Search engine optimization is one of the most appealing practices for businesses but it is challenging to say the least (as you may well know).
While search engines such as Google and Bing won't actually reveal the methods they use to rank websites on their search results, those responsible for the practice of SEO have a pretty good idea which tactics are most effective - and research repeatedly confirms it comes down to just a handful of factors.
Relevant content creation, of course, is what SEO's most often believe is the most effective SEO tactic. Recent research from Ascend2, in fact, found that 57 percent of respondents say relevant content creation is a highly effective SEO tactic. Other top tactics mentioned in the study include keyword/phrase research (49% cite as highly effective), social media integration (39%), and external/internal linking (36%).
The Ascend2 research also reveals that relevant content creation is also the most challenging, with 48 percent of respondents citing it as the most difficult to execute following by external/internal linking).