The Secret To SEO
There is none. The truth is, SEO is not that complicated. Like everything else in life, there are in-depth tweaks that will aid in fine-tuning your SEO strategy. However, about 90% of the time, it’s just a process of putting out good content on a regular basis, doing what feels right, and testing to figure out what works and what doesn’t. With this being said, beware of companies who say that they have “inside knowledge” or something that “nobody knows about”. Instead, focus your efforts on giving readers something worthwhile and make your content feel like a natural extension of your business.
Do You Have the Basics Down?
If you want to get ranked, you need to help Google find you. Keywords, meta tags, and proper site structure are all important. However, that’s just the start.
Quality Over Everything
All of Google’s efforts are moving towards quality. It wants to provide users with the best and most relevant information based on the keywords you search. Not so long ago, it used to be easy to cheat its algorithm by sending loads of links and anchor texts. But times have changed. Now, keyword relevancy revolves around helpful content, frequent mentions, repeat traffic, social endorsements, and much more.
Links Still Matter
Google became famous because of PageRank. This system used citations to determine relevancy. Although the value placed on links have changed, they still have not gone away. Instead of Google’s algorithm simply looking at a link and text, it analyzes factors
such as surrounding text and the traffic from where the link came from. The result of this is that traditional link-building campaigns are dead. You can’t just throw up a bunch of links and make it forward to your website. The new way of attracting high quality link by providing genuinely useful, insightful and relevant content that points back towards your website.
Pay Attention To Social Media
One of the biggest changes in SEO is that search engines are moving towards social media. Search engines are trying to classify your website based on your social fan page and the content that’s in it. A large social following is a strong indicator that you are an authority in your field. Although social media growth builds slowly over time, those who wish to be well ranked on search engines must place their chips into social media as well.
Video for SEO Purposes
Search engines are placing value on areas which are hard to rig. Video content is expensive, so the chances of someone cheating this system is nil. Therefore, if you have money to invest and can put out great video content, you should definitely incorporate the use of videos into your SEO strategy.
Final Thoughts
This article was meant to be a “behind-the-scenes” look at the hype and truths that surround SEO. The truth is, there’s no secret to it. So be weary of those who claim to have any “superior knowledge” on the subject. An SEO strategy is simple: put out content that people and search engines will love.
