December 31, 2013

As the new year dawns, SEO forecasts are rampant, with webmasters and business owners trying hard to predict what the coming year holds for SEO. The two major highlights that mark the transition between the years 2013 and 2014 are the Google Hummingbird update, and the overlap between mobile and local. Talking of the Google Hummingbird, it has essentially crystallized the relationship between screens and their users, emphasizing on the need to effectively “design” language. The coming year will shift the current state of the web from being structured around privatization and power, to celebrating wildness and a deep sense of community.

As opposed to many of the previous updates from Google, the Hummingbird update actually gives SEO pros a reason to celebrate, as it is leading to more localized organic results for non-geo modified keywords. This can be seen as a gateway to more opportunities to attract local traffic in 2014, with an increase in the keywords triggering local results. Local businesses can benefit significantly by replacing catch-all location pages with regional vertical pages for their business, with specific content for each place of business.

With statistics showing that 46 percent of shoppers (nearly 1 in 2) use their phones to research local products and services, having a mobile-friendly website for your business in 2014 will not just be an option, but an absolutely critical task, essential for the profitability and longevity of your business. SoLoMo (Social Local Mobile) is likely to become more relevant than ever in 2014, as it is highly probable that search engines will begin indexing maps with an aim to create a directory of user preferences.

If you are looking to up your SEO game in 2014, the following is a list of some basic tips and strategies that can help you sail through:

  • Create great quality content, with each page having at least 300 words
  • Use text-based navigations
  • Use geo-tagging to let search engines and users actually see where you are located
  • Ensure that your hosting server is up and running with no less than 99.9% uptime
  • Detect broken links using software like Xenu, and address them immediately
  • Work on a citation building campaign, creating accurate citations on relevant directories
  • Use “share of voice” to address the entirety of SERPs for your business

For more information on how SEO can benefit your business, call us at – (855) 375-9654