When search engine optimization (SEO) was a new discipline, companies could toss up a piece of content, such as a blog post, that included word-for-word keywords and reap the benefits. As Google’s algorithm evolved and competitors began their own SEO efforts, companies then needed to tweak strategies, but they could still hire someone to churn out some cheap, keyword-laden content to score SEO wins. They could still post guest-written content without reviewing it for quality; they could use and be rewarded for various SEO gimmicks.
The fact is, this is no longer possible—not by a long shot. Here are four outdated SEO practices that no longer work, and what you need to do differently today to improve your website’s Google rankings.
Dispatches From The Front 