SEO isn’t an exact science — nor even exactly a science. That said, there are certain strategies that – when used consistently – greatly increase the likelihood of getting higher rankings.
Knowing what these strategies are means you can spend time doing things that will actually drive results.
This post will outline 12 of the most effective SEO strategies you should be using right now. These are based on my own experience, as well as the latest research in the field.
1. Optimize for mobile search and browsing
Mobile optimization has been important for years. However, in October 2016Â mobile overtook desktop with mobile and tablet accounting for 51.3 percent of all web browsing.
Around this same time (November 2016), Google launched their mobile-first index. Previously, Google crawled the desktop version of a site, using that as their primary search engine index. However, with this update, Google has now started to use the mobile version of a site as its primary index.
This means prioritizing your mobile site and mobile content is a must. For more on this, check out my post How To Optimize Your Small Business For A Mobile World.
2. Engage in intentional link building
Links have been the most important driver of rankings for years now. Google has confirmed they’re one of the top three ranking factors (along with content and RankBrain), and multiple ranking factor studies have confirmed this.
A recent study from the folks at Stone Temple seems to indicate that links are even more powerful than we thought. However, they also found that links alone aren’t enough to redeem low-quality content.
Their advice? “If your content is not relevant or competitive, links won’t help your ranking. If it is, links will make the difference.”
3. Optimize for voice search
According to KPCB’s 2016 Internet Trends Report, voice search queries have seen more than a 35X increase since 2008 and more than a 7x increase since 2010.
Article source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrampton/2017/03/30/12-most-effective-seo-strategies-for-2017/