Looking back to 2012, it’s easy to reflect back on SEO strategies in 2012 and wonder why so much has changed so frequently, as fars as search engine optimization and how to achieve high search engine rankings. Firstly, search engines are in business to make money. They want people to use their search,social media, advertising products and anything else they can sell to make their billions. Search engines like Google, depend on that advertising revenue in a very large way.

So, the search engines try and filter out the low quality and spammy websites to give the searchers the best search results. What that means, if a website has been specifically contoured for SEO, it has little or questionable content, has amassed a huge number of back-links in a very short time, all for the sake of high search rankings – it could suffer the wrath of the Panda and/or Penguin.

Says Len Doren, Creative Director of In Front Media, “Most of our clients sites have experienced bettersearch engine ranking because of our SEO efforts. I can also say that some of our client’s sites rankings have also improved because a good chunk of their competitor’s sites have ‘tanked’ due to questionable SEO performed by the inexperienced and uninformed.”.

To circumvent the wrath of the Panda or Penguin, one must understand that search engine guidelines center around wanting the websites in their index to display unique and quality content. Follow these guidelines for better search rankings in 2013.

#1 – Content will remain a strong quality guideline for better ranking. Not only will the quality of a site’s content will be measured, but the uniqueness and authorship will also come into play. Create great content for site visitors – not search engines, and that website will consistently rank well.

#2 – Blogging and posting will remain part of our social interactions. Some, however, try to blog and post for all the wrong reasons. Blogging and posting are a good way to share knowledge, find answers to questions and also seek out new business – if done correctly. But don’t partake in this activity if it’s just to “sell a bill of goods” to others or just to try to increase backlinks.

#3 – Social Signals from the various Social Media platforms today will continue to become even more important in 2013. These signals are a way of the search engines knowing more about a business in terms of branding and buzz. Beware, however, that these signals can be positive – and negative. Make sure that any social media activities are positive and upbeat to ensure a long lasting positive resonance for one’s personal and business online profile.

#4 – Anchor text when used with back-links has always been a strong and very positive signal to search engines in the past. It is still a positive element to any search engine algorithm today, but it doesn’t have the impact it once had. In fact, as the months pass in this brand new year, it’s advisable to understand that it will have even less impact.

#5 – Finally, although not a search engine signal, mobile-friendly web designs are going to become important for any business. It’s called responsive design. Good designers these days make sure a website will look good on a desktop monitor, a tablet and a mobile device. Remember the term “responsive design”, because it will become more prevalent in 2013.

IFM Web Services offers Social Media Optimizing, Search Engine Optimization and Web Design services and is located in the Toronto area (GTA). IFM has helped business achieve an effective online presence. IFM has helped clients as far away as Bermuda and Mexico. For more on SEO Web Design for businesses, visit IFM athttp://www.ifm.ca