Last year, we have seen many changes that made a big impact in SEO. Google’s Mobilegeddon update, new local three-pack, and “The Quality Update” are few of the major changes that happened in SEO last 2015. These changes have definitely affect how things work in SEO in the coming years. Not only that, they are also responsible for these trends that you should watch out for this 2016.
Video Content
Though written content is still the standard in SEO, videos will rise and might even overcome content when it comes to reach, effectiveness, and overall ROI. Video apps such as Vines, Snapchat, and Periscope are partially responsible for video trends, making more people more engaged on videos. Viral publishers such as Elite Daily has seen a decrease on their clicks, and has decided to post more video content to get back on track. It is also evident that Buzzfeed’s pages, Tasty and Proper Tasy, which features video of different recipes are receiving millions of views and shares everyday. Additionally, Google is now experimenting with video ads in search results. This trend will likely go on throughout the year so if your page does not regularly post relevant videos, you might fall behind the times.
Mobile Optimization
Users that use their mobile devices to search have been increasing that it has surpassed desktop searches for the first time. This shows that in the coming years, mobile traffic will become more important than desktop traffic. Make sure that all pages of your website are mobile friendly. You can use Google’s Mobile Friendly Test to make sure that your website is suited for mobile browsing. You also have to pay attention to your site’s navigation and content. Make sure that users can navigate your website smoothly and they get the information that they need in less than three clicks.
Content on Social Media Will Be Easily Indexed
Due to increasing mobile search users, Google has made a deal with Facebook that includes Google allowing to crawl and index its mobile app. This means that when you search something on Google, you will see Facebook statuses, profiles, pages, groups, and events. The listings will appear as “deep links”, which will take users to the relevant part of Facebook app. Google also has made a partnership with Twitter, allowing the search engine to have access to the stream of tweets called firehose. With Google having a deal with these big names on social media, social search will definitely be bigger than before. So expect to see some facebook statuses or real time tweets on Google search results this year.
Deep Links in Apps
Again, this is about the increase of mobile search results. Starting this year, links that drives you to a specific page of a specific app will have more importance to Google. So if your business does not have an app yet, better ask your team to make one because Google has been indexing apps for a long time now so developing one might help you hit the jackpot on search results. If you do not approve of having an app for your business, make sure to get listed on as many apps as possible.
Google Penguin Update
Everybody’s been anticipating for the Google Penguin Update. Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst, Gary Illyes, announced on Twitter that they are aiming to launch Penguin on the first quarter of 2016. However, he stated that they have no precise timeframe yet. Penguin Algorithm Update transition is said to be “real-time”. No wonder why the SEO community and Digital Advertising agencies are doing everything to prepare for this much awaited algorithm update.
Voice Search Function
Users have been using voice search simply because of its convenience. It is definitely a great help for people who love doing many things at once and do not want shift their focus to typing something on search engines. Studies show out that voice search are mostly used to ask for directions and when teenagers are too busy watching their favorite show on television. To make sure that your website will be shown on voice search results, use long tail keywords because they are more likely to be spoken compared to conventional keywords.
In the unpredictable world of SEO, staying on top requires a great deal of research and adaptation. Change can and will happen anytime. And even if you are already on the top page, you can be replaced if you do not follow trends and updates. Make sure that you stay on top of the game by being one step ahead from your competitors.
