September 1, 2016
SEO tactics change frequently, most of the changes occur when Google makes changes. It is hard to keep up with trends, and it is even harder to predict what is being planned for SEO ahead of time. To make sure your content performs well, it is ideal to have a staff member that is tasked with staying updated on changes to Google policies, SEO trends, and algorithm changes.
Mobile Friendly Will Become the Most Important Thing
Much of the world is using a mobile device of some kind to access the Internet. That being said, your content must also be mobile friendly. Not only does your web content need to be mobile friendly, but so do all of the advertisements displayed online, email newsletters, and email marketing campaigns.
If a customer or inquirer cannot view your content from their smart device, it leaves a bad taste in their mouth. It makes them less likely to consider your company as an option to suit their needs.
Semantic Searches are here
This advanced searching technique is where Google looks at a query and understands the context around it in order to produce better search results. They have got much better at this over the years and it is now pretty accurate.
How do you make the necessary changes to how your company uses keywords?
Take the time to research the keywords you use. The more specific the keywords are in your content, the easier it will be for Google to identify the content as a match to a query. This is a positive change because now you have much more flexibility.
Higher Quality Standards
Everyone knows that content is king and Google wants you to produce only the best content. Now is the time to freshen up some of your old content and republish it. Refreshing content with higher quality content that is SEO rich is beneficial.
To provide higher-quality content to your audience, be diligent about the writers you hire to produce your content. It is important to use writers that are up-to-speed on current SEO trends and those that maintain their knowledge of current Google SEO practices and changes to Google policies.
Provide a Better User Experience
The user experience is absolutely everything. Search engines do not rank the user experience, but they do rank popularity. The longer you can keep people on your site the higher you are going to rank. In the eyes of Google, popularity means high quality.
The user experience is only going to become more important, so do not skimp on it.
Strive for More Organic Links
Acquiring links is an important part of influencing search engine results. Acquiring organic backlinks should be a priority. Trading links is not the same as backlinking; trading links should only be done when the other company has substantial credibility.
The credibility of the links used in your content do reflect on your brand.
Increased App Store Optimization Practices
Dedicated apps are becoming more popular. It does not come as a surprise because more and more people rely on mobile apps to obtain information and make their lives easier. With the rise of dedicated apps, a new front in SEO is opening up. You must optimize for the app store if you’re going to improve your ranking.
It is vital that your app offers something different from your competition. Your app has to have a feature that is valuable to the user. You should also be classifying your app properly by using the right keywords within your descriptive text.
Harder to Remove Penalties
Google is becoming smarter and its artificial intelligence bots are becoming more advanced. If you are or were engaged in black hat SEO, you can expect the penalties to become even harsher moving forward. In the next year, Google is going to increase the repercussions of penalties.
Not only are penalties going to get more severe they are going to get harder to remove from your record. Stick to white hat SEO techniques and choose a highly reputable SEO company to help you.
Final Thoughts
Your content and marketing teams should work together to create SEO-sound content that will perform well. Place the responsibility of running SEO performance tests and analyze performance data to make appropriate changes. Share the same content on all avenues, including your company website and all social media channels for consistency.
What changes to your content strategy will you implement to improve your company’s SEO performance in the next year?
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