In the early days of SEO, keywords were king. But do they still hold the same power? Or are you better off focusing on other factors like speed, backlinks and security to boost a site’s rankings? In this post, we’ll explore a brief history of how use of keywords has evolved over the years.
The original search signposts
The first search engines worked by directly matching search terms to keywords. If a webpage used the exact keyword ‘leather corner sofa’ multiple times, it had a high chance of ranking highly for that search term. Unfortunately, website designers cottoned onto this quickly and began stuffing pages with specific keywords to the point that sentences would become spammy and unreadable. It also made it possible for irrelevant webpages to climb the rankings simply by using the same word repeatedly.
The penalization of stuffing
In 2003, Google released its first major algorithmic update, ‘The Florida Update’, and became the first search engine to penalize keyword stuffing. Released just before the holiday season, it caused many online retailers to lose their high rankings overnight and greatly affected their Christmas sales, causing a lot of backlash. Google vowed to never release an update immediately before Christmas ever again. However, this update did largely have a positive impact - transforming SEO from manipulative ‘black hat’ tactics to a focus on high quality, relevant content.
The Hummingbird Update
‘The Hummingbird Update’ in 2013 further changed the way that search engines viewed keywords. Google began factoring in related keywords rather than solely exact matches, creating a greater shift away from stuffing towards semantics. Other algorithmic changes like the Helpful Content Update have continued to put the focus on content quality. Webpages are no longer built around keywords, but instead search intent.
The importance of keyword research
Hiring an SEO agency has become increasingly necessary in order to rank highly. SEO specialists are able to use keyword research tools to determine which relevant keywords to use. Keyword factors such as search volume and competition need to be considered, and keywords need to be strategically placed within the content to make an impact.
A small part of the SEO puzzle
Many updates over the years have brought in other algorithmic factors. A Google update in 2010 made site speed an important component for websites to consider. Mobile-friendliness meanwhile became an important factor in 2015. These updates put more emphasis on the design of a website rather than purely its content. As for backlinks (hyperlinks leading from other websites), these have been an important SEO factor since Google was founded.
Do keywords still matter?
Keywords do still matter, but simply repeating the same keyword on a page is no longer enough to rank highly for that search term. Keyword relevance and placement is important - using keywords is now more of delicate science and requires using research tools to help. It’s also important to balance out keywords with other elements such as high quality content, backlinks, responsive design and fast loading. Keywords are still central to it all, but they are not the be all and end all.
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