Keywords: they have been prizes to be won by Google, Bing, and other search engines since the mid-nineties. So after twenty-plus years of focusing our search engine optimization efforts around a short list of keywords to work on and rank for, we say goodbye to this practice and usher in the new world of topics.
Thanks to our guest contributor Jessica Fender of Online Writers Rating.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) patterns have changed over the years. Regardless of whether you are a content creator or a planner, these things affect your everyday work. The latest trend to hit global search engines is the inclusion of “topic clustering” as a means to fight mechanical keyword optimization.
It’s no longer enough to simply abide by the logical rules of search engines – your content needs to have relevance and meaning. But how do we define topic clustering and how can we effortlessly implement it into already defined content planning strategies? Let’s take a look at some useful tips that can help you increase your ranking and traffic in no time at all.
As long as there have been websites on the internet, there have been people surprised that they can't just put up a website and immediately have visitors flock to their URL.
Building a website is just a first step. Now, you must appease the search engine gods so that your super awesome site can be on page one of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page) when users are looking for your product or service.
So how does one go about getting such data?
Google Analytics, of course.
"Should my business be using Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads or an organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy?" I get that question all the time. And of course, my answer is, "It depends. What are your goals?"
What? You mean it's not a straight "yes" or "no." Of course not. The answer is significantly dependent on what your company goals are. Are you selling a new product or service? Is there a great deal of education involved in purchasing your product or service? Is there a significant barrier to entry for your product? Are you well-known in your industry? These are just a few of the questions you need to answer before looking at PPC or SEO.
My statement to you is simple: You can do SEO (Search Engine Optimization) without PPC (Pay-Per-Click), but you cannot, and I mean CANNOT do a successful PPC campaign without SEO.
Why?
To understand why, we have to begin at the end.
Did you know: Search engines like Google LOVE valuable content and reward you for it? Search is not all about keywords anymore; it’s about creatively combining keywords, context, and topic. The more you do this, the more Google will love you and show you through increased rankings and impressions.
If you have had experience running a Pay Per Click campaign using Google’s platform AdWords, then you know how important it is to organize your campaign properly and allocate the right amount of your ad spend budget to each campaign. The execution and overall success of your advertising campaign will depend on each campaign's targeted locations, demographics, keywords, landing pages, and how all of those relate to each adgroup and overall campaign.
Would you believe me if I told you that the first page of search results for "SEO Services" is different for John Doe in downtown Seattle using a laptop as opposed to someone sitting three miles away searching the same term using a phone? It's true.
That's why I want to smack some sense into any web marketing agency that claims they can get any website on the first page of search engine results. It's a very misleading statement, and simply too vague to be credible.
When people talk about duplicate website content, they're referring to when the same content shows up on more than one page of your website or when you use content on your website that can be found on other sites on the web. This includes, but is not limited to:
Ever since Google came out with its Hummingbird update to its search algorithm, there has been much talk about the value of keywords. Does Google still care about keywords? Will Google know what keywords to rank my page for if I were to focus on broad topics or concepts?