It's 2019 and SEO is more important now than ever.
For your business to succeed, it needs to pop up everywhere, dominate every search and dance in front of every potential consumer’s eyes. Our research team studied today’s biggest SEO trends, and now we’re sharing them with you. We’ve included some tips, as well as FORTVISION’s official “Grow Your SEO” checklist, so you can capitalize on these trends and optimize your SEO.
1.
Voice Search
Siri and Alexa are the most trusted and popular names today; it’s almost impossible to go a day without hearing someone ask them a question. What began as a simple alternative to typed google search has become a go-to information gathering tool for consumers. And it’s only going up from here.
Researchers predict that 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020, according to comScore.
How to become voice search friendly:
- Have a clean format and be typo-free. Appearing professional is obviously always important, but for voice search, it’s essential. If your wording is clunky or has misspellings, you're difficult for a voice command to find.
- Include summaries and snippets. Consumers ask questions through voice search; you to you answer them. Give short blurbs - no more than about 35 words - that summarize your content and satisfy specific search inquiries.
- Localize. Voice search is used heavily by consumers who want quick answers with relevant information. Include phrases like “near me,” “nearest,” “closest” and “where,” and you’ll be more likely to pop up on a voice searcher's radar.
- Make sure pages load quickly. Google favors pages that load quicker, and 40% of mobile users will leave a page that doesn’t load in three seconds. On average, voice search pages load in roughly half the time of web pages, and so the competition to be fast is fierce. Click here for detailed, step-by-step ways to ensure your webpage races to the top of voice search.
- Be a conversationalist. Consumers don’t always speak how they type; words should be easy to pronounce, conversational, and casual. Make sure you have long-tailed phrases and avoid complexity.
2.
Going beyond Google
Google’s status as the sole search engine is an idea of the past; today, consumers are flocking to an array of other platforms for information and purchases. Places such as Bing, Amazon, the app store and WordPress are getting lots of search traffic, and you need to adapt to fully optimize your SEO.
Some strategies for “going beyond Google”
Use exact keywords in your title and content. While google has a more complex algorithm for search, other engines aren’t as fine-tooled. Find keywords using Keyword Explorer, and include them verbatim.
Consider social signals. Google doesn’t account for social media feedback when ranking pages, but other engines do. Find the different conversations about your business on social media and interact through likes, comments and shares.
Emphasize multimedia. Google values text, while other engines focus more on multimedia. Beyond being an excellent attention grabber, multimedia content boosts your SEO and increases your appeal
3.
Mobile-friendly
Search used to be more formal and desktop-based, but it’s now an on-the-go activity. Phones and other portable devices track down information and make purchases everywhere and all the time. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it needs to be.
Here’s how to tap into mobile users:
Deliver & Respond.
Just like load time is essential to voice search, clicking through a site with ease on a mobile device is critical for users. See the “voice search” section for tips on how to increase your site’s speed.
Design to adapt.
Mobile screens are longer and narrower, while computers are shorter and wider. Your mobile site adapt to match the shape of different phone sizes rather than a compacted computer screen.
Do a test run.
Click through each page using different devices to ensure that your mobile site is smooth, glitch-free and visually appealing. Your home page might seem fine, but other pages might have minor problems.
With Responsive Web Design, a technology advocated by google, images are flexible because they are sized by percentage rather than pixel. In this format, images adjust relative to different screen sizes, making your site to be universally compatible.
4.
Content is key
5.
Compare your competition
Competition between businesses is already cutthroat, and it’s only intensifying. It may seem like your site is drowning in a sea of competitors and you can’t seem to get out on top. Luckily, digital marketing companies like FORTVISION can help you. Research, keyword optimization, social media posting, and developing marketing plans are just a few things we can provide to help you outshine your competitors — so you can optimize your site, your business, and your success.
