SEO Trends to Prepare For in 2019

Big changes are coming to the world of search engines. While it’s hard to pin down exactly what we can expect to see in the next few months from Search Engine Optimization (SEO), there are some trends that are worth counting money on. Like everything on the internet today, search engines like Google are constantly evolving. It’s up to us to evolve with them if we want our businesses to succeed in the future.

What can we expect to see in the world of SEO in 2019? Not only will the algorithms keep updating, but search engine results are likely to keep changing thanks to new technology. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are making a splash in a big way. User behavior and mobile search are also playing a large role in upcoming trends. As always, black hat practices will continue to be punished while those who create quality content can expect to be rewarded. Let’s take a closer look at these upcoming trends.

1. Rise of Voice Search

While voice search didn’t take off as much as we thought it would in 2018, the next year is expected to change all of that. Google is getting closer to 100% accuracy, and it’s expected to become one of the leading ways to search since mobile is taking over. Thanks to Google Assistance, Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, and more, it might not be long until our AI assistants get the work done for us.

What does voice search mean for business owners? The biggest change will be related to local voice search. Local businesses can benefit from honing on on targeted keywords that are likely to be spoken by their customers.

Voice Search: Steps You Can Take Today

  1. Optimize your keywords for voice search by using conversational keywords
  2. Learn more about artificial intelligence and Google’s voice projects

2. Video Keyword Research

We’ve seen a rise in video SEO recently, and it’s no surprise this is here to stay. A quick scroll on social media will show you just how powerful videos are today, and even small businesses can jump on this trend. With video-sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo honing in on their own search engine capabilities, it’s no longer possible to ignore these platforms if you want to keep your online presence competitive.

Online video now accounts for half of all traffic on mobile alone. The SEO experts in online marketing from Lead to Conversion utilize video in both their own SERP efforts and their clients’ campaigns. It’s accessible, easy to consume, and builds relationships with customers. By utilizing keywords in videos (titles, descriptions, and tags), online marketers and business owners can stand out online.

Video Keyword Research: Steps You Can Take Today

  1. Create a video strategy that includes content your audience will find engaging such as explainer tutorials or brand films
  2. Upload videos on top platforms like YouTube and utilize relevant keywords

3. Content Development

That’s right, the final trend is as simple as quality content. Websites of today are lacking their humanity. There’s an emphasis on search engines first, customers second. In 2019, we’re doing away with that trend and inviting in a new area of user-centric design. Your design team needs to build websites that work with users, not against them.

Today, people expect brands to create engaging, informative content. Those who don’t are left behind the crowd. Low-quality, short content won’t cut it. The average first-page result on Google has an average of 1,890 words. Keyword stuffing, short-tail keywords, and irrelevant links aren’t making a dent in your page ranking in 2019. It’s time to get real about your content strategy.

Content Development: Steps You Can Take Today

  1. Stop keyword stuffing for good and focus on quality, long-tail keywords that target your audience’s needs
  2. Create personalized, quality content for every stage of your customer’s journey from discovery to sale

Making an impact in 2019 will depend on your ability to adapt to these changes in the world of SEO. As you know, this industry moves fast. Are you willing to change with it? If so, then follow these trends above to hit the ground running before the new year.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.