All the online businesses and SEO experts both dread and look forward to the Google algorithm updates. What alarm them are the unexpected changes in the algorithm that can demolish their years of efforts that went into building a website and its reputation. But what they eagerly wait for is the guidance about what they can do to ensure the online businesses and clients reach the top rankings in search engine and turn lucrative. After the introduction of Core Update on June 2019, the entire internet industry began to shake because of the strict ranking standards that showed the intent to look into every aspect of SEO and online businesses more deeply to empower its users.
Within the period of its roll-out, some notable websites slipped down the rankings miserably, while others did reasonably well in terms of sustainability. Even many internet gurus failed to be assertive about their discoveries. However, as they say – “after a storm comes calm.” Although it can still be a bit early to point out what can work in your favor and what not, there are some SEO trends as per the experts that can pay off in the long run. Here are a few tips on this for your knowledge.
The latest SEO trends
Straightforward content
Content has always been the critical focus in SEO practices because of its impact in search engine rankings, and with every passing day, its utility has become its core strength. So, whatever content you publish on your website, blogging platform, or elsewhere, make sure that it is informative as well as user-friendly. The ones, which can address customers’ concern and queries, can successfully attract organic traffic and quality links.
The intent of the content
Gone are the days when keyword stuffing used to be the success potion for any website to perform well in the rankings. Hence, the emphasis has to be more on the search intent of the user, to understand what he or she wants from you, and how you can deliver it to them through your written piece of information. If you achieve this, you will most likely become the priority on SERP.
However, in this context, you need to note one critical factor regarding the length of the content. Word count is one area that witnesses in-depth discussions around it. Earlier, you could post a 300 to 500-word articles with an expectation to see it perform. But with the progression of time, the experts have started emphasizing the need for long articles and blog postings. The reason behind this could be the kind of research, depth, and extent of information it contains, and thereby, reflects credibility. The ones with 1000 or 1500 words tend to get more backlinks quickly.
Mobile-friendliness
The growing use of mobile devices has made it evident that users don’t have to rush for their desktops now to obtain details about any particular service, product, or anything else. They can check the internet on their tablets and cell phones and access whatever they require on the go or from the comfort of their home. How could Google not take this into account? The online marketing gurus already saw this trend coming and started recommending businesses and individuals to get mobile ready with their websites. In the coming days also, the small screen-based layouts and contents will gain more traction and priority, and their faster loading time will also create an impact in the page rankings.
Website speed
Nobody has the time or intent to keep patience for a slow loading website. Since Google has always been user-focused, there is no surprise that the element of speed matters so much to it. That means you have to keep a check on the speed of your website not just to please your users but the search engine giant too.
User engagement
Another thing that can play into your hands is how much you interact with your user. The higher the engagement, the better! One of the sources that can come in handy in this matter is social media, wherefrom teens to adults, everyone spends quality time. Most search engines value the amount of engagement a particular piece of content garners on major social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. The number of shares, comments, and likes indicate the popularity of the published matter, and this works as a signal for Google and others to take it seriously.
So, whether or not you focused on social engagements earlier, try to do it now. Connect with your users in real-time through relevant and productive posts and involve them. It will carry lots of significance in terms of rankings of your business.
Secure website
Did you notice what the URL of your site contains – HTTP or HTTPS? Https stands for Hypertext Transport Protocol Security. The https websites are considered safe and secure from the perspective of the users as they require authentication and encryption. These are easy to detect because of the symbol of padlock they contain at the beginning of the URL. While encryption ensures the safety of the users’ information, authentication shows protection from hackers. Both these factors go a long way in building trust with the visitors, which if you know, helps you meet one of the E-A-T criteria, i.e., trustworthiness.
These are only a few things; there are so many more factors that you have to consider to ensure your SEO strategies are on the mark. Then, each of these activities themselves is extensive and time-consuming than if you try to focus on them, your attention from the core business will get distracted. Therefore, the best decision in such a situation can be to hire a reputable SEO agency in your city of Toronto. For help, you can contact SEO Digital Rocket Fuelor some other agency that you know. The agency people possess all the necessary details and tools that help them to achieve the goals on behalf of their customers. When you talk to them about their services and experiences, make sure you test them from every possible angle.