What tactics are working well for seo these days?

[DavidKonigsberg]

It seems google put the scare in everyone and all hear is content marketing is the future etc But few talk about what tactics are working to rank a site on a compettive term now not in the future. So ask from your experiences what tactics do you see working the best these days?

[RobertFisher]

David,

First, Local optimization and citation sites, etc. is very important. If I am working with a nationwide company in the states, and they have only a headquarters location, I am going to make sure it is optimized for that locale.

Then, Schema - I believe it does have an effect and that it is in Google, et al's best interest to see to it that it does - Obviously, assuming they really do want adoption.

Short of that there is the super secret Algorithm Usurper Application Module (AUsAM)(You can purchase from me for a mere pittance...) Sorry, I just could not resist that one.

Best to you,

[Marcus_Miller]

Hey David

really, nothing has changed, other than the manipulative tactics, so if you were always doing things by the book, the game is the same now as it was ten years ago in 2003 when the Florida update kicked a lot of sites out the index.

You ask how to rank a site for a competitive term now rather than in the future, well, it does not, and really never has worked like that.

If it worked any other way it would not be fair, big results are earned over time and if there was a tactic or technique to just push in at the front of the queue, then that would be a nightmare.

It's a crappy, clichéd answer, but to rank the best, you have to be the best. If you want to rank for a competative term make sure you deserve to rank for that term and just about everything else to do with that term.

For us though, it is content. Content that gives us topical scope and supports the transactional terms, content that gets shared, content that drives soft conversions and content that drives the email and social campaigns that back those soft conversion up. Content that wins links and content that we can use to stimulate the link building process. Content on external sites, blogs, comments, guest posts, forums that helps people find us and click back for more referal traffic, exposure and more soft conversions and even a sale or two.

This is probably exactly the answer you did not want but content is at the very core of everything we do now and will likely continue to be for the foreseeable future.

[EGOL]

...big results are earned over time...

I agree.... The work and the waiting are really difficult.... but well worth it in the end.

It's also difficult to hear people say that you are attacking with ineffective weapons... 

[DavidKonigsberg]

From what i see nothing really changed but yet i see a big shift in the way people talk as if it did change i was just asking if anyone else saw this?

[Marcus_Miller]

The only shift is that whilst there was only really one clean and long term way of doing this, there was lots of ways to get quick, unstable results if you wanted to game the system. This was easily beaten with a good long term effort but in many industries, it seems  there was just lots of really cruddy SEO and buyers only wanted this approach.

Then, this year, things have really tightened up a bit, so you can't do a good approach with some crap thrown in to flesh it out a bit, you have to be on the straight and narrow or you risk problems.

The only real quick fix is PPC - is this a Google conspiracy to sell more adverts?

[RobertFisher]

I agree on the whole. The issue with Penguin and Panda that most do not see is that they actually affected a very minor percentage of sites. According to who you read, approximately 10 to 12% of English speaking queries were affected by Panda and, as of the last I read, Penguin was around 3 to 4%. 
So, the chances you were really affected (remember its percentage of queries, not sites/pages) are small.

So, we have not seen any negative effect on our clients and do not perceive any grossly positive effect either. Our SEO has not changed. We constantly strive to be up to date in our approach and we still believe content will rule the day - but not for the reasons many seem to think. I do not believe it is because of what Google does, I believe people come to the place they get their answers and they tell others.

Best to you David,

[TheeDigital]

I definitely want to agree with Robert on this one.  Local optimization and citation sites are great, for SEO purposes.  Also if possible find a way to get reviews quickly and early for a site.   Positive reviews will help a company rank well above their competition.

[Marcus_Miller]

"I believe people come to the place they get their answers and tell others"

Yep, I second that.

It's always pretty satisfying when you pick up the phone for a new enquiry and instead of launching into the old sales routine the person has read something on your blog and is already pretty sure they want to work with you.

It's also a damn site easier to promote high quality content articles than it is to promote a brochure of services.

I think where people fall down on this approach is when they stick a few blog posts up and then don't get suddenly bombarded with links. It takes time, some articles stick, others, sometimes ones you think are great don't.