Writers are much more likely to edit a post they published last week than one from three years ago. ## What to do next Run the first operator search today and set up your brand alert; both take under five minutes. Before you email anyone, check that the site mentioning you is worth a link. The free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives you a Quality Score for any domain, built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds, so you can sort your list from “ask today” to “skip” before writing a single email. ## FAQ ### How do I find unlinked brand mentions for free? Search Google for your brand in quotes and exclude your domain, for example "Acme Notes" -site:acmenotes.com, then add after: to see recent results. Set up Google Alerts for new mentions and check Search Console's Links report for links pointing to dead pages on your site. ### Do unlinked brand mentions help SEO? Google has not published how, or whether, it uses plain-text mentions in ranking. What is certain is that a mention can bring branded searches and direct visits, and AI assistants read text, not just links. Treat a mention as useful on its own and a link as a bonus. ### What is link reclamation? Link reclamation means recovering links you have lost or never received: adding a redirect when someone links to a page you deleted or moved, asking for a fix when a link points to the wrong URL, and asking for a link when someone names you without one. ### Is it OK to ask a site to add a link to my brand mention? Yes, a short, polite request is normal. Do not offer money, products or a link back in exchange, because Google's spam policies treat exchanging value for links, and excessive link swaps, as link spam. Let the publisher decide how to mark the link. ### What is the best free tool to track brand mentions? Google Alerts plus a monthly operator search covers most small sites. Add native search on Reddit, X or your niche forum, and Google Search Console for links you already have. Paid tools add speed and coverage, not a different method. ### Should I redirect broken backlinks to my homepage? Usually no. Redirect a dead URL to the page that best matches what the linking site promised its readers. If nothing on your site fits, leave it as a 404 rather than sending everyone to the homepage. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/update-old-blog-posts/ Content # How to Update Old Blog Posts for SEO (Without Faking Dates) To update old blog posts for SEO, pick the posts Google already shows but rarely clicks, check whether they still answer the query better than what ranks today, fix outdated facts, sources and structure, and change the “last updated” date only when the content has really changed. Keep the same URL whenever you can. This guide gives you a selection method based on free Search Console data, a refresh checklist, the date rules Google actually documents, and a simple change log. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why refresh instead of writing something new An old post already has things a new one has to earn: an indexed URL, some history in search, maybe a few links and readers who bookmarked it. If the topic is still relevant but the page has drifted (dead links, old screenshots, prices that changed, an angle that no longer matches what searchers want), improving it is usually less work than starting over, and it avoids two pages on your site competing for the same query. There is one trap. Google’s guidance on [creating helpful content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) lists, as a warning sign, changing the date of pages to make them seem fresh when the content has not substantially changed, and adding or removing lots of content mainly to look fresh. A refresh is about making the page better for the reader. The date follows the work, not the other way around. ## Step 1: Pick which posts to update first Use the [Search Console Performance report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553). It shows clicks, impressions, CTR and average position, and you can group the data by page and by query. - Open **Performance → Search results**, set the date range to the last 3 months and enable all four metrics. - Switch to the **Pages** tab and sort by impressions. - Click a page, then open the **Queries** tab to see what people searched when they saw it. - Write down each page with many impressions, an average position somewhere on page one’s lower half to page three, and a low CTR. Those posts are visible but losing the click. They are the best candidates because Google already connects them with the topic. Posts with almost no impressions after a year are a different problem (indexing, intent or demand), and posts already in the top three are often better left alone. | Signal in Search Console | Likely issue | Priority | | High impressions, position roughly 8–30, low CTR | Page is close but weaker than the top results | Update first | | Clicks falling month over month, position stable | Title or snippet less attractive, or SERP features taking clicks | Rewrite title and intro | | Position dropping steadily | Content outdated or competitors improved | Full refresh | | Ranks for a different query than intended | Intent mismatch | Re-angle or split | | Near-zero impressions | Not indexed, no demand, or duplicate of another post | Check indexing, merge or leave | If impressions are high but clicks stay near zero even after a refresh, our guide to [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) goes deeper into titles, snippets and SERP features. If the page is not indexed at all, start with [crawled – currently not indexed](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). ## Step 2: Re-read the search results before you touch the post Search the main query in a private window and read the top five results. Ask three questions: - **Format:** Are they lists, step-by-step guides, tools, comparison tables or product pages? If everyone ranks with a checklist and you wrote an essay, the format is the problem. - **Freshness:** Do the top results mention this year’s tools, rules or prices? If yes, your outdated details are visible to readers. - **Gaps:** What does every top result miss that you know from experience? That is where your update can be genuinely better, not just longer. ## Step 3: What to change (the refresh checklist) Work through the post in this order. Most refreshes do not need all of it. - **Facts and numbers.** Re-check every statistic, price, limit and rule. Replace any number you cannot source today with a description, or remove it. - **Sources.** Fix broken outbound links. Prefer the original source (the official documentation or the study itself) over a blog that quoted it. - **Intent.** Make the first two or three sentences answer the main query directly. Readers and search engines both decide quickly whether a page fits. - **Structure.** Add headings that match real sub-questions from the Queries tab. Merge sections that repeat the same idea. - **Steps and examples.** Update screenshots, menu names and code. Add one worked example from your own experience, clearly labeled. - **Remove what no longer helps.** Delete tools that shut down, tactics that stopped working and padding written for word count. - **Internal links.** Link from the refreshed post to newer related posts, and from two or three relevant posts back to it. - **Title and meta description.** Rewrite only if the content changed or the old title no longer matches the queries you see. - **Author and context.** Google’s helpful-content page asks whether it is clear who wrote the content and how it was made. Add or update the byline and a short note on how you tested or researched the topic. ## Step 4: Handle dates honestly Google’s documentation on [publication dates in Google Search](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/publication-dates) is short and specific: - Show a visible date on the page, labeled clearly, for example “Published” or “Last updated”. You can show the original date, the updated date, or both. - In structured data, use `Article` or `BlogPosting` with `datePublished` and/or `dateModified`. - The visible date and the structured date should match. - Do not use future dates, and the dates must describe the page itself, not an event the page talks about. - Google says it uses several signals to estimate when a page was published or significantly updated, and it does not guarantee that a date will appear in results. Put together with the helpful-content warning, a practical rule is: | What you changed | Update “Last updated” / dateModified? | | Fixed a typo, swapped one broken link | No | | Updated a few prices or one section | Optional; a short “Updated:” note in the text is often clearer | | Re-checked all facts, rewrote sections, new examples | Yes | | Changed the date only, content the same | No. This is exactly the pattern Google warns about | Keep `datePublished` as the original date. Changing it makes an old post look new and confuses readers who remember it. ## Step 5: Keep the URL (or redirect it properly) Keep the same URL even if the year in the slug is outdated. A slug like `/best-tools-2023/` is a reason to avoid years in future slugs, not necessarily a reason to move this one. If you do have to change it, add a permanent redirect from the old URL to the new one. Google’s [redirect documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects) recommends a permanent server-side redirect when changing a page’s URL and treats it as a signal that the target should be canonical. Then update your own internal links to point directly at the new URL instead of relying on the redirect. When two old posts cover the same topic, merge the weaker one into the stronger one and redirect the weaker URL to it. ## Step 6: Tell search engines and readers - **Request recrawl.** In Search Console, use the URL Inspection tool and request indexing for the updated URL. Google’s [URL Inspection help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9012289) notes there is a daily limit on requests and no guarantee of indexing; for many pages, submitting a sitemap is the better route. - **Re-share it.** Newsletter, social profiles and communities where the original was useful. “We re-tested every tool in this list” is a better reason to click than “updated”. - **Tell people who linked to it.** If a site linked to the old version and the update adds something useful, a short note to them is fair. Do not ask for anything in return. - **Bring it to new readers.** Ideas in [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) work just as well for refreshed posts as for new ones. ## Step 7: Keep a change log A refresh you cannot measure is a guess. Keep one sheet with: URL, date of update, what changed (facts, structure, title, intent), and the Search Console numbers for the 28 days before. Check the same 28-day window about a month or two later. Search Console data is noisy and seasonal, so compare against the same period last year when you have it, and do not judge a refresh after a week. For illustration, a log row might read: “/blog/email-tools/ · 16 Oct · re-tested tools, removed two discontinued ones, new comparison table, new title · before: 3,100 impressions, 41 clicks, avg position 14.” The numbers here are made up to show the format. ## How often to refresh There is no official schedule, and refreshing on a timer leads to the fake-date problem. A simpler rule: review your posts with the most impressions once or twice a year, and update any post immediately when something in it becomes wrong (a tool shuts down, a rule changes, a price moves). Evergreen explanations can stay untouched for years if they are still accurate. ## What to do next Open Search Console today, export the Pages tab for the last three months and mark five posts that fit the “high impressions, low CTR” pattern. Refresh one this week using the checklist above. If you want a quick outside view of where your site stands before deciding how much refresh work it needs, the free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows your Quality Score with the evidence behind each number, built mostly from open data, in about 30 seconds. For tracking traffic beyond Search Console, see [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## FAQ ### Does updating old blog posts help SEO? It can, when the update makes the page more accurate and more useful than what ranks today. Google's helpful-content guidance lists changing dates, or adding and removing lots of content, just to look fresh as warning signs. Improve the content first, then update the date. ### Should I change the publish date when I update a blog post? Keep the original published date and show a separate "Last updated" date. Google's publication-dates documentation supports showing either or both, with matching datePublished and dateModified in structured data. Only change the updated date after a substantial revision. ### Should I change the URL when updating a post? Usually not. Keeping the URL avoids losing history and links. If you must change it, add a permanent 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one and update your internal links. ### How do I know which old posts to update? In Search Console's Performance report, group by page and look for posts with many impressions, an average position roughly between 8 and 30, and a low CTR. They are close to earning clicks but are weaker than the top results. ### How often should you update old blog content? There is no official schedule. Review your highest-impression posts once or twice a year and update any post as soon as something in it becomes wrong. Refreshing on a fixed timer tends to produce cosmetic updates. ### Is it better to update an old post or write a new one? Update when the topic and search intent are the same, because the old URL already has history. Write a new post when the intent has changed so much that the old page would need to become a different article. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/website-traffic-dropped/ Website traffic # Website Traffic Dropped Suddenly? Work Through This Checklist If your website traffic dropped suddenly, first confirm the drop is real (broken tracking causes more “drops” than Google does), then find where it happened in Search Console, and only then look for a cause: a technical block, a Google update, falling demand or a change in how results look. The checklist below goes in that order and takes about 15 minutes for a small site. Each step tells you what you would see if it is the cause and what to do about it. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Before anything: do not change the site yet A sudden drop invites panic edits: rewriting titles, deleting posts, disavowing links. Hold off until you know the cause. Changes made in the dark make it harder to see what is happening, and Google’s own guide to [debugging search traffic drops](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/debugging-search-traffic-drops) notes that the effect of changes can take from a few days to several months to show. Diagnose first, fix second. ## Step 1 (3 minutes): Is the drop real or is tracking broken? Compare two independent sources. If your analytics tool shows a cliff but Search Console clicks are flat, the problem is almost certainly measurement, not visitors. - **Open your analytics real-time view** and load your own site in another browser. If your visit does not appear, the tag is missing or blocked. - **Think about what changed on the day of the drop:** a theme update, a new cache or optimization plugin, a cookie banner, a new tag manager container, a site migration. Any of these can remove or block the tracking code. - **Check consent settings.** A new consent banner that defaults to “reject” can sharply cut what analytics records without changing real traffic. - **Check Search Console data anomalies.** Google’s guide recommends reviewing the data anomalies notes first, because a reporting issue can look like a drop. If you need a second opinion on traffic, our roundup of [free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/) lists tools that do not depend on your own tracking code. ## Step 2 (4 minutes): Where exactly did it drop? Open Search Console’s Performance report and follow Google’s recommended sequence: - Set the date range to the **last 16 months** to see whether the same dip happened last year. - Use **Compare**: last 3 months versus the previous period, and versus the same period last year. - Click through the tabs: **Queries, Pages, Countries, Devices, Search appearance**. Sort the Pages table by clicks difference. - Check the search type filter (Web, Image, Video, News). Sometimes only image traffic fell. Then read the pattern: | What you see | Most likely direction | | Clicks and impressions fell on almost every page, overnight | Technical block, security warning or manual action (Steps 3–4) | | Clicks and impressions fell gradually over weeks across the site | Algorithmic change, a stray noindex rolling out, or falling demand (Steps 3, 5, 6) | | Only a group of pages fell (one category, one template) | Technical issue on that template, or those pages lost to better competitors | | Impressions stable, clicks down | Results page changed: new snippets, rich results or AI answers taking clicks (Step 7) | | Only one country or one device fell | Local competition, a regional update, or a mobile-specific problem | | Same dip at the same time last year | Seasonality (Step 6) | ## Step 3 (3 minutes): Technical causes Google’s guide lists server errors, robots.txt fetch problems, “page not found” errors and a misplaced `noindex` as common technical causes. On a small site, check these quickly: - **robots.txt:** open `yoursite.com/robots.txt`. A `Disallow: /` left over from a staging site is a classic. - **noindex:** in WordPress, look under Settings → Reading for “Discourage search engines from indexing this site”. Then view the source of a key page and search for `noindex`. - **Page indexing report:** in Search Console, look for a jump in “Excluded by noindex”, “Not found (404)” or server errors. If many pages moved to “crawled – currently not indexed”, see our guide on [crawled – currently not indexed](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/). - **URL Inspection:** test two or three pages that lost the most clicks. Confirm they are indexed, the canonical is the one you expect and the live test renders the content. - **Redirects after a redesign or migration:** old URLs should return a permanent redirect to the new equivalent, not a 404 or a redirect to the homepage. Google’s guide notes that after a site move, traffic can fluctuate while it recrawls. - **Speed and hosting:** a host outage or a page that suddenly takes many seconds to load hurts both visitors and crawling. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) for what to measure. ## Step 4 (1 minute): Security issues and manual actions In Search Console, open **Security & Manual Actions**. Google’s guide notes that malware or phishing warnings can reduce clicks before users even reach your site, and spam-policy violations can lead to lower rankings or removal from results. Both reports either say “No issues detected” or tell you exactly what is wrong. If there is a manual action, follow the described fix and then request a review from the same report. If you have bought links or taken part in large link swaps, read Google’s [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) honestly; our article on [whether link exchange is bad for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/) explains where the line is. ## Step 5 (2 minutes): Was there a Google update? Google publishes confirmed core and spam updates on the [ranking history page of the Search Status Dashboard](https://status.search.google.com/products/rGHU1u87FJnkP6W2GwMi/history), with start dates and how long each rollout took. The main [Search Status Dashboard](https://status.search.google.com/) also shows incidents with crawling, indexing and serving. - If your drop started during a listed rollout and the pattern is gradual across many pages, an update is a plausible cause. - If it does not line up with any listed update or incident, look harder at Steps 3, 6 and 7. Google’s guide suggests separating small position losses (for example, from 2 to 4) from large ones where pages fell out of the top results. Only a dramatic, persistent drop calls for a full self-assessment of your content. There is no quick technical fix for an update; the advice is to improve the content for people, using Google’s [helpful content questions](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content), and to give changes weeks, not days. ## Step 6 (2 minutes): Did demand fall? Open [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/) and enter your three or four main queries. Google’s debugging guide recommends this to tell whether interest dropped everywhere or only for your site. Holiday topics, tax season, school terms and weather-related queries all have yearly cycles. If Trends shows the same decline, your site did not lose ground; the audience shrank for now. The 16-month view in Search Console from Step 2 confirms it if last year shows the same curve. ## Step 7: Did the results page change? If impressions held but clicks fell, search your main queries yourself. Look for new elements above your result: AI Overviews, video carousels, “People also ask” boxes, shopping or local results. Google states in its [AI features documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) that traffic from AI Overviews and AI Mode is included in the overall Web search data in Search Console, not reported separately, so you will not see a dedicated line for it. What helps here is a better title and snippet, a direct answer near the top of the page and content that is worth opening after the summary. Our guide to [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) covers this case in detail. ## Quick reference: symptom, cause, first action | Symptom | Probable cause | First action | | Analytics down, Search Console flat | Tracking broken | Fix the tag or consent settings | | Everything down overnight | robots.txt, noindex, server, security | Check robots.txt, Page indexing, Security report | | Gradual site-wide decline during a listed rollout | Core or spam update | Content self-assessment; wait weeks, not days | | Down after a redesign | Missing redirects, changed templates | Map old URLs to new with permanent redirects | | Same dip last year, Trends down | Seasonality | Nothing urgent; plan content ahead of the peak | | Impressions stable, clicks down | SERP features, weaker snippet | Rewrite titles and intros for the top queries | ## A recovery plan for the next 30 days - **Week 1:** fix anything technical you found (tracking, robots, noindex, redirects, errors) and request indexing for a few key URLs. - **Week 2:** list the ten pages that lost the most clicks. For each, compare it with what ranks now and write down one concrete gap. - **Weeks 2–3:** improve those pages properly: facts, structure, a direct answer at the top, better examples. Change the “last updated” date only when the change is substantial. - **Week 3:** diversify: a newsletter, communities, partner content and referrals reduce how much a single Google change can hurt. - **Week 4:** re-check the Compare view in Search Console. Expect noise; Google’s guide suggests waiting a few weeks after changes before judging. ## What to do next Run Steps 1 to 4 right now; they catch the causes you can fix today. Then get an outside snapshot of your site so you can track it over time. The free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows your Quality Score, built mostly from open data such as Tranco rank, domain age and PageSpeed, with the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. It does not see your private analytics, which makes it a useful neutral baseline next to Search Console. For more ways to measure visits, read [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## FAQ ### Why has my website traffic dropped suddenly? The most common reasons are broken tracking, a technical block (robots.txt, noindex, server errors, missing redirects), a security warning or manual action, a Google core or spam update, seasonal drops in demand, and new search features taking clicks. Check them in that order. ### How do I know if a Google update caused my traffic drop? Compare the start of your drop with the ranking history on Google's Search Status Dashboard. If it lines up with a listed rollout and the decline is spread across many pages, an update is a likely factor. If not, look at technical issues and demand first. ### Why did my Google Search Console impressions drop? Falling impressions usually mean pages left the index, rankings fell, or fewer people searched. Check the Page indexing report, compare periods by query and page, and look at Google Trends for your main queries. ### Why are impressions stable but clicks dropping? Your pages still appear, but fewer people click. Typical reasons are new SERP features such as AI Overviews or video results, a competitor with a better snippet, or a title that no longer matches the query. Improve titles and the first lines of the page. ### How long does it take to recover from a traffic drop? Technical fixes can show results once Google recrawls the pages, often within days to a few weeks. Recovering from an algorithmic change depends on real content improvements and can take months. Google advises allowing a few weeks before re-evaluating. ### Can AI Overviews reduce my website traffic? They can change how many people click, especially for simple questions. Search Console includes AI Overviews and AI Mode traffic in overall Web search data rather than a separate report, so look for stable impressions with falling clicks on question-type queries. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/website-traffic-estimate-accuracy/ Website traffic # How Accurate Are Similarweb, Semrush and Other Traffic Estimates? Similarweb is reasonably good at showing trends and comparing large sites, and much less reliable for small ones: independent comparisons with Google Analytics found errors that often reach 100% or more, worst on sites with a few thousand visits a month. Semrush and Ahrefs estimate something narrower, search traffic only, from rankings. This article sums up what the vendors and the studies actually say, why small sites break every estimator, and which free signals you can check instead. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Where traffic estimates come from No outside tool can see another site's analytics. Each one builds a model from indirect data: - **Panel and clickstream data.** Browsing data from a sample of users (via extensions, apps or data partners) is scaled up to the whole internet. Similarweb describes its own method as combining many diversified data inputs and billions of digital signals. - **Keyword rankings.** Semrush, Ahrefs and Ubersuggest take the keywords a site ranks for, the estimated search volume of each, and an expected click-through rate per position, then add it up. This only covers organic search. - **Direct measurement from connected sites.** Some sites share their analytics with the tool, which helps calibrate the model for everyone else. The consequence: a panel sees few visitors of a small site, and a keyword model misses traffic from newsletters, forums, direct visits and long-tail queries it does not track. Both approaches get noisier as the site gets smaller. ## What Similarweb says about its own accuracy Similarweb is fairly open about the limits. Its [data accuracy article](https://support.similarweb.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002219177) says: - It is an estimation tool and does not expect its numbers to align exactly with your direct measurement; it expects **trend** alignment. - You may get more limited results for small sites. - If a site's last monthly snapshot is under 5,000 visits, it displays no data. Some desktop-only features need 5,000 monthly desktop visits. Its ["Not enough data" article](https://support.similarweb.com/hc/en-us/articles/207698639-What-does-Not-enough-data-mean-) adds that for sites with few visits, estimates may have higher variance, so it may choose not to show them. Site owners can connect Google Analytics, after which Similarweb shows the sessions as they appear in GA, publicly or privately. So "Similarweb says my competitor gets 40,000 visits" should be read as "Similarweb's model puts them in that range." That is useful, but it is not a measurement. ## What independent comparisons found Several groups have compared estimates with real analytics data. Their methods differ, so read them as a range of evidence rather than one verdict. | Study | Sample and benchmark | Main finding | | [SparkToro](https://sparktoro.com/blog/which-3rd-party-traffic-estimate-best-matches-google-analytics/) (published 2022, data June 2020 to June 2021) | 641 sites that shared Google Analytics; Similarweb, Semrush, Ahrefs, Datos | Errors were often plus or minus 100% or more; Similarweb's estimates for sites under 5,000 monthly visitors were the worst of the group; conclusion: no third-party estimate was consistently accurate enough for high confidence | | [Omniconvert](https://www.omniconvert.com/blog/we-analyzed-1787-ecommerce-websites-similarweb-google-analytics-thats-we-learned/) (updated 2026) | 1,787 ecommerce sites with read-only Google Analytics access; Similarweb only | Similarweb reported about 94% more sessions than the sites tracked; estimates were closest for sites over 100,000 monthly sessions and least accurate under 10,000 | | [Promodo](https://promodo.com/blog/data-accuracy-at-similarweb-ahrefs-and-semrush) (2024) | 184 sites, benchmarked against Google Search Console for the first half of 2024 | Average error across Similarweb, Ahrefs and Semrush of 50%; Similarweb weak for sites under 5,000 visits a month | | [Screaming Frog](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/how-accurate-are-website-traffic-estimators/) (2016) | 25 sites, UK organic traffic in Google Analytics | Similarweb mostly overestimated, Ahrefs and Semrush underestimated; sites under 10,000 monthly organic visits were poorly estimated by all three | Two caveats. First, these studies are of different ages, and every vendor has updated its models since. Second, some were run by companies with commercial ties to the tools or the market, and the Screaming Frog author called his test a quick, non-scientific exercise. What they agree on is the pattern, not a precise error figure: estimates are rougher for small sites, and errors in either direction are common. ## Why small sites get the worst estimates - **Too few panel users.** If a site gets a few thousand visits a month, the panel may record a handful of them. Scaling a handful up to a total magnifies every random fluctuation. - **Thresholds.** Similarweb hides data under 5,000 visits. Other tools show a number anyway, which can look precise without being so. - **Long-tail search.** Small blogs often get much of their search traffic from many rare queries. Keyword databases track popular keywords better than rare ones, so keyword-based estimates tend to miss part of it. - **Non-search channels.** Newsletters, communities and direct visits are invisible to keyword models. The practical rule: for a site that might be under about 10,000 visits a month, treat any single estimate as a rough order of magnitude at best, and look for other evidence. ## How to use estimates sensibly - **Compare like with like.** Similarweb estimates all traffic; Semrush and Ahrefs estimate organic search. If they disagree, they may both be right about different things. - **Use trends, not totals.** A steady decline over 12 months in two tools is more meaningful than the absolute number in one. - **Cross-check two or three tools.** If all of them show near zero, the site probably gets little traffic. If they disagree widely, you have learned that nobody knows. - **Ask for real data when money is involved.** Before buying a sponsored post or a website, ask the owner for read-only access to their analytics or Search Console. Our comparison of [free website traffic checkers](https://satelo.io/blog/best-free-website-traffic-checkers/) covers what each tool's free tier shows, and our guide to [checking website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) covers your own site. ## Free signals that are easier to verify For small sites, a few public datasets say less but are more transparent about what they measure: | Signal | What it actually tells you | Limit | | [Chrome UX Report (CrUX)](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux) | If an origin appears, real Chrome users visit it in meaningful numbers; Google includes only origins that are publicly discoverable and have enough visitors for a statistically significant dataset | A yes/no signal for most purposes; absence does not mean zero traffic | | [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/) | A research ranking of the top one million domains, combining several sources (including CrUX, Cloudflare Radar and Majestic) averaged over 30 days | Ranks, not visits; most small sites are outside the top million | | [Common Crawl web graphs](https://commoncrawl.org/web-graphs) | How the open web links to a domain, from regularly released host and domain graphs | Links, not traffic | | [Majestic Million](https://majestic.com/reports/majestic-million) | The million domains with the most referring subnets, free under CC BY 3.0 | Links, not traffic; top million only | None of these gives you a visit count, and that is the point: they do not pretend to. For what a Tranco position means in practice, see our explainer on [Tranco rank](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/). ## How Satelo's Quality Score handles traffic Satelo's free [site check](https://satelo.io/check/) was built around this problem. It does not claim to count anyone's visits. The score, from 0 to 100, uses mostly open data, and every component shows the evidence behind it: - **Traffic evidence (the largest weight).** A Tranco position is converted into a broad monthly visits band (for example, a rank between 10,001 and 100,000 maps to "100k to 1M"). Presence in CrUX, read through Google's PageSpeed Insights, counts as evidence of real visitors. For sites in the Satelo network, Similarweb and Semrush estimates are also considered. If a site is connected to Satelo, a verified figure from its own analytics or the Satelo plugin counter replaces all estimates and is labelled as verified. - **Link evidence.** The best available of Open PageRank, the Majestic Million and the domain's harmonic-centrality rank in the Common Crawl web graph. A site found in none of them gets zero here and the check says so. - **Age.** The earlier of the domain's registration date (RDAP or WHOIS) and its first Wayback Machine snapshot. - **Site quality multiplier.** Content size and freshness plus technical basics (HTTPS, mobile viewport, response time, page weight, PageSpeed) scale the result between half and full value. It can lower a score but never creates one on its own. The result is shown as a score with a range of plus or minus 10 points, because a precise-looking number would overstate what open data can tell you. The limits are real: a small site with no Tranco rank and no CrUX presence will show "no public traffic signals" even if it has loyal readers. That is honest, but it is not flattering, which is why connected sites can replace it with verified numbers. ## What to do next - If someone shows you "traffic by Similarweb" for a small site, ask for read-only analytics access before paying for anything. - Use our [checklist for checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) to look past traffic numbers. - Check the open signals for any domain in one place. For small sites, estimates break down. Satelo's index doesn't pretend to count visits: it combines open signals with the evidence behind each number, and for network sites it shows plugin-verified pageviews. [Check any site free in about 30 seconds](https://satelo.io/check/), no signup needed. ## FAQ ### How accurate is Similarweb? Similarweb describes its numbers as estimates that should match trends, not exact measurements. Independent comparisons with Google Analytics found errors that often reach 100% or more, with the weakest results for small sites. ### Is Similarweb accurate for small websites? Usually not. Similarweb shows no data when a site's last monthly snapshot is under 5,000 visits, and studies by SparkToro, Omniconvert and Promodo all found its weakest estimates on small sites. ### Does Similarweb overestimate or underestimate traffic? Both happen. Omniconvert's study of 1,787 ecommerce sites found it reported about 94% more sessions than Google Analytics, and Screaming Frog's smaller test also saw mostly overestimates, but individual sites can go either way. ### Which is more accurate, Similarweb or Semrush? They measure different things. Similarweb estimates all traffic, while Semrush's traffic figure is built from organic keyword rankings. Studies disagree on which is closer, and both are weakest on small sites. ### How can I see a website's real traffic? Only with the owner's help: read-only access to their Google Analytics or Search Console, a shared analytics dashboard, or a tool page that shows data from analytics the owner connected. ### Is there a free Similarweb alternative for small sites? No free tool measures a small site's traffic directly. Open signals such as Chrome UX Report presence, Tranco rank, and Common Crawl or Majestic link data are free and transparent, though none of them counts visits. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/website-valuation/ Seo metrics # How Much Is Your Website Worth? A Practical Valuation Guide Website valuation in the real market comes down to one formula: verified net profit over the last 12 months times a multiple that reflects risk. Online "website worth" calculators skip the profit part, which is why their numbers swing wildly. Here is how marketplaces actually price sites, what raises or cuts the multiple, and how to prepare your own site for an honest estimate. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why online website worth calculators are unreliable Type a domain into a free "website worth" tool and you get a dollar figure in seconds. That figure is usually built from estimated traffic, a guessed ad revenue per visit, and sometimes backlink or authority scores. None of those inputs is the thing buyers pay for. - **Traffic is estimated, not measured.** Third-party tools model visits from rankings and clickstream panels. For small sites the error can be large, a point we cover in [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). - **Revenue is assumed.** Two sites with the same traffic can earn very different amounts depending on niche and monetization. The calculator does not know your affiliate commissions or client deals. - **Costs are ignored.** A site that earns well but pays writers and tools nearly as much is worth far less than its revenue suggests. - **Authority scores are not money.** Metrics like Domain Authority describe link profiles, not cash flow (see [Domain Authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/)). Use calculators as a curiosity, never as a price. ## How marketplaces actually value websites Brokers and marketplaces start from profit. Empire Flippers says in its [seller FAQ](https://empireflippers.com/how-to-sell-a-website-faq) that it takes the sum of net profit over the last 12 months and multiplies it by a multiple; if the business holds assets such as inventory, their discounted value is added on top. Flippa's [valuation guide](https://flippa.com/blog/how-to-value-a-website) describes the same base: trailing twelve months (TTM) of profit times a market multiple. Two definitions worth knowing: - **Net profit**: revenue minus all running costs (content, hosting, tools, contractors, ads). - **SDE (seller's discretionary earnings)**: per Flippa, "net profit plus add-backs for owner compensation and non-recurring expenses." It is used for owner-run sites, where the owner's own time is not on the payroll. ### Monthly vs annual multiples Watch the format. Website marketplaces long quoted multiples of monthly profit; broader M&A uses annual ones. On September 8, 2026 Empire Flippers [switched all its listings to annual multiples](https://empireflippers.com/switching-to-annual-multiples/), with the example of a business earning $10,000 a month listed at $360,000: 36x monthly, or 3.0x annual. Prices did not change, only the display. The published ranges, each from its own source and date: | Source | What it reports | Range | | Empire Flippers, 2026 State of the Industry (via its Sept 2026 post) | Average listing multiples by tier | 1.1x annual (distressed) to 3.4x annual (seven-figure premium); typical 2.3x | | Empire Flippers seller FAQ | Multiple applied to 12-month net profit | about 1.7x to 5x+ | | Flippa valuation guide (updated Oct 2025) | Orientation band for websites | 30–45x monthly net profit, about 2.5–3.75x annual | These are marketplace figures from their own deal data, so treat them as direction, not a promise. A site with no profit has no multiple to apply; it sells, if at all, on content, domain and potential, which is a much softer negotiation. ### A worked example (for illustration) Say a blog earned $1,500 net profit a month on average over the last 12 months: $18,000 a year. At 2x annual, the asking price would be $36,000; at 3x, $54,000. Which end you land on depends on the factors below, not on the calculator. ## What raises and lowers the multiple Both Flippa and Empire Flippers name similar drivers: site age, earnings stability, traffic diversity, monetization type and how easily the business transfers. | Pushes the price up | Pushes the price down | | Steady or growing profit for 12+ months | Spiky income, one great month dressing up the average | | Several traffic sources (search, direct, email, social) | Dependence on one keyword, one channel or one affiliate partner | | Clean domain history, older site | Past penalties, recent drops after search updates | | Documented processes, low owner hours | Everything lives in the owner's head | | Accounts, contracts and lists that transfer easily | Revenue tied to the owner's personal accounts or relationships | | Fast, technically healthy site | Technical debt, slow pages, frequent downtime | Age matters mostly as a track record: a longer history makes profit more believable. We explain what age does and doesn't do in [website age and SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/website-age-and-seo/). ## What a buyer will ask to see Be ready to prove every number. Empire Flippers asks sellers for screenshots of monthly gross revenue and net profit, verified expenses, and Google Analytics access. Flippa lists a trailing 12-month P&L, an add-backs schedule, and access to GA4 and Search Console. In practice, prepare: - read-only analytics access (GA4, or Yandex Metrica for Russian-language sites); - Search Console (and Yandex Webmaster) data showing queries and clicks; - a 12-month P&L with every cost line; - payout screenshots or statements from ad networks and affiliate programs; - a list of assets that transfer: domain, hosting, content, email list, social accounts, supplier contracts. ## Risks when buying a website If you are on the buyer side, assume nothing. - **Inflated traffic.** Bot visits can make analytics look healthy. Check traffic by source and country, engagement, and whether search clicks in Search Console match the story. - **Repurposed expired domains.** Google's [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) define expired domain abuse as buying an expired domain and repurposing it "primarily to manipulate search rankings." Look at the domain's past content in web archives. - **Link-network sites.** Some sites exist to sell links. The same Google policy lists "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" as link spam, unless the links carry `rel="nofollow"` or `rel="sponsored"`. Our guide to [spotting PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) walks through the signs. - **Unverifiable income.** If the seller can't show payouts from the original platforms, price as if that income doesn't exist. Before paying, run through our [checklist for checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) and use a marketplace or escrow service for the transaction. ## Common valuation mistakes Most disappointing sale talks start with one of these. - **Counting revenue instead of profit.** A buyer subtracts every cost, including the ones you never paid yourself for. If you write all the content, an honest P&L either adds the cost of replacing you or presents the figure as SDE and says so. - **Picking the best months.** Quoting the last three strong months and annualizing them is the fastest way to lose a buyer's trust. Marketplaces use the full trailing 12 months for a reason; Empire Flippers notes that for seasonal sites it uses annual profit rather than peak periods. - **Ignoring the trend.** Two sites with the same 12-month profit are not equal if one is growing and the other has dropped for six months in a row. Show the monthly series, not just the total. - **Mixing up multiple formats.** "3x" and "36x" can describe the same price. Always say whether a multiple is monthly or annual, as Flippa recommends. - **Treating an authority score as a price tag.** Link metrics and quality scores describe how the site looks from outside. They can support a story about risk, but they don't replace cash flow. ## Valuing a site that doesn't earn yet Plenty of owners want a number for a site with traffic but little income. With no profit, there is nothing to multiply, so the honest answer is a range built from replacement cost and potential: what it would cost a buyer to produce the same content, age a domain to the same point and reach the same audience, minus the risk that the audience never pays. If you plan to sell in a year or two, the best move is usually to monetize now, even modestly, so you arrive with 12 months of verifiable profit instead of a promise. ## Checklist: prepare your site for valuation - Separate site income and costs from your other projects for at least 12 months. - Build a simple monthly P&L: revenue by source, every expense, net profit. - Make sure analytics has run without gaps and filters out your own visits. - Connect Search Console (and Yandex Webmaster) if you haven't; buyers expect it. - Document routines: publishing, updates, outreach, who does what. - Reduce single points of failure: a second traffic source, a second monetization partner. - Fix obvious technical issues: broken pages, slow templates, expired plugins. - List every transferable asset and check that accounts are in a transferable name. ## What to do next Profit sets the price, but buyers also look at how a site appears from outside: age, popularity, link authority, speed. The free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows a 0–100 Quality Score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each component, in about 30 seconds. It is not a price, and we never present it as one; it is a quick way to see the outside view a buyer will form before you show them your P&L. ## FAQ ### How do I calculate the value of my website? Add up net profit for the last 12 months and multiply it by a multiple. Marketplaces publish ranges: Empire Flippers reports average listing multiples from about 1.1x to 3.4x annual profit by tier, and Flippa cites 2.5–3.75x annual profit as an orientation band. ### Are website worth calculators accurate? No. They estimate traffic and assume revenue per visit, and they know nothing about your real income or costs. Their figures are not a basis for a sale price. ### How much is a website with no revenue worth? There is no profit to multiply, so the value rests on the domain, content and potential. Such sites usually sell for much less than profitable ones and the price is a pure negotiation. ### What is a monthly vs annual multiple? A monthly multiple divides the price by average monthly profit; an annual multiple divides it by yearly profit. 36x monthly equals 3x annual. Empire Flippers switched to annual multiples in September 2026. ### What documents do buyers ask for when buying a website? Typically a 12-month profit and loss statement, proof of payouts, analytics access (GA4 or Yandex Metrica), Search Console data, and a list of transferable assets and accounts. ### Does traffic alone determine website value? No. Traffic matters only as far as it produces stable profit. Two sites with the same traffic can be worth very different amounts depending on monetization, costs and traffic sources. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-a-good-domain-rating/ Seo metrics # What Is a Good Domain Rating? It Depends on Who You Compete With A good Domain Rating is one that is close to, or higher than, the sites you actually compete with in search results for your topic; there is no single number that is “good” everywhere. Ahrefs, which created the metric, says the same: DR is relative by definition. This guide explains how DR is calculated, how to benchmark your site against your real competitors for free, and when a high DR means much less than it seems. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## The short answer Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs’ score for the strength of a site’s backlink profile compared with all the other sites in its database, on a 0–100 scale. Ahrefs’ own article on [what a good Domain Rating is](https://ahrefs.com/blog/what-is-a-good-domain-rating/) answers the question with “it depends entirely on what you compare it to”, and notes that the overwhelming majority of domains sit at the bottom of the scale, DR 0 to 10. So the useful version of the question is: **good compared with whom?** - For a six-month-old hobby blog, single digits or low teens are normal. - For a local business site, what matters is how you compare with other local businesses ranking for the same services in your city. - For a software company competing with large SaaS brands, the bar is much higher. If your DR is in the same range as the sites ranking on page one for your target queries, it is “good enough” for those queries. Beyond that, other things (content, relevance, intent match) usually decide who ranks. ## How Domain Rating is calculated According to [Ahrefs’ help article on DR](https://help.ahrefs.com/ahrefs-terminology/site-explorer/what-is-ahrefs-domain-rating-and-how-is-it-calculated): - DR is calculated at the **domain level**, from links from other domains to yours. The page-level equivalent is URL Rating (UR). - It considers both the quantity and the quality of linking domains. A link from a domain with a high DR counts for more. - A linking domain **splits its rating equally** among all the domains it links to. A strong site that links out to a huge number of domains passes less to each one than a smaller site that links out rarely. - DR is **relative**: your score depends on how your link profile compares with everyone else’s in the Ahrefs index. Ahrefs also describes DR as logarithmic in its good-DR article: moving from 20 to 30 can take a handful of links, while moving from 70 to 80 can take thousands. That is why a 10-point gap near the top is a very different thing from a 10-point gap near the bottom. Two consequences follow. Your DR can drop even if you lost nothing, because other sites gained links faster. And DR measures links only: it does not look at your content, your traffic or whether your audience is real. ## Why there is no universal “good” number Every niche has its own link economy. Software, finance and marketing sites attract links from many other sites, so their scores run high. A wedding photographer, a plumber or a knitting blog lives in a smaller corner of the web, and the leaders there may have modest scores while still dominating their search results. As one vendor’s sample, Ahrefs’ good-DR article reports that among 600 SaaS companies it checked, the median DR was 62 and the top quartile started at 77. That is a benchmark for SaaS, measured by Ahrefs on its own data, and it says nothing about a recipe blog or a regional law firm. The same article recommends comparing yourself with 20 to 50 companies in your sector and calculating your own median. Ahrefs states plainly in that article that DR is not a Google ranking factor. DR is Ahrefs’ own model of the link graph, not a number Google publishes or reads. ## How to benchmark your DR for free in 15 minutes You do not need a paid subscription to answer “is my DR normal?”. You need a fair comparison set. - **Pick 3–5 queries you want to rank for.** Use queries with clear intent, the ones that would bring you customers or readers. - **Collect the page-one domains.** Search each query in a private window and write down the ranking domains. Skip giants that rank for everything (Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube, Reddit) into a separate column. - **Look up their DR.** Ahrefs’ free [Website Authority Checker](https://ahrefs.com/website-authority-checker) shows the DR of a domain. Do it for each domain on your list, including your own. - **Calculate the median and the range** of the comparable sites (without the giants). - **Place yourself.** Within the range: links are probably not your main bottleneck for these queries. Far below: you need more real mentions and links over time, and should target more specific queries meanwhile. For illustration, a worksheet might look like this (made-up domains and numbers): | Query: “sourdough starter guide” | DR | Note | | breadblog-example.com | 34 | Niche blog, ranks #2 | | bakingschool-example.com | 41 | Course site | | homecook-example.net | 22 | Ranks #6 with a very detailed guide | | bigrecipes-example.com | 78 | Large publisher, excluded from median | | Your site | 18 | Median of comparable sites: 34 | In that illustration, a DR of 18 is below the comparable median, but the site at DR 22 shows that a strong page can still rank. The gap is real but not hopeless, and the work is clear: better content for that query plus earning a few relevant links. If you want more data points than one free tool gives you, our list of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) covers other free ways to see links and authority scores. ## DR vs DA vs Authority Score in one table The question “what is a good domain authority score?” has the same answer: it depends on your competitors. Different tools just build their scores differently. Our guide to [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/) covers each metric in depth; here is the short version. | Metric | Made by | What it mostly reflects | Good for | | Domain Rating (DR) | Ahrefs | Backlink profile strength vs the Ahrefs index | Comparing link profiles | | Domain Authority (DA) | Moz | Predicted ranking ability from link data | A second opinion on links | | Authority Score | Semrush | Links plus traffic estimates and spam signals | A blended view | | Quality Score (QS) | Satelo | Mostly open data: Tranco rank, domain age, crawl size, PageSpeed | Checking whether a site is real and active | The same site can show different numbers in each tool. Compare like with like: DR to DR, DA to DA, and never one tool’s number against another’s. ## DR and traffic are different things DR counts links. Traffic depends on whether your pages answer queries people actually search for. Plenty of sites have a solid DR and almost no search visitors, and plenty of small niche sites with low DR get steady traffic from specific long-tail queries. When you evaluate a site (yours, a competitor’s, or one you might write for), look at both: DR for the link profile and an estimate of organic visibility for the audience. If you need ways to see traffic without paid tools, read [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## When a high DR is misleading Because DR is built from links alone, it can be inflated by links that exist mostly to raise the number. Warning signs: - **High DR, little or no organic traffic.** The links do not come with an audience. - **Sudden jumps.** A site goes from DR 10 to DR 50 in a few months with no visible reason, such as press coverage or a viral piece. - **Linking domains that look alike.** Many referring domains with thin, generic content, often on unrelated topics. - **Everything is for sale.** A “write for us” page that lists prices by DR and accepts any topic. - **Expired-domain history.** A fresh site on an old domain that used to be about something else entirely. These patterns overlap with link schemes described in Google’s [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). Our guides on [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) and [Moz Spam Score](https://satelo.io/blog/moz-spam-score/) go deeper. Before you pay for a placement based on DR, run through [how to check a site before buying a guest post](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## How to raise DR the honest way DR follows real links from many different sites, so the honest way to raise it is to give people a reason to link: one genuinely useful resource, data others want to cite, expert quotes, partnerships and reclaiming mentions you already earned. Ahrefs’ own advice in its good-DR article is to focus on links from many distinct referring domains and not to chase small point changes. Our guide on [how to increase domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/) lists practical tactics, and [how many backlinks you need](https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/) helps set realistic expectations. Buying links to push the number up is a bad trade: it inflates a third-party score while risking exactly the link-spam pattern Google warns about. ## What to do next Build your comparison sheet today with five competitors from your own search results; it answers “is my DR good?” better than any generic chart. Then look at the part DR ignores. The free [Satelo site check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives you a Quality Score built mostly from open data, such as Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl size and PageSpeed, with the evidence behind each number in about 30 seconds. It does not repeat DR, which is the point: it shows whether a site looks real and active, not just well linked. ## FAQ ### What is a good Domain Rating score? There is no universal good score. A good DR is one in the same range as, or above, the sites ranking on page one for your target queries. Ahrefs itself describes DR as a relative metric, and most domains on the web sit between DR 0 and 10. ### What is a good Domain Rating for a new website? For a new site, a low DR, often in single digits, is normal. Compare yourself with other small sites ranking for specific, long-tail queries in your niche, and focus on earning real mentions and links over time rather than on the number. ### Is Domain Rating the same as Domain Authority? No. Domain Rating is made by Ahrefs and Domain Authority by Moz. Both are built from link data with different methods and indexes, so the same site gets different numbers. Compare DR only with DR and DA only with DA. ### Does Google use Domain Rating? No. DR is a third-party metric created by Ahrefs. Ahrefs itself says DR is not a Google ranking factor. ### Why did my Domain Rating drop? DR is relative, so it can fall when other sites gain links faster than you, even if you lost nothing. It can also drop if linking domains removed links or lost strength themselves. Check your referring domains before worrying. ### Is a high DR site always good for a guest post? No. A high DR with little organic traffic, sudden score jumps, or a price list for links by DR are warning signs. Check traffic, topic relevance and real readers, not only the score. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-comment-spam/ Wordpress # WordPress Comment Spam: A Layered Setup That Keeps Real Readers You can stop most WordPress comment spam without a captcha by stacking three layers: tighter Discussion settings in the core, a honeypot-based filter such as Antispam Bee or a cloud filter such as Akismet, and a short moderation routine. Each layer is free on a personal blog, and none of them asks your readers to click on traffic lights. Below is the exact setup, in the order to do it, plus how to avoid deleting the comments you actually want. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Why comment spam is more than an eyesore Most spam comments are written by bots that hope to leave a link on your page. On their own they look sloppy, but the real cost is elsewhere. Google lists "comment spam on blogs" as an example of user-generated spam in its [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies), and notes that site owners are often unaware it is there. Spam that sits published on your posts is content on your site, even if a bot wrote it. There is also a reader cost. A thread full of casino links and fake praise tells visitors nobody is looking after the place, and real people stop commenting. Spam control is really community care: the goal is not zero comments, it is zero junk with the least friction for humans. ## Layer 1: Discussion settings you should change today Open **Settings → Discussion** in your dashboard. Every option below is described on the official [Settings Discussion screen](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-discussion-screen/) documentation. These are the ones that matter for spam: | Setting | Recommended for a small blog | Why | | Allow link notifications from other blogs (pingbacks and trackbacks) | Off | Trackbacks are a favorite spam channel and rarely bring real discussion today. | | Comment author must fill out name and email | On | Not verified, but it adds a little work for crude bots and costs humans nothing. | | Automatically close comments on articles older than X days | On, with a generous number (for example, 180) | Bots love old posts nobody watches. Old approved comments stay visible. | | Comment author must have a previously approved comment | On | First-time commenters go to moderation; returning ones post instantly. | | Hold a comment in the queue if it contains X or more links | 1 | Real comments rarely need a link. Anything with one waits for you. | | Comment moderation word list | A few obvious terms you keep seeing | Matches go to the queue, not to the trash. | | Disallowed comment keys | Use sparingly | Matches are marked as spam; the docs call it a last resort because genuine comments can get caught. | One detail that trips people up: both word lists match inside words. The documentation's own example is that "press" will match "WordPress". Add whole, distinctive strings, not short fragments. The setting "Users must be registered and logged in to comment" also kills spam, but it kills most real comments too. Keep it for membership sites, not for a public blog. ## Layer 2: a honeypot or a cloud filter (pick one) Settings slow bots down; a filter catches what gets through. The two most common free choices work very differently. | | Antispam Bee | Akismet | | How it works | Local checks: a hidden honeypot field, plus optional country and language rules | Sends comments to Akismet's servers and checks them against its global spam database | | Cost | Free for private and commercial sites, per its [plugin page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/antispam-bee/) | Keys are free for personal blogs; paid plans for businesses and commercial sites, per its [plugin page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/akismet/) | | Privacy | Says it does not send personal data to third-party services (the optional country check uses an external IP lookup) | Comment data leaves your site, so mention it in your privacy policy | | Extra features | Auto-delete spam after N days, trackback checks | Also filters contact form submissions | | Best for | Blogs that care about GDPR and want no account | Blogs that want a mature cloud filter and do not mind the data transfer | Do not run both at once unless you have a reason; two filters make it harder to understand why a comment was blocked. A honeypot works because bots fill every field they find, including one that humans never see. That is why it needs no captcha. A note from the Antispam Bee FAQ: its honeypot field is hidden with inline styles, so a strict Content Security Policy can make it visible. If readers suddenly see an odd extra field in your form, that is the reason. ## Layer 3: make spam links worthless Since WordPress 5.3, links in comments get `rel="nofollow ugc"` by default, as announced on the [Make WordPress Core blog](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2019/10/03/wp-5-3-introduces-new-functions-to-add-ugc-attribute-to-links-and-implements-it-to-comments/). Google [recommends marking UGC links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) such as comments and forum posts with `ugc`. So you do not need a plugin for this, but check two things: - **Your theme or comment plugin has not stripped the attribute.** Open a post with a comment link, view the page source and search for `ugc`. - **You are not removing it for everyone.** Google allows dropping the attribute for contributors with a long record of quality, but that is a manual decision for regulars, not a site-wide switch. The attribute does not stop bots from posting, but it removes part of their motive and protects your site from vouching for whatever they link to. If the different values confuse you, our guide to [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) covers them side by side. Many blogs also remove the "Website" field from the comment form. Fewer link slots means fewer link-hunting comments. It is a small code snippet or a setting in some themes; the trade-off is that regular readers lose a way to show their own blog. ## Pingbacks and trackbacks: switch them off Trackbacks were built for a time when blogs talked to each other through notifications. Today they mostly arrive as automated spam. Turn off **Allow link notifications from other blogs** in Discussion settings. This changes the default for new posts only, so for old posts select them in **Posts → All Posts**, choose **Edit** in bulk actions and set Pings to "Do not allow". The setting above it, **Attempt to notify any blogs linked to from the article**, is about your outgoing pings. It does not cause spam, but the docs note that many links in a post can slow publishing while WordPress contacts each site. Many small blogs turn it off too. ## What about captchas? Google's own [guide to preventing abuse](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/prevent-abuse) lists captchas as one option, mostly for automated sign-ups, next to moderation, blocklists, and marking links. They work, but they have costs on a comment form: - They add friction for the people you want to hear from, especially on mobile. - Most load a third-party script, which adds weight and may need a cookie notice. If you are already fighting slow pages, see our notes on [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - Some bots and paid solving services get through anyway. Our suggestion: start with layers 1 to 3. Add a captcha only if, after a couple of weeks, the queue is still unmanageable, and prefer a privacy-friendly option that does not show a puzzle to most visitors. ## A 10-minute moderation routine With "previously approved comment" and the one-link rule on, your queue holds first-time commenters and anything with links. A simple routine keeps it under control: - **Check the queue on a fixed schedule**, for example once a day. Turn on "A comment is held for moderation" email only if comments are rare. - **Approve real first-timers quickly.** Once approved, their next comments appear instantly, so the friction is one-off. - **Mark spam as spam, do not just delete it.** It stays in the Spam folder, so you can still rescue a false positive, and your filter plugin sees the decision. - **Skim the Spam folder weekly** for false positives. Short comments, comments in another language and comments with one useful link get caught most often. - **Add repeat patterns** (a domain, a phrase) to the moderation list, not to the disallowed list, until you are sure. Example of a pattern worth adding, for illustration: if ten comments in a week contain the same shortened-URL domain, add that domain to the moderation list. ## How not to lose real commenters Overly strict rules quietly turn away the readers you want. Signs you have gone too far: no comments at all for weeks on posts that get visits, or regular readers emailing you that their comment "disappeared". To stay friendly: - Keep the form short: name, email, comment. - Tell people under the form that first comments are moderated, so a delay does not look like a bug. - Reply to real comments. A visible conversation invites more of them, and a blog that answers looks cared for. - Do not fight spam by closing comments on all posts. Closing old posts is enough. Commenting is also how many blog friendships start. If you want more of that kind of contact with other site owners, our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) covers ways to work together without trading spammy links. ## Your anti-spam checklist - Pingbacks and trackbacks off, also on old posts. - Name and email required. - Previously approved author rule on. - Hold comments with 1 or more links. - Close comments on old posts. - One filter installed: Antispam Bee or Akismet. - Comment links still carry `ugc` in the page source. - Privacy policy updated if comments go to an external service. - Queue checked daily, Spam folder weekly. ## What to do next Once comments are under control, the next question for a growing blog is usually how to bring in more real readers. Our guide on [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the basics. If you want partner articles from sites of a similar level and topic, you can [connect your WordPress site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) in one click: the plugin publishes partner posts you approve, with links marked `rel="sponsored"`, so outbound links stay labeled just like your comment links. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, so treat it as one extra channel, not a traffic promise. ## FAQ ### Why am I suddenly getting so many spam comments on WordPress? Bots find new blogs through search and link lists, and once your site appears in their lists, spam often rises fast. Old posts with open comments and pingbacks turned on are frequent targets. ### Can I stop WordPress comment spam without a plugin? Partly. Turn off pingbacks and trackbacks, require a previously approved comment, hold comments with one link, and close comments on old posts. A honeypot or cloud filter still catches far more bot spam than settings alone. ### Is Akismet free? According to its wordpress.org page, Akismet keys are free for personal blogs, while businesses and commercial sites need a paid subscription. ### Is Antispam Bee better than Akismet? Neither is better for everyone. Antispam Bee works locally with a honeypot and is free for commercial sites too; Akismet uses a cloud database and sends comment data to its servers. Choose by privacy needs and site type. ### Do spam comments hurt SEO? Google lists comment spam as user-generated spam in its spam policies. Published spam is content on your pages, so it is worth removing even though WordPress already marks comment links as nofollow ugc. ### Should I disable comments completely? Only if you do not want discussion at all. For most blogs, closing comments on old posts and moderating first-time commenters removes most spam without losing real readers. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/ Wordpress # WordPress Guest Post Plugins: Accept Submissions, Sponsored Posts or Partner Articles The right WordPress guest post plugin depends on what you want to accept: free submissions from readers, paid sponsored posts, or partner articles exchanged with other sites. Below are seven options, with installs, update dates and real features taken from their official pages on October 16, 2026, plus the moderation and labeling setup that should come with any of them. Published: 2026-10-16 · 9 min read · Satelo ## First decide which job the plugin has to do "Guest post plugin" covers three different workflows, and most plugins only do one of them well: - **Accept submissions.** Readers or contributors fill in a form on the front end, and the post lands in your dashboard for review. This is the classic guest blogging setup for community sites and magazines. - **Sell sponsored posts.** An advertiser pays, submits an article and gets it published with a label. You need payments, limits and a clear disclosure. - **Exchange partner articles.** You publish articles about other sites and other sites publish articles about you. Here the hard part is not the form, it is finding partners of a similar level and topic. Knowing which of the three you need cuts the list in half. If you only want a contact form for pitches, you may not need a guest post plugin at all, just a "Write for us" page and your existing form plugin. ## One plugin you will still find in old lists: Guest Posting Many search results for "wordpress guest post plugin" still point to a plugin literally called Guest Posting. Its [wordpress.org page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/guest-posting/) now says it was closed on April 16, 2026 and is not available for download, with the reason "Guideline Violation". If a tutorial tells you to install it, skip that tutorial. It is a good reminder to check the plugin page yourself before you trust any roundup, including this one. ## The 7 options compared Data below comes from each plugin's official page on October 16, 2026. "Active installs" is the rounded figure wordpress.org shows, and "Tested up to" is the WordPress version the developer reports. | Plugin | Best for | Free version does | Active installs | Last updated | Tested up to | | [User Submitted Posts](https://wordpress.org/plugins/user-submitted-posts/) | Simple reader submissions | Front-end form via shortcode, image uploads, post status choice, email alerts, captcha | 10,000+ | Sep 16, 2026 | 7.1.3 | | [User Frontend (WP User Frontend)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-user-frontend/) | Paid posting, multi-author sites | Form builder, front-end posting and editing, subscription packs with pay per post | 20,000+ | Oct 1, 2026 | 7.1.3 | | [Frontend Post Submission Manager Lite](https://wordpress.org/plugins/frontend-post-submission-manager-lite/) | A ready guest post form | Guest and login-required forms, drag-and-drop builder, post status, notifications, reCAPTCHA or Turnstile | 1,000+ | Sep 26, 2026 | 7.1.3 | | [Forminator](https://wordpress.org/plugins/forminator/) | Sites already using it for forms | Front-end post submissions with default author and draft or publish status | 600,000+ | Oct 14, 2026 | 7.1.3 | | [WPForms](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpforms-lite/) | Sites already paying for WPForms | Contact forms only; post submissions need a [Pro license or higher](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-install-and-use-the-post-submissions-addon-in-wpforms/) | 5,000,000+ | Oct 6, 2026 | 7.1.3 | | [Gravity Forms + Advanced Post Creation](https://www.gravityforms.com/add-ons/advanced-post-creation/) | Complex editorial workflows | No free version; the add-on needs an Elite or Nonprofit license | Not on wordpress.org | n/a | n/a | | [Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) | Partner article exchange | One-click join, publishes labeled partner articles, drafts for review, cookie-less pageview counter | Not yet on wordpress.org (under review) | n/a | 7.1 (per readme) | Two companion plugins are worth knowing even though they do not collect posts: [Molongui Authorship](https://wordpress.org/plugins/molongui-authorship/) (10,000+ installs, updated Oct 8, 2026) and [Co-Authors Plus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/co-authors-plus/) (20,000+ installs, last updated Jun 26, 2026, tested up to 7.0.7). Both let you credit a guest author without giving that person a WordPress account. ## Submission-form plugins: what each one is good at ### User Submitted Posts The most direct answer to "let visitors send me a post". You add one shortcode, choose which fields to show (name, email, URL, title, tags, category, content, images) and set the post status: draft, pending, publish, or publish after a set number of approved posts. Spam protection includes Google reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile, a challenge question and a hidden field. The Pro version adds unlimited forms, custom post types and more field types. ### User Frontend A much bigger plugin: front-end posting, registration, profiles, memberships and content restriction. For guest posting, the interesting part is that its free version lists subscription packs and "Pay Per Post" payments, so it is the closest thing in this list to a self-hosted sponsored post shop. The trade-off is setup time. If you only need a submission form, it is more than you need. ### Frontend Post Submission Manager Lite Built around exactly one job: a guest post form. It ships with a ready "Guest Post Form" and a "Login Require Form", lets you set post status, author and character limits, and sends notifications to you and the submitter. The Lite version is limited to standard posts and simple text fields; custom post types, file fields and PayPal payments are in Pro. ### Forminator, WPForms and Gravity Forms If one of these already runs your contact forms, use it before adding a new plugin. Forminator's free version includes front-end post submissions with a default author and a draft option. WPForms advertises post submission forms for guest posts, but its own documentation says the Post Submissions addon needs a Pro license or higher. Gravity Forms has no free version, and its Advanced Post Creation add-on is listed for Elite or Nonprofit licenses. We did not quote prices because they change often; check the vendors' pricing pages on the day you buy. ## Partner articles: where Satelo fits Submission forms solve the inbox. They do not solve the harder problem for a small site: getting relevant articles about your site published elsewhere. That is the third job, and it is what the Satelo plugin is for. Satelo is a network where sites of a similar level and topic publish partner articles about each other in a ring (A writes about B, B about C, C about A), so nobody swaps links directly. The plugin is not in the wordpress.org directory yet; it is under review. Until it is approved, you install it from [satelo.io/downloads/satelo.zip](https://satelo.io/downloads/satelo.zip) through Plugins → Add New → Upload, as described on the [connect page](https://satelo.io/connect/). What it does: - **One-click join** from Settings → Satelo: you enter your email and accept the terms, and nothing is sent before that. - **Publishes partner articles** in the category you choose, with a "Partner content" label and `rel="sponsored"` on outgoing links by default. - **Drafts instead of auto-publishing** when you turn auto-placement off, so every article waits for your review. - **A cookie-less pageview counter** that stores no IP addresses or personal data and sends daily totals, so your site's Quality Score can use verified traffic instead of estimates. Be clear about what it is not: Satelo is a public beta with a small network, and the plugin does not promise traffic, rankings or links. It brings you articles to review and gets articles about your site placed on similar sites. ## Moderation and spam protection checklist Whichever plugin you pick, a guest post form is an open door. Close it properly: - **Never auto-publish strangers.** Set new submissions to draft or pending. User Submitted Posts can publish automatically after a contributor has a set number of approved posts; use that only for people you know. - **Turn on a captcha.** User Submitted Posts and Frontend Post Submission Manager Lite support Google reCAPTCHA and Cloudflare Turnstile in their free versions, and Forminator includes reCAPTCHA. - **Limit links in the body.** Decide a maximum (for example, one link to the author's site, for illustration) and write it into your guidelines. - **Give guest accounts the Contributor role.** Contributors can write and submit posts but cannot publish them or upload files, so nothing goes live without you. - **Check the author's site** before you publish. A quick look at age, real traffic signals and topic tells you if the "guest author" is an agency selling links. A free [site check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives you a first read in seconds. - **Keep a record** of who submitted what and whether money or anything else changed hands. You will need it for disclosure. ## Disclosure and rel="sponsored" at the template level Google asks site owners to mark links that are "advertisements or paid placements" with `rel="sponsored"`, and it still accepts `nofollow` for them, according to its guide on [qualifying outbound links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links). Doing this by hand on every post is how mistakes happen. Better options: - **One category for sponsored and partner posts.** Put every paid or exchanged article in it, so your theme or a filter can treat them differently. - **A label printed by the template,** not typed by the author. A line like "Sponsored" or "Partner content" above the first paragraph cannot be forgotten if the theme adds it for that category. - **A content filter that adds rel="sponsored"** to external links in that category. A developer can do it with a short `the_content` filter using WordPress's HTML tag processor; Satelo's plugin does this for the articles it delivers. - **Free contributions are different.** An unpaid guest post with an author bio link is not a paid placement, but if the author is a company promoting itself, labeling it is still the honest choice. Our guide to [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers what regulators expect, and [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) explains which attribute fits which link. ## Use the WordPress.org guidelines as a quality filter The [Detailed Plugin Guidelines](https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/detailed-plugin-guidelines/) are written for developers, but they make a useful buyer's checklist: - **Guideline 7:** plugins may not track users without consent, and may not contact external servers without explicit consent. A guest post plugin that phones home silently is a red flag. - **Guideline 9:** lists "offering to drive more traffic to sites that use the plugin" and black hat SEO among the things plugins must not do. Treat any guest post or exchange plugin that promises traffic or rankings with suspicion. - **Guideline 10:** plugins may not add external links or credits to your public site without asking, and such links must be off by default. Plugins hosted outside the directory are not reviewed against these rules, so read their readme and privacy notes yourself. Look for a plain "External services" section that says what is sent and where. ## How to choose in five minutes | Your situation | Start with | | You want readers to submit posts, nothing else | User Submitted Posts or Frontend Post Submission Manager Lite | | You already use Forminator, WPForms Pro or Gravity Forms Elite | The post submission feature of that form plugin | | You want to sell posting packs on your own site | User Frontend | | You want articles about your site on similar sites, without cold outreach | Satelo (installed from the zip until it is in the directory) | | You only receive a few pitches a month | No plugin: a "Write for us" page and your contact form | Then set the price and the rules before the first submission arrives. Our [guide to selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/) and the walkthrough on [accepting sponsored posts on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) cover pricing pages, review checklists and records. ## What to do next Pick the job first, install one plugin, set submissions to draft, add a captcha and a template label, and test the whole flow with a dummy post before you publish your guidelines page. If the job you actually want done is the third one, [connect your WordPress site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/). Unlike submission-form plugins, Satelo brings you partner articles from vetted sites in your topic, published automatically (or as drafts, if you prefer) and labeled, and you earn satellites for each one you host. ## FAQ ### What is the best free WordPress guest post plugin? For plain reader submissions, User Submitted Posts and Frontend Post Submission Manager Lite both offer a free front-end form with post status control and captcha. If you already run Forminator, its free version also creates posts from form entries. ### How do I accept guest posts on WordPress without a plugin? Publish a "Write for us" page with your rules and a contact form or email address, then create a Contributor account for accepted authors. Contributors can write and submit posts but cannot publish them. ### Can WPForms Lite accept guest posts? No. WPForms documentation says the Post Submissions addon requires a Pro license or higher. The free Lite version handles contact-style forms. ### Should guest post links be nofollow or sponsored? If the author paid or gave something in return for the post, Google asks for rel="sponsored" (nofollow is still accepted). For an unpaid contribution, a normal link is fine, but labeling a company's self-promotional post is still the honest choice. ### Is the Satelo plugin on wordpress.org? Not yet. It is under review. Until it is approved you can install it from satelo.io/downloads/satelo.zip through Plugins, Add New, Upload, following the steps on the Satelo connect page. ### What happened to the Guest Posting plugin? Its wordpress.org page says it was closed on April 16, 2026 for a guideline violation and is no longer available for download. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-schema-plugin/ Wordpress # Best WordPress Schema Plugins for Blogs: What You Need and What You Can Skip For most blogs, the best WordPress schema plugin is the SEO plugin you already run: Yoast SEO and Rank Math both output Article, breadcrumb and site-level markup for free. A separate schema plugin earns its place only when you publish content types Google still rewards, such as recipes, events or software reviews. Below: what Google supports in October 2026, what each free option covers, and how to avoid the most common mistake, duplicate markup. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Start here: which schema types still matter for a blog Old "best schema plugin" lists sell you on FAQ and HowTo stars in search results. That advice has expired. Google's [FAQ documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/faqpage) now states that FAQ rich results stopped appearing in Google Search starting May 7, 2026. HowTo is also missing from Google's current [structured data search gallery](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/search-gallery). Here is what the gallery means for a typical blog: | Schema type | Status in Google's gallery | Useful for | | Article / BlogPosting | Supported | Every blog post | | Breadcrumb | Supported | Blogs with categories | | Organization, Profile page | Supported | Your About page, author pages | | Recipe | Supported | Food blogs | | Review snippet, Software app, Product | Supported | Review and tutorial blogs | | Event, Video, Course list | Supported | Niche cases | | FAQ | No longer shown in Search (since May 7, 2026) | Optional; Google still reads markup but shows no rich result | | HowTo | Not in the gallery | No search feature to target | So for a personal or niche blog the core set is short: Article, Breadcrumb, and Organization or Person for who runs the site. Anything beyond that depends on what you publish. ## What your SEO plugin already outputs Before installing anything, check what you have. Both leading SEO plugins generate structured data in their free versions. **Yoast SEO.** Its [schema specification](https://developer.yoast.com/features/schema/functional-specification/) describes a base graph on every page that covers the WebPage, the WebSite and the Organization or Person behind it. Posts with an author add Article, Person and BreadcrumbList pieces linked by ID. The free version's [plugin page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/) also says its FAQ and HowTo blocks output schema by default. You set Organization vs Person in the site representation settings. **Rank Math.** Its [plugin page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/) advertises a range of schema types (Article, Recipe, Event, Product, Person, Local Business and more) and a schema block. Its PRO section lists the advanced schema builder, templates, conditional markup and importing schema from other sites, so the free version is enough for standard blog types, but custom builds are paid. If you run one of these and only write articles, you probably do not need a schema plugin at all. Set the site representation correctly, fill in author profiles, and move on. ## Free schema plugins compared Data below is from the official wordpress.org pages, checked on October 16, 2026. | Plugin | Active installs | Free schema coverage | Pick it if | | [Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/) | 10+ million | Site graph, Article, Person, breadcrumbs | You already use it for SEO basics | | [Rank Math](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/) | 4+ million | Article and many content types via its schema settings | You want more schema types in one plugin | | [Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP](https://wordpress.org/plugins/schema-and-structured-data-for-wp/) | 100,000+ | "More than 35 schema types", conditional rules, import from other schema plugins | You need a dedicated, flexible schema tool | | [Schema – All In One Schema Rich Snippets](https://wordpress.org/plugins/all-in-one-schemaorg-rich-snippets/) | 30,000+ | Review, Event, Person, Product, Recipe, Software Application, Video, Article | You want a simple per-post form for a few types | Two practical notes. First, the dedicated plugins are most useful when your SEO plugin does not cover the type you need, or when you use a lightweight SEO setup with no schema at all. Second, specialized plugins for recipes, events or products usually add their own markup for that type. A food blogger with a recipe card plugin may already have Recipe schema covered. ## The biggest mistake: two plugins, two graphs Install a schema plugin next to Yoast or Rank Math without changing settings, and you can end up with two Article blocks for the same post, or two different Organizations. Yoast's specification names "duplicate/conflated properties" among the problems that appear when third-party plugins add markup, and recommends extending its graph through its API rather than emitting a separate one. How to avoid it: - **Pick one owner per type.** Let the SEO plugin own Article, breadcrumbs and Organization. Let the schema plugin add only types the SEO plugin lacks. - **Turn off overlapping modules.** After installing, look through the schema plugin's settings for its own Article, breadcrumb or organization output and disable what your SEO plugin already covers. - **View the source.** Open a post, view the page source and search for `application/ld+json`. Count how many times `"@type":"Article"` or `BlogPosting` appears. - **Retest after every plugin change.** Themes can add markup too. ## A 10-minute setup for an articles-only blog If you write articles and nothing else, this is the whole job. The menu names below are from Yoast SEO; Rank Math has equivalent options in its own settings. - **Choose who the site represents.** In Yoast's settings, open Site representation and pick Person for a personal blog or Organization for a brand. Add a name and a logo or photo. - **Check the default article type for posts.** In the content type settings for Posts, the schema defaults should be a web page with an article type. A plain blog needs nothing more exotic. - **Fix the author profile.** In Users → Profile, set a public display name instead of a login name and fill in the bio and website. That is what ends up in the author markup. - **Create an About page** that says who writes the blog and why. Link it from the footer. - **Test one post** in the Rich Results Test, as described below. That is all most blogs need. Spend the saved time on writing. ## How to test your schema Use Google's [Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) on a live post. It shows which rich result types Google can generate from the page and lists errors and warnings. Google's [intro to structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data) recommends it for validation and suggests checking the rich result reports in Search Console after deployment to catch template problems. What to look for on a blog post: - An Article (or BlogPosting) item is detected. - The author is a real name, not "admin". Google's [Article guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article) recommends `author.name` holding only the name, plus a `url` or `sameAs` for each author. - `datePublished` and `dateModified` match what readers see. - An image is present. - No duplicate items of the same type. The same Article guide notes there are no required properties for Article, only recommended ones. Warnings about missing optional fields are not emergencies. ## Rules that apply whatever plugin you choose - **Mark up only what is visible.** Google's intro warns against structured data about information users cannot see, even if it is accurate. - **No guarantees.** Valid markup makes a page eligible for rich results; it does not promise them, and it is not a ranking boost. - **JSON-LD is the easy path.** Google says JSON-LD is the recommended format in most cases, and every plugin above outputs it. - **Keep the author real.** A consistent author name, an author page and an About page help readers and search engines alike. This matters more than the number of schema types. ## Schema and AI search Many plugin pages now promise that schema helps "AI systems" understand your content. Google is more direct about its own AI features: its page on [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) says there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Clean Article and author markup is still good hygiene, but the content and being indexed matter far more. For what actually helps with AI assistants, see our guides on [getting cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) and [getting indexed by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/get-website-indexed-by-chatgpt/). ## Which option to choose | Your blog | Recommendation | | Personal or niche blog, articles only | Yoast SEO or Rank Math free; no extra plugin | | Food blog | SEO plugin plus a recipe card plugin that outputs Recipe markup; check for duplicates | | Review or software blog | Rank Math free, or a dedicated schema plugin for Review and Software app types | | Events or courses | Schema & Structured Data for WP or your events plugin's own markup | | Minimal setup without an SEO plugin | One dedicated schema plugin for Article and breadcrumbs | ## What to do next Run the Rich Results Test on your three most recent posts today and fix any duplicates or "admin" authors. Then think about what brings readers to those posts: our guide on [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) covers the next steps. If you accept partner or guest articles, the plugins in our [guest post plugin comparison](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-guest-post-plugins/) publish them as normal posts, so your schema setup applies to them too. The same is true for [Satelo's WordPress plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/): partner articles arrive as regular posts with a "Partner content" label and `rel="sponsored"` links, and your SEO plugin marks them up like everything else. Satelo is in public beta with a small network. To see how your site looks from the outside, the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows each number with the open data behind it in about 30 seconds. ## FAQ ### Do I need a schema plugin if I use Yoast or Rank Math? Usually not. Both output Article, breadcrumb and site-level structured data in their free versions. Add a schema plugin only for types they do not cover, and switch off overlapping output. ### What is the best free schema plugin for WordPress? For blogs, your SEO plugin is the best free option. If you need a dedicated tool, Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP offers more than 35 types for free, according to its wordpress.org page. ### Does FAQ schema still work in 2026? Google stopped showing FAQ rich results in Search starting May 7, 2026, according to its documentation. The markup does no harm, but it no longer produces a special result in Google. ### Does schema markup improve rankings? Structured data helps Google understand a page and can make it eligible for rich results, but Google does not promise rich results or a ranking boost for adding it. ### How do I check schema on my WordPress site? Paste a post URL into Google's Rich Results Test. It lists detected items, errors and warnings. Also view the page source and search for application/ld+json to spot duplicate markup. ### Do I need schema to appear in Google AI Overviews? No. Google says there is no special schema.org structured data required to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode; the page must be indexed and eligible for a snippet. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-seo-setup-new-blog/ Wordpress # WordPress SEO Setup for a New Blog: 15 Settings to Fix Before You Publish A good WordPress SEO setup for a new blog takes about an hour: make the site visible to search engines, fix permalinks and your domain version, install one SEO plugin, connect Search Console with a sitemap, and tidy archives and speed. Doing it before your first posts saves you redirects and cleanup later. Here are the 15 settings in order, each with where to find it and why it matters. Published: 2026-10-16 · 7 min read · Satelo ## Is WordPress good for SEO? Yes, as a starting point. WordPress gives you readable URLs, a built-in XML sitemap and full control over titles and content. What it does not do is make choices for you: several defaults suit a demo site better than a blog you want found. Google's [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) is a good reminder of the real priorities: useful content, clear titles, descriptive URLs and a site Google can crawl. The settings below take care of the technical side so you can focus on the writing. ## Part 1: before your first post ### 1. Make sure search engines are allowed in Go to **Settings → Reading** and check that **Discourage search engines from indexing this site** is **unchecked**. According to the [Reading screen documentation](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-reading-screen/), when it is checked WordPress adds a `noindex,nofollow` robots meta tag to your pages. Some hosts and installers tick it while the site is under construction, and forgetting to untick it is a classic reason a new blog never shows up in Google. ### 2. Pick one domain version and use HTTPS Your blog should live at exactly one address: with or without `www`, always on `https://`. In **Settings → General**, set both WordPress Address and Site Address to that version, and make sure the other variants redirect to it (most hosts have a switch for this). Google's guide to [consolidating duplicate URLs](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls) treats redirects as a strong canonical signal and says Google prefers HTTPS pages over HTTP equivalents. ### 3. Set permalinks to Post name In **Settings → Permalinks**, choose **Post name**, which gives URLs like `example.com/sample-post/`. The [Permalinks screen documentation](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-permalinks-screen/) shows the other options, including Plain (`?p=123`) and date-based structures. Dates in URLs make evergreen posts look old and make later changes painful. Change this now: changing it after you have links means redirects for every post. ### 4. Write a real site title and tagline Also in **Settings → General**. The title often appears in search results next to your post titles, so use your blog's name, not "My WordPress Site". Replace the default tagline with a short line saying what the blog is about, or leave it empty. ### 5. Delete the sample content Remove the "Hello world!" post, the "Sample Page" and the default comment. Rename the "Uncategorized" category to one of your real topics so new posts never land in a meaningless archive. ## Part 2: one SEO plugin, configured lightly ### 6. Install exactly one SEO plugin Yoast SEO and Rank Math are the two most common free choices. Pick one; running two creates duplicate tags and conflicting sitemaps. Run its setup wizard and keep the defaults unless you know why you are changing them. ### 7. Tell it who runs the site Set whether the site represents a person or an organization, add a name and a logo or photo. In **Users → Profile**, set a public display name (not your login name) and write a short bio. These details feed the author information shown on posts and in structured data. ### 8. Check your sitemap Since WordPress 5.5 the core creates an XML sitemap at `/wp-sitemap.xml`, as described in the [WordPress 5.5 announcement](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/07/22/new-xml-sitemaps-functionality-in-wordpress-5-5/). SEO plugins often replace it with their own. Open the sitemap URL in your browser and confirm it lists your posts. The same announcement notes that sitemaps are disabled while "discourage search engines" is on, which is another reason to check step 1. ## Part 3: Google Search Console ### 9. Verify your site Add your blog to [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console). Google's [verification help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9008080) explains the options: a **Domain property** covers http, https and all subdomains but needs a DNS record; a **URL-prefix property** covers one exact address and can be verified with an HTML tag, which SEO plugins let you paste in. If you can edit DNS, use a Domain property. ### 10. Submit the sitemap In the Sitemaps report, paste your sitemap URL and submit. Google's [Sitemaps report help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7451001) is clear that this does not guarantee every URL will be crawled or indexed. It helps discovery; it does not force anything. If posts later show as crawled but not indexed, our guide to ["Crawled – currently not indexed"](https://satelo.io/blog/crawled-currently-not-indexed/) walks through the causes. ## Part 4: structure without duplicates ### 11. Plan a few categories, use tags sparingly Start with three to six categories that match your main topics. Each category archive is a page in its own right, so a handful of strong ones beat dozens of thin ones. Tags are optional; if a tag will only ever hold one or two posts, skip it. ### 12. Decide what to do with author and date archives On a single-author blog, the author archive repeats the main blog feed, and date archives repeat it again by month. Google's starter guide says duplicate content is not a spam violation but can waste crawl resources, so it is cleaner to keep only one version. Both Yoast SEO and Rank Math have archive settings where you can disable or noindex author and date archives. Keep category archives indexable if you write a short intro for each. ### 13. Turn off pingbacks and trackbacks In **Settings → Discussion**, uncheck **Allow link notifications from other blogs**. According to the [Discussion screen documentation](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-discussion-screen/), these notifications show up in your comments section, and on a new blog they are mostly spam. While you are there, set first-time comments to be held for moderation. ## Part 5: speed basics ### 14. Choose a light theme and add page caching The official [WordPress optimization guide](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/performance/optimization/) lists the main levers: a caching plugin that serves static copies of pages, a current PHP version, optimized images and removing plugins you do not need. On a new blog, a simple theme plus page caching (many hosts include it) covers most of this. For how to measure the result, see [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ### 15. Set up image habits now Resize images before uploading, use a modern format such as WebP where your setup supports it, and write alt text that describes the image. It takes seconds per post and avoids a slow media library a year from now. ## Your setup checklist | # | Setting | Where | | 1 | Search engine visibility allowed | Settings → Reading | | 2 | One domain version, HTTPS | Settings → General + host | | 3 | Permalinks: Post name | Settings → Permalinks | | 4 | Site title and tagline | Settings → General | | 5 | Sample content removed, Uncategorized renamed | Posts, Pages, Categories | | 6 | One SEO plugin | Plugins | | 7 | Site representation and author profile | SEO plugin, Users → Profile | | 8 | Sitemap opens and lists posts | Browser | | 9 | Search Console verified | Search Console | | 10 | Sitemap submitted | Search Console → Sitemaps | | 11 | 3–6 categories | Posts → Categories | | 12 | Author and date archives handled | SEO plugin | | 13 | Pingbacks off, comments moderated | Settings → Discussion | | 14 | Light theme, page caching | Appearance, host or plugin | | 15 | Image resizing and alt text habit | Every post | ## What not to worry about on day one Google's starter guide has a whole section on things that matter less than people think. A few worth knowing: - **Meta keywords.** Google says it does not use the keywords meta tag. - **Exact word counts.** Google says length alone does not matter for ranking. - **Keywords in the domain.** They have hardly any effect, per the same guide. - **Green lights in your SEO plugin.** Readability and keyphrase scores are writing aids, not ranking signals. A useful post with an orange dot beats a stuffed one with a green dot. - **Instant results.** The guide notes changes can take from hours to several months to show, and suggests waiting a few weeks before judging an effect. ## Per-post habits that matter more than settings - Write a title that describes the post clearly; Google's guide asks for titles that are unique, concise and accurate. - Keep the slug short and readable. - Add a meta description that summarizes the post, knowing Google often builds snippets from page text instead. - Link to two or three related posts of your own. - Pick topics a new blog can actually compete on; our guide to [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/) covers how. ## What to do next Once the setup is done, the next challenge is getting the first readers and mentions. Our guides on [promoting a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/) and [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) cover safe first steps. If you want partner articles about your blog on sites of a similar level and topic, you can [connect your WordPress blog to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) in one click. The plugin publishes partner posts you approve with a "Partner content" label and `rel="sponsored"` links. Satelo is in public beta with a small network, so it is an extra channel, not a traffic promise. You can also run your domain through the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see how your new site looks from the outside, with the open data behind each number. ## FAQ ### Is WordPress good for SEO? Yes. It produces readable URLs, has a built-in XML sitemap and lets you control titles and content. A few defaults, such as permalinks and archives, need adjusting for a blog. ### Which permalink structure is best for SEO in WordPress? For most blogs, Post name. It keeps URLs short and readable without dates, and it should be set before you publish so you avoid redirects later. ### Do I need an SEO plugin for WordPress? It is not mandatory, but one plugin such as Yoast SEO or Rank Math makes titles, meta descriptions, archive settings and sitemaps easier to manage. Never run two at once. ### Should I noindex tags and categories in WordPress? Keep a few strong category archives indexable, ideally with a short intro. Thin tag archives and, on single-author blogs, author and date archives are good candidates for noindex or disabling. ### How do I check if WordPress is blocking search engines? Open Settings, Reading and make sure 'Discourage search engines from indexing this site' is unchecked. You can also view your page source and look for a robots meta tag with noindex. ### How long does it take for a new WordPress blog to show up on Google? There is no fixed time. Google's starter guide says changes can take from a few hours to several months, and submitting a sitemap helps discovery but does not guarantee indexing. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-slow-loading-fix/ Wordpress # WordPress Slow Loading? Diagnose It First, Then Fix It The fastest WordPress slow loading fix is to find out which kind of slow you have before installing anything: a slow server response, a heavy plugin, or a heavy page full of big images, fonts and scripts. Each has a different cure. This guide walks you through a 15-minute diagnosis with free tools, then the fixes in order of impact, including the ones that need no extra plugin. Published: 2026-10-16 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Step 1: measure, do not guess Open [PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/) and test your home page and one typical post. The report has two parts, and Google's [PSI documentation](https://developers.google.com/speed/docs/insights/v5/about) explains the difference: - **Field data** comes from real Chrome users over the previous 28 days. New or low-traffic sites often have none; PSI then falls back to site-wide data or shows nothing. - **Lab data** is one simulated load by Lighthouse on a mid-tier phone. It is ideal for debugging, but it can miss real-world problems and can differ from field data. For a small blog, lab data is usually all you have, so run the test two or three times and look at trends, not a single score. Note three numbers: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Total Blocking Time, and the server response time listed in the diagnostics. The targets: Google's [Web Vitals guide](https://web.dev/articles/vitals) sets "good" at LCP of 2.5 seconds or less, INP of 200 ms or less and CLS of 0.1 or less, measured at the 75th percentile. For the server part, web.dev's [TTFB article](https://web.dev/articles/ttfb) suggests most sites aim for a Time to First Byte of 0.8 seconds or less. TTFB is not a Core Web Vital itself, but a slow one makes good LCP hard. ## Step 2: find which kind of slow you have | What you see | Likely cause | Go to | | High TTFB on every page, even simple ones | Hosting, no page cache, old PHP | Fixes A and B | | Admin and front end both slow; slow after a plugin install | A heavy plugin or slow database queries | Fix C | | TTFB fine, but LCP slow; big "properly size images" savings | Images, fonts, hero sliders | Fix D | | High Total Blocking Time, long list of JavaScript | Page builder, ad, chat and tracking scripts | Fix E | | Only the first visit after a while is slow | Cache expiring, cheap shared server waking up | Fixes A and B | If you only remember one thing: a fast server cannot rescue a 4 MB page, and a light page cannot hide a server that takes two seconds to answer. Fix the bigger of the two first. ## Fix A: page caching (the biggest win for most blogs) Without caching, WordPress runs PHP and database queries for every visitor. A page cache stores a ready-made HTML copy and serves that instead. The official [WordPress optimization guide](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/performance/optimization/) says caching plugins can improve performance "several hundred times over" for fairly static pages, which describes most blogs well. - **Check your host first.** Many managed and shared hosts include server-level page caching with a toggle in their control panel. If it exists, use it instead of a plugin. - **Otherwise, install one caching plugin.** One, not two. Two caching layers fighting each other is a common cause of odd bugs. - **Test logged out.** Most caches skip logged-in users, so your own admin browsing will still feel slow. Use a private window to judge. The same guide mentions **object caching** (keeping database query results in memory) and a CDN. Object caching helps most on dynamic sites with many logged-in users or WooCommerce; a small blog with a page cache rarely needs it. ## Fix B: hosting and PHP version Open **Tools → Site Health**. According to the [Site Health documentation](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/site-health-screen/), it flags an outdated PHP version and notes that newer PHP versions are built with performance in mind. WordPress's own [requirements page](https://wordpress.org/about/requirements/) recommends PHP 8.3 or greater. How to update: most hosts let you choose the PHP version in the control panel. Before switching, update all plugins and your theme, take a backup, then switch and click through your main pages. If something breaks, switch back and find the outdated plugin. If TTFB stays high with caching on and current PHP, the server itself may be the limit. The optimization guide puts it plainly: higher performance usually costs more. Before paying for an upgrade, ask your host's support for a check; sometimes the account is on an old server or has hit resource limits. ## Fix C: find the heavy plugin "Too many plugins" is a myth in its simple form; one badly written plugin hurts more than ten light ones. Two ways to find it: - **Query Monitor.** The free [Query Monitor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/query-monitor/) plugin shows slow, duplicate or failing database queries and slow external HTTP calls, grouped by the plugin or theme responsible. Install it, load a slow page while logged in, check the Queries by Component and HTTP API panels, then deactivate Query Monitor when you are done. - **The elimination test.** On a staging copy (many hosts offer one-click staging), deactivate plugins one at a time and re-test. The optimization guide recommends exactly this: delete what you do not need, then test whether any single plugin slows the site. Typical suspects, for illustration: related-posts plugins that run heavy queries, social share counters that call external APIs on every load, sliders, statistics plugins that write to the database on each visit, and security plugins doing file scans during peak hours. Do not assume; measure. ## Fix D: images and fonts On most blogs the largest element on the page is an image, so images decide LCP. - **Resize before upload.** A photo straight from a phone can be several times wider than your content column. Export at the width your theme actually displays. - **Use modern formats.** The WordPress optimization guide suggests compressing images and considering formats such as WebP, which are smaller. - **Do not lazy-load the main image.** Lazy loading helps images further down, but the hero or featured image at the top should load immediately. - **Limit fonts.** Each font family and weight is another download. Two families with two weights each is plenty for a blog; system fonts cost nothing. - **Replace sliders with one static image.** Sliders load several large images and scripts to show one at a time. ## Fix E: less JavaScript High Total Blocking Time usually means too much JavaScript: page builders, ad scripts, chat widgets, pop-ups, several analytics tags. Questions to ask for every script: - Does this page need it? Contact form scripts do not need to load on every post. - Do I still use this tool? Old heatmap and A/B testing tags often stay for years. - Is there a lighter option? A lightweight block theme often replaces a heavy page builder for a simple blog. Removing a script beats optimizing it. Defer and delay settings in optimization plugins help, but test carefully: they can break menus and forms. ## Speeding up WordPress without a plugin If you prefer fewer plugins, much of the work needs none at all: - Turn on server-level caching in your hosting panel. - Switch to the recommended PHP version. - Delete unused plugins and themes (deactivated ones still clutter updates and backups). - Switch to a lightweight theme. - Resize and compress images before uploading. - Remove unused scripts, widgets and embeds. - Avoid redirect chains: web.dev notes that redirect time counts toward TTFB, so link to final URLs. ## A 30-minute action plan - Run PageSpeed Insights on the home page and one post; write down LCP, TBT and server response time. - Check Site Health for an outdated PHP warning and other recommended improvements. - Turn on page caching (host first, plugin second). - Update PHP after a backup. - Compress and resize the five largest images on your top posts. - Delete one plugin you do not need. - Re-test logged out and compare. For a deeper look at the metrics themselves, and what they mean for search, read our guide to [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## What to do next Speed is one part of how your site looks from the outside. The free [Satelo Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows your PageSpeed results next to other mostly open signals, such as domain age and Tranco rank, with the evidence behind each number, in about 30 seconds. Once the site is fast, put the effort into getting readers: see [how to promote a WordPress blog](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-promote-wordpress-blog/), and if your pages show up in search but nobody clicks, our guide on [impressions but no clicks](https://satelo.io/blog/impressions-but-no-clicks/) is the next stop. WordPress owners can also [connect their blog to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) to exchange labeled partner articles with similar sites; it is a public beta with a small network. ## FAQ ### Why is my WordPress site suddenly so slow? Common triggers are a new or updated plugin, an expired or disabled cache, a hosting resource limit, or a large image added to the home page. Check what changed recently and test with Query Monitor and PageSpeed Insights. ### How do I fix slow server response time in WordPress? Turn on page caching, update to the PHP version WordPress recommends (8.3 or greater on its requirements page), remove heavy plugins and avoid redirects. If response time stays high, ask your host or consider a better plan. ### Can I speed up WordPress without plugins? Yes. Server-level caching from your host, a current PHP version, a light theme, smaller images and fewer scripts all work without extra plugins. ### Do too many plugins slow down WordPress? The number matters less than what each plugin does. One plugin with slow database queries or external calls can hurt more than many light ones. Query Monitor shows which component is responsible. ### What is a good page load speed for WordPress? Google's Web Vitals guide calls LCP of 2.5 seconds or less good, and web.dev suggests a TTFB of 0.8 seconds or less as a rough target for most sites. ### Why is my PageSpeed score different every time? Lab tests are single simulated loads, so network and server conditions vary between runs. Run several tests and watch the trend, and use field data when PageSpeed Insights has it. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-vs-blogger/ Blogging platforms # WordPress vs Blogger: Which Platform Is Better for Growing a Blog? In the WordPress vs Blogger choice, Blogger wins on zero cost and zero maintenance, while self-hosted WordPress wins on control: plugins, SEO settings, design and the freedom to take your site anywhere. If your blog is a hobby you want to keep simple, Blogger with a custom domain is a reasonable home. If you want to grow traffic, earn from it or build a brand, WordPress is the better long-term bet. Below is a side-by-side comparison based on the official Blogger and Google documentation, plus a safe plan for switching later. Published: 2026-10-16 · 8 min read · Satelo ## The short answer Pick **Blogger** if you want a free blog that Google hosts and secures for you, you are fine with a limited set of themes and settings, and you don't plan to sell products, run memberships or add custom features. Pick **WordPress** (the self-hosted software from WordPress.org, running on hosting you pay for) if you want full control over SEO, design and monetization, and you are willing to spend a little time on updates and backups. WordPress is by far the most widely used content management system: [W3Techs](https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management) reports it runs 39.7% of all websites as of October 16, 2026, which means more themes, plugins, tutorials and developers than for any alternative. One thing both share: **use your own domain from day one**. That single decision makes any later move far less painful, as the migration section below explains. ## WordPress vs Blogger at a glance | Factor | Blogger | WordPress (self-hosted) | | Cost | Free hosting; you pay only for a custom domain if you want one | Software is free; you pay for hosting and a domain | | Maintenance | None: Google runs the servers and security | You (or your host) handle updates, backups and security | | Address | yourblog.blogspot.com or your own domain | Always your own domain | | HTTPS | Automatic, including for custom domains | Usually free via your host | | Design | Blogger themes, editable HTML, gadgets | Thousands of themes, block editor, full code access | | Extensions | No plugins; HTML/JavaScript gadgets only | Plugins for SEO, forms, shops, memberships, caching and more | | SEO controls | Search description, custom robots.txt, robots header tags, Search Console link | Per-post titles and descriptions, sitemaps, schema, redirects, full robots control | | Monetization | AdSense from the Earnings menu, other ad code via gadgets | Any ad network, affiliate tools, shops, paid newsletters, sponsored posts | | Leaving later | Export is possible, but you can't add server redirects on blogspot.com | Move hosts any time and keep your URLs | ## Ownership and your domain On Blogger, your content lives on Google's platform under Blogger's terms and content policy. You can export it, but you depend on Google's product decisions for the features you get and how long the service stays as it is. Blogger does support custom domains. Per [Blogger Help](https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1233387?hl=en), you enter the domain under Settings → Publishing, add two CNAME records at your domain provider, and Blogger then manages the SSL certificate for you. The help page notes it can take up to 24 hours for the blogspot.com address to start redirecting to your domain. Blogger's [settings documentation](https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/9691230?hl=en) adds that bare domains aren't supported as the main address, so you use www or a subdomain and can forward the bare domain to it. With WordPress, the domain and the files are yours. If a host disappoints you, you copy the site to another host and point the domain there. Readers and search engines see the same URLs. ## SEO control Both platforms can rank. Content, links and a technically clean site matter far more than the name of the CMS. The difference is how much you can tune. **Blogger gives you the basics.** According to the [settings page](https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/9691230?hl=en), you can enable a search description, replace the default robots.txt, set custom robots header tags (for example, noindex on archive and search pages) and link Search Console. You can also edit the theme HTML to add structured data by hand. A word of caution: a broken custom robots.txt can block your whole blog, so if you aren't sure, leave the default. **WordPress gives you everything.** An SEO plugin lets you write a unique title and meta description for each post, generates an XML sitemap, adds schema markup, manages canonical tags and creates redirects when you change a URL. You can control image compression, caching and page templates. If you go this route, our [WordPress SEO setup guide for new blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-seo-setup-new-blog/) walks through the first hour of configuration. For a small blog, Blogger's basics are often enough at the start. The gap shows up once you have dozens of posts and want to fix specific problems, such as thin tag pages, duplicate archives or a post that needs a new URL. ## Speed and themes Blogger runs on Google's infrastructure, so you never deal with slow shared hosting or a server outage on your end. The trade-off is that you work within Blogger's theme system: you can edit HTML and add gadgets, but you can't change how pages are generated on the server. WordPress speed depends on your choices. A light theme on decent hosting with a caching plugin can be very fast; a heavy page builder with twenty plugins on cheap hosting can be slow. You have more ways to win and more ways to lose. If your WordPress site already feels sluggish, see [how to fix a slow-loading WordPress site](https://satelo.io/blog/wordpress-slow-loading-fix/). ## Making money Blogger supports monetization, with limits. Per [Blogger Help](https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1269077?hl=en), you can create an AdSense account from the Earnings menu if your blog meets AdSense policies, add other ad networks' code through an HTML/JavaScript gadget, and set a custom ads.txt for third-party ads. Ads aren't allowed on adult blogs. Affiliate links work too, since they are just links. WordPress opens every model: ad networks of any kind, affiliate comparison tables, a shop, digital downloads, memberships, paid newsletters and sponsored posts with proper disclosure. If you plan to earn from more than display ads, this flexibility is the main reason to choose WordPress. For low-traffic options that work on either platform, see [how to monetize a low-traffic site](https://satelo.io/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/). ## Effort and cost: an illustrative first year For illustration only (your numbers will differ): a Blogger blog costs nothing beyond an optional domain and needs no technical upkeep. A self-hosted WordPress blog adds a hosting bill and perhaps 15 to 30 minutes a month for updates and checking backups, more if you install many plugins. Many hosts offer one-click WordPress installs and automatic updates, which reduce that time. Check current prices with the hosts you are considering; they change often. ## Moving from Blogger to WordPress without losing your URLs Plenty of bloggers start on Blogger and move later. How smooth it goes depends almost entirely on one thing: whether your Blogger blog already uses your own domain. ### If you use a custom domain (the easy case) - **Set up WordPress on new hosting** without touching the live domain yet (use a temporary address or staging site). - **Import your content.** The [Blogger Importer plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/blogger-importer/) brings over posts, comments, categories and images, but not pages, widgets or themes. Its listing warns that it hasn't been tested with recent WordPress releases, so test on staging and check the result post by post. - **Map every old URL to its new one.** Google's [site move guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes) calls URL mapping essential. Blogger posts usually look like `/2025/03/post-title.html`; either match that structure with a custom permalink in WordPress or plan redirects for each URL. - **Add server-side 301 redirects** for anything that changes. Google [recommends permanent server-side redirects](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects) whenever possible; a redirect plugin or your host's rules can handle this on WordPress. - **Point the domain to your new host**, submit the new sitemap in Search Console and watch indexing. Google advises keeping redirects for as long as possible, generally at least one year. ### If you are on blogspot.com (the hard case) You don't control Blogger's servers, so you can't add server-side 301 redirects from yourblog.blogspot.com to a new domain. Workarounds people use, like a theme-level JavaScript or meta refresh redirect, are what Google's redirect documentation lists as fallbacks, with JavaScript as the last resort because Google may not see it. Expect to lose some of the search visibility you built on the blogspot address. The cheap insurance: if you start on Blogger today, connect a custom domain now. Then a future move is a DNS change plus redirects on your own server, not a fresh start. ## Which should you choose? Four scenarios - **Family updates, a personal journal or a class project:** Blogger. Free, safe, nothing to maintain. - **A niche blog you hope to grow and monetize:** WordPress. You will want SEO plugins, flexible layouts and more income options within the first year. - **Testing whether you enjoy blogging at all:** Blogger with a custom domain, so you can move to WordPress later without losing what you built. - **A business site with a blog:** WordPress, or another platform you control, because you will need contact forms, landing pages and analytics beyond a blog. If you are still weighing other options, our comparisons of [Substack vs WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/substack-vs-wordpress/) and [Ghost vs WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/ghost-vs-wordpress/), and the wider guide to the [best blogging platform for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/best-blogging-platform-for-seo/), cover them in the same format. ## What to do next Whichever platform you choose, the hard part is the same: getting the first readers to a new blog. If you go with WordPress, the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/) connects your site in one click and publishes partner articles from blogs at a similar level in your niche, in a rotating circle rather than a direct swap. Sites on other platforms where you can edit templates can join from the [dashboard](https://satelo.io/app/) through an API feed. Satelo is a public beta with a small network, and exchange links carry rel="sponsored", so think of it as a way to reach relevant readers, not a ranking shortcut. Before you start, run your blog through the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/): in about 30 seconds you get a 0 to 100 score built mostly from open data, with the evidence behind each number, so you know your starting point. ## FAQ ### Is WordPress or Blogger better for beginners? Blogger is easier on day one because there is no hosting, no updates and no plugins to manage. WordPress takes a bit more setup, but it gives you far more control as the blog grows, and many hosts offer one-click installs. ### Is Blogger good for SEO? Blogger blogs can rank. You get a search description, custom robots.txt, robots header tags and a Search Console link. What you don't get is per-post fine control, plugins or easy redirects, which matter more as a blog grows. ### Can you make money with Blogger? Yes. Blogger lets you create an AdSense account from the Earnings menu if you meet AdSense policies, add other ad networks through an HTML/JavaScript gadget, and use affiliate links. Ads aren't allowed on adult blogs. ### Is Blogger still free? Blogger hosting is free, including HTTPS. If you want a custom domain, you pay your domain registrar for it, and Blogger manages the SSL certificate for that domain. ### What is the difference between Blogger and Blogspot? Blogger is Google's blogging service; blogspot.com is the free address Blogger gives each blog, such as yourblog.blogspot.com. You can replace it with your own domain in Blogger's settings. ### Can I move my Blogger blog to WordPress without losing traffic? You can keep most of it if your Blogger blog uses a custom domain: import the content, map old URLs to new ones and add permanent server-side redirects. On a blogspot.com address you can't add server redirects, so some loss is likely. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/ Link building # How to Increase Domain Authority the Sustainable Way If you want to know how to increase domain authority, start with what the score is: a third-party estimate of your site’s strength, mostly from links. You cannot edit it directly, and chasing the number alone often leads to risky link buying. The good news is that the things that raise authority scores honestly are the same things that grow real traffic. Here are nine tactics, what to avoid, and what timelines to expect. Published: 2026-10-05 · 5 min read · Satelo ## First, set the right goal Domain Authority (Moz), Domain Rating (Ahrefs) and similar scores are calculated by tool companies, not by Google; see [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/). They rise when your site earns links from many distinct, reputable sites. So the real goal is: **become a site other sites want to reference**. Scores follow; rankings and traffic usually follow too. Keep in mind that scores are relative and logarithmic. Going from 10 to 25 is very achievable for an active small site. Going from 50 to 60 is much harder. ## 9 tactics that work ### 1. Publish something worth citing Most links go to resources, not to sales pages. Original data from your own work, practical checklists, calculators, templates and clear explanations of confusing topics attract links over time. Ask yourself: what in my niche do people keep explaining badly? ### 2. Fix your internal linking Internal links do not raise a domain score directly, but they spread the value of links you earn to the pages that need it. Link from your strongest pages to related ones with descriptive anchor text. ### 3. Reclaim lost and unlinked mentions Search for your brand name and check where you are mentioned without a link. A polite note asking for a link to the relevant page often works. Also check Search Console for links pointing to pages that now return 404, and redirect them. ### 4. Guest posts on relevant sites Write genuinely useful articles for real sites in your niche. Choose sites with actual readers over sites with high scores and no audience. Our guides on [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/) and [how to find guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) cover the process. ### 5. Collaborate with peers Interviews, expert roundups, co-written guides and joint webinars with sites at your level create natural mentions in both directions over time. See [the blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). ### 6. Get listed where it is natural Industry associations, local business directories, supplier and partner pages, alumni lists, conference speaker pages. These are low-volume but trustworthy. ### 7. Answer journalists and podcasters Requests for expert sources appear daily on journalist request platforms and social media. A short, specific, quotable answer can earn a link from a strong publication. ### 8. Join a transparent content exchange Satelo’s article exchange matches sites of similar Quality Score (within about 10%) and niche, and exchanges articles in circles: A writes about B, B about C, C about A, never direct A-to-B swaps. Articles are labelled as partner content and links are rel="sponsored" by default. That gives small sites real mentions on relevant sites and a fair way to start. It is not a ranking shortcut, and sponsored links are not meant to pass ranking credit. ### 9. Keep the site technically healthy Fast, crawlable, well-structured pages get indexed fully, so the links you earn count. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## What to avoid | Tactic | Why it backfires | | Buying bulk links or “DA 50 packages” | Violates Google’s link scheme policy; often from PBNs | | Private blog networks | Links can be ignored; manual action risk | | Direct link swaps at scale | Excessive reciprocal linking is named in Google’s spam policies | | Comment and forum spam | Links are nofollow or ugc and the practice damages reputation | | Redirecting expired domains | Expired domain abuse is named in Google’s spam policies | For the background on how these rules are written, read [Google’s rules on link exchange](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). ## Realistic timelines Authority tools recalculate on their own schedules, and new links take time to be discovered. For a small site doing two or three of the tactics above consistently, expect noticeable movement over several months rather than weeks. If a seller promises a fixed DA jump within days, that is a strong sign of manipulated links. ## How to measure progress - Track **referring domains** (unique sites linking to you), not total backlinks. - Track **organic clicks and impressions** in Search Console and Yandex Webmaster; this is what you actually want. - Check one authority score monthly in the same tool, to see the trend. - Check your [Satelo Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/), which reflects audience and technical signals rather than links, as a cross-check. ## A 90-day plan for a small site | Weeks | Focus | Concrete actions | | 1–2 | Baseline and foundations | Record referring domains, clicks and one authority score; run a [QS check](https://satelo.io/check/); fix broken links and redirect lost URLs | | 3–6 | One linkable asset | Create one genuinely useful resource: a checklist, a small study of your own data, a calculator or a definitive guide on a confusing topic | | 3–12 | Outreach rhythm | Pitch two to three relevant guest posts or collaborations a week; mention your resource where it truly helps | | 5–12 | Unlinked mentions and listings | Ask for links on existing brand mentions; join relevant associations and local listings | | Ongoing | Exchange and community | Join a transparent content exchange and answer expert requests from journalists weekly | | 12 | Review | Compare with your baseline; keep what brought links and traffic, drop what did not | The point of a plan is consistency. Ten honest links from relevant sites over three months are worth more, and are far safer, than a hundred bought in a week. ## Signs you are on the right track - New referring domains appear every month, from sites in your topic. - Some links arrive without you asking for them, because people found your resource. - Impressions in Search Console grow for queries beyond your brand name. - Referral traffic from the sites that mention you is measurable, even if small. If after three months none of these are happening, revisit the content first. Outreach multiplies good content; it cannot replace it. ## What a realistic pitch looks like Most outreach fails because it is about the sender. A better pitch is short and specific: name the article or resource of theirs you read, explain in one sentence what you would add for their readers, propose two or three concrete titles, and link to one example of your writing. Do not mention authority scores or ask for a “do-follow link” in the first message. Editors respond to useful ideas; the link follows from a good article. For ready-made wording, see [guest post outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). ## Next steps Get your starting point with a [free QS check](https://satelo.io/check/). If you run WordPress and want to join the article exchange, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) with the Satelo Connector plugin. For more no-budget ideas, read [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## FAQ ### How long does it take to increase domain authority? For a small, active site, noticeable movement usually takes several months. Fast guaranteed jumps are a sign of manipulated links. ### Does increasing DA improve Google rankings? Not directly, since Google does not use DA. But the links and content that raise DA honestly also tend to improve visibility. ### Can I buy domain authority? You can buy links that inflate scores, but that violates Google’s link scheme policies and often involves PBNs. It is not recommended. ### Do sponsored links increase domain authority? Links marked rel=sponsored are not meant to pass ranking credit. Their value is visibility and referral traffic from relevant sites. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/ Local SEO # How to promote a local business website For a café, dentist, plumber or shop, the website’s job is simple: help nearby people find you, trust you and get in touch. To promote a local business website you don’t need a national SEO campaign. You need a complete business profile, a site that answers local questions, consistent details across the web, real reviews and a few relationships with other local businesses. Here are twelve steps, roughly in order of impact. Published: 2026-10-05 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Part 1: get found on maps ### 1. Claim and complete your Google Business Profile For many local searches, the map results appear above ordinary results. Your Google Business Profile is what shows there. Fill in everything: - Exact business name as used on your signage (no added keywords; Google’s guidelines prohibit that). - Primary category that best describes your business, plus relevant secondary ones. - Address or service area, phone number, opening hours including holidays. - Website link, services or menu, photos of the premises, team and work. Post updates occasionally and answer questions. An abandoned profile with old hours sends customers elsewhere. ### 2. Cover the other maps and directories your customers use Depending on your country: Apple Business Connect (Apple Maps), Bing Places, Yelp, TripAdvisor for hospitality, and industry-specific directories. In Russia and nearby countries, Yandex Business and 2GIS matter more than Google. ## Part 2: make the website work locally ### 3. Put your NAP everywhere it belongs NAP means name, address, phone. Show it in the site footer and on a contact page, written exactly the same way as in your business profile. Add an embedded map and directions from obvious landmarks. ### 4. Create a page for each service and each location One page per main service ("emergency boiler repair", "teeth whitening") with prices or price ranges, what’s included, how long it takes and a clear call to action. If you serve several towns or have several branches, give each a page with genuinely local content: address, staff, photos, directions, local projects. Avoid near-identical pages where only the town name changes; they help no one. ### 5. Add LocalBusiness structured data Schema.org `LocalBusiness` markup (or a more specific type such as `Restaurant` or `Dentist`) tells search engines your name, address, phone, hours and geo-coordinates in a machine-readable format. Many SEO plugins can generate it. Test it with Google’s Rich Results Test. ### 6. Make it fast and mobile-friendly Local searches are often made on phones, sometimes on the street. A slow site loses the customer to the next result. Check Core Web Vitals with PageSpeed Insights and fix the basics: compressed images, a light theme, few plugins. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## Part 3: build trust ### 7. Ask for reviews the right way - Ask every satisfied customer, at the right moment: after a finished job, at checkout, in a follow-up email with a direct link. - Reply to all reviews, especially negative ones, calmly and specifically. - Don’t pay or offer discounts for reviews, and don’t write fake ones. Google’s review policies prohibit incentivised and fake reviews, and in the US the FTC’s 2024 rule on consumer reviews targets fake reviews too. ### 8. Show real proof on the site Photos of real work, before-and-after examples, team bios, licences and certifications, and short case stories ("replaced a 1970s boiler in a terraced house in two days"). This is what convinces a stranger to call. ## Part 4: get mentioned locally ### 9. Keep citations consistent A citation is any mention of your business details on another site: directories, chambers of commerce, local news, supplier lists. Make sure your NAP is identical everywhere. Fix old addresses and phone numbers; they confuse customers and search engines. ### 10. Partner with other local businesses Local businesses with the same customers but different services are natural allies: a wedding venue and a florist, a gym and a physiotherapist, a bike shop and a café on a cycling route. Ideas: - Mutual recommendations on a "Trusted local partners" page, but only for businesses you really work with. - A joint guide ("Planning a wedding in [town]: venues, flowers, photographers"). - Co-hosted events, workshops or offers. - Guest posts on each other’s blogs about genuinely useful topics. Keep these relationships real and relevant. Large-scale link swaps with unrelated sites are a different thing and can break Google’s spam policies; see [is link exchange bad for SEO?](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). More formats are in [cross-promotion ideas for websites](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/). ### 11. Earn local press and community mentions - Sponsor a local team, school event or charity run. - Offer expert comments to local news ("how to protect pipes in a frost"). - Join local business associations, which often list members online. - Publish something useful for the area: a seasonal guide, a local price survey you conducted yourself, a map of accessible venues. If you pay for a mention or article, it should be labelled as sponsored and the link marked `rel="sponsored"`. See [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). ## Part 5: measure ### 12. Track what brings customers - **Business Profile insights**: searches, calls, direction requests and website clicks. - **Search Console**: which local queries show your site and how often people click. - **Analytics**: contact form submissions and clicks on your phone number as goals. - **Ask customers** "how did you find us?" and write it down. Simple and often the most honest data. A free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) also gives you a quick technical and authority baseline from open data (Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl presence, PageSpeed) to compare against later. ## A 30-day starter plan | Week | Tasks | | 1 | Complete Google Business Profile and other key maps; fix NAP on the site | | 2 | Write or improve service pages; add LocalBusiness schema; check mobile speed | | 3 | Set up a review request routine; reply to existing reviews; add proof to the site | | 4 | Clean up citations; contact two local partners with a concrete joint idea; set up tracking | ## Mistakes to avoid when you promote a local business website - **Keyword-stuffed business names** on maps ("Joe’s Plumbing Best Emergency Plumber Cheap"). It breaks Google’s guidelines and can get the profile suspended. - **Different phone numbers everywhere**, for example tracking numbers that never match the site. Keep one main number consistent. - **Fake locations** such as virtual offices for areas you don’t actually serve from. - **Buying links from unrelated sites** in other countries. They bring no local customers and can violate spam policies. - **Ignoring negative reviews.** A calm public reply often matters more to new customers than the review itself. ## Next steps - Run your website through the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see your starting point. - Read [how to promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/) for more no-budget channels. - If your site runs on WordPress and you want occasional relevant partner articles, you can [connect it to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/). ## FAQ ### What is the first step to promote a local business website? Claim and fully complete your Google Business Profile (and the maps your customers use), and make sure your name, address and phone number match exactly on your website. ### Do local businesses need backlinks? Mentions from relevant local sites help: directories, associations, partners and local news. Focus on real local relationships rather than buying links. ### Can I offer a discount for Google reviews? No. Google’s policies prohibit offering incentives for reviews. Ask every satisfied customer for an honest review instead and make it easy with a direct link. ### How long does local SEO take? Profile fixes and NAP consistency can show effects within weeks; content, reviews and local mentions build up over several months. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/ Link building # How many backlinks do I need to rank? It is one of the most common SEO questions, and the honest answer is: it depends on the query, the competition and the quality of the links. Instead of a magic number, here is a method to estimate how many backlinks you need for a specific page, and what matters more than the count. Published: 2026-10-03 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Why there is no universal number Links are one of many signals search engines use. Content relevance, how well a page satisfies the search, site quality, freshness, location and user experience all play a part. Google representatives have said repeatedly in recent years that links matter less than many SEOs assume, and that great content can rank with few links. So any article promising "you need exactly 40 backlinks" is guessing. What you can do is look at the pages that already rank for your query and see what level of support they have. That gives you a realistic target for that specific query. ## Backlinks vs referring domains First, measure the right thing. Ten links from one site are not the same as ten links from ten different sites. Most SEO tools report **referring domains** (unique sites linking to you), and that number is far more meaningful than raw backlinks. Sitewide footer links can inflate backlink counts into the thousands while adding almost nothing. ## How to estimate the number for your page - **Pick one target query.** Not your whole site; one page and one main keyword. - **List the top 10 results.** Use an incognito window or a neutral location setting. - **Check referring domains to each ranking page** (not the domain as a whole) with a free backlink checker. See [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). - **Note site-level strength too.** A big brand can rank with few page links because the whole domain is trusted. Our [domain authority explainer](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/) covers what these scores do and do not mean. - **Look at the median, not the leader.** The number one result might be an outlier. The median of positions 3 to 10 is a more useful benchmark. - **Check relevance.** Are those links from sites in the same topic? Twenty relevant referring domains can outweigh a hundred random ones. - **Compare content.** If your page is clearly more useful, you may need fewer links. If it is thinner, links will not save it. ## A worked example (illustrative) Suppose you are targeting "best trail running shoes for beginners" and your free tool shows these referring domains to the ranking pages: | Position | Site type | Referring domains to page | | 1 | Large outdoor magazine | 120 | | 2 | Big retailer | 15 | | 3 | Specialist blog | 22 | | 4 | Forum thread | 4 | | 5 | Specialist blog | 9 | | 6–10 | Mixed | 3 to 18 | These numbers are made up for the example, but the pattern is common. The leader is an outlier. Several results rank with fewer than 20 referring domains, and a forum thread ranks with almost none because it answers the question directly. A realistic goal for a strong specialist page here might be 10 to 20 relevant referring domains over time, plus content that beats positions 3 to 5. ## What matters more than the count - **Relevance.** A link from a site your audience reads is worth far more than one from an unrelated directory. - **Real sites.** Sites with genuine traffic and editorial standards. A free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows whether a linking site looks real or empty. - **Editorial placement.** A link in the body of a useful article beats a link in a footer or a list of 200 partners. - **Natural anchors.** Mostly brand names, URLs and descriptive phrases, not repeated exact-match keywords. - **Steady growth.** A natural profile grows gradually. Sudden spikes from low-quality sources are a red flag. - **Link attributes.** Paid and exchanged links should be `rel="sponsored"` and are not meant to pass ranking credit. They can still bring traffic and mentions. See [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Typical situations | Situation | What usually matters most | | Long-tail, specific questions | Content quality; few or no links may be needed | | Local business searches | Business profile, reviews, local citations, a few local links | | Competitive commercial keywords | Strong content plus a meaningful number of relevant referring domains | | Brand-new site | Getting indexed and earning first genuine mentions before chasing numbers | If you are just starting, read [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) first. ## How many links per month is safe? There is no official safe rate. What looks natural depends on your site’s size and visibility. A site that suddenly gets lots of press will legitimately gain many links in a week. A small blog that gains hundreds of links from unrelated sites overnight will not look natural. Focus on sources and relevance, and the pace usually takes care of itself. ## Signs you need more (or better) links - Your content is clearly better than the ranking pages, but you sit on page two. - Competitors with similar content have many more relevant referring domains. - Your pages are indexed but get few impressions for competitive queries. If instead your content is thinner than what ranks, improve it first. Links amplify good pages; they rarely rescue weak ones. ## A quick scoring sheet for any link Instead of counting links, score each potential source from 0 to 2 on five questions: | Question | 0 | 2 | | Is the site about my topic? | Unrelated | Same niche | | Does it have real readers? | No signs | Clear traffic and engagement | | Is the link in useful content? | Footer or link list | In a relevant article | | Would my audience click it? | Unlikely | Very likely | | Is the site free of spam signals? | Casino, loans, PBN signs | Clean editorial history | A source scoring 8 to 10 is worth real effort. Below 5, skip it, whatever the price or promise. Five sources that score 9 will usually do more for you than fifty that score 3. ## Next steps Pick one important page, run the estimate above, and build a short list of relevant sites to approach. Vet each with the free [Quality Score tool](https://satelo.io/check/). If you run WordPress and want steady, labelled mentions on sites in your niche, you can [connect your site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/). For no-budget ideas, read [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## FAQ ### How many backlinks do I need to rank on Google? There is no fixed number. Estimate it per query by checking how many relevant referring domains the pages in positions 3 to 10 have, and compare content quality. ### Are referring domains more important than backlinks? Usually yes. Links from many different relevant sites mean more than many links from one site. ### Can I rank without backlinks? For specific, low-competition queries, a very helpful page can rank with few or no links. Competitive keywords usually need some genuine links. ### Do sponsored links count toward the number? They are not meant to pass ranking credit, so do not count on them for rankings. They can still bring referral traffic and visibility. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/ Technical seo # Core Web Vitals for Small Sites Core Web Vitals are Google’s three measurements of how a page feels to real users: how fast the main content appears, how quickly the page responds, and whether the layout jumps around. Big sites have engineering teams for this. Small sites usually do not need one: a handful of fixes covers most problems. This guide explains the metrics in plain language and gives you a prioritised fix list, with WordPress specifics. Published: 2026-10-02 · 5 min read · Satelo ## The three Core Web Vitals | Metric | What it measures | Good | Poor | | LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | When the biggest image or text block in view finishes rendering | 2.5 s or less | over 4 s | | INP (Interaction to Next Paint) | How quickly the page visibly responds to taps, clicks and key presses | 200 ms or less | over 500 ms | | CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) | How much visible content moves unexpectedly | 0.1 or less | over 0.25 | Google assesses each metric at the 75th percentile of real page loads, separately for mobile and desktop. INP replaced the older FID metric in March 2024, which is why older guides mention “First Input Delay”. ## How much do they matter for rankings? Core Web Vitals are part of Google’s page experience signals. Google’s own guidance is clear that relevance and helpful content come first; a fast page with weak content will not outrank a slower page that answers the query much better. Think of Core Web Vitals as a tie-breaker and, more importantly, as a user experience issue: slow, jumpy pages lose readers regardless of rankings. ## Why your small site may show “no data” Field data comes from the Chrome User Experience Report, which only includes pages and origins with enough real Chrome traffic. Many small sites do not reach that threshold, so Search Console’s Core Web Vitals report and PageSpeed Insights show no field data. In that case: - Use the **lab data** in PageSpeed Insights (Lighthouse) as a guide. It simulates a mid-range phone on a slow connection. - Test your **key templates**: home page, a typical article, a category page, a contact page. - Fix problems that appear in lab tests; they will help real users too. ## Prioritised fix list ### Fix LCP first (usually the biggest problem) - **Compress and resize the hero image.** Serve it in WebP or AVIF at the size it is displayed. A 3000-pixel photo shown at 800 pixels wide is the most common LCP problem on small sites. - **Do not lazy-load the main image.** Lazy loading is great below the fold but delays the LCP image if applied to it. Add `fetchpriority="high"` to the hero image. - **Use page caching.** A cache plugin or host-level caching serves ready HTML instead of building each page on request. - **Check server response time.** If the first byte takes over a second, cheap shared hosting may be the bottleneck. A CDN helps for distant visitors. ### Then CLS - **Set width and height on images and embeds** so the browser reserves space before they load. - **Reserve space for ads, cookie banners and newsletter boxes.** Elements that push content down after load are classic CLS offenders. - **Load fonts carefully.** Use `font-display: swap` with a similar fallback font, or system fonts, to avoid text jumping. ### Then INP - **Remove plugins and scripts you do not need.** Sliders, chat widgets, several analytics tags and social embeds all add JavaScript that competes with user interactions. - **Defer non-critical JavaScript** so it does not block the main thread during load. - **Keep heavy third-party embeds behind a click,** such as video facades that load the player only when needed. ## WordPress-specific tips - Choose a lightweight theme; heavy page builders often produce large DOMs and many scripts. - Use one well-configured performance plugin rather than three overlapping ones. - Audit plugins every few months: deactivate one at a time and re-test. - Check that plugins load their assets only on pages where they are used. The Satelo Connector plugin is designed to stay light: its cookie-less counter and article delivery do not add front-end frameworks to your pages. Still, test any plugin you add, including ours. ## A 30-minute routine - Run PageSpeed Insights on your home page and your most visited article, on mobile. - Note the LCP element it identifies and fix that one element. - Look at the CLS diagnostics and set dimensions on whatever shifts. - Remove one unnecessary script or plugin. - Re-test and record the scores. Repeat monthly. ## How Core Web Vitals show up in Satelo Satelo’s Quality Score includes a Google PageSpeed component, because technical health is part of what makes a site a good place for readers and partners. It is one input among several (Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl index size and verified traffic), so you cannot buy a high QS with speed alone, but a slow site does lose points. You can see your technical score in a [free check](https://satelo.io/check/). ## How to read a PageSpeed Insights report The report has two parts that people often confuse: - **“Discover what your real users are experiencing”** at the top is field data from Chrome users over the previous 28 days. This is what Google uses for Core Web Vitals. It may be missing for small sites. - **The performance score below** (0–100) comes from a single lab test with Lighthouse. It is a diagnostic tool, and it changes a little from run to run. Do not obsess over moving from 89 to 92. Scroll down to **Diagnostics**. The most useful items for small sites are usually: the identified LCP element, “Properly size images”, “Reduce unused JavaScript”, “Avoid large layout shifts” and “Reduce initial server response time”. Each item tells you which files or elements are responsible. ## Common small-site scenarios | Symptom | Likely cause | First fix | | LCP over 4 s on mobile only | Large hero image or slider | Resize and compress, replace slider with one static image | | Good lab score, poor field LCP | Slow hosting for real visitors in other regions | Page caching and a CDN | | CLS problems on article pages | Ads or embeds without reserved space | Fixed-size containers for ads and embeds | | Poor INP on pages with many widgets | Chat, social and tracking scripts | Remove or delay non-essential scripts | | Slow everywhere after a redesign | Heavy page builder or theme | Test a lighter theme on a staging copy | ## When to stop optimising Once all three metrics are in the “good” range, or close to it in lab tests if you have no field data, further gains bring little. Your time is then better spent on content and on earning mentions. Speed is a foundation, not a strategy. Re-test after major changes: a new theme, a new plugin, a new ad network or a redesign. ## Next steps Run a [free QS check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see where your site stands, then work through the fix list above. For other free tools to monitor your site, see [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/), and for niche-specific advice, read [SEO for niche blogs](https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## FAQ ### What are the three Core Web Vitals? Largest Contentful Paint (loading), Interaction to Next Paint (responsiveness) and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability). ### When did INP replace FID? Google replaced First Input Delay with Interaction to Next Paint as a Core Web Vital in March 2024. ### Why does Search Console show no Core Web Vitals data for my site? Field data requires enough real Chrome traffic. Small sites often fall below the threshold, so use PageSpeed Insights lab data instead. ### Will fixing Core Web Vitals boost my rankings? It can help as part of page experience, but relevance and content quality matter far more. The main benefit is a better experience for readers. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/ Promotion # How to promote your website for free: a practical 30-day plan You can promote your website for free, but not without effort: what you save in money you pay in time and consistency. The good news is that the free methods are also the ones that build lasting value, because they create real visibility rather than rented attention. Below are 20 methods grouped by channel, followed by a realistic 30-day plan for a new site. Published: 2026-10-02 · 5 min read · Satelo ## First, set expectations Free promotion is slow at the start and compounds later. A new site will not get thousands of visitors in its first month from free channels, and anyone promising that is selling something. What you can achieve in a month is a site that search engines know about, a handful of real visitors from communities and partners, and a plan you can sustain. ## Search engines and listings - **Google Search Console.** Verify your site, submit a sitemap, and use URL Inspection to request indexing of key pages. - **Bing Webmaster Tools.** Free, quick to set up (you can import from Search Console), and Bing’s index is used beyond Bing itself, including by some AI search tools. - **IndexNow.** A protocol supported by Bing, Yandex and others that lets you notify search engines when pages change. Many CMS plugins and CDNs support it. Google does not use it. - **Yandex Webmaster.** Worth it if any of your audience searches in Russian or from countries where Yandex is popular. - **Google Business Profile.** Essential for any business with a location or service area. Fill in every field and add real photos. See [how to promote a local business website](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-local-business-website/). - **Relevant directories.** Industry associations, niche directories, local chambers of commerce. Skip generic “submit to 500 directories” services. ## Content that keeps working - **Answer real questions.** Collect questions from customers, forums and the “People also ask” box. One thorough page per question. - **Publish something original.** A small survey, a price comparison, a test, a free template. Original material is what others link to and AI tools cite. Our guide on [getting cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) explains why. - **Update your best pages.** Refreshing a page that already gets impressions often beats writing a new one. - **Fix technical basics.** Speed, mobile layout, clear titles. A [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) includes a PageSpeed view. - **Repurpose.** Turn one guide into a short thread, a checklist image description, a newsletter issue and a short video script. ## Communities and social - **Niche forums and Q&A sites.** Answer questions thoroughly. Link to your site only when it genuinely adds something, and follow each community’s rules. - **Groups where your customers already are.** Professional groups, local groups, hobby communities. Be a member first, a promoter much later. - **One social platform done well.** Pick the one your audience uses and post consistently rather than spreading yourself across five. - **Email newsletter from day one.** Even ten subscribers who opted in are an audience you own. ## Partnerships and mentions - **Guest articles.** Write original pieces for blogs your audience reads, labelled where value is exchanged. - **Cross-promotion.** Newsletter swaps, interviews, joint guides with complementary sites. See [15 cross-promotion ideas](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/). - **Expert quotes.** Journalists and bloggers regularly look for expert comments; answer requests in your field quickly and briefly. - **Ask for mentions where you already have relationships.** Suppliers, clients, events you sponsored or spoke at. - **Article exchange networks.** Satelo lets WordPress sites exchange partner articles in circles with sites of similar quality and niche. It is free to start: hosting articles earns satellites ◉, which pay for articles about your site. A brand-new site starts at QS 0 and an article price of 1 ◉, so you can begin before you have any metrics. Articles are labelled as partner content and links are `rel="sponsored"`. ## Promote your website for free: a 30-day plan | Week | Focus | Tasks | | 1 | Foundations | Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, sitemap, analytics, business profile if relevant, fix the slowest pages | | 2 | Content | Write or improve three pages that answer real customer questions; add an email sign-up | | 3 | Communities | Join two communities, answer ten questions helpfully, set up one social profile and post three times | | 4 | Partners | Contact five complementary sites with one specific idea each; pitch one guest article; join an exchange if it suits you | Then repeat weeks 2–4 every month, adjusting based on what brought visitors. ## Example: a new recipe blog’s first month Here is how the plan might look for a brand-new blog about quick vegetarian dinners, run by one person in their spare time: - **Week 1:** the site is verified in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, the sitemap is submitted, and the theme’s oversized hero image is compressed, which noticeably improves mobile load time. - **Week 2:** three recipes are rewritten so that each opens with cooking time, ingredients and the one tip that makes the dish work, instead of a long personal story. An email sign-up offers a free one-page weekly meal plan. - **Week 3:** the owner answers questions in two cooking communities about using up leftover vegetables, linking to a recipe only once when someone asks for exact quantities. - **Week 4:** she contacts a meal-prep container shop and a small vegetarian newsletter with one specific idea each: a “five lunches from one batch” guide for the shop’s blog and a recipe feature for the newsletter. At the end of the month the blog has a few dozen visitors a week, a handful of subscribers and two partner conversations. That is a normal, healthy start. The work in month two builds on it rather than starting from zero. ## Which methods suit which site | Site type | Start with | | Local business | Business profile, local directories, reviews, local partners | | Blog or content site | Search basics, answering questions, communities, guest articles | | SaaS or online tool | Help content, comparisons, free tools, integrations partners | | Online shop | Category pages, buying guides, niche bloggers, bundles with complementary shops | ## Free tools that help - Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools for indexing and queries - PageSpeed Insights for speed and Core Web Vitals - A privacy-friendly analytics tool or Google Analytics - Google Trends for comparing topic interest - Satelo’s [free site check](https://satelo.io/check/) for a quick quality overview of your site and potential partners For more on budget-free links specifically, see [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## What to avoid - **Mass directory and bookmark submissions.** Low value and sometimes a signal of manipulation. - **Spamming communities.** You will be banned and remembered. - **Link exchanges for their own sake.** Google’s spam policies name excessive link exchanges as a link scheme. - **Buying “free trial” traffic bots.** Fake visits ruin your analytics and help nobody. - **Giving up after three weeks.** Free channels take months to compound. ## How to know what is working Once a month, check three numbers: impressions and clicks in Search Console, referral visits by source in your analytics, and new email subscribers. Keep the two channels that produced the most and cut the weakest. Free promotion is not about doing everything; it is about doing a few things every week. ## Next steps Start with a baseline: run a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) on your site. If you are on WordPress, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to start exchanging partner articles, and read [how to get your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) for the next steps. ## FAQ ### Can I really promote a website for free? Yes, in money terms. Search engine tools, business listings, content, communities and partnerships cost nothing but time. Expect results to build over months, not days. ### What is the fastest free method? Communities and partner newsletters usually bring the first visitors fastest. Search traffic takes longer but lasts. ### Do I need to be on every social network? No. Choose one platform your audience uses and post consistently there. ### Is Satelo free? You can start for free: hosting partner articles earns satellites that pay for articles about your site. Satellites can also be bought if you want to move faster. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/ Link building # Is link exchange bad for SEO? Short answer: occasional, natural links between related sites are normal and fine; systematic swaps made to boost rankings are a link scheme under Google’s rules. So is link exchange bad for SEO? It depends on why and how you do it. This article explains what Google’s spam policies actually say, how to tell a risky exchange from a normal one, and safer ways to get your site mentioned on other sites. Published: 2026-10-01 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What Google’s spam policies say Google Search Essentials includes a spam policy on link spam (formerly "link schemes"). Its core idea: links intended to manipulate rankings in Google Search may be treated as spam. Among its examples are: - Buying or selling links for ranking purposes, including exchanging goods or services for links. - **Excessive link exchanges** ("link to me and I’ll link to you") or partner pages created just for cross-linking. - Large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text. - Using automated programs or services to create links. Notice the word **excessive**. Google does not say that any two sites linking to each other is a problem. Related sites link to each other all the time: a bakery and its flour supplier, two bloggers who wrote a guide together, a conference and its speakers. The policy targets patterns that exist to influence rankings rather than to help readers. Our guide to [Google’s rules on link exchanges](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/) quotes the policy in more detail. ## What can happen if you cross the line Google says it uses both algorithms and manual review against link spam. Possible outcomes: - **Links are ignored.** Google has said its systems can neutralise spammy links, so the effort simply produces nothing. - **Manual action.** A reviewer flags "unnatural links" and you see a notice in Search Console. Affected pages or the whole site can lose visibility until you fix the issue and file a reconsideration request. For Russian-language sites, Yandex has penalised sites for bought SEO links since its Minusinsk algorithm in 2015. ## Risky versus normal: a comparison | Risky exchange | Normal linking | | "I’ll link to you if you link to me" with sites you’ve never heard of | Linking to a partner you actually work with | | Links in footers or "partners" pages listing dozens of unrelated sites | A contextual link inside an article where it helps the reader | | Exact-match keyword anchors like "best cheap loans" | Brand names or descriptive anchors | | Swaps across unrelated niches | Links between sites on related topics | | Dozens of swaps a month, tracked in a spreadsheet of "link credits" | Occasional links that happen through collaboration | | Paid or bartered links left followed | Paid links marked `rel="sponsored"` | ## The types of link exchange, ranked by risk ### 1. Direct reciprocal swaps (A links to B, B links to A) The classic. A few natural ones are harmless. Done at scale, they form an obvious pattern and are exactly what the policy describes. ### 2. Three-way or "ABC" exchanges Site A links to B, while B’s owner links to A from a different site C. Often sold as "undetectable". If the purpose is to pass ranking signals, it is still a link scheme; changing the geometry doesn’t change the intent. ### 3. Link exchange networks and "link farms" Many low-quality sites linking to each other automatically. High risk, and these sites often look like a private blog network. See [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ### 4. Content collaborations and guest posts Writing a useful article for a related site, with a link in context. Normal practice, as long as it isn’t a mass campaign with keyword anchors, and paid placements use `rel="sponsored"`. See [guest posting vs link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## Warning signs before you agree to an exchange - The other site has no real traffic, many outbound links and posts on every topic imaginable. - They insist on specific keyword anchors. - They ask you to remove `nofollow` or `sponsored`. - The offer promises ranking improvements. - They want links in sitewide areas (footer, sidebar) rather than in content. Before any collaboration, check the partner. A free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows how a site looks on open data such as Tranco rank, domain age and Common Crawl presence; our guide to [checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) has a full checklist. ## How rel="sponsored" changes the picture In 2019 Google introduced `rel="sponsored"` for paid links and `rel="ugc"` for user-generated content, alongside `nofollow`. A link with these attributes tells Google not to treat it as an editorial vote. That means: - It is the correct way to mark links that were paid for or given in exchange for something. - It keeps both sites on the right side of the spam policy. - It also means the link should not be expected to pass ranking signals. Its value is the visitors it sends and the brand mention itself. More detail: [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Safer ways to get mentioned - **Publish something worth citing**: original data, a calculator, a definitive guide. - **Collaborate** with related bloggers on joint content; see the [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). - **Guest post selectively** on sites your readers actually visit. - **Get listed** in genuine directories and associations in your industry. - **Use labelled partner networks** for visibility, not rankings. Satelo, for example, matches sites of similar Quality Score and niche and exchanges articles in circles (A writes about B, B about C, C about A) rather than direct swaps. Articles are marked as partner content and links get `rel="sponsored"` by default, so the exchange is transparent to readers and search engines. It does not promise or pass ranking signals. ## If you already did a lot of exchanges - Check Search Console for a manual action under "Security and manual actions". - List your reciprocal links and remove or add `rel="sponsored"`/`nofollow` to those that only exist for the swap. - Remove "partners" pages full of unrelated links. - If you received a manual action, clean up first, then submit a reconsideration request describing what you changed. ## A quick self-test Before adding a link that is part of any arrangement, answer these honestly: - Would I link to this page if no deal existed? - Does the link help my readers understand or do something? - Is the other site relevant to my topic and audience? - Is the anchor text natural, the kind of words I would normally use? - If money, goods or a placement elsewhere was involved, is the link marked `rel="sponsored"`? Five yes answers: you are almost certainly fine. Any no: rethink that link. This test is not an official Google rule, but it mirrors the intent of the link spam policy, which is about links made for rankings rather than for people. ## Next steps - Audit your outbound links for patterns from the "risky" column. - Check potential partners with the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). - Read [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/) for alternatives that need no exchange at all. ## FAQ ### Is reciprocal linking against Google’s rules? Not in itself. Occasional reciprocal links between related sites are normal. Google’s spam policies target excessive link exchanges and partner pages made just for cross-linking. ### Can Google detect three-way link exchanges? Google does not publish how it detects link spam, but its policy is about intent: links made to manipulate rankings are link spam however they are arranged. It also says its systems can simply ignore such links. ### Does rel=sponsored make a link exchange safe? It marks the link as not editorial, which is the correct treatment for paid or bartered links and keeps it within Google’s guidelines. The trade-off is that such links should not be expected to pass ranking signals. ### What should I do if I have many exchanged links? Remove or add rel=sponsored or nofollow to links that exist only for the swap, remove link-list pages, and check Search Console for manual actions. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/ Link building # Free link building strategies for small sites You do not need a budget to earn links. You need something worth linking to and a bit of persistence. These free link building strategies are realistic for a small team or a solo site owner, and none of them rely on schemes that could backfire. Published: 2026-09-30 · 5 min read · Satelo ## First, a reality check Free does not mean effortless. Every strategy below costs time. The trade-off is that links earned this way are usually editorial: someone chose to mention you because it helps their readers. That is exactly the kind of link search engines are designed to reward, and it is also the kind that brings visitors. ## 1. Create one genuinely linkable asset Most links go to a small number of pages. Make one of yours worth citing: - A free calculator or tool for a common task in your niche. - Original data: a survey of your customers, a test you ran, prices you collected. - The most complete checklist or template on a narrow topic. - A glossary or reference page others need to link to when they explain terms. ## 2. Reclaim unlinked brand mentions Search for your brand name, product names and founder’s name in quotes. When a page mentions you without a link, send a short, friendly note asking if they would add one. These are among the easiest links to get because the writer already likes you. ## 3. Broken link building Find pages in your niche that link to resources which no longer exist. If you have (or can create) a good replacement, let the site owner know about the broken link and suggest yours. Free browser extensions can highlight broken links on a page; for finding them at scale, see [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). ## 4. Ask partners, suppliers and customers Businesses you work with often have "partners", "integrations" or "where to buy" pages. A short request is usually enough. Offer something useful in return: a testimonial, a case study, a joint guide. ## 5. Write guest posts Still one of the best ways to reach a new audience. Focus on a few relevant blogs, pitch specific ideas and write something excellent. Start with [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/) and our [outreach templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). ## 6. Give expert quotes Journalists and bloggers regularly look for expert comments. Some services connect sources with writers, and many requests appear on social networks. Reply quickly, answer the actual question and keep it short. A good quote often comes with a mention and a link. ## 7. Be useful in communities Forums, Reddit, Q&A sites, Slack and Discord groups. Answer questions properly. When your page is the best answer, link to it. Most community links are nofollow or ugc, but they bring visitors and get your name in front of the people who later write articles. ## 8. Get listed where it makes sense Niche directories, local business listings, software review sites, startup launch platforms, association member lists. Pick the ones your customers actually use. A few relevant listings beat hundreds of generic directories. ## 9. Turn content into other formats A guide can become a slide deck, a short video, an infographic described in text, or a thread. Each format reaches people on different platforms, and some of them will link back to the original. ## 10. Build relationships with peers Other site owners in adjacent niches face the same problem. Comment thoughtfully on their work, share it, and mention them when it fits. Over time this leads to natural mentions, interviews and collaborations. Our [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) has ideas. ## 11. Publish data others want to cite If you collect anything in the course of your work (prices, timings, response rates, survey answers), publish an anonymised summary once a year. Writers love a source they can cite, and you become that source. ## 12. Use labelled article exchange Exchange networks can be a no-cash way to get regular exposure. On Satelo, hosting another site’s article earns satellites (the platform’s internal currency) which you can spend on getting your own articles published elsewhere, so a small site can participate without paying. Articles are matched by niche and similar Quality Score, run in circles rather than direct swaps, are labelled as partner content and carry `rel="sponsored"` links. Treat it as exposure on relevant sites, not as a ranking trick. ## Which strategy to start with | Your situation | Start with | | Brand-new site, no audience | Profiles, partners, niche listings, community answers | | Some content, little visibility | One linkable asset, guest posts, expert quotes | | Known brand, few links | Unlinked mentions, partner pages, original data | | Limited time | Unlinked mentions and partner requests, then article exchange | ## What not to do, even if it is free - Spamming blog comments and forum signatures with links. - Mass reciprocal link swaps with unrelated sites. - Creating thin sites or profiles only to link to yourself. - Exact-match anchor text everywhere. Google’s spam policies describe all of these as link spam. They cost nothing, but they can cost you trust. ## A weekly routine - **Monday:** search for new unlinked mentions. - **Tuesday:** answer two community questions. - **Wednesday:** send three personalised pitches. - **Thursday:** reply to journalist requests. - **Friday:** improve your linkable asset or publish a new article. One hour a day is enough for most small sites. ## How to tell if it is working Free strategies are slow, so track a few simple signals monthly rather than checking rankings every day: - **New referring domains:** how many new sites mentioned or linked to you this month. - **Referral visits:** which mentions actually sent people, in your analytics. - **Reply rate:** the share of outreach emails that get any answer. Below one in ten usually means the targeting or ideas need work. - **Branded searches:** more people searching for your name is a sign that mentions are working. - **Quality of linking sites:** run new referrers through a free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to make sure you are attracting real sites. ## Next steps Use the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to vet any site before you pitch or exchange. If your site runs on WordPress, [connect it to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) to start earning satellites by hosting partner articles. For a longer list of zero-budget tactics, see [how to promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## FAQ ### Can you build backlinks for free? Yes. Linkable assets, unlinked mentions, partner pages, guest posts, expert quotes and community participation cost time rather than money. ### What is the easiest free backlink to get? Reclaiming unlinked brand mentions and asking existing partners are usually the easiest, because the other side already knows you. ### Are directory links worth it? A few relevant niche or local listings help discovery. Mass submissions to generic directories are not worth the effort. ### Is Satelo free? The Quality Score check and the plugin are free. In article exchange, hosting articles earns satellites you can spend on your own placements, so you can take part without paying. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/website-age-and-seo/ Seo metrics # Domain Age and SEO: Does Website Age Matter? Domain age and SEO are linked in many people’s minds: older sites seem to rank more easily, so age must be a ranking factor. Google says otherwise. The truth sits in between: age itself is not what helps, but the things that accumulate over time are. This article explains what is known, what is myth, and how to use domain age sensibly when you evaluate websites. Published: 2026-09-29 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What Google has said about domain age Google representatives have stated publicly several times that domain age on its own does not help rankings. Registration length (registering a domain for ten years instead of one) is also not a signal. Google does not publish a “sandbox” for new sites either, although many site owners describe a slow first few months. So why do older sites so often rank well? Because age is correlated with things that do matter. ## What actually accumulates with age | Accumulates over time | Why it matters | | Backlinks and mentions | Sites that have published for years have been cited more often | | Content depth | More pages covering a topic thoroughly | | Brand searches and return visitors | People search for the name and come back | | Crawl and indexing history | Search engines have learned how often to crawl and what to expect | | Behaviour data and reputation | A track record of being useful, or not | A ten-year-old site with no content updates and no links has none of these advantages. A two-year-old site that publishes excellent material and earns real mentions can beat it easily. ## Why new sites feel slow A new site has no links, no history and no brand searches, so search engines have little evidence to rank it. That usually means months before stable organic traffic, especially in competitive niches. It is not a penalty; it is the absence of signals. What helps: - Target specific, long-tail queries first, where competition is lower. - Publish consistently on one topic so the site’s focus is clear. - Earn first mentions from relevant sites; see [how to get your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) and [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/). - Set up Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools and, for Russian-speaking audiences, Yandex Webmaster from day one. ## The expired domain temptation Because old domains often carry backlinks, some people buy expired domains and launch new projects on them, or redirect them into an existing site. Google’s spam policies, updated in March 2024, name **expired domain abuse**: buying an expired domain and repurposing it primarily to manipulate rankings with low-value content. Legitimate cases exist, for example buying a domain that suits your brand and building a genuinely new site on it, but expect the old link value to be treated with caution, especially when the topic changes. Red flags in a purchased domain’s past: spam, adult or gambling content, a PBN history (see [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/)), or manual actions. Always check the Wayback Machine before buying. ## How to check a domain’s age - **RDAP lookup.** RDAP is the modern replacement for WHOIS; for generic top-level domains ICANN made it the authoritative source of registration data in January 2025. It shows the creation date and recent updates. - **Wayback Machine.** The first archived snapshot shows when the site started publishing, which can be later than registration. - **A combined check.** A [free Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows domain age from RDAP alongside other signals. Note the difference between **registration age** and **content age**. A domain registered in 2009 that has hosted the current site only since last year is effectively a new site. ## How Satelo uses domain age Satelo’s Quality Score includes domain age because it is cheap to read from open data and hard to fake: you cannot make a domain older. But it is only one input alongside Tranco rank, Common Crawl index size, PageSpeed and verified traffic. A brand-new site starts at QS 0, honestly, and grows as real signals appear. In the article exchange, that means new sites are matched with other new sites of similar QS rather than being priced against established blogs. ## Practical takeaways - Do not buy an old domain expecting rankings from age alone. - Do not panic if your site is new; focus on content and first mentions. - When evaluating a site to work with, treat age as context: an old domain with a recent topic change deserves scrutiny. - Do not use age as a selling point for your own site; show traffic and quality instead. ## Myths and facts about domain age | Myth | What is actually true | | Old domains rank automatically | Old domains rank when they have the content, links and reputation to back it up | | New sites are put in a “sandbox” for six months | Google denies a formal sandbox; new sites start without signals, which takes time to change | | Long registration shows trust | Registration length is not a ranking signal | | An expired domain’s links transfer to your new site | Old link value may be discounted, especially after a topic change, and abuse is a spam policy violation | | Changing domain resets everything to zero | A properly redirected migration keeps most signals, though there can be temporary fluctuation | ## Three typical situations ### You launched a site this year Expect slow organic growth for a while. Spend that time on what accumulates: a clear topic, a solid set of useful articles, technical basics and first mentions from relevant sites. Do not buy links to “speed up” the start; that creates risk before you have anything to protect. ### You have an old site that stopped growing Age is not helping you, so look at what has gone stale. Update outdated articles, merge thin ones, fix broken links, refresh internal linking and start earning new mentions. An old site with fresh, maintained content combines history with relevance. ### You are thinking of buying an aged domain Buy it for the name, not the backlinks. Check its history in the Wayback Machine, search for the domain name to see what people said about it, check for spam links, and plan a site that fits its past topic if you want any of its history to be relevant. If the past is messy, a fresh domain is often the safer choice. ## Domain age when choosing partners For content exchange and guest posting, age is a useful sanity check rather than a quality signal. A one-year-old site with good content can be an excellent partner. A twelve-year-old domain that changed hands last year and now publishes generic articles deserves a careful look. Combine age with traffic signals and topic history, as described in [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Next steps Look up your domain’s age and full Quality Score at [satelo.io/check](https://satelo.io/check/). If your site is young, start with [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) and [free ways to promote a website](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## FAQ ### Is domain age a Google ranking factor? Google has said domain age by itself does not help rankings. Older sites often rank well because of links, content and reputation built over time. ### Does registering a domain for 10 years help SEO? No. Registration length is not a ranking signal. ### Is buying an expired domain safe for SEO? It can be risky. Google’s spam policies name expired domain abuse, and old link value may be discounted, especially if the topic changes. ### How do I find out how old a domain is? Use an RDAP lookup for the registration date and the Wayback Machine for when the site actually started publishing. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/ Promotion # 15 cross-promotion ideas for websites (and how to run them well) Cross-promotion ideas for websites all share one principle: two sites with overlapping audiences but different offers introduce each other to readers. It costs little more than time, it works for brand-new sites, and done honestly it builds trust instead of eroding it. Below are 15 formats, how to find the right partner, and the rules that keep partnerships clear of search engine trouble. Published: 2026-09-28 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Start with the right partner The format matters less than the fit. A good partner has: - **An overlapping audience, not a competing offer.** A wedding photographer and a florist; a budgeting app and a personal finance blog; a coffee roaster and a home-baking site. - **A similar size and quality.** Partnerships between very unequal sites tend to feel one-sided and fizzle out. A [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) on both sites is a quick way to compare. - **Real readers.** Check that the site has traffic and engagement, not just a domain metric. See [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). - **Shared standards.** If their content is sloppy or spammy, your name next to it hurts you. ## Content ideas ### 1. Guest article swap Each partner writes an original article for the other’s audience. Keep it useful, label it, and use `rel="sponsored"` on links where there is an exchange of value. A three-way or circular arrangement (A writes for B, B for C, C for A) looks more natural than a direct swap. Read [the blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/) for the process. ### 2. Expert roundup Ask five to ten complementary site owners one question and publish their answers. Each contributor has a reason to share the piece. ### 3. Joint guide or study Combine what each of you knows into one comprehensive resource: a checklist, a survey of your combined audiences, a price comparison. Both sites publish their own write-up and reference the shared work. ### 4. Interview exchange Interview each other about your areas of expertise. Interviews are quick to produce and easy to make genuinely interesting. ### 5. Resource page mention If you both maintain “tools we use” or “recommended reading” pages, include each other where it is honestly relevant. ## Audience ideas ### 6. Newsletter swap Each partner features the other in one newsletter issue: a short paragraph and a link to a specific useful page, not the homepage. Newsletters often outperform social posts because readers opted in. ### 7. Social media takeover Run each other’s account for a day or post a collaborative thread or carousel. Agree the content in advance. ### 8. Joint webinar or live stream Two experts, one useful topic, one registration page. Both promote it; both get the recording and attendee interest. Ask for consent before sharing attendee details between partners. ### 9. Podcast guest swap If either of you has a podcast or video channel, invite the other as a guest. ### 10. Community co-hosting Co-run a challenge, a monthly Q&A thread or a small online event in a community both audiences use. ## Offer ideas ### 11. Bundle Package complementary products or services with a combined discount: a template pack plus a course, a photo shoot plus a website setup. ### 12. Exclusive discount for the partner’s audience A unique code per partner makes results easy to measure. ### 13. Joint giveaway One prize from each partner. Check local rules for contests and avoid requiring actions that platforms prohibit. ### 14. Referral arrangement Refer clients you cannot serve to each other. Formalise it if money changes hands, and disclose any commission to readers. ### 15. Co-branded free tool A calculator, template or checklist built together and hosted on one site, with clear credit to both. Tools keep attracting visitors long after a campaign ends. ## Cross-promotion ideas for websites compared | Format | Effort | Speed of results | Lasting value | | Newsletter swap | Low | Days | Low | | Guest article swap | Medium | Weeks | High | | Joint webinar | Medium | Weeks | Medium | | Expert roundup | Medium | Weeks | Medium | | Co-branded tool or study | High | Months | High | | Bundle or discount | Low to medium | Days | Low unless repeated | ## Example: two small sites, one quarter A family-run campsite and a blog about hiking with kids in the same region decide to work together for three months: - **Month 1:** the blogger writes an honest review of a weekend at the campsite, labelled as a partner visit. The campsite features the blog’s “first hike with toddlers” checklist in its booking confirmation email. - **Month 2:** they publish a joint guide to five family-friendly trails near the campsite, hosted on the blog with photos from both. - **Month 3:** a small giveaway: two nights at the campsite plus a printed trail guide, promoted in both newsletters. Each step stands on its own as useful content or a real offer. Neither site depends on the links for the partnership to make sense, which is exactly what keeps it safe and worthwhile. ## Agree the basics in writing - Who does what, and by when - Where each mention or article appears and for how long - Labelling and link attributes - How results will be measured and shared (UTM tags, discount codes) - What happens if one side wants to end the partnership A short email both sides reply “agreed” to is usually enough for small collaborations. Also agree on tone. If one partner writes casually and the other formally, a quick look at each other’s recent posts before drafting saves an awkward round of edits. And set a review date, for example after three months, to decide together whether to continue, change the format or wrap up on good terms. ## Measure what each partnership brings Give every partner a unique UTM-tagged link or discount code. After each campaign, note referral visits, sign-ups or sales, and the time spent. Keep the partners whose audiences respond and politely let the others go. Three strong partnerships usually beat fifteen weak ones. ## Stay on the right side of search engine rules Google’s spam policies list “excessive link exchanges (‘Link to me and I’ll link to you’) or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking” as an example of a link scheme. That does not ban partnerships; it targets arrangements whose main purpose is links. In practice: - Make every collaboration worth doing even if links passed no ranking value. - Label partner content and use `rel="sponsored"` where value was exchanged. - Avoid sitewide footer links and “partners” pages full of unrelated sites. - Prefer varied formats over one repeated link swap. For a fuller discussion, see [link exchange and Google’s rules](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). ## A simple outreach message “Hi Anna, I run [site], a blog about [topic] read mostly by [audience]. I’ve noticed your readers ask a lot about [related topic], which is our speciality. Would you be open to a [specific format], for example [concrete idea]? I’d promote it to our [newsletter/social] audience too. Happy to send an outline first.” Specific beats generic. One clear idea gets more replies than “let’s collaborate somehow”. If there is no reply after a week, one short follow-up is fine. After that, move on: a partner who is hard to reach before the collaboration will be harder to work with during it. ## Next steps Compare your site with potential partners using a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). If finding and coordinating partners is the hard part, Satelo’s exchange matches WordPress sites of similar quality and niche into article circles automatically: [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to start. ## FAQ ### Is cross-promotion bad for SEO? Not when it is genuine. Google's spam policies target excessive link exchanges done for ranking purposes. Useful, labelled collaborations with rel=sponsored links where value is exchanged are fine. ### How do I find cross-promotion partners? Look for sites that serve the same audience with a different offer, of similar size and quality. Check their traffic and content before reaching out. ### What is the easiest format to start with? A newsletter swap or an interview exchange. Both take little time and show quickly whether the audiences overlap. ### How do I measure results? Use UTM tags or unique discount codes per partner and track referral visits, sign-ups and sales in your analytics. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/ SEO # SEO for niche blogs: a practical plan A niche blog cannot outspend big publishers, but it can out-focus them. SEO for niche blogs is mostly about choosing questions your readers really ask, answering them better than anyone else, and making your site easy for search engines to understand. This plan walks through topic research, content structure, on-page basics, internal links, technical checks and earning mentions, in the order that usually pays off for small sites. Published: 2026-09-27 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Why niche blogs have an edge Search engines try to rank pages written by people who know a subject. Google describes this in its helpful content guidance and its emphasis on experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust (E-E-A-T). A focused blog shows that naturally: many connected articles, written from real experience, on one subject. Your job is to make that focus obvious. ## Step 1: define the niche narrowly enough "Cooking" is a category; "batch cooking for one-person households" is a niche. A good test: can you list 50 specific questions your readers ask that big sites answer poorly? If yes, the niche is workable. If you can only list ten, widen it a little. ## Step 2: research topics from real questions You don’t need paid tools to start. Free sources of real questions: - Google’s autocomplete and "People also ask" boxes. - Google Search Console, once you have some traffic: look for queries where you appear on page two. - Forums, Reddit threads and community chats in your niche. - Comments and emails from your own readers. - Free keyword tools; see [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). For each idea, look at the current top results. If they are thin, outdated or written by generalists, you have an opening. ## Step 3: organise topics into clusters A cluster is one broad guide (the hub) plus several detailed articles on sub-questions, all linking to each other. Example for a home-coffee blog: | Hub | Supporting articles | | Home espresso for beginners | Choosing a grinder; dialling in a shot; milk steaming at home; cleaning and descaling; common shot problems | | Pour-over coffee guide | V60 vs Chemex; grind size chart; water temperature; best kettles under a budget | Clusters help readers move between related answers and help search engines understand what your site covers in depth. Publish the hub and two or three supporting posts first, then fill in the rest. ## Step 4: write pages that deserve to rank - **Answer the question early.** A clear answer in the first paragraph, details below. - **Show experience.** Your photos, measurements, mistakes and results. This is what generalist sites can’t copy. - **Be specific.** Steps, numbers you measured, tables, checklists. - **Update.** Revisit key posts when products, prices or rules change, and say when you updated them. - **Name the author.** An author bio with relevant background builds trust. ## Step 5: get on-page basics right | Element | What to do | | Title tag | Main topic first, under about 60 characters, written for humans | | H1 and headings | One H1; H2s that match the questions readers ask | | URL | Short, readable, no dates if the content is evergreen | | Meta description | A clear summary that makes people want to click | | Images | Compressed, descriptive file names and alt text | | Structured data | Article and FAQ schema where it genuinely fits | ## Step 6: build internal links on purpose Internal links are the one link source you fully control. Rules of thumb: - Every supporting article links to its hub, and the hub links to all of them. - New posts link to two to four older related posts, and you go back and add links from older posts to the new one. - Use descriptive anchor text, such as "how to descale an espresso machine", not "click here". - Find orphan pages (no internal links pointing to them) and connect them. ## Step 7: fix technical basics once - Connect Google Search Console and submit your XML sitemap. - Check that important pages are indexed and not blocked by `robots.txt` or `noindex`. - Make sure the site works well on mobile. - Check Core Web Vitals with PageSpeed Insights; a light theme and compressed images solve most problems on small sites. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - Use HTTPS and fix broken links. ## Step 8: earn mentions and links the safe way Content alone rarely gets a new blog noticed. Ways that work and stay within Google’s spam policies: - Guest posts on relevant blogs where the article is useful on its own. - Collaborations, interviews and expert roundups; see the [blogger collaboration guide](https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). - Original data or tools others want to cite. - Being active and helpful in communities where your readers already are. Avoid buying links meant to pass ranking signals and large-scale reciprocal swaps. Partner networks such as Satelo exchange labelled articles in circles with `rel="sponsored"` links: useful for reaching readers on relevant sites and getting your brand mentioned, but not a ranking shortcut, and they shouldn’t be treated as one. ## Step 9: measure and iterate - Monthly: clicks and impressions in Search Console, top pages, queries where you sit in positions 8–20. - Quarterly: update the ten posts with the most impressions, prune or merge thin posts, plan the next cluster. - Track your site’s overall quality over time with a free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/), which combines Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl presence and PageSpeed. Expect SEO for a niche blog to take months, not weeks. Consistency matters more than any single tactic. ## SEO for niche blogs: mistakes that waste months - **Chasing broad keywords.** "Coffee" is unwinnable for a new blog; "how to fix sour espresso" is not. - **Publishing many thin posts.** Ten short answers to the same question split your signals. One complete article usually does better. - **Ignoring search intent.** If the top results for a query are product pages or videos, a long essay is unlikely to rank there. Look before you write. - **Leaving old posts alone.** Updating and merging existing content is often faster than writing new posts. - **Buying shortcuts.** Cheap link packages and mass exchanges can be ignored by search engines at best and lead to manual actions at worst. - **Writing for robots.** Keyword-stuffed text reads badly, and readers leave. Write the way you would explain the topic to a friend who asked. A useful habit: once a month, open Search Console, pick one article that gets impressions but few clicks, and improve its title, introduction and depth. Small, regular improvements compound. ## Next steps - Write down your 50 reader questions and group them into two or three clusters. - Run your blog through the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see your technical and authority baseline. - Read [link building for new websites](https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) for your first mentions. ## FAQ ### How long does SEO take for a niche blog? Usually months. New blogs often need several months of consistent publishing before search traffic grows noticeably, depending on competition and how well content answers real questions. ### How many articles does a niche blog need? There is no fixed number. Start with one or two complete topic clusters, a hub plus several detailed posts each, then keep adding clusters. ### Do niche blogs need backlinks? Links and mentions from relevant sites help, but they should be earned through useful content, guest posts and collaborations, not bought to pass ranking signals. ### What is the most important SEO factor for a niche blog? Content that answers real reader questions better than existing results, organised into clear topic clusters with good internal links. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/ Link building # Link building for new websites A brand-new site has no history, no traffic and no links, and every SEO guide seems to assume you already have all three. Link building for new websites is different: the goal for the first months is to get discovered, earn trust and avoid shortcuts that leave a bad footprint. Here is a practical 90-day plan. Published: 2026-09-26 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Why new sites are a special case Search engines know almost nothing about a new domain. There is no track record, few or no pages indexed and no one vouching for it. That has two consequences: - Even a few genuine mentions make a noticeable difference to discovery. - Unnatural patterns stand out. Fifty links in the first week on a site with five pages looks like what it is. Patience is part of the strategy. New sites usually take months to build visibility, whatever you do. Google has not confirmed a formal "sandbox", but in practice trust is earned over time. ## Before any links: fix the foundations Links pointing to a site that is hard to crawl or has nothing worth reading are wasted. Check these first: - **Indexing set up.** Add the site to Google Search Console (and Bing Webmaster Tools, Yandex Webmaster if relevant), submit a sitemap, check that robots.txt is not blocking anything important. - **A handful of strong pages.** At least 5 to 10 pages that answer real questions in your niche, not placeholder text. - **About and contact pages.** Real names, a way to reach you. Editors and partners look for these before linking. - **Basic speed and mobile.** A quick PageSpeed check. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **One linkable asset.** Something people would reference: a calculator, checklist, original data, a detailed guide. ## Where a new site’s first links come from | Source | Effort | Why it helps | | Your own profiles (social, GitHub, app stores, marketplaces) | Low | Confirms the brand exists and connects it to real accounts | | Relevant directories and listings | Low | Discovery and citations; quality over quantity | | Partners, suppliers, clients | Low to medium | Natural, relevant links from people who know you | | Community participation | Medium | Mentions in forums, Q&A sites and groups when genuinely helpful | | Expert quotes and interviews | Medium | Mentions on established sites without a full article | | Guest posts | High | Audience, credibility, a strong contextual mention | | Article exchange on similar-quality sites | Low | Regular labelled exposure on relevant sites | Our guide to [getting your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/) walks through these in more detail. ## The 90-day plan ### Days 1–30: foundations and profiles - Set up Search Console and submit the sitemap. - Publish your first 5 to 10 useful pages and one linkable asset. - Create and complete brand profiles on the platforms your audience uses. - List the site in a few directories that are specific to your niche or region. Skip generic "submit to 500 directories" services. - Tell people you already know: partners, suppliers, past clients. Ask if a mention makes sense for them. ### Days 31–60: community and first outreach - Answer questions in two or three communities where your audience hangs out. Link only when it truly helps. - Offer expert comments to journalists and bloggers covering your topic. - Build a list of 20 relevant blogs (see [how to find guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/)) and pitch the five best fits. - Publish two or three more strong articles. ### Days 61–90: steady growth - Write your first guest posts. - Promote your linkable asset to sites that cover the topic. - Optionally join an article exchange to get regular, labelled mentions on relevant sites. - Review: which pages are indexed, which mentions brought visitors, what to double down on. ## How Satelo handles brand-new sites Many metrics tools show inflated scores for new domains or nothing at all. Satelo’s free [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) is based on open data (Tranco rank, domain age, size in the Common Crawl index, PageSpeed) plus verified traffic from its WordPress plugin, so a brand-new site honestly scores 0. That sounds harsh, but it is useful: you see real progress rather than a vanity number. A new site can still join article exchanges. It is matched with sites of similar QS and niche, and its article price starts at 1 satellite (Satelo’s internal currency), rising as QS and verified traffic grow. Hosting articles from others earns satellites. Links are `rel="sponsored"`, so think of it as relevant exposure and discovery, not a ranking shortcut. ## Shortcuts to avoid - **Bulk link packages.** "1,000 backlinks for $20" means spam pages, comment spam or hacked sites. - **PBN links.** Private blog networks built on expired domains are an explicit target of spam policies. Learn to [spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **Exact-match anchors.** A new site with dozens of "best running shoes for women" anchors looks manipulated. Use your brand and natural phrases. - **Mass reciprocal swaps.** Systematic "I link to you, you link to me" deals are listed as link spam by Google. - **Buying "dofollow" posts without disclosure.** Paid links should be marked sponsored. ## What to measure - Pages indexed in Search Console. - Referring domains, checked with a free tool (see [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/)). - Referral visits from each mention. - Branded searches over time. - Your Quality Score moving up from zero. ## Anchor text for a new site Anchor text is the clickable part of a link. On a new site, the anchors pointing to you should look like the way people naturally mention a new brand: - **Brand name:** "Satelo", "Acme Bakery". This should be the most common. - **Plain URL:** "acmebakery.com". - **Descriptive phrase:** "this guide to sourdough starters". - **Generic:** "here", "this site". Fine in moderation. - **Exact keyword:** "best sourdough bread London". Rare, and only when it fits the sentence. When you write guest posts or provide bios, default to your brand name. You rarely control anchors on earned links anyway, and that is a good thing. ## Next steps Check where you start with the free [Quality Score tool](https://satelo.io/check/), fix the foundations, then work through the 90-day plan. If your site runs on WordPress, you can [connect it to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) to start hosting and receiving partner articles. For more no-cost ideas, read [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## FAQ ### How long does it take for a new website to get backlinks? The first mentions from profiles, partners and directories can come within weeks. Earning links from established sites usually takes several months of content and outreach. ### How many backlinks should a new site build per month? There is no safe number. Aim for steady, natural growth from relevant sources rather than a target count. ### Should a new site buy backlinks? Cheap bulk links are risky. If you pay for a placement, choose relevant real sites and make sure the link is marked sponsored. ### Why is my new site’s Quality Score 0? Satelo’s score uses open data and verified traffic, and a brand-new domain has none yet. It rises as the site ages, gets indexed and attracts visitors. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/ Link building # How to Spot PBN Sites Before You Buy a Link Knowing how to spot PBN sites saves money and protects your site. A private blog network is a group of websites built mainly to sell or pass links, often on expired domains with leftover authority. They look like normal blogs at first glance, which is the point. This guide lists the signs that give them away, the free tools to check each one, and a short workflow to use before any paid placement. Published: 2026-09-25 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What a PBN is, and why it is risky A private blog network (PBN) is a set of sites controlled by one person or company whose main purpose is linking to other sites to influence rankings. Typical PBNs are built on expired domains that still have backlinks from their previous life, filled with cheap content, and used to sell links or boost a money site. Google’s spam policies explicitly list link schemes, including buying or selling links that pass ranking credit and using networks of sites to manipulate rankings. Since 2024 the policies also name **expired domain abuse**: buying an expired domain and repurposing it mainly to host low-value content. If Google identifies a network, links from it can be ignored, and sites that rely on such links can lose visibility or receive manual actions. Read the background in our guide to [Google’s rules on link exchange](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). ## 15 signs of a PBN site ### Content signals - **Topic is everything and nothing.** “Lifestyle, business, tech, health, travel” on one small blog with no clear author or audience. - **Every post links out.** Nearly each article contains one or two commercial links to unrelated businesses. - **Generic, thin articles.** 500–700 words that could be about any brand, often AI-spun, no original photos, no data, no opinion. - **No comments, no shares,** despite years of posts. - **“Write for us” page with prices** or a sidebar announcing “sponsored posts accepted” with no disclosure on the posts themselves. ### Site and ownership signals - **Fake or missing about page.** Stock-photo author, no social profiles, no contact except a form. - **Default theme and identical layouts** across sites the same seller offers. - **Same hosting footprint.** Several offered sites on the same IP or server, or the same analytics or ad ID. - **Recent ownership change.** Registration data or RDAP shows a recent transfer on an old domain. - **History mismatch.** The Wayback Machine shows the domain was a dentist, a band or a charity a few years ago, and is now a “general news” blog. ### Metric signals - **High authority, no traffic.** DR or DA of 40+ but almost no organic keywords and no Tranco presence; see [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/). - **Backlinks from the past.** Most referring domains link to old URLs that now redirect or 404, or point to content that no longer exists. - **Anchor text from a different topic.** Old anchors mention the previous owner’s brand. - **Traffic cliff.** Organic visibility dropped sharply after a Google spam or core update. - **Few indexed pages.** A `site:` search returns far fewer pages than the blog has, a sign Google has stopped indexing much of it. ## Free tools for each check | Check | Free tool | | Domain history | Wayback Machine (web.archive.org) | | Registration and age | RDAP lookup, or a [Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/) | | Real traffic signal | Tranco list, free organic keyword tools | | Backlinks and anchors | Free backlink checkers from Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush | | Shared hosting | Reverse IP lookup tools | | Indexing | `site:domain.com` in Google | A full list of no-cost tools is in [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). ## A 10-minute vetting workflow - Run a [free QS check](https://satelo.io/check/). Low QS with high DR is the most common PBN pattern. - Open the Wayback Machine and look at three snapshots: 5 years ago, 2 years ago and today. Topic changes are the strongest single signal. - Open five recent posts. Count outbound commercial links and check whether they are disclosed and marked rel="sponsored". - Check organic keywords. Does the site rank for anything relevant to its stated topic? - Ask the seller for a Search Console screenshot with the domain visible. Refusal is a signal. - If a seller offers ten sites, check two of them for shared IPs, themes and authors. ## Not every cheap or small site is a PBN Be fair. A new blog with low metrics, an honest about page and an owner who writes on one topic is not a network. A site that labels sponsored posts and uses rel="sponsored" is following the rules, even if it sells placements. The problem is deception: sites built to look editorial while existing only to move link metrics. ## Safer ways to get mentioned Instead of buying from unknown sellers, build relationships with real sites in your niche: guest posts with real editorial review, collaborations and content exchanges with disclosure. Satelo’s exchange only includes sites that connect their WordPress through the plugin with verified ownership, matches sites of similar QS and niche, exchanges in circles rather than direct swaps, and labels articles as partner content with rel="sponsored" links by default. That keeps it transparent; it does not promise rankings. More on the approach in [is link exchange bad for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## Questions to ask a link seller Good publishers answer these easily. Evasive answers are informative too: - Who writes and edits the content, and can I see their profile? - Will the post be labelled as sponsored, and will the link use rel="sponsored"? - Can you share Search Console data for the last six months? - Do you own or manage other sites, and which ones? - Will the post stay live permanently, and will it be linked from the home page or category pages? - Do you reject any topics or advertisers? A seller who offers a long list of unrelated sites, guarantees a ranking increase, or promises “do-follow links with no sponsored label” is telling you how they operate. ## What to do if you already bought PBN links - **Do not panic.** In many cases Google simply ignores such links rather than penalising the target site. - **Check Search Console for manual actions** under Security and Manual Actions. If there is none, you are most likely dealing with links that are discounted. - **Ask for removal or for rel="sponsored"** where you can contact the seller. - **Consider the disavow tool** only if you have a manual action or a clear pattern of paid links you cannot remove. Google describes it as an advanced feature that most sites do not need. - **Stop buying from the same sources** and redirect the budget to relevant sites with real audiences. ## Signs you are looking at a healthy publisher For balance, here is what good looks like: a clear topic and named authors with real profiles, a history in the Wayback Machine that matches today’s content, steady organic visibility for relevant queries, reader comments or community activity, a small share of posts that are sponsored, and clear labels on those that are. When a site ticks most of these boxes, a modest authority score is no reason to walk away. ## Next steps Before your next purchase, run the seller’s site through a [free check](https://satelo.io/check/) and the six-step workflow above. For the full pre-purchase checklist, read [how to check a site before buying a post](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## FAQ ### What does PBN stand for? Private blog network: a group of sites controlled by one party and used mainly to pass links to other sites. ### Are PBNs against Google’s rules? Yes. Google’s spam policies treat link schemes and expired domain abuse as violations, and links from detected networks can be ignored or lead to manual actions. ### What is the fastest single check for a PBN? Compare the domain’s history in the Wayback Machine with its current content. A sudden topic change on an old domain is a strong signal. ### Is a site that sells sponsored posts automatically a PBN? No. Real sites with real audiences that disclose sponsored content and use rel=sponsored are not PBNs. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/ Sponsored content # How to write a sponsored article people actually read Learning how to write a sponsored article is mostly learning restraint. The piece is paid for or exchanged, everyone knows it, and the only way it works is if it is still genuinely useful to the host site’s readers. This guide gives you a structure, rules for mentioning the brand and placing links, disclosure basics and a template you can adapt today. Published: 2026-09-24 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What a sponsored article is (and is not) A sponsored article is content published on someone else’s site in exchange for money, a product, a reciprocal placement or another benefit. It is clearly labelled, and links in it that you are paid for should carry `rel="sponsored"`, the attribute Google introduced in 2019 for exactly this purpose. It is not an advertorial dressed up as independent journalism, and it is not a press release pasted into a blog. The test is simple: if you removed the brand, would the article still be worth reading? If not, rewrite it. ## Before you write: five questions - **Who reads the host site?** Read ten recent posts and their comments. Note the level (beginner or expert), tone and typical length. - **What does the reader want from this topic?** A decision, a how-to, a comparison, a story? - **What can the brand honestly contribute?** Data, experience, a tool that solves part of the problem, a case study. - **What are the host’s rules?** Word count, number of links, image requirements, disclosure wording, forbidden topics. - **What is the single action you hope for?** Try a tool, read a guide, sign up for a webinar. One, not five. ## How to write a sponsored article: a structure that works - **Headline that promises a useful outcome.** “How to plan a 3-day hiking trip on a budget”, not “Why TrailCo is the best outdoor brand”. - **Opening that names the reader’s problem** in two or three sentences. - **The useful core:** steps, a checklist, a comparison, a worked example. This should be 70–80% of the piece. - **The brand in context:** mentioned where it genuinely helps, once or twice, alongside alternatives when it makes sense. - **A short, specific conclusion** with the one action. ## Where and how to mention the brand - **Not in the first paragraph.** Earn attention first. - **Tie it to a step.** “For step 3 you need a waterproof map case; we use X because it fits a phone too” reads naturally. “X is an industry-leading solution” does not. - **Mention alternatives.** Naming one or two other options costs you little and makes the article credible. - **Be specific.** Prices, sizes, limits, what the free plan includes. Vague praise is skipped. - **Keep it proportionate.** In a 1,200-word article, two or three brand mentions are plenty. ## Links: how many and which attributes | Link | Recommended | Why | | Link to the sponsor’s site | One or two, `rel="sponsored"` | Google’s spam policies require paid links to be qualified | | Links to sources and references | As needed, normal links | They support claims and help readers | | Links to the host’s own articles | One or two | Editors like it; readers stay on the site | | Exact-match keyword anchors | Avoid | They look manipulative and read badly | Use descriptive anchors: “the free route-planning template” rather than “best hiking app 2026”. For a deeper look at attributes, see [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Disclosure: say it plainly Readers have a right to know when content is paid for. Rules differ by country, but the principle is the same: - In the US, the FTC’s Endorsement Guides expect a clear and conspicuous disclosure of any material connection between the brand and the publisher. - In the UK, the CAP Code enforced by the ASA requires marketing to be obviously identifiable as such, for example with a clear “Ad” or “Advertisement” label. - In Russia, advertising must be labelled and, for online ads, registered and marked with an identifier under the advertising law. Put the label at the top, not hidden in the footer. “Sponsored by X” or “Partner content” works. Our guide on [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) covers each market in detail. This is general information, not legal advice. ## Weak vs strong: the same paragraph twice **Weak:** “TrailCo is a leading provider of premium outdoor equipment. With years of experience and a passion for adventure, TrailCo offers innovative solutions for every hiker. Visit TrailCo today!” **Strong:** “On day two the trail crosses two streams, so pack shoes that dry fast. Mesh trail runners dry in a few hours in the sun; leather boots can stay wet overnight. I used TrailCo’s mesh model on this route and a friend used a cheaper pair from a supermarket chain; both worked, though the cheaper pair had less grip on wet rock.” The strong version gives the reader a decision rule, an honest comparison and a reason to trust the mention. It is also the version an editor will publish without a fight. ## Working with the host editor - Send an outline first: headline, three to five section headings, the planned brand mention and the link. It saves both sides a rewrite. - Agree the deadline and the number of revision rounds. - Accept edits that make the piece more useful to their readers, even if they cut a brand mention. - After publication, share the article on your own channels. Hosts notice and remember who sends readers back. ## A template you can adapt **Title:** How to [achieve outcome] without [common pain] **Label:** Partner content: written with [Brand] **Intro (60–90 words):** the problem, who it affects, what the reader will be able to do by the end. **Section 1:** the first step or the key concept, with an example. **Section 2:** the main how-to or comparison table. **Section 3:** where people go wrong, with fixes. Brand mention fits naturally here or in section 2. **Section 4:** a short case or worked example with real figures you can stand behind. **Conclusion (50–80 words):** recap and one clear action, with a single sponsored link. ## Common mistakes editors reject - A sales pitch with a thin layer of advice. - Five or more links to the same site. - Statistics without sources, or with sources that do not say what the article claims. - Copy that was already published elsewhere. Write original text for each host; see the [content syndication guide](https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/) for when reuse is acceptable. - Ignoring the site’s formatting style and word count. ## Final checklist before you submit - Would the article be useful without the brand? - Brand mentioned two or three times, never in the first paragraph - Paid links marked `rel="sponsored"`; no keyword-stuffed anchors - Clear label at the top - Every number has a source or comes from your own data - Headings scan well; paragraphs are short - Matches the host’s length and style - Proofread, with links tested ## How Satelo handles this In Satelo’s article exchange, articles arrive on host sites with formatting, images, an SEO description and a category, labelled as partner content, and links are `rel="sponsored"` by default. Hosts using the WordPress plugin can turn off auto-placement to receive articles as drafts and edit them before publishing. ## Next steps Before pitching a host, check its quality with a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) and read [how to check a site before buying a placement](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). If you publish on WordPress, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to receive and host partner articles. ## FAQ ### How long should a sponsored article be? Match the host site's typical posts. For most blogs that means 900 to 1,500 words, enough to be genuinely useful. ### How many links can a sponsored article include? One or two links to the sponsor, marked rel=sponsored, plus normal links to sources and to the host's own articles. ### Do I have to label a sponsored article? Yes. Regulators such as the FTC in the US and the ASA in the UK require paid content to be clearly identifiable, and Russia requires ad labelling and marking. ### Can I publish the same sponsored article on several sites? Avoid it. Write an original article for each host; duplicates annoy editors and compete with each other in search. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/ Collaboration # Blogger collaboration: a practical guide for small sites Two blogs with similar readers can do more together than apart: share audiences, produce better content and get mentioned in places they could not reach alone. A good blogger collaboration is not a link swap with a nicer name. It is a joint project that gives both audiences something worth reading. This guide covers the formats that work, how to find and approach partners, how to agree terms and what to avoid so search engines don’t read it as a link scheme. Published: 2026-09-24 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Why collaborate at all Small blogs struggle with the same problem: good content, too few people seeing it. Collaboration helps in ways that don’t depend on search rankings: - **New readers** who already trust your partner. - **Better content**, because two people with different experience cover a topic more fully. - **Mentions on relevant sites**, which help people (and increasingly AI assistants) connect your name with your topic. See [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - **Shared work**: research, design and promotion split in two. ## Collaboration formats that work | Format | Effort | Best for | | Expert roundup (several bloggers answer one question) | Low per person | Getting to know many peers at once | | Joint guide or study, published on one site and summarised on the other | High | Two blogs with complementary skills | | Interview swap | Medium | Personal brands, niche experts | | Guest post | Medium | Reaching a partner’s audience with your best topic | | Newsletter or social cross-promotion | Low | Blogs with active email lists or channels | | Live session or webinar | Medium | Teaching topics, communities | | Challenge or series across several blogs | High | Hobby and lifestyle niches | More ideas, including formats for businesses, are in [cross-promotion ideas for websites](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/). ## How to find the right partners A good partner has a similar audience but does not compete for exactly the same readers with exactly the same content. Look for: - **Adjacent topics.** A home-coffee blog and a baking blog; a freelance-tax blog and a productivity blog. - **Similar size.** Partnerships between sites of similar traffic are easier to balance. A free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives a quick, neutral comparison. - **Real activity.** Recent posts, comments, an author with a name and face. - **Shared values.** Would you happily recommend this person to your readers? Where to look: people who comment on the same blogs as you, authors in niche newsletters, members of communities on Reddit, Discord or Facebook groups in your topic, and sites that already link to content similar to yours. Our guide on [finding guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) has search operators that work here too. ## Before you reach out: do your homework - Read at least three of their recent posts. - Note one specific thing you liked and why. - Have a concrete idea that fits both audiences. - Check how they prefer to be contacted (contact page, email, social). ## Outreach message template **Subject:** Idea for a joint guide on [topic] Hi [Name], I run [your blog], where I write about [topic] for [audience]. Your post on [specific post] was useful, especially [specific detail]. I have an idea we could do together: [one sentence]. I would handle [your part], you would add [their part], and we would both publish [what each publishes]. I think your readers would get [benefit], and mine would get [benefit]. If it sounds interesting, I can send a short outline. If not, no problem at all. [Your name] Keep it under 150 words, send one polite follow-up after a week, and stop there. More templates are in [guest post outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). ## Agree the terms in writing A short email or shared doc is enough. Cover: - Who does what, and by when. - Where each part is published, and whether content can be reused. - How you will credit each other (names, bios, links). - Whether any money or free products are involved. If yes, the content needs a clear disclosure; see [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). - What happens if one side cannot deliver. ## Keep it safe for SEO Collaboration is normal web behaviour. Google’s spam policies are concerned with a narrower thing: links created mainly to manipulate rankings. Their examples include "excessive link exchanges" and partner pages that exist just for cross-linking. To stay on the right side: - Link because it helps the reader, not because a deal says "one link each". - Avoid routine reciprocal swaps (A links to B, B links to A) as your main tactic. - Use descriptive or branded anchors, not exact-match keywords. - If money or products change hands, mark the links `rel="sponsored"`. - Don’t create "partners" or "friends" pages full of links to unrelated sites. For a deeper look, read [is link exchange bad for SEO?](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## When you want to scale it Doing collaborations by hand works for a handful of partners. If you want regular mentions on relevant sites without negotiating every one, a network can help. Satelo matches sites of similar Quality Score (within about 10%) and niche and exchanges articles in circles: A writes about B, B about C, C about A, instead of direct A-to-B swaps. Articles are labelled as partner content and links use `rel="sponsored"`, so the value is readers and mentions, not ranking manipulation. ## Measure what you got - Referral visits from the partner’s site (in your analytics, by source). - New newsletter subscribers or followers during the collaboration week. - Comments and replies from new readers. - Follow-up opportunities: invitations, interviews, new partners. Keep a short note after each project: what worked, what you would change. The second collaboration with the same partner is usually easier and better. ## Blogger collaboration mistakes to avoid - **Leading with the link.** Opening a message with "Can we exchange links?" gets ignored or marks you as a spammer. Lead with the content idea. - **Mass messages.** Generic templates sent to fifty blogs get fewer replies than five personal emails. - **Uneven effort.** If one side does most of the work, the partnership won’t last. Split tasks clearly at the start. - **Choosing partners only by metrics.** A site with a high score but no engaged readers brings you nothing. Look at comments, social shares and how readers talk about the author. - **No follow-through.** After publishing, share each other’s work, reply to comments and send a thank-you note. That is how a one-off project becomes a long-term relationship. A good collaboration often starts small: comment thoughtfully on someone’s posts for a few weeks, share their best piece, then propose a joint project. By then they already know your name. ## Next steps - List five potential partners and compare them with the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). - Pick one format from the table and send one tailored message this week. - To get regular partner articles, [connect your site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/). ## FAQ ### What is a blogger collaboration? Any joint project between two or more bloggers: a guest post, interview, roundup, joint guide or cross-promotion in newsletters and social channels. The goal is to give both audiences something useful. ### How do I find bloggers to collaborate with? Look for blogs on adjacent topics with similar traffic and real activity: people commenting in the same places, authors in niche newsletters and communities, and sites linking to content like yours. ### Are collaboration links bad for SEO? Not when they are natural and useful to readers. Google’s spam policies target excessive link exchanges and links made mainly to manipulate rankings. Paid or product-based collaborations should use rel=sponsored. ### Do I need to disclose a collaboration? If money, free products or another material benefit is involved, yes. Add a clear label such as Sponsored or Ad at the top of the content. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/ Link attributes # Nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC: which rel attribute to use Three small words in a link’s rel attribute tell search engines how a link came to exist. Getting them right keeps you on the right side of Google’s link spam policies and makes disclosures honest. Here is nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC in plain terms, with examples and a quick decision table. Published: 2026-09-22 · 5 min read · Satelo ## The short version | Attribute | Use it for | Example | | `rel="sponsored"` | Links that exist because of payment, an exchange or another arrangement | Sponsored post, affiliate link, partner article | | `rel="ugc"` | Links inside user-generated content | Blog comments, forum posts, user reviews | | `rel="nofollow"` | Any link you do not want to vouch for, when the other two do not fit | A source you cite but do not endorse | | No attribute | Editorial links you choose freely | Linking to a tool you genuinely recommend | ## A bit of history Google introduced `rel="nofollow"` in 2005, mainly to fight comment spam. For years it was the only option, used for everything from ads to comments to links people simply did not trust. In September 2019 Google announced two more specific values, `sponsored` and `ugc`. At the same time it changed how it treats all three: they became **hints** rather than strict directives. Google said it would use them as hints for ranking, and from 1 March 2020 also for crawling and indexing. In practice, Google may still choose to crawl a nofollowed URL, but you are telling it that you do not vouch for the link. ## rel="sponsored": paid and arranged links Use `sponsored` when the link is there because of a commercial relationship: - Sponsored posts and advertorials. - Affiliate links. - Links given in exchange for a free product or service. - Links that are part of an article exchange or partnership deal. Google’s spam policies list buying or selling links that pass ranking credit as link spam, and they explicitly say such links should be qualified with `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="nofollow"`. Sponsored is the more descriptive choice. Google has said that nofollow is still acceptable for paid links, so you do not need to rewrite old ones. This is why Satelo marks links in exchanged articles `rel="sponsored"` by default. The article is a partner placement, so the honest label is sponsored. ## rel="ugc": user-generated content Use `ugc` for links that users add, not you: comments, forum threads, community Q&A, reviews. It signals that you, the site owner, did not editorially choose the link. Most modern blog engines already add nofollow (and often ugc) to comment links automatically. If a trusted community member consistently adds great links, some sites choose to remove the attribute for them over time. That is an editorial decision you are allowed to make. ## rel="nofollow": the general opt-out Use `nofollow` when you need to link somewhere but do not want to vouch for it, and neither sponsored nor ugc describes the situation. Examples: linking to a page you are criticising, or to a site you have not been able to verify. ## Can you combine values? Yes. The rel attribute accepts several space-separated values. Common combinations: - `rel="sponsored nofollow"`: useful if you want maximum compatibility with crawlers that only understand nofollow. - `rel="ugc nofollow"`: often added automatically to comment links. - `rel="noopener noreferrer"`: unrelated to SEO, these control browser behaviour for links opening in a new tab. They can sit alongside the others. Example in HTML: `<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored nofollow">Example</a>` ## What about Yandex and Bing? Nofollow is long established and widely documented. Support for the newer sponsored and ugc values varies by search engine, which is one reason some publishers use `sponsored nofollow` together for paid links. Check each search engine’s current webmaster documentation if this matters for your market. ## Do nofollow and sponsored links have any value? For direct ranking credit, you should assume not: that is the point of the attribute. But links are more than ranking signals. A sponsored article on a relevant site can still bring: - Referral visitors who click. - Brand awareness among the right audience. - Mentions that people, and increasingly AI assistants, notice. See [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - Discovery: a crawler may still find your site through the link, since the attributes are hints. Be wary of anyone who sells "dofollow" placements as their main feature. That is precisely the kind of link Google’s policies describe as spam. ## Disclosure is a separate obligation Rel attributes speak to search engines. Readers need their own disclosure. In the US the FTC’s Endorsement Guides expect material connections to be disclosed clearly; in the UK the ASA and CAP Code require ads to be obviously identifiable. Label sponsored articles visibly ("Sponsored", "Partner content"). More in [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). ## How to set link attributes in WordPress - **Block editor:** select the link, open the HTML view of the block and add the rel value, or use an SEO plugin. - **SEO plugins:** popular plugins such as Yoast SEO and Rank Math add options to mark a link as nofollow or sponsored in the link dialog. - **Comments:** WordPress adds nofollow to comment links by default. - **Partner articles:** if you host articles through the Satelo Connector plugin, links arrive with `rel="sponsored"` already set. ## Quick decision guide - Did someone pay, trade or give you something for this link? Use **sponsored**. - Did a user, not you, add it? Use **ugc**. - Do you need to link but not vouch for it? Use **nofollow**. - Did you choose it freely because it helps readers? No attribute needed. ## Common mistakes with link attributes - **Nofollowing every outbound link.** Linking freely to good sources is normal and helps readers. Reserve the attributes for links that need them. - **Forgetting internal links.** There is rarely a reason to nofollow links within your own site; it only makes your structure harder to understand. - **Labelling the link but not the post.** A sponsored article still needs a visible label for readers. - **Missing affiliate links in old posts.** Affiliate links added years ago are easy to overlook. A site-wide search for affiliate parameters helps. - **Relying on JavaScript to hide links.** If it is a paid link, mark it properly instead of trying to hide it. ## Next steps Audit your recent sponsored posts and partner content and make sure links are labelled. Before buying or exchanging a placement, check the site with the free [Quality Score tool](https://satelo.io/check/). If you run WordPress and want partner articles with correct attributes set automatically, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/). For context on exchanges, read [guest posting vs link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## FAQ ### What is the difference between nofollow and sponsored? Sponsored specifically marks paid or arranged links. Nofollow is the general way to say you do not vouch for a link. Google accepts either for paid links, but sponsored is more descriptive. ### When did Google introduce sponsored and ugc? Google announced rel=sponsored and rel=ugc in September 2019, and at the same time began treating all three attributes as hints. ### Can I use rel=sponsored nofollow together? Yes. Multiple space-separated values are valid, and combining them helps with crawlers that only recognise nofollow. ### Do sponsored links help SEO? They are not meant to pass ranking credit. They can still bring referral traffic, brand awareness and discovery. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/ Tools # Free Ahrefs Alternatives for Small Sites Ahrefs is excellent, but for a small blog or a local business it is often more than the budget allows. The good news: most of what you need day to day is covered by free Ahrefs alternatives, including some free tools from Ahrefs itself. Below are twelve options grouped by task, with honest notes on their limits, and a simple stack you can set up in an afternoon. Published: 2026-09-21 · 5 min read · Satelo ## First, what do you actually need? Paid SEO suites bundle many jobs. Small sites usually need only five of them: - See who links to you. - Find keywords people search for. - Find technical problems on your site. - Check a competitor or a potential partner site. - Track whether things are getting better. For your own site, free tools are often **more** accurate than paid ones, because they use first-party data from the search engines. For other people’s sites, free tools are limited, and that is where paid suites earn their money. ## Backlinks ### 1. Google Search Console (Links report) Shows top linking sites, top linked pages and anchor text, straight from Google. It is a sample, not a complete list, but it is the closest view of what Google sees. ### 2. Bing Webmaster Tools Includes a backlinks report for your site and lets you compare backlink data for other domains. It also has a free keyword research tool and site scan. ### 3. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools Ahrefs’ own free tier for sites you verify. You get site audit and backlink data for your own properties. It does not let you research competitors in depth, but for monitoring your site it is hard to beat. ### 4. Free backlink checkers Ahrefs, Moz and Semrush all offer free, limited lookups for any domain: usually the top backlinks and an authority score, with a daily cap. Good for a quick look at a partner site. ## Keywords ### 5. Google Keyword Planner Free with a Google Ads account (you do not need to run ads). Volumes are shown as ranges unless you spend money, but the keyword ideas are useful. ### 6. Google Trends Shows relative interest over time and by region. Ideal for seasonal topics and comparing two phrasings. ### 7. Search Console Performance report The best keyword tool for an existing site: queries you already get impressions for. Pages ranking 8–20 are the easiest wins. ### 8. Autocomplete and “People also ask” Free, live and specific. Type your topic into Google, note suggestions and questions, and build sections around them. ## Technical audits ### 9. Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free version) Desktop crawler, free for up to 500 URLs per crawl, which covers most small sites. Finds broken links, missing titles, redirects and duplicate content. ### 10. PageSpeed Insights Google’s free tool for Core Web Vitals, with real-user data where available. See [Core Web Vitals for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) for what to fix first. ## Checking other sites ### 11. Satelo free check Enter any domain at [satelo.io/check](https://satelo.io/check/) to get a Quality Score from open data: Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl index size and PageSpeed. Useful before buying a guest post or accepting an exchange partner, because it is hard to inflate with purchased links. ### 12. Wayback Machine The Internet Archive shows how a site looked in the past. Use it to spot expired domains repurposed for link selling; more in [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## Comparison table | Task | Free tool | Main limit | | Your backlinks | Search Console, Bing WMT, Ahrefs WMT | Own sites only | | Competitor backlinks | Free checkers (Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush) | Top results only, daily caps | | Keyword ideas | Keyword Planner, Trends, autocomplete | Volume ranges, no difficulty score | | Your rankings | Search Console | Average position, not daily tracking | | Site audit | Screaming Frog free, Ahrefs WMT | 500 URLs in Screaming Frog free | | Partner vetting | Satelo check, Tranco, Wayback | No full backlink list | ## A zero-budget SEO stack - **Weekly:** Search Console performance report, sorted by impressions, to find pages to improve. - **Monthly:** Screaming Frog crawl and PageSpeed check of your top 10 pages. - **Monthly:** Search Console and Bing links reports to see new referring domains. - **Before any deal:** a Satelo check and a free backlink lookup on the other site. ## When paying makes sense Upgrade when competitor research becomes your daily job, for example if you run an agency, sell links professionally or work in a highly competitive niche. Many paid tools offer monthly plans, so you can buy one month for a research sprint and cancel. ## Setting up the free stack, step by step - **Verify your site in Google Search Console.** A DNS record verifies the whole domain, including all subdomains and protocols. - **Import into Bing Webmaster Tools.** Bing lets you import verified sites from Search Console in a few clicks. - **Add Yandex Webmaster** if you have readers in Russia or the CIS. - **Connect Ahrefs Webmaster Tools** using the Search Console connection or DNS verification, and schedule a monthly site audit. - **Submit your sitemap** in each tool so new pages are discovered quickly. - **Bookmark PageSpeed Insights and the Wayback Machine** for one-off checks. - **Keep a simple spreadsheet**: date, clicks, impressions, referring domains, notes on what you changed. Free tools do not keep long history in every report, so your own log becomes valuable. ## Common mistakes with free tools - **Treating average position as a rank.** Search Console averages across all queries and locations; a page at “position 12” may be in the top 3 for one query and on page 4 for another. Filter by query. - **Comparing link counts across tools.** Each index is different. Compare a tool with itself over time. - **Ignoring the date range.** Many reports default to the last few months. Extend it before drawing conclusions about trends. - **Chasing every audit warning.** Free crawlers flag many minor issues. Fix broken links, missing titles and indexing problems first; cosmetic warnings can wait. - **Relying on one free lookup to judge a partner.** A top-backlinks sample can look great or terrible by chance. Combine it with traffic signals, as described in [how to check website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## What free tools cannot do well Be realistic about the gaps: full backlink lists for competitors, historical keyword rankings for other sites, keyword difficulty scores and large-scale content gap analysis. If those are central to your work, a paid month is worth it. For most small sites, though, the gap between free and paid matters far less than consistently publishing useful content. ## Which free tool to open for which question A quick mental map saves time. “Why did my traffic change?” Open Search Console and compare date ranges. “What should I write next?” Check queries with impressions but few clicks, then autocomplete. “Is this partner site real?” Run a Satelo check, look at the Wayback Machine and do a free backlink lookup. “Why is my page slow?” PageSpeed Insights. “Did I break something after an update?” A Screaming Frog crawl. Five questions, five tools, no subscription. ## Next steps Set up Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools today, then run a [free QS check](https://satelo.io/check/) on your site. For how to interpret the numbers, read [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/), and for link ideas that cost nothing, see [free link building strategies](https://satelo.io/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). ## FAQ ### Does Ahrefs have a free version? Ahrefs Webmaster Tools is free for sites you verify and includes site audit and backlink data for those sites. Ahrefs also offers limited free lookup tools. ### What is the best free backlink checker? For your own site, Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. For other sites, the free checkers from Ahrefs, Moz or Semrush show top backlinks with daily limits. ### Can free tools replace Ahrefs completely? For monitoring your own site, mostly yes. For in-depth competitor research, paid tools still have much bigger indexes. ### Is Screaming Frog free? The free version crawls up to 500 URLs per site, which is enough for most small websites. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/content-syndication-guide/ Content marketing # Content syndication: how to republish your articles without losing traffic Content syndication means republishing an article you already published on your own site on another platform or partner site, in full or in part. Done well, it puts your best work in front of an audience you could not reach alone. Done carelessly, the copy outranks your original. This guide covers where to syndicate, how search engines treat duplicates, and a step-by-step process for small sites. Published: 2026-09-21 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Syndication, guest posting and repurposing: not the same thing | Approach | Content | Main goal | | Syndication | The same article, republished elsewhere | Reach a new audience with work you already did | | Guest posting | A new, original article written for another site | Reach, authority, a relevant mention | | Repurposing | The same ideas in a new format (thread, video, newsletter) | Use one piece of research across channels | Syndication is the cheapest of the three in effort, which is why it is popular, and the one most likely to create duplicate-content headaches. If you are new to guest posting, start with [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/). ## How search engines handle syndicated copies Duplicate content from syndication is not a penalty issue in itself. Google’s documentation is clear that it does not punish sites for legitimate syndication. The real problem is choice: when two pages carry the same text, the search engine shows one of them for a given query, and it may not be yours. A large partner site with more authority can easily become the version that ranks. Google’s guidance on syndicated content was updated in 2023. It now says the most effective way to make sure your original is the one shown is for syndication partners to block indexing of their copy with `noindex`. It notes that `rel="canonical"` pointing to the original is not recommended as the main solution for syndication, because syndicated pages are often quite different from the original (different templates, comments, extra content), so the canonical hint may be ignored. Yandex also supports `rel="canonical"` as a hint and respects `noindex`. In practice, the safest arrangement for both engines is the same: - **Best:** the partner adds `noindex` to their copy and links to your original. - **Acceptable:** the partner adds `rel="canonical"` pointing to your original URL plus a visible link to it. - **Fallback:** the partner publishes an excerpt (a few paragraphs) with a “read the full article” link. - **Risky:** a full copy with no canonical, no noindex and only a footer credit. ## Where to syndicate - **Platforms with canonical support.** Some blogging platforms let you set the original URL when importing a post. For example, Medium’s import tool and DEV Community’s `canonical_url` field are designed for this. Check the current settings before you rely on them. - **Professional networks.** Long-form posts on networks such as LinkedIn reach people in your industry; these usually do not support canonical tags, so post an adapted version or a summary with a link. - **Niche partner sites.** A blog in an adjacent niche that wants quality content. This is where you negotiate `noindex` or canonical in writing. - **Newsletters.** Many curators republish or summarise good articles; ask for a link to the original. - **Industry publications.** Some accept syndicated pieces, usually after your original has been live for a while. ## A step-by-step content syndication process - **Publish on your site first.** Wait until the original is indexed. Check with the URL Inspection tool in Search Console and the page checking tool in Yandex Webmaster. A week or two is a common buffer. - **Pick evergreen pieces.** Guides, research and opinion pieces that stay relevant. Time-sensitive news gains little from a delayed copy. - **Agree terms in writing.** Which method (noindex, canonical, excerpt), where the credit line goes, whether they can edit, whether links can be changed to `nofollow` or `sponsored`. - **Adapt the intro and title.** A different headline and a first paragraph written for the partner’s audience help readers and make the two pages distinct. - **Add a clear credit line.** For example: “This article was originally published on Example Blog” with a link to the exact original URL. - **Verify after publication.** View the source of the partner page: is the `noindex` or canonical actually there? Is the link to your original working? - **Watch rankings for a month.** If the copy starts ranking above your original for its main query, ask the partner to add `noindex` or switch to an excerpt. ## Example: one article, three channels Say you run a small accounting blog and publish a thorough guide to quarterly tax deadlines for freelancers. Here is how syndication might look: - **Week 0:** publish on your site, submit the URL for indexing, share it with your own newsletter. - **Week 2:** a freelancer community blog republishes the full guide with `noindex` on their copy, a new intro aimed at designers and developers, and a link to your original at the top. - **Week 3:** you post an adapted, shorter version on a professional network with three key takeaways and a link to the full guide. - **Week 4:** an industry newsletter features a two-paragraph summary with a link. One piece of work, four audiences, and only one indexed full copy: yours. Notice that each channel got a version shaped for it rather than an identical paste. Track referral visits from each channel in your analytics to decide where to syndicate next time. ## Syndication terms checklist - Method agreed: `noindex`, canonical or excerpt - Delay after original publication - Credit line wording and placement - Link to the original: position and attribute - Editing rights: can they change the text or headings? - Images: can they reuse yours, with credit? - Removal: what happens if either side wants the copy taken down? - If money or other value changes hands: disclosure and `rel="sponsored"` on links ## Common mistakes - **Syndicating on day one.** Give the original a head start. - **Trusting a verbal promise about canonical.** Check the source code. - **Syndicating everything.** Pick your best five articles a quarter, not your whole archive. - **Ignoring the audience.** A piece for beginners will flop on an expert community site, and a dense expert piece will lose a general audience in the first paragraph. - **Treating syndication as link building.** If links are the main point and the copies are indexed everywhere, you are drifting toward the large-scale article distribution that Google’s spam policies describe as a link scheme. ## When a fresh article is better Syndication is a good tool for reach, but it is rarely the best option for building a relationship with a publication. If a partner site is highly relevant and has a loyal audience, an original guest article usually works better than a syndicated copy: no duplicate issue, written for their readers, and editors value it more. Our guide on [how to write a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/) covers the craft, and [cross-promotion ideas for websites](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/) lists other formats to trade with partners. Satelo’s article exchange works on this principle: every placement is a new article written for the host site, not a copy, labelled as partner content, with `rel="sponsored"` links. ## Next steps Before you approach partners, see how your site compares with a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/), and use the same tool to vet a partner’s site. If you run WordPress and prefer original articles to syndicated copies, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to the exchange. ## FAQ ### Will syndicated content get my site penalised? Not by itself. Google does not penalise legitimate syndication. The risk is that the copy, rather than your original, is shown in search results. ### Should the partner use canonical or noindex? Google's current guidance says noindex on the partner's copy is the most effective option. A canonical to the original plus a visible link is a reasonable second choice. ### How long should I wait before syndicating? Until your original is indexed. Many publishers wait one to two weeks. ### Is syndication the same as guest posting? No. Syndication republishes an existing article; guest posting means writing a new original article for another site. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/ Sponsored content # Sponsored content disclosure rules for blogs and websites If someone pays you, gives you something of value or has a business relationship with you, and you publish content about them, your readers have a right to know. Sponsored content disclosure rules exist in the US, UK, EU and elsewhere, and search engines add their own layer on top. This guide summarises the main requirements in plain language, shows where to put labels, and gives wording you can adapt. It is general information, not legal advice. Published: 2026-09-20 · 6 min read · Satelo ## The principle behind every rule Every regulator says roughly the same thing: **readers must be able to tell advertising from editorial content, easily and before they act on it**. A disclosure that a typical reader would miss is treated as no disclosure. Keep this in mind and most practical questions answer themselves. ## United States: the FTC The Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255, [revised in 2023](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking)) cover reviews, endorsements and other content where there is a "material connection" between the publisher and a brand: payment, free products, commissions, employment or family ties. The FTC also has an [enforcement policy statement on deceptively formatted advertisements](https://www.ftc.gov/public-statements/2015/12/commission-enforcement-policy-statement-deceptively-formatted), which covers native ads formatted to look like articles. In practice the FTC expects disclosures to be: - **Clear and conspicuous**: easy to notice and understand, not buried in a footer, tooltip or "About" page. - **Close to the claim**: near the recommendation and the paid links. The FTC notes that on a blog a disclosure only at the very top or bottom of the page may be overlooked, so a footer note alone is not enough. - **Plain**: words like "Ad", "Advertisement" or "Sponsored" work. Vague terms such as "collab", "spon" or a stand-alone "thanks", or abbreviations only insiders understand, may not. The FTC’s plain-language guide [Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) gives similar advice and is useful for bloggers too. It also confirms that free or discounted products count as a material connection, not just money. ## United Kingdom: ASA and the CAP Code The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising (CAP Code), enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, requires marketing communications to be obviously identifiable as such ([section 2, rules 2.1 and 2.4](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/02.html)). For advertorials, marketers and publishers must make clear that the content is a marketing communication, for example by heading it "advertisement feature". The [ASA’s guidance on advertisement features](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/recognising-ads-advertisement-features.html) accepts labels such as "Ad", "Advertisement" or "Ad feature" displayed up front, and generally advises against "Sponsored" on its own because readers interpret it in different ways. The CAP Code notes that the advertorial rule also reflects a banned practice under UK consumer protection law (the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024). ## European Union The [Unfair Commercial Practices Directive](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32005L0029) lists, among practices that are always unfair (Annex I, point 11), using editorial content to promote a product when the trader has paid for it without making that clear. Member states implement this in national law, and some have their own labelling guidance. If your readers are in a specific EU country, check that country’s consumer authority. ## Russia: advertising labelling (for Russian-language sites) Since 1 September 2022 online advertising in Russia must be labelled under [article 18.1 of the Federal Law "On Advertising"](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/2c4537e4796f6ff8b2736ed1b0d4fef08e14458e/): a "Реклама" label, information about the advertiser and a unique token (erid) obtained through an advertising data operator. Our Russian version of this article covers the details. ## Google and search engines Search engines care about links rather than labels. [Google’s spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#link-spam) treat buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam, and say paid links are fine when they are [qualified](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) with `rel="sponsored"` ([introduced in 2019](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2019/09/evolving-nofollow-new-ways-to-identify)) or `rel="nofollow"`. A sponsored article that is clearly labelled but contains followed paid links is still a problem for search. Read [Google’s rules on link exchanges](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/) and [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) for the details. ## Quick comparison | Who | Main rule | What it means for a blog post | | FTC (US) | Disclose material connections clearly and conspicuously | Label at the top, near links, in plain words | | ASA / CAP (UK) | Ads must be obviously identifiable | "Ad" or "Advertisement feature" up front; not "Sponsored" alone | | EU UCPD | No paid editorial without making it clear | Visible sponsored label | | Russia, 38-FZ | Label, advertiser info, erid token | "Реклама" + advertiser + erid | | Google | Paid links must not pass ranking signals | `rel="sponsored"` on paid links | ## Where to put the disclosure - **Above the title or directly below it.** The reader sees it before reading. - **Near the first paid link** if the article is long and the link comes much later. - **In social posts** that promote the article, using the platform’s paid partnership tool or a clear "Ad" at the start. - **In newsletters** that feature the article, at the top of the sponsored section. Avoid placing the only disclosure at the bottom, in a sidebar, in an image or behind a "Read more" link. ## Wording you can adapt - **Sponsored article:** "Ad: this article was paid for by [Brand]. We edited it and only publish partners we think are relevant to our readers." - **Guest post written by the sponsor:** "Advertisement: written by [Brand] and published as a paid partnership." - **Affiliate links:** "This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you." - **Free product:** "[Brand] sent us this product for free to review. They did not see or approve this review before publication." ## Common mistakes - Disclosing only on a general "Advertising policy" page. - Using only "Thanks to our partner" or "In collaboration with", which readers may not read as paid. - Labelling the article but leaving paid links followed. - Removing the label later at the buyer’s request. - Labelling the article on the site but not in the newsletter or social post that promotes it. ## How networks handle it If you exchange or sell articles through a platform, check how it labels content by default. On Satelo, exchanged articles are labelled as partner content and links get `rel="sponsored"` by default; you can switch auto-placement off in the WordPress plugin to add your own wording before publishing. Whatever platform you use, you as the publisher remain responsible for what appears on your site. ## Applying sponsored content disclosure rules to common cases - **Exchanged articles with no money involved.** If you publish an article in exchange for a placement elsewhere, that is still a benefit. Treat it as partner content and label it. - **Gifted products.** A free product counts as a material connection under the FTC guides, even if you were not paid. Disclose it in the review itself. - **Affiliate links in your own article.** A short disclosure near the top, not only in the footer, plus `rel="sponsored"` on the links. - **Old posts.** If a past article was sponsored and has no label, add one now. Treat the disclosure as needed for as long as the content is live. - **Content for several countries.** Use the strictest standard among your main audiences. A clear "Ad" or "Advertisement" label at the top fits the spirit of all the rules above; if you have UK readers, do not rely on "Sponsored" alone. When in doubt, ask one question: would a typical reader feel misled if they found out later that this was paid? If yes, disclose more clearly. ## Next steps - Add a reusable disclosure block to your CMS and a sponsored category. - Read [how to write a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/) that readers actually finish. - If you run WordPress, follow our guide to [accepting sponsored posts on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/), or [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to receive labelled partner articles. ## FAQ ### Do I need to disclose sponsored blog posts? Yes. In the US, UK and EU, paid content must be identifiable as advertising. The FTC, the ASA and EU consumer law all require a clear disclosure readers will notice. ### Is a disclosure at the bottom of the post enough? Usually not. Regulators expect the disclosure to be seen before the reader engages with the content, so put it at the top and near paid links. ### Does labelling a post as sponsored make paid links safe for SEO? No. Labels are for readers and regulators. For search engines, paid links need rel=sponsored or rel=nofollow so they do not pass ranking signals. ### What words should I use for disclosure? Plain words such as Ad or Advertisement, ideally with the sponsor’s name. The FTC also accepts Sponsored, but the UK ASA advises against Sponsored on its own. Avoid vague phrases like In collaboration with on their own. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/ Guest posting # Guest posting vs link exchange Both guest posting and link exchange are ways to get other sites to mention you. They differ in effort, risk and how search engines see them. This comparison of guest posting vs link exchange explains what each one is, what Google’s rules actually say, and how to choose. Published: 2026-09-19 · 4 min read · Satelo ## Definitions **Guest posting** is writing an original article for another site, published under your name, usually with a bio link. The value is the content and the audience. More in [what is guest posting](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/). **Link exchange** is an agreement between sites to link to each other: "I link to you, you link to me". It can be a direct swap (A↔B), a three-way swap (A→B, B→C, C→A) or a link added to an existing page in return for something. ## What Google’s spam policies say Google’s Search Essentials spam policies describe link spam, including: - "Excessive link exchanges ("Link to me and I’ll link to you") or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking". - Buying or selling links that pass ranking credit. - Large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links. Two details matter. First, the word "excessive": two related sites occasionally linking to each other is normal on the web. Second, Google asks that paid or arranged links carry `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="nofollow"`, which tells it not to count them for ranking. We go deeper in our guide to [Google’s rules on link exchange](https://satelo.io/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/) and in [is link exchange bad for SEO](https://satelo.io/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## Side-by-side comparison | | Guest posting | Link exchange | | Main value | Audience, reputation, content | A link, sometimes a little referral traffic | | Effort | High: research, pitch, write | Low: email and add a link | | Cost | Time, or a fee if sponsored | Usually free | | Spam risk | Low if editorial and moderate in volume | Higher if systematic and unlabelled | | Typical footprint | New article on host site | Reciprocal links, partner pages | | Best for | Building authority and reaching readers | Genuine partners linking to useful resources | ## Why direct reciprocal links look suspicious A pattern where many site pairs link to each other is easy for any algorithm to spot. If A links to B and B links back to A, and this repeats across dozens of sites with commercial anchors, it looks like what it is: an arrangement for ranking, not a recommendation. Three-way schemes were invented to hide this, but large networks of them leave footprints too. That does not make every mutual link bad. A local bakery and the florist next door linking to each other because they share customers is how the web is supposed to work. ## When guest posting is the better choice - You want people to read and trust you, not just a link count. - You have real expertise to share. - You are entering a niche and need to be seen in the right places. - You care about brand mentions in search and AI answers. ## When a link exchange is acceptable - The two sites are genuinely related and the link helps readers. - It is occasional, not a strategy of hundreds of swaps. - Anchors are natural (brand names, page titles). - If the link exists only because of the deal, it is marked sponsored or nofollow. ## The middle ground: article exchange There is a format that combines the content of guest posting with the low effort of exchange: sites publish full articles about each other, coordinated by a network. How it is designed determines whether it is sensible or spammy. Satelo is built this way on purpose: - Sites are matched by similar Quality Score (within about 10%) and niche, so a hobby blog is not pushed onto a finance site. - Exchanges run in circles (A writes about B, B about C, C about A). Satelo never sets up direct A↔B swaps. - Articles are full posts with images and formatting, labelled as partner content. - Links get `rel="sponsored"` by default. Be clear about what this gives you: readers, mentions and referral visits from relevant sites. A sponsored link is not meant to pass ranking credit, and no honest network should promise ranking gains. ## Decision checklist - Would the link exist if no deal were made? If yes, a normal link is fine. If no, label it. - Is the other site relevant to your readers? If not, skip it whatever the format. - Is the content useful on its own? If the post is just a wrapper for a link, rethink. - Is the volume natural for a site of your size? Fifty new partner links in a week on a two-month-old site is not. - Can you check partner sites? Use a free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) before agreeing to anything. ## A practical mix for a small site For most small sites a sensible approach looks like this: a handful of strong guest posts per quarter on the best sites in your niche, a few genuine partner mentions, and optionally an article exchange for steady, labelled exposure on relevant sites. Avoid mass reciprocal link lists and unlabelled paid links entirely. ## Questions to ask before joining any exchange network - How are partner sites matched: by topic and quality, or randomly? - Are swaps direct (A↔B), or arranged so that sites do not simply link back to each other? - Are the links labelled, and is the content marked as partner or sponsored? - Can you review articles before they go live on your site? - Can you see and check the sites your content will appear on? - Does the network promise ranking gains? If it does, be sceptical. For Satelo the answers are: matched by niche and similar QS, circular exchanges only, labelled content with `rel="sponsored"` links, and an option to switch off auto-placement so articles arrive as drafts for review. ## Next steps Check the sites you are considering with the free [Quality Score tool](https://satelo.io/check/). If you want to try labelled article exchange on WordPress, [connect your site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/). Then read [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) to set up links correctly. ## FAQ ### Is link exchange against Google’s rules? Excessive link exchanges done for ranking are listed as link spam in Google’s spam policies. Occasional natural links between related sites are normal. ### Is guest posting safer than link exchange? Generally yes, if the posts are genuinely editorial, relevant and moderate in volume. Mass guest posting with keyword anchors is also treated as link spam. ### Are three-way link exchanges safe? They are harder to spot than direct swaps but still an arrangement. If links exist only because of a deal, label them sponsored or nofollow. ### Does an article exchange improve rankings? Satelo does not promise that. Links are rel=sponsored. The value is relevant exposure, mentions and referral traffic. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/ Link building # Brand mentions vs backlinks: which one should you build? The brand mentions vs backlinks debate usually ends in a false choice. Backlinks are a documented part of how search engines discover and evaluate pages. Brand mentions, with or without a link, shape reputation, referrals and how AI assistants describe you. A small site needs both, in a sensible ratio. This article explains the difference, what is known and what is guesswork, and how to plan the mix. Published: 2026-09-18 · 6 min read · Satelo ## Definitions - **Backlink:** a clickable link from another site to yours, in HTML an `<a href>` element. It can carry attributes such as `rel="nofollow"`, `rel="sponsored"` or `rel="ugc"`. - **Linked mention:** your brand name with a link. Every linked mention is a backlink, but not every backlink mentions your brand (think of anchor text like “this guide”). - **Unlinked mention:** your brand, product or founder named in text without a link. ## What backlinks do: the documented part Google has said for many years that links help it discover new pages and understand how pages relate to each other. Its spam policies also make clear that links intended to manipulate rankings, such as paid links without a qualifying attribute or excessive link exchanges, violate its guidelines. That alone tells you links still matter: nobody writes policies against signals that do nothing. In 2019 Google introduced `rel="sponsored"` and `rel="ugc"` alongside `nofollow` and said it treats all three as hints rather than strict directives. Paid or partner links should be marked `sponsored`. They still bring visitors and help discovery; they are not supposed to pass ranking credit. Our explainer on [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) covers the details. Backlinks also do something unglamorous but real: they send people. A link in a well-read niche article can bring more customers than months of ranking for a low-volume keyword. ## What brand mentions do: evidence and reasonable assumptions Here we need to separate what is documented from what is inferred. - **Documented:** Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines tell human raters to check a site’s or creator’s reputation using independent sources such as news, reviews and expert commentary. Raters do not change rankings directly, but the guidelines describe what Google’s systems aim to reward. - **Observable:** AI assistants and AI Overviews name brands in answers to “best X” questions. Those names reflect what is said across many sources. A brand nobody writes about is rarely recommended. - **Practical:** people who see your name in several trusted places search for it directly. Branded searches and direct visits are measurable outcomes. - **Not documented:** any claim that “Google counts unlinked mentions as links” or gives them a fixed weight. Treat confident statements like that with caution. See [AI Overviews and brand mentions](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) for how this plays out in Google’s AI answers. A useful way to think about it: links are how search engines and people travel between sites, and mentions are how they form an opinion once they arrive. ## Brand mentions vs backlinks side by side | | Backlinks | Brand mentions | | Help search engines discover pages | Yes, directly | No, unless linked | | Send referral visitors | Yes | Indirectly, via branded search | | Build reputation with people | Somewhat | Yes, strongly | | Influence AI assistant recommendations | Partly, through the content around them | Yes, through context and frequency | | Risk of penalties if done badly | Yes, link schemes violate spam policies | Low, unless fake reviews or spam | | Easy to measure | Yes, with backlink tools | Harder; alerts and manual search | ## Quality beats type A link from an irrelevant site with no readers does little, whether it is labelled or not. A mention in a respected niche newsletter can matter more than five links from directories. Before you pursue either, check the source: - Does the site have real visitors? Our guide on [checking website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) lists methods. - Is it on topic for your audience? - Would you be happy if a customer found you there? - Does it look like a site built only to sell links? See [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## How to turn mentions into links (politely) - Search for your brand name in quotes, excluding your own site: `"Your Brand" -site:yoursite.com`. - For each unlinked mention on a relevant site, check whether a link would help the reader, for example to your pricing or the tool they mention. - Write a short, friendly note: thank them, point to the exact page, explain why it helps their readers. No demands, no mention of SEO. - Accept no for an answer. A mention without a link is still valuable. ## Example: same budget, two approaches Imagine a small online shop selling handmade leather wallets, with a modest monthly budget and a few hours a week for promotion. **Approach A, links only.** The owner buys ten cheap links on general “news” sites that accept any topic. The links appear quickly, but the sites have no real readers, the articles are generic, nobody clicks and nobody remembers the brand. If the links are unlabelled paid links, they also fall squarely into what Google’s spam policies describe as link schemes. **Approach B, mentions with links where they make sense.** The owner writes two useful guest articles for leather-care and menswear blogs (labelled as partner content), sends samples to one gift-guide author, and answers questions in a craft community. Fewer links, but each sits in a relevant context, a few readers click, the brand appears in a “best gifts under $50” roundup, and branded searches start to show up in Search Console. Approach B is slower and less predictable, but every piece of it is something you would be happy to show a customer. That is a reasonable test for any promotion. It also compounds: the gift-guide author may mention the brand again next year, and the community answers keep bringing people long after the budget is spent. ## How to track both | Metric | Tool | What it tells you | | Referring domains | Search Console Links report, Bing Webmaster Tools | Which sites link to you, as seen by the search engines themselves | | Referral visits | Your analytics, source/medium report | Which links actually send people | | Branded queries | Search Console, queries containing your name | Whether more people look you up directly | | New mentions | Free alerts for your brand name | Where you are talked about, linked or not | | AI answers | Monthly manual checks of key questions | Whether assistants name you for your category | ## A sensible mix for a small site There is no correct ratio, but this works as a starting plan for the first six months: - **Foundations:** profiles and directories that matter in your niche, your business listings, a few partner pages. Mostly linked. - **Content placements:** guest or partner articles on relevant sites, clearly labelled, with `rel="sponsored"` where there is any exchange of value. They give you a mention in context plus a link that can send readers. - **Earned mentions:** expert comments, data others want to cite, appearances in roundups and podcasts. Often unlinked; build them anyway. Satelo’s exchange sits in the second group: sites of similar Quality Score and niche write about each other in circles, never as direct A-for-B swaps, and the links are `rel="sponsored"` by default. It does not promise link equity; it gives you relevant placements and the mentions that come with them. ## Next steps Check where you stand with a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/), read [how to get your first mentions](https://satelo.io/guides/first-mentions/), and if you run WordPress, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to start exchanging partner articles. ## FAQ ### Does Google count unlinked brand mentions as links? Google has not documented that. What is documented is that raters assess reputation through independent sources, and AI answers reflect what many sources say about a brand. ### Do sponsored links still have value? Yes. They can send visitors, help search engines discover pages and put your brand in front of relevant readers. They are not meant to pass ranking credit. ### Which should a new site focus on first? Foundational links from relevant profiles and partners, then labelled content placements, while collecting earned mentions along the way. ### How can I find unlinked mentions of my brand? Search your brand name in quotes and exclude your own domain, and set up a free alert for your brand name. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/ Seo metrics # Tranco Rank Explained Tranco rank is a position in a free, research-oriented list of the most popular domains on the internet. Since Alexa Rank shut down in 2022, it has become one of the few open, independent ways to tell whether a website gets real traffic. Here is how the list is built, how to read a rank, and where its limits are. Published: 2026-09-17 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What Tranco is Tranco is a top-sites ranking created by academic security researchers (led by a team at KU Leuven) and presented at the NDSS Symposium in 2019. The original goal was scientific: researchers often used popularity lists like Alexa to pick “typical” websites for studies, and the team showed that those lists were unstable and easy to manipulate. Tranco was designed to be more stable and harder to game. The list is published daily at tranco-list.eu, covers roughly the top one million domains, and can be downloaded free of charge. That openness is why many tools, including Satelo, use it as a traffic signal. ## How the list is calculated Tranco does not measure traffic itself. It combines several independent popularity sources. At the time of writing, the default list draws on five providers: | Source | Type of data | | Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) | Real browsing data from opted-in Chrome users | | Cloudflare Radar | Queries to Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 DNS resolver | | Cisco Umbrella | DNS traffic from Cisco’s resolvers, including OpenDNS | | Farsight | Passive DNS observations | | Majestic | Number of distinct subnets linking to a domain | Alexa was one of the original sources and was dropped after Amazon retired Alexa Internet in May 2022. The rankings are merged using the Dowdall rule (a positional voting method that gives more weight to higher positions) and averaged over 30 days. The averaging is the important part for site owners: a one-day spike, whether real or bought, barely moves the rank. ## How to read a Tranco rank Lower is better: rank 1 is the most popular domain. Some practical guidelines: - **Top 10,000**: very large, well-known sites and major platforms. - **10,000–100,000**: established publications, big e-commerce, popular SaaS and large community sites. - **100,000–1,000,000**: a long tail of real, active sites with steady audiences: regional media, strong niche blogs, mid-sized businesses. - **Not listed**: the majority of websites. This does not mean “no traffic”; it means below the threshold of the top million. Tranco does not publish a conversion from rank to visits, and you should be wary of anyone who claims an exact figure. Use the rank to compare sites with each other, not to estimate monthly visits precisely. ## Strengths of Tranco - **Free and open.** Anyone can download the list and check how a domain is ranked, with a permanent ID for each daily list, which makes results reproducible. - **Hard to manipulate.** Combining five sources and averaging over a month makes cheap bot traffic much less effective than it was with Alexa. - **Independent of backlinks for the most part.** Only one of the five sources is link-based, so the list reflects real usage more than link-building activity. ## Limitations to keep in mind - **It ranks domains, not websites.** Some entries are infrastructure: CDNs, ad servers, API endpoints and tracking domains appear because DNS sources see them constantly. - **It favours global reach.** A site that is popular in one smaller country may rank lower than its local importance suggests. - **It is coarse at the bottom.** Between ranks 500,000 and 1,000,000, small changes in source data can move a domain a lot. - **Subdomains are usually grouped.** The standard list aggregates to the registered domain, so blog.example.com counts towards example.com. ## Using Tranco to vet a website - Look up the domain in the latest list (tranco-list.eu has a search box), or run a [free Satelo check](https://satelo.io/check/), which includes Tranco presence in the Quality Score. - Compare with authority scores. A site with DR 70 that is absent from Tranco often has links but no audience; see [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/). - Look at history. Tranco keeps archived lists, so you can see whether a site was popular a year ago and fell away. - Combine with other signals: organic keywords, domain age, engagement. Our guide on [checking website traffic free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) lists them. ## Why Satelo uses Tranco in its Quality Score Satelo’s QS needs signals that cannot be bought cheaply, because it is used to match sites of similar quality in the article exchange. Tranco fits: it is public, reproducible and resistant to short-term manipulation. It is only one input, alongside domain age (RDAP), Common Crawl index size, PageSpeed and verified traffic from the WordPress plugin, because most small sites are not in the top million and still deserve a fair score. ## Tranco compared with other popularity signals | Signal | Free? | Strength | Weakness | | Tranco rank | Yes, fully open | Reproducible, hard to manipulate | Only the top ~1 million, global bias | | Similarweb estimate | Limited free view | Visit estimates and channels | Less reliable for small sites | | Organic keyword estimates | Limited free lookups | Shows what a site ranks for | Search traffic only, model-based | | Yandex ИКС | Yes | Useful for Russian-language sites | Yandex’s own view, coarse steps | | Owner’s analytics | On request | Actual measured data | Must trust the screenshot | No single signal is enough. Tranco is valuable precisely because it is the one you can verify yourself, without trusting the site owner or a commercial model. ## A worked example Suppose you compare two blogs about personal finance before pitching a guest post. Blog one has a DR in the 60s and is absent from Tranco; its archived lists show it was never there. Blog two has a DR in the 40s and sits around rank 300,000, stable for over a year. Blog two almost certainly has more real readers, and a mention there is more likely to bring visitors. Blog one may still be fine, but it needs a closer look at its traffic and backlinks; our guide to [spotting PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) lists what to check. Another practical use: track your own site. If you enter the list for the first time, that is a meaningful milestone, and the 30-day average means it reflects sustained growth rather than one viral day. ## How to download and search the list - Open tranco-list.eu and use the domain search for a quick lookup, including recent history. - For bulk checks, download the latest list as a CSV file: one row per domain with its rank. - Note the list ID if you share results with someone, so they can check the same version. ## Next steps Check where your domain stands with a [free QS check](https://satelo.io/check/). If you are not in Tranco yet, that is normal; focus on audience growth with ideas from [how to promote a website for free](https://satelo.io/blog/promote-website-for-free/) and [how to increase domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/). ## FAQ ### Is Tranco the same as Alexa Rank? No. Alexa used its own panel and was retired in 2022. Tranco aggregates several independent sources and averages them over 30 days. ### How many sites are in the Tranco list? The standard list covers about the top one million domains and is updated daily. ### Can I convert Tranco rank into monthly visits? Not reliably. Tranco does not publish traffic numbers, so use the rank for comparison rather than exact estimates. ### How can I improve my Tranco rank? Only by growing real, sustained usage. The 30-day average and multiple sources make short spikes ineffective. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/ Wordpress # How to accept sponsored posts on WordPress WordPress makes it easy to publish someone else’s article, and just as easy to publish it badly: missing labels, followed paid links, broken formatting or an outsider with too much access to your admin. This guide shows how to accept sponsored posts on WordPress safely, from roles and review queues to link attributes, SEO plugin fields and partial automation. Published: 2026-09-17 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Before you start: decide how articles will reach you There are three common ways to get a sponsored article into WordPress. Choose one per buyer and stick to it. | Method | Good for | Watch out for | | Buyer sends a document, you paste it | Occasional orders | Formatting clean-up, images, time | | Buyer gets a Contributor account | Regular, trusted partners | Account hygiene, reviewing every draft | | A connector plugin delivers the article | Networks and marketplaces | Default publishing settings | ## Step 1: use the right user role Never give a buyer an Editor or Administrator account. WordPress has a built-in role made for this case: - **Contributor** can write and edit their own posts but cannot publish them and cannot upload media. Their posts go to "Pending Review" for you to approve. - **Author** can publish their own posts and upload files. Too much for a one-off sponsor. Create a Contributor account per partner (Users, Add New), use their real work email, and remove the account when the collaboration ends. If you would rather not create accounts at all, use the document or plugin route. ## Step 2: build a review checklist Every sponsored draft should pass the same check before you click Publish. Keep this list in a note or a pinned draft: - Topic fits your blog and your readers would find it useful. - Facts, prices and claims are accurate and not misleading. - No more links than agreed; anchors are branded or descriptive, not exact-match keywords. - Every paid link has `rel="sponsored"`. - A visible disclosure sits at the top of the article. - Images are licensed and have alt text. - Category, tags, featured image and SEO description are filled in. ## Step 3: label the post clearly Readers should know the article is paid before they start reading. Options that work in WordPress: - A short line at the very top of the content, for example: **Sponsored: this article was paid for by [Brand]. Opinions and editing are our own.** A reusable block (synced pattern) saves typing. - A dedicated **Sponsored** category or tag, which many themes display above the title. - A note in the author box if the sponsor wrote the text. A label hidden in the footer or in light grey text does not count as clear disclosure. See [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) for the FTC, UK and EU requirements. ## Step 4: mark paid links with rel="sponsored" Google introduced `rel="sponsored"` in 2019 for paid and affiliate links, and its spam policies treat paid links that pass ranking signals as link schemes. In WordPress you have a few ways to add it: - **SEO plugins.** Some add a sponsored option to the block editor’s link dialog (Rank Math does, for example). Check your plugin’s settings. - **Edit as HTML.** In the block editor, open the block menu, choose "Edit as HTML" and add the attribute: `<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored">Brand</a>`. - **Bulk rules.** Some plugins can apply attributes to all external links in posts from a given category, handy if every sponsored article goes into one category. After publishing, view the page source or inspect the link to confirm the attribute is actually there. Themes and page builders occasionally strip it. For the difference between the attributes, read [nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Step 5: fill in the SEO fields A sponsored post still lives on your site, so give it the same care as your own content. In Yoast or Rank Math: - Write a meta description that describes the article honestly. - Choose a sensible slug, not the buyer’s keyword string. - Decide on indexing. Most sponsored articles can stay indexed if they are useful. If one is purely promotional with little value for readers, consider `noindex`. - Add internal links to your own relevant posts so the article fits into your site. ## Step 6: publish an "Advertise" page A short page under your main menu or footer saves time: audience numbers, topics you accept, your rules, prices or a link to request them, and a contact form. Use a form plugin rather than showing your email address. Our guide on [pricing sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/) helps you fill in the price section. ## Step 7: automate delivery (optional) If you work with a network or marketplace, a connector plugin can save the copy-paste step. The free **Satelo Connector** plugin, for example, receives partner articles with images, formatting, category and the SEO description for Yoast or Rank Math already filled in. Two settings matter: - **Auto-placement on** (the default): articles publish automatically, labelled as partner content, with links set to `rel="sponsored"`. - **Auto-placement off**: articles arrive as drafts, and you review each one with the checklist above before publishing. If you are just starting, turning auto-placement off for the first few articles is a reasonable way to see what arrives. You can [connect a WordPress site here](https://satelo.io/connect/); Satelo emails you a key and verifies ownership by sending a signed request to the plugin. ## Step 8: keep records and limits Create a simple spreadsheet: date, buyer, URL, price, number of links, label checked. Review it monthly. If sponsored articles start to crowd out your own posts, raise prices or pause orders. A blog that publishes mostly paid content loses readers first and search visibility later. ## Common problems when you accept sponsored posts on WordPress | Problem | Fix | | Pasted text brings odd fonts, colours and empty blocks | Paste as plain text, then format with the editor’s own headings and lists | | Images hotlinked from the buyer’s server | Download, compress and upload them to your media library | | The `rel` attribute disappears after saving | Check whether a plugin or theme rewrites links; test with a draft | | The sponsored label is not visible on mobile | Put the label inside the content, not only in a sidebar widget | | Contributor accounts pile up | Review users every quarter and delete inactive ones | Also think about the article after publishing. Buyers sometimes ask for edits months later, such as a changed URL or a new product name. Decide in advance whether small updates are free, paid or not possible, and write it into your rules. If a linked page disappears, update or remove the link rather than leaving readers on a dead page. ## Next steps - Set up a Contributor role or connector and write your review checklist. - Check how buyers will see your site with the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). - Read [how to make money selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/) for house rules and finding buyers. ## FAQ ### Which WordPress role should a guest author get? Contributor. It lets them write and edit their own drafts but not publish or upload media, so every article goes through your review. ### How do I add rel=sponsored to a link in WordPress? Use your SEO plugin’s link option if it has one, or switch the block to Edit as HTML and add rel=sponsored to the link tag. Then check the published page to make sure the attribute is there. ### Should sponsored posts be noindexed? Not necessarily. Useful sponsored articles with a clear label and rel=sponsored links can stay indexed. Consider noindex for purely promotional pages with little value for readers. ### Can sponsored articles be published automatically? Yes, with a connector plugin. With Satelo Connector auto-placement is on by default; switch it off to receive articles as drafts and review them first. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/ Guest posting # Guest post outreach email templates Editors get a lot of pitches, and most of them look the same. These guest post outreach email templates are short, specific and easy to personalise. Use them as a skeleton, not a script: the details you add are what make an editor reply. Published: 2026-09-15 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What makes an outreach email work Before the templates, the principles. A good pitch: - **Proves you read the site.** Mention a specific recent article and why it was useful. - **Offers concrete ideas.** Two or three working titles, each with a one-line angle. - **Explains why you.** One sentence of relevant experience, not a CV. - **Is short.** An editor should understand the offer in 20 seconds on a phone. - **Does not lead with the link.** Asking for "a dofollow link" in the first email is the fastest way to the trash folder. Before sending anything, make sure the site is worth it. A quick [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) and a look at their recent posts saves wasted pitches. If you are still building your list, see [how to find guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/). ## Subject lines Keep them plain and specific. Some patterns that read like a human wrote them: - `Article idea for [Site]: [working title]` - `Quick pitch: [topic] for your [section] readers` - `Following up on your post about [topic]` - `[Mutual contact] suggested I get in touch` Avoid "Guest post opportunity!!!", "Collaboration request" and anything that could be sent to a thousand sites unchanged. ## Template 1: The first pitch Hi [Name], I read your piece on [specific article] and the part about [specific point] matched what we saw when [short experience]. I’d like to write something for [Site]’s readers. A few ideas that I don’t think you’ve covered yet: - **[Title 1]**: [one-line angle] - **[Title 2]**: [one-line angle] - **[Title 3]**: [one-line angle] I’m [name], [role] at [company], where I [relevant experience]. Examples of my writing: [link 1], [link 2]. Happy to follow your guidelines on length and links. Would any of these work? [Signature] ## Template 2: The follow-up Send one follow-up after about a week. Do not send five. Hi [Name], Just bringing this back to the top of your inbox. If none of the ideas fit, I’m happy to take a topic you’d like covered instead. And if now isn’t a good time, no problem at all. [Signature] ## Template 3: When you have no portfolio yet New sites and new writers can still get published. Offer something only you can provide. Hi [Name], I run [site], a small [niche] project. I don’t have big bylines yet, but I do have something your readers might like: [original data / a detailed case study / a tool test with real numbers from your own work]. I could turn it into an article like **[title]**, around [length] words, with [what makes it unique]. I can send a draft first so you can judge it without commitment. [Signature] ## Template 4: Partner or customer pitch Hi [Name], We’ve worked together on [integration / project] for [time]. I think our joint users would benefit from a practical guide: **[title]**, showing how [specific workflow]. I can write it for your blog, and we’d happily publish a counterpart on ours from your team’s perspective. Interested? [Signature] Note: if both sides publish and link, label it clearly as a partnership and keep it to genuinely useful joint content. Systematic link swaps are a different thing; see [guest posting vs link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## Template 5: Interview or expert quote request Hi [Name], I noticed you sometimes include expert comments in your posts, like in [article]. I’ve spent [years] working on [topic] and would be glad to answer questions or contribute a short quote for an upcoming piece on [topic]. Here’s a quick example of a point I could expand on: [one sentence insight]. [Signature] ## Template 6: Updating an outdated article Hi [Name], Your guide on [topic] still ranks well, but [specific thing] has changed since it was written: [fact with source]. I’d be glad to write an updated section, or a separate follow-up article, covering [what’s new]. No strings attached if you’d rather update it yourself. [Signature] ## Template 7: After the post goes live Hi [Name], Thanks for publishing [title]. I’ve shared it with [audience / channel] and I’ll reply to comments over the next few days. If you’re ever short of a piece on [topic], I’d be happy to help again. [Signature] ## Personalisation checklist | Element | Weak | Strong | | Greeting | Dear Webmaster | Hi Anna | | Hook | I love your blog | Your test of three CRMs answered a question we’d argued about for weeks | | Ideas | I can write about marketing | Three titles that fill gaps in their archive | | Credibility | I am an SEO expert | I manage content for a 40-person SaaS team | | Ask | Please give me a dofollow link | Would any of these work? | ## Talking about links honestly Links usually come up once the editor is interested. Follow their rules. If they ask for payment, it becomes a sponsored post and the link should carry `rel="sponsored"`; we explain why in [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). Do not ask editors to hide that a post was paid for. In many countries that is also a disclosure issue, not just an SEO one. ## Track and measure - Log each pitch, the date and the template variant. - Track reply rate and acceptance rate per variant, not just overall. - Review after every 20 pitches. If nobody replies, the problem is usually the target list or the ideas, not the wording. ## Mistakes that kill reply rates - **Wrong person.** Sending to a generic info@ address when the blog editor’s name is on the About page. - **Topics they already covered.** Search their site for your idea before pitching it. - **Attachments.** Unknown attachments look like spam. Offer to send a draft, or share a link. - **Fake familiarity.** "Long-time reader" with no detail is easy to spot. - **Asking for too much.** Three links, a do-follow guarantee and a fast deadline in one email. - **Bad timing for seasonal topics.** Many editors plan weeks or months ahead, so pitch seasonal ideas early. ## Next steps Pick ten sites, check them with the free [Quality Score tool](https://satelo.io/check/), and send Template 1 with real personalisation. If outreach is not your thing, a WordPress site can also join article exchanges through the [Satelo plugin](https://satelo.io/connect/). For the basics, read [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/). ## FAQ ### How long should a guest post pitch be? Short enough to read on a phone in under a minute: a personal hook, two or three title ideas, one line about you and a simple question. ### How many follow-ups should I send? One polite follow-up after about a week is usually enough. More than that tends to annoy editors. ### Should I mention links in the first email? No. Lead with value for the readers. Discuss links once the editor is interested, and follow their rules. ### What if the site asks for payment? Then it is a sponsored post. It can still be worthwhile, but the post should be labelled and the link should be rel=sponsored. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/ AI search # AI Overviews brand mentions: how to get your brand into Google’s AI answers AI Overviews brand mentions have become a new kind of visibility: Google’s AI summary names a few products or sources at the top of the results, and everyone below gets fewer clicks. The good news is that Google has published fairly clear guidance on how pages get into these answers, and most of it is ordinary SEO done well. Here is what is documented, what is speculation, and what you can do this month. Published: 2026-09-15 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What AI Overviews are and where the mentions come from AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries shown above or among Google’s regular results for some queries. Google rolled them out in the US in May 2024, after testing them as the Search Generative Experience, and has since expanded them to many countries and languages. AI Mode, a separate conversational search tab, uses similar technology. Two kinds of visibility appear in an overview: - **Linked sources.** Cards or inline links to pages Google used to build the answer. - **Brand mentions in the text.** When someone asks “best project management tool for small teams”, the summary may name specific products. Those names come from what the web, and Google’s systems, consider relevant and well-supported for the query. The second type is what most businesses care about, and it depends heavily on what other sites say about you. ## What Google officially says Google Search Central has a page called “AI features and your website”. The key points, paraphrased: - There are no extra technical requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. A page must be indexed and eligible to be shown in Search with a snippet. - The same SEO best practices apply: crawlable pages, important content in text form, good page experience, structured data that matches visible content. - There is no special schema, file or markup that gets you into AI features. - You can limit how your content is used in AI features with existing snippet controls such as `nosnippet`, `data-nosnippet`, `max-snippet` or `noindex`. - Traffic from AI features is counted in the Search Console Performance report under the “Web” search type, not in a separate report. Note one frequent misunderstanding: the `Google-Extended` robots.txt token controls whether your content is used to train and ground Gemini models. Google states it does not affect inclusion in Google Search, so blocking it does not remove you from AI Overviews. ## Why AI Overviews brand mentions matter more than ever For a “best X” or “X vs Y” query, a summary model needs to know which brands are credible options. It cannot rely on your own homepage saying you are the best. What it can draw on is the pattern across many sources: reviews, comparisons, forum threads, industry blogs, news. Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines have long told raters to research the reputation of a website or creator using independent sources, not what the site says about itself. AI summaries are a different system, but the logic is similar: independent, consistent, relevant mentions are evidence. Our article on [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/) goes deeper into why an unlinked mention still has value. ## A practical plan in six steps ### 1. Find the queries where an overview appears List 20–30 queries that matter to you: category queries (“best invoicing app for freelancers”), comparison queries (“Brand A vs Brand B”), problem queries (“how to send an invoice in euros”). Search them in a clean browser and note which show an overview, which brands are named and which pages are linked. ### 2. Fix eligibility first - Check in Search Console that your key pages are indexed. - Remove accidental `nosnippet` or overly short `max-snippet` values. - Make sure the main content is in HTML text, not inside images or only rendered after heavy scripts. ### 3. Build pages that answer the exact query If an overview for “how to send an invoice in euros” links to three pages, read them. What do they cover that you do not? Usually it is specifics: a step list, a currency table, screenshots described in text, a note on VAT. Write the better page, with the answer in the opening lines. ### 4. Get into the sources that are already cited The pages linked in overviews for your category queries are often listicles and comparison posts. Contact their authors with something useful: an update they missed, a free trial for testing, a correction. A mention in a page that is already used as a source is worth more than ten mentions on pages that are not. ### 5. Grow relevant mentions across your niche - Guest articles on blogs your customers read. See [how to write a sponsored article](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/) that editors accept and readers finish. - Partner content with complementary businesses. - Expert quotes for journalists and bloggers. - Honest participation in communities and Q&A sites. Satelo’s article exchange helps with this layer for small sites: you get written about on sites of similar quality in your niche, in exchange for hosting articles about others, all labelled as partner content with `rel="sponsored"` links. It is a way to build relevant mentions, not a ranking shortcut. ### 6. Keep facts consistent everywhere Use one brand name spelling, one product description and one set of key facts (founding year, location, pricing model) across your site, profiles and partner articles. Inconsistent facts make it harder for any system to describe you correctly. ## Which pages tend to be used as sources Look at the linked sources for your own query list and you will usually see a few recurring page types. Use them as a model, not a formula: - **Comparison and “best of” articles** with a clear table, criteria and short verdicts for each option. - **Step-by-step how-tos** where each step is a short, self-contained instruction. - **Official documentation and help pages** for product-specific questions. If people ask how to do something in your product, your help centre should answer it better than anyone. - **Pages with first-hand data**: a price survey, a test, a dataset. Original numbers are hard to find elsewhere. - **Forum and community threads** for questions where people want real experiences. For a small business, the most realistic wins are usually your own help pages for product questions and mentions inside other sites’ comparison articles for category questions. ## How to measure progress | What | How | How often | | Is your brand named in overviews? | Manual checks of your query list, logged in a spreadsheet | Monthly | | Are your pages linked as sources? | Same checks, note which URL is linked | Monthly | | Clicks and impressions | Search Console, “Web” search type, filtered by query | Weekly | | Branded search growth | Search Console queries containing your brand name | Monthly | | New mentions | Google Alerts or search for your brand name with `-site:yoursite.com` | Weekly | Results vary by query and by user, and overviews change frequently. Look at trends over a quarter, not individual screenshots. ## What not to do - Do not create fake reviews or comparison sites about yourself. It breaks Google’s spam policies and consumer protection law in many countries. - Do not buy mass mentions on irrelevant sites. Mentions out of context are weak evidence and can look like a link scheme. - Do not block Google’s crawler or use `nosnippet` sitewide hoping to force clicks. You will simply disappear from the answer. ## Next steps Run a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see how your site looks in open data, then read the [guide to getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). If you run WordPress and want to start building relevant mentions, [connect your site](https://satelo.io/connect/). ## FAQ ### Do I need special markup to appear in AI Overviews? No. Google states there are no additional requirements beyond being indexed and eligible to show with a snippet in Search. ### Does blocking Google-Extended remove my site from AI Overviews? No. Google says Google-Extended does not affect inclusion in Google Search, including its AI features. ### Where can I see AI Overviews traffic? In the Search Console Performance report under the Web search type. Google does not provide a separate AI Overviews report. ### Can a small brand get named in an overview? Yes, especially for specific queries. Consistent mentions on relevant sites and a page that answers the exact question are what help most. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/ Seo metrics # How to Check Website Traffic for Free You can check website traffic free of charge in two very different situations: on your own site, where you can measure it exactly, and on someone else’s, where you can only estimate it. This guide covers both, explains what every free method actually measures, and gives you a checklist for deciding whether a site you want to buy a post from really has readers. Published: 2026-09-13 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Own site vs. someone else’s site For your own site, traffic is a measurement: analytics code or server logs count real visits. For any other site, traffic is an estimate built from panels, browser data, DNS data or ranking models. Estimates are useful for comparisons, but they can be off by a factor of two or more for small sites. Keep that difference in mind for everything below. ## Free ways to measure your own traffic ### 1. Google Search Console Shows clicks and impressions from Google Search only, by page, query, country and device. It is the most reliable source for organic Google traffic and costs nothing. It does not show visits from social media, email or other search engines. ### 2. Bing Webmaster Tools and Yandex Webmaster The same idea for Bing and Yandex. If part of your audience is in Russia or the CIS, Yandex Webmaster is essential; Bing data is also useful because Bing results feed several other search products. ### 3. An analytics tool Google Analytics 4 is free, as are privacy-focused open-source tools you can self-host. Cookie-less counters avoid consent banners in many setups. If you run WordPress, the Satelo Connector plugin includes a cookie-less counter; its numbers are used as verified traffic in your Quality Score, which helps the article exchange value your site fairly. ### 4. Server logs Your hosting panel often shows raw visits from logs. They count bots too, so the figures are higher than analytics, but they are useful to cross-check. ## Free ways to estimate another site’s traffic | Method | What it measures | Best for | | Tranco list | Popularity rank combining several data sources, averaged over 30 days | Checking whether a site is in the top 1 million at all | | Similarweb (free view) | Panel-based visit estimate | Medium and large sites | | Semrush / Ahrefs free tools | Estimated organic traffic from ranking keywords | Whether the site ranks for anything | | Public counters | Real counts if the owner made them public | Sites with open statistics | | Site search in Google | Indexed pages (rough) | Spotting tiny or deindexed sites | | Satelo check | QS from Tranco, age, Common Crawl, PageSpeed, verified traffic | A quick, hard-to-inflate overview | Read more about how the popularity list works in [Tranco rank explained](https://satelo.io/blog/tranco-rank-explained/). In short: if a site is in the Tranco list, it gets meaningful traffic; if it is not, it may still have a few thousand visits a month, which is perfectly normal for niche blogs. ## Step by step: estimating a site in 10 minutes - **Run a free check** at [satelo.io/check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see Tranco presence, domain age and technical health in one place. - **Look up organic visibility** in a free keyword tool. Note the top 5 pages and the queries they rank for. Do they match the site’s topic? - **Look at the trend**, not just the latest number. A sharp drop after a Google core or spam update is a warning sign. - **Check the country.** Traffic from a country that does not match the site’s language is suspicious. - **Ask the owner for a screenshot** of Search Console or analytics for the last 3–6 months, with the domain visible. Honest publishers usually agree. - **Look for engagement**: recent comments, social shares, newsletter. Real audiences leave traces. ## Red flags of fake or inflated traffic - Big visit numbers but no organic keywords and no Tranco presence. - Traffic mostly from one unrelated country or from “direct” only. - Very high bounce rate with near-zero time on page in shared screenshots. - Sudden spikes exactly when the site started selling posts. - Screenshots without a visible domain or date range. These checks matter most when you pay for a placement. Our guide on [checking a site before buying](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/) goes deeper, and [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) covers networks built only to sell links. ## How accurate are free estimates? For large sites, third-party estimates are often in the right range. For small sites with under ten thousand visits a month, panel and clickstream data become thin, and errors grow. Use estimates to rank sites against each other, not to promise anyone exact numbers. When precision matters, rely on verified data from the owner. ## Which numbers to ask for, and what they mean When a publisher shares analytics, make sure you compare like with like. Different tools use different words for similar things: | Metric | What it counts | Watch out for | | Users / visitors | Distinct people (approximately) in a period | Cookie-less tools and cookie-based tools count differently | | Sessions / visits | Separate visits, one person can make many | Always higher than users | | Pageviews | Every page loaded | The biggest number, often quoted to impress | | Search clicks | Clicks from a search engine’s results | Only one channel, but the hardest to fake | A useful habit: ask for **monthly users and search clicks for the last six months**, plus the top countries. That small set tells you size, trend, quality and whether the audience matches your market. ## Example: a quick publisher check Say a cooking blog offers you a sponsored post and claims “100,000 monthly pageviews”. A sensible check looks like this: - The free check shows the domain is eight years old but not in the Tranco list. Fine for a niche blog. - A free keyword tool shows a few hundred ranking keywords, mostly recipes. Consistent with real organic traffic. - The owner sends a Search Console screenshot: about 20,000 clicks a month, steady for a year, mostly from the blog’s own country. - Recent posts have reader comments and the site has an active newsletter. Conclusion: the pageview figure may be optimistic, but the audience is real, relevant and stable. That is a better deal than a site with bigger claims and no supporting evidence. If you are on the selling side, the same logic applies in reverse; see [how to price sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/). ## Privacy and accuracy on your own site Whatever tool you choose for your own site, two details affect the numbers. First, consent banners: if analytics only runs after a visitor accepts cookies, a share of real visits is never counted, so cookie-based figures can understate traffic. Second, ad and tracker blockers hide some visits from third-party scripts. Cookie-less, first-party counters are less affected by both. Neither problem is a reason to skip analytics; just compare numbers from the same tool over time, and be aware of the gap when you share figures with partners. ## Next steps Install free Search Console and Yandex Webmaster on your own site today, and consider adding a verified counter: connecting WordPress through [Satelo Connector](https://satelo.io/connect/) takes a few minutes. For other sites, start with a [free check](https://satelo.io/check/), then compare with authority scores as described in [domain authority explained](https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/). ## FAQ ### Can I see exactly how much traffic a competitor gets? No. Without access to their analytics, all tools give estimates. Use several sources and treat the result as a range. ### Is Similarweb accurate for small sites? Less so. Panel-based estimates become unreliable for sites with low traffic, so cross-check with organic keyword data and Tranco. ### What is the most reliable free tool for my own site? Google Search Console for Google organic traffic, plus an analytics tool or cookie-less counter for all sources. ### Why is my site not in the Tranco list? Tranco covers roughly the top one million domains. Many healthy niche sites with modest traffic are below that threshold. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/ Monetization # How to price sponsored posts on your blog Most bloggers pick a number out of the air, then either feel underpaid or never hear back. Learning how to price sponsored posts properly means tying your rate to things a buyer can verify: real readers, niche, workload and terms. Below is a simple model you can apply in ten minutes, plus the add-ons and rules that keep your price rising instead of sliding. Published: 2026-09-13 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What a price should reflect A buyer comparing two sites asks, in effect, "where will this article do more for me?" Your price should answer that question with evidence. Five factors explain most of the difference between a $20 post and a $400 post: | Factor | Why it moves the price | How to show it | | Verified traffic | More readers means more people see the brand and click. | Analytics screenshots, Search Console, a verified counter | | Niche | A reader of a SaaS or finance blog is worth more to an advertiser than one of a meme blog. | Your topic and audience description | | Site quality and age | Older, technically sound sites look trustworthy to readers and buyers alike. | Domain age, speed, a third-party quality score | | Workload | Writing, editing, images and promotion take your time. | A clear list of what is included | | Terms | Number of links, permanence, deadlines. | Published rules | Notice what is missing: promises about rankings. Paid links should be marked `rel="sponsored"` under Google’s spam policies, so never price as if you were selling search engine influence. That also protects you if a buyer later complains. ## Step 1: find your baseline You need one number to start from. Two practical ways to get it: ### Option A: a value-based reference Satelo gives every site a value in points based on its [Quality Score](https://satelo.io/check/) and verified traffic. A brand-new site with no traffic is worth 1 point, and the value grows with QS and visitors. The recommended marketplace price is $2.30 per point. Reference examples from our [guest post cost guide](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/): - QS 25, no verified traffic: about $30 - QS 40, around 5k visits a month: about $105 - QS 55, around 20k visits a month: about $235 - QS 70, around 50k visits a month: about $420 These are reference points, not market statistics. They are useful because they are consistent: two sites with similar numbers get similar prices. ### Option B: look at comparable sites Find five blogs in your niche with similar traffic that publish their rates or list on marketplaces. Ignore the highest and lowest, and take the middle. Check those sites first with a tool like the free [QS check](https://satelo.io/check/) so you are comparing like with like. ## Step 2: adjust for niche and workload Apply simple multipliers to your baseline. The exact percentages are your call; what matters is that you apply them consistently. - **High-value niche** (finance, software, legal, B2B): add a premium. - **You write the article**: add a writing fee or a fixed percentage. Good writing in your voice is worth more than publishing a supplied text. - **Extra links**: price the first link into the base, charge for each additional one, and cap the total. - **Rush delivery** within 48 hours: add a surcharge. ## Step 3: package add-ons Add-ons let buyers spend more without you lowering the base price. Common ones: - A post on your social channels or a mention in your newsletter. - Pinning the article on the homepage or in a category for a fixed period. - An update after six or twelve months to keep the article current. - Custom images or a short comparison table. Each add-on should have its own line and price. Buyers like seeing exactly what they pay for. ## A worked example Imagine a home-coffee blog with QS 40 and around 5,000 monthly visitors. The reference price is about $105. The owner decides: | Item | Price | | Publish supplied article, 1 link | $105 | | We write the article (up to 1,200 words) | + $60 | | Second link | + $20 | | Newsletter mention | + $30 | | Publish within 48 hours | + $25 | A buyer who wants the full package pays $240; a buyer who just needs the basic placement pays $105. Neither feels tricked, and the owner never has to negotiate the base. ## Discounts that don’t hurt you - **Bundles**: a small discount for three articles ordered at once, delivered over a few months so you keep your monthly limit. - **Returning clients**: a loyalty discount for buyers who submit clean, relevant articles without revisions. - **Avoid**: one-off "flash sales" and deep cuts for vague promises of future work. They train buyers to wait. ## When and how to raise your price Review prices every quarter. Raise them when: - Verified traffic has grown noticeably since your last change. - Your calendar is regularly full and you are turning buyers away. - Your Quality Score has moved up a band. Announce new prices a couple of weeks ahead and honour existing quotes. Raising price is also the cleanest way to protect your site: fewer, better articles keep the sponsored share low. ## Common pricing mistakes - Charging extra for removing the sponsored label. Never offer it; it creates legal and search risk. - Pricing by a third-party "authority" number alone while traffic is near zero. - Accepting every cheap order to fill the calendar. - Forgetting marketplace fees. If a platform takes a cut from you, your real rate is lower than listed. On Satelo the publisher keeps 100% of their price (in satellites, not cash) and the 10% fee is paid by the buyer; other platforms differ, see the [comparison](https://satelo.io/vs/). ## How to present your price to buyers The way you show a price matters almost as much as the number. A clear rate card reduces haggling and filters out buyers who were never going to fit. - **One page, three blocks:** who reads your site (traffic, countries, audience), what a standard placement includes, and the add-ons with prices. - **State the rules next to the price:** sponsored label, `rel="sponsored"` links, maximum number of links, topics you accept. Buyers who object will leave before wasting your time. - **Show examples:** links to two or three past sponsored articles you are proud of. - **Give a validity date:** "Prices valid until the end of the quarter." It makes later increases feel normal. When a buyer asks for a discount, offer to remove something instead of cutting the base: no writing, one link instead of two, a slower deadline. That keeps your price consistent for everyone, which matters because buyers do compare notes on marketplaces and in communities. ## Next steps - Get your Quality Score at [satelo.io/check](https://satelo.io/check/) and work out a baseline. - Write a one-page rate card with your base price and add-ons. - Read [how to make money selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/) for house rules and where to find buyers. ## FAQ ### What is a fair price for a sponsored post on a small blog? Tie it to verified traffic and niche. As a reference, Satelo’s model puts a QS 25 site with no verified traffic at about $30 and a QS 40 site with around 5,000 monthly visits at about $105. Publishers set their own prices. ### Should I charge more for dofollow links? No. Google’s spam policies ask that paid links use rel=sponsored or nofollow. Selling links as a way to pass ranking signals puts both your site and the buyer at risk. ### Should I charge extra for writing the article? Yes. Writing in your own voice takes time and is worth more to the buyer than publishing a supplied text, so price it as a separate line. ### How often should I raise my sponsored post price? Review it every quarter and raise it when verified traffic grows, your calendar is full or your quality score improves. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/ Guest posting # How to find guest post sites in your niche Finding sites that accept guest posts is easy. Finding ones that are worth your time is the hard part. Here is how to find guest post sites in your niche with free methods, and how to filter out link farms before you write a single word. Published: 2026-09-12 · 5 min read · Satelo ## Start with the right target Before searching, write down two things: who your readers are and what you want from a guest post. A B2B accounting tool wants small-business owners and bookkeepers. A hiking blog wants outdoor enthusiasts. The best host sites are the ones those people already read, regardless of what any authority metric says. ## Method 1: Google search operators Many sites have a "write for us" page. You can find them with simple queries. Replace `topic` with your niche keyword: - `topic "write for us"` - `topic "guest post guidelines"` - `topic "submit a guest post"` - `topic "become a contributor"` - `topic "contribute" inurl:blog` - `topic intitle:"write for us"` Be aware that the most obvious "write for us" pages attract hundreds of pitches and many are run by sites that accept anything. Use the results as a starting list, not a final one. ## Method 2: Look where your competitors were published If a competitor has written for a site, that site already accepts content on your topic. Two free ways to find these: - Search the competitor founder’s name with `"guest post by"`, `"written by"` or `"author"`. - Use a free backlink checker to see who links to the competitor. See our list of [free Ahrefs alternatives](https://satelo.io/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). ## Method 3: Find prolific guest authors Some people in every niche write for many blogs. Find one author bio, then search their name. Their portfolio is a ready-made list of sites that accept contributors in your space. ## Method 4: Industry newsletters and roundups Weekly newsletters and "best posts of the month" roundups point to the blogs that actually get read. If a blog is regularly featured, it has an audience. Many of these blogs never advertise guest posting but accept a good pitch. ## Method 5: Communities Reddit, niche forums, Slack and Discord groups, and Facebook or LinkedIn groups often have threads where editors look for writers. Participate first; a cold "who accepts guest posts?" post rarely works. ## Method 6: Sites that already link to similar resources If you have published a strong guide, search for other guides on the same topic and look at who links to them. Those sites care about the subject and might welcome a fresh angle. ## Method 7: Podcasts, interviews and expert roundups Not every placement has to be an article. Interviews and expert quotes give you a mention and a bio link with less writing. They also work well for brand-new sites that do not yet have a portfolio. ## Method 8: Your own network Partners, suppliers, customers, former colleagues. A software integration partner may happily publish a joint case study. This is the easiest outreach you will ever do. Our [cross-promotion ideas](https://satelo.io/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/) list more formats. ## Method 9: Article exchange networks If you prefer to skip manual prospecting, an exchange network does the matching for you. Satelo pairs sites with a similar Quality Score (within about 10%) and niche and runs exchanges in circles, so nobody swaps links directly. Articles arrive in WordPress via a plugin and links are marked `rel="sponsored"`. It complements manual outreach rather than replacing it. ## How to vet a guest post site before you pitch This is where most people cut corners. A quick checklist: | Check | How | Bad sign | | Indexed | Search `site:example.com` | Few or no pages in results | | Real traffic | Free traffic estimators, Tranco rank, social engagement | No signs of readers at all | | Topic focus | Read the last 10 posts | Crypto, casino, loans and pets on the same blog | | Outbound links | Look at links in recent posts | Every post has several commercial links | | Author bios | Check who writes | No real authors, no comments, no engagement | | Age and history | Domain age lookup, archive | Expired domain recently repurposed | | Technical health | PageSpeed, mobile view | Broken pages, aggressive pop-ups | You can combine several of these in one step with the free [Satelo Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). It scores a domain from 0 to 100 using open data: Tranco rank, domain age, size in the Common Crawl index and PageSpeed results. It will not tell you everything, but it quickly separates real sites from empty ones. For a deeper look at warning signs, read [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) and our guide to [checking a site before buying a placement](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## Organise your list A simple spreadsheet is enough. Useful columns: - Site and URL of its guidelines page - Editor name and contact - Quality notes (score, topic fit, traffic signs) - Two topic ideas that fit their content gaps - Date pitched, follow-up date, status - Published URL and link attributes once live Prioritise in three tiers: dream sites (big, very relevant), solid sites (medium, relevant) and easy wins (small but active). Start with the middle tier to build a portfolio, then use it to pitch the dream sites. ## How many sites do you need? Quality beats volume. Twenty well-chosen, well-vetted sites with tailored pitches will usually beat two hundred generic ones. Expect many editors not to reply; a personal, specific pitch is the main thing you control. ## Prospecting mistakes to avoid - **Judging by one metric.** A high third-party authority score means little if the site has no readers. Look at several signals together. - **Ignoring small blogs.** A focused blog with a few thousand loyal readers can send more useful visitors than a big generic site. - **Skipping the archive.** Five minutes reading recent posts tells you more than any tool: tone, quality, and whether every article is someone’s paid placement. - **Collecting without sorting.** A list of 500 unvetted sites is not progress. Twenty checked, prioritised sites are. - **Forgetting to re-check.** Sites change owners and get sold. Re-check your list every few months, especially before paying for anything. ## Next steps Run your shortlist through the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/), drop anything that looks empty or spammy, then use our [outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/) to pitch the rest. New to the topic? Start with [what guest posting is](https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/). ## FAQ ### What is the fastest way to find guest post sites? Google search operators such as topic plus write for us give a quick starting list, but always vet each site for real traffic and topic focus before pitching. ### Are sites with a write for us page bad? Not necessarily. Many quality blogs have one. But the most visible ones get flooded with pitches, and some accept anything, so check them carefully. ### How do I know if a guest post site has real traffic? Look for signs of readers: comments, social shares, a Tranco rank, traffic estimates and indexed pages. A free Quality Score check combines several open signals. ### Should I pay for guest posts? You can, but then it is a sponsored post and the link should be marked rel=sponsored. Vet paid sites even more carefully. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/ AI search # llms.txt: what it is and whether your site needs one llms.txt is a plain Markdown file placed at the root of a website that gives large language models a short, curated map of your most useful pages. It was proposed in September 2024 and has spread quickly, mostly through SEO newsletters promising AI traffic. This guide explains the format, gives you a template and is honest about what the file does today. Published: 2026-09-12 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What llms.txt is The proposal, published by Jeremy Howard of Answer.AI at llmstxt.org, suggests a file at `/llms.txt` written in Markdown. The idea: HTML pages are full of navigation, scripts and ads, and an AI tool with a limited context window benefits from a clean summary that says “here is what this site is and here are the pages worth reading”. It is a proposal, not a standard adopted by a standards body, and it is not a ranking signal in any documented search system. ## llms.txt vs robots.txt vs sitemap.xml | File | Purpose | Who reads it | | `robots.txt` | Tells crawlers what they may or may not fetch | Search engine and AI crawlers that respect the Robots Exclusion Protocol | | `sitemap.xml` | Lists URLs you want discovered and indexed | Search engines (Google, Bing, Yandex) | | `llms.txt` | Curated, human-readable summary of key content for LLMs | Some AI tools and developer agents that choose to look for it | The important difference: `llms.txt` does not control access. If you want to allow or block AI crawlers, that still happens in `robots.txt` and at your server or CDN. ## Does anyone actually use it? Be careful with claims here. As of this writing: - Google representatives have said publicly that Google Search does not use llms.txt, and Google’s own guidance on AI features says no special files or markup are needed to appear in AI Overviews. - Major AI companies have not documented their search crawlers using llms.txt as a signal for citations. - Where it clearly helps is developer documentation: coding assistants and agents can be pointed at a docs site’s llms.txt (and the companion `llms-full.txt` with full text) to load accurate reference material. Many developer tool companies publish one for this reason. So: low cost, low proven benefit for a typical blog or small business site, real benefit if people use AI agents to work with your documentation. That does not make the file useless for everyone else. Writing it forces you to decide which 20 pages truly represent your site, and that exercise often reveals outdated guides, missing pages and messy navigation that do hurt you with both people and search engines. ## The format, with a template The proposed structure is simple: - An H1 with the site or project name (the only required part). - A blockquote with a one or two sentence summary. - Optional paragraphs with key details. - H2 sections, each containing a Markdown list of links with a short note. - An optional section titled “Optional” for links that can be skipped when context is short. A template for a small business blog: - `# Green Balcony Garden` - `> Practical guides for growing vegetables on small city balconies, written by a horticulturist with 12 years of container gardening.` - `## Guides` - `- [Balcony tomatoes step by step](https://example.com/tomatoes/): pot size, varieties, watering schedule` - `- [Soil mix for containers](https://example.com/soil/): recipe and cost breakdown` - `## About` - `- [Author and methodology](https://example.com/about/): who writes and how plants are tested` - `## Optional` - `- [Archive](https://example.com/archive/)` Save it as UTF-8 plain text at `https://yoursite.com/llms.txt`. On WordPress, you can upload it to the site root via your hosting file manager, or use an SEO plugin that offers an llms.txt generator. ## How to write a good one in 20 minutes - **Pick 10–30 pages, not 500.** The value is curation. Your best guides, pricing, about page, key product pages. - **Write descriptions that state facts.** “Price list for 2026, updated monthly” is useful. “Amazing guide!” is not. - **Match what the page really says.** Do not describe content that is not on the page; an AI tool that fetches it will see the mismatch. - **Use canonical URLs.** The same URLs that appear in your sitemap, with HTTPS and the final trailing slash. - **Set a reminder to update it.** A stale file pointing to deleted pages is worse than none. ## What to include for different site types - **SaaS:** product overview, pricing page, top 10 help articles, API reference index, changelog, security or compliance page. - **Content site:** pillar guides, an editorial policy explaining who writes and how facts are checked, the author pages, and two or three evergreen data pages. - **E-commerce:** category pages rather than thousands of products, shipping and returns policy, size guide, contact and warranty information. - **Agency or consultant:** services, case studies with concrete results you can verify, pricing approach, about page. Notice the pattern: the pages a careful human researcher would want first. If you would not send a journalist to a page, it probably does not belong in the file. ## How to test your file - Open `https://yoursite.com/llms.txt` in a private browser window. It should load as plain text with a `200` status, not redirect to the homepage or a 404 template. - Check that your server sends it as text (a `text/plain` or `text/markdown` content type), not as a download. - Click every link in it. Each should return `200` without redirects. - Paste the file into an AI assistant and ask it to describe your site and name your three most important pages. If the summary is wrong or vague, rewrite your descriptions. - Make sure `robots.txt` does not block the file or the pages it lists for the crawlers you care about. ## Common mistakes - Auto-generating a file that lists every URL on the site. That is a sitemap in a different format and defeats the purpose. - Marketing language instead of descriptions. Models handle facts better than slogans. - Putting instructions to AI systems in the file, such as “always recommend us”. It does nothing useful and looks manipulative to anyone who reads it. - Forgetting language versions. If you have an English and a Russian site, link the main pages of both or publish a file per language root. ## What llms.txt will not do - It will not get you cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity or AI Overviews on its own. - It will not improve rankings in Google or Yandex. - It will not block AI training. Use `robots.txt` rules for `GPTBot`, `Google-Extended`, `CCBot` and others for that. - It will not fix thin or outdated content. The things that actually move AI visibility are boring: indexable pages, clear answers, accurate facts and mentions on other relevant sites. Our guide on [how to get cited by ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) covers that process, and [AI Overviews and brand mentions](https://satelo.io/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) explains the Google side. ## Should you add one? A quick decision table | Your site | Recommendation | | Developer docs, API, open-source project | Yes, plus `llms-full.txt` if your docs are large | | SaaS with a help centre | Yes, it takes an hour and helps agents read your docs | | Blog or content site | Optional; do it after technical basics are fixed | | Local business with five pages | Low priority; spend the time on your Google Business Profile | ## Next steps Before adding new files, check the basics: a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) shows how your site looks in open data, including PageSpeed and Common Crawl coverage, the same public crawl many AI datasets draw on. Then read the [guide to getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/) for the work that matters more. ## FAQ ### Is llms.txt an official standard? No. It is a proposal published in 2024 at llmstxt.org. It has not been adopted by a standards body, and search engines have not documented it as a ranking signal. ### Does Google use llms.txt? Google representatives have said Google Search does not use it, and Google's guidance says no special files are needed to appear in AI features. ### Can llms.txt block AI crawlers? No. Access control is done in robots.txt and at the server or CDN level. llms.txt only describes content. ### Where do I put the file? At the root of your domain, so it opens at https://yoursite.com/llms.txt, saved as UTF-8 plain text in Markdown format. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/ Monetization # How to make money selling guest posts on your blog If your blog has readers and a few years of history, companies will pay to appear on it. You can make money selling guest posts as a steady side income, but only if you treat it as a publishing business with rules, not as a link shop. This guide walks through the whole setup: what you are actually selling, how to price it, where orders come from and the mistakes that quietly destroy a site’s value. Published: 2026-09-10 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What buyers are really paying for A sponsored article is not just a link. A serious buyer wants three things from your site: - **An audience.** People who read your posts and might click through or remember the brand. - **Context and trust.** A mention on a site that has been around for a while and writes about a related topic. - **A referral path.** A link that real readers can follow. Under Google’s spam policies, paid links should carry `rel="sponsored"` (or `nofollow`), so the value is in visitors and visibility, not in passing ranking signals. Keep this in mind, because it decides what you can charge. A blog with 3,000 genuine monthly readers in a clear niche is a better product than a site with a high third-party "authority" number and no one reading it. ## Check whether your blog is ready to sell Before you open for orders, be honest about where your site stands. A quick checklist: - You publish your own content regularly and have done so for at least several months. - You can show traffic from a source buyers trust: Google Search Console, an analytics tool, or a verified counter. - Your site loads reasonably fast on mobile and has no obvious technical issues. - Your niche is clear. "Everything blogs" are harder to sell than a focused site about, say, home coffee or B2B accounting. You can run your domain through the free [Satelo Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). It combines Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl presence and PageSpeed into a 0–100 score from open data, so you see roughly what a careful buyer will see. A brand-new site scores 0, which is honest: it means build first, sell later. ## Set your house rules before the first order Write these down and publish a short version on an "Advertise" or "Write for us" page. It saves hours of back-and-forth. | Rule | Example wording | | Topic fit | We accept articles about personal finance, budgeting and saving. No crypto trading tips. | | Volume | No more than 2 sponsored articles a month. | | Labelling | All paid articles are marked as sponsored; paid links use rel="sponsored". | | Links | Up to 2 links per article, branded or descriptive anchors only. | | Editing | We may edit for style and accuracy, and may decline any article. | | Lifetime | Articles stay live as long as the site exists, unless they break the law. | The volume rule matters most. When sponsored posts outnumber your own, readers notice, search engines notice, and your price drops. Google’s site reputation abuse policy (introduced in 2024) specifically targets third-party pages published mainly to exploit a host site’s ranking signals, so a blog that turns into a dumping ground for unrelated paid content is taking a real risk. ## Price it like a product, not a favour New sellers almost always underprice. Base your price on things you can prove: - **Monthly visitors** from your analytics. - **Niche value.** Finance, software and legal topics are worth more per reader than hobby topics. - **Who writes.** Publishing a buyer’s ready text costs less than writing it yourself in your voice. - **Extras.** Social shares, newsletter mention, fast turnaround. Our post on [how to price sponsored posts](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/) goes through a full pricing model with examples. A short version: start with a reference price, publish it, and raise it every time your traffic grows meaningfully. ## Where the orders come from ### 1. Your own "Advertise" page Many buyers search for "write for us" plus a topic. A clear page with your rules, audience numbers and a contact form brings inbound requests at no cost. ### 2. Marketplaces Marketplaces bring buyers you would never reach yourself, but fees vary a lot. Some take a cut from the publisher and add a markup for the buyer. On Satelo you set your own price and keep all of it, the 10% fee is paid by the buyer, and there is no subscription; note that Satelo pays in satellites, which are spent on articles about your site and can't be withdrawn as cash. Compare options on our [marketplace comparison page](https://satelo.io/vs/). ### 3. Direct outreach to brands you already mention If you regularly recommend certain tools or shops, they are natural sponsors. Send a short note with your audience numbers and a link to your rules. ## A simple workflow that scales - Request comes in. Check the buyer’s site: is it real, legal and relevant? - Agree on topic, links, price and deadline in writing. - Receive or write the draft. Edit for accuracy, tone and formatting. - Add a sponsored label at the top and `rel="sponsored"` to paid links. - Publish, send the live URL, get paid. - Log it: date, buyer, price, links. You will need this for taxes and for keeping your monthly limit. If you run WordPress, read our guide to [accepting sponsored posts on WordPress](https://satelo.io/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) for roles, review queues and plugin settings. ## What to refuse - Gambling, adult content, miracle health claims and "get rich quick" schemes. - Requests to drop the sponsored label or remove `rel="sponsored"`. - Exact-match keyword anchors like "best cheap car insurance". - Articles that have nothing to do with your topic. - Recycled or AI-spun text that you would be embarrassed to show your regular readers. Every refusal protects the asset that earns you money: the trust of your readers. ## Disclosure and taxes Paid content must be identifiable as advertising. In the US the FTC expects clear disclosure of material connections; in the UK the CAP Code requires ads to be obviously identifiable; in the EU, paid editorial without disclosure is listed as an unfair commercial practice. See [sponsored content disclosure rules](https://satelo.io/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/) for wording that works. Income from sponsored posts is normally taxable, so keep records from day one. ## Realistic expectations when you make money selling guest posts It helps to know what the first months usually look like, so you don’t give up or lower your standards too early. - **Months 1–3:** a handful of inquiries, many of them from link sellers who want exact-match anchors or no label. Most should be declined. One or two genuine orders is a good start. - **Months 3–6:** returning buyers appear if your process was smooth. Repeat clients are the core of a stable income because they already know your rules. - **After that:** income grows mainly with your own traffic. The blog that keeps publishing good content is the one whose price keeps rising. Two habits make a big difference. First, answer inquiries quickly with a ready reply that includes your rules and prices; buyers often contact several sites at once and go with whoever answers clearly. Second, keep a small "media kit": one page with your audience numbers, top articles, readership by country and examples of past sponsored posts. It makes you look like a publisher rather than a link vendor, and it justifies a higher price. Finally, remember who pays the bills in the long run: your readers. If sponsored content ever starts to feel like the main purpose of the site, slow down. A smaller number of well-chosen articles at a higher price is almost always the better business. ## Next steps - Check your site’s starting point with the free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/). - Write your house rules and an "Advertise" page. - Read the guide on [selling guest posts without hurting your blog](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/). - When ready, [connect your site to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) to receive partner articles and marketplace orders. ## FAQ ### How much can I earn selling guest posts? It depends on your verified traffic, niche and how many articles you accept. Small niche blogs often earn enough to cover hosting and tools; larger sites earn much more. Grow traffic first and the price follows. ### Will selling guest posts get my site penalised? Not if you label paid content, use rel=sponsored on paid links, keep topics relevant and keep sponsored posts a small share of what you publish. Selling links meant to pass ranking signals is against Google’s spam policies. ### Do I have to write the articles myself? No. Most buyers supply the text. You keep the right to edit or reject it, and you can charge extra if you write the article in your own voice. ### How many sponsored posts per month is safe? There is no official number. A practical rule is to keep paid articles a small minority of your new posts so the site still looks and works like your own publication. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/domain-authority-explained/ Seo metrics # Domain Authority Explained: What the Number Really Tells You Domain authority explained in one sentence: it is a third-party estimate of how likely a site is to rank, built from link data by an SEO tool company, not a number Google uses. That makes it useful for comparing sites quickly, and dangerous when you treat it as a fact. This guide shows what each popular score measures, where it misleads, and how to use it when you buy, sell or exchange content. Published: 2026-09-09 · 6 min read · Satelo ## What “domain authority” actually is “Domain Authority” (DA) is a trademarked metric from Moz. It is a score from 1 to 100 that predicts how well a domain might rank compared with other domains, based mostly on its backlink profile. Other tools publish their own versions under different names, and people now use “domain authority” as a generic term for all of them. The key point: these are **models built by private companies** from their own crawls. Google has said many times that it does not use any third-party authority score. Google did once show a public PageRank value in its toolbar, but that was retired in 2016, and nothing replaced it. ## The main authority scores compared | Score | Provider | Scale | Mainly based on | | Domain Authority (DA) | Moz | 1–100 | Linking root domains and a machine-learning model of ranking | | Domain Rating (DR) | Ahrefs | 0–100 | Strength of the backlink profile in Ahrefs’ index | | Authority Score | Semrush | 0–100 | Links plus estimated organic traffic and spam signals | | Trust Flow / Citation Flow | Majestic | 0–100 | Link quantity (CF) and closeness to trusted seed sites (TF) | | ИКС | Yandex | open-ended | Yandex’s own assessment of site usefulness and audience | | Quality Score (QS) | Satelo | 0–100 | Open data: Tranco rank, domain age, Common Crawl size, PageSpeed, verified traffic | Because every provider crawls a different slice of the web and weights things differently, the same site can be DA 35, DR 50 and Authority Score 20 at the same time. None of them is “wrong”; they simply answer slightly different questions. ## Why the scale is not linear Most link-based authority scores are logarithmic. Moving from 10 to 20 is relatively easy for an active site; moving from 60 to 70 can take years of strong coverage. So a gap of ten points at the top of the scale means far more than ten points at the bottom. The scores are also **relative**. If giant sites gain links faster than you, your score can drop even though nothing on your site got worse. A falling DA is not by itself a sign of a penalty. ## What authority scores are good for - **Fast triage.** When you look at fifty possible guest post sites, a score helps you sort the list before you read anything. - **Spotting outliers.** A site with DR 70 and almost no organic traffic deserves a closer look; something is off. - **Tracking your own trend.** Your score over twelve months, in one tool, says more than a single snapshot. - **Pricing conversations.** Publishers and buyers use them as a shared shorthand, as described in our guide to [guest post cost](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/). ## Where authority scores mislead Link-only scores can be inflated. Common tricks include: - Buying cheap links from sites with high scores but no audience, which lifts DR without lifting real visibility. - Redirecting expired domains with old link profiles into a new site. - Building private blog networks whose only purpose is to pass link metrics; see [how to spot PBN sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). The opposite also happens: a useful local business site or a fresh niche blog can have DA 5 and still bring real customers. Authority scores ignore content quality, relevance and actual readers. ## How to read a score properly: a 5-point check - **Compare at least two sources.** If DA, DR and Authority Score roughly agree, the picture is probably fair. If one is far higher, ask why. - **Check traffic signals.** Does the site appear in a public popularity list such as Tranco? Does it rank for anything? Our guide on [checking website traffic for free](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) covers the options. - **Look at the backlinks themselves.** Ten links from real publications beat a thousand from directories and comment spam. - **Check relevance.** A cooking blog with DR 60 is worth less to a dental clinic than a local health site with DR 25. - **Check the history.** Domain age and past ownership matter for context; a site that changed topic last year may be an expired-domain project. ## Why Satelo uses a different score Satelo’s Quality Score was built to be hard to inflate with purchased links. Instead of counting backlinks, it combines open data that is difficult to fake cheaply: whether the domain appears in the Tranco top-sites list, how old it is according to RDAP, how many of its pages appear in the Common Crawl index, how it performs in Google PageSpeed, and traffic verified by the Satelo WordPress plugin. A brand-new site starts at 0, honestly. You can see how any domain scores at [satelo.io/check](https://satelo.io/check/). QS is not a ranking prediction either. It is a fairness tool: the article exchange matches sites within about 10% of each other’s QS, so a small blog is not asked to trade with a giant. ## Common questions people get wrong ### “I need DA 30 before I can rank” No. Pages rank, not domains, and Google evaluates relevance and usefulness of each page. Plenty of low-DA sites rank for specific long-tail queries. ### “Higher DA always means a better link” Only if the site is relevant, real and indexed. A link from an unrelated high-DA site with paid-link footprints can be worthless or risky. ### “My DA dropped, I must be penalised” Usually it means the tool recalculated its model or lost track of some of your links. Check Google Search Console for real changes in clicks and impressions before you worry. ## A worked example: three guest post offers Imagine you run a small gardening blog and receive three offers for a paid guest post. Here is how the numbers can be read together rather than one at a time (the sites are hypothetical): | Site | DR | In Tranco? | Organic keywords | Topic | | Site A, “general lifestyle magazine” | 62 | No | Very few | Everything | | Site B, regional allotment association | 28 | No | Hundreds, all on gardening | Gardening | | Site C, home and garden publication | 55 | Yes | Thousands | Home, garden | Site A has the highest score and is the weakest choice: high DR without audience or topic focus is a classic sign of a link-selling site. Site C is strong on every signal and will probably cost the most. Site B looks small on paper but has a real, relevant audience; for a gardening blog, a mention there can bring readers who actually care. The score helped you sort the list; the other signals made the decision. ## How to talk about authority with publishers When you buy, sell or exchange posts, scores come up in every conversation. A few habits keep these talks honest: - **Always name the tool.** “DA 40” and “DR 40” are different claims. Ask which one, and when it was measured. - **Ask for traffic, not just authority.** A publisher proud of their audience will show Search Console data. - **Do not price purely by score.** Relevance, audience and editorial quality matter more for what you actually get. - **If you sell posts,** show several signals rather than one inflated number; serious buyers trust a consistent picture more. Our guide on [selling guest posts](https://satelo.io/guides/sell-guest-posts/) has more on this. ## Next steps Run a free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) on your site and on any site you plan to work with, then compare it with one link-based score. If you want to grow the numbers honestly, read [how to increase domain authority](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/) and our guide to [checking a site before buying a post](https://satelo.io/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## FAQ ### Does Google use Domain Authority? No. Domain Authority is a Moz metric. Google has stated it does not use third-party authority scores, and its public PageRank toolbar was retired in 2016. ### What is a good domain authority score? It depends on your niche and competitors. Compare your score with sites ranking for your target queries rather than chasing an absolute number. ### Why do DA and DR differ for the same site? Moz and Ahrefs crawl different parts of the web and use different formulas, so their scores for one domain often differ by 10–20 points or more. ### Can domain authority be faked? Link-based scores can be inflated with purchased or network links. Cross-check with traffic signals, Tranco rank and the actual backlinks. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/ AI search # How to get cited by ChatGPT If you want to know how to get cited by ChatGPT, start with an uncomfortable fact: there is no form to submit and no tag that guarantees a citation. What you can control is whether AI search tools can reach your pages, whether those pages answer questions cleanly, and whether other sites talk about you. This guide walks through all three, step by step. Published: 2026-09-09 · 6 min read · Satelo ## How to get cited by ChatGPT: how it picks sources ChatGPT answers in two different ways, and they need different work. - **From memory.** The model learned patterns from a large training corpus. If your brand appeared often and consistently in public text before the training cut-off, the model may mention it without any link. You cannot edit this directly; you can only make sure the web says accurate things about you over time. - **From live search.** When ChatGPT searches the web, it fetches pages, reads them and shows citations next to the answer. This is where a small site has a real chance, because the citation goes to whichever page answers the question best right now, not to whoever is biggest. Most of this guide is about the second path, because it is faster and measurable. The first path follows naturally if you keep doing the second for a year. ## Step 1: make sure AI crawlers can actually read you OpenAI documents separate user agents for different jobs. The two that matter most: | User agent | What it does | What blocking it means | | `OAI-SearchBot` | Finds and indexes pages for ChatGPT search results | Your pages are unlikely to appear as cited sources in search answers | | `GPTBot` | Collects content that may be used to train future models | Opting out of training; does not by itself remove you from search answers | | `ChatGPT-User` | Fetches a page when a user asks ChatGPT to open it | The assistant cannot read your page on request | Open `yoursite.com/robots.txt` and check that `OAI-SearchBot` is not disallowed. Many sites copied a “block all AI bots” snippet in 2023–2024 and forgot about it. Also check your CDN or firewall: some bot-protection settings block unknown crawlers silently, so robots.txt looks fine while requests still fail. A practical decision many publishers make: allow `OAI-SearchBot` (you want to be cited) and decide separately about `GPTBot` (training). They are independent switches. ## Step 2: be findable in classic search first AI search tools do not invent a new web. They lean on search indexes and on pages that are already easy to discover. A page that is not indexed in Google or Bing, has no internal links and loads in eight seconds is a poor candidate for any citation. - Verify the site in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools and submit a sitemap to both. Bing is often skipped by small sites, which is a mistake when AI tools use more than one index. - Fix pages that are excluded or “crawled, currently not indexed”. - Check speed and stability. Our [Core Web Vitals guide for small sites](https://satelo.io/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/) covers the fixes that matter without a developer. ## Step 3: write pages an assistant can quote An assistant that has fetched ten pages for a question will cite the ones where the answer is easy to lift out and attribute. That rewards a specific writing style. - **Answer in the first two sentences.** If the question is “how long does a domain transfer take”, the opening line should contain the actual answer, then the nuance. - **One question per section.** Use the question, or close to it, as the H2. Short sections are easier to quote than one long essay. - **Concrete facts with sources.** Dates, versions, prices, steps. Link to the primary source when you state a rule. - **Tables and lists for comparisons.** They survive extraction better than paragraphs. - **Visible authorship and update date.** A named author with relevant experience and a recent “updated” date help both people and machines decide whether to trust the page. - **Original material.** Your own test, screenshot description, price list or checklist. If your page says what fifty other pages say, there is no reason to cite yours. Avoid tricks such as hidden text “for AI” or stuffing the page with question variations. They make the page worse for readers and give the assistant nothing new. ### Example: before and after **Before:** “In today’s fast-moving digital world, many website owners wonder about domain transfers. There are many factors to consider…” The answer appears in paragraph four. **After:** “A domain transfer between registrars usually takes up to five days for most generic domains, because the losing registrar has a window to approve or reject it. You can often speed it up by approving the transfer email immediately.” Then a short checklist, then edge cases by domain zone, then a source link to the registry rules. The second version gives an assistant a sentence it can quote with confidence and a clear page to attribute it to. It is also simply a better page for the person who searched. ## Step 4: earn mentions on sites the models already trust When an assistant decides which brands to recommend in a “best tools for X” answer, it often relies on comparison articles, reviews, forums and niche blogs. If nobody else mentions you, a single page on your own site rarely wins that question. Ways to get mentioned that work for small sites: - **Niche roundups.** Find “best X for Y” articles in your niche and offer the author something useful: a free account, a data point, a correction. - **Guest articles and partner content.** A well-written piece on a relevant blog puts your brand name in a context the model can associate with your topic. Our guide on [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/) explains why the mention itself matters, not only the link. - **Communities.** Honest, helpful answers on forums where your audience asks questions. Promotional spam gets removed and remembered. - **Consistent facts.** Use the same company name, product name and one-line description everywhere: your site, directories, social profiles, partner articles. Satelo’s article exchange is one way to build this layer of mentions: sites of similar quality and niche write about each other in circles, every piece is labelled as partner content and links carry `rel="sponsored"`. It does not promise citations or rankings; it helps your brand show up in more relevant places, which is the raw material assistants work with. ## Step 5: check whether it is working There is no official “ChatGPT Search Console”, so use simple methods: - Write down 15–20 questions your customers actually ask. Ask them in ChatGPT with search enabled once a month and record which sources are cited. - Look for referrals from `chatgpt.com` in your analytics. ChatGPT often adds `utm_source=chatgpt.com` to outbound links, which makes these visits easier to spot. - Check server logs for `OAI-SearchBot` requests. If it never visits, go back to Step 1. - Track which of your pages get cited and update them first. A cited page that goes stale can lose its place. ## Common mistakes - Blocking all AI bots, then wondering why nothing is cited. - Publishing long intros before the answer. - Expecting results from an `llms.txt` file alone. See our [llms.txt guide](https://satelo.io/blog/llms-txt-guide/) for what it does and does not do. - Buying mass mentions on irrelevant sites. Assistants and search engines both discount context that makes no sense. ## Next steps Start with access and basics: run a [free Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) to see how your site looks in open data such as Tranco, Common Crawl and PageSpeed, then read the full [guide to getting mentioned by AI](https://satelo.io/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). When you are ready to build mentions on relevant sites, [connect your WordPress site](https://satelo.io/connect/) to the exchange. ## FAQ ### Can I pay OpenAI to be cited in ChatGPT? No. There is no paid placement for organic citations in ChatGPT answers. Citations come from pages the search system finds and judges relevant. ### Does blocking GPTBot remove me from ChatGPT search? Not by itself. GPTBot is OpenAI's training crawler. Search results rely on OAI-SearchBot, which you can allow separately in robots.txt. ### How long does it take to start getting cited? If your pages are indexed and answer a question well, citations in search answers can appear within weeks. Being mentioned from the model's memory takes much longer and depends on future training runs. ### Do small sites have a chance? Yes, for specific questions. Assistants cite the page that answers best, so a focused page on a narrow topic can beat a large generic site. --- URL: https://satelo.io/blog/what-is-guest-posting/ Guest posting # What is guest posting? Guest posting means writing an article that is published on someone else’s website, usually with a short author bio or a link back to your own site. It is one of the oldest ways to reach a new audience, and it still works when it is done for readers rather than for links. This guide explains what guest posting is, how search engines look at it today, and how to do it properly. Published: 2026-09-08 · 5 min read · Satelo ## What is guest posting, exactly? A guest post is an article you write for another publication in your field. The host site gets free, relevant content. You get exposure to their readers, a byline that builds your reputation, and often a link to your website. Done well, both sides win: the host fills its editorial calendar and you get in front of people who already care about your topic. The idea is older than search engines. Magazines and newspapers have always published contributed columns. What changed with the web is the link: a clickable reference from one site to another, which search engines use as one of many signals of trust. ## Why people still do guest posting - **Audience.** A popular blog in your niche may have readers you would need years to attract on your own. - **Credibility.** Being published on a respected site is social proof. Many founders and consultants list these bylines on their About pages. - **Referral traffic.** Readers who enjoyed the article click through to learn more. These visitors are often better qualified than random search traffic. - **Brand mentions.** Search engines and AI assistants increasingly notice which brands are discussed on which sites, not only who links to whom. See [brand mentions vs backlinks](https://satelo.io/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - **Links.** A relevant link from a real site can help a new website get discovered and crawled. ## How Google treats guest posts Google does not ban guest posting. What it targets is guest posting used as a link scheme. The Google Search Essentials spam policies list "large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links" as an example of link spam. The key words are large-scale and keyword-rich: dozens of thin articles pushed onto unrelated sites, each with an exact-match anchor like "best cheap car insurance", is exactly the pattern Google wants to ignore or penalise. Google also asks that links which exist because of payment or an arrangement carry a qualifying attribute. In 2019 Google introduced `rel="sponsored"` for paid or partner placements and `rel="ugc"` for user-generated content, alongside the older `rel="nofollow"`. If a guest post is part of a paid deal or an exchange, the honest setup is a sponsored link. We cover the differences in [nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC](https://satelo.io/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). In practice this means the value of guest posting today is mostly in the audience, the reputation and the mention. Treat any ranking benefit from the link as a bonus, not the goal. ## Good guest posting vs spammy guest posting | Good practice | Red flag | | Host site is in your niche and has real readers | Site publishes anything on any topic for a fee | | Article teaches something specific | Generic 500-word text written around a link | | Link is natural: your name, brand or a useful resource | Exact-match commercial anchor text in every post | | Paid or exchanged links are labelled sponsored | "Dofollow guaranteed" sold as a feature | | A few strong placements per quarter | Hundreds of placements bought in a month | ## How to do guest posting step by step - **Define the goal.** Do you want sign-ups, authority in a niche, or simply your first mentions? The goal decides which sites matter. - **Build a list of host sites.** Look for blogs your customers actually read. Our guide on [how to find guest post sites](https://satelo.io/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) lists search operators and other methods. - **Check each site.** Is it indexed? Does it have real traffic? Is it full of casino and loan posts? A free [Quality Score check](https://satelo.io/check/) gives a quick, honest read based on open data. - **Study what they publish.** Read five recent posts. Note the length, tone, formatting and what topics are missing. - **Pitch two or three specific ideas.** Short, personal email, with titles and a one-line angle for each. See our [outreach email templates](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). - **Write the best article you can.** Original examples, screenshots described in words, data you collected yourself. The host should feel lucky to get it. - **Follow the host’s link rules.** Usually one link in the bio and at most one contextual link where it really helps the reader. - **Promote the published post.** Share it, reply to comments, thank the editor. This builds the relationship for the next one. ## What a good guest post looks like A useful rule: if you removed your link, would the article still be worth publishing? If yes, you are doing guest posting. If no, you are buying a link with extra words around it. Strong guest posts usually have a narrow topic ("How we cut checkout abandonment on a 200-product store" rather than "Ecommerce tips"), concrete steps, and a point of view drawn from your own experience. They are also formatted for the host’s audience: if their readers are beginners, explain terms; if they are experts, skip the basics. ## How much does guest posting cost? Classic guest posting is free: you pay with your time and expertise. Many sites, however, now charge for publication, and then the article is really a sponsored post. Prices vary hugely with traffic, niche and link terms. We break it down in [how much a guest post costs](https://satelo.io/guides/guest-post-cost/). If money changes hands, the link should be marked sponsored and the post labelled. A middle path is an article exchange network. On Satelo, for example, sites of similar quality and niche publish articles about each other in circles (A writes about B, B about C, C about A) rather than in direct swaps, the posts are labelled as partner content and links carry `rel="sponsored"`. It saves outreach time, but the same rule applies: the content has to be good for readers. ## Common mistakes - Pitching sites that have nothing to do with your topic. - Sending the same template to 300 editors. - Recycling one article across several sites (duplicate content helps nobody). - Forcing exact-match anchors. - Never checking whether the post stays live. ## Next steps Start small: pick five sites your audience reads, check them with the free [Quality Score tool](https://satelo.io/check/), and pitch one great idea to each. If you run a WordPress site and want to host and receive partner articles without manual outreach, you can [connect it to Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/). For the bigger picture, read [guest posting vs link exchange](https://satelo.io/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## FAQ ### Is guest posting still worth it? Yes, when the goal is audience, reputation and relevant mentions. Large-scale guest posting done only for keyword-rich links is treated as link spam by Google. ### Should guest post links be nofollow? If the post was paid for or is part of an exchange, the link should carry rel=sponsored (or nofollow). A purely editorial guest post with no payment can use a normal link. ### How many links can a guest post have? Most editors allow one link in the author bio and at most one or two contextual links that genuinely help the reader. ### Is guest posting the same as a sponsored post? Not quite. A classic guest post is unpaid editorial content. Once the host is paid to publish, it becomes a sponsored post and should be labelled. --- # Русская версия --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/how-it-works/ # Как работает Satelo Satelo — сеть, где сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют помеченные партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу (A→B→C→A), без прямого обмена. Вы зарабатываете сателлиты (◉), внутреннюю валюту Satelo, размещая статьи, и тратите их на статьи о своём сайте. Satelo в публичной бете. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 ## Satelo в пяти строках - **Что это:** сеть взаимного продвижения небольших и средних сайтов и блогов и бесплатная проверка [индекса качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/) сайта. - **Как:** сайты публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу A→B→C→A; прямого обмена A↔B в течение 180 дней нет. - **Валюта:** [сателлиты ◉](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/) — зарабатываются размещением, тратятся на статьи о себе; можно купить, нельзя вывести. - **Маркировка:** каждая статья помечена как партнёрская, ссылки — rel="sponsored". - **Подключение:** плагин WordPress (вход в один клик, автопубликация), API-лента для любого другого сайта или ИИ-агент через [MCP-сервер](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/). ## По шагам - **Проверьте сайт.** Введите домен на [/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) — бесплатный индекс качества от 0 до 100 с обоснованием. Регистрация не нужна. - **Зарегистрируйтесь и добавьте сайт.** Вход по ссылке из письма, без пароля. В одном аккаунте до 20 сайтов. - **Подтвердите владение.** На WordPress установите плагин Satelo и подключитесь в один клик в Настройки → Satelo (вы вводите почту и принимаете условия; до этого ничего не отправляется). Любой другой сайт подключается через API-ленту и подтверждает владение файлом или метатегом. Подробнее — [Подключить сайт](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/). - **Разместите первую статью.** Первая статья на каждом новом сайте — о самом Satelo, и платит за неё Satelo: цена вашего сайта плюс 20%, минимум 2 ◉. Это ваш стартовый баланс. - **Размещайте статьи о других сайтах.** На ваш сайт приходят статьи сайтов с похожим индексом качества, языком и тематикой. Авторазмещение включено по умолчанию; его можно выключить и одобрять каждую статью. Когда статья опубликована, вы получаете полную свою цену в сателлитах. - **Тратьте сателлиты на статьи о себе.** Вы (или ваш ИИ-агент) пишете оригинальную статью для читателей площадки — от 1500 знаков, 1–2 естественные ссылки — и выбираете площадку. Вы платите цену площадки и 10% сервисного сбора Satelo. Satelo публикует статью через плагин или ленту площадки и подтверждает публикацию, проверяя страницу. ## Круг: почему A→B→C→A, а не A↔B Два сайта, которые ссылаются друг на друга по договорённости, — это [взаимные ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/vzaimnye-ssylki/), а чрезмерный обмен ссылками правила Google о спаме относят к ссылочному спаму. Satelo такие пары не создаёт. Подбирая площадку для сайта A, система пропускает сайты того же владельца и любой сайт, о котором сам A публиковал статью за последние 180 дней, и не отправляет вторую статью об A на ту же площадку в течение 7 дней. Порядок кандидатов: сначала та же тематика, затем тот же язык, затем ближайший индекс качества. Поскольку все платят сателлитами, а не услугами, A размещает статью о B, B — о C, C — об A. ## Сателлиты ◉ Сателлиты — внутренняя валюта, а не сайты и не деньги. Их зарабатывают размещением партнёрских статей и тратят на партнёрские статьи о своих сайтах. Их можно купить пакетом (10 ◉ за $25, 50 ◉ за $120, 200 ◉ за $460), но нельзя вывести, обменять или перевести за пределы Satelo. К «[сайтам-сателлитам](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/)» из SEO они отношения не имеют — см. [Сайты-сателлиты и сателлиты Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Цены - **Цену назначает владелец.** У каждого сайта есть цена статьи в сателлитах. Satelo рекомендует её по индексу качества и подтверждённой посещаемости; владелец может оставить рекомендацию или поставить свою (от 1 до 10 000 ◉). - **Рекомендованная цена:** 1 ◉ при индексе 0, дальше 1 + 0,02 × индекс², умноженное на небольшой коэффициент, который логарифмически растёт с подтверждённой месячной посещаемостью. Без подтверждённого трафика это 3 ◉ при индексе 10, 9 ◉ при 20, 19 ◉ при 30 и 51 ◉ при 50 (расчёт по формуле). - **Сбор:** площадка получает 100% своей цены; покупатель платит цену плюс 10% сервисного сбора. На этом сборе и на продаже пакетов сателлитов (по желанию) Satelo зарабатывает. Подписки нет. - **Бесплатно:** проверка индекса качества, регистрация, плагин WordPress, API-лента, MCP-сервер и заработок сателлитов размещением. Все цифры и лимиты — на странице [Цены](https://satelo.io/ru/pricing/). ## Правила и защита - **Только подтверждённые владельцы.** Сайт попадает в сеть только после проверки плагином или файлом / метатегом подтверждения. - **Решает площадка.** Авторазмещение можно выключить; тематики и приём статей настраиваются в кабинете. Отключение плагина WordPress сразу останавливает новые статьи. - **Автоматический возврат сателлитов**, если заказ не удалось опубликовать, если площадка не одобрила его за 7 дней, если статья 14 дней пролежала неопубликованным черновиком у площадки или если сайт с API-лентой не вывел её за 7 дней. - **Требования к статьям.** Оригинальный и полезный читателям площадки текст, 1500–30 000 знаков, 1–2 естественные ссылки. До 20 заказов на аккаунт в сутки. - **Маркировка.** Плагин WordPress ставит пометку «Партнёрский материал» и по умолчанию атрибут rel="sponsored" на исходящие ссылки. - **Подтверждённый трафик без слежки.** Плагин считает просмотры без cookie, IP-адресов и персональных данных и раз в сутки отправляет итоги; примерно через 7 дней индекс качества использует их вместо оценок. ## Индекс качества коротко [Индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/) (0–100) строится в основном на открытых данных. Свидетельства использования: посещаемость (рейтинг Tranco, Chrome UX Report, подтверждённые просмотры плагина; для сайтов сети — оценки Similarweb или Semrush), ссылочная популярность (Open PageRank, Majestic Million, веб-граф Common Crawl) и возраст (RDAP/WHOIS, Wayback Machine) с весами 45 / 35 / 20. Эта оценка умножается на 0,5–1,0 за контент и техническое состояние по собственному обходу Satelo. Припаркованные и почти пустые сайты получают не больше 5. У нового сайта индекс около 0. Это оценка Satelo, а не метрика Google или Яндекса, и позиций она не предсказывает. ## Способы подключения - **Плагин WordPress** «Satelo»: вход в один клик, подтверждение владения, публикация статей с обложкой, картинками, рубрикой, метками, SEO-описанием и пометкой «Партнёрский материал», авторазмещение или черновики. [Подключить WordPress](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/). - **API-лента** для любой CMS или фреймворка: сайт выводит статьи из JSON-ленты по своему шаблону адреса (по умолчанию `/partners/<slug>`), а Satelo подтверждает публикацию, проверяя страницу. - **MCP-сервер** `io.satelo/satelo` по адресу `https://satelo.io/mcp`: ИИ-агент может проверить сайт, с согласия владельца подключить его, подобрать площадки и разместить статьи. [Satelo для ИИ-агентов](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/). ## Чем Satelo не является - **Не PBN.** Satelo не создаёт, не покупает и не владеет сайтами сети. Каждый сайт принадлежит подтверждённому владельцу. См. [PBN-сетка](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/). - **Не продавец ссылок.** Satelo не продаёт ссылки и не берёт деньги за ссылки на подконтрольных сайтах; сайты обмениваются помеченными статьями за внутреннюю валюту. - **Без обещаний dofollow и позиций.** Ссылки — rel="sponsored". Ценность — помеченное упоминание на тематическом сайте с реальными читателями. - **Не прямой обмен ссылками.** Никакого A↔B в течение 180 дней. - **Не схема с выводом денег.** Сателлиты не выводятся. - **Пока не большая сеть.** Satelo в публичной бете, сеть небольшая. Актуальное число активных сайтов возвращает MCP-инструмент `satelo_about`. - **«Сателлиты ◉» — не сайты-сателлиты.** Подробно — [в статье](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Для кого Для владельцев небольших и средних сайтов и блогов (особенно на WordPress), инди-разработчиков и маркетологов малого бизнеса, которым нужны первые настоящие упоминания на тематических сайтах без переписки и бюджета, на русском или английском. Не для тех, кто хочет быстро купить позиции. ## Частые вопросы ### Satelo бесплатный? Регистрация, проверка индекса качества, плагин WordPress, API-лента и MCP-сервер бесплатны. Сателлиты зарабатываются размещением статей. Каждое размещение стоит цену площадки в сателлитах плюс 10% сервисного сбора; пакеты сателлитов покупаются по желанию (10 ◉ за $25). ### Satelo — это PBN или ссылочная ферма? Нет. Satelo не создаёт и не владеет сайтами: каждый сайт сети принадлежит подтверждённому владельцу, который сам его подключил. Статьи помечены как партнёрские, ссылки — rel="sponsored". ### Будут ли dofollow-ссылки? Нет. Ссылки обмена имеют атрибут rel="sponsored", и Satelo не обещает позиций или передачи веса. Ценность — помеченное упоминание на тематическом сайте с реальными читателями. ### Почему нельзя просто обменяться статьями вдвоём? Прямой обмен — это взаимные ссылки, которые правила Google о спаме относят к ссылочному спаму, если их много. Satelo не предлагает площадку, о которой ваш сайт писал за последние 180 дней, поэтому статьи идут по кругу A→B→C→A. ### Можно ли вывести сателлиты? Нет. Сателлиты — внутренняя валюта: зарабатываются размещением, тратятся на статьи о своих сайтах, покупаются по желанию, но не выводятся. ### Появятся ли статьи на моём сайте без моего согласия? Только если включено авторазмещение (по умолчанию включено). Выключите его — и каждая статья будет ждать вашего одобрения; не одобренные за 7 дней заказы возвращаются покупателю. ### «Сателлиты ◉» и сайты-сателлиты — одно и то же? Нет. В SEO сайт-сателлит — сайт, созданный только ради ссылок на другой сайт. Сателлиты Satelo — внутренняя валюта. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/pricing/ # Цены Регистрация в Satelo бесплатна. Сайты обмениваются статьями за сателлиты (◉): площадка назначает цену и получает её целиком, покупатель платит эту цену плюс 10% сервисного сбора. Покупать сателлиты не обязательно. Подписок нет. Satelo в публичной бете. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 ## Что бесплатно - [Проверка индекса качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) любого домена без регистрации. - Аккаунт (вход по ссылке из письма) с до 20 сайтов. - Плагин WordPress, API-лента для других сайтов и [MCP-сервер](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/) для ИИ-агентов. - Заработок сателлитов размещением статей, включая первую статью о Satelo, за которую платит Satelo: ваша цена плюс 20%, минимум 2 ◉. ## Как считается цена размещения - У каждого сайта есть цена статьи в сателлитах. Satelo рекомендует её по [индексу качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/) и подтверждённой посещаемости; владелец может оставить рекомендацию или поставить любую цену от 1 до 10 000 ◉. - Площадка получает 100% своей цены после публикации. - Покупатель платит цену площадки плюс 10% сервисного сбора Satelo. Пример: при цене площадки 9 ◉ покупатель платит 9 ◉ + 10%. - Если заказ не удалось опубликовать, площадка не одобрила его за 7 дней, статья 14 дней пролежала неопубликованным черновиком или сайт с API-лентой не вывел её за 7 дней, сателлиты автоматически возвращаются покупателю. ## Рекомендованная цена статьи 1 ◉ при индексе 0, дальше 1 + 0,02 × индекс², умноженное на коэффициент, который логарифмически растёт с подтверждённой месячной посещаемостью. Без подтверждённого трафика, расчёт по формуле: | Индекс качества | Рекомендованная цена | | 0 | 1 ◉ | | 10 | 3 ◉ | | 20 | 9 ◉ | | 30 | 19 ◉ | | 50 | 51 ◉ | ## Пакеты сателлитов (по желанию) | Пакет | Цена | За сателлит | | 10 ◉ | $25 | $2.50 за ◉ | | 50 ◉ | $120 | $2.40 за ◉ | | 200 ◉ | $460 | $2.30 за ◉ | - Оплата картой (Stripe) или криптовалютой (USDT, BTC, ETH через PayKilla), если способ включён в кабинете. Сателлиты зачисляются только после подтверждения оплаты платёжной системой. - Лимит покупки: 400 ◉ на аккаунт в календарный месяц. - Сателлиты нельзя вывести, обменять на деньги или перевести за пределы Satelo. ## Лимиты | Лимит | Значение | | Сайтов в аккаунте | 20 | | Покупка сателлитов | 400 ◉ в календарный месяц | | Заказы (статьи о ваших сайтах) | 20 в сутки | | Длина статьи | 1500–30 000 знаков, 1–2 естественные ссылки | | Цена статьи, которую ставит владелец | 1–10 000 ◉ | | Новые проверки индекса из кабинета | 10 в час | | MCP-сервер | 120 вызовов в час с IP, 10 новых проверок индекса в час | | API-ключи для ИИ-агентов | 5 активных на аккаунт | ## За что не нужно платить и чего нет - Нет подписки, нет платы за регистрацию и за размещение статей у себя. - Нет вывода денег: сателлиты — внутренняя валюта. - Нет платных пакетов «dofollow» или «позиций». Ссылки обмена — rel="sponsored"; см. [Как работает Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/how-it-works/). ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько стоит Satelo? Регистрация и инструменты бесплатны. Каждая статья о вашем сайте стоит цену площадки в сателлитах плюс 10% сервисного сбора. Сателлиты зарабатываются размещением или покупаются пакетами по желанию: 10 ◉ за $25, 50 ◉ за $120, 200 ◉ за $460. ### Кто платит 10%? Покупатель. Площадка получает 100% назначенной цены. ### Можно ли вывести заработанные сателлиты? Нет. Сателлиты тратятся только внутри Satelo. ### Есть ли месячный лимит? Можно купить до 400 сателлитов на аккаунт в календарный месяц. ### Что, если статью так и не опубликуют? Сателлиты вернутся автоматически, если заказ не удался, не был одобрен за 7 дней или 14 дней пролежал неопубликованным черновиком у площадки. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/about/ # О проекте Satelo Satelo помогает небольшим и средним сайтам получить первые настоящие упоминания: сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют статьи друг о друге по кругу, а каждый сайт получает честный индекс качества. ## Что такое Satelo Satelo — сеть, где сайты похожего уровня публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу. Бесплатная проверка сайта, плагин WordPress, MCP-сервер. Подробнее: сайты с похожим индексом качества и тематикой размещают помеченные партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу (A→B→C→A) за сателлиты (◉) — внутреннюю валюту, которую зарабатывают размещением и тратят на статьи о своём сайте. По шагам — [Как работает Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/how-it-works/); цифры — [Цены](https://satelo.io/ru/pricing/); термины — [Глоссарий](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/). ## Чем Satelo не является - **Не PBN.** Satelo не создаёт, не покупает и не владеет сайтами сети; каждый принадлежит подтверждённому владельцу. - **Не продавец ссылок** и не сервис «dofollow» или позиций: ссылки обмена — rel="sponsored", позиций Satelo не обещает. - **Не прямой обмен ссылками:** никакого A↔B в течение 180 дней. - **Не схема с выводом денег:** сателлиты не выводятся. - **«Сателлиты ◉» — не сайты-сателлиты**: см. [статью о разнице](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Статус: публичная бета Satelo в публичной бете. Сеть небольшая, и мы не публикуем цифры пользователей, которые не можем подтвердить; актуальное число активных сайтов возвращает инструмент `satelo_about` нашего [MCP-сервера](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/). Возможности и лимиты могут меняться; актуальные цифры — на странице [Цены](https://satelo.io/ru/pricing/). ## Зачем мы это сделали У нового сайта нет читателей, ссылок и бюджета на рекламу. Биржи спонсорских статей в основном работают с сайтами, у которых уже есть трафик, а прямой обмен ссылками рискован. Мы хотели, чтобы маленькие сайты могли помогать друг другу честно, прозрачно и без нарушения правил поисковиков. ## Принципы - **Честные метрики.** Индекс качества строится на открытых данных и подтверждённой аналитике; у нового сайта он 0. Откуда каждая цифра — видно на [странице проверки](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). - **Без прямого обмена.** Статьи идут по кругу (A→B→C→A), никогда A↔B. - **Честная маркировка.** Статьи обмена публикуются как партнёрский материал с `rel="sponsored"`. - **Решает владелец.** Satelo советует цену в сателлитах; владелец может поставить свою, выключить авторазмещение и одобрять каждую статью. ## На чём зарабатывает Satelo 10% сервисного сбора с каждого размещения статьи — его платит покупатель сверху цены площадки (площадка получает 100% своей цены), и продажа пакетов сателлитов по желанию. Без подписок. Сателлиты не выводятся. Подробнее — [Цены](https://satelo.io/ru/pricing/). ## Кто управляет Satelo Основатель и оператор Satelo — **Антон Кириенко** (физическое лицо). Статьи блога готовит команда Satelo с помощью ИИ-инструментов и сверяет с открытыми источниками; данные конкурентов в сравнениях указаны с датой. ## Основатель **Антон Кириенко** основал Satelo и управляет проектом: продукт, код и операционная работа. Связаться — через [info@satelo.io](mailto:info@satelo.io). ## Контакты Офиса и телефона у Satelo нет, связь — по почте. Почта: [info@satelo.io](mailto:info@satelo.io). [Политика конфиденциальности](https://satelo.io/privacy.html), [условия использования](https://satelo.io/terms.html). --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/agents/ # Satelo для ИИ-агентов (MCP) У Satelo есть удалённый MCP-сервер. ИИ-агент, который делает или продвигает сайт, может проверить индекс качества любого сайта, добавить сайт в обмен, подобрать площадки и опубликовать статьи о нём — сайт попадает в круг взаимного продвижения без ручной работы. ## Адрес `https://satelo.io/mcp` — Streamable HTTP (JSON-RPC через POST). Публичные инструменты работают без ключа, инструменты аккаунта — с заголовком `Authorization: Bearer sk_satelo_…`. Ключ создаётся в [кабинете](https://satelo.io/ru/app/), раздел «API для ИИ-агентов». ## Подключение ### Claude Code ``` claude mcp add --transport http satelo https://satelo.io/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer sk_satelo_…" ``` ### Claude Desktop, Cursor и другие клиенты (JSON) ``` { "mcpServers": { "satelo": { "type": "http", "url": "https://satelo.io/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer sk_satelo_…" } } } } ``` Без ключа доступны публичные инструменты: индекс качества, поиск по сети, регистрация. ## Инструменты | Инструмент | Что делает | Ключ | | `satelo_about` | Как устроен Satelo, сателлиты, сценарии | нет | | `satelo_check_site` | Бесплатный индекс качества любого домена с обоснованием | нет | | `satelo_find_sites` | Активные сайты сети по тематике, языку, индексу | нет | | `satelo_signup` | Отправить владельцу ссылку для входа | нет | | `satelo_account` | Баланс, сайты, входящие и исходящие статьи | да | | `satelo_add_site` | Добавить сайт, получить ключ подключения и шаги | да | | `satelo_verify_site` | Проверить подключение и активировать сайт | да | | `satelo_site_settings` | Авторазмещение, приём статей, тематика, своя цена | да | | `satelo_find_hosts` | Площадки для статьи о моём сайте с ценами | да | | `satelo_place_article` | Заказать статью, написанную агентом; возврат, если не опубликована | да | | `satelo_review_article` | Одобрить или отклонить входящую статью | да | ## Типичный сценарий - `satelo_check_site` — понять, где сайт сейчас. - `satelo_signup` с почтой владельца → владелец входит и создаёт API-ключ. - `satelo_add_site` → установить плагин WordPress или вывести API-ленту → `satelo_verify_site`. Первая статья (о Satelo) приносит сателлиты. - `satelo_find_hosts` → написать оригинальную полезную статью для читателей площадки → `satelo_place_article`. ## Правила для агентов - Добавляйте только сайты пользователя и только его собственную почту. - Статьи — оригинальные и полезные читателям площадки, 1–2 естественные ссылки. Публикуются как партнёрский материал с `rel="sponsored"`. - Лимиты: 120 вызовов в час с IP, 10 новых проверок индекса в час, 20 заказов в день. ## Частые вопросы ### Нужен ли аккаунт для MCP-сервера? Для публичных инструментов (индекс качества, поиск по сети, регистрация) — нет. Чтобы добавлять сайты и размещать статьи — да: владелец создаёт API-ключ в кабинете. ### Кто пишет статьи? Пишет агент. Satelo проверяет длину и ссылки, публикует через плагин WordPress или API-ленту площадки и подтверждает публикацию, проверяя страницу. ### Тратит ли он деньги? Тратит сателлиты с баланса аккаунта, но не деньги с карты. Неопубликованные заказы возвращаются автоматически. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/link-exchange/ # Обмен ссылками и статьями: как работает, что разрешено, с чего начать Под «обменом ссылками» понимают очень разные вещи: взаимные ссылки в подвале у двух знакомых, круговые схемы ссылочных бирж и честный обмен статьями между сайтами одной тематики. Поисковики относятся к ним по-разному, поэтому важно понимать, чем именно вы занимаетесь. ## Что называют обменом ссылками - **Взаимные ссылки (A↔B).** Два сайта ссылаются друг на друга. Разовые уместные упоминания партнёров — нормальная часть интернета. Массовый обмен ради самих ссылок — нет. - **Круговой обмен (A→B→C→A).** Каждый сайт ссылается на следующий по кругу, и напрямую друг на друга никто не ссылается. Форма прячет обмен от беглого взгляда, но не меняет его цели. - **Обмен статьями.** Сайты публикуют полезные статьи друг о друге для своих читателей. Ссылка здесь — следствие статьи, а не её смысл. Это ближе к [гостевым публикациям, чем к обмену ссылками](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). - **Платные размещения.** За публикацию платят деньгами или другой выгодой. Как реклама это допустимо, если ссылка помечена. ## Что на самом деле говорят Google и Яндекс В [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru#link-spam) среди примеров ссылочного спама названы «чрезмерный обмен ссылками» и партнёрские страницы, созданные только для перекрёстных ссылок, а также покупка и продажа ссылок, передающих ранжирование. Там же сказано, что допустимо: ссылки, купленные как реклама или полученные за какую-то выгоду, нужно помечать. На странице Google о [пометке исходящих ссылок](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) описаны атрибуты: `rel="sponsored"` для платных и «оплаченных» ссылок, `rel="ugc"` для пользовательского контента и `rel="nofollow"` для остального, за что вы не ручаетесь. В справке Яндекс Вебмастера о [ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) отдельно разобраны платные ссылки и ссылочные биржи: они мешают Яндексу корректно определять степень доверия к сайтам, а для таких ссылок рекомендуется атрибут `rel="sponsored"`. Если коротко, проблема не в том, что два сайта упоминают друг друга. Проблема — в ссылках, организованных ради влияния на выдачу, особенно когда их выдают за редакционные. Форма схемы (двусторонняя, трёхсторонняя, десятисторонняя) этого не меняет. Подробнее — в гайде [обмен ссылками и правила Google](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/) и в статье [вредит ли обмен ссылками SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## Как выглядит безопасный обмен - **Статья написана для читателей площадки.** Если бы вы не опубликовали её без ссылки, со ссылкой её тоже публиковать не стоит. - **Партнёр настоящий и по теме.** Похожая тематика, живые посетители, сайт существует не первый месяц. Прежде чем соглашаться, проверьте, [не PBN ли это](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **Ссылка помечена.** У обменных и платных ссылок стоит `rel="sponsored"`, а статья отмечена как партнёрский материал. Чем отличаются атрибуты, мы разобрали в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). - **Объём естественный.** Несколько уместных упоминаний в месяц от сайтов вашего уровня выглядят как то, чем они и являются, — партнёрство. Сотни одинаковых размещений выглядят как схема. - **Вы измеряете читателей, а не «вес».** Переходы, запросы по названию и упоминания в нише можно проверить. Честно пообещать вам позиции не может никто. ## Как устроен обмен в Satelo Satelo построен на безопасной версии этой идеи. Сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу (A→B→C→A) и никогда напрямую A↔B. За размещение статьи у себя вы получаете сателлиты (◉) — внутреннюю валюту — и тратите их на статьи о своём сайте на других сайтах сети. Ссылки в обменных статьях публикуются с `rel="sponsored"`, а у каждого сайта есть открытый [индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/), чтобы партнёры видели, с кем имеют дело. Satelo работает в режиме публичной беты, сеть пока небольшая, и в некоторых тематиках подбор партнёров занимает время. Если хотите сравнить варианты, посмотрите, чем Satelo отличается от [известных бирж статей](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/). ## Когда от обмена лучше отказаться Откажитесь, если у партнёра нет живого трафика, на сайте всё подряд от казино до рецептов, он продаёт «вечные dofollow-ссылки» пачками или просит не помечать ссылку. И если вашему сайту пока нечего рекомендовать: [ссылки для нового сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) начинаются с одной действительно полезной страницы, а не с обменов. Если сомневаетесь, начните с одного партнёра и одной статьи, посмотрите, приходят ли читатели, и только потом расширяйте круг. Это медленнее любой биржи, зато каждое размещение можно показать без стыда и объяснить, зачем оно читателям. [Присоединиться к обмену статьями](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) **Бесплатные инструменты:** [Проверка sponsored-ссылок](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/sponsored-link-checker/) ## Как устроен обмен [Статья**Обмен ссылками: вреден ли он для SEO**Вреден ли обмен ссылками для SEO: что пишут Google и Яндекс, какие обмены опасны, какие нормальны, тревожные признаки и безопасные способы получить упоминания.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/)[Статья**Гостевой постинг или обмен ссылками**Сравниваем гостевой постинг и обмен ссылками: как работает каждый способ, что говорят правила Google и Яндекса, риски, затраты и когда подходит обмен статьями.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/)[Гайд**Обмен ссылками и платные статьи: что разрешает Google**Что правила Google о спаме говорят про обмен ссылками, платные ссылки и гостевые посты, как работают rel="sponsored" и nofollow и как продвигать сайт без риска санкций.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/)[Статья**Сайт-сателлит: что это такое и чем «сателлиты» Satelo от них отличаются**Что такое сайт-сателлит и PBN в SEO, почему Google и Яндекс считают их манипуляцией и чем «сателлиты» Satelo отличаются: это внутренняя единица, а не сайты.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/)[Статья**Вечные и арендные ссылки: разница, риски и честные альтернативы**Вечные ссылки и арендные: чем отличаются, что о покупных ссылках пишут Яндекс и Google, какие риски несёт каждая модель и какие есть законные альтернативы.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/eternal-vs-rented-links/) ## Как получать ссылки безопасно [Статья**Ссылки для нового сайта: с чего начать**Как получить первые ссылки для нового сайта без риска: что сделать до ссылок, где брать первые упоминания, план на 90 дней и какие схемы вредят молодому домену.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/)[Статья**Бесплатные способы получить ссылки на сайт**Бесплатные способы получить ссылки для сайта: полезный контент, упоминания без ссылок, битые ссылки, партнёры, сообщества, комментарии эксперта и обмен.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-link-building-strategies/)[Статья**Сколько нужно обратных ссылок, чтобы выйти в топ**Сколько нужно обратных ссылок, чтобы попасть в топ? Универсальной цифры нет. Показываем, как оценить её по сайтам из выдачи и почему качество важнее количества.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/)[Статья**Упоминания бренда vs обратные ссылки: что строить в первую очередь**Упоминания бренда или обратные ссылки: что каждое даёт для Яндекса, Google и нейросетей, что известно, а что домыслы, и как сбалансировать продвижение.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/)[Статья**Крауд-ссылки: что это такое, как работают и чем опасны**Крауд-ссылки — что это, как выглядят на форумах и в комментариях, что о них говорят Яндекс и Google, чем рискуете и как участвовать в сообществах честно.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/crowd-links/) ## Атрибуты, анкоры и риски [Статья**Nofollow, sponsored и ugc: какой атрибут ставить**Чем отличаются атрибуты nofollow, sponsored и ugc, когда Google ждёт каждый из них, как их сочетать, как настроить в WordPress и при чём тут маркировка рекламы.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/)[Статья**Анкор ссылки: анкорные и безанкорные ссылки простыми словами**Безанкорные и анкорные ссылки простыми словами: виды анкоров с примерами, что пишут Яндекс и Google, почему коммерческие анкоры похожи на SEO и как проверить.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/anchor-text-guide/)[Статья**Наращивание ссылочной массы: какой темп безопасен и что такое естественный профиль**Наращивание ссылочной массы без мифов: почему «нормы темпа» нет в правилах Яндекса и Google, что делает профиль естественным и когда ссылочный взрыв не страшен.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-velocity/)[Статья**Как распознать PBN до покупки ссылки**Как распознать PBN-сетку до покупки статьи: 15 признаков, бесплатные инструменты для проверки и пошаговая схема на 10 минут для любого продавца ссылок.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/) ## Платформы и биржи [Статья**Биржи ссылок и статей в рунете: как работают и чем рискует сайт**Биржа ссылок изнутри: аренда, вечные ссылки, статьи и крауд, как проходит сделка, что Яндекс и Google пишут о платных ссылках и где границы допустимого.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-exchanges-runet/)[Сравнение**Satelo vs Collaborator**10% с пополнения покупателя + 15% с вывода у площадки](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/collaborator/)[Сравнение**Satelo vs Adsy**Около 30% наценки для покупателя (по ответу самой Adsy на Trustpilot, 2023) + 7,9% при выводе у площадки](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/adsy/)[Сравнение**Satelo vs Miralinks**5–12% с пополнения покупателя (невозвратно) + 18% у вебмастера (уведомление 2014 года)](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/miralinks/)[Сравнение**Satelo vs Sape**Комиссия заложена в цену каталога (размер не публикуется); 5% с пополнения для юрлиц](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/sape/)[Сравнение**Satelo vs GoGetLinks**30% от цены ссылки (площадка получает 70%); доп. комиссии при пополнении по безналу](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/gogetlinks/) ## Частые вопросы ### Обмен ссылками запрещён правилами Google? Чрезмерный обмен ссылками только ради перекрёстных ссылок назван ссылочным спамом в правилах Google. Разовые уместные упоминания партнёров — нормально, а обменные и платные ссылки нужно помечать rel="sponsored". ### Как к обмену ссылками относится Яндекс? В справке Вебмастера сказано, что платные ссылки и ссылочные биржи мешают Яндексу корректно определять степень доверия к сайтам, и рекомендуется помечать такие ссылки атрибутом rel="sponsored". ### Круговой обмен безопаснее прямого? Сам по себе нет: круг A→B→C→A меняет только форму. Значение имеют цель, тематика, объём и пометка. Безопаснее полезные статьи на тематических сайтах со ссылками rel="sponsored". ### Какой атрибут ставить на обменную ссылку? rel="sponsored". Google просит использовать его для ссылок, за которые заплатили или получили выгоду, Яндекс рекомендует то же для платных ссылок. ### Чем Satelo отличается от ссылочной биржи? Satelo обменивает помеченные партнёрские статьи по кругу между сайтами похожего уровня и тематики, без прямого обмена. Сателлиты зарабатываются размещением и тратятся на статьи о своём сайте. Satelo не продаёт dofollow-ссылки и не обещает позиций. ### Это бесплатно? Обмен статьями бесплатный: вы платите сателлитами, заработанными за размещения. Сателлиты можно и купить; Satelo берёт 10% с обменов и заказов маркетплейса. Сервис в публичной бете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/guest-posts/ # Гостевые статьи: как покупать, продавать и не навредить сайту Гостевая статья — это материал, который вы пишете для чужого сайта, обычно с упоминанием или ссылкой на свой. Если сделать её хорошо, вас увидит аудитория, которая уже доверяет площадке. Если превратить её в покупку ссылок, получится ровно то, что поисковики называют спамом. В этом разделе — обе стороны сделки: покупка размещений и их продажа. ## Что сегодня называют гостевой статьёй Под одним названием скрываются три разные сделки. **Редакционный гостевой пост** пишут бесплатно: площадке нужен хороший текст, автору — внимание аудитории. **Спонсорская статья** оплачена деньгами или другой выгодой и должна быть помечена как реклама. **Вставка ссылки** в уже опубликованный текст ближе всего к обычной покупке ссылок. У каждого варианта свои риски и цены. Начните со статьи [что такое гостевой постинг](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/what-is-guest-posting/) и сравнения [с обменом ссылками](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/). ## Что говорят Google и Яндекс В [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru#link-spam) среди примеров ссылочного спама названы масштабные кампании по размещению статей и гостевых постов со ссылками, в анкорах которых много ключевых слов. Сами гостевые публикации не запрещены: проблема в объёме, переспамленных анкорах и ссылках ради передачи ранжирования. Платные и полученные за выгоду ссылки Google просит помечать, а на странице о [пометке исходящих ссылок](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) рекомендует для них `rel="sponsored"`. В справке Яндекс Вебмастера о [ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) сказано, что платные ссылки мешают корректно оценивать сайты, и рекомендован тот же атрибут. Против SEO-ссылок Яндекс запускал отдельный [алгоритм «Минусинск»](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/20337). ## Если вы покупаете размещение - **Начинайте с аудитории, а не с метрик.** Подумайте, нужен ли читателям площадки ваш продукт. Небольшой блог точно по теме часто приводит больше живых посетителей, чем крупный сайт обо всём. - **Проверьте площадку.** Живой трафик, постоянная тематика, домен не первого месяца жизни, никаких страниц со ссылками на казино. Пошагово — в чек-листе [как проверить сайт перед покупкой](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/), а бесплатная [проверка индекса качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) покажет сигналы трафика, ссылки и возраст домена в одном отчёте. - **Ориентируйтесь в ценах.** Цена зависит от аудитории, тематики и того, кто пишет текст. Смотрите [сколько стоит гостевая статья](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/guest-post-cost/) и [как формируется цена спонсорского поста](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/). - **Ищите площадки и пишите редакторам грамотно.** Помогут статьи [как найти площадки для гостевых постов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/) и [шаблоны писем для аутрича](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/). - **Рассчитывайте на помеченную ссылку.** Размещение с `rel="sponsored"` всё равно приводит читателей, запросы по названию и упоминание в нише. Это безопасный вариант, и только его мы советуем. ## Если вы продаёте размещения Продажа спонсорских статей — нормальный способ зарабатывать на сайте, если читатели понимают, что оплачено. Несколько правил: - **Сохраняйте редакционный контроль.** Публикуйте только то, что не стыдно показать своим читателям, и отказывайте в материалах не по теме. - **Помечайте статью и ссылку.** Отмечайте материал как рекламный или партнёрский и ставьте `rel="sponsored"`. В России интернет-реклама с 1 сентября 2022 года маркируется: пометка «Реклама», сведения о рекламодателе и идентификатор (erid), который присваивает оператор рекламных данных ([статья 18.1 закона «О рекламе»](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/2c4537e4796f6ff8b2736ed1b0d4fef08e14458e/); сверяйте актуальную редакцию). Подробности — в статье о [правилах раскрытия спонсорского контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). - **Назовите цену и порядок работы.** Гайд [как продавать гостевые статьи](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/sell-guest-posts/) и статья [как зарабатывать на гостевых постах](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/) разбирают цены, требования к текстам и медиакит. Если трафик пока скромный, загляните в статью [как монетизировать сайт с небольшой посещаемостью](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/). - **На WordPress автоматизируйте рутину.** Как принимать заявки, ставить пометки и атрибуты ссылок, показано в статье [спонсорские статьи на WordPress](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/). ## Какой гостевой текст работает Статья должна быть полезна и без ссылки. Ответьте на один конкретный вопрос аудитории площадки, дайте то, чего она не напишет сама (процесс из вашей практики, чек-лист, разобранный пример), и ставьте ссылку там, где она помогает читателю, а не в коммерческий анкор. Готовая структура — в статье [как написать спонсорскую статью](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/). ## Гостевые статьи или обмен статьями Платить за каждое размещение небольшому сайту дорого. Альтернатива — обмен статьями с сайтами похожего уровня: вы размещаете материал партнёра, а другой сайт круга — ваш. В Satelo обмен идёт по кругу A→B→C→A, без прямого A↔B. За размещение вы получаете сателлиты (◉) и тратите их на статьи о своём сайте, а ссылки в обменных статьях стоят с `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo в публичной бете, сеть пока небольшая: если нужно разместиться на конкретном сайте завтра, быстрее написать редактору напрямую. Подробнее — в разделе [обмен ссылками и статьями](https://satelo.io/ru/link-exchange/). [Проверить площадку перед покупкой](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) **Бесплатные инструменты:** [Проверка sponsored-ссылок](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/sponsored-link-checker/) ## Основы гостевых публикаций [Статья**Что такое гостевой постинг**Что такое гостевой постинг, зачем им занимаются, как Google и Яндекс относятся к ссылкам из гостевых статей и как опубликовать первую статью без риска.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/what-is-guest-posting/)[Статья**Гостевой постинг или обмен ссылками**Сравниваем гостевой постинг и обмен ссылками: как работает каждый способ, что говорят правила Google и Яндекса, риски, затраты и когда подходит обмен статьями.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/guest-posting-vs-link-exchange/) ## Если покупаете: поиск и проверка площадок [Статья**Как найти площадки для гостевых постов**Где искать площадки для гостевых постов в своей нише: поисковые операторы, ссылки конкурентов, сообщества и биржи, плюс чек-лист проверки сайта перед письмом.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-find-guest-post-sites/)[Гайд**Сколько стоит гостевая статья?**Что на самом деле определяет цену гостевой или спонсорской статьи: трафик, авторитет, ниша, условия ссылки и гарантия — и простая модель, чтобы проверить любую цену.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/guest-post-cost/)[Гайд**Как проверить сайт перед покупкой гостевой статьи**Практический чек-лист из 10 пунктов перед оплатой спонсорской статьи: реальный трафик, присутствие в индексе, исходящие ссылки, качество контента и гарантии.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/)[Статья**Шаблоны писем для гостевых постов**Готовые шаблоны писем для гостевых постов: первое предложение, напоминание, письмо партнёру, запрос на комментарий эксперта, плюс советы по теме письма.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/guest-post-outreach-email-templates/)[Статья**PR-статьи на сторонних площадках: как получить пользу без серых схем**Размещение статей в СМИ и на сторонних площадках: чем PR-статья отличается от ссылочной, где искать площадки, когда нужна маркировка и rel=sponsored.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/pr-articles-media/) ## Если продаёте: цены и публикация [Гайд**Как продавать гостевые статьи на своём блоге и не навредить ему**Зарабатывать на спонсорских статьях и не терять читателей и доверие поисковиков: цена, лимиты, пометки, rel="sponsored", соответствие теме и от чего отказываться.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/sell-guest-posts/)[Статья**Заработок на гостевых постах: пошаговый план для владельца блога**Как наладить заработок на гостевых постах и не испортить сайт: за что платят рекламодатели, как задать правила и цену, где искать заказы и от чего отказываться.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/make-money-selling-guest-posts/)[Статья**Цена спонсорской статьи: как посчитать и не продешевить**Как определить цену спонсорской статьи на блоге: от чего зависит стоимость, понятная модель расчёта с примером, допуслуги, скидки и когда повышать прайс.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/)[Статья**Как принимать спонсорские статьи на WordPress**Как принимать спонсорские статьи на WordPress: роли пользователей, модерация, маркировка, rel=sponsored, поля Yoast и Rank Math, автоматизация через плагин.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/)[Статья**Как заработать на сайте с небольшой посещаемостью**Монетизация сайта с низкой посещаемостью: РСЯ, партнёрки, спонсорские статьи, свои продукты и обмен статьями. Что подходит маленькому сайту и чем рискуете.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/)[Статья**РСЯ для небольшого сайта: требования, модерация и подключение без мифов**РСЯ для сайта по справке Яндекса: кто может подключиться, за что отклоняют на модерации, как поставить блоки на WordPress и не испортить скорость и отказы.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/rsya-for-small-site/) ## Текст, пометки и раскрытие рекламы [Статья**Как написать спонсорскую статью, которую действительно читают**Как написать спонсорскую статью, которую примет редактор и дочитает читатель: структура, упоминание бренда, маркировка рекламы, ссылки и готовый шаблон.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/)[Статья**Маркировка рекламы в статьях: что нужно знать владельцу сайта**Маркировка рекламы в статьях на сайте: что требует закон «О рекламе», как получить erid, где ставить пометку, что с rel=sponsored и правилами Google и Яндекса.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/)[Статья**Nofollow, sponsored и ugc: какой атрибут ставить**Чем отличаются атрибуты nofollow, sponsored и ugc, когда Google ждёт каждый из них, как их сочетать, как настроить в WordPress и при чём тут маркировка рекламы.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/) ## Частые вопросы ### Гостевые статьи запрещены правилами Google? Сами по себе нет. В правилах Google о спаме ссылочным спамом названы масштабные кампании гостевых постов со ссылками с ключевыми словами в анкорах, а платные и обменные ссылки нужно помечать rel="sponsored". ### Можно ли покупать dofollow-ссылки в статьях? Google и Яндекс рекомендуют помечать платные ссылки атрибутом rel="sponsored". Площадка, которая продаёт «вечные dofollow-ссылки» без пометки, нарушает эти рекомендации. ### Сколько стоит гостевая статья? Единой рыночной цены нет. Она зависит от живой аудитории площадки, тематики и того, кто пишет текст. Сравнивайте предложения по аудитории, а не только по сторонним метрикам. ### Как проверить площадку перед покупкой статьи? Посмотрите на сигналы трафика, постоянство тематики, исходящие ссылки в старых статьях и возраст домена. Бесплатная проверка Satelo показывает эти данные с источниками в одном отчёте. ### Нужно ли маркировать спонсорскую статью? Интернет-реклама в России маркируется по статье 18.1 закона «О рекламе»: пометка «Реклама», сведения о рекламодателе и erid. Является ли конкретная статья рекламой, зависит от её содержания; при сомнениях уточните у юриста. ### Можно ли получать гостевые публикации без оплаты? Да: предлагайте редакционные статьи тематическим блогам или обменивайтесь статьями. В Satelo вы размещаете материалы партнёров, получаете сателлиты и тратите их на статьи о своём сайте. Сервис в публичной бете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/website-promotion/ # Продвижение небольшого сайта: каналы, партнёрства и реалистичный план Небольшие сайты редко проигрывают из-за отсутствия секретного приёма. Чаще о них просто никто не знает, кроме знакомых владельца. Продвижение — это работа над тем, чтобы лучшие страницы увидели люди, которым они нужны: через поиск и через чужие сайты, рассылки и сообщества. Если нужен короткий список, начните со статьи [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## Сначала — одна страница, которую не стыдно продвигать Любой канал работает лучше, если ведёт на полезную страницу. В руководстве Google о [полезном, надёжном и ориентированном на людей контенте](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content?hl=ru) есть вопросы, которые стоит задать себе до продвижения: есть ли на странице оригинальная информация, останется ли читатель доволен, захочет ли сохранить её или поделиться? Одна страница с чётким ответом на реальный вопрос лучше двадцати пустых записей. Как выбрать такие вопросы в узкой нише, мы разобрали в статье [SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Каналы, которые работают для небольших сайтов - **Поиск.** Медленный старт, но эффект накапливается. Берите конкретные вопросы с невысокой конкуренцией и отвечайте лучше, чем те, кто уже в выдаче. Сначала убедитесь, что страницы вообще в индексе Яндекса и Google: об этом раздел [индексация](https://satelo.io/ru/indexing/). - **Партнёрства и кросс-промо.** Сайты с той же аудиторией, но другим предложением могут рекомендовать друг друга в рассылках, подборках и совместных материалах. Форматы, которые не выглядят как обмен ссылками, — в статьях [идеи кросс-промо](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/) и [как договориться о коллаборации с блогером](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/). - **Гостевые статьи и обмен статьями.** Полезный материал на тематическом сайте приводит читателей, которые уже доверяют площадке. Платные размещения нужно помечать; как делать это безопасно, рассказано в разделах [гостевые статьи](https://satelo.io/ru/guest-posts/) и [обмен ссылками](https://satelo.io/ru/link-exchange/). - **Синдикация.** Перепубликация статьи на крупной площадке даёт новых читателей, но создаёт дубли. Прочитайте рекомендации Google об [объединении повторяющихся URL](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls?hl=ru) и наш [гайд по синдикации](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/content-syndication-guide/), прежде чем соглашаться. - **Сообщества.** Форумы, Telegram-чаты, VC и Хабр работают, когда вы отвечаете на вопросы и делитесь опытом, а не оставляете ссылки. - **Карты и справочники.** Для локального бизнеса карточка в Яндекс Картах, 2ГИС и Google Картах важна не меньше сайта. В справке Google о [позиции в местной выдаче](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=ru) главными факторами названы релевантность, расстояние и известность. Подробнее — в статье [как продвигать сайт локального бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). Для Яндекса проверьте и [регион сайта](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-geography/site-region.html) в Вебмастере. ## Чего избегать Некоторые «быстрые» способы стоят дороже, чем приносят. В [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru) описаны ссылочные схемы — покупка и продажа ссылок, передающих ранжирование, чрезмерный обмен ссылками, — и сайты-участники могут потерять позиции или выпасть из выдачи. Яндекс в справке о [ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) тоже предупреждает о платных ссылках. Массовые прогоны по каталогам, спам в комментариях, накрутка подписчиков и поддельные отзывы из той же категории: сделать легко, исправить трудно. ## Простой план на первые месяцы - Выберите одну аудиторию и три–пять её вопросов, на которые никто не отвечает толково. - Опубликуйте по сильной странице на каждый вопрос и свяжите их ссылками. - Проверьте, что страницы в индексе Яндекса и Google. - Найдите несколько сайтов с той же аудиторией и предложите полезное их читателям: гостевую статью, совместный гайд, упоминание в подборке. Готовые сценарии — в гайде [первые упоминания](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/first-mentions/). - Выберите одно сообщество, где уже общается ваша аудитория, и участвуйте в нём каждую неделю. - Через несколько недель посмотрите, что сработало, и усильте это. Ничто из этого не гарантирует трафик к определённой дате, и тот, кто такое обещает, гадает. Зато каждый месяц о вашем сайте будет знать больше людей. ## Как оценивать результат Смотрите переходы с других сайтов в Метрике, показы и клики по целевым запросам в Вебмастере и Search Console, запросы с названием сайта и число независимых сайтов, которые о вас пишут. Посмотреть, как сайт выглядит со стороны, можно в бесплатной [проверке посещаемости](https://satelo.io/ru/website-traffic-checker/). ## Чем поможет Satelo Satelo превращает шаг с партнёрствами в систему: сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют статьи друг о друге по кругу (A→B→C→A). За размещение вы получаете сателлиты (◉) и тратите их на статьи о своём сайте; ссылки помечены `rel="sponsored"`. Satelo в публичной бете, сеть пока небольшая, поэтому считайте его одним каналом из нескольких. [Начать обмен статьями](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) ## Продвижение без бюджета [Статья**Бесплатное продвижение сайта: 20 способов и план на 30 дней**Бесплатное продвижение сайта: 20 рабочих способов — Яндекс Вебмастер, карты, контент, сообщества, партнёрства — и реалистичный план на 30 дней для нового сайта.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/)[Статья**Взаимный пиар сайтов: 15 идей и как их правильно запускать**Взаимный пиар сайтов на практике: 15 форматов — обмен статьями, рассылки, вебинары, наборы, совместные инструменты. Как найти партнёра и не нарушить правила.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/cross-promotion-ideas-for-websites/)[Статья**Сотрудничество блогеров: практическое руководство для небольших сайтов**Как наладить сотрудничество блогеров: рабочие форматы, поиск партнёров, шаблон первого письма, договорённости и как не попасть под фильтры поисковиков.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/blogger-collaboration-guide/)[Статья**Синдикация контента: как перепубликовать статью и не потерять трафик**Синдикация контента на практике: где перепубликовать статьи, как избежать дублей через noindex и canonical, сроки и чек-лист для небольшого сайта.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/content-syndication-guide/)[Гайд**Как получить первые упоминания и посетителей для нового сайта**Практический план для нового сайта: попасть в индекс, получить живые упоминания в своей нише, пользоваться сообществами без бана и измерять результат.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/first-mentions/) ## Каналы помимо поиска [Статья**PR-статьи на сторонних площадках: как получить пользу без серых схем**Размещение статей в СМИ и на сторонних площадках: чем PR-статья отличается от ссылочной, где искать площадки, когда нужна маркировка и rel=sponsored.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/pr-articles-media/) ## Рост тематического блога [Статья**SEO для тематического блога: практический план**SEO для тематического блога без бюджета: выбор тем, кластеры, базовая оптимизация, перелинковка, техническая проверка в Вебмастере и безопасные упоминания.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/)[Статья**E-E-A-T: как показать экспертность маленькому сайту**E-E-A-T — что это и как работает: что Google пишет о принципах и асессорах, почему это не прямой фактор и как маленькому сайту показать опыт и доверие.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/eeat-small-sites/)[Статья**Семантическое ядро для небольшого сайта: как собрать его за выходные бесплатно**Как собрать семантическое ядро для небольшого сайта бесплатно: Вордстат, подсказки, Вебмастер и конкуренты, чистка, кластеризация по выдаче и контент-план.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/semantic-core-small-site/) ## Локальный бизнес и Яндекс [Статья**Продвижение сайта местного бизнеса**Продвижение сайта местного бизнеса без большого бюджета: Яндекс Бизнес, 2ГИС, Google, страницы услуг, отзывы, единые контакты, местные партнёры и аналитика.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/)[Статья**Как добавить организацию в 2ГИС и Google Бизнес-профиль: пошаговая инструкция**Как добавить организацию в 2ГИС бесплатно и создать Google Бизнес-профиль: пошагово, что делать с подтверждением из России и как связать карточки с сайтом.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/local-listings-2gis-google/)[Статья**Как добавить организацию на Яндекс Карты бесплатно: пошаговая инструкция**Как добавить организацию на Яндекс Карты через Яндекс Бизнес: шаги с компьютера и телефона, подтверждение, сроки, карточка, честные отзывы и платные опции.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-business-maps/)[Статья**Сайт от Яндекс Бизнеса или свой сайт: честное сравнение для малого бизнеса**Сайт от Яндекс Бизнеса: как создаётся, что в нём можно настроить, чего нельзя. Когда хватит бесплатной визитки, а когда нужен свой сайт на WordPress или Tilda.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-business-site-vs-own/)[Статья**Как продвинуть сайт в Яндексе самостоятельно: пошаговый план без бюджета**Как продвинуть сайт в Яндексе самому и бесплатно: Вебмастер и Метрика, регион, запросы и структура, тексты без переспама, ссылки без риска и честные сроки.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-site-in-yandex/)[Статья**Коммерческие факторы ранжирования: что проверить на сайте**Коммерческие факторы ранжирования без мифов: что Яндекс и Google сами пишут о доверии к сайту, что требует закон и чек-лист из 25 пунктов для проверки.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/commercial-factors/) ## Бюджет и подход [Статья**Сколько стоит SEO-продвижение сайта в месяц и за что вы платите**Сколько стоит продвижение сайта в Яндексе в месяц: из чего складывается цена, модели оплаты и их риски, публичные прайсы агентств и что можно сделать самому.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-cost-per-month/)[Статья**SEO или контекстная реклама: что выбрать небольшому сайту**Что лучше: SEO или контекстная реклама для небольшого сайта. Отличия по скорости и деньгам, когда что выбирать, как совмещать и как посчитать окупаемость.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-vs-context-ads/)[Статья**Можно ли продвинуть лендинг в поиске: честный разбор SEO одностраничника**Продвижение лендинга в Яндексе и Google: что реально может одна страница, когда её пора разбить на страницы услуг, что настроить на Тильде и при чём тут Карты.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/landing-page-seo/)[Статья**Как раскрутить интернет-магазин с нуля самостоятельно**Как раскрутить интернет-магазин с нуля самостоятельно: структура категорий под спрос, карточки, фильтры без дублей, Яндекс Товары и Google, контент и ссылки.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ecommerce-seo-from-scratch/) ## Частые вопросы ### Как продвинуть сайт бесплатно? Основа для большинства небольших сайтов: одна действительно полезная страница, индексация в Яндексе и Google, партнёрства с сайтами той же аудитории и регулярное участие в одном сообществе. ### Сколько времени занимает продвижение? Честного фиксированного срока нет. Партнёрства и сообщества могут привести посетителей за дни, поиск обычно требует больше времени и ничего не гарантирует. ### Стоит ли регистрировать сайт в каталогах? Массовые прогоны по каталогам редко приводят посетителей, а ссылочные схемы описаны в правилах Google о спаме. Несколько уместных карточек, например в Яндекс Картах или 2ГИС для локального бизнеса, по-прежнему полезны. ### Вредит ли синдикация SEO? Она создаёт дубли, и крупная площадка может обойти вас вашей же статьёй. Прочитайте рекомендации Google о повторяющихся URL и заранее договоритесь, как партнёр оформит копию. ### Как продвигать сайт локального бизнеса? Заполните карточки в Яндекс Картах, 2ГИС и Google, держите название, адрес и телефон одинаковыми, собирайте настоящие отзывы и добавьте на сайт страницы с ответами на вопросы клиентов. ### Чем поможет Satelo? Satelo объединяет сайты похожего уровня и тематики, которые публикуют помеченные партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу. Сателлиты зарабатываются размещением и тратятся на статьи о своём сайте. Это один канал из нескольких; сервис в публичной бете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/website-traffic-checker/ # Узнать посещаемость сайта онлайн: бесплатная проверка любого домена Узнать посещаемость Введите домен, например example.ru Бесплатно и без регистрации. Покажем найденные данные о посещаемости, авторитет и возраст домена. Точную посещаемость сайта знает только его владелец — она в его Метрике или другом счётчике. Все остальные, включая любые сервисы «проверки трафика», работают с оценками. Хороший сервис показывает, откуда взялась каждая цифра и насколько она приблизительна. Так устроена и эта проверка. ## Что показывает проверка Satelo Введите домен, и сервис соберёт открытые данные о том, сколько людей реально пользуется сайтом. В зависимости от сайта вы увидите один или несколько сигналов: - **Подтверждённая посещаемость.** Если сайт подключён к Satelo, данные берутся со счётчика плагина и помечаются как подтверждённые. Это единственный случай, когда мы показываем измеренную цифру, а не оценку. - **Рейтинг популярности Tranco.** [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/) — исследовательский список миллиона самых популярных доменов, который собирают из нескольких рейтингов за период, чтобы его было сложнее накрутить. Если домен в нём есть, мы показываем место и грубый диапазон визитов в месяц. Диапазон — наше собственное приближённое правило: топ-1 000 — от 10 млн визитов в месяц, топ-10 000 — 1–10 млн, топ-100 000 — 100 тыс.–1 млн, остальная часть списка — 10–100 тыс. Это порядок величины, а не измерение. - **Реальные посетители Chrome (CrUX).** В [отчёт Chrome UX Report](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/crux) попадают только сайты, у которых достаточно реальных посетителей в Chrome. Если сайт там есть, люди заходят на него регулярно; если нет — сайт небольшой или новый. Мы используем это как признак присутствия, а не как число визитов. - **Оценки сторонних сервисов для сайтов сети.** Для сайтов, подключённых к Satelo, мы также показываем оценки Similarweb или Semrush, если они есть. Рядом с посещаемостью в том же отчёте — ссылочный авторитет по открытому веб-индексу и возраст домена. Вместе они дают [индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). У каждой цифры указан источник. ## Чего проверка не показывает и почему Мы не выдумываем точные цифры для неподключённых сайтов. Большинство небольших сайтов ниже порога любых открытых данных, и сервис, который уверенно пишет «2 413 визитов в месяц» про блог из десяти страниц, просто гадает. Источники трафика, запросы и география чужих сайтов мы тоже не показываем: эти данные принадлежат владельцу или берутся из платных панелей. Если сервис показывает точную цифру для маленького сайта, спросите себя, откуда она могла взяться: доступа к чужой Метрике у него нет. ## Как оценивают трафик другие сервисы Коммерческие инструменты в основном сочетают три метода. **Панели пользователей** наблюдают за выборкой людей через расширения браузера или приложения и масштабируют её — для крупных сайтов это работает, для маленьких даёт большой шум. **Поисковые модели** берут позиции сайта, умножают на частотность запросов и предполагаемую кликабельность, поэтому видят только поисковый трафик. **Рейтинги** вроде Tranco показывают, насколько домен популярен относительно других, но не сколько у него визитов. Поэтому два сервиса могут расходиться в разы на одном и том же небольшом сайте. Если от трафика зависит решение, смотрите на несколько сигналов сразу. ## Как узнать посещаемость конкурента - Проверьте домен формой выше и запишите место в Tranco, наличие в CrUX и возраст домена. - Посмотрите, открыта ли у сайта статистика: многие сайты в рунете публикуют счётчик посещаемости. Как это найти, мы разобрали в статье об [открытой статистике сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/). - Сравните с бесплатными тарифами Similarweb или Semrush, помня, что это тоже оценки. - Проверьте, сколько страниц сайта в индексе и есть ли он в выдаче по нужным вам запросам. Для рунета полезен и [ИКС Яндекса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/), хотя это показатель полезности сайта, а не посещаемости. Пошагово — в статье [как узнать посещаемость сайта бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). Если вы проверяете площадку перед покупкой статьи, воспользуйтесь чек-листом [как проверить сайт перед покупкой](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## Как проверить свой сайт Для своего сайта оценки не нужны: используйте собственные данные. Яндекс Вебмастер и Google Search Console показывают показы и клики из поиска, Метрика или другой счётчик — все визиты. Если подключить сайт к Satelo, партнёры в сети увидят вашу посещаемость как подтверждённую, и вам будет проще найти площадки своего уровня для обмена статьями. Сравнивайте данные за одинаковые периоды и помните, что счётчики по-разному отсеивают ботов и считают повторные визиты. [Открыть проверку сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) ## Как узнать посещаемость [Статья**Как узнать посещаемость сайта бесплатно**Как узнать посещаемость сайта бесплатно — своего и чужого: Метрика, Вебмастер, Tranco, открытые счётчики. Что меряет каждый способ и как распознать накрутку.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/)[Статья**Как узнать посещаемость чужого сайта по открытым счётчикам**Как узнать посещаемость чужого сайта по открытым счётчикам: публичный доступ Метрики, статистика LiveInternet, поиск счётчика в коде и что делать, если закрыт](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/)[Статья**Аналоги Similarweb: как оценить трафик сайта в рунете**Аналоги Similarweb для рунета: какой сервис на каких данных считает трафик, что подходит маленьким сайтам и как сверить две-три оценки, чтобы не ошибиться.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/)[Статья**Анализ трафика сайта конкурента: откуда и сколько посетителей**Анализ трафика сайта конкурента без платных сервисов: оценить посещаемость, каналы, страницы-лидеры, запросы и ссылки — и превратить это в план для сайта.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/competitor-traffic-analysis/) ## Аналитика своего сайта [Статья**Яндекс Метрика с нуля: установка на сайт и главные отчёты**Как установить Яндекс Метрику на сайт: создать счётчик, поставить его на WordPress, Tilda и Битрикс, убрать свои визиты и читать пять главных отчётов.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-metrika-for-beginners/)[Статья**Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics 4: что поставить на сайт в 2026 году**Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics 4: чем отличаются отказы, Вебвизор, связка с Вебмастером и Search Console, хранение данных. Что выбрать сайту в РФ и вне её.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/metrika-vs-google-analytics/)[Статья**Цели в Яндекс Метрике: какие настроить небольшому сайту и как проверить, что они работают**Цели в Яндекс Метрике для небольшого сайта: какие типы бывают, какие 3–5 целей нужны блогу и сайту услуг, настройка на Тильде и WordPress, проверка целей.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/metrika-goals-setup/)[Статья**Вебвизор в Яндекс Метрике: как включить и что искать в записях небольшого сайта**Вебвизор Яндекс Метрики: как включить, что записывает и что скрывает, 5 сценариев разбора для малого сайта, карты кликов и скроллинга, аналог у Google.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/webvisor-guide/)[Статья**Показатель отказов: что это, какой считать нормальным и как его снизить**Показатель отказов в Яндекс Метрике и GA4: как он считается, почему единой нормы нет, когда высокий отказ нормален и что реально его снижает. С разбором.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/) ## Другие метрики сайта [Статья**Рейтинг Tranco: что это и зачем он вебмастеру**Что такое рейтинг Tranco: откуда берутся данные, как объединяются пять источников, что значит место 50 000 или 900 000 и как проверять по нему сайты-доноры.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tranco-rank-explained/)[Статья**Авторитет домена: что на самом деле показывает эта цифра**Авторитет домена простыми словами: кто считает DA, DR и ИКС, учитывает ли их Google или Яндекс и как читать эти цифры, чтобы не купить пустышку.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/domain-authority-explained/)[Статья**Возраст домена и SEO: влияет ли возраст сайта на позиции**Возраст домена и SEO: что говорят Google и практика Яндекса, почему старые сайты часто в топе, чем опасна покупка дропов и как узнать возраст любого домена.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/website-age-and-seo/)[Статья**ИКС сайта: что показывает индекс качества и как его повысить**ИКС сайта простыми словами: что учитывает Яндекс, где посмотреть показатель, какой ИКС считать хорошим, за что его обнуляют и что реально помогает его поднять.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/)[Гайд**Как проверить сайт перед покупкой гостевой статьи**Практический чек-лист из 10 пунктов перед оплатой спонсорской статьи: реальный трафик, присутствие в индексе, исходящие ссылки, качество контента и гарантии.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/) ## Частые вопросы ### Можно ли узнать точную посещаемость чужого сайта? Нет. Точные цифры есть только в счётчике владельца. Открытые сервисы показывают оценки; проверка Satelo показывает измеренную цифру только для сайтов, подключённых к Satelo, с пометкой «подтверждено». ### Проверка посещаемости в Satelo бесплатная? Да. Проверить любой домен можно бесплатно и без регистрации. Satelo работает в режиме публичной беты. ### Откуда берутся данные о посещаемости? Со счётчика плагина Satelo для подключённых сайтов, из списка Tranco (топ-1 млн), из отчёта Chrome UX Report и из оценок Similarweb или Semrush для сайтов сети Satelo. У каждой цифры указан источник. ### Почему у небольшого сайта нет данных о посещаемости? Большинство небольших сайтов ниже порога открытых данных вроде Tranco и Chrome UX Report. Отсутствие данных не означает отсутствия посетителей — просто открытых подтверждений пока нет. ### Почему разные сервисы показывают разную посещаемость? Они используют разные методы: панели пользователей, модели по позициям в поиске или рейтинги популярности. На небольших сайтах расхождения бывают большими, поэтому сравнивайте несколько сигналов. ### Как сделать посещаемость своего сайта подтверждённой? Подключите сайт к Satelo через плагин WordPress или API-ленту. Счётчик плагина начнёт передавать визиты, и проверка пометит их как подтверждённые. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/free-seo-tools/ # Бесплатные SEO-инструменты: карта по задачам для небольшого сайта Вести SEO небольшого сайта можно без платной подписки. Важно понимать, какой бесплатный инструмент на какой вопрос отвечает и где бесплатным данным уже нельзя доверять. Самые точные данные о вашем сайте бесплатны и приходят от самих поисковиков. Бесплатные тарифы коммерческих сервисов нужны, чтобы смотреть на чужие сайты, и у них есть ограничения. ## Начните с собственных данных Эти инструменты бесплатные, официальные и показывают ваш сайт, поэтому точнее ничего нет: - **[Яндекс Вебмастер](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/).** Индексация, исключённые страницы, запросы, ИКС, диагностика проблем. Для рунета — обязательный инструмент. - **[Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about).** Запросы, клики и показы из Google, отчёт об индексировании, ссылки на сайт и Core Web Vitals. Google отмечает, что отчёт о ссылках [не является полным списком](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606?hl=ru), но бесплатно ближе не подобраться. - **[Яндекс Метрика](https://metrika.yandex.ru/)** или другой счётчик — все визиты, а не только поисковые. - **[PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/)** — скорость и данные реальных пользователей о Core Web Vitals. - **[Вордстат](https://wordstat.yandex.ru/)** — частотность запросов в Яндексе, основа семантики для рунета. ## Ссылки и авторитет Чтобы увидеть, кто ссылается на сайт, нужен обход всего интернета, а это дорого, поэтому бесплатный доступ ограничен. [Ahrefs Webmaster Tools](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools) бесплатен для сайтов, которые вы подтвердили как свои. Для быстрой проверки любого домена есть [индекс качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): он сводит открытые данные (Majestic Million, веб-граф Common Crawl, Tranco, Chrome UX Report, Internet Archive и WHOIS) в одну оценку от 0 до 100 с указанием источников. Сравнение замен платным сервисам — в статье [бесплатные альтернативы Ahrefs](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). Что означают метрики вроде DA, DR и ИКС, разобрано в разделе [авторитет сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/website-authority/). ## Технические проверки Для технических проблем тоже хватает бесплатных средств. В Вебмастере есть раздел [«Диагностика сайта»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/site-diagnostics.html), который сообщает о критичных ошибках, и [проверка статуса URL](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/check-url.html): она показывает, знает ли Яндекс о странице и в поиске ли она. В Search Console аналогичную задачу решает инструмент проверки URL. Структурированные данные проверяет [тест расширенных результатов](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) Google. Битые ссылки и дубли title на небольшом сайте можно найти бесплатными версиями десктопных краулеров или отчётами Вебмастера. Начинайте с того, о чём сообщает сам поисковик: это проблемы, которые он уже заметил. ## Посещаемость чужих сайтов Настоящая посещаемость есть только у владельца сайта, поэтому любой бесплатный сервис показывает оценки. Используйте их для порядка величины и сравнения, а не как точные цифры. Наша [проверка посещаемости](https://satelo.io/ru/website-traffic-checker/) показывает, какие сигналы есть у домена и откуда каждый из них, а в статье [аналоги Similarweb для рунета](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/) сравниваются другие варианты. ## Запросы и контент Идеи для запросов начните искать в том, по чему вы уже показываетесь: отчёты о запросах в Вебмастере и Search Console показывают реальные формулировки. Вордстат даёт частотность в Яндексе, [Планировщик ключевых слов Google](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7337243?hl=ru) бесплатен, но требует аккаунта Google Ads. Поисковые подсказки и вопросы в тематических сообществах тоже бесплатны и часто ближе к тому, как люди действительно ищут. ## ИИ-помощники ИИ-ассистенты полезны для черновиков, кластеризации запросов, разметки и проверки страниц пачками, если вы перепроверяете результат. Через MCP-серверы они умеют сами обращаться к SEO-данным. У Satelo тоже есть MCP-сервер — подробнее на странице [для ИИ-агентов](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/). ## Как выбирать и на что смотреть - **Один инструмент — один вопрос.** Индексация — Вебмастер и Search Console. Ссылки — ссылочный индекс. Чужой трафик — несколько оценок рядом. - **Проверяйте ограничения.** Бесплатные тарифы меняются, ограничения на число запросов, строк и глубину истории — обычное дело. Сверяйтесь с условиями на сайте сервиса. - **Не гонитесь за сторонними метриками.** DA, DR и подобные показатели — оценки по собственным данным каждого сервиса, и у разных инструментов они разные. Сравнивайте по ним сайты, но не ставьте их целью. - **Выбирайте инструменты, которые показывают источники.** С цифрой без объяснения, откуда она, трудно что-то делать. - **Заведите простой ритуал.** Раз в неделю — Вебмастер и Search Console (новые ошибки, исключённые страницы, запросы), раз в месяц — Метрика и проверка ссылок. Этого достаточно, чтобы небольшой сайт не терял трафик из-за незамеченных проблем. [Проверить сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) **Бесплатные инструменты:** [Проверка ИИ-ботов](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/ai-crawler-checker/) · [Генератор llms.txt](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/llms-txt-generator/) · [Проверка sponsored-ссылок](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/sponsored-link-checker/) ## Бесплатные и недорогие замены платным сервисам [Статья**Бесплатные аналоги Ahrefs для небольших сайтов**Бесплатные аналоги Ahrefs для ссылок, ключевых слов, аудита и проверки доноров: Вебмастер, Вордстат, Search Console и ещё 9 сервисов. Стек SEO без бюджета.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/)[Статья**Бесплатный SEO-анализ сайта: что дают pr-cy, be1, Букварикс и другие сервисы рунета**SEO-анализ сайта бесплатно: что на самом деле дают pr-cy, be1, Букварикс, MegaIndex, Топвизор и Вебмастер, какие лимиты на октябрь 2026 и где данные врут.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/runet-seo-tools-free/)[Статья**Serpstat или Keys.so: что выбрать для анализа конкурентов**Keys.so — российский сервис анализа конкурентов по Яндексу и Google, Serpstat — украинская платформа для Google. Базы, тарифы, бесплатный доступ и оплата из РФ.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/serpstat-vs-keys-so/) ## Авторитет, ссылки и трафик [Статья**Аналоги Similarweb: как оценить трафик сайта в рунете**Аналоги Similarweb для рунета: какой сервис на каких данных считает трафик, что подходит маленьким сайтам и как сверить две-три оценки, чтобы не ошибиться.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/)[Статья**Ссылочная масса сайта: что это и как её проверить бесплатно**Как проверить ссылочную массу сайта бесплатно: Вебмастер, Search Console, Ahrefs Free, почему сервисы видят разное, признаки плохих ссылок и что с ними делать.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/backlink-profile-check/) ## Запросы и контент [Статья**Как пользоваться Вордстатом: от запроса к теме статьи для небольшого сайта**Как пользоваться Яндекс Вордстатом в новом интерфейсе: вкладки, операторы, сезонность и регионы, как перевести частоты в темы для небольшого сайта. С примером.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/wordstat-guide/) ## Аналитика [Статья**Яндекс Метрика с нуля: установка на сайт и главные отчёты**Как установить Яндекс Метрику на сайт: создать счётчик, поставить его на WordPress, Tilda и Битрикс, убрать свои визиты и читать пять главных отчётов.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-metrika-for-beginners/)[Статья**Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics 4: что поставить на сайт в 2026 году**Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics 4: чем отличаются отказы, Вебвизор, связка с Вебмастером и Search Console, хранение данных. Что выбрать сайту в РФ и вне её.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/metrika-vs-google-analytics/)[Статья**Вебвизор в Яндекс Метрике: как включить и что искать в записях небольшого сайта**Вебвизор Яндекс Метрики: как включить, что записывает и что скрывает, 5 сценариев разбора для малого сайта, карты кликов и скроллинга, аналог у Google.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/webvisor-guide/)[Статья**Цели в Яндекс Метрике: какие настроить небольшому сайту и как проверить, что они работают**Цели в Яндекс Метрике для небольшого сайта: какие типы бывают, какие 3–5 целей нужны блогу и сайту услуг, настройка на Тильде и WordPress, проверка целей.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/metrika-goals-setup/) ## ИИ-инструменты и автоматизация [Статья**Нейросеть для SEO: какие задачи можно доверить ИИ, а какие нельзя**Нейросеть для SEO: что ИИ делает хорошо (кластеры, title, разметка, логи), где он опасен, как подключить данные о сайте через MCP и какие промпты брать.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-for-seo-tasks/) ## Частые вопросы ### Какой бесплатный SEO-инструмент самый полезный? Для своего сайта — Яндекс Вебмастер и Google Search Console. Они бесплатные, официальные и точнее любых сторонних оценок. ### Есть ли бесплатная замена Ahrefs? Для своих подтверждённых сайтов бесплатен Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. Для чужих сайтов бесплатные варианты дают ограниченные ссылочные данные; проверка Satelo сводит открытые данные в бесплатный индекс качества с источниками. ### Можно ли бесплатно узнать посещаемость чужого сайта? Только как оценку. Бесплатные сервисы опираются на рейтинги, панели пользователей или модели по позициям. Сравнивайте несколько сигналов и считайте результат порядком величины. ### Чем Вордстат отличается от Планировщика ключевых слов Google? Вордстат показывает частотность запросов в Яндексе, Планировщик — в Google и требует аккаунта Google Ads. Для рунета обычно начинают с Вордстата. ### Насколько точны бесплатные SEO-инструменты? Вебмастер и Search Console точны для вашего сайта. Сторонние бесплатные сервисы показывают оценки по своим данным, и у разных сервисов они заметно расходятся, особенно для небольших сайтов. ### Проверка Satelo бесплатная? Да. Индекс качества любого домена можно посмотреть бесплатно и без регистрации. Он основан в основном на открытых данных, у каждой цифры указан источник. Сервис в публичной бете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/indexing/ # Индексация небольшого сайта: почему страницы не попадают в поиск и что делать Страница вне индекса не может занять позицию, попасть в ответ нейросети или привести хотя бы одного посетителя из поиска. У небольших и новых сайтов проблемы с индексацией — одна из самых частых причин того, что «SEO не работает». Хорошая новость: у большинства таких проблем есть понятная причина и скучное, но рабочее решение. ## Как устроена индексация Поисковик находит адреса по ссылкам, из sitemap и уведомлений, обходит страницы, решает, стоит ли каждую хранить, и только после этого может её показать. Google прямо пишет в описании [того, как работает Поиск](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/how-search-works?hl=ru), что не гарантирует сканирование, индексацию и показ страницы, даже если она соответствует правилам. Яндекс принимает такие же решения и описывает в справке, по каким причинам [исключает страницы из поиска](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/excluded-pages.html). Индексация — выбор поисковика, а не услуга, которую покупают отправкой sitemap. ## Яндекс: Вебмастер и исключённые страницы Начните с [Яндекс Вебмастера](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/): добавьте и подтвердите сайт, отправьте sitemap и посмотрите отчёт о страницах в поиске. Как это сделать с нуля, мы разобрали в статьях [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/) и [Яндекс Вебмастер для начинающих](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). В отчёте у каждой исключённой страницы указана причина. Частая у небольших сайтов — «малоценная или маловостребованная страница». Что она означает и как склеивать дубли, Яндекс объясняет в [справке о малоценных страницах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-indexing/low-demand.html), а мы — в статье [малоценные страницы в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/low-value-pages-yandex/). Изменённую страницу можно отправить на [переобход](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/site-reindex.html). Яндекс поддерживает и [IndexNow](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/index-now.html) — открытый протокол, которым сайт сообщает поисковикам о новых и изменённых адресах; список участвующих поисковиков есть на [indexnow.org](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation). Как ускорить индексацию без серых приёмов, читайте в статье [как ускорить индексацию в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/speed-up-indexing-yandex/), а если сайт не появляется в поиске совсем — в разборе [почему сайт не индексируется Яндексом](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Google: отчёт об индексировании страниц В Search Console [отчёт об индексировании страниц](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203?hl=ru) перечисляет причины, по которым известный Google адрес не в индексе. Больше всего вопросов вызывают два статуса: - **«Обнаружена, не проиндексирована».** Google знает адрес, но ещё не сканировал страницу. У небольшого сайта это обычно значит, что у Google пока мало причин тратить на неё время: на страницу мало внутренних ссылок или сайт новый и малоизвестный. - **«Просканирована, но пока не проиндексирована».** Google загрузил страницу и пока решил её не индексировать. В справке к отчёту сказано, что такой адрес может попасть в индекс позже, а повторно отправлять его не нужно. Обычно помогает работа над самой страницей: сделать её полезнее и непохожей на другие. Для отдельной страницы есть [инструмент проверки URL](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9012289?hl=ru): он показывает, что Google знает о странице, и позволяет запросить индексирование. Ежедневные запросы не помогут, помогает устранение причины. ## Что помогает почти любому небольшому сайту - **Ссылки на важные страницы с живых страниц.** Страница, доступная только через sitemap, выглядит неважной. Ставьте ссылки с главной, разделов и похожих статей обычными тегами `<a href>`. - **Чистый sitemap.** Только канонические индексируемые адреса с ответом 200, без редиректов, закрытых и служебных страниц. Карта должна обновляться сама при публикации новых материалов. - **Меньше дублей и пустых страниц.** Метки, почти одинаковые записи и адреса с параметрами размывают сайт. - **Техническая база.** Нет случайного `noindex`, важное не закрыто в `robots.txt`, canonical указывает на саму страницу, она отвечает кодом 200 и грузится быстро. Про скорость без жаргона — в статье [Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **Упоминания на других сайтах.** Внешние ссылки — один из способов, которыми поисковики находят страницы. Здесь помогают партнёрства, гостевые статьи и обмен статьями; подробнее — в разделе [продвижение сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/website-promotion/). ## Чем здесь поможет Satelo Satelo ничего не индексирует за вас, и честно пообещать индексацию не может никто. Партнёрские статьи в сети Satelo дают помеченную ссылку на ваш сайт с тематических страниц, то есть ещё один путь к нему для читателей. Бесплатная [проверка сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) покажет возраст домена, ссылочные сигналы и то, есть ли сайт в открытых наборах данных вроде Chrome UX Report. [Проверить сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) **Бесплатные инструменты:** [Проверка ИИ-ботов](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/ai-crawler-checker/) ## Индексация в Яндексе [Статья**Как добавить сайт в поиск Яндекса: пошаговая инструкция**Как добавить сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер: подтверждение прав, sitemap и robots.txt, Метрика, переобход и IndexNow, сроки по справке, шаги для WordPress и Tilda.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/)[Статья**Яндекс Вебмастер: как пользоваться сервисом, если вы открыли его впервые**Как пользоваться Яндекс Вебмастером: добавить сайт, читать диагностику, найти исключённые страницы, отправить на переобход и смотреть запросы. Плюс рутина.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/)[Статья**Почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе и что делать**Сайт не индексируется в Яндексе? 12 причин: robots.txt, noindex, ошибки сервера, дубли, JS, малоценные страницы, нарушения — и что делать после исправления.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/)[Статья**«Малоценная или маловостребованная страница» в Яндексе: как исправить**Статус «Малоценная или маловостребованная страница» в Яндексе: что он значит, как найти такие страницы, технические причины, проверка спроса и что делать.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/low-value-pages-yandex/)[Статья**Как ускорить индексацию сайта в Яндексе**Как ускорить индексацию сайта в Яндексе: переобход в Вебмастере, IndexNow для WordPress и статического сайта, sitemap с lastmod и ссылки на новые страницы.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/speed-up-indexing-yandex/)[Статья**Регион сайта в Яндексе: как присвоить и зачем он нужен**Региональность сайта в Яндексе: что это, как Яндекс определяет регион, как задать его в Вебмастере и Яндекс Бизнесе, несколько городов и чего регион не даёт.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-region-yandex/)[Статья**Дубли страниц с GET-параметрами: как найти и убрать**Дубли страниц с GET-параметрами: что значит уведомление Вебмастера, как найти дубли, когда ставить Clean-param, canonical или 301 и как проверить результат.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/duplicate-pages-get-params/)[Статья**Переспам и тошнота текста: что на самом деле наказывает Яндекс и как переписать страницу**Переспам в тексте: что Яндекс считает SEO-текстами, как работает Баден-Баден по анонсу Яндекса, что значит тошнота текста и как переписать страницу по шагам.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/over-optimization-baden-baden/)[Статья**Турбо-страницы Яндекса отключены: что это значит для вашего сайта и что делать сейчас**Турбо-страницы Яндекса больше не работают с апреля 2025 года. Что стало с фидами, рекламой и трафиком, нужно ли что-то удалять и чем заменить Турбо на сайте.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-turbo-pages-shutdown/) ## Техническая база небольшого сайта [Статья**SEO-чек-лист для нового сайта: что проверить до запуска**SEO-чек-лист для нового сайта: техника, Метрика и Вебмастер, контент, доверие, Яндекс Бизнес и ИИ-поиск. Что проверить до запуска, со ссылками на правила.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-checklist-new-site/)[Статья**robots.txt и sitemap.xml для небольшого сайта: минимальная рабочая настройка**robots.txt для сайта и sitemap.xml без лишнего: минимальный файл, что нельзя закрывать, Clean-param, WordPress, Тильда, Битрикс и проверка в Вебмастере.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/robots-txt-sitemap/)[Статья**Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов**Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов и блогов на WordPress: что такое LCP, INP и CLS, пороговые значения, почему нет данных и какие исправления важнее всего.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/)[Статья**Внутренняя перелинковка: как связать статьи блога в систему**Внутренняя перелинковка для блога: зачем она нужна, схема «хаб и спицы» на условном примере, анкоры по правилам Google, поиск страниц-сирот и плагины для WP.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/internal-linking-guide/)[Статья**Микроразметка Schema.org для небольшого сайта: минимальный набор без лишнего**Микроразметка Schema.org для небольшого сайта: какие типы нужны, что стало с FAQ-сниппетами в Google, как добавить разметку в WordPress и Тильду и проверить.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/schema-markup-small-site/)[Статья**Title и description: как написать, какой длины и почему поисковик их переписывает**Как написать title и description для Яндекса и Google: что попадает в сниппет, какая длина на самом деле, шаблоны для статьи, услуги и товара, частые ошибки.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/title-description-guide/)[Статья**Битые ссылки на сайте: как найти и исправить бесплатно**Как проверить битые ссылки на сайте бесплатно: отчёты Яндекс Вебмастера и Search Console, краулеры, плагин WordPress, онлайн-проверка W3C и что делать с 404.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/broken-links-check/)[Статья**Переезд сайта на новый домен: редиректы, зеркала и чек-лист**Переезд сайта на новый домен по справке Яндекса и Google: постраничный 301 редирект, главное зеркало, инструмент «Переезд сайта», ИКС, сроки и чек-лист.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-move-301-mirror/)[Статья**SEO на Тильде: настройка и продвижение сайта в Яндексе и Google**SEO на Тильде по шагам: title, description, H1, адреса, alt, Вебмастер и Search Console, ловушки Zero Block и попапов, скорость, блог на Потоках и упоминания.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/)[Статья**SEO на 1С-Битрикс: как настроить сайт для поиска**Настройка SEO на Битрикс по шагам: модуль «Поисковая оптимизация», шаблоны метатегов инфоблоков, sitemap и robots.txt, умный фильтр, композит и типичные дубли.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/) ## Частые вопросы ### Почему сайт не индексируется Яндексом? Частые причины: сайт не добавлен в Вебмастер, нет sitemap, страницы закрыты в robots.txt или noindex, много дублей и малоценных страниц, на новые страницы нет внутренних ссылок. Причину исключения конкретной страницы показывает Вебмастер. ### Что значит «малоценная или маловостребованная страница»? Это статус исключения в Яндекс Вебмастере: Яндекс решил не показывать страницу в поиске. Что он означает и как работать с дублями, описано в справке Вебмастера о малоценных страницах. ### Нужно ли повторно отправлять страницу «Просканирована, но не проиндексирована»? В справке Google сказано, что такой адрес может быть проиндексирован позже и повторно отправлять его не нужно. Полезнее доработать саму страницу и внутренние ссылки на неё. ### Помогает ли IndexNow? IndexNow сообщает поисковикам, которые его поддерживают (в том числе Яндексу), о новых и изменённых адресах. Это ускоряет обнаружение, но не гарантирует попадание страницы в индекс. ### Сколько времени занимает индексация нового сайта? Фиксированного срока нет, и поисковики не гарантируют индексацию. Быстрее находят сайты с sitemap, хорошей внутренней перелинковкой и упоминаниями на других сайтах. ### Может ли Satelo проиндексировать мои страницы? Нет, честно пообещать индексацию не может ни один сервис. Партнёрские статьи Satelo добавляют помеченные ссылки на ваш сайт с тематических страниц, а бесплатная проверка показывает ссылочные сигналы и возраст домена. Сервис в публичной бете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/ai-search/ # Видимость в ИИ-поиске: как небольшому сайту попасть в ответы нейросетей Всё больше вопросов люди задают не поисковику, а ИИ-ассистенту. Хорошая новость для небольших сайтов: ассистентам по-прежнему нужны источники, и они на них ссылаются. Новость похуже: волшебной кнопки «попасть в ответ нейросети» не существует. Ниже — как ИИ-поиск находит страницы, что от вас зависит и что нет. ## Как ИИ-поиск находит и выбирает источники Ассистенты с доступом к интернету — Алиса и Нейро в Яндексе, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, AI Overviews и AI Mode в Google — работают похоже: превращают вопрос в один или несколько поисковых запросов, берут страницы из поискового индекса или собственного обхода и пишут ответ со ссылками на часть из них. Отсюда два вывода. Страницу, которую не обошли и не проиндексировали, процитировать нельзя. И чаще выбирают страницы, которые чётко отвечают на конкретный вопрос, и сайты, о которых уже пишут другие. ## Яндекс: Алиса и Нейро У Яндекса есть отдельная страница справки о том, [как формируются ответы Алисы](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/alice.md) на основе сайтов. Основа та же, что и для обычного поиска: сайт должен быть доступен роботу Яндекса и проиндексирован, поэтому начните с Яндекс Вебмастера, sitemap и IndexNow. Заодно проверьте в Вебмастере, нет ли страниц, исключённых как малоценные или дубли: такие страницы не попадут ни в поиск, ни в ответы. ## Google: AI Overviews и AI Mode На странице Google [о функциях ИИ и вашем сайте](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features?hl=ru) сказано, что дополнительных требований для показа в AI Overviews и AI Mode нет: страница должна быть проиндексирована и подходить для показа в поиске со сниппетом, а действуют обычные рекомендации по SEO. Никакой особой разметки и отдельных файлов. Подробнее — в статье о том, [как AI Overviews выбирают бренды](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/). ## ChatGPT, Perplexity и их краулеры OpenAI описывает [несколько роботов](https://platform.openai.com/docs/bots) с разными задачами: OAI-SearchBot — для показа сайтов в поиске ChatGPT, GPTBot — для сбора данных для обучения, ChatGPT-User — для страниц, которые открывают по запросу пользователя. Ими управляют по отдельности в `robots.txt`, поэтому можно разрешить поиск и запретить обучение. Perplexity так же описывает [PerplexityBot и Perplexity-User](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/bots). Google-Extended в [списке роботов Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/overview-google-crawlers) управляет только использованием контента для моделей Gemini и не влияет на попадание в Google Поиск. ## Что такое llms.txt `llms.txt` — предложение сообщества ([llmstxt.org](https://llmstxt.org/)): Markdown-файл в корне сайта с кратким описанием и списком главных страниц для языковых моделей. Его легко добавить, и его читают некоторые ИИ-агенты и инструменты разработчиков. Фактором ранжирования он не является: в документации Google о функциях ИИ он не упоминается. Подробнее — в нашем [гайде по llms.txt](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/llms-txt-guide/). ## Что действительно повышает шансы - **Индексация во всех поисковиках.** Яндекс, Google и Bing, на результаты которого опираются многие ассистенты. Отправьте sitemap и подключите IndexNow. - **Один вопрос — одна страница, ответ в начале.** Чёткое определение или список шагов в первых абзацах легко процитировать. - **Одинаковые факты о себе везде.** Название, описание и данные о продукте на сайте, в профилях и в разметке помогают ассистенту понять, кто вы. - **Упоминания на других сайтах.** Ассистенты опираются на то, что пишут независимые источники. Живые упоминания в нише весят больше всего, что вы пишете о себе сами; здесь помогают [обмен статьями](https://satelo.io/ru/link-exchange/) и партнёрства. Прочитайте, [как попасть в ответы ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/), и гайд о том, [как получить упоминания в ответах ИИ](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). - **Не блокируйте нужных роботов.** Проверьте `robots.txt` и правила для ботов в файрволе или CDN. ## MCP: когда ИИ-агент пользуется сайтом сам Кроме ответов на вопросы, ИИ-агенты умеют вызывать инструменты через Model Context Protocol (MCP). Сайт с MCP-сервером агент может не только процитировать, но и использовать. У Satelo такой сервер есть: агент может проверить индекс качества сайта, подобрать площадки и разместить статью. Подробнее — [Satelo для ИИ-агентов](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/). ## Как это измерять Переходы с chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai и copilot.microsoft.com видны в Метрике и других счётчиках как источники-рефереры. Для грубой проверки задавайте ассистентам вопросы своих клиентов и отмечайте, кого цитируют. Ответы меняются от запуска к запуску, поэтому смотрите на динамику за недели, а не на единичные ответы. Как показы в AI Overviews и AI Mode отражаются в Search Console, Google объясняет на той же странице о функциях ИИ. [Satelo для ИИ-агентов (MCP)](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/) **Бесплатные инструменты:** [Проверка ИИ-ботов](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/ai-crawler-checker/) · [Генератор llms.txt](https://satelo.io/ru/tools/llms-txt-generator/) ## Как попасть в ответы ИИ [Статья**Как попасть в ответы ChatGPT**Как попасть в ответы ChatGPT и других нейросетей: открыть сайт нужным ботам, писать страницы с готовыми ответами и набирать упоминания на доверенных сайтах.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/)[Гайд**Как попасть в ответы ChatGPT, Perplexity и AI Overviews**Как ИИ-ассистенты выбирают сайты для ответов и что сделать, чтобы попасть в их число: понятные страницы, llms.txt, микроразметка, упоминания на других сайтах и собственные данные.](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/)[Статья**Как попасть в ответы Алисы AI и проверить видимость сайта**Как попасть в ответы Алисы AI: как Алиса выбирает источники по справке Яндекса, что показывает отчёт «Видимость сайта в Алисе AI», его ограничения и план работ.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/alice-ai-visibility/)[Статья**GEO-оптимизация: как попасть в ответы нейросетей**GEO-оптимизация без маркетинга: откуда термин, что о нейроответах пишут Яндекс, Google и OpenAI, как писать страницы под цитирование и проверять видимость.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/geo-optimization/) ## AI Overviews и упоминания бренда [Статья**Упоминания бренда в AI Overviews и нейроответах: как туда попасть**Как бренд попадает в AI Overviews Google и нейроответы Яндекса, что официально говорят поисковики и пошаговый план, чтобы вас называли и давали ссылку.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) ## Краулеры, llms.txt и техника [Статья**llms.txt: что это и нужен ли он вашему сайту**Честно про llms.txt: что это за предложенный стандарт, готовый шаблон, отличие от robots.txt и что файл реально даёт сайту для нейросетей сегодня.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/llms-txt-guide/) ## ИИ-инструменты для SEO [Статья**Нейросеть для SEO: какие задачи можно доверить ИИ, а какие нельзя**Нейросеть для SEO: что ИИ делает хорошо (кластеры, title, разметка, логи), где он опасен, как подключить данные о сайте через MCP и какие промпты брать.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-for-seo-tasks/)[Статья**Статьи нейросетью для сайта: что говорят Google и Яндекс и как писать без риска**Можно ли писать статьи нейросетью для сайта: позиция Google и Яндекса по первоисточникам, сравнение GigaChat, Алисы AI, ChatGPT и Claude и процесс без риска.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-written-content-seo/) ## Частые вопросы ### Нужна ли особая разметка, чтобы попасть в AI Overviews? Нет. Google пишет, что дополнительных требований нет: страница должна быть проиндексирована и подходить для показа в поиске со сниппетом, а действуют обычные рекомендации по SEO. ### Каких роботов ChatGPT указывать в robots.txt? OAI-SearchBot отвечает за показ в поиске ChatGPT, GPTBot — за сбор данных для обучения, ChatGPT-User — за страницы, открытые по запросу пользователя. Ими управляют по отдельности: можно разрешить поиск и запретить обучение. ### Как попасть в ответы Алисы? Сайт должен быть доступен роботу Яндекса и проиндексирован. Как формируются ответы Алисы, Яндекс описывает в справке Вебмастера; дальше работают те же принципы: чёткие ответы и упоминания на других сайтах. ### Помогает ли llms.txt попасть в ответы нейросетей? Доказательств этого нет. Это предложение сообщества, которое читают некоторые ИИ-инструменты и агенты. Добавить его несложно, но считайте его необязательным. ### Как небольшому сайту попасть в ответы ИИ? Быть доступным и проиндексированным, отвечать на конкретные вопросы в начале страницы, одинаково описывать бренд везде и получать живые упоминания на других сайтах своей ниши. ### Как понять, приводят ли нейросети посетителей? Ищите в Метрике или другом счётчике переходы с chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai и copilot.microsoft.com. Регулярно проверяйте ответы ассистентов на ключевые вопросы в течение нескольких недель. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/wordpress/ # Продвижение сайта на WordPress: настройки, плагины и первые читатели WordPress даёт хорошую техническую основу из коробки, но публикация записи — это начало продвижения, а не конец. Здесь собрано то, что действительно нужно владельцу сайта на WordPress: несколько настроек, которые могут незаметно закрыть сайт от поиска, плагины, которые стоит поставить, и работа, которая приводит читателей после нажатия «Опубликовать». ## Проверьте настройки, которые закрывают сайт от поиска Два экрана важнее любого плагина. В [настройках чтения](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-reading-screen/) есть флажок «Видимость для поисковых систем»: он просит поисковики не индексировать сайт. Его часто включают на время разработки и забывают снять. В [настройках постоянных ссылок](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-permalinks-screen/) выберите понятную структуру, например по названию записи, пока записей немного: смена структуры позже потребует редиректов. Затем добавьте сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер и Google Search Console. ## Структура: рубрики, метки и архивы WordPress по умолчанию создаёт много служебных страниц: архивы меток, авторов, дат, вложений. На небольшом блоге они почти пустые и повторяют друг друга, а Яндекс может отнести такие страницы к малоценным. Решите заранее, какие разделы нужны читателям: обычно это несколько рубрик с понятными названиями. Архивы меток, дат и страницы вложений в большинстве случаев лучше закрыть от индексации в настройках SEO-плагина, а хлебные крошки — включить, чтобы и читатель, и робот видели структуру сайта. ## Выберите один SEO-плагин и настройте его SEO-плагин отвечает за title, описания, canonical, XML-карту сайта и базовую разметку. Самые распространённые варианты — [Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/) и [Rank Math](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/). Оба закрывают основные задачи, а два плагина одновременно лишь создадут дубли тегов. Хорошие заголовки плагин за вас не напишет — он только даёт место, куда их вписать. Сравнение популярных плагинов — в статье [SEO-плагины для WordPress](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/wordpress-seo-plugins/). ## Помогите поисковикам находить новые записи - **Карта сайта.** Отправьте sitemap, который создаёт SEO-плагин, в Вебмастер и Search Console. - **IndexNow.** Протокол сообщает поддерживающим его поисковикам, в том числе Яндексу (список — на [indexnow.org](https://www.indexnow.org/documentation)), о новых и изменённых адресах. Для WordPress есть официальный [плагин IndexNow](https://wordpress.org/plugins/indexnow/). - **Внутренние ссылки.** Ставьте ссылку на каждую новую запись хотя бы из одной старой похожей. Это самый дешёвый способ помочь и читателям, и роботам. Подробнее об индексации — в разделе [индексация](https://satelo.io/ru/indexing/). - **llms.txt.** Необязательный файл, который читают некоторые ИИ-инструменты; что он даёт и чего не даёт, рассказано в разделе [ИИ-поиск](https://satelo.io/ru/ai-search/). ## Держите сайт быстрым и чистым Медленные сайты на WordPress чаще всего страдают от лишних плагинов, тяжёлых тем, несжатых картинок и отсутствия кеширования. В официальном [руководстве по оптимизации](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/performance/optimization/) разобраны кеширование, хостинг и база данных. Удалите неиспользуемые плагины, сжимайте изображения до загрузки и проверяйте ключевые страницы в PageSpeed Insights. Спам в комментариях — ещё одна тихая проблема: настройки обсуждения и антиспам-плагин уберут его со страниц. ## Спонсорские и гостевые статьи Если вы продаёте размещения или принимаете гостевые статьи, настройте процесс: страница для заявок, проверка текста, заметная пометка о рекламе и `rel="sponsored"` на платных ссылках, как советует Google на странице о [пометке исходящих ссылок](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links). Пошагово — в статье [спонсорские статьи на WordPress](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/). О ценах и маркировке рекламы — в разделе [гостевые статьи](https://satelo.io/ru/guest-posts/). ## Продвижение после публикации Первых читателей запись получает от тех, кто вас уже знает: подписчики рассылки или Telegram-канала, сообщества, где вы участвуете, партнёры с той же аудиторией. Поисковый трафик приходит позже и не гарантирован. Решайте, где поделиться записью, ещё до того, как начнёте её писать, и обновляйте записи, у которых уже есть показы, а не только пишите новые. Каналы для небольших блогов собраны в разделе [продвижение сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/website-promotion/). ## Плагин Satelo для WordPress У Satelo есть бесплатный плагин для WordPress. Он подтверждает, что сайт ваш, сам публикует статьи обмена со ссылками `rel="sponsored"` и считает просмотры без cookie, чтобы индекс качества и партнёры видели подтверждённую посещаемость, а не оценку. За размещение статей партнёров вы получаете сателлиты (◉) и тратите их на статьи о своём сайте в сети. Satelo в публичной бете, сеть пока небольшая, и плагин не обещает трафика или позиций. Подробности и загрузка — на [странице подключения](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/). [Подключить сайт на WordPress](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/) ## SEO-плагины, скорость и настройки [Статья**SEO-плагины для WordPress: что выбрать в 2026 году**Сравнение SEO-плагинов для WordPress: Yoast SEO, Rank Math, AIOSEO и SEOPress по данным wordpress.org, настройка под Яндекс за 15 минут и чего плагин не делает.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/wordpress-seo-plugins/) ## Спонсорские и гостевые статьи на WordPress [Статья**Как принимать спонсорские статьи на WordPress**Как принимать спонсорские статьи на WordPress: роли пользователей, модерация, маркировка, rel=sponsored, поля Yoast и Rank Math, автоматизация через плагин.](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/) ## WordPress и другие платформы [Статья**Тильда, WordPress или Битрикс: что выбрать для SEO**Tilda или WordPress, WordPress или Битрикс: сравнение по контролю URL и метатегов, блогу, плагинам, цене владения и переезду. Таблица с официальными источниками](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-wordpress-bitrix-seo/) ## Частые вопросы ### Почему сайт на WordPress не индексируется? Сначала проверьте «Настройки → Чтение»: если отмечен флажок «Видимость для поисковых систем», WordPress просит поисковики не индексировать сайт. Затем добавьте сайт в Вебмастер и Search Console и отправьте sitemap. ### Нужен ли SEO-плагин на WordPress? Не обязательно, но так проще всего управлять title, описаниями, canonical и картой сайта. Используйте один SEO-плагин, а не два, чтобы не было дублей тегов. ### Yoast или Rank Math? Оба закрывают основные задачи небольшого блога. Выберите тот, чей интерфейс вам понятнее, и настройте его; заголовки и тексты важнее выбора плагина. ### Работает ли IndexNow на WordPress? Да, есть официальный плагин IndexNow. Он сообщает о новых и изменённых адресах поисковикам из списка на indexnow.org, в том числе Яндексу. Попадание в индекс он не гарантирует. ### Как принимать спонсорские статьи на WordPress? Настройте приём заявок и проверку текстов, заметно помечайте рекламные материалы и ставьте rel="sponsored" на платные ссылки. Рекламу в рунете также нужно маркировать по закону «О рекламе». ### Что делает плагин Satelo? Подтверждает, что сайт ваш, сам публикует статьи обмена со ссылками rel="sponsored" и считает просмотры без cookie, чтобы посещаемость отображалась как подтверждённая. Плагин бесплатный; сервис в публичной бете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/ # Глоссарий Короткие определения с источниками для владельцев небольших сайтов. Термины Satelo — первыми, чтобы было ясно: сателлиты ◉ — внутренняя валюта, а не сайты-сателлиты. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 ## Термины Satelo - [**Индекс качества Satelo**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/): Индекс качества Satelo — оценка сайта от 0 до 100, построенная в основном на открытых данных: рейтинги популярности, открытые ссылочные графы, возраст домена и обход самого сайта (контент и техническое состояние). Новый сайт без посетителей и ссылок получает около 0. Проверить любой домен можно бесплатно на /ru/check/. - [**Сателлиты ◉ Satelo**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. Сайт зарабатывает их, публикуя партнёрские статьи о других сайтах, и тратит на статьи о себе на других площадках сети. Сателлиты можно купить пакетом, но вывести нельзя. К «сайтам-сателлитам» из SEO-жаргона они отношения не имеют. ## Ссылки и линкбилдинг - [**PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов)**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/): PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. Часто это сайты на дропах (истёкших доменах) с ссылочной историей, замаскированные под независимые блоги. Поисковики считают это ссылочной схемой. - [**Взаимные ссылки (прямой обмен)**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/vzaimnye-ssylki/): Взаимные ссылки — пара ссылок, когда сайт A ссылается на сайт B, а B в ответ на A, обычно по договорённости «ты мне — я тебе». Редкие взаимные упоминания связанных сайтов — нормальная часть интернета; массовый обмен ради позиций поисковики считают ссылочной схемой. - [**Круговой обмен ссылками (A→B→C)**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/krugovoj-obmen-ssylkami/): Круговой, или трёхсторонний, обмен ссылками — схема, в которой сайт A ссылается на B, B на C, а C обратно на A, поэтому никакие два сайта не ссылаются друг на друга напрямую. Обычно её используют, чтобы обмен выглядел менее заметно, чем прямой «ты мне — я тебе». - [**Сайт-сателлит**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/): Сайт-сателлит — вспомогательный сайт, который владелец создаёт не для собственной аудитории, а чтобы ставить ссылки на основной проект или перенаправлять на него трафик. Несколько таких сайтов образуют сетку (PBN). Поисковые системы относят ссылки с сателлитов к манипуляциям. ## Метрики сайта - [**DR сайта (Domain Rating)**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/dr-sajta/): DR (Domain Rating) — собственная метрика сервиса Ahrefs от 0 до 100, которая оценивает силу ссылочного профиля сайта по сравнению с другими сайтами в базе Ahrefs. Она строится только по ссылкам и поисковиками не используется: высокий DR означает больше сильных ссылающихся доменов, а не больше посетителей. ## Обход и индексация - [**IndexNow**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow — открытый протокол, с помощью которого сайт сразу сообщает поисковым системам-участникам, что страница добавлена, изменена или удалена, не дожидаясь следующего обхода. Владение сайтом подтверждается файлом с ключом на домене, а уведомление, отправленное одному участнику, передаётся остальным. - [**noindex**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/noindex/): noindex — директива, которая запрещает поисковым системам показывать страницу в результатах поиска. Её ставят в метатег robots или в HTTP-заголовок X-Robots-Tag. Робот должен иметь доступ к странице, чтобы увидеть директиву, поэтому закрытая в robots.txt страница может остаться в индексе. - [**Краулинговый бюджет**](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/): Краулинговый бюджет — число страниц сайта, которые поисковый робот может и хочет обойти за определённое время. Google описывает его как сочетание возможностей сканирования (сколько выдержит сервер) и потребности в сканировании (насколько роботу интересен сайт из-за популярности и обновлений). --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/ # Сателлиты ◉ Satelo Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. Сайт зарабатывает их, публикуя партнёрские статьи о других сайтах, и тратит на статьи о себе на других площадках сети. Сателлиты можно купить пакетом, но вывести нельзя. К «сайтам-сателлитам» из SEO-жаргона они отношения не имеют. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Термины Satelo ## Как движутся сателлиты У каждого сайта в сети есть цена статьи в сателлитах. Satelo рекомендует цену по [индексу качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/) и подтверждённой посещаемости (у нового сайта — 1 ◉), владелец может оставить рекомендацию или поставить свою. Когда статья о сайте A размещается на сайте B, владелец A платит цену B и 10% сервисного сбора Satelo, а владелец B получает полную свою цену в сателлитах после публикации. Эти сателлиты B тратит на статью о себе на сайте C. Так получается круг A→B→C→A, подробно — на странице [Как работает Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/how-it-works/). ## Что с ними можно делать - **Зарабатывать** размещением статей. Первая статья на только что подключённом сайте — о самом Satelo, она приносит цену сайта плюс 20% (минимум 2 ◉). - **Тратить** на статьи о своих сайтах — в кабинете или через ИИ-агента по [MCP-серверу](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/). - **Покупать** по желанию: 10 ◉ за $25, 50 ◉ за $120, 200 ◉ за $460, не больше 400 ◉ на аккаунт в календарный месяц. Подробнее — [Цены](https://satelo.io/ru/pricing/). - **Не выводить.** Сателлиты нельзя обменять на деньги или перевести за пределы Satelo. Если заказ не опубликовался, площадка не одобрила его за 7 дней или статья 14 дней пролежала в черновиках площадки, сателлиты автоматически возвращаются покупателю. ## Почему это не сайты-сателлиты В SEO-жаргоне [сайт-сателлит](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/) — сайт, созданный только ради ссылок на основной проект, обычно часть [PBN-сетки](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/). Сателлиты Satelo — единица учёта, а не сайты. Satelo не создаёт сайты, не владеет площадками сети и не продаёт ссылки. Подробное сравнение — в статье [Сайты-сателлиты и сателлиты Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/). ## Зачем внутренняя валюта, а не деньги Оплата ссылок, передающих вес, относится к ссылочному спаму в [правилах Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). В Satelo статьи помечаются как партнёрские, а ссылки получают атрибут rel="sponsored", поэтому обмен — это раскрытая реклама между настоящими сайтами, а не покупка позиций. ## Связанные термины - [Индекс качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/): Индекс качества Satelo — оценка сайта от 0 до 100, построенная в основном на открытых данных: рейтинги популярности, открытые ссылочные графы, возраст домена и обход самого сайта (контент и техническое состояние). - [Круговой обмен ссылками (A→B→C)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/krugovoj-obmen-ssylkami/): Круговой, или трёхсторонний, обмен ссылками — схема, в которой сайт A ссылается на B, B на C, а C обратно на A, поэтому никакие два сайта не ссылаются друг на друга напрямую. - [PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/): PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. - [Сайт-сателлит](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/): Сайт-сателлит — вспомогательный сайт, который владелец создаёт не для собственной аудитории, а чтобы ставить ссылки на основной проект или перенаправлять на него трафик. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/ # Индекс качества Satelo Индекс качества Satelo — оценка сайта от 0 до 100, построенная в основном на открытых данных: рейтинги популярности, открытые ссылочные графы, возраст домена и обход самого сайта (контент и техническое состояние). Новый сайт без посетителей и ссылок получает около 0. Проверить любой домен можно бесплатно на /ru/check/. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Термины Satelo ## Из чего складывается индекс Первый слой — **свидетельства, что сайтом пользуются и на него ссылаются**: - **Посещаемость (вес 45)**: лучший доступный сигнал из рейтинга [Tranco](https://tranco-list.eu/), присутствия в Chrome UX Report (реальные пользователи Chrome), оценок трафика для сайтов сети и подтверждённых просмотров со счётчика плагина Satelo — они заменяют оценки. - **Ссылочный авторитет (вес 35)**: лучший из Open PageRank, Majestic Million и веб-графа доменов Common Crawl; для сайтов сети учитываются и данные Semrush и Moz, полученные через Apify. - **Возраст (вес 20)**: самая ранняя дата из регистрации домена (RDAP или WHOIS) и первого снимка в Wayback Machine. Если источник недоступен, его вес распределяется между остальными. Второй слой — **множитель качества от 0,5 до 1,0**: контент (страницы в sitemap и веб-индексе, объём текста, свежесть) и техника (HTTPS, мобильная вёрстка, сжатие, title и description, скорость ответа, PageSpeed). Множитель может только понизить оценку, но не создать её. Есть два ограничения: припаркованные и почти пустые сайты получают не больше 5, а высокий Spam Score Moz (60 и выше, если известен) умножает результат на 0,6. ## Зачем это небольшому сайту Сторонние метрики вроде [DR](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/dr-sajta/) смотрят только на ссылки и годами держат молодой сайт на нуле. Индекс качества показывает, каких свидетельств не хватает, и растёт, когда появляется подтверждённая посещаемость — примерно через 7 дней после установки плагина WordPress. ## Как Satelo его использует Индекс задаёт рекомендованную цену статьи в [сателлитах](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/) (1 ◉ при индексе 0, дальше растёт пропорционально квадрату индекса и с подтверждённым трафиком) и подбор площадок: сначала та же тематика и язык и ближайший индекс. В отчёте показана «орбита» ±10 пунктов. Это собственная оценка Satelo, а не метрика Google или Яндекса, и позиций она не предсказывает. Не путайте с [ИКС Яндекса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/). Проверьте сайт на [satelo.io/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) или попросите ИИ-агента вызвать `satelo_check_site`. ## Связанные термины - [Сателлиты ◉ Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. - [DR сайта (Domain Rating)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/dr-sajta/): DR (Domain Rating) — собственная метрика сервиса Ahrefs от 0 до 100, которая оценивает силу ссылочного профиля сайта по сравнению с другими сайтами в базе Ahrefs. - [Краулинговый бюджет](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/): Краулинговый бюджет — число страниц сайта, которые поисковый робот может и хочет обойти за определённое время. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/ # PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов) PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. Часто это сайты на дропах (истёкших доменах) с ссылочной историей, замаскированные под независимые блоги. Поисковики считают это ссылочной схемой. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Ссылки и линкбилдинг ## Как обычно устроена сетка Владелец покупает освободившиеся домены, на которые ещё ведут ссылки, ставит на них тонкий или переписанный контент, прячет общее владение (разный хостинг, шаблоны, регистраторы) и размещает ссылки на нужные сайты. Читатели здесь вторичны: сеть делается для поисковых роботов. ## Что говорят поисковики В [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) описаны ссылочные схемы, то есть ссылки для манипуляции ранжированием, и отдельно — злоупотребление истёкшими доменами, когда домен покупают и наполняют малополезным контентом ради позиций. Сайту, который опирается на такие ссылки, грозят ручные меры или игнорирование ссылок. Яндекс также предостерегает от манипуляций ссылками в [рекомендациях для вебмастеров](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html). ## Чем это опасно небольшому сайту Чаще всего маленький сайт сталкивается с PBN как покупатель: дешёвые «трастовые» статьи на площадках без реальной аудитории. Ссылка может перестать учитываться, а деньги не вернуть. Перед покупкой или обменом проверьте трафик, историю тематики и исходящие ссылки. Чек-лист — в статье [Как распознать PBN до покупки ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). Родственное понятие — [сайт-сателлит](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/). ## Чем отличается Satelo Satelo — не PBN. Сервис не создаёт и не владеет сайтами: каждый сайт подключает подтверждённый владелец через плагин WordPress или файл подтверждения. Статьи помечены как партнёрские, ссылки получают rel="sponsored", Satelo не обещает dofollow и позиции. Слово «сателлиты» в Satelo — это [внутренняя валюта](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/). Проверить, есть ли у сайта признаки реального использования, можно бесплатно на [странице индекса качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). ## Связанные термины - [Сайт-сателлит](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/): Сайт-сателлит — вспомогательный сайт, который владелец создаёт не для собственной аудитории, а чтобы ставить ссылки на основной проект или перенаправлять на него трафик. - [Взаимные ссылки (прямой обмен)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/vzaimnye-ssylki/): Взаимные ссылки — пара ссылок, когда сайт A ссылается на сайт B, а B в ответ на A, обычно по договорённости «ты мне — я тебе». - [Сателлиты ◉ Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/sajt-satellit/ # Сайт-сателлит Сайт-сателлит — вспомогательный сайт, который владелец создаёт не для собственной аудитории, а чтобы ставить ссылки на основной проект или перенаправлять на него трафик. Несколько таких сайтов образуют сетку (PBN). Поисковые системы относят ссылки с сателлитов к манипуляциям. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Ссылки и линкбилдинг ## Какими бывают сателлиты В рунете словом «сателлит» называют разные вещи: от небольшого сайта-визитки с ссылкой на основной магазин до сотен сайтов на дропах, связанных ссылками между собой. Общее у них одно: сайт существует ради продвигаемого проекта, а не ради читателей. Сетку из таких сайтов называют [PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/). ## Почему это риск [Правила Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) относят к ссылочным схемам ссылки, созданные для манипуляции ранжированием, а покупку истёкших доменов ради позиций выделяют в отдельный вид спама. Яндекс в [рекомендациях для вебмастеров](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html) также предупреждает о манипуляциях. Последствия — от игнорирования ссылок до понижения сайта. Кроме того, сателлиты стоят денег и времени: хостинг, домены, контент. ## Когда отдельный сайт — это нормально Отдельный сайт под самостоятельный продукт, язык или аудиторию с полезным содержанием сателлитом в плохом смысле не является. Вопрос в цели: если сайт полезен сам по себе и ссылки на нём естественны, это просто ещё один сайт. ## Сателлиты ◉ Satelo — это не сайты В Satelo «сателлитами» называется [внутренняя валюта](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): их зарабатывают, публикуя партнёрские статьи о других сайтах сети, и тратят на статьи о своём сайте. Satelo не создаёт сайты-сателлиты, не владеет площадками и не продаёт ссылки. Сайты в сети принадлежат разным подтверждённым владельцам, статьи помечаются как партнёрские, ссылки получают rel="sponsored", а прямой обмен A↔B запрещён. Подробно — в статье [Сайты-сателлиты и сателлиты Satelo: в чём разница](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/satellite-sites-vs-satelo-satellites/) и на странице [Как работает Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/how-it-works/). Проверить, похож ли сайт на сателлит без реальной аудитории, можно бесплатно на [странице индекса качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). ## Связанные термины - [PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/): PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. - [Сателлиты ◉ Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. - [Взаимные ссылки (прямой обмен)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/vzaimnye-ssylki/): Взаимные ссылки — пара ссылок, когда сайт A ссылается на сайт B, а B в ответ на A, обычно по договорённости «ты мне — я тебе». [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/vzaimnye-ssylki/ # Взаимные ссылки (прямой обмен) Взаимные ссылки — пара ссылок, когда сайт A ссылается на сайт B, а B в ответ на A, обычно по договорённости «ты мне — я тебе». Редкие взаимные упоминания связанных сайтов — нормальная часть интернета; массовый обмен ради позиций поисковики считают ссылочной схемой. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Ссылки и линкбилдинг ## Нормально или чрезмерно Партнёры по бизнесу упоминают друг друга, подкаст ссылается на гостя, конференция — на спикеров: такие взаимные ссылки возникают естественно. Проблема начинается, когда ссылка существует только из-за сделки. В [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) «чрезмерный обмен ссылками» и партнёрские страницы, созданные только для перекрёстных ссылок, приведены как примеры ссылочного спама. ## Чем это грозит небольшому сайту Владельцы новых сайтов часто начинают с прямого обмена: он бесплатный. Несколько тематических честных упоминаний не навредят, но страница «Партнёры» с десятками нерелевантных сайтов или массовый обмен с одинаковыми анкорами — заметный шаблон, ссылки могут просто перестать учитываться. Разбор — в статье [Вреден ли обмен ссылками для SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/), а риски бирж рунета — в обзоре [бирж ссылок и статей](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-exchanges-runet/). ## Как это устроено в Satelo Прямого обмена в Satelo нет. Площадку для статьи о вашем сайте система выбирает среди сайтов других владельцев и пропускает любой сайт, о котором ваш сайт публиковал статью за последние 180 дней, поэтому пары A↔B не складываются. Статьи идут по кругу ([круговой обмен](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/krugovoj-obmen-ssylkami/)), помечаются как партнёрские, ссылки получают rel="sponsored". Передачу веса Satelo не обещает. ## Как обмениваться безопаснее - Упоминайте партнёров там, где это полезно читателю, а оплаченные или обменные ссылки помечайте rel="sponsored" ([рекомендации Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links)). - Пишите полезные гостевые статьи вместо обмена ссылками в подвале. - Делайте то, на что ссылаются сами: данные, инструменты, подробные руководства. Все форматы обмена — в разделе [Обмен ссылками и статьями](https://satelo.io/ru/link-exchange/). ## Связанные термины - [Круговой обмен ссылками (A→B→C)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/krugovoj-obmen-ssylkami/): Круговой, или трёхсторонний, обмен ссылками — схема, в которой сайт A ссылается на B, B на C, а C обратно на A, поэтому никакие два сайта не ссылаются друг на друга напрямую. - [PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/): PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. - [Сателлиты ◉ Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/krugovoj-obmen-ssylkami/ # Круговой обмен ссылками (A→B→C) Круговой, или трёхсторонний, обмен ссылками — схема, в которой сайт A ссылается на B, B на C, а C обратно на A, поэтому никакие два сайта не ссылаются друг на друга напрямую. Обычно её используют, чтобы обмен выглядел менее заметно, чем прямой «ты мне — я тебе». Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Ссылки и линкбилдинг ## Как это работает Вместо пары три или больше сайтов образуют петлю. Часто у одного участника два сайта: «я поставлю ссылку на вас с сайта C, а вы — на мой сайт A». Петля прячет взаимность, если смотреть на ссылки каждого сайта по отдельности. ## Что говорят правила Поисковики оценивают цель, а не геометрию. В [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) ссылки, которыми обмениваются ради ранжирования, считаются спамом независимо от того, прямой обмен или через третий сайт; там же сказано, что спонсорские ссылки допустимы с атрибутом rel="sponsored" или rel="nofollow". Значит, честный круг — это полезные помеченные статьи с правильными атрибутами, а нечестный — замаскированный обмен. Яндекс тоже предупреждает о ссылочных манипуляциях в [рекомендациях](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html). ## Зачем круг небольшим сайтам Двум маленьким сайтам редко нужен обмен в один и тот же момент, а сеть может подобрать каждому площадку похожего уровня. Риск — в оформлении ссылок, а не в числе участников. ## Как круг устроен в Satelo - Статьи идут A→B→C→A, расчёт в [сателлитах](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): зарабатываете размещением, тратите на статьи о себе. - Без прямого A↔B: сайт, о котором ваш сайт писал за последние 180 дней, не предлагается вам как площадка. - Подбор по тематике, языку и ближайшему [индексу качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/). - Каждая статья помечена как партнёрская, ссылки — rel="sponsored". Ни dofollow, ни позиции Satelo не обещает. По шагам — [Как работает Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/how-it-works/). Все форматы обмена — [Обмен ссылками и статьями](https://satelo.io/ru/link-exchange/). ## Связанные термины - [Взаимные ссылки (прямой обмен)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/vzaimnye-ssylki/): Взаимные ссылки — пара ссылок, когда сайт A ссылается на сайт B, а B в ответ на A, обычно по договорённости «ты мне — я тебе». - [Сателлиты ◉ Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. - [PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/): PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/dr-sajta/ # DR сайта (Domain Rating) DR (Domain Rating) — собственная метрика сервиса Ahrefs от 0 до 100, которая оценивает силу ссылочного профиля сайта по сравнению с другими сайтами в базе Ahrefs. Она строится только по ссылкам и поисковиками не используется: высокий DR означает больше сильных ссылающихся доменов, а не больше посетителей. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Метрики сайта ## Что измеряет DR По [описанию Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/blog/domain-rating/), DR учитывает число уникальных доменов, ссылающихся на сайт, и силу этих доменов, по логарифмической шкале: подняться с 70 до 80 намного сложнее, чем с 10 до 20. Трафик, качество текстов и спам-сигналы метрика не учитывает. Похожие сторонние метрики — Domain Authority от Moz и Authority Score от Semrush; подробнее — в статье [Domain Authority: что на самом деле показывает число](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/domain-authority-explained/). ## Зачем это небольшому сайту DR часто используют как фильтр цены на биржах статей, поэтому его накручивают: ссылки с [PBN-сеток](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/) поднимают DR, не принося ни одного посетителя. Для небольшого сайта DR важен в основном тогда, когда его спрашивают покупатели или партнёры. Для Яндекса полезнее смотреть на [ИКС](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/) и реальную посещаемость. Если продавец статьи называет высокий DR, сверьте его с открытыми сигналами посещаемости: рейтинг популярности, данные реальных пользователей Chrome, подтверждённую статистику. Расхождение между высоким DR и нулевым трафиком — частый признак накрутки. ## Чем отличается Satelo Satelo не использует DR Ahrefs. Собственный [индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/) объединяет свидетельства посещаемости (Tranco, Chrome UX Report, подтверждённые просмотры со счётчика плагина), открытые ссылочные графы (Open PageRank, Majestic Million, Common Crawl) и возраст домена с поправкой на контент и техническое состояние, поэтому сайт с реальными читателями и малым числом ссылок не застревает на нуле. Индекс задаёт рекомендованную цену статьи в [сателлитах](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/). Проверить любой домен бесплатно — [satelo.io/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). ## Связанные термины - [Индекс качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/): Индекс качества Satelo — оценка сайта от 0 до 100, построенная в основном на открытых данных: рейтинги популярности, открытые ссылочные графы, возраст домена и обход самого сайта (контент и техническое состояние). - [PBN-сетка (частная сеть блогов)](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/pbn/): PBN (private blog network, частная сеть блогов) — группа сайтов под контролем одного владельца, которые нужны в основном для ссылок на продвигаемый «денежный» сайт. - [Сателлиты ◉ Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/satellity-satelo/): Сателлиты (◉) — внутренняя валюта сети Satelo. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/ # Краулинговый бюджет Краулинговый бюджет — число страниц сайта, которые поисковый робот может и хочет обойти за определённое время. Google описывает его как сочетание возможностей сканирования (сколько выдержит сервер) и потребности в сканировании (насколько роботу интересен сайт из-за популярности и обновлений). Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Обход и индексация ## Кому это важно В [руководстве Google о краулинговом бюджете](https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawl-budget) сказано, что оно рассчитано в основном на крупные сайты (от миллиона страниц, которые меняются раз в неделю), сайты от 10 000 страниц с ежедневными изменениями и сайты, у которых много адресов в статусе «Обнаружена, не проиндексирована». Небольшим сайтам, по словам Google, обычно достаточно актуального файла sitemap и контроля индексации. ## Почему это всё же касается маленьких сайтов У маленького сайта редко заканчиваются возможности сканирования, но часто низкая потребность: мало ссылок и упоминаний — робот приходит редко. Внешне это похоже на нехватку бюджета (новые страницы неделями не в индексе), но причина в слабых сигналах. Что проверить в Яндексе — в статье [Почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). Полезные шаги: - Не тратьте обход впустую: уберите бесконечные адреса с параметрами, закройте тонкие архивы меток через [noindex](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/noindex/), исправьте цепочки редиректов. - Следите за скоростью и стабильностью сервера: ошибки снижают объём сканирования. - Держите чистый sitemap.xml и сообщайте об изменениях через [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indexnow/) — его поддерживает Яндекс. - Повышайте интерес робота реальными упоминаниями на тематических сайтах. Отчёты об обходе в Яндексе смотрите в [Яндекс Вебмастере](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## При чём здесь Satelo Satelo не управляет обходом. [Индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/) учитывает сигналы, которые видит и робот (размер sitemap, свежесть, скорость ответа), а партнёрская статья на тематическом сайте сети — ещё одно место, где роботы и читатели могут найти ваш сайт. Индексацию и позиции Satelo не обещает. ## Связанные термины - [noindex](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/noindex/): noindex — директива, которая запрещает поисковым системам показывать страницу в результатах поиска. - [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow — открытый протокол, с помощью которого сайт сразу сообщает поисковым системам-участникам, что страница добавлена, изменена или удалена, не дожидаясь следующего обхода. - [Индекс качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indeks-kachestva/): Индекс качества Satelo — оценка сайта от 0 до 100, построенная в основном на открытых данных: рейтинги популярности, открытые ссылочные графы, возраст домена и обход самого сайта (контент и техническое состояние). [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/noindex/ # noindex noindex — директива, которая запрещает поисковым системам показывать страницу в результатах поиска. Её ставят в метатег robots или в HTTP-заголовок X-Robots-Tag. Робот должен иметь доступ к странице, чтобы увидеть директиву, поэтому закрытая в robots.txt страница может остаться в индексе. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Обход и индексация ## Как поставить - В HTML: `<meta name="robots" content="noindex">` внутри head. - В заголовке ответа (подходит для PDF и других файлов): `X-Robots-Tag: noindex`. В [справке Яндекса о метатегах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/metatags) директива noindex описана так: не индексировать текст страницы, страница не будет участвовать в результатах поиска. [Документация Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing) добавляет важную деталь: если адрес закрыт в robots.txt, робот не увидит noindex и страница может остаться в выдаче, если на неё ведут ссылки. ## Метатег и тег <noindex> В рунете noindex путают с HTML-тегом `<noindex>…</noindex>`, которым исторически закрывали от Яндекса фрагмент текста. Это разные вещи: метатег убирает из поиска всю страницу, а тег относится только к фрагменту и другими поисковиками не поддерживается. ## Когда это нужно небольшому сайту - Тонкие архивы: метки с одной записью, результаты внутреннего поиска, пустые рубрики. - Страницы «Спасибо», входа, корзины и личного кабинета. - Тестовые копии сайта, если их нельзя закрыть паролем. Не закрывайте страницы, которые должны ранжироваться, и проверяйте сайт после смены темы или SEO-плагина: случайный noindex на весь сайт — частая причина исчезновения из поиска. Что ещё проверить — в статье [Почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## При чём здесь Satelo Партнёрские статьи Satelo публикуются на площадке как обычные индексируемые записи с пометкой «Партнёрский материал» и ссылками rel="sponsored"; SEO-настройки остаются за владельцем площадки. Партнёрские статьи не закрываются от индексации: их ценность в том, что их видят читатели и поисковые системы, а честность обеспечивают пометка и атрибут ссылок. Смежное понятие — [краулинговый бюджет](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/). ## Связанные термины - [Краулинговый бюджет](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/): Краулинговый бюджет — число страниц сайта, которые поисковый робот может и хочет обойти за определённое время. - [IndexNow](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indexnow/): IndexNow — открытый протокол, с помощью которого сайт сразу сообщает поисковым системам-участникам, что страница добавлена, изменена или удалена, не дожидаясь следующего обхода. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/indexnow/ # IndexNow IndexNow — открытый протокол, с помощью которого сайт сразу сообщает поисковым системам-участникам, что страница добавлена, изменена или удалена, не дожидаясь следующего обхода. Владение сайтом подтверждается файлом с ключом на домене, а уведомление, отправленное одному участнику, передаётся остальным. Обновлено: 2026-10-16 · Глоссарий: Обход и индексация ## Как это работает - Создайте ключ и разместите его текстовым файлом на своём домене (например `/<ключ>.txt`). - При изменении страницы отправьте её адрес (или пачку адресов) с ключом на адрес IndexNow. - Поисковик проверит файл ключа и может обойти страницу быстрее. На [официальном сайте IndexNow](https://www.indexnow.org/) указана поддержка Microsoft Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex и Yep. Google в этом списке нет — для него по-прежнему работают sitemap и обычный обход. ## Что даёт и чего не даёт - Ускоряет обнаружение страниц, но не гарантирует индексацию и позиции. - Особенно полезен сайтам, которые часто публикуют и обновляют материалы, и для видимости в Яндексе и Bing. - Многие CMS-плагины и хостинги отправляют уведомления автоматически; в Яндексе отправку можно отслеживать в Вебмастере — см. [гайд по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/) и [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). ## Зачем это небольшому сайту У нового сайта низкий [краулинговый бюджет](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/), и новая статья может ждать робота несколько дней. IndexNow — бесплатный способ сократить ожидание в поисковиках-участниках. Сочетайте его с чистым sitemap и правильными директивами [noindex](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/noindex/). ## Как это использует Satelo У satelo.io есть собственный ключ IndexNow, и сайт уведомляет поисковики-участники о новых и обновлённых страницах. Отправит ли уведомление площадка с партнёрской статьёй, зависит от её собственных настроек (например SEO-плагина), а не от Satelo. Если у площадки стоит плагин, который отправляет IndexNow при публикации, партнёрская статья будет передана поисковикам-участникам так же, как любая другая запись. ## Связанные термины - [Краулинговый бюджет](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/kraulingovyj-byudzhet/): Краулинговый бюджет — число страниц сайта, которые поисковый робот может и хочет обойти за определённое время. - [noindex](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/noindex/): noindex — директива, которая запрещает поисковым системам показывать страницу в результатах поиска. [← Все термины глоссария](https://satelo.io/ru/glossary/) --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/ Индексация # Как добавить сайт в поиск Яндекса: пошаговая инструкция Чтобы добавить сайт в Яндекс, зарегистрируйте его в Яндекс Вебмастере, подтвердите права, укажите файл sitemap и отправьте главные страницы на переобход. Отдельной «кнопки добавления в поиск» нет: Вебмастер сообщает роботу о сайте и показывает, что с ним происходит. Ниже — шаги по порядку, сроки по справке Яндекса, особенности WordPress, Tilda и Битрикс и план на первые 30 дней. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ: пять шагов - Добавьте сайт в [Яндекс Вебмастер](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/) и подтвердите права. - Проверьте, что `robots.txt` не закрывает сайт, а `sitemap.xml` открывается и отдаёт код 200. - Укажите sitemap в разделе «Индексирование» → «Файлы Sitemap». - Установите счётчик Метрики и свяжите его с Вебмастером. - Отправьте главные страницы на переобход и подключите IndexNow. Каждый шаг разобран ниже. Если сайт уже добавлен, но страницы так и не появились в поиске, переходите сразу к статье [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Шаг 1. Добавить сайт в Вебмастер и подтвердить права Войдите в Вебмастер с Яндекс ID, нажмите «Добавить сайт» и введите адрес точно в том виде, в каком сайт открывается: с `https` и с `www` или без него. Для Яндекса `www` и версия без `www` — разные адреса, это прямо сказано в [справке о подтверждении прав](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/rights.html). Способы подтверждения по справке: | Способ | Как сделать | Кому удобно | | HTML-файл | Загрузить файл с выданным именем и содержимым в корень сайта | Есть доступ к хостингу; Яндекс называет этот способ рекомендуемым | | Метатег | Вставить тег внутрь `head` главной страницы | WordPress, конструкторы, где можно править шапку | | TXT-запись в DNS | Добавить запись у регистратора или DNS-провайдера | Нет доступа к файлам; обновление DNS может занять до нескольких часов | | Менеджер тегов | Тег Вебмастера через Яндекс Тег Менеджер или Google Tag Manager | Сайт уже работает через менеджер тегов | После размещения кода нажмите «Подтвердить». Не удаляйте файл, тег или запись после проверки: по справке Яндекс периодически перепроверяет их наличие, и без них сайт снова станет неподтверждённым. ## Шаг 2. robots.txt и sitemap.xml: минимум, который нужен **robots.txt.** Откройте `вашсайт.ru/robots.txt`. Если там стоит `Disallow: /` для всех роботов или для Yandex, сайт закрыт целиком. Такое часто остаётся после разработки. Служебные разделы (корзина, поиск по сайту, личный кабинет) закрывать можно, контент — нет. В конец файла полезно добавить строку `Sitemap: https://вашсайт.ru/sitemap.xml`. **sitemap.xml.** Требования из [справки о файлах Sitemap](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/sitemap.html): - не больше 50 000 адресов и 50 МБ без сжатия в одном файле; если больше — несколько файлов и индексный sitemap; - кодировка UTF-8, файл на том же домене и только с адресами этого домена; - сервер отдаёт код 200, файл не закрыт в robots.txt. Там же сказано, что робот обычно обрабатывает sitemap в течение двух недель после добавления и что попадание всех адресов из файла в поиск не гарантируется. Sitemap — подсказка роботу, а не пропуск в выдачу. ## Шаг 3. Метрика: почему подключать сразу Счётчик [Яндекс Метрики](https://metrika.yandex.ru/) нужен не только для статистики. Если связать его с Вебмастером, можно включить «Обход по счётчикам»: робот узнаёт о страницах, на которых стоит счётчик, и может их обойти. Порядок такой (по [справке Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/link-webmaster.html)): - В Метрике: «Настройка» → «Счётчик» → «Привязать к Вебмастеру». - В Вебмастере: «Настройки» → «Привязка к Яндекс Метрике» → подтвердить номер счётчика. - В Вебмастере: «Индексирование» → «Обход по счётчикам» → включить. Второй плюс — данные с первого дня. Когда через месяц вы захотите понять, откуда пришли первые посетители, история уже будет. Подробнее о том, что смотреть в отчётах, — в статье [как проверить посещаемость сайта бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Шаг 4. Переобход страниц и IndexNow В [справке о новых и изменённых страницах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/new-changed) Яндекс перечисляет четыре способа сообщить о страницах и советует их сочетать: - **«Переобход страниц»** — вставляете адреса, робот посещает их приоритетно при следующем обращении к сайту. Начните с главной и ключевых разделов. - **«Файлы Sitemap»** — повторная отправка файла после крупных изменений. - **«Обход по счётчикам»** — из шага 3. - **IndexNow** — протокол, по которому сайт сам уведомляет поисковик об изменениях через API или плагин CMS. Нужен файл-ключ в корне сайта; требования к ключу описаны в [справке IndexNow](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/indexnow/key.html). Для WordPress и других CMS есть готовые плагины, писать код обычно не нужно. Платные «ускорители индексации» и прогоны по каталогам не нужны: официальные способы бесплатны и работают напрямую. ## Сколько ждать В той же справке о новых страницах сказано: индексирование страницы может занять от 3 до 7 дней. Обработка sitemap, как сказано выше, — обычно до двух недель. Tilda в своей [справке по SEO](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo/) пишет, что на индексацию, как правило, уходит до двух недель. Это ориентиры, а не гарантии: на сроки влияют качество страниц, доступность сервера и то, знает ли робот о сайте из других источников. ## Как проверить, что страницы уже в поиске - **Вебмастер → «Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске».** Главный источник: сколько страниц в поиске и какие исключены, с причиной для каждой. - **Вебмастер → «Проверка страницы».** Статус конкретного адреса и то, как его видит робот. - **Оператор `site:`.** Запрос `site:вашсайт.ru` в Яндексе даёт быструю, но приблизительную картину. Для точных данных используйте Вебмастер. Обзор всех разделов Вебмастера, включая диагностику и уведомления, — в нашем [гайде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## WordPress, Tilda, Битрикс: что отличается ### WordPress С версии 5.5 WordPress сам создаёт карту сайта по адресу `/wp-sitemap.xml`. SEO-плагины вроде Yoast часто отключают её и формируют собственную — это описано в [анонсе WordPress](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/07/22/new-xml-sitemaps-functionality-in-wordpress-5-5/). Главная ловушка — галочка «Попросить поисковые системы не индексировать сайт» в «Настройки» → «Чтение»: она остаётся после разработки, а заодно отключает встроенную карту сайта. Метатег Вебмастера обычно вставляют через поле SEO-плагина или плагин для кода в `head`. ### Tilda Подключение идёт из настроек сайта: «Настройки» → «SEO» → «Яндекс Вебмастер» → «Подключить». По справке Tilda, после подключения нужно подтвердить права и добавить sitemap; если файл не добавился сам, укажите адрес `sitemap.xml` в Вебмастере вручную. ### 1С-Битрикс Конкретные пункты меню зависят от редакции и установленных модулей. Проверьте две вещи: что карта сайта действительно генерируется и открывается по прямой ссылке и что в ней полные адреса с вашим доменом. Подтверждать права удобнее всего HTML-файлом в корне. ## Частые ошибки при добавлении сайта - **Добавлен не тот адрес.** Сайт открывается по `https://www.`, а в Вебмастер добавлен `http://` без `www`. Данные будут неполными. Добавьте главное зеркало и настройте редирект с остальных вариантов. - **Закрытый сайт после разработки.** `Disallow: /` в robots.txt, метатег `noindex` на всех страницах или пароль на тестовом домене, который потом стал основным. - **Sitemap отдаёт ошибку.** Файл указан, но открывается с кодом 404 или 301 либо содержит адреса другого домена. Откройте его в браузере по той же ссылке, что указана в Вебмастере. - **Пустые страницы в переобходе.** Разделы-заглушки «скоро здесь будет контент» робот может обойти и исключить как малоценные. Отправляйте на переобход страницы, которые уже готовы. - **Ожидание без проверки.** Владелец ждёт месяц и только потом открывает Вебмастер, где с первого дня висела ошибка. Загляните в «Диагностику сайта» в первую неделю. ## Первые 30 дней: чек-лист | Когда | Что сделать | | День 1 | Вебмастер и права, robots.txt, sitemap, Метрика с обходом по счётчикам, переобход главной и разделов, IndexNow | | Неделя 1 | Проверить «Страницы в поиске» и «Диагностику сайта», исправить ошибки, указать регион, если бизнес локальный | | Недели 2–3 | Публиковать страницы, которые отвечают на реальные запросы, а не пустые разделы «в разработке»; каждую новую страницу — в переобход или через IndexNow | | Неделя 4 | Посмотреть «Поисковые запросы»; найти первые упоминания на тематических площадках | Про последний пункт. Новый сайт робот находит не только через Вебмастер, но и по ссылкам с других сайтов. Несколько честных упоминаний на живых тематических площадках помогают и обнаружению, и первым посетителям. Идеи, с чего начать без бюджета, — в статьях [ссылки для нового сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/) и [как продвигать сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## Что делать дальше Добавьте сайт в Вебмастер по шагам выше и через неделю загляните в «Страницы в поиске». Если сайт на WordPress, [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/) подтверждает трафик и автоматически публикует партнёрские статьи от сайтов вашего уровня, так что первые упоминания нового сайта появляются без переписки. Сеть пока в публичной бете и небольшая. Для любого сайта есть [бесплатная проверка](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за 30 секунд вы увидите стартовый индекс качества и данные за каждой цифрой, в основном из открытых источников, — удобная точка отсчёта, чтобы следить за ростом. ## Частые вопросы ### Как добавить сайт в поиск Яндекса бесплатно? Добавьте сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер, подтвердите права, укажите sitemap и отправьте главные страницы на переобход. Все официальные способы бесплатны, платные «ускорители» не нужны. ### Сколько времени занимает индексация нового сайта в Яндексе? По справке Яндекса индексирование страницы может занять от 3 до 7 дней, а sitemap обычно обрабатывается в течение двух недель. Это ориентиры, а не гарантия. ### Можно ли удалить метатег или файл после подтверждения прав? Лучше не удалять. Яндекс периодически проверяет их наличие, и без них сайт снова станет неподтверждённым. ### Обязательно ли подключать Яндекс Метрику? Нет, но это полезно: после связи с Вебмастером можно включить обход по счётчикам, и робот будет узнавать о новых страницах. Плюс статистика с первого дня. ### Как проверить, проиндексирован ли сайт в Яндексе? Откройте в Вебмастере «Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске» или проверьте конкретный адрес в «Проверке страницы». Запрос site:вашсайт.ru даёт только приблизительную картину. ### Что такое IndexNow и нужен ли он? Это протокол, по которому сайт сам сообщает поисковику о новых и изменённых страницах. Яндекс его поддерживает; для популярных CMS есть готовые плагины. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-for-seo-tasks/ ИИ-поиск # Нейросеть для SEO: какие задачи можно доверить ИИ, а какие нельзя Нейросеть для SEO хорошо справляется с черновой работой: группирует запросы, предлагает варианты title и description, пишет микроразметку и помогает разобрать логи и выгрузки. Плохо она справляется с фактами и с массовой генерацией страниц: тут ошибка стоит дорого, а правила поисковиков прямо описывают риски. Ниже разбираем задачи по степени доверия, даём промпты-шаблоны и показываем, как дать ИИ-агенту реальные данные о сайте. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Главное правило: ИИ делает черновик, решение за вами Google не запрещает пользоваться генеративным ИИ. В [руководстве по контенту, созданному с помощью ИИ](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/using-gen-ai-content?hl=ru) сказано, что такие инструменты могут помогать изучать тему и систематизировать материал. Там же два предупреждения, которые определяют всю схему работы: - Массовое создание страниц без пользы для читателей Google относит к злоупотреблению масштабируемым контентом. В [правилах против спама](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru) первый же пример такого нарушения: генерация множества страниц инструментами ИИ без добавленной ценности. - Модели предсказывают вероятные слова, а не извлекают факты, поэтому ошибаются. Google советует проверять точность до публикации, включая заголовки, метаописания, alt-тексты и структурированные данные. Отсюда простой критерий. Если результат легко проверить глазами за минуту (список кластеров, вариант title, кусок JSON-LD), задачу можно отдавать ИИ. Если проверка требует знать предмет (цены, характеристики, юридические нормы, медицинские советы), ИИ даёт только черновик, а за факты отвечает человек. ## Задачи, которые можно доверить нейросети ### Кластеризация и разбор семантики Выгрузите запросы из Вебмастера или Search Console и попросите сгруппировать их по намерению: информационные, коммерческие, навигационные. Нейросеть быстро предлагает черновые группы и подсказывает, какие запросы стоит закрыть одной страницей. Ограничение: модель не знает реальной выдачи. Группы, построенные «по смыслу», иногда расходятся с тем, как Яндекс и Google ранжируют эти запросы. Перед тем как делить страницы, откройте выдачу по двум-трём спорным запросам и сравните. ### Черновики title, description и заголовков Дайте модели текст страницы, основной запрос и ограничения по длине. Просите сразу 5–7 вариантов и выбирайте сами. Проверяйте, что в сниппете нет обещаний, которых нет на странице: Google прямо называет метаданные среди того, что нужно сверить вручную. ### Микроразметка JSON-LD для FAQ, статьи, организации или хлебных крошек нейросеть пишет хорошо. Но разметка должна описывать то, что пользователь видит на странице, а размечать скрытый или вымышленный контент (например, отзывы, которых нет) запрещено [общими правилами структурированных данных](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/sd-policies?hl=ru). Готовый код прогоняйте через инструмент проверки расширенных результатов. ### Разбор логов и выгрузок Логи сервера, выгрузка краулера, отчёт об исключённых страницах из Вебмастера: в таких таблицах ИИ быстро находит закономерности. Например, какие разделы бот обходит чаще, где копятся 404 и редиректы, у каких URL одинаковые title. Лучше просить не вывод, а формулу или скрипт, который вы запустите сами: так результат воспроизводим, и модель не «додумает» строки, которых нет в файле. ### Структура статьи и редактура План статьи по списку вопросов, сокращение воды, поиск повторов, упрощение канцелярита. Здесь ИИ экономит время, а риск низкий, потому что вы видите исходный текст и правку рядом. ### Технические мелочи Правила для robots.txt, регулярные выражения для редиректов, шаблоны для .htaccess или nginx. Нейросеть пишет их быстро, но любое правило проверяйте на тестовом URL до выкладки: одна лишняя звёздочка в robots.txt может закрыть раздел от индексации. ## Где нейросеть опасна - **Факты и цифры.** Статистика, цены, даты, ссылки на исследования. Модель может уверенно сослаться на источник, которого не существует. Каждую цифру проверяйте по первоисточнику или удаляйте. - **Массовая генерация страниц.** Сотни однотипных страниц «услуга + город» без собственных данных попадают под описание масштабируемого спама у Google. У Яндекса в [списке нарушений](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts) есть «Малополезный контент» и «Использование SEO-текстов»: тексты, которые не решают задачу пользователя или написаны ради поисковика. - **Рекомендации «под алгоритм».** Советы вроде «повторите ключ семь раз» или «нужно ровно 2000 слов» модель берёт из старых статей. Ни Google, ни Яндекс таких норм не публикуют. - **Оценка конкурентов «на глаз».** Без подключённых данных нейросеть не знает трафика и ссылок чужого сайта. Если она называет цифры, это догадка. ## Таблица: что отдавать ИИ и как проверять | Задача | Доверие | Как проверить | | Кластеризация запросов | Высокое для черновика | Сверить спорные группы с реальной выдачей | | Title и description | Высокое | Длина, соответствие странице, нет пустых обещаний | | JSON-LD | Высокое | Инструмент проверки расширенных результатов, совпадение с видимым текстом | | Анализ логов и выгрузок | Среднее | Просить формулу или скрипт, а не готовый вывод | | robots.txt, редиректы | Среднее | Тест на нескольких URL до выкладки | | Текст статьи | Низкое без редактуры | Фактчек каждой цифры, добавить свой опыт | | Цифры о конкурентах | Нет без данных | Только из подключённых источников | ## Агенты и MCP: как дать ИИ реальные данные о сайте Главная слабость чат-бота в SEO в том, что он рассуждает без данных. Это решают агенты с подключёнными инструментами. [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction) — открытый стандарт, через который ИИ-приложения вроде Claude или ChatGPT подключаются к внешним источникам данных и инструментам. Вместо «угадай трафик конкурента» агент вызывает инструмент и получает ответ из источника. Например, у Satelo есть [MCP-сервер](https://satelo.io/ru/agents/): агент может бесплатно, без ключа, запросить индекс качества любого домена с обоснованием каждой цифры. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому агент видит не только число, но и откуда оно взялось. Это удобно, когда вы просите агента сравнить свой сайт с двумя-тремя соседями по нише. Что важно при подключении любых MCP-серверов: - Давайте агенту доступ только к своим аккаунтам и сайтам. - Инструменты, которые что-то меняют (публикуют, тратят баланс), подключайте с ключом и проверяйте, что агент спрашивает подтверждение. - Читайте, какие данные сервер отправляет и хранит. ## Приватность: что не стоит вставлять в чат Выгрузки из Метрики, списки клиентов, внутренние цены и доступы к CMS не должны попадать в чат-бот без необходимости. Условия у сервисов разные. Например, OpenAI в [справке](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/5722486-how-your-data-is-used-to-improve-model-performance) пишет, что в личных аккаунтах ChatGPT данные по умолчанию могут использоваться для улучшения моделей, и это отключается в настройках управления данными, а данные API и бизнес-тарифов по умолчанию для обучения не используются. Перед тем как загружать рабочие файлы, проверьте такие настройки у своего сервиса. Персональные данные посетителей (почты, телефоны, IP) удаляйте из выгрузок до загрузки. ## Промпты-шаблоны Условные примеры. Подставьте свои данные в квадратные скобки. **Кластеризация.** Вот список запросов: [список]. Сгруппируй их по намерению пользователя. Для каждой группы предложи одну страницу, которая её закроет, и отметь запросы, где не уверен. Не придумывай частотности. **Title и description.** Текст страницы: [текст]. Основной запрос: [запрос]. Дай 6 вариантов title до 60 символов с запросом ближе к началу и 3 варианта description на 140–160 символов. Не обещай того, чего нет в тексте. **Разметка.** Вот блок вопросов и ответов со страницы: [текст]. Сделай JSON-LD FAQPage только по этим вопросам, без добавлений. **Логи.** Вот первые 50 строк лога: [строки]. Напиши скрипт на Python, который посчитает обращения поисковых ботов по разделам сайта и коды ответов. Сам выводы по данным не делай. **Фактчек своего текста.** Найди в тексте все утверждения с цифрами, датами и правилами поисковиков. Выпиши их списком, чтобы я проверил каждое по источнику. Не исправляй сам. Обратите внимание на последние фразы в каждом шаблоне. Они запрещают модели досочинять, и это самая полезная часть промпта. ## Рабочий процесс на неделю - Понедельник: выгрузите запросы из [Яндекс Вебмастера](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/), отдайте ИИ на кластеризацию, сверьте спорные группы с выдачей. - Вторник: попросите варианты title для страниц, у которых есть показы, но мало кликов, и выберите лучшие. - Среда: допишите или проверьте микроразметку на ключевых страницах. - Четверг: прогоните выгрузку краулера через скрипт от ИИ, найдите 404 и дубли title. - Пятница: напишите или обновите одну статью. ИИ делает план и редактуру, факты и опыт добавляете вы. Если вы хотите, чтобы ваш сайт цитировали и сами нейросети, это отдельная задача: посмотрите разборы [как попасть в ответы ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) и [зачем нужен llms.txt](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/llms-txt-guide/). ## Что сделать сегодня Выберите одну рутинную задачу из таблицы выше и отдайте её нейросети с промптом, который запрещает досочинять. Параллельно проверьте, с какими данными она будет работать: если вам нужна объективная картина по своему сайту и конкурентам, [откройте индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). За полминуты вы увидите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построена каждая цифра. Это хорошая отправная точка и для вас, и для агента. ## Частые вопросы ### Какая нейросеть лучше для SEO? Универсально лучшей нет. Для кластеризации, title и разметки подходят крупные модели вроде ChatGPT, Claude, GigaChat или Алисы. Важнее не модель, а процесс: давать ей реальные данные, запрещать досочинять и проверять результат. ### Можно ли пользоваться нейросетью для SEO бесплатно? Да, у большинства чат-ботов есть бесплатные тарифы с ограничениями. Для черновиков title, кластеров и разметки их обычно хватает. Лимиты и условия меняются, поэтому сверяйте их на сайте сервиса. ### Накажет ли Google за тексты, написанные ИИ? Сам факт использования ИИ Google не наказывает. Нарушение, когда страницы массово генерируются без пользы для читателей: это злоупотребление масштабируемым контентом по правилам против спама Google. ### Как Яндекс относится к контенту от нейросетей? В списке нарушений Яндекса нет пункта про ИИ как таковой, но есть «Малополезный контент» и «Использование SEO-текстов». Под них может попасть и текст от человека, и текст от нейросети, если он не решает задачу пользователя. ### Может ли нейросеть сама проверить позиции и трафик сайта? Без подключённых данных нет: она будет угадывать. Нужны агенты с инструментами, например через MCP-серверы, которые обращаются к реальным источникам данных. ### Что такое MCP простыми словами? Это открытый стандарт, через который ИИ-приложения подключаются к внешним данным и инструментам. Агент вызывает инструмент и получает ответ из источника, а не придумывает его. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-written-content-seo/ ИИ-поиск # Статьи нейросетью для сайта: что говорят Google и Яндекс и как писать без риска Нейросеть для написания статей можно использовать: ни Google, ни Яндекс не запрещают тексты, созданные с помощью ИИ. Оба поисковика наказывают за другое: за массовые бесполезные страницы, тексты ради ключевых слов и контент без собственной ценности. Ниже разбираем правила по первоисточникам, сравниваем популярные нейросети и даём процесс, при котором ИИ экономит время, а не создаёт риск. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ: можно, но важен результат, а не инструмент Google в [руководстве по контенту, созданному с помощью ИИ](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/using-gen-ai-content?hl=ru) пишет, что генеративный ИИ полезен для изучения темы и систематизации материала. Нарушением считается использование автоматизации для массового выпуска страниц без пользы для читателей. Яндекс в своих правилах вообще не делит тексты на «человеческие» и «машинные», а оценивает, решает ли страница задачу пользователя. Значит, вопрос «можно ли писать статьи нейросетью» правильнее задавать иначе: станет ли статья полезнее того, что уже есть в выдаче. Если да, способ её создания вторичен. Если нет, текст рискует попасть под санкции, кто бы его ни написал. ## Что говорит Google Ключевые положения из официальной документации: - **Масштабируемый контент.** В [правилах против спама](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru) злоупотребление масштабируемым контентом описано как создание множества страниц ради манипуляции ранжированием, а не ради пользы. Первый пример в списке: генерация страниц инструментами ИИ без добавленной ценности. - **Точность.** Генеративные модели могут ошибаться, поэтому Google советует проверять факты до публикации. Отдельно названы метаданные: title, description, alt-тексты и структурированные данные. - **Прозрачность.** В материале о [полезном контенте](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content?hl=ru) Google предлагает смотреть на три вопроса: кто создал материал, как и зачем. Если контент создан в основном автоматически, стоит сообщить об этом читателю и объяснить, почему такой подход уместен. Поддельные профили авторов, в том числе с картинками от ИИ, Google называет обманом. - **Цель.** Контент, созданный в первую очередь ради трафика из поиска, а не ради людей, система не ставит в приоритет. ## Что говорит Яндекс У Яндекса нет отдельного документа про нейросети, но есть два источника, которые закрывают тему. В [рекомендациях по качеству сайтов](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) среди признаков некачественных сайтов прямо названы сайты с автоматически сгенерированным и бесполезным для пользователя контентом, неоригинальный контент (копирование и переписывание чужих материалов, плохой машинный перевод) и перечисление ключевых запросов ради поиска. Там же сказано, что ограничения могут затронуть как весь сайт, так и отдельные разделы. На странице [нарушений в Вебмастере](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts) есть девять типов, и к текстам относятся два: - **«Использование SEO-текстов»**: текст бесполезен пользователю и создан для манипуляции поиском. Он может быть в блоках текста, навигации или облаках тегов. - **«Малополезный контент»**: содержимое не имеет ценности и не решает задач пользователя. Если сайт получил такое нарушение, Яндекс сообщает о нём в Вебмастере. Как читать уведомления и что делать дальше, мы разбирали в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Где проходит граница: допустимо и рискованно | Допустимо | Рискованно | | ИИ делает план и черновик, автор дописывает опыт, примеры и проверяет факты | Сотни статей, сгенерированных по списку ключей и опубликованных без правки | | ИИ сокращает воду, упрощает язык, находит повторы | Переписывание чужих статей нейросетью «своими словами» | | ИИ помогает перевести собственную статью, которую потом вычитывает носитель языка | Машинный перевод чужого контента без редактуры | | Черновики title и description с ручным выбором | Страницы «услуга + город» с одинаковым текстом и заменой топонима | | Указан реальный автор, при необходимости отмечено участие ИИ | Выдуманные авторы с аватарками от нейросети | ## Какую нейросеть выбрать для статей Универсально «лучшей» нейросети нет, и рейтинги в обзорах меняются вместе с версиями моделей. Для статей важнее, насколько удобно с сервисом работать вам, а качество в любом случае определяет редактура. Короткое сравнение по тому, что видно на официальных страницах на 16 октября 2026 года: | Нейросеть | Разработчик | Что учесть | | [GigaChat](https://giga.chat/) | Сбер | Ориентирован на русскоязычных пользователей, работает в России | | [Алиса AI](https://alice.yandex.ru/) | Яндекс | На сайте описан как бесплатный ИИ-чат Яндекса с генерацией текстов и изображений | | ChatGPT | OpenAI | Доступность зависит от страны: сверяйтесь со списком поддерживаемых стран OpenAI | | Claude | Anthropic | России нет в [списке поддерживаемых стран](https://www.anthropic.com/supported-countries) Anthropic | Тарифы и лимиты бесплатных версий меняются часто, поэтому мы их не приводим: смотрите на сайте сервиса в день выбора. Практичный способ выбрать — дать двум-трём сервисам одно и то же задание с вашим планом статьи и сравнить, где меньше правок. ## Процесс: ИИ-черновик, редактура, фактчек - **Бриф пишет человек.** Запрос, вопросы читателя, что вы знаете по теме лучше других: свой опыт, данные, фото, кейсы. Без этого пункта статья получится пересказом выдачи. - **ИИ делает план.** Попросите структуру по списку вопросов и сравните её с первой пятёркой выдачи: чего не хватает у конкурентов, что можно добавить. - **ИИ пишет черновик по разделам.** Отдельный запрос на каждый раздел даёт меньше воды, чем «напиши статью на 2000 слов». - **Автор добавляет то, чего нет у модели.** Личный опыт, скриншоты, реальные примеры, мнение. Именно это делает текст полезнее исходных материалов. - **Фактчек.** Каждая цифра, дата, цена, цитата и ссылка на правило проверяется по первоисточнику. Не нашли источник — удаляете утверждение. - **Редактура.** Уберите общие фразы, повторы и вступления «в современном мире». Прочитайте вслух. - **Метаданные.** Title, description, alt-тексты, разметка. Google отдельно просит проверять и их. - **Прозрачность.** Укажите реального автора. Если текст в основном сгенерирован, честно отметьте это. ## Условный пример: одна статья по этому процессу Для иллюстрации возьмём небольшой блог о ремонте велосипедов и запрос «как выбрать велосипедную цепь». - **Бриф.** Автор записывает, что знает лучше обзорщиков: какие цепи он сам ставил, через сколько они растягивались у него, какой инструмент для замера износа купил и почему. - **План и черновик.** Нейросеть предлагает структуру: совместимость со скоростями, ширина, замки, износ, уход. Автор добавляет раздел «ошибки, которые я сделал». - **Фактчек.** В черновике модель указала конкретный порог растяжения цепи для замены. Автор сверяет его с инструкцией производителя своего инструмента и оставляет только то, что там написано, со ссылкой. - **Своё.** Три фото цепей с разным износом и таблица из личных заметок. - **Итог.** В статье есть то, чего нет в выдаче: реальные фото и опыт. ИИ сэкономил время на структуре и черновике, но ценность добавил человек. Промпт для черновика раздела, который хорошо работает в таком процессе (тоже условный пример): «Вот план раздела и мои заметки: [заметки]. Напиши раздел на 250–300 слов только по этим заметкам. Если чего-то не хватает, напиши в квадратных скобках, что нужно уточнить, и не придумывай цифры». Квадратные скобки потом служат списком для фактчека. ## Признаки, что ИИ-текст ещё не готов к публикации - Нет ни одного примера, которого не найти в первой пятёрке выдачи. - Есть цифры без ссылок на источник. - Каждый раздел начинается и заканчивается обобщением. - Ключевой запрос повторяется в каждом абзаце. - Советы годятся для любой ниши и любой страны. - Автор не может ответить на вопрос читателя в комментариях без нейросети. ## Как ИИ-статьи влияют на продвижение сайта Даже отличная статья не продвигает сайт сама по себе: её нужно где-то показать людям. Хорошо работают упоминания на тематических площадках, где сидит ваша аудитория, а также цитирование в ИИ-ответах (об этом в разборе [как попасть в ответы ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/)). Разницу между упоминаниями и ссылками мы разбирали в статье [упоминания бренда или обратные ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). Если вы пишете статьи о своём сайте для чужих площадок, правила те же: польза для читателей площадки, проверенные факты, честная пометка. Как написать такую статью, смотрите в [гиде по партнёрским статьям](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/). ## Что сделать дальше Возьмите одну готовую статью, написанную с помощью ИИ, и пройдите по чек-листу «не готово к публикации» выше. Если статья проходит, ей нужны читатели за пределами вашего сайта. В [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) можно разместить партнёрскую статью о своём сайте на тематически близких площадках: публикации идут с пометкой и атрибутом rel="sponsored", а площадки подбираются по теме и уровню. Satelo сейчас в публичной бете и сеть пока небольшая, зато первая размещённая у себя статья приносит сателлиты, которыми можно оплатить публикацию о своём сайте. ## Частые вопросы ### Можно ли писать статьи для сайта нейросетью? Да. Google и Яндекс не запрещают тексты, созданные с помощью ИИ. Под санкции попадают массовые бесполезные страницы, SEO-тексты ради ключей и неоригинальный контент, независимо от того, кто их написал. ### Какая нейросеть лучше всего пишет статьи на русском? Универсального ответа нет: модели обновляются, и рейтинги быстро устаревают. Дайте одно задание GigaChat, Алисе AI и другим доступным вам сервисам и сравните, где меньше правок. ### Определяет ли Google, что текст написан ИИ? Google оценивает не способ создания, а пользу и соответствие правилам против спама. Если текст полезен и точен, само использование ИИ не нарушение. ### Нужно ли помечать, что статья написана нейросетью? Google рекомендует сообщать читателям, как создан контент, особенно если он сделан в основном автоматически. Это рекомендация, а не обязательное требование для всех страниц. ### Что такое малополезный контент у Яндекса? Это одно из девяти нарушений в Яндекс Вебмастере: контент, который не имеет ценности для пользователей и не решает их задач. Если оно есть у сайта, Яндекс сообщает об этом в Вебмастере. ### Можно ли продвинуть сайт только статьями от ИИ? Массовая публикация без редактуры как раз то, что Google называет злоупотреблением масштабируемым контентом. Работают статьи с опытом и проверенными фактами, плюс упоминания на внешних площадках. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/alice-ai-visibility/ ИИ-поиск # Как попасть в ответы Алисы AI и проверить видимость сайта Чтобы попасть в ответы Алисы AI, странице сначала нужно высоко ранжироваться в обычном поиске Яндекса: по справке, Алиса берёт источники именно оттуда, а среди важных качеств называет экспертность, пользу, оригинальность и содержательность. Проверить, цитирует ли Алиса ваш сайт, можно в отчёте «Видимость сайта в Алисе AI» в Вебмастере. Ниже — как он устроен, где его пределы и что делать с его данными. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Как Алиса AI выбирает источники В [справке Вебмастера об ответах Алисы AI](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/alice.md) механика описана так: Алиса анализирует запрос, при необходимости разбивает его на подвопросы, отправляет их в Поиск и собирает ответ из найденного, разделяя его на логические блоки. Текст страниц она не копирует дословно, кроме прямой речи. Источники — страницы, которые высоко ранжируются в поиске. Из этого следуют два практических вывода: - **Отдельного «нейро-SEO» в обход поиска нет.** Если страница не видна по запросу в обычной выдаче, шансов оказаться в ответе мало. Конкретной границы по позициям справка не называет. - **Качество страницы решает дважды.** Те же аспекты, что важны для ранжирования, справка называет и для ответов: экспертность, полезность, оригинальность, содержательность. В той же справке Яндекс ссылается на исследование Microsoft Clarity 2025 года по информационным и новостным сайтам: посетители, пришедшие из ИИ-ответов, чаще совершали целевые действия, чем посетители из обычного поиска. Это исследование сторонней компании о ИИ-ответах в целом, а не отдельно об Алисе, так что воспринимайте его как общий ориентир. ## Отчёт «Видимость сайта в Алисе AI»: где он и что показывает Инструмент появился в Вебмастере 7 апреля 2026 года — так указано на странице [«Новые возможности Яндекс Вебмастера»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/about). Чтобы им пользоваться, сайт нужно добавить и подтвердить права. Что внутри, по [справке об отчёте](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/alice-answers.md): | Блок | Что показывает | Зачем смотреть | | Уровень цитируемости | Если сайт цитируют часто, вверху появляется отметка о диапазоне (топ-3, топ-10, топ-20) относительно других сайтов | Быстрая оценка, есть ли у вас заметное присутствие | | Динамика Share of Voice | Доля ответов Алисы, где цитируется ваш сайт, среди запросов, по которым он есть в поиске | Следить за трендом после изменений на сайте | | Примеры → Запросы и страницы | Примеры запросов с ответами Алисы и процитированные страницы; можно оставить только запросы с вашим сайтом и выгрузить список | Понять, какие страницы уже работают как источники | | Примеры → Сайты | Сайты, которые часто цитируются по тем же запросам (в случайном порядке) | Найти конкурентов и тематические СМИ | Данные — за последние 3 месяца, обновление раз в неделю. ## Ограничения отчёта: чего он не скажет Справка честно перечисляет пределы инструмента, и их стоит держать в голове: - **Только запросы, где сайт уже довольно высоко в поиске.** Отчёт не покажет запросы, по которым вы могли бы попасть в ответ, но пока ранжируетесь низко. - **Нет кликов и показов.** Это метрика видимости в ответах, а не трафика. Переходы смотрите в Метрике. - **Ответы меняются.** Алиса каждый раз строит ответ заново по текущей выдаче, поэтому источники для одного и того же запроса со временем меняются. - **Отчёт наблюдает, но не управляет.** Повлиять на цитирование через него нельзя. Сообщение **«Пока недостаточно данных»** по справке появляется, когда статистики мало: у сайта немного запросов в поиске, позиции по ним низкие, на страницах мало текста или Алиса редко отвечает по вашим темам. Для молодого сайта это нормальное состояние. Начинать стоит с индексации и позиций, а не с отчёта по Алисе. ## Как использовать «Сайты» и «Запросы» для работы Отчёт полезнее всего не как градусник, а как источник идей. Порядок действий: - **Выгрузите запросы, где Алиса отвечает, а ваш сайт не процитирован.** Откройте ответ и посмотрите, на какие подвопросы он разбит. Если ваша страница не закрывает какой-то из них, это готовый план доработки. - **Сравните свою страницу с процитированными.** Чем они отличаются: прямым ответом в первом абзаце, таблицей, свежими данными, экспертом-автором? Не копируйте, а закройте пробел своим опытом. - **Разберите вкладку «Сайты».** Это площадки, которым Алиса доверяет в вашей теме. Часть — конкуренты, часть — тематические СМИ и блоги. Со вторыми имеет смысл говорить о партнёрстве: экспертная колонка, совместный материал, упоминание в обзоре. - **Повторите через месяц.** Данные обновляются раз в неделю, но за неделю изменения обычно не видны. ## Как устроить страницу, которую удобно цитировать Официального шаблона у Яндекса нет. Ниже — практики, которые следуют из того, как Алиса собирает ответ из подвопросов, и одновременно делают страницу лучше для человека: - **Ответ — в первых двух предложениях** после заголовка, без долгого вступления. - **Подзаголовки — формулировки подвопросов**: «Сколько стоит…», «Чем отличается…», «Что делать, если…». - **Один блок — одна мысль.** Абзац должен быть понятен, даже если его вырезать из статьи. - **Таблицы и списки** для сравнений, шагов и параметров. - **Видимый автор и дата обновления**; цифры — со ссылкой на первоисточник. - **Оригинальное**: собственные примеры, замеры, фото процесса. Пересказ чужих статей плохо работает и на экспертность, и на оригинальность. Подробный разбор приёмов с примерами — в гайде [как попасть в ответы ИИ](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/get-mentioned-by-ai/). ## Как запретить Алисе использовать ваш контент Если вы не хотите, чтобы материалы сайта попадали в ответы Алисы, в [справке о запрете индексирования](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/adding-site/indexing-prohibition.html) описано правило для робота YandexAdditional (YandexAdditionalBot) в robots.txt, например: - `User-agent: YandexAdditionalBot` - `Disallow: /` Можно закрыть и отдельные разделы, указав их путь вместо `/`. По справке изменения вступают в силу за 2–14 дней, по мере обновления поисковых данных. Подумайте, прежде чем закрывать: сайт пропадёт из ответов, а значит, и из отчёта о видимости. Чем robots.txt отличается от файла llms.txt, который иногда советуют «для нейросетей», мы разбирали в статье [об llms.txt](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/llms-txt-guide/). ## Частые заблуждения - **«Нужно писать специально для нейросети».** Справка говорит обратное: Алиса опирается на страницы, которые хорошо ранжируются в обычном поиске. Пишите для человека с конкретным вопросом. - **«Если Share of Voice упал, сайт наказали».** Ответы строятся заново по текущей выдаче, и источники меняются. Сначала проверьте позиции и индексацию, потом делайте выводы. - **«Нет данных — значит, Алиса сайт не видит».** Чаще всего это значит, что у сайта мало запросов с высокими позициями. Посмотрите «Поисковые запросы» в Вебмастере; как это сделать, мы описали в [гайде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **«Можно купить попадание в ответ».** Официального платного способа справка не описывает. Предложения «гарантированно в Алису» — повод насторожиться. ## Алиса, ChatGPT и AI Overviews: в чём разница | | Алиса AI | ChatGPT (поиск) | Google AI Overviews | | Откуда источники | Выдача Яндекса ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/alice.md)) | Поиск ChatGPT; сайты в нём показывает робот OAI-SearchBot ([документация OpenAI](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots)) | Выдача Google | | Отчёт для владельца сайта | «Видимость в Алисе AI» в Вебмастере | Отдельного отчёта нет | Отдельного отчёта нет: данные входят в отчёт «Эффективность» Search Console, тип «Веб» ([Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features)) | | Что читать у нас | Эта статья | [Как попасть в ответы ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) | [Упоминания бренда в AI Overviews](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-overviews-brand-mentions/) | Общее у всех трёх одно: ИИ-ответ опирается на страницы, которые и так хорошо видны в поиске и на которые ссылаются другие источники. ## Чек-лист на месяц - Сайт добавлен в Вебмастер, права подтверждены, ошибок в «Диагностике» нет. - Открыт отчёт «Видимость сайта в Алисе AI»; записана стартовая Share of Voice или отметка «недостаточно данных». - Выбраны 5 запросов, где Алиса отвечает без вашего сайта; страницы доработаны под подвопросы. - Из вкладки «Сайты» выбраны 3 площадки для партнёрства. - robots.txt проверен: YandexAdditional не закрыт случайно. ## Что делать дальше Попадание в ответы Алисы никто не может гарантировать: всё решают позиции в поиске и качество страниц. Но опору можно измерить. [Бесплатная проверка Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за 30 секунд показывает индекс качества сайта и данные за каждой цифрой, в основном из открытых источников, — видно, где сайт проседает. А в [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) сайты похожего уровня публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге, так что о вашем проекте появляются упоминания на сторонних тематических площадках. Ссылки в таких статьях помечены `rel="sponsored"`, а сеть пока в публичной бете и небольшая. ## Частые вопросы ### Как попасть в ответы Алисы AI? По справке Яндекса Алиса берёт источники из страниц, которые высоко ранжируются в поиске, и ценит экспертность, пользу, оригинальность и содержательность. Работайте над позициями и качеством страниц; гарантированного способа нет. ### Где посмотреть видимость сайта в Алисе AI? В Яндекс Вебмастере, в отчёте «Видимость сайта в Алисе AI». Сайт должен быть добавлен, права подтверждены. Данные за 3 месяца, обновление раз в неделю. ### Что такое Share of Voice в отчёте Вебмастера? Доля ответов Алисы AI, в которых цитируется ваш сайт, среди запросов, по которым он присутствует в поиске. ### Почему в отчёте написано «Пока недостаточно данных»? У сайта мало запросов в поиске или низкие позиции по ним, на страницах мало текста или Алиса редко отвечает по вашим темам. Для нового сайта это нормально. ### Как запретить Алисе использовать контент сайта? Добавьте в robots.txt правило Disallow для робота YandexAdditional (YandexAdditionalBot). По справке изменения применяются за 2–14 дней. ### Показывает ли отчёт переходы из Алисы? Нет. Отчёт измеряет видимость в ответах, клики и показы в нём не учитываются. Переходы смотрите в Метрике. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/backlink-profile-check/ Ссылки # Ссылочная масса сайта: что это и как её проверить бесплатно Проверить ссылочную массу сайта бесплатно можно в трёх местах: в Google Search Console (отчёт «Ссылки»), в Яндекс Вебмастере и в бесплатных версиях SEO-сервисов для подтверждённых сайтов, например Ahrefs Free. Ни один источник не покажет все ссылки, поэтому данные стоит сводить вместе. Ниже — что такое ссылочная масса, как её посмотреть, на что обращать внимание и что делать с плохими ссылками в Яндексе и Google. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое ссылочная масса Ссылочная масса (ссылочный профиль) — все внешние ссылки, которые ведут на ваш сайт с других сайтов. Чтобы читать отчёты, нужны четыре понятия: | Термин | Что значит | Почему важно | | Донор | Сайт, на котором стоит ссылка | Десять ссылок с одного сайта и десять с разных — разные ситуации | | Ссылка (бэклинк) | Конкретная ссылка на конкретной странице донора | Сервисы считают ссылки и доноров отдельно | | Анкор | Кликабельный текст ссылки | Одинаковые коммерческие анкоры выглядят как SEO-ссылки | | Атрибут rel | `sponsored`, `ugc`, `nofollow` или без атрибута | Показывает, рекламная ли ссылка, пользовательская или без рекомендации | Про атрибуты подробно — в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). Яндекс в [рекомендациях о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) отдельно пишет, что не все ссылки одинаково полезны: он ценит ссылки, поставленные ради посетителей, а платные ссылки с бирж, рассчитанные на поисковые системы, мешают ему определять степень доверия к сайтам. ## Бесплатные способы проверить ссылки ### 1. Google Search Console → «Ссылки» Самый полный бесплатный источник по вашему сайту. В [отчёте «Ссылки»](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) есть таблицы сайтов, которые ссылаются чаще всего, самых популярных страниц по внешним ссылкам и текстов ссылок. Ограничения по справке: это выборка, а не полный список; таблицы на экране — до 1000 строк; кнопка экспорта выгружает до 100 000 строк (последние найденные ссылки или дополнительную выборку). ### 2. Яндекс Вебмастер В Вебмастере есть раздел со ссылками на сайт. Отчёт о внешних ссылках, описанный в [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/external-links.html), посвящён неработающим входящим ссылкам: для каждой видно страницу-донора, ИКС донора, целевой адрес на вашем сайте, код ответа, текст ссылки и дату обнаружения. Отчёт показывает до 200 000 ссылок и не все: например, при нескольких ссылках с одинаковым текстом на одну страницу видна одна, а новые ссылки появятся только после индексации страницы-донора. Полезная привычка — регулярно проверять неработающие ссылки и ставить редиректы на актуальные страницы, чтобы не терять переходы. ### 3. Ahrefs Free и другие бесплатные тарифы Бывший Ahrefs Webmaster Tools теперь называется [Ahrefs Free](https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools). Для подтверждённых сайтов он бесплатно показывает, кто на вас ссылается: до 1000 бэклинков за раз, с типом ссылки (nofollow, ugc, sponsored). Смотреть чужие, неподтверждённые сайты можно только на платных тарифах. Другие сервисы с бесплатными лимитами мы сравнили в статье [бесплатные аналоги Ahrefs](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/); лимиты меняются, поэтому проверяйте их на сайте сервиса в день использования. ## Почему сервисы показывают разное число ссылок Если в одном сервисе у сайта сотни ссылок, а в другом десятки, это нормально. Причины: - **Свой робот и свой индекс.** Каждый сервис обходит интернет своим краулером, с разной глубиной и частотой. Чего робот не нашёл, того в отчёте нет. - **Выборка.** Search Console прямо называет свой отчёт выборкой; Вебмастер перечисляет случаи, когда ссылки не попадают в отчёт. - **Разный подсчёт.** Одни считают каждую ссылку (сквозная ссылка в подвале даёт тысячи), другие — уникальных доноров. - **Задержка.** Удалённые ссылки висят в базах ещё какое-то время, новые появляются не сразу. - **Зеркала.** Ссылки на версию с `www` и без, с `http` и `https` могут учитываться по-разному. Вывод: сравнивайте динамику внутри одного источника, а не цифры между сервисами. Для анализа смотрите на число доноров, а не ссылок. ## На что смотреть при проверке Пройдитесь по выгрузке с этим чек-листом: - **Тематика доноров.** Сайт о ремонте, на который ссылаются строительные блоги и городские порталы, выглядит естественно. Ссылки с казино, кредитов и сайтов на чужом языке — повод присмотреться. - **Качество доноров.** Есть ли у сайта живая аудитория, свежие публикации, авторы? Как отличить сетку сайтов-сателлитов, разобрано в статье [как распознать PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **«Мусор».** Каталоги без модерации, сайты-парсеры с копиями ваших статей, страницы из одних ссылок. Обычно появляются сами, без вашего участия. - **Резкие всплески.** Сотни новых доноров за неделю без публикаций в СМИ — признак либо спам-атаки, либо чьей-то покупки ссылок. - **Анкоры.** Не доминирует ли одна коммерческая фраза? - **Куда ведут ссылки.** Если всё указывает на главную, а полезные статьи без ссылок, — это подсказка, какой контент стоит продвигать. Сколько ссылок «нужно», однозначного ответа нет: всё зависит от ниши и конкурентов. Как оценить это для своего сайта, мы разобрали в статье [сколько нужно обратных ссылок](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/). ### Пример разбора (условный) Блог о садоводстве, в выгрузке Search Console — 40 доноров. Разбор: 22 тематичных (садовые форумы, блоги дачников, региональный портал), 9 каталогов и агрегаторов без модерации, 6 парсеров с копиями статей, 3 сайта, где автор когда-то оплатил обзоры без пометки. Вывод: тематичные — основа, их стоит поддерживать новыми материалами; каталоги и парсеры не трогать; по трём оплаченным обзорам — попросить владельцев поставить `rel="sponsored"`. Цифры выдуманы для иллюстрации, но такая разметка занимает один вечер и сразу показывает, где реальный риск. ## Что делать с плохими ссылками: Яндекс и Google по-разному | | Google | Яндекс | | Инструмент отклонения | Есть: [Disavow](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487) | В справке о внешних ссылках такой инструмент не описан | | Официальный совет | Сначала попробовать удалить ссылки; отклонять, только если много искусственных ссылок привело или может привести к ручным санкциям | Обратиться к владельцу сайта-донора или его хостинг-провайдеру | | Фоновый спам | Большинству сайтов отклонение не нужно: Google обычно сам решает, каким ссылкам доверять | Спамерские ссылки Яндекс не учитывает (так сказано в [рекомендациях](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) в контексте пользовательских ссылок) | Практический порядок: - **Ссылки, которые вы покупали или заказывали сами,** — попросите удалить или пометить `rel="sponsored"`. Это главный риск, и он под вашим контролем. - **Случайный мусор** — обычно не трогайте. - **Disavow в Google** — только если вы действительно попадаете под описание из справки. Файл — текстовый .txt в UTF-8, одна строка — один адрес или домен с префиксом `domain:`. ## Как растить ссылочную массу честно Лучшие ссылки появляются, когда есть на что ссылаться и кто-то об этом узнал: - **Материалы, которые цитируют:** собственные данные, подробные инструкции, калькуляторы, подборки с реальным тестированием. - **Партнёрства с сайтами своего уровня:** совместные статьи, экспертные колонки, взаимные упоминания там, где они полезны читателям. Партнёрские и платные ссылки — с `rel="sponsored"`. - **Упоминания бренда** в тематических сообществах и СМИ, даже без ссылки. - **Возврат потерянного:** битые входящие ссылки из Вебмастера — редирект на актуальную страницу. Больше идей без бюджета — в статье [бесплатные способы получить ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). Покупка ссылок на биржах для манипуляции выдачей и сетки сайтов — путь, который прямо описан как проблема и в [правилах Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies), и в рекомендациях Яндекса выше. ## Чек-лист проверки за один вечер - Выгрузить ссылки из Search Console (экспорт). - Посмотреть неработающие внешние ссылки в Вебмастере и поставить редиректы. - Если сайт подтверждён в Ahrefs Free — выгрузить бэклинки оттуда. - Свести доноров в одну таблицу, убрать дубли. - Отметить: тематичный / нетематичный / мусор / ваш заказ. - По «вашим заказам» решить: удалить или разметить `sponsored`. - Записать число доноров и дату, чтобы через три месяца сравнить. ## Что делать дальше Ссылки — лишь одна часть картины. [Бесплатная проверка Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за 30 секунд показывает индекс качества сайта, где ссылочный авторитет стоит рядом с возрастом домена, трафиком и скоростью, а за каждой цифрой видно, откуда она взята; данные в основном открытые. Полного списка ссылок проверка не даёт, для этого используйте инструменты выше. Зато она помогает быстро оценить и свой сайт, и любого донора перед партнёрством. Что такое авторитет домена и как его считают разные сервисы, читайте в статье [авторитет домена простыми словами](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/domain-authority-explained/). ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое ссылочная масса сайта? Это все внешние ссылки, которые ведут на сайт с других сайтов. Её оценивают по числу и качеству доноров, тематике, анкорам и атрибутам ссылок. ### Как бесплатно проверить обратные ссылки на сайт? В Google Search Console (отчёт «Ссылки»), в Яндекс Вебмастере и в бесплатных версиях сервисов для подтверждённых сайтов, например Ahrefs Free. Полного списка не даёт ни один источник. ### Как найти обратные ссылки в Яндексе? Добавьте сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер и откройте раздел со ссылками. В справке подробно описан отчёт о неработающих внешних ссылках с донором, текстом ссылки и датой обнаружения. ### Почему разные сервисы показывают разное количество ссылок? У каждого свой робот и своя база, разная глубина обхода и способ подсчёта. Сравнивайте динамику внутри одного сервиса и число доноров, а не ссылок. ### Есть ли у Яндекса аналог Disavow? В справке Яндекса о внешних ссылках такого инструмента нет; она советует обращаться к владельцу сайта-донора или хостинг-провайдеру. Disavow есть у Google. ### Нужно ли отклонять спамные ссылки в Google? Обычно нет. Google пишет, что большинству сайтов инструмент не нужен; он для случаев, когда искусственные ссылки привели или могут привести к ручным санкциям. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/ Техническое SEO # SEO на 1С-Битрикс: как настроить сайт для поиска Настройка SEO на Битриксе сводится к пяти вещам: включить модуль «Поисковая оптимизация», задать шаблоны метатегов в инфоблоках, сгенерировать sitemap.xml и robots.txt штатными средствами, навести порядок с адресами умного фильтра и ускорить отдачу страниц через кеш и композит. Ниже — что именно делает каждый инструмент по документации 1С-Битрикс, где он находится в админке и какие ошибки чаще всего плодят дубли. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 7 мин чтения · Satelo ## С чего начать: какая у вас версия и редакция Эта инструкция — для коробочного продукта «1С-Битрикс: Управление сайтом». Для сайтов на Битрикс24 у разработчика есть отдельный урок «SEO и Сайты 24», там настройки другие. Перед настройкой откройте **Marketplace → Обновление платформы** и посмотрите редакцию и версии модулей. Это важно: генератор robots.txt и вкладка SEO в инфоблоках появились в версии 14.0.0 соответствующих модулей. Если у вас что-то старше, часть пунктов ниже придётся делать вручную. Ещё одна оговорка из [официального урока «SEO и Битрикс»](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&LESSON_ID=1878&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.1878): небольшая часть функций модуля работает через модуль «Веб-аналитика», а он доступен только в редакциях «Бизнес» и выше. ## Модуль «Поисковая оптимизация»: что он умеет По документации, модуль анализирует техническое исполнение сайта, показывает параметры, которые влияют на оптимизацию, и даёт рекомендации. Главное, что пригодится владельцу небольшого сайта: - **Инструменты из публичной части.** Откройте любую страницу сайта под администратором — на панели появятся инструменты модуля. Инструмент **«Страница»** показывает статистику, анализ страницы по параметрам и рекомендации по типовым ошибкам. **«Продвигаемые слова»** проверяет текст на соответствие выбранным словам. **«Управление»** позволяет поменять заголовок и метаданные, не открывая форму редактирования. Подробно — в главе [«Работа с модулем поисковой оптимизации»](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&CHAPTER_ID=02179&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.2179). - **Генератор sitemap.xml** и **генератор robots.txt** (о них ниже). - **Подключение поисковых систем** — отдельный урок курса описывает связку с вебмастерскими сервисами. Не воспринимайте рекомендации модуля как оценку от Яндекса. Это подсказки по чек-листу: они ловят пустой title или отсутствие описания, но не знают, нужна ли страница людям. Что о сайте думает сам Яндекс, смотрите в Вебмастере — по нему у нас есть [отдельное руководство](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Метатеги: SEO-вкладка инфоблоков и шаблоны Вручную прописывать title и description сотням товаров или статей не нужно. Начиная с версии 14.0.0 в форме редактирования инфоблока, его разделов и элементов есть вкладка **SEO**. Как она устроена, описано в уроке [«Вычисляемые свойства SEO»](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=43&LESSON_ID=5212&LESSON_PATH=3913.3516.4797.5212): - **Наследование.** Шаблон, заданный на уровне инфоблока, распространяется на разделы и элементы. Раздел или элемент может переопределить его своим шаблоном. - **Подстановки.** В шаблон вставляются поля сущности, например название элемента через `{=this.Name}`, а также функции. Готовые значения вычисляются при первом чтении и кешируются. Практический порядок: - На уровне инфоблока задайте шаблоны для title, description и заголовка элемента и раздела. Условный пример для каталога: «{название товара} — купить в {город}, цена». - Для важных разделов (те, под которые есть спрос в Вордстате) напишите свои шаблоны или ручные значения. - Проверьте результат на живой странице: откройте исходный код и убедитесь, что title не повторяется у соседних товаров и не обрезается на середине названия. - Если после смены шаблона значения на сайте не обновились — сбросьте кеш: вычисленные значения хранятся в отдельных таблицах. Для статических страниц (созданных не через инфоблок) заголовок окна и метаданные задаются в свойствах страницы или через инструмент «Управление», как сказано в уроке [«Рекомендации по оптимизации сайтов»](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&LESSON_ID=2183&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.2183). Там же упомянута штатная обработка адресов (UrlRewrite), которая превращает `/news/index.php?ID=23` в понятный URL. Включите ЧПУ в параметрах компонентов до наполнения сайта: менять адреса потом — это редиректы и переиндексация. ## sitemap.xml штатным генератором Карта сайта настраивается в разделе **Маркетинг → Поисковая оптимизация → Настройка sitemap.xml**. По [уроку о генерации карты сайта](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&LESSON_ID=5816&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.5816): - На вкладке «Настройки» есть флажок «Добавить правило в robots.txt после генерации» — он сам допишет адрес карты в robots.txt без дублирования. - На вкладке «Файлы» отметьте только те статические страницы и папки, которые должны быть в поиске. Служебные разделы (личный кабинет, корзина, поиск по сайту) не отмечайте. - На вкладке «Инфоблоки» для каждого инфоблока выбирается, попадают ли в карту индексная страница, разделы и элементы. Опция **«Автогенерация»** обновляет карту при добавлении, изменении и удалении элементов, но работает, только если в настройках самого инфоблока разрешена индексация разделов и элементов. Старый инструмент Google Sitemap оставлен для совместимости. Если модуль «Поисковая оптимизация» установлен, пользуйтесь новым генератором, а не обоими сразу — иначе получите две карты с разным составом. ## robots.txt: генератор и что в него писать С версии 14.0.0 модуля robots.txt создаётся генератором на странице **Маркетинг → Поисковая оптимизация → Настройка robots.txt** ([урок «Генератор robots.txt»](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&LESSON_ID=5814&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.5814)). Генератор умеет создать стартовый набор правил, но решения за вас он не примет. Проверьте три вещи: - Закрыты служебные разделы: `/bitrix/` (кроме файлов, нужных для отрисовки, — стили и скрипты роботу должны быть доступны), личный кабинет, корзина, оформление заказа, результаты поиска по сайту. - Для параметров, которые не меняют содержимое (метки, сортировка, служебные флаги), для Яндекса удобна директива `Clean-param`. Она говорит роботу, что адреса, отличающиеся только этими параметрами, — одна страница ([справка Яндекса о Clean-param](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/clean-param.html)). Это директива Яндекса; для Google дубли закрывают каноническими адресами. - Не закрыты разделы, которые должны ранжироваться. Самая частая находка в аудитах — оставшийся с этапа разработки `Disallow: /`. Если подозреваете, что сайт целиком выпал из индекса, пройдитесь по [разбору причин, почему сайт не индексируется](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Умный фильтр: главный источник мусорных страниц Компонент умного фильтра на каждую комбинацию свойств создаёт свой адрес. С включённым ЧПУ это выглядит примерно так (условный пример): `/catalog/shoes/filter/color-is-red/size-is-42/apply/`. Комбинаций — тысячи, а спрос есть у единиц. Без настройки робот тратит обход на почти одинаковые страницы, а в Вебмастере растёт список исключённых. Рабочая схема: - **Найдите комбинации со спросом.** Проверьте в [Вордстате](https://wordstat.yandex.ru/) запросы вида «красные кроссовки 42 размер». Если запросы есть — эта комбинация достойна стать посадочной страницей. - **Посадочным страницам — собственное лицо:** уникальные title, h1, описание и короткий текст. На многих сайтах это делают через SEO-модули из Marketplace или собственную доработку; конкретный способ зависит от проекта и версии. - **Остальные комбинации — убрать из индекса.** Яндекс в [справке о дублях](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/double.html) перечисляет инструменты: 301-редирект, канонический адрес, запрет в robots.txt или мета-тег noindex, Clean-param для параметров. Для страниц фильтра обычно хватает канонического адреса на раздел каталога или noindex. Google описывает те же подходы в [руководстве по каноническим URL](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls). Не закрывайте фильтр в robots.txt и одновременно не ставьте на его страницах noindex: если робот не может открыть страницу, он не увидит и метатег. ## Скорость: кеш и «Композитный сайт» Битрикс собирает страницу из компонентов, каждый может обращаться к базе — отсюда медленный ответ сервера на нагруженных шаблонах. Два штатных средства: - **Кеширование компонентов.** Включено в параметрах компонентов (режим «Авто» или управляемый кеш). Проверьте, что его не отключили во время разработки и забыли вернуть. - **Технология «Композитный сайт».** По [описанию разработчика](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=39&LESSON_ID=4887&LESSON_PATH=3910.4887), система сохраняет статическую часть страницы как готовый HTML и отдаёт её сразу, а зоны с динамичным контентом (корзина, авторизация, баннеры) догружает отдельным ajax-запросом. Вывод для SEO из этой схемы: всё, что должно индексироваться (текст, цена, характеристики, ссылки на разделы), должно лежать в статической части, а не в динамической зоне. Проверьте это инструментом «Проверка ответа сервера» в Вебмастере: в полученном HTML должен быть основной текст страницы. Про то, как измерять скорость и что считать нормой, — в статье о [Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## Частые ошибки на сайтах на Битриксе | Ошибка | Как проверить | Что сделать | | Страница открывается и по `/razdel/`, и по `/razdel/index.php` | Открыть оба адреса в браузере | 301-редирект на вариант со слешем | | Параметры в адресах: сортировка, вид списка, пагинация (`PAGEN_1`), метки | Вебмастер → «Страницы в поиске» → исключённые, статус «Дубль» | Clean-param для параметров без смысла, canonical для сортировок | | Товар в нескольких разделах — несколько адресов | Поиск по названию товара в выгрузке страниц | Один основной раздел, canonical с остальных | | Одинаковые title у разделов и товаров | Выгрузка «Страниц в поиске» из Вебмастера или любой краулер | Шаблоны SEO с подстановками на уровне инфоблока | | Тестовый поддомен или копия сайта открыта для робота | Поиск `site:` по поддомену | Закрыть авторизацией или noindex | | Пустые разделы и карточки без описания | Статус «Малоценная или маловостребованная страница» | Дописать, объединить или убрать из индекса | Если похожие тексты живут ещё и на других сайтах (описания от поставщика, перепечатки статей), почитайте наш разбор [синдикации контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/content-syndication-guide/) — там про то, как не потерять оригинал. ## Чек-лист настройки SEO на Битриксе - Проверить версию модулей и редакцию. - Включить ЧПУ в компонентах, настроить 301 с `index.php`. - Задать SEO-шаблоны на уровне каждого инфоблока, переопределить для ключевых разделов. - Сгенерировать sitemap.xml с автогенерацией по инфоблокам. - Собрать robots.txt генератором, добавить Clean-param, убедиться, что стили и скрипты открыты. - Разобрать умный фильтр: посадочные под спрос, остальное — canonical или noindex. - Проверить кеш и композит, убедиться, что основной контент в статической части. - Добавить сайт в Вебмастер и через две-три недели посмотреть исключённые страницы. ## Что дальше Техническая настройка убирает препятствия, но не приводит посетителей сама по себе. Чтобы понять, с какого уровня вы стартуете, введите домен на странице [проверки сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку 0–100 и разбор, из чего она сложена (место в Tranco, возраст домена, число страниц в Common Crawl, скорость), с цифрами за каждым пунктом. Оценка построена в основном на открытых данных, поэтому её можно повторять после каждого этапа работ. Плагина Satelo для Битрикса нет, но сайт на любом движке подключается через API-ленту: на странице [подключения](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/) выберите способ «Любой сайт (API)». Тогда партнёрские статьи о вашем сайте смогут выходить на тематических площадках сети. Сеть пока в публичной бете и небольшая, а ссылки в обмене размечены `rel="sponsored"`. Источники проверены 16 октября 2026 года. ## Частые вопросы ### Где в Битриксе настраивается SEO? Основные настройки — в разделе «Маркетинг → Поисковая оптимизация» (sitemap.xml, robots.txt) и на вкладке SEO в формах инфоблока, раздела и элемента. Для отдельных страниц удобны инструменты модуля в публичной части: «Страница», «Продвигаемые слова», «Управление». ### Как задать title и description для всех товаров сразу? На вкладке SEO инфоблока задайте шаблоны с подстановками, например название элемента через {=this.Name}. Шаблон наследуется разделами и элементами, а нужные разделы можно переопределить своими значениями. ### Нужен ли отдельный модуль для SEO умного фильтра? Штатный фильтр создаёт адреса для комбинаций свойств, но уникальные метатеги для посадочных страниц фильтра обычно делают через решения из Marketplace или доработку. Комбинации без спроса лучше закрыть каноническим адресом или noindex. ### Как сделать sitemap.xml в Битриксе? В разделе «Маркетинг → Поисковая оптимизация → Настройка sitemap.xml» добавьте настройку для сайта, отметьте нужные файлы и инфоблоки и включите автогенерацию. Флажок «Добавить правило в robots.txt» сам пропишет адрес карты. ### Влияет ли композитный режим на SEO? Композит ускоряет отдачу страницы: статическая часть уходит готовым HTML, динамичные зоны догружаются ajax-запросом. Главное — чтобы текст и ссылки, которые должны индексироваться, не оказались внутри динамичных зон. ### Можно ли подключить сайт на Битриксе к Satelo? Да, через API-ленту: в кабинете выберите способ «Любой сайт (API)». Плагин есть только для WordPress. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/ Трафик сайта # Показатель отказов: что это, какой считать нормальным и как его снизить Показатель отказов в Яндекс Метрике — доля визитов, в которых был максимум один просмотр страницы и которые длились меньше заданного времени, по умолчанию 15 секунд. Единой «нормы» нет ни в справке Яндекса, ни в справке Google: нормальный уровень зависит от типа страницы и источника трафика. Ниже разбираем, как отказ считают Метрика и GA4, как читать его по сегментам и что действительно помогает его снизить. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Как Яндекс Метрика считает отказ В [глоссарии Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/glossary.html) визит считается отказом, если одновременно выполнены три условия: - за визит зафиксировано не больше одного просмотра страницы; - визит длился меньше времени, заданного для расчёта отказов (по умолчанию 15 секунд); - не зафиксировано служебное событие «неотказ». Показатель отказов в отчётах — это доля таких визитов от всех визитов за период. Важная деталь из третьего пункта: событие «неотказ» браузер отправляет, когда с начала визита прошло заданное время. Поэтому человек, который открыл одну статью и читал её три минуты, отказом не считается, даже если ушёл, не кликнув никуда. ### Точный показатель отказов и как поменять порог Логику с порогом по времени Яндекс ввёл ещё в 2011 году под названием «Точный показатель отказов» ([анонс в клубе Метрики](https://yandex.ru/blog/metrika-club/3761), пост в архиве). Сейчас за неё отвечает параметр `accurateTrackBounce` при [инициализации счётчика](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/code/counter-initialize.html). По справке, по умолчанию он равен `true`, что означает порог 15 000 мс. Вместо `true` можно указать своё число в миллисекундах, например `accurateTrackBounce: 30000` для 30 секунд. Ещё один инструмент — метод [notBounce](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/objects/notbounce.html): вызов `ym(XXXXXXXX, 'notBounce')` сообщает Метрике, что визит не отказ. Его можно повесить на значимое действие на одностраничнике: раскрытие блока с ценами, запуск видео, клик по телефону. Менять порог стоит осознанно и один раз. После изменения цифры за разные периоды перестают быть сравнимыми, а слишком высокий порог для длинных статей и слишком низкий для коротких страниц одинаково искажают картину. ## Как отказы считает GA4 В Google Analytics 4 логика другая. Там основной показатель — сеанс с взаимодействием. По [справке Google Analytics](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12195621?hl=ru), сеанс считается вовлечённым, если он длится больше 10 секунд, содержит ключевое событие или в нём минимум два просмотра страниц или экранов. Показатель отказов в GA4 — доля сеансов, которые не выполнили ни одного из этих условий. | | Яндекс Метрика | GA4 | | Единица | Визит | Сеанс | | Порог по времени | 15 секунд по умолчанию, меняется через `accurateTrackBounce` | 10 секунд в определении вовлечённого сеанса | | Просмотры | Отказ, если не больше одного просмотра | Вовлечённый, если два просмотра и больше | | Действия | Событие «неотказ», метод `notBounce` | Ключевое событие делает сеанс вовлечённым | Вывод: цифры отказов из Метрики и GA4 для одного сайта не обязаны совпадать, и сравнивать их напрямую бессмысленно. Сравнивайте показатель с самим собой во времени и в одной системе. ## Какой показатель отказов считается нормальным Ни в справке Метрики, ни в справке Google Analytics нормы нет. Цифры «нормальный отказ — до N %», которые гуляют по статьям, обычно не имеют источника или взяты по чужим сайтам с другой аудиторией. Для вашего сайта полезнее три вопроса: - **Что это за страница?** У страницы контактов высокий отказ нормален: человек пришёл за телефоном, увидел его и позвонил. У статьи-справки тоже: прочитал ответ и закрыл вкладку, а событие «неотказ» его уже засчитало, если он читал дольше порога. У каталога или главной высокий отказ — повод разбираться. - **Откуда пришёл посетитель?** Трафик из поиска по точному запросу, из рекламы, из соцсетей и из партнёрских статей ведёт себя по-разному. Средний отказ по сайту смешивает их и мало о чём говорит. - **Как показатель менялся?** Резкий рост на конкретной странице или с конкретного источника — сигнал. Стабильный уровень, даже высокий, — скорее особенность страницы. ## Как разобрать отказы по сегментам Порядок, который занимает 15–20 минут: - **Источники трафика.** Откройте отчёт по источникам и посмотрите отказы отдельно по поиску, рекламе, соцсетям и переходам с сайтов. Аномально высокий отказ с одного источника часто означает нецелевой трафик, а не плохую страницу. - **Страницы входа.** Отсортируйте страницы входа по числу визитов и посмотрите отказ у первых 10–20. Начинайте с тех, где много визитов и высокий отказ. - **Устройства.** Если на мобильных отказ заметно выше, чем на десктопе, вероятна проблема с вёрсткой или скоростью на телефоне. - **Поисковые фразы.** Для страниц из поиска сравните, по каким запросам на них приходят. Если запрос не совпадает с содержанием, отказ — честная реакция посетителя. - **Вебвизор.** Посмотрите несколько записей визитов-отказов на проблемной странице: где человек остановился, что успел увидеть. ## Что реально снижает отказы ### Совпадение страницы с запросом Самая частая причина отказа — человек ожидал другое. Проверьте, что title и сниппет обещают то, что есть на странице, а ответ на запрос виден на первом экране, без прокрутки через баннеры и длинное вступление. ### Скорость и мобильная версия Если страница долго грузится или прыгает при загрузке, часть людей уходит раньше, чем увидит контент. Как проверить и что исправить в первую очередь, мы разбирали в статье [Core Web Vitals для небольшого сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ### Понятный следующий шаг В конце статьи дайте одну-две ссылки на действительно связанные материалы, а на странице услуги — заметную кнопку или телефон. Это не «удержание любой ценой», а помощь тем, кому нужно дальше. ### Чистый трафик Иногда отказы растут из-за ботов или нецелевых переходов: случайный пост в соцсети, реклама по слишком широким запросам. В таком случае исправлять нужно источник, а не страницу. ### Чего не делать - Не делите статью на несколько страниц ради второго просмотра: читателю неудобнее, а цифра становится бессмысленной. - Не вешайте `notBounce` на любое движение мыши: вы просто выключите показатель. - Не ставьте всплывающие окна в первые секунды: они чаще раздражают, чем удерживают. ## Условный пример разбора Для иллюстрации. Небольшой сайт мастерской по ремонту техники видит, что средний отказ за месяц вырос. В сегментах выясняется: поиск и прямые заходы без изменений, а рост дал один источник — пост в городском паблике со ссылкой на главную. Посетители из паблика приходили «посмотреть» и уходили через несколько секунд. Страницу менять не нужно. Нужно вести ссылку из паблика на конкретную услугу и смотреть отказ по этому источнику отдельно. Вторая страница из того же примера — прайс. Там высокий отказ с мобильных при нормальном на десктопе. В Вебвизоре видно, что таблица цен на телефоне уезжает за край экрана. Здесь правка страницы как раз нужна. ## Отказы на лендинге и в блоге: две разные истории На одностраничном сайте второй просмотр почти невозможен, поэтому отказ там держится только на пороге времени. Если лендинг длинный, а люди уходят быстрее 15 секунд, проблема в первом экране: непонятно, что предлагают и кому. Если уходят позже порога, но без заявки, смотрите не отказы, а цели и Вебвизор. В блоге картина обратная. Большинство читателей приходят из поиска за одним ответом, и это нормально. Тут полезнее смотреть время на странице и долю тех, кто перешёл по ссылке на связанный материал. Резкий рост отказов у старой статьи из поиска часто означает, что сменился интент запроса или статья устарела. Сверьте запросы, по которым она показывается, в [Яндекс Вебмастере](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Как отказы связаны с SEO Ни Яндекс, ни Google не публикуют, что показатель отказов из Метрики или GA4 напрямую влияет на позиции. Отказ полезен как диагностика: он показывает, где страница не отвечает ожиданиям посетителя. Исправляя эти места, вы улучшаете сайт для людей, и это то, о чём просят оба поисковика в своих рекомендациях. Общую посещаемость своего и чужого сайта можно оценить и без доступа к Метрике: способы мы собрали в статьях [как проверить посещаемость бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/) и [открытая статистика сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/). ## Что сделать сегодня - Проверьте в коде счётчика значение `accurateTrackBounce` и решите, подходит ли вам порог. - Разберите отказы по источникам и страницам входа по шагам выше. - Выберите одну страницу с большим числом визитов и высоким отказом и посмотрите 5–10 записей Вебвизора. Отказ показывает поведение посетителей, но не говорит, как сайт выглядит снаружи. Чтобы увидеть это, [проверьте индекс качества сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построена каждая цифра. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому его можно посмотреть и для сайтов конкурентов. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое отказ в Яндекс Метрике? Это визит, в котором был не больше одного просмотра страницы, длительность меньше заданного порога (по умолчанию 15 секунд) и не было служебного события «неотказ». Показатель отказов — доля таких визитов. ### Какой показатель отказов считается нормальным? Официальной нормы нет ни у Яндекса, ни у Google. Нормальный уровень зависит от типа страницы и источника трафика, поэтому сравнивайте показатель со своими же данными во времени и по сегментам. ### Как изменить время отказа в Метрике? Через параметр accurateTrackBounce в коде счётчика: вместо true можно указать число миллисекунд, например 30000. После изменения данные до и после перестают быть сравнимыми. ### Почему отказы в Метрике и GA4 не совпадают? Системы считают по-разному: в Метрике порог 15 секунд по умолчанию и событие «неотказ», в GA4 отказ — сеанс без взаимодействия, где порог 10 секунд, учитываются ключевые события и второй просмотр. ### Влияет ли показатель отказов на позиции в поиске? Яндекс и Google не публикуют, что показатель из Метрики или GA4 влияет на ранжирование напрямую. Используйте его как диагностику страниц, которые не отвечают ожиданиям посетителей. ### Почему у страницы контактов высокий отказ? Это нормально: человек пришёл за адресом или телефоном, нашёл его на одной странице и ушёл. Высокий отказ здесь не говорит о проблеме. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/broken-links-check/ Техническое SEO # Битые ссылки на сайте: как найти и исправить бесплатно Проверить битые ссылки на сайте бесплатно можно тремя способами: посмотреть отчёты Яндекс Вебмастера и Google Search Console, просканировать сайт краулером (бесплатная версия Screaming Frog обходит до 500 URL) или поставить плагин, если сайт на WordPress. Ниже разбираем каждый способ, показываем, как решить, что делать с найденной ссылкой, и даём порядок проверки на 30 минут. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое битая ссылка и почему её стоит чинить Битая ссылка ведёт на страницу, которая не открывается: сервер отвечает ошибкой 4xx (чаще всего 404 «не найдено») или 5xx, либо ссылка уводит в бесконечную цепочку редиректов. Для посетителя это тупик. Для поисковика — лишний обход страниц, которых нет. Важно не путать два случая. Сам по себе ответ 404 для удалённой страницы — нормальная ситуация. В [справке Search Console](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203?hl=ru) сказано, что если страница удалена без замены, статус «Не найдено (404)» исправлять не нужно, а если перенесена — нужен редирект 301. Проблема не в 404, а в ссылках на ваших же страницах, которые продолжают вести в никуда. Битые ссылки бывают трёх видов: - **Внутренние**: со страницы вашего сайта на другую страницу вашего сайта, которой больше нет. - **Исходящие**: с вашего сайта на чужие страницы, которые удалили или перенесли. - **Входящие**: с чужих сайтов на ваши удалённые страницы. Их вы не исправите в чужом коде, но можете поставить редирект у себя. ## Способ 1. Яндекс Вебмастер В Вебмастере битые ссылки видны в двух местах. - **Отчёт о внутренних неработающих ссылках.** По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-indexing/links-to-website.html), там показан адрес страницы со ссылкой, адрес цели, HTTP-статус 4xx или 5xx, текст ссылки и дата обновления. Для одного сайта отображается до 10 000 таких ссылок. Ссылка уходит из отчёта через некоторое время после того, как целевая страница перестанет отдавать ошибку. - **Инструмент «Проверка неработающих ссылок».** По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/info-broken-links), он охватывает и ссылки с других сайтов на ваши страницы. Данные строятся только по страницам, известным роботу Яндекса, поэтому часть ссылок может не попасть в список: например, недавно появившиеся, оформленные текстом без перехода или ведущие через промежуточный редирект. Дополнительно проверьте исключённые страницы. В разделе [«Страницы в поиске» → «Исключённые страницы»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/excluded-pages.html) ошибки 3xx, 4xx и 5xx попадают в причину «Ошибка при загрузке или обработке страницы роботом», а редиректы — в «Страница перенаправляет робота на другие страницы». Код ответа конкретного адреса проверяет инструмент «Проверка ответа сервера». Где всё это искать в интерфейсе, подробно в нашем [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Способ 2. Google Search Console В отчёте об индексировании страниц ([справка](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7440203?hl=ru)) смотрите таблицу «Почему эти страницы не индексируются». Нужные строки: - **«Не найдено (404)»**: Google нашёл URL, например по ссылке с другой страницы, а сервер ответил 404. В списке только URL, по которым ошибка фиксировалась за последний месяц. - **«Ложная ошибка 404»**: человек видит «страница не найдена», а сервер отвечает кодом успеха. Такие страницы стоит перевести на настоящий 404. - **«Ошибка переадресации»**: слишком длинная или бесконечная цепочка редиректов, пустой или недопустимый URL в цепочке. По клику на строку открывается список примеров, до 1000 URL. Он может быть неполным, поэтому Search Console хорошо показывает, что искать, но не заменяет полного обхода. ## Способ 3. Краулеры: полный обход сайта Отчёты поисковиков строятся по тому, что знают их роботы. Краулер сам обходит сайт по ссылкам прямо сейчас и показывает каждую битую ссылку вместе со страницей, где она стоит. - **[Screaming Frog SEO Spider](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/)**. Бесплатная версия обходит до 500 URL за раз и, по описанию на сайте, находит битые ссылки, ошибки и редиректы. Для небольшого сайта этого часто хватает. Скачивайте программу только с официального сайта: в поисковых подсказках по ней много «ключей» и «кряков», а это прямой путь к вредоносному ПО. - **[Netpeak Spider](https://netpeaksoftware.com/spider)**. Платный краулер, на сайте есть пробный период на 3 дня. В описании указано, что он находит битые ссылки и дубли страниц. - **[W3C Link Checker](https://validator.w3.org/checklink)**. Бесплатная онлайн-проверка от W3C: проверяет ссылки на странице, а при включённой опции рекурсивно обходит сайт на заданную глубину. Медленнее краулеров, зато ничего не нужно устанавливать. Как пользоваться краулером, на примере Screaming Frog: - Введите адрес главной и запустите обход. - Отфильтруйте ответы по кодам 4xx и 5xx (вкладка с кодами ответа). - Для каждого битого URL посмотрите, с каких страниц на него ссылаются (входящие ссылки на этот URL). - Выгрузите таблицу «страница-источник → битый адрес» и идите по ней сверху вниз. ## Способ 4. Плагин для WordPress [Broken Link Checker](https://wordpress.org/plugins/broken-link-checker/) от WPMU DEV бесплатен, на странице плагина указано больше 500 000 активных установок. У него два режима: локальный движок на вашем сервере и облачный на серверах WPMU DEV (для облака нужен бесплатный аккаунт). На слабом хостинге локальная проверка может нагружать сервер, поэтому запускайте её в спокойное время или выбирайте облачный режим. Плагин удобен тем, что показывает ссылку прямо в записи, где её можно исправить. ## Сравнение способов | Способ | Что находит | Плюсы | Ограничения | | Яндекс Вебмастер | Внутренние и входящие битые ссылки | Бесплатно, взгляд робота Яндекса | До 10 000 внутренних ссылок, данные с задержкой, только известные роботу страницы | | Search Console | URL с 404, ложные 404, ошибки редиректов | Бесплатно, взгляд Google | До 1000 примеров, 404 только за последний месяц | | Screaming Frog (free) | Все битые ссылки на обойдённых страницах | Актуально на момент проверки, видно страницу-источник | До 500 URL за обход | | W3C Link Checker | Битые ссылки и якоря | Онлайн, без установки | Медленно на больших сайтах | | Broken Link Checker (WP) | Ссылки в записях и страницах | Правка прямо в WordPress | Только WordPress, локальный режим нагружает сервер | ## Что делать с найденной битой ссылкой Для каждой ссылки ответьте на один вопрос: есть ли страница, которая заменяет удалённую? - **Страница переехала или есть близкая замена** → поставьте редирект 301 со старого адреса на новый и поправьте саму ссылку на прямой адрес. По [документации Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/http-network-errors?hl=ru), 301 — сильный сигнал, что показывать нужно целевую страницу. Не стоит строить цепочки: Googlebot по умолчанию проходит до 10 переходов, а каждый лишний замедляет и посетителя. - **Замены нет** → уберите или замените ссылку на своих страницах, а старый адрес пусть отдаёт 404. По той же документации, URL с кодом 4xx не индексируются, а ранее проиндексированные со временем выпадают из индекса. Не перенаправляйте всё подряд на главную: посетитель ждал другое. - **Исходящая ссылка на чужой сайт** → найдите новый адрес материала, замените на другой источник или удалите ссылку. - **Входящая ссылка с чужого сайта на ваш удалённый адрес** → редирект 301 на самую близкую по смыслу страницу. Если ссылка ценная, можно вежливо попросить владельца сайта обновить адрес. - **«Ложный 404»** → настройте сервер или CMS так, чтобы несуществующие страницы отдавали код 404. Если битые ссылки появились массово после переезда или смены структуры URL, проверьте ещё и индексацию: что делать, если страницы выпали из поиска, мы разбирали в статье [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Условный пример Для иллюстрации. Блог на WordPress сменил структуру ссылок с `/2023/05/post-name/` на `/post-name/`. Плагин не нашёл проблем, потому что внутренние ссылки WordPress обновил сам. Но краулер нашёл десяток старых адресов, вшитых вручную в тексты, а Вебмастер показал входящие ссылки с двух форумов на старые адреса. Решение: одно правило редиректа 301 со старой схемы на новую на уровне сервера, плюс ручная правка ссылок в текстах по выгрузке краулера. ## Порядок проверки на 30 минут - Откройте в Вебмастере отчёт о внутренних неработающих ссылках и выгрузите список. - В Search Console проверьте строки «Не найдено (404)», «Ложная ошибка 404» и «Ошибка переадресации». - Запустите краулер по сайту (до 500 URL бесплатно в Screaming Frog) и отфильтруйте 4xx и 5xx. - Объедините списки в таблицу: страница-источник, битый адрес, решение (301, замена, удаление). - Сначала исправьте ссылки в меню, шаблонах и на самых посещаемых страницах. - Через пару недель проверьте отчёты снова: исправленные ссылки должны уйти из списков после переобхода. Повторяйте проверку раз в месяц и после любых крупных изменений: переезда, смены темы, удаления разделов. Скорость страниц стоит проверять в том же цикле, об этом статья [Core Web Vitals для небольшого сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## Что сделать дальше Битые ссылки — одна из технических деталей. Чтобы увидеть, как сайт выглядит снаружи в целом, [проверьте индекс качества сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построена каждая цифра. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому его удобно сравнить с сайтами конкурентов. ## Частые вопросы ### Как проверить битые ссылки на сайте онлайн бесплатно? Без установки — через W3C Link Checker, а также в отчётах Яндекс Вебмастера и Google Search Console. Для полного обхода небольшого сайта подходит бесплатная версия Screaming Frog (до 500 URL). ### Вредят ли ошибки 404 сайту? Сам ответ 404 для удалённой страницы — нормальная ситуация, Google пишет, что исправлять его не нужно, если замены нет. Чинить стоит ссылки на ваших страницах, которые ведут на несуществующие адреса. ### Что лучше для битой ссылки: редирект или удаление? Если есть страница-замена, ставьте редирект 301 и правьте ссылку на прямой адрес. Если замены нет, уберите ссылку, а старый адрес пусть отдаёт 404. ### Где в Яндекс Вебмастере найти битые ссылки? В отчёте о внутренних неработающих ссылках (до 10 000 ссылок на сайт) и в инструменте «Проверка неработающих ссылок», который учитывает и ссылки с других сайтов. ### Как проверить внутренние ссылки на сайте на WordPress? Поставьте бесплатный плагин Broken Link Checker или просканируйте сайт краулером. Плагин удобен тем, что показывает ссылку прямо в записи. ### Что такое ложная ошибка 404? Это страница, которая показывает «не найдено», но отвечает кодом успеха. Search Console отмечает такие URL, и их стоит перевести на настоящий код 404. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/commercial-factors/ Продвижение # Коммерческие факторы ранжирования: что проверить на сайте Коммерческие факторы ранжирования — это признаки, по которым поисковик и покупатель понимают, что сайту можно доверить деньги: понятный продавец, контакты, цены, доставка, гарантии и удобный заказ. Официального списка с таким названием у Яндекса нет, но в справке Вебмастера, требованиях Яндекс Товаров и законе о защите прав потребителей есть всё, чтобы собрать рабочий чек-лист. Ниже — что известно из первоисточников, чек-лист на 25 пунктов и порядок работ на неделю. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое коммерческие факторы и откуда взялся термин «Коммерческие факторы» — термин SEO-сообщества, а не поисковиков. В справке Яндекс Вебмастера нет раздела с таким названием и нет списка «факторов» с весами. Есть страница [«Отличия качественного сайта от некачественного»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice), где описано, что Яндекс считает полезным сайтом, и перечислены нарушения, за которые алгоритмы могут ограничить ранжирование. Поэтому честная постановка вопроса звучит так: какие свойства коммерческого сайта поисковик может оценить и какие из них прямо упомянуты в официальных документах. Списки «200 коммерческих факторов» из агентских блогов обычно собраны по опыту и догадкам. Это не значит, что они бесполезны, но проверять сайт удобнее по тому, что подтверждено. ## Что Яндекс сам пишет о качественном сайте В [рекомендациях Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) признаки качественного сайта сформулированы коротко: оригинальный контент и хороший сервис, ориентация на людей, а не на поисковые системы, полезные ссылки, продуманный дизайн, который помогает быстро найти нужное, и честность — пользователь должен получить то, что ожидал. Для коммерческого сайта важнее всего список нарушений на той же странице. Среди них: - **недобросовестные действия** — неточная или искажённая информация, из-за которой можно потерять деньги или неверно понять условия сделки; - **недобросовестное отношение к клиентам**, подтверждённое данными сервисов Яндекса и обращениями пользователей; - **агрессивная реклама** — попапы, попандеры и кликандеры как главная цель сайта; - сайты с партнёрскими товарами без дополнительной ценности и агрегаторы без собственных описаний. Отсюда главный вывод: коммерческие факторы — это не «добавить иконки соцсетей и онлайн-чат», а прозрачность условий сделки. Цена, доставка, возврат и продавец должны быть понятны до оплаты и не меняться после заказа. ## Что Яндекс требует от магазинов в Товарах Самый конкретный официальный документ — [требования к интернет-магазинам](https://yandex.ru/support/kit/ru/requirements) для товарного поиска Яндекса. Это правила попадания в Товары, а не формула ранжирования, но они показывают, что Яндекс проверяет у продавца. Коротко: - на сайте указаны полное название организации, юридический адрес и ОГРН (для ИП — ФИО и ОГРНИП), удобнее всего на страницах «О компании» или «Контакты»; - цены видны у большинства товаров и без регистрации; - есть корзина, в которую можно положить товар без входа в аккаунт; форма обратной связи корзину не заменяет; - покупка проходит на самом сайте, без перенаправлений на другие ресурсы; - служба качества может сделать тестовый заказ по телефону или через сайт, и проверка не проходит, если до магазина не дозвониться или заказ не подтверждают. Среди частых причин отказа там же названы неполные сведения о компании, изменение цены или условий после заказа и «приманки», которые уводят на другие товары. Даже если вы не собираетесь в Товары, это хороший ориентир для любого магазина и сайта услуг. ## Что требует закон Часть «коммерческих факторов» — просто обязанность продавца. В [статье 26.1 Закона о защите прав потребителей](https://base.garant.ru/10106035/45947fe4a852853cbb5eef02ea31f56b/) сказано, что при дистанционной продаже до заключения договора покупатель должен получить информацию об основных свойствах товара, адресе и полном наименовании продавца, цене и условиях приобретения, доставке, сроках службы, годности и гарантии, порядке оплаты и сроке действия предложения. Если на сайте этого нет, проблема не только в SEO. Поэтому страницы «Доставка и оплата», «Возврат» и реквизиты в подвале стоит делать в первую очередь, а не «когда дойдут руки». Для сложных случаев (лицензируемые услуги, маркетплейсы) сверяйтесь с юристом. ## Как на это смотрит Google У Google нет термина «коммерческие факторы», но есть близкая идея доверия. В руководстве о [создании полезного контента](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content?hl=ru) Google пишет, что из составляющих E-E-A-T важнее всего доверие, а к темам, которые влияют на деньги, здоровье и безопасность (YMYL), требования строже. Там же Google прямо оговаривает, что E-E-A-T сам по себе не фактор ранжирования, а ориентир для оценки контента. На практике для Google работают те же вещи: понятно, кто продаёт, как связаться, что будет с заказом. Разница в акцентах: Яндекс исторически больше говорит о сервисе и условиях сделки, Google — о контенте и авторстве. ## Чек-лист: 25 коммерческих факторов Шаблон для самопроверки. Пункты с пометкой «источник» прямо следуют из документов выше, остальные — практика удобства, которую поисковики официально не описывают, но покупатели замечают сразу. | № | Что проверить | Основание | | Продавец и контакты | | 1 | Полное название, юрадрес, ОГРН/ОГРНИП на странице «Контакты» или «О компании» | Источник: требования Товаров | | 2 | Телефон, по которому реально отвечают в указанные часы | Источник: требования Товаров | | 3 | Часы работы указаны рядом с телефоном | Источник: требования Товаров | | 4 | Email на своём домене, а не только мессенджер | Практика | | 5 | Физический адрес и карта, если есть офис, склад или пункт выдачи | Источник: закон (адрес продавца) | | 6 | Реквизиты и контакты в подвале каждой страницы | Практика | | Цены и условия | | 7 | Цена видна у большинства товаров без регистрации | Источник: требования Товаров | | 8 | Нет «цены по запросу» там, где её можно назвать | Практика | | 9 | Страница «Доставка»: способы, регионы, сроки, стоимость | Источник: закон | | 10 | Страница «Оплата»: способы и порядок оплаты | Источник: закон | | 11 | Страница «Возврат и обмен» | Источник: закон | | 12 | Гарантийный срок и срок годности в карточке, где это применимо | Источник: закон | | 13 | Цена и условия не меняются после оформления заказа | Источник: требования Товаров, Вебмастер | | Заказ и сервис | | 14 | Корзина работает без входа в аккаунт | Источник: требования Товаров | | 15 | Покупка проходит на сайте, без редиректов на чужие ресурсы | Источник: требования Товаров | | 16 | Заказ через сайт подтверждают в течение 24 часов в рабочее время | Источник: требования Товаров (проверка заказом) | | 17 | Нет битых страниц и ошибок сервера в каталоге | Источник: требования Товаров | | 18 | Наличие товара показано честно | Практика | | Доверие | | 19 | Страница «О компании» с людьми, историей и фото без стоков | Практика, близко к E-E-A-T | | 20 | Собственные описания товаров, а не копия с сайта производителя | Источник: Вебмастер | | 21 | Ответы на отзывы на Картах и площадках отзывов | Практика | | 22 | Политика конфиденциальности и оферта | Практика | | Удобство | | 23 | Поиск по каталогу и понятные фильтры | Источник: Вебмастер (дизайн, который помогает найти нужное) | | 24 | Нет навязчивых попапов, перекрывающих контент | Источник: Вебмастер | | 25 | Сайт быстро открывается и удобен с телефона | Практика | Скорость и мобильная версия формально в разделе «практика», но Google публикует для них отдельные метрики. Подробнее — в статье о [Core Web Vitals для небольшого сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## Сайт услуг и локальный бизнес: что меняется Для сайта услуг корзина не нужна, но логика та же. Вместо цен в карточках — прайс или «от … ₽» с объяснением, из чего складывается стоимость. Вместо доставки — сроки и порядок работ. Вместо возврата — гарантии и условия договора. Отдельно важны примеры работ: настоящие, со ссылками или фото, без выдуманных кейсов. Для локального бизнеса к этому добавляется карточка организации на Картах с тем же названием, адресом и телефоном, что и на сайте. Как связать сайт и карточку, разобрано в статье о [продвижении сайта локального бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Типичные ошибки - **Фальшивые сигналы доверия.** Выдуманные отзывы, «сертификаты» без номеров, счётчики «купили 1000 раз». Они противоречат признаку честности из справки и рискованнее, чем их отсутствие. - **Условия только в оферте.** Если про доставку можно узнать лишь из PDF на 20 страниц, для покупателя этой информации нет. - **Телефон, который не отвечает.** Требования Товаров прямо описывают проверку звонком. - **Копия описаний производителя** на всех карточках вместо своих текстов. - **Ставка только на «коммерцию».** Реквизиты не помогут, если страница не отвечает на запрос. Коммерческие факторы дополняют релевантность, а не заменяют её. ## Порядок работ на неделю - **День 1.** Пройдите чек-лист выше и отметьте пункты, которых нет. - **День 2.** Реквизиты, телефон, часы работы — в «Контакты» и в подвал. - **День 3–4.** Страницы «Доставка», «Оплата», «Возврат» простым языком, со ссылками из карточек товаров. - **День 5.** Проверьте, видны ли цены без регистрации и работает ли корзина в режиме инкогнито. - **День 6.** Сделайте тестовый заказ и звонок сами, как это сделала бы служба качества. - **День 7.** Посмотрите в [Яндекс Вебмастере](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/) раздел диагностики и исправьте найденные проблемы. Позиции после этого не вырастут по расписанию: ни Яндекс, ни Google таких обещаний не дают. Но сайт перестанет терять покупателей, которые доходят до карточки и уходят, не поняв, кому платят. ## Что делать дальше Коммерческие факторы — половина картины. Вторая половина — насколько сайт заметен и авторитетен по внешним данным: трафик, упоминания, [ИКС](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/), возраст домена. Проверьте свой сайт в [бесплатном индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, из которых она сложилась. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому каждую цифру можно перепроверить. Если внешних упоминаний мало, разберитесь, [чем упоминания бренда отличаются от ссылок](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/) и какие из них можно получить честно. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое коммерческие факторы ранжирования простыми словами? Это свойства сайта, по которым видно, что ему можно доверить деньги: понятный продавец, контакты, цены, условия доставки и возврата, удобный заказ. Термин придумали SEO-специалисты; официального списка с таким названием у Яндекса нет. ### Учитывает ли Яндекс коммерческие факторы? Яндекс не публикует список факторов с весами. В справке Вебмастера он описывает признаки качественного сайта и называет нарушением неточную информацию об условиях сделки и недобросовестное отношение к клиентам. Для товарного поиска есть отдельные требования: реквизиты, видимые цены, корзина, проверка тестовым заказом. ### Есть ли коммерческие факторы у Google? Такого термина у Google нет. Близкая идея — доверие в концепции E-E-A-T из руководства о полезном контенте. Google оговаривает, что E-E-A-T сам по себе не фактор ранжирования, но для тем о деньгах и здоровье требования к доверию строже. ### Нужны ли коммерческие факторы информационному сайту или блогу? В полном объёме нет: корзина и доставка блогу не нужны. Но контакты, страница об авторе, источники в тексте и отсутствие навязчивой рекламы важны для любого сайта. ### Какие реквизиты указывать на сайте? Для организации — полное название, юридический адрес и ОГРН, для ИП — ФИО и ОГРНИП. Так сформулированы требования Яндекс Товаров. Закон о защите прав потребителей при дистанционной продаже требует сообщать покупателю наименование и адрес продавца. ### Как быстро коммерческие факторы влияют на позиции? Сроков никто не публикует, и гарантий роста нет. Изменения на сайте поисковик увидит после переобхода, а их влияние зависит от конкуренции и релевантности страниц. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/crowd-links/ Ссылки # Крауд-ссылки: что это такое, как работают и чем опасны Крауд-ссылки — это ссылки на сайт, которые оставляют в комментариях, на форумах, в сервисах вопросов и ответов и отзовиках от имени «обычных пользователей», хотя на деле их размещает сам владелец сайта или нанятый исполнитель. Яндекс и Google прямо относят ссылки, поставленные ради поисковиков, а не читателей, к нежелательным, а площадки помечают пользовательские ссылки атрибутами ugc и nofollow и удаляют спам. Ниже — как выглядит крауд, что говорят правила поисковиков, чем он опасен и когда участие в сообществах действительно полезно. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое крауд-ссылки Слово пришло из «крауд-маркетинга» — продвижения через толпу (crowd). Идея: создать впечатление, что о сайте или товаре сами говорят люди. На практике это комментарий или ответ с упоминанием сайта и ссылкой, размещённый под видом независимого мнения. Главное отличие от естественного упоминания — **кто и зачем ставит ссылку**: | | Естественное упоминание | Крауд-ссылка | | Кто пишет | Реальный пользователь, который сам решил посоветовать | Владелец сайта, агентство или исполнитель на бирже заданий | | Зачем | Помочь собеседнику | Получить ссылку и переходы | | Связь с сайтом | Нет или раскрыта | Обычно скрыта | | Как выбирается место | Где идёт разговор | Где можно оставить ссылку и её не удалят | Если вы владелец сайта и честно отвечаете в теме, указывая «я автор этого сервиса», — это не крауд, а нормальное участие в сообществе. Об этом ниже. ## Как выглядит крауд: условный пример Ветка на форуме о ремонте, вопрос: «Чем отмыть затирку с плитки?» Через неделю появляется ответ (**условный пример**): «Мучилась так же, пока не нашла вот эту статью — там всё по шагам: [ссылка на блог магазина]. Помогло с первого раза!» Признаки: свежий аккаунт без истории, общая фраза, которую можно вставить в любую тему, восторженный тон и ссылка, ради которой ответ и написан. Модераторы и опытные участники считывают такие сообщения сразу. Где обычно размещают крауд: тематические форумы, сервисы вопросов и ответов, комментарии к статьям в блогах и медиа, отзовики, обсуждения в соцсетях и под видео. ## Что говорят Яндекс и Google **Яндекс.** В [рекомендациях о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/recommendations/links.html) сказано, что Яндекс ценит ссылки, которые ставятся, чтобы помочь посетителям, а ссылки, предназначенные для поисковых систем, а не людей, мешают определять доверие к сайтам. Владельцам площадок Яндекс советует по возможности модерировать все ссылки и добавлять к пользовательским ссылкам, в качестве которых не уверены, атрибут `rel="ugc"`. Там же: спамерские ссылки Яндекс не учитывает, но репутация площадки, которая не следит за комментариями, может пострадать. **Google.** В [правилах о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) среди примеров ссылочного спама прямо названы комментарии на форумах с оптимизированными ссылками в тексте или подписи, а также автоматическое создание ссылок. Отдельный пункт — спам в пользовательском контенте: комментарии в блогах и спамные сообщения в ветках форумов. А в [руководстве по атрибутам ссылок](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links) Google рекомендует помечать ссылки в комментариях и на форумах значением `ugc`. Вывод: обе поисковые системы описывают именно ту модель, на которой построен крауд, как нежелательную. Чем отличаются `ugc`, `nofollow` и `sponsored`, мы подробно разобрали в [отдельной статье](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Почему форумы ставят nofollow и ugc и удаляют спам Для владельца форума спам — прямая угроза: он отпугивает живых участников и, как сказано в справке Яндекса, портит репутацию площадки. Поэтому типичная защита выглядит так: - ссылки в сообщениях автоматически получают `rel="ugc"` или `rel="nofollow"`; - новичкам запрещают ссылки до определённого числа сообщений или дней на форуме; - сообщения со ссылками уходят на премодерацию; - аккаунты, замеченные в рекламе, банят, а их сообщения удаляют задним числом. То есть даже «удачная» крауд-ссылка чаще всего размечена как пользовательская и может исчезнуть при следующей чистке. Продавцы крауда это знают и продают не столько ссылки, сколько «естественность профиля» — обещание, которое никто не может проверить. ## Риски: что вы теряете | Риск | Как проявляется | | Репутация бренда | Участники находят одинаковые восторженные отзывы, связывают их с вашим сайтом и пишут об этом публично. Такие разоблачения живут в выдаче по названию бренда годами. | | Бан аккаунтов и удаление | Работа исчезает вместе с аккаунтами исполнителя; вы платите за то, чего уже нет. | | Ссылочный спам | Массовые однотипные ссылки — ровно то, что поисковики описывают в правилах о спаме. | | Реклама без маркировки | Оплаченное сообщение, продвигающее товар, может подпадать под определение рекламы из [ст. 3 Закона «О рекламе»](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/4f41fe599ce341751e4e34dc50a4b676674c1416/). Тогда для интернета действуют требования [ст. 18.1](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/2c4537e4796f6ff8b2736ed1b0d4fef08e14458e/): пометка «реклама», сведения о рекламодателе, идентификатор. Как квалифицировать конкретный случай — вопрос к юристу. | | Пустые переходы | Если комментарий не отвечает на вопрос, по ссылке либо не кликают, либо уходят сразу. | ## Когда участие в сообществах честное и полезно Отказаться от крауда не значит отказаться от форумов и комментариев. Сообщества — отличный канал, если играть по их правилам: - **Отвечайте по делу, полностью, прямо в сообщении.** Ответ должен быть полезен даже без перехода по ссылке. - **Ссылайтесь, только когда это действительно продолжение ответа**: подробная инструкция, таблица, калькулятор. И не в каждом сообщении. - **Раскрывайте связь:** «я автор этой статьи» или «я работаю в этой компании». Это снимает подозрения и вызывает больше доверия, чем маскировка. - **Пишите от своего имени и с одного аккаунта**, с историей и профилем. - **Читайте правила конкретной площадки** про рекламу и ссылки. Многие разрешают ссылки на свои материалы в профиле или специальных разделах. - **Не измеряйте успех числом ссылок.** Измеряйте переходы, вопросы от читателей и упоминания, которые потом появляются без вашего участия. Почему упоминание часто ценнее самой ссылки, мы объясняли в статье [об упоминаниях бренда и обратных ссылках](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). ## Как понять, что вам продают крауд под другим названием Крауд редко называют прямо. В предложениях агентств и фрилансеров он встречается как «естественные ссылки», «работа с репутацией», «посев в сообществах» или «разбавление ссылочного профиля». Задайте исполнителю пять вопросов: - **От чьего имени будут сообщения?** Если от «реальных пользователей», которые не связаны с вами, — это крауд. - **Раскрывается ли связь с вашим сайтом?** Если нет — это скрытая самореклама. - **Что будет, если сообщения удалят?** Обещание «заменим бесплатно» означает, что удаления заложены в модель. - **Как измеряется результат?** Отчёт в виде списка ссылок вместо переходов и обращений — тревожный знак. - **Обещают ли позиции или рост ИКС?** Никто не может этого гарантировать: решения принимает поисковая система. Если ответы вас не устраивают, лучше потратить бюджет на один сильный материал или на сотрудничество с площадкой вашей тематики. ## Чем заменить крауд Задачи, ради которых покупают крауд, — переходы, упоминания, разнообразие ссылок — решаются честными способами: - **Собственный полезный контент**, на который хочется сослаться: исследования на ваших данных, шаблоны, инструменты. Подборка способов — в статье о [бесплатном линкбилдинге](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-link-building-strategies/). - **Каталоги и профили**, где ваш сайт уместен по смыслу: Яндекс Бизнес, отраслевые справочники. - **Гостевые статьи и совместные материалы** с соседями по нише — открыто, с подписью автора. - **Партнёрские статьи с раскрытием.** Если за публикацию что-то получено — деньги или ответная услуга, — ссылка должна быть помечена `rel="sponsored"`. Обзор рынка в рунете и подводных камней бирж — в материале о [биржах ссылок](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-exchanges-runet/). ## Что дальше Если вам предлагают крауд, чтобы «появились упоминания», попробуйте честный вариант: [добавьте сайт в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/). Там сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу (A→B→C→A, без прямого обмена). Это полноценная статья для читателей площадки, а не комментарий под чужим видом, и ссылка в ней размечена `rel="sponsored"`. Позиций мы не обещаем, а сеть пока в публичной бете и небольшая — зато в кабинете сразу видно, какие сайты вашей тематики уже в ней есть. Источники проверены 16 октября 2026 года. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое крауд-ссылки простыми словами? Это ссылки на сайт в комментариях, на форумах и в сервисах вопросов, которые оставляет не независимый пользователь, а сам владелец сайта или нанятый исполнитель под видом обычного участника. ### Работают ли крауд-ссылки для продвижения? Обещать эффект нельзя. Форумы обычно ставят на пользовательские ссылки ugc или nofollow, а Яндекс и Google описывают ссылки, размещённые ради поисковиков, как нежелательные. Реальную пользу дают только переходы заинтересованных читателей. ### Чем крауд отличается от естественных ссылок? Естественную ссылку ставит человек, который сам решил что-то посоветовать. Крауд размещают ради ссылки, обычно скрывая связь с сайтом. ### Что такое rel="ugc"? Атрибут для ссылок в пользовательском контенте: комментариях и сообщениях на форумах. Его рекомендуют и Google, и Яндекс, чтобы показать, что ссылку поставил пользователь, а не владелец площадки. ### Можно ли оставлять ссылку на свой сайт на форуме? Можно, если это разрешено правилами площадки, ответ полезен сам по себе, а вы открыто пишете, что связаны с сайтом. Скрытая самореклама — это и есть крауд. ### Нужно ли маркировать платные комментарии? Оплаченное сообщение, продвигающее товар, может считаться рекламой по Закону «О рекламе», и тогда для интернета действуют требования ст. 18.1 о пометке и идентификаторе. Конкретный случай лучше обсудить с юристом. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/duplicate-pages-get-params/ Индексация # Дубли страниц с GET-параметрами: как найти и убрать Дубли страниц — это одинаковое содержимое, доступное по разным адресам: с UTM-метками, параметрами сортировки, со слешем и без, с www и без. Если Вебмастер пишет «Найдены страницы-дубли с GET-параметрами», чаще всего хватает директивы Clean-param в robots.txt, а для остальных случаев есть rel=canonical и 301-редирект. Ниже — откуда берутся дубли, какой способ выбрать, как это сделать на WordPress, Tilda и Битрикс и как проверить, что всё исправилось. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое дубли и чем они мешают По [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/double.html), если страницы доступны по разным адресам, но содержимое у них одинаковое, робот может счесть их дублями и объединить в группу. В поиске останется одна страница из группы, и не обязательно та, которую выбрали бы вы. Яндекс перечисляет четыре проблемы: - нужная страница может пропасть из выдачи, потому что робот выбрал другую; - иногда страницы не объединяются и начинают конкурировать друг с другом; - адрес страницы в поиске меняется, и статистику в аналитике сложнее читать; - робот тратит время на обход копий вместо новых страниц. Санкций за сами дубли в справке нет. Это техническая проблема, а не нарушение, но на небольшом сайте она особенно заметна: каждая потерянная из поиска страница на счету. ## Откуда берутся дубли | Источник | Пример адреса (условный) | Чем лечить | | UTM-метки и метки рекламы | `/catalog/?utm_source=vk` | Clean-param или canonical | | Сортировка, вид, пагинация через параметры | `/catalog/?sort=price` | Clean-param или canonical | | Идентификаторы сессий и реферальные коды | `/page/?ref=partner1` | Clean-param | | Слеш в конце и без него | `/blog/post` и `/blog/post/` | 301-редирект | | www и без www, http и https | `http://www.site.ru/` | 301-редирект | | Главная по нескольким адресам | `/index.php` и `/` | 301 или canonical | | Товар в нескольких категориях | `/shoes/item-1/` и `/sale/item-1/` | canonical или одна адресация товара | | Версия для печати, AMP | `/post/?print=1` | canonical, Clean-param для параметров | Способы лечения в таблице взяты из той же справки Яндекса: для GET-параметров, которые не меняют содержимое, рекомендована Clean-param, для слеша — 301-редирект (атрибут canonical в этом случае может игнорироваться), для одинакового контента на разных адресах — 301, canonical, Disallow или noindex. ## Уведомление «Найдены страницы-дубли с GET-параметрами» Если дубли возникли из-за параметров в адресе, Вебмастер сообщает об этом в разделе «Диагностика сайта». Это подсказка, а не штраф: Яндекс заметил, что разные адреса с параметрами отдают одну и ту же страницу. Что делать по порядку: - Откройте уведомление и посмотрите примеры адресов. Выпишите параметры, которые встречаются: `utm_*`, `sort`, `ref`, `from` и так далее. - Для каждого параметра ответьте на вопрос: меняет ли он содержимое страницы? `?page=2` или `?color=red` в фильтре могут менять, `?utm_source=` не меняет никогда. - Параметры, которые не меняют содержимое, перечислите в Clean-param. - Если параметр меняет содержимое, но такие страницы вам в поиске не нужны, используйте canonical на основную страницу или закройте их. Обратите внимание: по справке Яндекс сам отбрасывает большинство UTM-меток. Поэтому уведомление чаще вызывают «самодельные» параметры: метки партнёрок, рассылок, фильтров. ## Clean-param: как писать Синтаксис из [справки о Clean-param](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/clean-param.html): `Clean-param: p0[&p1&p2&..&pn] [path]`. Сначала через `&` перечисляются параметры, которые робот должен игнорировать, затем, по желанию, префикс пути, к которому правило относится. Без пути правило действует на весь сайт. Длина правила ограничена 500 символами, регистр учитывается. Условный пример для небольшого магазина: `User-agent: Yandex Disallow: /cart/ Clean-param: ref&from&sort Clean-param: view /catalog/` Первая строка Clean-param убирает `ref`, `from` и `sort` на всём сайте, вторая — параметр `view` только в каталоге. Подставьте свои параметры из уведомления. Три тонкости из справки: - **Директива межсекционная**: её можно указать в любом месте файла. Но если для робота Яндекса есть отдельная секция, перечислите все правила в ней. - **Не добавляйте Disallow** для тех же адресов. Если адрес одновременно закрыт Disallow и подпадает под Clean-param, приоритет у Disallow, и страница не будет индексироваться. Яндекс рекомендует Clean-param именно потому, что он сохраняет накопленные показатели основной страницы. - **Это директива для Яндекса.** Google параметры в robots.txt так не обрабатывает: в 2022 году он [закрыл инструмент «Параметры URL»](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/03/url-parameters-tool-deprecated) в Search Console и написал, что его роботы учатся разбираться с параметрами автоматически. Для Google основной инструмент — canonical и редиректы. ## rel=canonical: когда и как Canonical — тег `<link rel="canonical" href="...">` в `<head>` или HTTP-заголовок `Link`, который указывает основную версию страницы. Подходит, когда дубль должен оставаться доступным людям: товар в двух категориях, версия для печати, страница с сортировкой. По [справке Яндекса о canonical](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/canonical.html), это рекомендация, а не приказ. Робот может её проигнорировать, если: - канонический адрес перенаправляет дальше или закрыт от индексации; - он на другом домене или поддомене; - на странице несколько canonical или выстроена цепочка A → B → C; - содержимое страниц сильно различается, и неканоническая лучше отвечает на запрос. Google в [руководстве по дублирующимся URL](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls?hl=ru) ранжирует способы по силе сигнала: редирект сильнее canonical, canonical сильнее sitemap. Там же он просит не использовать robots.txt и noindex для выбора канонической страницы, не давать разные канонические адреса разными способами и ставить внутренние ссылки сразу на канонические URL. Отдельный случай — статус «Неканоническая страница» в Вебмастере. Он означает, что на странице стоит canonical на другой адрес, и Яндекс исключил её из поиска в пользу канонической. Если так и задумано, ничего делать не нужно. Если страница пропала по ошибке, уберите неверный canonical. ## 301-редирект: для «технических» дублей Слеш в конце, www, http и https, `index.php` — всё это лучше решать постоянным 301-редиректом на один вариант. Для слеша Яндекс прямо пишет, что canonical может игнорироваться, а для переезда с http на https canonical больше не поддерживается — нужен редирект. Выбирая вариант адреса, оставьте тот, который уже в поиске, чтобы не менять адреса без необходимости. ## Дубли на WordPress, Tilda и Битрикс ### WordPress Ядро WordPress само выводит canonical, но только на отдельных записях и страницах: функция [rel_canonical](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/rel_canonical/) срабатывает лишь для одиночных страниц, архивы рубрик и меток тега не получают. Типичные источники дублей: архивы меток, вложения (attachment-страницы), параметры `?replytocom=` от комментариев. SEO-плагины вроде Yoast или Rank Math позволяют в настройках закрыть от индексации лишние типы архивов и страницы вложений. Clean-param в robots.txt допишите вручную или через плагин, который позволяет редактировать файл. ### Tilda По [ответу Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/canonical/), всем страницам автоматически присваивается canonical, а варианты адреса со слешем или www не индексируются. Дубли на Тильде чаще появляются из-за параметров рекламы и рассылок, поэтому проверьте уведомления Вебмастера и при необходимости добавьте Clean-param в robots.txt через настройки сайта. ### 1С-Битрикс В Битриксе дубли обычно дают умный фильтр каталога, сортировка и постраничная навигация с параметрами вроде `PAGEN_1`. Начните с уведомления в Вебмастере: выпишите параметры, которые встречаются в примерах, и разделите их на «меняют содержимое» и «не меняют». Вторые — в Clean-param, для первых решите, нужны ли такие страницы в поиске. ## Как найти дубли самому - **Вебмастер.** «Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске» → «Исключённые страницы», фильтр по статусу «Удалено: Дубль». В выгрузке архива у дублей статус DUPLICATE. Подробнее о разделах — в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **Search Console.** Отчёт об индексировании страниц показывает адреса, исключённые как дубли, а [проверка URL](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9012289?hl=ru) — какой канонический адрес указали вы и какой выбрал Google. - **Поиск по сайту.** Запрос `site:вашсайт.ru inurl:utm` или с другим параметром быстро показывает, что попало в индекс. - **Краулер.** Любой SEO-краулер покажет страницы с одинаковым title и description: это первый признак дублей. ## Как проверить, что исправилось По справке Яндекса, робот узнаёт об изменениях при следующем посещении, а лишняя страница исключается из поиска в течение трёх недель, на больших сайтах — дольше. Поэтому: - После правки robots.txt проверьте его в Вебмастере в инструменте анализа robots.txt: подставьте адрес с параметром и убедитесь, что правило срабатывает. - Отправьте основные страницы на переобход. - Через три–четыре недели снова откройте «Исключённые страницы» и уведомления в «Диагностике». - Убедитесь, что внутренние ссылки, меню и sitemap ведут на канонические адреса, а не на версии с параметрами. Если после этого страницы всё равно не появляются в поиске, причина может быть не в дублях. Разберите остальные варианты в статье о том, [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Дубли между сайтами Отдельная история — когда ваш текст опубликован на другом сайте: перепост, синдикация, партнёрская статья. Справка Яндекса считает дубли в пределах одного сайта, а межсайтовые копии — это вопрос оригинальности. Как републиковать без вреда для первоисточника, разобрано в статье о [синдикации контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/content-syndication-guide/). ## Что делать дальше Чистая индексация — основа, без которой остальное продвижение работает вполсилы. Чтобы увидеть общую картину по сайту, проверьте его в [бесплатном индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, из которых она сложилась, — в основном открытые, поэтому каждую цифру можно перепроверить. ## Частые вопросы ### Что значит «Найдены страницы-дубли с GET-параметрами» в Вебмастере? Яндекс обнаружил, что адреса с разными параметрами (метки, сортировка, реферальные коды) отдают одинаковую страницу. Это не санкция, а подсказка: перечислите параметры, которые не меняют содержимое, в директиве Clean-param в robots.txt. ### Что такое неканоническая страница в Яндексе? Это страница, на которой стоит rel=canonical на другой адрес. Яндекс объединяет её с канонической и исключает из поиска. Если так задумано, всё в порядке; если нет, уберите неверный canonical. ### Что лучше: Clean-param или canonical? Для параметров, которые не меняют содержимое, Яндекс рекомендует Clean-param. Canonical подходит, когда дубль должен оставаться доступным людям, и когда важен Google: Clean-param — директива Яндекса. ### Нужно ли закрывать UTM-метки в robots.txt? По справке Яндекс сам отбрасывает большинство UTM-меток. Если в уведомлении всё же есть адреса с utm, добавьте их в Clean-param. Disallow для таких адресов не нужен: он перекроет Clean-param и страница выпадет из индекса. ### Как быстро уходят дубли после исправления? По справке Яндекса лишняя страница исключается из поиска в течение трёх недель после очередного визита робота, на больших сайтах дольше. ### Опасны ли дубли страниц для сайта? Санкций за дубли справка Яндекса не описывает. Проблема в другом: из поиска может пропасть нужная страница, копии конкурируют между собой, а робот тратит время на обход лишних адресов. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ecommerce-seo-from-scratch/ Продвижение # Как раскрутить интернет-магазин с нуля самостоятельно Чтобы раскрутить интернет-магазин с нуля без агентства, начните не с рекламы и ссылок, а со структуры: категории под реальные запросы, карточки с собственными описаниями, фильтры без дублей и понятные условия покупки. Затем подключите бесплатные каналы — Вебмастер, товарный поиск Яндекса, Google — и только потом наращивайте контент и упоминания. Ниже — план по шагам с источниками и тем, что можно сделать уже на этой неделе. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 7 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий план - Собрать запросы и построить по ним дерево категорий. - Сделать понятные адреса и навигацию обычными ссылками. - Написать собственные описания для категорий и главных товаров. - Настроить фильтры и сортировку так, чтобы они не плодили дубли. - Привести в порядок условия покупки: продавец, цены, доставка, возврат. - Подключить Вебмастер, Search Console, товарный поиск Яндекса и Google. - Запустить контент-раздел и получать упоминания на тематических сайтах. Сроки честно назвать нельзя. Google в [руководстве для начинающих](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide?hl=ru) пишет, что эффект изменений обычно можно оценить через несколько недель, но изменения обрабатываются от нескольких часов до нескольких месяцев. Для нового магазина в конкурентной нише ждите дольше и не верьте тем, кто обещает топ к конкретной дате. ## Шаг 1. Структура категорий под спрос Новый магазин никто не ищет по названию: люди вводят «кроссовки для бега женские», и отвечать на такие запросы должны категории, а не главная. Поэтому структура каталога — это главное SEO-решение, и его лучше принять до наполнения. Как собрать структуру без платных сервисов: - Выпишите все типы товаров, которые продаёте. - Для каждого посмотрите подсказки Яндекса и Google и частоты в Wordstat: какие уточнения люди добавляют (пол, назначение, материал, размер, бренд). - Уточнение с заметным спросом — кандидат в подкатегорию или в посадочную страницу фильтра. Уточнение без спроса остаётся просто фильтром. - Посмотрите, как устроены категории у лидеров выдачи по вашим запросам: не копируйте, а проверьте, не пропустили ли вы группу. Условный пример: магазин чая. Категории «Зелёный чай», «Пуэр», «Улун» и подкатегории «Шу пуэр» и «Шэн пуэр», если по ним есть спрос. «Чай в подарок» — отдельная посадочная страница, потому что это другой запрос и другое намерение. А «упаковка 100 г» — фильтр. Google советует строить понятную иерархию и внутренние ссылки так, чтобы было видно, какие разделы важнее: об этом отдельная страница [о структуре интернет-магазина](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/ecommerce/help-google-understand-your-ecommerce-site-structure?hl=ru). Там же важная деталь: робот Google не пользуется поиском по сайту, поэтому товары, до которых можно добраться только через поисковую строку, он может не найти. На каждый товар, который должен быть в индексе, нужна ссылка из каталога или хотя бы запись в sitemap. ## Шаг 2. Адреса и навигация Рекомендации Google по [структуре URL для магазинов](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/ecommerce/designing-a-url-structure-for-ecommerce-sites?hl=ru), которые легко выполнить с самого начала: - навигация — обычные ссылки `<a href>`, а не переходы только через JavaScript; - параметры в формате `ключ=значение`: `?color=green`, а не `?green`; - варианты товара не через `#`: Google игнорирует фрагменты, и `/t-shirt#black` для него та же страница, что `/t-shirt`; - не ставить ссылки на адреса с идентификаторами сессий и метками отслеживания; - один товар — один адрес, а не `/product/black-t-shirt` и `/product?sku=1234` одновременно; - пустые категории закрывать `noindex` или отдавать 404, если категорию убрали. Понятные слова в адресе полезны и сами по себе: по руководству Google, части URL могут показываться в результатах поиска как строка навигации. ## Шаг 3. Карточка товара и текст категории Важное уточнение: большинство советов по «SEO карточки товара» в рунете — про Wildberries и Ozon, где свои правила поиска. На собственном сайте карточку оценивает обычный поисковик, и ему важно, есть ли на странице что-то своё. В [рекомендациях Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) к признакам некачественного сайта отнесены копирование и рерайт чужих текстов, агрегаторы без собственных описаний и сайты с партнёрскими товарами без дополнительной ценности. Описание, скопированное с сайта производителя на сотни магазинов, — как раз такой случай. Что положить в карточку: - своё описание: для кого товар, чем отличается от соседнего, ограничения и подводные камни; - характеристики таблицей, размеры и комплектацию; - собственные фото, если можете их сделать; - цену, наличие, сроки доставки и гарантию прямо на странице; - честные отзывы покупателей, если они есть, — без выдуманных. Не нужно писать уникальные тексты на все тысячи позиций сразу. Начните с товаров и категорий, на которые есть спрос, и расширяйте по мере роста. Для категории хватает короткого полезного блока: как выбрать, чем отличаются подвиды, на что смотреть. Метатег keywords можно не заполнять: Google в руководстве для начинающих прямо пишет, что не использует его. Структурированные данные товара (Product, Offer) помогают Google прочитать цену, скидку и стоимость доставки и делают страницу пригодной для расширенных результатов — так сказано в [разделе о передаче данных о товарах](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/ecommerce/share-your-product-data-with-google?hl=ru). Многие движки магазинов и плагины добавляют такую разметку автоматически; проверьте её валидатором. ## Шаг 4. Фильтры, сортировка и дубли Фильтры — главный источник технических проблем в магазине. Каждая комбинация «цвет + размер + сортировка» может стать отдельным адресом с почти тем же содержимым. Яндекс в [справке о дублях](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/double.html) прямо называет «естественной» причиной дублей карточку товара в нескольких категориях, а для GET-параметров, которые не меняют содержимое, рекомендует директиву Clean-param в robots.txt. Рабочее правило для небольшого магазина: - фильтр со спросом (например, «пуэр шу») — отдельная посадочная страница со своим адресом, заголовком и текстом; - фильтры без спроса и сортировка — параметры, которые не должны попадать в индекс: canonical на категорию и Clean-param для Яндекса; - товар в нескольких категориях — один основной адрес, остальные с canonical на него. Проверить, что получилось, можно в Вебмастере в «Исключённых страницах» со статусом «Дубль». Подробнее о работе с разделом — в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Шаг 5. Условия покупки и доверие Самый конкретный ориентир — [требования Яндекса к интернет-магазинам](https://yandex.ru/support/kit/ru/requirements) для товарного поиска. Среди них: полное название, юрадрес и ОГРН (для ИП — ФИО и ОГРНИП) на сайте, цены у большинства товаров без регистрации, корзина без обязательного входа, покупка на самом сайте без перенаправлений. Служба качества может сделать тестовый заказ по телефону или через сайт, и проверка не проходит, если до магазина не дозвониться или заказ не подтверждают. Даже если вы не планируете в Товары, это хороший минимум: страницы «Доставка», «Оплата», «Возврат», реквизиты в подвале, работающий телефон с часами работы. ## Шаг 6. Бесплатные каналы поисковиков | Канал | Что даёт | Что нужно | | Яндекс Вебмастер | Индексация, ошибки, дубли, запросы | Подтвердить права, загрузить sitemap | | Товарный поиск Яндекса | Показ товаров с ценами в поиске Яндекса | Соответствие требованиям к магазинам, фид товаров | | Google Search Console | Индексация и запросы в Google | Подтвердить права, загрузить sitemap | | Google Merchant Center | Показ товаров на вкладке «Покупки» Google | Аккаунт Merchant Center и фид или автоматический сбор данных | | Яндекс Бизнес и Карты | Карточка организации, если есть магазин или пункт выдачи | Реальный адрес и подтверждение | По словам Google, на вкладке «Покупки» товары показываются, только если они загружены в Merchant Center, а при расхождении данных на сайте и в фиде приоритет у сайта. Для небольших магазинов Google упоминает автоматический фид, который он строит, сканируя сайт. Если у вас есть офлайн-точка, свяжите сайт с картами — об этом статья о [продвижении сайта локального бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Шаг 7. Контент и упоминания Категории и карточки отвечают на запросы «купить». Но много запросов в нише — информационные: «как выбрать», «чем отличается», «как заваривать». Блог или раздел статей при магазине закрывает их и ведёт читателя в нужную категорию. Пишите о том, о чём спрашивают покупатели и поддержка: это и есть ваш собственный опыт, которого нет у конкурентов. Второй источник — упоминания на других сайтах: обзоры, подборки, статьи у тематических блогеров. Здесь важно не уйти в покупку ссылок ради позиций: Яндекс в [рекомендациях Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) относит внешние ссылки, поставленные не как рекомендация, а ради обмана поиска, к манипуляциям. Честные варианты: - отправить товар на обзор блогерам вашей ниши с открытой маркировкой; - дать экспертный комментарий для чужой статьи; - публиковать партнёрские материалы с атрибутом `rel="sponsored"` и маркировкой рекламы — как это сделать по правилам, разобрано в статье о [маркировке спонсорского контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). Если нужны идеи, как именно найти первые площадки, посмотрите материал о [ссылках для нового сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/). ## Типичные ошибки нового магазина - Тысячи карточек с описаниями производителя и ни одной своей строки. - Фильтры, которые генерируют миллионы адресов в индексе. - Цена «по запросу» и корзина только после регистрации. - Перенос магазина на новую платформу со сменой всех адресов без 301-редиректов. - Покупка пакетов ссылок «для старта» вместо работы с каталогом. ## Что сделать на этой неделе - Нарисуйте дерево категорий и сверьте его с подсказками и Wordstat. - Подключите Вебмастер и Search Console, загрузите sitemap. - Проверьте, видны ли цены и работает ли корзина в режиме инкогнито. - Перепишите описания десяти самых важных товаров и трёх главных категорий. - Посмотрите в Вебмастере, сколько страниц исключено как дубли. ## Что делать дальше Когда каталог и техника в порядке, магазину нужны упоминания на сайтах, которые читают ваши покупатели. В [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) владельцы тематических сайтов публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, со ссылками `rel="sponsored"`: вы получаете материал о магазине на сайте близкой тематики, где его прочитают живые люди. Сервис в публичной бете и сеть пока небольшая, поэтому сначала посмотрите, кто в ней есть. А узнать, как выглядит ваш магазин по открытым данным, можно бесплатно в [индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) — с расшифровкой каждой цифры. ## Частые вопросы ### Можно ли раскрутить интернет-магазин самостоятельно и бесплатно? Базовую работу — да: структура категорий, описания, настройка фильтров, Вебмастер, Search Console, товарный поиск Яндекса и Google не требуют бюджета, нужно время. Деньги понадобятся на фото, тексты в больших объёмах и рекламу, если нужны быстрые продажи. ### С чего начать продвижение нового интернет-магазина? Со структуры категорий под реальные запросы и с условий покупки: продавец, цены, доставка, возврат. Потом подключение к Вебмастеру и Search Console, затем тексты и упоминания. ### Сколько времени нужно, чтобы магазин начал получать трафик из поиска? Точных сроков никто не даёт. Google пишет, что эффект изменений обычно можно оценить через несколько недель, а обработка занимает от нескольких часов до нескольких месяцев. Новому сайту в конкурентной нише нужно больше времени. ### Нужны ли уникальные описания для всех товаров? Начните с товаров и категорий, на которые есть спрос. Яндекс относит копирование чужих текстов и агрегаторы без собственных описаний к признакам некачественного сайта, поэтому совсем без своих текстов магазину сложно. ### Как не допустить дублей из-за фильтров? Фильтры со спросом превращайте в отдельные посадочные страницы. Сортировку и фильтры без спроса закрывайте canonical на категорию и директивой Clean-param для Яндекса. ### Чем SEO магазина отличается от SEO карточек на Wildberries и Ozon? На маркетплейсе работает внутренний поиск площадки со своими правилами. На своём сайте страницы оценивают Яндекс и Google: важны структура, собственный контент, техника и доверие к продавцу. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/eeat-small-sites/ content # E-E-A-T: как показать экспертность маленькому сайту E-E-A-T — это опыт, экспертность, авторитетность и доверие (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness): принципы, по которым Google оценивает, насколько контенту можно верить. Сам Google пишет, что E-E-A-T не отдельный фактор ранжирования, но его системы ищут контент с такими признаками. Маленькому сайту не нужны громкие регалии: достаточно показать реальный опыт, автора, источники и честную репутацию. Ниже — что известно из первоисточников и чек-лист на один день. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Расшифровка E-E-A-T | Буква | Что значит | Как это выглядит на маленьком сайте | | E — Experience | Опыт: автор сам пользовался, был, делал | Свои фото, замеры, ошибки, «что я бы сделал иначе» | | E — Expertise | Экспертность: знания и навыки в теме | Образование, профессия, годы практики — если они есть и относятся к теме | | A — Authoritativeness | Авторитетность: сайт или автор — признанный источник | Упоминания и цитаты на других сайтах, выступления, публикации | | T — Trustworthiness | Доверие: точность, честность, безопасность | Источники, контакты, исправления ошибок, отсутствие обмана | Сначала была аббревиатура E-A-T. Вторую «E», опыт, Google добавил в декабре 2022 года, объяснив в [блоге Search Central](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/12/google-raters-guidelines-e-e-a-t): иногда важнее всего контент от человека с личным опытом. Пример оттуда же: правила заполнения налоговой декларации вы хотите прочитать у бухгалтера, а отзывы о программе для деклараций — у тех, кто ею пользовался. ## Это фактор ранжирования или нет Здесь много путаницы, поэтому опираемся на слова Google. В руководстве о [создании полезного контента](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content?hl=ru) сказано, что принципы E-E-A-T сами по себе не являются фактором ранжирования. При этом системы Google используют разные сигналы, чтобы находить контент с признаками опыта, экспертности, авторитетности и доверия, и в некоторых случаях отдают ему предпочтение. Откуда тогда столько разговоров? E-E-A-T подробно описан в [рекомендациях для асессоров](https://guidelines.raterhub.com/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf) (Search Quality Rater Guidelines, PDF на английском, версия от 11 сентября 2025 года). Асессоры — люди, которые оценивают выдачу и помогают Google проверить, хорошо ли работают алгоритмы. Google подчёркивает, что они не влияют на позиции конкретных страниц, а их оценки не используются в алгоритмах напрямую. Практический вывод: нет «оценки E-E-A-T», которую можно поднять галочкой в CMS. Есть описание того, каким Google хочет видеть хороший результат. Если сайт ему соответствует, вы двигаетесь в одну сторону с алгоритмами. ## Главное — доверие И в руководстве для владельцев сайтов, и в рекомендациях для асессоров доверие названо самым важным элементом. В рекомендациях асессорам это сформулировано так: недостоверные страницы имеют низкий E-E-A-T, какими бы экспертными или авторитетными они ни казались. Требования к доверию зависят от темы. Для тем, которые могут повлиять на здоровье, финансы, безопасность или благополучие людей, Google использует термин YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) и уделяет больше внимания сигналам надёжности. Блог о настольных играх и сайт о кредитах оцениваются с разной строгостью. ## Кто, как и зачем: три вопроса от Google Самая практичная часть руководства Google — три вопроса к каждому материалу: - **Кто создал контент.** Должно быть понятно, кто автор, а сведения о нём легко найти: подпись, ссылка на страницу автора. - **Как он создан.** Например, как тестировали товары, сколько времени, какими методами. Если использовалась автоматизация или ИИ, Google советует рассказать об этом. В отдельном [посте о контенте, созданном ИИ](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/02/google-search-and-ai-content) Google пишет, что оценивает качество, а не способ создания, но генерация ради манипуляции выдачей нарушает правила о спаме. - **Зачем он создан.** Google называет этот вопрос самым важным: контент должен в первую очередь помогать людям, а не собирать поисковый трафик. ## Как маленькому сайту показать опыт Опыт — самая доступная буква. У вас может не быть диплома, но если вы три года выращиваете томаты на балконе, это и есть опыт, которого нет у переписанных статей. - **Детали, которые невозможно выдумать**: конкретные сорта, даты, что не сработало, во сколько обошлось. - **Свои фото и скриншоты** вместо стоков: процесс, промежуточный результат, неудачи. - **Блок «Как мы проверяли»** в обзорах: что именно тестировали, сколько времени, в каких условиях. - **Честные ограничения**: «я не врач», «проверял только на Android», «это мой опыт, а не исследование». - **Обновления**: дата обновления и что изменилось, если вы вернулись к теме через год. Как выбрать тему, где ваш опыт сильнее конкурентов, разобрано в статье о [SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Авторство и страница «О нас» В рекомендациях асессорам есть отдельный раздел о поиске страниц «О нас», контактов и информации для клиентов. Объём нужных сведений зависит от типа сайта: для магазинов и сайтов, которые работают с деньгами, контакты и условия обслуживания крайне важны, а юмористическому или личному сайту столько деталей не нужно. Там же сказано, что у личного сайта может быть законная причина не публиковать домашний адрес или телефон. Минимум для небольшого сайта: - **Страница автора**: настоящее имя или устойчивый псевдоним, фото, чем занимаетесь, какой у вас опыт в теме, ссылки на профили, где вас можно проверить. - **Подпись под статьями** со ссылкой на страницу автора. - **Страница «О сайте»**: зачем он существует, кто его делает, как зарабатывает (реклама, партнёрские ссылки, спонсорские материалы). - **Контакты**: email или форма, по которой реально отвечают. - **Политика исправлений**: одна строка о том, как сообщить об ошибке, и пометки в статьях, если вы что-то исправили. Микроразметка `Person` и `Organization` может облегчить поисковикам чтение сведений об авторе и сайте, но не заменяет содержимое страницы: если на странице автора нечего сказать, разметка этого не исправит. ## Источники в тексте Доверие проще всего показать ссылками. Google в руководстве о полезном контенте прямо спрашивает, есть ли в материале понятные ссылки на источники и подтверждение компетентности автора. - каждую цифру, правило или закон подкрепляйте ссылкой на первоисточник, а не на пересказ; - не пишите «исследования показали» без ссылки на исследование; - отделяйте факты от мнения: «по данным справки…» и «я считаю…»; - если не нашли источник для цифры, лучше её убрать. ## Репутация: отзывы и упоминания В рекомендациях асессорам описано исследование репутации: асессоры ищут, что о сайте и авторе пишут другие, а не только что сайт говорит о себе. Там подчёркнуто, что это особенно важно, чтобы выявлять мошенничество и вредный контент, который хорошо выглядит снаружи. Для маленького сайта это значит: репутацию нельзя написать на собственной странице, её создают внешние упоминания. - отвечайте на вопросы в профильных сообществах под своим именем; - давайте комментарии журналистам и авторам подборок; - пишите гостевые и партнёрские материалы на сайтах вашей темы с честной маркировкой; - собирайте настоящие отзывы и не публикуйте выдуманные — фальшивые отзывы подрывают как раз то доверие, которое вы строите. Почему упоминание без ссылки тоже имеет вес, разобрано в статье о [упоминаниях бренда и обратных ссылках](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/), а как получить первые упоминания с нуля — в [гиде о первых упоминаниях](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/first-mentions/). Эти же сигналы помогают и в ИИ-поиске: подробнее в материале о том, [как попасть в ответы ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/). ## Есть ли E-E-A-T у Яндекса Термина E-E-A-T у Яндекса нет. Ближайший аналог — страница справки [«Отличия качественного сайта от некачественного»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice). Среди признаков качественного сайта там названы оригинальный контент и хороший сервис, ориентация на людей, а не на поисковые системы, полезные ссылки и честность. К нарушениям отнесены копирование и рерайт чужих текстов, бесполезный автоматически сгенерированный контент и SEO-тексты, написанные для роботов. Логика совпадает с Google: собственный опыт, польза и честность. Для коммерческих сайтов в Яндексе к этому добавляется прозрачность условий сделки и сервиса. ## Чек-лист на один день | Что сделать | Буква | Время (ориентир) | | Создать или обновить страницу автора | E, E | 1 час | | Добавить подпись и ссылку на автора под статьями | E, T | 30 минут | | Дописать «О сайте»: кто, зачем, как зарабатывает | T | 30 минут | | Проверить контакты: отвечает ли почта | T | 10 минут | | В пяти главных статьях: свои фото, «как проверяли», ссылки на источники | E, T | 3 часа | | Убрать цифры без источников и «исследования» без ссылок | T | 1 час | | Составить список трёх площадок, где вас могут упомянуть | A | 30 минут | Время указано для иллюстрации, на небольшом блоге. Позиции это не гарантирует: Google прямо говорит, что E-E-A-T не фактор, который можно включить. Но вы закроете самые явные вопросы, которые возникают у читателя — и у асессора — при первом знакомстве с сайтом. ## Что делать дальше Авторитетность — единственная буква, которую нельзя сделать у себя на сайте: нужно, чтобы о вас писали другие. В [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) владельцы сайтов близкой тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, со ссылками `rel="sponsored"` и честной маркировкой: это способ получить упоминание в тематическом контексте без покупки ссылок. Сервис в публичной бете, сеть пока небольшая. А чтобы понять, как ваш сайт выглядит со стороны по открытым данным, проверьте его в [индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). ## Частые вопросы ### E-E-A-T — что это простыми словами? Это четыре признака, по которым Google описывает надёжный контент: опыт автора, экспертность, авторитетность и доверие. Термин используется в рекомендациях для асессоров и в руководстве Google о полезном контенте. ### Как расшифровывается E-E-A-T? Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — опыт, экспертность, авторитетность, достоверность. Букву Experience Google добавил в декабре 2022 года. ### E-E-A-T — это фактор ранжирования? Google пишет, что принципы E-E-A-T сами по себе не фактор ранжирования. Его системы используют разные сигналы, чтобы находить контент с признаками опыта, экспертности, авторитетности и доверия, и в некоторых случаях отдают ему предпочтение. ### Влияют ли асессоры Google на позиции сайта? Нет. По словам Google, асессоры оценивают выдачу, чтобы проверить работу алгоритмов, не влияют на позиции конкретных страниц, а их оценки не используются в алгоритмах напрямую. ### Можно ли показать E-E-A-T без диплома и регалий? Да. Опыт — отдельная буква: свои фото, детали, ошибки и описание того, как вы проверяли, показывают его лучше формальных званий. Для тем о здоровье и финансах требования строже, и там экспертность автора важнее. ### Есть ли E-E-A-T у Яндекса? Такого термина у Яндекса нет. Ближайший аналог — справка Вебмастера об отличиях качественного сайта: оригинальный контент, польза для людей, честность, без копирования и SEO-текстов. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/eternal-vs-rented-links/ Ссылки # Вечные и арендные ссылки: разница, риски и честные альтернативы Вечные ссылки оплачиваются один раз и должны висеть на сайте-доноре, пока он жив; арендные оплачиваются посуточно и исчезают, как только вы перестаёте платить. С точки зрения Яндекса и Google разницы почти нет: и то и другое — ссылки за деньги, поставленные ради позиций. Ниже — чем модели отличаются на практике, что прямо написано в правилах поисковиков и что делать вместо покупки. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое вечные и арендные ссылки Оба термина пришли из рунетовских ссылочных бирж. Хорошее описание обеих моделей есть на странице [арендных ссылок Sape](https://www.sape.ru/arendnye-ssylki/) — одной из старейших бирж. Мы приводим её как пример того, как устроен рынок, а не как рекомендацию. - **Арендная ссылка.** Цена указана за месяц, но деньги списываются за каждые сутки, когда ссылка видна на странице донора. Закончился баланс — ссылка снимается автоматически. - **Вечная ссылка.** Разовая оплата за размещение «на весь срок жизни» донора, обычно внутри статьи. Перестали платить — ссылка остаётся. «Вечность» при этом держится на честном слове владельца площадки: сайт могут продать, переделать или закрыть. Встречается и третий вариант — крауд-ссылки (комментарии на форумах и в Q&A), но это отдельная тема. ## Сравнение по сути: таблица | Параметр | Арендная | Вечная | | Оплата | Посуточно, пока ссылка на месте | Один раз | | Где обычно стоит | Чаще в блоках ссылок, сайдбарах, подвалах | Чаще внутри статьи | | Что будет, если перестать платить | Ссылка исчезает | Остаётся, пока жив донор | | Как видят поисковики | Платная ссылка ради ранжирования: без `sponsored`/`nofollow` нарушает правила Google | То же самое: разовая оплата не делает ссылку естественной | | Можно ли «отменить» | Да, просто перестать платить | Сложно: нужно договариваться с владельцем площадки | | Главный риск | Зависимость: позиции, если они держались на ссылках, уходят вместе с ними | Ссылку нельзя быстро убрать, а донор со временем может стать спамным | ## Что пишет Яндекс о покупных ссылках В [рекомендациях Вебмастера о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/recommendations/links.md) Яндекс разделяет ссылки, которые ставят, чтобы помочь посетителям, и ссылки, которые появляются за плату. Про вторые сказано, что они мешают корректно определять степень доверия к сайтам, особенно если покупаются через биржи и рассчитаны на поисковик, а не на читателя. Там же Яндекс пишет, что не учитывает спамерские ссылки, и предлагает отмечать рекламные ссылки атрибутом `rel="sponsored"`, а пользовательские — `rel="ugc"`. Отдельная история — алгоритм «Минусинск». Название дал сам Яндекс ([запуск объявлен в блоге для вебмастеров 15 мая 2015 года](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/20337)), но в нынешней справке его нет, а в [списке нарушений](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts) девять типов, и отдельного пункта о ссылках среди них нет. Но в 2015 году Яндекс объявлял о нём открыто: по [публикации Sostav от 15 апреля 2015 года](https://www.sostav.ru/publication/yandeks-otminusuet-seo-ssylki-16081.html), компания предупредила, что с 15 мая сайты, продвигаемые SEO-ссылками, могут ранжироваться ниже, и советовала не ждать отдельного предупреждения. Действует ли алгоритм в той же форме сейчас, публично не сообщается — опирайтесь на справку, а не на форумы. ## Что пишет Google В [правилах Google в отношении спама](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru) раздел о ссылочном спаме прямо называет оплату размещения ссылок, избыточный обмен ссылками, автоматическое создание ссылок и сквозные ссылки в шаблонах чужих сайтов. Важная оговорка там же: покупать и продавать ссылки в рекламных целях можно, если у них стоит `rel="sponsored"` или `rel="nofollow"`. То есть Google запрещает не рекламу, а попытку выдать оплаченную ссылку за естественную. Для вечных и арендных ссылок это важно: биржевая ссылка почти всегда продаётся именно как «рабочая» для ранжирования, без атрибутов. Если же поставить `sponsored`, исчезает то, за что её покупали. Подробнее о разнице атрибутов — в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Риски, о которых продавцы молчат ### Общие для обеих моделей - **Поисковик может просто не учитывать ссылку.** Яндекс пишет об этом прямо. Вы платите, а эффект нулевой — и узнать это наверняка нельзя. - **Ограничения в ранжировании.** Google относит платные ссылки без атрибутов к спаму; у Яндекса был отдельный алгоритм против SEO-ссылок. - **Плохие доноры.** Биржи держат каталоги, где много сайтов, созданных только для продажи ссылок. Как отличать такие сайты — в разборе [как распознать PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ### Специфичные для аренды - **Ловушка подписки.** Если рост был связан со ссылками, отказ от аренды означает потерю этого роста. Расход становится постоянным. - **Шаблонные места.** Арендные ссылки часто стоят блоками в сайдбаре или подвале — Google отдельно упоминает ссылки в шаблонах. ### Специфичные для вечных - **«Вечность» никто не гарантирует.** Площадку продадут, перенесут на другой движок или закроют — ссылка пропадёт, деньги не вернутся. - **Нельзя быстро снять.** Если решите почистить ссылочный профиль, придётся уговаривать десятки владельцев площадок. В Google для крайних случаев есть [инструмент отклонения ссылок](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487?hl=ru), но сама справка называет его крайней мерой: сначала нужно попытаться удалить ссылки. ## Три мифа из рекламы ссылочных бирж - **«Вечные ссылки безопаснее аренды».** Безопаснее для кошелька в долгую — возможно. Для правил поисковиков разницы нет: Google оценивает, оплачена ли ссылка и помечена ли она, а не то, как вы за неё платили. - **«Ссылки в статьях выглядят естественно».** Статья, написанная под ссылку на тему, далёкую от сайта-донора, естественной не становится. Яндекс прямо пишет, что ценит ссылки, поставленные ради посетителей. - **«Без покупки ссылок в рунете не продвинуться».** Купленные ссылки не заменяют того, без чего сайт не растёт вообще. Молодому сайту в первую очередь нужно закрыть запросы полезными страницами, получить первые упоминания и наладить индексацию. Если подрядчик предлагает «безопасный» ссылочный пакет, попросите показать, где правила поисковиков разрешают такие ссылки без атрибутов. Ответа не будет. ## Как понять, что у вас уже есть покупные ссылки Если сайт достался от прошлого подрядчика, проверьте профиль: - Выгрузите внешние ссылки в Яндекс Вебмастере (раздел «Ссылки») и в Google Search Console («Ссылки»). - Отметьте доноры, где ваша ссылка стоит в блоке «Партнёры», в подвале или в статье, не связанной с вашей темой. - Проверьте, есть ли у таких ссылок атрибуты. Если подрядчик платил за аренду — договор или счета обычно это показывают. - Аренду проще всего прекратить: перестать пополнять баланс. По вечным — написать владельцам площадок с просьбой снять ссылку или добавить `rel="sponsored"`. Снимать всё подряд в панике не нужно: оценивайте долю явно купленных ссылок и качество доноров. ## Законные альтернативы Цель, ради которой покупают ссылки, — чтобы о сайте узнали и стали ему доверять. Её можно достигать без нарушений: - **Упоминания бренда.** Отзывы, подборки, ответы экспертов. Ссылка не обязательна: зачем это нужно и как работает, читайте в статье [упоминания и обратные ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - **Гостевые и партнёрские статьи с маркировкой.** Статья полезна читателям площадки, а ссылка помечена `sponsored`. Если размещение оплачено, в России это реклама — о маркировке в статье [правила раскрытия спонсорского контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). - **Контент, на который ссылаются сами.** Исследования на своих данных, калькуляторы, подробные гайды. - **Партнёрства с соседними сайтами.** Совместные материалы и обзоры, где обе стороны получают читателей, а не «вес». Как один из вариантов можно попробовать Satelo: сайты похожей тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, без прямого обмена, и все ссылки в таких статьях стоят с `rel="sponsored"`. Это способ получать упоминания и переходы от живых читателей, а не покупать позиции. Сервис в публичной бете, сеть пока небольшая. Подробнее о рынке — в обзоре [ссылочных бирж рунета](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-exchanges-runet/). ## Что делать сейчас - Не покупайте ни вечные, ни арендные ссылки для ранжирования. - Если они уже есть — проведите аудит по шагам выше и прекратите аренду. - Для каждой оплаченной ссылки добивайтесь атрибута `sponsored` и маркировки. - Перенаправьте бюджет на контент и упоминания на тематических площадках. Хотите получать упоминания честно? [Добавьте сайт в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/): первая же партнёрская статья, которую вы опубликуете у себя, даст сателлиты на статью о вашем сайте на похожей площадке — с прозрачной маркировкой и без покупки позиций. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое вечные ссылки? Это ссылки, за которые платят один раз: владелец площадки обещает держать их на странице, пока сайт существует. Гарантии этого нет — донора могут продать или закрыть. ### Чем арендные ссылки отличаются от вечных? Арендная ссылка оплачивается посуточно и снимается, когда заканчивается баланс. Вечная оплачивается один раз и остаётся, даже если вы больше не платите. ### Какие ссылки лучше для продвижения сайта? С точки зрения правил поисковиков — никакие: обе модели — это оплаченные ссылки ради позиций. Google разрешает платные ссылки только с rel="sponsored" или rel="nofollow", а Яндекс пишет, что такие ссылки мешают оценивать доверие к сайту. ### Наказывает ли Яндекс за покупные ссылки? Яндекс пишет, что не учитывает спамерские ссылки. В 2015 году он объявлял алгоритм «Минусинск» против сайтов, продвигаемых SEO-ссылками. В текущем списке нарушений в справке отдельного пункта о ссылках нет. ### Можно ли удалить вечную ссылку? Только через владельца площадки: попросить снять ссылку или добавить атрибут sponsored. В Google Search Console для крайних случаев есть инструмент отклонения ссылок, но Google советует сначала попытаться удалить ссылки. ### Чем заменить покупку ссылок? Упоминаниями бренда, гостевыми и партнёрскими статьями с маркировкой и rel="sponsored", полезным контентом, на который ссылаются сами, и совместными проектами с соседними сайтами. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/internal-linking-guide/ content # Внутренняя перелинковка: как связать статьи блога в систему Внутренняя перелинковка — это ссылки между страницами одного сайта: из статьи на статью, из раздела на раздел. Она помогает роботам находить и обходить страницы, а читателям — переходить к следующему полезному материалу. Ниже — что пишут о ссылках Google и Яндекс, схема «хаб и спицы» на условном примере, правила анкоров и пошаговый аудит для блога на 20–200 статей. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Зачем нужна перелинковка У внутренних ссылок три задачи, и все три проверяемые: - **Обход и индексация.** Роботы находят новые страницы по ссылкам. В [рекомендациях Google по ссылкам](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable?hl=ru) прямо сказано: на каждый значимый URL должна ссылаться как минимум ещё одна страница сайта. Страница без входящих ссылок может годами висеть вне индекса. - **Понимание темы.** Текст ссылки подсказывает, о чём целевая страница, а связки статей показывают, какие темы на сайте раскрыты подробно. - **Навигация для людей.** Читатель, который пришёл на одну статью и нашёл следующую, остаётся на сайте дольше. Яндекс в [рекомендациях для вебмастеров](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.md) называет удобный дизайн и быстрый поиск нужной информации признаками хорошего сайта и советует размещать только полезные пользователям ссылки. Чего перелинковка не делает: не гарантирует позиций и не заменяет полезный контент. Ссылка на слабую страницу не сделает её сильной. ## Какие бывают внутренние ссылки | Тип | Где стоит | Для чего | | Навигация | Меню, подвал | Главные разделы, доступные с любой страницы | | Хлебные крошки | Над заголовком | Показывают место страницы в структуре: Главная → Раздел → Статья | | Контекстные | В тексте статьи | Ведут на материал, который раскрывает упомянутое понятие | | «Читайте также» | В конце статьи | Следующий шаг для читателя | | Рубрики и теги | Страницы-списки | Собирают статьи одной темы | Самые ценные для блога — контекстные: их ставит автор, понимая, куда читателю логично идти дальше. Остальные типы обычно делает тема WordPress или конструктор. ## Схема «хаб и спицы» Удобнее всего строить перелинковку от тематических кластеров. В центре — **хаб**: обзорная статья по широкой теме. Вокруг — **спицы**: статьи по узким вопросам. Правила простые: - Хаб ссылается на каждую спицу кластера. - Каждая спица ссылается обратно на хаб. - Спицы ссылаются друг на друга, когда это действительно помогает читателю. - Между кластерами — только смысловые мостики, а не «всё со всем». ### Условный пример Блог о домашней выпечке, 40 статей. Один из кластеров — «Хлеб на закваске»: - **Хаб:** «Хлеб на закваске: полное руководство для начинающих». - **Спицы:** «Как вывести закваску с нуля», «Почему хлеб не поднимается», «Мука для хлеба: какую выбрать», «Расстойка в холодильнике», «Чем кормить закваску». - **Мостики:** из «Мука для хлеба» — в кластер «Пицца» на статью о муке для теста; из «Расстойки» — в кластер «Оборудование» на статью о расстоечных корзинах. В итоге любая статья кластера находится в два клика от любой другой, хаб собирает ссылки со всех спиц, а читатель всегда видит следующий шаг. Блог условный, но схема подходит для любой ниши: подробнее о том, как выбрать кластеры, — в статье [SEO для нишевого блога](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Анкоры: что писать в тексте ссылки Google в тех же [рекомендациях](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable?hl=ru) формулирует правила так: текст ссылки должен быть информативным и лаконичным; общие слова вроде «подробнее» и «нажмите здесь» плохи; перегрузка текста ссылки ключевыми словами может считаться спамом; ссылки не стоит ставить одну за другой без текста между ними. | Плохо | Хорошо | | Подробнее здесь | Разбираем, почему хлеб не поднимается | | купить муку для хлеба недорого москва | Выбор зависит от сорта муки для хлеба | | Пять ссылок подряд через запятую | Одна-две ссылки в абзаце, каждая со своим контекстом | Простой тест от Google: прочитайте текст ссылки без окружения. Если непонятно, куда она ведёт, перепишите. Разнообразие анкоров на одну страницу — нормально: пишите естественно, а не по шаблону. Технически ссылка должна быть обычным тегом `<a href="...">`. Google пишет, что не может эффективно извлекать адреса из ссылок без `href` и из «ссылок» на JavaScript-событиях. Атрибут `nofollow` на внутренних ссылках не нужен: Google советует применять его, только когда вы не доверяете источнику. О разнице атрибутов — в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Типичные ошибки - **Ссылки только из меню.** Навигация есть на всех страницах, но ничего не говорит о связи конкретных статей. Контекстные ссылки из текста работают иначе. - **Один анкор на все случаи.** Сто ссылок с одинаковым текстом выглядят как шаблон, а не как помощь читателю. - **Ссылки на перенаправления.** После смены адресов обновите внутренние ссылки на новые URL, чтобы робот и читатель не шли через редирект. - **Блок из двадцати «похожих записей».** Длинный список никто не читает; два-три точных совета полезнее. ## Сколько ссылок ставить Универсального числа нет, и Google так и пишет. Там же есть полезная эвристика: если вам кажется, что ссылок слишком много, скорее всего, так и есть. Практичный ориентир для статьи в блоге — ссылаться тогда, когда читатель может захотеть уточнить понятие или перейти к следующему шагу. В длинной статье это обычно несколько ссылок, а не по одной на каждое предложение. ## Аудит: как найти страницы-сироты Сирота — страница, на которую не ведёт ни одна внутренняя ссылка. Обычно это старые статьи, выпавшие из главной ленты блога. Порядок проверки: - **Соберите список всех статей** — из карты сайта (sitemap.xml) или админки. - **Соберите список страниц, найденных по ссылкам** — бесплатным краулером (например, ограниченной бесплатной версией Screaming Frog или аналогом), запущенным от главной. - **Сравните списки.** Есть в карте сайта, но нет в обходе — сирота. - **Проверьте индекс.** В Яндекс Вебмастере посмотрите статус таких страниц в «Страницах в поиске»; что делать с исключёнными страницами, разбираем в статье [сайт не индексируется Яндексом](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). - **Решите судьбу каждой сироты:** полезную — встройте в кластер ссылками из хаба и соседних статей; устаревшую — обновите или объедините с другой статьёй. Заодно отметьте битые внутренние ссылки, которые найдёт краулер, и страницы, куда ведут ссылки только из меню, но ни одной из текста. ## Плагины WordPress для перелинковки | Плагин | Что делает | Бесплатно? | | Rank Math | Подсказывает статьи для внутренних ссылок прямо в редакторе | По описанию на [WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/), подсказки внутренних ссылок есть в общем списке функций, а ИИ-подсказки — в PRO | | Yoast SEO | Подсказки ссылок и блок связанных статей | По [странице функции](https://yoast.com/features/internal-linking/), блок связанных ссылок требует Yoast SEO Premium | Плагины удобны, но не заменяют голову: подсказки строятся по совпадению слов и не знают, какой шаг для читателя логичен. Автоматические «похожие записи» в конце статьи тоже полезны, но контекстные ссылки в тексте лучше ставить вручную. ## Перелинковка в процессе работы, а не раз в год Проще всего держать перелинковку в порядке, если сделать её частью публикации: - Перед написанием статьи определите её кластер и хаб. - В новой статье — ссылка на хаб и на одну-две соседние спицы. - После публикации — добавьте ссылку на новую статью в хаб и в одну-две старые статьи, где это уместно. Этот шаг чаще всего забывают. - Раз в квартал — проверка сирот и битых ссылок. Внешние ссылки на ваш сайт — отдельная история, но и они работают лучше, когда ведут в хорошо связанную структуру, а не на изолированную страницу. ## Что сделать дальше - Выпишите кластеры блога и назначьте каждому хаб. - Найдите сирот по шагам выше и встройте полезные. - Перепишите анкоры «здесь» и «подробнее». - Добавьте в чек-лист публикации шаг «ссылка на новую статью из хаба». Если блог на WordPress, подключите [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/): он автоматически публикует партнёрские статьи от сайтов вашего уровня, а статьи о вашем сайте выходят на тематических площадках со ссылками `rel="sponsored"` — это новые читатели, которые попадут в вашу продуманную структуру. Сервис в публичной бете. А посмотреть, как сайт выглядит со стороны, можно бесплатно в [индексе качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое внутренняя перелинковка простыми словами? Это ссылки между страницами одного сайта: из текста статьи на другие статьи, из меню на разделы, в хлебных крошках и блоках «Читайте также». ### Зачем нужна перелинковка в SEO? Она помогает роботам находить и обходить страницы, подсказывает тему целевой страницы через текст ссылки и удерживает читателей. Google рекомендует, чтобы на каждую значимую страницу вела хотя бы одна ссылка с другой страницы сайта. ### Сколько внутренних ссылок ставить в статье? Универсального числа нет. Ставьте ссылку там, где читателю может понадобиться уточнение или следующий шаг; Google отмечает, что если ссылок кажется слишком много, скорее всего, так и есть. ### Какой анкор выбрать для внутренней ссылки? Информативный и короткий, описывающий целевую страницу. Избегайте «здесь» и «подробнее», не набивайте анкор ключевыми словами. ### Что такое страница-сирота? Страница, на которую не ведёт ни одна внутренняя ссылка. Найти её можно, сравнив карту сайта со списком страниц, которые краулер нашёл по ссылкам от главной. ### Нужен ли nofollow на внутренних ссылках? Нет. Google советует применять nofollow, только когда вы не доверяете источнику, а своим страницам вы доверяете. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/landing-page-seo/ Трафик сайта # Можно ли продвинуть лендинг в поиске: честный разбор SEO одностраничника Продвижение лендинга в поиске возможно, но в узких рамках: одна страница может ранжироваться по одной теме и близким к ней запросам, по брендовым и локальным запросам. Если вы продаёте несколько услуг или хотите собирать информационный трафик, одной страницы не хватит, и честнее либо разбить лендинг на страницы, либо параллельно вести контекстную рекламу. Ниже разбираем, где граница, что настроить на Тильде и как подключить Карты. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Почему одной странице тесно в поиске Поисковик ранжирует страницы, а не сайты. У каждой страницы один адрес, один тег title, одно описание и, как правило, один главный заголовок. Значит, одна страница может хорошо отвечать на одну задачу пользователя. Когда на лендинге собраны «ремонт квартир, дизайн интерьера и натяжные потолки», страница отвечает на всё сразу и ни на что конкретно. Вторая проблема техническая. Разделы одностраничника обычно открываются по якорям вида `site.ru/#price`. В справке Google прямо сказано: [Google Поиск обычно не поддерживает фрагменты URL](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/url-structure?hl=ru), и менять содержимое страницы через них не рекомендуется. Для поиска `#price`, `#services` и `#contacts` — это один и тот же адрес, а не три страницы. Третья — объём. По теме «как выбрать», «сколько стоит», «чем отличается» лендинг не ответит без простыни текста, которая убивает конверсию. Информационный трафик забирают сайты со статьями. ## Когда лендинга в поиске хватает - **Одна узкая услуга или продукт.** «Заточка ножей в Казани», «курс по Excel для бухгалтеров» — запросов немного, и все про одно. - **Брендовые запросы.** Люди, которые уже знают ваше название, найдут лендинг, если он в индексе и правильно назван. - **Локальный бизнес с карточкой на Картах.** Многие клиенты приходят из карточки организации, а сайт служит её продолжением. - **Мероприятие или запуск.** Короткая жизнь страницы, трафик идёт из рассылки, соцсетей и рекламы, поиск вторичен. Если ваш случай здесь — оптимизируйте одну страницу и не стройте лишнего. ## Когда пора разбить лендинг на страницы Признаки, что одной страницы мало: - у вас две и больше услуг, которые люди ищут разными словами; - вы работаете в нескольких городах или районах и хотите показываться по каждому; - в Вебмастере видно, что страница получает показы по запросам, на которые она отвечает лишь абзацем; - вам задают одни и те же вопросы — на них можно ответить отдельными статьями. Схема, которая обычно работает: главная остаётся продающей страницей-витриной, под каждую услугу появляется своя страница со своим адресом (`/remont-vannoj/`, `/dizajn-interera/`), а вопросы клиентов уходят в небольшой блог. Google в [руководстве для начинающих](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide?hl=ru) советует логично структурировать контент, группировать похожие страницы в разделы и использовать в адресах понятные людям слова. | Ситуация | Что делать | | Одна услуга, один город | Оставить лендинг, оптимизировать его, завести карточку на Картах | | 2–5 услуг | Главная + отдельная страница на каждую услугу | | Несколько городов | Страницы под города, только если есть что сказать про каждый: адрес, команда, цены, работы | | Клиенты много спрашивают | Добавить раздел статей с ответами | | Нужны заявки завтра | Контекстная реклама на лендинг, SEO — параллельно | Важно: страницы под города без реальных отличий — это шаблонные дубли. Яндекс относит к нарушениям [малополезный и неоригинальный контент](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html), поэтому лучше три честные страницы, чем тридцать одинаковых. ## Чек-лист: SEO одной страницы - **Один главный запрос.** Сформулируйте, как вас ищут: «ремонт стиральных машин на дому Самара», а не «качественный сервис». - **Title.** Главный запрос в начале, город, отличие. Google советует делать заголовки уникальными, понятными и точно описывающими страницу. - **Description.** Одно-два предложения: что, где, почему вы. Поисковик может взять описание в сниппет, но не обязан. - **Один H1** с главной формулировкой, блоки ниже — H2 с уточнениями: цены, этапы, гарантия, вопросы. - **Текст, а не только картинки.** Цены, условия, состав услуги, районы выезда — всё текстом, иначе поисковику нечего читать. - **Блок вопросов и ответов.** Пять–семь реальных вопросов клиентов закрывают хвост запросов, на которые отдельные страницы пока не нужны. - **Контакты и адрес текстом**, одинаковые с карточкой на Картах. - **Скорость и мобильная версия.** Тяжёлые видео-обложки и десятки анимаций — частая причина медленных лендингов; подробнее в статье [Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **Alt у изображений** с описанием того, что на них: «мастер меняет подшипник стиральной машины». - **Сайт в Вебмастере и Search Console**, sitemap отправлен. Если страницы нет в поиске, начните с разбора [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Что настроить на Тильде Большинство лендингов в рунете собраны на Тильде, поэтому коротко о её возможностях. По [справке Тильды](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo/), платформа даёт: - понятный адрес для каждой страницы и 301-редиректы при смене адреса; - поля для title, description и keywords в настройках страницы; - назначение тегов H1, H2, H3 заголовкам блоков; - alt для изображений; - автоматические sitemap.xml и robots.txt; - подключение Яндекс Вебмастера и Google Search Console в разделе «Настройки сайта → SEO». Частые ошибки на Тильде: все заголовки блоков остаются без тегов или, наоборот, H1 стоит в трёх местах; текст «зашит» в картинки и Zero Block; страница опубликована на техническом поддомене, а свой домен подключён позже без редиректа. Проверьте эти три пункта первыми. Если решите добавить страницы услуг, на Тильде это обычные новые страницы проекта со своими адресами — не новые блоки с якорем на той же странице. ## Локальные запросы и Карты Для лендинга локального бизнеса карточка организации часто важнее самой страницы: по запросам «рядом» и «в моём районе» поисковики показывают карты с организациями. Размещение на Яндекс Картах через Яндекс Бизнес, по [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/add-company/add-org.html), бесплатное; если вы работаете только онлайн, вместо адреса можно указать город или регион. В карточке укажите ссылку на лендинг и следите, чтобы название, адрес и телефон совпадали с тем, что написано на сайте. Больше о локальном продвижении — в статье [как продвигать сайт местного бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Когда честнее вести контекстную рекламу SEO даёт результат не сразу, а лендинг на одну услугу в конкурентной нише может так и не выйти в топ, потому что там стоят многостраничные сайты с ответами на всё. Контекстная реклама — разумный вариант, если: - заявки нужны в ближайшие недели, а не через полгода; - лендинг временный: акция, сезон, запуск; - тематика узкая, а вы ещё не знаете, по каким словам вас ищут — реклама быстро это покажет. Хорошая стратегия — не «или-или»: реклама приводит заявки сейчас, а данные о запросах из неё подсказывают, какие страницы услуг стоит создать для поиска. ## Ссылки и упоминания для одностраничника Одностраничнику труднее получать ссылки: сослаться на продающую страницу соглашаются реже, чем на полезную статью. Рабочие варианты без серых схем: - карточки в справочниках и на картах с указанием сайта; - упоминания в местных СМИ, отраслевых каталогах и у партнёров; - статьи о вашей услуге на тематических площадках с честной пометкой рекламы и атрибутом `rel="sponsored"`. Идеи бесплатных площадок собраны в статье [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). Покупать ссылки, чтобы повлиять на выдачу, не стоит: Google относит оплату размещения ссылок без атрибутов nofollow или sponsored к [ссылочному спаму](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru). ## Условный пример: лендинг мастера по ремонту Условный пример для иллюстрации. Мастер в Самаре ремонтирует стиральные машины и посудомойки, у него лендинг на Тильде. Что он делает по шагам: - Назначает один H1 «Ремонт стиральных машин на дому в Самаре», прописывает title и description. - Переводит цены и районы выезда из картинки в текст, добавляет блок из шести вопросов клиентов. - Создаёт вторую страницу проекта — «Ремонт посудомоечных машин» — со своим адресом и ценами вместо блока на главной. - Заводит карточку в Яндекс Бизнесе с тем же телефоном и ссылкой на сайт. - Подключает Вебмастер и через месяц смотрит, по каким запросам появились показы. Никакой гарантии позиций это не даёт, зато каждая услуга теперь имеет страницу, которая на неё отвечает. ## Что делать дальше Начните с диагностики: подключите сайт к [Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/), посмотрите, по каким запросам у лендинга есть показы, и решите по таблице выше, нужны ли отдельные страницы. Чтобы понять, с какой позиции вы стартуете, проверьте домен в [бесплатной проверке Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты увидите индекс качества сайта и данные, из которых складывается каждая цифра (в основном открытые данные: возраст домена, скорость, присутствие в публичных рейтингах). Это удобно и для сравнения с конкурентами из выдачи. ## Частые вопросы ### Можно ли продвинуть одностраничный сайт в Яндексе? Да, по узкому набору запросов: одна услуга, бренд, локальные запросы. По нескольким услугам и информационным запросам одной страницы обычно мало. ### Индексирует ли поисковик разделы лендинга по якорям? Google в справке пишет, что обычно не поддерживает фрагменты URL, поэтому адреса с # для него — одна страница. Отдельной услуге нужен отдельный адрес. ### Сколько текста нужно на лендинге для SEO? Норматива нет. Нужно столько, чтобы ответить на вопросы клиента: состав услуги, цены, сроки, гарантии, районы, частые вопросы — текстом, а не картинками. ### Подходит ли Тильда для SEO? Тильда даёт основные настройки: адреса страниц, title и description, теги заголовков, alt, sitemap и robots.txt, подключение Вебмастера. Результат зависит от содержания. ### Что лучше для лендинга: SEO или контекстная реклама? Если заявки нужны быстро или лендинг временный — контекст. Для долгой работы лучше совмещать: реклама даёт заявки сейчас и показывает, какие страницы стоит создать для поиска. ### Нужна ли лендингу карточка на Яндекс Картах? Для локального бизнеса — да. Размещение в Яндекс Бизнесе бесплатное, а карточка со ссылкой на сайт приводит клиентов по запросам «рядом». --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-exchanges-runet/ Обмен статьями # Биржи ссылок и статей в рунете: как работают и чем рискует сайт Биржа ссылок — это площадка-посредник, где владельцы сайтов продают места под ссылки и статьи, а оптимизаторы их покупают; биржа берёт на себя поиск доноров, проверку размещения и расчёты. Яндекс прямо пишет, что платные ссылки с бирж мешают ему оценивать доверие к сайтам, а Google считает покупку ссылок ради позиций спамом. Ниже — как устроены биржи разных типов, где реальные риски и в каких случаях платное размещение статьи всё-таки имеет смысл. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 8 мин чтения · Satelo ## Какие бывают биржи: четыре модели Под словами «биржа ссылок» в рунете скрываются разные продукты. От модели зависят и деньги, и риски, поэтому сначала стоит понять, что именно вы покупаете. | Модель | Что покупаете | Как платите | Главный риск | | Арендные ссылки | Ссылку на чужой странице, пока платите | Посуточно или помесячно, пока ссылка висит | Бросили платить — ссылки сняли; доноры часто продают десятки ссылок с одной страницы | | Вечные ссылки и статьи | Публикацию статьи или заметки со ссылкой «на срок жизни сайта» | Один раз | Сайт-донор закроется, удалит статью или выпадет из индекса | | Крауд | Упоминания на форумах, в отзывах, в ответах на вопросы | За каждое размещение | Модераторы удаляют, ссылки обычно закрыты nofollow, легко скатиться в спам | | PR и гостевые статьи | Материал на тематическом сайте или в СМИ, часто ради аудитории | За публикацию | Платите за «СМИ», которое читают только биржевые роботы | Пример арендной модели — Sape: на [странице об арендных ссылках](https://www.sape.ru/arendnye-ssylki/) сказано, что цена указана за месяц, а списывается за каждые сутки, когда ссылка видна на доноре, и что ссылка снимается автоматически, если оплата остановилась. Там же Sape перечисляет вечные, крауд- и социальные ссылки. Вечные статьи — основа Miralinks: на [главной странице](https://www.miralinks.com/) биржа пишет, что статьи размещаются вручную, а заказать текст можно у копирайтера прямо в системе. ## Как устроена сделка на бирже Схема почти везде одинакова, отличаются детали. - **Каталог доноров.** Вы фильтруете сайты по тематике, региону и метрикам: ИКС, оценки Ahrefs или Semrush, трафик, процент индексации. Метрики почти всегда сторонние и их можно накрутить, подробнее — в разборе [как распознать сетку сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **Анкор и URL.** Указываете, на какую страницу ставить ссылку и с каким текстом. Ссылочный текст, точно повторяющий запрос, на чужом сайте выглядит неестественно — это заметно и людям, и поисковикам. - **Текст.** Либо вы загружаете готовую статью, либо её пишет копирайтер биржи, либо сам владелец площадки. У GoGetLinks, например, в [FAQ](https://gogetlinks.net/info/faq) при создании кампании выбирают тип обзора: заметку, контекстную ссылку или статью. - **Модерация и публикация.** Владелец сайта принимает или отклоняет задание, публикует, биржа проверяет, что ссылка на месте. - **Гарантия.** Это самое разное место. У одних бирж — оплата только после индексации страницы, у других — бесплатная гарантия на несколько месяцев и платное продление, у третьих — страховка за отдельные деньги. Условия меняются, поэтому читайте правила биржи на день покупки, а не обзоры. Важно: биржа гарантирует, что ссылка **висит**. Ни одна из них не гарантирует, что ссылка будет учтена поиском или даст позиции. Если вам обещают «рост выдачи», это маркетинг, а не условие договора. ## Что говорит Яндекс о платных ссылках и биржах У Яндекса есть отдельная страница справки Вебмастера — [«Ссылки»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html). Про платные ссылки там сказано, что они «мешают Яндексу корректно определять степень доверия к сайтам». Особо отмечены ссылки со ссылочных бирж, предназначенные для поисковых систем, а не для посетителей. Для рекламных мест и партнёрских программ Яндекс рекомендует атрибут `rel="sponsored"`, а для ссылок, качество которых вы не контролируете, — `nofollow` или `ugc`. Про последствия в справке о [нарушениях на сайтах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/security/verdicts.html) сказано, что при недобросовестных методах продвижения алгоритмы могут применить ограничения, которые влияют на ранжирование всего сайта или отдельных разделов. Отдельный пункт про покупные ссылки в нынешнем списке нарушений не выделен, но и разрешения там нет. Исторический пример — алгоритм «Минусинск»: в мае 2015 года Яндекс объявил о его запуске для борьбы со ссылочным спамом ([блог Яндекса для вебмастеров, 15 мая 2015](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/20337)). Как проверить, не попал ли сайт под ограничения, и чем санкции отличаются от сезонного спада — тема отдельного материала. ## Что говорит Google У Google позиция короче и жёстче. В [правилах о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) ссылочный спам — это ссылки, созданные прежде всего для манипуляции ранжированием, и среди примеров прямо названа покупка или продажа ссылок ради позиций, в том числе за деньги, товары или услуги. Платная ссылка не нарушает правила, если она помечена `rel="sponsored"` или `rel="nofollow"`. Подробный разбор с примерами — в нашем гайде [о правилах Google для обмена ссылками](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/link-exchange-google-rules/). Вывод из двух документов один: платить за размещение можно, а платить за влияние на выдачу — нет. Разница — в атрибуте и в том, для кого вообще стоит ссылка. ## Главные риски покупки ссылок на бирже - **Санкции и обнуление вложений.** Если поисковик решит, что ссылки покупные и стоят ради позиций, в лучшем случае он их просто не учтёт, в худшем — ограничит сайт. Деньги в обоих случаях потрачены. - **Сетки и «ссылкопомойки».** В каталогах встречаются сайты, сделанные под продажу ссылок: статьи обо всём подряд, никакой аудитории, десятки исходящих ссылок на странице. Признаки — в статье [про PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/); чек-лист ниже. - **Пропадающие ссылки.** Аренда исчезает вместе с балансом. «Вечные» статьи живут, пока жив донор: сайт продали, переехал на новый движок, удалил старые публикации — и ссылки нет. - **Ссылки вне индекса.** Статья опубликована, но страница так и не попала в поиск. Поэтому у нормальных бирж есть оплата после индексации или переразмещение. - **Неестественный профиль.** Сотня ссылок за месяц с точными анкорами на молодой сайт без упоминаний в соцсетях и СМИ выглядит ровно так, как выглядит покупка. - **Юридическая сторона.** Если размещённая статья по сути реклама, на неё распространяются требования к маркировке (об этом ниже). Сам по себе обмен или покупка ещё не приговор: всё решают цель и оформление. Где проходит граница, мы подробно разбирали в статье [вреден ли обмен ссылками для SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## Биржи рунета: чем отличаются модели Это не рейтинг «лучших бирж». В таблице — модели размещения по публичным страницам самих сервисов на 16 октября 2026 года. Комиссии, гарантии и выплаты мы свели в отдельные сравнения — по ссылке в последнем столбце, с источниками и датой проверки. | Площадка | Основная модель | Кто пишет текст | Подробное сравнение | | Sape | Арендные ссылки с посуточной оплатой, плюс вечные, крауд и социальные | Покупатель или заказ через биржу | [Satelo vs Sape](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/sape/) | | Miralinks | Вечные статьи и пресс-релизы, размещение вручную | Покупатель или копирайтер биржи | [Satelo vs Miralinks](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/miralinks/) | | GoGetLinks | Заметки, контекстные ссылки и статьи; оплата после индексации страницы | Владелец площадки по заданию | [Satelo vs GoGetLinks](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/gogetlinks/) | | Collaborator | Гостевые статьи и пресс-релизы на сайтах и в Telegram-каналах | Покупатель или заказ написания | [Satelo vs Collaborator](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/collaborator/) | | Adsy | Гостевые посты и вставка ссылок в существующие статьи | Покупатель или площадка | [Satelo vs Adsy](https://satelo.io/ru/vs/adsy/) | Источники по моделям: [Sape](https://www.sape.ru/arendnye-ssylki/), [Miralinks](https://www.miralinks.com/), [GoGetLinks](https://gogetlinks.net/info/faq), [Collaborator](https://collaborator.pro/ru/), [Adsy](https://adsy.com/). Цены мы сознательно не приводим: они зависят от донора и меняются, а смотреть их нужно в каталоге в день покупки. Как вообще складывается цена гостевой статьи — в гайде [о стоимости размещения](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/guest-post-cost/). ### Аренда или вечная статья: пример расчёта **Для иллюстрации, цены условные.** Допустим, арендная ссылка стоит 100 ₽ в месяц, а вечная статья на сопоставимом сайте — 2 000 ₽. За два года аренда обойдётся в 2 400 ₽, и после отключения оплаты ссылка исчезнет. Статья дешевле на длинной дистанции, но только если донор проживёт эти два года и не удалит публикацию. Поэтому главный вопрос при выборе — не цена, а то, насколько живой сайт-донор. ## Как проверить донора перед оплатой: чек-лист - Есть ли у сайта реальная аудитория: открытый счётчик, видимость в поиске, живые комментарии. - Тематика совпадает с вашей, а не «обо всём»: авто, медицина и криптовалюты на одном сайте — плохой знак. - Сколько исходящих ссылок на странице со статьями. Если в каждой публикации по 3–5 коммерческих ссылок, вы покупаете место на «ссылкопомойке». - Страницы сайта в индексе Яндекса и Google: проверьте запросом `site:` и выборочно — несколько последних статей. - Есть ли на сайте редакционный контент, который пишут не под заказ. - Какой атрибут поставят на ссылку и готов ли владелец поставить `rel="sponsored"`. - Нужна ли пометка «реклама» и кто отвечает за маркировку. Быстро сравнить несколько доноров можно в бесплатной [проверке сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества построен в основном на открытых данных, и по каждому компоненту видно, откуда цифра. ## Когда платное размещение статьи оправдано Платная публикация нормальна, когда вы платите за **аудиторию и упоминание**, а не за ссылку как сигнал для поисковика. Признаки такой ситуации: - сайт читают люди из вашей ниши, и статья может привести клиентов или подписчиков сама по себе; - вам важно упоминание бренда в тематическом источнике, в том числе для ИИ-ассистентов, которые собирают ответы из открытых страниц; - ссылка помечена `rel="sponsored"`, как рекомендуют и Яндекс, и Google; - материал оформлен по закону о рекламе, если он подпадает под определение рекламы. Про маркировку. Статья 18.1 закона «О рекламе» (38-ФЗ) устанавливает для рекламы в интернете пометку «реклама», указание на рекламодателя и присвоение рекламе идентификатора через оператора рекламных данных; сведения о распространённой рекламе передаются регулятору ([текст статьи на КонсультантПлюс](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/2c4537e4796f6ff8b2736ed1b0d4fef08e14458e/); закон обновляется, сверяйте актуальную редакцию). Является ли конкретная статья рекламой, зависит от её содержания, и в спорных случаях лучше спросить юриста. Практические примеры пометок — в статье [о правилах раскрытия спонсорского контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). ## Альтернативы покупке ссылок - **Контент, на который ссылаются сами.** Собственные данные, калькуляторы, подробные инструкции — то, что удобно цитировать. - **Гостевые статьи по договорённости.** Полезный материал для тематического сайта в обмен на упоминание, без денег и без биржи. - **Каталоги и карты.** Яндекс Бизнес, отраслевые справочники, профили в сообществах — для локального бизнеса это часто полезнее любой статьи. - **Совместные проекты с соседями по нише.** Подборки, интервью, обмен опытом в рассылках и Telegram-каналах. - **Обмен статьями по кругу.** В [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) сайты похожего уровня публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по цепочке A→B→C→A, без прямого обмена. Ссылки стоят с `rel="sponsored"`, расчёт идёт внутренней валютой — сателлитами, которые вы зарабатываете публикацией у себя. Сеть в публичной бете и пока небольшая, поэтому подходящий партнёр находится не всегда сразу. ## Что делать дальше - Решите, за что вы платите: за аудиторию и упоминание или за «позиции». Во втором случае лучше не платить вовсе. - Если покупаете, выбирайте модель под задачу и проверяйте каждого донора по чек-листу выше. - Ставьте `rel="sponsored"` и оформляйте рекламу по 38-ФЗ. - Попробуйте бесплатную альтернативу: [добавьте сайт в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) и посмотрите, какие сайты вашего уровня и тематики уже есть в сети и что они готовы опубликовать о вас — без денег, за сателлиты. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое биржа ссылок? Площадка-посредник, где владельцы сайтов продают места под ссылки и статьи, а покупатели их заказывают. Биржа подбирает доноров, проверяет, что ссылка на месте, и проводит расчёты, забирая себе комиссию. ### Чем арендные ссылки отличаются от вечных? За арендную ссылку платят, пока она висит, обычно посуточно; перестали платить — ссылку сняли. Вечная ссылка или статья оплачивается один раз и живёт, пока сайт-донор её не удалит или не закроется. ### Наказывает ли Яндекс за покупные ссылки? В справке Вебмастера сказано, что платные ссылки, особенно с бирж, мешают Яндексу оценивать доверие к сайтам, а при недобросовестном продвижении алгоритмы могут ограничить сайт. Для рекламных ссылок Яндекс рекомендует rel="sponsored". ### Можно ли покупать ссылки по правилам Google? Покупка ссылок ради позиций — нарушение правил Google о спаме. Платная ссылка допустима, если она помечена rel="sponsored" или rel="nofollow". ### Нужно ли маркировать платную статью со ссылкой? Если статья по содержанию является рекламой, на неё распространяется статья 18.1 закона «О рекламе»: пометка «реклама», указание рекламодателя и идентификатор рекламы. В спорных случаях лучше проконсультироваться с юристом. ### Как проверить сайт-донора перед покупкой? Посмотрите на реальную аудиторию, совпадение тематики, число исходящих ссылок на странице, индексацию последних статей и наличие редакционного контента. Сайт, где в каждой публикации несколько коммерческих ссылок, лучше пропустить. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-velocity/ Ссылки # Наращивание ссылочной массы: какой темп безопасен и что такое естественный профиль Наращивание ссылочной массы — это постепенное появление внешних ссылок на сайт, и главный вопрос новичков звучит так: сколько ссылок в месяц можно получать, чтобы не попасть под фильтр. Честный ответ: ни Яндекс, ни Google не называют никакой «нормы темпа», а их правила говорят о происхождении ссылок, а не о скорости. Ниже разбираем, откуда взялся миф, что на самом деле делает профиль естественным и как планировать работу со ссылками небольшому сайту. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Откуда взялась идея «правильного темпа» В старых SEO-статьях можно встретить советы вроде «не больше N ссылок в месяц для молодого сайта» и графики «плавного прироста». Логика понятна: если сайт годами получал по паре ссылок, а потом за неделю получил сотни, это похоже на закупку. Отсюда и практика «разбавлять» и «растягивать» покупку ссылок во времени, чтобы она выглядела естественной. Проблема в том, что эта логика выросла из попыток маскировать покупные ссылки. Если ссылки куплены ради выдачи, растягивание не делает их честными — оно только делает нарушение медленнее. ## Что на самом деле написано в правилах Откройте первоисточники. В [правилах Google в отношении спама](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru) раздел «Ссылочный спам» перечисляет, **какие** ссылки считаются манипуляцией: - оплата размещения ссылок или обмен товаров и услуг на ссылки; - избыточный обмен ссылками и партнёрские страницы только ради взаимных ссылок; - программы и сервисы для автоматического создания ссылок; - платные ссылки с оптимизированными анкорами в статьях, гостевых записях и пресс-релизах. Там же сказано, что покупать и продавать ссылки в рекламных и спонсорских целях можно, если такие ссылки помечены атрибутом `rel="sponsored"` или `rel="nofollow"`. О скорости появления ссылок в этом разделе ничего нет. У Яндекса в [рекомендациях о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) логика та же: платные ссылки, размещённые ради поисковых систем, а не посетителей, мешают Яндексу оценивать доверие к сайтам и их релевантность. Для рекламных и партнёрских ссылок Яндекс рекомендует атрибут `sponsored`. Про «допустимое количество в месяц» там тоже ни слова. Итог: темп — не критерий в официальных правилах. Критерий — зачем и как появилась ссылка. ## Ссылочный взрыв: когда это не проблема «Ссылочным взрывом» называют резкий рост числа ссылок за короткий срок. Бояться его как такового нет причин. Резкий рост естественен, когда: - ваше исследование, калькулятор или инструкция разошлись по соцсетям и блогам; - о вас написали СМИ, и материал перепечатали агрегаторы; - вы выпустили бесплатный инструмент, и его добавили в подборки; - у вас прошёл заметный запуск или событие, о котором рассказывали партнёры. Во всех этих случаях ссылки ставят люди, которые хотят показать вашу страницу своим читателям. Тревожиться стоит, если резкий рост состоит из ссылок, которые вы не ставили и которые явно спамные: сотни одинаковых анкоров с мусорных сайтов. Google в [справке об отклонении ссылок](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487?hl=ru) пишет, что в большинстве случаев сам определяет, каким ссылкам можно доверять, а инструментом отклонения стоит пользоваться, только когда искусственных ссылок много и из-за них уже приняты или могут быть приняты ручные меры. ## Из чего складывается естественный профиль «Естественный» значит не «выглядит естественно», а «появился естественно». Такой профиль обычно разнообразен сам по себе: | Признак | Как выглядит у живого сайта | Как выглядит при закупке | | Источники | Блоги, форумы, СМИ, каталоги, соцсети, партнёры | Однотипные статейные площадки | | Анкоры | Название бренда, адрес, «здесь», фразы из текста | Много точных коммерческих запросов | | Атрибуты | Смесь обычных, nofollow, ugc и sponsored | Только обычные ссылки | | Страницы-цели | Полезные статьи, инструменты, главная | Только продвигаемые коммерческие страницы | | Упоминания | Есть и упоминания без ссылки | Только ссылки | | Трафик по ссылкам | По ссылкам переходят люди | Переходов нет | Обратите внимание на атрибуты. Ссылки с `nofollow`, `ugc` и `sponsored` — нормальная часть профиля любого живого сайта, а не «бесполезный мусор». Подробнее о разнице — в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). Упоминания бренда без ссылки тоже работают на узнаваемость; см. [упоминания бренда или обратные ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). ## Как планировать работу со ссылками небольшому сайту Вместо вопроса «сколько ссылок в месяц» задайте другой: «сколько поводов сослаться на нас я создаю в месяц». План, который не требует считать темп: - **Базовые упоминания.** Карточки в справочниках и на картах, профили в соцсетях, каталоги своей отрасли с модерацией. Это делается один раз. - **Контент, на который ссылаются.** Раз в месяц–два — материал, полезный не только клиентам, но и коллегам: подборка данных, чек-лист, шаблон, бесплатный инструмент. - **Работа с людьми.** Гостевые статьи у коллег, комментарии экспертов для СМИ, совместные материалы с партнёрами. Если размещение платное или взаимное по договорённости — ссылка с `rel="sponsored"` и пометкой рекламы. - **Проверка результата.** Раз в месяц смотрите в Вебмастере и Search Console новые ссылающиеся сайты и переходы по ним, а не только число ссылок. Сколько ссылок нужно в итоге, зависит от ниши и конкурентов; как это оценить, разобрано в статье [сколько обратных ссылок нужно сайту](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-many-backlinks-do-i-need/). Если сайт совсем новый, начните с [ссылок для нового сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/). ## Условный пример: два способа набрать 40 ссылок за полгода Условный пример для иллюстрации, цифры придуманы. Два небольших сайта о ремонте за шесть месяцев получили примерно по 40 новых ссылок. - **Сайт А** «растягивал» закупку: ровно по 6–7 статей в месяц на биржевых площадках, все со ссылкой на страницу услуги и анкором «ремонт квартир под ключ». Темп «идеальный», но каждая ссылка подпадает под описание платной ссылки с оптимизированным анкором из правил Google. - **Сайт Б** получил 25 ссылок за одну неделю, когда его таблица сроков высыхания стяжки разошлась по форумам и строительным блогам, а остальные — от карточек в справочниках, двух гостевых статей и пары интервью. Темп «неровный», зато ссылки ставили люди для своих читателей. По логике официальных правил под риском сайт А, хотя по старым советам «про темп» именно он всё делал правильно. ## Как проверить свой профиль за 20 минут Раз в квартал полезно посмотреть на свои ссылки глазами модератора. Данные есть бесплатно: в Яндекс Вебмастере — раздел внешних ссылок, в Google Search Console — отчёт «Ссылки». - **Выгрузите список ссылающихся сайтов** и отсортируйте по дате появления. Если был всплеск, найдите его причину: публикация, упоминание в СМИ, подборка. - **Посмотрите анкоры.** Если большинство — точные коммерческие запросы, а не бренд и адрес, это повод разобраться, откуда они взялись. - **Откройте десяток случайных доноров.** Живой ли сайт, есть ли у него читатели, по теме ли он. - **Сверьте с переходами.** В отчёте об источниках трафика видно, по каким ссылкам к вам действительно приходят люди. Это лучшая проверка «естественности». - **Запишите выводы**: какие поводы для ссылок сработали, и повторите их. ## Чего не делать - **Не покупайте ссылки ради выдачи** — ни быстро, ни медленно. Растягивание закупки не меняет её сути. - **Не «разбавляйте» профиль искусственно** — фейковыми профилями, комментариями и каталогами без модерации. Яндекс отдельно предупреждает о спамных ссылках из каталогов и комментариев. - **Не связывайтесь с сетками сайтов (PBN)**; как их распознать, описано в статье [как распознать PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **Не паникуйте из-за чужого спама.** Отдельные мусорные ссылки на любой заметный сайт появляются сами, и поисковики умеют их игнорировать. - **Не путайте счёт ссылок с результатом.** Цель — переходы, узнаваемость и доверие, а не красивый график в стороннем сервисе. ## Где тут Satelo Satelo — сеть, в которой сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, без прямого обмена. Ссылки в таких статьях размечены `rel="sponsored"`, то есть это честная реклама с разметкой, которую требуют правила, а не способ «нарастить массу» для выдачи. Ценность в другом: живые читатели тематических сайтов узнают о вас. Сервис в публичной бете, сайтов в сети пока немного, поэтому рассматривайте его как один из каналов, а не замену собственному контенту. ## Что делать дальше Откройте Вебмастер и посмотрите, откуда к вам уже ведут ссылки, а по каким переходят люди. Затем выберите один повод для ссылок на ближайший месяц из плана выше. Если хотите получать упоминания на тематических сайтах вашего уровня с корректной разметкой, зарегистрируйтесь в [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/): после добавления сайта биржа подбирает партнёров с близким индексом качества, чтобы небольшой блог не менялся с гигантом. Индекс своего сайта можно заранее посмотреть в [бесплатной проверке](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько ссылок в месяц можно получать молодому сайту? Официальной нормы нет: ни Яндекс, ни Google не называют допустимый темп. Их правила касаются происхождения ссылок — покупных, автоматических, обменных, — а не скорости. ### Что такое ссылочный взрыв и опасен ли он? Это резкий рост числа ссылок. Если материал разошёлся естественно, проблем нет. Настораживать должен состав ссылок — однотипный спам и коммерческие анкоры, — а не сама скорость. ### Что такое естественный ссылочный профиль? Профиль из ссылок, которые люди поставили для своих читателей: разные источники и анкоры, смесь атрибутов nofollow, ugc и sponsored, упоминания без ссылки и реальные переходы. ### Нужно ли разбавлять ссылочный профиль? Искусственно — нет. Разнообразие появляется само, если ссылки ставят разные люди по разным поводам. Фейковые профили и спам в комментариях только вредят. ### Что делать, если на сайт появились спамные ссылки? Обычно ничего: Google пишет, что в большинстве случаев сам определяет, каким ссылкам доверять. Отклонять ссылки стоит, если их много и из-за них есть или возможны ручные меры. ### Можно ли покупать рекламные статьи со ссылкой? Да, если это реклама: ссылка помечается rel="sponsored" или nofollow, а материал — как реклама. Покупать ссылки ради влияния на выдачу правила запрещают. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/local-listings-2gis-google/ Локальное SEO # Как добавить организацию в 2ГИС и Google Бизнес-профиль: пошаговая инструкция Добавить организацию в 2ГИС можно бесплатно: через пункт «Добавить организацию» в приложении или онлайн-версии либо через форму для представителей компании, после чего данные проверяют специалисты справочника. Google Бизнес-профиль создаётся на business.google.com/add, но его подтверждение из России может оказаться непростым. Ниже — оба процесса по шагам, правило единых названия, адреса и телефона и то, как карточки помогают сайту. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Зачем малому бизнесу карточки в справочниках По запросам вида «шиномонтаж рядом» или «стоматология на Ленина» люди часто выбирают компанию прямо в карте: смотрят адрес, часы работы, отзывы и звонят, не заходя на сайт. Карточка в 2ГИС, на Яндекс Картах и в Google — это вторая витрина бизнеса, и в ней обязательно должна быть ссылка на ваш сайт. В этой статье — 2ГИС и Google. Для Яндекс Карт порядок описан в [справке Яндекс Бизнеса](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/add-company/add-org.html): размещение там тоже бесплатное. Общую стратегию локального продвижения мы разбирали в статье [как продвигать сайт местного бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## 2ГИС: как добавить организацию пошагово По [справке 2ГИС](https://help.2gis.ru/question/kak-dobavit-kompaniyu-v-2gis), справочные данные о компаниях размещаются бесплатно. Есть два пути. ### Путь 1. Через карту (как пользователь) - Убедитесь, что вашей организации ещё нет в 2ГИС: поищите по названию, адресу и рубрике. - Найдите своё здание на карте и нажмите на него. Внизу карточки здания есть кнопка «Добавить организацию». Её же можно найти в боковом меню (три черты в углу карты). - Заполните всё, что знаете: название, сферу деятельности, контакты, сайт, соцсети, режим работы. Хотя бы один способ связи обязателен. - Приложите фото вывески или визитки — по [инструкции 2ГИС](https://help.2gis.ru/question/datafeedback-add-company) информативные фото ускоряют проверку. - Отправьте уточнение и ждите проверки. Точного срока справка не называет: проверка может занять несколько дней. Если здания нет на карте, сначала отправляют уточнение о новом объекте, а затем добавляют организацию. ### Путь 2. Как представитель компании Для владельцев есть отдельная форма на сайте 2ГИС. По справке, после заявки специалисты в течение трёх рабочих дней перезванивают для проверки информации, а затем размещают компанию в справочнике. После проверки изменения появляются в онлайн-версии и приложениях. ### Личный кабинет компании Чтобы потом самостоятельно менять данные, заведите [Личный кабинет](https://help.2gis.ru/question/chto-takoe-lichnyy-kabinet-kompanii) на account.2gis.com: найдите свою компанию и подайте заявку на доступ. В кабинете можно менять название, телефон и почту, смотреть статистику и число конкурентов в рубрике, а также заказать рекламу — она платная, базовая карточка нет. ### Что входит в бесплатную карточку 2ГИС По [описанию на сайте 2ГИС](https://reklama.2gis.ru/card), стандартная бесплатная карточка содержит адрес, время работы, телефон, ссылки на сайт и соцсети, фотографии, способы оплаты и отзывы. ### Кого 2ГИС не добавит В [правилах справочника](https://help.2gis.ru/question/datafeedback-rules) сказано, что в него попадают действующие организации, работающие законно и с нужными лицензиями. Не добавляют, например, интернет-сообщества без официального статуса и офиса, а также организации на закрытых территориях с пропускным режимом. ИП подходят, если бизнес легко опознать — по вывеске или отдельному входу. ## Google Бизнес-профиль: как создать По [справке Google](https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778?hl=ru), порядок такой: - Откройте business.google.com/add и нажмите «Добавить компанию в Google». - Следуя подсказкам, укажите название, категорию, адрес или территорию обслуживания, телефон и сайт. - Выберите доступный способ подтверждения и пройдите его. Несколько правил из [требований Google к профилям](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=ru), которые чаще всего нарушают: - название — такое, как его знают клиенты: на вывеске, сайте, в документах. Лишние слова в названии (слоган, «недорого», телефон) могут привести к блокировке профиля; - адрес — фактический, без посторонних сведений; - если вы выезжаете к клиентам и не принимаете их у себя, физический адрес не указывают — вместо него задают территорию обслуживания; - сайт — относящийся к этой компании и этому адресу. ## Подтверждение Google-профиля из России Google [перечисляет способы подтверждения](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7107242?hl=ru): звонок или SMS, электронная почта, видеозвонок и открытка с кодом. Там же сказано, что доступные варианты зависят от вида деятельности, общедоступной информации, региона и часов работы, определяются автоматически и не могут быть изменены. Ограничений по странам справка не называет. На практике у российских компаний с этим бывают сложности: в [отраслевой публикации на Sostav](https://www.sostav.ru/blogs/281546/59629) (агентский блог, апрель 2025) пишут, что после 2022 года подтверждение часто затягивается или недоступно, а заявки иногда отклоняют без объяснений. Это свидетельство агентства, а не официальная позиция Google, поэтому проверяйте на своём аккаунте. Обходить проверку через сомнительных посредников не стоит: профиль с чужими данными легко потерять. Что можно сделать честно: - заполнить профиль точно по требованиям — ошибки в названии и адресе тоже частая причина отказов; - подтвердить сайт в Google Search Console с того же аккаунта; - если подтверждение не проходит, сосредоточиться на 2ГИС и Яндекс Картах: а Google-профиль вернуть в план позже. ## Единые название, адрес и телефон везде Самое полезное, что можно сделать для всех карточек сразу, — привести данные к одному виду. В англоязычном SEO это называют NAP (name, address, phone). Расхождения путают и людей, и справочники. | Поле | Как правильно | Частая ошибка | | Название | Как на вывеске: «Мастерская Ключ» | «Мастерская Ключ — изготовление ключей недорого 24/7» | | Адрес | Одинаковый формат: «ул. Ленина, 12, офис 5» | Где-то «пр-т», где-то «проспект», где-то нет офиса | | Телефон | Один основной номер во всех карточках и на сайте | Старый номер в одной из карточек | | Часы работы | Обновлены везде, включая праздники | На сайте одни часы, в 2ГИС другие | | Сайт | Одна и та же главная или страница филиала | Ссылка на старый домен или техническую версию | Совет: заведите таблицу «эталонных» данных и сверяйте с ней каждую карточку раз в квартал и после любых изменений. ## Как связать карточки с сайтом - **Ссылка из карточки** — на главную или на страницу конкретного филиала, если их несколько. - **Контакты на сайте текстом**, а не картинкой, и ровно в том же виде, что в карточках. - **Страница «Контакты»** с адресом, схемой проезда, часами и телефоном. Можно встроить карту. - **Отслеживание переходов.** Чтобы видеть, сколько людей приходит из карт, добавьте к ссылке в карточке UTM-метки и смотрите их в отчёте об источниках в Метрике. - **Сайт в Вебмастере.** Убедитесь, что поисковики видят сайт и его региональную привязку, — подробнее в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Что из этого реально влияет на сайт Карточки в справочниках не «поднимают» сайт сами по себе, и обещать этого не стоит. Что они дают: - **Прямые переходы и звонки** от людей, которые нашли вас в картах. - **Упоминания бренда** с адресом и сайтом в авторитетных справочниках — они помогают людям и поисковикам понять, что компания реальна. О пользе упоминаний — в статье [упоминания бренда или ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - **Отзывы**, которые читают до перехода на сайт. Просите отзывы у реальных клиентов и отвечайте на них; покупать отзывы или давать за них скидки нельзя: например, [правила Google](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114?hl=ru) прямо запрещают оплаченные отзывы и отзывы в обмен на поощрение. ## Чек-лист на один вечер - Составить таблицу эталонных данных: название, адрес, телефон, часы, сайт. - Проверить, нет ли уже вашей компании в 2ГИС, на Яндекс Картах и в Google, в том числе с устаревшими данными. - Добавить или исправить карточку в 2ГИС, приложить фото вывески. - Завести Личный кабинет 2ГИС и запросить доступ к карточке. - Создать Google Бизнес-профиль и попробовать подтвердить доступным способом. - Проставить ссылку на сайт с UTM-метками в каждой карточке. - Сверить контакты на сайте с карточками. - Попросить первых клиентов оставить отзыв. ## Что делать дальше Когда карточки работают, следующий шаг — сам сайт: он должен убеждать тех, кто пришёл из карт. Проверьте домен в [бесплатной проверке Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите индекс качества сайта и данные, из которых он складывается (в основном открытые данные: скорость, возраст домена, присутствие в публичных рейтингах), и поймёте, что подтянуть в первую очередь. Ещё больше бесплатных каналов — в статье [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько стоит добавить организацию в 2ГИС? Нисколько: по справке 2ГИС справочные данные о компаниях размещаются бесплатно. Платная только реклама. ### Сколько ждать проверки в 2ГИС? Точного срока справка не называет: проверка может занять несколько дней. Представителям компании специалисты перезванивают в течение трёх рабочих дней. ### Можно ли добавить организацию в 2ГИС без офиса? Правила 2ГИС не добавляют интернет-сообщества без официального статуса и офиса. Бизнес должен быть действующим и законным, ИП — с узнаваемой точкой. ### Как создать Google Бизнес-профиль? Откройте business.google.com/add, нажмите «Добавить компанию в Google», заполните данные по подсказкам и пройдите подтверждение доступным способом. ### Работает ли Google Бизнес-профиль в России? Создать профиль можно, но способы подтверждения Google выбирает автоматически, в том числе по региону. Российские компании сообщают о сложностях, поэтому проверяйте на своём аккаунте. ### Влияет ли карточка в 2ГИС на SEO сайта? Позиций она не гарантирует. Она даёт переходы и звонки из карт, упоминание компании с адресом и сайтом и отзывы, которые читают до визита на сайт. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/low-value-pages-yandex/ Индексация # «Малоценная или маловостребованная страница» в Яндексе: как исправить Статус «Малоценная или маловостребованная страница» означает, что алгоритм Яндекса решил не включать страницу в поиск, потому что у неё мало шансов понадобиться пользователям. Причины две: страница либо технически пустая для робота или дублирует другую (малоценная), либо по её теме почти нет запросов (маловостребованная). Ниже — как найти такие страницы в Вебмастере, отличить одну причину от другой и решить, что делать с каждой: дорабатывать, объединять, закрывать или удалять. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что значит статус: две разные причины По [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/low-demand.html), это автоматическое решение алгоритма, которое регулярно пересматривается. Важная оговорка оттуда же: сам статус **не означает нарушений** и ограничений ранжирования сайта. Это не фильтр, а оценка конкретной страницы. | | Малоценная | Маловостребованная | | Суть | Дубль или нет контента, видимого роботу | Ошибок нет, контент есть, но по теме нет запросов | | Где искать причину | Код страницы, ответ сервера, дубли | Спрос: Вордстат, статистика запросов | | Типичное решение | Исправить технику, склеить дубли | Переписать под реальные запросы, объединить или закрыть | Справка подчёркивает, что квоты на число страниц в индексе нет. То есть страница выпала не потому, что «места не хватило», а потому, что алгоритм не видит в ней пользы для поиска. ## Как найти такие страницы в Вебмастере - Откройте **Индексирование → Страницы в поиске** и переключитесь на **«Исключённые страницы»**. - Отфильтруйте по статусу «Малоценная или маловостребованная страница». По [справке о проверке важных страниц](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/check-important), и полные, и отфильтрованные данные можно скачать. - Выгрузите список и разложите адреса по типам: статьи, карточки, теги, архивы, служебные страницы. Обычно сразу видно, что основную массу дают однотипные шаблонные страницы. - Заодно загляните в **«Безопасность и нарушения»**, чтобы исключить настоящие санкции: если там пусто, вы имеете дело именно с оценкой страниц. Если Вебмастер для вас новый, начните с нашего [руководства по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/), а если из поиска выпал весь сайт, а не отдельные страницы, — с разбора [причин, почему сайт не индексируется](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Технические причины: что видит робот Справка перечисляет конкретные причины «малоценности»: - **Неверные или неописательные title, h1, h2.** «Новость», «Статья 15», одинаковые заголовки у разных страниц. - **Важный контент в виде картинки.** Таблица цен или инструкция скриншотом — для робота пустота. - **Контент, который выводится скриптами.** Робот может получить другой HTML, чем видите вы. Проверьте инструментом [«Проверка ответа сервера»](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/tools/server-response/): основной текст должен быть в коде ответа. - **Контент через iframe.** Встроенный документ или виджет — не текст вашей страницы. - **Дубли.** Одна и та же страница по разным адресам: с параметрами, метками, версиями для печати. Яндекс предлагает rel="canonical", Clean-param в robots.txt, 301-редирект, запрет в robots.txt или noindex. - **Технические страницы** без полезного содержимого: поиск по сайту, корзина, фильтры. Их стоит закрыть от индексирования. Отдельный случай дублей — когда ваш текст опубликован и на других сайтах. Как это делать без потери оригинала, мы описали в гайде по [синдикации контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/content-syndication-guide/). ## Спрос: есть ли запросы под страницу Если техника в порядке, а статус остаётся, скорее всего, страница маловостребованная. Проверка: - Сформулируйте, какой вопрос решает страница, словами читателя, а не своими. Справка советует именно это: встать на место посетителя и подумать, как бы он сформулировал запрос. - Проверьте эти формулировки в [Вордстате](https://wordstat.yandex.ru/). Нет запросов — нет и аудитории в поиске, как бы хорошо ни был написан текст. - Посмотрите в Вебмастере **«Статистику поисковых запросов»**: показывалась ли страница раньше и по каким фразам. - Введите главный запрос в Яндекс и посмотрите, что в топе. Если там исчерпывающие материалы, а ваша страница — короткая заметка на ту же тему, причина понятна. Иллюстрация (**условный пример**): заметка «Наша поездка на выставку 12 марта» почти никому не нужна в поиске, а материал «Как выбрать стенд для небольшой выставки: размеры, цены, ошибки» отвечает на реальный вопрос. Ту же поездку можно превратить во второй тип текста. ## Что делать: доработать, объединить, закрыть или удалить | Ситуация | Решение | Как | | Под тему есть спрос, но страница слабая | Доработать | Переписать под запросы, добавить полезные детали, нормальные title и h1, текст вместо картинок | | Несколько коротких страниц на одну тему | Объединить | Собрать в один полный материал, со старых адресов — 301-редирект | | Страница нужна людям на сайте, но не в поиске | Закрыть | `noindex` или запрет в robots.txt (теги, фильтры, служебные разделы) | | Дубль другой страницы | Склеить | rel="canonical", Clean-param или 301 | | Устаревшая страница без спроса и без ссылок | Удалить | Ответ 404 или 410; если есть близкая по смыслу страница — 301 на неё | Не спешите удалять всё подряд. Страница может быть малоценной для поиска, но полезной для читателей, которые приходят по внутренним ссылкам или из рассылки. В таком случае лучше закрыть её от индексирования, чем удалить. ## Как ускорить повторную оценку - По справке, алгоритм проверяет страницы почти каждый день, а обновлённую страницу, которая стала релевантна запросам, проверит повторно. Ждать месяцами не нужно. - После исправления отправьте адрес в **Индексирование → Переобход страниц**, а перед этим проверьте его в **«Проверке страницы»**. - Если страницу закрыли кодом 403/404 или noindex, алгоритм может некоторое время опираться на сохранённую копию, пока робот не зайдёт снова. Запрет в robots.txt, по справке, убирает ссылки из базы робота в течение двух недель. - Добавьте на доработанную страницу внутренние ссылки с популярных разделов сайта: так её быстрее найдут и робот, и читатели. Чего делать нельзя — «нагонять» на страницу заходы из поиска. Яндекс относит это к нарушению [«Имитация действий пользователей»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/threat/user-actions-imitation), а за него алгоритмы могут ограничить ранжирование всего сайта или его разделов. Это уже настоящая санкция, в отличие от статуса МПК. ## Особенности для маленьких блогов У небольших блогов, особенно на WordPress, статус чаще всего получают одни и те же типы страниц: - **Метки и рубрики** с одной-двумя записями — почти дубли самих записей. Закройте метки от индексирования или оставьте только крупные рубрики с вводным текстом. - **Архивы по датам и авторам.** На блоге с одним автором архив автора повторяет главную. Обычно их закрывают через SEO-плагин. - **Страницы вложений** (отдельная страница под каждую картинку) — перенаправьте на запись или отключите в настройках плагина. - **Короткие заметки и анонсы.** Объедините серию в один полный материал или допишите. - **Пагинация.** Вторая, третья страницы ленты сами по себе редко нужны в поиске. Важно, чтобы записи были доступны по ссылкам и через sitemap. Как выбирать темы, под которые есть спрос, именно для небольшого тематического сайта, — в статье [о SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Чек-лист - Выгрузить исключённые страницы со статусом МПК и разложить по типам. - Проверить «Безопасность и нарушения» — убедиться, что санкций нет. - Для каждого типа проверить технику: title, h1, текст в HTML, iframe, дубли. - Для статей проверить спрос в Вордстате и статистике запросов. - Принять решение по таблице: доработать, объединить, закрыть, склеить, удалить. - Отправить исправленные страницы на переобход и добавить на них внутренние ссылки. - Через две-три недели снова открыть исключённые страницы. ## Что дальше Одна из причин маловостребованности — о странице и сайте просто никто не знает. Здесь может помочь [обмен статьями в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/): сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, без прямого обмена. Такая статья приводит на ваш сайт читателей тематической площадки и даёт упоминание в близком контексте; ссылка в ней размечена `rel="sponsored"`. Позиций и возврата страниц в поиск мы не обещаем, а сеть пока в публичной бете и небольшая — зато в кабинете сразу видно, какие сайты вашей тематики уже в ней есть. А чтобы понять, с какого уровня стартует сайт в целом, проверьте домен на странице [проверки сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). Источники проверены 16 октября 2026 года. ## Частые вопросы ### Что значит «малоценная или маловостребованная страница»? Алгоритм Яндекса решил не включать страницу в поиск: она либо дублирует другие или не содержит видимого роботу контента (малоценная), либо по её теме нет запросов (маловостребованная). ### Это санкция или фильтр? Нет. По справке Яндекса, статус не означает нарушений и ограничений ранжирования сайта. Это оценка отдельной страницы, которая регулярно пересматривается. ### Как исправить малоценную страницу? Проверьте title и h1, убедитесь, что основной текст есть в HTML, а не в картинке, скрипте или iframe, склейте дубли через canonical, Clean-param или 301. Затем отправьте страницу на переобход. ### Сколько ждать, пока страница вернётся в поиск? Алгоритм проверяет страницы почти каждый день, и обновлённая страница будет оценена повторно. Точный срок не гарантируется, поэтому проверьте исключённые страницы через две-три недели. ### Нужно ли удалять страницы со статусом МПК? Не обязательно. Если под тему есть спрос — доработайте, если несколько страниц об одном — объедините с 301, если страница нужна только посетителям сайта — закройте noindex. Удаляйте устаревшее без спроса и ссылок. ### Поможет ли накрутка посещений вернуть страницу? Нет, и это опасно: Яндекс относит искусственные заходы из поиска к нарушению «Имитация действий пользователей», за которое может ограничить ранжирование всего сайта. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/metrika-goals-setup/ Трафик сайта # Цели в Яндекс Метрике: какие настроить небольшому сайту и как проверить, что они работают Цели в Яндекс Метрике — это действия посетителей, которые важны владельцу сайта: заявка, звонок, переход в мессенджер, скачивание файла. Небольшому сайту обычно хватает трёх–пяти целей, а часть из них Метрика может создать сама. Ниже — какие типы целей бывают, что выбрать для блога и сайта услуг, как настроить цели на Тильде и WordPress, как их проверить и что делать, если в отчёте «нет данных». Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Зачем маленькому сайту цели Без целей Метрика показывает, сколько людей пришло, но не говорит, сколько из них сделали то, ради чего сайт существует. С целями вы видите, какой источник приводит заявки, а не просто визиты: поиск, карты, соцсети, партнёрские статьи. Это главный аргумент, чтобы перестать вкладываться в каналы, которые дают трафик без результата. Если счётчик ещё не установлен или вы не уверены, что он работает, начните с этого, а уже потом настраивайте цели. Как разобраться в посещаемости в целом, мы писали в статье [как бесплатно узнать посещаемость сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Какие бывают цели в Метрике В [справке Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/goals.html) перечислены типы целей. Для небольшого сайта полезны такие: | Тип цели | Что считает | Когда нужна | | Клик по номеру телефона | Клик по ссылке tel: | Сайт услуг, локальный бизнес | | Клик на email | Клик по ссылке mailto: | Когда пишут на почту | | Переход в мессенджер | Клик по ссылке на мессенджер | Если заявки идут в чат | | Отправка формы | Нажатие кнопки отправки формы | Заявки, подписка, обратная связь | | Клик по кнопке | Клик по выбранному элементу | Кнопка «Записаться», «Купить» | | Скачивание файлов | Клик по ссылке на файл | Прайс, чек-лист, презентация | | Посещение страниц | Визит на заданный адрес | Страница «Спасибо», виртуальные страницы Тильды | | Количество просмотров | Визиты с заданным числом просмотров | Вовлечённость читателей блога | | Целевое событие | Вызов кода reachGoal на сайте | Всё, что нельзя поймать без кода | | Составная цель | Последовательность шагов | Воронка: страница услуги → форма → «Спасибо» | Ограничения из [справки о целевом событии](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/goal-js-event.html), которые стоит знать: на одном счётчике может быть до 200 целей; изменение цели не пересчитывает уже собранные данные, а удаление цели делает её данные недоступными в отчётах. Поэтому без необходимости цели не удаляйте, а для новой логики создавайте новую цель. ## Автоматические цели: проверьте, что уже есть Прежде чем что-то настраивать, откройте раздел «Цели». По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/auto-goals.html), Метрика сама создаёт автоматические цели: клики по email и телефонам, переходы в мессенджеры и соцсети, отправки форм, скачивания файлов, поиск по сайту и другие. Для новых счётчиков и счётчиков без целей они включены по умолчанию, в остальных случаях опцию «Автоматические цели» включают в настройках счётчика. Автоцели не расходуют лимит целей. Две оговорки. Автоцель не создаётся, если уже есть ручная цель с точно таким же условием. И автоцель на отправку формы, по той же справке, требует настройки валидации, иначе может считать неудачные попытки. ## Какие цели нужны: условный пример для двух сайтов Условный пример для иллюстрации. Набор зависит от того, что для вас результат. ### Сайт услуг (мастер, студия, клиника) - **Клик по телефону** — главный сигнал интереса для локального бизнеса. - **Переход в мессенджер** — если клиенты пишут в чат. - **Отправка формы заявки** — лучше через страницу «Спасибо» или целевое событие после успешной отправки. - **Составная цель** «страница услуги → заявка» — покажет, какие услуги доводят до обращения. ### Блог - **Подписка на рассылку или канал** — отправка формы или переход в мессенджер. - **Количество просмотров** — например, три страницы и больше за визит как признак вовлечённости. - **Скачивание файла** — если вы раздаёте чек-листы или шаблоны. - **Клик по партнёрской или рекламной ссылке** — клик по кнопке или целевое событие, если блог зарабатывает на них. Не создавайте десятки целей «на всякий случай»: в отчётах станет труднее найти главное. ## Как создать цель: общий порядок - В Метрике откройте раздел «Цели» и нажмите «Добавить цель». - Дайте понятное название: «Заявка — форма в шапке», а не «Цель 3». - Выберите тип и задайте условие: адрес страницы, элемент или идентификатор события. - Для цели «Клик по кнопке» по [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/simple-goal/click.html) можно выбрать кнопку прямо на сайте в режиме выбора — без кода. Вебвизор для этого не обязателен. - Сохраните цель и сразу проверьте её (раздел ниже). ## Цели на Тильде Тильда передаёт в Метрику события как просмотры «виртуальных страниц». По [справке Тильды](https://help-ru.tilda.cc/statistics-goal): - отправка формы — адрес вида `/tilda/formXXX/submitted`, данные уходят в аналитику автоматически; точный адрес указан в настройках блока формы; - клик по кнопке — `/tilda/click/recXXX/buttonN`, если в блоке включена отправка данных о клике в аналитику; - открытие попапа — `/tilda/popup/recXXX/opened`, тоже после включения опции. В Метрике создайте цель типа «Посещение страниц» с условием «url: содержит» и вставьте этот адрес. Важное условие: счётчик должен быть подключён в «Настройках сайта» на вкладке «Аналитика», после чего страницы нужно переопубликовать. Если вставить код счётчика вручную, Тильда, по той же справке, не настроит передачу данных о целях, и события придётся отправлять кодом. ## Цели на WordPress На WordPress обычно хватает трёх подходов: - **Автоцели и цели без кода** — телефон, email, мессенджер, скачивание, клик по кнопке, выбранной в интерфейсе Метрики. - **Страница «Спасибо».** Многие плагины форм умеют после отправки перенаправлять на отдельную страницу. Цель «Посещение страниц» на её адрес считает только успешные заявки. - **Целевое событие.** Если перенаправления нет, вызовите код после успешной отправки. Формат из справки Метрики: `ym(XXXXXXXX, 'reachGoal', 'TARGET_NAME')` Здесь `XXXXXXXX` — номер счётчика, `TARGET_NAME` — идентификатор цели, который вы задаёте в Метрике. Справка запрещает использовать в идентификаторе символы `/ \ & # ? = "`. Код вставляют в обработчик успешной отправки формы — где именно, зависит от плагина форм, смотрите его документацию. Про стандартную цель «Отправка формы» есть важная деталь из [справки](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/simple-goal/form.html): по умолчанию она считает попытку отправки, в том числе с ошибками в полях. Для точного учёта нужна валидация (кнопку делают неактивной до проверки данных) или целевое событие после успеха. ## Как проверить, что цель работает Порядок из [справки «Проверка цели»](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/check-goal.html): - Откройте сайт в приватном окне: если в фильтрах включено «Не учитывать мои визиты», ваши визиты в обычном окне не попадут в статистику. - Добавьте к адресу параметр отладки: `?_ym_debug=1` для предыдущей версии кода счётчика, для новой версии справка предлагает `_ym_debug=2` и панель отладки. - Откройте консоль браузера (Ctrl + Shift + J, на Mac ⌥ + ⌘ + J) и выполните целевое действие. - Ищите в консоли строку, соответствующую цели: `Reach goal` для целевого события, `Form goal` для формы, `Button goal` для кнопки, `Ext link` с tel: или mailto: для телефона и почты. - Через несколько минут загляните в отчёт «Конверсии» — данные появляются там не мгновенно. ## Почему «нет данных по цели» Частые причины, по справке и практике: | Причина | Как проверить и исправить | | Прошло мало времени | Подождите несколько минут; Тильда пишет о задержке 5–10 минут | | Ваши визиты отфильтрованы | Проверяйте в приватном окне | | Счётчик заблокирован | Блокировщик рекламы, другой скрипт или файрвол; отключите расширения и проверьте снова | | Счётчик не установлен или сломан | Код счётчика отсутствует или изменён, например после обновления CMS или темы; переустановите | | Условие не совпадает | Опечатка в идентификаторе или адресе, «совпадает» вместо «содержит»; сверьте с консолью | | Тильда: счётчик вставлен кодом | Подключите через «Настройки сайта → Аналитика» и переопубликуйте страницы | | Форма без тега form или отправка через JavaScript | Стандартная цель не видит отправку; используйте целевое событие | ## Как отслеживать переходы из партнёрских статей Если о вашем сайте пишут другие — гостевые посты, обзоры, партнёрские материалы, — полезно видеть не только визиты, но и действия этих посетителей. Добавляйте к ссылке в таких статьях UTM-метки (например, `utm_source=partner&utm_medium=article`) и смотрите в отчёте «Конверсии» с группировкой по меткам, сколько целей дал каждый материал. Так вы честно оцените, какие публикации приводят заинтересованных людей, а какие просто существуют. О том, как показать свою статистику партнёрам открыто, — в статье [открытая статистика сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/). ## Что делать дальше Сегодня: откройте раздел «Цели», проверьте автоцели, добавьте недостающие две–три цели из примера выше и проверьте каждую через `_ym_debug`. Через месяц посмотрите, какие источники дают конверсии. Если хотите добавить к ним партнёрские статьи на тематических сайтах вашего уровня, загляните в [кабинет Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/): ссылки в статьях сети размечены `rel="sponsored"`, а переходы по ним можно отслеживать той же целью с UTM-метками и самим оценить, стоит ли канал усилий. Сервис в публичной бете, сайтов в сети пока немного. Индекс качества своего сайта можно заранее посмотреть в [бесплатной проверке](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). Если сайт ещё не подключён к поиску, начните с [гида по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько целей можно создать в Яндекс Метрике? По справке Метрики — до 200 целей на один счётчик. Автоматические цели в этот лимит не входят. ### Почему цель в Метрике не срабатывает? Чаще всего ваши визиты отфильтрованы, счётчик заблокирован или установлен с ошибкой, либо условие цели не совпадает с адресом или идентификатором. Проверьте через _ym_debug в приватном окне. ### Как проверить цель в Яндекс Метрике? Откройте сайт в приватном окне с параметром ?_ym_debug=1 (для новой версии счётчика — _ym_debug=2), выполните действие и найдите строку цели в консоли браузера. ### Как настроить цель на отправку формы в Тильде? Подключите счётчик в «Настройки сайта → Аналитика», возьмите адрес /tilda/formXXX/submitted из настроек блока формы и создайте цель «Посещение страниц» с условием «url: содержит». ### Через сколько появляются данные по цели? Не сразу: справка Метрики говорит о нескольких минутах после создания цели, а справка Тильды — о задержке 5–10 минут. ### Считаются ли старые визиты после создания цели? Нет. Данные по цели появляются после её создания, а изменение цели, по справке Метрики, не пересчитывает уже собранную статистику. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/metrika-vs-google-analytics/ analytics # Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics 4: что поставить на сайт в 2026 году Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics — выбор зависит от того, из какого поисковика к вам идут люди: если аудитория в России и трафик в основном из Яндекса, начните с Метрики, если сайт работает на зарубежный рынок, ставьте GA4. Обе системы бесплатны и могут работать на одном сайте одновременно, но цифры в них не совпадут, потому что они по-разному считают визиты и отказы. Ниже — таблица различий по справкам обеих систем, связка с Вебмастером и Search Console и простое правило выбора. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ - **Сайт для России, трафик из Яндекса** — Метрика обязательна: она связывается с Яндекс Вебмастером, даёт бесплатный Вебвизор и понятные отчёты без настройки. - **Сайт для зарубежной аудитории или трафик из Google** — GA4 плюс Google Search Console: запросы Google вы увидите прямо в отчётах Analytics. - **Трафик из обоих поисковиков** — ставьте обе системы, но выберите одну «главной» для отчётов и целей, а вторую используйте для сверки и того, чего нет в первой. Главная ошибка — сравнивать цифры из двух систем «в лоб». Расхождение на десятки процентов в отказах — не баг, а разные определения. Разберём их. ## Таблица различий | Что сравниваем | Яндекс Метрика | Google Analytics 4 | | Модель данных | Визиты и просмотры, отчёты готовы сразу | События: просмотр страницы — тоже событие | | Отказ | Визит с одним просмотром короче 15 секунд (по умолчанию) без «неотказных» событий | Сессия без вовлечения: короче 10 секунд, один просмотр, нет ключевых событий | | Окончание визита | 30 минут бездействия по умолчанию, можно задать от 30 до 360 минут | По собственной логике сессий GA4 | | Запись действий посетителей | Вебвизор, бесплатно, записи хранятся 15 дней | Встроенной записи сессий нет | | Данные о поиске | Связка с Яндекс Вебмастером | Связка с Google Search Console: запросы и посадочные страницы в отчётах | | Срок хранения детальных данных | Отчёты Вебвизора — 15 дней | 2 или 14 месяцев для «Исследований»; стандартные отчёты не ограничены этим сроком | | Порог входа | Низкий: счётчик, цели в пару кликов | Выше: события, ключевые события, публикация коллекций отчётов | Источники строк: [глоссарий Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/glossary.html) (отказ, визит, тайм-аут, Вебвизор), [справка Вебвизора](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/webvisor/errors) (15 дней), [справка GA4 о вовлечённых сессиях](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12195621?hl=ru), [справка GA4 о хранении данных](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196?hl=ru). ## Почему отказы в Метрике и GA4 не совпадают В Метрике отказ — это визит, в котором **одновременно** был максимум один просмотр, длительность меньше 15 секунд и не сработало ни одного события, которое отменяет отказ. Время можно изменить в настройках счётчика. В GA4 логика обратная: система сначала решает, была ли сессия **вовлечённой**. Вовлечённая — это сессия длиннее 10 секунд, или с двумя и более просмотрами, или с ключевым событием. Показатель отказов в GA4 — доля всех остальных сессий. Условный пример: человек открыл статью, читал её 12 секунд и ушёл. В GA4 сессия вовлечённая (больше 10 секунд), отказа нет. В Метрике это отказ (меньше 15 секунд, один просмотр). Поэтому сравнивайте динамику внутри одной системы, а не абсолютные значения между системами. Как читать и снижать отказы, разобрано в статье [про показатель отказов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/). ## Вебвизор: главный аргумент за Метрику Вебвизор записывает действия посетителей на страницах, и это [бесплатный инструмент Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/glossary.html). Для небольшого сайта это способ увидеть то, что не видно в цифрах: человек не нашёл кнопку, форма ломается на телефоне, читатель уходит на втором экране. Учтите ограничение: [данные Вебвизора хранятся 15 дней, включая текущий день](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/webvisor/errors). Смотреть записи нужно регулярно, а не «когда-нибудь». В GA4 аналога нет: для записи сессий понадобится отдельный сервис, и это ещё один скрипт на странице. ## Связка с Вебмастером и Search Console ### Метрика + Яндекс Вебмастер Привязка счётчика к Вебмастеру сообщает роботу Яндекса, на каких страницах стоит счётчик, чтобы он мог обойти их быстрее. Порядок по [справке Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/link-webmaster): - Добавьте сайт в Вебмастер и подтвердите права. - В Метрике: «Настройка» → вкладка «Счётчик» → кнопка привязки рядом с адресом сайта. - В Вебмастере: «Настройки» → «Привязка к Яндекс Метрике» → «Подтвердить». - В Вебмастере: «Индексирование» → «Обход по счётчикам» → включите обход. Справка отдельно советует добавить файл Sitemap. Подробно о Вебмастере — в [гиде для новичка](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/), о первых шагах в Яндексе — в статье [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). ### GA4 + Google Search Console После связки в GA4 появляются два отчёта: «Поисковые запросы в Google» и «Трафик из обычного поиска Google» по посадочным страницам. Требования и ограничения по [справке Google](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10737381?hl=ru): - нужна роль «Редактор» в ресурсе GA4 и статус подтверждённого владельца в Search Console; - одному потоку данных соответствует один ресурс Search Console; - данные появляются примерно через 48 часов, глубина — не больше 16 месяцев; - коллекция отчётов Search Console по умолчанию не опубликована — её нужно включить в «Библиотеке». ## Что GA4 собирает без настройки Сильная сторона GA4 — «улучшенная статистика». По [справке об автоматических событиях](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9234069?hl=ru) система сама фиксирует прокрутку, клики по внешним ссылкам, скачивание файлов, начало и отправку форм, просмотры видео и поиск по сайту. Для блога это значит: вы видите, дочитывают ли статью и по каким внешним ссылкам уходят, без единой строчки кода. В Метрике похожие данные тоже есть (внешние ссылки, загрузки файлов, отчёты по глубине), но цели на формы и клики обычно настраивают руками. Это несложно, но это лишний шаг. ## Можно ли ставить обе системы сразу Да, ограничений нет. Практические правила: - **Одна система — главная.** В ней цели, отчёты для себя и рекламодателей. Вторая — для сверки и того, чего в главной нет (Вебвизор или запросы Google). - **Одинаковые цели в обеих.** Если цель «заявка» есть только в Метрике, а в GA4 нет, сравнение источников трафика теряет смысл. - **Не копите неиспользуемые скрипты.** Каждый счётчик — это код на странице. Проверьте скорость с обоими счётчиками и без них в PageSpeed Insights; о том, на какие показатели смотреть, — в статье [про Core Web Vitals](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **Через менеджер тегов, если счётчиков больше двух.** Так проще включать и выключать коды без правки шаблона. ## Персональные данные: что проверить сайту в РФ Счётчики собирают cookie и идентификаторы браузера. С 1 марта 2023 года оператор, который передаёт персональные данные за рубеж, должен заранее уведомить Роскомнадзор — это изменения статьи 12 закона 152-ФЗ, внесённые законом 266-ФЗ (см. [разъяснение на Гаранте](https://www.garant.ru/products/ipo/prime/doc/406038183/)). Считается ли работа конкретного счётчика такой передачей для вашего сайта, лучше уточнить у юриста. Минимум, который стоит сделать в любом случае: упомянуть используемые системы аналитики в политике конфиденциальности и в баннере о cookie. ## Что выбрать: правило в трёх вопросах - **Откуда трафик сейчас?** Откройте Вебмастер и Search Console: где больше показов, та система и главная. - **Где аудитория через год?** Если планируете английскую версию, поставьте GA4 сейчас, чтобы накопилась история. - **Нужна ли запись сессий?** Если вы продаёте услугу через форму и хотите видеть, где люди спотыкаются, Метрика с Вебвизором закрывает задачу бесплатно. | Ситуация | Главная система | Вторая | | Блог или сайт услуг на русском, трафик из Яндекса | Метрика | GA4 по желанию | | Сайт на английском, трафик из Google | GA4 | Метрика не нужна | | Русская и английская версии | Метрика для RU, GA4 для EN | Обе на всех страницах | | Лендинг под рекламу в Директе | Метрика | GA4 по желанию | ## Чек-лист установки на сегодня - Поставьте счётчик главной системы на все страницы, включая страницы «спасибо». - Свяжите Метрику с Вебмастером и включите обход по счётчикам; GA4 — с Search Console. - Настройте 2–3 цели: заявка, клик по контактам, подписка. - В Метрике включите Вебвизор и раз в неделю смотрите записи визитов с целевых страниц. - В GA4 переключите срок хранения на 14 месяцев, если пользуетесь «Исследованиями». - Проверьте скорость страницы до и после установки. Если хотите показывать посещаемость партнёрам, у Метрики можно открыть статистику — как это сделать, написано в статье [про открытую статистику сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/). ## Что дальше Аналитика показывает, что происходит внутри сайта. Чтобы понять, как сайт выглядит снаружи — для партнёров, рекламодателей и поисковиков, — проверьте его в [индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построено каждое число. Индекс строится в основном на открытых данных, поэтому его можно сравнить с вашей Метрикой и увидеть, где внешняя картина расходится с реальной. Другие бесплатные способы оценить трафик собраны в обзоре [как узнать посещаемость сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Частые вопросы ### Что лучше: Яндекс Метрика или Google Analytics? Универсально лучшей системы нет. Для сайта с трафиком из Яндекса удобнее Метрика: связка с Вебмастером, бесплатный Вебвизор, готовые отчёты. Для сайта на зарубежную аудиторию — GA4 вместе с Search Console. ### Можно ли установить Яндекс Метрику и Google Analytics одновременно? Да. Системы не конфликтуют. Выберите одну главной для целей и отчётов, во второй настройте те же цели и используйте её для сверки. ### Почему цифры в Метрике и GA4 разные? Системы по-разному считают визиты и отказы. В Метрике отказ — визит с одним просмотром короче 15 секунд по умолчанию, в GA4 отказ — сессия без вовлечения, где порог 10 секунд, два просмотра или ключевое событие. ### Есть ли в Google Analytics аналог Вебвизора? Встроенной записи сессий в GA4 нет. Её дают отдельные сервисы, а в Метрике Вебвизор бесплатный, записи хранятся 15 дней. ### Сколько хранятся данные в GA4? Для стандартных ресурсов можно выбрать 2 или 14 месяцев. Срок действует для отчётов «Исследования», стандартные агрегированные отчёты он не ограничивает. ### Влияет ли счётчик аналитики на скорость сайта? Любой счётчик — дополнительный скрипт. Проверьте страницу в PageSpeed Insights с одним и двумя счётчиками и не держите на сайте коды, данными которых не пользуетесь. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/ Трафик сайта # Как узнать посещаемость чужого сайта по открытым счётчикам Узнать посещаемость чужого сайта точно можно только одним способом: если владелец сам открыл статистику своего счётчика в Яндекс Метрике или LiveInternet. Всё остальное — оценки сторонних сервисов, и у маленьких сайтов они расходятся с реальностью в разы. Ниже — как за пять минут проверить, открыт ли счётчик, где смотреть цифры и что делать, если доступа нет. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 7 мин чтения · Satelo ## Почему точные цифры видны только по открытому счётчику Реальную посещаемость знает только тот, кто её измеряет: счётчик на сайте. Он стоит у владельца, и данные по умолчанию видит только владелец и те, кому он выдал доступ. Сервисы вроде Similarweb или pr-cy этих данных не получают — они строят модели по панелям пользователей, кликстриму и видимости в поиске. Для крупных сайтов такие модели дают приемлемый порядок величины. Для сайта с парой тысяч посетителей в месяц выборка слишком мала, и оценка может оказаться и нулём, и завышенной в несколько раз. Поэтому первый шаг всегда один: проверить, не открыта ли статистика у самого сайта. В рунете открытую статистику дают два счётчика: Яндекс Метрика (опция публичного доступа) и LiveInternet (открытая страница статистики). Google Analytics публичных отчётов не предусматривает, поэтому у сайтов только с GA этот путь не сработает. ## Яндекс Метрика: публичный доступ и информер В Метрике владелец может включить опцию «Публичный доступ к статистике» на вкладке «Доступ» в настройках счётчика. После этого появляется отдельная ссылка на статистику. Важная оговорка из [справки Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrika/general/access.html): доступ можно предоставить «любым пользователям, которые зарегистрированы и авторизованы на Яндексе». Значит, смотреть публичную статистику вы будете из своего Яндекс ID. Публичная статистика — не полная копия кабинета владельца. По той же справке, при публичном доступе не видны поисковые системы и поисковые фразы, Вебвизор, выбор целей, отчёты групп «Директ», «Электронная коммерция», «Сквозная аналитика», «Контентная аналитика», а также отчёты «Посетители и клиенты», «Параметры посетителей» и «Конверсии». Отчёты о посещаемости в этот список не входят — их хватает, чтобы оценить масштаб сайта. Как найти ссылку на публичную статистику, если владелец её не опубликовал? Через информер. Это небольшая плашка Метрики, которую иногда ставят в подвал сайта. Справка говорит, что если на сайте установлен информер, то доступ к публичной статистике можно получить по клику на него. Если информера нет, а ссылку владелец не раздавал, посмотреть статистику Метрики нельзя — и это правильно: номер счётчика в коде страницы без включённого публичного доступа никаких данных не даёт. ## LiveInternet: адрес открытой статистики У LiveInternet всё проще: статистика любого сайта со счётчиком лежит по адресу вида `https://www.liveinternet.ru/stat/домен/`. Подставьте домен в том виде, в каком он зарегистрирован в LiveInternet: иногда с `www.`, иногда без — попробуйте оба варианта. Дальше два исхода. Если статистика закрыта, страница попросит пароль: «Для доступа к этой странице необходимо ввести пароль». Если открыта, вы увидите отчёты владельца. Мы проверили 16 октября 2026 года: например, у `ria.ru` и `habr.com` статистика была открыта, у ряда других крупных сайтов — закрыта паролем. В открытой статистике LiveInternet обычно есть: - **Сводка** — просмотры, сессии, посетители, хосты, средняя длительность и просмотры на посетителя по дням, неделям и месяцам. - **Посещаемость** — по времени суток, за неделю и месяц, размер аудитории, возвраты. - **Страницы** — популярные страницы, точки входа и выхода. - **Источники** — переходы с сайтов, из соцсетей, из поисковых систем, доля поискового трафика. - **Демография и география** — страны, регионы, браузеры, ОС. Набор зависит от того, что владелец оставил открытым, поэтому у разных сайтов он отличается. Сам значок LiveInternet на странице тоже кое-что говорит: стандартная иконка показывает число посетителей за сегодня. Но одна цифра за день — слабая основа для выводов: смотрите сводку за месяц. ## Как найти счётчик в коде страницы: пошагово Прежде чем искать статистику, убедитесь, что счётчик на сайте вообще стоит. Это занимает минуту. - Откройте главную страницу сайта в браузере на компьютере. - Нажмите **Ctrl+U** (на Mac — **Cmd+Option+U**), чтобы открыть исходный код. - Нажмите **Ctrl+F** (Cmd+F) и поищите `mc.yandex.ru` — это адрес скрипта Метрики. Рядом обычно есть вызов вида `ym(12345678, "init", …)`, где число — номер счётчика. - Поищите `counter.yadro.ru` или `liveinternet` — так подключается LiveInternet. - Если ничего не нашлось, счётчики могут загружаться через менеджер тегов. Откройте инструменты разработчика (**F12**), вкладку **Network**, обновите страницу и введите в фильтр `yandex` или `yadro`. - Посмотрите подвал сайта: нет ли там информера Метрики или иконки LiveInternet. Кликните — если статистика открыта, вы попадёте в неё. Найденный LiveInternet проверяйте по адресу из предыдущего раздела. Найденная Метрика без информера означает, что дальше нужен владелец. ## Как читать открытую статистику: на что смотреть Найти открытый счётчик — половина дела. Вторая половина — правильно прочитать цифры, особенно если вы оцениваете площадку для размещения. - **Посетители, а не просмотры.** Просмотры легко раздуваются перезагрузками и листанием страниц. Для оценки аудитории берите посетителей или сессии. - **Месяц и год, а не день.** Один удачный день после публикации в соцсетях ничего не говорит о среднем уровне. Переключитесь на помесячный вид. - **Доля поиска.** Если почти весь трафик из поисковых систем, сайт зависит от позиций. Если из соцсетей — от одного-двух постов. - **Страницы входа.** Посмотрите, на какие материалы приходят люди. Если на одну вирусную статью, остальной сайт может быть почти пустым. **Условный пример.** У площадки в сводке LiveInternet около 3 000 посетителей в месяц, из них большая часть приходится на две старые статьи, а раздел, где выйдет ваш материал, почти не посещают. Формально сайт «живой», но читателей у вашей публикации, скорее всего, будет немного. Цифры здесь придуманы для иллюстрации. ## Что делать, если счётчик закрыт Закрытая статистика — нормальная ситуация, большинство сайтов её не открывают. Тогда у вас остаются оценки по косвенным признакам. Важно помнить, что это именно оценки, а не посещаемость. | Источник | Что показывает | Подходит для маленьких сайтов | | Открытый счётчик Метрики или LiveInternet | Реальные данные владельца | Да | | Статистика от владельца (скриншоты, гостевой доступ) | Реальные данные, если их можно проверить | Да | | Оценочные сервисы (Similarweb, pr-cy и др.) | Модель по панелям и видимости в поиске | Часто нет данных или большая погрешность | | Списки популярности (Tranco) | Есть ли сайт среди миллиона самых посещаемых | Только как «есть / нет» | | Косвенные признаки: возраст домена, число страниц в индексе, скорость | Жив ли сайт и развивается ли | Да, но о трафике говорят опосредованно | Как пользоваться оценками без самообмана: возьмите две-три независимые и смотрите на порядок величины, а не на точное число. Если сервисы расходятся в десять раз, честный вывод — «данных нет». Про список Tranco и то, что он говорит о небольших сайтах, подробно написано в статье [о рейтинге Tranco](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tranco-rank-explained/), а общий обзор бесплатных способов — в материале [как бесплатно проверить посещаемость сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Как попросить статистику у владельца Если вы выбираете площадку для размещения или партнёрства, просить статистику — обычная практика. Владелец, которому нечего скрывать, ответит за день. Что запросить: - **Гостевой доступ на просмотр в Метрике** на несколько дней. Это надёжнее скриншотов: гостевой доступ в Метрике выдаётся по логину Яндекса, на той же вкладке «Доступ» в настройках счётчика. - **Посещаемость за 12 месяцев по месяцам**, а не за последнюю неделю: так видны сезонность и резкие скачки. - **Источники трафика**: какая доля приходит из поиска, соцсетей, прямых заходов и рекламы. - **География**: если вам нужна аудитория из России, а половина визитов из других стран, это важно знать заранее. - **Посещаемость конкретного раздела**, где будет ваш материал, если сайт большой и разнородный. Скриншоты принимайте с осторожностью: их легко отредактировать. Доступ на просмотр или открытая ссылка всегда лучше. Полный чек-лист проверки площадки перед покупкой размещения собран в гайде [как проверить сайт перед покупкой](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## Признаки накрученного трафика Открытый счётчик показывает реальные данные, но реальные — не значит качественные. Трафик могут нагонять ботами, чтобы площадка выглядела дороже. На что смотреть в открытой статистике: - резкий рост посещаемости без новых материалов и упоминаний; - большая доля переходов «без ссылки» или с подозрительных сайтов; - очень короткие сессии и один просмотр на посетителя при «огромной» аудитории; - география, которая не совпадает с языком и темой сайта. Подробнее эти признаки разобраны в разделе о накрутке в статье [про бесплатную проверку посещаемости](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/), а о сетках сайтов, созданных ради ссылок, — в материале [как распознать PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## Чего не стоит делать Не пытайтесь подбирать пароли к закрытой статистике LiveInternet и не ищите «обходы» для Метрики. Владелец закрыл данные сознательно, а попытки получить к ним доступ без разрешения — это уже не аналитика. Если статистика закрыта, просите её у владельца или работайте с оценками. И не выдавайте оценки сервисов за реальную посещаемость, особенно когда показываете их клиенту или партнёру. Корректная формулировка — «по оценке такого-то сервиса», с указанием даты. ## Что делать дальше - Найдите счётчик в коде сайта по шагам выше. - Проверьте адрес `liveinternet.ru/stat/домен/` и информер Метрики в подвале. - Если статистика закрыта — запросите у владельца гостевой доступ и данные за год. - Параллельно соберите косвенные признаки, чтобы было с чем сравнить. Последний шаг можно сделать за полминуты: введите домен на странице [проверки сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/). Вы получите одну оценку 0–100 и разбор, из чего она сложена — место в Tranco, возраст домена, число страниц в Common Crawl, скорость загрузки, — с цифрами за каждым пунктом. Оценка построена в основном на открытых данных, поэтому работает и для сайтов с закрытым счётчиком. Для сайтов, подключённых к сети Satelo через плагин, дополнительно виден подтверждённый трафик. Источники проверены 16 октября 2026 года. ## Частые вопросы ### Как узнать посещаемость чужого сайта бесплатно? Сначала проверьте, открыт ли у сайта счётчик: поищите в коде mc.yandex.ru и counter.yadro.ru, откройте адрес liveinternet.ru/stat/домен/ и кликните по информеру Метрики, если он есть. Если статистика закрыта, остаются оценочные сервисы и косвенные признаки — но это оценки, а не реальные цифры. ### Можно ли посмотреть статистику Яндекс Метрики чужого сайта? Только если владелец включил публичный доступ к статистике. По справке Метрики, такую статистику видят пользователи, зарегистрированные и авторизованные на Яндексе. Ссылку обычно можно получить через информер на сайте или у самого владельца. ### Как посмотреть статистику сайта на LiveInternet? Откройте адрес вида https://www.liveinternet.ru/stat/домен/, попробовав домен с www и без. Если статистика открыта, вы увидите сводку и отчёты; если закрыта — LiveInternet попросит пароль. ### Что делать, если статистика сайта закрыта? Попросите владельца выдать гостевой доступ на просмотр в Метрике или прислать данные за 12 месяцев с источниками трафика. Параллельно сравните две-три независимые оценки и смотрите на порядок величины, а не на точное число. ### Насколько точны сервисы оценки посещаемости? Для крупных сайтов они дают примерный порядок величины. Для небольших сайтов данных часто нет или погрешность очень большая, потому что оценки строятся на выборках пользователей и видимости в поиске, а не на данных счётчика. ### Как понять, что трафик на сайте накручен? Насторожить должны резкие скачки без новых материалов, большая доля переходов без ссылки, очень короткие сессии с одним просмотром и география, не совпадающая с темой сайта. Эти признаки видны в открытой статистике счётчика. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/over-optimization-baden-baden/ content # Переспам и тошнота текста: что на самом деле наказывает Яндекс и как переписать страницу Переспам — это текст, перегруженный ключевыми словами ради поисковика, а не ради читателя; Яндекс относит такие тексты к нарушениям и с 2017 года находит их алгоритмом «Баден-Баден». «Тошнота» и «водность» — метрики сторонних сервисов, а не поисковиков: их нормы полезны как сигнал, но не как цель. Ниже — что написано в справке Яндекса и правилах Google, как проверить страницу и как переписать её, не потеряв смысл. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ - Яндекс в справке называет такие тексты **SEO-текстами** и выделяет три вида: запросный спам, переоптимизацию и скрытый текст. - **Баден-Баден** — алгоритм, который с марта 2017 года понижает переоптимизированные страницы. На уровне всего сайта действует нарушение, которое видно в Вебмастере. - **Тошнота** считается сервисами вроде Advego. Яндекс не публикует допустимых процентов и порогов. - Лечение одно: переписать текст для человека — убрать повторы, списки запросов и блоки «для робота». ## Что Яндекс считает SEO-текстом В списке нарушений Вебмастера девять пунктов, и первый из них — [«Использование SEO-текстов»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts). Подробности — на [отдельной странице справки](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/threat/seo-text). Своими словами: | Вид | Как выглядит | Пример (условный) | | Запросный спам | Длинные списки поисковых запросов или бессвязный текст, набитый ключами | Подвал: «ремонт ноутбуков москва, ремонт ноутбуков недорого, ремонт ноутбуков срочно…» | | Переоптимизация | Слова и фразы повторяются сверх меры, чтобы раздуть объём | «Ремонт ноутбуков» в каждом предложении и в каждом подзаголовке | | Скрытый текст | Текст с ключами, который видит робот, но не видит человек | Белый текст на белом фоне, `display: none`, вынос за экран | Там же перечислено, что нарушением **не** является: умеренное облако тегов для навигации, повторы в меню, каталогах и прайсах, профессиональные тексты, где повторы нормальны (стандарты, инструкции, юридические документы), и свёрнутые блоки, которые пользователь может раскрыть. У Google похожее правило. В [правилах о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru) избыточное использование ключевых слов описано как заполнение страницы ключами или числами для манипуляции позицией. Среди примеров — списки городов, на которые «нацелена» страница, и неестественно частое повторение одних и тех же слов. ## Баден-Баден: что известно из первоисточника Название алгоритма есть не в справке, а в блоге Вебмастера. Главное — из поста [«Баден-Баден и нарушения на сайте»](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/baden-baden-i-narusheniya-na-sayte) от 7 апреля 2017 года: - Баден-Баден определяет переоптимизированные тексты. В ранжировании его стали использовать в марте 2017 года. - **Как алгоритм** он работает постранично. Это не нарушение, а фактор, из-за которого страница считается менее качественной, поэтому уведомлений нет. - **Как нарушение** («Переоптимизация») он действует на сайт целиком: могут понизиться все страницы. Такое нарушение показывается в Вебмастере. - Яндекс не раскрывает пороги и не говорит, какие страницы задеты, чтобы не было цикла «чуть поправил — отправил на проверку». - Переоптимизацию могут найти в любом тексте, который читает робот, включая title. Отсюда практический вывод: если в Вебмастере ничего нет, это не значит, что всё в порядке. Отдельные страницы могли просесть тихо. ## Тошнота и водность: метрики сервисов, а не Яндекса Слова «тошнота» в справках поисковиков нет. Это показатели сервисов анализа текста. Например, [семантический анализ Advego](https://advego.com/text/seo/) считает: - **Классическая тошнота** — квадратный корень из числа повторов самого частого слова. Слово встретилось 16 раз — тошнота 4. Допустимое значение зависит от объёма текста. - **Академическая тошнота** — доля самых частых значимых слов. Advego считает нормой 5–15%. - **Водность** — доля стоп-слов и шаблонных оборотов. Норма по Advego — 55–75%. Эти нормы — ориентир сервиса. Используйте их как подсветку: если академическая тошнота заметно выше 15%, откройте список частых слов и посмотрите, какое слово торчит. Но не подгоняйте текст под цифру: короткий текст с честными повторами названия товара может выглядеть «тошнотным», а длинный пустой текст — «нормальным». ## Миф о «нужной уникальности в процентах» Ни Яндекс, ни Google не публикуют норму уникальности вроде «не ниже 90%». Проценты считают антиплагиат-сервисы по своим алгоритмам, и у разных сервисов они разные. Поисковики смотрят на другое: есть ли у страницы ценность. В справке Яндекса критерий звучит как «тексты, бесполезные для пользователя», у Google в тех же правилах о спаме есть отдельный пункт о копировании чужого контента без добавленной ценности. Условный пример: переписанная синонимайзером статья даст 100% уникальности и при этом будет тем самым SEO-текстом. А страница с цитатой закона и разбором для вашего случая покажет низкую уникальность, хотя для читателя полезна. Про тексты, написанные нейросетями, — отдельная статья [о том, как поисковики относятся к ИИ-контенту](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-written-content-seo/). ## Как проверить страницу за 15 минут - **Вебмастер.** Откройте «Безопасность и нарушения». Если там «Использование SEO-текстов», переходите к переписыванию всего шаблона, а не одной страницы. Где что искать в сервисе, описано в [гиде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **Позиции и трафик страницы.** Сравните показы страницы в Вебмастере до и после правок шаблона. Тихое падение одной страницы при стабильном сайте — повод проверить именно её текст. - **Чтение вслух.** Прочитайте первый экран вслух. Если фраза звучит как запрос («купить диван недорого в москве с доставкой»), это переспам. - **Частотный анализ.** Прогоните текст через Advego или аналог и посмотрите, какое слово в топе и сколько раз оно встречается. - **Служебные блоки.** Проверьте подвал, сайдбар, облако тегов, alt картинок и title: переспам часто живёт там, а не в основном тексте. - **Скрытые элементы.** Посмотрите исходный код: нет ли текста, который скрыт стилями и не раскрывается пользователем. ## Как переписать переоптимизированный текст ### 1. Начните с вопроса читателя Сформулируйте одной фразой, зачем человек пришёл на страницу. Первый абзац должен отвечать на этот вопрос. Ключевая фраза в нём уместна один раз и в естественной форме. ### 2. Замените повторы смыслом Вместо пятого «ремонта ноутбуков» напишите, что именно чините, сколько длится диагностика, что будет, если ремонт невозможен. Конкретика естественно добавляет близкие слова и снимает повторы. ### 3. Уберите списки запросов Блоки «мы также ремонтируем…» с перечнем районов и вариантов запроса удалите. Если районы важны, сделайте полезную карту зон выезда или отдельные страницы только там, где есть реальное различие в услуге. ### 4. Подзаголовки — для навигации H2 и H3 должны помогать найти нужный кусок: «Сколько стоит», «Сроки», «Гарантия». Не вставляйте ключ в каждый подзаголовок. ### 5. Проверьте title и description Яндекс прямо сказал, что переоптимизацию находят и в title. Одна формулировка ключа плюс польза: «Ремонт ноутбуков: диагностика за час, гарантия 6 месяцев» (условный пример). ### 6. Ссылки внутри текста — по смыслу Анкоры из точного ключа на каждой странице — тоже форма переспама. Как подбирать текст ссылок, разобрано в [статье про анкоры](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/anchor-text-guide/). ## Чек-лист «до публикации» - Первый абзац отвечает на вопрос без вступлений. - Основной ключ встречается там, где он естествен, а не по счёту. - Нет списков запросов, городов и синонимов «для робота». - Нет текста, скрытого от человека. - Title читается как заголовок, а не как запрос. - Частотный анализ не показывает одно слово, сильно оторвавшееся от остальных. - Текст можно прочитать вслух, не запнувшись. ## Если нарушение уже есть По [справке Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts) порядок такой: исправьте тексты на всём сайте или в указанных разделах, опишите в блоке нарушения, что изменили, отметьте «Нарушение исправлено» и отправьте на проверку. Проверка занимает до 30 дней. Если ограничение не снято, повторно отправить запрос можно только через 30 дней после первой отправки. Поэтому исправлять нужно сразу всё, а не по одной странице. Если параллельно страницы выпадают из индекса, сверьтесь со статьёй [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Что дальше Текст — только часть того, как поисковики и партнёры оценивают сайт. Проверьте свой домен в [индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построено каждое число. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому показывает внешнюю картину сайта — ту, что видят другие. Как развивать нишевый блог без серых приёмов, читайте в статье [SEO для нишевого блога](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое переспам в тексте? Это перенасыщение текста ключевыми словами ради поисковика. Яндекс относит такие тексты к нарушению «Использование SEO-текстов», Google — к избыточному использованию ключевых слов в правилах о спаме. ### Какая тошнота текста считается нормой? Поисковики норм тошноты не публикуют. Сервис Advego считает нормой академической тошноты 5–15%, а допустимую классическую тошноту связывает с объёмом текста. Это ориентир сервиса, а не правило Яндекса. ### Как узнать, что сайт попал под Баден-Баден? Нарушение на уровне сайта видно в Вебмастере в разделе «Безопасность и нарушения». Постраничное понижение алгоритмом уведомлений не даёт: его выдаёт падение показов отдельных страниц при стабильном сайте. ### Какая уникальность текста нужна для SEO? Официальной нормы в процентах нет ни у Яндекса, ни у Google. Проценты считают антиплагиат-сервисы. Поисковики оценивают, полезен ли текст, а не процент совпадений. ### Сколько времени снимается нарушение в Яндексе? По справке Вебмастера проверка после отправки занимает до 30 дней. Если ограничение не снято, повторный запрос можно отправить только через 30 дней после первого. ### Можно ли повторять ключевое слово в title и H1? Да, если это естественно. Проблема начинается, когда title превращается в перечень запросов: Яндекс отмечал, что переоптимизацию находят и в title. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/pr-articles-media/ Ссылки # PR-статьи на сторонних площадках: как получить пользу без серых схем Размещение статей в СМИ и на сторонних площадках полезно маленькому сайту, если цель — охват, упоминания бренда и доверие, а не «ссылки для роста позиций». PR-статья пишется для читателей площадки, ссылка в ней второстепенна, а если публикация оплачена, это реклама: её маркируют по закону о рекламе, а ссылку размечают rel="sponsored". Ниже — как отличить PR от ссылочной статьи, где искать площадки, как подготовить материал и что проверить перед оплатой. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ - **PR-статья** рассказывает читателям площадки что-то полезное: исследование, опыт, разбор. Бренд и ссылка — в контексте. - **Ссылочная статья** пишется ради ссылки на нужную страницу. Яндекс прямо пишет, что купленные ссылки, особенно через биржи, мешают ему оценивать доверие к сайту. - **Бесплатная публикация** в редакционном разделе — обычная экспертная колонка. **Платная** — реклама: маркировка, данные о рекламодателе, атрибут `sponsored`. - Для маленького сайта лучшие площадки — отраслевые медиа, блоги партнёров и платформы с авторскими блогами, где сидит ваша аудитория. ## PR-статья и ссылочная статья: в чём разница | Признак | PR-статья | Ссылочная статья | | Для кого | Для читателей площадки | Для поискового робота | | Площадка | Выбирается по аудитории | Выбирается по метрикам «донора» | | Ссылка | Одна, по смыслу, на полезную страницу | Точный ключ в анкоре, часто несколько | | Результат | Переходы, упоминания, доверие, заявки | Ожидание роста позиций | | Риск | Низкий при честной разметке | Ссылки не учтут или сайт получит проблемы с доверием | Позиция Яндекса — на странице [рекомендаций о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html): поисковик ценит ссылки, которые помогают посетителям, а ссылки за деньги, особенно размещённые через биржи ради поисковиков, затрудняют оценку доверия и релевантности. Там же сказано, что рекламные и партнёрские ссылки размечают `rel="sponsored"`. Google в [справке об исходящих ссылках](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links?hl=ru) тоже просит помечать платные ссылки атрибутом `sponsored`. Поэтому честная PR-статья не обещает «вес»: её польза — в людях, которые её прочитают. ## Зачем PR-статьи маленькому сайту - **Охват, которого у вас нет.** У отраслевого медиа уже есть читатели. Одна хорошая колонка показывает вас людям, которые никогда бы не нашли сайт в поиске. - **Упоминания бренда.** Название компании в тексте авторитетного издания работает и без ссылки: люди ищут вас по имени. Подробнее — в статье [упоминания бренда или обратные ссылки](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/brand-mentions-vs-backlinks/). - **ИИ-поиск.** Ассистенты собирают ответы из открытых текстов. Если о вас пишут в тематических изданиях, шанс попасть в такой ответ выше, чем если о вас пишет только ваш сайт. - **Доверие для продаж.** Ссылка «о нас писали» на сайте снимает часть сомнений у нового клиента. ## Где искать площадки | Тип площадки | Плюсы | Минусы | Кому подходит | | Отраслевые медиа и порталы | Точная аудитория, доверие | Редакция отбирает темы, ждать ответа долго | B2B, услуги, эксперты | | Платформы с авторскими блогами (vc.ru, Хабр, Дзен) | Публикуете сами, быстро | Своя модерация и правила для компаний, конкуренция за внимание | IT, маркетинг, стартапы | | Блоги партнёров и смежных компаний | Тёплая аудитория, проще договориться | Небольшой охват | Почти все | | Региональные СМИ | Сильно для локального бизнеса | Платные материалы — реклама с маркировкой | Локальный бизнес | | Подборки и обзоры в нише | Человек приходит уже с намерением | Часто платно | Сервисы, магазины | Перед публикацией на любой платформе прочитайте её правила для компаний и рекламы: они меняются, а нарушение обычно заканчивается снятием материала. Если площадку вам предлагает биржа, проверьте, не сеть ли это сайтов-«доноров» без живых читателей: у таких сайтов нет комментариев, обсуждений и постоянных авторов, а темы статей прыгают от кредитов к ремонту. ## Как попасть в издание бесплатно - **Найдите повод.** Редакции берут то, чего нет у других: ваши данные, разбор ошибок, опыт с цифрами из вашей практики, прогноз с аргументами. - **Изучите рубрики.** Откройте 10–15 последних материалов: какой формат, объём, тон. Ищите раздел «колонки», «мнения», «для авторов». - **Напишите короткую заявку.** Тема, три тезиса, почему вы вправе об этом писать, ссылка на пару ваших текстов. Без вложенного готового текста, если редакция не просит. - **Предложите эксклюзив.** Текст, который не выходил больше нигде, — стандартное ожидание редакции. - **Не просите ссылку в первом письме.** Если материал полезен, упоминание компании и ссылка на источник данных появятся естественно. ## Пример заявки в редакцию Условный пример для владельца небольшой студии, которая делает сайты для ветеринарных клиник: Здравствуйте! Я веду студию, мы сделали сайты для двадцати ветклиник. Предлагаю колонку «Пять ошибок на сайте клиники, из-за которых теряются записи»: 1) запись только по телефону; 2) нет цен даже «от»; 3) врачи без фото и специализации. Внутри — скриншоты (с согласия клиник) и чек-лист для владельцев. Текст эксклюзивный, объём около 6 000 знаков. Мои прошлые материалы: [ссылка], [ссылка]. Что здесь работает: тема о проблеме читателя издания, конкретные тезисы, понятный опыт автора и обещание эксклюзива. Чего нет: просьбы поставить ссылку и рассказа о том, какая хорошая студия. Если редакция возьмёт материал, ссылка на чек-лист или кейс уместно встанет в текст сама. Ответа может не быть неделю-две. Через 7–10 дней одно короткое напоминание нормально, серия писем — нет. Если тема не подошла, спросите, какие темы редакции сейчас интересны: так начинается сотрудничество на годы. ## Как написать PR-статью, которую дочитают - **Заголовок о пользе читателя**, а не о вашей компании. - **Ответ в первом абзаце.** Редакторы режут вступления. - **Факты с источниками.** Цифры только проверяемые, со ссылками. - **Бренд — один-два раза**, там, где он объясняет, откуда опыт. - **Одна ссылка на полезную страницу**: исследование, инструмент, гайд, а не на страницу с ценами. Подробная структура и примеры — в статье [как написать спонсорскую статью, которую дочитают](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-write-sponsored-article/). ## Платная публикация: маркировка и разметка Если вы платите за материал, это реклама. Статья 18.1 закона «О рекламе» ([текст на Консультанте](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/2c4537e4796f6ff8b2736ed1b0d4fef08e14458e/)) требует, чтобы реклама в интернете: - была помечена словом «реклама»; - содержала сведения о рекламодателе или ссылку на страницу с ними; - распространялась только после присвоения идентификатора оператором рекламных данных; - попадала в отчётность через оператора рекламных данных — эту обязанность закон возлагает на рекламодателей, распространителей и операторов рекламных систем. На практике договоритесь с площадкой заранее, кто получает идентификатор и подаёт данные. Где граница между рекламой и редакционным материалом и что грозит за нарушения — в статье [про маркировку рекламы в статьях](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/sponsored-content-disclosure-rules/). В спорных случаях лучше спросить юриста. Ссылка в оплаченной статье размечается `rel="sponsored"` (можно вместе с `nofollow`, Яндекс допускает комбинацию). Чем атрибуты отличаются, разобрано в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). ## Чего не делать - Не покупайте «вечные» статьи пачками на сайтах, которые никто не читает: это ссылочная схема, а не PR. - Не просите площадку убрать маркировку или атрибут `sponsored`. - Не размещайте один и тот же текст на десяти площадках без договорённости и канонической ссылки. Если хотите повторно использовать материал, следуйте правилам из статьи [про синдикацию контента](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/content-syndication-guide/). - Не оценивайте результат только по позициям. Смотрите переходы, упоминания и заявки. ## Чек-лист перед оплатой размещения - У площадки есть живые читатели вашей темы: комментарии, обсуждения, свежие материалы. - Посещаемость и качество площадки проверены по открытым данным, а не со слов продавца. - Понятно, кто маркирует материал и получает идентификатор. - Ссылка будет с `rel="sponsored"`, и вас это устраивает. - Тема интересна читателям площадки, а не только вам. - Вы знаете, по каким метрикам оцените результат через месяц. ## Что дальше Перед тем как платить площадке, проверьте её в [индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построено каждое число. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому продавец не может его «подкрутить». Если вам ближе обмен партнёрскими материалами с сайтами вашего уровня, посмотрите [кабинет Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/). Это публичная бета, сеть пока небольшая. Сайты публикуют статьи друг о друге по кругу, без прямого обмена, а ссылки в таких материалах размечаются `rel="sponsored"`. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое PR-статья? Материал на сторонней площадке, который полезен её читателям и при этом знакомит их с вашей компанией или экспертом. В отличие от ссылочной статьи, его главная цель — охват и доверие, а не ссылка. ### Можно ли разместить статью в СМИ бесплатно? Да, если у вас есть повод, интересный редакции: собственные данные, опыт, экспертный разбор. Это колонка или экспертное мнение. Платное размещение — уже реклама. ### Нужно ли маркировать платную статью на чужом сайте? Статья 18.1 закона «О рекламе» требует пометки «реклама», сведений о рекламодателе и идентификатора от оператора рекламных данных для интернет-рекламы. Кто именно получает идентификатор, договоритесь с площадкой заранее. ### Какой атрибут ставить на ссылку в оплаченной статье? rel="sponsored". Так рекомендуют и Яндекс, и Google. Яндекс допускает сочетание с nofollow. ### Помогают ли PR-статьи SEO? Прямо на позиции рассчитывать не стоит. Польза в другом: переходы, упоминания бренда, брендовые запросы и доверие клиентов. Купленные ради позиций ссылки поисковики считают проблемой. ### Где искать площадки для PR-статей? Отраслевые медиа, платформы с авторскими блогами вроде vc.ru и Хабра, блоги партнёров и региональные СМИ. Выбирайте по аудитории, а не по метрикам «донора». --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-site-in-yandex/ Трафик сайта # Как продвинуть сайт в Яндексе самостоятельно: пошаговый план без бюджета Продвинуть сайт в Яндексе самому и бесплатно можно, если делать то, что Яндекс прямо просит в своих рекомендациях: полезные страницы под реальные запросы, понятная структура, исправная техника и никакой накрутки. Деньги в самостоятельном продвижении заменяет время: несколько часов в неделю на тексты и проверку Вебмастера. Ниже — план по шагам, что делать в первый месяц и чего избегать, чтобы не попасть под ограничения. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ: семь шагов - Подключите Яндекс Вебмастер и Метрику, свяжите их. - Исправьте технику: индексация, дубли, скорость, мобильная версия. - Укажите регион сайта, если работаете в конкретном городе. - Соберите запросы и разложите их по страницам. - Напишите страницы, которые отвечают на запрос лучше конкурентов, без переспама. - Добавьте то, что убеждает человека: контакты, цены, условия, отзывы реальных клиентов. - Получайте упоминания и ссылки естественным путём, без покупки. Ниже каждый шаг по порядку. Позиции никто не может гарантировать, включая агентства. Можно только убрать то, что мешает, и сделать страницы, которые стоит показывать. ## Чем Яндекс отличается от Google для владельца сайта Формулы ранжирования обоих поисковиков закрыты, и принцип у них общий: показать полезный ответ. Различия — в инструментах. Кроме панели и аналитики, у Яндекса есть два своих механизма: регион сайта, который задаётся в Вебмастере (шаг 3), и ИКС — индекс качества сайта. | Что | Яндекс | Google | | Панель вебмастера | Яндекс Вебмастер | Search Console | | Аналитика со связкой с поиском | Метрика: обход страниц по счётчику | GA4 + Search Console | Отдельно об ИКС: по [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-quality-index.html) это показатель полезности сайта для пользователей, рассчитанный по данным сервисов Яндекса. Влияние на ранжирование справка не заявляет, поэтому гнаться за ИКС как за целью не стоит. Подробно — в статье [что такое ИКС](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/). ## Шаг 1. Вебмастер и Метрика Без Вебмастера вы не узнаете, какие страницы в поиске, по каким запросам вас показывают и нет ли нарушений. Добавьте сайт, подтвердите права, загрузите sitemap — пошагово это описано в статье [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). Затем поставьте счётчик Метрики и привяжите его к Вебмастеру. По [справке Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/link-webmaster) привязка сообщает роботу, на каких страницах стоит счётчик, чтобы он мог обойти их быстрее; в Вебмастере нужно включить «Обход по счётчикам». Как читать отчёты Вебмастера, разобрано в [гиде для новичка](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Шаг 2. Техническая база Проверьте в Вебмастере за один вечер: - **Страницы в поиске.** Важные страницы проиндексированы, а не исключены как дубли или малоценные. - **Дубли.** Один адрес сайта: с `https`, с `www` или без, остальные — 301-редирект. - **Мусорные страницы.** Яндекс в [рекомендациях вебмастерам](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) предупреждает, что большое число малоценных страниц (результаты внутреннего поиска, фильтры) нагружает сервер и замедляет обход важных страниц. Закройте их от индексации. - **Мобильная версия и скорость.** Откройте сайт с телефона и пройдите путь клиента до заявки. - **Безопасность и нарушения.** Раздел должен быть пустым. Если страницы не попадают в индекс вовсе, начните со статьи [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Шаг 3. Регион сайта Для локального бизнеса это один из самых недооценённых шагов. По [справке о региональности](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/regionality.html): - регион задаётся в Вебмастере: «Представление в поиске» → «Региональность»; - нужно указать страницу с контактами — модератор проверяет по ней регион; - полный адрес с индексом и кодом города должен быть на сайте текстом, а не только картинкой; - модерация занимает от нескольких дней до нескольких недель; - регион также может подтянуться из карточки организации в Яндекс Бизнесе, если адрес сайта в ней совпадает с Вебмастером. Если работаете на всю страну, выберите «Нет региона». Как развивать сайт локальной компании дальше, описано в статье [продвижение сайта местного бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Шаг 4. Запросы и структура Самостоятельное продвижение ломается чаще всего здесь: пишут «о компании», а люди ищут решение задачи. - **Соберите запросы.** Используйте подсказки Яндекса: введите название услуги и запишите варианты. Посмотрите «Поисковые запросы» в Вебмастере — там видно, по каким фразам сайт уже показывается. - **Сгруппируйте по смыслу.** Запросы, на которые подходит один ответ, — одна страница. Разные задачи — разные страницы. - **Проверьте выдачу.** Если по запросу в топе статьи, а у вас страница услуги, — нужна статья. Если в топе каталоги и магазины, нужен каталог. - **Нарисуйте структуру.** Главная → разделы услуг → отдельные услуги; блог отвечает на вопросы и ведёт на услуги. Условный пример для сантехника в одном городе: страницы «Замена смесителя», «Прочистка канализации», «Установка унитаза» вместо одной страницы «Услуги» с перечнем всего подряд. ## Шаг 5. Тексты, которые стоит показывать Яндекс в [рекомендациях](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) просит, чтобы страница давала то, что человек ожидал по запросу, и прямо называет нежелательным переписанный и автоматически сгенерированный контент, списки ключевых слов и скрытый текст. Практически это значит: - ответ на вопрос — в первом экране; - конкретика: сроки, цены «от», что входит в работу, чего вы не делаете; - ключевая фраза — там, где она естественна, а не по счёту; - фото своих работ вместо стоковых; - title, который читается как заголовок, а не как список запросов. ## Шаг 6. То, что убеждает человека Человек из поиска сравнивает вас с соседними результатами за секунды. Проверьте каждую коммерческую страницу: - телефон, адрес и способы связи видны сразу; - есть цены или понятный способ их узнать; - условия оплаты, доставки, гарантии описаны; - есть реквизиты и страница «О компании» с реальными людьми; - отзывы — только настоящие. Накрутка отзывов и поведенческих сигналов — прямой путь к ограничениям: Яндекс относит [имитацию действий пользователей](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts) к нарушениям. ## Шаг 7. Ссылки и упоминания без риска Позиция Яндекса изложена в [рекомендациях о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html): ценятся ссылки, которые полезны посетителям, а купленные ссылки, особенно через биржи, мешают оценивать доверие к сайту. Рекламные и партнёрские ссылки размечают `rel="sponsored"`. Что работает без покупки: - карточки в Яндекс Бизнесе и модерируемых отраслевых каталогах; - экспертные колонки в отраслевых медиа и ответы на профильных площадках; - совместные материалы с партнёрами, у которых та же аудитория; - собственные данные и чек-листы, на которые хочется сослаться. Больше бесплатных каналов — в подборке [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## План на первые 30 дней | Неделя | Что сделать | Как понять, что готово | | 1 | Вебмастер, Метрика, привязка, sitemap, регион | Права подтверждены, обход по счётчикам включён, регион на модерации | | 2 | Технический аудит, дубли, мусорные страницы | Один адрес сайта, нарушений нет | | 3 | Запросы и структура, переписать 2–3 главные страницы | Каждой группе запросов соответствует одна страница | | 4 | Коммерческие блоки, первые упоминания и каталоги | Контакты, цены и условия на всех страницах услуг | Дальше — регулярная работа: одна новая полезная страница в неделю, раз в неделю проверка Вебмастера, раз в месяц пересмотр запросов. ## Сколько ждать результата Честного срока не назовёт никто: он зависит от конкуренции в нише, возраста сайта и того, насколько страницы лучше соседних. Смотрите на промежуточные сигналы в Вебмастере: растёт число страниц в поиске, появляются показы по новым запросам, растёт средняя позиция по группам запросов. Если через несколько месяцев показов нет совсем, ищите причину в технике или в несоответствии страниц запросам, а не в «нехватке ссылок». Чтобы видеть причину и следствие, ведите простой журнал изменений: дата, какая страница, что поменяли. Когда через месяц в Вебмастере вырастут или упадут показы, вы сможете сопоставить это с конкретной правкой, а не гадать, что сработало. ## Чего не делать - Не покупайте ссылки пачками и не участвуйте в схемах прямого обмена ссылками. - Не накручивайте поведенческие факторы и отзывы. - Не размножайте страницы под каждый район без реального различия в услуге. - Не пишите тексты «для робота» со списками запросов. ## Что дальше Перед стартом зафиксируйте точку отсчёта. Проверьте сайт в [индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых построено каждое число. Индекс собран в основном из открытых данных, поэтому через месяц-два можно повторить проверку и сравнить, что изменилось снаружи, рядом с данными Вебмастера и Метрики. ## Частые вопросы ### Можно ли продвинуть сайт в Яндексе самому бесплатно? Да. Вебмастер, Метрика, подсказки и регион бесплатны. Основной ресурс — время на техническую проверку, структуру под запросы и полезные тексты. ### С чего начать продвижение сайта в Яндексе? С Яндекс Вебмастера: добавьте сайт, подтвердите права, загрузите sitemap, проверьте раздел «Безопасность и нарушения». Затем поставьте Метрику и привяжите её к Вебмастеру. ### Сколько времени занимает продвижение в Яндексе? Гарантированного срока нет. Он зависит от конкуренции, возраста сайта и качества страниц. Следите за промежуточными сигналами: страницами в поиске и показами по запросам. ### Нужно ли покупать ссылки для продвижения в Яндексе? Нет. Яндекс пишет, что купленные ссылки, особенно через биржи, мешают оценивать доверие к сайту. Работают упоминания, каталоги с модерацией, экспертные публикации и партнёрские материалы с честной разметкой. ### Как указать регион сайта в Яндексе? В Вебмастере: «Представление в поиске» → «Региональность». Укажите город и страницу с контактами. Регион также может подтянуться из карточки организации в Яндекс Бизнесе. ### Влияет ли ИКС на позиции в Яндексе? Справка Яндекса описывает ИКС как показатель полезности сайта для пользователей и не заявляет его влияния на ранжирование. Ориентироваться стоит на показы и трафик. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/robots-txt-sitemap/ Техническое SEO # robots.txt и sitemap.xml для небольшого сайта: минимальная рабочая настройка robots.txt для сайта — это текстовый файл в корне домена, который говорит роботам, какие адреса можно обходить, а sitemap.xml — список страниц, которые вы хотите показать поисковику. Небольшому сайту хватает короткого robots.txt из пяти-семи строк и автоматически собранной карты сайта. Ниже — минимальные шаблоны, типичные ошибки, особенности WordPress, Тильды и Битрикса и проверка в Яндекс Вебмастере и Search Console. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Зачем нужны robots.txt и sitemap.xml Эти два файла решают разные задачи, и их часто путают. - **robots.txt** управляет обходом: какие разделы робот не должен сканировать. По [справке Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro?hl=ru), файл нужен в первую очередь, чтобы управлять нагрузкой от сканирования, и он не предназначен для того, чтобы скрыть страницу из результатов поиска. - **sitemap.xml** помогает найти страницы. Он ничего не запрещает и не гарантирует индексацию: в [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/sitemap) прямо сказано, что попадание всех адресов из файла в поиск не гарантируется. Отсюда главное правило: robots.txt — не инструмент удаления из поиска. Если страницу нужно убрать из выдачи, ей ставят `noindex`, а не закрывают в robots.txt. И Яндекс, и Google пишут, что закрытая в robots.txt страница может всё равно оказаться в поиске, например если на неё ссылаются. Причём робот, которому запрещён обход, не увидит и сам `noindex` — поэтому одновременно закрывать страницу в robots.txt и ставить ей noindex бессмысленно (это есть в [справке Вебмастера по robots.txt](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/robots-txt)). ## Требования к robots.txt По справке Яндекса файл должен: - называться `robots.txt` и лежать в корне сайта: `https://example.ru/robots.txt`; - отдаваться с кодом ответа 200; - весить не больше 500 КБ; - не содержать кириллицы: кириллические домены пишут в Punycode, пути — в URL-кодировке. Если файл не соответствует требованиям, Яндекс считает сайт открытым для индексации. Регистр важен для путей и имён файлов (`/Blog/` и `/blog/` — разные правила), но не для названий директив. Директивы, которые Яндекс перечисляет в справке: `User-agent` (обязательная), `Disallow`, `Allow`, `Sitemap` и `Clean-param`. ## Минимальный robots.txt: условный пример Для небольшого сайта или блога без фильтров и личного кабинета достаточно примерно такого файла (условный пример, замените пути и домен на свои): `User-agent: * Disallow: /admin/ Disallow: /search/ Disallow: /cart/ Clean-param: utm_source&utm_medium&utm_campaign&utm_content&utm_term Sitemap: https://example.ru/sitemap.xml` Что здесь происходит: - `User-agent: *` — правила для всех роботов. Отдельные блоки для Яндекса и Google маленькому сайту обычно не нужны. - `Disallow` закрывает служебные разделы, которые не несут пользы в поиске: админку, внутренний поиск, корзину. - `Clean-param` просит Яндекс не считать отдельными страницами адреса с UTM-метками. Директива межсекционная: по [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/clean-param.html), её можно писать в любом месте файла. Google её не использует, для него дубли решают через canonical. - `Sitemap` указывает полный адрес карты сайта. Таких строк может быть несколько. Если закрывать нечего, честный вариант — вообще без `Disallow`: только `User-agent: *` и строка `Sitemap`. Пустой `Disallow:` ничего не запрещает. ### Директива Host больше не нужна Во многих старых шаблонах есть строка `Host: example.ru`. В текущем списке директив в справке Яндекса её нет. Главный адрес сайта (с www или без, http или https) теперь задают редиректами со всех неглавных адресов на главный — так описано в [справке об адресах сайта](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/site-addresses.html). Строку Host можно удалить, вреда от неё нет, но и пользы тоже. ## Что нельзя закрывать в robots.txt - **CSS и JavaScript, от которых зависит вид страницы.** Google разрешает закрывать второстепенные скрипты и стили, но не те, без которых роботу сложнее понять содержание ([справка Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro?hl=ru)). Строки вроде `Disallow: /wp-content/` или `Disallow: /*.js` из старых шаблонов лучше убрать. - **Страницы, которые должны выпасть из поиска.** Им нужен noindex, а для этого робот должен их видеть. - **Сам файл sitemap.** Яндекс требует, чтобы карта сайта не была запрещена в robots.txt. - **Весь сайт на время разработки — и забыть открыть.** `Disallow: /` после запуска — частая причина того, что сайт не индексируется. Если это ваш случай, пройдите по [чек-листу «сайт не индексируется в Яндексе»](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Как правильно сделать sitemap.xml Требования у Яндекса и Google почти совпадают: | Параметр | Яндекс | Google | | Адресов в одном файле | до 50 000 | до 50 000 | | Размер без сжатия | до 50 МБ | до 50 МБ | | Форматы | XML (рекомендуется) и TXT | XML, RSS/Atom, TXT | | `priority` и `changefreq` | поддерживаются, priority учитывается при обходе | игнорируются | | `lastmod` | поддерживается | используется, если дата достоверна | | Как сообщить | robots.txt или раздел «Файлы Sitemap» в Вебмастере | отчёт «Файлы Sitemap» в Search Console, API или robots.txt | Источники: [справка Яндекса о Sitemap](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/sitemap), [справка Google о создании файла Sitemap](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap?hl=ru). Что включать в карту небольшого сайта: - только адреса вашего домена и только в главной версии адреса (тот же протокол и www, что у сайта); - полные адреса с протоколом: Google сканирует URL ровно в том виде, в каком они указаны; - канонические страницы, которые вы хотите видеть в поиске: статьи, услуги, категории; - честный `lastmod`: Google просит менять дату только при значимом изменении содержания, а не при смене года в подвале. Чего в карте быть не должно: страниц с noindex, адресов с редиректом, закрытых в robots.txt разделов, адресов с UTM-метками и параметрами сортировки. Если карта противоречит robots.txt или canonical, вы сами посылаете поисковику смешанные сигналы. Нужна ли карта крошечному сайту? Google пишет, что сайту примерно до 500 страниц с хорошей перелинковкой карта может быть не нужна ([справка Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/overview?hl=ru)). Но на CMS она создаётся автоматически и ничего не стоит, а новому сайту с малым числом внешних ссылок помогает быстрее показать роботу все страницы. Поэтому пусть будет. ## WordPress, Тильда и Битрикс: что уже сделано за вас ### WordPress Начиная с версии 5.5 WordPress сам создаёт карту сайта по адресу `/wp-sitemap.xml` и прописывает её в виртуальном robots.txt ([анонс в блоге разработчиков WordPress](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/07/22/new-xml-sitemaps-functionality-in-wordpress-5-5/)). SEO-плагины вроде Yoast заменяют встроенную карту своей — тогда адрес будет другим, обычно его видно в настройках плагина. Две карты от разных плагинов одновременно держать не нужно. Важная ловушка: если в «Настройки → Чтение» включена галочка «Попросить поисковые системы не индексировать сайт», встроенная карта отключается. Проверьте её после запуска сайта. Физический файл `robots.txt` в корне имеет приоритет над виртуальным. Если вы его создали, строку `Sitemap` придётся дописать вручную. ### Тильда Тильда генерирует robots.txt и sitemap.xml автоматически, а редактировать robots.txt в конструкторе нельзя — так написано в [ответах поддержки Тильды](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/robots-edit/). Чтобы скрыть страницу из поиска, в её настройках есть пункт «Запретить поисковикам индексировать эту страницу». Остальные SEO-настройки Тильды мы разбирали в [статье про SEO на Тильде](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/). ### 1С-Битрикс В модуле «Поисковая оптимизация» есть генератор robots.txt и генератор карты сайта, который может сам дописать адрес карты в robots.txt. Пошагово с официальными уроками — в [разборе SEO на Битриксе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/). Главное для Битрикса — закрыть служебные адреса с параметрами (сортировки, фильтры, печать) через `Clean-param` и canonical, иначе дублей будет много. ## Проверка в Яндекс Вебмастере и Search Console - **Анализ robots.txt в Вебмастере.** Инструмент показывает ошибки в файле и позволяет проверить конкретные адреса: разрешены они или нет. Если сайт ещё не добавлен, начните с [инструкции по добавлению сайта в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). - **Проверка ответа сервера** в Вебмастере: robots.txt и sitemap.xml должны отдавать 200, а не редирект на главную или 404. - **Анализ файлов Sitemap** в Вебмастере — проверяет формат до отправки. Затем добавьте карту в раздел «Файлы Sitemap». По справке, обработка обычно занимает до двух недель. - **Отчёт robots.txt в Search Console** показывает, когда Google последний раз загрузил файл и какие нашёл ошибки. Повторное сканирование можно запросить, но [справка Google](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/6062598?hl=ru) советует делать это только в срочных случаях, например если по ошибке закрыли важные страницы. - **Отчёт «Файлы Sitemap» в Search Console** — отправьте адрес карты и через несколько дней посмотрите, сколько адресов обнаружено. Где все эти разделы находятся в интерфейсе, подробно описано в нашем [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Чек-лист на 15 минут - Откройте `вашсайт.ru/robots.txt` в браузере: файл есть, кириллицы нет, нет `Disallow: /`. - Уберите строку `Host` и запреты на CSS/JS, если они остались от старого шаблона. - Добавьте `Clean-param` для UTM-меток и строку `Sitemap` с полным адресом. - Откройте карту сайта: адреса в главной версии домена, без noindex и редиректов. - Проверьте оба файла в Вебмастере и Search Console и отправьте карту. - На WordPress проверьте галочку видимости для поисковиков в «Настройки → Чтение». ## Что делать дальше robots.txt и карта сайта — гигиена: без них сайт может не индексироваться, но сами по себе они трафика не приносят. Дальше поисковику нужны поводы приходить и доверять сайту: новые страницы и упоминания на других тематических ресурсах. Если сайт на WordPress, [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) подключается в один клик и публикует партнёрские статьи из сети взаимного продвижения, где сайты похожей тематики пишут друг о друге по кругу (ссылки в таких статьях размечены `rel="sponsored"`). Сеть сейчас в публичной бете и небольшая. А чтобы понять, с какого уровня вы стартуете, [проверьте индекс качества сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите оценку 0–100 и данные, на которых построено каждое число, в основном из открытых источников. ## Частые вопросы ### Как правильно составить robots.txt для сайта? Для небольшого сайта достаточно блока User-agent: *, нескольких Disallow для служебных разделов (админка, поиск, корзина), Clean-param для UTM-меток и строки Sitemap с полным адресом карты. Файл кладут в корень сайта, он должен отдавать код 200 и весить не больше 500 КБ. ### Можно ли закрыть страницу от индексации через robots.txt? Надёжно — нет. Яндекс и Google пишут, что закрытая в robots.txt страница может попасть в поиск, например по внешним ссылкам. Чтобы убрать страницу из выдачи, поставьте ей noindex и не закрывайте её в robots.txt, чтобы робот увидел директиву. ### Нужна ли директива Host в robots.txt? Нет. В текущем списке директив справки Яндекса её нет. Главный адрес сайта задают редиректами со всех неглавных адресов на главный. ### Где находится sitemap.xml на WordPress? Встроенная карта WordPress (с версии 5.5) лежит по адресу /wp-sitemap.xml. Если стоит Yoast или другой SEO-плагин, он обычно заменяет её своей картой, адрес указан в настройках плагина. ### Можно ли отредактировать robots.txt на Тильде? По ответу поддержки Тильды — нет, файл генерируется автоматически. Отдельную страницу можно скрыть из поиска в её настройках, а для полного контроля над файлом проект придётся экспортировать на свой хостинг. ### Сколько Яндекс обрабатывает sitemap? По справке Вебмастера — обычно в течение двух недель после добавления. После изменения файла обновление данных в Вебмастере тоже может занять до двух недель. ### Учитывают ли поисковики priority и changefreq? Google их игнорирует, это прямо написано в его справке. Яндекс поддерживает эти теги и пишет, что учитывает priority при обходе, но индексацию это не гарантирует. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/rsya-for-small-site/ Монетизация # РСЯ для небольшого сайта: требования, модерация и подключение без мифов РСЯ для сайта — это Рекламная сеть Яндекса: вы ставите на страницы рекламные блоки, Яндекс подбирает в них объявления и платит вам часть дохода. Официального минимума посещаемости для обычных сайтов в справке нет, но есть требование к сложившейся аудитории, к качеству контента и к размещению рекламы. Ниже — всё, что сказано в справке на дату публикации, пошаговое подключение и как поставить блоки на WordPress, не уронив скорость. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое РСЯ и кому она подходит Рекламная сеть Яндекса (РСЯ) показывает на сайтах-партнёрах объявления рекламодателей Яндекс Директа. Владелец сайта получает вознаграждение за показы и клики, а настройки блоков, отчёты и выплаты находятся в интерфейсе партнёра на partner.yandex.ru. Честно о деньгах: доход от контекстной рекламы зависит от тематики, аудитории и числа просмотров, и средних цифр Яндекс не публикует. Сайту с небольшой аудиторией РСЯ чаще даёт карманные деньги, чем бизнес, поэтому мы бы рассматривали её как один из источников наряду с другими способами — их мы разбирали в статье [про монетизацию сайта с низкой посещаемостью](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/). ## Кто может подключиться По [справке о регистрации](https://yandex.ru/support/partner/ru/joining/application-form): - нужен Яндекс ID, регистрация возможна только с 18 лет; - в поле «Форма сотрудничества» описаны юрлица, ИП и самозанятые; вариант «Самозанятый» доступен только для России, и сначала нужно встать на учёт как плательщик налога на профессиональный доход; - платёжные реквизиты и документы (паспорт, ИНН, СНИЛС и т. п.) добавляются позже в разделе «Настройки → Реквизиты»; - при добавлении сайта может понадобиться подтвердить права на домен. Если вы планировали подключаться как обычное физлицо без статуса, проверьте форму регистрации заранее: в текущей справке такой вариант не описан. Самозанятость оформляется быстро и для небольшого сайта обычно оказывается самым простым путём. Порог выплаты для резидентов России — 3000 рублей без НДС для самозанятых, ИП и юрлиц, выплаты в рублях ([справка о документах и выплатах](https://yandex.ru/support/partner/ru/payments)). Сроки выплат определены офертой. ## Требования к сайту: что проверяют на модерации Цифры посещаемости для обычных сайтов в справке нет. Число «от 10 000 пользователей в сутки», которое встречается в обсуждениях, относится к подключению видеоресурсов — так написано на [странице подключения](https://yandex.ru/support/partner/ru/joining). Для сайтов вместо порога есть список причин отказа на [странице о модерации](https://yandex.ru/support/partner/ru/joining/moderation). Сгруппируем их по тому, через сколько можно отправить сайт повторно. | Причина отказа | Когда можно повторить | Что сделать | | Сайт не работает (ошибки 404, 500, 429, неоплаченный хостинг) | через 1 день | проверить доступность и ответ сервера | | Для доступа к контенту нужны лишние действия: регистрация, неубираемые всплывающие окна, автоматические загрузки | через 1 день | открыть основной контент без входа, убрать навязчивые окна | | Мало контента: сайт в разработке, разделы пустые | через 1 день | сначала наполнить сайт | | Вредоносный код, предупреждения браузера или антивируса | через 1 день | вылечить сайт | | Рекламы больше, чем контента; оверлеи закрывают содержимое | через 1 день | уменьшить число и площадь блоков | | Низкое качество контента: автогенерация, скрытый текст, копипаст, сайт только ради рекламы | через 30 дней | переписать или убрать слабые страницы | | Недостаточная вовлечённость или реальный трафик: «у ресурса должна быть сложившаяся аудитория» | через 30 дней | набрать постоянную аудиторию, затем подать снова | | Запрещённые тематики (онлайн-казино, букмекеры и др.), неподходящий тип ресурса | через 30 дней | — | | Контент, нарушающий законы РФ, 18+, религиозная тематика, критические нарушения | повторить нельзя | — | Отдельно справка оговаривает, что Яндекс может отклонить любой ресурс без объяснения причин. Модерация сайта, по странице подключения, обычно занимает меньше одного дня. Практический вывод для небольшого сайта: подавайте заявку не в день запуска, а когда на сайте есть содержательные разделы и стабильная аудитория, которую видно в Метрике. «Сложившаяся аудитория» — формулировка без числа, поэтому ориентируйтесь на регулярность посещений, а не на конкретный порог. Чтобы трезво оценить свои цифры, пригодится разбор [как проверить посещаемость сайта бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Правила РСЯ: что запрещено после подключения Модерация — не разовая проверка. В [правилах участия и технических требованиях](https://yandex.ru/support/partner/ru/yan-rules/) перечислено, чего делать нельзя: - накручивать показы и клики; - привлекать внимание к рекламным блокам; - редактировать содержимое объявлений, менять ссылки, ставить редиректы; - изменять код рекламы и через него влиять на показ, скрывать, фильтровать или переставлять объявления; - размещать рекламы больше, чем контента; - делать блоки других рекламных систем похожими на блоки Яндекса по формату и цвету. На странице модерации есть ещё список того, что Яндекс считает некачественным рекламным трафиком: блоки там, где на них легко кликнуть случайно, реклама поверх контента без явной кнопки закрытия, вознаграждение за клики, кликабельные элементы рядом с рекламой. За нарушения правил площадку отключают от сети, а аккаунт блокируют без возможности восстановления — так сказано в правилах. Поэтому подписи вроде «поддержите сайт, кликните по рекламе» лучше не писать никогда. ## Подключение по шагам - **Регистрация.** Заполните форму на partner.yandex.ru, выберите форму сотрудничества и примите оферту. - **Добавление сайта.** В интерфейсе РСЯ добавьте домен, при необходимости подтвердите права. Сайт уходит на модерацию. - **Создание блоков.** После одобрения создайте рекламные блоки нужных форматов. - **Установка кода.** Вставьте код блоков на сайт. - **Реквизиты.** Заполните платёжные данные, чтобы получать выплаты. Порядок шагов взят со [страницы подключения](https://yandex.ru/support/partner/ru/joining). Если модерация не пройдена, кнопка «Отправить на модерацию» снова станет доступна после срока из таблицы выше. ## Как поставить блоки РСЯ на WordPress Официального плагина РСЯ для WordPress в справке нет, поэтому варианта три: - **Виджет «HTML».** Подходит для боковой колонки и подвала: вставьте код блока в виджет через «Внешний вид → Виджеты». - **Блок «Произвольный HTML» в редакторе.** Для ручной вставки внутрь конкретной статьи. - **Плагин вставки кода или дочерняя тема.** Нужен, если блок должен автоматически появляться, например, после второго абзаца каждой записи. Ставьте плагин из каталога wordpress.org с актуальными обновлениями и не правьте файлы родительской темы напрямую — изменения пропадут при обновлении. Код блока вставляйте как есть: правила запрещают его менять. Если используете плагины кэширования и оптимизации JavaScript, проверьте, что они не объединяют и не откладывают рекламный скрипт так, что блок перестаёт показываться. ## Реклама, скорость и отказы Рекламные блоки — частая причина «прыгающей» вёрстки. В [руководстве Google по CLS](https://web.dev/articles/optimize-cls) реклама названа одним из крупнейших источников сдвигов макета. Решение там же: зарезервировать место под блок заранее (CSS-правило `min-height` или `aspect-ratio`) и не схлопывать его, если объявление не загрузилось. Хорошим считается CLS не выше 0,1. Подробно о метриках скорости — в статье [про Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). Что ещё стоит сделать: - не ставить блок перед первым абзацем: человек пришёл за ответом, а видит рекламу; - начинать с одного-двух блоков на странице и добавлять по одному, сравнивая отчёты; - после подключения неделю-две следить в Метрике за отказами и глубиной просмотра по ключевым страницам. Как правильно читать этот показатель, мы разбирали в статье [о показателе отказов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/). ## Чек-лист перед заявкой - Сайт открывается без ошибок, хостинг оплачен, антивирусы не ругаются. - Основные разделы наполнены оригинальным контентом, нет пустых «в разработке». - Контент доступен без регистрации, нет неубираемых всплывающих окон. - Тематика не из запрещённых, нет материалов 18+. - В Метрике видна регулярная аудитория, а не всплеск за один день. - Оформлена самозанятость или ИП, есть Яндекс ID. - Продумано, где будут блоки и сколько места под них зарезервировать. ## Что делать дальше РСЯ монетизирует аудиторию, которая уже есть, поэтому её главный ограничитель для маленького сайта — сама аудитория. Её растят содержанием и упоминаниями на других тематических сайтах. Для владельцев WordPress есть [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/): он подключает сайт к сети взаимного продвижения, где сайты похожей тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, а ссылки размечены `rel="sponsored"`. Это не замена РСЯ и не обещание трафика — сеть в публичной бете и пока небольшая. А чтобы до подачи заявки трезво оценить свой сайт, [проверьте индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за 30 секунд вы увидите оценку 0–100 и источники, на которых построено каждое число, в основном открытые данные. ## Частые вопросы ### Какая минимальная посещаемость нужна для РСЯ? Для обычных сайтов числового порога в справке Яндекса нет. Среди причин отказа указаны недостаточный реальный трафик и вовлечённость: у ресурса должна быть сложившаяся аудитория. Порог 10 000 пользователей в сутки указан только для видеоресурсов. ### Можно ли подключить РСЯ физическому лицу? В текущей справке о регистрации описаны формы сотрудничества для юрлиц, ИП и самозанятых, причём «Самозанятый» доступен только для России. Вариант обычного физлица без статуса там не описан, поэтому проверьте форму перед подачей. ### Сколько длится модерация в РСЯ? По справке, модерация сайта обычно занимает меньше одного дня. Если отказали, повторно отправить сайт можно через 1 или 30 дней в зависимости от причины, а при некоторых нарушениях повторная модерация невозможна. ### Почему сайт не прошёл модерацию РСЯ? Частые причины из справки: сайт не работает, мало контента, нужна регистрация для доступа, навязчивые всплывающие окна, неоригинальный или автоматически сгенерированный контент, недостаточная аудитория и запрещённые тематики. ### С какой суммы РСЯ выплачивает деньги? Для резидентов России порог выплаты — 3000 рублей без НДС для самозанятых, ИП и юрлиц. Сроки выплат определены офертой. ### Как вставить рекламу РСЯ на сайт WordPress? Скопируйте код блока из интерфейса РСЯ и вставьте его без изменений в виджет «HTML», блок «Произвольный HTML» или через плагин вставки кода. Зарезервируйте место под блок, чтобы вёрстка не прыгала. ### Влияет ли реклама РСЯ на SEO? Яндекс не пишет, что сам факт рекламы влияет на ранжирование. Но много блоков и сдвиги вёрстки ухудшают опыт посетителей, а рекламы больше, чем контента, — прямое нарушение правил РСЯ. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/runet-seo-tools-free/ seo tools # Бесплатный SEO-анализ сайта: что дают pr-cy, be1, Букварикс и другие сервисы рунета SEO-анализ сайта бесплатно в рунете можно сделать в нескольких сервисах: pr-cy, be1, Букварикс, MegaIndex, Топвизор, а главное — в Яндекс Вебмастере и Search Console. Но «бесплатно» у всех разное: где-то это экспресс-проверка с дневным лимитом, где-то полная база ключей, а где-то стартовый баланс. Мы открыли страницы тарифов 16 октября 2026 года и собрали, что реально доступно без оплаты и чему из этого можно верить. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Сначала главное: бесплатные данные из первых рук Любой сторонний сервис видит ваш сайт снаружи: обходит страницы своим роботом, оценивает трафик по моделям и собирает позиции по выборке запросов. Точные данные о том, как поисковик видит ваш сайт, есть только у самого поисковика, и он отдаёт их бесплатно: - **[Яндекс Вебмастер](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/)** — индексация, исключённые страницы, запросы, по которым сайт показывался, клики, ИКС, нарушения и безопасность. Как пользоваться, мы разбирали в [гиде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **[Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console)** — то же для Google: показы, клики, средняя позиция, индексирование, Core Web Vitals. - **Яндекс Метрика** — реальная посещаемость и поведение посетителей. Поэтому порядок такой: свой сайт анализируйте в Вебмастере, Search Console и Метрике, а сторонние сервисы используйте для двух задач, которые первоисточники не решают, — быстрого технического аудита и анализа чужих сайтов. ## Сравнительная таблица: что бесплатно на 16 октября 2026 | Сервис | Что дают бесплатно | Лимиты и условия | Для чего брать | | pr-cy | Экспресс-анализ домена без регистрации, отдельные инструменты (в том числе массовая проверка ИКС) | Бесплатный тариф: «Экспресс анализ» и 10 лимитов в день; полный аудит — на платных тарифах | Быстрый обзор чужого или своего сайта | | be1 | Анализ сайта, аудит, проверка уникальности, позиций, частотности, WHOIS, определение CMS | Сервис заявляет, что полностью бесплатен; лимиты на главной не указаны | Набор мелких проверок в одном месте | | Букварикс | Подбор ключевых слов по базе запросов, ключи домена, сравнение конкурентов | Без регистрации: отчёт до 1 млн строк, сравнение до 10 доменов; с регистрацией — до 3 млн строк и до 30 доменов, фильтры | Семантика и запросы конкурентов | | MegaIndex | Видимость сайта, внешние ссылки, анализ сайта | Часть инструментов бесплатна, конкретные лимиты на главной не опубликованы | Ссылки и видимость конкурентов | | Топвизор | Бесплатное API, проверка первых 5 конкурентов, сбор топа через «Снимки» | Бесплатного тарифа нет, оплата с баланса; проверка одной позиции — 0,09 ₽ без скидки | Регулярный съём позиций за копейки | | Яндекс Вебмастер | Индексация, запросы, клики, ИКС, нарушения | Бесплатно, только для подтверждённых своих сайтов | Всё про свой сайт в Яндексе | Источники: [тарифы pr-cy](https://a.pr-cy.ru/prices/), [главная be1](https://be1.ru/), [тарифы Букварикса](https://www.bukvarix.com/price.html), [главная MegaIndex](https://ru.megaindex.com/), [тарифы Топвизора](https://topvisor.com/ru/pricing/). Лимиты меняются, поэтому перед покупкой сверяйтесь со страницей тарифов. ## pr-cy: экспресс-анализ и лимиты pr-cy — то, что большинство открывает первым по запросу «анализ сайта». Домен вводится в форму на главной, проверка работает без регистрации. Сам сервис в FAQ называет бесплатную проверку поверхностной: полный аудит, отслеживание позиций и проекты — на платных тарифах. Дополнительные лимиты можно заработать заданиями вроде отзыва или приглашения друга ([страница бесплатных лимитов](https://pr-cy.ru/pages/free-credits)). Чем полезен: на одном экране собраны базовые технические и SEO-параметры страницы и домена, по которым удобно составить список мелких исправлений. Чем опасен: итоговая «оценка» в процентах — внутренняя метрика pr-cy, а не мнение Яндекса. Высокий балл не значит, что сайт хорошо ранжируется, а низкий может зависеть от мелочей вроде отсутствия фавиконки. ## be1: много мелких бесплатных инструментов be1 заявляет на главной, что сервис полностью бесплатен, и упоминает, что проект поддерживается MegaIndex. Инструментов десятки: анализ сайта, проверка позиций и частотности, уникальность текста, WHOIS, определение CMS, проверка ИКС и «фильтров». Удобно, когда нужно быстро проверить одну вещь. С «проверками фильтров» осторожнее: Яндекс сообщает о нарушениях в Вебмастере, в разделе «Оптимизация сайта → Безопасность и нарушения»; девять типов нарушений, от SEO-текстов до имитации действий пользователей, перечислены в [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts). Если там пусто, сторонний «детектор фильтров» — лишь догадка по косвенным признакам. ## Букварикс: семантика бесплатно Букварикс — самый щедрый из бесплатных сервисов для подбора ключевых слов. По [странице тарифов](https://www.bukvarix.com/price.html), сервис полностью бесплатен, а регистрация расширяет лимиты: больше строк в отчёте, больше доменов для сравнения, фильтры по частоте и числу слов. Есть бесплатное API и выгрузка баз. Для небольшого сайта главное — отчёт «по домену»: какие запросы видит база у конкурента. Это хороший способ найти темы, которые вы не закрыли. Ограничение: частоты в базе — данные на момент её сбора, а не на сегодня. Актуальную частотность важного запроса уточняйте в Вордстате. ## MegaIndex и Топвизор: когда нужны ссылки и позиции **MegaIndex** известен сервисами видимости и внешних ссылок. На главной не опубликованы бесплатные лимиты, поэтому зарегистрируйтесь и посмотрите, что доступно вашему аккаунту. Для проверки ссылочного профиля полезно сравнить его данные с отчётом «Ссылки на сайт» в Вебмастере: о том, как это делать, — в статье [про проверку ссылочной массы](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/backlink-profile-check/). **Топвизор** не бесплатен, но для маленького сайта близок к этому. По [странице тарифов](https://topvisor.com/ru/pricing/), пробного периода нет, но после регистрации на балансе появляются средства; проверка одного запроса в одном поисковике и регионе стоит 0,09 ₽ без подписки, а средства без подписки не сгорают. Условный пример: 50 запросов по Яндексу и Google раз в неделю — это 50 × 2 × 4 = 400 проверок в месяц, около 36 ₽. API бесплатное. ## Как не верить «оценке трафика» вслепую Почти каждый сервис показывает «посещаемость» чужого сайта. Это оценка по модели, а не счётчик. Модель строится на позициях по выборке запросов, их частотности и предполагаемой кликабельности, поэтому: - у маленьких сайтов ошибка особенно велика: в выборку попадает мало запросов; - трафик из соцсетей, рассылок и прямых заходов модели обычно не видят; - разные сервисы дают разные цифры по одному сайту, и это нормально. Если у сайта открыт счётчик Метрики или LiveInternet, это лучше любой оценки — как его найти, рассказано в статье [про открытую статистику сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/). Другие способы собраны в материале [как проверить посещаемость сайта бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Чем отличается индекс качества Satelo Индекс качества Satelo (0–100) на [/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) устроен иначе: он построен в основном на открытых данных и рядом с каждым числом показывает, откуда оно взято. Его задача — не заменить Вебмастер, а быстро сравнить сайты между собой и понять, на чём держится оценка. Для сайтов, подключённых к сети Satelo, дополнительно подтягиваются оценки Semrush и Similarweb. Это тоже внешний взгляд, поэтому он хорош для сравнения сайтов, а не для диагностики индексации. ## Три ошибки при работе с бесплатными сервисами - **Чинить всё подряд.** Экспресс-анализ выдаёт десятки замечаний одинаковым цветом. Сначала то, что мешает индексации (ошибки сервера, закрытые страницы, дубли), потом заголовки и контент, мелочи вроде фавиконки — в конце. - **Сравнивать цифры разных сервисов.** «Видимость», «оценка» и «трафик» у каждого считаются по своей формуле. Сравнивайте сайты внутри одного сервиса и в динамике. - **Принимать ИКС за цель.** ИКС — показатель Яндекса о полезности сайта для пользователей, а не рычаг для позиций. Что он значит, мы разбирали в статье [про ИКС сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/). ## Набор на 30 минут: бесплатный SEO-анализ своего сайта - Вебмастер: «Индексирование → Страницы в поиске» и «Исключённые страницы», «Диагностика». Нет ли критичных проблем и нарушений. - Search Console: отчёт «Страницы» и «Эффективность» за 3 месяца. - pr-cy или be1: экспресс-анализ, выписать технические замечания (robots.txt, sitemap, заголовки, скорость). - Букварикс: ключи двух-трёх конкурентов, найти темы, которых у вас нет. - Метрика: какие страницы приносят поисковый трафик и с какими отказами. - Индекс качества Satelo: сравнить себя с теми же конкурентами по одной шкале. Если нужны западные инструменты, бесплатные режимы Ahrefs, Semrush и других мы разобрали в статье [про бесплатные аналоги Ahrefs](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/). ## Что делать дальше Бесплатные сервисы хорошо показывают проблемы, но не исправляют их и не приводят посетителей. Начните с исправления того, что нашли в Вебмастере и Search Console, а для сравнения с конкурентами [проверьте индекс качества своего сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы увидите оценку и данные, на которых построено каждое число, — и сразу поймёте, какая метрика тянет её вниз. ## Частые вопросы ### Где сделать SEO-анализ сайта бесплатно? Свой сайт — в Яндекс Вебмастере, Google Search Console и Метрике: это бесплатные данные из первых рук. Для быстрого технического обзора и анализа чужих сайтов подойдут pr-cy, be1, Букварикс и MegaIndex с бесплатными режимами. ### Сколько бесплатных проверок даёт pr-cy? На странице тарифов pr-cy бесплатный план включает экспресс-анализ и 10 лимитов в день. Дополнительные лимиты можно получить за задания, например за отзыв или приглашение друга. Полный аудит доступен на платных тарифах. ### Be1 действительно бесплатный? Сервис заявляет на главной, что полностью бесплатен и останется таким, и указывает, что проект поддерживается MegaIndex. Лимиты на главной странице не опубликованы. ### Букварикс бесплатный или платный? По странице тарифов Букварикс бесплатен; регистрация расширяет лимиты: до 3 млн строк в отчёте, сравнение до 30 доменов и фильтры. Есть бесплатное API. ### Можно ли верить оценке трафика сайта в SEO-сервисах? Только как ориентиру. Это модель на основе позиций и частотности по выборке запросов, у небольших сайтов ошибка особенно велика. Точные данные — в Метрике, если у сайта открыт счётчик. ### Чем Вебмастер лучше сторонних сервисов анализа? Вебмастер показывает данные самого Яндекса: какие страницы в поиске и исключены, по каким запросам были показы и клики, есть ли нарушения. Сторонние сервисы видят сайт снаружи и оценивают это косвенно. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/schema-markup-small-site/ Техническое SEO # Микроразметка Schema.org для небольшого сайта: минимальный набор без лишнего Микроразметка — это машиночитаемое описание страницы по словарю Schema.org: кто автор, что это за организация, где страница находится в структуре сайта. Небольшому сайту обычно хватает трёх-четырёх типов: Organization или LocalBusiness, Article и BreadcrumbList, а FAQ-разметка больше не даёт расширенных сниппетов в Google. Ниже — что нужно именно вам, как добавить разметку в WordPress и Тильду и чем её проверить в Яндексе и Google. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что даёт микроразметка, а чего не даёт Разметка помогает поисковику понять, что изображено на странице, и иногда показать её в выдаче богаче: с хлебными крошками, логотипом, рейтингом, ценой. Ключевое слово — «иногда». По [справке Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data?hl=ru), чтобы страница могла получить расширенный результат, нужно заполнить все обязательные свойства и соблюдать правила, иначе Google может не использовать разметку. Гарантии показа нет. Яндекс использует разметку Schema.org для своих сервисов полностью или частично и пропускает ту, которую не поддерживает или которая содержит ошибки ([справка Вебмастера о Schema.org](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/schema-org/what-is-schema-org.html)). В справке перечислено, где он её применяет: товары и цены, программы, рецепты, фильмы, вопросы и ответы для мобильной выдачи, данные об организации и её адресе (они помогают Яндекс Бизнесу и Поиску строить сниппеты), изображения и видео. Чего разметка не делает: сама по себе не поднимает страницу в выдаче и не исправляет слабый контент. И главное правило обоих поисковиков — разметка должна описывать то, что посетитель видит на странице. Отзывы, которых на странице нет, или «рейтинг 5,0» без реальных оценок — прямой путь к тому, что разметку проигнорируют. ## Какие типы нужны небольшому сайту | Тип | Где ставить | Зачем | Нужен ли вам | | Organization (или Person для личного блога) | главная или страница «О нас» | название, логотип, контакты, профили в соцсетях | да, почти всем | | LocalBusiness и его подтипы | главная или страница контактов | адрес, телефон, часы работы офлайн-точки | если есть офис, салон, магазин | | Article / BlogPosting | каждая статья | заголовок, автор, даты публикации и обновления | да, для блога | | BreadcrumbList | все внутренние страницы | место страницы в структуре сайта, хлебные крошки в сниппете | да, если есть разделы | | Product и Offer | карточки товаров | цена, наличие | только для магазинов | | FAQPage | страницы с блоком вопросов | в Google расширенных результатов больше нет | не обязательно, см. ниже | По Organization Google пишет, что обязательных свойств нет, а разметку рекомендует размещать на главной странице, повторять её на каждой странице не нужно. Для местного бизнеса там же советуют использовать самый точный подтип LocalBusiness ([справка Google об Organization](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/organization?hl=ru)). Если у вас локальный бизнес, разметка — лишь малая часть работы, остальное мы собрали в статье [о продвижении сайта местного бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). Для BreadcrumbList нужен список минимум из двух элементов ListItem, у каждого — название и адрес. Google советует строить крошки так, как пользователь обычно приходит к странице, а не копировать структуру URL ([справка о хлебных крошках](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/breadcrumb?hl=ru)). ## Что случилось с FAQ-разметкой Ещё недавно FAQ-разметку советовали всем ради раскрывающихся вопросов в сниппете. Это больше не работает. В августе 2023 года Google [ограничил](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/08/howto-faq-changes?hl=ru) показ FAQ-сниппетов, а в [документации по FAQPage](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/faqpage?hl=ru) указано, что с 7 мая 2026 года такие расширенные результаты в Google Поиске больше не показываются. Что делать с уже стоящей разметкой: удалять срочно не нужно, ошибкой она не является. Но и добавлять FAQPage ради сниппета в Google смысла больше нет. У Яндекса в справке отдельно упомянута разметка вопросов и ответов для мобильной выдачи — если для вас важен именно Яндекс, сверьтесь с его примерами и проверяйте результат в его валидаторе. ## JSON-LD или микроданные Есть три формата: JSON-LD (отдельный блок скрипта), микроданные (атрибуты `itemscope`, `itemprop` прямо в HTML) и RDFa. - **Google** поддерживает все три и обычно рекомендует JSON-LD: его проще внедрять и поддерживать. - **Яндекс** в справке о Schema.org описывает разметку атрибутами в HTML, а его [валидатор](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/validator.html) перечисляет микроформаты, Schema.org, Open Graph, микроданные и RDFa. Практический вывод для небольшого сайта: используйте JSON-LD, который ставят плагины и генераторы, и обязательно прогоните страницу через валидатор Яндекса. Если он видит и разбирает вашу разметку — всё в порядке. Если вы делаете сайт под Яндекс с карточками организации или товаров, сверяйтесь с примерами в его справке. ## Пример: минимальная разметка статьи Условный пример JSON-LD для записи в блоге. Он вставляется в `<head>` или в любое место страницы внутри тега `<script type="application/ld+json">`: `{   "@context": "https://schema.org",   "@type": "BlogPosting",   "headline": "Как выбрать палатку для двоих",   "datePublished": "2026-10-01",   "dateModified": "2026-10-10",   "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Анна Иванова", "url": "https://example.ru/about/"},   "publisher": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Пример Блог", "logo": {"@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://example.ru/logo.png"}},   "image": "https://example.ru/img/tent.jpg" }` Автор, даты и изображение должны совпадать с тем, что видно на странице. Дату `dateModified` меняйте, когда действительно обновили содержание. ## Как добавить разметку в WordPress Если стоит SEO-плагин, большая часть разметки уже есть. Например, Yoast SEO по своей [документации для разработчиков](https://developer.yoast.com/features/schema/plugins/yoast-seo/) выводит связанный граф JSON-LD: Organization (или Person), WebSite, WebPage, BreadcrumbList и изображения, а на записях добавляет Article. Ваша задача — правильно заполнить настройки: - в настройках плагина укажите, кто стоит за сайтом — организация или человек, загрузите логотип; - заполните профили авторов: имя, описание, ссылка на страницу автора; - включите хлебные крошки, если тема их не выводит; - не ставьте второй плагин разметки поверх первого: два графа с разными данными об организации — путаница для поисковика. LocalBusiness и товары обычно требуют отдельных модулей или ручного JSON-LD через поле вставки кода в `<head>`. ## Как добавить разметку в Тильду В [ответах Тильды](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/structured-data/) описан такой порядок: - сгенерируйте код в генераторе JSON-LD, выбрав тип страницы (например, «Статья»), и заполните поля; - в редакторе откройте «Настройки страницы» → «Дополнительно» и вставьте код в поле «HTML-код для вставки внутрь head»; - сохраните и переопубликуйте страницу; - проверьте разметку валидаторами Яндекса и Google. Поскольку код вставляется в каждую страницу отдельно, на Тильде разумно ограничиться Organization на главной и Article на важных статьях. Другие SEO-настройки конструктора — в статье [про SEO на Тильде](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/). ## Как проверить микроразметку - **[Валидатор микроразметки Яндекса](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/tools/microtest/)** — проверка по адресу страницы или по вставленному коду. Он может сообщить, что разметка корректна, но сервисы Яндекса не смогут её использовать: это нормально для типов, которые Яндекс не применяет. - **[Проверка расширенных результатов Google](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results)** — показывает, на какие расширенные результаты страница может претендовать и каких обязательных полей не хватает. - **[Schema Markup Validator](https://validator.schema.org/)** — проверяет синтаксис по словарю Schema.org без привязки к поисковику. - **Search Console** — отчёты о расширенных результатах покажут ошибки сразу по всему сайту. ## Микроразметка и ИИ-поиск Часто пишут, что разметка «нужна для нейросетей». Google в [справке об ИИ-функциях поиска](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features?hl=ru) прямо говорит, что отдельные структурированные данные schema.org для этих функций добавлять не нужно; общий совет — держать разметку в соответствии с видимым текстом. То есть разметка помогает машинам однозначно понять, кто автор и что за организация, но она не пропуск в ИИ-ответы. Что действительно влияет на цитирование, мы разбирали в статьях [как попасть в ответы ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/) и [как попасть в ответы Алисы AI](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/alice-ai-visibility/). ## Чек-лист на один вечер - Organization или Person на главной: название, логотип, ссылки на профили. - LocalBusiness с адресом и телефоном, если есть офлайн-точка. - Article с автором и датами на статьях. - BreadcrumbList на внутренних страницах. - Никаких данных в разметке, которых нет на странице. - Проверка в валидаторе Яндекса и в проверке расширенных результатов Google. ## Что делать дальше Разметка — аккуратное описание сайта, а не источник трафика. Если сайт на WordPress, SEO-плагин закроет её почти целиком, а [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/connect/) поможет с другой стороны: подключает сайт к сети взаимного продвижения, где сайты похожей тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге по кругу, со ссылками `rel="sponsored"`. Сеть в публичной бете и пока небольшая. Чтобы понять, где ваш сайт сейчас, [проверьте индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за 30 секунд вы увидите оценку 0–100 и данные, стоящие за каждым числом, в основном из открытых источников. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое микроразметка Schema.org простыми словами? Это описание содержимого страницы в формате, понятном поисковикам: что это статья, кто её автор, что за организация и где страница находится в структуре сайта. Словарь типов и свойств задаёт проект Schema.org. ### Какая микроразметка нужна небольшому сайту? Обычно достаточно Organization или Person на главной, Article на статьях и BreadcrumbList на внутренних страницах. LocalBusiness нужен, если есть офлайн-точка, Product — только магазинам. ### Работает ли FAQ-микроразметка в 2026 году? Для расширенных результатов Google — нет: по документации Google, с 7 мая 2026 года FAQ-сниппеты в поиске не показываются. Удалять существующую разметку срочно не нужно, но добавлять её ради сниппета смысла нет. ### Как добавить микроразметку на Тильде? Сгенерируйте JSON-LD в генераторе, затем в «Настройки страницы» → «Дополнительно» вставьте код в поле HTML-кода для head, сохраните и переопубликуйте страницу. Проверьте результат в валидаторах Яндекса и Google. ### Как проверить микроразметку для Яндекса? В валидаторе микроразметки Яндекс Вебмастера: укажите адрес страницы или вставьте код. Валидатор может сообщить, что разметка корректна, но сервисы Яндекса её не используют, — это нормально для неподдерживаемых типов. ### Что лучше: JSON-LD или микроданные? Google поддерживает оба формата и обычно рекомендует JSON-LD. Яндекс в справке описывает разметку атрибутами в HTML, поэтому любую разметку стоит проверять в его валидаторе. ### Влияет ли микроразметка на позиции? Ни Google, ни Яндекс не обещают роста позиций за разметку. Она помогает понять страницу и может дать расширенный сниппет, но показ не гарантирован. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/semantic-core-small-site/ keyword research # Семантическое ядро для небольшого сайта: как собрать его за выходные бесплатно Чтобы собрать семантическое ядро для сайта, выпишите запросы, по которым вас могут искать, из Вордстата, поисковых подсказок, Вебмастера и сайтов конкурентов, уберите мусор и разложите оставшееся по группам: одна группа запросов — одна страница. Небольшому сайту не нужны десятки тысяч фраз: ядра на 50–200 запросов хватает, чтобы понять, какие страницы создавать и о чём писать в ближайшие месяцы. Ниже пошаговый процесс на бесплатных инструментах и таблица, в которой его удобно вести. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое семантическое ядро простыми словами Семантическое ядро — это список поисковых запросов, разбитый на группы, где каждая группа закреплена за одной страницей сайта. По сути, это карта: какие вопросы задают люди в вашей теме и какая страница на каждый из них отвечает. Для маленького сайта ядро решает три практические задачи: - показывает, какие страницы нужны, а какие лишние; - не даёт двум страницам конкурировать за один и тот же запрос; - превращается в контент-план, где у каждой статьи есть понятная цель. Крупные интернет-магазины собирают ядра на десятки тысяч фраз платными сервисами. Блогу, сайту услуг или лендингу с десятком страниц это не нужно: важнее точность групп, чем объём. ## Что подготовить перед сбором Заведите таблицу (Google Таблицы или Excel) с колонками: **запрос**, **источник**, **спрос** (H/M/L), **интент** (информационный, коммерческий, навигационный), **группа**, **страница**. И выпишите от руки 5–10 «маркерных» запросов — самых общих формулировок того, что вы делаете. Для условного сайта мастера по ремонту стиральных машин это «ремонт стиральных машин», «стиральная машина не сливает воду», «замена подшипника стиральной машины» и т. п. (условный пример). Маркеры — это семена, из которых вырастет ядро на следующих шагах. ## Шаг 1. Яндекс Вордстат [Вордстат](https://wordstat.yandex.ru/) показывает статистику запросов к Яндексу и работает только после входа в аккаунт — так написано в [справке сервиса](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/). Там три режима: динамика популярности запроса, распределение по регионам и «топы запросов» — список фраз, содержащих ваше слово, и похожих запросов. Как работать с маркером: - Вбейте маркер в «топы запросов» и выпишите в таблицу всё, что относится к вашей теме. - Посмотрите блок похожих запросов: там часто находятся формулировки, до которых вы бы не додумались. - Проверьте точную частоту операторами. По [справке об операторах](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/content/operators.md): кавычки фиксируют количество слов, `!` — форму слова, `[]` — порядок слов, `-` исключает слова, а `( | )` группируют варианты. Например, `"ремонт стиральных машин"` покажет спрос на фразу без хвостов. - Если вы работаете на город, переключите регион: общероссийская цифра для локального бизнеса почти бесполезна. Абсолютные частоты для маленького сайта лучше переводить в три уровня: **H** (высокий спрос), **M** (средний), **L** (низкий). Границы задайте сами относительно своей ниши: в узкой теме и 50 показов в месяц — заметный спрос. ## Шаг 2. Поисковые подсказки Подсказки, которые Яндекс и Google показывают при вводе запроса, — бесплатный источник реальных формулировок. Вводите маркер и дописывайте к нему буквы алфавита, вопросительные слова («как», «почему», «сколько») и уточнения («своими руками», «цена», «отзывы»). Выписывайте в таблицу всё по теме с пометкой источника «подсказки». Подсказки хорошо ловят свежие и разговорные формулировки, которых в Вордстате мало. Но цифр спроса они не дают: частоту для важных фраз всё равно проверяйте в Вордстате. ## Шаг 3. Запросы, по которым вас уже находят Если сайт уже работает, самый ценный источник — ваши собственные данные. - **Яндекс Вебмастер.** Отчёт «Поисковые запросы» показывает показы, клики, CTR и позицию по запросам, где сайт был в топ-50. По [справке Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/search-queries.html), позиции ниже 50-й не учитываются, а в группу можно добавить свои запросы (до 500 в одной группе) и следить за ними. Как найти отчёт и подключить сайт, мы разбирали в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **Google Search Console.** [Отчёт об эффективности](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553?hl=ru) показывает клики, показы, CTR и среднюю позицию по запросам и страницам; данные можно выгрузить. Ищите запросы с показами, но без кликов, и фразы, по которым вы стоите на 11–30 месте: под них обычно стоит дописать раздел или сделать отдельную страницу. ## Шаг 4. Запросы конкурентов Найдите 3–5 сайтов, которые стоят в топе по вашим маркерам и похожи на вас по масштабу (не агрегаторы и не маркетплейсы). Дальше два бесплатных пути: - **Вручную.** Пройдите по их меню и списку статей, выпишите темы, которых нет у вас. Заголовки страниц часто и есть запросы. - **Через сервисы.** [Букварикс](https://bukvarix.com/) подбирает слова по фразе или по домену и умеет сравнивать домены. На [странице тарифов](https://bukvarix.com/price.html) сервис называет себя бесплатным; без регистрации можно сравнить до 10 доменов-конкурентов, с регистрацией — до 30. Чужие базы запросов — оценка, а не точные данные: используйте их как источник идей и проверяйте спрос в Вордстате. ## Шаг 5. Чистка списка После сбора у вас будет несколько сотен строк с повторами и мусором. Удаляйте: - **дубли и перестановки** («ремонт стиральных машин цена» и «цена ремонта стиральных машин» оставьте одной строкой с лучшей формулировкой); - **чужие бренды и навигационные запросы** (название конкурента + «официальный сайт»); - **нецелевые смыслы** («бесплатно», «скачать», «вакансии», если вы это не предлагаете); - **другие города**, если вы работаете локально; - **запросы с нулевым точным спросом**, если они не описывают важную для вас услугу. Минус-слова, найденные при чистке, сохраните отдельно: при следующем расширении ядра ими удобно сразу отсекать мусор. ## Шаг 6. Кластеризация: вручную и по выдаче Кластеризация — разбивка запросов на группы, где каждую группу закрывает одна страница. Для ядра на 50–200 фраз хватит двух бесплатных приёмов. ### По смыслу и интенту Отсортируйте таблицу по ключевому слову и разнесите запросы по намерению. «Стиральная машина не сливает воду причины» — информационный запрос, под него нужна статья. «Ремонт стиральной машины на дому» — коммерческий, под него нужна страница услуги. Смешивать их на одной странице почти всегда плохая идея. ### По выдаче Когда сомневаетесь, объединять ли два запроса, откройте поиск по каждому в одном регионе и сравните первую десятку. Если в обеих выдачах много одинаковых страниц, поисковик считает запросы близкими — их можно закрывать одной страницей. Если совпадений почти нет, нужны две разные страницы. Порог совпадений задайте сами и держитесь его по всей таблице (например, 3 и более общих URL из 10 — условный пример правила). Онлайн-кластеризаторы делают то же автоматически, но для маленького ядра ручная проверка спорных пар занимает меньше времени, чем кажется, и даёт понимание ниши. ## Шаг 7. Из ядра в контент-план Каждую группу превратите в строку плана: | Группа | Главный запрос | Тип страницы | Спрос | Статус | | Не сливает воду | стиральная машина не сливает воду | статья | H | написать | | Ремонт на дому | ремонт стиральных машин на дому | услуга | H | есть, дописать | | Замена подшипника | замена подшипника стиральной машины | услуга + статья | M | написать | Таблица — условный пример. Главный запрос группы идёт в title и H1, остальные фразы — в подзаголовки и текст, где они звучат естественно. Начинайте с групп, где спрос средний, а в выдаче нет крупных агрегаторов: маленькому сайту там проще пробиться. Похожий подход для тематических блогов описан в статье о [SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Частые ошибки - **Гнаться за объёмом.** Ядро на тысячи фраз, под которые никогда не будет страниц, — лишняя работа. - **Одна страница на один запрос.** Отдельная статья под каждую перестановку слов приводит к тому, что страницы конкурируют между собой. - **Смешивать интенты.** Статья «почему ломается» и страница «заказать ремонт» отвечают разным людям. - **Не смотреть на выдачу.** Если по запросу весь топ занимают маркетплейсы или справочники, статья блога туда вряд ли попадёт. - **Собрать один раз и забыть.** Раз в квартал проверяйте Вебмастер и Search Console: там появятся новые запросы, которые стоит добавить. Если сайт только запускается, ядро лучше собрать до того, как вы начнёте наполнять разделы, — тогда структура сразу будет под спрос. Про то, как продвигать новый сайт без бюджета, читайте в нашем [гиде по бесплатному продвижению](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## План на выходные - **Суббота, утро:** маркеры и Вордстат (топы, похожие запросы, регион). - **Суббота, день:** подсказки Яндекса и Google, Вебмастер и Search Console. - **Суббота, вечер:** 3–5 конкурентов вручную и через Букварикс. - **Воскресенье, утро:** чистка, частоты в кавычках, H/M/L. - **Воскресенье, день:** кластеризация, спорные пары — по выдаче. - **Воскресенье, вечер:** контент-план и первые три страницы в работу. ## Что сделать дальше Ядро говорит, что писать. Но прежде чем решать, с какими запросами вы реально можете конкурировать, полезно понимать, где сейчас стоит ваш сайт. [Проверьте сайт в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества покажет возраст домена, место в Tranco, данные Common Crawl и скорость — и для каждой цифры видно, откуда она взялась. Индекс строится в основном на открытых данных, так что его можно сравнить и с сайтами конкурентов из вашего ядра. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое семантическое ядро простыми словами? Это список поисковых запросов по вашей теме, разбитый на группы, где каждая группа закреплена за одной страницей сайта. Ядро показывает, какие страницы нужны и о чём писать. ### Сколько запросов должно быть в ядре небольшого сайта? Жёсткой нормы нет. Для блога или сайта услуг на десяток-другой страниц обычно хватает 50–200 запросов: важнее точно разложить их по страницам, чем собрать как можно больше. ### Можно ли собрать семантическое ядро бесплатно? Да. Вордстат, поисковые подсказки, Яндекс Вебмастер и Google Search Console бесплатны, а Букварикс позволяет бесплатно подбирать слова по фразе и домену. Кластеризацию маленького ядра можно сделать вручную в таблице. ### Как кластеризовать запросы бесплатно? Сначала разнесите запросы по смыслу и интенту, а спорные пары проверьте по выдаче: если в топ-10 по двум запросам много одинаковых страниц, их можно закрывать одной страницей. ### Нужно ли ядро для сайта на Тильде или лендинга? Да, даже для одной-двух страниц: ядро подскажет формулировки для заголовков и блоков и покажет, стоит ли выносить отдельные услуги на свои страницы. ### Как часто обновлять семантическое ядро? Удобно раз в квартал: смотрите новые запросы в Вебмастере и Search Console и добавляйте в план группы, под которые у вас ещё нет страниц. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-cost-per-month/ Основы SEO # Сколько стоит SEO-продвижение сайта в месяц и за что вы платите Сколько стоит продвижение сайта в Яндексе в месяц, честно ответить одной цифрой нельзя: цена зависит от ниши, региона, состояния сайта и того, что именно входит в работу. Для ориентира: у крупного агентства Kokoc публичные тарифы на SEO начинаются от 60 480 ₽ в месяц, а у фрилансеров и небольших студий встречаются и предложения дешевле — с другим объёмом работ. Ниже разбираем, из чего складывается цена, как устроены модели оплаты, какие обещания должны насторожить и какую часть работы небольшой сайт может сделать сам. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Почему у SEO нет одной цены SEO-продвижение — это набор работ: аудит и исправление технических ошибок, сбор запросов, тексты, улучшение страниц, внешние упоминания, аналитика. Одно агентство считает всё это в абонентке, другое продаёт по частям, третье берёт плату за результат. Поэтому цифры «от» на сайтах агентств почти нельзя сравнивать напрямую, пока вы не знаете, что за ними стоит. На итоговую цену сильнее всего влияют: - **Конкуренция в нише.** Продвигать юриста в Москве дороже, чем мастерскую в небольшом городе. Kokoc на своей [странице цен](https://kokoc.com/ceni-na-prodvizhenie-sayta/) прямо пишет, что региональное продвижение обходится в 1,5–2 раза дешевле, чем в Москве. - **Размер сайта.** Лендинг из одной страницы и магазин на тысячи карточек требуют разного объёма работ. - **Состояние сайта.** Если сайт нужно переделывать, первые месяцы уходят на доработки, а не на рост. Тот же Kokoc указывает, что в первые 1–2 месяца тарифа может входить оплата доработок сайта. - **Что входит в договор.** Тексты, программист, ссылки и инструменты могут быть внутри абонентки или оплачиваться отдельно. ## Из чего складывается цена: статьи расходов | Статья | Что это | Как обычно оплачивается | | Аудит | Поиск технических, контентных и коммерческих проблем | Разово | | Семантика и структура | Сбор запросов, разбивка по страницам, план новых разделов | Разово, потом расширение | | Технические работы | Исправление ошибок, скорость, дубли, редиректы | В абонентке или по часам программиста | | Контент | Новые страницы и статьи, переработка старых | За текст или пакетом | | Внешние упоминания | Публикации, PR, партнёрские статьи | Отдельный бюджет | | Аналитика и отчёты | Метрика, цели, позиции, ежемесячный отчёт | В абонентке | Для примера, как агентства расписывают эти статьи: в [статье агентства Directline](https://www.directline.pro/blog/skolko-stoit-seo-v-2026-godu/) (обновлено 17.11.2025) аудит и стратегия оцениваются от 30 000 ₽ разово, технические работы — от 20 000 ₽ в месяц, контент — 3 000–7 000 ₽ за статью. Это оценка одного агентства, а не рыночный стандарт, но она хорошо показывает, как дробится бюджет. ## Публичные цены: что видно на сайтах агентств Большинство агентств цен не публикуют и считают стоимость после заявки. Те, кто публикует, обычно пишут «от». Вот что опубликовано на странице цен Kokoc (проверено 16.10.2026): | Тариф | Модель оплаты | Цена, от | | Продвижение в ТОП-10 | Абонентка, без оплаты запросов вне топ-10 | 60 480 ₽ в месяц | | Продвижение молодых сайтов | Абонентка | 60 480 ₽ в месяц | | Оплата по трафику | За трафик из поиска | 69 000 ₽ в месяц | | Оплата за лиды | За заявки, звонки, заказы | 108 000 ₽ в месяц | | Комплексное продвижение | SEO + контекст + SMM | 225 000 ₽ в месяц | | SEO-аудит | Разово | 100 000 ₽ | Цены у агентств меняются, поэтому перед решением сверяйте их на сайте. И помните, что «от» — это минимальная цена для самого простого случая, а не ожидаемая сумма для вашего проекта. ## Модели оплаты и их риски ### Абонентская плата Вы платите фиксированную сумму за объём работ. Плюс — понятный бюджет и стимул делать то, что нужно сайту, а не то, что быстро даёт цифры. Риск — платить за «процесс» без результата. Защита: в договоре должен быть список работ на месяц и отчёт, что именно сделано. ### Оплата за позиции Вы платите за запросы, вышедшие в топ. Риск — агентство выберет узкие запросы, которые легко поднять, но которые не приносят клиентов. Проверяйте, есть ли у выбранных запросов реальный спрос, и смотрите на заявки, а не только на позиции. ### Оплата за трафик Вы платите за посетителей из поиска. Риск — трафик по нецелевым информационным запросам. Обговорите, какой трафик учитывается: без брендовых запросов и с разбивкой по страницам. ### Оплата за лиды Вы платите за заявки. Это ближе всего к деньгам, но дороже, и важно заранее договориться, что считается лидом и как отсекаются спам и повторы. ## Красные флаги в предложениях - **«Гарантируем топ-1».** В [руководстве Google о выборе оптимизатора](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo?hl=ru) прямо сказано: никто не может гарантировать первое место в результатах поиска Google, а кандидату с такой гарантией стоит искать замену. - **Нежелание объяснить, что будут делать.** То же руководство советует требовать ясного объяснения планов. - **Пакеты «1000 ссылок за месяц».** По [правилам Google о спаме](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?hl=ru), покупка или продажа ссылок, которые учитываются при ранжировании, — нарушение; рекламные ссылки должны быть помечены `rel="nofollow"` или `rel="sponsored"`. Как распознать сети сайтов для продажи ссылок, мы разбирали в статье про [PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **«Накрутка поведенческих факторов».** В справке Яндекса [имитация действий пользователей](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice) перечислена среди нарушений. - **Доступы к сайту и Метрике остаются у агентства.** Все аккаунты должны быть оформлены на вас. ## Как сравнить два предложения - Попросите расписать, что входит в месяц: сколько текстов, часов программиста, каких работ. - Уточните, что оплачивается сверху: тексты, ссылки, доработки, инструменты. - Спросите, какие результаты и в какие сроки ожидают и как будут их измерять. Этот вопрос есть в списке Google для выбора оптимизатора. - Попросите примеры работ в похожей нише и регионе. - Проверьте условия расторжения: можно ли уйти через месяц и что останется у вас. Удобно свести ответы в одну таблицу: колонки «работы в месяц», «что сверху», «модель оплаты», «как считают результат», «условия выхода». ## Что небольшой сайт может сделать сам Если бюджета на агентство нет, большую часть базы можно закрыть своими силами и бесплатными инструментами: - подключить Вебмастер и Метрику и исправить ошибки из отчётов (см. [гид по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/)); - собрать небольшое ядро в Вордстате и подсказках и сделать страницу под каждую группу запросов; - переписать title и описания ключевых страниц; - завести карточку в Яндекс Бизнесе, если вы работаете в своём городе; - получать упоминания у партнёров, в отраслевых сообществах и через гостевые статьи — подробности в статье о [ссылках для молодого сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/). Полный список бесплатных способов — в гиде [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). Специалиста имеет смысл звать, когда база сделана, а рост упёрся в то, что вы не умеете сами: сложную техническую часть, крупный сайт или высококонкурентную нишу. ## Как прикинуть, окупится ли SEO Прежде чем выбирать подрядчика, посчитайте, сколько вы можете тратить на одного клиента из поиска. Простая формула: **допустимый бюджет в месяц = ожидаемые заявки из поиска × конверсия заявки в продажу × прибыль с одной продажи**. Условный пример: если через полгода работы сайт может давать 20 заявок в месяц, в продажу превращается каждая четвёртая, а прибыль с продажи 8 000 ₽, то SEO окупается при бюджете до 40 000 ₽ в месяц. Все цифры здесь придуманы для иллюстрации — подставьте свои из Метрики и CRM. Если допустимый бюджет заметно ниже публичных цен агентств, логичнее начать с самостоятельной работы и точечных услуг: разового аудита, текстов, публикаций (как считать цену гостевой статьи, разобрано в [отдельном гиде](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/guest-post-cost/)). ## Где дешёвое SEO становится дорогим Предложения сильно ниже рынка обычно экономят на одном из трёх: на людях (один специалист ведёт десятки проектов), на работах (только отчёт о позициях) или на методах (покупные ссылки и накрутки). Последнее опаснее всего: после санкций восстановление стоит дороже, чем честная работа с самого начала. Если цена кажется слишком хорошей, попросите список работ на первый месяц — он сразу покажет, на чём экономят. ## Что сделать дальше Если вам нужны внешние упоминания, но бюджета на агентство нет, попробуйте обмен статьями в [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/): сайты похожего уровня и тематики публикуют партнёрские материалы друг о друге по кругу, а не напрямую, и все ссылки помечаются `rel="sponsored"`. Участие бесплатное: сателлиты зарабатываются размещением у себя. Это не замена SEO и не способ поднять позиции, а честный источник упоминаний и переходов. Satelo сейчас в публичной бете, и сеть пока небольшая. ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько стоит SEO-продвижение сайта в месяц? Единой цены нет. Например, у агентства Kokoc публичные SEO-тарифы начинаются от 60 480 ₽ в месяц (данные на 16.10.2026), а многие агентства считают цену только после аудита. Итог зависит от ниши, региона, размера и состояния сайта. ### Что лучше: оплата за позиции, трафик или лиды? У каждой модели свои риски: за позиции можно получить топ по запросам без спроса, за трафик — нецелевых посетителей, за лиды — высокую цену и споры, что считать заявкой. Абонентка с понятным списком работ и отчётом часто прозрачнее. ### Может ли агентство гарантировать топ? Нет. В руководстве Google сказано, что никто не может гарантировать первое место в результатах поиска, и советуют искать другого специалиста, если вам обещают такую гарантию. ### Можно ли продвигать сайт самому? Да, базу можно сделать самостоятельно: Вебмастер и Метрика, исправление ошибок, семантическое ядро, тексты, карточка в Яндекс Бизнесе и честные упоминания у партнёров. Специалист нужен, когда рост упирается в сложную технику или высокую конкуренцию. ### Почему продвижение в регионах дешевле? В регионах обычно меньше конкурентов по тем же запросам. Например, Kokoc на странице цен пишет, что региональное продвижение обходится в 1,5–2 раза дешевле, чем в Москве. ### Входят ли ссылки в стоимость SEO? Зависит от договора: иногда внешние публикации оплачиваются отдельным бюджетом. Важно, чтобы это были реальные публикации, а не покупные ссылки для манипуляции выдачей, которые нарушают правила поисковиков. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-vs-context-ads/ Основы SEO # SEO или контекстная реклама: что выбрать небольшому сайту Что лучше, SEO или контекстная реклама, зависит от того, как быстро вам нужны клиенты и сколько вы готовы платить за каждого: контекст в Яндекс Директе даёт переходы сразу после запуска, но каждый клик оплачивается, а SEO работает медленнее, зато трафик из поиска не тарифицируется за клик. Небольшому сайту чаще всего подходит связка: реклама для проверки спроса и первых продаж, SEO — для того, что будет приносить посетителей через полгода и дальше. Ниже — сравнение, сценарии выбора и формула, по которой это можно посчитать для своего бизнеса. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Главное отличие в двух предложениях Контекстная реклама — это аренда места в выдаче: пока вы платите, объявления показываются, перестали платить — переходы прекратились. SEO — это работа над самим сайтом, чтобы поисковик сам показывал его в бесплатной части выдачи; результат появляется не сразу и не гарантирован, но не исчезает в день, когда закончился бюджет. ## Как устроены деньги в контексте По [справке Яндекс Директа](https://yandex.ru/support/direct/ru/technologies-and-services/vcg-auction), рекламодатель платит за клики по объявлениям на поиске и в сетях, а стоимость клика не фиксирована: она определяется на торгах между рекламодателями. Объявления ранжируются по комбинации ставки, коэффициента качества и прогноза кликабельности. Из этого следуют три практических вывода: - цена клика в вашей нише зависит от того, сколько готовы платить конкуренты; - качество объявления и посадочной страницы влияет на то, сколько вы заплатите за тот же показ; - прогноз бюджета в интерфейсе Директа — ориентир, а реальная цена выяснится только после запуска. ## Как устроены деньги в SEO В SEO вы платите не за клик, а за работу: время своё или подрядчика, тексты, доработки сайта. Скорость результата не обещает никто. В [руководстве Google для начинающих](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide?hl=ru) сказано, что изменения на сайте могут отражаться в поиске от нескольких часов до нескольких месяцев, а оценить эффект в среднем можно через несколько недель. А [руководство о выборе оптимизатора](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo?hl=ru) предупреждает: никто не может гарантировать первое место в поиске. Зато когда страница уже показывается по нужным запросам, каждый следующий переход из органической выдачи не стоит отдельных денег. ## Сравнение по пунктам | Критерий | Контекстная реклама | SEO | | Когда появятся переходы | Сразу после модерации и запуска | Через недели и месяцы, без гарантий | | За что платите | За клики, по цене аукциона | За работу над сайтом и контентом | | Что будет, если остановить | Трафик прекращается сразу | Трафик снижается постепенно, если сайт не поддерживать | | Контроль | Выбираете запросы, регион, время, бюджет | Решение о показе принимает поисковик | | Подходит для | Акций, сезонного спроса, проверки гипотез, новых услуг | Постоянного спроса, информационных запросов, долгой перспективы | | Главный риск | Слить бюджет на нецелевые клики | Потратить месяцы на запросы, где не пробиться | ## Когда выбирать контекстную рекламу - **Нужны продажи в этом месяце.** Например, новый бизнес, у которого нет времени ждать. - **Вы проверяете спрос.** Небольшая кампания на одну услугу за пару недель покажет, ищут ли её и конвертируется ли посадочная страница. Это дешевле, чем полгода SEO по неподтверждённой гипотезе. - **Сезон или акция.** Под короткий спрос SEO просто не успеет. - **Ниша, где органическая выдача занята агрегаторами и маркетплейсами.** Если по коммерческим запросам весь топ — крупные площадки, реклама может оказаться единственным способом показаться на первой странице. ## Когда выбирать SEO - **Спрос стабильный и долгий.** Услуги, которые ищут круглый год. - **Много информационных запросов.** Люди ищут «почему», «как выбрать», «сколько стоит» — на такие вопросы отвечают статьи, а рекламировать их обычно невыгодно. - **Цена клика в нише высокая.** Чем дороже клик, тем быстрее окупаются вложения в органику. - **Бюджета почти нет.** SEO можно делать своими руками, а у контекста без денег на клики не бывает трафика. Что можно сделать самостоятельно и бесплатно, собрано в гиде [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## Как совмещать: схема для небольшого сайта - **Старт.** Подключите Метрику с целями и Вебмастер (как — в [гиде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/)). Без этого ни рекламу, ни SEO не оценить. - **Проверка спроса рекламой.** Запустите небольшую кампанию по 1–2 главным услугам и посмотрите, какие запросы дают заявки. - **Перенос в SEO.** Запросы, которые приносят заявки в рекламе, — первые кандидаты для отдельных страниц и статей. Отчёт о поисковых запросах в Директе — бесплатное дополнение к семантическому ядру. - **Перераспределение.** Когда страница стабильно показывается в органике по запросу, проверьте, нужна ли по нему ещё реклама: иногда бюджет выгоднее перевести на новые услуги. - **Посадочные страницы.** Улучшения страницы помогают обоим каналам: понятное предложение и цены поднимают конверсию рекламы, а полезный текст помогает органике. Как читать поведение посетителей, разобрано в статье о [показателе отказов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/). ## Как посчитать окупаемость Для обоих каналов работает одна логика: сравните, сколько стоит привести одного клиента, с тем, сколько он приносит. **Контекст:** стоимость клиента = цена клика ÷ конверсия сайта в заявку ÷ конверсия заявки в продажу. **SEO:** стоимость клиента = затраты на SEO за период ÷ число продаж из органики за тот же период. Канал окупается, если стоимость клиента меньше прибыли с продажи (а для повторных покупок — меньше прибыли за всё время работы с клиентом). Условный пример: клик стоит 50 ₽, на сайте заявку оставляет 5% посетителей, в продажу превращается каждая четвёртая заявка. Тогда клиент из рекламы стоит 50 ÷ 0,05 ÷ 0,25 = 4 000 ₽. Если прибыль с продажи 3 000 ₽, реклама в такой конфигурации убыточна, и сначала нужно поднимать конверсию сайта или искать запросы дешевле. Все цифры придуманы для иллюстрации: свою цену клика узнаете после запуска, конверсии — из Метрики и CRM. У SEO расчёт честнее делать за 6–12 месяцев, а не за первый месяц, когда затраты есть, а трафика ещё нет. ## Пять вопросов, чтобы решить за 10 минут Ответьте на них письменно — обычно после этого выбор становится очевидным: - **Когда нужны первые заявки?** Если в ближайший месяц — без рекламы не обойтись. Если можно ждать полгода — SEO становится реальным вариантом. - **Сколько вы зарабатываете на одном клиенте?** Без этой цифры нельзя понять, какую цену клика вы можете себе позволить. - **Кто стоит в топе по вашим главным запросам?** Если там похожие небольшие сайты — у вас есть шанс в органике. Если только агрегаторы и маркетплейсы — органика по этим запросам будет долгой. - **Какие вопросы задают клиенты до покупки?** Если их много, у SEO есть материал: статьи-ответы, которые приводят людей на этапе выбора. - **Сколько часов в неделю вы готовы тратить сами?** SEO без бюджета требует времени, реклама без времени требует бюджета. Ноль и того и другого не работает ни в одном канале. ## Если бюджет около нуля - Начните с SEO-базы своими силами: Вебмастер, Метрика, страница под каждую услугу, понятные title. - Если у вас местный бизнес, заведите карточку в Яндекс Бизнесе и на картах — подробнее в статье о [продвижении сайта локального бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). - Ищите упоминания у партнёров и в отраслевых сообществах вместо платных размещений. - Отложите контекст до момента, когда сможете выделить хотя бы небольшой тестовый бюджет и считать результат. ## Частые ошибки при выборе - **Сравнивать первый месяц SEO с первым месяцем рекламы.** SEO проиграет почти всегда — это разные горизонты. - **Вести рекламу на главную страницу.** Под каждую группу запросов нужна своя посадочная — это же полезно для SEO. - **Не настраивать цели.** Без них вы видите клики и визиты, но не деньги. - **Ждать от SEO гарантий.** Если подрядчик гарантирует топ, это повод насторожиться, а не радоваться. ## Что сделать дальше Один из бесплатных способов получить первые внешние упоминания и переходы, пока SEO набирает обороты, — обмен статьями в [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/). Сайты похожей тематики публикуют партнёрские материалы друг о друге по кругу, ссылки помечаются `rel="sponsored"`, а сателлиты для заказа статей о своём сайте зарабатываются размещением у себя. Позиций это не обещает, а сеть пока небольшая: Satelo в публичной бете. Чтобы сначала понять стартовый уровень сайта, [проверьте его индекс качества](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) — бесплатно и с объяснением каждой цифры. ## Частые вопросы ### Что лучше: SEO или контекстная реклама? Универсального ответа нет. Контекст даёт переходы сразу, но каждый клик платный; SEO медленнее и без гарантий, зато органические переходы не оплачиваются поштучно. Небольшому сайту обычно выгодна связка: реклама для проверки спроса и первых продаж, SEO для долгой перспективы. ### Чем SEO отличается от контекстной рекламы? Контекстная реклама — платные объявления в выдаче, оплата за клики по цене аукциона. SEO — работа над сайтом, чтобы он показывался в бесплатной части выдачи; решение о показе принимает поисковик. ### Сколько стоит клик в Яндекс Директе? Фиксированной цены нет: по справке Директа, стоимость клика определяется на торгах между рекламодателями и зависит от ставок конкурентов, качества объявления и прогноза кликабельности. ### Через сколько SEO начнёт приносить результат? Точного срока нет. В руководстве Google сказано, что изменения могут отражаться в поиске от нескольких часов до нескольких месяцев, а эффект в среднем можно оценить через несколько недель. Рост по конкурентным запросам обычно занимает дольше. ### Можно ли совмещать SEO и контекст? Да, и это часто самый практичный вариант: запросы, которые приносят заявки в рекламе, становятся первыми кандидатами для SEO-страниц, а улучшения посадочных страниц помогают обоим каналам. ### Что выбрать, если денег на рекламу нет? Начать с бесплатной SEO-базы своими силами: Вебмастер и Метрика, страница под каждую услугу, карточка в Яндекс Бизнесе для местного бизнеса и упоминания у партнёров. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/serpstat-vs-keys-so/ seo tools # Serpstat или Keys.so: что выбрать для анализа конкурентов Keys.so — это российский сервис конкурентной разведки: он показывает, по каким запросам видны сайты конкурентов в Яндексе и Google, какую рекламу они крутят в Директе и РСЯ и откуда у них ссылки. Serpstat решает похожие задачи, но работает с базами Google и не обслуживает пользователей из России. Ниже — сравнение по базам, тарифам, бесплатному доступу и задачам небольшого сайта, со ссылками на официальные страницы обоих сервисов. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Коротко: кому что подойдёт Если ваш сайт продвигается в Рунете и основной трафик идёт из Яндекса, выбор почти предрешён: у Keys.so есть региональные базы Яндекса, данные по Директу и РСЯ и оплата российскими картами. Serpstat имеет смысл, если вы работаете на зарубежные рынки через Google и платите картой, выпущенной не в России. Для небольшого сайта главный вопрос другой: нужен ли платный сервис вообще. Часто хватает бесплатных режимов и собственных данных из Вебмастера и Search Console. Об этом — в конце статьи. ## Что такое Keys.so [Keys.so](https://www.keys.so/ru/) — сервис анализа конкурентов в поиске, контекстной рекламе и нейросетях. Вводите домен или запрос и получаете список запросов, по которым сайт попадает в выдачу, его видимость, конкурентов, объявления в Яндекс Директе и РСЯ, ссылочную массу. Что важно знать по официальным страницам сервиса на 16.10.2026: - **Базы.** На главной заявлено больше 100 млн запросов в базе по Яндексу и Google и аналитика по Москве, 16 регионам России, Минску и Нью-Йорку. Google представлен Москвой, Минском и Нью-Йорком, остальные регионы — это Яндекс. - **Реклама.** Отдельные отчёты по объявлениям Директа и РСЯ: тексты, посадочные страницы, географический таргетинг. - **Ссылки.** Внешние и исходящие ссылки, свой показатель рейтинга доменов (DR), поиск общих доноров у вас и конкурентов. - **Дополнительно.** Парсер Вордстата, сбор подсказок, кластеризатор, мониторинг позиций, трекер ИИ, история robots.txt. - **Юрисдикция.** По [странице тарифов](https://www.keys.so/ru/tarif), программа включена в реестр российского ПО (запись № 26832 от 28.02.2025), оператор — ООО «Модеско». Оплата: Мир, Visa, Mastercard, СБП, Yandex Pay, безналичный расчёт для юрлиц и ИП. ## Что такое Serpstat [Serpstat](https://serpstat.com/ru/) — платформа для SEO и контент-маркетинга: анализ ключевых слов и конкурентов, мониторинг позиций, аудит сайта, кластеризация, оценка посещаемости и API. На русской версии главной страницы упомянуты базы Google по 230 странам и поиск Bing. Яндекс в описании инструментов не упоминается. Компания украинская. Как писал [Practical Ecommerce](https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ukraine-based-serpstat-perseveres-amid-the-war), Serpstat одним из первых украинских SaaS-сервисов заблокировал аккаунты пользователей из России. На [странице тарифов](https://serpstat.com/page/pricing-plans/) из способов оплаты перечислены Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal и банковский перевод, рублей и российских способов оплаты нет. ## Сравнение по главным параметрам | Параметр | Keys.so | Serpstat | | Поисковые системы | Яндекс (Москва, 16 регионов России, Минск) и Google (Москва, Минск, Нью-Йорк) | Google (230 баз-стран), Bing | | Контекстная реклама | Яндекс Директ и РСЯ | Объявления в Google | | Ссылки | Есть, на тарифах от «Профессионального» | Есть | | Бесплатный доступ | Деморежим после регистрации с ограниченными лимитами | 7-дневный пробный период с привязкой карты | | Младший тариф | «Базовый»: 5 300 ₽ в месяц | Individual: $50 в месяц | | Оплата из России | Российские карты, СБП, счёт для юрлиц | Не обслуживает пользователей из РФ | | API | С тарифа «Профессиональный» | Есть, отдельный продукт | Цены и лимиты взяты с официальных страниц тарифов [Keys.so](https://www.keys.so/ru/tarif) и [Serpstat](https://serpstat.com/page/pricing-plans/) на дату публикации. Тарифы меняются, перед оплатой проверьте их ещё раз. ## Тарифы Keys.so подробно На странице тарифов три плана. Цена указана за месяц, при оплате за год месяц обходится дешевле. | Тариф | В месяц | В месяц при оплате за год | Анализов в сутки | Проектов | Пользователей | | Базовый | 5 300 ₽ | 3 975 ₽ | 100 | 10 | 1 | | Профессиональный | 9 300 ₽ | 6 975 ₽ | 3 000 | 50 | 3 | | Корпоративный | 34 900 ₽ | 26 175 ₽ | 30 000 | 100 | 10 | Важная деталь для тех, кто хочет смотреть ссылки конкурентов: в данных тарифной страницы отчёты по ссылкам и API отмечены как недоступные на «Базовом» и доступные начиная с «Профессионального». Скидки за длительную оплату: 10% за 3 месяца, 15% за полгода, 25% за год. ## Тарифы Serpstat подробно | Тариф | В месяц | Поисков в сутки | Проектов | | Individual | $50 | 100 | 5 | | Team | $100 | 500 | без ограничений | | Team x2 | $169 | 1 000 | без ограничений | | Agency | $410 | 5 000 | без ограничений | Пробный период — 7 дней для всех тарифов, кроме Agency. Для проверки карты списывается и возвращается $1, а если не отменить подписку, через 7 дней спишется полная стоимость тарифа. Об этом стоит помнить, если вы просто хотите посмотреть интерфейс. ## Что можно получить бесплатно **Keys.so.** По [разделу FAQ](https://help.keys.so/faq), после регистрации большинство отчётов можно протестировать в деморежиме с ограниченными лимитами. Часть инструментов без подписки работает только на заранее подготовленных фразах, для трекера ИИ доступен демонстрационный проект, а из кластеризации — только ручная. На [странице бесплатных инструментов](https://www.keys.so/ru/tools/free) указаны один бесплатный проект и 1000 запросов в месяц на мониторинг позиций в Яндексе и Google. **Serpstat.** Постоянного бесплатного тарифа на странице тарифов нет, есть только 7-дневный пробный период с картой. Для пользователей из России он недоступен. Практический вывод: бесплатного режима Keys.so хватит, чтобы понять, как устроены отчёты, и посмотреть пару конкурентов. Для регулярной работы с семантикой нужен платный тариф. ## Какие задачи небольшому сайту реально нужны Владельцу блога или сайта небольшой компании редко нужен полный набор отчётов. Обычно хватает трёх вещей: - **Узнать, кто ваши конкуренты в выдаче.** Не те, кого вы считаете конкурентами, а те, кто реально стоит рядом по вашим запросам. Это главное, что даёт Keys.so на пробном доступе. - **Найти запросы, по которым конкуренты видны, а вы нет.** Это список тем для новых статей и страниц. Начните с запросов, где в топе сайты вашего уровня, а не крупные агрегаторы. - **Понять, откуда у конкурентов ссылки и упоминания.** Отраслевые каталоги, партнёрские статьи, обзоры. Здесь помогут и бесплатные инструменты, см. [бесплатные аналоги Ahrefs](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/free-ahrefs-alternatives/) и [как проверить ссылочный профиль](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/backlink-profile-check/). Для оценки посещаемости конкурентов есть отдельные инструменты, они разобраны в статьях [аналоги Similarweb для Рунета](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/similarweb-alternatives-runet/) и [как бесплатно проверить трафик сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). Помните, что любая внешняя оценка трафика — это модель, а не счётчик. ## Что сделать до покупки любого сервиса - **Откройте свои данные.** Вебмастер и Search Console бесплатно показывают реальные запросы, по которым вас видят. Это точнее любой сторонней базы. Как работать с отчётами — в [гайде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **Сформулируйте вопрос.** «Какие темы есть у трёх соседей по выдаче, а у меня нет» — это задача на день работы в деморежиме. «Хочу всё знать про рынок» — задача на годовую подписку. - **Проверьте регион.** Если ваши клиенты в Екатеринбурге, а сервис показывает только Москву, данные будут неточными. У Keys.so регионы перечислены на главной странице. - **Отключите автопродление после пробного периода,** если не уверены, что будете пользоваться. ## Условный пример: как выбрать за 15 минут **Условный пример.** Студия ремонта из Казани ведёт блог и хочет понять, о чём писать. Трафик почти весь из Яндекса, оплата — российской картой. Serpstat отпадает сразу: Яндекса в базах нет, оплата из РФ невозможна. Владелец регистрируется в Keys.so, в деморежиме смотрит, какие сайты стоят рядом в выдаче Яндекса по Казани, и выписывает темы, которых у него нет. Если списка хватает на полгода публикаций, подписка не нужна. Если нужен регулярный мониторинг и ссылки конкурентов, имеет смысл «Профессиональный», а не «Базовый», потому что ссылки есть только в нём и выше. ## Что делать дальше Сервисы анализа конкурентов отвечают на вопрос «по каким запросам видны другие». Но перед этим полезно понять, на каком уровне ваш собственный сайт и сайты, с которыми вы сравниваетесь. [Проверка в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за полминуты покажет индекс качества сайта от 0 до 100 и данные, из которых он сложен: возраст домена, место в рейтинге Tranco, объём страниц в Common Crawl, скорость. Это в основном открытые данные, и каждую цифру можно перепроверить. Удобно, чтобы сравнить себя с тремя-четырьмя соседями по выдаче до того, как платить за подписку. ## Частые вопросы ### Keys.so — что это за сервис? Российский сервис анализа конкурентов в поиске, контекстной рекламе и нейросетях. Он показывает запросы, по которым виден сайт в Яндексе и Google, объявления в Директе и РСЯ, ссылки и конкурентов. ### Можно ли пользоваться Keys.so бесплатно? Частично. После регистрации большинство отчётов доступны в деморежиме с ограниченными лимитами, есть бесплатный проект и 1000 запросов в месяц на мониторинг позиций. Для регулярной работы нужен платный тариф. ### Сколько стоит Keys.so? На дату публикации «Базовый» — 5 300 ₽ в месяц, «Профессиональный» — 9 300 ₽, «Корпоративный» — 34 900 ₽. При оплате за год месяц дешевле на 25%. ### Работает ли Serpstat в России? Нет. Serpstat — украинская компания, она заблокировала аккаунты пользователей из России, а на странице тарифов нет российских способов оплаты. ### Есть ли в Serpstat данные по Яндексу? В описании инструментов на официальном сайте упомянуты базы Google по 230 странам и Bing. Яндекс там не упоминается. ### Какие бесплатные аналоги Serpstat есть для анализа конкурентов? Бесплатные режимы Keys.so, данные Вебмастера и Search Console по своему сайту, а также бесплатные сервисы проверки ссылок и трафика. Для оценки уровня сайта можно использовать бесплатную проверку Satelo. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-move-301-mirror/ Техническое SEO # Переезд сайта на новый домен: редиректы, зеркала и чек-лист Переезд сайта на новый домен делается в три шага: постраничный 301 редирект со старых адресов на такие же новые, заявка в инструменте «Переезд сайта» Яндекс Вебмастера и «Изменение адреса» в Google Search Console. Ниже — порядок действий по официальной справке обоих поисковиков, разница между 301 и 302, что Яндекс называет зеркалами и чек-лист на первые недели после переезда. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Когда переезд действительно нужен Смена домена — это всегда риск временной просадки. Яндекс прямо пишет в [справке о переезде](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/moving-site.html), что не гарантирует сохранения количества страниц в поиске, позиций и трафика: они могут снижаться в течение нескольких обновлений поисковой базы. Поэтому переезжайте, когда есть причина: - ребрендинг, и старое имя мешает бизнесу; - домен в неудобной зоне или с опечаткой, которую клиенты не запоминают; - объединение двух сайтов в один; - переход на HTTPS или отказ от www. Формально это тоже смена адреса, но в рамках одного домена, и процедура проще. «Новый домен будет лучше ранжироваться» — не причина. Возраст и история домена сами по себе не гарантируют ничего, подробнее в статье [возраст сайта и SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/website-age-and-seo/). ## Зеркала: как это называет Яндекс В народе говорят «главное зеркало», а в [справке Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/site-addresses.html) это называется адресами сайта. Один сайт может открываться по нескольким адресам: с www и без, по HTTP и HTTPS, на старом и новом домене. Главный адрес — тот, что показывается в результатах поиска и участвует в ранжировании. Неглавные адреса в поиске не участвуют. Сначала робот индексирует каждый адрес как отдельный сайт, потом находит одинаковые страницы и группирует адреса. Если вы не укажете главный адрес, алгоритм выберет его сам. Чтобы выбор совпал с вашим, все неглавные адреса должны вести редиректом на соответствующие страницы желаемого главного адреса. Тогда, по справке, алгоритмы учитывают это правило, а не выбирают адрес автоматически. Отсюда первое правило переезда: склейка в Яндексе держится на редиректах, а не на одной кнопке в Вебмастере. ## 301 или 302: какой редирект ставить У Google разница описана в [документации о переадресации](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/301-redirects?hl=ru): | Редирект | Что считает Google | Что в выдаче | Когда использовать | | 301, 308 (постоянный) | Каноническим становится новый адрес | Конечная страница | Переезд навсегда | | 302, 303, 307 (временный) | Канонический — исходный адрес | Обычно исходная страница | Акция, техработы, тесты | | Meta refresh 0 секунд | Как постоянный | Конечная страница | Если нет доступа к серверу | | JavaScript-редирект | Может быть не распознан | Не гарантировано | Не рекомендуется | Яндекс в справке о переезде допускает и 301, и 302, но для смены домена Google в [руководстве по переносу сайта](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes?hl=ru) рекомендует постоянную серверную переадресацию 301 или 308. Чтобы не настраивать разное для разных поисковиков, ставьте 301: он подходит обоим. Пример для Apache (.htaccess), когда структура адресов не меняется и нужно перенести все пути один к одному. Это условный пример, замените домены на свои: `RewriteEngine On` `RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?old-site\.ru$ [NC]` `RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://new-site.ru/$1 [R=301,L]` Для nginx та же логика: `return 301 https://new-site.ru$request_uri;` в блоке server старого домена. ## Главная ошибка: всё на главную Редирект всех старых страниц на главную нового сайта — самый частый способ испортить переезд. Яндекс пишет, что это снижает скорость индексации нового сайта. Google считает массовую переадресацию на нерелевантную страницу мягкой ошибкой 404 (soft 404). Правило простое: каждая старая страница ведёт на свою новую копию, главная — на главную. Если одновременно меняются домен и структура адресов, Яндекс допускает двойной редирект: сначала старый адрес ведёт на тот же путь на новом домене, затем на новый путь. Google советует не делать цепочки длиннее трёх-четырёх переходов. ## Пошаговый переезд в Яндекс Вебмастере - **Добавьте оба сайта** в Вебмастер и подтвердите права. Если сайт ещё не добавлен, пригодится инструкция [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). - **Проверьте технику.** Новый адрес должен отвечать кодом 200 OK, сервер — отвечать быстрее 10 секунд. robots.txt на обоих адресах должен разрешать индексацию роботу Яндекса. - **Уберите rel="canonical" на старый сайт** со страниц нового: по справке, это одна из причин отказа в переезде. - **Настройте постраничные редиректы** со старого домена на новый. - **Отправьте заявку** со старого сайта: **Индексирование → Переезд сайта**, укажите новый адрес и сохраните. Заявка, отправленная с нового сайта, будет отклонена. - **Подпишитесь на уведомления** и ждите. По справке, обработка занимает от нескольких недель до нескольких месяцев. Старые страницы остаются в поиске, пока не проиндексируются новые, затем постепенно исключаются. Внешние ссылки на старый сайт, по справке Яндекса, учитываются для нового. ## Переезд в Google Search Console - Подтвердите права на старый и новый сайт, включая все варианты (www и без, HTTP и HTTPS). - Составьте таблицу соответствия старых и новых адресов. Начните с важных страниц из карты сайта, аналитики и отчёта о ссылках. - Настройте 301 и обновите внутренние ссылки, чтобы они вели сразу на новый домен. - На каждой новой странице поставьте rel="canonical" на саму себя. - Отправьте новый sitemap. Предупреждения о переадресации в старом sitemap Google просит игнорировать. - В старом ресурсе откройте инструмент «Изменение адреса». Он нужен только при смене домена или поддомена, для перехода на HTTPS и смены www его использовать не нужно. По руководству Google, редиректы нужно держать минимум год, а сайт среднего размера обрабатывается за несколько недель или дольше. Колебания позиций в процессе Google называет нормальными. ## Частный случай: HTTP на HTTPS и www Переход на HTTPS и выбор между www и без www — это тоже смена главного адреса, только внутри одного домена. По [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/https-migration) порядок такой: - Установите SSL-сертификат и проверьте ответ сервера в Вебмастере. - Поменяйте внутренние ссылки, адреса в sitemap и ссылку на sitemap в robots.txt на HTTPS. - Поставьте редирект со страниц HTTP на такие же страницы HTTPS, главную — на главную. - Добавьте в Вебмастер обе версии и в разделе **Индексирование → Переезд сайта** включите опцию «Добавить HTTPS». С www то же самое: выберите одну версию, поставьте редирект со второй и не меняйте решение туда-обратно. Если сайт на конструкторе, домен и HTTPS обычно настраиваются в панели платформы. Особенности разобраны в статьях [SEO на Тильде](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/) и [SEO на Битриксе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/). ## Что будет с ИКС, регионом и ссылками - **ИКС при переходе на HTTPS.** В [справке о переходе на HTTPS](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/yandex-indexing/https-migration) сказано, что индекс качества при переезде переносится, но правильное значение может отобразиться не сразу. - **ИКС при смене домена.** Такой прямой формулировки в справке нет. На [странице об ИКС](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-quality-index.html) сказано, что показатели главного и неглавных адресов считаются отдельно, а если доменные имена различаются, могут различаться и показатели. Подробнее о самом показателе — в статье [что такое ИКС](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/). - **Регион.** В справке о HTTPS отдельно сказано, что при переезде регионы нужно задать заново. Проверьте их в Вебмастере после склейки. - **Ссылки.** Внешние ссылки на старый адрес Яндекс учитывает для нового. Но лучше попросить владельцев важных ссылок поменять адрес: редирект однажды могут снять. ## Чек-лист после переезда - Выборочно проверьте 20–30 старых адресов инструментом «Проверка ответа сервера» в Вебмастере: должен быть 301 и затем 200 на нужной странице. - Убедитесь, что нет цепочек и петель редиректов, и проверьте сайт на битые ссылки. - Обновите адрес в Метрике, Яндекс Бизнесе, соцсетях, рекламных кабинетах, подписях писем. - Следите за отчётами «Страницы в поиске» и «Индексирование». Если новые страницы долго не появляются, посмотрите разбор [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). - Не продавайте и не отпускайте старый домен минимум год, пока работают редиректы. - Не затевайте второй переезд, пока первый не применился в поиске: Яндекс предупреждает об этом отдельно. ## Что делать дальше Перед переездом и через пару месяцев после него полезно сравнить старый и новый домен по одинаковым внешним данным. [Проверка в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за полминуты покажет индекс качества 0–100 для каждого домена и данные, из которых он сложен: возраст по RDAP, место в Tranco, число страниц в Common Crawl, скорость загрузки. Это в основном открытые данные, и по ним видно, «догнал» ли новый адрес старый в чужих базах. ## Частые вопросы ### Какой редирект нужен при переезде на новый домен? Постоянный 301, постранично: каждая старая страница ведёт на такую же новую. Яндекс допускает 301 и 302, Google для смены домена рекомендует 301 или 308. ### Сколько времени занимает переезд сайта в Яндексе? По справке Вебмастера, от нескольких недель до нескольких месяцев, в зависимости от типа переезда и скорости обхода сайта. ### Что такое главное зеркало сайта? Так в обиходе называют главный адрес сайта: тот, что Яндекс показывает в поиске. Остальные адреса с тем же содержимым (www, HTTP, старый домен) в поиске не участвуют. ### Сохранится ли ИКС после переезда? При переходе на HTTPS справка Яндекса говорит, что ИКС переносится, хотя значение обновится не сразу. Для смены домена прямой формулировки нет: показатели разных доменных имён могут различаться. ### Сколько держать 301 редирект после переезда? Google рекомендует не меньше года. Старый домен лучше продлевать и дальше, чтобы ссылки на него не вели в пустоту. ### Можно ли сделать редирект всех страниц на главную? Нет. Яндекс пишет, что это замедляет индексацию нового сайта, а Google может считать такие страницы мягкой ошибкой 404. ### Нужно ли подавать заявку на переезд при переходе на HTTPS? В Яндексе да: в инструменте «Переезд сайта» включите опцию «Добавить HTTPS». В Google инструмент «Изменение адреса» для HTTPS не нужен, достаточно 301 редиректов. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/ Индексация # Почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе и что делать Если сайт не индексируется в Яндексе, причину почти всегда можно найти за несколько минут в Яндекс Вебмастере: там прямо написано, почему каждая страница исключена. Чаще всего виноваты техника (запрет в robots.txt, noindex, ошибки сервера, редиректы, дубли) или качество (страницу признали малоценной). Ниже — порядок диагностики, 12 причин с решениями, отдельные ловушки Tilda и WordPress и что делать после исправления. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 9 мин чтения · Satelo ## Диагностика за 5 минут: три экрана в Вебмастере Прежде чем что-то менять на сайте, посмотрите, что о нём думает сам Яндекс. Если сайт ещё не добавлен в [Яндекс Вебмастер](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/), начните с этого: без него вы гадаете вслепую. - **«Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске».** Здесь видно, сколько страниц в поиске сейчас и как это число менялось. Переключитесь на вкладку **«Исключённые страницы»**: у каждого адреса указан статус, то есть причина исключения. Полный список статусов есть в [справке Яндекса об исключённых страницах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-indexing/excluded-pages.html). - **«Индексирование» → «Проверка страницы».** Вставьте адрес конкретной страницы. [Инструмент](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/service/check-url.html) покажет код ответа, который получает робот, статус страницы в поиске и то, как содержимое выглядит для робота. - **«Оптимизация сайта» → «Безопасность и нарушения».** Если здесь что-то есть, остальная диагностика вторична: сначала разберитесь с нарушением. Дополнительно полезен инструмент [«Проверка ответа сервера»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/server-response.html): он показывает, может ли робот вообще загрузить страницу, и выдаёт понятные сообщения вроде «URL запрещён к индексированию в robots.txt». Теперь — по причинам. Первые девять технические, следующие две связаны с качеством, последняя — со временем. ## Технические причины (1–9) ### 1. Робот не знает о сайте Новый сайт без внешних ссылок, без sitemap и без подтверждения в Вебмастере роботу просто негде найти. Добавьте сайт в Вебмастер, укажите файл в разделе **«Индексирование» → «Файлы Sitemap»** и отправьте главные страницы на переобход. Пошагово это описано в [справке о новых и изменённых страницах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/new-changed). Несколько честных упоминаний на тематических сайтах тоже помогают роботу найти вас; варианты без серых схем собраны в статье [о ссылках для нового сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/link-building-for-new-websites/). ### 2. Запрет в robots.txt Одна строка `Disallow: /`, оставшаяся с этапа разработки, закрывает весь сайт. В Вебмастере такие страницы получают статус «Индексирование страницы запрещено в файле robots.txt или с помощью метатега с директивой noindex». Откройте `вашсайт.ru/robots.txt` в браузере и проверьте, не закрыты ли нужные разделы. Как правильно запрещать и разрешать индексирование, Яндекс объясняет на странице [«Как запретить индексирование сайта или страниц»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/adding-site/indexing-prohibition.html). ### 3. Метатег noindex Тег `<meta name="robots" content="noindex">` в коде страницы запрещает её индексирование, даже если robots.txt всё разрешает. Его часто ставят SEO-плагины, конструкторы и настройки «скрыть от поисковиков». Откройте исходный код страницы (Ctrl+U) и поищите `noindex`. Учтите, что у Яндекса есть и отдельный тег `<noindex>` для части текста: если забыть закрывающий тег, по той же справке скрытой считается вся страница. ### 4. Ошибки ответа сервера и медленный ответ Страница должна отдавать код 200 OK. Если сервер отвечает 4XX или 5XX, Яндекс ставит статус «Ошибка при загрузке или обработке страницы роботом». По справке «Проверки ответа сервера», ответ должен прийти в течение трёх секунд, иначе инструмент покажет «Истек срок ожидания ответа». Там же перечислены другие причины: обрыв соединения, ошибка DNS, блокировка робота на стороне сервера, документ больше 10 МБ, просроченный SSL-сертификат. Если хостинг или защита от ботов режет робота Яндекса, сайт может выпасть из поиска целиком. О том, как ускорить небольшой сайт без переписывания, — в нашем [разборе Core Web Vitals](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ### 5. Редиректы Статус «Страница перенаправляет робота на другие страницы» означает, что в поиск попадёт не этот адрес, а конечный. Это нормально для старых URL после переезда. Проблема, если редирект стоит там, где его быть не должно: например, все страницы ведут на главную или мобильная версия перекидывает робота на другой адрес. Проверьте цепочку в «Проверке ответа сервера». ### 6. Дубли Статус «Страница дублирует содержание другой страницы» обычно возникает из-за адресов с параметрами (`?utm_source=`, сортировки, фильтры), версий со слэшем и без, страниц печати. В [справке о малоценных страницах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-indexing/low-demand.html) Яндекс перечисляет способы склеить дубли: `rel="canonical"`, директива `Clean-param` в robots.txt для незначащих параметров, 301-редирект, запрет в robots.txt или noindex. ### 7. Canonical указывает на другую страницу Статус «Страница не является канонической» значит, что в коде стоит `rel="canonical"` на другой адрес, и Яндекс послушался. Бывает, что шаблон по ошибке проставляет canonical на главную для всех страниц. Проверьте тег в исходном коде нескольких разных страниц. ### 8. Адрес признан неглавным зеркалом Если сайт доступен по нескольким адресам (с www и без, http и https), Яндекс выбирает главный. Статус «Адрес сайта признан неглавным» означает, что в поиске участвует другой вариант. Настройте 301-редирект на один выбранный адрес и добавьте в Вебмастер именно его. ### 9. Контент виден только через JavaScript или в картинках Робот может получить почти пустую страницу, если текст подгружается скриптами, спрятан в iframe или нарисован на изображении. Яндекс прямо советует проверять, что важный контент не находится в картинках и не загружается только через JavaScript. В Вебмастере есть раздел **«Индексирование» → «Рендеринг страниц JavaScript»** (бета). По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/rendering.html), по умолчанию робот сам решает, выполнять ли скрипты, а если на сайте есть SSR или пререндеринг, рендеринг рекомендуется запретить. Самая надёжная проверка — «Проверка страницы»: видит ли робот ваш текст. ## Причины качества (10–11) ### 10. Страница признана малоценной или маловостребованной Это самый частый «нетехнический» статус. По справке Яндекса, **малоценная** страница — это дубль или страница без содержимого, которое видит робот. **Маловостребованная** — страница без ошибок и с контентом, но по ней почти нет запросов. Решение Яндекс принимает автоматически и пересматривает регулярно, а сам статус, по словам справки, не является ограничением всего сайта. Там же сказано, что квоты на число страниц в индексе нет. Что делать: малоценные страницы склеить или закрыть, а маловостребованные переписать под то, как люди реально ищут. Для поиска формулировок Яндекс советует [Вордстат](https://wordstat.yandex.ru/) и отчёт по поисковым запросам в Вебмастере. Типичные кандидаты — страницы тегов, пустые карточки, тексты, переписанные с чужих сайтов. ### 11. Нарушения из списка Яндекса Статус «На сайте обнаружены нарушения» отсылает к странице **«Безопасность и нарушения»**. В [справке о видах нарушений](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/security/verdicts.html) перечислены, в частности, «Использование SEO-текстов», «Малополезный контент», «Имитация действий пользователей», «Клоакинг», «Мимикрия» и «Неожиданное перенаправление». Последствия, по той же справке: ограничение ранжирования всего сайта или разделов, а для нарушения на родительском домене — и всех поддоменов. После исправления опишите изменения в блоке нарушения, отметьте его исправленным и нажмите «Отправить на проверку». Проверка занимает до 30 дней; если ограничение не сняли, повторно отправить сайт можно через 30 дней. Не пытайтесь «перебить» нарушение покупкой ссылок: в [рекомендациях Яндекса о ссылках](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html) платные ссылки с бирж прямо названы помехой для оценки сайтов, так что это не решает проблему, а с накруткой поведенческих сигналов делает её глубже. Как Яндекс относится к обмену ссылками, мы разбирали в статье [о рисках обмена ссылками](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## 12. Просто ещё рано Индексирование не мгновенное. По справке о переобходе, после отправки страниц через «Переобход страниц» индексирование может занять от 3 до 7 дней. В справке об исключённых страницах сказано, что изменения могут появиться в поиске примерно через две недели после того, как робот их обнаружит. Если со страницей всё в порядке и она отправлена на переобход, дайте ей эти сроки, прежде чем что-то ломать. ## Сводная таблица: статус в Вебмастере → что делать | Статус или симптом | Причина | Что сделать | | Сайта нет в поиске совсем, исключённых тоже нет | Робот не знает о сайте | Вебмастер, sitemap, переобход главных страниц | | «Запрещено в robots.txt или noindex» | Запрет в robots.txt или метатег | Убрать Disallow / noindex, проверить настройки CMS | | «Ошибка при загрузке или обработке» | Код 3XX/4XX/5XX, таймаут, SSL | Добиться 200 OK и ответа быстрее трёх секунд | | «Перенаправляет робота» | Редирект | Убрать лишние редиректы, оставить цепочку из одного шага | | «Дублирует содержание» | Дубли с параметрами | canonical, Clean-param, 301 | | «Не является канонической» | canonical на другой URL | Исправить шаблон | | «Адрес признан неглавным» | Зеркала | 301 на один адрес | | «Малоценная или маловостребованная» | Пусто, дубль или нет спроса | Склеить, закрыть или переписать под запросы | | «Обнаружены нарушения» | Нарушение из списка Яндекса | Исправить и отправить на проверку | ## Ловушки платформ: Tilda и WordPress ### Tilda - **Запрет на весь сайт.** В «Настройки сайта» → «SEO» есть галочка «Запретить поисковикам индексировать сайт» ([справка Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/disallow-site/)). Её ставят на время разработки и забывают снять. - **Запрет на отдельную страницу.** В настройках страницы: «Facebook & SEO» → «Отображение в поисковой выдаче» → «Задать специальные мета-данные» → «Запретить поисковикам индексировать эту страницу» ([справка Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/robots-edit/)). Там же сказано, что robots.txt на Tilda сейчас отредактировать нельзя, поэтому управляйте индексированием этими галочками. - **Пароль на сайт или страницу.** Закрытые паролем страницы робот не прочитает. - **Текст в Zero Block.** Если заголовки и тексты сделаны картинками или видны только на части разрешений экрана, откройте страницу в «Проверке страницы» и убедитесь, что робот видит текст. - **Подключение Вебмастера.** По [справке Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo/), sitemap.xml создаётся автоматически; если он не подхватился, добавьте его адрес в Вебмастере вручную. ### WordPress В «Настройки» → «Чтение» есть галочка «Попросить поисковые системы не индексировать сайт». По [документации WordPress](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-reading-screen/), начиная с версии 5.3 она добавляет в код страниц метатег `noindex, nofollow`. Её часто включают при установке или на тестовой копии, а при переносе на боевой домен она остаётся. Вторая типичная причина — SEO-плагин, который ставит noindex на рубрики, метки или целые типы записей. ## Что делать после исправления - **Переобход.** «Индексирование» → «Переобход страниц»: отправьте исправленные адреса. По справке, робот посетит их в первую очередь при следующем обходе. Там же можно добавить ключевые страницы в «Мониторинг важных страниц». - **Sitemap.** Если изменилось много страниц, переотправьте файл в разделе «Файлы Sitemap». - **IndexNow.** Протокол позволяет сообщать о новых, изменённых и удалённых страницах без ожидания робота. По [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/index-now.html), нужно разместить на сайте файл-ключ и отправлять адреса через API, либо использовать плагин CMS; индексирование при этом не гарантируется. По [FAQ IndexNow](https://www.indexnow.org/faq), отправка передаётся всем поисковикам, которые поддерживают протокол (среди них Яндекс и Bing), а в одном POST-запросе можно передать до 10 000 адресов. Мы сами при каждой выкладке satelo.io отправляем в IndexNow только изменившиеся страницы.io: это дешёвая привычка, а не волшебная кнопка. - **Обход по счётчику.** Если на сайте стоит Яндекс Метрика, по той же справке о переобходе в разделе «Индексирование» можно включить обход страниц по данным счётчика. ## Когда ждать, а когда бить тревогу **Ждите**, если страницы новые, отдают 200 OK, видны в «Проверке страницы» и отправлены на переобход: ориентир — сроки из справки, от нескольких дней до двух недель. **Бейте тревогу**, если: - число страниц в поиске резко упало, а в исключённых появились тысячи адресов с одним статусом — обычно это сломанный шаблон, robots.txt или canonical; - в «Безопасности и нарушениях» появилось сообщение; - «Проверка ответа сервера» показывает таймаут или ошибку соединения — сайт может выпасть целиком; - страница месяцами висит в статусе «малоценная» после переобхода — значит, проблема в содержании, а не в технике. ## Что сделать сегодня Чек-лист на полчаса: (1) открыть «Исключённые страницы» и выписать три самых частых статуса; (2) проверить `robots.txt` и исходный код главной на `noindex`; (3) прогнать главную и пару внутренних страниц через «Проверку ответа сервера»; (4) снять галочки запрета в Tilda или WordPress; (5) отправить исправленное на переобход и через IndexNow. Когда техника в порядке, а страницы всё равно не держатся в поиске, полезно трезво оценить сам сайт со стороны. [Проверка на Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за 30 секунд покажет индекс качества 0–100, собранный в основном из открытых данных: рейтинг Tranco, возраст домена, сколько страниц сайта нашёл Common Crawl, скорость по PageSpeed, — и рядом с каждой цифрой источник, откуда она взялась. Это помогает понять, упираетесь вы в технические ошибки или в то, что сайту пока не хватает веса и аудитории. Про отдельный показатель Яндекса читайте в статье [«ИКС сайта: что это и как его поднять»](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/), а про то, как молодость домена влияет на продвижение, — в разборе [возраста сайта и SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/website-age-and-seo/). Источники проверены 16.10.2026. Названия разделов Вебмастера даны по справке Яндекса на эту дату; интерфейс может меняться. ## Частые вопросы ### Почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе? Чаще всего из-за технического запрета (robots.txt, метатег noindex, галочка «не индексировать» в CMS), ошибок ответа сервера, редиректов, дублей или неправильного canonical. Реже — из-за того, что страницы признаны малоценными, или из-за нарушений. Точную причину для каждой страницы показывает Яндекс Вебмастер в разделе «Страницы в поиске» → «Исключённые страницы». ### Как проверить индексацию сайта в Яндексе? Добавьте сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер и откройте «Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске». Для отдельного адреса используйте «Индексирование» → «Проверка страницы»: инструмент покажет код ответа, статус в поиске и то, как страницу видит робот. ### Сколько времени Яндекс индексирует новый сайт? Точного срока нет. По справке Яндекса, после отправки через «Переобход страниц» индексирование может занять от 3 до 7 дней, а изменения могут появиться в поиске примерно через две недели после того, как робот их обнаружит. ### Почему страницы исключены из поиска Яндекса? У каждой исключённой страницы в Вебмастере указан статус: запрет в robots.txt или noindex, ошибка загрузки, редирект, дубль, неканоническая страница, неглавное зеркало, малоценная или маловостребованная страница, нарушения. От статуса зависит решение. ### Почему сайт на Тильде не индексируется? Проверьте галочку «Запретить поисковикам индексировать сайт» в «Настройки сайта» → «SEO» и аналогичную галочку в настройках каждой страницы («Facebook & SEO»). Также мешают пароль на сайт и тексты, сделанные картинками. Убедитесь, что сайт подключён к Яндекс Вебмастеру и sitemap.xml добавлен. ### Помогает ли IndexNow ускорить индексацию? IndexNow сообщает Яндексу о новых, изменённых и удалённых страницах без ожидания робота, но, как сказано в справке Яндекса, не гарантирует индексирование. Если страница закрыта noindex или признана малоценной, IndexNow это не исправит. ### Нужно ли покупать ссылки, чтобы сайт проиндексировался? Нет. Для индексирования достаточно, чтобы робот узнал о странице (Вебмастер, sitemap, переобход, IndexNow) и смог её загрузить. Яндекс в рекомендациях о ссылках прямо пишет, что платные ссылки с бирж мешают ему оценивать сайты, так что такой путь скорее добавит проблем. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-region-yandex/ Локальное SEO # Регион сайта в Яндексе: как присвоить и зачем он нужен Региональность сайта — это привязка сайта к городу или стране, которую Яндекс может учитывать по геозависимым запросам вроде «ремонт холодильников» или «доставка цветов». Регион задаётся в Яндекс Вебмастере в разделе «Представление в поиске → Региональность» или подтягивается из карточки в Яндекс Бизнесе. Ниже — как это работает по справке Яндекса, как выбрать регион, что делать с несколькими городами и чего регион не даёт. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое регион сайта По [справке Яндекс Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-geography/site-region.html), региональность сайта может учитываться при показе результатов по геозависимым запросам. Пример из справки: пользователь из Москвы ищет ремонт автомобилей. Если сайту присвоен регион «Москва» или «Россия», он может показываться в этих результатах. Источников региона три: - **Яндекс Вебмастер.** Регион можно выбрать самому или поправить, если Яндекс определил его неверно. Изменение проходит модерацию. - **Яндекс Бизнес.** Если вы добавили туда организацию, регион может присвоиться автоматически. - **Яндекс Каталог.** Он больше не обновляется. Регионы, привязанные через Каталог, с 26 марта 2018 года показываются в Вебмастере в блоке «Вебмастер». ## Геозависимые и геонезависимые запросы Регион имеет смысл только для запросов, где ответ зависит от места. В архивном, но полезном описании технологии [«Поиск с учётом региона»](https://yandex.ru/company/technologies/regions) Яндекс объясняет разницу так: | Тип запроса | Что это | Примеры | Нужен ли регион | | Геозависимый | Названия места нет, но люди часто его добавляют, и ответ зависит от города | «перевозка грузов», «стоматология», «купить диван» | Да | | Геонезависимый | Ответ одинаков везде | рецепты, литература, законы физики | Нет | | С названием места | Город указан прямо в запросе | «суши Казань» | Помогает, но важнее страница под этот город | По геозависимым запросам выдача в разных городах разная, а местные сайты получают приоритет. В том же тексте сказано, что регион пользователя Яндекс определяет прежде всего по IP-адресу, а регион сайта — по многим признакам: контактам на сайте, IP-адресу сайта, региону, которому в основном посвящено содержимое. Страница помечена как архивная, поэтому детали алгоритма могли измениться. Актуальные правила — в справке Вебмастера. ## Как присвоить регион в Вебмастере - Откройте **Представление в поиске → Региональность**. - В блоке «Вебмастер» нажмите на значок настроек. - Начните вводить название города и выберите его из списка. - Укажите ссылку на страницу сайта с контактами. По ней модератор проверяет регион. Адрес должен совпадать с адресом сайта, включая протокол и www, иначе кнопка «Сохранить» не активируется. - Сохраните и дождитесь модерации. По справке, модерация занимает от нескольких дней до нескольких недель, а после одобрения изменения вступают в силу в течение двух недель. Если через две недели после модерации ничего не поменялось, справка советует написать в поддержку. Если сайт ещё не добавлен в Вебмастер, начните с инструкции [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/), а обзор остальных отчётов есть в [гайде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Что должно быть на сайте, чтобы регион одобрили - Полный адрес с почтовым индексом и телефон с кодом города. - Адрес и телефон текстом, а не только картинкой. - Контакты и условия доставки на видном месте. - Сайт доступен, страницы отображаются корректно. - Нет вирусов и нарушений: проверьте раздел «Безопасность и нарушения». Если заявку отклонили, справка рекомендует выбрать более подходящий регион и отправить снова. Частая причина: на сайте нет адреса в выбранном городе. ## Регион через Яндекс Бизнес Карточка организации в Яндекс Бизнесе может присвоить регион автоматически и показывать адрес в сниппете. Условия из справки Вебмастера: - адрес сайта в карточке совпадает с адресом в Вебмастере: тот же протокол и www, главная страница без UTM-меток; - карточка опубликована в Бизнесе и на Яндекс Картах, после публикации или правки прошло больше недели; - если регион в Бизнесе указан неверно, исправлять его нужно в самом Бизнесе, через форму поддержки. Для локального бизнеса карточка полезна и сама по себе: через неё приходят звонки и маршруты из Карт. Подробнее о продвижении локального сайта — в статье [как продвигать сайт местного бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Как выбрать регион: четыре типичных случая | Ситуация | Что выбрать по справке | | Одна точка в одном городе | Этот город. Если обслуживаете и другие регионы, можно «Россия», но на сайте должно быть видно, что вы там работаете | | Доставка по всей стране | Регион, который охватывает все зоны доставки, например «Россия», и список городов доставки на сайте | | Несколько филиалов на одном сайте | Регион, охватывающий все точки, и все адреса с телефонами на сайте | | Отдельный поддомен или сайт на каждый филиал | Свой регион для каждого | Статейный сайт общей тематики без телефона и адреса, по справке, обычно не получает регион автоматически. Если регион вам не нужен, в Вебмастере можно выбрать «Нет региона»: после модерации сайт получит статус «Не имеет региональной принадлежности». ## Региональные поддомены: где ловушка Справка допускает отдельный регион для каждого поддомена, например `spb.example.com`. Условия: название региона в адресе поддомена, полные местные контакты, филиал в Яндекс Бизнесе и ссылка на поддомен из навигации основного сайта. Главная ловушка: содержимое поддомена должно отличаться от основного сайта. Если страницы одинаковые или почти одинаковые, один адрес может быть признан неглавным адресом другого и выпасть из поиска. Поддомены, на которых меняется только название города в тексте, — частая причина таких проблем. Если реальных филиалов нет, лучше один сайт с регионом «Россия» и честным списком городов доставки. Ещё один нюанс из справки: регионы неглавного адреса не переносятся на главный автоматически. После переезда на новый домен или HTTPS регион нужно задать заново. ## Чего регион не даёт - **Не гарантирует топ в городе.** По справке, регион — лишь один из факторов ранжирования. Если позиции слабые, дело в содержимом и удобстве сайта, а не в регионе. - **Не закрывает другие города.** Сайт может показываться пользователям в любом регионе, если его содержимое отвечает запросу. - **Не работает в Google.** В Search Console настройки страны больше нет: Google [прекратил поддержку](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/12474899?hl=ru) отчёта о таргетинге по странам, теги hreflang продолжают работать. Для местной выдачи Google важен профиль компании; по [справке Google](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=ru), местный рейтинг определяют релевантность, расстояние и известность. ## Как проверить, что регион работает - **Статус в Вебмастере.** В разделе «Региональность» видно, откуда взят регион: из Вебмастера, Яндекс Бизнеса или старого Каталога. Если источников несколько и они противоречат друг другу, начните с исправления карточки в Бизнесе. - **Выдача глазами клиента.** Регион пользователя можно сменить в настройках Яндекса. Выберите свой город и поищите по двум-трём главным запросам без названия города. Смотрите не только на свой сайт, но и на то, кто стоит рядом: это и есть ваши реальные конкуренты. - **Запросы в Вебмастере.** В отчётах по поисковым запросам можно отфильтровать данные по региону и увидеть, по каким запросам и в каких городах сайт показывается. - **География в Метрике.** Отчёт по географии визитов покажет, из каких городов приходят посетители. Если после смены региона доля «своего» города не растёт месяцами, проблема не в настройке, а в страницах. ## Условный пример **Условный пример.** Мастерская по ремонту ноутбуков в Самаре сделала сайт, но по запросу «ремонт ноутбуков» в Самаре его не видно. В Вебмастере регион не присвоен: на сайте только форма обратной связи. Владелец добавляет на страницу «Контакты» адрес с индексом и городской телефон текстом, создаёт карточку в Яндекс Бизнесе с тем же адресом сайта, а в Вебмастере выбирает «Самара» и указывает ссылку на контакты. Регион не поднимет сайт сам по себе, но после модерации сайт сможет участвовать в местной выдаче наравне с конкурентами, а дальше всё решают страницы услуг, цены и отзывы. ## Что делать дальше Регион — это техническая настройка, а в местной выдаче вы соревнуетесь с конкретными сайтами из своего города. [Проверка в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за полминуты покажет индекс качества 0–100 для вашего сайта и сайтов соседей по выдаче, вместе с данными, из которых он сложен: возраст домена, место в Tranco, число страниц в Common Crawl, скорость. Это в основном открытые данные, и каждую цифру можно перепроверить. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое региональность сайта? Привязка сайта к городу, области или стране, которую Яндекс может учитывать по геозависимым запросам. Регион виден в Вебмастере в разделе «Представление в поиске → Региональность». ### Как присвоить регион сайту в Яндексе? В Вебмастере откройте «Представление в поиске → Региональность», выберите город и укажите страницу с контактами. После модерации изменения вступают в силу в течение двух недель. Регион также может подтянуться из карточки в Яндекс Бизнесе. ### Что такое геозависимые и геонезависимые запросы? Геозависимые — запросы, ответ на которые зависит от места, например «перевозка грузов». Геонезависимые дают одинаковый ответ везде: рецепты, законы физики, литература. ### Можно ли присвоить сайту несколько регионов? Да, если на сайте указаны адреса и телефоны нескольких филиалов, или если у каждого филиала свой поддомен с уникальным содержимым и местными контактами. ### Сколько времени занимает смена региона? По справке Яндекса, модерация длится от нескольких дней до нескольких недель, а после одобрения изменения применяются в течение двух недель. ### Нужен ли регион информационному сайту или блогу? Обычно нет. Статейный сайт без адреса и телефона, как правило, не получает регион автоматически, и в Вебмастере можно явно выбрать «Нет региона». ### Есть ли регион сайта в Google? Отдельной настройки нет: Google прекратил поддержку таргетинга по странам в Search Console. Для местной выдачи важен профиль компании в Google. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-trust-check/ Метрики сайта # Траст сайта: что означает и как его проверить Проверить траст сайта можно бесплатно в сторонних сервисах вроде CheckTrust или Majestic, но важно понимать главное: «траст» — это жаргон SEO-специалистов, а не показатель Яндекса или Google. Каждый сервис считает его по своей формуле, обычно по ссылкам, поэтому у одного сайта «траст» в разных инструментах разный. Ниже — что на самом деле измеряют эти цифры, как их читать и какие пять вещей проверить вместо одного числа. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## «Траст» — жаргон, а не метрика поисковиков У Яндекса нет публичного показателя с названием «траст». Официальная метрика — [ИКС](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/tic.html): по определению справки, это показатель того, насколько сайт полезен и удобен для пользователей. При расчёте Яндекс учитывает, среди прочего, размер аудитории, удовлетворённость пользователей и уровень доверия со стороны пользователей и Яндекса. Доверие — лишь одна часть этой оценки, и отдельной цифры по нему Яндекс не публикует. Подробно об ИКС — в статье [ИКС сайта: что это и как его повысить](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/). У Google публичной метрики доверия тоже нет. В руководстве о [полезном контенте](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) Google пишет, что из аспектов E-E-A-T (опыт, экспертиза, авторитетность, достоверность) самое важное — доверие, но сам E-E-A-T не является отдельным фактором ранжирования. Поэтому любая «проверка траста» — это проверка того, как его понимает конкретный сервис. ## Как считают траст сторонние сервисы Общий принцип у большинства один: сервис строит свою базу ссылок и оценивает сайт по тому, кто и как на него ссылается. Различаются база, набор факторов и формула. - **CheckTrust.** На странице [метрик](https://checktrust.ru/metrics.html) ТРАСТ описан как взвешенный показатель качества ссылочного профиля сайта со шкалой от 0 до 100; рядом — показатель заспамленности, тоже от 0 до 100, «по собственной формуле». Если данных мало, сервис выводит n/a. - **Majestic.** В [глоссарии](https://majestic.com/help/glossary) Trust Flow — оценка качества от 0 до 100: за основу взяты вручную отобранные доверенные сайты, и чем ближе сайт к ним по ссылкам, тем выше балл. Citation Flow отражает «силу» сайта по количеству ссылающихся сайтов. - **XTool.** Популярный в рунете сервис со своим показателем траста. Описание методики на его сайте на дату публикации открыть нам не удалось, поэтому пересказывать её не будем. Формулы и веса факторов эти сервисы не раскрывают. Это нормально для коммерческих метрик, но значит, что цифру нельзя проверить, а можно только сравнить с другими сигналами. ## Таблица: где проверить траст и что вы увидите | Сервис | Показатель | На чём основан | Бесплатно | | [CheckTrust](https://checktrust.ru/) | ТРАСТ и СПАМ, 0–100 | Ссылочный профиль по своей базе | Часть инструментов без регистрации; лимиты — на сайте | | [Majestic](https://majestic.com/) | Trust Flow / Citation Flow, 0–100 | Близость к доверенным сайтам и число ссылок | Есть бесплатная регистрация и демо-анализ; что именно в него входит, сервис не уточняет. Полные данные — на тарифах | | XTool | Собственный траст | Методику проверить не удалось | Уточняйте на сайте сервиса | | [Яндекс Вебмастер](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/) | ИКС (не траст) | Данные сервисов Яндекса об аудитории и доверии | Бесплатно | | [Satelo /check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) | Индекс качества 0–100 (не траст) | В основном открытые данные: Tranco, возраст домена, Common Crawl, PageSpeed | Бесплатно, без регистрации | Лимиты бесплатных проверок меняются, поэтому мы описываем их без цифр там, где сервис их не публикует. Про другие сторонние оценки (DA, DR, Authority Score) — в статье [что такое авторитет домена](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/domain-authority-explained/). ## Почему у одного сайта разный траст в разных сервисах - **Разные базы ссылок.** Каждый сервис обходит свой кусок интернета. Ссылки, которых нет в базе, для него не существуют. - **Разные «эталоны».** Majestic отталкивается от вручную отобранных сайтов, другие — от своих списков и фильтров спама. - **Разная свежесть.** Один сервис уже увидел новые ссылки, другой — ещё нет; один уже убрал удалённые, другой держит их месяцами. - **Разные цели.** Некоторые метрики созданы для оценки доноров на биржах ссылок, то есть отвечают на вопрос «стоит ли покупать здесь ссылку», а не «хороший ли это сайт». Вывод простой: сравнивайте сайты внутри одного сервиса и смотрите на расхождения между сервисами как на повод разобраться, а не как на ошибку. ## Что проверять вместо одной цифры Если вы выбираете площадку для гостевой статьи, обмена или покупки сайта, полезнее пять конкретных проверок: - **Трафик и аудитория.** Есть ли у сайта живые читатели: открытый счётчик, оценки по ключам, присутствие в рейтингах популярности. Как это сделать бесплатно — в статье [как узнать посещаемость сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). - **Возраст и история домена.** Сколько лет домену и не менял ли он тематику: архивные копии хорошо это показывают. Подробнее — [возраст сайта и SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/website-age-and-seo/). - **Ссылки.** Кто ссылается на сайт: тематические живые сайты или сотни однотипных каталогов и форумов. - **Тематичность.** Совпадает ли тема сайта с вашей и не публикует ли он статьи «обо всём подряд». - **Санкции и нарушения.** Яндекс оставляет за собой право обнулить или аннулировать ИКС, если на сайте найдены нарушения или попытки воздействовать на ИКС ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/tic.html)). Обнулённый ИКС у сайта с аудиторией — серьёзный сигнал. Полный чек-лист со списком того, что запросить у владельца, — в гайде [как проверить сайт перед покупкой](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/). ## Как траст накручивают и как это заметить Раз большинство «трастов» строятся по ссылкам, их можно поднять, не улучшая сам сайт. Типичные приёмы и признаки: - **Ссылки с сеток сайтов.** Много доноров с похожим дизайном, одинаковыми шаблонами статей и без трафика. Как распознать такие сети — в статье [как вычислить PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). - **Дроп-домен под новый проект.** Высокий траст при свежем контенте и смене тематики в архиве. - **Перекос метрик.** Высокий ссылочный показатель при почти нулевом трафике и видимости в поиске. - **Резкий скачок.** Траст вырос за месяц без заметных публикаций или упоминаний сайта. Яндекс пишет, что ссылки, размещённые за плату и рассчитанные на поисковые системы, мешают ему корректно определять степень доверия к сайтам ([справка Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html)). Поэтому накрученный траст опасен вдвойне: он вводит в заблуждение покупателя и может привлечь внимание поисковика. ## Условный пример: два сайта для гостевой статьи Представим два кулинарных блога (пример условный). У первого высокий траст в одном сервисе, но в архиве видно, что ещё недавно на домене был магазин запчастей, ссылки идут с однотипных сайтов, а свежих комментариев нет. У второго траст средний, зато домену несколько лет, тема не менялась, статьи выходят каждую неделю, есть читатели в Telegram. Для гостевой статьи второй сайт почти наверняка полезнее, хотя по одной цифре он проигрывает. ## Нужно ли следить за трастом своего сайта Для своего сайта сторонний траст полезен как индикатор, а не как цель. Имеет смысл раз в месяц смотреть на него в одном и том же сервисе и обращать внимание на резкие изменения: - **Резкий рост без вашей работы** может означать, что на сайт начали ставить ссылки с сомнительных площадок. Посмотрите, кто сослался, в отчёте о внешних ссылках Вебмастера. - **Резкое падение** часто объясняется тем, что сервис обновил базу или удалил исчезнувшие ссылки, а не проблемами сайта. - **Рост показателя спама** — повод проверить, не появились ли на сайте взломанные страницы или спам в комментариях. Работать стоит не над цифрой, а над тем, что Яндекс прямо называет в описании ИКС: аудиторией, удовлетворённостью пользователей и доверием. Полезные статьи, живые упоминания на тематических сайтах и честная маркировка рекламных ссылок атрибутом `rel="sponsored"` поднимают доверие и читателей, и поисковиков. ## Что сделать дальше - Проверьте сайт в одном-двух сервисах траста и запишите цифры, но не останавливайтесь на них. - Пройдите пять проверок выше: трафик, возраст, ссылки, тематика, нарушения. - Сравнивайте кандидатов между собой одним и тем же набором инструментов. Вместо очередного «траста» можно посмотреть, из чего складывается оценка. [Бесплатная проверка Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) показывает индекс качества 0–100 и данные за каждым компонентом — возраст домена, популярность, объём в открытых краулах, скорость — примерно за 30 секунд, без регистрации. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое траст сайта простыми словами? Это жаргонное название оценки «доверия» к сайту. Официальной метрики с таким названием у Яндекса и Google нет; цифры траста считают сторонние сервисы по своим формулам, обычно по ссылкам. ### Как проверить траст сайта бесплатно? Часть инструментов CheckTrust доступна без регистрации, у Majestic есть бесплатная регистрация, но полные данные Trust Flow входят в платные тарифы. Официальный показатель Яндекса — ИКС — смотрите в Вебмастере. ### Траст и ИКС — это одно и то же? Нет. ИКС — показатель Яндекса, который учитывает аудиторию, удовлетворённость пользователей и доверие. Траст — метрика сторонних сервисов, чаще всего построенная по ссылкам. ### Почему у сайта разный траст в разных сервисах? У сервисов разные базы ссылок, разные эталонные сайты, разная частота обновления и формулы. Сравнивайте сайты внутри одного сервиса. ### Какой траст считается хорошим? Универсального порога нет: шкалы и формулы у сервисов разные. Сравнивайте сайт с другими сайтами той же тематики в том же инструменте и сверяйте с трафиком. ### Можно ли накрутить траст? Ссылочные показатели можно поднять ссылками с сеток и дроп-доменами, не улучшая сайт. Признаки: высокий траст при нулевом трафике, однотипные доноры, смена тематики в архиве. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/ website promotion # SEO на Тильде: настройка и продвижение сайта в Яндексе и Google Чтобы настроить SEO на Тильде, заполните title, description и адрес каждой страницы, назначьте один H1, подпишите картинки и подключите Яндекс Вебмастер и Google Search Console в настройках сайта. Sitemap и robots.txt Tilda создаёт сама. Дальше всё решают контент, структура и упоминания о сайте. Ниже весь порядок действий и ловушки, на которых сайты на Тильде теряют позиции чаще всего. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Можно ли продвигать сайт на Тильде Можно. Конструктор закрывает базовую техническую часть: в [справке Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo-improve/) перечислены теги title, description и keywords, понятные адреса страниц, заголовки H1–H3, alt у изображений, автоматические sitemap.xml и robots.txt, страница 404, 301-редиректы и адаптивная вёрстка. Там же Tilda честно оговаривает, что результат зависит от уникальности контента, работы со ссылками и квалификации SEO-специалиста. Проблемы обычно не в платформе, а в том, как собран сайт: один лендинг под десятки запросов, текст, спрятанный за край экрана, дублирующие блоки для мобильной версии. Сначала разберём обязательные настройки, потом ловушки. ## Шаг 1. Базовые SEO-настройки каждой страницы Эти поля находятся в настройках каждой страницы (кнопка «Настройки» над редактором страницы). Для каждой страницы заполните: - **Title.** Главный запрос ближе к началу и название бизнеса в конце. Пример для иллюстрации: «Ремонт стиральных машин в Казани — мастер на дом | Название». - **Description.** Одно-два предложения о том, что человек найдёт на странице, с выгодой и городом, если бизнес локальный. - **Адрес страницы.** Короткий латиницей: `/remont-stiralnyh-mashin`, а не `/page12345.html`. Если адрес уже проиндексирован и вы его меняете, настройте 301-редирект со старого. - **Превью для соцсетей.** Заголовок, описание и картинка для шаринга. Позиции это не поднимает, но ссылка в мессенджерах выглядит аккуратно. Тег keywords Tilda тоже предлагает заполнить, но ждать от него эффекта не стоит: заполните коротко или оставьте пустым. ## Шаг 2. Заголовки H1–H3 и alt Визуально крупный текст на Тильде не обязательно будет заголовком в коде. Тег назначается отдельно: в стандартных блоках в настройках блока есть поле SEO-тега заголовка, в Zero Block тег выбирается у текстового элемента. Правило простое: - один H1 на страницу, и в нём суть страницы, а не слоган «Мы меняем мир»; - H2 для крупных разделов (услуги, цены, вопросы), H3 для подпунктов; - декоративные надписи оставьте обычным текстом. Alt у изображений заполните словами, которые описывают картинку. Практики отмечают, что в Zero Block alt доступен у элемента «Изображение», а у фигур с картинкой-фоном его нет ([разбор на workspace.ru](https://workspace.ru/cases/seo-na-tilda-realnyy-primer-vyvoda-v-top-1-s-instrukciyami/)). Если картинка несёт смысл, ставьте её именно изображением. ## Шаг 3. Вебмастер, Search Console и sitemap По [справке Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo/) сервисы подключаются так: «Настройки сайта» → SEO → «Яндекс Вебмастер» / «Google Search Console» → «Редактировать» → «Подключить», после чего права на домен подтверждаются в самих сервисах. Sitemap.xml генерируется автоматически. Если он не подхватился, добавьте адрес `ваш-домен/sitemap.xml` вручную в разделе файлов Sitemap в Вебмастере и в Search Console. Сайт в поиске появится не сразу: Tilda пишет, что «как правило, на индексацию уходит до 2 недель». Если прошло больше, а страниц в поиске нет, пройдите по шагам из статьи [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). Что смотреть в Вебмастере после подключения, разобрано в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). Проверьте ещё две вещи: страницы не закрыты от индексации в настройках (галочка запрета индексации иногда остаётся после разработки) и у сайта подключён свой домен, а основная версия адреса одна (с www или без). ## Шаг 4. Ловушки: Zero Block, попапы, мобильные дубли Эти ошибки специфичны для конструктора и встречаются даже на аккуратных сайтах. ### Текст за пределами экрана В Zero Block легко оставить текстовый элемент за краем рабочей области: посетитель его не видит, а робот читает. Яндекс прямо относит к признакам некачественных сайтов «страницы с невидимым или слабовидимым текстом или ссылками» ([справка Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html)). Даже если вы спрятали текст случайно, лучше его удалить. Практики советуют периодически смотреть код или сохранённую копию страницы и искать там лишние фрагменты. ### Тексты во всплывающих окнах Попапы с формами, политикой и условиями лежат в коде страницы. Если их много, текста в попапах может оказаться больше, чем в основном содержимом, и тема страницы размывается. Держите одну-две формы на страницу, а длинные документы выносите на отдельные адреса. ### Отдельные блоки для мобильной версии Частый приём: собрать один блок для компьютера и копию для телефона, скрывая лишнее. В редакторе виден один вариант, но в коде остаются оба, и текст дублируется. Автор разбора на workspace.ru считает, что поисковики видят это как повтор текста. Надёжнее настраивать адаптив внутри одного Zero Block через разные разрешения. ### Один лендинг под всё Одна страница не может хорошо отвечать на «ремонт стиральных машин», «ремонт посудомоек» и «ремонт холодильников» сразу. Если у вас несколько услуг или направлений, нужны отдельные страницы под каждое. ## Шаг 5. Структура: когда нужен многостраничник и блог Лендинга достаточно, если у вас одна услуга и один основной запрос. Переходите на многостраничный сайт, когда: - услуг или товарных групп несколько и у каждой свой спрос; - вы работаете в нескольких городах или районах; - клиенты задают одни и те же вопросы, и на них можно ответить статьями. Для статей в Tilda есть Потоки: по [странице Tilda о блоге](https://tilda.cc/ru/lp/sozdat-blog/), это редактор постов с разделами и отложенной публикацией, «количество постов не ограничено». Каждую статью делайте под конкретный вопрос клиента и ссылайтесь из неё на страницу услуги. Как выбирать темы для небольшого блога, разобрано в статье [про SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). ## Шаг 6. Скорость и мобильная версия По [описанию Tilda](https://tilda.cc/ru/lp/seo/), отложенная загрузка изображений и CDN работают по умолчанию, но скорость всё равно зависит от того, что вы положили на страницу. В [ответе Tilda о скорости](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/pagespeed/) сказано, что на время загрузки влияют все лишние данные: блоки, метаданные, аналитика, медиа и сторонний код, а код самой платформы изменить или отключить нельзя. Что вы можете сделать: - сжимать фотографии перед загрузкой и не ставить видео-фон без необходимости; - убрать неиспользуемые виджеты, счётчики и сторонние скрипты; - не держать на одной странице десятки тяжёлых блоков; - проверять страницу на реальном телефоне, а не только по сервисам-тестам: Tilda отдельно предупреждает, что они имитируют загрузку. Какие метрики скорости реально важны и как их читать, разобрано в статье [про Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## Шаг 7. Внешние упоминания для сайта на Тильде Техническая настройка только позволяет поисковику правильно прочитать сайт. Чтобы о сайте узнавали, нужны упоминания в других местах: - карточки в Яндекс Бизнесе и 2ГИС для локального бизнеса (подробно в статье [о продвижении сайта местного бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/)); - отраслевые каталоги и ассоциации, где вы действительно состоите; - экспертные статьи и интервью в тематических медиа; - совместные материалы с партнёрами, у которых та же аудитория. Больше бесплатных способов собрано в подборке [как продвинуть сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). Покупать ссылки ради позиций не стоит: Яндекс относит к нарушениям внешние ссылки, размещённые, чтобы «обмануть поисковую систему» (та же [справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html)). ## Ограничения платформы Tilda хорошо подходит для лендингов, сайтов услуг, портфолио и небольших блогов. Ограничения начинаются, когда проекту нужна сложная логика: - серверный код на страницах не запустить: только встраиваемый HTML и JavaScript; - каталог с фильтрами по многим параметрам и тысячами карточек собирать неудобно; - платформенный код нельзя облегчить, поэтому бороться за каждую миллисекунду сложнее. Если упираетесь в это, переезд на CMS вроде WordPress может быть оправдан. Для большинства небольших сайтов важнее не платформа, а структура и содержание. ## Чек-лист: SEO на Тильде за один вечер | Что | Где в Tilda | Готово, если | | Title и description | Настройки страницы | у каждой страницы свои, без повторов | | Адрес страницы | Настройки страницы | короткий, латиницей, по смыслу | | H1 | Настройки блока / тег элемента в Zero Block | ровно один на странице | | Alt | Настройки изображения | у всех смысловых картинок | | Вебмастер и Search Console | Настройки сайта → SEO | права подтверждены, sitemap принят | | Скрытый текст | Zero Block, попапы | за краем экрана ничего не лежит | | Мобильные дубли | Блоки страницы | нет копий блоков для разных устройств | | Скорость | Медиа, сторонний код | страница быстро открывается на телефоне | ## Что делать дальше Пройдите чек-лист, затем посмотрите на сайт глазами внешних сервисов. Бесплатная [проверка сайта в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за полминуты показывает индекс качества 0–100 с разбивкой: возраст домена, популярность, оценку трафика, скорость. Индекс строится в основном на открытых данных, и рядом с каждой цифрой видно, откуда она взялась. Удобно, чтобы зафиксировать стартовую точку после настройки и через пару месяцев понять, растёт ли сайт. ## Частые вопросы ### Как настроить SEO на Тильде? Заполните title, description и адрес каждой страницы, назначьте один H1, добавьте alt к изображениям, подключите Яндекс Вебмастер и Google Search Console в разделе «Настройки сайта» → SEO и убедитесь, что sitemap.xml принят. Затем уберите скрытый текст из Zero Block и дубли мобильных блоков. ### Сколько индексируется сайт на Тильде? По справке Tilda, как правило, индексация занимает до 2 недель. Ускорить её помогает подключение Вебмастера и Search Console и отправка sitemap.xml. ### Почему сайт на Тильде не индексируется? Частые причины: страницы закрыты от индексации в настройках, не подключён свой домен, сайт не добавлен в Вебмастер, на страницах мало уникального текста. Проверьте статус страниц в Вебмастере в разделе индексирования. ### Подходит ли Тильда для SEO? Для лендингов, сайтов услуг и небольших блогов подходит: базовые SEO-настройки в ней есть. Ограничения появляются у крупных каталогов и проектов, которым нужен серверный код. ### Как сделать H1 на Тильде? В стандартном блоке тег заголовка выбирается в настройках блока, в Zero Block — в настройках текстового элемента. На странице должен быть один H1, который описывает её суть. ### Как раскрутить сайт на Тильде бесплатно? Сделайте отдельные страницы под каждую услугу, ведите блог на Потоках с ответами на вопросы клиентов, заполните карточки в Яндекс Бизнесе и 2ГИС, публикуйтесь в отраслевых медиа и делайте совместные материалы с партнёрами. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-wordpress-bitrix-seo/ website platforms # Тильда, WordPress или Битрикс: что выбрать для SEO Tilda или WordPress — вопрос не о том, какая платформа «лучше для SEO», а о том, какой сайт вы делаете. Для лендинга и небольшого сайта услуг хватит Тильды, для блога и контентного проекта удобнее WordPress, для магазина с интеграцией с 1С чаще берут Битрикс. Ниже — сравнение по тому, что реально влияет на поиск: адреса страниц, метатеги, robots.txt и sitemap, блог, расширения, цена владения и сложность переезда, с ссылками на документацию самих платформ. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Коротко: что выбрать | Задача | Чаще всего подходит | Почему | | Лендинг, визитка, сайт услуг на 5–20 страниц | Tilda | Быстрый запуск без разработчика, базовые SEO-настройки есть из коробки | | Блог, медиа, экспертный сайт | WordPress | Полный контроль адресов, рубрики и метки, большой выбор SEO-плагинов | | Интернет-магазин с 1С, складом, филиалами | 1С-Битрикс | Штатная интеграция с учётом, модуль SEO, редакции под масштаб | | Небольшой магазин без 1С | WordPress с WooCommerce или Tilda | Зависит от числа товаров и того, кто будет поддерживать сайт | Главное, что стоит запомнить: поисковики ранжируют страницы, а не движки. Ни Яндекс, ни Google не дают бонуса за выбор конкретной CMS. Платформа определяет, насколько легко вам будет сделать правильные адреса, метатеги, быструю загрузку и регулярные публикации. ## Сравнение по SEO-параметрам | Параметр | Tilda | WordPress | 1С-Битрикс | | Адреса страниц | Понятный адрес для каждой страницы | Настройки → Постоянные ссылки, свои шаблоны адресов | Шаблоны адресов в инфоблоках, ЧПУ | | Title и description | В настройках страницы | В редакторе записи, удобнее через SEO-плагин | Шаблоны метатегов в инфоблоках, модуль «Поисковая оптимизация» | | robots.txt и sitemap | Создаются автоматически | Базовый sitemap в ядре, гибкая настройка через плагины | Штатные генераторы в модуле SEO | | 301 редиректы | Есть в настройках | Через плагин или сервер | Через настройки и сервер | | Блог | Страницы из блоков или «Потоки» | Основное назначение движка | Модуль блогов или инфоблок новостей | | Расширения | Готовые блоки и Zero Block, своё — через HTML-код | Каталог плагинов и тем | Marketplace и собственная разработка | | Хостинг | Включён в тариф | Свой | Свой или облачный | | Кто поддерживает | Владелец сам | Владелец или фрилансер | Обычно разработчик или студия | Источники: [справка Tilda по SEO](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo/), [документация WordPress о постоянных ссылках](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/customize-permalinks/), [курс «SEO и Битрикс»](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&LESSON_ID=1878&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.1878). ## Tilda: сильные и слабые стороны для SEO По [справке Тильды](https://tilda.cc/ru/answers/a/seo/), из коробки есть title, description и keywords, понятный адрес каждой страницы, 301 редирект, автоматические robots.txt и sitemap.xml, alt у изображений, теги H1–H3 и подключение Яндекс Вебмастера и Search Console в настройках сайта. Для блога Тильда предлагает «Потоки»: по [странице о блоге](https://tilda.cc/ru/lp/sozdat-blog/), количество постов не ограничено, есть категории и отложенная публикация. Ограничения, о которых стоит знать заранее: - Сервер, кеш и структура кода — на стороне платформы. Тонкую техническую оптимизацию сделать сложнее, чем на своём хостинге. - Скорость сильно зависит от того, сколько тяжёлых блоков и картинок на странице. Подробнее — в статье [SEO на Тильде](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/). - Экспорт исходного кода, по [странице тарифов](https://tilda.cc/ru/pricing/), есть только на тарифе Business. Это важно, если когда-нибудь захотите уйти с платформы. ## WordPress: сильные и слабые стороны для SEO WordPress — бесплатный движок, который вы ставите на свой хостинг. Для SEO его главное преимущество — контроль. По [документации](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/customize-permalinks/), в разделе «Настройки → Постоянные ссылки» можно выбрать структуру адресов, например только название записи, или задать свою из тегов вроде `%postname%` и `%category%`. Там же сказано, что по умолчанию стоят «простые» адреса вида `?p=123`, которые документация называет не оптимизированными для поисковиков. Поменяйте это сразу после установки, до первых публикаций. Карта сайта есть в самом движке: начиная с версии 5.5, по [анонсу команды WordPress](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/07/22/new-xml-sitemaps-functionality-in-wordpress-5-5/), сайт отдаёт индекс sitemap по адресу `/wp-sitemap.xml`. SEO-плагины обычно заменяют его своим. Остальное закрывают плагины: метатеги, sitemap, разметка, редиректы, кеш. Про плагины и базовую SEO-настройку блога — в статье [SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/). Минусы: - Хостинг, обновления, резервные копии и безопасность — ваша ответственность. - Лишние плагины и тяжёлые темы замедляют сайт. Чем меньше плагинов, тем проще поддерживать скорость. - Без хорошей темы и кеширования «голый» WordPress может работать медленнее конструктора. ## 1С-Битрикс: сильные и слабые стороны для SEO Битрикс — коммерческая CMS с модулем «Поисковая оптимизация». По [официальному курсу](https://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/learning/course/index.php?COURSE_ID=139&LESSON_ID=1878&LESSON_PATH=11427.4545.1878), модуль анализирует техническое исполнение сайта и даёт рекомендации, а часть его функций работает через модуль «Веб-аналитика», доступный только в редакциях «Бизнес» и выше. Сильная сторона Битрикса — магазины и корпоративные сайты: каталог, интеграция с 1С, шаблоны метатегов для тысяч товаров. Слабая — дубли. Умный фильтр, сортировки и параметры в адресах легко плодят тысячи похожих страниц, если их не закрыть каноническими адресами. Подробная настройка — в статье [SEO на 1С-Битрикс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/). ## Скорость: что зависит от платформы, а что от вас Скорость загрузки влияет на удобство, а значит, и на поведение посетителей. Но на всех трёх платформах она больше зависит от решений владельца, чем от движка: - **Tilda:** сервер и CDN на стороне платформы, а от вас зависят количество блоков, размер картинок, видео и сторонние скрипты. - **WordPress:** хостинг, тема, число плагинов и кеширование. Здесь больше всего свободы и больше всего способов всё замедлить. - **Битрикс:** хостинг, кеш и композитный режим, качество шаблона от студии. Проверять стоит не главную, а типовые страницы: статью, услугу, карточку товара. Как читать отчёты о скорости и что чинить в первую очередь, разобрано в статье [Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). ## Цена владения Сравнивать нужно не цену запуска, а стоимость за год или два вместе с поддержкой. | Платформа | Что платите | Официальная цена на 16.10.2026 | | Tilda | Подписка, хостинг включён | Personal — 750 ₽ в месяц или 500 ₽ в месяц при оплате за год; Business — 1 250 ₽ или 1 000 ₽ в месяц при оплате за год ([тарифы](https://tilda.cc/ru/pricing/)) | | WordPress | Хостинг, домен, при желании платные темы и плагины | Сам движок бесплатный, остальное зависит от хостинга и выбранных расширений | | 1С-Битрикс | Лицензия, хостинг, продление обновлений, разработка | «Старт» — 7 100 ₽, «Стандарт» — 20 500 ₽, «Малый бизнес» — 47 000 ₽, «Бизнес» — 96 500 ₽; продление — 25% от цены лицензии в год ([цены](https://www.1c-bitrix.ru/buy/products/cms.php)) | Самая большая статья расходов на Битриксе и часто на WordPress — не лицензия, а работа разработчика. На Тильде её обычно нет, но и возможности доработки уже. ## Переезд между платформами Если платформа перестала устраивать, переезд возможен с любой, но он стоит денег и временной просадки. Что сохранить при переезде: - **Адреса страниц.** Если можно, повторите старые адреса на новой платформе один в один. Если нельзя, составьте таблицу соответствия и поставьте постраничные 301 редиректы. - **Метатеги и заголовки** важных страниц. - **Картинки с alt и внутренние ссылки.** - **Счётчики и подтверждения** в Метрике, Вебмастере и Search Console. С Тильды проще всего уйти на тарифе Business, где есть экспорт кода. С WordPress на другую платформу контент выгружается штатным экспортом, с Битрикса — обычно силами разработчика. ## Чек-лист выбора - Сколько страниц будет через год: 10, 100 или 10 000? - Будете ли вы регулярно публиковать статьи? - Нужна ли интеграция с 1С или складом? - Кто будет обновлять сайт: вы сами, фрилансер или студия? - Сколько вы готовы платить в год за поддержку, а не только за запуск? - Насколько важно иметь возможность уйти с платформы без потерь? Если ответы — «до 20 страниц, сам, без 1С», это Тильда. «Много статей, хочу контроль» — WordPress. «Каталог с 1С и разработчик в штате» — Битрикс. ## Что делать дальше На любой платформе сайту нужны упоминания на других тематических сайтах. Если вы на WordPress, [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/) подключает сайт к сети взаимного продвижения в один клик и публикует партнёрские статьи автоматически: сайты похожего уровня пишут друг о друге по кругу, ссылки помечены rel="sponsored". Для Тильды, Битрикса и любых других платформ есть API-лента в [кабинете](https://satelo.io/ru/app/). Satelo сейчас в публичной бете, сеть небольшая, зато каждый сайт в ней можно проверить по открытым данным до обмена. ## Частые вопросы ### Что лучше для SEO: Тильда или WordPress? Поисковики не дают преимущества конкретной платформе. Для лендинга и сайта услуг Тильды достаточно, для блога и контентного проекта удобнее WordPress: больше контроля над адресами, рубриками и плагинами. ### WordPress или Битрикс: что выбрать? WordPress — для блогов и сайтов, которые владелец ведёт сам. Битрикс — для магазинов и корпоративных сайтов с интеграцией с 1С, где есть разработчик и бюджет на лицензию и продление. ### Тильда или Битрикс: что лучше? Для небольшого сайта без каталога Тильда проще и дешевле. Для магазина с тысячами товаров и 1С обычно выбирают Битрикс. ### Можно ли продвинуть сайт на Тильде в Яндексе? Да. В Тильде есть title, description, понятные адреса, 301 редиректы, автоматические robots.txt и sitemap, подключение Вебмастера. Результат зависит от содержимого страниц, а не от конструктора. ### Сколько стоит Битрикс? На дату публикации лицензия «Старт» — 7 100 ₽, «Стандарт» — 20 500 ₽, «Малый бизнес» — 47 000 ₽, «Бизнес» — 96 500 ₽. Продление обновлений — 25% от цены лицензии в год. ### Можно ли перенести сайт с Тильды на WordPress? Да. Экспорт кода есть на тарифе Business, но статьи обычно переносят вручную или скриптом. Главное — сохранить адреса или поставить постраничные 301 редиректы. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/title-description-guide/ on-page seo # Title и description: как написать, какой длины и почему поисковик их переписывает Title и description — это два тега в коде страницы, из которых Яндекс и Google чаще всего собирают заголовок и описание сниппета в выдаче. Жёсткого лимита символов нет ни у одного поисковика: оба обрезают текст по ширине экрана, поэтому важное ставят в начало. Ниже — что говорят справки, рабочие шаблоны для разных типов страниц и порядок проверки сайта. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ - **Title** — уникальное название страницы: о чём она и для кого. Главная фраза в начале, бренд в конце через тире или вертикальную черту. - **Description** — одно-два связных предложения о том, что человек найдёт на странице: факты, цена, город, формат. Не повторяет title. - **Длина** — ни Яндекс, ни Google не называют число символов. Ориентир на практике: title короче, чем строка выдачи на телефоне, description — пара предложений, главное в первых словах. - **Гарантии нет**: оба поисковика могут взять заголовок или описание из текста страницы, если сочтут его точнее для запроса. ## Что поисковики берут в сниппет Сниппет — это заголовок, адрес и описание страницы в результатах поиска. Ваши теги для поисковика — сильная подсказка, а не приказ. **Яндекс.** В [справке Вебмастера «Заголовок и описание»](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/search-results/title-and-description) перечислены источники: содержимое `title` и метатега `description`, текст страницы с учётом микроразметки Schema.org, данные Яндекс Маркета и тексты ссылок на страницу с других сайтов. Для описания выбирается наиболее информативный и подходящий к запросу текст. Поэтому по разным запросам одна и та же страница может выглядеть в выдаче по-разному. **Google.** В [документации о ссылках-заголовках](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link?hl=ru) источников ещё больше: `title`, главный видимый заголовок и `h1`, `og:title`, выделенный стилем текст, анкоры внутренних и внешних ссылок, структурированные данные `WebSite`. Про описание [Google пишет прямо](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet?hl=ru): чаще всего сниппет берётся из контента страницы, а метаописание используется, когда оно описывает страницу точнее. Практический вывод: title и description работают, только если они совпадают с тем, что реально написано на странице. Тег, который обещает одно, а текст о другом, поисковик заменит. ## Какой длины title и description: без мифов В рунете ходят цифры «title до 60 символов, description до 160». Это эмпирические ориентиры сеошников, а не правила поисковиков. Что сказано в первоисточниках: | | Яндекс | Google | | Title | Длина ограничена шириной экрана устройства; не делайте title слишком длинным, его могут укоротить ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/search-results/title.html)) | Длина тега не ограничена, но ссылка-заголовок обрезается под ширину экрана ([документация](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link?hl=ru)) | | Description | Длина описания ограничена шириной экрана; важное ставьте в начало ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/indexing-options/description)) | Ограничений по длине нет, но описание в выдаче может быть сокращено ([документация](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet?hl=ru)) | Отсюда простое правило: пишите столько, сколько нужно для смысла, но так, чтобы при обрезке осталась понятная часть. Главная фраза — в первых трёх-пяти словах title. Самое полезное — в первом предложении description. Хвост с брендом или второстепенной деталью можно потерять без ущерба. Что точно вредит: title из одного слова («Главная», «Услуги») и description из нескольких слов. Яндекс называет слишком короткие описания плохими в той же справке. ## Как написать title: пять правил из справок - **Информативность.** По [рекомендациям Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/search-results/title.html), не используйте общие названия вроде «Главная» или «Контакты». - **Несколько важных фраз, без повторов.** Набор ключевых слов через запятую Яндекс может посчитать спамом; Google в своей документации тоже относит переизбыток ключей к нарушениям. - **Уникальность.** Один шаблонный title на весь каталог не объясняет, чем страницы отличаются. Если без шаблона не обойтись, подставляйте только то, что на странице реально есть: «отзывы», «фото», «цена» — если они есть. - **Бренд в начале или конце** через двоеточие, тире или вертикальную черту. Так советуют обе справки. - **Совпадение с H1 по смыслу.** Слова могут отличаться, тема — нет. Google прямо называет расхождение title с главным заголовком одной из причин замены. ## Как написать description По [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/indexing-options/description) хорошее описание: уникально для каждой страницы, отражает её содержимое, написано связным текстом без переспама, рекламных лозунгов и капслока, содержит полезные детали (цену, цвет, город доставки) и отличается от title. Плохое — устаревшее, со служебной информацией, с важным в конце или из пары слов. Рабочая формула для одного-двух предложений: **что на странице + чем полезна + конкретная деталь**. Деталь — то, что помогает выбрать вашу ссылку среди десяти: срок, цена «от», число шагов, город, формат («чек-лист», «таблица сравнения»). ## Шаблоны для типичных страниц Примеры ниже условные, для иллюстрации: подставьте свои слова и проверьте, что каждое обещание выполняется на странице. | Тип страницы | Title | Description | | Статья-инструкция | Как обрезать гортензию осенью: схема по сортам | Сад Ольги | Когда и как обрезать метельчатую и крупнолистную гортензию осенью: схема для каждого сорта, инструменты и ошибки, из-за которых куст не цветёт. | | Услуга в городе | Ремонт стиральных машин в Казани — выезд мастера в день заявки | Ремонт стиральных машин на дому в Казани: диагностика, замена подшипников и ТЭНа, гарантия на работы. Цены на основные виды ремонта — на странице. | | Карточка товара | Электрочайник «Модель X» 1,7 л, стальной — купить в Москве | Электрочайник «Модель X»: объём 1,7 л, выбор температуры, корпус из стали. Доставка по Москве, самовывоз, характеристики и отзывы покупателей. | | Категория | Палатки для кемпинга: 3–6 мест, с тамбуром — каталог | Кемпинговые палатки на 3–6 человек: фильтр по весу, водостойкости и числу комнат, сравнение моделей и подсказки, как выбрать палатку для семьи. | | Главная | Название компании — что вы делаете и где | Кто вы, для кого работаете и чем отличаетесь — одним-двумя предложениями, без «лидер рынка». | Обратите внимание: в примерах нет слов «лучший», «№1», «дёшево» без цифр. Обещание, которого нет на странице, сначала заменит поисковик, а если не заменит — человек уйдёт обратно в выдачу. ## Почему поисковик переписывает title Google в [документации](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link?hl=ru) перечисляет типичные причины, и по ним удобно проверять собственные страницы: - title неполный или обрывается на полуслове; - title устарел — например, в нём прошлый год, а в заголовке на странице текущий; - title не соответствует содержимому; - шаблонный текст повторяется на многих страницах; - на странице нет явного главного заголовка; - язык или алфавит title не совпадает с текстом страницы; - название сайта дублируется с тем, что уже показано в выдаче. Яндекс тоже может сформировать заголовок сниппета из контента страницы, поэтому по разным запросам он бывает разным ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/search-results/title.html)). Если замена вам не нравится, исправляйте не только тег, но и H1 и первый абзац, чтобы все сигналы говорили одно и то же. Изменения подхватятся только после переобхода страницы. Описание поисковики заменяют ещё чаще. Это нормально: если в выдаче показан удачный фрагмент текста, ваша задача выполнена. Плохо, если подставляется меню, cookie-баннер или служебный текст. В Google такие фрагменты можно исключить атрибутом `data-nosnippet`, а длину сниппета ограничить правилом `max-snippet` ([документация](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet?hl=ru)). ## Где редактировать: WordPress, Tilda, Битрикс - **WordPress.** Без SEO-плагина title обычно собирается из названия записи и сайта, а description не выводится вовсе. С Yoast SEO или Rank Math поля SEO-заголовка и метаописания появляются под редактором записи, там же задаются шаблоны для рубрик и меток. - **Tilda.** Title и description каждой страницы задаются в её настройках, во вкладке SEO. Подробно с ловушками Zero Block — в разборе [SEO на Тильде](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/). - **1С-Битрикс.** Для отдельных страниц — свойства страницы, для каталогов — шаблоны SEO на уровне инфоблока с подстановкой названия элемента. Как не получить сотни одинаковых title — в статье [SEO на Битриксе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/). После правки откройте исходный код живой страницы (Ctrl+U) и найдите `<title>`: иногда тема или плагин выводят два тега, и поисковик берёт не тот. ## Как проверить title и description на всём сайте - В [Яндекс Вебмастере](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/) откройте страницу «Заголовки и описания»: по справке Яндекса там видны проблемы с title и description, а «Диагностика сайта» сообщает об отсутствующих и массово повторяющихся заголовках. - В Google Search Console посмотрите отчёт «Эффективность» по страницам: высокие показы при низком CTR часто означают, что сниппет не отвечает на запрос. - Введите в поиск свой основной запрос и сравните сниппет с соседями: что обещают они, чего не хватает вам. - Перепишите сначала страницы с наибольшими показами — эффект там заметнее. ## Чек-лист перед публикацией - Title уникален и начинается с главной фразы страницы. - В title нет повторов ключа и набора слов через запятую. - Title и H1 об одном и том же. - Description — связный текст, отличается от title, содержит конкретную деталь. - Главное в обоих тегах стоит в начале и переживёт обрезку. - Нет устаревших дат, акций и цен, которые вы не будете обновлять. - В коде страницы один `title` и один `meta description`. ## Что делать дальше Сниппет решает, кликнут ли по странице, но в выдачу её приводят другие вещи: польза текста, индексация, внешние упоминания. Если хотите понять, на каком уровне ваш сайт сейчас, проверьте его на [/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества Satelo за полминуты покажет оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, из которых она сложилась (в основном открытые источники). Так проще решить, что править первым — сниппеты или что-то более важное. А если вы только запускаетесь, начните со статьи [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). ## Частые вопросы ### Какая длина title и description для Яндекса? Яндекс не называет число символов: по справке Вебмастера длина и заголовка, и описания ограничена шириной экрана устройства. Держите title коротким, а важное в description ставьте в начало. ### Сколько символов должно быть в title для Google? Google пишет, что длина тега title не ограничена, но ссылка-заголовок в выдаче обрезается по ширине экрана. Цифры вроде 60 символов — практический ориентир, а не правило. ### Почему в выдаче показывается не мой description? Оба поисковика выбирают для описания наиболее подходящий к запросу текст. Если метаописание описывает страницу хуже, чем её текст, будет показан фрагмент страницы. Это не ошибка. ### Можно ли сделать title и description одинаковыми? Не стоит. Яндекс в справке прямо советует, чтобы описание отличалось от содержимого title: два одинаковых текста не дают человеку новой информации. ### Нужно ли писать ключевые слова в title? Да, главную фразу страницы — желательно в начале. Но без повторов и перечислений: переспам ключами и Яндекс, и Google могут расценить как спам. ### Как быстро обновится сниппет после правки title? Только после того как робот заново обойдёт страницу. Ускорить можно отправкой страницы на переобход в Яндекс Вебмастере и запросом индексирования в Google Search Console. ### Влияет ли description на позиции? В справках обоих поисковиков description описан как источник текста для сниппета, а не как способ поднять позиции. Справки связывают качество title и description с кликабельностью сниппета, то есть с тем, перейдут ли на сайт. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/webvisor-guide/ analytics # Вебвизор в Яндекс Метрике: как включить и что искать в записях небольшого сайта Вебвизор — инструмент Яндекс Метрики, который записывает действия посетителей на страницах сайта от начала визита до его конца: прокрутку, клики, движение курсора, заполнение форм. Включается он в настройках счётчика одной галочкой, но польза появляется, только когда вы смотрите записи с конкретным вопросом. Ниже — настройка, приватность и пять сценариев разбора для небольшого сайта. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое Вебвизор и чем он отличается от отчётов В [глоссарии Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/glossary.html) Вебвизор описан как инструмент, который записывает действия пользователей на страницах сайта от начала посещения до его завершения. Обычные отчёты отвечают на вопрос «сколько»: сколько визитов, отказов, достижений цели. Вебвизор отвечает на вопрос «как»: где человек остановился, что пытался нажать, на каком поле формы передумал. Поэтому Вебвизор не заменяет отчёты, а дополняет их. Цифры показывают, на какой странице проблема. Записи — что именно на ней мешает. В тот же пакет входят ещё три инструмента, которые включаются той же настройкой: - **Карта кликов** — где кликают на странице, включая элементы, которые не являются ссылками ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/behavior/click-map.html)). - **Карта скроллинга** — сколько времени посетители проводят на каждом участке страницы ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/behavior/scroll-map.html)). - **Аналитика форм** — на каком поле формы люди бросают заполнение. ## Как включить Вебвизор Порядок по [справке Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrika/webvisor/settings.html): - Откройте счётчик и перейдите в «Настройки» → «Счётчик». - Включите опцию «Вебвизор, карта скроллинга, аналитика форм». - На вкладке «Вебвизор» переведите переключатель в положение «Вкл» и сохраните. - Установите обновлённый код счётчика на все страницы сайта. Это обязательный шаг: справка прямо требует переустановить код после изменения настроек. Две детали, о которых часто забывают: - Вебвизор и карты могут отключиться, если вы не открывали их полгода, — так сказано в справке. Если записей вдруг нет, проверьте настройку. - Если сервер запрещает показ сайта во фрейме заголовком `X-Frame-Options`, данные карт будут недоступны для просмотра, пока вы не добавите исключения для доменов Метрики ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/behavior/scroll-map.html)). На WordPress, Тильде и других конструкторах счётчик обычно вставляется через настройки сайта или плагин. Если код счётчика задан там «по номеру», а не вставлен целиком, Вебвизор всё равно включается в самой Метрике — достаточно сохранить настройки и проверить, что изменения применились. ## Приватность: что Вебвизор записывает и что скрывает По умолчанию записывается всё содержимое страниц, кроме полей, в которые вводят конфиденциальные данные. Такие поля Метрика распознаёт сама и заменяет их содержимое звёздочками; значения полей для пароля в записи не показываются никогда ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrika/webvisor/settings.html)). Если этого мало, справка даёт четыре инструмента: | Что сделать | Как | | Не записывать содержимое ни одного поля | Отключить опцию «Записывать все поля» на вкладке «Вебвизор» | | Скрыть конкретное поле | Добавить полю CSS-класс `ym-disable-keys` | | Разрешить запись поля, которое Метрика ошибочно сочла конфиденциальным | Класс `ym-record-keys` | | Скрыть блок на странице (например, личный кабинет с именем и адресом) | Класс `ym-hide-content`: графика станет серым блоком, текст — размытыми символами | Практическое правило для небольшого сайта: в формах заказа и записи вам почти никогда не нужно видеть, что именно человек ввёл. Вам нужно видеть, где он остановился. Поэтому опцию «Записывать все поля» безопаснее выключить, а о том, что на сайте работает аналитика с записью визитов, сказать в политике конфиденциальности. ## Как смотреть записи, чтобы не утонуть Главная ошибка — открыть Вебвизор и смотреть всё подряд. Через десяток записей внимание рассеивается, и вы запоминаете один яркий визит вместо закономерности. Рабочий порядок: - **Сформулируйте вопрос** по отчёту: «почему с этой страницы уходят», «почему никто не отправляет форму». - **Отфильтруйте записи.** Вебвизор поддерживает стандартную сегментацию Метрики, например только визиты со смартфонов, а также отдельную группу условий «Вебвизор» и фильтр по странице входа ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/webvisor-v2/view-record.html)). - **Смотрите 10–20 записей подряд** по одному сегменту и выписывайте повторы. Одно и то же поведение у нескольких людей — сигнал. У одного — случайность. - **Проверьте гипотезу цифрами**: картой кликов или скроллинга по той же странице. ## Пять сценариев разбора для небольшого сайта ### 1. Форма, которую не отправляют Сегмент: визиты, где посетитель начал заполнять форму, но цель «отправка» не достигнута. Что искать: на каком поле останавливаются, есть ли ошибка валидации, которую не видно на телефоне, не перекрывает ли кнопку чат-виджет или cookie-баннер. Частая находка — обязательное поле, смысл которого непонятен («Компания» для частного клиента). ### 2. Мобильная версия Сегмент: смартфоны, страница входа — ваша самая посещаемая. Что искать: горизонтальную прокрутку, промахи мимо мелких кнопок, многократные нажатия на неактивный элемент, всплывающее окно, которое трудно закрыть. В записи с телефона это видно за минуту, а в отчёте превращается просто в «короткий визит». ### 3. Где бросают статью Сегмент: переходы из поиска на статью блога. Что искать: на каком экране люди перестают читать и уходят. Затем откройте карту скроллинга той же страницы: если внимание резко падает на одном месте, там обычно длинная подводка, рекламный блок или таблица, которая не помещается на экран. Если вас беспокоит, что такие визиты считаются отказами, сверьтесь с разбором [отказов в Метрике](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/). ### 4. Клики по тому, что не кликается Карта кликов показывает клики по всем элементам, включая не-ссылки. Если люди нажимают на картинку товара, подзаголовок или иконку, они ждут, что это откроется. Дайте им это: сделайте элемент ссылкой или уберите обманчивое оформление. ### 5. Путь к цели Сегмент: визиты с достигнутой целью. Посмотрите, какой путь проходят те, кто всё-таки купил или записался: через какие страницы, сколько времени. Затем сравните с теми, кто не дошёл. Разница подсказывает, какую страницу или кнопку вынести выше. ## Карты кликов и скроллинга: что они добавляют к записям Записи дают глубину, карты — масштаб. Карта кликов собирает статистику по всем визитам за выбранный период (до года) и умеет объединять группу страниц: в поле адреса можно указать маску со звёздочкой, например весь каталог `/goods/*`, и показатели суммируются по всем подходящим страницам ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/behavior/click-map.html)). Карта скроллинга показывает среднее время просмотра каждого участка страницы в двух режимах: тепловая карта и «карта прозрачности», где малопросматриваемые зоны затемнены. Данные карты хранятся 15 дней, включая текущий ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/behavior/scroll-map.html)), поэтому на сайте с небольшим трафиком смотрите её после того, как наберётся хотя бы несколько десятков визитов на страницу, а выводы проверяйте записями. | Вопрос | Инструмент | | Что делает конкретный человек и где застревает | Вебвизор | | Куда нажимают чаще всего, что игнорируют | Карта кликов | | До какого места дочитывают | Карта скроллинга | | На каком поле бросают форму | Аналитика форм | ## Есть ли Вебвизор у Google В Google Analytics 4 прямого аналога нет: это отчёты по событиям, а не записи визитов. Если сайт ориентирован на зарубежную аудиторию или вы не используете Метрику, посмотрите на [Microsoft Clarity](https://clarity.microsoft.com/): сервис бесплатный, в нём есть записи сеансов и тепловые карты, и его можно использовать вместе с GA4. Ставить два инструмента записи на один сайт без нужды не стоит: каждый добавляет скрипт и нагрузку на страницу. ## Ограничения, о которых стоит помнить - **Это выборка, а не перепись.** На небольшом сайте 20 записей за неделю — нормально, но выводы по трём визитам ненадёжны. - **Записи показывают поведение, а не причины.** Человек мог уйти, потому что нашёл ответ. Не каждый короткий визит — проблема. - **Старые стили.** Если вы поменяли CSS, старые записи могут воспроизводиться криво. Справка советует добавлять хеш содержимого к имени файла стилей, чтобы запись показывалась с теми стилями, которые видел посетитель. - **Вебвизор — инструмент для вас.** Сами записи ничего не меняют: результат дают исправления, которые вы сделаете по итогам разбора. ## Что делать дальше Включите Вебвизор сегодня, а через неделю выделите полчаса на один сценарий из списка — начните с формы или мобильной версии самой посещаемой страницы. Записи покажут, что происходит внутри сайта. Чтобы увидеть, как сайт выглядит снаружи — для поисковиков и потенциальных партнёров, — проверьте его на [/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества Satelo за полминуты покажет оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых она основана, в основном из открытых источников. Если трафика пока мало и смотреть в Вебвизоре почти нечего, начните с [бесплатных способов продвижения сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/) и настройки [Яндекс Вебмастера](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое Вебвизор в Яндекс Метрике? Инструмент, который записывает действия посетителей на страницах сайта от начала до конца визита: прокрутку, клики, движение курсора и заполнение форм. Записи можно воспроизвести как видео. ### Как включить Вебвизор? В Метрике откройте «Настройки» → «Счётчик», включите опцию «Вебвизор, карта скроллинга, аналитика форм», сохраните и установите обновлённый код счётчика на все страницы сайта. ### Видит ли Вебвизор пароли и личные данные? Нет. Конфиденциальные поля Метрика распознаёт автоматически и заменяет звёздочками, значения полей для пароля не показываются. Дополнительно можно отключить запись всех полей или скрыть элементы CSS-классами. ### Почему в Вебвизоре нет записей? Частые причины: не установлен обновлённый код счётчика, Вебвизор отключился после полугода без просмотров, сайт запрещает показ во фрейме через X-Frame-Options или на сайте пока мало визитов. ### Сколько хранятся данные карты скроллинга? По справке Метрики — 15 дней, включая текущий день. Поэтому выводы по небольшому сайту лучше делать после того, как наберётся достаточно визитов. ### Есть ли Вебвизор в Google Analytics? Встроенного аналога в GA4 нет. Для записей сеансов и тепловых карт можно использовать бесплатный Microsoft Clarity. ### Поможет ли Вебвизор продвижению сайта? Косвенно: это инструмент анализа для владельца сайта. Пользу дают исправления, которые вы сделаете по итогам разбора записей, — удобная форма, читаемая мобильная версия, понятная страница. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/wordpress-seo-plugins/ WordPress # SEO-плагины для WordPress: что выбрать в 2026 году Лучшие SEO-плагины для WordPress в 2026 году — Yoast SEO, Rank Math, All in One SEO и SEOPress: все четыре бесплатно закрывают метатеги, sitemap и базовую разметку, а различаются тем, что отдают бесплатно, а что только в платной версии. Ниже сравнительная таблица по официальным страницам wordpress.org, настройка под Яндекс и честный ответ на вопрос, чего SEO-плагин не сделает за вас. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что SEO-плагин делает и чего не делает SEO-плагин — это пульт управления технической частью: он выводит title и description, которые вы задали, строит карту сайта, ставит канонические адреса, добавляет микроразметку и подсказывает, где в тексте не хватает заголовков или ключевой фразы. Чего плагин не делает: - не приводит посетителей сам по себе: зелёный индикатор в редакторе не означает, что страница будет в топе; - не пишет полезный контент и не отвечает на вопросы читателя вместо вас; - не создаёт упоминаний сайта на других ресурсах; - не исправляет медленный хостинг и тяжёлую тему. Поэтому выбор плагина — это решение на один вечер, а не стратегия продвижения. Выберите один, настройте и переходите к контенту. ## Сравнение: Yoast SEO, Rank Math, AIOSEO, SEOPress Данные взяты со страниц плагинов в каталоге wordpress.org на 16 октября 2026 года: [Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/), [Rank Math](https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/), [All in One SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/), [SEOPress](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-seopress/). Каталог показывает число активных установок округлённо. | | Yoast SEO | Rank Math | AIOSEO | SEOPress | | Активные установки | 10+ млн | 4+ млн | 2+ млн | 300 000+ | | XML-sitemap | бесплатно | бесплатно | бесплатно | бесплатно, плюс HTML-карта | | Микроразметка Schema | базовая бесплатно, больше типов в Premium | бесплатно, более 15 типов | бесплатно | базовая бесплатно, редактор JSON-LD в PRO | | Редиректы | только Premium | менеджер редиректов бесплатно | менеджер только в Pro | для отдельных записей бесплатно, полный менеджер в PRO | | Монитор 404 | нет в описании | бесплатно | нет в описании | в PRO | | IndexNow | только Premium | модуль Instant Indexing (часть функций в PRO) | есть, уровень на странице не указан | бесплатно (Bing и Яндекс) | | Подтверждение Яндекс Вебмастера | нет в описании | нет в описании | заявлено | нет в описании | | Импорт из других плагинов | нет в описании | импорт из Yoast в один клик | нет в описании | импорт из Yoast и Rank Math | «Нет в описании» значит только, что функция не указана на странице каталога, а не что её нет совсем. Перед установкой загляните на страницу плагина: функции между бесплатной и платной версией иногда переезжают. ### Кому что подойдёт - **Yoast SEO** — самый распространённый, понятный анализ текста и читабельности. Хорош для блога, где важен простой интерфейс. Минус для рунета: IndexNow и редиректы в бесплатной версии не заявлены. - **Rank Math** — много функций бесплатно: редиректы, монитор 404, интеграция с Search Console, импорт из Yoast. Подойдёт тем, кто хочет всё в одном плагине без покупки. - **AIOSEO** — заявлено подтверждение прав в Google, Bing, Яндексе и других сервисах; редиректы и локальное SEO в Pro. - **SEOPress** — бесплатный IndexNow для Bing и Яндекса и импорт из Yoast и Rank Math. Хороший вариант для небольших сайтов, ориентированных на Яндекс. ## Особенности для Яндекса Большинство обзоров SEO-плагинов написаны под Google. Для рунета проверьте четыре вещи. - **Sitemap.** Любой из четырёх плагинов строит XML-карту. Её адрес нужно добавить в Яндекс Вебмастер в раздел файлов Sitemap. Если у вас уже работает встроенная карта WordPress, убедитесь, что вы отправили в Вебмастер ту, которую выводит плагин. - **robots.txt.** Проверьте, что служебные разделы закрыты, а нужные страницы и файл sitemap открыты. В Вебмастере есть анализатор robots.txt. - **Подтверждение Вебмастера.** Метатег подтверждения можно вставить через поле верификации в плагине (если оно есть) или через тему. Подробно о сервисе — в [гиде по Яндекс Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). - **IndexNow.** Протокол сообщает Яндексу о новых, изменённых и удалённых страницах, не дожидаясь обхода робота. Справка Яндекса прямо оговаривает: «Данный способ не гарантирует, что переданные страницы будут проиндексированы» ([справка Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/indexing-options/index-now.html)). Отправлять стоит только изменившиеся страницы, а не весь сайт. Если после настройки страницы всё равно не попадают в поиск, пройдите диагностику из статьи [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). ## Почему два SEO-плагина ставить нельзя Каждый SEO-плагин выводит в код страницы свои title, description, канонический адрес и микроразметку, строит свою карту сайта. Два плагина одновременно дают дубли метатегов, две карты сайта и противоречивые canonical, а поисковику приходится угадывать, какой версии верить. Если хотите сменить плагин: - сделайте резервную копию сайта; - установите новый плагин и запустите его импорт данных из старого (Rank Math и SEOPress умеют импортировать из Yoast); - выборочно проверьте title и description на нескольких страницах; - отключите и удалите старый плагин; - отправьте новую карту сайта в Вебмастер и Search Console. ## Минимальная настройка за 15 минут Порядок одинаков для любого из четырёх плагинов, отличаются только названия пунктов меню. - **Мастер настройки.** Укажите тип сайта, название, логотип, кто вы: организация или человек. - **Шаблоны заголовков.** Для записей: «Название записи — Название сайта». Для архивов меток и дат решите, нужны ли они в поиске. Тонкие архивы обычно закрывают через noindex. - **Карта сайта.** Включите, исключите служебные типы записей, скопируйте адрес. - **Вебмастер и Search Console.** Подтвердите права, добавьте карту сайта. - **Постоянные ссылки.** В «Настройки → Постоянные ссылки» WordPress выберите вариант с названием записи, если сайт новый. На живом сайте структуру адресов меняйте только с редиректами. - **Ключевые страницы.** Вручную пропишите title и description для главной, страниц услуг и пяти самых посещаемых записей. Всё остальное — тонкая настройка, к которой можно вернуться через месяц. ## Типичные ошибки после установки - **Гоняться за зелёным индикатором.** Анализ текста в плагине проверяет формальные признаки: есть ли фраза в заголовке, хватает ли подзаголовков. Переписывать живой текст ради «зелёного» не стоит, если от этого он становится хуже для читателя. - **Оставить в индексе всё подряд.** Архивы меток, авторов с одним автором, страницы вложений часто дают тонкие дубли. Решите в настройках плагина, что действительно должно быть в поиске. - **Забыть про старые адреса.** При смене структуры ссылок или удалении записей без редиректов посетители и роботы попадают на 404. Если ваш плагин не делает редиректы бесплатно, поставьте отдельный плагин для редиректов. - **Включить все модули сразу.** Лишние функции нагружают админку и иногда сайт. Включайте только то, чем пользуетесь. ## Плагины не для SEO, но для продвижения SEO-плагин закрывает только одну сторону. Ещё три задачи решаются отдельными инструментами: - **Скорость.** Кэширование и оптимизация изображений. Какие метрики проверять, разобрано в статье [про Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **Партнёрские публикации.** Если вы принимаете гостевые и спонсорские статьи, их нужно правильно размечать. Как настроить это в WordPress, описано в статье [о приёме спонсорских постов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/accept-sponsored-posts-wordpress/). - **Упоминания о сайте.** Это наш продукт, поэтому скажем прямо: [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/) — не SEO-плагин и метатеги не трогает. Он подключает сайт к сети взаимного продвижения в публичной бете: показывает партнёрам подтверждённый трафик и автоматически публикует партнёрские статьи о других сайтах сети с пометкой `rel="sponsored"`, а взамен ваш сайт получает статьи о себе на тематических площадках. Сеть пока небольшая, обещаний позиций нет. ## Опасность nulled-версий В подсказках поисковиков есть запросы вроде «yoast premium nulled» — так называют взломанные платные версии, которые раздают бесплатно. Не ставьте их. Исследователи безопасности Sucuri описали случай, когда поставщик пиратских плагинов встроил в них файлы для удалённого доступа: бэкдор сохранялся даже после удаления плагина и отправлял данные о сайте на сервер злоумышленника ([разбор Sucuri](https://blog.sucuri.net/2020/07/pirated-wordpress-plugins-bundled-with-backdoors.html)). Вирусный спам на страницах навредит позициям сильнее, чем отсутствие премиум-функций. Если бюджета нет, бесплатных версий из каталога wordpress.org для небольшого сайта хватает. ## Что делать дальше Выберите один плагин по таблице, пройдите 15-минутную настройку и отправьте карту сайта в Вебмастер. Затем посмотрите, как сайт выглядит со стороны: бесплатная [проверка в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за полминуты показывает индекс качества 0–100 по компонентам (возраст, популярность, оценка трафика, скорость), построенный в основном на открытых данных, с источником у каждой цифры. Повторите проверку через пару месяцев, чтобы видеть, что меняется после работы над контентом. ## Частые вопросы ### Какой SEO-плагин для WordPress лучше? Для большинства сайтов подойдёт любой из четырёх: Yoast SEO, Rank Math, AIOSEO или SEOPress. Rank Math даёт больше функций бесплатно (редиректы, монитор 404), SEOPress бесплатно поддерживает IndexNow для Яндекса, Yoast проще в освоении. ### Rank Math или Yoast SEO: что выбрать? Rank Math бесплатно включает менеджер редиректов, монитор 404 и импорт из Yoast. У Yoast бесплатно есть анализ текста и читабельности, а редиректы и IndexNow — только в Premium. Если нужны функции без оплаты, удобнее Rank Math. ### Можно ли поставить два SEO-плагина одновременно? Нет. Оба будут выводить свои метатеги, canonical и карты сайта, получатся дубли. Для смены плагина используйте импорт данных, затем удалите старый. ### Нужен ли SEO-плагин для Яндекса? Он упрощает работу: карта сайта, метатеги, иногда IndexNow и подтверждение Вебмастера. Но Яндекс оценивает сам сайт и контент, а не наличие плагина. ### Как настроить Yoast SEO? Пройдите мастер настройки, задайте шаблоны заголовков, включите карту сайта, отправьте её в Вебмастер и Search Console, затем вручную пропишите title и description для главных страниц. ### Безопасно ли ставить nulled-версию Yoast Premium? Нет. Пиратские плагины могут содержать бэкдоры: Sucuri описывал случай, когда такой бэкдор сохранялся после удаления плагина. Используйте бесплатные версии из каталога wordpress.org или покупайте лицензию у разработчика. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/wordstat-guide/ keyword research # Как пользоваться Вордстатом: от запроса к теме статьи для небольшого сайта Вордстат — бесплатный инструмент Яндекса, который показывает, сколько раз люди искали фразу, как спрос меняется по месяцам и регионам и какие запросы ищут рядом. Чтобы им пользоваться, войдите с Яндекс ID на wordstat.yandex.ru, введите тему и смотрите три вкладки: «Топы запросов», «Динамика» и «Регионы». Ниже — как читать цифры, какие операторы нужны и как превратить список запросов в план статей. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что показывает Вордстат и чего не показывает По [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/), Вордстат показывает статистику поисковых запросов к Яндексу: как менялась популярность запроса, как она различается по регионам, какие запросы содержат нужные слова и что ещё люди искали по теме. Сервис доступен только авторизованным пользователям, то есть нужен Яндекс ID. Чего Вордстат не показывает: - спрос в Google — только Яндекс; - сколько кликов получит сайт на первом месте; - насколько сложно попасть в топ по запросу; - точное число «чистых» запросов в базовом режиме: в числе учтены все формы слова и все более длинные фразы, которые содержат ваши слова. Поэтому цифры Вордстата — это ориентир спроса, а не прогноз трафика. ## Новый интерфейс: три вкладки Если вы читали старые инструкции с колонками «Что искали со словом» и «Запросы, похожие на», интерфейс с тех пор изменился. В [гайде по интерфейсу](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/interface/new) описаны три вкладки: | Вкладка | Что показывает | Зачем автору сайта | | Топы запросов | Популярные запросы с вашей фразой и запросы, похожие на неё, за последний месяц | Главный источник тем и подтем | | Динамика | Число запросов и их долю от всех запросов к Яндексу; по умолчанию за 2 года по месяцам | Сезонность: когда публиковать и обновлять статью | | Регионы | Распределение запросов по регионам и городам за последние 30 дней, индекс интереса | Понять, для какого города писать примеры и стоит ли делать региональные страницы | Во всех вкладках есть фильтр по устройствам: десктопы, смартфоны, планшеты. Данные можно скачать в CSV кнопкой «Скачать». В «Динамике» доступна детализация по дням (до 60 дней назад), неделям и месяцам, а самая ранняя дата — январь 2018 года (по тому же гайду). ## Операторы: как отсечь лишнее Без операторов Вордстат показывает широкое число: все формы слов и все фразы, в которые входит запрос. Операторы сужают его. Список по [справке об операторах](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/content/operators): | Оператор | Что делает | Пример из справки | | `-слово` | Исключает слово | `доставка -цветы` | | `!слово` | Фиксирует форму слова | `купить !собаку` | | `+слово` | Учитывает предлоги и другие стоп-слова | `работа +на дому` | | `"фраза"` | Фиксирует число слов: без добавок | `"купить автомобиль"` | | `[фраза]` | Фиксирует порядок слов | `билеты [из москвы в париж]` | | `(а|б)` | Группирует варианты | `заказать (роллы|пицца)` | Операторы можно комбинировать. Все они работают на вкладках «Регионы» и «Топы запросов». Про «Динамику» справки расходятся: страница об операторах пишет, что в подневной статистике теперь поддерживаются все операторы, а [раздел «Вопросы и ответы»](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/content/faq) — что там работает только «+». Если график выглядит странно, проверьте ту же фразу в «Топах запросов». Для автора блога важнее всего два оператора. Кавычки показывают, сколько людей ищут именно эту формулировку, без хвостов. Минус-слова убирают чужой интент: например, `вордстат -купить -цена`, если вам не нужны коммерческие запросы. ## Как перевести частоты в решения для небольшого сайта Крупные сайты охотятся за запросами с большой частотой. Небольшому сайту выгоднее другое: много узких тем, в которых он может дать лучший ответ. Удобно делить запросы на три группы, а не спорить о точных цифрах: - **H (высокий спрос)** — общая тема, в топе справки, крупные сервисы и агентства. Писать стоит, только если у вас есть уникальный угол, и лучше позже. - **M (средний спрос)** — конкретная задача («как пользоваться…», «что выбрать…»). Основная зона для статей небольшого сайта. - **L (низкий спрос)** — длинные уточнения. Их лучше закрывать разделами внутри статьи из группы M, чем отдельными страницами. Границы групп для каждой ниши свои: в нише садоводства и в нише B2B-софта «много» означает разное. Возьмите главный запрос темы, посмотрите его число в кавычках и считайте H, M и L относительно него. Важно не абсолютное число, а то, кто сейчас в выдаче: если там форумы, старые статьи и ответы на Q&A-сайтах, у небольшого сайта есть шанс даже на запросе группы H. ## Сезонность и регионы Откройте «Динамику» с детализацией по месяцам за два-три года. Если график повторяет один и тот же горб каждый год, это сезонная тема. Публикуйте статью за один-два месяца до начала подъёма, чтобы поисковик успел её найти, и обновляйте каждый сезон. Если график только растёт — тема набирает спрос, на неё стоит писать сейчас. Если падает несколько лет подряд — подумайте, нужна ли отдельная статья. На вкладке «Регионы» смотрите не только число запросов, но и индекс интереса: по гайду, 100% значит, что регион не выделяется, а больше 100% — интерес повышен. Если тема заметно популярнее в двух-трёх городах, приводите примеры оттуда — так текст точнее совпадает с тем, кто его ищет. ## Вордстат и поисковые подсказки Подсказки в строке поиска Яндекса и Google — второй бесплатный источник, и он дополняет Вордстат. Подсказки показывают свежие формулировки и вопросы, которые люди начинают набирать, но не дают чисел. Вордстат даёт числа, но новые формулировки появляются там с задержкой и размываются в широком числе. Простой приём: наберите тему в поиске, добавляя по очереди «как», «почему», «что лучше», «для», «без», и выпишите подсказки. Затем проверьте найденные фразы в Вордстате в кавычках. Так вы увидите и формулировки, и их относительный вес. Подсказки Google заодно покажут, есть ли у темы спрос за пределами Яндекса. ## От запроса к статье: пример Условный пример для иллюстрации — блог о домашних растениях, тема «пересадка монстеры». Цифр не приводим: подставьте свои из Вордстата. - **Широкий запрос** «монстера» в «Топах запросов» — смотрим, какие задачи рядом: уход, пересадка, желтеют листья, размножение, грунт. - **Выбираем задачу** «пересадка монстеры» и проверяем её в кавычках. Спрос средний — это группа M, основа для статьи. - **Собираем подтемы** из «Топов запросов» по фразе «пересадка монстеры»: когда пересаживать, какой горшок, какой грунт, что делать после пересадки, можно ли зимой. Каждая становится H2 или пунктом FAQ. - **Проверяем «Динамику»**: если пик весной, публикуем в феврале или марте. - **Смотрим выдачу** по запросу: если в топе короткие ответы без фото этапов — делаем пошаговую инструкцию с таблицей «размер растения → диаметр горшка». - **Отдельные статьи** делаем только для подтем с собственным заметным спросом и другим намерением, например «монстера желтеют листья». Иначе две статьи будут конкурировать друг с другом. ## Частые ошибки - **Смотреть только базовое число.** Оно включает все хвосты и формы. Решение принимайте по числу в кавычках. - **Гнаться за самыми частотными запросами.** Для нового сайта они почти недоступны; начинайте с группы M. - **Делать отдельную статью на каждую формулировку.** «Как пользоваться вордстатом» и «вордстат инструкция» — одно намерение, одна страница. - **Слишком частые обращения.** По справке, при частых запросах появляется капча, а при нарушении лицензии Яндекса доступ блокируется и восстанавливается автоматически в течение 14 дней ([FAQ](https://yandex.ru/support2/wordstat/ru/content/faq)). Не гоняйте сервис скриптами. - **Забыть про Google.** Если у сайта заметная доля трафика из Google, сверяйте темы и там — например, через подсказки и Search Console. ## Что делать дальше Выделите сегодня час: возьмите главную тему сайта, соберите в «Топах запросов» 20–30 задач, разложите их на H, M и L и выберите три статьи группы M на ближайший месяц. Подробнее о том, как небольшому тематическому сайту выбирать темы, — в статье про [SEO для нишевых блогов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/seo-for-niche-blogs/), а если хотите ускорить сбор, посмотрите, [какие SEO-задачи можно отдать ИИ](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/ai-for-seo-tasks/). Темы из Вордстата пригодятся и за пределами своего блога. В кабинете Satelo [/ru/app/](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) сайты похожей тематики публикуют партнёрские статьи друг о друге, а спрос из Вордстата подсказывает, о чём такая статья будет полезна читателям площадки. Сеть пока небольшая — это публичная бета, — а ссылки в таких материалах помечаются `rel="sponsored"`. Перед этим полезно проверить свой сайт на [/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества покажет, на каком уровне вы сейчас и из каких данных сложилась оценка. ## Частые вопросы ### Как пользоваться Вордстатом бесплатно? Вордстат бесплатный: войдите с Яндекс ID на wordstat.yandex.ru, введите фразу и смотрите вкладки «Топы запросов», «Динамика» и «Регионы». Данные можно скачать в CSV. ### Что означает число в Вордстате? Это количество запросов к Яндексу, содержащих вашу фразу, с учётом всех форм слов и более длинных запросов. Чтобы увидеть спрос именно на формулировку, возьмите фразу в кавычки. ### Какие операторы есть в Вордстате? Минус (исключить слово), восклицательный знак (зафиксировать форму), плюс (учесть предлог), кавычки (без дополнительных слов), квадратные скобки (порядок слов), а также круглые скобки с вертикальной чертой для группировки. ### Где старая версия Вордстата? Текущая справка Яндекса описывает новый интерфейс с вкладками «Топы запросов», «Динамика» и «Регионы». Инструкции с колонками «Что искали со словом» относятся к прежнему виду сервиса. ### За какой период Вордстат показывает данные? «Топы запросов» — за последний месяц, «Регионы» — за последние 30 дней, «Динамика» — по умолчанию за 2 года, с возможностью выбрать период; самая ранняя дата — январь 2018 года. ### Почему Вордстат просит капчу? По справке — из-за слишком частых обращений, работы за пределами СНГ или если браузер не сохраняет нужный cookie. Помогает включить cookies и JavaScript, отключить блокировщики и делать меньше запросов. ### Показывает ли Вордстат статистику Google? Нет, только запросы к Яндексу. Для Google используйте подсказки в поиске и отчёт «Эффективность» в Search Console. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-business-maps/ Локальное SEO # Как добавить организацию на Яндекс Карты бесплатно: пошаговая инструкция Чтобы добавить организацию на Яндекс Карты, зарегистрируйте её в Яндекс Бизнесе: укажите название, вид деятельности, адрес и телефон, подтвердите номер кодом и дождитесь проверки. Размещение бесплатное, это прямо сказано в справке Яндекса. Ниже — шаги с компьютера и телефона, как заполнить карточку, чтобы по ней звонили, как честно собирать отзывы и за что Яндекс берёт деньги. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Короткий ответ - Зайдите в Яндекс Бизнес под рабочим Яндекс ID (не под личным). - Укажите название, основной вид деятельности, адрес и телефон, по желанию — сайт или соцсеть. - Подтвердите телефон кодом из SMS или звонка. - Дождитесь проверки — по справке до трёх дней. - Заполните карточку: часы работы, фото, услуги и цены, ссылку на сайт. Всё это бесплатно. Платными в Яндекс Бизнесе бывают только реклама и продвижение — о них ниже. ## Шаг 1. Выберите аккаунт Это решение стоит принять до первого клика. По [справке Яндекс Бизнеса](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/add-company/add-org.html), компанию нельзя перенести с одного логина на другой, поэтому не используйте личный аккаунт, где у вас Почта и Диск. Заведите отдельный Яндекс ID для компании и сохраните доступ к нему так, чтобы он не пропал вместе с уволившимся сотрудником или подрядчиком. ## Шаг 2. Добавьте компанию **Через Яндекс Бизнес** — основной путь. В форме по справке нужны: - название компании и основной вид деятельности (в Картах сразу можно указать ещё два дополнительных); - адрес офиса, магазина или филиала; - телефон — он будет виден в профиле, Поиске и Картах; - сайт или страница в соцсети — по желанию, но лучше указать сразу. **Если нет офиса.** Если вы работаете только в интернете или выезжаете к клиентам и фактического адреса нет, справка предлагает выбрать город или регион вместо адреса. **Через Яндекс Карты.** В полной версии нажмите правой кнопкой на точку на карте и выберите «Добавить объект» → «Организация». После этого всё равно нужно подтвердить права на компанию, а редактировать данные можно только в Яндекс Бизнесе. ## Как добавить организацию с телефона В мобильном приложении Яндекс Карт, по той же [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/add-company/add-org.html): откройте профиль, выберите «Редактор карты» → «Добавить новый объект» → «Организация». Результат модерации придёт в письме и появится на вкладке «Исправления». Дальнейшее управление карточкой — фото, ответы на отзывы, часы работы — удобнее вести в Яндекс Бизнесе. ## Шаг 3. Подтверждение и сроки Телефон подтверждается кодом: выберите SMS или звонок автоматического оператора и введите код. Справка пишет, что ожидание обычно не больше 10 минут. Дальше заявку проверяют. Сроки по справке: | Этап | Срок по справке | | Звонок или SMS с кодом | Обычно не больше 10 минут | | Проверка заявки | Иногда до трёх дней | | Компания находится по названию в Поиске | На следующий день после публикации | | Статус не меняется | Больше двух недель — пишите в поддержку | Перед отправкой проверьте три вещи: метка на карте стоит там, где вход, название совпадает с вывеской и не содержит ключевых слов вроде «Ремонт телефонов дёшево Казань», а указанный телефон действительно отвечает. ## Шаг 4. Заполните карточку так, чтобы по ней звонили Карточка — то, что человек видит до сайта. Пустая карточка с одним адресом проигрывает соседней, где есть фото, цены и часы работы. Что заполнить в первую очередь: - **Часы работы**, включая праздничные дни. Ничто так не злит, как закрытая дверь в «рабочее» время. - **Фото**: вход с улицы (чтобы найти дверь), интерьер, работы или товары. Свои, а не со стоков. - **Товары и услуги с ценами** — хотя бы «от». По справке их можно указать прямо в карточке. - **Виды деятельности** — основной и дополнительные, точно по тому, что вы делаете. Лишние категории ради охвата приводят нецелевые звонки. - **Ссылку на сайт**. Карточка и сайт усиливают друг друга: на сайте человек проверяет детали, а с карточки строит маршрут и звонит. Совет для связки с сайтом: название, адрес и телефон на сайте и в карточке должны совпадать символ в символ. Если вы переехали, обновите адрес везде в один день. Как устроено продвижение небольшой компании целиком — в статье [как продвигать сайт локального бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Отзывы: как получать честно и как отвечать Подсказки в поиске по этой теме забиты словами «купить» и «накрутка». Это прямой путь к потере отзывов. В [правилах публикации отзывов Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/reviews/ru/rules) накрученным назван отзыв, автор которого не взаимодействовал с компанией и написал его за деньги или по просьбе друзей и знакомых; такой отзыв могут отклонить или снять с публикации. Там же сказано, что сотрудникам не стоит описывать опыт работы в компании, а один и тот же отзыв на несколько филиалов сети не будет опубликован. Честные способы получить больше отзывов: - **Просить в момент удовлетворения**: сразу после удачной стрижки, ремонта, доставки. Одна фраза мастера работает лучше любой рассылки. - **Дать прямую ссылку** на карточку: в чеке, в сообщении после заказа, на табличке у кассы с QR-кодом. - **Просить всех, а не только довольных.** Выборочная просьба искажает картину, а скидка именно за пятёрку подталкивает клиента к тому, что правила Яндекса прямо просят не делать: оставлять только положительный комментарий ради бонуса. - **Не просить всех в один день.** Двадцать отзывов за вечер выглядят как накрутка, даже если они настоящие. Как отвечать, по [справке Яндекс Бизнеса](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/reviews/respond): - ответ пишется в личном кабинете и публикуется после модерации — в среднем около трёх дней; - на один отзыв — один ответ, переписки нет; на оценку без текста и на анонимные отзывы ответить нельзя; - до 2500 знаков, без капса, грубости и персональных данных; ссылки — только на ваш сайт или соцсети; - справка советует указать контакты для связи. Шаблон ответа на негатив (для иллюстрации): «Анна, спасибо, что написали. Мастер действительно опоздал на 40 минут — так быть не должно. Мы уже поменяли график выездов. Позвоните, пожалуйста, по номеру из карточки — вернём стоимость выезда». Конкретика, признание, действие, контакт. Без «уважаемый клиент» и без споров на публике. ## Бесплатно и платно: что входит На [главной странице справки Яндекс Бизнеса](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/) добавление компании названо бесплатным, а в разделе рекламы перечислены платные инструменты: рекламная подписка, приоритетное размещение, брендированное приоритетное размещение и подменный номер. | | Бесплатно | Платно | | Карточка на Картах и в Поиске | Да | — | | Фото, услуги, товары, часы работы | Да | Расширенная карточка с акцией и кнопкой действия — в приоритетном размещении | | Ответы на отзывы, статистика | Да | — | | Выделенная метка и показы выше по целевым запросам | — | Приоритетное размещение | Важные детали о приоритетном размещении из [справки](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/promotion/benefits): это зелёная метка вместо синей и более высокая позиция по автоматически подобранным запросам, но Яндекс прямо пишет, что не гарантирует первое место; минимальный срок размещения — 90 дней; функция доступна только для сетей, а компаниям без филиалов предлагают рекламную подписку или брендированное размещение. Цены в справке не опубликованы — их показывают при создании кампании. Для небольшой компании разумный порядок такой: сначала полностью заполненная бесплатная карточка и живые отзывы, и только потом — решение о бюджете. ## Чек-лист на первую неделю - Компания добавлена под отдельным рабочим Яндекс ID. - Телефон подтверждён, заявка прошла проверку. - Название — реальное, без ключевых слов и капса. - Метка стоит точно у входа, адрес совпадает с сайтом. - Часы работы, включая праздники, заполнены. - Есть фото входа, интерьера и работ. - Услуги указаны с ценами «от». - В карточке стоит ссылка на сайт, на сайте — адрес и телефон как в карточке. - У кассы или в сообщении после заказа есть просьба об отзыве со ссылкой. - На все текстовые отзывы есть ответы. ## Что делать дальше Карточка на Картах приводит людей, которые ищут «рядом», а сайт — тех, кто сравнивает и читает. Если сайта ещё нет в Яндексе, начните со статьи [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/) и настройте [Яндекс Вебмастер](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). А чтобы понять, насколько ваш сайт готов принимать этот трафик, проверьте его на [/ru/check/](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества Satelo за полминуты покажет оценку от 0 до 100 и данные, на которых она основана, — в основном из открытых источников. Другие бесплатные каналы для небольшой компании собраны в обзоре [как продвигать сайт бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-website-for-free/). ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько стоит добавить организацию на Яндекс Карты? Нисколько: по справке Яндекс Бизнеса размещение бесплатное. Платными бывают только реклама и продвижение — рекламная подписка, приоритетное размещение, подменный номер. ### Как добавить организацию на Яндекс Карты с телефона? В приложении Яндекс Карт откройте профиль, выберите «Редактор карты» → «Добавить новый объект» → «Организация». Затем подтвердите права на компанию; управлять карточкой можно в Яндекс Бизнесе. ### Сколько ждать, пока организация появится на картах? По справке проверка заявки иногда занимает до трёх дней, а найти компанию по названию в Поиске можно на следующий день после публикации. Если статус не меняется больше двух недель, напишите в поддержку. ### Можно ли добавить организацию без адреса? Да. Если вы работаете только в интернете и фактического адреса нет, справка предлагает выбрать город или регион вместо адреса. ### Можно ли купить отзывы на Яндекс Картах? Не стоит. По правилам Яндекса отзыв за деньги или по просьбе знакомых, которые не пользовались услугой, считается накрученным и может быть отклонён или снят с публикации. ### Как ответить на отзыв в Яндекс Картах? В личном кабинете Яндекс Бизнеса откройте отзывы компании и отправьте ответ. На один отзыв — один ответ до 2500 знаков; он появится после модерации. ### Поможет ли платное размещение попасть на первое место? Приоритетное размещение даёт выделенную метку и более высокие позиции по целевым запросам, но Яндекс прямо пишет, что первое место не гарантирует. Минимальный срок — 90 дней. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-business-site-vs-own/ Локальное SEO # Сайт от Яндекс Бизнеса или свой сайт: честное сравнение для малого бизнеса Сайт от Яндекс Бизнеса создаётся бесплатно и автоматически, как только вы добавили компанию и подтвердили права на неё: это одностраничная визитка на адресе вида название.clients.site с данными из карточки. Для парикмахерской или мастерской этого часто достаточно на старте. Если же вам нужны статьи, свои страницы услуг, полноценный магазин или контроль над SEO, понадобится свой сайт. Ниже разбираем по справке Яндекса, что именно умеет визитка, где её потолок и почему разумнее всего совмещать оба варианта. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое сайт от Яндекс Бизнеса По [справке Яндекс Бизнеса](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/create-site), сайт публикуется сам после того, как вы добавили компанию и подтвердили права на неё. Информация берётся из профиля компании, поэтому поменяли телефон или часы работы в карточке — изменился и сайт. Отдельно его собирать не нужно. Ключевые факты из той же справки на 16 октября 2026 года: - **Адрес** формируется по шаблону `https://название.clients.site`. Название можно сменить в разделе «Сайт → Основное» (от 4 до 30 символов: латиница, цифры, дефис и подчёркивание). - **Стоимость**: создание бесплатно. - **Один сайт на компанию.** Если у компании уже есть свой сайт, оба работают параллельно. - **SSL** ставится автоматически, **счётчик Метрики** уже встроен. Удалить или отредактировать его нельзя, статистика видна в разделе «Статистика» кабинета. - Сайт можно снять с публикации и потом вернуть. Собственный домен в статье справки о создании сайта не описан. Если вам попадалась информация, что домен подключается в платной подписке, сверьте условия в своём кабинете: тарифы меняются, а официального описания мы на дату публикации не нашли. ## Что можно настроить на визитке Возможности ограничены набором блоков. По справке доступно: - **Основное**: заголовок, описание до 250 символов (оно же попадает в сниппет в поиске), обложка, логотип, кнопка действия, кнопка «Подписаться» со ссылкой на канал. - **О нас**: расширенное описание до 2550 символов. - **Каталог**: товары и услуги из прайс-листа, можно настроить блок корзины. - **Отзывы и фото** из карточки, включаются переключателем. - **Контакты**: подтягиваются из данных компании. - **Кнопка действия**: «Позвонить», «Оставить заявку», «Построить маршрут», «Записаться онлайн» или «Переход по ссылке». Набор зависит от заполненности профиля: без телефона кнопку звонка не создать. - **Оформление**: светлая или тёмная тема и цвет кнопки. Чего нет: своих страниц и разделов, блога, загрузки файлов (прайс-лист файлом прикрепить нельзя), своего фавикона. Добавлять информацию можно только в предусмотренные блоки. ## Сравнение: визитка Яндекс Бизнеса и свой сайт | Критерий | Сайт Яндекс Бизнеса | Свой сайт (WordPress, Tilda, Битрикс) | | Запуск | Автоматически после подтверждения компании | От вечера на конструкторе до недель с разработчиком | | Стоимость | Создание бесплатно | Домен, хостинг или тариф конструктора, иногда разработка | | Адрес | Поддомен clients.site | Свой домен, который принадлежит вам | | Структура | Одна страница из готовых блоков | Сколько угодно страниц: услуги, районы, статьи, кейсы | | Контент | Описание до 2550 символов, каталог, отзывы, фото | Без ограничений | | SEO-настройки | Заголовок и описание | Title и description каждой страницы, Sitemap, robots.txt, микроразметка | | Аналитика | Встроенная Метрика, статистика в кабинете | Свой счётчик Метрики с целями и полным доступом | | Вебмастер | Подтвердить права на чужом поддомене штатными способами вряд ли получится: файла, метатега и DNS у вас нет | Любой из способов подтверждения | | Переезд | Сайт живёт, пока живёт сервис и карточка | Можно сменить хостинг или CMS и сохранить домен | Про Вебмастер: по [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/rights.html) права подтверждаются HTML-файлом в корне, метатегом, TXT-записью в DNS, через менеджер тегов, регистратора или конструктор. На визитке вы не управляете ни кодом, ни DNS, поэтому считайте, что инструментов Вебмастера для неё у вас нет. Справка Яндекс Бизнеса этот вопрос не описывает. ## Когда визитки Яндекс Бизнеса достаточно - Вы работаете в одной точке, клиенты приходят по картам и звонят, а сайт нужен как «ссылка, где всё написано». - Услуг немного, их легко описать в прайс-листе и в 2550 символах. - Вы только проверяете спрос и не готовы тратить время на сайт. - Главное действие клиента — звонок, маршрут или запись, и для него есть готовая кнопка. В этих случаях визитка закрывает задачу почти без усилий. Важнее заполнить саму карточку: фото, часы работы, прайс, ответы на отзывы. Сайт возьмёт данные оттуда. ## Когда нужен свой сайт - **Вы хотите получать поисковый трафик по разным запросам.** Одна страница не может отвечать и на «ремонт стиральных машин», и на «замена подшипника стиральной машины Bosch». Под каждый спрос нужна своя страница. - **Вы работаете в нескольких районах или городах.** Страницы по районам и филиалам на визитке не сделать. - **Нужен магазин** с фильтрами, оплатой и доставкой. В справке визитки описан каталог и корзина, но не оплата и логистика. - **Вы планируете статьи**, кейсы и ответы на вопросы клиентов. Это главный бесплатный канал привлечения для маленького сайта. - **Вам важно владеть адресом.** Домен остаётся вашим при смене подрядчика, CMS и даже сервиса карт. - **Нужна аналитика с целями**: заявки, клики по телефону, переходы из партнёрских материалов. Если сомневаетесь в платформе: Tilda быстрее для лендинга, WordPress гибче для блога и сайта услуг, Битрикс выбирают под магазин и интеграции с 1С. Особенности продвижения каждой разобраны в статьях про [SEO на Tilda](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/tilda-seo/) и [SEO на Битриксе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/). ## Можно ли совмещать: да, и это лучший вариант Справка прямо говорит, что при наличии своего сайта оба работают параллельно. На практике схема выглядит так: - В карточке компании в поле сайта (при добавлении компании оно звучит как «Укажите сайт или социальную сеть», см. [справку по добавлению](https://yandex.ru/support/business-priority/ru/add-company/add-org.html)) укажите свой домен. - Визитку оставьте как быструю страницу для тех, кто пришёл из карт. Поставьте кнопку «Переход по ссылке» на нужный раздел своего сайта, например страницу записи или прайса. - Данные (адрес, телефон, часы) держите одинаковыми в карточке, на визитке и на своём сайте. Расхождения путают и клиентов, и поиск. - Свой сайт добавьте в Вебмастер и Метрику: пошагово это описано в статье [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). ## Условный пример выбора Условный пример: мастер маникюра на дому в одном районе. Клиенты находят её на картах и в соцсетях, записываются по кнопке. Визитки достаточно, свой сайт можно отложить. Другой условный пример: сервис по ремонту техники в трёх районах города, двадцать видов работ. Здесь визитка остаётся входом из карт, но основной трафик даст свой сайт со страницами услуг и районов и статьями вроде «почему стиральная машина не сливает воду». Подробнее о таком подходе — в статье о [продвижении сайта локального бизнеса](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/promote-local-business-website/). ## Частые ошибки при выборе - **Не заполнять карточку, надеясь на сайт.** Визитка показывает ровно то, что есть в профиле. Пустой профиль даёт пустую визитку. - **Делать свой сайт, но не указывать его в карточке.** Тогда клиенты из карт видят только визитку и не узнают о ваших подробных страницах. - **Копировать один и тот же текст** из «О нас» на визитке на главную своего сайта. Лучше написать на сайте подробнее и под конкретные услуги. - **Ждать трафика из поиска от визитки.** Одна страница с общим описанием не соберёт запросы по отдельным услугам, это задача своего сайта. - **Ставить на визитку ссылку на главную своего сайта**, а не на конкретную страницу записи или прайса. Каждый лишний клик теряет часть клиентов. ## Чек-лист: решите за пять минут - Больше трёх-четырёх разных услуг или районов? → нужен свой сайт. - Хотите писать статьи или вести блог? → свой сайт. - Нужна онлайн-оплата и доставка? → свой сайт или магазин на платформе. - Важно, чтобы адрес принадлежал вам? → свой домен. - Ни одного «да»? → начните с визитки и вернитесь к вопросу, когда клиенты начнут спрашивать то, чего на ней нет. ## Что делать дальше Если визитка уже работает, заполните карточку до конца и проверьте кнопку действия. Если запускаете свой сайт, через пару месяцев после старта полезно посмотреть на него со стороны: сколько страниц видит поиск, как быстро он грузится, есть ли трафик. Это можно сделать бесплатно на [проверке сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества 0–100 строится в основном на открытых данных, и рядом с каждой цифрой видно, откуда она взялась. А когда появятся первые статьи, их можно продвигать без бюджета, через партнёрские публикации с сайтами похожей тематики в [кабинете Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/app/) (сеть в публичной бете, ссылки в обмене размечаются rel="sponsored"). ## Частые вопросы ### Сколько стоит сайт в Яндекс Бизнесе? По справке Яндекс Бизнеса создание сайта бесплатно. Он публикуется автоматически после добавления компании и подтверждения прав на неё. ### Как создать сайт в Яндекс Бизнесе бесплатно? Добавьте компанию в Яндекс Бизнес, подтвердите права, и сайт опубликуется сам. Настроить его можно в разделе «Сайт → Основное → Редактировать», после правок нажмите «Сохранить и опубликовать». ### Можно ли подключить свой домен к сайту Яндекс Бизнеса? В статье справки о создании сайта описан только адрес на clients.site. Условия подключения своего домена, если они доступны, уточняйте в кабинете: официального описания на дату публикации мы не нашли. ### Как добавить свой сайт в карточку Яндекс Бизнеса? При добавлении компании укажите сайт на шаге с телефоном. Позже ссылку можно изменить в кабинете: «О компании» → «Данные». ### Можно ли иметь и визитку Яндекс Бизнеса, и свой сайт? Да. Справка говорит, что если у компании уже есть свой сайт, оба работают параллельно. Визитку удобно оставить как вход из карт, а основной контент держать на своём сайте. ### Сколько сайтов можно сделать на одну компанию в Яндекс Бизнесе? Один. Для каждой компании доступен только один сайт. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-filters-check/ Метрики сайта # Фильтры Яндекса: как узнать, что сайт под санкциями, и что делать Проверить сайт на фильтры Яндекса надёжно можно в одном месте — в Яндекс Вебмастере, раздел «Безопасность и нарушения»: если Яндекс ограничил сайт за нарушение, он показывает его там. Если раздел пуст, а трафик упал, причина чаще в сезонности, обновлении алгоритмов или конкурентах. Ниже порядок диагностики, виды нарушений по справке Яндекса и как выйти из-под ограничений. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Сначала: это точно фильтр? «Фильтр» в разговорах SEO-специалистов — это любые ограничения в поиске за нарушения. Но падение трафика из Яндекса бывает и без всяких санкций. Прежде чем искать нарушения, отсейте обычные причины: - **Сезонность.** Сравните падение с тем же периодом прошлого года в Метрике. Посмотрите динамику спроса на ваши основные запросы в Вордстате: если спрос упал у всех, сайт ни при чём. - **Технические сбои.** В Вебмастере проверьте «Индексирование» и «Диагностику сайта»: не выпали ли страницы, не стал ли сервер отдавать ошибки, не закрыли ли сайт в robots.txt после обновления. Пошагово это разобрано в статье [почему сайт не индексируется в Яндексе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/site-not-indexed-yandex/). - **Какие страницы просели.** Если упали одна-две страницы, это скорее конкуренты или изменение выдачи по конкретным запросам. Ограничения за нарушения, по [справке Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html), могут затрагивать весь сайт или его раздел. - **Сравнение с похожими сайтами.** Если просели все сайты в нише, это изменение выдачи или спроса. Если только ваш — повод искать причину у себя. Только после этого переходите к проверке нарушений. ## Где Яндекс показывает нарушения: «Безопасность и нарушения» В Вебмастере есть раздел «Безопасность и нарушения». По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/security/verdicts.html), если на этой странице нет списка нарушений, ограничения к сайту не применяются. Выявленные нарушения также отображаются в «Оптимизация сайта → Диагностика сайта», а Яндекс советует подписаться на уведомления, чтобы узнавать о проблемах быстрее. Справка перечисляет девять видов нарушений: | Нарушение | Что это значит по справке | | Использование SEO-текстов | тексты, написанные в первую очередь для поисковых роботов, а не для людей | | Неожиданное перенаправление | пользователей неочевидно перебрасывает на сторонние ресурсы | | Мимикрия | сайт выдаёт себя за другой популярный или официальный ресурс | | Клоакинг | посетители и роботы видят разное содержимое | | Нежелательное ПО | опасные или нежелательные программы, в том числе ссылки на них | | Социальная инженерия и обман | заведомо ложная информация ради данных или денег | | Недобросовестные действия | недостоверные или искажённые сведения, например о товарах и услугах | | Малополезный контент | содержимое не представляет ценности и не решает задач пользователей | | Имитация действий пользователей | искусственно накрученный трафик | Привычных названий вроде «АГС», «Баден-Баден» или «Минусинск» в этом списке нет: так их называли в отрасли и в старых анонсах. Ориентируйтесь на формулировки, которые показывает Вебмастер. ## Ссылки: что пишет Яндекс и что такое «Минусинск» Официальная позиция изложена в [рекомендациях Вебмастера по ссылкам](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/recommendations/links.html). Яндекс ценит ссылки, размещённые, чтобы помочь посетителям, а купленные ссылки, особенно через ссылочные биржи, по его словам, «мешают Яндексу корректно определять степень доверия к сайтам». Там же описаны атрибуты: `rel="sponsored"` для рекламных и партнёрских ссылок, `rel="ugc"` для пользовательских, `rel="nofollow"`. Разница между ними разобрана в статье [nofollow, sponsored и ugc](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc/). «Минусинск» — алгоритм против SEO-ссылок, о котором Яндекс объявил весной 2015 года. 15 мая 2015 года запуск подтвердил [блог Яндекса для вебмастеров](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/20337). Ещё до запуска [Sostav 15 апреля 2015 года](https://www.sostav.ru/publication/yandeks-otminusuet-seo-ssylki-16081.html) писал, что с середины мая сайты, которые продвигаются SEO-ссылками, могут ранжироваться ниже, а Яндекс призывал «отказаться от покупки ссылок как можно быстрее». Вывод сайта из-под «Минусинска» практики описывали как снятие покупных ссылок и ожидание переиндексации ([колонка на Sostav, 2016](https://www.sostav.ru/blogs/149410/20770)). Если вы подозреваете ссылочную проблему: - откройте в Вебмастере «Ссылки → Внешние ссылки» и посмотрите, откуда ведут ссылки и нет ли резкого всплеска; - снимите купленные ссылки там, где это возможно, или попросите владельцев поставить `rel="sponsored"`; - прекратите закупку: новые SEO-ссылки поверх старых проблему не решат. Отдельно о том, вредит ли обмен публикациями и чем честный обмен отличается от ссылочной схемы, — в статье [вреден ли обмен ссылками для SEO](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). Как распознать сайты из сеток, разобрано в материале [как распознать PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/). ## Накрутка поведенческих факторов «Имитация действий пользователей» в справке — это искусственное увеличение трафика, в том числе через сервисы или людей, которые изображают посещения ([справка Яндекса](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html)). Если вы или подрядчик заказывали «улучшение ПФ», первым делом прекратите это и попросите у подрядчика отчёт, какие работы велись. Бывает и обратная ситуация: в Метрике появились странные визиты, а вы ничего не заказывали. Посмотрите источники, географию и время на сайте у подозрительных визитов и зафиксируйте, когда они начались. Эти данные пригодятся, если придётся объяснять ситуацию поддержке Яндекса. ## SEO-тексты и малополезный контент Две позиции из списка касаются содержания. В [описании отличий качественного сайта от некачественного](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/yandex-indexing/webmaster-advice.html) Яндекс называет среди признаков плохих страниц невидимый или слабовидимый текст, списки поисковых запросов и повторы ключевых слов, скопированный или автоматически сгенерированный бесполезный контент. Что проверить: - нет ли на страницах блоков «для поисковиков»: перечней городов, запросов, повторяющихся фраз; - не спрятан ли текст (под спойлером без смысла, за краем экрана, цветом фона); - нет ли сотен почти одинаковых страниц, сделанных шаблоном под разные запросы; - отвечает ли каждая страница на вопрос, с которым на неё приходят. Исправление здесь — не «разбавить ключи», а переписать страницы для людей или удалить те, что не нужны никому. ## Порядок выхода: исправить, сообщить, ждать Если нарушение в Вебмастере есть, порядок по [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/security/verdicts.html) такой: - Исправьте нарушение на всём сайте, а не на одной странице из примера. - В блоке нарушения опишите, что изменили, при необходимости приложите файлы. - Отметьте «Нарушение исправлено» и нажмите «Отправить на проверку». - Ждите: срок проверки, по справке, «в течение 30 дней». - Если ограничение не сняли, повторно отправить сайт можно только через 30 дней с момента предыдущей отправки. Статусы, которые вы увидите: «Отправлено на проверку», «На проверке», «Ограничение снято» или «Ограничение не снято». После снятия ограничения позиции не обязаны вернуться к прежним: если часть трафика держалась на нарушении, его уже не будет. ## Почему онлайн-сервисы «проверки на фильтры» дают только догадки Сторонние сервисы не видят ваш Вебмастер. Они смотрят на косвенные признаки: падение видимости по своей базе запросов, количество страниц в индексе, иногда ИКС. Такие признаки совпадают с сезонностью, техническими сбоями и обычной конкуренцией, поэтому вывод «у вас Минусинск» по ним — только предположение. Используйте их как сигнал «что-то изменилось», а подтверждение ищите в Вебмастере. Будьте осторожны с платными услугами «вывода из-под фильтра» с гарантией сроков: решение о снятии ограничения принимает Яндекс после проверки, и никто снаружи не может его пообещать. ## Чек-лист диагностики | Шаг | Где смотреть | Что ищем | | 1. Сезонность | Метрика (год к году), Вордстат | падение спроса у всей ниши | | 2. Техника | Вебмастер: Индексирование, Диагностика | выпавшие страницы, ошибки сервера, robots.txt | | 3. Нарушения | Вебмастер: Безопасность и нарушения | есть ли блок нарушения | | 4. Ссылки | Вебмастер: Внешние ссылки | покупные ссылки, резкие всплески | | 5. Трафик | Метрика: источники, география | подозрительные визиты, накрутка | | 6. Контент | сами страницы | SEO-тексты, скрытый текст, шаблонные дубли | ## Что делать дальше Если раздел нарушений пуст, полезно понять, что изменилось именно у вас, а не у всех. Бесплатная [проверка сайта в Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) показывает индекс качества 0–100 по компонентам — оценка трафика, популярность, возраст, скорость — в основном по открытым данным, с источником у каждой цифры. Проверьте свой сайт и двух-трёх похожих конкурентов: если просели все, это скорее сезон или выдача, если только вы — продолжайте искать причину по чек-листу выше. Санкции наш индекс не определяет, это делает только Вебмастер. ## Частые вопросы ### Как проверить сайт на фильтры Яндекса? Откройте Яндекс Вебмастер, раздел «Безопасность и нарушения». Если Яндекс ограничил сайт за нарушение, оно отображается там и в «Диагностике сайта». Если список пуст, ограничения к сайту не применяются. ### Какие бывают фильтры Яндекса? Справка Вебмастера перечисляет девять видов нарушений: SEO-тексты, неожиданное перенаправление, мимикрия, клоакинг, нежелательное ПО, социальная инженерия, недобросовестные действия, малополезный контент и имитация действий пользователей. ### Что такое Минусинск? Алгоритм Яндекса против SEO-ссылок, о котором, по данным отраслевых СМИ, объявили в апреле 2015 года с запуском в середине мая. Он понижал сайты, продвигавшиеся покупными ссылками. ### Сколько выходить из-под фильтра Яндекса? После исправления и отправки на проверку Яндекс рассматривает сайт в течение 30 дней. Если ограничение не сняли, повторно отправить можно через 30 дней после предыдущей отправки. ### Можно ли узнать о фильтре через онлайн-сервисы? Только догадаться. Сторонние сервисы видят падение видимости и индекса, но не данные Вебмастера. Подтвердить ограничение можно только в разделе «Безопасность и нарушения». ### Почему упал трафик из Яндекса без фильтра? Частые причины: сезонность спроса, технические ошибки и выпадение страниц из индекса, изменения выдачи и рост конкурентов. Сравните год к году в Метрике и проверьте индексирование в Вебмастере. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/ Метрики сайта # ИКС сайта: что показывает индекс качества и как его повысить ИКС сайта — индекс качества, которым Яндекс показывает, насколько сайт полезен и удобен для пользователей. Он считается по данным сервисов Яндекса о размере аудитории, её удовлетворённости и доверии, а не по количеству ссылок. Разбираем, где смотреть ИКС, с чем его сравнивать, что его поднимает, а что может его обнулить. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое ИКС В [справке Яндекс Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/tic.html) определение звучит так: индекс качества сайта — «это показатель того, насколько сайт полезен и удобен для пользователей». Это число без верхней границы, которое Яндекс считает сам и показывает владельцам сайтов в Вебмастере. ИКС появился в 2018 году вместо тИЦ. Тематический индекс цитирования, как писал Яндекс в [новости от 22 августа 2018 года](https://yandex.ru/company/news/2018-08-22), определялся «по количеству и значимости ссылок» на сайт с других ресурсов. Причину замены компания объяснила прямо: ссылки перестали быть главным показателем качества сайта. Новый индекс, по той же новости, отражает востребованность сайта у аудитории и считается по данным Поиска и других сервисов Яндекса. Отсюда главное отличие: тИЦ можно было поднять покупкой ссылок, ИКС привязан к реальным людям, которые заходят на сайт и находят там то, что искали. ## Что учитывает ИКС по словам Яндекса Точной формулы Яндекс не публикует. В справке и в [блоге Вебмастера](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/iks-update) названы примеры критериев: - **размер аудитории сайта**; - **степень удовлетворённости пользователей**; - **уровень доверия** к сайту со стороны пользователей и Яндекса. Список дан как примеры, так что он может быть неполным. Ещё несколько правил из справки, которые полезно знать: - ИКС регулярно пересчитывается; точную периодичность справка не называет. - Для главного и неглавных адресов сайта, а также поддоменов показатель считается отдельно и может отличаться. Если доменные имена одинаковые, ИКС неглавного адреса равен ИКС главного. - Новому сайту ИКС рассчитывают в течение месяца после появления в результатах поиска. Если данных недостаточно, вместо значения стоит прочерк. 27 февраля 2026 года Яндекс [обновил алгоритм расчёта](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/iks-update) и предупредил, что сильнее всего показатель мог измениться у недавно появившихся сайтов. Если у вашего молодого сайта ИКС заметно сдвинулся весной 2026 года, причина, скорее всего, в этом обновлении. ## Влияет ли ИКС на позиции в поиске Нет. В том же посте об обновлении алгоритма Яндекс пишет: «ИКС не влияет на ранжирование сайта в поисковой выдаче». ИКС — это зеркало, а не рычаг: он отражает то, как сайт воспринимают пользователи, но сам по себе позиции не двигает. Практический вывод: гнаться за цифрой ИКС бессмысленно. Если сайт стал полезнее и на него ходит больше людей, ИКС со временем это покажет. Если цифру «нарисовать», ни трафика, ни позиций это не добавит. ## Где посмотреть ИКС своего и чужого сайта | Где | Что видно | Кому доступно | | Вебмастер → «Мои сайты» | Текущий ИКС ваших сайтов | Владельцу с подтверждёнными правами | | Вебмастер → «Оптимизация сайта» → «Показатели качества» | ИКС, его динамика и сравнение с другими сайтами | Владельцу | | Страница «Информация о сайте» (webmaster.yandex.ru/siteinfo/) | ИКС любого сайта по адресу | Любому пользователю | | Иконка ИКС на самом сайте | Текущее значение | Посетителям, если владелец её установил | На странице «Показатели качества» можно добавить конкурентов и следить за их ИКС рядом со своим. Когда ИКС вышел из бета-версии, Яндекс [писал в блоге](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/iks-vyshel-iz-bety-s-obnovlennoy-stranitsey-kachestva) о сравнении с 19 сайтами и о том, что свои данные можно смотреть за любой период. Это и есть официальная «история ИКС»: сторонние сервисы её не нужны, если сайт ваш. В настройках Вебмастера можно включить уведомления об изменении показателей, чтобы не проверять ИКС вручную. ## Какой ИКС считается хорошим Универсального порога нет, и любые таблицы вида «ИКС 50 — хорошо, 500 — отлично» — чьи-то домыслы. Яндекс таких порогов не публикует. Сравнивать ИКС имеет смысл только с сайтами вашей тематики и масштаба: у регионального сервиса по ремонту техники и у федерального новостного портала совершенно разная аудитория, а значит, и разный ИКС. Как оценить свой показатель честно: - Найдите 5–10 прямых конкурентов: сайты, которые выходят рядом с вами по вашим запросам. - Добавьте их на страницу «Показатели качества» или посмотрите их ИКС через «Информацию о сайте». - Посмотрите, где вы в этом ряду и как меняется разрыв за полгода. - Если ИКС упал, сравните с конкурентами за тот же период. Справка прямо советует учитывать сезонность: если у всех просадка в одно время, причина, скорее всего, в спросе. **Условный пример.** У небольшого блога о садоводстве ИКС 30, у трёх соседей по выдаче — от 20 до 60. Это нормальная позиция в своей нише, даже если в чужом прайсе «хорошим» назван ИКС от 100. Цифры придуманы для иллюстрации. ## Что реально помогает поднять ИКС Прямых рецептов повышения ИКС Яндекс не даёт. Общий совет из справки — развивать сайт и наполнять его полезным для пользователей контентом, тогда показатель может вырасти со временем. В [разделе о причинах изменения ИКС](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/site-quality-index/changes.html) перечислено, что стоит проверить. На этом списке можно построить рабочий план: - **Посадочные страницы.** Отвечают ли страницы, на которые приходят из поиска, на вопрос пользователя? Справка предлагает разобраться через отчёты Метрики, Вебвизор, «Поисковые запросы» в Вебмастере и «Подбор слов» и сравнить свои страницы с конкурентами. - **Индексирование.** Проверьте статус важных URL, дубли, robots.txt, скрытый от индексации текст и стабильность хостинга. Страница, которой нет в поиске, аудиторию не соберёт. - **Оптимизация контента.** Понятные title и заголовки H1–H6, метатег description, разметка Schema.org, alt у изображений, человекопонятные URL. - **Мобильная версия.** Посмотрите в Метрике и Вебвизоре, как сайт ведёт себя на смартфонах. - **Мнение аудитории.** Справка упоминает опросы и тестирование, например сервис «Взгляд». Отдельно — возвращающаяся аудитория. Удовлетворённость и доверие пользователей видны в том, возвращаются ли люди и находят ли нужное. Рассылка, регулярные обновления, полезные разделы, ради которых сайт добавляют в закладки, работают на эти критерии лучше, чем любые разовые акции. Общий план развития небольшого сайта на 90 дней есть в статье [как повысить авторитет сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-increase-domain-authority/) — большая часть шагов оттуда подходит и для ИКС. Чего в этом списке нет — ссылок. Покупка ссылок поднимала тИЦ, но ИКС, по описанию Яндекса, считается по аудитории и её поведению. ## Когда ИКС обнуляют или аннулируют Справка Вебмастера оставляет Яндексу право изменить алгоритм расчёта в любой момент без уведомления, обнулить значение или полностью аннулировать показатель. Названы два случая для аннулирования: на сайте обнаружены нарушения или «зафиксированы попытки воздействовать на ИКС сайта». Яндекс при этом не комментирует изменения и не даёт гарантий и сроков восстановления. Под «попытками воздействовать» на практике попадают накрутка посещаемости ботами, искусственные переходы из поиска и прочие способы имитировать аудиторию. В интернете до сих пор встречаются советы «поднять ИКС ботами» — это и есть попытка воздействовать на ИКС, за которую справка разрешает его обнулить или аннулировать. Не пользуйтесь такими услугами и не покупайте их у подрядчиков. ## Почему нельзя покупать сайты и ссылки «по ИКС» На биржах ссылок и в объявлениях о продаже сайтов ИКС часто стоит в первой колонке, а цена растёт вместе с ним. Проблема в том, что ИКС — одна цифра с отставанием во времени. Сайт мог потерять трафик полгода назад, а показатель ещё не догнал реальность. Бывает и обратное: сайт с накрученной аудиторией временно получает высокий ИКС до ближайшего пересчёта или аннулирования. Перед покупкой сайта или размещения проверяйте не ИКС, а то, что за ним стоит: - реальную посещаемость за год — по открытому счётчику или по доступу от владельца (см. [как бесплатно проверить посещаемость сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/)); - историю домена и смену тематики; - признаки сетки сайтов, созданных ради ссылок, — подробно в статье [как распознать PBN](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-spot-pbn-sites/); - полный чек-лист — в гайде [как проверить сайт перед покупкой](https://satelo.io/ru/guides/check-site-before-buying/). Если вы размещаете партнёрские материалы, помечайте ссылки в них как рекламные — атрибутом `rel="sponsored"`. Так устроен и обмен статьями в Satelo: это способ получить упоминание у живой аудитории, а не инструмент для подъёма ИКС или позиций. Чем грозят биржи ссылок, разобрано в статье [вреден ли обмен ссылками](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/is-link-exchange-bad-for-seo/). ## ИКС и другие метрики качества ИКС — не единственная оценка сайта, но единственная, которую считает сам Яндекс по своим данным. DA, DR, Authority Score и подобные метрики считают частные SEO-сервисы, в основном по ссылкам; чем они отличаются и почему один сайт получает в разных сервисах разные цифры, разобрано в статье [об авторитете домена](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/domain-authority-explained/). Если метрики сильно расходятся — например, высокий DR при низком ИКС, — это повод присмотреться: часто так выглядит сайт с большим количеством ссылок и маленькой живой аудиторией. ## Что делать дальше - Добавьте сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер, если ещё не сделали, и откройте «Показатели качества». - Добавьте в сравнение прямых конкурентов и включите уведомления об изменении ИКС. - Пройдитесь по списку причин изменения ИКС из справки: посадочные страницы, индексирование, мобильная версия. - Работайте над возвращаемостью аудитории, а не над цифрой. ИКС показывает итог, но не объясняет, из чего он сложился. Если хочется видеть разбор, проверьте домен на странице [проверки сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку 0–100 и цифры по каждому компоненту — место в Tranco, возраст домена, страницы в Common Crawl, скорость загрузки. Индекс Satelo построен в основном на открытых данных, бесплатен и работает для любого сайта, включая чужие. Источники проверены 16 октября 2026 года. ## Частые вопросы ### ИКС сайта — что это? Индекс качества сайта, которым Яндекс показывает, насколько сайт полезен и удобен для пользователей. Он считается по данным сервисов Яндекса, например по размеру аудитории, её удовлетворённости и доверию, и в 2018 году заменил тИЦ. ### Какой ИКС сайта считается хорошим? Универсального порога нет, Яндекс его не публикует. Сравнивайте ИКС с прямыми конкурентами своей тематики и масштаба и следите за динамикой, а не за абстрактной цифрой. ### Как поднять ИКС сайта? Яндекс советует развивать сайт и наполнять его полезным контентом. На практике это работа над посадочными страницами, индексированием, мобильной версией и возвращаемостью аудитории. Покупка ссылок на ИКС не рассчитана, а накрутка может привести к его аннулированию. ### Как проверить ИКС сайта онлайн? ИКС любого сайта можно посмотреть на странице «Информация о сайте» в Яндекс Вебмастере, введя адрес. Свой ИКС и его историю владелец видит в разделе «Оптимизация сайта» → «Показатели качества». ### Влияет ли ИКС на ранжирование в Яндексе? Нет. В блоге Яндекс Вебмастера прямо сказано, что ИКС не влияет на ранжирование сайта в поисковой выдаче. Он отражает интерес пользователей к сайту, но позиции сам не меняет. ### Почему у сайта нет ИКС или стоит прочерк? Прочерк означает, что данных о качестве сайта недостаточно. Также ИКС не отображается, если адрес указан неверно, сайт не участвует в поиске Яндекса или появился в нём недавно: показатель рассчитывают в течение месяца после появления в результатах поиска. ### Почему упал ИКС сайта? Частые причины — сезонность, снижение качества посадочных страниц, проблемы с индексированием и обновление алгоритма расчёта. Сравните динамику с конкурентами: если просадка у всех, дело, скорее всего, в спросе. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-metrika-for-beginners/ yandex metrika # Яндекс Метрика с нуля: установка на сайт и главные отчёты Чтобы установить Яндекс Метрику на сайт, создайте счётчик в metrika.yandex.ru, скопируйте его код и разместите на всех страницах сайта: вручную в шапке шаблона или через официальный плагин для WordPress и Битрикса, а на Tilda — в настройках аналитики. Потом проверьте, что данные идут, исключите собственные визиты и раз в неделю смотрите несколько отчётов. Ниже все шаги по справке Метрики на 16 октября 2026 года, для трёх популярных платформ сразу. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 6 мин чтения · Satelo ## Шаг 1. Создайте счётчик По [справке «Создание и установка счётчика»](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/creating-counter) порядок такой: - Войдите в свой Яндекс ID и откройте [создание счётчика](https://metrika.yandex.ru/add). - **Имя счётчика** — любое, по умолчанию подставится адрес сайта. - **Адрес сайта** (обязательное поле) — домен без `http://` и `https://`, например `example.ru`. Кириллический домен пишите кириллицей. Можно указать раздел, если статистика нужна только по нему. - **Часовой пояс** — выберите свой: статистика собирается по нему, а смена пояса не пересчитывает прошлые данные. - Включите **Вебвизор, карту скроллинга и аналитику форм**: для маленького сайта записи визитов часто полезнее любых графиков. - Примите пользовательское соглашение, нажмите «Продолжить» и заполните короткий профиль сайта. Код счётчика лежит на странице «Настройка», вкладка «Счётчик», кнопка «Скопировать». Важная деталь из справки: если код стоит не на всех страницах, статистика будет искажена. А после изменения некоторых настроек код нужно поставить заново. ## Шаг 2. Установите счётчик на сайт ### WordPress У Метрики есть официальный бесплатный [плагин «Яндекс Метрика» для WordPress](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/ecommerce/wordpress). Порядок по справке: - Если у вас уже стоит другой плагин с Метрикой (в названии «Метрика», «Metrica» или «Metrika»), деактивируйте его, чтобы не получить двойной счётчик. - «Плагины → Добавить новый», найдите «Яндекс Метрика», установите и активируйте. - В настройках плагина укажите номер счётчика (если плагин нашёл счётчик сам, просто проверьте поле). Вебвизор включён по умолчанию. - Сохраните и проверьте, что данные поступают (шаг 3). Справка просит включить в счётчике опцию «Электронная коммерция»: это нужно для магазинов на WooCommerce. Для блога она не мешает. Альтернатива без плагина — вставить код в шапку темы, но тогда при смене темы код пропадёт. ### Tilda По [справке Tilda](https://help-ru.tilda.cc/statistics/yandex-metrika): откройте «Настройки сайта → Аналитика → Яндекс Метрика», войдите в аккаунт или укажите номер счётчика, сохраните и **переопубликуйте все страницы**. Без переопубликации счётчик на старых страницах не появится, это самая частая ошибка. Там же можно отключить Вебвизор и передачу данных электронной коммерции. Статистика, по словам Tilda, появляется через несколько часов. ### 1С-Битрикс Для Битрикса есть официальный [модуль «Яндекс Метрика»](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/ecommerce/bitrix). Удалите старые модули Метрики, затем в «Marketplace → Установленные решения» установите модуль и в «Настройки → Настройки продукта → Настройки модулей → Яндекс Метрика» выберите сайт и укажите номер счётчика (только цифры). Про другие SEO-настройки этой CMS — в статье [SEO на Битриксе](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bitrix-seo/). ### Любой другой сайт Вставьте код в файл, который формирует шапку всех страниц, как можно ближе к началу: внутрь `head` или в начало `body`. Если на сайте несколько движков (например, отдельный форум), код нужен в каждом. ## Шаг 3. Проверьте, что счётчик работает По [справке «Как проверить счётчик»](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/check-counter.html) есть три способа: - **Проверка в интерфейсе**: «Настройка → Проверка счётчика», укажите адрес страницы — Метрика скажет, найден ли код. - **Режим отладки**: добавьте к адресу `?_ym_debug=2`, откройте страницу и в панели отладки найдите номер счётчика и событие PageView. Выключается через `?_ym_debug=0`. - **Отчёт**: зайдите на сайт в режиме инкогнито и посмотрите, появился ли визит. Если данных нет, справка называет типичные причины: код грузится с задержкой, его блокирует расширение вроде Adblock, CMS изменила код, на странице просто не было посетителей за период. ## Шаг 4. Уберите свои визиты Пока сайт маленький, ваши собственные заходы заметно искажают картину. В настройках счётчика на вкладке «Фильтры» включите **«Не учитывать мои визиты»**. По [справке о фильтрах](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/filters) он работает через cookies в браузере, где вы хотя бы раз входили в Метрику под владельцем счётчика, и начинает действовать через 15 минут после этого. Данные, собранные раньше, он не меняет. Если вы заходите на сайт с телефона или из другого браузера без входа в Яндекс, такие визиты могут посчитаться. Для этого есть фильтр по IP-адресу, но он имеет смысл, только если у вас постоянный внешний IP. ## Шаг 5. Пять отчётов, которых хватит маленькому сайту В Метрике десятки отчётов, но для блога или сайта услуг на старте хватит пяти. Смотрите их раз в неделю за последние 30 дней и сравнивайте с прошлым периодом. | Отчёт | Что он показывает | Какой вопрос закрывает | | Источники, сводка | Откуда приходят: поиск, прямые заходы, ссылки, соцсети | Какой канал работает, а какой молчит | | Поисковые фразы | С какими запросами люди пришли из поиска | О чём писать дальше и какие страницы усилить | | Страницы входа | С каких страниц начинаются визиты | Какие материалы приводят людей, а какие нет | | Устройства | Доля смартфонов, компьютеров и планшетов | Нужно ли срочно чинить мобильную версию | | Отказы и Вебвизор | Где уходят сразу, и что человек делал на странице | Почему страница не удерживает | Про отказы важно понимать определение. По [глоссарию Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/glossary.html) отказ — это визит короче 15 секунд (порог меняется в настройках), с не более чем одним просмотром и без события «неотказ». Человек, который прочитал статью за три минуты и ушёл, отказом не считается. Подробно о том, какие значения нормальны и что с ними делать, — в статье [про отказы в Метрике](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/bounce-rate-metrika/). Поисковые фразы дополняйте отчётом «Поисковые запросы» в Вебмастере: там видны показы и клики, а не только визиты. Как его читать, разобрано в [гиде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). ## Шаг 6. Дайте доступ: помощнику, рекламодателю или всем По [справке о доступе](https://yandex.ru/support/metrika/general/access.html) гостевой доступ по логину Яндекса бывает трёх уровней: «Только просмотр», «Редактирование» (всё, кроме удаления и переноса счётчика) и «Аналитика» (цели, сегменты и отчёты без правки настроек). Есть и **публичный доступ к статистике**: «Настройки → Доступ», включите опцию и получите ссылку. Публичные пользователи не увидят, в частности, поисковые фразы, отчёты Директа и Вебвизор. Публичная ссылка полезна, когда рекламодатель или партнёр просит показать трафик. Как этим пользоваться и чем открытая статистика отличается от скриншотов, рассказано в статье [об открытой статистике сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/). ## Типичные ошибки новичков - **Два счётчика на одной странице**: плагин плюс код в теме, или код, вставленный дважды. Визиты удваиваются, отказы выглядят странно. Проверьте через `?_ym_debug=2`, сколько счётчиков видно. - **Не переопубликовали страницы на Tilda.** Счётчик есть только на новых. - **Код стоит не на всех страницах**, например нет на блоге, сделанном отдельно. Справка прямо предупреждает, что статистика исказится. - **Свои визиты в статистике**, потому что фильтр не включён или вы заходите из другого браузера. - **Ждать выводов через три дня.** На маленьком сайте недельные колебания случайны, смотрите тренд за месяц. - **Слишком жёсткие фильтры**, которые отрезают реальных посетителей: справка советует удалить их, если данных нет при живом трафике. ## Рутина на 10 минут в неделю - Источники: вырос ли поисковый трафик по сравнению с прошлым месяцем. - Поисковые фразы: появились ли новые запросы, под которые стоит написать материал. - Страницы входа: какие три страницы дают больше всего визитов, и можно ли поставить с них ссылки на важные разделы. - Вебвизор: пара записей визитов с самой важной страницы. - Запишите одну цифру в таблицу: визиты из поиска за неделю. Через полгода это лучший отчёт о прогрессе. Следующий логичный шаг после установки — цели: клики по телефону, отправка формы, переходы в мессенджер. Часть из них Метрика создаёт автоматически, это видно в настройках счётчика. ## Что делать дальше Метрика показывает, что происходит внутри вашего сайта. Взгляд снаружи даёт [проверка сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): индекс качества 0–100 за 30 секунд, построенный в основном на открытых данных, и рядом с каждой цифрой — источник. Это удобно, чтобы сравнить себя с сайтами конкурентов, к чьей Метрике у вас доступа нет. Если сайт на WordPress, [плагин Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/connect/) подтверждает трафик и автоматически публикует партнёрские статьи от сайтов похожего уровня (сеть в публичной бете, ссылки в обмене с `rel="sponsored"`). А другие бесплатные способы оценить посещаемость, свою и чужую, собраны в обзоре [как проверить трафик сайта бесплатно](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Частые вопросы ### Как установить Яндекс Метрику на сайт бесплатно? Метрика бесплатна. Создайте счётчик на metrika.yandex.ru, скопируйте код на странице «Настройка» и вставьте его на все страницы сайта, либо подключите через официальный плагин для WordPress и Битрикса или настройки аналитики Tilda. ### Как установить Яндекс Метрику на WordPress? Установите официальный плагин «Яндекс Метрика» через «Плагины → Добавить новый», активируйте и укажите номер счётчика. Перед этим отключите другие плагины Метрики, чтобы не было двойного счётчика. ### Как подключить Яндекс Метрику к Tilda? Откройте «Настройки сайта → Аналитика → Яндекс Метрика», войдите в аккаунт или укажите номер счётчика, сохраните и переопубликуйте все страницы сайта. ### Через сколько появляются данные в Яндекс Метрике? Сбор начинается сразу после установки кода. Tilda в своей справке пишет, что статистика появляется через несколько часов. Проверить, что данные отправляются, можно сразу через параметр ?_ym_debug=2. ### Почему Яндекс Метрика не показывает мои визиты? Скорее всего, включён фильтр «Не учитывать мои визиты». Зайдите на сайт в режиме инкогнито. Если данных нет и у других посетителей, проверьте установку кода, блокировщики рекламы и фильтры счётчика. ### Можно ли поставить Метрику на сайт Яндекс Бизнеса? На сайте от Яндекс Бизнеса счётчик Метрики уже встроен, его нельзя ни удалить, ни отредактировать, а статистика показана в разделе «Статистика» кабинета. ### Как дать доступ к Метрике другому человеку? В «Настройки → Доступ» добавьте его логин Яндекса с уровнем «Только просмотр», «Аналитика» или «Редактирование». Можно также включить публичный доступ к статистике и отправить ссылку. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-turbo-pages-shutdown/ yandex webmaster # Турбо-страницы Яндекса отключены: что это значит для вашего сайта и что делать сейчас Турбо-страницы Яндекса больше не поддерживаются: компания объявила об этом 7 февраля 2025 года, а в начале апреля 2025-го технология и раздел в Вебмастере были отключены. Создать Турбо-страницы сегодня нельзя, поэтому старые инструкции «как подключить Турбо» можно не читать. Что действительно нужно сделать: проверить мобильную версию сайта, решить судьбу фидов, обновить ссылки на Турбо-версии и перенести монетизацию на обычные страницы. Ниже разбираем по посту Яндекса и отраслевым новостям, что изменилось и чек-лист на один вечер. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 5 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое Турбо-страницы и почему их отключили Турбо-страницы — облегчённые копии страниц сайта, которые Яндекс хранил у себя и быстро показывал на смартфонах. Сайт передавал контент через RSS- или YML-фид, а Яндекс собирал из него упрощённую версию. В [блоге Яндекс Вебмастера](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/yandex-stops-supporting-turbo-technology) 7 февраля 2025 года объяснили решение так: технология появилась, когда мобильный интернет был медленным, а мобильная адаптация была сложной. Теперь сети стали быстрее, мобильная версия стала базовой функцией сайта, и Турбо, по оценке Яндекса, потеряла актуальность. Поддержку прекратили через два месяца, в начале апреля 2025 года, вместе с разделом «Турбо-страницы» в Вебмастере. Новость дублировали [ppc.world](https://ppc.world/news/yandeks-prekratit-podderzhivat-turbo-stranicy-cherez-dva-mesyaca/) и [click.ru](https://blog.click.ru/market-news/yandeks-prekratil-podderzhku-turbo-stranic/). ## Что изменилось: коротко по пунктам | Что | Как сейчас | Источник | | Создание новых Турбо-страниц | Невозможно, технология не поддерживается | [Блог Вебмастера](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/blog/yandex-stops-supporting-turbo-technology) | | Раздел в Вебмастере | Отключён | Там же | | Показ в поиске | Вместо Турбо пользователи видят оригинальные страницы сайтов, Турбо открываются только по прямым ссылкам (на апрель 2025 года) | [click.ru](https://blog.click.ru/market-news/yandeks-prekratil-podderzhku-turbo-stranic/) | | Трафик | По замерам Яндекса отключение не влияет на распределение трафика между сайтами | Блог Вебмастера | | Фиды | Удалять не обязательно: робот может продолжать их скачивать как сигнал о новых страницах | Блог Вебмастера | | Реклама РСЯ на Турбо | Уже размещённые блоки работали, новые создать нельзя (на апрель 2025 года) | click.ru | ## Упадёт ли трафик сайта Это главный страх, и официальный ответ в посте прямой: по результатам экспериментов и замеров отключение Турбо не влияет на распределение трафика между сайтами. То есть само по себе отключение не должно сдвигать вас относительно конкурентов: Турбо потеряли все одновременно. Но есть оговорка. Раньше медленная или неудобная мобильная версия «пряталась» за Турбо: человек из поиска видел быструю копию. Теперь он попадает на ваш настоящий сайт. Если тот грузится долго или разваливается на телефоне, люди будут уходить чаще. Поэтому разумно сравнить мобильный трафик и отказы в Метрике за периоды до и после апреля 2025 года. Если просели именно мобильные визиты из Яндекса, причина почти наверняка в мобильной версии. ## Что делать с фидами Турбо По посту Яндекса, удалять фиды вручную не нужно. Загруженные фиды уже известны роботу, он может периодически их скачивать, и это даёт Поиску сигналы о новых страницах. Если вы не хотите, чтобы робот продолжал их читать, удалите фид или закройте его в `robots.txt`. Практическое правило: - **Фид обновляется автоматически** (например, его генерирует плагин или CMS) и в нём только ваши актуальные страницы → можно оставить, вреда нет. - **Фид заброшен**, в нём старые или удалённые URL → лучше удалить или закрыть, чтобы робот не тратил время на мусор. - **Плагин Турбо в CMS** больше ничего полезного не делает, кроме генерации фида. Если фид не нужен, плагин можно удалить, это уменьшит нагрузку и число обновлений. Сигналы о новых страницах надёжнее давать штатными способами: актуальный Sitemap, переобход в Вебмастере и IndexNow. Как всё это настроить, описано в статье [как добавить сайт в Яндекс](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/add-site-to-yandex/). ## Ссылки на Турбо-версии: замените их В комментариях к посту Яндекса сотрудник компании писал, что Турбо-страницы какое-то время будут доступны по прямой ссылке, а потом вместо них должен появиться 301-редирект на оригинал. Он же советовал заменить ссылки на Турбо ссылками на основные страницы. Другие комментаторы сообщали, что редирект появился не везде, так что проверьте сами. Где такие ссылки обычно остаются: - посты в соцсетях и Telegram-канале, куда копировали ссылку из мобильной выдачи; - рассылки и закреплённые сообщения; - объявления в Директе и посевы, которые вели на Турбо; - партнёрские статьи и каталоги, где вашу ссылку взяли из поиска на телефоне. Откройте пару старых ссылок с телефона. Если они ведут не на ваш сайт или открывают пустую страницу, замените их на обычные URL. Это полезно и для аналитики: переходы будут видны в Метрике как визиты на ваш сайт. ## Чем заменить Турбо: мобильная версия и скорость Яндекс прямо советует переключить внимание на мобильную версию сайта: проверить, что она адаптирована под основные размеры экранов, с помощью инструмента [«Проверка мобильных страниц»](https://webmaster.yandex.ru/site/tools/mobile-friendly/) в Вебмастере. Что проверить по шагам: - **Адаптивность.** Прогоните через проверку главную, одну статью или карточку услуги и одну страницу каталога. Шаблоны разные, ошибки тоже. - **Скорость.** Самые частые тормоза: тяжёлые картинки, лишние скрипты чатов и виджетов, медленный хостинг. Подробный разбор метрик и порядок исправлений — в статье [Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/). - **Читаемость.** Размер шрифта, отступы, кнопки, по которым можно попасть пальцем, отсутствие горизонтальной прокрутки. - **Всплывающие окна.** Баннер на весь экран при входе раньше не мешал на Турбо, а теперь мешает на сайте. - **Диагностика в Вебмастере.** Загляните в раздел диагностики: там Яндекс сам сообщает о проблемах с сайтом. Как его читать, разобрано в [гиде по Вебмастеру](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/). Если сайт на конструкторе (Tilda, Яндекс Бизнес и т. п.), адаптив обычно есть «из коробки», но проверить всё равно стоит: свои блоки с фиксированной шириной часто ломают вёрстку на телефоне. ## Монетизация: что делать с рекламой с Турбо Если вы зарабатывали на РСЯ через Турбо-страницы, доход теперь зависит от обычной мобильной версии. Яндекс в посте предлагает: - попробовать мобильные форматы [«Полноэкранный»](https://yandex.ru/support2/partner/ru/web/units/types/fullscreen) и [Floor Ad](https://yandex.ru/support2/partner/ru/web/units/types/floor-ad); - экспериментировать с расположением блоков и смотреть на влияние на доход; - при вопросах обращаться в поддержку Рекламной сети. Осторожнее с полноэкранными форматами: они легко ухудшают удобство, а удобство на телефоне — это ровно то, чем раньше вас прикрывала Турбо. Если трафик пока небольшой, есть и другие способы заработка без агрессивной рекламы, они собраны в статье [как монетизировать сайт с малым трафиком](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/monetize-low-traffic-site/). ## Три заблуждения, которые ещё встречаются - **«Без Турбо сайт выпадет из мобильного поиска».** Нет: Турбо была лишь способом показа. Индексируются и ранжируются ваши обычные страницы, а Яндекс прямо пишет, что распределение трафика отключение не меняет. - **«Нужно срочно удалить все фиды и плагины, иначе будут санкции».** Нет: Яндекс разрешает оставить фиды. Удалять стоит то, что устарело или нагружает сайт, а не из страха. - **«Турбо заменили чем-то новым, надо подключить».** Отдельной замены в посте Яндекса нет. Замена — ваша собственная быстрая мобильная версия. ## Как понять, был ли у вашего сайта Турбо Если вы купили сайт или получили его от прежнего подрядчика, могли остаться следы Турбо. Проверьте три места: - список плагинов или модулей CMS: ищите «Турбо», «Turbo», «Yandex Turbo»; - файлы фидов в корне сайта или ссылки на них в настройках плагина; - старые письма и уведомления Вебмастера о Турбо-страницах. Если что-то нашлось, пройдите по чек-листу ниже. Если нет, достаточно проверить мобильную версию. ## Чек-лист на один вечер - Сравните в Метрике мобильный трафик из Яндекса и отказы до и после апреля 2025 года. - Прогоните три типа страниц через «Проверку мобильных страниц». - Решите судьбу фида: оставить, если он актуален, или удалить и закрыть в robots.txt. - Удалите неиспользуемый Турбо-плагин из CMS. - Проверьте Sitemap и при желании подключите IndexNow. - Найдите и замените старые ссылки на Турбо-версии в соцсетях, рассылках и объявлениях. - Перенастройте рекламные блоки под обычную мобильную версию. - Не тратьте время на инструкции «как создать Турбо-страницы»: они устарели. ## Что делать дальше После того как Турбо больше не скрывает реальный сайт, полезно взглянуть на него со стороны. [Проверка сайта Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/) за 30 секунд показывает индекс качества 0–100, в который входят и данные о скорости (PageSpeed), и рядом с каждой цифрой видно, откуда она взялась. Индекс строится в основном на открытых данных, поэтому так же можно проверить и конкурентов, чтобы понять, кто из них лучше пережил отключение Турбо. ## Частые вопросы ### Турбо-страницы Яндекса ещё работают? Нет. Яндекс объявил о прекращении поддержки 7 февраля 2025 года, технология и раздел в Вебмастере отключены в начале апреля 2025 года. В поиске вместо Турбо показываются оригинальные страницы сайтов. ### Можно ли сейчас создать Турбо-страницы? Нет. Технология не поддерживается, раздел «Турбо-страницы» в Вебмастере отключён. Инструкции по созданию Турбо, которые ещё попадаются в выдаче, устарели. ### Нужно ли удалять фиды Турбо-страниц? По посту Яндекса удалять вручную не обязательно: робот может продолжать их скачивать как сигнал о новых страницах. Если не хотите этого, удалите фид или закройте его в robots.txt. ### Упадёт ли трафик после отключения Турбо? По замерам Яндекса отключение не влияет на распределение трафика между сайтами. Но если мобильная версия медленная или неудобная, посетители могут чаще уходить, поэтому её стоит проверить. ### Что делать со ссылками на Турбо-страницы? Заменить их ссылками на обычные страницы сайта. Сотрудник Яндекса писал о планах 301-редиректа на оригиналы, но комментаторы сообщали, что он появился не везде, так что проверьте свои ссылки вручную. ### Что стало с рекламой РСЯ на Турбо-страницах? По данным click.ru на апрель 2025 года, уже размещённые блоки продолжали работать, а новые создать нельзя. Яндекс советует перенести монетизацию на мобильную версию сайта, например с форматами «Полноэкранный» и Floor Ad. --- URL: https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-webmaster-guide/ yandex webmaster # Яндекс Вебмастер: как пользоваться сервисом, если вы открыли его впервые Чтобы пользоваться Яндекс Вебмастером, достаточно добавить сайт, подтвердить права и регулярно смотреть четыре места: диагностику, страницы в поиске, поисковые запросы и показатели качества. Остальные разделы нужны по случаю: переобход, удаление страниц, регион, Sitemap. Ниже разбираем каждый раздел по актуальной справке Яндекса и даём рутину на 15 минут в неделю. Опубликовано: 2026-10-16 · 8 мин чтения · Satelo ## Что такое Яндекс Вебмастер и зачем он владельцу сайта В [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/info.html) Вебмастер описан как сервис, который показывает, насколько легко пользователям найти ваш сайт. Через него можно следить за индексированием страниц, позициями в поиске и техническим состоянием сайта. Проще говоря, это единственное место, где Яндекс сам рассказывает, что он знает о вашем сайте и что ему мешает. Главные разделы по той же справке: поисковые запросы, диагностика, индексирование, ссылки, представление в поиске, уведомления, инструменты и API. Интерфейс Яндекс регулярно меняет. Например, 28 января 2026 года «Показатели качества», «Отзывы» и «Настройка иконки ИКС» переехали в раздел «Оптимизация сайта», а 26 ноября 2025 года обновилась диагностика (это видно в [журнале изменений Вебмастера](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/about.html)). Поэтому названия пунктов меню ниже сверены со справкой на 16 октября 2026 года. Если у вас что-то называется иначе, ориентируйтесь на смысл раздела. ## Шаг 1. Добавьте сайт и подтвердите права Без подтверждения прав часть инструментов работает, но подробных данных о сайте вы не увидите. Порядок из [быстрого старта](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/quick-start.html) и [страницы о правах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/rights.html): - Войдите с Яндекс ID и нажмите «Добавить сайт» на странице «Мои сайты». - Укажите адрес точно так, как сайт открывается: с http или https, с www или без. Версии с www и без считаются разными сайтами. - Выберите способ подтверждения: HTML-файл в корне сайта (Яндекс рекомендует его), метатег `yandex-verification` на главной, TXT-запись в DNS, Tag Manager, регистратор домена или плагин вашей CMS. - Нажмите «Подтвердить». Проверка может занять до 24 часов. Не удаляйте файл или метатег после подтверждения. Яндекс периодически проверяет, что элемент на месте, и если не находит его, сайт становится неподтверждённым. Добавление сайта, как подчёркивает справка, не гарантирует его появления в поиске: это лишь доступ к данным. ## Шаг 2. Диагностика: что считать критичным Раздел находится в «Оптимизация сайта» → «Диагностика сайта». По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/site-diagnostics.html), сайт проверяется ежедневно, а проблемы делятся на типы: - **Ошибки**: проблемы, которые нашёл робот. С них и начинайте. - **Рекомендации**: настройки, которые помогают лучше выглядеть в поиске. - **Самостоятельные проверки**: список пунктов, которые вы отмечаете как выполненные или нерелевантные. - **Нарушения и проблемы с безопасностью**: самый критичный тип, он может привести к ограничениям сайта или его разделов в поиске. Их смотрят отдельно, в «Оптимизация сайта» → «Безопасность и нарушения». Исправили ошибку или рекомендацию — нажмите «Я всё исправил» и дождитесь перепроверки. Если ошибка повторится, сообщить об исправлении снова можно только через 30 дней, так что не нажимайте кнопку, пока не уверены. На странице [нарушений](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/security/verdicts) перечислено девять типов, среди них «Использование SEO-текстов», «Клоакинг», «Малополезный контент» и «Имитация действий пользователей». После исправления нужно описать, что вы изменили, поставить отметку «Нарушение исправлено» и нажать «Отправить на проверку». Проверка может идти до 30 дней. Пустой блок нарушений — нормальное и желаемое состояние. ## Шаг 3. Индексирование: что в поиске, что исключено и почему Это раздел, ради которого новички чаще всего и открывают Вебмастер. Главная страница здесь — «Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске». По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/searchable.html), у неё три режима: - «Последние изменения»: какие страницы добавились в поиск или выпали из него за три месяца. - «Все страницы»: что сейчас участвует в поиске. - «Исключенные страницы»: что не попало в поиск, с причиной в колонке статуса. Каждый список показывает до 50 000 адресов, его можно отфильтровать и выгрузить в XLS или CSV. Важная оговорка Яндекса: само число исключённых страниц на ранжирование сайта не влияет. Смотреть нужно не на количество, а на то, какие именно страницы исключены. ### Причины исключения и что с ними делать | Причина в Вебмастере (суть) | Что сделать | | Малоценная или маловостребованная страница | Прямого исправления нет: решение алгоритма периодически пересматривается. Если это важная страница, сделайте её полезнее и уникальнее. | | Ошибка загрузки (ответ 3XX, 4XX, 5XX) | Проверьте ответ сервера, добейтесь 200 OK, убедитесь, что страница есть в Sitemap. | | Запрет в robots.txt или метатег noindex | Уберите запрет, если страница должна быть в поиске. | | Редирект, дубль, неканоническая страница | Проверьте, что так и задумано: редирект ведёт куда нужно, canonical указывает на правильный адрес. | | Неглавное зеркало | Если сайты склеены по ошибке, следуйте разделу справки о разгруппировке. | | Нарушения на сайте | Откройте «Безопасность и нарушения». | Таблица пересказывает [страницу справки об исключённых страницах](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/excluded-pages.html). Там же сказано, что пагинация, фильтры, страницы сравнения и почти одинаковые карточки товаров могут исключаться, и это не повод для паники. После исправления страница может вернуться в поиск в течение двух недель после того, как робот заметит изменения. ### Проверка одной страницы Если вопрос про конкретный адрес, откройте «Индексирование» → «Проверка страницы». По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/check-url.html), инструмент показывает код ответа, который получает робот, как робот видит содержимое, статус страницы в поиске и адаптацию под мобильные устройства. Для страниц на JavaScript есть отдельный пункт «Рендеринг страниц JavaScript» (бета). ## Шаг 4. Переобход, Sitemap и счётчик Метрики Новую или исправленную страницу можно не ждать, а показать роботу самому. Путь: «Индексирование» → «Переобход страниц». По [справке](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/site-reindex.html): - Число адресов ограничено общим лимитом на домен и поддомены, лимит обновляется ежедневно. Конкретную цифру справка не называет, вы увидите её в интерфейсе. - Заявки в статусе «В очереди» обрабатываются не дольше трёх дней. - Статус «Заявка обработана» значит, что робот посетил страницу, а не что она попала в поиск. Данные обновляются в течение двух недель. - robots.txt, favicon и Sitemap через переобход отправлять не нужно. Для Sitemap есть «Файлы sitemap» в том же разделе «Индексирование». Sitemap обычно обрабатывается в течение двух недель после добавления, и его можно указать либо в Вебмастере, либо в robots.txt ([справка по Sitemap](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/controlling-robot/sitemap.html)). Ещё один источник адресов для робота — счётчик Метрики. Его привязывают в «Настройки» → «Привязка к Яндекс Метрике», а потом включают «Индексирование» → «Обход по счетчикам»; после этого робот узнаёт о страницах со счётчиком ([справка Метрики](https://yandex.ru/support/metrica/ru/general/link-webmaster.html)). Общий ориентир из [статьи о добавлении сайта в поиск](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/robot.html): после обхода страницы могут появиться в поиске в течение двух недель. Для страниц, которые важны для бизнеса, есть «Индексирование» → «Мониторинг важных страниц»: там видно поисковый статус каждой и причину, если страница выпала ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/robot-workings/check-important.html)). Добавьте туда главную, ключевые услуги и лучшие статьи. ## Шаг 5. Как удалить страницу из поиска Частый хвост запроса — «удалить страницу из поиска». Инструмент находится в «Инструменты» → «Удаление страниц из поиска». В [обучающем материале Яндекса](https://b2b.yandex.ru/adv/edu/webmaster/webmaster-start/kak-udalit-stranitsu-iz-poiska) (обновлён 4 марта 2026 года) есть важная деталь: сам инструмент — временная мера. Чтобы страница не вернулась, она должна отдавать 404 или 410 либо иметь noindex. Запрет в robots.txt не равен запрету индексации: робот не увидит noindex на закрытой странице, и удаление затянется. ## Шаг 6. Поисковые запросы: бесплатная замена проверки позиций Платный сервис проверки позиций маленькому сайту часто не нужен: Вебмастер сам показывает, по каким запросам вас видят. По [справке о статистике запросов](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/statistics.html), для запросов доступны показы, клики, CTR и средняя позиция, есть фильтры по региону и типу устройства, данные обновляются ежедневно. «Популярные запросы» охватывают последние три месяца, а важные запросы можно сложить в группу «Избранные» и следить за ними отдельно. Ограничения, о которых стоит помнить (из [справки о группах запросов](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/search-queries.html)): - в статистику попадают только запросы, по которым сайт был в топ-50; показы ниже 50-й позиции не учитываются; - позиция средняя и не фиксированная, она меняется даже в течение дня; - новому сайту нужна примерно неделя, чтобы накопились данные; - в «Избранные» помещается до 1 000 запросов, групп на сайт — до 100. Как этим пользоваться на практике. **Условный пример:** у статьи 400 показов в неделю, средняя позиция 8, а CTR заметно ниже, чем у соседних страниц сайта. Это сигнал переписать title и описание под формулировку запроса, а не наращивать текст. Если же показов почти нет, проблема раньше: страница не в поиске или не отвечает на запрос. ## Шаг 7. Показатели качества, Алиса AI и ссылки ИКС владелец видит в «Оптимизация сайта» → «Показатели качества» и в списке «Мои сайты» ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-quality-index.html)). Что он отражает и почему не влияет на ранжирование, мы подробно разобрали в статье [про ИКС сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/yandex-iks-explained/). С 7 апреля 2026 года в Вебмастере есть инструмент «Видимость сайта в Алисе AI»: он показывает, как сайт представлен в ответах Алисы AI в Поиске (запись в [журнале изменений](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/about.html)). Отдельной страницы справки с описанием отчёта на дату написания мы не нашли, поэтому интерфейс не пересказываем. Как в целом попадать в ответы нейросетей, читайте в материале [о цитировании в ChatGPT](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-get-cited-by-chatgpt/): принципы для Алисы во многом те же. В разделе «Ссылки» видны внутренние и внешние ссылки на сайт. Справка отдельно оговаривает, что большое число внешних ссылок само по себе не меняет положение сайта в поиске, если вы не пытаетесь обмануть поисковую систему, и что Вебмастер показывает не все ссылки ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-indexing/external-links.html)). Так что не гонитесь за счётчиком: смотрите, кто на вас ссылается и нет ли битых ссылок на удалённые страницы. ## Шаг 8. Настройки, которые делают один раз - **Уведомления.** Колокольчик внизу меню → «Настроить». Можно получать письма, сообщения в Telegram и push, включить темы «Ошибки на сайте», «Рекомендации», «Обновление ИКС» и еженедельную сводку на почту ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/service/notifications.html)). Это самое полезное, что можно сделать за минуту. - **Регион.** «Представление в поиске» → «Региональность». Регион нужен локальному бизнесу, информационному сайту можно выбрать «Нет региона». Регион не исключает сайт из выдачи в других регионах, а изменения применяются в течение двух недель после модерации ([справка](https://yandex.ru/support/webmaster/ru/site-geography/site-region.html)). - **Метрика и Sitemap.** Привяжите счётчик и добавьте Sitemap, как описано в шаге 4. Если Метрики ещё нет, заодно посмотрите, [как открыть статистику сайта](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/open-site-statistics/) для партнёров. ## Рутина: что смотреть раз в неделю Чтобы Вебмастер не превратился в вкладку, которую открывают раз в полгода, заведите короткий чек-лист. На небольшой сайт уходит около 15 минут. | Где | Что проверить | Когда действовать | | Уведомления | Новые ошибки и сообщения | Любое сообщение об ошибке или нарушении | | Диагностика сайта | Блок «Ошибки» | Появилась новая ошибка | | Безопасность и нарушения | Пусто ли | Любая запись — в приоритет | | Страницы в поиске → Последние изменения | Какие страницы выпали | Выпала важная страница | | Мониторинг важных страниц | Статусы ключевых URL | Статус сменился на исключённый | | Поисковые запросы | Показы, клики, CTR по «Избранным» | Резкое падение или низкий CTR при хорошей позиции | | Переобход страниц | Отправить новые и обновлённые статьи | Каждая публикация | Раз в месяц добавьте к этому ИКС, внешние ссылки и скорость сайта. Про последнее у нас есть разбор [Core Web Vitals для небольших сайтов](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/core-web-vitals-for-small-sites/), а сверить трафик с конкурентами поможет обзор [бесплатных способов проверить посещаемость](https://satelo.io/ru/blog/how-to-check-website-traffic-free/). ## Типичные ошибки новичков - **Добавить не ту версию адреса.** Сайт открывается на https без www, а в Вебмастер добавлен http с www. Данные будут неполными. - **Паниковать из-за исключённых страниц.** Их число на ранжирование не влияет; важна только судьба нужных вам URL. - **Закрыть в robots.txt страницу, которую хотите удалить.** Робот не увидит noindex и 404, удаление затянется. - **Нажимать «Я всё исправил» наугад.** При повторной ошибке следующая попытка будет только через 30 дней. - **Читать среднюю позицию как точную.** Это среднее за день и только по показам в топ-50. ## Что делать дальше Вебмастер показывает, как ваш сайт видит Яндекс, но только ваш и только изнутри. Чтобы понять, на каком уровне сайт относительно других, нужен взгляд со стороны. Проверьте сайт в [бесплатном индексе качества Satelo](https://satelo.io/ru/check/): за полминуты вы получите оценку от 0 до 100 и увидите, на каких данных построена каждая цифра. Данные в основном открытые, так что их можно перепроверить, а оценку можно получить и для сайта конкурента, к которому у вас нет доступа в Вебмастере. ## Частые вопросы ### Что такое Яндекс Вебмастер? Это сервис Яндекса для владельцев сайтов. Он показывает, какие страницы участвуют в поиске и почему другие исключены, по каким запросам сайт видят пользователи, какие ошибки нашёл робот, а также даёт инструменты: переобход, удаление страниц из поиска, настройку региона и Sitemap. ### Как добавить сайт в Яндекс Вебмастер? Войдите с Яндекс ID, на странице «Мои сайты» нажмите «Добавить сайт», укажите адрес с правильным протоколом и www, затем подтвердите права: HTML-файлом, метатегом, DNS-записью, через Tag Manager, регистратора или CMS. Проверка занимает до 24 часов. ### Как проверить индексацию сайта в Яндекс Вебмастере? Откройте «Индексирование» → «Страницы в поиске». Там три режима: последние изменения, все страницы в поиске и исключённые страницы с причиной. Для одного адреса используйте «Индексирование» → «Проверка страницы». ### Почему страницы исключены из поиска Яндекса? Частые причины: малоценная или маловостребованная страница, ошибка загрузки, запрет в robots.txt или noindex, редирект, дубль или неканоническая страница. Причина указана в колонке статуса. Само число исключённых страниц на ранжирование не влияет. ### Как ускорить индексацию новой страницы? Отправьте её через «Индексирование» → «Переобход страниц», держите актуальным Sitemap и привяжите счётчик Метрики с включённым обходом по счётчикам. Заявки обрабатываются до трёх дней, данные в поиске обновляются в течение двух недель. ### Как удалить страницу из поиска через Яндекс Вебмастер? Сначала настройте на странице ответ 404 или 410 либо noindex и не закрывайте её в robots.txt. Затем отправьте адрес в «Инструменты» → «Удаление страниц из поиска». Без этих настроек инструмент работает как временная мера. ### Где в Вебмастере посмотреть позиции сайта? В статистике поисковых запросов: там показы, клики, CTR и средняя позиция по запросам, с фильтром по региону и устройству. Учтите, что данные есть только по запросам, где сайт был в топ-50, а позиция усреднена за день.