by Ana Hoffman
TrafficGenerationCafe.com

If you want to be
found on the web, yesterday’s SEO strategies are simply not good enough today.

Problem is today’s SEO strategies
might be exactly what will boot you out of Google search engine rankings tomorrow.

Is there hope for us,
non-SEOs?

But first, let me see
if I can discourage you from going after Google traffic to begin with...

Google search engine traffic is
great, but NOT the only way to get targeted highly converting website traffic.

You might be much better
off not worrying about Google at all and focusing on other much more obtainable and reliable sources of traffic like: referral traffic from other blogs social media content sharing sites like Slideshare, YouTube, etc.

Still want to learn how
to get you some search engine traffic?

7 Keys to Getting More
Search Engine Traffic

1 CONTENT: Go BIG or
Go Home

“We all want the low-hanging
fruit, but let’s be honest – the low-hanging fruit is rotten, bruised, and covered with the grubby fingerprints of all the other spoiled brats pawing at it.” ~ Dr. Peter J. Meyers, Moz.com

However, just any content won’t
do either.

However, just any content won’t
do either. It has to be BIG

“99% of you create mediocre
content. If you think you’re in the 1% who do better that’s proof you’re really in the 99%. There is nothing wrong with mediocre content. I can turn out mediocre content with my eyes closed. I only wish all my articles were in the 1%. So keep your hostility in check. You’re not looking at some elitist rant here. No one produces consistently great content. No one.” ~ Michael Martinez, SEO-Theory.com

3 ways to know your
content is BIG: BIG content takes around 40 hours to produce. BIG content needs big concepts, but it doesn’t have to be lengthy. BIG content can turn your business into a thought leader.

6 Practical Steps to Writing
BIG Content that Results in BIG Traffic Establish a regular publishing schedule. Focus on the quality of your posts. Answer specific questions. Improve your existing content. Improve your post formatting. Create resource pages. Details at tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014

“Write for a single person
you have in mind as the perfect person to read what you write, almost like a letter, even if they never will, or a person who you're sure will read it because of a connection you have to them.” ~ Matt Mullenweg, Wordpress Founder

2
Google Semantic
Search

What is Google Semantic Search?

“Semantic search is Google's growing
ability to make associations between things in ways that come closer to how we humans make such connections.” ~ Mark Traphagen, Stone Temple Consulting

When you ask me, “How
do I get to Market Street?“, I might hand you a bus schedule. I know that the bus schedule might contain the best solution to your problem, even though your question did not contain the words “bus” or “schedule.” THAT’s Google Semantic Search in action...

Does it mean keywords don’t
matter ?

“Marketers who invest in smart
keyword research will continue to have a huge advantage over the competition.The trick today is turning those keywords into concepts.” ~ Cyrus Shepard, Moz.com

We need to write our
content around ideas/concepts instead of keywords.

What About On-Page Optimization?

What About On-Page Optimization? On-page
SEO is here to stay.

“On-page SEO: You can do
it right or you can do it over.” ~ Eric Enge, Stone Temple Consulting

6 Practical Steps to Optimizing
Your Content in Light of Google Semantic Search: Know the intent of your user; look for the questions behind the keywords. Use on-page SEO. Write for that perfect person to read what you write. Use the language your clients use. Develop a strong social presence. Use Google Autosuggest for your keyword (idea) research. Details at tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014

3
Google+

“Rejecting Google+ because the same
friends and customers you already have on other social networks aren’t there is hugely missing the point.” ~ Mark Traphagen, Stone Temple Consulting

If SEO is the king
of your search engine traffic, then Google+ is the voice behind the throne.

“If you’re still sitting on
the fence wondering whether you should join “yet another social network” I have this to say: the semantic web and semantic search are a real paradigm shift. If you’re not adjusting your mindset as a marketer or as a business owner to meet it, five years from now you will no longer be in business.” ~ David Amerland, Author of Google Semantic Search

I can’t put it any
more clear than this:

I can’t put it any
more clear than this: Google+ = Google

5 Practical Steps to Leveraging
Google+ for More (SEO) Traffic: Optimize your Google+ profile to be found. Connect your Google+ profile with your website. Clearly identify your area of expertise. Treat your Google+ posts as micro-blogging. Build relationships with influencers. Details at tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014

“Influencers & leaders of knowledge
are in good supply on Google+, whatever your field you have an unprecedented opportunity to hobnob with the rich & powerful on this score. Just as importantly, you also have the opportunity to become one.” ~ Joshua Berg, RealSMO.com

4 Google Authorship & Schema
Markups

Google Authorship is the glue
that pulls your content together from across the Internet into one singular identifiable author.

The benefits of Google Authorship
for SEO traffic are numerous, but the truth is this: it’s so essential and easy to do that it’s a shame not to do it right now.

“Trust me. Just do it.
Now.” ~ Eric Ward, Link Moses

What About Structured Data Markup?

Structured Data Markup (aka Schema.org
markup) is a string of code added to the pages on your site so that Google can better understand the data it contains.

Do you have to have
structured data on your pages? Two options: 1. Yes, because it’s easy to do (instructions in post). 2. No, because even if you don’t, Google Semantic Search’s got your back. Details at tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014

5
Link Building
Earning

“Links are the fossil fuel
of search relevancy signals. Polluted. Not getting better. And yet, that's what Google Hummingbird drinks most.” ~ Danny Sullivan, SearchEngineLand.com

Don’t forget the real reason
links existed in the first place: to drive traffic. Don’t build links for Google; do it for traffic. Bratwurst... yum!

With that in mind, how
do we build links in 2014?

With that in mind, how
do we build links in 2014? Short answer: honestly.

“Create valuable, compelling content of
the kind that webmasters will want to link to and it is more than likely that you will then get the links you expect to have in order to rank. Try to game the system and, well … you know what’s coming.” ~ David Amerland, Author of Google Semantic Search

“Stop Taking Link Building Ideas
from SEO Websites – It should be obvious by now that if you read about a great linking idea or resource on a forum or blog that it will be quickly crushed by overuse, laziness, and irresponsibility. And then the spammers will move in on it.” ~ Michael Martinez, SEO-Theory.com

Instead of link building, we
should rather focus on link earning.

8 Practical Steps to Earning
Links that Result in More Traffic: Write content others would want to link to. Build relationships ON your blog. Build relationships OFF your blog. Leverage different forms of content. Let anchor texts happen naturally. Relevance is the New PageRank. Speaking of PageRank: it’s alive and kicking. Quality over quantity. Details at tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014

6
Mobile SEO

Ready or not, Mobile SEO
is becoming an integral part of our quest for Google traffic.

Kelsey Group has projected that
by 2015 there will be more local searches coming from smartphones than PCs in the US.

7
Use Ignore
Google Analytics

Avoid obsessing with Google Analytics.
I am not saying don’t track your work at all; just take the “less is more” approach.

“Analytics are not useless, but
they ARE overused.” ~ Michael Martinez, SEO-Theory.com

8 One More for the
Road: Keep up with Marketing News

I do realize that our
sincere desire to keep up with the news and the fact that 24 hours per day just refuse to stretch no matter how much we want it to, here are helpful resources to help you do a better job of it.

1. Stay on Top of
Marketing News with Weekly Marketing Skinnies (every Saturday morning at Traffic Generation Café)

2. Join Me on Google+
+Ana Hoffman

I share the latest marketing
news daily on my Google+ profile (+Ana Hoffman).

3. Create Alerts to Notify
You of Fresh Marketing News

(...wanted to give you an
option that didn’t involve me spoon-feeding you the best marketing news - just in case you insist on doing the legwork yourself...)

You can do it with:
Google Alerts Talkwalker Alerts

SEO Traffic
Marketing Takeaway

No matter how I look
at it, if you really want to get any search engine traffic now or in the future, here are your options: 1. Follow SEO Traffic Guide for Non-SEOs at Traffic Generation Café. (no guarantees, but doable)

No matter how I look
at it, if you really want to get any search engine traffic now or in the future, here are your options: 2. Become an SEO expert and REALLY learn what it takes to stay on top of your search engine rankings. (unrealistic, considering you have a business to run)

No matter how I look
at it, if you really want to get any search engine traffic now or in the future, here are your options: 3. Hire a REPUTABLE SEO company. (not cheap, but might be worth it if it increases your bottom line, right?)

No matter how I look
at it, if you really want to get any search engine traffic now or in the future, here are your options: 4. Follow SEO Traffic Guide for Non-SEOs. (no guarantees, but doable)

No matter how I look
at it, if you really want to get any search engine traffic now or in the future, here are your options: tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014 Click on the link now

tgcafe.it/seo-guide-2014 Click on the link
now