The role of an SEO has certainly evolved over time due to Google cracking down on spam techniques, the rise of mobile, changes in the SERPs, and so on. But what does an SEO really do these days, and how has this role changed over the years?
A look into the past and present
On-page optimization: In the past, SEOs would map two to five keywords per URL and optimize page elements (title, meta description, headings, body content, and so on) for these keywords.
However, with advances in semantic search and machine learning, a page can now rank for many related keywords, not just the ones you optimized it for. This approach is better because it focuses on content that fulfills users’ needs rather than matching a specific keyword string.
Modern-day SEOs need a solid understanding of not just content creation but also content promotion. Whereas previously it was all about optimizing existing landing pages based on search volume and striking distance, SEO today involves optimizing existing content and creating, optimizing, and amplifying new content that meets end-users’ needs to reinforce your brand and capture social signals and links to rank higher in the SERPs.
Devices: Historically, it was all about optimizing for desktops because they were the primary device used to surf the web.
Today, mobile devices have become the primary way people consume content. Although desktops remain relevant, digital media consumption on mobile devices has skyrocketed in recent years and will continue to grow. According to comScore, mobile now accounts for 65 percent of digital media time. Additionally, in 2015, mobile officially surpassed desktop in terms of Google searches performed.
SEOs must focus on optimizing the mobile experience, particularly apps, and ensuring that mobile pages load within two seconds.
Local: Google has changed its local results many times over the past several years — from the 10-pack to 7-packs, and now the 3-pack. Previously, it was easy to spam the listings by incorporating keywords into the business name, getting links from spam directories, fudging the exact location of the business, and so on.
Now, local SEO is all about positive reviews and, thanks to the Pigeon update, traditional ranking signals like relevance and page content.
Social: Before the days of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, online social sharing largely happened via email and instant messaging, which fell outside the scope of SEO campaigns.
Today, social media is ubiquitous, and digital marketers who neglect this channel do so at their peril. Social media and SEO must work hand-in-hand to increase brand exposure, connect businesses with their audience, and drive consumer engagement. The modern-day SEO must utilize social networks to promote content to earn both shares and links for maximum exposure.
Links: Links have always been a significant factor in determining search engine rankings, but link building as a discipline has changed dramatically over the years.
In the early days of SEO, it was all about link quantity — the more links to your site, the better. Anchor text was also more heavily weighted, meaning that links with keyword-rich anchor text could help a site rank better for those keywords. It was easy to get links from sites of questionable repute, and so many SEOs secured links with keyword-rich anchor text from sites with high PageRank through link exchanges, direct requests, or purchasing links.
Today, it’s not just about quantity but quality. Links from authoritative and relevant sites are more heavily weighted, and links from spammy websites are either discounted or penalized. Additionally, search engines prefer a “natural” link profile with a good mix of link types: follow and nofollow, keyword-rich anchor text and branded anchor text, and so on.
SEOs today must focus on creating high-quality content and pursuing relevant links that are valuable to users. They must also monitor their backlinks for any toxic links and remove low-quality ones to maintain a healthy link profile.
Technical SEO: Technical SEO hasn’t changed much in recent years, and the basic principles of technical audits still apply. However, SEOs must ensure their clients’ sites are built in a mobile-friendly manner and load as quickly as possible. Technical SEO is now very much a requirement for web developers.
Final thoughts
SEO has changed dramatically over the years, and we must adapt with it. An SEO’s job has shifted from traditional optimization to connecting the client’s content with the end user across multiple devices and platforms.
Instead of search engine optimization specialists, maybe it’s better to think of ourselves as content experience analysts: professionals charged with optimizing a brand’s web properties to attract consumers at all stages of the customer journey. If we can do this effectively, we will succeed in the SERPs.
