The Google Algorithm is fine-tuned pretty much all the time to get the most relevant search results on top of the stack. For this reason, you’ll want to have a comprehensive, well-thought-out SEO strategy in order for your website to rank higher in Google search results.
Here are the SEO trends that you need to watch out for this year to secure a top spot on searches for your Peoria business:
Websites Changing to HTTPS
HTTP (or the HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the standard method of data and information transfer over the internet. It is fast, it is reliable, and it has been around since the internet took shape. One thing it is not, however, is ‘secure.’ Hacking into an HTTP site can be a walk in the park, and if you handle sensitive personal information of your users, that is the last thing you want.
The answer to this data protection issue is HTTPS (or HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure). If your site has switched to HTTPS, the visitor data on your site will be encrypted and secured. It is no wonder why over half of the one million most visited websites are now actively redirecting to HTTPS. Put another way: the future is HTTPS.
Featured Snippets
A featured snippet is essentially anything on the search results that is not a traditional organic result. For example, if you type in the name of a celebrity on Google, you will most likely see a Knowledge Panel above the search results list that will include the celebrity’s basic info (their full name, age, and previous works). The primary objective of the featured snippet is to provide users with the most relevant information in the shortest amount of time possible. Obviously, these types of results get more clicks because of the prime real estate and visually striking look in SERPs.
If you want exposure on a SERP feature, then you’ll need to: (1) secure a spot on the first page of the results because Google curates the Featured Snippets from websites on top of the leader board; and (2) have content that targets your customer’s search query effectively and precisely.
Growing Popularity of Voice Search
With the increasing popularity of Siri, Alexa, and Cortana, we can reasonably assume that there is a real market for virtual personal assistants. These AIs are being used by more and more people to set their alarms, schedule their day, and answer their questions about everything under the sun. The increased adoption of this technology is something that you can leverage to bring your brand to the top of the front page.
Note: Instead of the choppy question lingo used in text search, users using voice search use natural, conversational sentences. This means that with this SEO trend, it is more about the natural language and the intended meaning behind the search query, rather than the query itself. So, you may want to rethink your keywords and your marketing material to make sure you’re ready to ride this wave.
Mobile-First Indexing
Thanks to a steady rise in engagements from mobile devices in recent years, Google rolled out its ‘mobile-first indexing’ in 2018. With the new algorithm, Google started indexing and ranking websites based on how the site content was viewed on mobile devices rather than on desktop. So, if you want to climb up the search ladder, your website needs to be optimized for mobile devices. If you do not have a mobile-friendly site, you are essentially disregarding more than 55% of internet users.
Making the Most Out of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in Peoria
It can be hard to keep up with the changes in the Google search algorithm. This is where we come in. We can help you stay updated on the changes, taking your online brand to the top of the search results. If you would like to take advantage of SEO in Peoria, contact us today.