The search engine optimization (SEO) landscape is constantly evolving, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and updates is crucial for digital marketers to stay ahead of the competition. In this article, we’ll explore some of the emerging trends in SEO that you need to watch out for in the coming months and years.
Voice Search Optimization
Voice search is rapidly becoming a popular way of accessing information online, and it’s estimated that by 2020, 50% of all searches will be voice-based. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses to optimize their content for voice search and make it more conversational and natural-sounding. This means using long-tail keywords and answering frequently asked questions in a natural language manner.
Moreover, voice search devices are often used for local search, so it’s essential for businesses to ensure their Google My Business (GMB) listings are up-to-date and accurate. This includes details such as business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation. Local businesses should also optimize for location-based keywords to ensure they show up in local search results.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Google’s algorithm is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are playing a significant role in this. Google’s RankBrain, for example, uses machine learning to help improve search results by understanding user queries and providing more relevant results. In the future, it’s likely that AI and ML will play an even greater role in SEO, and businesses need to be prepared to adapt to these changes.
One way to do this is by focusing on user experience (UX) and ensuring that your website is fast, easy to navigate, and provides high-quality, relevant content. AI and ML are already being used to analyze user behavior on websites and provide insights into how to improve UX.
Video Content
Video content is becoming increasingly popular, and it’s estimated that by 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses to create engaging and informative video content that can help improve their SEO. Videos are often more engaging than other forms of content, and they can help keep users on your site for longer periods of time, which can have a positive impact on your bounce rate and ranking factors.
Moreover, videos can be optimized for SEO by using relevant keywords in the video title, description, and tags. Videos can also be embedded on other sites and shared on social media, which can help increase your brand’s visibility and drive traffic to your site.
Conclusion
SEO is constantly evolving, and it’s essential for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and updates. Voice search optimization, AI and ML, and video content are just some of the emerging trends that are likely to have a significant impact on SEO in the coming years. By embracing these trends and adapting your SEO strategy accordingly, you can stay ahead of the competition and improve your chances of success online.