In the volatile world of SEO, some things stay the same

These days, nothing can seem more volatile than SEO. Strategies, often initiated by Google, continue to shift, change and evolve. There are a few things, however, that will never change with regard to any present of future SEO marketing strategies you may put into place:

• It will always, and forever, be about them. Your customers and clients, and those who potentially become so, are the only focus you should have with regard to your SEO efforts. Everything is designed to drive traffic to your site and your site only exists to make those precious conversions. No one really wants to hear about how wonderful you are except for, maybe, your mother. Veer away from a customer centered strategy and you are doomed. Are you solving a problem for them? Is it easy for them to navigate around your site? Is it simple to pull the trigger and buy something? Are you bringing added value to their lives?
• Stay on top of your rivals and find your niche. There is not a whole lot of room with regard to SERP’s and you, most assuredly, would like to eventually end up on the first page of one. What are your competitors doing that you’re not? Where are they where you’re not? How and from where are they driving traffic? How’s their home page? Are they NOT doing some things that you are doing or can be doing to best them in the short term? Finding your niche simply means that you can’t be everything to everyone. Not all six billion citizens of Earth are your target customers. Competition is brutal and it gets more so every year as new companies enter into your industry. Know who you want to sell to. Know what they want, what they need, and where to find them. Then, simply tailor your SEO strategies to drive them to your site.
• Forget manipulation and understand where you need to go. If you are resorting to trickery and black hat tactics simply to try and manipulate your rank on a SERP, beware. You may get away with it for a while but when Google’s bots and spiders catch up to you, you will get more than a time out. A Google penalty will have serious and long term affects on both your SEO marketing and your bottom line. Knowing where you need to go means you knowing where your customer base is. What social platforms are they on the most? Will a quick PPC campaign or email blast affect your traffic numbers? Be everywhere you can but only in those places where your potential customers are likely to be.

-Written by Kevin Sawyer