Search engines such as Google, BING, Yahoo and Ask have always had their own way of categorizing and ranking websites they feel are pertinent to your query or search. These search engines use a very complicated algorithm to ensure they not only provide you with the search results you are looking for, but also to discount spammers and black hat SEO companies from getting false positives ranked. In my career of providing SEO for over 10 years, I have always optimized for Google first, then Yahoo and Bing. However, since Windows 8 hit the scene, I have seen BING more than double in market share. This is due, in fact, to how BING is essentially a part of Windows 8, and most users do not change that default setting when they migrate to Windows 8, or to the more current Windows 10.
Google is still dominating the search engine platforms, accounting for over 64% of market share. BING is rounding out at 20%, and with more users switching to Windows 8 or 10, that percentage will continue to rise. To ensure our clients are getting the exposure they need to sell their products and/or services, I put emphasis BING Optimization with 1 out of every 5 searches happening there. One little known fact is that BING and Yahoo share the same search engine in North America. The two organizations are separate in every other place in the world, but here in America they share the same platform, which makes it a little easier to optimize companies that are not international.
Studies and surveys show that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. In fact, 85% of all new visitors to a website originate from search engines. With rapid advancement in today’s mobile technology, people are growing accustom to searching on the fly and the majority of searches are actually carried out on a smartphone or tablet while users are on the go, away from their desktop. For this reason, search engines – specifically Google – have labeled mobile-friendly sites with the appropriate tag “Mobile-Friendly” and thus, ranked them higher than the sites that are not mobile responsive. That being said, optimizing for mobile devices is vital for search engine exposure.
Comprehensive SEO is the most effective tool in driving traffic to your website but it takes more than general knowledge to actually deliver results. You’ll want to discuss optimizing your site with an Internet marketing professional who takes time to get to know and understand your business while staying up to date on changes on the various search engine algorithms. It is important to consult with a specialist who understands the specific language search engines speak and how to translate your site to communicate more effectively with both search engines and viewers.
If you have questions about this post, or would like a free SEO evaluation, please contact Impact Media Solutions to see where your site stands on SEO.
