The recent changes to Google have the whole SEO world in a tailspin, it seems. Some people are now saying that SEO is dead while others are vigorously defending SEO practices, saying that without them companies now have no hope of ever ranking on Google.
What is the truth, and how does it affect your company?
Quality Is Harder to Find
One change that has greatly affected how Google ranks web pages is the tightened quality guidelines for links. Some of the practices that built high rankings in the past can now be punished by the search engine giant. Furthermore, the advent of personalization for SERPs means that not everyone sees results in the same order.
Therefore, SEO is not “dead.” Rather, it needs to evolve from simply building links to providing the things that will make businesses successful online such as high-quality content, consistent procedures and social media marketing designed to build brand loyalty.
What Is It Going To Take?
It takes more effort than simply building backlinks to promote a brand and drive visitors to a site. It also takes more than a few stylized and one-size-fits-all techniques. Good SEO is tailored to your particular site’s needs, so look for a company that communicates with you as an individual, not one that simply sells a pre-packaged product.
Infographics, social media and other types of content marketing are a great way to build a solid and loyal customer base. Look for a company that approaches SEO holistically, not by simply grabbing a bunch of random backlinks to places no one ever goes anyway.
Ultimately, no one strategy will work forever. As the Internet continues to evolve, a good SEO company will have to evolve as well, changing your marketing campaign to meet new challenges.
Growing and Changing—Hard, but Worth It
It is not easy or cheap to grow and change as a company. In fact, it can be downright uncomfortable, which is why so many companies avoid doing it. However, if you are not willing to examine your SEO strategy and make changes from time to time, you are not going to see the benefit you should ultimately get from your SEO marketing campaign.
Talk with your SEO company and find out when was the last time you changed your goals and strategies. The answer might surprise you and spur you to re-examine the relationship with your SEO provider.