SEO Trends in 2018
When it comes to SEO, some things change, while others stay the same. To put this in perspective, in 2017, Google accounted for over 79% of all global desktop search traffic. So, it’s pretty safe to say that Google’s rules control a lot of what is going on regarding SEO each year. Now, in 2018 though, there are other factors that are changing the way we approach SEO. Let’s take a closer look at some.
The Advent of Voice Searches
This tech isn’t new, but now, new items like digital assistants are making voice searches more popular across the board. Today, 1 out of 5 searches come from voice queries. This is important for SEO because the type of keywords that get you the best return on your investments may change. Start thinking about what people will say versus what they would type. Another thing to consider is using more long-tail keywords. These are always used for mobile devices, but we are seeing them more at home as well.
Website Speed and Accessibility
According to statistics and studies, you only have a few seconds for your page to load before your customer thinks something is wrong and chooses a different site. This may not be a direct SEO trend, but it is important because it can neutralize all your SEO work when it comes to getting conversions. Huge image files and outdated plugins are some of the biggest culprits for long page loads, so run some diagnostics to figure out what is going wrong.
Link Building Changes
Link building is still important, but it is now quality over quantity that is important. Google has outright said they want to take a closer look in this regard, and while we don’t know how things will change, you want to be ahead of the game. Think about long-term partnerships rather than cheap arrangements to get a lot of backlinks quick.
Multimedia
As part of the ongoing changes to searches, we are seeing an increase in video and image searches across the board. While there may not be an obvious way to work this to your advantage, it should be something that you have in mind for the future. What ways can you implement videos into your advertising strategy? If you are incorporating images, are you using alt tags and other techniques to raise their SEO potential? Content comes in many forms, and you want to have them all working for you.
To stay on top of trends like these, you always want to have the services of a skilled SEO services provider like DBR Visuals at the ready. If your website isn’t properly optimized, they can help put things together for you, as well as adjust your SEO strategy as the market changes.