2013 is turning out to be quite an interesting year for SEOs. 
A number of seismic shifts are happening right now in the SEO world that have changed how SEOs operate.
What worked last year or even a few months ago may not be as effective today. To stay on top of your game, you’ve got to react quickly. Here are three trends to stay aware of in 2013 to stay on top of search engine results.
1. Optimize for mobile. Smart SEOs aren’t limiting their optimization to just desktop sites; they’re also extending them to mobile platforms. It’s easy to see why: More Americans use their mobile phones to browse and shop.
By 2016, nearly three in five consumers in the U.S. will have a smartphone, according to eMarketer. By the end of the year, Cisco predicts there will be more mobile phones than people on earth.
With these stats in mind, SEOs have to figure mobile into the equation — and optimize for it.
2. Social media marketing is the new link-building. It’s been a conversation that some SEOs have tried to avoid for years — the influence of social media on SEO. But it’s a conversation that you can’t ignore, especially after Google had an algorithm update in May.
During that update, Google made it clear that the old strategy of link-building just for links is no longer as effective, especially if the sites aren’t in your niche. Now sites are more likely to build links using content they share and create on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.
This is the new link-building SEO strategy — create engaging content, share it on multiple social networks and build an audience to create links.
3. Quality matters. Poorly written, spammy content? Don’t expect your sites to rank high. Quality is the name of the content game, not necessarily quantity. Your content must be unique, authoritative, and provide value to readers. Keep these three tips in mind to stay on top of SEO best practices in 2013.
What tips are you implementing for SEO in 2013?
