Does “SEO” still mean anything?
SEO is a term that doesn’t mean what it used to, but still cannot be ignored.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which put a different way just means that the site should be optimized for search engines.
“Huh?”
It means that the search engines need to be able to quickly identify what the site is about… and they do that like a blind person would read braille.
That is to mean that in order to keep the site optimized, it needs to be coded a specific way and the content on the pages needs to be relevant to who you are.
What used to be part of SEO process was adding “meta tags” to the site that the search engines used to understand what the site was about.
Not so much anymore!
Search engines have become so smart that even without placing keywords on the pages, they are able to tell what your site is about (probably faster then most humans) just by reading the content.
You see the way those little spiders work is that any time they are “reading” a page, they are clicking on the links within that page and following those links to see where they lead. If you’re site is mentioned (ie, linked to) from other sites that the spiders are crawling, they will end up at your site. And the more times they end up at your site, the more recognition you’ll get with that search engine within whatever terms it has determined that the originating website and your website have in common.
So, if the originating site is about widgets and there’s a link to your website, which is also about widgets, the search engines now have a pretty good idea that you are in fact a company that deals with widgets and when someone searches for widgets within their search engine, guess who’ll show up?!
So what do we do to beat our competition in search rankings?
Blog and participate in social media!
Blogging can sometimes be a scary term for people. Especially for business owners who are already strapped for time. Well, I hate to tell you, but these days, it’s a necessity!
At the end of the day, a blog is tied to your site and gives you a chance to add more relevant keywords to your site. To a search engine, a blog represents that you are contributing to the web; helping to make it a better place.
Social media sites can serve the same purpose, but since the vast majority of humanity spends a good portion of their day on social media sites, your chances of being seen are much greater if you too are hanging out there with them!
Think of it this way, to be popular you need to hang out with the popular kids. And the social media sites are dominating the hallways of the internet. So go play with them!
With the rise of social media, and the creation of so many business pages, search engines have become aware of all this activity and have started working that into their algorithms.
You see, business pages on social media are public, and public pages are crawled by those search engines spiders you’ve probably heard of. So naturally, it would make sense to have one of those public pages for your business. But just existing isn’t enough… creating “engagement” should be your #1 focus, and if you’re not going to actively do that, you shouldn’t have a presence there at all.
Engagement?
Communicate with the people that you want to be your customers, and with the people who already are your customers. Do so by posting things that get people talking and are inviting for them to share.
So you probably want to know how this is going to help you with search engines….
The answer goes back to what I said above about spiders. Each and every post you make on your social media pages should link back to your website. Remember that when the spiders are crawling those very popular websites’ public pages, they are counting how many times your website has been linked to, and they are figuring that number into their secret algorithm.
My advice: Once you have a website that is mobile-friendly, optimized for search engines, and you’re actively participating in social media and engaging with your fans, you’ll be surprised at how your ranking will rise within the search engines.
Jason Bass is a marketing strategist, community builder, and founder who turns bold ideas into real momentum. At the helm of Jason Hunter Design, Pixel Partner Digital, and The Citizen, he brings clarity to chaos, structure to startups, and firepower to brands ready to scale. Known for his visionary thinking and down-to-earth leadership, Jason helps businesses grow — not just in revenue, but in purpose and impact.