The Decreased Value of Simple SEO
Led by Google, the major search engines have made it a point to decimate websites whose only claim to fame is their ability to rank well by manipulating search engine algorithms. By attaching many of their ranking criteria to the actual behavior of human visitors, search engines are now able to weed out websites that 1. do not deliver what they promise and 2. do not engender loyalty and repeat visits from their audience.
New search engine metrics such as "bounce rate" (the percentage of visitors who click on your website and immediately click away) and "stickiness" (the ability of a website to maintain the attention of a visitor) model human behavior quite effectively. There are many other similar trust metrics that are used by the major search engines that have not been named yet. Although these unidentified metrics may not currently have the importance of a bounce rate, the major search engines have already determined their trendline for the next decade. Knowing that these trust metrics will become important in the future should dictate how you strategize your SEO today.
The Increased Value of Content Marketing
In order to build and maintain a human audience that will reflect favorably to search engines, your site content must be both informative and entertaining. In short, you must be viewed as an expert in your field before your search engine optimization strategies will give you the long-term results that you are looking for.
The new trend for 2013 and beyond is giving your data a "personality." It is not enough to simply present information; the most successful websites of the next decade will focus on the visual aspects of data presentation.
It is also essential to use all available tools to make sure that your content is not being syndicated without your permission. Duplicate content online will cause your search engine ranking to decrease. However, the major search engines have implemented many tools that you can use to find and report illegal use of your intellectual property.
This does not mean that being a content aggregator or a syndicator is completely out of style; however, there is a new emphasis on original content creation that is only going to increase in the future. If you are looking to gain the trust of your audience and the major search engines, you should begin to embrace that trend today.
Google is Actually Making the Branding Process Easier!
Gone are the days in which a business could fill their title tags full of awkward keywords and rank well within the major search engines. Although some businesses do not see the advantage in this trend, it actually makes the branding effort much easier. Instead of having to name your video on HVAC service "Atlanta Air Conditioning Carrier Sears Winter Replacement 24 Hour Service," you can feel free to simply brand your video with your company name without incurring a penalty in your SEO efforts. As a matter of fact, those keyword stuffed titles will actually penalize a website today.
Smart business owners are taking advantage of these new trends and branding themselves according to trust rather than keyword and link building strategies.
