SEO Methods and Techniques that work in 2024
Are you still link building from article directories? STOP!
Matt Cutts once wrote in a blog post that “…we can’t have nice things in the SEO space.” There is truth to this statement because as we’ve noticed over the years, a trend starts out great, but it ultimately ends up being the victim of people who want to manipulate rankings for their own good. Just like Matt Cutts mentioned in his post on guest blogging, “…more and more people pile on until only the barest trace of legitimate behavior remains.”
CONTENT VALUE
Although the landscape has changed, this doesn’t mean that the concepts had changed too. In fact, SEO is still very much about creating good quality content that gets linked to and shared by as many people as possible.
Other than content quality and inbound links, social media also plays a huge role in any online marketing campaign. Think of it this way: you don’t just publish content on your website or blog and hope for search engines to do all the work. No, you have to exert effort on your part too, and social media is the easiest way to build buzz around your business. Even better, it’s an inexpensive way to promote your products and services around the wide expanse that is the internet.
That being said, here’s a look at the core concepts you should keep in mind when running an SEO campaign these days:
While it’s true that keywords play a huge role in your content strategy, there should be more work done other than just inserting them into your content. There should be a reason why they are there, and it shouldn’t be just because they will help you with rankings. They need to make sense when they are used in your posts. This is why your content strategy should always begin with proper keyword research. You need to understand what your audience is searching for in order to create content that provides answers to their needs. Through your research, you can craft a blog post, infographic, podcast, or even a video tutorial that your target market is looking for. Other than keyword research, you also need to scour other avenues – customer feedback, website comments, social media, etc. – to know the needs of your customer. Doing all of these gives you an understanding about your target audience, and by knowing what they want, you can provide solutions to their needs. It’s time to move on from a “This is what my audience wants to read” thinking into a “What does my audience want?” thought process.
Although you might think, “The industry I work in is boring. I sell paint. I can never create good content with my product.” This kind of thinking is absolutely wrong because even the most “boring” of industries can create the most amazing content. Have you checked your testimonials? Have you read all your customer feedback? These are content goldmines because statements from your clients are proof about what you can do as a company. User-generated content is a good source in times when your original content bank is running dry. You can even ask your clients to send you pictures of areas in their home where they applied paint they bought from your store. As you can see, you can create content around paint!
MINDFUL LINKING
When it comes to linking – whether it be inbound or outbound – you have to think about value and quality. You just don’t link to a certain post just because it is an authoritative site. You have to link to a post because it will provide further value to what you are already writing for your target audience. The same thing goes with your inbound links. You have to keep a close watch on them to make sure they come from good sources that will help your site rather than hurt it. One of the best ways to build inbound links is through guest blogging. Although Matt Cutts has devalued guest blogging as an SEO strategy, it is still very much alive. However, you should be very careful about the guest posts you accept or the sites you submit your posts to.
Cutts said that “There are still many good reasons to do some guest blogging (exposure, branding, increased reach, community, etc.). Those reasons existed way before Google and they’ll continue into the future.” He also said that “…I wouldn’t recommend accepting a guest blog post unless you are willing to vouch for someone personally or know them well.” Yes, guest blogging is still alive, but you have to be cautious with it. This goes to show that quality will always trump quantity in the age of smarter search engines.
SOCIAL VALUE
Creating content without promoting it on social media is like begging the person you admire to take notice of you, but you’re doing absolutely nothing to make them glance your way. Social media provides a good way of getting word around about the content you published on your site. You might think that being on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or any other network is a way to keep up with the competition, but it is not. Having a presence on these sites gives you a platform where you can interact with your audience, build your brand, and create a community which leads to increased traffic for your website. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to be on each and every platform out there. This is why you should also determine which network suits you best so you can make the most out of your digital marketing campaign.
Being on social media is also more than just sharing content from your website or marketing your latest product. It is also about providing value by sharing useful resources you think your audience will love, sharing facts, asking questions, and interacting. With social media, you can maintain customers and strengthen relationships just by being engaged on any platform you are on.
Conclusion
Although the world of SEO may be plagued with people who do not want to conform to the rules, you do not need to join their ranks in order to achieve success. It has been proven time and again that sticking by the original plan that has already been laid out and integrating new changes CAN and WILL produce desirable results. Continue to do good by SEO and ultimately you will be rewarded for your efforts.
