Google has implemented many changes recently. If you are a marketer who are doing old SEO techniques, then maybe it is high time for you to consider going with the times so to speak. Don’t let yourself fall behind and don’t let Google or other search engines intimidate you with their so-called new rules.
If you will fail to adapt to the times, then your site(s) can suffer a lot. Even if your site is still getting decent traffic, you still need to do some changes. Don’t wait until Google punishes you for not subscribing to the new rules of SEO.
This article provides some good SEO advice for 2012.
1. Pay attention to your link sources
Google is now paying more attention to the inbound and outbound links of a website. This is the reason why it is important that most, if not all, of your inbound links are coming from authority sites or at least sites that will not be downgraded by Google anytime soon. If anything negative happens to the sources of your links, then there is a good chance that your site will be affected as well. What you can do right now is to review both your inbound and outbound links. In the future, be sure to place links only in sites that are of high quality. If you are into article marketing, for example, then make sure that you submit only to article directories with established systems and standards already. This is not the time to take risks on fledgling sites.
2. Have a variety of anchor texts
Before, the rule was to associate a single keyword for your inbound links and to be consistent with it. That simply doesn’t work anymore. This is because Google has realized that this system is prone to abuse. In fact, the number one search engine has started downgrading sites that have too many inbound links using a single anchor text. Now, SEO practitioners are encouraged to use different anchor texts. If your main keyword is “rebounder” or “mini trampoline,” for example, then you can probably use other related keywords as anchor texts. Why not use a brand name such as “Needak rebounder”as a keyword.
3. Boost your social media strategy
If you don’t have a social media strategy yet, then this is the time to have one. If you have only dabbled in social media in previous years, then this is the year that you should take it seriously. Why? First of all, because your competition is already doing it. Second and more importantly, because search engines are now paying more attention to social media sites. Links from social media sites may still not have the same value as links coming from other sources of inbound links, but they can surely help your SEO strategy. And you probably know already that Google has now entered the social media world with Google+. This can only mean that social media shares are about to increase further.
Of course, you should not take these tips as hard rules. After all, the world of SEO is a dynamic one and search engines are always implementing changes to make it easier for their people to search for stuff on the Internet. The key to success for any marketer or SEO practitioner, therefore, is to be open to changes.
