Do you feel like, in spite of all of the work you’ve put into creating the perfect website, you’re still not seeing the kinds of conversions you need?
Are you frustrated by your inability to find the time to manage your web presence — and know that you’re falling behind as a result?
Do you just wish that you knew more about what was happening in the world of SEO, and which trends you should focus on when it comes to digital marketing?
If so, then this is the post for you. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the top SEO trends of 2018.
1. Voice Search Will Rule
Thanks to Amazon’s Echo and similar products, voice search is far and away one of the biggest SEO trends of 2018. In fact, reporting from Google has discovered that about 20% of all searches are now voice searches.
So, how can you optimize your content for voice search?
First of all, you’ll need to switch up your keywords. Instead of shorter phrases, you should now rely on more long tail keyword phrases. This is because it mimics the way people actually speak.
The best place for these long tail keywords is on your website’s “Frequently Asked Questions” page. The more detailed your responses, the more likely your website is to be featured in the “Snippets” section of Google search results.
This means that your website’s content will be at the top of the search results page, and will be read aloud to the person who conducted the search.
2. Mobile-First Indexing
In today’s world, there are officially more searches conducted on mobile devices than on traditional desktop computers.
Now, Google has announced that it will be taking a mobile-first approach to indexing website pages, in an effort to provide a better service to consumers.
This means that, if you haven’t taken the time to test out the overall mobile-friendliness of your website, you should do so immediately.
Ensure that all the content on your website – whether written, an image, or a video — is optimized for mobile. Make sure that your content is broken up so that it’s easy to read on a mobile device.
Ensure that your menu options and images on your homepage can be easily clicked on from a mobile device and that your font is big enough for easy reading.
Finally, if possible, eliminate autoplay features and oversized images. Not only are they annoying, but they also slow down your website when accessed from a mobile device.
3. Increased Security Through HTTPS
With 14 million American businesses currently at risk for hacking, one of the biggest SEO trends in 2018 is all about ensuring that you’re doing everything you can to protect your customers’ information.
Not only can hacks seriously slow down your business. At times, they can also damage the reputation of your company beyond repair.
The solution, luckily, is quite simple.
One of the best steps you can take to make sure your website is as secure as possible?
Making the switch from HTTP sites to HTTPS sites. You’ll know you’re accessing an HTTPS website because of the green lock and the word “Secure” in your website address bar.
Plus, Google even penalizes sites that do not use HTTPS — so to avoid falling in the search engine rankings, make the change today.
4. The Rise Of Video Content
Think that the biggest SEO trends of 2018 only have to do with written web content?
Think again.
In fact, video content is back and bigger than ever — especially since YouTube is officially the world’s second largest search engine.
So, what can you do to create video content and descriptions that engage your audience while keeping SEO in mind?
First of all, ensure that your YouTube channel’s look and content is consistent with your overall branding strategy. Use the same icons as you do on other social media profiles, and make your channel name as straightforward as possible.
When you write your video descriptions, keep in mind that you should include keywords within the first 100 characters of your content.
Your description also offers you the chance to incorporate several different keywords — so don’t be afraid to make descriptions a few hundred words.
5. An Increased Focus On Local SEO
When it comes to the biggest SEO trends of 2018, the final one on our list is all about taking a step back.
Too often, companies and brands want to be a big fish in a big pond. In their efforts to capture the attention of a wide market, they often end up completely ignoring the people that are the most likely to actually do business with them — their local markets.
In 2018, you’ll see lots more businesses claiming and completely filling out their Google My Business pages. You should also start incorporating location-based keywords and long tail phrases into your content.
Finally, always make sure that you include a Google Map on the “Contact” page of your website. This makes your site more likely to pop up in the results of local, on-the-go searchers.
Which Of These SEO Trends Will You Embrace In 2018?
We hope that this list of the top SEO trends for 2018 has inspired you to give your website the makeover it needs to outrank the competition.
Remember, it’s all about local SEO, voice search, video content, HTTPS, and mobile-first indexing.
However, especially when you’re busy with the day-to-day tasks of running your business, it can sometimes be hard to keep pace with the ever-changing world of SEO.
That’s where we can help.
Spend some time on our website and blog to learn more about the SEO and design services we offer. When you’re ready to increase your traffic and rise in the rankings, get in touch with us.
