If, as a business, you gain most of your success from Google, you should start making drastic changes – and fast. Sure, Google is the number one search engine and everyone uses it – but there’s so much more to the World Wide Web.

Google is gearing itself up for the future, which is evident when looking at the latest algorithm update – Hummingbird.

You need to build a loyal following of regular visitors to your content and the only efficient way of securing this following is by having a wide presence on the web.

Why Change

Below are a few reasons why you shouldn’t be focusing all of your attention on Google.

- Voice Command: Soon keyboards will be replaced by voice activation – meaning keywords won’t count for much.

- Authority: Focus is more on authority than ever before. Bigger sites with more back links and pages will stand out, i.e. larger companies who generate a lot of content will do better. Also, competition stiffens as more and more websites are made live.

- Results are Direct: Many results are shown without the user having to click through to a website – which is a major pitfall for many companies.

- Other Platforms: Users are finding information on many different sites, independent of Google (like social media sites).

- #: Users don’t necessarily “search” anymore. On these different platforms they’ll use hastags, “discovery” feeds or simply ask their friends.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the first Google results page is the end all and be all of a specific topic. When you expand your horizons a bit and look at sites like Delicious and StumbleUpon you’ll find a whole world of content that you didn’t know existed (Read more about website traffic's downward trend).

How to Change

To wean yourself off Google you have to embrace all the other ways in which people find content. Of course you know that social media is a must have, but simply having a Facebook or Twitter page isn’t enough.

The only way to change and then successfully manage and upkeep this change is by putting a content strategy in place. This will enable you to effectively maintain a blog and publish well-written and relevant content consistently - and then promote it on as many platforms as possible (read more about which social media platform you should be using).

Of course SEO remains important, but Google really shouldn’t be your only source of traffic. You can expect to get less traffic from Google and at the same time put more work into appearing at the top in search results.

If you manage to wean yourself off Google and maintain a consistent presence on other platforms, you’ll find that your traffic improves and, in the same breath, so does your Google ranking.

Sound Idea Digital is a full service digital marketing agency. For more information, contact 012 66 44 227 or email to info@soundidea.co.za

Carina Claassens is a Writer for Sound Idea Digital l carina@soundidea.co.za l @soundidea | Sound Idea Digital l www.soundidea.co.za

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