5 Reasons why SEO is a Constant Learning Process

January 3rd 2020 | By Dhanya Nair

Change is a natural part of life. Fighting it will always be futile. Embracing it on the other hand can introduce us to fresh fields, where things could well be a lot brighter. It’s because of change that, in the world of search engine optimisation, it is absolutely crucial to keep learning. Any SEO adviser worth their salt will welcome the opportunity to continuously educate themselves, consulting trusted resources, attending seminars and taking courses. Why this commitment is so important is precisely what we’re looking at in this post.

In the world of search engine optimisation, it is absolutely crucial to keep learning.

Why does continuous education matter so much in SEO?

There are several reasons why a great SEO company will never let its advisers stagnate when it comes to knowledge and skills. When you’re focused on the client’s success, and on meeting their important goals, it’s vital that you are in possession of the most up to date knowhow. Let’s break it down – why does continuous education matter so much in SEO?

1.     Because search engine rules change – a lot

Back in November I explored the evolution of SEO, charting it through all its many guises until it became what it is today: ethical and user-focused. I also charted the many significant updates that Google has introduced since its birth in 1998, all of them working towards the search engine’s core aim of organising the world’s information to make it universally useful and accessible in one click. When I say many updates, I am not exaggerating, and these were just the big ones. And with every update, comes a whole new set of search engine optimisation rules.

Search engine rules change on an incredibly regular basis…

• Matt Cutts, when he was official search spokesperson for Google, said: “… we tend to make a change to our core search algorithms at least once a day… 350 to 400 times a year”.
• Renowned search engine optimisation thought leader Moz, believes Google changes its search algorithm 500-600 times a year.

Unbelievable! But it certainly demonstrates that there is a lot of change for us SEO people to keep up with. Every change means existing optimisation tactics need to be questioned and tweaked and sometimes even thrown out altogether and replaced with alternatives. Literally, what works today, isn’t necessarily going to work tomorrow.

Google is dedicated to making sure its customers get the best results possible when searching online, and that’s why it is continuously fine tuning its ranking algorithms. If an SEO adviser fails to keep up with all this fine tuning, then it’s not going to be able to do the best job possible of achieving those vital top positions for its clients.

2.     Because search habits have changed

If you think about how you search for things online now, compared to a while back, you’ll realise how much it’s changed.

My guess is you’re much more specific about what you want to find online, so you really think about what you’re typing into the search bar. You use voice search a lot more, or perhaps even all the time. You search on the go, looking for directions, a shop you need nearby or somewhere to grab a coffee. And when you’re researching stuff, you demand in-depth information that’s practical and helpful.

Mobile and voice search have taken over in a big way and, because our habits have changed, so the search engines have adapted the way they help you find the information you need, as you need it. The likes of Mobile First – designing an online experience for mobile before desktop – plus Featured Snippets that deliver answers to questions in a single click, are just two examples of how Google has responded to search habits.

Google knows what its users want, and it puts the websites that deliver it at the top of the search results. An SEO adviser needs to understand how Google chooses to rank certain websites at the top of the listings, but we can only do this if we continuously keep on learning.

Search engine rules, search habits, markets and competition all go through changes. Precisely why SEO is a constant learning process.

3.     Because markets change

Buying habits never stand still, and the market continuously adapts to provide precisely what consumers want.

How do you know that the service or product you supply won’t experience a shift in demand in the future? It may start to appeal to a whole new audience, or an upgrade you recently implemented might mean your existing audience heightens its demand. In response, your SEO strategy will need to be modified so that your online visibility reaches out to where it now needs to be. But if your SEO adviser hasn’t kept up to date with all the latest techniques, then you could lose out.

4.     Because competition changes

The competitors you have now may not be the same ones you had a year ago, or will have in a year’s time. Or they may be the same, but they have upped their game in terms of SEO. Maybe their online marketing company was one that embraced continuous learning, so they’ve soared ahead by making use of all the latest strategies. Yours on the other hand had stood still, and that’s why you’ve lost your ranking positions to the competition.

It is vital to keep right on top of all the latest SEO tactics through ongoing learning to at very least keep up with the competition, although of course excelling beyond them is the better objective.

5.     Because clients’ goals are important – and an SEO adviser has the job of meeting them

There is nothing more important than achieving the goals set by a client. The main aims of SEO for any business are to boost online visibility and, ultimately, increase sales. To do this, an SEO adviser has to be right up there when it comes to the very latest knowledge and skills, and the only way to do this is through ongoing education.

There is nothing more important than achieving the goals set by a client.

All the latest SEO knowledge from a team that cares about your goals

At Figment, we are dedicated to achieving our clients’ goals in every respect. We put a great deal of effort in to it, because the success of our clients is as important to us as it is to them.

We invest in ongoing SEO learning to make sure we have all the knowledge, skills and tools required to do the best possible job for our clients. If you’d like to find out more about how SEO could help your business earn more sales, why not talk to our specialist SEO team?