SEO in 2014 - Be the business you want to be, and SEO follows

Search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and results have changed faces a lot over the years, but there is one strong strategy that will always work. 

I came around to write on websites when silly black hat techniques still worked, when we as internet users were overriddled with nonsense websites that did not deserve the top spot in search results.  I have been doing on-page SEO before the Google animals were introduced.  I have also spent a few sleepless nights whenever animal updates were up, and I and co-workers had to re-write content quick, or substanitally lose customers.  I focused my work elsewhere for sometime, and when I came back, boy, the SEO strategy changes were fast and too many!  I felt kind of threatened, unsure if I can keep up with the rapid changes.

The good news is there will always be that overarching, unchanging SEO strategy that worked before, and still works now, regardless of software and apps that were introduced, or no matter how organic search seemed to have become so complex with the details.  In the old days of search, just having the root words in so many mentions is enough.  These days, I still see job adverts that look for SEO writers and require them to write 10 articles per day on the same topic, and I wonder how far this kind of speedy, quality-at-risk, unsustainable practice will take the business. 

Content that talks to people automatically qualifies for good SEO

Personally, I find it strange why current SEO requirements have to be uptight about quantity and repetition.  I have seen that regularly talking to website users - addressing their needs, identifying their concerns and answering questions - will easily fill up the website with quality content that people will find and go back to, and forward to their friends.   

Search engines might at first glance look like they are after quantities of words, but really they aim to capture human interaction in the web that will benefit other people as well. It just happens that keyword mentions and links indicate that real interaction is happening, but this cannot be faked by long articles that no one bothers to look at.

By communicating with customers, these quantities of keywords easily fill up search engine optimization requirements, even without thinking about it.  When search engine spiders see that not only do you have a keyword rich site, and that people are responding using your keywords, and linking to it, and having users' friends come over and mention all those keywords too, then the spiders know your website is a reliable, recognized source in your industry or niche. 

This also means that, as you get to know your customers, marketing ideas will open to let you tweak your website and pages frequently.  Make your web pages easy to use.  Make it a pleasure to buy from your website.  Be the business you want to be, just online:  strong, reliable, trustworthy.  All these will have effect on your SEO, you will see.

By thinking about your customers first, you will then find that your snippet in Google search results does not capture what your customers want from that page.  You will wonder why you rank top three for this keyword when all you ever wanted was to rank no.1 for the other keyword.  So you will think, and ponder, and see connections that hey, my target market shows recurring patterns in preference for this, that's why my main keyword is not working so well.  So you and your SEO team adjust.  And after you do, then SEO results adjust, then customers adjust, and traffic behavior changes, then you adjust, etc. etc. At this point, you and your target market are interacting, and SEO will see human interaction really is happening on your website.

Some side activities that are important for SEO in 2014

I call these activities because, even if they are called SEO strategies, they are SEO tasks that yield to attainment of the SEO strategy.  These tasks interest people to approach you, maybe talk to you, and ask their friends to come near as well.

Make content that people need and like.  Infographics, guest postings and items that may go viral make people like your site, your company and your product.  These may not be out to directly sell your product, but it puts your product at the back of their heads for something to watch out for, and engage in in the future.

Ensure your analytics and user testing are in place.  From there you can continuously monitor if your keywords are working and if more should be added.  You can also use it to check if your website changes are working for people.  User testing is also an important component that gets to the root of how you should write your copy, how easy or difficult it is for potential buyers to do what they want to do, etc.  Use these well. As mentioned, by going after the interests of the customers and fixing your website accordingly for them, even the SEO  improves indirectly. 

Old school, on-page SEO.  After presenting your item comprehensively and presenting clear, easy to understand information after the interests of customers, give a quick run-over of the page and check that it complies with SEO standards.  You will be surprised, that with little tweaks (or none at all), it will usually come up to SEO standards.




Please subscribe for free internet marketing notes, working online, and Pinoy living info
Subscribe to Online Filipino Worker - OFW Din!