The Modern SEO Guide: How Businesses can Leverage Content
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SEO has been an integral part of the digital environment since the inception of search engines like Google and the right implementation can mean the difference between an online business reaching audiences and significantly falling behind the competition. Advanced, proprietary algorithms are specially designed and set to execute vast and in-depth data analysis – and the results are used to determine the most relevant answers to the questions asked across the entirety of the internet.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization is the practice of creating content and adding specific data protocols that will make the above-mentioned algorithm's processes easier. The more that a website has content and searchable markers of reputability (such as backlinks from other authority sites), the more likely automated software is to put it towards the top of pages that offer the best services to the proper audiences. Google's algorithms are designed to scan content and make decisions in seconds and are ever-evolving to ensure that only the most relevant websites get prioritized. As the internet is full of scam websites that use what's known as black hat SEO techniques, the top processes of the AI used are heavily kept under wraps.
Key areas of focus in 2023
While we don’t know the exact functions of the AI used for ranking, there are experts that have an educated idea of the processes involved and how to maximize a website’s potential. While SEO has been a hot topic for well over a decade now, and where once only the top specialists had the ability to implement tactics to help rank websites, it is more widely understood by the average internet user in 2023. Anyone with at least cursory knowledge of SEO will know that content is, and has always been, king – and search engines will prioritize websites that have the right blend of well-written content, a host of well organized pages, multiple relevant keywords, and overall valuable information.
There is a key aspect to consider that can help businesses to better leverage their efforts – and this is photos and videos. Right now, these are widely overlooked in traditional SEO campaigns, but in the fast-paced, diverse digital environment, visuals are leading the charge for attention grabbing, impactful content that engages and converts in a matter of seconds. Audiences no longer have the time or the patience to sit and read websites that are full of content, no matter how valuable it may be, so platforms like YouTube and Instagram are providing a whole new level of service across the board. This means that photo and video content is becoming increasingly popular, and Google are beginning to see the potential of indexing these to better characterize appropriate rankings.
Top ways to leverage content for better SEO
Add subtitles to video content
Video content has the ability to deliver a message to viewers in a very short space of time, but there are drawbacks when it comes to reaching specific demographics, such as those that are hard of hearing or speak different languages. This is where AI speech to text software is stepping into the fray. With the software available for free on CapCut, even those with little to zero digital acumen or experience will be able to add subtitles and closed captions to videos of all shapes and sizes. Intuitive AI removes the intensive and complicated process of transcription and will automate subtitles with a smooth interface while providing custom editing solutions for nothing short of the most professional final product. The key benefits like unmatched accuracy and the ability to distinguish between different languages, dialects, and accents give users of mind that this software is going to perform every time.
The good news is that subtitles not only make the content itself more accessible, but it gives an additional layer of scannable content for the algorithms used. This means that keywords can be implemented in an additional way to the traditional routes and further potential for the modern business.
Optimize websites to better support mobile functionality
Considering the fact that 92.3% of internet use is performed on mobile phones, it's surprising to learn that many websites are still not optimized for these devices in 2023. As pages that are tailored to desktops are likely to have difficulties displaying content and properly providing navigation and functionality in terms of user interfaces, those that are sticking to their website's original capabilities are fast falling behind the competition. This is especially prevalent when you consider the fact that Google's AI now prioritizes mobile-first indexing. This means that it can be important to ensure that websites have automatic resizing for text and images and that buttons and clickable pages are displayed in easy-to-access areas of the screen. Don’t forget that the quality of images shouldn’t be lost during the transition and that AI image upscalers can help with this.
Is content leveraging the way forward for businesses?
The answer to this question is undoubtedly yes, as the digital environment is not only diverse and has an array of benefits when it comes to engagement and ROI, but it is also only growing and evolving as the years go by. If you take a look at the way content was consumed just five years ago and compare it to the way individuals interact online right now, the differences are both obvious and numerous. Visual content is supporting written content, but both play a key role in helping businesses to rank as highly as possible in search engines and establish themselves as the top providers in their respective niches.
While off-page and technical SEO practices can be important, on-page SEO is still the best way to ensure that websites and promotional content across social media pages and other digital environments perform exactly as you would expect. With the growing uses of AI across the internet, it has never been easier to create professional-looking content no matter your skills or experience in business, and leveraging content in the right way can give almost any brand an edge over the competition.
Wayne Kernochan has been an IT industry analyst and auther for over 15 years. He has been focusing on the most important information-related technologies as well as ways to measure their effectiveness over that period. He also has extensive research on the SMB, Big Data, BI, databases, development tools and data virtualization solutions. Wayne is a regular speaker at webinars and is a writer for many publications.
