02 Aug The Top 5 SEO Trends of 2018

The Top 5 SEO Trends of 2018

When you take the time to learn the algorithm of the Google search engine for SEO purposes, do not assume that your learning is ever finished. The algorithm is regularly updated and is continually evolving. In the beginning, search engine optimization on Google was all about choosing the right keywords and generating backlinks to your website. Now it has become a lot more complicated than that. 

Google is the one that controls how SEO changes and evolves. They examine several different ranking signals to figure out the best way to enhance their algorithm. As the signals change, new updates are implemented into the system. Webmasters like yourself need to stay informed about these updates through websites that keep track of them, such as Ignite Digital. That way, you can modify your current SEO strategies so that your advertising campaigns can remain effective. 

To help you get started, let’s examine the top 5 latest SEO trends taking place in 2018. 

#1) Mobile Websites Influence Page Rank

When most people design their websites, they think about how well they’ll look on laptops and desktop computers. However, with all the people browsing sites on their mobile devices, you need to consider how responsive your website design is for these particular platforms. If your website does not show up well on mobile screens, then it could affect your search engine ranking. Google expects you to have a mobile version of your site nowadays. You cannot rank high in Google without one. 

Therefore, you need a responsive website design which will look marvelous on multiple platforms, such as on smartphones, tablets, desktops, laptops, etc. The main features you need to concern yourself with are the design, load time, content, and navigational system. If you can make these areas work well for everyone, then you will be rewarded for it in the search engine. 

#2) Voice Searches Help SEO Strategies

So many smart devices are now voice activated. People love to use mobile features like Alexa and Siri to verbally give commands regarding what they want to do. We’ve seen this with Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Pixel smartphones. For instance, if users want to search for something on the internet, they can press a button their device and verbally say what they’re looking for. That way, they don’t need to go through the hassle of typing out their search query because many people hate typing on mobile devices.  

Businesses that operate their websites must incorporate voice-activated searches into their SEO planning practices. The syntax of the text search must accurately depict what someone might say to search for your site. For instance, if you run a printing service in Dallas, then the voice search would be something like “Which printing services are close to Dallas?”

#3) Featured Content Which Gives Immediate Answers

SEO strategies used to depend on meta descriptions for better rankings. A meta description is supposed to indicate what the content of the website is about. When websites are listed on a search results page, the meta description of each site is shown underneath the title. But now that voice-activated searches are more popular featured content is needed so that immediate answers can be provided. 

We already see Google Home, Siri, and Alexa giving its users immediate results to their voice searches. Users must have the ability to scan your information quickly for answers to their questions. They are not going to browse through thousands of web pages and paragraphs to do this either. What they want is a fast answer to their question that is good and accurate. 

 To take advantage of this particular trend in SEO, the content that you create must be short and to the point. Most importantly, the content must give accurate answers to the voice search questions, inquiries, and long-tail keywords. Your website should have either a Q&A section or FAQ page so the Google search engine can detect that accurate, informative answers. Then your customers will be able to find it too. 

#4) Intent Optimization

In the last six months of 2018, you’ll want to look out for an interesting SEO trend called “intent optimization.” This refers to the intentions that are associated with various keyword phrases. Google is expected to update their algorithm to make this a big influencer for SEO and website ranking. 

 For example, if someone searches a keyword which depicts his/her intent to purchase something, such as “cheap Android headphones,” then the search results on Google will show more e-commerce websites. That way, they won’t be shown sites which have news stories about Android headphones or anything else that is unrelated to e-commerce. 

But if someone does have the intent to find informative website content, there are specific keywords which can make popular media websites come up. For instance, if you type in “the best cheap Android headphones in 2018,” then the informative sites would come up instead. 

 Therefore, once the new updates to the algorithm are made, you will need to choose your keywords more carefully so that the intent of the searchers is reflected in them. 

#5) The Experience of the Users is the Most Important Thing

The user experience has always been essential to consider in SEO. However, Google is always putting more emphasis on the user experience of websites. The ones with a better user experience will be ranked higher in the search results pages. 

 This means you need to optimize your website content so that it is high quality, relevant, fast, and informative. You should understand the browsing habits of your audience. This will help you make the right changes to the content. For instance, if your website’s bounce rate is high, your ranking will suffer for it. You need to keep people on your site to lower your bounce rate and increase your search ranking. Check the analytical reports to understand what is happening.

In conclusion, keep following the latest SEO trends that are taking place. Do not be afraid to be flexible and incorporate new SEO strategies into your website. That is the only way you can keep it ranking high these days.