Top SEO Trends You Can’t Ignore This Year

Look at SEO as an approach that is similar to the shelves of a shop or supermarket. The products or items that you would want to sell first will be placed on the front of the shelves, not at the back. People tend to grab what they see first on the shelves as these are more visible and get more attention.

In the crowd of websites with millions of web pages part of the World Wide Web, it makes sense that search engines rank websites according to their content and relevance. It is, therefore, important that brands optimize their websites according to the guidelines of search engines so that their products and brands become more visible and reach more people using the search engine.

According to Forbes, less than 1 percent of search engine users go to the second page of the SERPs. This percentage further reduces as we go beyond the second page. Therefore, SEO marketing is more important than any other digital marketing technique. In this blog, you will learn about SEO consulting solutions that have become massive trends and help businesses remain ahead in the digital marketing race.

1. Voice Search Optimization

Why It’s Important:

Over the past few years, the growth of voice assistants like Siri and Alexa has been tremendous. For example, Google Assistant can speak in more than 70 languages today and is, therefore, used by many people to search on the internet. It is important to note that the voice recognition tech sector, like Siri and Alexa, will grow at a rate of 20 percent over the next 5 to 6 years. People are turning to voice assistants as they are smarter with AI integration and can manage a lot of daily tasks. The level of personal interaction and convenience is a reason why people use voice search today.

How to Optimize for Voice Search:

Of course, voice-based search optimization is very important for businesses that want to create a massive footprint in the digital landscape. When optimizing the content on the digital voice-based search algorithm, you need to understand that websites that have high domain authority rank higher on voice-based search. Moreover, your business website also needs strong link-building support to rank high. A strategy for voice search optimization is to use long-tail keywords and tags to optimize the content on the website. It is also important to use more natural and human language so that the content is recognized by the voice assistant very easily. Moreover, it is also important to use localized keywords so that the content is optimized to answer the most common queries of the local audience.

2. Mobile-First Indexing

Why It Matters:

It is not a secret how far people are now dependent on smartphones and tablets. Mobile devices are smart companions that people use extensively. Some people even have screen time of more than 10 hours a day because they use mobile phones every day. Over 54 percent of the global population today has a smartphone. Moreover, 4 billion people around the world access internet services through smartphones. Thus, if brands prioritize the mobile-first approach and mobile search optimization, then they can target a huge demographic. Moreover, search engines, including Google, are more focused on mobile indexing. Brands have to adapt to this trend that is here to stay.

Steps to Ensure Mobile Optimization:

When optimizing the website to the mobile screen and search results, it is important to look at the performance indicators that mobile users look at most. Mobile phone users do not have the patience to simply wait for a website to load. Smartphone users do touch screen gestures and want websites to be responsive to their actions. The website development team has to optimize the load speed so the sites load within seconds. Moreover, the content and image should also adapt to the mobile phone screens. The site should have a lightweight but vivid image.

3. Core Web Vitals and Page Experience

The Shift in Ranking Factors:

With time, the web ranking factors for brand websites have evolved to a great extent. Being the pioneer of the industry, Google has shifted its focus to user experience as a major ranking factor. The importance of websites has increased, and these are no longer just repositories of information but portals where users take decisions and actions to get real-life results. Therefore, it is important to create a stable environment around user interaction and focus on the user-friendliness of the website for your business. This helps build domain authority for your business so that your business site is more popular than others in the niche.

How to Improve Core Web Vitals:

The level of interaction the website can foster between the brand and the user base is a parameter of its user experience. The user experience and popularity of the website also depend on the website’s loading speed. Compression and the use of lightweight images is a good idea to adopt.

 The complexity of JavaScript code and CSS can also greatly affect load speed. Therefore, the optimization experts need to look at the code and remove the unused JavaScript code so that the website can load quickly and function smoothly. The backend development team and server maintenance team should also use content delivery networks for the website so that the load on the main server is reduced and the users access the website faster.

4. E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

What It Means for Your Content:

Google has prioritized the credibility of information on the websites that it ranks, and for this, it is using the parameters of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in content. These aspects are important to make your website content different and more relevant than other websites. It is important to create content that has expertise in the niche and delivers value to the users so that the users can engage and come back to the website when needed. If you want your business website to rank high, you need to create a website that has high levels of EAT.

Tips to Build E-A-T:

To build EAT for your website, it is important to reflect these parameters on aspects of content and images that you display. The content sharing on the website should be timely and periodic. Regular posting of high-quality and well-researched content is important to create an image of expertise and authority. To amplify the authority, SEO experts also need to build backlinks to the website with other authority sites through off-page SEO. Optimization of content and images is very important as it can help create uniformity and originality for your brand that users can trust. To build reputation and trust, your content should have author bios and credentials of the writers and contributors. This connects the users to real-life people, and they start trusting your source more.

5. Artificial Intelligence and SEO Automation

The Role of AI in SEO: In the SEO sector, experts are now using AI tools to do keyword research and trend analysis. Tools like Surfer SEO, Frase, MarketMuse, and RankBrain By Google are used to expedite the keyword research process and automate the whole procedure. AI tools are able to help SEO executives complete repetitive tasks and still get optimal results. For example, RankBrain uses AI and ML algorithms to check for interpretation and deliver keyword research results to its users. The algorithms help outline the user intent and show keywords according to content relevance.

How to Incorporate AI in Your SEO Strategy:

AI tools are crucial to improving SEO strategies and results. For example, Surfer SEO and Clearscope can be used to make content suggestions and analyze content for  SEO suggestions. The use of AI-powered tools makes tasks easier for SEO executives and allows automation to be introduced into the process. Human supervision and expertise are needed; however, improving workflow by entrusting keyword analysis and research to AI tools is important. Repetitive tasks need the use of tools so that executives can focus on high-priority tasks.

6. Video SEO

Why Video Is Critical:

Moving ahead of text and image, the new era is about video and video marketing. The circulation of videos is a tool that businesses can use to market their products. Videos are interactive and easy to watch. Today, people are 52 percent more open to sharing video content over other formats with their community. Even images are now converted to videos so that they reach more people. Today, if anyone has to learn about anything, he will go to YouTube to search for the topic and browse through the videos to find materials related to it. Thus, brands cannot ignore the place of YouTube as a modern search engine.

Steps to Optimize for Video SEO:

Video and its content optimization are important to make videos go viral. To optimize videos, it is important to make them presentable, and for this, SEO experts stress the thumbnail used. The video description and titles, along with thumbnails, should have keywords related to the topic. The description should have relevant hashtags that users follow on such platforms. Optimizing the transcription with relevant keywords is also pivotal. Moreover, to unlock the full potential of these videos, your business website should also integrate these videos. Instead of images, you can also embed videos on the site and in blogs so users can interact with it more.

7. Featured Snippets and Zero-Click Searches

The Growth of Zero-Click Searches:

Another phenomenon in SEO marketing is how zero-click searches are increasing. Zero-click searches are very specific, where a person searches for a certain question on the search engine and gets the exact answer at the top of the first page as a featured snippet. This answers his question and eliminates the need to scroll or click on any other result to venture further. Today, How to Get Featured:

Since there is a great demand for featured snippets and zero-click results, it is important to incorporate content in the form of snippets so that the user does not have to click further. For this, the business site needs to have a high level of SEO optimization. There should be snippets with clear, specific, and concise answers so that these can pop up as featured snippets. The use of long-tailed keywords on the website and offering specific information with facts is important to be part of zero clicks.

8. Local SEO and Google My Business

Why Local SEO Is Thriving:

Local SEO is gaining importance as people use Google and other search engines to search for items and businesses in the vicinity. The use of near-me keywords and queries has been growing. When you have a business, you will be serving a specific demographic, so it is important to take up regional optimization. Even companies that are branched out to different locations use near me or local specific keywords so they can evenly target all locations.

How to Optimize for Local SEO:

Some actions are needed from your business in order to promote your business on the local spectrum. It is important to create content on all fronts in a region-specific manner and use locally relevant keywords. Moreover, it is important to create a GMB profile for your business and keep it updated with correct information so that customers can connect with your business locally and physically. Correct information and true client reviews on the GMB profile establish your business as a reliable one in the market. With genuine client reviews and fast responses to online queries, you can establish your business as a leader in the local market.

9. User Intent and Semantic Search

Shift Toward Understanding Search Intent:

As Google tries to focus on improving the user-friendliness of websites, the focus has also been on understanding the user intent behind searches. Brands also need to understand what the users are actually looking for so that they can cater to the users using recommendation algorithms and search engine guidelines. The content and web optimization are not effective if they do not align with user intent and needs.

How to Align Your Content:

It is important to use tools and platforms like Google Search Console to understand user behavior and intent. To do this, you need to look at search trends and relevant topics for users.  Once the SEO team understands what your user base thinks and wants, the content needs to be optimized to meet their informational and commercial needs. The content should be relevant to their search and also push them towards making the decision you want from them. Moreover, it is important to focus on creating relevant content regularly so users can depend on your website.

10. Sustainability and Green SEO

What Is Green SEO?

At a time when every aspect of human life is changing to be more sustainable, SEO strategies are also on the same plane. Google and other major search engines are establishing guidelines for Green SEO so that the use of resources like energy is more sustainable. Energy efficiency and the use of green hosting solutions are important to this trend.

Tips for Implementing Green SEO:

To optimize websites according to Green SEO rules, agencies are adopting fast-loading websites so that the web can function in an energy-efficient manner. The use of CDNs to make optimized content delivery a priority is also a green SEO practice. On the other hand, there is also a need for green hosting solutions that get power from sustainable renewable energy sources like solar power. The use of Green SEO practices and content ensures the long-term sustainability of the digital space and its real-life projection.

Stay Ahead of SEO Trends – Optimize for Success Today!

If you plan to hire expert SEO consulting services, you can look at highly reputed SEO companies. Choose an SEO company that adapts to recent trends while keeping the core principles of SEO marketing alive. Trends like voice search optimization, the use of CDNs, and AI tools will integrate into future digital marketing prospects.