Although we have become known as a leader in the Magento web design industry, at ADX Media, we help our customers find success with their ecommerce sites in a number of ways. One of them is online marketing. However, a lot has changed since we started with this field back in 1996. A lot has even changed over the past couple of years. Therefore, we’d like to share four SEO tips that are still relevant in 2016 and still very powerful.
1. Social Media Is Growing in Influence
There are a still a lot of people who don’t think social media sites like Facebook and Twitter deserve much attention. Many simply don’t think they’re right for their industry. Others believe social media doesn’t lend itself well to conversions.
While every business is different and those unique goals mean that there’s no one perfect strategy for implementing a social media strategy, it’s undeniable that these sites do matter.
Fortunately, the Magento web design platform makes it easy to link out to your social media presence and vice versa. However, if you’re not currently investing in your company’s future on sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, now would be a good time to change that. Google and other search engines clearly appreciate it.
2. Video Is the New King of Content
Another method for topping the SERPs would appear to be video. Again, if your instinct was to suggest that this simply doesn’t work for your company/industry, we urge you to think again.
Google is giving prime real estate on SERPs to companies that include video content. Remember, too, that this is the company that bought YouTube so they have a very real investment in seeing video continue to do well and grow in popularity.
The good news for our customers is that the Magento web design platform lends itself to hosting videos.
3. Mobile Optimization Is Necessary
If your site doesn’t play well with mobile devices, you need to change that ASAP. Another reason to love the Magento web design platform is because it does this automatically.
Having a mobile-friendly site is a no-brainer. People are using mobile devices to access the Internet in increasing numbers. If you don’t accommodate these users, they’re going to find a competitor who will.
However, in terms of SEO, there’s another reason to love the Magento web design platform and other mobile-friendly options: because Google does. The search engine king has already begun downgrading the rankings of sites that aren’t mobile-friendly. This isn’t going to change in the future. In fact, by the end of 2016, expect that this approach of theirs will only escalate.
4. Local SEO Is Growing in Prominence
If you’re a company that targets local customers, than you need to take that into consideration when deciding on your business’ SEO strategy. Fortunately, the Magento web design platform is compatible with this kind of approach.
You’ll need to sign up for Google My Business, though. For obvious reasons, Google will reward you with a better ranking. You should also use local keywords in your copy, provide Google Maps directions and think about other ways to address would-be customers in your area.
Earn Quality Backlinks
Backlinks have long been the most reliable way to climb Google’s rankings. The problem is that many businesses have cheated the system by paying for backlinks. Unfortunately, the sites that give them out for cash tend to be seen as low quality by Google and other search engines.
They’re also getting better at catching perpetrators. While it’s not illegal to try to improve your rankings this way, you can expect that your search engine ranking will become nonexistent if you’re busted.
For the foreseeable future, you’re going to want to keep finding backlinks, but make sure they come from quality sites that don’t give them out in exchange for payments. Do regular audits to see where your links are coming from. If you find that any disreputable sites are linking to you for some reason, it’s best to break that off so search engines don’t punish you.
If you want help with Magento web design or online marketing, ADX Media is here to help. As you can see, the world of SEO is still changing, so it’s important you know what you’re doing.
