SEO Blog

  • 0 How Does Google Do SEO?

    • SEO
    • by Seth Pollins
    • 08.11.2021
    5.00 of 8 votes

    Google owns and manages over 7,000 websites worldwide, and according to Google's Sean O'Keefe, each of these websites "receive the same treatment as any other site on the web." According to O'Keefe, Google must optimize Google websites for SEO to perform well on the Google search engine. So how does Google optimize for...Google? O'Keefe shared Google's own "cohesive SEO strategy" on Google's blog devoted to the digital marketing community, Think With Google. Beyond the strategy details, the post is intriguing for several reasons. First, this post puts to rest the misinformed notion that Google and SEO are somehow at odds. Critics cite Google's frequent algorithm changes, which inevitably harm some websites' rankings, the search engines' apparent "silence" about algorithm changes, or the rare (but notable) cases of de-indexing when Google wipes a site or sites from its search engine results. In reality, the algorithm changes promote good content, and any incidental loss in rankings is usually recovered quickly--that is if your site is relevant for its industry/keywords and optimized with good SEO. The only sites that lose rankings, or suffer de-indexing, are spam sites. Second, the post implies that Google is an impartial judge of content--after all, its sites do not receive preferential treatment. Of course, Google's impartiality is impossible to confirm, and Google's previous actions, which European anti-trust regulators have fined, seem to undermine this implication. But the very nature of organic search, which defines Google's success, reveals the best content for any given search, so the search engine has an incentive to be as impartial as possible. Just like Google knows no browser wants a results page full of AdWords, the search engine also knows: To satisfy users, it must provide unbiased organic listings. Finally, this post confirms the viability of SEO. AS O'Keefe writes, "When done well, SEO can provide an important — and cost-effective — strategy for organic growth." This is not an SEO firm saying this--it's Google! So, yes, SEO is "important" and, more importantly, "cost-effective." So how does Google optimize its sites for SEO? We discuss O'Keefe's three main points below... Read Sean O'Keefe's Article: "Inside Google Marketing: 3 ways we think about SEO" Start Small O'Keefe's first bit of advice, to focus on small, "incremental changes," speaks precisely to what Alex Stepman, of SEO Sparta, calls the "X-Factor" of good SEO: small tweaks. "Most of our new clients want to start big, with splashy content marketing or aggressive AdWords campaigns," Stepman says. "But the best strategy is to focus on the small SEO tweaks. For Local SEO sites, especially, small tweaks can make a big difference." For Stepman and Google, these tweaks can be described as "best practices." Google reveals its own best practices on what it calls an "opinionated reference for building amazing web experiences," the Web Fundamentals page. By following these practices, O'Keefe notes, several of Google's sites have seen "strong organic growth." However, before attending to the fundamentals, O'Keefe (and Stepman) recommend the Search Console's URL Inspection Tool for recognizing potential problems with your site. Evolve With the Algorithms Search evolves. To compete, you must evolve with search. As O'Keefe notes: "It can be easy to get overwhelmed by...changes, but internally we've found that the more we embrace them and experiment with them, the better our SEO results." In his post, O'Keefe refers to several recent developments in search, including structured data, AMP, and featured snippets, to illustrate how Google applied fixes to sites to increase impression on its sites by up to 200%. (This is not marketing fluff; it's Google reporting its SEO results). So how do you evolve with search? In our estimation, the easiest way to keep pace is to read SEO blogs and journals, like the SEO Sparta Blog.  Read: "SEO 101: Rich Snippets and Structured Data" Consolidate  O'Keefe's final bit of advice, to consolidate web properties (when possible), also speaks to the oft-repeated SEO mantra to create "unique content"--or "10x content." As O'Keefe notes, "It can be tempting to create multiple websites, each containing very similar content, to target different customer profiles or geographic regions." But this strategy, O'Keefe notes, is akin to duplicate content, "substantive blocks of content within or across domains that either completely match other content or are appreciably similar," according to Google. A known SEO no-no for years, duplicate content can confuse users and search engines. One great site is better than multiple smaller sites--just as one great page is better than multiple similar pages. Instead of duplicating properties, focus on differentiation. Organic SEO with SEO Sparta Are you looking for an SEO company that understands how to effectively promote websites with content optimized for web, voice, and mobile? Contact SEO Sparta of Bucks County, PA.   We combine traditional marketing methods and organic SEO--emphasizing natural website optimization--to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective content marketing campaigns. [Cover Image Source]

  • 0 What Defines Website Success?

    • SEO
    • by Seth Pollins
    • 07.27.2021
    5.00 of 7 votes

    In the SEO world, "website ranking" is often touted as the most critical metric of success. It's no secret that top results receive a majority of Google's traffic. According to a study from Chitika in 2013, a top-ranking result receives 33% of all traffic. After that, the drop-off is steep. The second result receives about 18% of all traffic. The third result receives 11%. If you're not on the first page, you're missing 92% of all traffic. These numbers from Chitika may or may not match Google traffic in 2021, but SEO firms continue to propagate the idea that ranking is all-important.  We asked Alex Stepman of SEO Sparta why many SEO firms market "first page rankings" as the ultimate SEO goal. He pointed to the oldest of marketing tropes: emotional appeal. "There's just something so appealing about a number one ranking," he said. "It's a visible, immediate proof of the success of an optimization campaign." But is it the most important metric of success? "Not necessarily," Stepman says. "A top-ranking only tells part of the story--and often, a top-ranking is not as meaningful as other metrics." So how do you determine the value of a top-ranking for your website?  Ranking for the Right Keywords Is your website the top result for a specific keyword? If so, what is the value of that top result to your business? To estimate the value, ask yourself, "Is my website driving profits?" If not, you might want to think about ranking for other, potentially more profitable keywords.  Unfortunately, many websites achieve top rankings for keywords that do not necessarily attract profits. This is especially the case for local SEO clients who may have much competition (see below). Read: "5 Steps to Finding the Most Profitable Keyword" When Is a Top Ranking Bad? When is a top ranking for a keyword not beneficial? Stepman related the story of a Philadelphia purveyor of handmade vegan products. When Stepman met the purveyor, he had been in business for seven years and was happy to report that his site ranked first for a Philadelphia-specific search for a specific vegan food. However, the vegan entrepreneur lamented, his website had not increased his profitability. He was performing well in the Philadelphia area, yet he wanted to expand his reach to other metro areas in the Mid-Atlantic region. He also wanted his customers to order directly from his website. Upon reviewing the website, Stepman learned the interface was outdated, the content weak, and the functionality serviceable at best. The top ranking for the Philadelphia-specific search was primarily due to the company's physical presence in the area as the only local purveyor of vegan food. As currently constructed, the website of this local purveyor of handmade vegan products was terrible. Stepman wondered whether the current traffic he received might be hurting his business. To truly expand his business, Stepman told the vegan entrepreneur, he needed to improve his website in every way. Only then should he try to rank for more keywords. The Top SEO Metric of Success: Profits  We talk so much about the value of a top-ranking, we often neglect the value of a specific ranking. Do you have a top ranking? If so, its value may be variable. And it is certainly not as simple as stating, "A top-ranking receives 33% of all traffic." The key, of course, is the profitability of any specific top ranking. As Josh Steimle writes for Forbes: "Rankings, backlinks, traffic, and even conversions don't matter, unless they lead to increased profits." Read: "SEO: Focus On The Only Metric That Matters" Steimle relates the story of a decline in his own firm's ranking. Closer analysis revealed that, although rankings had suffered, his firm's "bounce rate had been cut by more than half, visitors were visiting more pages on our site, staying longer on our site, and conversions were up 11%." Much like the vegan entrepreneur, Steimle discovered his firm had been attracting the wrong type of traffic. Still, some studious SEO had shifted the dynamic: "What that tells me is that less of the traffic we don't want is ending up on our site, while at the same time we are attracting more of the traffic we do want." In the end, profits are about attracting attention, but the correct type of attention is crucial. A top-ranking is only essential if it's profitable.  Profit-Driven SEO with SEO Sparta of Bucks County  If you're looking for an SEO firm that understands how to promote websites with profit-driven content that converts visitors effectively, call SEO Sparta: 215-900-9398.  SEO Sparta combines traditional marketing methods and organic website optimization to design, develop, and optimize thoughtful, inspiring, and useful websites that drive profits.  (Cover Image)

  • 0 How to Check Your Website's Performance on Google

    • SEO
    • by Alex Stepman
    • 07.18.2021
    5.00 of 7 votes

    Don't Be Fooled: How to Check Your Website's Performance on Google. Here at the Organic SEO Blog, we like to think that we're fighting the good fight. Too many Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies take advantage of customers. We're here to share as much information as possible. We believe knowledge is power: the more our readers understand organic SEO, the better we perform as a blog. Today we're going to teach you how to check your website's performance on Google. You might be surprised--this task is very simple. You might also be surprised to see that your website's performance can teach you important information about your website as well as the claims of your SEO professional. So before we begin, remember: knowledge is power! Do not let SEO companies manipulate you. Instead, learn your lessons. Simply reading this blog will save you time and money. As you might know, SEO is a time-consuming process. Sometimes SEO yields result in as little as two days; sometimes, results are not apparent for months. As a website owner, you might never understand how or why this process is working or not working. Most website owners live at the mercy of SEO professionals. Since website owners typically have very little SEO knowledge, they must trust that the SEO professional is genuinely performing the best work. In an ideal world, this is how the process should work. There is no need for a website owner to spend his time learning and performing SEO to hire a professional to do the work. Unfortunately, too many website owners have been burned by incompetent SEO professionals. A poorly optimized website can be presented to a website owner in a way that makes the website appear as if it were performing very well and even outperforming all other websites in its industry. SEO can be an affordable investment, but nobody wants to waste money on trickery and deceit. To perform this trick, a wayward SEO company or individual will discover at least one keyword that makes your website visible on the first page of search results. He will then tell you to search on your computer with this keyword--to see the outstanding results for yourself! If you own a marketing agency, for example, and the keyword that makes your website visible is "marketing services," you will type "marketing services" and see your website listed on Google's first page, outperforming so many other similar sites. You might even click the link to be sure that this is, indeed, your website. And inevitably, it will be your site. From Google's perspective, the goal is to deliver the most relevant results and ensure the user is 100% satisfied with these results. Whenever you click a link on Google, the link is "remembered" for your benefit. Why? From so many relevant results, you clicked this link and not any other. Google also understands that not every user can find the site they are looking for on the first search. Google expects most users to perform multiple searches with different sets of keywords--in this case, keywords relevant to the "marketing" industry. So let's say you try a different search for your marketing website, but instead of "marketing service," you type a similar keyword, like "digital marketing agency." Google will deliver a different set of websites, but your website will still be on the first page results. This does not necessarily mean that your website is well-optimized. Why? From your first search, Google "remembered" that you clicked your website, so it is offering you the choice once again. From this point forward, whenever you perform a similar search, your website will appear. And the more times you click your website or perform the exact search, the more Google will show you this same result. Don't be fooled. To see accurate and relevant Google results follow these steps: 1. Ensure you are not signed in to your Google account; if you are, sign out. 2. Delete your browser's cookies. 3. Close your browser and reopen it. 4. Perform the search. (This time, the keyword can be anything, even the first keyword--marketing services--that revealed your website to be on the first page results). If your website does not appear on the first page results after performing these simple steps--well, your SEO professional might be deceiving you about your website's performance. It is essential to check the work somebody performs for you. You want to hire a real professional who will not waste your time and money. If you want to speak to a reliable SEO professional, please consider the Organic SEO Blog's sponsor, SEO SPARTA. Just like this blog, the professional SEO specialists at SEO SPARTA strive to educate you about what we do and how we do it. After all, you should know exactly what to expect from your SEO professional's work. SEO SPARTA is a rare SEO company that will deliver positive results quickly while being very transparent about what to expect from the marketing campaign they perform for your business. They are conveniently located in Bucks County, PA, and serving customers all over the country.

  • 0 Organic CTR and Online Marketing: What You Need to Know

    • SEO
    • by Alex Stepman
    • 06.19.2021
    5.00 of 6 votes

    For several years now, the SEO community has noted a marked decrease in organic click-through rates (CTR). An analysis by Rand Fishkin on SparkToro revealed that from 2016 to 2018, organic CTR on Google declined on both desktop and mobile searches. The organic clicks, Fishkin noted, had been "siphoned away" to Google's properties (including paid ads) and the increasingly popular rich answers.  While the decline wasn't "massive" on desktop, the mobile decline had been significant in the US and the UK: down by nearly a third. During the same time, clicks on paid ads almost doubled. "This data paints a stark narrative," Fishkin wrote. "Google...uses its monopoly power to gain advantages...And while SEO...remains a powerful channel, organic search is being slowly cannibalized around the world, yielding more monetization and data-gathering value [to] Google." Fishkin's frankly terrible writing can be hard to decipher, though his message here (which we heavily edited) is clear: Organic SEO might not attract the attention your business deserves. Is Fishkin correct? If so, how can you adapt to meet the evolving challenges of today's online marketplace? What is a Click-Through Rate? Click-Through Tate (CTR) is Google's term to define the difference between the number of people who see your ad on the SERP (search engine results page) and the number who actually click through.Yet "organic" CTR is also a useful metric for analyzing a page's performance on the SERP. Organic CTR is the difference between how many people see a result in the organic rankings and how many people actually click-through to the result. CTR is a big metric in SEO Sparta's search engine optimization protocol, especially for our local SEO clients in the Philadelphia Area.  As noted, SEO believes this type of organic CTR has declined in favor of clicks to paid ads and "no-clicks"--when a browser clicks on nothing.A higher CTR naturally means that a specific page intrigues browsers by name and/or description alone. A lower CTR may mean you're not successfully marketing a given page with what Neil Patel calls "a sizzling title or an appealing meta description."CTR viewed by itself does not tell the whole story of a web page's success. Once a browser clicks through, your content should convince him/her to stick around--and/or "convert." Read About Website Conversions here.  How Important is Organic CTR? On Search Engine Land, Andy Taylor has made a convincing case that CTRs for paid ads kinda don't matter. However, organic CTRs certainly do matter, and Fishkin is correct to sound his note of warning.It's important to remember: Fishkin does note that organic SEO is still a "powerful channel." And really, the debate about the viability of organic SEO is as old as SEO itself.A few years ago, the popular SEO writer Barry Adams claimed in a tweet that when compared to paid ads organic SEO delivers more traffic, more engagement, and more conversions for "every website [he's] ever looked at." In response to Adam's tweet, Andy Taylor noted that "Google has been steadily making changes that directly harm organic search and help to keep paid search click growth strong."Fishkin's analysis certainly confirms Taylor's point. But is Adams entirely wrong? Not necessarily. The true picture is much more nuanced.For many brands a combination of different online marketing techniques, including both organic SEO and paid search, is the best approach. Yes, cost is a huge factor--especially for smaller local brands. So organic SEO will still play a major role in defining the success or failure of many online businesses. We have seen SEO continue to be a viable tool for our local clients. For these businesses, SEO Sparta's head SEO man, Alex Stepman, believes the key to success is a diversified approach that utilizes as many low-cost options as possible, including social media marketing, free Google options like Google My Business, and of course, organic SEO.In a post extolling the value of Google Posts for Google My Business accounts (despite Google's seeming diminishment of the tool), Adam Dorfman offered a prescient thought:"I suggest businesses calculate the lifetime value of each customer they attract against the cost in productivity required to keep the content fresh. Is the trade-off worth it? I suspect it will be."Yes, many of the less expensive online marketing options require costs in labor and productivity but they're still the best option for smaller, enterprising businesses. Online Marketing: Your Engine to Profits To navigate the complex challenges of online marketing, you might need to hire an online marketing firm like SEO Sparta.Do not let the changing search engine algorithms compromise your sales. You need the astute wisdom of a professional who can help you answer the question honestly: What online marketing strategies are best for your business?Contact Alex Stepman of SEO Sparta today to learn how you can improve your website's performance: 215-900-9398.

  • 0 How SEO Can Help Your Clarify Your Business Offering

    • SEO
    • by Alex Stepman
    • 05.22.2021
    5.00 of 8 votes

    At SEO SPARTA, we believe that natural website optimization is the essential marketing strategy for any new or established website. We've spent a great deal of time here explaining the benefits of a thoughtful organic website optimization campaign. Natural website optimization can increase your website's exposure and attract new customers to your product or service. In addition, your new website can appear on the first page of search engine results worldwide with a thoughtful SEO campaign. Quite simply: if you're a website owner, the benefits of SEO are immeasurable. For more about the benefits of SEO, please watch this short video. It explains how does SEO works. Today, however, we will talk about one benefit of SEO that is often overlooked. By participating in a thoughtful natural website optimization campaign, a website owner must clarify his/her business offering to his/herself. The reason this benefit is important is simple: most website owners do not specialize in marketing and do not understand how to sell their product appropriately! Believe it or not, marketing is a talent that is not available to everyone, especially those specializing in particular businesses. For example: If you are a tailor, you likely have a lot of experience cutting, sewing, and re-sizing clothes for appreciative clients. However, the more experience you have as a tailor, the less experience you have in other pursuits. Perhaps you apprenticed as a youth. Perhaps you spent a few years in Milan working for a famous fashion boutique. Whatever the case, if you are the best, then you've likely spent many hours learning and practicing! Digital marketing also must be learned. If you're building a website, however, then you must begin to learn about marketing. An experienced SEO professional can help you understand the process of SEO, but you must first help your SEO professional understand precisely what you do. You can clarify your offering first by performing keyword research. Imagine you are an Internet user searching for your product or service. What keywords would you use to search for your product or service? Think precisely about the exact keywords that best describe your product or service. For example, if you are an SEO company in Bucks County, PA, perhaps you might simply choose the following keywords: "SEO agency Bucks County, PA." But that cannot be your only option. You must think of many possibilities! The question is simple: how do you want people to find you? By answering this question, you can help your SEO professional perform a truly effective natural website optimization campaign. Additionally, this is a simple yet profound marketing exercise, one that some people might pay a hefty price to attain.

  • 0 What is Google's Core Algorithm?

    5.00 of 6 votes

    Google changes its algorithm hundreds of times each year. Many of these changes do not impact day-to-day search rankings. Occasionally, however, Google releases a "core algorithm update," which does affect rankings--often quite significantly. Google's latest "core" update happened in December 2020. A year before, in 2019, the search engine announced Florida 2, what Search Engine Journal called "one of the biggest updates in years." So what exactly does a "core update" mean? Will your rankings change? If so, what can you do? We have the answers below... What is a Core Algorithm Update? After several recent updates, some SEO pros balked at the term "core update." The tweet from Kristine Schachinger, a Digital Strategist & SEO Consultant (with a large Twitter following), typified a segment of the industry response: Big update. Google? Same as same as same as same as same. Miss the days when we would actually be told what was updated. So many things on a site going on, makes it very hard to determine. Not impossible, but just wastes a lot of time. — Kristine Schachinger (@schachin) Shachinger's tweet, however, may have asked for the impossible. With prior named updates, like Panda, Penguin, and more recently, Hummingbird, Google revealed "what was updated"--usually a specific fault with the algorithm. For example, Panda (released in 2011) targeted low-quality or duplicate content. At the time, the search engine was prey to "content farms," which relied on quantity--often up to 7000 articles per day--to achieve high search rankings. With the Panda update, Google placed a new emphasis on unique, relevant content. Penguin, released a year later, focused on eliminating bad links--a standard "black hat" SEO practice. By dramatically reducing manipulative link-building practices, Penguin also emphasized the value of "quality links." Today, unique content and quality links make up the "holy trinity" of Google's ranking factors with RankBrain, the machine learning tool Google released with Hummingbird (2013). With this tool, Google began to analyze more complex search terms (such as voice-based searches) to discover user intent. Read: "Google's Top Three Ranking Factors: Links, Content, and RankBrain" For most of these updates (and others), Google was relatively straightforward about the specific nature of the change, and most SEO pros understood how to remedy any problems with their sites. With the core updates, Google has changed the entire algorithm itself, or the search engine itself--often referred to as PageRank (not RankBrain). As we noted, Google has clarified its top three ranking factors, links, content, and RankBrain. Still, the search engine uses "200 unique signals or 'clues' that make it possible to surface what you might be looking for. Calibrating many of these 200 ranking factors likely accounts for the "core" algorithm changes. Will A Core Update (Like Florida 2) Affect Your Rankings? Since core updates may affect many ranking factors, it is hard to say how a core update will affect your site. Jones, of Search Engine Journal, quotes Danny Sullivan of Google, who has tweeted before that there is "no fix" for core updates: "There's no 'fix' for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content. Over time, it may be that your content may rise relative to other pages." In his article, Jones writes "the clues are there," but he offers no specific guidance--and, in the end, focusing on specifics may be beside the point. The best way to recover from any rankings loss--at any time--is to satisfy the basic SEO requirements inferred by the "holy trinity" of ranking factors: Produce high-quality, relevant content (with the appropriate technical optimizations). Inspire quality links. Satisfy user intent. Back to SEO Basics If you're concerned about a recent drop in rankings, get back to SEO basics: Create fresh content with appropriate keywords Focus on the value you offer browsers who may search for your brand, product, or service  Answer questions: Offer helpful information relevant to your service, product, or brand  Refresh (or replace) any content that has dropped in the rankings Search Engine Optimization with SEO Sparta, a Bucks County, PA SEO Firm If you're looking for an SEO company that understands algorithms and content marketing nuances, call SEO Sparta: 215-900-9398. We combine traditional marketing methods and organic SEO, emphasizing natural website optimization to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective online marketing campaigns. [Cover Photo Credit]

  • 0 Google's Algorithm: Why Only Organic Website Optimization Works

    • SEO
    • by Alex Stepman
    • 05.04.2021
    0.76 of 86 votes

    In two prior posts, we discussed the difference between website ranking and website optimization and how, specifically, Google ranks well-optimized websites. Of course, a high website ranking is invaluable. Google constantly works to refine its algorithm so only the most relevant websites with high-quality, engaging, and well-written content appear on the first page results. Unfortunately, the stakes are so high that many website owners have relied upon nefarious "Black Hat SEO" techniques to achieve a high ranking. With the algorithm update, Google Penguin, Google attempted to limit the rankings of Black Hat websites that violate Google's Webmaster Guidelines. When Google Penguin was introduced on April 24, 2012, Google proved, more than ever before, that its main objective was to offer its users only high-quality content. With each algorithm update, Google will continue to limit Black Hat SEO techniques and reward the opposite: White Hat SEO. To understand the importance of Google Penguin, it's helpful to understand the difference between the "Black Hat SEO" and this legitimate, natural form of website optimization: "White Hat SEO." Black Hat SEO is essentially a set of techniques that certain webmasters employ to trick search engines. Black Hat SEO allows a website to appear on the first page rankings without actually creating relevant and engaging content. Thankfully, this practice is increasingly irrelevant, but Black Hat SEO has proved effective in the past. Techniques such as keyword stuffing, link schemes, and the creation of duplicate content continue to haunt the Internet, compromising businesses and personal users alike. If you've searched for a legitimate product or service and landed on a spammer's site--well, then, you've probably been victimized by Black Hat SEO, too. To a search engine like Google, the only acceptable form of SEO is organic or natural website optimization--or White Hat SEO. An experienced organic SEO specialist studies Google's algorithms to learn exactly what the search engine prefers and optimizes websites to meet Google's exact requirements. The key to organic website optimization is quality: a well-designed website and engaging, relevant content. This is why White Hat SEO professionals rejoiced with the release of Google Penguin. The new algorithm ensured, more than ever before, that Black Hat SEO would not sway rankings. With each successive Google algorithm update, we will hopefully continue to see that the only effective way to achieve a high ranking is natural website optimization. At SEO SPARTA, we are very proud of our intimate knowledge of Google's evolving algorithms. In one way, the job is quite simple: prioritizing quality above all else. But the algorithm can present some complicated challenges. Fortunately, we've met these challenges. By continually studying the algorithm, we have maintained a consistently high ranking for our client's websites. Moreover, regardless of the algorithm, our websites continue to perform. If you're considering hiring an SEO professional to optimize your website, please read our handy SEO Company Checklist. And make sure your SEO professional has first-hand knowledge of Google Penguin and Google's ever-evolving algorithm. You may also outsource your website optimization for a low monthly fee to SEO SPARTA - an SEO agency of Bucks County, PA. We are here to help your business grow! Should you wish to learn more about what we do and how we do it, please send us an email or call us at (215) 900-9398.

  • 0 Google's Top Three Ranking Factors

    5.00 of 1 votes

    Google calls its ranking factors "200 unique signals or 'clues' that make it possible to surface what you might be looking for." These "signals" have long been a rich source of speculation for SEO experts, yet we still have no clear view of the ranking factors. Even the top result for "Google ranking factors," Backlinko's "complete list" of 200 ranking factors, admits: "Some are proven. Some are controversial. Others are SEO nerd speculation." The most important ranking factors are self-evident. Google also states, for example, "These signals include things like the specific words that appear on websites, the freshness of content, your region, and PageRank." So keywords, updated content, local SEO, and authority: SEO experts have long celebrated these crucially essential factors. It's the 196 or so other factors that lead to "nerd speculation." And really, that's all it is, speculation, of relatively minor importance. We might never know the majority of the 200 ranking factors. Thankfully, we know the most important. In 2015, Google confirmed that RankBrain was the "third most important factor." Later, Google confirmed the top two: links and content. "I can tell you what they are," a Google rep said. "It is content. And it's links pointing to your site." What of the 197 or so other factors? Who knows, for sure? Any successful optimization campaign should start (and continue) with particular attention to the top three. Below we discuss each factor in detail. Quality Links Google counts incoming links from reputable sites as a primary "clue" to determine the quality of your content. The more reputable links your content receives, Google believes, the better your site. In the past, Google's algorithm counted incoming links without focusing on the link's provenance. A website might've attracted an abundance of links from exchanges or bogus websites. Google now defines a 'good' link as a one-way link: a link that points from one site to another. Before the Penguin algorithm, many sites exchanged links, a practice Google penalized. To avoid penalties, Black Hat web admins created multiple websites, a hundred or more, all owned by one website and built to create links to the primary website. Flooded with incoming links, the primary website leaped in the rankings. The Penguin algorithm was created, in part, to punish these link schemes. Now that Penguin is real-time, the emphasis on quality links may have more immediate consequences--good or bad--for websites. So how do you attract quality links? Let Google's advice guide you: "The best way to get other sites to create high-quality, relevant links to yours is to create unique, relevant content that can naturally gain popularity in the Internet community. Creating good content pays off: Links are usually editorial votes given by choice, and the more useful content you have, the greater the chances someone else will find that content valuable to their readers and link to it."  Quality Content You do not need an SEO expert to know that content dominates the Internet. From listicles to polls to op-eds, we have a seemingly insatiable appetite for all types of content. The good news is that our appetite requires endless fresh content. The bad news is that the endless appetite for content inspires an equally endless competition. To compete, you must create "quality" content. How do you create quality content? Again, Google's advice is helpful: Create content that is "high quality" and "engaging" as well as "useful and informative," yet also "more valuable and useful than other sites." You must also display a certain level of "credibility...by using original research, citations, links, reviews, and testimonials." The SEO Sparta Blog is devoted, in part, to exploring the nature of quality content. We have written extensively on content.  Remember, despite the abundance of content on the Internet, your content strategy should always focus on quality above quantity.  RankBrain In a way, RankBrain, Google's new "machine learning" system, which uses artificial intelligence to sort queries, is an algorithm. However, RankBrain does not sort every search right now and is merely a part of Google's core algorithm, Hummingbird. RanKBrain intends to take Google's 3.5 billion daily searches and learn from each by noting connections between the search and where the browser finally clicks. In the past, all of Google's "learning" has been performed by coders, which creates inherent bias: We end to think about algorithms as neutral, but really, although engineers base algorithms on mathematical principles, most of the judgments about those principles are precisely that--judgments, made by biased humans. Now that Google uses artificial intelligence, the algorithm should, in theory, choose the most precisely optimized site pages available for every query. Of course, as above, optimization here means "quality" -a hopeful sign for new websites trying to compete. In theory, if you follow Google's advice on how to inspire links and write quality content, your page should get a fighting chance against more established sites. Natural Website Optimization with SEO Sparta: A Bucks County, PA SEO Firm  If you're looking for an SEO company that understands how to create relevant and engaging content, contact SEO Sparta. We combine traditional content marketing methods and organic SEO, emphasizing natural website optimization to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective marketing campaigns.

  • 0 Organic SEO: The Right Choice for Website Marketing

    • SEO
    • by Alex Stepman
    • 04.03.2021
    5.00 of 8 votes

    As more brick-and-mortar businesses migrate online, more business owners are facing the challenge of website marketing. A business might have a physical location, but a company might not exist to most potential customers without a website. But even with a website, a company might not exist to most potential customers. The key difference between a successful website and a failure is website marketing. Proper online marketing can significantly improve a website's visibility, attracting a great deal of new traffic. But how do you discover a trustworthy Search engine optimization (SEO) specialist or website marketing firm? First stop: A handy SEO Checklist! If you're a website owner, you've probably noticed that the web is crowded with website marketing firms and SEO specialists. The reason this market feels so overpopulated is quite simple: it is overpopulated. There seems to be a new website marketing firm or SEO specialist for each new website. At certain times, you might even feel that the word "SEO" appears everywhere in your journey across the web. Well, of course, SEO specialists know how to market their services! Abundance can be very good. At SEO Sparta Bucks County, PA marketing agency, we believe that website optimization should be available to every website owner. But the problem with abundance is simple: when faced with a choice of thousands, most people either a) make the wrong choice or b) make no choice! The Wrong Choice in Selecting SEO Company Business owners who are not familiar with website optimization or online marketing can be easily misled or manipulated. I said above: SEO specialists know how to market their services. But more importantly: Does an SEO specialist know how to market your website's services? This is the first question you should ask any SEO specialist or website marketing firm: How will you market my unique product? An SEO specialist might answer this question in many different ways: website optimization, Pay-Per-Click, keyword optimization, banner ads, or even new blogs. Whatever a specialist says to you, remember: Do not be fooled by jargon! You might believe that to be fully optimized, your site must be intricately designed, developed, and optimized and that only specialists know the trick. Nonsense! Many people use SEO without even knowing it! SEO can be very easy to understand. Remember: a high-quality SEO specialist should be able to explain precisely what he/she will do to optimize your website in a way that you easily understand. When there are so many choices, why would you accept anything less? No Choice Most website owners know that they need some form of website marketing or search engine optimization. Unfortunately, however, many of these same website owners never choose to use a specialist's services. The problem is trust--many website owners simply believe that they cannot trust SEO. First, the term SEO itself is misunderstood. Luckily it is easy to educate yourself. You can read The Organic SEO Blog. Once you learn about SEO--and specifically, Organic SEO--you can learn how to ask the right questions. No choice can be worse than the wrong choice--or at least equally bad. In both cases, your website is still losing income by the day! The Right Choice in Selecting SEO Company Although both SEO specialists and website marketing firms can increase your website's online presence, the organic approach to website optimization is preferable. The major search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing admire organically-promoted websites, and these search engines reward well-optimized sites with top placement in search results. With organic website optimization, your company's success is not dependent on an advertising budget--unlike a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign. PPC can be effective. However, PPC is very costly. And like other traditional advertisements—the periodicals and radio ads noted above—the success of PPC is entirely dependent on your advertisement budget. Finding customers can be costly and ineffective. So why not let the business come to you? Organic SEO empowers customers to find your website. When optimized for search engines, your website will be visible to the exact customers looking for your product or service. Once again, I suggest you read our handy SEO Checklist for some practical tips.

  • 0 Learn SEO: Know Your Enemy

    • SEO
    • by Alex Stepman
    • 03.31.2021
    5.00 of 2 votes

    The goal of website optimization is to make a website visible on the first page of Google, Yahoo, and Bing--and really, all available search engines worldwide. Search engine optimization (SEO) specialists and website marketing companies devote a significant amount of time to optimizing websites. Still, even if SEO is performed correctly, most websites will not see quick results. Savvy website owners understand this simple truth: website optimization requires time, effort, and patience. Still, many website owners encourage SEO companies to expedite the process; some even try to help SEO specialists by providing valuable company information or learning search engine optimization techniques. The SEO specialists at SEO Sparta believe that knowledge should be shared. The more people understand SEO, the better. Understanding the basics of SEO and approaching the practice can be a valuable asset for any website owner. Indeed, you might even help expedite your SEO specialist's website optimization campaign. With a website owner's help, a website can achieve online success and visibility more quickly. An easy way to learn SEO is to "know your enemy." Of course, we're not talking about real enemies. When it comes to business, your "enemies" might simply be your competitors in your specific industry. In terms of SEO, the sheer quantity of competition is what makes your battle both dangerous and challenging. If you own a brick-and-mortar store, your competitors are likely located nearby. When you enter the online marketplace in your industry, you compete with all other similar websites--thousands, or even millions, around the world! The numbers might seem daunting, but you can learn from these websites. By learning your enemy's website optimization techniques, you can optimize your website and even outperform your enemies, taking their placement on the first page of the major search engines. If you are an SEO company or SEO specialist, you probably know most aspects of website optimization and how to optimize a website for each specific search engine. SEO specialists also know how to analyze top-performing websites for website optimization clues. Suppose you are a website owner and have no website optimization knowledge. In that case, you can learn by paying close attention to the valuable information contained on your enemy's website: his website design, website layout, and even promotional sales. Learning what works for your enemy's website will help you convert your website's visitors into actual customers. The Goal of SEO Even though it's called "search engine" optimization, and most SEO specialists optimize websites with search engines in mind, the true purpose of SEO is to make a website appealing to potential customers. Search engines also compete for customers, and the best way for a search engine to attract business is to deliver perfectly relevant search results. By delivering the most relevant and appealing websites, search engines cultivate repeat customers. This is why Google, Yahoo, and Bing are so popular--each delivers only high-quality websites on the first-page search results. (For more information on how search engines work, check out this short video). Today's SEO lesson is simple: If you want your website to appear on the first-page search results, study each website that currently exists on the first page. By learning what makes your enemy's websites successful, you can duplicate that success and perhaps even surpass it. Know your enemy! If you don't have the time to learn and perform the SEO for your website, why not outsource this work to us for a low monthly fee? We are SEO masters. Our SEO company is located in Bucks County, PA, but we serve customers worldwide. For us, SEO is more than a profession. We have a passion for SEO and dedicated over 15 years of our life to mastering it.