The basis of organic search engine optimization is the same as it always has been. Google’s objective was always to provide the most relevant results to its users, but its algorithm was not always advanced enough to do it. By 2013 and after the infamous Penguin algorithm update, the technology had become good enough to reward the most relevant search results, rather than the ones who were the best manipulators. Of course, this was always Google’s goal, but it did not become possible until 2012-2013.
What is Organic SEO in 2021?
To use an analogy, implementing organic SEO is like being a reputable farmer. White hat techniques will help grow the best crops, while black hat techniques will produce harmful results. While the harm may not be immediately noticeable, it manifests later on. Think of using chemicals in crops to make them grow faster. While the short-term gains might be appealing, the long-term consequences will create sickness and lawsuits. SEO works similarly.
The difference now is that the algorithm is more complicated and superior in delivering the results it covets. Cheating is now enforced more regularly. As Google’s algorithm continues to evolve, you can expect those following best practices to continue being rewarded progressively through the next 1-5 years and beyond. HVAC Webmasters can, of course, handle all of these tasks on your behalf for optimal rankings.
Is Domain Authority Dead?
Since Google is the end-all-be-all in digital marketing, it is advancing while 3rd-party tools like MOZ are trying to keep pace. Google is using metrics that MOZ is unaware of to determine their final scores and produce rankings. That doesn’t mean link building for HVAC doesn’t matter, but you can bet that following Google’s best practices for linking will continue to be rewarded over time. So while DA may not be dead, it’s not a metric you worth your time. So, what metrics might Google be looking at instead?
- Brand Mentions: Unlinked mentions of your brand on social media and elsewhere
- Content Quality (LSI): Latent semantic indexing which values synonyms over keywords for a better reading experience
- Google Reviews: Published testimonials from real users on Google, which serves as user-generated content
- Link Relevance: The quality and relevance (does it make sense?) of links rather than the quantity of them
HVAC Webmasters does research and attends conferences to stay on top of the latest SEO trends. By choosing to invest in our marketing plan, you’ll always keep pace with Google and the latest optimization advancements. But remember, the core foundation of organic SEO has remained the same. Old-school organic SEO can still get you ranking at the top of search results, but you need to adapt to the algorithms’ evolution throughout the years and the years to come.
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