A Year in Review – SEO in 2014

8 Facts about the #IceBucketChallenge
August 18, 2014
Why Your Website Needs to be Mobile-Friendly
December 3, 2014

SEO is an ever-evolving industry, and this year was no different. Changes are consistently being made to the Google algorithm, and industry professionals are always sharing new tips and tricks for website success.

However, in the midst of all this change, a few SEO best practices still remain the same. While it is always great to test new strategies and tactics, we must never forget about the core principles of a great website and online presence.

 

sdfs1. Embrace diversity.
Companies in all industries should be implementing a diverse SEO strategy to obtain the maximum online exposure possible. Link building is still important, as it shows Google that your company is perceived as credible by other websites, and links from referring sites have the potential to drive new traffic. Additionally, content development is equally as important, since these interesting and insightful pieces are what get shared online most frequently. And don’t forget about the on-site factors like title tags, keywords and descriptions.

SEO will never be a one-step, quick fix. By embracing various tactics and covering all of your bases, your website has an even greater chance of being successful in the search engines.

 

2. Make your website user-friendly.
No matter how great your company or product is, people may never take the time to fully learn about what you are offering if your website is not easy to use. It is so important for websites these days to be visually appealing and simple to navigate, especially in a time when creating a clean website is readily available at every budget.

While your website needs to be user friendly, it is also imperative that your site is SEO friendly as well. Make sure Google is able to crawl all of your important pages, and make it clear what each page is talking about. A little bit of work on your website can make a huge difference in how you show up in the search engines.

 

s3. Get social, with websites and people.
In this day and age, you can no longer ignore the significant impact and draw of social media. Not every type of company needs to be on every social media site. For instance, a technology consulting company may not need to be active on Instagram. Find out where your target audience is interacting and sharing, and make sure you have a presence on these social media sites.

To take your efforts even one step further, do not forget about actual human contact. SEO often gets caught up in the analytics and technical details, but it is also important to embrace the public relations aspect of the Internet. Connect with industry influencers, promote the great content you are writing, and reach out to relevant journalists and websites. Taking the extra step to really get to know people and connect with them can significantly impact how your message gets shared.

As I mentioned earlier, the SEO industry is continuously changing. By remaining educated about the updates and staying true to the tactics that remain best practices, success will follow.