Trends in SEO 2020

There are people searching for the products you sell on the Internet right now. Are they seeing your products or your competitors?

Today, most businesses understand the importance of having a search engine optimization strategy. Most have at least a general idea of what SEO means.

But do you have the right strategy? And are you prepared for the rapidly changing SEO world?

Whether you are doing SEO for small or large businesses on your own or with a digital marketing company in USA, this will help you answer those questions. Here is what you need to know about SEO in 2018.

1. User experience counts

The user experience is at the core of your SEO strategy. Your website must be one that is engaging and useful.

The goal of your website should be to make it easy for users to find what they want. People don’t want to have to think. Have that thought in your mind as you are creating or updating your website.

A key part of the user experience is site speed. Today, people won’t wait for a page to load. If they are searching for something and they have to wait, they will usually bounce. After all, they have plenty of other options. To analyze your website, check out this helpful service from Google.

1. Format your posts

Good formatting can improve your page’s readability, engagement and search engine ratings. This means you should have:

• Shorter sentences: Break long sentences into multiple sentences for ease of reading.

• Shorter paragraphs: This isn’t a history term paper. Paragraphs should be no more than two or three sentences. One sentence is even okay.

• Headers: Make sure keywords are included in your page title and subheaders.

• Sub-headers: We know people don’t read every word on a website. A sub-header will serve as a guide as they scan your page.

• Hyperlink differentiation: For your links, use underlined text or different colors to draw the attention of the reader.

• Bullet points: Though they should be used sparingly, bullet points enable users to get the key information they want in an easy fashion.

• Images: Visual search is a major part of any search engine. And people just like pretty pictures. But make sure you are using images wisely. This means organic pictures rather than stock images. It also means relevant graphs and charts.

At the same time, content is still king. That means high quality, long-form pages. The key is to turn that into an easy-to-read format.

1. Create more video content

Videos are more popular than ever. And video content is more important than ever. Regardless of what you are selling, the video should be part of your strategy.

Today, YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. You need to be there. And because Google shows YouTube videos in their search results, your video needs to be SEO friendly.

You should have a compelling title with keywords and a description of what your video is about. And make sure the video is at least five minutes. Like content, longer videos tend to do better on YouTube.

1. Mobile-first

A 2017 study found that 57 percent of traffic is now mobile. And we all know that searches via mobile devices are becoming more popular each day.

Your web traffic may be different, but now is the time to develop a plan that is mobile-first. Any website should be mobile responsive and have easy navigation.

A key part of this strategy will be local search SEO. Users want to find the content they are looking for while they are on the go. This needs to be part of your strategy.

1. Long-tail keywords

Keywords have long been the heart of SEO. And if you are just getting started, the Google keyword planner is a great resource. But because search engine placement is so competitive, you should emphasize long-tail keywords rather than short-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords are more relevant to specific searches. This means you will have less competition and higher conversion rates. After all, if you know the specific needs of your audience, you will be more likely to convert potential customers.

1. Pay attention to voice search

Voice search is also an emerging trend in SEO strategies. Since these inquiries are general questions, you will benefit from long-tail keywords that are sentences rather than keywords.

1. Quality links

Backlinks from quality sites are still a key measure for SEO. Backlinks provide search engines with the knowledge that other people trust your content. This will help search engines know your content should appear in web searches.

1. Blog Regularly

A relevant blog that provides high-quality content to customers should be part of your SEO strategy. This will provide your website will valuable fresh content that search engines like.

Remember, the key is to write content that customers are interested in. And something that will be viewed as a benefit rather than just a sales pitch.

And what does regularly mean? Once a week is a good starting point. Again, the emphasis is on the quality of the content.

1. Local search SEO

If you have a brick-and-mortar business, you need a local SEO strategy to make sure people will find you. Start with a title and meta description tag that will get attention and not waste words.

You also need to get your business listed (and listed correctly) on online business directories and data aggregators. Here is information on improving your local ranking with Google.

And know that online reviews matter. They help improve your visibility. So make sure your satisfied customers are leaving positive marks on your Facebook page, Google or any number of other sites where people leave reviews.

The one thing everyone agrees upon is that SEO is constantly changing. But you must adapt quickly. You must constantly measure your SEO and the results you are seeing. If they are less than ideal, move on.

Whether you handle SEO optimization for your business or you are working with a digital solution company, it is imperative that you understand what SEO is really about.

Agnes Smith is a freelance content writer from the USA. She has done Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Institute of Management Studies. She is an avid blogger and aspiring novelist. She spends her free time reading novels.