We’re always telling clients that SEO doesn’t stand still. The very definition – optimising your website for search engines – means that it is an industry in which you need to move with the flow of the masters: Google and Bing to name two. So, in preparation for changes on the way in the next year, we’ve put together our short but handy guide to optimising your website: SEO in 2017.
First: Content Density is becoming a thing
Over the past couple of years, Google has rolled out its Panda algorithm in various stages. In effect, Panda was designed to reduce (if not negate!) the impact of keyword stuffing and low-quality content. It was the turning point, if you will, in content marketing, where those in the industry of producing good, reliable content were no longer overlooked by those putting their product’s name 15 times in each paragraph.
However, there is a difference between real quality content, and just content that passes the Panda test, and search engines are becoming wise to it. Hello content density.
When you hear someone talk about content density, think of it as the ‘per word value’ of content. With falling attention spans across the globe, particularly with online, mobile users, the ability to give – and responsibility of giving – maximum value to users is paramount.
If there is a webpage or article that informs on a topic in 300 words, and another that does it in 1,000 for the same value, guess which one Google will rank…
Second: User Experience only gets more important
On top of content, User Experience has become an increasing focal point across the digital sphere over the past few years. From the role that content plays in it, to ease of navigation, to the Mobilegeddon update earlier in 2015 – you can expect this to continue next year, but go up a level.
Here at Wolf, we can’t stress strongly enough the importance as we turn into the new year of getting your site running fluidly. You should already be mobile optimised, but you also need to work on fast load times and overall indicators that search engines look at: bounce rates, time on page, returning users.
Third: Leverage Personal Branding
You know how there tends to be things in SEO that fall to the background with new algorithm updates? Things like high-quality links through guest posts, social engagements etc. Well, it’s important to keep these in mind as you work on dense content, mobile optimisation, and site load speed.
A good way to do this is to leverage personal branding. Loads of companies are coming to the party, and all it means is a) work on your own personal brand and maximise that engagement and b) utilise those people out there who already have a massive personal brand.
Don’t underestimate the power of leveraging personal brand.
