Search engine optimization is a strange and fickle mistress. After all, SEO practices that are standard procedure one day can wind up being poison the next thanks to Google updates like Panda and Penguin.
So what’s a web publisher to do in an environment like this? How about sticking to the basics and avoiding gimmicks and tricks that offer short-term results, but cause long-term headaches? Here a few SEO basics any web publisher should get acquainted, or re-acquainted, with.
Start from the Beginning
How long have you been working with SEO? Whether you’ve been in the game for years or are just getting started, it’s always a good idea to review the basics. Take a look at SEO guides like SEO 101 that are free, come from a credible source (Search Engine Journal) and are free to download. (Avoid hard copy books on the subject as they can be out-of-date very quickly.)
Reviewing the basics will insure that you’re still employing best practices and haven’t drifted off track.
Get Under the Hood
A lot of smaller web publishers are reluctant to get under the hood and start fiddling with the code that makes up their content; this is a mistake. The more you understand the inner-workings of HTML and CSS, the better you’ll be positioned to make SEO work for your content.
Yes, it can be very intimidating to stared down all that code, but that’s where the real SEO magic happens.
Never Stop Learning
Above all else, anyone involved with SEO at any level must understand that SEO is not a fixed target, it’s a flowing river. Don’t get too attached to anything you’re doing; stay on top of the latest developments by reading blogs; and always be ready for a pivot.
If you can follow these tips, you can stay in the game.