SEO is a fast-moving industry. With the introduction of new technologies and updating of previous ones, there are constant changes to improve the quality of search results. For the remainder of 2021, several existing SEO trends are expected to continue, refining without redefining the search landscape.
Next, we will present a list of 9 SEO trends that you should consider to improve your organic positioning:
1) Click-free searches will continue to increase
The percentage of total searches that are click-free has been found to be increasing over the past few years. Search engines like Google are answering more and more queries in search results (SERP) functions, and there is no need to click on a result when the answer is there.
Click-free searches will continue to rise as algorithms that get webpage responses to featured snippets improve. When developing SEO it will be important to consider this, and sometimes it is best not to rank for words with high percentages of no-click searches.
But just because it is a keyword without clicks does not mean that it does not have opportunities. Appearing with your domain in the results of a query can help grow awareness of your brand, reaching more people
2) Artificial intelligence will play a greater role in SEO
Artificial intelligence continues to change the way people interact with content found in SERPs.
Google has an AI algorithm called RankBrain, which plays an important role in determining the positioning of the results of a query. Being a tool with the ability to learn, it would be expected to continue improving over time, learning from the experience signals that the user reveals from their search. SEO will have to be optimized for RankBrain, seeking to improve the user experience signals on your page.
3) Providing a good user experience will be even more critical
As seen in the previous point, Google seeks to rank well content that provides positive user experiences.
Signals such as using https, intrusive ads, and mobile compatibility are factors considered. Additionally, the following fundamental elements of the website are taken into account:
- How fast the largest element loads.
- The time it takes for the page to respond after a user interacts with it.
- How much things move during page load.
4) Voice search will continue to increase in popularity
As voice search technology has improved, it has become more popular.
To optimize SEO for a voice search, it is necessary to focus on keywords. You will have to identify the phrases or questions that users are asking, and try to answer them on your page. By answering these questions directly, your page will be able to rank better.
5) Mobile compatibility will be important
Mobile-friendliness has been a Google ranking factor for the past few years. Using mobile-first index, where the search engine crawls the mobile version of a site first, mobile compatibility is crucial to ranking well.
6) Google will improve at identifying EAT
For Google, the quality of content is fundamental, and the factors that help determine the quality of a site are EAT: experience, authority and reliability.
In SEO development it is of great importance to improve and demonstrate these factors. For this we recommend:
- Update content regularly.
- Verify the content, that it is factually accurate.
- Stay with what you know, you don't have to be experts on all topics.
- Get more reviews. Low reviews may give you a negative reputation.
- Get more links and mentions from other sites.
7) Google Discover will generate more traffic
Google Discover It is a tool with artificial intelligence that eliminates the user's need to make queries, identifying content that may interest them in a predictive manner. To do this, Google uses activity data, location data and topics followed by the user.
Having optimized content on relevant or trending topics, on a fast page that meets EAT requirements, will increase the chances of your site appearing by default in Google Discover.
8) Image optimization will become even more important
Image search is continually evolving, becoming more used and gaining even more potential. If a user performs an image search for a product you sell, images from your product page may appear in SERPs. If you want to buy your product, you just have to click on the image.
Google also often pulls images from product pages for informational searches where users often look for inspiration.
By using image SEO practices such as descriptive file names, alt text, and product schema markup, pages can rank in image search for queries like this.
9) Search intent will continue to be the most important thing
There are different reasons why people search. They might be looking to buy something, learn something, or find a particular website.
The understanding of the intention behind the queries It is a critical aspect for search engines, which is why we continue to invest heavily in technologies that help with this, as well as RankBrain and the Knowledge Graph. Semantic search and intent optimization will continue to become more important in the future.
To position a page well, you must ensure that the content aligns with the search intent. Optimize content for topic clusters rather than focusing solely on keywords, designing content to answer questions your target audience would ask. Google search results are the best proxy for search intent.
SEO trends will continue to change
SEO is becoming a more complex topic. SEO metrics and trends are constantly evolving and changing. Knowing where the search landscape is heading can help you optimize SEO in the short and long term.