As a self-proclaimed digital marketing nerd, few things get me as excited as the newest trends in technology…especially when those trends directly affect the way Search Engine Optimization (SEO) works.
Want to get me a Christmas gift? Put a new Google algorithm in a box, tie it with a bow, and place it under the tree! Yes, I love this stuff – but I know a lot of people don’t understand what I’m talking about most of the time, and that’s a shame, because SEO can directly benefit your business!
For Day 1 of our 12 Days of Online Marketing this year, I want to share my SEO knowledge as a gift to you and your business. What’s new, what’s coming, and how can it help your company? Let’s take a look!
What’s New with SEO?
The biggest change we have seen in the last year or so in regards to SEO is Google’s “answer boxes.” I Googled “How to bale hay” and before any links pop up, an answer is right there! In fact, the answer is from one of our clients, MyFarmLife (Yes, we got them in that box! #skills). This “answer box” is game changing for companies, and everyone wants to be in one.
What’s Up and Coming with SEO?
It’s safe to say that almost all of us are at least slightly addicted to our phones, so it’s no wonder that the future of SEO is heavily reliant on the mobile experience. In fact, Google recently announced that they were working to split their indexings of results between mobile and desktop. This means that Googling “delicious tacos” on your phone and on your computer would yield different results. This will be HUGE for small companies looking to gain customers on a local level!
Google has also come out with Accelerated Mobile Pages, AKA “AMP” pages, to create a more user-friendly mobile experience. AMP pages are website pages that load lightening fast when accessed on a mobile device – and as we see technology improve, being the “fastest page on the mobile web” may just make or break you in the long run!
How Can SEO Help Your Company?
As you can see, answer boxes, mobile indexing, and AMP pages all suggest one thing: the need for speedy and direct answers. As we move forward, it’s important to recognize this trend because it says a lot about the way keywords can help sell your business.
Keywords have always been about intent, but as Google and other technologies become smarter, the specification of that intent is increasing. In the old Google days, users would type in multiple keywords to *hopefully* find what they were looking for. Today, we are asking Google straight up questions like “Why do dogs sniff other dogs butts” or “When was Alabama founded?”
I expect this to only become more and more important as Home Automation tools and artificial intelligence continue to rise in popularity. Home automation tools like the Amazon Echo or Google Home will continue to evolve search results into a more natural language.
A Merry Christmas for SEO!
Advancements in technology are causing a “technological renaissance” and in order to stay ahead of your competition, you are going to have to actively be a part of that renaissance – but hey, it’s all really exciting…isn’t it!?
Learn more about how SEO can help you on our website!
