SEO for beginners
This page is an introduction to terms, not a guide on "how to rank #1 on Google in a week." SEO is long-term work to make your site understandable for people and technically sound for search engines.
Honestly: No plugin (including Puluno) guarantees first place. Google uses hundreds of signals — content quality, speed, links from other sites, query relevance, and more. The plugin helps you avoid unnecessary mistakes and see what's actually on your site.
What SEO really is
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) = optimization for search engines. In practice it means:
- Have useful content on your site for people searching for something.
- Technically enable Google to find, understand, and index the page.
- In search results, try to be clear (title, description) — so people click on you.
SEO is not:
- a magic word that replaces a good product or copy;
- keyword spam in every sentence;
- a guarantee of a specific position.
How Google "sees" a page (simplified)
| Step | What happens | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Crawling | Google bot follows links and downloads HTML pages | Crawls /, /shop/, /contact/ |
| Indexing | Google decides whether to store the page in the index | Blog post → yes; cart → often no |
| Ranking | For a specific query, picks pages that make sense | Query "wooden floors Prague" → your page vs. competition |
| Display (SERP) | Shows title, URL, and description in results | Blue heading + green URL + gray text |
Puluno mainly shows you what's in the HTML head — what the bot gets before it even reads the page design.
Terms you'll see in Puluno and elsewhere
For each term: what it is, what it's for, when you need it, what if it's missing / wrong.
SEO title (title tag)
What it is: Text in the browser tab and the main blue heading in Google (usually).
What it's for: Tells Google and people what the page is about. One of the most important relevance signals.
When you need it: On every page you want in search.
When missing or wrong: Google makes up a title (often from H1 or first text) — may not match what you sell.
Example:
E-shop — product "Oak floor Nature"
- Good:
Oak floor Nature 14 mm | Store name - Bad:
HomeorNaturealone
Reality: Long titles get truncated. Puluno watches length around 30–60 characters (ideal), max. ~70.
Meta description
What it is: Short text under the URL in search results.
What it's for: Mainly persuading clicks — not a direct "lever to #1", but affects click-through rate (CTR).
When you need it: On pages where you want to look professional in results and explain the offer.
When missing: Google composes description from page content — often not nicely or fully.
Example:
We deliver up to 12 floor samples, measure your room, and help you choose. Prague and surroundings.
Reality: Google may not always use your meta description — for some queries it shows another excerpt from the page if it seems more relevant.
Focus keyword
What it is: Word or phrase you target for that page.
What it's for in Puluno: Organization and control — see whether title and description make sense for the topic. Not a secret signal Google automatically "turns on."
When you need it: When managing many pages and you don't want chaotic titles.
When you ignore it: Nothing "breaks." Google still evaluates entire page content, not one plugin field.
Example: Page about floor sampling → focus floor sampling
Reality: Focus keyword was overestimated before. Today it's more important that the page answers the query than that the word is in a plugin field.
Robots / noindex
What it is: Instructions for bots: index the page (show in search) or don't index (noindex).
What it's for: Hide pages that don't belong in search.
When you need it (noindex): Cart, checkout, login, thank-you pages after order, internal test pages, sometimes legal pages with minimal content.
When noindex is missing where it should be: Google may index duplicate or weak content — wastes crawl budget and can look unprofessional.
Example: /cart/ → noindex, follow (don't index, but follow links on the page)
Reality: noindex = page should not be in results. nofollow on a link = "don't follow this link" — different concept, often confused.
Canonical URL
What it is: Telling Google: this is the main version of this page.
What it's for: When multiple URLs have the same content (URL parameters, http/https, www/no-www), canonical says which version you prefer.
When you need it: E-shops with filters, print versions, syndicated content.
When missing or wrong: Google may index the wrong variant or split "strength" between duplicates.
Example: https://example.cz/product/?color=oak → canonical to https://example.cz/product/
Open Graph (OG) — social preview
What it is: Meta tags for Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, etc. (title, description, image).
What it's for: When someone shares a link, a nice card appears — not a random image from the footer.
When you need it: Blog, products, landing pages — where sharing is actually used.
When missing: The network picks anything from the page (often logo or first image).
Reality: OG does not directly affect classic Google ranking — it's about presentation when sharing.
Schema / structured data (JSON-LD)
What it is: Machine-readable content description (product, FAQ, business, article…) in JSON in HTML.
What it's for: Google may show rich results (stars, FAQ expandable box, product price).
When you need it: Product e-shop, FAQ pages, local business with opening hours — where rich results make sense.
When missing: Page works normally — just without extra display in results.
When wrong or untruthful: Google ignores schema or in worse cases may violate guidelines. Don't lie in schema (prices, reviews, FAQ).
Example: FAQ on contact page — question "How much is shipping?" and answer in schema must be visible on the page.
XML sitemap
What it is: List of URLs you want search engines to know (WordPress generates it at /wp-sitemap.xml).
What it's for: Helps discovery of pages, especially new or deep in the menu.
When you need it: Almost always — standard on larger sites.
When missing or wrong: Google relies on links — large sites without sitemap index slower.
Reality: Sitemap does not guarantee indexing — Google may know a page and still not index it if content is weak or noindex.
robots.txt
What it is: Text file in site root (/robots.txt) with rules for bots.
What it's for: Tell bots which paths not to crawl (not a replacement for noindex!).
When you need it: Block admin, filters, API — not critical content you want indexed.
When wrong: You may accidentally block the whole site (Disallow: /) — then Google crawls nothing.
Reality: robots.txt is not a noindex replacement. A page blocked in robots.txt for crawl may still be known to Google if someone links to it.
Google Search Console (GSC)
What it is: Google's free tool for site owners.
What it's for: Verify the site is yours; which queries bring impressions; indexing errors; sitemap submission.
When you need it: As soon as you want real data from Google, not guesses.
When you don't have it: Site can work — you just don't see what Google does until someone says "we can't find you."
Reality: GSC shows data with delay (typically days). Puluno can pull some data via API — still reporting, not controlling positions.
Redirect (301 / 302)
What it is: Rule "old URL → new URL".
| Type | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | Permanent redirect | Renamed page, new domain |
| 302 | Temporary | Short promotion, A/B test (careful) |
When you need it: Changed post slug, merged products, moved from HTTP to HTTPS.
When missing: Visitor and Google hit 404 — loss of traffic and "strength" of old URL.
404 error (page not found)
What it is: URL does not exist.
What monitoring is for: People have old bookmarks, broken links, bots try /wp-admin, etc.
When to fix: Frequent 404 on important paths → redirect to correct page.
Reality: Occasional 404 on a site is normal. Problem is volume and important URLs.
Internal linking
What it is: Links within your site (menu, post → product, related posts).
What it's for: Helps visitors and bots find more content. Orphan page = nowhere on the site links to it (except sitemap).
When you need it: Always — often underestimated on larger sites.
When missing: Important pages are harder to discover and harder for people to find.
Example: Blog about floor maintenance should link to product categories — not be an "island."
IndexNow
What it is: Protocol for faster notification of URL changes to search engines (Bing and partners).
What it's for: After publishing a post, ping — "we updated this URL."
When you need it: Actively publishing sites where fast indexing on Bing etc. matters.
When you don't have it: Nothing dramatic — Google does not use IndexNow the same way; for Google rely on sitemap and links.
Reality: IndexNow does not guarantee instant indexing.
llms.txt
What it is: File /llms.txt — brief site map for AI systems (ChatGPT, Perplexity…), not classic Google crawl.
What it's for: Help AI tools understand what's important on the site.
When you need it: Optional — more forward-looking, not SEO basics.
When you don't have it: Classic SEO practically doesn't suffer.
What to do in practice (simple process)
- Every important page — meaningful title + description (not empty "Home").
- Cart, login, internal stuff — noindex.
- Verify site in GSC and submit sitemap.
- After URL change — 301 redirect.
- Occasionally review orphan pages and 404 (Link Scope in Puluno).
- Schema only truthful — FAQ must be visible on the page.
How Puluno SEO relates
Puluno does not judge your copy quality like a copywriter. It does this:
- Shows all URLs and head tags in one place (Center).
- Warns about missing description, long title, noindex on indexable pages.
- Helps with redirects, GSC overview, schema builder, internal links.
For content, price, reviews, and site speed you're still responsible — and that's right.
Where to go next
- Glossary A–Z — quick term table
- FAQ for agencies — answers for clients, what not to promise
- Introduction and plugin installation — technical start
- Puluno Center — how to read the audit
- Editor and SERP preview — editing title and description
- GSC & redirects — Search Console in practice
*Last text update: 2026. Written in line with Google Search Essentials — if Google rules change, we'll update this guide too.*