Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important part of the work of any site owner or digital marketer. Search engine optimization methods and techniques should be constantly updated as the habits of users on the Internet change.
In this article, we will discuss SEO methods and trends that are worth paying attention to in 2019.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a series of methods that help improve your site’s ranking in search results. SEO is an integral part of the daily work of most developers and content creators. The main ways to improve search engine optimization - is to ensure fast site loading and selection of keywords, in order to adapt content to user requests. Although it may seem that SEO methods are always relevant, this is far from the case. In reality, achieving high positions in search engines is directly dependent on their algorithms, which are constantly changing. This means that you cannot expect good results, all the while relying on the same optimization methods.
Let's look at some of the SEO trends that are worth paying attention to in 2019. We will also share some tips on how to adapt your content and strategy to take advantage of these trends.
Prepare Your Site for Voice Search
Voice search is already fitted right into the life of modern people. Perhaps you are using Apple Siri, Amazon Echo or Google Assistant like many others. As this technology becomes more and more widespread, it is necessary to consider its influence on search engine optimization.
The main difference between typical SEO strategies and voice search optimization is the use of more “natural” phrases. Most often, text phrases use short phrases such as “best hosting 2019”. However, if you used your voice to search for the same information, you would probably say something like: “Which hosting is considered the best this year?”
Have you noticed that the second phrase is much longer and sounds more natural? This means that you should also optimize your content for long-tail keywords. Since the ultimate goal is to use keywords that users are likely to search for, this can simplify your work, since you don’t have to add bulky keyword phrases to your content.
Optimize Your Site for Speed
Loading time, of course, continues to be an important factor, especially when it comes to improving the ranking of your site.
This problem became even more urgent in 2018, as Google announced that it would begin to take into account the speed of pages for mobile devices. This is due to the growing popularity of "viewing from mobile devices" and means that reducing download time is now a top priority for site owners.
In our previous posts, we talked about how to speed up your site as a whole. Key methods include caching and optimization of media files.
Improve Your Mobile Pages
Google's Mobile-first index means that the search engine now ranks pages based on versions developed for mobile devices. Thus, even if your website functions perfectly on a computer, but it is difficult to use it on a smartphone, then most likely your SEO rating will suffer from this. For this reason, optimizing your site for mobile phones is no longer mandatory. In fact, you'd better spend more time on making your mobile site fast and easy to use. These sites are also called adaptive, as they normally appear regardless of the screen size or the type of device used to view it. Fortunately, everything is not as difficult as it may seem. For example, the vast majority of WordPress themes and plugins are tailored to responsive design.
Focus on More Personalized Results
It often seems as though people are becoming less and less patient every day. For example, they want to find the information they need much faster, which is why, lately, Google has been paying more and more attention to personalized results. In particular, Google actually collects information about each individual user in order to provide the most relevant results. Another example is Google’s “answer boxes”. Google also offers results based on previous queries or even a user's location. If you type in a search engine in "Where is the nearest pizzeria?", You will be shown the pizzerias that are nearby. By providing clear and orderly information on your website, you can increase your chances of appearing in “answer boxes”. Using lists and separate headlines for each page will also help Google analyze and index information, making it easier for you to place your site in the desired position 0.
Extend Your SEO Strategy to Your Social Media Channels
Social media presence is an important aspect of online marketing. Naturally, this is also related to your SEO strategy. Although at the present time publications in social networks are not a direct ranking factor, they still have a certain influence on the ratings. In short, the more content you share, the more traffic your site is likely to receive through search engines. It will also help you create backlinks and brand awareness, as more people will see and discuss your site. That is why the presence on social networks is important from the point of view of SEO. Focus on several major platforms and maintain a consistent strategy for sharing content and interacting with your subscribers.
Shift Your Focus Away from Google
Until now, considering SEO, we almost constantly referred to Google. This is not surprising, given that Google remains the most popular search engine today. However, when drafting an SEO strategy, you shouldn’t focus solely on Google’s ranking algorithms.
For example, the Amazon search engine is gaining more and more popularity on the Internet. As it turned out, more than half of the buyers, when searching for goods, turn to Amazon, and not to Google. Another such example is YouTube - the second largest search engine after Google.
This means that it is now impossible to rely solely on Google. For example, if you want your products to be more visible, you also need to consider Amazon. If your site has a lot of video material and other non-textual content, focus on YouTube and similar platforms.
Improve Your Technical SEO
SEO is often viewed as a method intended solely for content creators and marketers. However, optimization can also be useful for developers. The process of "technical SEO" ensures that your site is compatible with the standards set by search engines.
The two main aspects of technical SEO that we have already mentioned include site loading speed and mobile optimization. However, another important factor is the security of the site. For example, Google now requires websites to be delivered using the HTTPS protocol. Only, in this case, they will be marked as "safe" in the Chrome browser.
These are just some of the elements that fall under the concept of technical SEO. Here are some additional aspects to consider:
• Site structure. The logical design of the site will simplify the task of scanners for cataloging and indexing your pages, and this, in turn, will increase the ranking of the site.
• Extended snippets. This is a piece of small text information related to the site, which is displayed in the search results. Snippet allows you to evaluate the content of the site without having to click on the link, as the keywords entered by the user in the search form are highlighted.
• Duplicate content. Search engines penalize sites whose pages contain the same content.
Optimize the video content
In conclusion, we must admit that not only texts can be optimized. It is also important to consider the influence of video content on the site position.
In 2018, almost half of Internet users spent an average of at least an hour a week watching an online video. The site owners have begun to pay attention to this trend, and you need to do the same. To get started, post a video on your website. Search engines consider the quality of the content and the duration of its viewing by users as ranking factors.
You can also optimize the videos themselves, using clear descriptions, choosing the right video hosting platform. This will allow your visitors to find the necessary information and at the same time improve your rating.
Conclusion
As the Internet changes, the parameters that determine the position of your site in search engines changes too. To ensure the long-term success of the site, you must always be aware of the latest trends in SEO.
