Target high quality directories: Indiscriminately listing
your site in every directory that you can find has little value. It’s
fair to say that it can even backfire; it’s an old link building trick
and one that Google frowns upon. Yet there are a number of directories
out there that are valuable to your SEO strategy. Be on the lookout for
three kinds of directories where it can be useful to list your site. The
first is local directories; being listed can help you rank for
location-based keywords. The second is niche or professional directories
that are squarely focused on your industry. The third are established
directories with sections that focus on your area of expertise. Use a
tool like Yext.com to find out if you’re already listed in some key directories.
Social Media (Pillar #3): Making Friends, Engaging, and Sharing Content
There was a time when analysts wondered if social media would make SEO obsolete. In reality, social media has augmented and transformed the way that we think about SEO, without making the discipline itself go away. Today, social signals are having a direct impact on how sites are ranking in the SERPs. Here’s what you need to think about in making the most of social
media.
Interact in social media channels: The best way to build some buzz on social media is to get out there and get connected. Remember to think about your social presence as a conversation. Share content that’s high value for your contacts, while also engaging with them. Engagement means sharing other people’s content, thanking people for retweets and shares, and joining people in discussions. This doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but ideally you should spend a few minutes a day focused on engagement.
Build your brand: Social media is a great medium to help build your brand. A branded social presence can help build word of mouth that gets you customers, mentions, and links. Think about branding your social presence in three key ways. Make sure that your profile names and descriptions are branded and link to your site. Ideally your username and URL for both sites should be linked to your business name. Ensure that the look and feel of your site carries through to your profile layouts and design. Finally, share professional content in your brand’s voice consistently. This doesn’t mean that you should never share personal details, but it does mean to evaluate all potential content through the lens of “is this appropriate for my customers and colleagues?”
Generate social signals by making content easy to share: Does every page on your site include buttons that make it easy to share your content? How about every post on your blog? Take the time to install a program such as ShareThis to allow readers to instantly share anything they enjoy. Focus on making sure that you’ve included the relevant networks – at a minimum, users should be able to share to Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.
Have a platform strategy: “Be everywhere” is one approach to social media, but it’s rarely the most effective. Particularly if you’re trying to get traffic to your site and people to read and share your content. Instead, decide what platforms are going to be the most effective for you. The best strategy takes into account the social behaviors of your target customers. Are they video people? Facebook addicts? Spend your time online cultivating a following that generates social activity and connects to your business goals beyond SEO.
Think Google+: From a purely SEO perspective, it’s important to have a presence on Google+. Here’s why: Google has been explicit that social signals play a role in its algorithm. Twitter and Facebook matter some, but many of the search results from both networks are restricted. Therefore, the network that’s carries the most weight is Google +. Ensure that you have a profile that’s connected to your site, and spend time building your audience there. Share content, and make sure that a Google+ button is available for people to like and share your content.
Conclusion
The world of SEO is definitely complex, and in 2013 a simplistic legacy approach is no longer enough. Effective SEO requires managing different elements, ranging from your content and keywords to your social media and link building activities. But with a focus on these three pillars, you can create a foundation and structure that will support a high ranking site for a long time to come.
<< Previous Page
Also Read:
Social Media (Pillar #3): Making Friends, Engaging, and Sharing Content
There was a time when analysts wondered if social media would make SEO obsolete. In reality, social media has augmented and transformed the way that we think about SEO, without making the discipline itself go away. Today, social signals are having a direct impact on how sites are ranking in the SERPs. Here’s what you need to think about in making the most of social
media.
Interact in social media channels: The best way to build some buzz on social media is to get out there and get connected. Remember to think about your social presence as a conversation. Share content that’s high value for your contacts, while also engaging with them. Engagement means sharing other people’s content, thanking people for retweets and shares, and joining people in discussions. This doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but ideally you should spend a few minutes a day focused on engagement.
Build your brand: Social media is a great medium to help build your brand. A branded social presence can help build word of mouth that gets you customers, mentions, and links. Think about branding your social presence in three key ways. Make sure that your profile names and descriptions are branded and link to your site. Ideally your username and URL for both sites should be linked to your business name. Ensure that the look and feel of your site carries through to your profile layouts and design. Finally, share professional content in your brand’s voice consistently. This doesn’t mean that you should never share personal details, but it does mean to evaluate all potential content through the lens of “is this appropriate for my customers and colleagues?”
Generate social signals by making content easy to share: Does every page on your site include buttons that make it easy to share your content? How about every post on your blog? Take the time to install a program such as ShareThis to allow readers to instantly share anything they enjoy. Focus on making sure that you’ve included the relevant networks – at a minimum, users should be able to share to Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.
Have a platform strategy: “Be everywhere” is one approach to social media, but it’s rarely the most effective. Particularly if you’re trying to get traffic to your site and people to read and share your content. Instead, decide what platforms are going to be the most effective for you. The best strategy takes into account the social behaviors of your target customers. Are they video people? Facebook addicts? Spend your time online cultivating a following that generates social activity and connects to your business goals beyond SEO.
Think Google+: From a purely SEO perspective, it’s important to have a presence on Google+. Here’s why: Google has been explicit that social signals play a role in its algorithm. Twitter and Facebook matter some, but many of the search results from both networks are restricted. Therefore, the network that’s carries the most weight is Google +. Ensure that you have a profile that’s connected to your site, and spend time building your audience there. Share content, and make sure that a Google+ button is available for people to like and share your content.
Conclusion
The world of SEO is definitely complex, and in 2013 a simplistic legacy approach is no longer enough. Effective SEO requires managing different elements, ranging from your content and keywords to your social media and link building activities. But with a focus on these three pillars, you can create a foundation and structure that will support a high ranking site for a long time to come.
<< Previous Page
Also Read:
- Negative SEO: Myths and Facts You Should Be Aware Of
- How to Make Money Blogging
- Matt Cutts: SEO Needs To Focus On Helping Users Not Link Building
- Importance of Social Media in SEO
- Have Google's Panda and Penguin Replaced SEO With Social, PR and Content, or a New Type of Savvy Marketing?
- On Page SEO Guide – How To Rank Higher And Get More Traffic
- 20 Ways to Get More Website Traffic This Year (Ethically!)
- 6 Ways SEO Will Change in 2013
- Penguin 2.0 SEO Update - Google Updates Things Again!
- Top 21 SEO Tips and Tricks to Follow in 2013
- Difference between Google Panda and Google Penguin
- 7 SEO Tasks to Complete Before Even Thinking about Hiring an Agency
- 5 Devastating Local SEO Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them
