Revenue Delivered to Clients 2011 Year-to-Date:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Isn't What It Used To Be!

Since the beginning of commercialized websites, businesses have fought for rankings, traffic and conversions. Along the way, many have fruitlessly searched for a positive return-on-investment, and ways to measure that investment.

All the while, the playing field changes, as well as the rules of the game. Being on the 1st page of Google may not result in profitable sales. Adapting and engaging with audiences in multiple spaces and platforms is paramount, as is addressing users appropriate to their specific stage of the buying cycle.

Here's why it's hard to do it yourself: Are you covering all the following? (Fathom is.)

What Mattered 3 Years Ago (2009)

Domain Level / Branding

  • Domain level authority
  • Keyword matched domains

Technical / Conversion / Usability

  • Internal link sculpting
  • Length of URL

On-site

  • Keyword use in title tag
  • Keyword page creation
  • Amount of content on page
  • Blog setup and optimization

Off-site

  • Domain level link metrics
  • Keyword focused anchor text from external links
  • Paid links
  • Article marketing
  • Directory submissions
  • Social profile registrations

Management / Reporting

  • Rankings
  • Traffic (Direct, Organic, Referral)
  • Keyword/Page metrics

Search Engine Ranking Factors in 2009

  

What Matters Today (2012)

Domain Level / Branding

  • Search volume for brand/domain
  • Mentions on news and social sites
  • Brand/reputation management

Technical / Conversion / Usability

  • Site load time
  • Information architecture
  • Mobile accessibility
  • Microformats / rich snippets
  • Conversion rate optimization
  • Google Analytics tracking updates

On-site

  • Timely and fresh content
  • Content readability
  • Avoiding “over-optimization” signals
  • Video integration
  • Mobile accessibility
  • Self-service / live chat tools
  • “Share This” functionality (Like, Tweet)

Off-site

  • Page level link metrics
  • Link diversification
  • Local and social signals (page and domain levels)
  • Link bait creation and promotion
  • E-commerce visibility
  • Social Media presence
  • Blogger relations

Management / Reporting

  • Revenue / Return on Investment
  • Conversions
  • Holistic-minded / cross-channel marketing
  • Traffic (Direct, Organic, Referral) (Advanced Segments)
  • Keyword/Page metrics
  • Rankings

Search Engine Ranking Factors in 2011
Fathom’s own Kurt Krejny, Director of Online Marketing, participated in this survey of industry experts.

Current Predictions and Informed Opinions

  • Vertical algorithms
  • Brand biasing
  • Freshness of query
  • Diversity of query
  • Keyword-specific biasing
  • Sentiment of results
  • Keyword synonyms

The Future of Search

  • Site/page perceived value to users
  • Social signals at a page level/domain level (wisdom of crowds)
  • Usage data (from search to visit – CTR, bounce rate back to SERPs)
  • Content readability

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