Diversify SEO with Digital Asset Optimization

We've all heard the expression, "Don't keep all your eggs in one basket" which in most cases is sage advice. It's no different with search engine optimization. There are many ways to solve the kinds of web site problems that result in better search engine rankings. However, many small businesses are stretched thin and resort to simplifying their SEO efforts by "sticking to what works" and not staying up to date.

Sticking to one set of SEO tactics can put a web site at risk, especially if there are major changes with search engine ranking methodology/algorithms or shifts in how people find and consume information online.

One way to diversify small business search engine optimization efforts is to implement a digital asset optimization strategy. There are distinct channels of search ranging from standard search engines like Google.com and Yahoo.com to image search, video search and blog search. Most small business web sites limit their optimization efforts to web pages alone.

With multiple channels of search as well as the integration of multiple data sources in Universal search, companies stand to gain a competitive advantage by diversifying the types of content they create, optimize and promote online.

A digital asset optimization approach starts with an inventory of a company’s digital assets. Text, images, audio and video are all considered along with the incorporation of keyword messaging across company communications. Matching digital assets with channels of distribution such as web pages, videos, images, press releases, archived email newsletters and webinars, forum and social media communities, provides marketers with even more opportunity to reach customers. Each channel can drive traffic independently as well as improve standard search visibility.

Diversifying content optimization or in this case, digital asset optimization, sounds fine and good but the reality is that it can be very difficult and complex to implement. Substantial changes may be necessary with content creation, approval and publishing processes along with the need for ongoing education of how to optimize video compared to images versus on-page optimization.

However, the upside is that a substantial increase in media types indexed and linking to a company web site will provide the kind of advantage standard SEO no longer offers.Small businesses should start now and begin identifying the various types of content available to them and incorporate a SEO diversification effort with DAO.

Starting small, images for a consumer products ecommerce site for example, can be folded into the web site updating process. Whenever a new product is added to the web site, the images are optimized and shared when appropriate on image sharing sites like Flickr. As the content managers become accustomed to optimizeing content besides text, they can add more media types and formats to the mix.

Of course, no content optimization effort is complete without analytics. Effectivness of DAO is determined in the short term by traffic and long term by a combination of traffic and increased deep links to the website. Good links will increase rankings on search engines, driving even more qualified traffic.