For years now we’ve been providing web design and SEO services for businesses in Vancouver and throughout B.C. The SEO landscape is always evolving. Initiatives like Google’s “Panda” updates are seeking to improve the quality of search by penalizing websites with thin or low quality content. Increasingly, web developers, SEO teams and businesses are trying to redefine the dynamics of the field. What rules still apply and what rules can be thrown out the window?

The Basics that Still Apply

The essentials still stand but the necessity for rich content has increased. At a basic level, you still have to optimize your content management system (CMS) or website for search terms. This can entail customizing URLs to make them search engine friendly, writing titles and descriptions, generating site maps etc.

It can also mean avoiding mistakes like duplicating content or creating thin content, both of which can damage your search ranking. The latter refers to pages with very little textual information. Search engines equate thin content with low quality.

Mobile and Voice-Search

Mobile has not only altered the way sites look but how they are optimized for content.  If you’re aiming your content at users on the move, it needs to be clear, clean and efficient. It’s got to lead them where they want to go. At the same time, voice-search queries are changing the way users search. When people vocalize a request they’re more likely to use structured sentences, rather than keyword shorthand.

Need solutions for SEO in Vancouver? There’s plenty to consider. A changing landscape means challenges and opportunities. It means constantly adapting to the latest best-practices. It means knowing what to throw out and knowing what to hold onto. The techniques change but the goals remain the same.