SEO is simple, but not easy

Two bits of information came out in some conversations today regarding how to optimize search for your website. Most of the conversations were around a report on Search Engine Land where Andrey Lipattsev, a Search Quality Senior Strategist at Google, confirmed what the Google algorithms look for in search engine rankings. Here are the two most important activities you can do, based on my understanding:

1. Engaging content is the most important thing for SEO
2. Links back to your site

The first activity is all under your control. You identify and create the content on your site and if it is self-serving, bloated and sales focused, you are probably not going to see a lot of traffic coming to your site; probably not going to see that content shared or commented on; probably not going to see customers spend much time reading it; probably going to drive people away from the site before the time spent on the site can give you any value. So invest in good content that your customers want to consume.

The second activity is mostly out of your control because it requires people to add links to your content, and you can;t make them do that… unless your content is interesting. But there is something you can do: start using social media.

Yes, yes, I know. Your customers are far too busy and intelligent to use social media and, even if they do, they do not use it for business-related activity. That’s an inaccurate belief. More than two-thirds of the population of North America and Europe are actively involved in social media on a daily basis, which means it is highly likely that your customer base does use at least one medium every day.

Even if a significant number of your customer base doesn’t use social media, however, your active presence in social media is the second most importing thing for SEO because it provides multiple links back to your site. Every time you share an article, even if it is a crappy piece of marketing dreck it represents a link back to your site. If a good customer decides to click that link, share it (most don’t read the content on the link), or comment on it, it registers with the algorithm. 

Now, the second activity could be even more crucial for you if you insist on producing marketing dreck for content because at least it adds links back to your site. But if you invest in good content, the social media presence will make it even more valuable.

So keep it in mind: Your content and your social media activity are the most important activities for boosting SEO. Everything else is a waste of time without them.

 

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Comments

[mary JOHN]

Yes!! its true an SEO is simple but it is not a easy task because we have to see a lot of thing like:

1. Look For Bankable Keyword Opportunities
2. See What Content Is Out There, And Figure Out How You Can Improve Upon It
3. Make Sure Your Site Is Palatable To Robots
4. Focus On Getting Links Rather Than Likes
5. Build Your Credibility Over Time With Authority Marketing

[Sam]

Good content. Its amazing how people don't realize the influence that using social media can have on getting backlinks. While not directly relevant, making your content more public will increase the chances that someone who could possibly add it as a backlink will see it!

[Jim Coffey II]

I love this article because it is absolutely right on point. SEO is one of the simplest processes when just chatting about the basic concept. The depth that it goes into is the "not easy" part. Much like a car engine, if you attach the basic parts it will run. However, if you want it to run with more power and then faster still then you have to learn where the power comes from and then how much to tweak or add. It gets so intense and can be fine tuned to the enth degree. I love SEO because it is an ever evolving never ending process. Great article! Keep up the great work!

[Jim Coffey II]

I agree with Sam. It's all about the content. SEO will soon be Search Experience Optimization because our audiences will soon demand a quality experience more so than just spin and spun gibberish. With the launching of the Rank Brain algorithm it's proof that Google bots are getting smarter and smarter so we as SEO's have to evolve with them. That means not only find the keywords that make sense but find out what questions folks are asking. Thats where we're going. It's simple in theory, "But Not Easy" :)
Great Article!
Keep up the good work!
Jim

[Andrew Clarkson]

Completely agree - the concept of SEO is simple, but it is in fact a science and an art.

[loucovey]

Sorry about not getting back to approving your comments, I was actually overwhelmed by anonymous SEO "experts" trying to boost their own services and had to spend quite a bit of time sifting through them all. Thanks all for the comments.