Posts Tagged ‘SEO campaign’

Can you afford to A/B test?

Testing is a process that isn’t always taken as a separate stage with SEO. Most businesses are in a rush to get results from their SEO campaign, and taking a few weeks out to test with scientific rigour just doesn’t fit in with their plans. If you have time, however, testing can help you to refine your SEO to produce excellent results.

The A/B test process

The A/B test is one of the classic testing methods, and it is used in all sorts of industries. The basic requirement is to have two very specific options, known as variables, to test. These two variables are placed within the same environment and exposed to the same types of audiences over similar periods of time. In other words, two versions are put to the same test, and the results should show which is more effective.

The variables in an A/B test can be minute. When it comes to search engine optimisation testing, the variables might be something significant, like the wording of a title, or something basic, like the keyword used for that a page. Testing in this way can give you ideas on tone, on what phrasing is likely to increase conversions, or on how to focus your SEO.

The advantages of testing

No business likes walking into a process blind. With SEO, there are many variables, and this can make the process a challenging one. The advantage of thorough testing, like using A/B tests, is that you can get reliable information on your planned paths. Testing can provide you with hard numbers to use when predicting how internet users will react to the changes in your site.

It’s important to note that the internet is such a shifting environment that even thorough tests won’t provide you with definite information. Testing for search engine optimisation is not like testing for a chemical reaction. A version of your pages might show some results one week and completely different results the next. This is one of the reasons SEO is a process of intuition and creativity as much as it is a technical process.

What’s your testing schedule?

Very few companies allow a thorough testing period during their initial optimisation. It adds additional time to the SEO schedule, and when a business is impatient for results, thorough scientific testing processes can easily be put aside. After all, SEO is not a scientific process. A lot of it can be done using the instincts and experience of your SEO consultants.

On the other hand, if you’ve invested significantly in the optimisation of your site, testing can provide you with the assurance that you’re moving in the right direction. Spending extra time can be worth it for peace of mind.

You can do without thorough testing if you have to. A lot of alterations to your SEO plan can be made after the initial results come in, and this is what many companies do. Talk to us at SEO Consult about your options.

Best SEO Link Strategies

Your site’s inbound links will have a big impact on your pages’ rankings. SEO companies are constantly on the lookout for new strategies to build their clients’ link profiles. Sometimes, the building of links isn’t the problem. What people often forget is that links need to be periodically checked on to maintain their function.

A good linking strategy will involve a combination of maintenance and link building. While your SEO consultant might be a great help with forging good links, it’s important for every site owner to know how to look after their own link profile. If you’re interested in links and search engine optimisation, talk to us at SEO Consult.

Here are four ways to help build and maintain your link profile:

1. Pursue your existing links for new ones. If someone has already linked to you, you have a relationship with them. Use it to see if you can get some more links, either from their site or help you get links from others. One way to ease into this is if someone has linked to your main page, then ask for a link to a specific page that will suit their site’s users better. This benefits them as well as you.

It’s important not to be too pushy when you’re talking to people who have already linked to you. Like any relationship, link relationships can get strained when someone asks too much.

2. Modify your anchor text where possible. Most site owners will either place your link within their own choice of anchor text or anchor it using your site address. A simple request can change the situation so that the link anchors use your keywords, boosting your page’s relevancy to your main keywords.

Again, use your discretion and diplomacy to handle this situation. If you demand up front that they place your link within text of your choosing it’s possible your request will be refused. A polite request once the relationship is established will have a better effect. It’s also a good idea to present it as something that will improve their site, for example pointing out that ‘click for [keyword] information’ will give their readers a better idea of where they’re going.

3. Check on old links. Other people’s sites undergo changes, too, and you need to keep up with them. Keep in contact with your existing links to ensure that changes won’t affect your link profile, and try to fix errors whenever you find them.

4. Optimise existing links. Inbound links are only good if they’re to the right pages. If one of your pages is taken off the index, its links will no longer be of that much value to your SEO campaign. One fix for this is to redirect links to a new, indexed page. Another option is to contact the people providing those links and let them know that there is a better page for them to link to. Of course, the best option of all is to ensure that your pages remain on the index.