In the early days of search, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) meant something different. Anyone could use low-quality content and create several backlinks to their site to rank on the first page of the results for keywords they were targeting. Companies could engage in all sorts of “black hat” tactics. They could easily hire cheap writers who construct poorly formatted content or purchase several domains with high page ranks and turn them into spammy sites that exist only to provide their page with backlinks. These tactics and more used to be effective in promoting a business.
However, over time Google has implemented several updates to the search algorithms. Especially in the last two years with the Penguin and Panda updates. Google is focused on providing the user with the best experience possible. This means getting rid of spammy sites and penalizing sites that are using a lot of black hat tactics to dominate the search engine results pages. So be careful if you are using a lot of keyword-heavy, low-quality content or creating a lot of low-quality backlinks on irrelevant sites. Your website and your business could be in danger.
It’s no longer possible to trick Google with these strategies. However, it’s more important than ever to have an SEO strategy that will work. If you aren’t following Google’s best practices, your search rankings will more than likely go way down. This results in less traffic to your website and less business for you. There are a few ways to make sure that your website remains a respectable website by Google standards. Continue reading to find out the ways you can increase your position on the search results pages.
– Be Original –
Producing high-quality, original content that is of value to the user is extremely important. This may mean hiring new talent that can produce videos, blog posts, and infographics that are both interesting and entertaining. This will make your website visitors want to share links with their friends. Which is exactly what you want for your business.
– Increase Your Usability –
Make sure your site is easy to use. This may mean using proper grammar, creating mobile-friendly pages, or using responsive web design so that your site is visible across a wide range of devices. Make sure the content on your site is well written and your webpage is well structured.
– Be an Authority –
How are you an expert in your field? Google takes more notice of sites that would be considered an authoritative source on that particular subject. Educational and government institutions, for example, have a high authority on their subject matter and typically are given a higher position in search rankings because of this.
SEO services are more important than ever now in order to ensure that you are following Google’s best practices and running your website in the most beneficial way.