When web browsing was just becoming the most effective way for businesses to promote themselves and their services, SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, was widely touted as an effective way for companies to increase their market share. In recent years, however, some have begun to question whether SEO is an effective or relevant tool as search engines have increased the sophistication of their algorithms and the number of businesses on the web has risen dramatically. The truth of the matter is that SEO is still a relevant and effective tool — but only if done right.
A Decrease in Importance
One of the reasons that some aspects of SEO have fallen out of favor is because the field is changing. Keyword stuffing, which was once the most effective means of achieving search engine results, is no longer a good tool because most search engines rank deliberately stuffed websites poorly. Creating mass links, another former centerpiece of SEO, is also frowned upon and does not produce desirable results. The field of SEO is changing, and businesses must change with it.
Changing With The Times
However, the core of SEO — making useful website content available to consumers — remains alive and well. While massive keyword stuffing is ineffective, more sophisticated strategies can optimize the way businesses write their normal web content so as to more accessibly describe their products and services in an search engine-friendly way. And while spamming links may no longer work, optimizing the internal links of a website can help search engines identify it as valuable internet content. The best SEO strategies are alive and well.
The web is a continually changing marketplace, and tactics rarely remain consistent for long. But Search Engine Optimization remains a valuable and effective tool for websites to increase their accessibility to users, make their products and services more widely known, and streamline their content for maximum effectiveness.
