SEO is about a website being found by the search engines easily using ethical methods.

From the arrival of the dreaded Google Panda in 2011 through the Penguin in April 2012 the world of SEO has been on a turbulent track. While the Panda unceremoniously eliminated low quality websites from the search results, the Penguin was equally relentless in stripping websites of their ranking as they did not stick to prescribed SEO practices. Google’s intention with SEO is loud and clear – consumer, along with content, is King. The focus shall be on the user experience.

Let us look at some do’s and dont’s for SEO in 2013 in a nutshell:

Do’s

  • High quality unique, engaging content
  • Fresh content posted frequently, consistently
  • Focus on user experience and value for the reader
  • Vary anchor text in links rather than repeat exact match
  • On page SEO
  • Social media marketing to increase social signals in the form of tweets, Facebook shares, mentions and Google +1s
  • AuthorRank to add credibility and value to your website
  • Local SEO for visibility in map data, local listings, reviews on local websites.
  • Use of relevant visual  media rather than text-only, diversifying into video and image content for higher ranking
  • Speed up page load time
  • Responsive web design compatible with all devices and screen sizes

 Don’ts

  • Poorly written content that beats around the bush
  • Keyword stuffing
  • Facts that haven’t been verified
  • Rewriting existing information
  • Grammar goofs
  • Posting on link farms
  • Just about anything that retracts from delivering the best user appearance

Another interesting strategy gaining ground in 2013 is “semantic SEO” built around semantic search, where the search engine’s goal is to generate more relevant results based not just on the keywords, but the context in which the search is being made.  Semantic SEO implies two things:

  • Optimizing your website to include related and supporting keywords along with the primary keywords
  • Giving each web page a semantic theme

This whole concept blends with what Google wants in 2013, namely the ultimate user experience. Bearing content, social signals and inbound links in mind, the following steps will take you towards successful ranking:

  • Meticulous keyword research to build a keyword portfolio with synonyms, related phrases, support phrases and modifiers; using these phrases in titles, content, h1 and h2 tags
  • Strategic content marketing to attract backlinks and thereby adding value for the visitor, who will then be motivated to share it across social media, increasing the social signals that put Google in such a good mood and increasing your site’s ranking
  • Responsive web design with pages that are easy to navigate and load quickly will play an important role, as it obviously impacts user experience.

The new rules of SEO or Search Engine Optimization for 2013 are here. A violation of these rules will mean vanishing off the face of the World Wide Web before the website can say SEO. The days of merely link building with dubious strategies are over. To enjoy sustained growth, businesses must now leverage content, usability, organic links and social marketing. As an SEO company in Milton, ON, we service businesses in the GTA and understand what your local business may need to get ranked. Feel free to call us to book your complimentary SEO consultation at 1.888.569.3032.