Search engine optimization is constantly changing. The ranking factors, technique methods used to improve website rankings and gain more visibility has changed overtime. Yesterday the center of gravity was pointed on technical aspects of SEO – tweaking websites to be indexed easily by search engines and link building – the more websites linked to your site, the better. Nowadays, the SEO landscape has shifted. Despite the fact that basic principles of SEO stay the same, the new factors and tools play a bigger role in developing successful results.
It is difficult to be up-to-date with the factors which you should focus on in order to improve.
1. Technical aspects of SEO
The technical aspects of SEO are still important. While new factors appeared, website optimization is still a must. The on-page optimization is essential and there are new technical issues you should know about. Optimizing a website also means making it connectable with social media platforms, connecting it with your social profile and using a disallow tool to manage your backlinks, if you made some bad decisions running your SEO. The technical aspects of SEO could sound complicated, especially to a person without proper knowledge, but nevertheless a well optimized page will be the foundation of our future efforts. It will be more friendly for users, more accessible for search engines and generally easier to find.
2. Content – the new SEO
You can notice, that in almost every place, the content is underlined as the key element of every search engine marketing strategy. It is commonly said that, “Content is the King”. In the most discussed Google algorithm updates, (you can check out in our infographics about SEO market analysis 2012/2013) resulted in wiping out some of the major sites from the search engine results page, or dramatically decreasing the amount of their incoming traffic.
While the SERPs were cleaned, there’s a lesson in that for every internet marketer. The positioning and high website rank in search engines previously depended on the quantity of spammy content that could be found on content farm sites. Nowadays, original and unique content is the major motor that’s driving the traffic. Good content attracts readers, provides valuable information and is more likely to attract backlinks.
3. Google algorithm changes
Google is not the only one search engine out there, but since it’ the most popular one, the changes made to it’s algorithm over time should be treated with a special attention. Many companies or professionals who were working with them probably were often lured by techniques, which could give quick results, big numbers and revenues. If you’re one of them, you probably felt the effects of “Penguin” or “Panda” updates. Buying links or participating in link exchange programs, putting your efforts in generating backlinks from spammy content farms is not a strategy anymore. The changes made to algorithms will reward those marketers and companies who will stick to SEO quality guidelines. There is a high chance, that the higher website rankings build on forbidden SEO techniques will also drop in the future. Building quality content will make your website rankings algorithm-proof.
Be smart and don’t waste your money on things that could give you effects quickly, but will be temporary. Remember – SEO is a long term investment and there are no shortcuts in this process. Let it stay that way.
4. Social Media – the new rank factors
When social media arrived, the impact it had on the Internet we known, was tremendous. It changed the way we live, and the way we do business. What’s important, is that it is changing the way, that search engines and search engine optimization works. Using social media is a great way to develop a 2-way communication channel with your clients, beside their promotional value. Let’s get back to content once again. It’s is important to let it be shared. It’s crucial to install all of the necessary social plugins from major social sites.
Why do this?
The more shares it will have, the better it’s distribution will be. Search engines consider mostly shared content as popular and trustworthy. Search engines reward the content which is shared with high rankings in search engines. Also, there is a better chance, that it will be noticed and score you with, not only with engaged users, but with new, naturally gained backlinks.
5. Personalized search
Social media also changed the way the search engines provide information to it’s users. This process goes towards presenting us the results that we would be most interested in. Not only are the results affected, but the way we prepare our content is affected as well. The Author Rank is the new factor, which you should consider in your SEO marketing mix. The truth is, that Internet is becoming a more and more personal place. If you’re running a business, there’s no place for anonymity. Using Author Rank will give you more credibility, more awareness in search engines and in the future, will be as important, as any other factor mentioned in this article.
