SEO is changing all the time, so it’s nearly impossible to stay on top of it entirely. When Google updates its algorithms, it seldom publicizes the juicy details of its updates. SEOs and other marketers are left to guess what will rank well now, just like ship captains are left to speculate about the true size of an iceberg when can only see the tip of it. That's why, following a new algorithm release, SEO specialists gather data from the changes in rankings from thousands of websites. This helps to determine what may have happened and why some sites improved in rankings visibility while others suffered. The data is then used this information to make educated decisions about what has changed and how to react.
1. Expect SEO to be a long game. When you start by regarding SEO as a long-term play, you’ve already given yourself a head start. To ground your SEO expectations even further, remember that SEO works best when it’s rooted in long-term goals. Link your SEO pursuits to goals like driving more people to your website or making more sales by the third quarter of this year.
2. Be prepared to invest. Great SEO is an investment not only of resources but also of time. At the end of the day, you get from your SEO what you’re willing to put into it. When you invest more time, effort, resources and thought into your SEO, you’ll get a compounding return out of it at the end of the day.
3. Plan to re-evaluate your SEO regularly. For best results, set solid SEO goals at the outset of your campaign, and then set up meetings with your SEO team to re-evaluate these aims as you move through the strategy. More often than not, these re-evaluation meetings won’t lead you to overhaul your SEO strategy entirely, but they may result in small tweaks that can help boost the effectiveness of your SEO.
4. Maintain a clear line of communication. If you’ve chosen a good SEO company, they’ve already told you they can’t guarantee overnight results. Once you’ve laid this foundation, it’s critical to maintain an open line of communication regarding expectations, paths to achievement, and results. The more open this line of communication, the more effectively you can work together to create a consistent and effective SEO strategy.
Courtesy of Forbes
