Summary Imagine running a company that has no trouble offering quality products and services to its customers. You also have a motivated team that’s aligned with your business goals.
However, you can’t seem to get your brand in front of the right people online. It’s no secret that mastering SEO basics goes a long way toward optimizing your marketing strategy, but you aren’t limited to using only Google.
It’s possible to leverage SEO principles for other search engines. This can help you substantially increase your online reach. Let’s explore the key information you should know before moving forward.
Bing SEO
To succeed on Bing, you’ll need to leverage a solid backlink profile. Even a handful of links from high-quality sites can substantially boost your ranking. Exact-match domains and exact keyword usage are both essential to consider.
Context and semantics aren’t as important on Bing as they are on Google. Creating high-quality content is a must, as well. Never overlook this obligation when moving forward.
Yandex SEO
Yandex is highly similar to Google, but it has less traffic. This doesn’t detract from its potential, though. As a result, there’s lower competition for both organic and paid search. The search algorithms also aren’t as complex.
Those who leverage Yandex should consider doing so if they post Russian content. This is by far the best alternative search engine for this language. There are many Yandex plugins that allow you to emulate user behavior, but you should avoid these at all costs.
Domain age plays a substantial role in site ranking on Yandex, though. If you’ve only recently launched your site, you might not be able to achieve the results you want.
Yahoo! SEO
You’ll be pleased to learn that Yahoo! SEO is much easier to handle than Google’s. Using keywords skillfully throughout your content and meta descriptions will heavily impact your site’s performance on the search engine.
Including text in your images can prevent Yahoo! from indexing your content correctly. You can keep your text and URLs in HTML format to avoid issues, as well.
JavaScript is an amazing scripting language for those who use WordPress websites, but you should avoid creating elements solely through JavaScript. This could adversely impact your indexing.
Reasons to Choose Other Search Engines
There’s no shortage of reasons to use search engines other than Google. Some stand out more than others, though. Let’s explore some of the most notable below.
Google’s Market Share Is Declining
In recent years, Google’s market share has dwindled. Not only has this reduced their overall industry presence, but it’s also allowed other search engines to further establish themselves. While it’s unlikely the search engine giant is going anywhere anytime soon, smaller search engines will become stronger contenders.
There’s Untapped Opportunity
Your users might prioritize search engines other than Google. As previously mentioned, Yandex is ideal for Russian-based sites. Expanding your reach to other search engines will allow you to leverage opportunities you would otherwise not have access to.
Diversification
Investing all your time and resources into one search engine isn’t the best strategy for longevity. For example, let’s assume you allocate a large amount of money to a Google campaign that flops. Not only would you fall short of your target metrics, but you’d also have to invest in running another campaign to pick up the slack.
This could cause substantial setbacks, and this is especially true for small businesses. Smaller companies often don’t have a ton of resources or capital to work with.
Understanding Common Issues
One of the most significant mistakes people make is assuming all SEO strategies work across different platforms. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s worth noting that all the search engines in this list have rules against black hat strategies like Google does.
Keyword stuffing, blog comment spam, and article spinning will all lower your search ranking. In some cases, they can even get your site de-indexed. This refers to a situation where it becomes impossible to find your site on the affected search engine.
This is essentially a death sentence for eCommerce businesses, and it can adversely impact conventional businesses as well. You still need to put just as much emphasis on choosing the right keywords, removing broken links, and optimizing page speed. You should also regularly check your analytics to determine areas of concern.
This will also help you emphasize strategies that work. Some entrepreneurs also assume they’ll see immediate results once they begin using alternative search engines.
It can sometimes take months to see a noticeable difference in your performance. Stay consistent during this time so you can capitalize on the benefits these search engines provide.
Getting Started
The best way to get started is by working with a professional who understands SEO prin. They have the tools and resources to ensure you get the best results and overcome common obstacles. When looking for someone to work with, thoroughly research their past reputation.
It’s essential to hire someone who has a large amount of positive feedback. This offers valuable insight into the experiences you’ll have. What is their pricing structure like?
It’s best to avoid the cheapest options, as not all marketing firms are created equal. Never work with someone who doesn’t seem enthusiastic about helping you. You can assess this by paying attention to how many questions they ask about your project.
What type of ongoing support do they offer? It’s never in your best interest to hire a firm that can’t help you deal with problems that arise.
Handling them on your own is often difficult or impossible. With enough due diligence, you shouldn’t have trouble finding the ideal choice for your situation.
Leverage SEO Principles
Using SEO principles for other search engines will open up opportunities you may have otherwise overlooked. From here, you’ll target your audience more effectively and be more likely to get the results you need.
WSI prides itself on helping our clients bring their visions to life. We strive to deliver bulletproof marketing campaigns that can take your performance to new heights. You’ll learn more about the many benefits we provide when you book a consultation today.
