The rise in voice search, chatbots, and mobile technology will change the SEO world as we know it today. Here are 10 SEO trends to watch out for in 2020.

Are you interested in taking your website to the next level?

We all know that search engine optimization is the key to web success, but are you familiar with the latest SEO trends?

The newest trends are the result of Google updating its algorithms and adjusting to new advancements in technology. To keep your site ahead of the curve, read on to learn about the top ten SEO trends to watch for in 2020.

Voice Search

“Hey Siri, can I ask you a question?”

I’m sure you and your friends are constantly asking Siri questions. The voice search function on iPhones and other devices has made voice searching one of the top SEO trends to watch in 2020.

It’s easy and convenient, which are two things people love. Traditional long-tail keyword search requires users to type keywords and phrases into the search bar. For instance, someone searching for a loveseat will probably type “loveseats” or “leather sofa” into the search bar.

Voice search requires complete sentences. People will say “Siri, where can I find a leather loveseat?” The new extended phrase means you will have to optimize your keyword search tools. Try adding simple words like “who, what, where” to your search tool.

Referral Traffic

Nothing is better for your site than validation from a reputable site. Link building is an integral part of SEO and Google has done a lot to improve their search algorithms throughout the years.

The popularity of guest blogs led to abuse and Google decided to create an entire list to let users know what they consider “guest blog abuse.”

Now, don’t get scared. You can still use links in guest blogs, you just need to get creative. Reach out to some bloggers and ask them to write an in-depth review of your product or service.

A review is a natural way to promote your product and build links without looking fishy. Other link-building strategies include nurturing relationships within your community to encourage holistic referral traffic.

Focus on Your Locals

Every business has a home base, and people in your hometown are more likely to use your service or product. Local customers mean repeat and loyal consumers.

If local SEO isn’t something you’re too concerned with, you are doing your business a great disservice. Google offers tools such as My Business to help local companies register and promote their businesses online.

Now, optimize your site by searching for location specific keywords. You know what people in your hometown need, so focus your search on these keywords. Embedding a keyword into the site’s URL is another great trick.

You may think you’re scaring away customers if you make your site location-specific, but you’re actually doing the opposite. Local customers are real people and they’re much more likely to leave reviews or promote the business through word-of-mouth.

People are also more likely to trust local reviews. To spread the local love, feature some of your positive reviews on the company website.

Improve the User Experience

Functionality is key when building a successful website and user experience is a testament to your site’s functionality. High bounce rates mean people don’t understand what’s going on or they have trouble using the site.

Working with a UX professional goes beyond using the right colours or fonts, it means understanding the mind of your user.

Every website should be optimized for mobile devices. The mobile format is important because most people search for things on their phones. Sites with poor formats have a higher bounce rate.

You should also pay attention to the site’s speed. Nobody wants to wait forever for a site to load.

Upgrade Site Images

Google and other search engines have a special engine dedicated to scouring the web for images. For years, people have used Google images to search for rare photos and now Google has upgraded their search engine to find more distinct photos.

It’s important to utilize image names and tags to improve the search capabilities. Remember to use keywords when naming images and creating alt tags.

For maximum exposure, post company images on your social media accounts. Photos posted on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter receive lots of organic traffic.

Hashtags are the social media version of keywords and people search hashtags to find relevant images and information. Find the most relevant hashtags to your brand and use them consistently on your social media.

Get Rid of the HTTP

Google has updated their algorithms to view HTTPS as an “unsafe” site.

The message that pops up saying your computer may be at “risk” for viruses is more likely to appear when your site address has the HTTP field.

Mentions

You may think search algorithms are totally ignoring your brand if there isn’t a direct link to your site within the article, but it’s not.

Recently, Bing has announced it is keeping track of brand mentions with no link attached. Linkless mentions are the new frontier and they can help your site tremendously. Luckily, Google is also planning to follow suit.

The whole idea of mentions is a tool employed by social media sites which already have metrics to measure how often a brand is mentioned. But, Google and Bing using the same metric will revolutionize search functions. Now, your site will rank higher in the search engine.

Mobile-First Indexing

Remember earlier when we mentioned the importance of voice search and optimizing your site for mobile devices?

Well, this is why. Studies have shown that websites receive most of their traffic from mobile users.

Now, Google has decided to rank websites based on their mobile content. This is probably one of the most dramatic SEO trends of 2020. This changes how you approach designing your site and maximizing the user experience. If you don’t have a mobile version of your site, you need to create one.

Examining Conversion Rates

Converting leads into customers is the primary goal of content marketing. Google has found a way to integrate Urchin Tracking Modules (UTM) into their analytics to track a campaign.

You create a special UTM code for different URLs to track ads, coupons, and other promotional campaigns. You can also input special keywords to test their effectiveness in your campaign. These metrics are located in the Standard Reporting section.

On-page metrics is a big SEO trend for 2018. You can test the effectiveness of campaigns and monitor what’s working and what isn’t.

Brand Building

Developing a good brand reputation is the key to online success. To do this requires following all of the SEO trends we’ve already mentioned.
Online brand monitoring through google analytics will help you learn more about your target market and what they want from you. Once you learn your market, you must interact with them.

Create social media pages and talk to your followers. Create surveys, giveaways, coupon codes, etc. to increase online engagement.

In 2020, social media is a large part of brand building. Your brand needs an active social presence and it needs to be able to compete with similar brands in your market.

Final Thoughts on SEO Trends for 2020

At Central Coast SEO, we understand SEO like the back of our hand. We’ll be able to help you navigate those trick Google Analytics tools and develop a strategy that provides real results.

Need to get your business on the first page of Google? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Simply call (02) 433 94034 for a no-obligation quote. The first page of Google is only a phone call away.