Houston_Search_Engine_OptimizationWeb competition is becoming more difficult each year. With so many new services being offered in 2013 to help influence search engine optimization, it is important to be continually learning about the latest trends. Here are some Houston SEO tips to help stay on top of the search engine rankings throughout the year.

Mobile Device Websites

The passing years have seen the rise of various mobile platforms like smart phones and tablets; it should be clear by now that these devices are not just a fad but are here to stay – and in larger numbers each day. Such an increased user base should be more than enough reason to deliver the specific needs of such users.

Unlike desktops, tablets and smart phones have smaller displays, which means that websites not using SEO in Houston for such devices will be inconvenient for users. Static displays will require frequent scrolling and browser resizing so all the contents can be seen, which users don’t like, preferring instead a simple vertical scroll so contents can be viewed in one scrolling direction.

This requires a website that is optimized both for desktops and mobile platforms, requiring either a dynamic design to allow each element to detect the platform and adjust for optimal display or a duplicate site that is specifically designed for mobile use. Of course, both approaches require some serious work and effort; however, it’s an investment that will pay off in the long term. Mobile platforms have already gained a steady market foothold and it would be unwise to miss out on such a large client base.

Social Communities

Social communities like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn have millions of users and are becoming traffic magnets. Much time is spent socializing on virtual communities, so it is important to use this to gain web exposure through such platforms.

These communities allow users to create profiles or pages containing links to other websites. Although many of the links have a “no follow attribute” which means the linked website doesn’t get traffic credit with the search engines, this can change over time if a web page earns trust and credibility from the community. Assuming the “no follow” attribute doesn’t change, establishing presence on social communities can still lead to higher conversion rates as the page link still serves as a portal to make a website known to the internet population, leading to further visits and even purchases.

Taking advantage of social communities starts with creating an account on these familiar sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn and then building a page to represent a brand or service. Be active in the community by inviting friends and making new contacts regularly.

Video Content

While written content has been the king of content, that reputation is now being contested by video formatted content. More watching and listening is being done nowadays than reading of content, which is confirmed by the fact that 80% of user time is spent on the internet watching videos. According to Cisco, video content will be a major factor in traffic distribution within the next four years.

It would be wise to take advantage of such a major trend shift by capitalizing on video contents on and off site. There are many popular video submissions sites like YouTube that lets users post video along with a link to be clicked. Focus on delivering enjoyable and compelling content in order to establish expertise in a particular field or topic. While offsite video submission sites utilize a “no follow attribute” for links, that can change as a profile develops credibility and trust and is an effective tool to establish popularity with a service or brand.

While focusing on offsite video content, don’t forget the onsite version. Google is becoming increasingly complex and it is able to index not just written content but video content as well. If a video offers compelling content, it will get indexed and ranked on the search results page in the video category. So mobile web versions, social internet communities, and web videos are just some of the SEO in Houston strategies for 2013 that can help create increased traffic for a website!

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