What the Hell Is Google Up to These Days?

Digital marketing professionals everywhere remember with a familiar cringe Google’s Ark of algorithm updates, invading the search results since 2011 and sending SEO’s scrambling to fix issues before they hit. With each Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird announcement, marketing teams–especially those employing underhanded tactics (here’s looking at you, eBay)–grit their teeth and prayed for the best. As a final exclamation point, Google sent MobileGeddon thundering through SERP this April, mandating the importance of mobile internet usage for every online campaign.

And then, things went eerily quiet. Marketers unclenched their white knuckles as they found that the mobile movement didn’t obliterate them from Google results. Rumors of another Panda attack surfaced over the last few months, but no evidence of its presence has been detected. With somewhat unclear results from certain updates, and general doubt of when those results will even out, I have to ask: what does Google have coming for us marketers, and what should we do for the time being?

A brief search will give you no results for a definitive list of SERP ranking factors. Nowhere does Google come out and say, “You need this precise list of elements to get your website to the top of the search rankings.” However, it does give us one of the most powerful tools available to make our own determinations: Google Analytics. By researching data regarding which elements seem influential to rankings, we can begin to make our own formulations and tailor our campaigns from there.

Moz recently conducted such a study, taking into account what metadata and SEO efforts were present on the top-ranked pages in search results. As of this year, most experts believe that domain-level link features–quantity, trust, and PageRank of present links–makes the most impact, while page-level social metrics–how many times the page has been Liked, Tweeted, +1’d, etc.–have the least hold in your search rankings. On-page keyword use and optimization also held a place of importance, coming in as the third-most important element.

While you may have found different results in examinations of your own, one thing is for certain: you need quality content and social media programs in place to make a name for yourself. None of these elements would be usable without the presence of quality content, and none of them would be visible to your audience without direct methods of contact and sharing. Not getting the views you want? It probably comes down to a matter of quality and appropriateness. Revise your content regularly and have it checked by objective parties; branch out into new and more specific social arenas to share your content and interact. I guarantee that a lack of interaction on Facebook isn’t a sign of certain doom for your online presence.

So whether Google is brewing up the algorithm storm of the century, or, as Forbes insists, we’ll never have a major algorithm update roll through again, you can ensure a dedicated and loyal following with quality content and regular social media interaction. To get started on your Orlando digital marketing campaign, get in touch with the experts at Elephant Ear. Give us a call today at (321) 537-2649 for your complementary consultation.