Changes in SEO Best Practices: What You Need to Know
If you're running a website or managing online content, you've probably heard the term "SEO" thrown around a lot. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important for helping your site rank higher on search engines like Google. But did you know that SEO best practices are constantly evolving?
Let’s break down some of the most significant changes you should be aware of and how you can adapt.
The Shift to User Experience (UX)
One of the biggest shifts in SEO recently has been the increased focus on user experience. Google’s algorithm now prioritizes sites that provide a seamless experience. This means faster load times, mobile-friendliness, and easy navigation are more important than ever. According to Google, 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than three seconds to load. So, if your site isn't optimized for speed, you might be losing potential customers!
But user experience isn't the only factor driving SEO changes—content quality is equally crucial.
Content Quality Over Quantity
Gone are the days when cranking out a high volume of content was enough to get noticed. Now, search engines reward quality over quantity. This means creating valuable, informative, and engaging content that answers users' questions effectively. According to HubSpot, companies that prioritize blogging are 13 times more likely to see a positive ROI. So, focus on crafting content that relates to your audience and addresses their needs.
While content quality is essential, it's also important to consider how users are searching for that content, which brings us to the rise of voice search.
The Rise of Voice Search
With the arrival of smart speakers and voice-activated assistants, voice search is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, ComScore estimates that by 2024, 50% of all searches will be voice searches. This means you need to adapt your keyword strategy to include natural language and question-based phrases. Instead of targeting "best running shoes," consider optimizing for "what are the best running shoes for flat feet?"
Voice search isn’t the only trend to watch—local SEO is also crucial for many businesses.
Local SEO is Essential
If you run a local business, optimizing for local SEO is very important. This includes claiming your Google My Business listing and ensuring your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms. According to a study by BrightLocal, 78% of mobile local searches result in an offline purchase. If you want to attract local customers, this is non-negotiable!
That’s why knowing your target market is also one of the most important steps, so that you would know what kind of approach in keywords to use.
Metadata Keywords
On September 21, 2009 -- meta keyword has already been decommissioned by Google; they published an article stating they would no longer use meta keywords in ranking web search results. It has been a topic in SEOs discussions that sparked different opinions. Most of the updates being carried out for searches are coming from Google. It is quite logical that SEOs are following what Google says, but whether we like it or not, it is not the only search engine there is. While it is the largest, there are other people who are still using other search engines in desktop and mobile like Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, DuckDuckGo, and more. Including meta keyword is a "safe" task in making sure that the SEO is not missing out on any opportunities that it may provide.
Takeaways:
Improve Site Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site's speed and implement necessary changes.
Focus on Quality Content: Create in-depth articles that answer common questions in your niche.
Optimize for Voice Search: Adjust your keyword strategy to include conversational phrases.
Strengthen Local SEO: Claim and optimize your Google My Business profile for better local visibility.
Use Logical Reasons: Don’t focus on one thing because it’s mainstream.
Conclusion
Staying updated with SEO best practices is essential for maintaining and improving your online presence. By focusing on user experience, content quality, local SEO, and adapting to voice search, you're setting yourself up for success. Want to make sure your site stays ahead? Get in touch with Milyon Digital today for a free SEO audit, and let's make it happen!
