SEO is Dead?
SEO is dead and “The sky is falling!” screamed Chicken Little. Except it isn’t just one Chicken Little but a massive mob of them, all declaring that SEO is dead. It’s 2015 and don’t let the hype give you the woe-as-me attitude. Have you hear this all year-long:
A. Google has figured it all out.
B. Google has pushed out too many changes.
C. Google has shut down link building.
D. Google has killed SEO.
Search Engine Optimizations is Still Here
You can choose to believe it if you want. But you aren’t imagining it if you think you can hear the sound of quiet laughter somewhere in the background.
Do you know who’s chuckling? It’s the people who have been around the longest. People who have done Search Engine Optimization for years. Why? Because they’ve seen it before.
It’s all one big circle, and we’re back around to the part where everyone freaks out and runs around in circles screaming “The sky is falling”. Except for the few who just keep at it, adapt, and amazingly (or not) continue to see success.
Sure, things change. But they stay the same, too. The basic formula for SEO success is still:
1. Content
2. Links
3. Traffic
Great content has always been powerful. The difference is, you used to be able to get away with crap content if you just bombarded your site with crap links. Well… things are the same, but different.
Key SEO Tactics
Great content is still powerful. More than ever. But it’s a lot harder to get away with crap content and crap links. So guess what? Make some great content.
Links are still critical. But like content, it’s pretty hard to get by with total crap. You need fewer, better links to get the job done. And preferably, some links that will lead to number 3.
Traffic. We all know that Google uses factors like bounce rate, time on site, and number of visitors to validate the importance of a website. They’ve even started factoring in SSL certificates and mobile-ready design. And yes, it’s a bit of work to get real traffic to your site.
But if you’re using these three elements together, they play off each other and naturally help you achieve success.
1. Create decent content that people actually want to see/read/watch.
2. Build links and social shares from places where people actually are.
3. People will read your content, like it, and share/link to it.
SEO and Tools
As much as I wish I could hand this whole thing to you wrapped up in a nice bow, Market tools like SocialAdr, Hootsuite, and others only automate #2, with a secondary effect of #3. You’re responsible for sourcing decent content.
Create your own marketing toolbox. There are a lot of systems that work. Find out what is best for you. One way is posting your original content on Medium.com and other sites like this.
Yes, I know SEO in the new world might be slightly more work than it used to be when we blasted a site with 10 billion low-quality links. But we can still take some of the work off your plate.
SEO isn’t dead. It’s still got the same core elements it always has, you just need to do them a little better and a little different. So get out there and make it happen.
OR, you can put on a blindfold and run around in circles with everyone else. I believe your line is “The sky is falling!” Be successful today.
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