Google’s search engine optimization (SEO) algorithms change at a blink of an eye. Just when you think you have it all figured out, its never-ending system continues to produce new trends with measurable results. With August just a few days away, it’s important to tap into the latest SEO marketing strategies –right now.
What was once just a portal for strategic keywords and back-links has morphed into the premier content marketing platform for SEO agencies. With this in mind, Google – has once – again changed its ranking signals to reflect the current and burgeoning technologies. You will now have to tweak your online SEO plans to harness, deliver and rake in the awards of the latest modifications.
Here are three mid-year trends that are now strengthening SEO for webmasters and users across multiple platforms.
1. Page Rankings Based on Mobile Websites
Mobile optimization continues to be all the rage in 2018. While your website may look great when accessed by desktops or laptops, what about your mobile sites? If you have not incorporated responsive web design – which automatically reshuffles content when accessed by mobile devices – you need to do that right away. Google is launching its mobile-first index soon, which means your sites will be based and ranked on the mobile versions of the pages.
It is equally important to monitor your page loading times on mobile sites. Similarly, your navigation, design and social media information must be user-friendly and visible across mobile platforms. Failure to do so can result in dwindling page rankings, along with non-existence on Google’s mobile search results altogether.
2. SEO Strategies for Voice Searching
Voice automation continues to soar in global popularity. From Siri to Alexa, voice-activated smart devices offer true convenience for users. In fact, Google Home, Amazon Echo, Pixel phones and smartphones are continuously updating and enhancing their voice capabilities. With this in mind, you need to optimize your SEO strategies for voice searches across multiple devices and platforms.
With more people using voice for searches than ever before, it is imperative to reflect this trend in your SEO. However, it’s important to use long-tail keywords and accurate syntax for optimal results. For example: “What is the closest Burger King in Stafford?” is the perfect use of voice-activated technologies. This is opposed to “Burger King Stafford”, which is more likely to be texted in for searches.
3. Instant Answers in Featured Content
Meta descriptions still play a valuable role in attracting and engaging new clients and customers. These descriptions offer a brief overview of what your brands and content are about. However, with the rise of voice searches – it is now required to have instant answers on your featured content.
Mobile devices that feature Siri, Alexa and Google Home provide instant results to questions. With this in mind, they need to quickly scan your content for the answers they are looking for. However, they will not scan hundreds and thousands of characters, but rather the most accurate and easy-to-find answers. This is the gist of smart technologies, and the newest trends in SEO are calling for companies and users to do the following:
- Produce content with short, precise, and accurate answers.
- Correlate your content with long-tailed keywords ( as mentioned earlier) and voice search answers for inquiries.
- Try revamping your Q&A and FAQ sections to make it easier for Google to find your relevant, industry-specific information.
- Test your featured content with voice searches to check for accuracy and consistency.
These are some of the newest, crucial trends for mobile SEO success. While you may be implementing these new verticals, it’s important to stay abreast of upcoming changes and modifications to Google’s algorithms. As you know, these are continuously changing to secure better user experiences for global audiences.