Information Technology Blog - - 5 SEO Trends You Need to Consider Using in 2020 - Information Technology Blog
Effective search engine optimization is essential for online success. As the majority of consumers research brands, stores and products via the internet prior to making a purchase, being visible online is non-negotiable.
However, securing the top spots on search engine results pages (SERPs) isn’t always easy. With millions of webpages competing for high rankings, your SEO campaigns need to outperform your competitors. Fortunately, innovative new SEO techniques are making it easier for businesses and site owners to secure top rankings and generate website traffic.
If you want to stay ahead of the game, boost your rankings and increase your market share, take a look at the top five SEO trends you need to be using in 2020.
Local SEO
Location-based searching is already on the rise, so you’ll want to incorporate geographical content into your SEO strategy straight away. In fact, it’s estimated that 46% of Google searches are primarily focused on finding local information. With almost half of Google’s traffic relating to location, this is a trend you can’t afford to ignore.
Incorporating location-based keywords and terms into your content is one way to boost your local SEO. If you’re a bricks and mortar business offering services in a particular region, this can be a highly effective way of reaching your target market.
In addition, you’ll want to ensure your webpages are displayed when users carry out ‘near me’ searches. Despite not entering a specific location, users are able to search for businesses, services, and amenities close to their current position.
To ensure your webpages are listed in ‘near me’ search results, Google needs to know where you are. Local citations are a great way to reinforce the accuracy of your company’s information and get you featured in Google’s Local 3-Pack. For the best results, use a wide range of location citations, such as:
- Business directories
- Local listing
- Blog posts
- Online newspapers
- Social media platforms
With a multi-pronged approach, you can successfully market your services to specific areas and meet Google’s requirements when it comes to optimizing your webpages for ‘near me’ searches.
Voice-Activated Searches
The rise of voice-activated smart devices has changed the way people use the internet. As well as using smartphones and tablets to issue voice commands, a growing number of people have installed voice-activated devices in their homes and workplaces too.
However, voice-activated searches pose two issues for businesses and digital marketers:
- Users search differently depending on how they search
- Users receive fewer results options following a search
To successfully optimize your website, you’ll need to ensure your content reflects the varying behavior of users. Researching how your target market is using voice-activated devices will enable you to enhance your content marketing and optimization accordingly.
As users receive fewer results via voice searches, it’s time to up your game and secure the top spot on SERPs. Often, voice assistants provide content directly from the top result, so double-down on your SEO activity if you want to reach your audience.
Video Marketing
If you aren’t using video marketing already, it’s time to start. Online video content is expected to account for more than 82% of consumer traffic by 2022, so it’s a sure-fire way to boost brand awareness and generate more sales.
Users watch over a billion hours of video content on YouTube every day, and this doesn’t even include the time spent watching videos on other platforms. Nearly three-quarters of users prefer learning about products and services via video, so why not give your target market what they want?
When creating content for your video marketing strategy, there are a variety of options available, including:
- Vlogs
- Interviews
- Live streams
- Explainers
- How-To videos
- Webinars
- Presentations
- Ads
- Tutorials
- Customer testimonials
By using different types of video, you can create a varied and sustainable long-term campaign.
Featured Snippets
Successful SEO means keeping up to date with Google’s latest algorithms and features. For business owners and marketers, this can be one of the trickiest aspects of sustaining high rankings on SERPs. Google’s Featured Snippets are one of the latest changes to affect search engine results pages. Designed to offer ‘no click’ solutions to users, featured snippets contain content from webpages and make it visible directly on the SERP.
Securing a featured snippet means users will be shown your content without having to click through to your webpage. However, this can actually increase the volume of traffic reaching your site. Your featured snippet content will highlight the relevance of your content to the user’s initial search query, thus enticing users to visit the webpage for further information.
Not all SERPs have featured snippets but those that do only show one. Typically, Google selects which webpage to show as a featured snippet based on accuracy, validity, relevance, and popularity. Implementing comprehensive SEO campaigns is the most effective way to confirm your content ticks all the boxes as far as Google is concerned.
While there is stiff competition to secure featured snippets, it’s an aim that’s certainly worth pursuing. By showing your content directly on SERPs, featured snippets will increase your authority in the eyes of your target market and act as an unofficial endorsement for your brand.
Artificial Intelligence
One of the ways artificial intelligence is affecting technology is via natural language processing (NLP). With increasingly advanced capabilities, search engines are looking beyond what users are actually searching for. By assessing search intent, rather than actual search terms, search engines are able to provide results that are more relevant and useful.
According to Google’s co-founder, Larry Page, AI is the equivalent of the ultimate search engine:
‘It would understand exactly what you wanted, and it would give you the right thing.’
Google’s Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers, or BERT, is the latest move towards NLP. Enabling the search engine to contextualize search queries, it undoubtedly enhances user experience.
In terms of SEO, the move towards AI and NLP could make it trickier to secure top rankings. In addition to using existing methodologies to maintain your position on SERPs, you’ll need to ensure your content is highly relevant to your target market. In short, Google wants content creators to focus on their audience and not the search engine.
While this approach moves away from the formulaic SEO of the past, it encourages creative freedom in relation to content creation. Furthermore, the traffic gained from AI-based rankings is likely to consist of users who fall squarely within your target market. As a result, conversion rate optimization and customer acquisition will become easier.
Developing Your Marketing Skills
The world of search engine optimization is continually evolving, so developing your marketing skills is essential. With online programs from Emerson College Online, you can learn how to leverage digital best practices to create successful marketing campaigns. From data-driven campaign formation to professional certifications, the comprehensive nature of their post-grad marketing programs ensures graduates have the in-depth knowledge and skills required to succeed in a digital era.
Existing marketers can strengthen their understanding of emerging concepts and increase their career options by undertaking further study. If you work within the industry and are eager to progress, completing a master’s is a great way to achieve your goals. Obtaining a postgraduate marketing qualification will ensure you’re well-placed to take on top roles, such as:
- VP of Marketing
- Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
- Campaign Strategist
- Brand Director
- Head of Communications
- Marketing Director
- Director of Demand Generation
- Global Marketing Manager
- Content Marketing Director
- Product Marketing Manager
- Creative Director
While existing marketers can certainly benefit from enrolling in industry-related programs, you don’t have to work within marketing in order to reap the rewards a post-grad qualification can offer. Gaining advanced marketing knowledge can improve your performance across a variety of roles.
Furthermore, business owners and entrepreneurs rely heavily on their marketing knowledge to launch successful enterprises. Without effective marketing, it is impossible to start a new business or grow an existing organization. Due to this, it’s vital that managers and owners prioritize their marketing skills. In addition to gaining theoretical knowledge, post-graduate marketing programs give you the opportunity to hone your practical skills too. This multi-faceted approach ensures you can implement your newly acquired skillset immediately, regardless of what type of business you’re running or what industry you operate in.
Fast-Track Your Way to Success
Whether you’re launching your own start-up, building a marketing career or lobbying for a promotion, you won’t want to wait years to get the ball rolling. While some traditional programs require long-term study, there are other options available. Online learning gives you the freedom to complete a master’s at your own pace, which means you can obtain a new qualification in as little as twelve months.
Furthermore, studying online gives you the flexibility to complete the program from any location. If you want to continue working while completing your post-grad degree, online learning is the easiest way to achieve your goals. Within a matter of months, you could have a whole new selection of letters to put after your name and an endless selection of skills to help you excel in your chosen industry.
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