SEO Resolutions to Make in the New Year

The New Year is rapidly approaching and if you’re wondering what your resolutions are going to be for 2012, make a plan to ditch the standard “go to the gym” or “eat healthier” and instead resolve to improve upon your SEO tactics.  Check out the following resolutions that are sure to set you on the path to a brand new 365 days of success from your SEO efforts:

Resolution #1:  Stay up to date.

A new year means change—and because of the ever-changing nature of the internet, search engines are constantly revamping their algorithms and technologies.  Because this has the ability to affect your SEO methods, it is important to be aware of such changes.  SEO that was successful for your site over the past twelve months might not be as successful in the months ahead.  Review and analyze elements such as your keywords and tags, and stay in the know in case you need to make necessary alterations to your SEO plan.

Resolution #2:  Be more social.

If you haven’t gotten the memo that social media has taken over the world, then you’ve probably been claiming residence under a rock.  Since Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites have completely changed the game for business and the way we communicate, it appears as if they are here to stay…and it just so happens that they hold great opportunities for you to leverage the capabilities of your website.  To drive an influx of traffic to your site this year, you’ve got to enhance your social networking plan.  Be sure to include links to your social media pages on your website and don’t forget update these social media pages on a regular basis.

Resolution #3:  Blog, blog, blog.

This past year seems to have been the year of the blog…and it seems as if the popularity of blogging is only growing bigger and bigger.  So if you haven’t already done so and if you are aiming for a year of SEO wins, then it’s time to jump on the train headed straight for the blogosphere in 2012.  If you create your own blog or utilize the power of guest posts on other blogs, be sure to include valuable content, resources, keywords, links and titles in your posts.  Do this and your content will be easily found in search engines across the web, leading visitors to your site.

Resolution #4:  Track your progress.

If you plan on achieving any New Year’s resolution, it is crucial to measure your progress along the way so that you can make adjustments necessary to attain the end result for which you are aiming.  By blindly expending efforts towards your SEO without measuring metrics, you are doing nothing but initiating your own demise with wasted time, money and energy.  Create SEO methods that can be measured with exact numbers and statistics to gain information that will reveal whether or not if you are capturing an audience in a valuable way and reaching your performance goals.

Resolution #5:  Focus on content.

Of course, we all want millions of visitors flocking to our websites.  However, too many website owners are far too focused on just numbers, placing quantity over quality—don’t fall into this trap.  There is more to successful SEO than just attaining visitors.  You need to develop a strong web presence with content that provides people with a takeaway—people want resourceful information that can be applied to their own lives.  Find your niche and concentrate on developing your brand online with accurate, valuable, and current material to establish your credibility and cultivate a loyal base of subscribers who will continue to visit your site in the future.
This guest post was written by Sabrina Jackson, an author who shares with us SEO resolutions for the New Year.  In addition to guest posting, Sabrina also owns her own website, Best Online Dating Sites, where she educates followers about safe internet dating.