Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

Social contents are more readily indexed nowadays. This is because Google has deals in place with Facebook and Twitter already—search for a news item, and you’ll probably see a tweet or two appear in your mobile search results.

In 2016, more platforms will become more heavily indexed in the vaults available to Google and other search engines. Social posts will carry a value and a consideration similar to any independent web page, and the separation of “web” and “social media” will begin to blur even further from an SEO perspective.

Here’s an infographic from Caliber Interactive Dubai that highlights the benefits of social content and mobile optimization along with the 7 other key trends in the SEO industry that will help you up the game in the digital world.

Search engine optimization (SEO) experts say domain-level link authority features—such as the quality of links to a website and its overall PageRank—have the biggest positive impact on Google rankings, according to a recent report from Moz.

The report was based on data from an in-depth survey of 150 marketing professionals who specialize in search engine optimization. Each respondent rated the relative levels of influence exerted by broad search ranking factors on a scale of 1 (not influential) to 10 (highly influential).

Domain-level link authority features received an average score of 8.22, the highest of any factor. Page-level metrics ranked a close second (average score of 8.19), followed by page-level content/keywords (7.87). Detailed definitions of each factor can be found in the full report....

Only 17% of small business owners will invest in search engine optimization (SEO) in 2017, 26% admit to having a Web site with only one page, and 43% say they have no plans to change or improve their online presence this year.

A joint study between David Ricketts, innovation fellow in the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard University found that only 54% of small business owners report that they are confident their company's online presence performs well, despite the small number of owners who are embracing online marketing.

Web.com Small Business Digital Trends Report surveyed 300 small business owners to learn how they use online channels to grow their businesses -- from dentistry to contractors, and artists to welders or dry cleaners, and retailers with ecommerce sites.

Although SEO can help businesses rise to the top of search engine query results, most small business owners do not cite the search media as a priority. Only 17% say they plan to add SEO to their online marketing strategy in 2017, and only 5% consider SEO a top priority for the year....