The future of SEO has arrived and you need to be ready for it or risk being left in the dust. Staying on top of what is happening in search engine optimization can be a full time job. The search engines could alter or change their algorithms and requirements at the blink of an eye. Moving forward into the new year there will be some strategies that will be trending for a long time to come.
- Perhaps the most important trend that looks here to stay for the long term is the rise of voice search. It has become prolific as home units become more and more common. Even smartphones are being used in more creative and conversational ways as voice search becomes more dominant. Your content and search phrases must now show intent and predict how someone will be asking for what they are looking for.
- Another major trend will be the growing important of snippets. Those are the words or phrases that will appear in the search result. Are your snippets grabbing the searcher’s attention? Are they straight to the point? According to some recent research, nearly 40% of all searches are turning up results that are accompanied by a snippet. Maybe it is time to shift your focus to ensure that your snippets are drawing the proper attention of the search engines.
- Keyword stuffing will no longer be the answer as customer intent becomes more important to results. Long tail phrases and precise wording with regard to your content will become a must. People are no longer just typing in a keyword or two. They are asking pointed questions to which they expect answers.
- The quality and relevance of your content will be gaining more importance. Backlinks will continue to be a determining factor in the perceived quality of your site, your content, and your products or services. It is time to focus your SEO on gaining brand attention and awareness at reputable sites with backlinks connecting people directly to your brand.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer
