Guest Contributor:
Corey Morris, Director of Digital Marketing
During the past few weeks, I’ve had the chance to speak at a couple of Kansas City search marketing events. The first was as a moderator of the “Better Ideas, Better Strategies” session at the SEMPO Cities KC Search Marketing Conference on Oct. 27. In addition, I spoke about “The Impact of Social on Search Rankings” at the Social Media Club of Kansas City breakfast on Nov. 4.
A few SEO themes kept bubbling up at the Q & A sessions and event follow-up discussions.
It’s clear that the industry must be nimbler when it comes to navigating changes from Google. The company is adjusting organic and paid search faster than most of us can remember.
Voice search is growing in relevance, especially with the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants. It’s helpful to consider how voice queries differ from text. Typically, they are longer and more conversational.
To adapt, focus on natural language and question-based queries that align with user intent. This shift requires thinking beyond keywords, prioritizing user-oriented content to improve search visibility.
If you haven’t kept up with the mobile friendly movement, now is the time. “Mobile first” thinking has been a topic of conversation the past few years. The initiative is now on overdrive, with Google using the mobile index for even desktop searches.
One other theme that surfaced during the SMCKC presentation was how Google does or doesn’t weigh social media in ranking websites. There’s a lot of confusing and conflicting info about this topic. My advice? It’s more important to understand how search engines work and view social content through that lens.
The two most important factors of SEO success are relevance and authority. Relevance meaning how pertinent your content is to the subject. And authority being the importance others place on your content. In other words, are they linking to and sharing your stuff?
E-A-T factors have become central to optimizing for search, especially for sites dealing with health or finance. Demonstrating expertise, authority, and trustworthiness involves showcasing credentials and acquiring quality backlinks.
Google’s ranking strategies favor content backed by clear expertise, so maintaining transparency and providing accurate, well-researched information is key for boosting search rankings.
Finally, while not a theme from the events, I always advise clients that if they want more cues on what Google is and isn’t rewarding, they should pay attention to their target audiences and the competition. By continuously working to be better when compared to peers, you’ll win in search, social and digital marketing overall.
Read my earlier post on the SEMPO Cities KC event.
