{"id":2590,"date":"2017-06-30T08:07:03","date_gmt":"2017-06-30T08:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/2017\/06\/30\/5-evergreen-seo-tips-stood-test-time\/"},"modified":"2025-03-05T16:02:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T16:02:51","slug":"5-evergreen-seo-tips-stood-test-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/2017\/06\/30\/5-evergreen-seo-tips-stood-test-time\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Evergreen SEO Tips That Have Stood the Test of Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/services\/seo\/\">Search Engine Optimisation<\/a> presents a whole host of challenges \u2013 one of which is responding to shifts and changes in the way search engines assess and rank your website.<\/p>\n<p>The dreaded words \u2018algorithm update\u2019 will send a shiver down the spine of many a digital marketer. While it\u2019s true that Google in particular has a tendency to make sweeping changes that can have a massive impact on organic traffic, there are some pillars of SEO that have stood strong through the adorably named Penguin and Panda, and the less adorably nicknamed Mobilegeddon.<\/p>\n<p>Take a look at the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Timeline_of_Google_Search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">timeline of algorithm updates<\/a> \u2013 it gives you an idea of how much Google has changed since 1996!<\/p>\n<p><center><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7914\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/algorithm-updates.png\" alt=\"\"><\/center>In this article, we\u2019ll look at the SEO fundamentals that have stood the test of time \u2013 we\u2019ll talk about why they\u2019re important and why they\u2019ve stayed at the centre of our SEO approach.<\/p>\n<h2>1 \u2013 Putting the user first<\/h2>\n<p>When people say \u2018write for a person, not for a search engine\u2019 what they\u2019re really trying to say is that you need to put the focus on the user because that\u2019s what Google is doing.<\/p>\n<p>The reason people go back to Google time and time again is because it serves them a useful result. When the search engine is ranking your website, that\u2019s what all the ranking factors are meant to determine. Is your website a useful response to the users\u2019 search query?<\/p>\n<p>While you might be able to find a way to game the system, if that\u2019s the only thing inflating your rankings then eventually an algorithm update is going to catch you out.<\/p>\n<p>Remember \u2013 a site that\u2019s good for users is a site that\u2019s good for search engines too.<\/p>\n<h2>2 \u2013 White hat wins in the end<\/h2>\n<p>Algorithm updates fall into two categories:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Attempts to respond to a shift in how we are using the internet, as was the case with the mobile focused updates<\/li>\n<li>Attempts to respond to \u2018black hat\u2019 strategies that are cheating the existing system<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As we mentioned above, Google wants to provide users with the best possible results to their search query.<\/p>\n<p>Keyword stuffing is a good example. For a long time, it did a great job of pushing you up the rankings but left users with a bad taste in their mouths. This is because it meant that sites could stuff their way to the top of the search results, even if their result provided a poor user experience.<\/p>\n<p>What Google tends to do is not only change their algorithm to reduce the ranking of sites that are following these strategies \u2013 they also tend to penalise those that continue to try to \u2018cheat the system\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The black hat strategy that might have provided you with great results for a while can very quickly become a millstone around your neck, dragging you out of the rankings.<\/p>\n<p><center><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7910\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/white-hat.jpeg\" alt=\"\"><\/center><\/p>\n<h2>3 \u2013 Making the most of meta data<\/h2>\n<p>Optimising your page title and meta description has long been a staple of SEO and is likely to remain an important part of your organic presence for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n<p><center><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7904\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/meta-data.png\" alt=\"\"><\/center>Finding a way to naturally get your most important keywords into 55-60 characters (it\u2019s really about pixel width so you\u2019ll get a different answer about how many characters depending on who you ask!) while also writing a page title that is enticing to the user is now a well-honed art form among the best SEO copywriters.<\/p>\n<p>Then there\u2019s meta descriptions, whilst they don\u2019t have a direct effect on rankings per se, they\u2019re still incredibly important. A well written meta description that supports the page title, highlights user search terms and encourages the user to click the page title is what we\u2019re after, and rightly so as there is <a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/does-organic-ctr-impact-seo-rankings-new-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">good evidence to suggest that organic CTRs play a big part in rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Again, ultimately, we have to think about users \u2013 this is the standout thing they see in the search results. It tells them whether or not each individual result is relevant to their query. It allows them to make a decision about which search result to pick.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to understand the longstanding importance of your meta title and description once you see it through the eyes of your users!<\/p>\n<h2>4 \u2013 Consolidation beats dilution<\/h2>\n<p>One of the most common sayings when it comes to SEO is that content is king. While this still holds true, the specifics of what that means have changed over time.<\/p>\n<p>What hasn\u2019t changed is the fact that you need a strategic approach to your website content. Diluting your content across your site, for example having multiple pages targeting the same set of important keywords, has long been recognised as an SEO non-starter.<\/p>\n<p>But why is that? Well, firstly from a search engine perspective it creates a confusing state of affairs. Which page should the search engine show? Secondly, it\u2019s also confusing from a user perspective. Which page should they look at? Which page answers their question?<\/p>\n<p>Here again, we see how the approach of the search engine mirrors the needs of the user. Clearly defined pages for each of the key topics of your website, and each of the key search terms you want to rank for, is beneficial for users because it makes it easier for them to find what they are\u00a0looking for. Therefore,\u00a0it\u2019s that approach that will be rewarded by Google.<\/p>\n<h2>5 \u2013 But what about the future of SEO?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s hard to say what the future of SEO will hold. With the prominence of mobile traffic, Google\u2019s focus is likely to continue to lay in that area. Then again, some pundits are predicting that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/02\/27\/smartphones-as-we-know-them-will-be-dead-in-five-years.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">smartphones as we know them will be dead in five years<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Google will always tweak its algorithm with one person in mind \u2013 the user. For them, serving the users relevant and worthwhile search results is the key to success. As long as you approach your SEO with this in mind, you should be able to steer clear of any future digital icebergs.<\/p>\n<p><center><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7912\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/future.gif\" alt=\"\"><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Let\u2019s talk about user focused SEO<\/h3>\n<p>Here at Coast Digital, we put the user at the centre of everything we do. By combining that with a detailed understanding of data, we create SEO strategies that bring the right users to your site.<\/p>\n<p>Get in touch and let\u2019s talk about how we can make the most out of your organic search real estate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Search Engine Optimisation presents a whole host of challenges \u2013 one of which is responding to shifts and changes in the way search engines assess and rank your website. The&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":2591,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"related_service":[63,44],"related_industry":[],"class_list":["post-2590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"card":"<article class=\"wp-component-card wp-component-card--dark wp-component-card--resource wp-component-card--post wp-component-card--full-width            wp-component-card--link js-card-link\n        \">\n            <div class=\"wp-component-card__image\">\n            <img width=\"468\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/evergreen-small-468x579.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-card-1-col size-card-1-col\" alt=\"evergreen small\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"wp-component-card__content\">\n        <div class=\"wp-component-card__content-top\">\n                                                    <p class=\"wp-component-card__eyebrow\">\n                    Blog                <\/p>\n                        <a href='https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/2017\/06\/30\/5-evergreen-seo-tips-stood-test-time\/'>\n        <h2 class='wp-component-card__title'>\n            5 Evergreen SEO Tips That Have Stood the Test of Time\n        <\/h2>\n    <\/a>        <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"wp-component-card__content-bottom\">\n                                    <div class=\"wp-component-card__description wysiwyg\">\n                        Search Engine Optimisation presents a whole host of challenges \u2013 one of which is responding to shifts and changes in the way search engines assess and rank your website. The&hellip;                    <\/div>\n                                                                    <div class=\"wp-component-card__meta\">\n                                                    <p class=\"wp-component-card__date\">\n                                30 June 2017                            <\/p>\n                                                                            <div class=\"wp-component-card__terms\">\n                                                                                            <div class=\"wp-component-tags__tag\">\n                Search Marketing            <\/div>\n                                <div class=\"wp-component-tags__tag\">\n                SEO            <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/article>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2590\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2590"},{"taxonomy":"related_service","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/related_service?post=2590"},{"taxonomy":"related_industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.elixirrdigital.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/related_industry?post=2590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}