Search engine optimization pros saw a big disturbance recently. All of the algorithm tracking tools, including MozCast, were off the charts. Had Google made a major change that penalized sites for low quality backlinks? Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst John Mueller did not directly answer the question. Instead, he reminded the community: Google makes changes almost every day. To keep your digital marketing effective, you need to ensure that you stay within the search giant’s good graces.
Search is constantly evolving. Upswings and dips in your ranking are to be expected. Hoping that things will always stay the same, no matter what your practices, is not an effective way to manage your search visibility. Most businesses still get the bulk of their traffic from search, so keeping up with changes and best practices is a vital part of digital marketing.
Gary Illyes of Google stated that the company does an average of three updates every day. At any given time, it’s fair to assume that an update has affected your standing. To stay on top, there is one thing you need to remember: it is not about you. Google updates the algorithm to make their search tools more valuable to end users. They don’t care whether your site stays on the front if it isn’t providing what searchers want.
The most recent noted updates most likely addressed poor quality backlinks. In the past, SEOs discovered that sites with many backlinks, no matter where they were from, ranked better in the SERPs. As a result, spam sites with tons of barely related backlinks, junk-riddled directories and link farms proliferated.
While Google warned against the practice years ago, a number of digital marketing professionals either failed to handle poor quality backlinks or never learned about the change in rules.
It can seem confusing at first? How do you control a backlink from another company? What if you were not the one who created it in the first place?
Because of this problem, Google now allows website owners to disavow poor quality links that could be holding them back. Webmasters can use Google’s Webmaster Tools to go over the list of sites that link to them and disavow the spammy ones. This is a feature that should be used only by experienced and knowledgeable SEOs; disavowing good links can hurt your ranking.
Chasing the latest best practices and SEO tricks sounds exhausting right? The good news is that it’s also unnecessary.
Google has told webmasters from the beginning what they want: valuable, content-rich sites that their searchers will find useful. That, paired with the tools and function that makes your sites visible and appealing, is the secret to SEO success.
Instead of employing the newest tricks, it is important to create a website that naturally rises to the top. By creating or commissioning quality content, you achieve two ends: first, you have content that will help you rise in the ratings; you also have persuasive and effective digital marketing materials that can help potential customers decide to choose you.
We have dedicated ourselves to helping businesses create websites that intrigue customers and win the favor of search engines. This gets your business in front of searchers then helps you win their hearts. Not sure where to begin? Get in touch for a consultation today.