New SEO Techniques20.07.12

Search Engine Optimisation is a constantly changing field. Google, arguably the world’s most popular search engine update their search algorithms as the internet develops, using the latest factors available to ensure search results are ranked as accurately as possible. With the rise of social media networks Google+, Facebook and Twitter, there are now new techniques we can use to help improve search engine rankings.

Social Shares

One new factor that Google use when evaluating page content is its weight in the social arena. Individuals and businesses have driven traffic to websites through sharing links across social networks. From Facebook likes to Google +1s and Twitter retweets, Google now use these numbers as indicators of quality content. It is unknown how much value Google attaches to this one factor currently, but it should be expected that their importance to SEO will grow as has the amount of content shared via social networks over the past few years.

Writing engaging content for your target audience will help your chances of seeing your content spread viral, but ensuring your blog articles or pages have clearly visible and attractive social-sharings buttons will help in building up the numbers. Websites such as StumbleUpon and Digg also allow you to broaden your audience and chance of sharing.

Personalised Search

Now that Google have stepped into the social media arena with Google+, currently holding over 90 million users and counting, it was only fitting search results would follow begin to show content shared through this new section of your Google account. An extension to social shares, when logged in to your Google account and making searches, articles shared by friends or pages in your Google circle are given priority over links and domain authority, pushed to the top of search results. News organisations, businesses and individuals with a strong social media following will therefore see their content flourish in these personalised searches – another reason to take notice and make use of social media sooner than later.

Engaging within the Google+ network is now something to consider in your marketing / social network strategy. Using Google+ can help customers find your business faster and easier, increase visibility, as the content you share to those within your circle will be seen both on your page but also in their search results.

Author your posts using Google+

Content creators can benefit further by incorporating their Google+ profile into content Google indexes. Content set up in this way display your Google+ profile image and name alongside the regular Google search result, helping to increase your exposure and build trust in visitors that the content has a human author and is reputable. To set up author links for your content simply follow Google’s guidelines.