4 Steps to Begin Preparing for SEO in 2016

Are you prepared for SEO in 2016? Read on for 4 steps you need to be aware of as we bid farewell to October and approach the end of 2015.

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Ramzi Chamat / 8 Ways Media
2015-10-30 08:27:00

The world of SEO is in a constant state of flux; this much is true. Google seems to release new algorithm updates on a weekly basis, making it almost impossible to stay ahead of the competition. For this reason, trying to stay up-to-date with upcoming updates is futile; it actually makes more sense to look to the future of SEO from a more of a long-term perspective.

As we bid farewell to October and approach the end of 2015, it makes sense to begin preparing for SEO in 2016 by taking note of advice and opinions for the coming year:

1. Review the past year’s SEO activities

In order to move forward you need to spend time reflecting on the past. What changes took place that we should be aware of?

For starters, Google has placed a particularly heavy emphasis on user experience vs. SEO. If a site is geared heavily towards the needs of its specific target market, this fares far better than if a site is tailored towards the needs of the search engines (i.e. keywords).

Another change at Google came from its local listings update. Now, consumers can easily and quickly search for information about a company such as its opening hours, contact details, photos, directions and much more. Furthermore, this information can easily be found from any device including tablets, mobile phones and computers. Placing a heavy emphasis on responsive web design is now a huge ranking factor, and will surely remain the same for 2016.

2. Maintain a mobile-friendly website

A staggering 89% of all smartphone users perform Google searches from their mobile phones and this year, Google placed a heavy emphasis on responsive web design as a ranking factor. As such, it’s critical that you have a fully responsive, mobile-friendly website as if you don’t, you could find yourself being penalised as a result. If you do, your website stands a far better chance of ranking positively in search engine results pages.

3. Maintain a positive social media presence

Social media isn’t a trending term that will phase out within the next year. It is growing in importance with the passing of each year and as such it’s essential that you have a solid social media presence on a handful of platforms. People are quick to search for a business on their social media platforms before making a buying decision. Therefore maintaining your business’ social media presence is a critical activity for the coming year.

4. Seek help

If you aren’t sure where to begin with any of the above steps then it’s important to see the assistance of a leading SEO agency who will establish exactly what you need to improve the SEO of your business for the upcoming year.

8 Ways Media is a Swiss-based website development agency offering 8 main services such as branding, web design, digital marketing, SEO and much more. The company, which features a team of 98 passionate and creative employees, offers bespoke solutions for each and every one of its clients.

To learn more about the services available at 8 Ways Media, please visit www.8ways.ch or contact us at info@8ways.ch

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