What is your 2015 SEO Strategy look like?

Come 2015, Google fails to disappoint yet again. With its new algorithms like Panda 4.1, it induces panic into the minds of several search marketers. Google has taken upon itself the responsibility of removing low quality content pages, especially those which are practicing black hate SEO. So with the traditional techniques of SEO drawing to an end, what chances are we left with to survive this ordeal?

Well, surprisingly a lot. With the ever changing scenario of Google’s algorithms, all we need to do is change with it and evolve. Here are a few techniques which I believe will help a search marketer to take a sigh of relief in 2015.

1. Re-frame your URL structure

You may have noticed that the best search results in Google often have a streamlined URL than the search results down below. A URL structure and links are the backbone of any site. The clearer they are, the better the SEO. For example, the URL which ends with strings like id=54637&color=8&size=2 are generally very long and have no relevant keywords. Such pages end up way below in the search results. Hence, it is better to use static URLs than the dynamic ones.

2. Choose links with extreme caution

As I have always stated in all my posts, it is always advisable to have three or max four relevant links than having hundreds of links not relevant to the user. Google does not favour such sites and the overall ranking of the site will fall, unless you remove such unnecessary links. Broken links and 404 errors are also responsible for lowering the search rating. Identify and locate such links and eliminate or fix them as soon as possible. Try and focus on few, hard earned and reputed links. If you really have that many relevant links, try dividing them on different pages.

3. Widen the scope for Hummingbird friendly keywords

With the arrival of Hummingbird, Google changed its way of parsing queries. Instead of matching separate keywords to pages, it now searches for actual content. I am not saying that keywords are not important, just that the way they are to be put down. First, try and determine phrases people might use while looking for your product. For example, in lieu of just courier service, you could write express same day courier, or inexpensive courier service etc.

4. Consider Secure Encryption

A few weeks ago, Google hinted that websites using a secure encryption may get a boost in search rankings. All sites starting with HTTPS would now become a ranking signal. Using secure encryption is a method of exchanging data across the web using methods to protect the transferred information. As per Google, sites using a secure encryption will have better search results over time, than the ones still using HTTP.

5. Look beyond personal search results

Since most of the Google searches are so highly personalized, it sometimes gets difficult to get an accurate idea as to how much is the overall ranking of your page for users who have never browsed your page and for users spread across various locations. It will be impossible for you too, to track these search results accurately from your computer as Google personalizes your search too. Your IP address is the thing that makes all the difference. Your IP address and the location registered under Google search tools determine the location based search results. Similarly, if you are using web based tools for SEO, Google will allow you to change the location settings but still check rankings based upon your IP address. It can be solved by using a simple tool called Rank Tracker, that allows you to optimize your search from both the locations.

Most of the topics mentioned above are pretty simple logically once you have gone through them, but they can get tricky when implemented. But in time, if applied correctly, they are fruitful. These tips should help you optimize your search and live peacefully during 2015.