As we know, there is no exact science or formula for organic searching rankings. With search engines compiling ranking scores through in-depth algorithms that are constantly updated, many marketers continue to ask: How can we rank? The answer.. Stay Relevant.

What does it mean to stay Relevant? There are several answers to this question but search engines are looking for a humanistic approach, a voice that showcases it is listening to the noise of its target audience- providing relevant and informatively rich information. This starts in content strategy and development. Marketers a like- whether you are in hospitality to industrial construction, have to not only identify the message they are looking to convey, but make it relevant enough for their users listen and engage. Make sure you are providing informative that is not only informative, but is developed in a way that would answer any potential questions. 

In addition to on page content, there are technical on-page elements that will increase ranking measures. There is no longer a heavy emphasis on keywords, although they are definitely still a vital component of the technical recipe. In addition to keywords, algorithm updates have shown to rank from a solid presence of title tags, description, H1 and H2 tags.

Referral traffic, from back-links is still a significant component to a website ranking! Quality is far more important than quantity. Traditionally, it was about gathering as many back links as possible, the trends have now shifted in respect to quality. Some back links that rank high in quality are university, chamber of commerce and so forth. These are a great way to network and stay connected in your community as well. One thing we often do is a concierge or resources page, this is a great way to link your partners or potential members of the community that your user might also find useful. 

Finally, SIGNALS. Both social and user signals have made their way to the forefront in regards to ranking factors. Social signals are comprised of social channels ranging from Google + to Facebook likes! Engagement matters on these channels but so does the content, the only way to get social channels to rank is if you share rich and compelling content that will get your audience to share. For user-signals, this can be determined from click through rates, bounce rates, and time on site. 

These are a few key takeaways we have noticed in ranking trends 2015! For more information on SEO rankings keep visiting our blog for the latest updates!