In the constantly changing world of online marketing, maintaining a successful digital strategy can feel a bit like racing on a treadmill with an ever-increasing speed. Just keeping pace won’t stop you from being thrown off; instead you’ll need to continually adjust to stay on top of your game.

What is SEO? 

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and refers to the rules that companies can use to increase their search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to find their web presence online. Given that 81% of consumers research online before making a purchase[1], making your company readily available to search engines is crucial to success in today’s marketplace.

The trouble is that as Google makes changes to improve the search engine’s capabilities, it uses slightly different methodology to find websites. After a major Google update, it’s not uncommon for companies to experience changes in their web traffic levels, causing them to question whether they’ll need to completely re-evaluate their digital strategy; a costly and time consuming endeavor that most companies would rather avoid.

The Good News.

In running, the basics of a good stride always remain the same, regardless of your speed. Similarly in SEO, the basics of good web practices remain constant regardless of changes to Google. Will you need to add a few new features over the years? Yes. Will you need to modify some of your approach? Absolutely. But if your fundamentals are on point, you can continually make manageable adjustments to evolve your web presence in a successful and sustainable fashion.

Web Basics for Optimal SEO.

Google’s evolving algorithms have changed in recent years[2], weeding out spammy imposters and increasing the intelligence of the search engine to deliver more accurate results to the user. For online marketers, the biggest takeaways from these changes are:

Be Original and Add Value

By far, the most important factor in a successful web strategy is to provide valuable, original content to your customers. Here’s why:
More content 
= more entry points for search engines to find you
= more space to add keywords organically
= more opportunities for readers to “share”, building your incoming links
= more of a platform to position your company as a subject matter expert

Use Your Keywords and Don’t Forget the Details

Google’s Hummingbird update increases the search engine’s accuracy by interpreting not only the keywords in a search term, but also the meaning and context to deliver more precise results. When creating your content, think about what questions your customers might be typing into Google, and build a strategy around those questions. Position your keywords wisely and be specific in order to maximize Hummingbird’s capabilities. Short keywords like “hat” don’t produce the same conversions as long tailed keywords like “neon yellow men’s fitted baseball cap”.

Does your company need some support in keeping your digital strategy current? The Mezzanine Group has helped numerous clients to maximize the power of SEO, delivering unprecedented digital results in times of change. To learn more, reach out to one of our subject matter experts today.

[1] Adweek, “81% of Shoppers Conduct Online Research Before Buying”, http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/81-shoppers-conduct-online-research-making-purchase-infographic/208527

[2] Kissmetrics, “Should You Change Your SEO Strategy Because of Google Hummingbird?”, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/google-hummingbird/