SEO or search engine optimization is ever changing and evolving. It’s the one area of running an online business, blog, or website for your offline business, where you cannot rest. Even those that have been successful online for many years have to regularly reassess their SEO strategy, work on old content and take the time to learn about new ideas. All of those things that you implemented last year were great, but now it’s time to do more.
The internet evolves. Search engines develop and learn like a living thing. Every year they become more advanced, they start looking for different things, and they learn more about what their users want, and how they can help them more. While we should never write for search engines, we do need them to find us, so their needs must be taken into consideration. A Search Engine Optimization Company company can help you to strike the right balance, but here are some of the things that should be on your SEO checklist to stay competitive in 2019.
Voice Search
If you go on to Amazon right now, you’d be fortunate to be able to purchase a Dot or an Echo. They are selling like crazy, and they’re not the only once. Google home and Apple home system are also performing well. Many of us have an Echo in our lounge, as well as Dots in our bedrooms and around the house. We talk to them. We ask them questions. We rely on them. You might also talk to your phone, your TV and your computer. Voice interaction is getting bigger and bigger, and it’s thought that over 50% of online searches now are voice.
To tailor your own SEO to this, you need to focus on long tail keywords. No one asks Alexa or Siri for a single word. They ask questions. Try to answer these questions with your keywords, but also with your H2 and H3 headings and in your photo alt text.
Featured Snippets and Structured Data
Web pages aren’t often top of search engine results pages. Above them are photos and videos, knowledge graphs, “people also asked” sections, news reports, and local information. These snippets quickly and easily answer a searchers question, with no need to scroll or even click. If you want to get into these areas of search engine results pages, make sure you include data in the top section of your posts. Include information, questions and answers, and any other data that’s relevant to your post.
Page Speeds and Mobile Optimization
Every year SEO becomes more about user experience and giving your readers what they want, easily and quickly. If you’re going to rank highly, your site needs to be as good on a mobile screen as it is on a computer, and it needs to load fast. Check your site speeds and find ways to improve them if they are too slow.
Content is Still King
Your content needs to be unique and useful. It must fulfill a need and give your readers information, or experience. Check old posts, read through the text and make changes as needed.