Five SEO Staples for 2014

The only possible way to ensure a year free from headaches would be to look into the future and find out what’s to come on a weekly basis. Sadly however this isn’t a realistic plan for any year as if there’s one thing we’ve learned about SEO over the years, it’s that the goalposts can move at any time with little to no warning. Just when we think we know where things are going, they swerve wildly in a different direction and we’re left licking our wounds.   That being said, the good news is that sufficient time has passed for us to reach at least some conclusions as to certain SEO staples to expect in 2014 under any and all circumstances. Each and every SEO pro in the game today will have their own unique insights to share, but in terms of staples to expect as 2014 moves forward, all will agree on certain examples, including the following:Links of Value OnlyFirst and foremost, the time had well and truly come to forget about playing with mid to low-quality links in the hope that at least some of them will work in your favour. As of right now and for the indefinite future, the only links that won’t see your name dragged through the mud are those that you know are of 100% value and authority for your site. Even if you have just slightest amount of doubt as to the authority or relevance of a third-party site, it’s not worth taking the risk and placing a backlink there. The damage a single negative backlink can do has the potential to outweigh a dozen strong links.Longer Keywords EssentialThe days of chasing the most valuable and sought-after single keywords are well and truly over. These days – or at least since the introduction of Hummingbird – it’s all about being more specific than ever before and directly answering the longer and more complex questions people are looking for. For example, if you are selling award-winning air conditioning spares at guaranteed low prices in Norwich, you will no longer win a great deal of favour by just repeating “AC Norwich” a thousand times in your content. Instead, you need to be specific and look to answer longer questions and address detailed problems.Reputation Management Your reputation will be determined not by what your customers have to say about you, but how you manage and respond to what’s said. Technically speaking there isn’t such a thing as harmful feedback as even the most negative of reviews and comments can be transformed into glowing positives depending on how you respond to them. Show that you are willing to listen to feedback and you will earn the respect of those that may otherwise have been put-off by the negativity they read.Making the Most of LocalLast but not least, Google has always affirmed its commitment to local and this is to step up once again throughout 2014. So, if you’re interested in scoring the hugely valuable local market around you, be sure to push your status locally and focus on specifics like your exact locality – this will also work wonders with the long-tail keywords you’re now vying for.