More about SEO
Too often, SEO is still thought to be the implementation of a few simple tricks to influence the algorithm of search engines. Naming the search term a few times or swapping a few backlinks: these are just two simple examples of how SEO is implemented by many marketers and agencies.
These are outdated strategies that worked before. Are you getting started with SEO? Then it is crucial that you perform optimizations for your target audience and not to influence search engine algorithms. Think carefully about what your target audience is searching for and how you add value for these visitors. This goes beyond just content, but also includes providing a good user experience and connecting with user intent.
There is usually talk about three pillars of SEO: technology, content and authority. The designations vary from marketer to marketer, but fundamentally, with that approach, it comes down to:
Our unvarnished opinion on how SEO is often looked at: it no longer works and is not future-proof. And that’s a shame, because Organic Search can be of great value to your entire marketing mix.
At SmartRanking, we are a little cocky. We look not only at what works now, but also at what will work in the future. After all, what has worked before is no guarantee for the future. Search engines are getting smarter and want to show the most relevant search results to users.
We see “Search quality” as a new pillar, which includes E-E-A-T. By search quality we mean all improvements that contribute to the user experience, relevance and reliability of the website. Think of transparent communication about the authors of the content, but also good information about, for example, payment options and return policy and a user-friendly website.
SEO is not a marketing channel, but a way to improve your entire website for your users. In doing so, you will be rewarded with higher positions in organic search results. But even more pleasing: it also has an impact on other marketing channels. For example, improving your reliability ensures a higher conversion rate and more relevant content ensures a better quality score in Google Ads. Thus, SEO is not an isolated channel, but a wonderful way to take your website to the next level.
SEO has never stood still and is never going to stand still. The rapid rise of AI and its various capabilities, allow you to optimize your website more efficiently. AI is also changing the search behavior of your target audience. Therefore, it is important not to live in the “now” with your mindset, but rather to be engaged in the future.
For us, this underscores the importance of no longer seeing SEO as a marketing method where you write texts for search engines. When you really work on improving your website for your target audience, we believe that you will remain findable in the future. Even if search methods change or search engines change the design of search results.
We are a big proponent of using AI, as long as it adds value and you really improve your website. It is not for nothing that we develop several custom GPTs for SEO.
We can’t repeat it often enough: SEO is not about manipulating search engines, but about improving your website for your user. For many marketers, this is a difficult, but necessary, switch in mindset. If you’re already doing SEO this way, the future looks bright!
Do you want a future-proof SEO strategy for your website? Are you curious about the latest SEO trends? Or would you like to know more about our vision of SEO? Then contact us without obligation for an online introduction.