Earlier in the year, we shared a few tips SEO efforts for 2014.  Now that the first quarter is over, it’s time to check in again.  Let’s look at current key tactics for handling the latest in SEO evolution.

Don’t Sing the Secure Search Blues

Yes, great remorse is expressed by the masses, regarding the loss of certain keyword data in the trend towards secure search (which isn’t exclusive to Google, btw).  But SEO experts are a smart lot and while it may not be as easy to acquire data—it’s still quite possible. 

• Posts on Search Engine Watch suggest you get better at using the suite of data you already have:

o   Total Organic Search visitors

o   URL Level traffic—see where they land

o   Google webmaster tools

o   Search rankings

o   Google adwords

A dynamic Enterprise Publishing System will help you to manage that data and collect more to help give you a complete picture.  Some are enhancing it further by advertising through PPC on Google because they can access the "lost" data that way.

Focus on Content Marketing

We’ve mentioned it before, but it continues to increase in importance:  quality content and a strong content marketing strategy will get you far on Google. They continue to reward these efforts in every update.

Your strategy should be mindful of content length and guest blogging.

• The debate rages on about the appropriate length of content, because longer content (550-1,000 + words) usually demonstrates depth of expertise and usefulness, but with the mobile explosion, shorter content is more shareable and engaging at the outset. Many are trying to find ways to maximize mobile as a way to drive readership to more extensive content. The point? Pay attention to length trends and experiment for yourself.
• Guest blogging is growing in popularity as a way to build links and expand readership—but again, it’s about quality. It’s important to be deliberate and relevant in those relationships. Ask for less, higher quality content and be careful about the outlets you choose. If your posts have even a slight eau de spam, you could be punished for it in the future.

Surprise! Social Media Plays a Role

Some of the most successful BtoB Marketers are on at least seven networks (and you thought three were a lot to manage). Even though we aren’t sure of direct ROI from social media, there is not a question that it enhances SEO and other marketing efforts.

Again, Google+ and Google Authorship are important in strengthening your SEO. In fact, recent ranking factors confirm this. Make sure you establish Google authorship and link it to your Google+ account. If you haven’t done much with either, now is the time. 

Don’t Yawn, Be Responsive

We know, we sound like a broken record.  But, responsive design is imperative. If you do one thing this year, go mobile. The mobile audience only continues to grow and if you don’t hit the ground running, it will be hard to keep up. Google is working hard on addressing the challenges that come up with SEO and mobile readers. Watch closely, or find yourself stuck in the mud.

Think about these four areas in the coming weeks and identify one action for each--that way, you'll know you are helping yourself get found, instead of feeling lost.