Google may keep its search rank algorithm a secret, but content creators aren't in the dark about how to achieve search engine success. Today's successful SEO content isn't stuffed with keywords and saturated with links, so creators can't just cut corners and try to game the system like in years past. Content today more closely reflects the preferences and desires of online consumers searching for relevant information. Brands that want to reach these audiences have to take a sincere approach to creating content.

While this sets up content for organic success, quality isn't the only determinant of performance. Content creators must also develop strategies for prioritizing their content and amplifying it to reach a wider audience — while boosting their own SEO credentials.

Election season is here, and while marketers may feel it's harder to cut through the noise of the various local, state and federal elections happening during this busy time, the 2016 election season is actually revealing a number of interesting insights about consumer behavior.

In fact, Google recently published a voter behavior report containing the following three insights:

If your customers are like most people, they have their smartphones on them throughout the purchase process. With a good mobile search strategy, you can focus on them when it matters most — when they're nearby. A killer mobile strategy will turn smartphones into your best influencers and lead customers right to your door. First, you want to be sure your website has a responsive design to optimize it for mobile. Then, you can get on to the good stuff: building your mobile-centric search strategy.

Give the People What They Want

Searches that happen on cell phones, so-called "mobile-centric" searches, are a powerful way to gain customer insight. By looking at the mobile-centric searches for your category or brand, not only will you learn what people are searching for when they find you, you'll know where they are when they're looking — at home, on the street or right in your store. Taken altogether, this data can give you critical information about what your customers want. Whether it's an address, a phone number, or a special deal, be sure your ads are tailored to provide that information.

When Google tweaked its algorithm last year, causing online retailer Wayfair to move from a top-five position in keyword search rankings to number one across a number of categories, the company discovered a stunning data bump. By moving higher up on the first page of results, the company saw an incredible 34 percent increase in conversions, according to Search Engine Land.

The conclusion is simple: Search rankings are critical to any business, and with Google offering local search results along with traditional search content, local SEO is more important than ever. Climbing the ladder in these rankings takes time, especially as you climb closer to the top where competition is most fierce. Improvements are entirely possible, as long as you know the right steps to take.

With local search optimization, there are several ways you can take action to make a difference early. Here are a few to build a strong, localized search foundation.

The vastness of the internet means it's a competitive place to work, especially when you're trying to win over new visitors. Battles to increase website traffic are often hard-won, and the work of attracting a larger audience is never-ending — but that doesn't mean you have to set your sights months down the road to see results. There are some steps you can take to increase website traffic right away. Even if you're already drawing a respectable audience, consider how these strategies might elevate your website's performance and increase your sales opportunities.

Google's launch of the Google My Business (GMB) API last year reiterated how important local search is to its algorithms, and it gave businesses a new way to organize and present their brands and locations on Google search and Google Maps. Take a look at what it can do for your SEO strategy.

Greater Importance on Local SEO

These days, a directory listing is much more than an address and phone number — it helps you to increase your overall visibility. You can provide maps, directions, opening hours, business descriptions, website and social links, ratings and reviews that allow consumers to engage with your business. According to Mashable, Google is used for more than 100 billion searches each month, and more than half of those searches are performed on mobile devices. GMB's API's emphasis on local directory listings can help get your GMB listing rank even higher in mobile search than your own website's listing. For local businesses, appearing on a Google map is key, especially on mobile, as it gives the user immediate access to all the information they need — and it's all easily loaded into Google Maps or a GPS app. Adding this to your overall SEO strategy will go a long way toward building awareness and increasing your visibility.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the cornerstones of content marketing. Even if you create pages and pages of text, your campaign will stall at the starting line if you aren't following key SEO principles.

It might seem like a good idea to search the Internet for advice on how to get started with SEO, but this isn't always the best plan, as there are many SEO misconceptions masquerading as facts. Here are some of the most common SEO fallacies that you should avoid.

1. Search Terms Have to Be Short

Novice marketers often assume there are more searches for generic, short-tail key phrases like "Cleveland plumbing" or "back pain" than for long-tail keyword like "clogged toilet problem Cleveland price" or "sharp pain in lower back." However, long-tail keywords are more specific in their requirements and, therefore, can help marketers craft more targeted and relevant content. Forbes reports that although long-tail keywords get less search traffic, they make up for this shortcoming with dramatically less competition, which makes it easier for you to rank higher in search engines.

Marketing experts agree that local search factors are becoming increasingly important to search ranking results. Take Google's announcement, as noted in Think With Google, that "near me" searches have increased 34 times since 2011 and nearly doubled since last year.

You have likely diligently designed your website to highlight what you believe are the key components: geo-relevant content, business hours, and your business's name, address and phone number (NAP). But if you have multiple business locations, how are you managing your local listings? Despite your best efforts, as Search Engine Land points out, factors ranging from nondiscoverable location pages to NAP inconsistencies can cause you not to show up in local search. With that in mind, here are six key factors to help you get strong local visibility for all of your business locations.

In order for your company to be as successful as possible, you must constantly strive to improve your search engine rankings. By doing so, you can expand your reach and increase your traffic. Google and other search engine platforms wield incredible value as outlets for both organic and paid search.

The Differences Between SEO and SEM

Many marketers understand that both search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) serve an important purpose in their efforts to reach potential customers. But SEO and SEM, for all of their apparent similarities, can have very different functions and results. The most basic difference is that SEM requires a form of payment, while SEO is free. In addition, SEM offers high visibility and search result prominence, while SEO is more fluid and natural in how it provides results. Even the timeliness of generating ROI are very different: While SEM can turn around results immediately, SEO takes time, patience and diligence to pay off.

Thanks to the early days of the Internet, when keyword-stuffing and link-spamming were prevalent, search engine optimization — or SEO — got a bad name.

But what is SEO today? Flash forward, and some people still carry a stigma when considering what SEO means for online businesses. But over the years, a maturing Internet landscape has pushed out those questionable tactics. Content that leans on cheap SEO tricks of old won't get any kinds of results that reward their creators. In their place, legitimate SEO practices have evolved that increase brand and content visibility while serving as indicators of value for consumers.

Today's SEO only has one thing in common with its unsavory predecessor: It works.