Search has come a long way since it was first introduced. Companies such as Google, Microsoft and Bing all have their own methods for how they determine website rankings on the Internet.
For the most part, bots crawl every site using specific algorithms which determine how useful a website or page is to a user when they type in a key word. These bots have gotten so complex that Search Engine Optimization is no longer relevant. Instead, it’s all about the user “Experience” and less about the “Engine.”
How to Improve User Experience
Forget about keyword density; don’t just write for search engines — people catch on to this! It’s easy to tell what’s good content and what isn’t: oftentimes when reading bad content there will be a high density of links, keyword stuffed meta descriptions and non-relevant topics for the sake of including more keywords. Some of these tactics are now viewed as Black Hat SEO. Search engines such as Google have finally caught up with what was happening and has made great strides to bring make the unique, original content.
For SEOs, it’s important to build websites and generate content based on what users are asking instead. As search becomes more advanced, people have started to catch on that they can type in more complex keywords. Complexity usually comes in the form of questions. Be sure to have answers to your customer’s questions. Don’t believe us? Perhaps you’ve seen Google’s quick answer box at the top of your search results after asking a question.
How to See if You’re Doing a Good Job
Once you’ve optimized your page for users, it’s time to analyze the data and gain some feedback. One of the most useful — and free — tools out there is Google Analytics. Be sure to check statistics such as how much time users are spending on the site, the bounce rate, the number of pages per visit (and what specific pages they’re heading to) as well as conversions. Look at the pages that users are spending the most time on and try to replicate the layout or format of that page for the rest of your pages.
If you’re not sure what search engines are expecting these days, it’s best to contact a full service SEO company for help!