Search engine optimization (SEO) is a cutthroat business. Search engines continually improve the sophistication of their algorithms and make it difficult for anyone to stay secure in their organic rankings for long. SEO practices we’ve relied on quickly fall out of favor and are replaced by more complex solutions, in fact.
That’s why Sievers Creative is always on the lookout for the latest developments in SEO. As a leader in search engine optimization in MN, you can rest assured that we constantly review and improve our SEO tactics to provide optimal services. We’ve rounded up five SEO trends that could change the game in 2018.
Rich Snippets
Gone are the days when getting the top spot in the search engine results pages (SERP) was enough to secure traffic to your site. The SERP has evolved from a simple list of blue links to a page littered with images, videos, news, ads, and social media content. It has made it easier for your website to be overlooked.
Rich snippets help your website stand out from the SERP. A rich snippet means your listing has more information than just a clickable title, URL, and meta description. It has images, reviews, ratings, and more condensed titles. As a result, a website with a rich snippet has a 30% higher click-through rate. Businesses should take advantage of this feature to receive more traffic in 2018.
Page Speed
Both people and search engines don’t like slow websites. Kissmetrics, an analytics and marketing resource, says that users tend to leave sites that don’t load within 3 seconds. Google also tested page speeds and found that pages half a second faster received 20% more traffic than slower sites.
Page speed also affects conversions. About 79% of online shoppers who had encountered poor site performance say they won’t return to buy again. Additionally, about 44% would tell a friend when they had trouble with a website. In 2018, people and search engines will put more emphasis on page speeds — and so should you.
Voice Search
It’s easier to speak than type, so it comes as no surprise that voice search becomes the query of choice for most people. In fact, more than 40% of adults used voice search daily in 2016. By 2020, experts expect figures to rise to more 50%.
Additionally, voice-based queries give more tailored results. This means that businesses need to go beyond simple keywords and phrases to rank. They have to focus on long-tailed keywords that are similar to everyday speech.
Mobile Search
Smart Insights, a digital marketing site, reports that mobile search has changed drastically since it first started. In 2009, only 0.7% of web traffic came from mobile phones. In 2017, mobile search accounted for about 50.3% of web traffic. This means that there are now more people using mobile phones than those who use a traditional desktop computer to conduct searches.
Digital marketers anticipate that the figures will continue to rise in 2018. Companies who want to stay competitive need to invest in mobile optimization techniques now more than ever.
Linkless Backlinks
Links have always been one of the major ranking factors in most search engines. In 2018, however, businesses will focus more on linkless backlinks. These refer to when a brand is mentioned on another website. For instance, it appears in a news story, review, forum, blog comments, and video transcripts. Search Engine Watch reports that Google and Bing use these linkless mentions as a trust signal and improve the rankings of the brands.
With new trends emerging this year, it is imperative that businesses invest in SEO strategies that adapt to algorithm changes. Here at Sievers Creative, we present exceptional SEO services that not only put you in the top spot but also secure a bulk of the search traffic and help you earn more.
Get ahead with Sievers Creative. Contact our team today.
