The last Quarter of 2015 is upon us, so it is time for marketers to position themselves and strategize for 2016. SEO is a big part of that. It has changed over the last decade and the recent past has been a beehive of activity what with major updates from Google like Panda and Penguin. Their intent is to make the search experience more rewarding for the user.
Moz surveyed over 150 leading search marketers who provided expert opinions on over 90 ranking factors and published the Moz ranking factors for 2015, something of a Ground Zero document worth examining.
Taking all this into account, we believe these five factors should be at the top of anyone’s list:
Content:
Content has been and will continue to be the winning factor for SEO. Update fresh, original, and unique content on your site on a regular basis. Use your Blog as a platform to keep fresh thoughts (i.e. content) churning. To portray your organization as an industry thought leader, invest in content generation and syndication for the website.
Mobile:
It’s the era of the smartphone, with rapidly growing mobile penetration and mobile searches taking precedence. So mobile-friendly websites are essential. Use Google’s Mobile Friendliness test to check your site for, well, mobile friendliness.
Usability:
Ease of use and navigation is crucial to the user’s experience. No ease, no user. Content placement should always be in synch with the users’ intent. Achieve this with through research on trending and user-focus keywords, and then place appropriate content across the site. Your success is measured by how well you understand the user’s journey and persona and compensate accordingly.
HTTPS:
Ever since Google announced HTTPS as a ranking signal, many business sites have utilized secure encryption. It provides users with an advanced level of trust when browsing the website. For any websites engaging in online transactions, it’s a must-have feature.
Social factors:
Social media can influence search rankings and helps generate your authority across the web. There may be no better way to quickly spread word across the online world. Be active across all social channels and make Google+ and YouTube a priority. Google also uses Twitter data to discover new content.
All of the above factors, in addition to on-page and technical aspects of the site, lead to good SEO results. Remember, SEO is a collaborative effort and a combination of all these can help make the journey smoother.
Let us know your comments and thoughts!
