Current Gaming SEO Strategies

I look at hundreds of websites every month in the online gaming space and the majority of them are simply terrible from an SEO and user experience perspective. Yet these sites still rank for high volume, converting keywords … why? There are a number of reasons, of course, however, without doubt one of the biggest influencers in these otherwise poor sites achieving rankings is inbound links.

Inbound links are always cited as the major contributing factor for rankings and currently, for a lot of sites, this is true. However, I have seen many shifts in the focus and requirements of SEO over the last decade, and while I have no doubt that links will continue to play a major part in achieving rankings for the foreseeable future, they are not now, and will not be in the future, the only strategy you need to employ in order to make your gaming site rank, and rank profitably.

Chasing the dragon
This doesn’t mean that you should be chasing the next fad that comes along. Yes, SEO is a constantly evolving medium, but the best strategies are those that have already been tested, across thousands of websites in hundreds of sectors. As an Internet Marketer you should not be ‘chasing the dragon’ as it is like a drug addiction and will get you by for short periods of time. A balanced approach with proven strategies is the best way to approach SEO.

So what are these strategies that are going to assist with your success in the search engines, what should you be doing in addition to acquiring inbound links, and what more is there to do once you have achieved the rankings you were aiming for on your high volume key terms?

Divine influence
I take direction with my SEO philosophy from the ancient Greeks. I believe in Harmonium – which is a sense of equality among all factors that will help you achieve balance in the cosmos. Does it sound a bit new age? Maybe, but I can tell you it works very well in SEO. By taking the Ancient Greek philosophy and applying it to your SEO strategy, you can then achieve that state of being “Algorithmic Immune” (credit to Bruce Clay for coining the phrase)... so when the search engines change their algorithms you will barely notice it because you are balanced and not relying upon one heavily weighted set of factors to rank that may or may not have the significance they currently do.

SEO should always incorporate a threetiered approach, integrating site architecture, content and popularity to create a balanced site that isn’t at the mercy of changes in search algorithms. As I mentioned previously, I like to call this ‘Algorithmic Immune’ – which is simply a state of being in harmony. Having a really strong link portfolio by itself may work for you now, but this will not always be the case. As links are becoming more and more of an issue of relevancy for the search engine (due to the fact they are an easily gamed factor) algorithm, the less weight they may carry in rankings. Having a very well balanced strategy will definitely give you an advantage over your competition now and future-proof your site. The added benefit of this is that strong site architecture and content not only helps your rankings but helps increase conversion too (which is a topic all on its own).

Let’s define the three areas of focus:

Site Architecture

• HTML structure
• Server platforms
• Technology usage
• URL structures
• Themed content
• Inter-linking of pages

Content

• Textual content (paragraph)
• Multimedia content (video, images, audio, flash)
• Heading tags, title tags, etc

Popularity

• Link equity (anchor text, diversity, etc)
• User engagement and interaction
• Brand authority
• Social involvement and interaction

So, how do you balance this all out? It may appear easier than it really is. As a marketer, you really need to plan for the future, yet so many SEO strategies do not even come close to looking at the two and five year plans. They focus on the ‘now’ … while this is important, it is not the silver bullet. Be better than your competition – not by solely getting more links than your competitor, but by creating relevant user-friendly content, perfecting your sites architecture and developing a natural looking link portfolio.

About the Author

Scott Polk has built his expertise as a knowledgeable and experienced Search Engine Optimization/Internet Marketing strategist for more than 11 years. He concentrates his resourcefulness and skills on the diversified aspects of Search Engine Optimization for clients. Scott is consistently involved in technologies that maximize conversion, usability and accessibility when optimizing and developing large websites as well as identifying problems/solutions that result in major cost saving strategies. Highly successful and respected within the SEO industry, Scott Polk has consulted and been employed by successful Internet companies such as Bruce Clay, Edmunds.com, AT&T Wireless, ABC News, PGA.com and PGATour.com, Sports Illustrated, Toyota.com, Direct Brands and online gaming clients.

This  is an article on the most current and effective SEO strategies in the market from Issue 19 of the iGB Affiliate Magazine written by Scott Polk. Scott can also be sen speaking at our affiliate events: