Website owners (whether business services or ecommerce) will need to develop their SEO strategies during 2014, in order to keep them selves in tune with what the search engine and the user expects.
Google made several algorithm updates last year; Penguin and Panda evolved in an effort to constantly reduce web spam and, at the end of September, Google released a very significant change known as "Hummingbird", which is designed to cope better with conversational search terms, including questions.
In my opinion, Hummingbird is teaching us to put less focus on ranking for a keyword, but instead to provide a solution to a problem or the answer to a question.
1. The Evolving Influence of Mobile Search and Users
One of the key drivers behind the Hummingbird update is the fact that the number of searches being made on mobile devices is increasing exponentially. This is backed up with eMarketer’s report, which shows how the UK market is becoming more mobile.
Just as mobile surfing and searching is on the rise, the number of searches that are initiated verbally is increasing too, thanks to applications like Siri.
Many modern smart phones have everything that's required to let you talk to Google rather than prodding away at a relatively small touch screen - and that is exactly what a growing number of smart phone users prefer to do.
The result of this is that the grammar and syntax of search queries is being subtly altered. Not many people type in the same way that they speak. Once a verbal approach is adopted, the number of different ways to arrive at the same search result increases enormously.
Also, users searching on mobile devices tend to want a quick answer to their query. There's nothing new there of course. However, mobile searchers are much more likely to take fast action based upon their search results. For example;
1. They may phone the company in question (they have their phone in hand after all)
2. They may click to buy if the journey is short and easy enough.
Your job is to provide the right type of content on a website that is fast loading, well laid out and easy to navigate on a mobile device.
2. Focus on Engaging, Helpful and Intelligent Content
Google's Panda and Penguin updates were aimed at reducing low quality web spam. So if you’re going to stay out of the firing line, you should be developing your skills on becoming more insightful and creative with your content.
Your content should be unique, original, and informative. It should provide a solution to a problem or answer a question for your readers. To help the search engine and user know what your content is about, you may wish to use the question that you are answering as either your page title or as a header within your article or post.
Focus on using different types of media to allow your web pages to be interesting and helpful for the different reader types.
A lot of your service and product pages will naturally optimise themselves, and Google is smart enough to work out what they are relevant for. So turn your focus and attention on how you can create the best, most insightful content for the users’ needs to help increase the popularity of your website.
To help you get started, you may want to check out this article about how to create a content strategy that I created as a starting block.
3. Build your Brand, Reputation and Popularity
I know this sounds obvious, but it’s remarkable how many people still forget that the aim of online marketing is to build a trusted brand that people recognise.
As mentioned before, people get too caught up on rankings and keywords. Where are we for this? How much traffic are we getting for that? It’s just the wrong way to think.
What you need to be thinking is; how effectively can we shout about our company online to get noticed? How can we share all this great content we have created for people to use? What tactics do I need to consider to increase people’s trust in what we do?
It’s exactly the same concept as what you’re trying to achieve offline, being seen to be the best at what you do. So apply the same concept and logic online.
You can use a range of methods to amplify your message and get you heard, for instance;
1. Feeding content into social channels and engaging with those who like, retweet or mention you
2. Contributing to discussion groups, forums or engaging within conversation on other people’s blogs
3. Including your content within email campaigns to your customers, contacts or other people you’ve met
By doing this, you’re not just relying on SEO. You’re proactively drawing attention to your content to encourage clicks and valuable traffic from people who’s generally interested in what you have to say, do, or sell.
With a consistent push, people will start to talk about you and send visitors your way. How? Well with a link of course. This is how links are earned, not built, and this should be the mind set on increasing your popularity throughout the web.
The points that I would advise you seriously consider as part of your online marketing and search engine strategy this year would be;
1. Focus on and make sure you catering for the mobile user, to help conversions and overall user satisfaction
2. Work on a highly engaging and detailed “user driven content strategy” that takes your website way beyond the usual service and product pages everyone is likely to have
3. Develop and implement an integrated online marketing strategy that brings all your efforts together in order to get you recognised and talked about
By Phil Kelsey, Managing Director of Spiral Media Ltd.
Connect with Phil Kelsey on Google+
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