If you are in the process of creating an SEO campaign for your adult business, you have to make a key strategy decision right out of the gate that will determine the ultimate success of your efforts.

Get it right and you stand a decent chance of seeing your website rank well in the search results both now and in the future.

Get it wrong and any positive SEO results that you achieve will likely not stick, causing visitor traffic to your site to trickle away at any time and without warning.

Many website managers are overly focused on immediate results. While getting your website to the first page of Google’s search results as quickly as possible is a worthy goal.

It runs counter to how SEO really works. Ethical, or white-hat, SEO – the kind that search engines reward with top ranking – simply can not be rushed.

It takes time and hard work to create the type of authority site that delivers a great experience for the search engine user and Google knows it.

Your first big decision then is whether to pursue short-term SEO goals for generating quick search rankings that may vanish overnight or to build a sustainable long-term traffic model that will deliver targeted traffic to your adult site for years to come.

While no one can accurately predict the future of search engine updates and terms-of-service changes, there are numbers of key “evergreen” tactics that have successfully weathered the test of time, and can help keep your website on track for SEO success in the long term.

Here is a closer look at some of the most important concepts that you should consider for your long-term digital marketing program.

1. Conduct Ongoing Keyword Research And Testing

Keyword research should not be a “set it and forget it” proposition. Search engine algorithms as well as user search habits are constantly changing and evolving over time, and so should the list of targeted keywords that you are optimizing for.

With the help of Google Analytics, you can determine which keywords are delivering the best converting traffic and re-optimize your content and internal links as needed.

Remember that long-tail keyword phrases typically deliver more targeted traffic, and are generally easier to rank for than the shorter keywords that everyone else is pursuing.

2. Have Great Content In Place Before You Implement Your SEO

Even the best SEO campaign can not overcome a lack of user-helpful content on your website. It is like setting up a neon sign in front of an empty storefront – even if you attract a prospect’s attention, there is simply no place for them to go.

If visitors to your site can not find what they need or find a solution to their problem, they will quickly go elsewhere – and your search rankings will suffer accordingly. A body of great content will also make it easier for you to attract good backlinks from high authority third-party websites or blogs.

3. Blog On A Regular Basis

A company blog is absolutely essential to the long-term success of your SEO efforts. Assuming that it is well written and relevant to your target customers, a blog can deliver a steady flow of leads, attract quality backlinks, and provide additional content for the search engines to index and rank you for.

As for topics, you should focus on information related to your particular niche such as how-to articles and company updates and trends.

If at all possible, set up your adult blog on your main company website as opposed to a third-party blogging platform. This will keep more valuable SEO juice “in-house” instead of benefitting an outside blogging company.

4. Get Social

The traditional lines between SEO and social media have become blurred, and most experts agree that a strong social presence is a critical component in building a strong standing in the search engine rankings. While social signals are not believed to be an actual factor in most search ranking algorithms, they nonetheless benefit the SEO process.

If your website has plenty of backlinks that appear to support your claim as an authority site for your niche, the search engines would expect that your content would be creating a “buzz” in social media circles as well.

A strong social presence will also drive more referral traffic to your adult website, and generate links as your content gets shared.

5. Take The Time To Attract Google-Approved Backlinks

While much has been written about Google’s present position on backlinks, the short and sweet of the matter is that Google wants to see naturally-occurring and editorially-earned backlinks from relevant authority porn websites.

Anything less might appear as if you are trying to “game the system” and is likely to earn your site a penalty from Big G. Rather than buying backlinks that typically leave a “footprint” for Google to follow, cultivate relationships with the top bloggers that cover your industry or adult niche.

Create and share unique and original content that their audience would want to read and the backlinks will follow – slowly but surely. Just the way the search engines want to see it.