According to Internet Live Stats, the number of websites in the world will exceed one billion sometime between late 2015 and mid-2016. Granted that site inactivity may reduce the number to some degree, millions of websites will still remain in existence to compete with yours for attention. Your brand can’t assume that people already know your site; to be successful, it has to be discoverable. But for that to be possible, it must be visible to search engines.
Google, Yahoo!, and other search engines help people discover sites through algorithms that mine and rank online information based on various signals. By using data gleaned from search engine results, digital marketing campaigns are able to find the best means to enhance website visibility on the internet. Here are some of the things we know:
Keyword Optimization
Search engines look at keywords to learn what your website is about and whether its contents are relevant to a search inquiry. This makes keyword research critical to successful digital marketing. In the Philippines, for instance, consumers often use �?mp3 players’ instead of portable media players’ when running a search about iPods and similar products. If you’re an online retailer selling digital audio players, you might want to consider using �?mp3 players’ for your campaigns. The same is true for social media marketing in the Philippines. However, be sure that your keywords seamlessly integrate with your copy so that it reads naturally.
Link Building
Another important search signal, backlinks or inbound links show how credible, relevant, or popular a website is, much like how citations indicate the value of a research paper. However, not all links are created equal. Automated links are considered spam and are, therefore, penalized by Google. A more natural approach is to have authoritative websites such as news sites and reputable blogs to write about your brand and link back to you.
Fresh, Original Content
Google craves fresh content. Constant updates imply that the website hasn’t been abandoned, hence why a blog can boost visibility. This does not mean, however, that you can just add new pages with the exact same copy from your other pages or another website, lest you want to get penalized for plagiarism or duplicate content.
Social Sharing
Search engines take signals from social media, too. Shared content on social networks receive a bump in search engines, so be sure to add social media buttons on your website to make it easy for visitors to share your blog articles or product pages to their circles. Always include social media marketing in your online campaigns.
User-Friendliness
Search engines value how well websites help people, not only in terms of the information they provide. A poor navigation experience will put off potential customers and, in turn, result in lower search rankings. Likewise, Google takes mobile-friendliness seriously and will dole out penalties for poor mobile accessibility. If your website suffers from both issues, be sure to have it revamped as soon as possible.
Increasing online discoverability generates leads and revenues. Make the effort and enlist digital marketing experts to help your brand achieve sustainable growth throughout the year.
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