SEO is still going strong – many had predicted it to be dead over the last 18 months, notably with the advent of Social & Online Reputation and the diminishing value of links into Google’s algorithm. Truth is that 2014 still sees a major need for page and website optimisation in order to rank well. What should be your focus in 2014?
Albeit it had been said numerous times SEO is a thing of the past, it actually is not the case. Yes, websites can rank with little to no on-page optimization but if you are aiming at that sweet first ranking spot, brush off your skills and focus on what works in 2014¹: a combination of technical brilliance, incredible content, top notch usability and first class branding.
Technical brilliance:
- Your website must load in less than three seconds. If it’s too slow, your visitors will click away. If it’s way too slow, your online visibility will suffer. Search Engines will not display your website on their first page if they know its catastrophic loading time frustrates users. Test your website loading time² from different locations and see for yourself. Slow loading times are usually triggered by too many blocking JavaScripts or large files – your web developer will be able to tackle those.
- You need a responsive design – so your pages are perfectly visible on any support (phone, tablet). No need for a dedicated mobile website anymore (which solves potential issues of having multiple websites to update or to promote).
Incredible content:
- Write around your business and be the expert in your industry! Bring insights, take a stance, solve problems – there are many ways to create great content online; something that will prove popular to your users and Search Engines alike. Don’t rehash last year’s data – create something new and unique that will make Google rank your website higher in the search results page.
- Forget about individual keywords to focus on – build your content around keyword clusters. Clusters are groups of keywords around a similar topic, including synonyms. Search Engines know about synonyms and they will assess which page of your site should rank for which key phrase.
Top-notch usability:
- Review your website and make sure it’s perfectly clear for every user what you expect from them. Don’t sit on your pages: they have a purpose – craft them around it. Test and measure, refine and start again.
- Measure everything – using a tool like Google Analytics will allow you to gain incredible insights on how your website performs and how users interact with it. Implement A/B testing on your pages and see how they work for you.
First class branding:
- Where should your business be listed? And where does it have to be listed? The most valuable links will come from websites that show a relevant relationship with yours. The value and importance of the page on which the incoming link is posted matters tremendously.
- Links are important, and so is how your brand is perceived online. This will affect your visibility and your rankings. Monitor what’s being said and react – never take it personally. The sentiment around your brand is crucial to its online success – and is worthy of all your efforts
The key aspect here is value. Your website has a purpose – it has been built to convey a message, to convert users, to generate leads, and to drive brand awareness.
The following questions need to be asked when considering the Google ranking factors for 2014:
- What is its added value?
- How can you make sure your pages bring something to the Internet as a whole?
- Does your website solve problems?
- Is your brand trustable?
Optimise your website around your key strengths – this is how you will reap SEO benefits in 2014.
¹ http://visual.ly/2014-google-seo-ranking-factor-hummingbird-update
² http://www.webdesignworks.com/tips-advice/web-development-best-practice-tips/
Aside from developing a league of veteran snowboarders, Bernard is seoWorks’ Director of R&D & Training helping businesses in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the USA succeed online through the implementation of best practice Inbound Marketing.