SEO does not stand still. Like everyone else, search engine optimization is changing, and over the past few years this process has accelerated markedly. Each year, the algorithms become smarter (at least they say so themselves), the methods that yesterday brought a good result do not work today, others just do harm.
One of the most important changes in 2018-2019 was the introduction by Google of the mobile-first algorithm and the urgent need for a mobile version of the site resulting from this. And if earlier the mobile version was “very desirable”, now it has become – “very mandatory”. But, the general methodology essentially remains unchanged. These are all the same “three pillars” – technical optimization, content optimization and link building. But every SEO-shnik has his own opinion on how all this should work.
SEO today
The digital marketing market is changing rapidly; technologies, user interests, and their expectations are changing. And those who continue to adhere to the “classical” (read outdated) approaches to business will ultimately hopelessly lag behind.
Today, an SEO specialist must not only select keys, write texts, purchase some strange links, but also know the basics of marketing, programming and design. Search for free or “semi-free” niches. Work with new types of queries, where there is still not everything clogged by major players. Template actions work less and less efficiently, which means it’s time to experiment in search of better solutions.
Great attention should be paid to details: page load time, image size and code optimization. Forget about outdated methods like sending spam, cheating on behavioral factors, running through profiles / directories, and so on.
5 SEO approaches that no longer work
Using outdated methods of SEO-promotion, which were previously considered reliable and effective, you run the risk of seriously harming the position of the site in the search results, as well as being under a filter or sanctions of search engines for a very long time or even forever.
1. Wrapping of behavioral factors
Yes, I know that there are cases of successful promotion of the PF in our time. But 98% of all the projects that you are trying to promote in this way will die sooner or later. And although this method was previously quite effective, today from its application, in the short term, there will be only problems.
2. Thoughtless procurement of links
Quality, not quantity, has long been understood. But at the same time, most experts continue to procure it is not clear where, what links are not clear. Most likely this is due to a limited budget, the desire to put more in your pocket, and not the desire to look for good sites. After all, why, when you can go to the good old and well-known forum, and buy several runs for 1000 rubles.
Moreover, website promotion can give both excellent and disastrous results. The fact is that in order to achieve exactly “excellent” today, it is necessary to carefully select the sources of links, and not to buy cars on exchanges with wagons, as it was before. Search engines have learned to analyze the link mass and the site rating no longer depends on the number of links. One nofollow link on which there will be real transitions will give more effect than 100 dofollow, but on dead resources.
3. Re-optimized content
Re-optimized content is texts stuffed with keys to the eyeballs. Such texts help put on the page the maximum possible number of keywords on which the site is moving. This type of advancement will never give up, some seoshniks still practice this method because of its simplicity. However, the results of such work may be unexpected. Do you like reading texts like “Moscow buy cheap online with delivery”. Not? The search engine doesn’t like it either. Today, search engines give preference to convenient sites made for people, negatively relate to attempts to increase the relevance of the page by using a huge number of keys.
Yes, yes, in fact, this method of promotion is still very popular. Most SEO-readers simply do not understand how to put TK differently.
4. Spamming comments
“I will boost your SEO with 1 million high quality Backlinks – 100% SAFE.” With such headlines, there are still many offers on various exchanges and forums. Automatic runs with a humer-like software for a large number of profiles, and setting up a copy / paste comment, this is not something that will bring you success in 2019.
5. Runs on dead catalogs
A directory run implies automatic registration in directories. And if earlier this helped to improve the site’s position in SERPs, today in 99% of cases sanctions will be imposed on you. And especially Yandex likes to indulge in this. If you try to run your site through directories, feel free to say goodbye to a good position in the search. Site directories have lost their relevance on the modern Internet for the user, and if users do not need them, then search engines negatively perceive such fraud.
5 SEO Approaches That May Work Now
In short, SVM – Speed, Voice, Mobile. If a little more in detail, here is what can bring the result:
1. Improve usability
Today, Google provides answers without having to click on the website itself. And tomorrow, the search engine will take care that it is not left at all, will allow you to view the contents of the site even without going. Therefore, it is worth thinking about improving navigation, developing details, increasing the convenience of a web resource right now. After all, the user wants to view the site as a magazine, without the tedious search and boring reading. Convenient, understandable, comfortable.
Every day a huge number of new web resources appear, users are becoming more sophisticated, picky. Leave the site if they are not satisfied with the design or download speed.
There are a number of obvious steps for UX optimization optimization:
- Deep internal optimization (down to each individual page). Look from the point of view of a regular user on the pages of your site;
- Increase site loading speed. And here we are talking not only about the cherished figures in Page Speed Insight, but about the real speed and ease of the site;
- Lack of pop-ups and aggressive, intrusive advertising;
- Mandatory availability of an adequate mobile version. In my work, I usually put TK for the designer on the preparation of mobile design in the first place, and only then Desctop.
2. Focus on clusters rather than individual keywords
One competently structured page can be ranked immediately by hundreds of requests. No need to create pages for every request.
3. Variability in link building
I would call this process in another way – the dissemination of information about your services. It is ideal to apply several approaches at once: publishing articles and participating in discussions. For the first, I recommend writing interesting materials as for myself and trying to negotiate with sites. Many are ready to publish a truly interesting article for free. Regarding participation in the discussions. This process is now called crowdfunding, which is also past comment spam. I recommend creating accounts on relevant sites and truly participating in various discussions on blogs and forums. The link that you leave in the comment is as natural as possible. For the comment itself to lose its meaning without this link.
4. External optimization
You still need external links. But it’s worth understanding that only 1 quality link with traffic is more important and more effective than 1000 dead. In general, external optimization accounts for about 40% of all success. It is advisable to achieve such an effect so that your materials on the site themselves begin to spread on social networks and on other sites. Indeed, external optimization is not only about links, it is also SERM, social factors and some other parameters. Focus on building an interesting project and you won’t need to purchase external links.
5. Voice Search
This is not the future, but the real search engine optimization. Every year, voice search is becoming increasingly popular. Thus, Bright Local studies have shown that over the past 12 months, about 58% of consumers have used voice search to search for information about companies and products.
The main task here is to get into Featured Snippet. And it’s all about the quality of the content. Advanced snippets and rich rezult is a topic for a separate article.
6. More attention to the mobile version
Most of the requests in 2018 were entered from mobile devices. To be precise, according to Statista, the share of mobile search was 52.2%.
Yes, these indicators vary depending on the niche, for example, in the B2B segment, the desktop is still the leader. But, it is worth recognizing that the vast majority of industries receive huge traffic precisely from mobile devices. Actually, it became the reason for the introduction of the Google Mobile-first index. It is obvious that in 2019 you need to make every effort to create a high-quality mobile version.
Practical tips:
- Minimize the number of pop-ups. They infuriate everyone on desktops, and even more so for mobile users;
- The site should be not only mobile, but also finger-friendly. Make sure that the mobile version of the site is convenient to scroll and users get to all the elements.
7. YMYL (Your Money or Your Life)
The next update of the YMYL filter in August last year led to a significant decrease in positions and traffic for many sites in the medical, financial and healthy lifestyle topics. And only a few of these positions and traffic were later restored. Google requires content for YMYL pages to be written by experts. Therefore, the search engine treats the evaluation of such sites with particular care. This clearly shows the trend for other topics: If you have content on the site that has no value, or worse, content that can harm the user, such pages will fall out of the list. I have already encountered many resources that have been affected by this update. Traffic collapsed dozens of times.
8. Deep and ongoing analytics and analysis of competitors
Constant analytics will help to find out exactly which methods of promotion give the greatest result. And just as importantly, you can see low-competitive keywords for which your competitors are getting traffic.
Why do we need to analyze competitors?
The answer is simple – in order to understand how things are going in the niche, to find non-obvious moments that are important for a given, specific topic, will plunge deeper into the interests of the client. This topic will always be relevant, as long as there is a competitive offer on the market.
Perfect SEO Specialist 2019
I want to emphasize that everything described in this article is a purely subjective opinion based on experience.
Today, an SEO specialist is a versatile soldier, he must have a good knowledge of marketing, understand design and programming. He keeps abreast not only of search engine optimization, but also in other areas. And if necessary, go beyond the usual solutions. It has the following skills:
- Has a deep understanding of the principles of the search engine and the main promotion techniques;
- Able to work with search engine optimization tools;
- Has UX \ UI design skills and understanding of principles. Can quickly put on a prototype;
- He has basic programming skills. Friends with html, can independently make changes to the code. Communicates with the programmer on equal terms;
- Has the skills of a project manager. Clearly formulate and correctly draw up TK for a copywriter, programmer, designer;
- Understands the basic principles of sales;
- Analyst. He regularly analyzes the situation in the sphere and in the market as a whole.
Instead of output
The SEO profession will continue to evolve, as will the search engine optimization industry in general. In my opinion, the ideal SEO specialist is a project manager with a deep understanding of the principles of search engines. Since the main task was to create a convenient and interesting site for users.
In 2019, the SEO potential is still huge from a commercial point of view. But, every year, effective promotion is becoming increasingly difficult, requires more skills and resources. Today, SEO is no longer just texts, links, and keywords. Search engine optimization requires comprehensive work to improve the site. That is why many companies are willing to pay more for promotion in 2019. SEO is not dead, it has just taken a new dimension. And the right promotion strategy has become more important than ever.