It’s hard to find a subject that’s as controversial as “SEO,” even though it seems like Search Engine Optimization should be a reasonable one to discuss. After all, the discipline is partly a science. Certainly, there must be universal issues that everyone can agree about, right? The reality is, very few consensus agreements ever exist about how to implement SEO practices correctly.

#1. Content Is King

For years, the very existence of top web content was thought to be the primary driver of search engine traffic. If your site had copious amounts of “high-quality content” you would miraculously rank for every keyword around. This perception changed when Google began to focus on many other factors in their calculations. They have no true way to determine how well-written a piece is, or how much research went into creating it. They can only guess when they look at a range of signals.

In the last few years, pieces of content that are popular tend to rank well in search. These articles or videos tend to go viral on the popular social networks, and the search engines take notice. Video quality is highly subjective, so it’s safe to say that the content may not appeal to everyone. It may not even earn the high-quality distinction. However, it’s popularity tells the search engines that people engage with the content and they rank it based on its usefulness.

#2. The More Backlinks the Better

For a long time, online marketers built as many links to their websites as they could muster. They would buy, rent, or create them everywhere they went online. The strategy was excellent in its effectiveness, and the backlink rental business boomed. However, Google quickly caught on to the tricks and began to take a closer look at links. They started to penalize site owners for links to their sites and from their sites and backlinks turn extremely dangerous instead of beneficial! The change in perception of the efficacy of these linking tactics transformed the game overnight. Suddenly people who spend their days optimizing for SEO had to take a whole new approach to their day to day business.

Now the jobs for search engine optimizers are more involved. There are no longer any quick fixes to create surges of traffic. In fact, the websites that gorged on too many links have all but disappeared from the SERPS. A new generation of authority sites now rule most keyword categories these days. They rank because they are useful and used by a wide swath of the population. These websites tend to follow the pattern of “the rich get richer” while it’s much tougher for new sites to establish themselves as leading authorities.

#3. SEO Is a Primary Driver of Business

Companies that rely on search engine traffic face a tough road. They suffer whenever a change in ranking happens. This uncertainty makes it difficult to forecast their sales, which is a big problem for a fast-growing firm. Many businesses now use PPC and other forms of paid ads to smooth out the rough edges. SEO still drives quality traffic to a website, but most companies want a well-balanced mix of marketing tactics to ensure their strategy stays afloat.

SEO will continue to be a concern for most businesses who compete online, but many of them have shifted budgets to other areas like digital marketing, mobile apps, and email marketing.

#4. Keywords Rule

Keywords were once the “big thing” in SEO. That statement is not as true as it once was. For the most part, Google and other engines don’t place the emphasis they once did on keywords. That means website authors have become less mechanical in their work. There’s no point in stuffing keywords just to face a stiff penalty from Google. Now, most content producers spend their time writing competent articles that rely heavily on research.

Keyword research is still an important discipline, but it’s not the sole driving force behind why a firm produces content. Once a writer finishes that initial research, it’s crucial to create content that covers a subject well.

#5. Site Owners Can Safely Ignore Technical Issues

Too many webmasters and site owners think they can get away with ignoring technological aspects of managing web content. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any problems that prevent usability or indexing can cost dearly. Websites need to function properly and operate fast. The average web user won’t stick around for mistakes, and search engines downgrade any website that malfunctions.

It’s crucial that the site owners ensure all website basics work from the beginning. The site structure, the type of architecture and the infrastructure all determine performance. Top search engine optimizers guarantee all the elements are in place for a website before they attempt to boost rankings. Google has always loved state of the art websites, so many companies pay a lot to ensure they are running in modern datacenters. However, you can’t just pay your way to the top. One of the most important elements to maintaining a top performing site is constant monitoring. Optimization is an ongoing process of tweaks.

If you’re in it for the long-term, SEO is a rewarding endeavor. There’s no reason to ignore the benefits of gaining organic traffic. However, you have to maintain a wide-angle view of many other moving parts at the same time. In the “old days,” it would pay to focus on search engines only. They were paramount to all your efforts. These days, the wider the approach you take, the better. There are many useful apps and websites to work. You do not have to focus on your site only. You may as well represent your business across the full spectrum of social networks to ensure the widest possible audience. SEO is still a potent weapon, what’s different now is how to wield it! Now’s an ideal time to speak to an SEO expert who can guide you through the process. If you want the benefits of search engine optimization, a professional is always a good idea.

Heather McLaughlin

I’m a Digital Marketer & Freelance Writer with a penchant for all things forward-thinking and positive. I’m a fan of abundance and progress.

heathermmclaughlin.com

Any seasoned marketing professional understands the importance of implementing a fruitful and productive SEO strategy when working with their clients. In years past, having a properly optimized website played a significant role in the success of many online and offline businesses. The ultimate goal of SEO was to secure top listings in search engine rankings. Once these rankings got achieved, sales and conversions inevitably followed.

In the early days of SEO, updates to search engine results was done regularly, so website owners and Internet Marketers could see almost immediate returns from the SEO work they completed on the site.

At the time, Google – the Granddaddy of Search Engines – relied heavily on a “Page Rank” (or PR) system that delegated authority to websites or web pages based on a number of ranking factors. The higher the PR a site or web page had, the more domination it had in search results. A few well-placed links with optimized keywords in the anchor text from high PR pages or websites could be the difference between being on Page 10 or Page 1.

In the hyperactive environment of quick rankings, it was hard not to enjoy the benefits of nearly instant results for all SEO and marketing efforts. Search engine optimization was a potent way to influence search engine algorithms and get impressive results.

However, like all things in life, the only thing that remains constant is change. SEO has evolved over the years.

SEO’s Evolution

Widespread use of these tactics to manipulate search results was met with opposition from webspam teams. These webspam teams were tasked with identifying and closing the loopholes that webmasters and some marketing companies were using to manipulate the search results.

When search engines were still fresh and new on the Internet scene, it is true that it didn’t take a lot of effort to rank highly in their search results. A few minor changes here and there really could change your position in search. A little bit of “on-page” optimization combined with some “off-page” factors was often enough to gain traction in results.

Over time, the technology that powered the search engines improved and measures were put in place to slow the roll on savvy optimizers and SEO companies who discovered the loophole in their algorithm and took advantage where they could.

Keep in mind the impact of a Google algorithm update was significant because popular social media platforms weren’t a significant alternative at that time.

Updates occurred less frequently and when they did, an unfavorable algorithm or a penalty was like a hurricane hitting your business. With no easy fix, the SEO tactics that once proved fruitful in achieving the desired results were no longer the “one-two” punch to number one. Instead, these tactics were viewed as “toxic.”

SEO Companies and webmasters were then forced to try and undo all the original work done to rank highly in the first place. A “Link Disavow” tool was added to allow people to let the search engine know what links from ‘bad neighborhoods’ should be dropped from their profiles. Suddenly the golden currency of the Internet soured.

In worst case scenarios, entire sites were removed from the search index entirely. As you can imagine, this had a chilling effect on many companies who were taking shortcuts to get their client’s websites to rank highly. It is like the old fable about Icarus. He flew too close to the sun and had his wings burned off.

SEO Companies and independent webmasters who were winning on the old search paradigm were forced to rethink and regroup their strategies to remain competitive in online search.

In today’s day and age, search engine optimization is still important and social media plays a larger role in rankings. Social media platforms with SEO, are part of a broader marketing strategy that reaches into social circles, search, AMP friendly pages, and third-party sites. These broaden your overall audience.

Instead of relying merely on links to judge the worthiness of a website, other technical factors including site speed, TLS security, having established conversion goals, social signals, and other credible references are more likely to help build the trust you need to rank in your desired keyword division. References, including links, from related sites such as Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, and your Local Chamber of Commerce are more meaningful than 1,000 links from unrelated sites.

Social Signals is another influential factor, so you’ll want to be confident that your business is making regular updates to your Facebook and LinkedIn pages to make sure that you’re connecting with your audience on these platforms. Your social channels support your primary website, so you can always use these channels to share relevant content, to make offers, and to build a strong, loyal fan base. Additionally, recent changes to these growing platforms have made them more business-friendly. Which is excellent news for Small and Medium-sized businesses with a favorable profile.

Another factor to consider is the impact that mobile users have made on the Internet. For the first time in history, the number of people using mobile devices (smartphones, tablets. etc.) surpassed the number of people using desktops to access the Internet. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, you are substantially reducing your chances of coming up in any search queries generated from mobile phones.

In SEO and Internet Marketing, you have to stay abreast of changes so you can adapt to them quickly. You have to stay nimble so that when a good opportunity presents itself, you’re able to take advantage of the situation. That’s why it is always a brilliant idea to work with a marketing professional who is ‘in the know’ about the trends and strategies that are needed to excel online.

If you’d like to learn how we can help you optimize your site for better results, all you need to do is contact us to begin the conversation!

Heather McLaughlin

I’m a Digital Marketer & Freelance Writer with a penchant for all things forward-thinking and positive. I’m a fan of abundance and progress.

heathermmclaughlin.com