7 SEO Trends to Watch in 2018
As we enter the fourth quarter of 2017, it’s time to reflect on the past seven years of SEO and consider how to approach the field in 2018. With the digital landscape constantly evolving, it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the changing trends. In this article, we’ll explore seven key SEO trends to watch in 2018.
1. The Rise of Voice Search
Voice search technology has revolutionized the way we communicate and process information. With the growing market of digital assistants, we can expect a further shift towards voice search in 2018. To stay ahead, SEOers need to focus on long-tail keywords and natural language that matches the user’s voice. As digital assistants become more accurate, more people will use voice search for quick and relevant answers on mobile devices. To provide more accurate results, it’s essential to study user intent and help algorithms provide the best answer.
2. Link Building
Link building is expected to continue in 2018, but high-quality, related strategies are more important than ever. Establishing authority and relevance in the industry is crucial, and this can be achieved by seeking cooperation with related websites. A diversified link building strategy is essential to avoid being noticed by search engines as false positives. In 2018, successful SEO strategies will focus on establishing relationships, not just networking between people, but also between networks.
3. User Experience
User experience will become increasingly important in 2018. Google has emphasized the need for a focus on the user, and each site must provide a friendly UX. A good user experience increases the chances of users participating and helps search engines find useful pages. To monitor the site’s speed, readability, and navigation structure is reasonable, and carefully observe visitor browsing habits through data to optimize the user experience.
4. Featured Snippets and Fast Answers
Featured snippets and fast answers are becoming increasingly popular, with nearly 30% of Google search queries showing featured segments. To optimize for this feature, SEOers need to focus on long-tail keywords and natural language that matches the user’s voice. The content should be presented in a format that makes it easy for Google to extract the correct information, such as lists, tables, and charts.
5. Mobile-First Indexing Strategy
By 2018, more companies will actively move towards mobile-first indexing, rather than passively adapting to mobile devices. With the diversification of mobile search environments, each page should have unique content to unfold and differentiate itself for different cities and regions. Local user’s mobile optimization and the rise of voice search can facilitate the search experience through personalized and relevant answers.
6. The Rise of Visual Search
Visual search is a new field that combines technological innovation and user experience to explore a new level. As the Internet becomes more visual, there is a good chance to explore the power of visual search. Major technology companies, including Bing, Pinterest, and Google, have been investing in the development of powerful visual search engines to take advantage of this new trend. SEOers need to consider the way we consume visual content and search engine beyond text to explore the ever-changing search habits.
7. AI and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence and machine learning have changed the way search results ranking. Machine learning can promote the occurrence of the search to help users find contextual results. Perhaps, the current ranking of search results has been the shadow of artificial intelligence in it. This will lead to a more personalized experience, and the rise of search and digital voice assistant can provide an ideal basis for the development of artificial intelligence. Search engines will reward successful SEO strategies that keep up with this trend.
Summary: Changing SEO in 2018
In 2018, SEO will be a volatile year. Traditional search engine optimization techniques are still valid, but many of the trends can significantly change the practice of search optimization. With the development of search engines, there are more opportunities to increase search traffic without having to focus on organic SERP. Features such as fragments, the rise of PPC, voice search, and local SEO can usually produce better results than organic rankings. To keep up with the latest trends, it’s essential to integrate existing and growing trends and understand how your brand can maintain a successful SEO strategy in the coming year.