Last month the web changed as Google's most recent large algorithm update saw many websites' rankings (and therefore traffic) fall away. What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that for most websites, their rankings have only just begun to be effected.

In early May, many SEOs saw large fluctuations in their monitored rankings and niches. This most recent update, called either Panda 2.1 or 3.0, seems to be effecting many smaller websites. Google is eager to downplay the size of the most recent update but it’s clear that for many companies the impact may be worse than the initial release.

What does this mean for you? Well, if you have duplicate content issues or rely on content re-publishing then you really need to sort that out! Furthermore, Google's algorithm is increasingly becoming smarter at judging the quality of a website - no longer on just a content level, but also on a design level.

Recent updates to Google Analytics' tracking code include a new metric to measure page load speeds. This perhaps hints at another new metric Google will use to evaluate your website's quality. If a page takes too long to load then that's bad for visitors and if Google continues to send visitors to websites that have poor quality content and take an age to load then people will start to look for another search engine (hypothetically Google's reasoning - I'm pretty sure Google will never be toppled).

Whilst standard Search Engine Optimisation techniques are still important, it is more important than ever to ensure your website has high quality, unique content that is genuinely engaging and insightful for users and visitors.

Inbound Marketing describes the practice of bringing warm, qualified leads into a business’ sales funnel rather than reaching outward to cold, questionable targets through traditional marketing means. Inbound Marketing is becoming more popular as businesses look for efficient and affordable ways to acquire new business leads. Even without the marketing budgets of their larger corporate competitors, small to medium sized businesses can successfully compete by embracing the techniques of Inbound Marketing.

Outbound Marketing includes old school methods such as cold calls, mass mail outs, print ads, attending tradeshows, TV advertising and the like. Outbound marketing is largely a numbers game and to get a product or service in front of as many cold leads as possible and entice them up to the point where they decide to buy. Ok if you’ve got the budget to get a TV ad produced and buy expensive air time. These methods have there place but with consumers becoming more cynical towards traditional forms of advertising, Outbound Marketing is becoming less efficient with businesses wasting time appealing to tons of people who have no interest in their offering. People are more in control of what information they receive and how. Channel surfing, SPAM filters, use of caller id, no junk mail lists are all ways that increasingly time poor consumers are more and more screening out the unwanted distractions of Outbound Marketing.

 Rather than interrupting people to get their attention, Inbound Marketing relies on the principle that the customers with the highest sales conversion potential are those that find and come to you. The most important part of a successful Inbound Marketing strategy is creating quality website content that will bring people into your sales process. By creating great content, you'll rise in internet search results, create linkable content, and educate your audience. All of these outcomes will help you bring in warm leads that have been pre-qualified as interested in your product or service by searching terms relevant terms or by reading similar content that links to you. Successful Inbound Marketing requires that a business has a website optimized to close leads into deals and engages visitors once they "land" on your website.

The creation of a blog is another essential technique in exploiting the benefits of Inbound Marketing. In addition to blogging, there are many other forms of great content to create that will bring interested visitors. Use of social media, hosting webinars, offering free or low cost e-books for download, and developing microsites are other methods to attract leads that are interested in a company’s particular offerings and more eager to engage in a conversation.

So the philosophy of Inbound Marketing is to focus marketing effort on filling your sales funnel with pre-qualified leads that discover your company. In that way the message about a product or service is greeted by welcoming ears rather than random outbound contacts.

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