Search engine optimization, or SEO, is constantly changing. The Google algorithm updates are designed to make searches easier and more accurate for users, but they have a direct impact on how SEO is performed by companies seeking to expand their customer base; only by keeping up with these changes can businesses ensure that their content is relevant and doing its job to keep them at the top of Google’s highly competitive search results. Let’s take a look at three of the most popular SEO trends in 2019.
- Mobile-First Indexing: The mobile-first indexing rollout that occurred in March 2016 influenced Google’s crawlers in a major way. If you have both desktop and mobile versions of your website, they will look at and check out the mobile version first while deciding how to rank your site; obviously, this gives priority to its mobile version when it comes to indexing and ranking. This isn’t to say that your desktop site doesn’t matter, just that a lack of mobile-friendliness could be a serious detriment to your keyword rankings.
- Featured Snippets: A featured snippet is a format that provides a summary of the answer to searchers’ questions that is usually displayed on top of Google search results. In recent months, featured snippets have been taking the top spots in Google rankings for a wide variety of keywords. However, it takes work to get there; research has shown that featured snippets are derived from high ranked content, and is dependent on content quality and intelligent use of keywords. You’ll need to focus on question-based keywords, create high-quality content, and use structured data to make sure it is properly formatted.
- Long Form High-Quality Content: Despite all the changes that Google undergoes, content always matters. Lately, long-form pieces have become more relevant; in Google’s eyes, these allow users to find everything that they are looking for in one place. Quality still matters; you have to make sure that your content is valuable to users. When you are able to understand users’ search intent, you can produce content that satisfies their needs and is therefore valued by Google.
Did you know that 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results? If you want to maintain your competitive edge and keep your website in those coveted top few spots, you must follow Google’s rules. The above trends are instrumental in doing just that; if executed well, you’ll be raking in the customers left and right.