Many people are under the impression that once a successful SEO campaign has accomplished its goal of placing their website at or near the top in the search results, then the SEO campaign can be effectively stopped. Once at the top, always at the top is the prevailing attitude.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
There are some very important reasons why SEO is a continuous, non-stop process, and why you should never stop a successful SEO campaign. This article will outline the main reasons.
Search Engine Algorithms Are Continually Evolving
Google makes 500 to 600 changes to its algorithms each year. Most of these changes are minor, but there are a handful of major changes that can dramatically affect the way Google indexes your website. Keeping abreast of these changes, and making adjustments to your SEO strategy accordingly, is the best way to ensure that you are taking full advantage of these modifications. If nothing is done then you are almost guaranteed to lose valuable rankings.
Your Links Are Degrading
Over time, links to your website can “erode” due to various factors: old, stale content that is no longer relevant; changes to website filenames; deletion of content, etc. If these links cause errors with the search engine then your rankings will drop. Keeping on top of these link changes, and following a continual link-building process can ensure that link degradation is kept under control.
Mobile Search
The online world is making a dramatic shift in search platforms, with mobile expected to be the dominant method in the near future. We are seeing mobile devices account for almost half of all website visits to our clients alone.
Google is now giving more weight to websites that are “mobile-friendly”, increasing the chances that those websites will receive higher rankings in search results.
As this transition to mobile search becomes more prevalent, many of the methods and strategies of SEO change with it. Without a comprehensive plan to accommodate mobile search as it evolves, your website may lose rankings, especially to your competition who might already be optimizing for mobile search.
The Competition Will Move Ahead of You
If you are running a successful SEO campaign, then you can be absolutely certain that your competitors are as well. If you analyze your rankings over time, you will see that it’s a constant back-and-forth battle for top rankings between you and your competition.
Stopping SEO will effectively take you out of the game. Your competitors will keep up with changing algorithms, link building strategies, and the changing methods of search, and you will be left behind to see your website disappear from search results.
Your New and Changing Content Needs Exposure
New content added to your website after stopping SEO has little chance of gaining an audience. No outside links will lead people to the content, and the chances of search engines finding it are slim. This can be especially harmful if you want to gain exposure for new services offered or new treatment options.
Make the Decision to Stay the Course
Many people think that they can’t afford a long-term SEO campaign. They feel that the cost is too prohibitive and that they are seeing the apparent return on investment. The truth is, you can’t afford to stop a successful SEO campaign.
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