There’s a joke going around based on Google’s many, many recent changes.
Q: Why are all of Google’s updates—Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird —named for animals?
A: Because managing SEO has become a frickin’ zoo.
How funny you find this joke depends on how badly this stampede of animal-themed algorithm updates—as well as the increase in “Not provided” traffic to your site—has hurt your brand and your business. And I suspect for many of you, it’s not funny at all.
But, does this mean that you’re screwed, done, cooked? That SEO, for you anyway, really is dead?
Of course not.
Instead, to manage in this environment, the real questions worth asking are:
- What connects these Google updates?
- Why do they matter to you?
- And, most important, what do you do about them?
So, What Connects Google’s Recent Updates?
Customers. Your content must prioritize the needs of your customers. While search engines used to rank pages based on signals like inbound links, keyword placement, and keyword frequency, the latest algorithms and updates now consider what customers care about and rank your content in search results based on that.
However, this isn’t really new. Google’s been providing this same guidance for years. As Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land notes in his Hummingbird FAQ:
“…Google’s saying there’s nothing new or different SEOs or publishers need to worry about. Guidance remains the same, it says: have original, high-quality content. Signals that have been important in the past remain important” [Emphasis mine.]
Why Does This Matter?
This one’s simple. Your site undoubtedly depends on Google for traffic, because your customers depend on Google for answers to their questions.
Now, here’s the best part. While some of Google’s recent actions may not align with the “Do No Evil” motto we expect from them, in this situation, you and Google share the same goal. Your customers turn to search engines to find answers and solutions to their issues. Therefore, they don’t want just a “search” engine; they want a “find” engine. The better your content answers those questions, the more customers will appreciate it. And the more customers appreciate your content, the more Google will as well. In fact, if you effectively answer your customers’ questions, you can shift from tracking search engine results to tracking business results.
What Can You Do?
Given all this, what should an enterprising business owner or marketing manager do to improve not only their rankings, but their business?
- Focus on customer needs. If you’re like most businesses, you have a list of questions customers ask you all the time. Now, check out your website to see how well it answers those questions. If there’s any gap at all, it’s time to get started creating new content for your site. Plus, you probably have content lying around your customers would value, which leads to…
- Perform a content audit. Got any brochures, white papers, catalogs, FAQ’s, newsletters (email or otherwise), and sundry other communications lying around? If you’re like most businesses, the answer is “yes.” Why not review those to see what content you can repurpose on your website to better answer customer questions—and get Google to take notice?
- Set baseline metrics. Finally, you want to keep track of the pages generating traffic from searches to spot opportunities for improvement. Take a look in your web analytics program to see which landing pages receive the most organic search traffic, then use that as a baseline for measuring the effectiveness of new content offerings.
Yes, keeping up with Google’s various changes is a bit complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. Continue to focus on your customers’ needs and Google will likely reward your efforts. And, yes, SEO might be a bit like running a zoo these days, but, by placing your focus on your customers, you just might end up as king of the jungle.
Do you want to learn more about how to improve sales, increase conversions, and reduce the costs from your search marketing? Then take a moment to check out our Biznology Jumpstart Workshop: On-site Search Marketing Training. Taught by three Biznology search marketing experts, you’ll learn how to make your search marketing work for your business. Interested in learning more? Check it out.