Many business owners will hear the term “search engine optimization” (or SEO) from colleagues in the business community or even competitors and may consider it as a way to increase sales, but what exactly is SEO? Alternatively, a business owner may have attempted ‘SEO services’ in the past and discovered that they either didn’t work as well as planned or were no longer as successful — this article defines SEO and shows why ‘new’ SEO is working better than before.
I’ve been working in the search engine optimization and website ranking sector since before it was even called SEO. Here are the changes in SEO since the turn of the century, as well as what you should look for in the SEO services that your SEO Agency offers or delivers. We look back at SEO over the years to explain what it is today and how to best use it for our website.
SEO in 2000
Lycos and Excite were the ‘major’ search engines that most people used at the turn of the millennium. Of course, at the time, only a small percentage of the UK population had internet connection, and those who did accessed it via a slow ‘dial-up’ system.
Websites were limited to one or two pages of essential information in order to load quickly (within 20 seconds). Back then, SEO methods were to ‘hide’ as many keywords as possible on a page so that the website might be found for such searches without having the page appear spammy to users.
In 2002, Google debuted something called ‘AdWords,’ which was anticipated to be the end of SEO because it allowed anyone to pay for prominence on the now-number-one website for beginning internet searches.
In 2003, Yahoo purchased Inktomi, AltaVista, and FAST, thereby putting an end to all of the’smaller’ search engines. Google began cracking down on’spam’ activities and websites. At the same time, Google realized that ‘AdWords’ were not going to kill SEO and that ‘natural results’ actually encouraged people to return to their search engine platform. Google began to recognize ‘professional SEO’ professionals and began to promote excellent SEO over spamming SEO.
Google took action against websites that were spamming them in 2004, and the first website was ‘banned’ from the internet. They also filed a lawsuit against the “SEO Company” that was responsible.
To rank a website in 2006, you simply required links back to your website, so buying links / link exchange was popular, and most websites had a web page where they listed companies and links to their website (I am still amazed how many websites continue this practice).
Between 2004 and 2008, Google, as the sole true “player” in the search engine market, began taking action against poor linking methods and organizations, as well as tightening its grip on spam and link buying. The “Noughties” saw the end of all “naughty” SEO tactics, as Google focused on ranking websites based on their content and relevance to the search being performed.
SEO in 2010
Between 2010 and 2015, search engines began to take note of ‘Social Media’ sites, and soon the results were flooded with Twitter ‘tweets’. (I can still picture one of my clients’ faces when I search Google for his firm, and the entire first page of search results is made up of tweets from a Twitter chat that two members of staff were having about how bad the company was!)
With the Google ‘Caffeine’ upgrade, videos and photos were also included to search results.
Google developed “personal search results,” which show websites in search results based on prior searches and websites you’ve visited. Customers claimed their websites were “top of Google” for whatever search they conducted relating to their industry simply because they had visited their own website many times before, thus Google of course feed them back the website for all relevant searches. This can be a problem until you show them the new ‘Google Incognito search.’
The emphasis in website ranking was on being found for KEYWORDS. Because a ‘Plumber’ in Bristol would want to rank for that term, that was the objective.
Google’s ‘Panda’ and ‘Penguin’ updates effectively destroyed ‘link exchanges,’ imposing severe penalties on websites that had irrelevant links pointing to them. Simultaneously, Google implemented “no follow links” to allow websites to provide useful links to other websites and information without penalizing either side. It was the beginning of “safe connecting.” Quality and relevant material were increasingly essential for ranking high in search engines.
A report by the ‘Office For National Statistics’ in 2014 stated:
- 38 million adults (76%) in Great Britain accessed the Internet every day, 21 million more than in 2006, when directly comparable records began.
- Access to the Internet using a mobile phone more than doubled between 2010 and 2014, from 24% to 58%.
- 74% of all adults bought goods or services online, up from 53% in 2008. Clothes (49%) were the most popular online purchase in 2014.
- Of all adults in Great Britain, 67% are aware of Internet storage space services, but the take up of these services to store data is much lower at 35%.
- In Great Britain, 22 million households (84%) had Internet access in 2014, up from 57% in 2006.
- Fixed broadband Internet connections were used by 91% of households.
The UK was now (almost) internet savvy and usage of mobile phones to visit websites was huge.
SEO 2015 and Onwards
The most significant change to search engines in 2015 was the “penalization” of websites that were not “mobile friendly” — a mobile friendly website includes different content for the smaller screen to make it easier for the user to read and understand. To ensure that visitors had the greatest experience possible, Google began prioritizing mobile friendly or responsive websites higher in the rankings (where the website automatically changes its size and structure to match the screen).
The UK population was using their mobile phones for local searches, and small businesses may finally acquire an advantage over giant corporates or ‘global’ businesses on the internet.
The introduction of’semantic search,’ in which Google returns websites in the results based on the content on a page rather than the keywords, revolutionized the way SEO agencies viewed working on websites. Ranking for ‘Big’ keywords like ‘Plumber Bristol’ has become less significant as internet consumers have become more sophisticated with their searches. Using as many ‘long tail keywords’ as possible, we began to increase website visitors and, more crucially, conversions.
What is The SEO Process Today?
It’s safe to assume that the methods or practices involved with search engine optimization have outgrown the name “SEO.”
Working on the content and structure of a website was sufficient in previous years. There is now so much more to do in order to not just rank a website in search engines, but also to gain client interaction. A better term for the service would be “digital marketing.”
As previously stated, old methods dictated that ‘large’ keywords were essential for ranking. A concentrate on a single keyword per page or even for an entire website would rank the company, and it was all about rankings back then.
Old way of doing SEO
Today there are a number of factors to consider in regards to SEO. ‘Semantic search’ is the main driver and conversion the main goal, not rankings.
Semantic search is when Google delivers information from the page to the searcher rather than the description entered by the website author. As an example, consider the ‘Plumber Bristol’ example. A few years ago, you would have focused on rating the business for “Plumber Bristol,” “Plumber in Bristol,” and possibly “Emergency Plumber Bristol” – though this is still true for firms that offer a solution for “distress buying” (where time and a solution outweigh the need for information and advice) Better practice on a website is to include material that provides advise and information, as well as ‘long tail keywords’ (3 or 4 word searches) such as “Emergency plumber with free callout in Bristol” or “Reviews for an Emergency Plumber near me.”Google wants the user to have the greatest experience possible and to find relevant information as quickly as possible, and semantic search does this. This is also prudent for a business owner to do. Would you rather your website be discovered by a searcher looking for “Plumber Bristol,” where they could be seeking for information, looking for a job, looking for a plumbing service that you may not provide, or by a precise and targeted search such as “best emergency Plumber near BS7”? Being found for “best emergency Plumber near BS7” will get you a website visitor, but being found for “Plumber Bristol” will get you a customer.
In terms of keywords, this is the most significant adjustment Google has implemented, and it is here to stay. SEO, also known as digital marketing, is no longer about where you rank, but about how many different search keywords you can be found for and how many of them convert into paying clients.
Website Content
Google indicated to professional SEO Agencies a few years ago (and only 2 or 3 years ago) that 300 words on a page was sufficient content. They indicated last year that the MINIMUM should be at least 500 words.
Every day, a potential customer asks me to review a website, and the majority of them have between 150 and 250 words each page. This is standard procedure. There are two perspectives on this. Either Google needs to adjust its expectations because most websites do not match them, or this may be viewed as an easy method to get ahead of the competition by simply adding content to your page. Do you believe Google will reduce its standards or expect websites to improve to meet them? Google issued the’mobile friendly’ update despite knowing that about 80% of websites would need to be modified – and they did it nonetheless because it benefited more than 50% of their customers. Quality content has an impact on all of their users.
I advise our consumer to use roughly 800 words per page. This is sufficient content to be’semantic search’ friendly, deliver relevant content, and not be overly wordy.
Good practice is to have:
- Page Title – say what the page is about (‘Big’ Keyword if you must)
- Headline – asking a question
- First paragraph explains briefly explains the content / solution
- Image / or video
- Longer description of the solution
Take our Emergency Plumber in Bristol, as an example:
- Page Title: Emergency Plumber Bristol
- Headline: Are you looking for the best emergency plumber near you in Bristol?
- First Paragraph: Smith Plumbing offer a 24 hour emergency plumbing service in Bristol. We do not charge a call out fee and can be with you in 20 minutes. That is why our customer reviews and feedback say we are the best emergency plumbing service in your area. Call now on…
- Image of the van or the Plumber looking professional
- Longer description: What they can fix, common problems they resolve, some of the quotes from their customers etc.
This has a number of benefits.
To begin, individuals who just want a Plumber will read the first line, see the image of the van (which conveys authority and professionalism), and phone the Plumber. Others will desire further information, which can be found lower down the page. Is this SEO espionage? Certainly not. You’re giving the user useful information, and Google will like that. The “new” SEO is concerned with how material is structured and written on a page.
The second advantage is that your website will begin to be found for a combination of the words on the page – semantic search – in the example above, the Plumber could be found by customers and potential customers looking for “Smith Plumbing,” “Emergency Plumber near me,” “Emergency Plumber in Bristol,” “Best24 hour emergency plumbing service in Bristol,” “emergency plumber Bristol reviews,” and dozens more search terms. Would you rather be found for one huge keyword or several relevant customer converting keywords if you were a plumber? So did I, and so does Google.
Previously, website content was created for search engines. You must now develop content in order to deliver value to customers. This is a much simpler procedure than you might assume.
What were the last five consumer inquiries to your company? What was the issue they were attempting to solve? Write about the issue and your proposed remedy.
Link Building
The traditional method of ‘link building’ was to obtain as many links as possible from as many different locations. This year, we had a huge corporation contact us regarding their SEO, and they were shocked when we proposed that they remove their 1.4 MILLION links back to their website, which they had spent a fortune on over the years. Irrelevant links, the more of which you have, highlight to Google your website’s irrelevance – regardless of how relevant it may be.
Nowadays, a few relevant links are significantly more valuable than a million links back to your website. Today, linkages must be established through engaged relationships. Using our Plumber as an example, a link from the ‘Gas Safe registration,’ a local plumbing business or bathroom showroom, and a few local websites that like his information would do.
Social Media
Even while we still get some corporations like this now, when we said businesses should be on Facebook a few years ago, I was usually told “Facebook – that is for youngsters, isn’t it?” “That isn’t our market.” If done correctly, Facebook has the potential to deliver more traffic and paying consumers to your door than your website. The 25 to 34 year old age group is Facebook’s largest user demographic, followed by the 35 to 44 year old age group. 45 to 54-year-olds use Facebook more than youngsters and almost as much as 18 to 24-year-olds.
Facebook Users UK age – courtesy of statista
A business can use Facebook to develop a brand, engage customers, obtain user reviews, and receive rapid customer feedback. Unlike evaluations on your website, which potential customers may see if they visit your website, a review on Facebook is instantly visible by all of the user’s friends, and if their buddy ‘likes’ the comment – all of their friends, too. Facebook is generating more and more leads for our customers. People are asking their friends for company recommendations and receiving dozens of responses – if you are on Facebook, you are more likely to receive a direct link to your contact information.
What is the future of ‘Social Media’? Streaming in real time! Twitter has acquired ‘Periscope,’ a firm that allows you to live stream video from your phone. “What’s the point?” Our ’emergency plumber’ inquires. If I were a plumber, I would be live streaming my job as I solve an issue, with the video going out to all of my followers and their friends — my own free-to-air television channel broadcasting all over the world. The next time your company holds a “brainstorming session” – periscope it – your customer will tell you what the solutions are.
Video Marketing
There are no ‘old’ SEO methods for video because they simply did not exist, and when YouTube first launched, it was to display hilarious videos of cats and the like.
That has all changed now. YouTube is owned by Google and is the world’s second largest search engine. YouTube has over 1 BILLION users globally, and 300 hours of video are posted every minute. To watch all of the videos that will be uploaded in the next hour, you would need nearly two years. You could spend the rest of your life watching all of the videos uploaded today. According to Google’s own data, by 2018, 73 percent of searches will result in the consumer watching a video. Consider this: in a few years, when ten individuals search the internet for your product or service, seven of them will watch a video and two will visit a website.