Meta Keywords
Meta keywords are a type of meta tag that appear in the source code of a page that gives search engines useful information about what the topic of any page is. Several years ago, Google used to use the keywords meta tags the way they were meant to be used. However, they quickly discovered that web site developers were “stuffing” high volume keywords and phrases into their code, phrases that were often irrelevant to the topic that they were writing about, to generate additional user traffic towards their pages. This ended up clogging up the search engines’ accuracy and predictive value. Eventually, Google has devalued the use of Meta Keywords, as indicated in an official Google Webmaster Blogpost. It is rumored that Google changes its algorithm for determining which content comes up higher on search engines every 48 hours, so it may be near impossible to predict whether or not Meta keywords are considered at all. However, it is safe to say that its low ranking in Google’s considerations is not going to change anytime soon
Use your Meta description!
Though Meta keywords might be ignored by Google, too few companies successfully utilize their meta description space. Many choose to eschew it altogether! The meta description provides a short and concise explanation of what your web page is about. They’re commonly used to give preview snippets of your page in search engine result pages. Think of it as 215 character elevator pitch. Note that this character count includes the title of your page. Take the extra couple of minutes to write an engaging description for the stand-out pages in your site, especially the ones that you feel will garner a lot of social media attention. Maybe consider using action words like “act”, “learn”, or “choose”, which is a compelling call for action on the reader’s part.
Make friends with the PR department
Make friends with the PR department after you’ve created quality services and valuable content. Be bold. Sell yourself and sell your brand. Google “best of” and “top 10” lists to see if you or your competitors are listed. If you are not on the list, see what your competitors are doing that you’re not doing and adjust accordingly. Better yet, if you believe that your goods and services can be a valuable asset to another company, let them know and approach them. For instance, say you are on a fitness and lifestyle blog. Your company sells organic, naturally sourced and fair-trade workout gear. Approach them and pitch to them why they need to know about your brand. Earn your links. Referral traffic can generate valuable user exposure for you and establish your brand as a leader in the field.
The continued importance of Mobile Searches
According to the GlobalWebIndex, about 80% of adults have a smartphone. Adults spend, on average, about 1.85 hours a day on the phone, and this figure is only showing more growth, especially in fast-growth markets. Almost half of users that fall in the 16-24 year old age group spend their internet time on the phone, as opposed to a desktop or a laptop. More and more people are acquiring smartphones, and with the advent of wearable technology, such as the iWatch or the Fitbit, internet usage on mobile devices is only trending up. Needless to say, your site needs to be optimized for web search. For instance, in Google Webmaster accounts, Google has added a mobile usability section which lets users know how well their site fares on mobile devices. Take advantage of this and honestly evaluate your website. Get rid of as many barriers that may hinder entry to your websites, such as some images and JavaScript. Redesign your website so that it can optimize variations on your content so its suitable for mobile usage. If you don’t have the time or money to dedicate to this, it might be smarter to just build a new, separate mobile webpage using sound SEO strategies.
