Search Engine Optimization (SEO) remains a hot topic for businesses in terms of how to effectively get their online message in front of the right people. Although basic SEO methods have remained consistent, resources keeping evolving and new tools continue to become available. These factors keep the mastery of SEO more and more complex.

However, you do not have to be a master of SEO to benefit from it – even implementing the basics are still vital to effective SEO. Content is still crucial and the use of effective keywords and meta tags, including meta descriptions, continue to offer improved organic search results. Link building within the pages of your company site can be an effective way to increase the number of inbound links. New outlets such as social media networks and efforts made by Google offer additional ways to create compelling content that is indexed by the engines and appears in search queries.

Social media has shifted the way people search and it is increasingly important to adapt to such shifts. Information is now exchanged online at such a fast pace that Google itself has introduced new methods for filtering through it. Google Caffeine makes it possible for search results to display information that revolves around the social media sector. Now that more social media feeds are beginning to show up within search results, it is crucial for effective keywords and content to be placed within your communication. It is more than just stating what’s on your mind, it’s doing it in a way that creates keyword-rich updates that will ultimately get more people to know and “like” your business.

Another shift in SEO is the ever-growing popularity of YouTube. Since Google took over the video king, search queries now produce YouTube videos in organic results, sometimes even on the first page. Carefully tagging your videos with relevant keywords within YouTube can be an effective way to get your videos seen.

Localized search has also become increasingly popular and internet users now expect to find nearby businesses with their queries. With the growing emphasis on Local SERPs, it is important to know what factors will increase the likelihood of your business listing being seen within a local search. Although Google’s algorithms for search are their own secret ingredient, you can do things to increase the placement of your business within local search listing results. Actively engaging in sites such as Yelp!, creating a page for your business so it can be reviewed and responding to reviews can improve your business’s search results. For more information on localized searching, you can read our blog post “Putting Local Search Tools to Work for Small Business”.

Being aware of new factors that effect search engine optimization can help create a much more effective SEO campaign for your business. It is important to stay engaged with online content, and to strategically develop what you want people to learn about your business when they search online.