As a sound digital presence becomes more important for businesses hoping to extend their respective market reaches, the value of search engine optimization (SEO) continues to grow. That being said, few are the people who actually have a thorough grasp on what SEO is and what it can do for a brand hoping to find more marketplace success. For far too many, SEO is little more than an unethical link building practice which, due to recent algorithm updates at Google, has become increasingly more difficult.
While the debate as to whether link building is a viable SEO strategy will most assuredly continue onward, what’s for certain is the importance using SEO in its entirety and not only as a means of building rapport with the world’s largest search engines. The following are four of the most vital SEO strategies which, contrary to what some may opine, are crucial for entrepreneurial success out on the World Wide Web:
1) Helpful, Informative Content
Truthfully, half of the issue that traditional marketers have with SEO is found in the content that many inexperienced SEO agencies produce for their clients. Needless to say, complete and total filth—from a content standpoint, at least—is never going to earn algorithmic approval.
If you or a company that you represent have a website, it needs to contain nothing but authoritative, up-to-date content for visitors. All the basics of a site’s written and visual content must be covered, without exception: homepage, about page and contact page. Furthermore, it’s become increasingly important that a blog be actively kept to better establish digital credibility. By so doing, rank is bound to increase.
2) Proper Site Navigability
There’s nothing more frustrating than discovering a promising website, only to get confused by the site’s interface and navigability. Remember: if your site is confusing and easy to get lost in, visitors will simply take to Google to find another one that isn’t.
Believe it or not, Google actually rewards sites that help users find what they’re looking for in a matter of two or three clicks. If handling the SEO needs of your brand or those of another, optimize your navigation so that anything can quickly be located. Use descriptive core headings with drop-down page lists and search bars to lead guests to their digital destinations as soon as possible.
3) A Robust Social Presence
These days it seems that all businesses have a Facebook page and a Twitter profile. Realistically, at least from a true social perspective, that means little. For starters, if you do have a Facebook page and Twitter profile, be active on them. Profiles do little good if fresh content and meaningful interactions aren’t being made on a daily basis.
Social media can’t be a passive thing. Take action and claim your business’ profile on as many social platforms as possible. While Facebook and Twitter are great, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram work wonders for brands looking to build relationships with industry influencers and potential clients. The more impressive your social thumbprint, the more favorably google will look upon your company.
4) Mobile Optimization
There’s a reason that mobile optimization is last on this list; it’s the most important of the bunch. Google’s recent “Mobilegeddon” gave many SEO agencies the gentle nudge they needed to get the mobile ball rolling. Presently, there’s no excuse for not having a mobile-compatible site.
If possible, optimize your site for both speed and responsiveness from a mobile device. This will allow for easy access and use, regardless of the device being used to access a webpage. Basically, without mobile optimization, a site is destined to struggle in the ways of search visibility. If not changed, a site’s PageRank will most assuredly plummet.
Depending on the SEO specialist with whom you speak, you’ll hear a wide variety of opinions on link building. Regardless of your thoughts and feelings on the matter, the aforementioned SEO-driven tactics are both tried and proven; if implemented, SEO success is eminent.
