SEO trends are hard to track because it is always moving. From algorithm updates to evolving innovation – it can feel like the goal post is always moving. Even though the goal of SEO remains the same, the tactics for getting there will look different from year to year.
Here are five SEO trends you may want to take note of.
- Voice and Mobile Search
Currently, around half (44%) of all internet users in the US use a voice assistant. It has also been part of our daily lives. The challenge here is how can you optimize your content for people searching with their ears – not their eyes.
Another solution is to optimize your website for mobile. Since most voice searches occur on mobile and smart devices, it is a good move to make sure your website is optimized on mobile. Google prefers mobile-friendly sites with fast speeds.
You can also rework your content to include common questions users may ask. This is helpful in identifying points that are usually missed.
- Tightened Page Headers
Last 2021, Google rolled out a new search ranking feature called “Passages”, which allows Google rank specific sections of a page semi-independently from the page itself.
If your page is not organized, you may tighten your page headers to provide more context for different sections, enabling Google to understand your content regardless of the markup.
- Emotionally Charged Headlines
There’s a lot of research put into it just to overcome a compelling headline. One research shows that of the five million headlines, emotional titles – either positive or negative – have a higher click-through rate than neutral titles. For emotionally charged titles, it can drive clicks up to a point. If you go any further, you quickly enter clickbait-land.
Power words like unbelievable, insane, and crazy might be catchy headline that works on social media. However, use them sparingly so as not to hurt your organic CTR.
- Video in Search Results
YouTube has a Featured Snippet game where they tend to appear for “how-to” searches where the reader is looking for step by step. These are called video snippets and are predicted that it will continue to incorporate video in search results.
- Tweaking Content for “People Also Ask”
While browsing Google, there is something new: People Also Ask (PAA). 43% of search queries now include a PAA box.
It also has a prominent position at the top of the SERP, almost everyone wants to rank in this highly coveted feature. These PAA boxes start with question words, like “what”, “why”, and “when”. You may also use a keyword research tool to identify long-tail question keywords and include these questions in your page headers.
With the fast-changing of SEO in this industry, it will determine the change that they demand. You need to start keeping an eye on trends and understand that while it may feel like these changes are out of our control, so much is in our control.
