Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a very hot topic for marketers who want to have a big online presence. In this modern world where getting to the top of search rankings is top priority, knowing how to take advantage of and keep up with Google’s algorithms is the key towards keeping an edge against competitors.

Unfortunately, the same strategies for SEO do not apply year after year. What worked a few months ago may no longer be effective now or in the upcoming months. And with that, here are the trends that you should be focusing on if you want to be on top of your SEO game.

Create Useful User Content

 For the past few years, we have seen poor quality content that simply involved   repetitive keywords mashed in seemingly nonsensical blocks of text. This strategy   will no longer work, as quality over quantity is the battle nowadays. Alexandra   Tachalova, a digital marketing consultant, stated that simply adding new content   for the sake of keeping a site update is simply no longer an effective strategy and   will not produce positive results.

 Rather, focus on creating informational and entertaining content that will   generate backlinks from other sites. The more your content is referenced or   shared, especially sites that already rank high, then the better your placement   would be in your chosen niche.

Invest in Technical SEO

Technical SEO can encompass a lot of things, but it basically means that your website must be technically sound as well as optimized so as to increase conversion rate and decrease bounce rate. Tony Wright, CEO of WrightIMC, puts particular importance in the latter two factors. The faster that your page loads and provides users with the access and content that they need, the better.

The use of chatbots, FAQs, SSL encryption, easy navigation, as well as heavy reliance in optimized Javascript and Progressive Web Apps will definitely increase your site’s value in the eyes of search algorithms. As such, investing in skilled designers and developers is almost as important as creating content for your site regularly.

Focus Based on Content (Not Just Google)

For most SEO experts, Google is the end-all and be-all when it comes to rank. However, this should no longer be the case in 2021. Website owners should focus on search engines other than Google, especially when their niche calls for it. Director of SurveyMonkey Eli Schwartz and CEO of MobileMoxie Cindy Krum both agree to this reality.

E-commerce sites can really take advantage of being chummy with Amazon’s search engine. On the other hand, those marketing apps should focus on penetrating the Apple or Android search rankings. Google is no longer the only player in town, and knowing where to focus your energy on will save a lot of time, effort, and money in the long run.

Focus on New Technologies

SEO has been moving beyond the usual Internet browsers for the desktop computer. Nowadays, mobile browsing is all the rage with mobile friendly sites having the edge over those who are not. Google released their criteria for mobile-first indexing, and it is very important for websites to stay up to date in order to stay relevant in the mobile platform. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can get you started to see if your site needs tweaking for it to improve in rankings.

Also, Read— Local SEO in 10 easy steps

Voice search through the use of Alexa, Google Home, Bixby, and the like are also opportunities that SEO experts may want to exploit. A study created in 2018 by OC & C Strategy Consultants showed that smart speaker usage by 55% over the next two years, with an increase of two billion dollars in voice triggered shopping during the same period. Focus on long tail keywords while taking into consideration natural speech and grammar patterns has never been more important.

Featured Snippets

Featured snippets occupy the “holy grail” of search sites, separated from other results and occupying a higher spot than all other links. This “zero position” is highly coveted, with sites on this spot getting a large piece of the pie when it comes to user clicks.

Featured snippets can come in the form of answer boxes, lists, tables, and graphs that provide a straightforward answer to user questions. These are great in generating user traffic and in further increasing your rank by making you an authoritative, trustworthy, and very relevant site.

Structured Data

 The use of Artificial Intelligence in search algorithms will logically imply the   importance of structured data in your websites. The proper use of tags and other   elements of this block of code will make for faster processing by crawlers. The   faster crawlers go through your data, the better your reputation would be.

 Furthermore, this makes search engines better understand who you are, what it   is  that you do, and what you have to offer. With that information, they can place     you where you need to be and, hopefully, list down your relevance as high should   users search for the keyword that you have targeted.

 Understanding Your Audience

A classic marketing strategy that still applies to SEO now and in the coming months is to capture the interest of your target audience. This is done by knowing what your market wants when it comes to content. Whether it be text, audio, video, or images, provide the type of medium that the audience prefers so that they can get the information that they want in the fastest and simplest way possible.

Jeremy Knauff, CEO of Spartan Media, places big importance to this final fact by stating that content must not only address inquiries, but follow up questions as well. Anticipating what questions would be asked next and supplying them without having to go anywhere else is key, he said.

By finding keywords that will suit your niche and focusing on that rather than forcing yourself in a competitive area that will compromise your quality, the audience will more likely appreciate you and your site will organically grow. Intent is much more important than anything else, and combining this with all others mentioned in the list will ensure user engagement and investment, and that will translate to positive feedback and better search results.

SEO is moving fast — it is a very exciting industry to be in. eSign Web Services’ refined processes typically result in increased brand visibility, a local customer base, a high ROI, and quality site traffic! Contact them today for further inquiries.