The search world is in constant flux, which means that you need to make sure that you stay on top of all the changes. Otherwise, that hard-earned search ranking you are so proud of may start to erode. Before you know it, you could find yourself at the bottom of the heap again.
To make sure that this does not happen to you, you need to focus on what is happening in the world of SEO. You can no longer just focus on keywords and backlinks and expect to maintain a high ranking. Instead, you need to focus on user experience if you want to stay on top.
User Experience Is A Must
The big search companies are paying more attention to the quality of a site’s content and the experience a user has when they visit that site. It is not enough to just bring someone to your site; you also have to make sure that they have a positive experience while they are there. If someone leaves shortly after they arrive without interacting in any significant way, this can count against you.
Semantically Related Terms Can Help
It is no longer as important to focus on specific keywords. Google is smart enough to realize that other related terms can also be just as meaningful. If your site reviews science fiction books, for example, just including “science fiction book reviews” is not enough. Other related terms, such as “fantasy” or the names of top authors, can also help boost your ranking.
Original, Unique Content Boosts Your Organic Ranking
Why should anyone visit your site when they can easily find the same information somewhere else? You need to give people a reason to come to your site, and the simplest way to do so is to offer content that can be found nowhere else. This can take any form, from a written article to an infographic or video.
Focus on content that people will want to share. Try to come up with appealing takes on popular topics that have not been done before. If you do curate content, do not just link to or quote from the original article without adding some of your own content. Say why you are pointing to this piece and what is valuable about it.
Longer Is Better
The conventional wisdom that short pieces rank better is no longer the case. These days, longer pieces are more likely to boost your ranking. A brief, 300-word piece is unlikely to get as much traffic as a longer one. Aim for long form articles that are between 1000 and 1,500 words.
It is still a good idea to break up these longer pieces with subheadings, images, or bullet points to make them easier to read online. However, Google has realized that many people find such longer articles more satisfying, so they are trying to direct more traffic to these pieces. They are more likely to be shared, and the greater amount of content makes it easier for them to be ranked.
Do Not Neglect Mobile Platforms
More and more people are using smartphones and tablets as their primary means of engaging online, so you have to make sure that these people can easily find your content. Your site has to be optimized for mobile so that your content can easily be viewed. Creating a separate site just for mobile users is a simple way to do so.
With the changes made in 2015 by Google, your site may even be penalized if it is not friendly to mobile users. Make sure that you are not handicapping yourself. Focus on mobile platforms so that you are well-positioned for the future.
The world of search is always changing, and you need to make sure that you keep up with these changes. Do not remain trapped by the search engine optimization practices of a few years ago. Put this advice into practice so that you can maintain that top search ranking and attract more traffic.