Ranking high in search engines is the be all and end all of SEO. This is why if you want to be at the top of the SEO food chain, keeping an eye on the changes and trends is essential. As Google’s rules change at the same rate you change your clothes, it is important to stay within the spectrum.
Algorithm Updates in 2018
Have you ever dreaded the Penguin and Panda updates? Google algorithm 2018 updates are more focused on changing brand websites to provide the better user experience. If you have not created a mobile-friendly version of your website, it is about time you do because Google favors mobile responsive web designs.
The update is also particular with structure. This means you have a better chance of improving your rankings if you consider adding structured data. This update is evident in featured snippets.
The bounce rate is a perennial problem for some website owners. Make it a point to increase your speed so you prevent being pushed down the ranks. Watch out for image sizes. They contribute a lot to your sluggish load time.
Finally, never let security take a backseat. Last year, Chrome has announced that effective July 2018, they will flag websites not protected by SSL certificate.
Keeping Up With SEO Trends – A Matter Of Survival
Algorithm updates always take marketers and business owners by surprise. In all likelihood, these updates make you pull your hair out, trying to think of another survival strategy.
It might be tempting to just sit and wait for Google to boost your score after all the efforts you have put in. However, just when you thought you have mastered the art of ranking high, updates on algorithm will suddenly burst your bubble. It is true that constantly researching for SEO techniques is a tedious and tiring process, but there is no silver bullet for maintaining high ranking except embracing change.
Updating your SEO strategy creates a ripple effect. As you employ the latest techniques and follow trends, you gain more clients and retain the old ones. However, if you fail to update your strategy, there is a great possibility of falling behind your competitors.
Which SEO trends will be the driving force behind your success?
1. Voice Search
Siri, Alexa, and Google Home make people’s lives easier by providing a more convenient way of searching the web: voice search. Whether you are on a computer or on a smartphone, a voice device will definitely be accessible to you. Having the accuracy of 92%, there is no doubt that by 2020 at least 50% of all searches will be voice search. Regardless of age, voice search will be the future of web search. With this trend, it is essential to change your SEO strategy in such a way that will replicate how people speak. This means researching for keywords that resemble conversational sentences or normal speech will be the rule of thumb.
2. Page Speed
Speed is one of the algorithm updates that requires serious attention if you want to have a competitive edge. Every second is precious to your prospect. Since speed is a critical component of creating the great user experience, a page that does not load in 6 seconds is already considered a slow webpage. Users do not have the luxury of time to wait a few more minutes for the page to load. The acceptable load time should only be 3 seconds or less.
3. Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are one of the game changers in SEO. They are tied with voice search as they are displayed in search engine results pages (SERPs). Google has done a great job in providing instant answers to search queries in the form of featured snippets. Snippets are found in the upper part of the search result or also referred to as “zero position.” The area that featured snippets occupy is greater than the organic search results. When Google returns results, the snippets will be highly noticeable because of their structure – metadata, which includes the title, meta description, and URL.
4. Chatbots
Chatbots have been the buzzword in 2017. Many businesses are relying on chatbots to answer customer questions. In the past, the IVR system is the norm in business communication. However, the need for speed made chatbots a more viable option for communication. Aside from reducing the time required to obtain information, its functionality promotes efficiency. These days, software companies use bots to help users make a purchase. Some of the notable benefits of using bots include increasing customer involvement, providing 24/7 customer support and responding to inquiries in a timely fashion.
5. Link Building
High-quality links will play a vital role in getting to the Google top 10. In link building, content is king. Invest your time in searching for content that coincides with your website’s content. Another factor in link building to develop is creating traffic and audience because they indicate that the website is still humming. Other aspects to look into when developing link building strategies are advertising, authority, and availability of comments or reports.
Trends come and go, but one thing is for sure, search engine optimization is here to stay and it is a never-ending process. Whether you are a marketer or a business owner, learning new SEO tactics and following best practices will help you secure a safe spot in Google.
Staying in the loop with the latest trends and updates is time-consuming, but it is the only solution to gain better ranking. You do not have to do it alone. We can put things in proper perspective so you can start focusing on other things that matter. Visit omega seo to learn more about developing long-term strategies to improve your Google ranking.
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Krisheil Anoche has many years of experience in writing copies for businesses. She loves to contemplate life and has a penchant for everything art encompasses.
Very well explained. Hands Down.
Great shared. We can put things in proper perspective so you can start focusing on other things that matter.
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