2013 was a make or break it year for some websites because of the changes to Google’s algorithm updates. Using search engine optimization in Pleasanton, and good quality content, you can recoup some of your website ranking in 2014.

It may seem like search engine optimization, or SEO, is no longer valid for ranking a website on search engines in Pleasanton or the surrounding areas. Companies that have paid attention to the updates and how they affected the rank of their website on Google will notice the changes have actually been good. Google is making it more difficult to fill a website with spam and get high rankings it doesn’t deserve.

Take a look back at the things you learned after the different Google updates last year. What did you learn from them?

• Value – You learned that it is vital to provide value to those visiting your site. It isn’t enough to have keyword-stuffed articles; they have to be relevant to your website and those reading them. Produce content – written (reports, white papers, e-books), audio, video, and graphics – regularly rather than sporadically. Develop a content strategy rather than updating in a hit-or-miss fashion.
• Linking – Along with content quality, you also want to continue being aware of link quality. Are the links coming to your website high quality? Do they come from recognized leaders or highly authoritative sites or do they come from sites where you pay for the link? High quality links will have more positive impact on your website’s rank and low quality links can actually lead to penalties.
• Social – Social signals are more important than in the past. Is your social involvement natural and engaged or is it forced? Natural engagement with followers can help improve your website ranking. Of course, if you use SEO along with social media marketing, the results could be even better. Use more than one social media platform for the most impact.
• Google+ – Even though most people consider Google+ as a social media platform, it is so much more. What is more important is the fact that it is becoming increasingly more important to achieve higher search engine rankings. Google+ helps establish you as an authority and each +1 you receive is important. Chances are Google+ will continue to play a larger role in your strategy for SEO the coming year.
• Mobility – If your company doesn’t have a mobile website, make it a priority this year. More and more people are using mobile devices – smart phones, tablets and netbooks – to access the internet. Chances are that if you don’t have a mobile website, you will be losing a good deal of traffic and potential sales. Be sure to use the same SEO keywords as your main website to keep the continuity and benefit on both sites.
• Think about the quality of the content not the length. As long as the content provides value to the reader, and conveys the message you want to convey, it’s alright to use longer content. Of course, if you are publishing the content on a mobile site, shorter is better so users don’t have to scroll through multiple pages.

While it’s true that 2013 was difficult for some business websites, if you can take what you learned and apply it to your website, 2014 should look better. Remember that search engine optimization for Pleasanton businesses will continue to be important. You may have to make updates whenever Google releases them.