As 2018 begins, it is time to analyze the digital marketing landscape for the year. There has been various developments in SEO over the past 10 months. Many eminent trends of 2017 will continue and develop in 2018. As Google’s algorithm updates continuously keep business owners on their toes, many other trends are expected to take new shape in 2017.
Here are a few things to look out for in the succeeding months:
Optimization for user intent
Though, keywords are still very important, typing in simple words generates simple results. Consumers today know exactly what they want and what they are looking for, search engines are getting much better at distinguishing user needs and intentions. Therefore, users now use long term keywords and phrases to search their queries, which gathers relevant data for the users and provides them the exact answer for what the customer is looking for.
In 2018, it will be critical for the brands, they will need to place value on analyzing their digital content based on intent rather than specific keywords.
Look into, What users are searching for that brings them to your page? What questions do they want your content to answer?
Analyze: Once you have collected your research data and found areas that need to work, make the changes required to boost up your ratings. Based on your optimization, tell the consumer’s story by reconstructing the content to reflect the reader’s experience
Adjust: Analytics is one of the best tool where you can keep all the track of and compare your ratings. Keep up with analytics every time to see what’s working and what isn’t so you can update according with the results.
More rich answers and snippets
We all turn to Google for answers. In answer to our queries, Google will often display the relevant information directly in search results.
Structured data markup (often described to as “schema markup”) can help website owners achieve these enhanced listings on search engine results pages (SERPs). This markup works to help search engines in understanding website content, allowing them to display the genuine information in a way that is helpful for the users.
For example, let’s say you ask Google for instructions for baking cake. The SERP provides you with a rich and relevant answer (also known as a “direct answer) followed by search listings.Adding structured data markup to your website can increase your chances of having an improved SERP listing.
Users love quick access to useful information like this, so do yourself a favor and consider enforcing schema markup for your website in 2018, if you haven’t already.
Increased mobile growth
Mobile accessibility has remolded SEO over the past few years. Mobile search is increasing at a rapid pace and isn’t showing any signs of decreasing down in the future. Traffic distribution has been shifting away from desktop and moving towards mobile devices, and many websites are already getting the more of their traffic from mobile devices.
In May 2015, Google reported that mobile searches had exceeded desktop searches on its search engine. Since then, the company has taken many steps forward which indicate that mobile, should be regarded as the default user experience. In fact, Google has recently announced that it has started experiments to make its index mobile-first. Mobile optimization is already very important in SEO strategies. However, it will prove to be compulsory in 2018.
Voice search is the next big thing
Voice search has been a current project in the tech industry for a few years now. It has become one of the fastest-growing search options.
As technology enhances with each update, the error rate of voice search keeps decreasing.The aim for voice search in 2018 is to go up and beyond voice recognition and evolve into voice understanding. This involves many changes with respect to:
Location-based context.
Context based on frequently used apps.
Keyword research based on spoken queries.
Previous searches.
Personalized information.
Voice search is a one of the greatest trends of the digital age. With large improvements to Siri, Google Now and Cortana, SEO marketers would be wise to closely analyze voice invention and think beyond text-based queries in 2018.