Let me be blunt about something I’ve become accustomed to when discussing this particular topic with clients. From ad agency directors, CEO’s to the VP of marketing, there isn’t one SEO factor that can guarantee top position in search engine ranking… regardless of whether you have amazing titles, if the content is crappy. Nor will having oodles of links, especially if they are from low quality sites.
Remember, great SEO entails more than one or two factors. Let me continue by saying SEO is not just about keywords, link building, meta tags, or alt tags. Yes, those are important, however, SEO encompasses a wide variety of techniques that allow webpages to become more visible in search engine results. Period.
Breaking It Down For The Uninitiated
The large search engines, like Google, Bing or Yahoo, respond to inquiries made, like ”Toyota Dealer in Bay Area”, “Organic SEO copywriting”, “Indian restaurant in San Francisco”, etc. That’s how people are searching today. They’re using mobiles, tablets and desktops by letting their fingers to do their leg work. So in order to find the most appropriate and relevant webpage that meets the query, search engines have a variety of parameters and algorithms that will spit out the needed results. That’s why using a strong SEO strategy can help a webpage land within the top search results for a specific query, brand name or location. Simple – no black magic, no smoke – no mirrors.
Look, it’s apparent that humans have become dependent on their technology, but with so much of it around, a company has to refine their presence and competitive advantage with their search results, not only because of their competition, but because users are finicky.
How Many First Clicks To The First Links
Miranda Miller wrote a wonderful post about this behavior 53% of Organic Search Clicks Go to First Link. With that in mind, consider how far up or down the ladder your site is located. If most people only look or click on the top 4 or 5 results, how badly do you need to implement a strong SEO strategy? Think about that for a second. This is why when a strong SEO strategy is in place, it will encompass high quality content in the form of relevant information, great images, informative videos, and a geographic location, if applicable. The more rich a website is, in targeted and appropriate content, the higher the likelihood that the website will land in the top search results for relevant queries.
Let me add, SEO is a combination of science and art. Unlike conventional marketing, firms that want to launch an SEO campaign need specialized experts who are willing to think outside the box while enforcing the latest in SEO standards. This is where partnering with a strong SEO agency will play a positive role in your company’s success.
What’s important to understand is that one must start with a benchmark. There must be a system in place to show where a business’s website currently ranks for various terms. When clients come to us for an SEO audit, we create a report that can range from a 15 to 20 page analysis of their site’s current status. Starting from where your site’s position is, to include your competition, your brand awareness and your weaknesses, we offer a blueprint toward a successful marketing campaign that clients can either accept and implement our recommendations or reject them.
What Are Some Common Issues?
The problems commonly found through our audits can range from simple to complex issues. For example, one common problem area we find is that page titles and meta descriptions are too long or they’re stuffed with keywords. SEO strategies highlight that succinct title pages and descriptions help the webpage in a variety of ways. From being picked up easily by search engines, to actually connecting your users with great information they’re searching for.
Another common SEO issue is the off-page health of your site – basically, external links. Good links can extend your readership and viewership to a larger network of authoritative and relevant sources. Having good, organic, links is what your company needs, in order to balance and produce results search engines will reward you for. Every webpage should have relevant internal links (links to other parts of the website) and some outbound links. However, too many or too few links can have negative effects on the authority of a webpage, causing it to place poorly in the search results.
Working with an ethical SEO and marketing company is one of the best courses of action to help with your Internet marketing. Internet marketing and SEO is not a one-time fix, however. It’s a continuous process that has to evolve and adapt to evolving markets. All clients have competition, whether they know who they are or not – it’s a constant battle. Take a look at your top keywords, are you first on Google, Yahoo, or Bing? If you are today, check back in a week, or even two; it’s likely that someone (usually your competition) has taken over your top position. Competitors are continuously moving your main keyword placements up and down in the search results. It’s a fact of life, get used to it.
Stay ahead of The Curve
Search engines are constantly updating their algorithms to stay competitive and in order to give their users more refined results. That means that every client with an SEO strategy must adapt to how major search engines change their algorithms. Companies engaging globally cannot take their SEO marketing strategies for granted in this very cutthroat marketing sector. If a business thinks they can have one consultation with an SEO marketing business and be done with it, they’re sadly mistaken. It’s important to find an SEO company that offers a step-by-step roadmap with consultants and strategists who will work directly with you for your long-term goals. Executing an appropriate SEO campaign for your marketing needs is paramount if you’re going to stay on top of the SERP’s.
At Level343 we are here to help you with your SEO and marketing needs. We have the experts who understand SEO techniques that lead to success. Our team has years of experience, enabling us to provide your business with authoritative insights on web marketing, including a unique approach to help each client with their directives and goals.
Contact us for more information and jump-start your SEO campaign today.
