Algorithms Gone Wild: What Matters Now In Search Engine Optimization

For webmasters and especially for online marketers, keeping up with the latest SEO advice can feel like a losing battle.

Experts have noted increased sensitivity in Google's algorithm lately to duplicate content within a website, and site-wide links losing relevance. And, factors like page load time are being increasingly taken into account.

But though it may seem like the ranking rules keep changing, the reality is that what matters now is what mattered then: a decent website, with relevant content.

Spam tactics may come and go, but best practices stay pretty constant.

In a recent WebProNews video interview, Matt Cutts said Google has 200 “signals” it uses to determine page rank.

He points out that while site speed is an important signal for search engines, “we’re always going to care first and foremost about quality.” He advises SEOs to pay attention to the other factors, but do the basics well.

So, continue with search fundamentals, like placing your main keywords in the title, heading, and URL. Keywords still rule, so attach your content to keywords people are using to find your sort of thing online, and build top 10 rankings for those keywords in the search engines 

Make sure your site is easy to navigate – not only for site visitors, but for search engine spiders as well. Keep your link structure simple, and links within three to four clicks of your home page.

Getting quality backlinks is still one of the key ways to get top rankings. Take into account that most search engines look at several factors related to links, including age. 

Older links indicate authority, whereas new ones point to freshness and relevance. You can do well with either, but it’s best to have both established authority and relevance.

Remember, SEO is not a one-time activity to complete and check off, and no one can guarantee rankings. It is instead a promising work-in-progress - just like your website.