Search engines Google and Bing – and soon Yahoo! for sure – are using more and more social content in determining search rankings. The ripple effect of this move is something that is changing the way brands embrace social media, the way they utilize their blog, and now the way they embrace their corporate website.It used to be (sounds like the old days, but really just a year or so ago… scary) that the corporate website was all you needed for optimum website visibility. Create complete Meta data, use your tags appropriately using keywords, write user driven copy that capitalized on keywords and phrases, and generate some quality inbound and outbound links. Today, while these fundamentals are still part of the SEO process, it’s taking a back seat to the role of dynamic content and social media.
Websites are, for the most part, static brochures where copy rarely changes and ability to interact with prospects, and customers, is perhaps a contact us form or a download the white-paper button. This will need to change – and change fast – if brands want to keep their current search ranking or look to improve upon it.
Marketing departments today need to create new content often and regularly. They need to create this content using the same web copy approach that SEO mandates – using keywords and phrases in titles and throughout the body of the piece. Of course this content has to be compelling – this should go without saying, but there… I said it. Now the real catch – where to post this new compelling, SEO friendly, dynamic content? Answer – in as many relevant places as possible.
First step – Create a section of the site (Knowledge Center or Resources) where users can find this information, then provide the ability for users to share this information on various social media sites. We’ve all see the buttons that follow blog postings. These buttons should also follow the new content. Perhaps even build in a mechanism so users can share information by entering an email address.
Second step – Share the new content on various, and relevant, social media sites. There’s Delicious, Digg, Yahoo! Buzz to name just a few. Get it out there. Tag it with keywords and phrases and be sure to link it back to the site.
Third step – Place the new content on the Brands’ social media real estate. Many smart companies today have Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, Delicious profiles, and Blogs. Get that content onto those social sites with a link back to the main site.
These are just a few simple tactics. There are many, many more alterations a website should consider to optimize for search today, but dynamic content is front and center!