From a5ae07e374167013ba2b4b1136227e3ec09fa155 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: szaganek Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:28:47 +0200 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] docs: Move HC article on SEO --- nginx.conf | 5 +- .../actor_description_seo_description.md | 2 +- .../importance_of_actor_url.md | 2 +- .../promoting-your-actor/seo.md | 124 --------------- .../scraping_with_ai/05_before_publishing.md | 2 +- sources/platform/actors/monetizing/index.mdx | 13 -- sources/platform/actors/promoting/index.mdx | 20 +++ sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx | 150 ++++++++++++++++++ .../publishing/publish/actor-readme.mdx | 12 +- 9 files changed, 185 insertions(+), 145 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 sources/academy/build-and-publish/promoting-your-actor/seo.md create mode 100644 sources/platform/actors/promoting/index.mdx create mode 100644 sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx diff --git a/nginx.conf b/nginx.conf index 9a21fe483d..09d9e47f58 100644 --- a/nginx.conf +++ b/nginx.conf @@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ server { rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/get-most-of-actors/actor-readme$ /actors/publishing/actor-readme permanent; rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/get-most-of-actors/monetizing-your-actor$ /platform/actors/publishing/monetize permanent; rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/get-most-of-actors/naming-your-actor$ /academy/actor-marketing-playbook/actor-basics/name-your-actor permanent; - rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/get-most-of-actors/seo-and-promotion$ /academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/seo permanent; + rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/get-most-of-actors/seo-and-promotion$ /actors/promote/seo permanent; rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/getting-started/actors$ /academy/getting-started/actors permanent; rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/getting-started/apify-api$ /academy/getting-started/apify-api permanent; rewrite ^/academy/apify-platform/getting-started/apify-client$ /academy/getting-started/apify-client permanent; @@ -813,6 +813,9 @@ server { # Monetization overview moved from the Academy to Monetize section rewrite ^/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/store-basics/how-actor-monetization-works$ /actors/publishing/monetize permanent; + # SEO guide moved from the Academy to Promote section + rewrite ^/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/seo$ /actors/promote/seo permanent; + # Misc rewrite ^/platform/integrations/llama$ /platform/integrations/llama-index permanent; # HubSpot marketplace publishing requires the capitalized path; redirect to canonical lowercase page diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/actor_description_seo_description.md b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/actor_description_seo_description.md index cfb27a92ed..69cbe19fb3 100644 --- a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/actor_description_seo_description.md +++ b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/actor_description_seo_description.md @@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ _SEO description (and SEO name)_ is targeting a “cold” potential user who kn _Description (and name)_ is targeting a “warm” potential user who is already curious about your tool. They have clicked on the tool's page and have a few seconds to understand how complex the tool is and what it can do for them. Here you can forget SEO optimization and speak directly to the user. The regular description also has a longer character limit, which means you can expand on your Actor’s features. -Learn more about search intent here: [SEO](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/seo) +Learn more about search intent here: [SEO](/actors/promote/seo) ## Where can Actor descriptions be set? diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/importance_of_actor_url.md b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/importance_of_actor_url.md index fbf2ee0331..c80d1bedf4 100644 --- a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/importance_of_actor_url.md +++ b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/importance_of_actor_url.md @@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ The easiest way is to make sure the Actor name and the technical name match. As The name should reflect not only what Actor does (or what website it targets), but also what words people use when they search for it. This is why it's also important to do SEO research to see which keywords work best for the topic. Ideally, the URL should include a keyword that has low complexity (low competition) but high traffic (high demand). -Learn more about SEO research and the best tools for it here: [SEO](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/seo) +Learn more about SEO research and the best tools for it here: [SEO](/actors/promote/seo) ### Inspiration in Apify Store diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/promoting-your-actor/seo.md b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/promoting-your-actor/seo.md deleted file mode 100644 index f2ef60288d..0000000000 --- a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/promoting-your-actor/seo.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,124 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: SEO -description: Learn how to optimize your content to rank higher on search engines like Google and Bing, attract more users, and drive long-term traffic - all for free. -sidebar_position: 1 -category: build-and-publish -slug: /actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/seo ---- - -SEO means optimizing your content to rank high for your target queries in search engines such as Google, Bing, etc. SEO is a great way to get more users for your Actors. It’s also free, and it can bring you traffic for years. This guide will give you a simple framework to rank better for your targeted queries. - -## Search intent - -Matching the search intent of potential users is super important when creating your Actor's README. The information you include should directly address the problems or needs that led users to search for a solution like yours. For example: - -- _User goals_: What are users trying to accomplish? -- _Pain points_: What challenges are they facing? -- _Specific use cases_: How might they use your Actor? - -Make sure your README demonstrates how your Actor aligns with the search intent. This alignment helps users quickly recognize your Actor's value and helps Google understand your Actor and rank you better. - -_Example:_ - -Let’s say you want to create a “YouTube Hashtag Scraper” Actor. After you search YouTube HashTag Scraper, you see that most people searching for it want to extract hashtags from YouTube videos, not download videos using a certain hashtag. - -## Keyword research - -Keyword research is a very important part of your SEO success. Without that, you won’t know which keywords you should target with your Actor, and you might be leaving traffic on the table by not targeting all the angles or targeting the wrong one. - -We will do keyword research with free tools, but if you want to take this seriously, we highly recommend [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/). - -### Google autocomplete suggestions - -Start by typing your Actor's main function or purpose into Google. As you type, Google will suggest popular search terms. These suggestions are based on common user queries and can provide insight into what your potential users are searching for. - -_Example:_ - -Let's say you've created an Actor for scraping product reviews. Type "product review scraper" into Google and note the suggestions: - -- product review scraper free -- product review scraper amazon -- product review scraper python -- product review scraper api - -These suggestions reveal potential features or use cases to highlight in your README. - -### Alphabet soup method - -This technique is similar to the previous one, but it involves adding each letter of the alphabet after your main keyword to discover more specific and long-tail keywords. - -_Example_: - -Continue with "product review scraper" and add each letter of the alphabet: - -- product review scraper a (autocomplete might suggest "api") -- product review scraper b (might suggest "best") -- product review scraper c (might suggest "chrome extension") - -...and so on through the alphabet. - -### People Also Ask - -Search for your Actor's main function or purpose on Google. Scroll down to find the "People Also Ask" section, which contains related questions. - -_Example_: - -For a "product review scraper" Actor: - -- How do I scrape product reviews? -- Is it legal to scrape product reviews? -- What is the best tool for scraping reviews? -- How can I automate product review collection? - -Now, you can expand the “People Also Ask” questions. Click on each question to reveal the answer and generate more related questions you can use in your README. - -### Google Keyword Planner - -Another way to collect more keywords is to use the official Google Keyword Planner. Go to [Google Keyword Planner](https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/) and open the tool. You need a Google Ads account, so just create one for free if you don’t have one already. - -After you’re in the tool, click on “Discover new keywords”, make sure you’re in the “Start with keywords” tab, enter your Actor's main function or purpose, and then select the United States as the region and English as the language. Click “Get results” to see keywords related to your Actor. - -Write them down. - -### Ahrefs Keyword Generator - -Go to [Ahrefs Keyword Generator](https://ahrefs.com/keyword-generator), enter your Actor's main function or purpose, and click “Find keywords.” You should see a list of keywords related to your Actor. - -Write them down. - -## What to do with the keywords - -First, remove any duplicates that you might have on your list. You can use an online tool [like this one](https://dedupelist.com/) for that. - -After that, we need to get search volumes for your keywords. Put all your keywords in a spreadsheet, with one column being the keyword and the second one being the search volume. - -Go to the [Keyword Tool](https://backlinko.com/tools/keyword), enter the keyword, and write down the search volume. You will also see other related keywords, so you might as well write them down if you don’t have them on your list yet. - -At the end, you should have a list of keywords together with their search volumes that you can use to prioritize the keywords, use the keywords to name your Actor, choose the URL, etc. - -### Headings - -If it makes sense, consider using keywords with the biggest search volume and the most relevant for your Actor as H2 headings in your README. - -Put the most relevant keyword at the beginning of the heading when possible. Also, remember to use a clear hierarchy. The main features are H2, sub-features are H3, etc. - -### Content - -When putting keywords in your Actor’s README, it's important to maintain a natural, informative tone. Your primary goal should be to create valuable, easily understandable content for your users. - -Aim to use your most important keyword in the first paragraph of your README. This helps both search engines and users quickly understand what your Actor does. But avoid forcing keywords where they don't fit naturally. - -In your content, you can use the keywords you gathered before where they make sense. We want to include those keywords naturally in your README. - -If there are relevant questions in your keyword list, you can always cover them within an “FAQ” section of your Actor. - -Remember that while including keywords is important, always prioritize readability and user experience. Your content should flow naturally and provide real value to the reader. - -## Learn more about SEO - -If you want to learn more about SEO, these two free courses will get you started: - -- [SEO Course for Beginners](https://ahrefs.com/academy/seo-training-course) by Ahrefs -- [SEO Courses](https://www.semrush.com/academy/courses/seo/) by Semrush - -The [Ahrefs YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@AhrefsCom/featured) is also a great resource. You can start with [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsVTqzratPs). diff --git a/sources/academy/webscraping/scraping_with_ai/05_before_publishing.md b/sources/academy/webscraping/scraping_with_ai/05_before_publishing.md index cb0c4eb996..6b3280a44c 100644 --- a/sources/academy/webscraping/scraping_with_ai/05_before_publishing.md +++ b/sources/academy/webscraping/scraping_with_ai/05_before_publishing.md @@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ A useful, reliable Actor can still sit quietly on Apify Store while nobody notic - [Record a short demo](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/video-tutorials) that follows one run from input to useful results. It doesn't have to be fancy or polished. Even a rough screencast with some free background music will do. It probably won't rack up huge numbers on YouTube, but you can add it to your README and share it wherever your users hang out. - Pick one or two places where people already discuss the problem your Actor solves. Answer questions, show how the Actor helps, and listen to the feedback. That's more useful than dropping the same promotional post everywhere. -Marketing can go much further than this, but that's a course of its own. When you're ready for more, continue with the [marketing checklist](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/checklist) and the guide to [making your Actor easier to find through search](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/seo). +Marketing can go much further than this, but that's a course of its own. When you're ready for more, continue with the [marketing checklist](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/checklist) and the guide to [making your Actor easier to find through search](/actors/promote/seo). ## Wrapping up diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/index.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/index.mdx index 41b63ed8e3..8cfb74b204 100644 --- a/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/index.mdx +++ b/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/index.mdx @@ -79,16 +79,3 @@ The analytics dashboard allows you to select specific Actors and view key metric - Shared debug runs from users All metrics can be exported as JSON for custom analysis and reporting. - -## Promote your Actor - -Create search-engine-optimized descriptions and README files to improve search engine visibility. Share your Actor on multiple channels: - -- Post on Reddit, Quora, and social media platforms -- Create tutorial videos demonstrating key features -- Publish articles about your Actor on relevant websites -- Consider creating a product showcase on platforms like Product Hunt - -Remember to tag Apify in your social media posts for additional exposure. Effective promotion can significantly impact your Actor's success, differentiating between those with many paid users and those with few to none. - -Learn more about promoting your Actor with [Apify's marketing checklist](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/checklist). diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/promoting/index.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/promoting/index.mdx new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..eb6f455de5 --- /dev/null +++ b/sources/platform/actors/promoting/index.mdx @@ -0,0 +1,20 @@ +--- +title: Promote Actors +description: Learn how to promote your Actors in Apify Store. Make your Actor easier to find and trust, build credibility with users, and reach new audiences outside the platform. +slug: /actors/promote +sidebar_position: 5 +sidebar_label: Promote +--- + +Publishing your Actor puts it in Apify Store, but that alone doesn't bring users. Promotion is how people find your Actor, understand what it does, and trust it enough to run it. It often decides whether an Actor gets paying users. + +Create search-engine-optimized descriptions and README files to improve search engine visibility. Share your Actor on multiple channels: + +- Post on Reddit, Quora, and social media platforms. +- Create tutorial videos demonstrating key features. +- Publish articles about your Actor on relevant websites. +- Consider creating a product showcase on platforms like Product Hunt. + +Remember to tag Apify in your social media posts for additional exposure. Effective promotion can impact your Actor's success and make it more visible to potential users. + +Learn more about promoting your Actor with [Apify's marketing checklist](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/promote-your-actor/checklist). diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..13e40f1776 --- /dev/null +++ b/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx @@ -0,0 +1,150 @@ +--- +title: SEO for Actors +description: Learn how to optimize your Actor to rank higher on search engines like Google or Bing, attract more users, and drive long-term traffic. +slug: /actors/promote/seo +sidebar_position: 1 +--- + +Search engine optimization (SEO) means shaping your content so it ranks high in search engines like Google and Bing for the queries you target. Your Actor's page in Apify Store can rank in search results when people look for the problem your Actor solves. That brings you users for free, often for years. + +Two things decide how your page performs in search: + +- Your keywords, titles, and links decide for which queries your page appears. +- The quality of your content decides how high the page ranks for those queries. + +If you target high-volume queries that don't match your Actor, visitors leave right away, and search engines push your page down. If you address a niche group of users who then run your Actor, search engines push the page up. + +Always write for your users first. Create quality content that provides value and engagement to your users. Over-optimizing for search engines can get your page penalized. + +## Understand search intent + +It's important to understand why people search for a tool like yours. Your Actor's page should address the problems that brought users to Google, for example: + +- What are users trying to accomplish? +- What challenges are they facing? +- How might they use your Actor? + +Make sure your README demonstrates how your Actor aligns with the search intent. This alignment helps users recognize your Actor's value and helps Google understand your Actor and rank it higher. + +For example, let's say you're building a YouTube hashtag scraper. When you search for “YouTube hashtag scraper”, the results show that most people want to extract hashtags from YouTube videos, not download videos that use a certain hashtag. Your Actor's page should address the first need. + +## Find keywords + +Keyword research can help you find phrases your potential users type into search engines. Without it, you might target the wrong phrases and lose traffic to other tools. + +### Google autocomplete suggestions + +Type your Actor's main purpose into Google. As you type, Google suggests popular search terms based on common queries. These suggestions are based on common user queries and can provide insight into what your potential users are searching for. + +For example, type “product review scraper” and note the suggestions: + +- product review scraper free +- product review scraper amazon +- product review scraper python +- product review scraper api + +These suggestions reveal potential features or use cases that you can highlight in your Actor's README. + +### Alphabet soup method + +Add each letter of the alphabet after your main keyword to find more specific, long-tail keywords: + +- product review scraper a (autocomplete might suggest “api”) +- product review scraper b (autocomplete might suggest “best”) +- product review scraper c (autocomplete might suggest “chrome extension”) + +Continue through the rest of the alphabet. + +### People Also Ask + +Search for your Actor's main purpose on Google and scroll down to the **People Also Ask** section. For example, for a product review scraper, you might see the following questions: + +- How do I scrape product reviews? +- Is it legal to scrape product reviews? +- What is the best tool for scraping reviews? +- How can I automate product review collection? + +Select each question to expand it. Google then adds more related questions, which you can answer in your README. + +### Google Keyword Planner + +[Google Keyword Planner](https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/) requires a Google Ads account, which is free to create. + +To collect keywords with Google Keyword Planner: + +1. Open Google Keyword Planner and select **Discover new keywords**. +1. In the **Start with keywords** tab, enter your Actor's main purpose. +1. Set the region to United States and the language to English. +1. To see keywords related to your Actor, select **Get results**. + +### Ahrefs Keyword Generator + +Go to [Ahrefs Keyword Generator](https://ahrefs.com/keyword-generator), enter your Actor's main purpose, and select **Find keywords**. Add the results to your list. + +## Prioritize keywords + +Turn your list into a ranked set of keywords: + +1. Remove duplicates, for example with [Dedupe List](https://dedupelist.com/). +1. Put the keywords in a spreadsheet, with one column for the keyword and one for its search volume. +1. Look up each keyword's search volume in [Keyword Tool](https://backlinko.com/tools/keyword). The tool also shows related keywords, so add new ones to your list. +1. Sort the list by search volume and relevance to your Actor. + +Use the top keywords in your Actor's name, title, and the opening of your README. Use the rest in your README headings and body text. + +## Apply keywords + +Your Actor has several elements that search engines read, and each one serves a different reader. + +### Actor name and URL + +The Actor name is the technical name of your Actor, prefixed by your username, for example `bob/find-broken-links`. Apify generates your Actor's URL from that name, so it's an important signal for search engines. However, the name should also be readable, so that people using your Actor can understand what it does just from the name. + +For details, see [Name your Actor](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/actor-basics/name-your-actor) and [Importance of Actor URL](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/actor-basics/importance-of-actor-url). + +### Actor title + +The title is the human-readable name of your Actor, and it's the most important field for SEO. Match it to the most likely search query. + +### Actor descriptions + +Actor descriptions help people decide whether to use your Actor. Say what your Actor does and skip the boilerplate. + +The SEO description appears in search results. Use it for popular variations of your title and the phrases from your keyword research, while still describing what the Actor does: + +- ✅ Do: This Amazon bot will help, whereas the Amazon API won’t. Use the crawler... +- ❌ Don't: This crawler will search through results in Amazon and offers you... + +For details, see [Actor description and SEO description](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/actor-basics/actor-description). + +### Actor README + +The README gives you the most room for SEO optimization, without compromising readability for your users. Make sure the text includes other variants of what potential users of your Actor might search for. It's also a good idea to repeat the name of your Actor several times. + +- ✅ Do: You can use this Amazon Crawler with your code (Python, PHP, Java) to crawl Amazon without the API... +- ❌ Don't: Follow the instructions in the README and if you have any comments, see the FAQ section... + +For details, see [Actor README](/actors/publishing/actor-readme). + +## Build links + +Keywords decide which searches your Actor appears in. Links tell search engines your Actor is worth showing. + +### Link from README + +Add the following links to your Actor's README: + +- Similar Actors and relevant Apify articles that can help your users. +- External libraries your Actor uses. +- The website your Actor scrapes. + +If you have multiple public Actors, promote them at the end of the README: + +- ✅ Do: Like my Amazon Crawler? See my Amazon Review Crawler. + +### Share your Actor + +Every link from another site to your Actor helps search engines find it sooner. Share your Actor on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Reddit, and other platforms. In your posts, include the Actor's name and link. In group discussions, add a sentence on why your Actor is useful. + +- ✅ Do: Need to crawl #Amazon or #Yelp? See my Amazon crawler https://... +- ❌ Don't: I just created something, check it out on Apify... diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/publishing/publish/actor-readme.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/publishing/publish/actor-readme.mdx index 5f41ed7828..9102139224 100644 --- a/sources/platform/actors/publishing/publish/actor-readme.mdx +++ b/sources/platform/actors/publishing/publish/actor-readme.mdx @@ -157,11 +157,13 @@ A good README must strike a balance between what you want the visitors to know, Any part of your README can become a visible snippet in search results or a direct inspiration for an AI chat reply. The intro sentence describing what your Actor is about, a video, a random question. That's why it's important to structure and write your README with search engines in mind. +For tips on how to define keywords and understand search intent, see [SEO for Actors](/actors/promote/seo). + ### Table of contents -The H1 heading of your page is the Actor name, so use only H2 and H3 in your README. +The H1 heading of your page is the Actor name, so use only H2 and H3 in your README. Put the most relevant keyword at the beginning of the heading when possible and use a clear hierarchy. -H2 headings form the table of contents. To keep it less crowded, keep the H2s to the basics and push the longer phrases and questions to H3s. +H2 headings form the table of contents. To keep it less crowded, keep the H2s to the basics and push the longer phrases and questions to H3s. Consider using keywords with the biggest search volume and the most relevant for your Actor as H2 headings H3 headings stay hidden in the table of contents until you hover your cursor over it. @@ -169,7 +171,9 @@ H4 headings don't appear in the table of contents. ### Keywords -Do SEO research for keywords and see how they can fit into the text of your README. Prioritize H2s and H3s, add keyword-heavy paragraphs. +When putting keywords in your Actor's README, maintain a natural, informative tone. Your primary goal is to create valuable and understandable content for your users. + +Aim to use your most important keyword in the first paragraph of your README. It helps search engines and users quickly understand what your Actor does. Avoid forcing keywords where they don't fit naturally. The easiest sections to include keywords in are, for example: @@ -178,7 +182,7 @@ The easiest sections to include keywords in are, for example: - Python, as in extract data in Python - scrape, as in how to scrape X -It's worth optimizing the headings, since the H2s and H3s can be returned in search results. For example, they might appear in the **People also ask** section or get highlighted in the sitelinks of Google search results. +It's worth optimizing the headings, since the H2s and H3s can be returned in search results. ### Videos From 8d3c1947c01f4ed70d923ff10381a935752ca605 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: szaganek Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:38:04 +0200 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] delete double space --- sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx index 13e40f1776..2cd45843bd 100644 --- a/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx +++ b/sources/platform/actors/promoting/seo.mdx @@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Two things decide how your page performs in search: If you target high-volume queries that don't match your Actor, visitors leave right away, and search engines push your page down. If you address a niche group of users who then run your Actor, search engines push the page up. -Always write for your users first. Create quality content that provides value and engagement to your users. Over-optimizing for search engines can get your page penalized. +Always write for your users first. Create quality content that provides value and engagement to your users. Over-optimizing for search engines can get your page penalized. ## Understand search intent