SEO Blog

If you’ve been reading an old SEO manual, it’s probably best to discard much of what you’ve read. This is an evolutionary industry. It is also very much in its infancy. Therefore what worked a decade ago, might well be surplus to requirements today.

Fundamentals like a strong linking structure and good quality keyword optimised content will always endure. They are the foundations on which almost everything else is built. But the algorithms don’t stand still. What was once accepted is now frowned upon.

Take keywords as a good example. In the past you’d be forgiven for stuffing them in every conceivable piece of content. Keyword density might top 10% in some instances, making for some pretty truncated copy. Now, whilst still important, search engines put more of an onus on quality - rather than overt keyword stuffing. Just a few uses of a keyword or phrase on each page, one preferably near the head (even in the H1 tag), should be enough to inform them what your site is all about.

The algorithms that search engines use are updated constantly. Whilst the changes might only constitute minor tweaks in the short term, over longer periods they amount to a significant shift. As the algorithms change, so to do the ways in which you have to develop a site to adhere with them. This is a key reason for the regularity with which SEO recommendations change.

To give you another example, in the next few months Google will be rolling out their Caffeine update. Rather than a slight tweak to its algorithm, this represents a major change. Site speed is likely to become a ranking factor and there are likely to be tougher crackdowns on spam sites. Essentially, whilst it isn’t something to be overly concerned about, Caffeine has the potential to seriously change the way we optimise.

An SEO manual from a few years ago isn’t likely to even mention site speed as a concern. Yes, webmasters are likely to have prompted you to consider fine-tuning thing to improve visitor enjoyment, but it wouldn’t necessarily come into the sphere of SEO. With the knowledge that an efficient site can improve your ability to rank well in Google, now it very much is.

As a result of the changing rulebook for SEO, the industry itself has to progress. Whilst you shouldn’t discount your pre-2010 knowledge entirely, you do need to be aware of the latest updates and what they could mean for you. A lot of the fundamentals will always remain the same. There will never be a replacement for exceptional copy and a strong link will give you a boost.

That’s one reason I wrote a follow up to my SEO book, Get to #1 on Google in Easy Steps, to take up the latest developments. Even just having a few years gap in your knowledge can leave you trailing behind your competitors. So get out there, look for the latest news and build your SEO knowledge. Find out what is relevant now and discard anything that could be damaging your site.

The better your site is optimised for today’s algorithms, the better it will perform in the rankings. Don’t get stuck with old habits, move forward and keep your work fresh.