Search engine algorithm updates are getting smarter. The latest penguin upgrade has allowed Google to fine tune its AI. This results in more refined searches and gives keyword-optimized content a competitive edge. Here are a few tips on how to build an SEO-rich website in 2018.
Social Media Integration
Incorporating social media data (e.g. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram statistics and hashtags) can help improve your ranking. This is because social media offers a pool of information that traditional sources, such as keyword planner, fail to provide. This integration is effective if your web content is focused on a new product/service and social media response is your only authentic feedback source.
Mobile Compatibility
The Mobilegeddon of 2015 has drastically changed SEO strategies and web designing. The new algorithm upgrade pushes mobile and tablet-compatible websites further up the search engine results. Experts at a leading SEO agency predict that the trend will continue over the next two years. If you’re planning to launch a new website, consult web developers now and make sure your web pages are compatible with all screen types, other than desktop computers.
Voice Search
Voice search may soon be competing with (and completely overtake) text-based search in the years to follow. At present, Apple and Android devices come with built-in voice search and mobile assistant apps. As an SEO expert or web designer, you need to understand the importance of voice search and consider ways on how to make it a part of your SEO strategies.
Relevance Matters
Keywords play a vital role in SEO. However, your web content should focus more on addressing the reader’s queries rather than keyword saturation. It should address all promises and assertions made in your title and description. For instance, a webpage on “Why Choose Us?” should give plenty of reasons why your particular business should be chosen by the reader and a clear call-to-action should be present.
Keyword saturation will do you more harm than good. Crawlers will identify and mark your webpage/blog as spam if the keyword density is beyond the tolerable threshold (3-6%).
Quality Oriented SEO
The last advice is the least followed. Content marketing pundits focus on the quality of online material, rather than the quantity. Google determines your website ranking by using a range of metrics- one of which is overall customer engagement.
As a rule of thumb, it is better to share only one new post a month and get a few likes, shares, links and comments than publishing over a hundred articles a month and generating no activity.
Organic SEO may be getting back in action. The competition for search engine ranking is getting tough due to both rival businesses and location-based questions. As a result, large companies are losing their traffic to smaller websites that offer SEO-rich and user-friendly blogs and articles.
2018 will be year of hit and misses for all SEO experts. But one thing is sure, if you’re willing to learn and improvise with search engine upgrades, your content is likely to survive and thrive online.
