The Internet has been around long enough for a generation not to know what it was like to not head to a computer and look up information. Throughout those years, the way business owners have competed for attention in this environment has changed. The reality is that new approaches to search engine optimization are in constant development. That will not change in the coming year. Here are four areas that you should watch closely and be prepared to make some changes in your SEO strategy.
Changes in Major Search Engine Algorithms
Search engine algorithm changes at the major search engines are always taking place. What the public mainly hears about are the major ones. You as a business owner know that the smaller changes can affect your rankings just as much. That’s why you never consider the task of updating and refining the elements of your website to be finished.
There are changes in the coming year that could affect the search engine arena more than you think. Between mergers, takeovers, and the smaller engines seeking to grab more market share from Google, expect some changes to be radical. Even discounting the possible ripple effects from mergers and similar events, the drive in several countries to push down questionable sites that dispense more myth than fact is likely to intensify. Even if you think every bit of content on your site is factual, it pays to work with an expert in SEO in Toronto to ensure not one word could give the major engines a reason to place your pages anywhere but on the first page of results.
Adjustments by Social Media Sites
You’ve spent the last few years building a credible audience on social media sites. They do attract attention and have brought you, new customers. What you may not realize is that some of the changes going on quietly in the background may make it harder for your posts to be seen by a wider audience.
Consider what this means for your social media business page. At one point, it was possible to create interesting posts including links that attracted a lot of people. They, in turn, could share the posts with you. Those same posts would show up higher in any search results generated from site users typing in key phrases so they could find what they wanted.
A call for greater monitoring and qualifying of social media content sounds great, but it could mean people who would usually see your business posts on their news feeds will now have to remember to migrate to your business page. The potential for others to see your page will be reduced, even if you purchase a plan to boost one or more posts. Now is the time to think about how you can utilize local SEO services and retain your strong social media presence.
The Increased Use of Videos
Using videos to promote your business is nothing new. What may change is how you use them. Consider releasing more informational videos and tie them back to blogs and social media posts. Keep using them for advertisements, but seek to be smarter about where those videos appear. In the future, videos that end up on lower ranking sites could damage your reputation and drive traffic away.
Staying on top of a shifting online marketing environment is not easy. That’s why you need help from an expert. Call today and make plans for the coming year. You may be surprised at what a few simple changes would do regarding enhancing your reputation and attracting more of the right audience.
