Search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly changing, with new trends and best practices emerging regularly. Keeping up with these changes can be challenging, but staying informed can help your business succeed in organic search.
AI tools are transforming SEO. These technologies can analyze data and automate workflows to give you more control over SERP rankings.
AI-Powered Tools
SEO has evolved into an industry based on user intent, and AI is a natural fit. AI tools help marketers find relevant keywords, optimize content and images for search engines, improve UX, monitor and report on performance, and more. These tools are designed to help SEOs do their job better and faster, and many marketers have reported a 6-10% increase in revenue after implementing AI-powered tools.
AI can be used to make sense of the vast amounts of data generated by modern search engine algorithms. It can automate tedious tasks and speed up processes, allowing humans to focus on more complex and strategic work. AI for SEO can also help with research and content creation, making identifying new keywords, topics, and ways to target them easier.
AI-powered tools can also be used for other SEO activities, including identifying potential backlink opportunities by analyzing competitor backlink profiles and finding similar websites that might be interested in linking to yours. AI can also identify and optimize the quality of a website’s existing links and analyze text for semantically related phrases that could be included in link anchors. In this way, AI can make developing and implementing a successful SEO strategy much more manageable. The right AI tools will allow you to stay ahead of Google’s ever-changing algorithm and ensure that the most relevant searchers find your content.
Voice Search
Voice search isn’t just a futuristic sci-fi fantasy – it’s becoming an increasingly common search on smartphones, tablets, and smart speakers. Rather than typing a search query into Google, users speak it – which can be more efficient and easier to comprehend in a noisy environment like a restaurant or on the go.
As more devices rely on voice search, SEO strategies are evolving to support the trend. One of the most significant changes is the increasing emphasis on long-tail keywords. Natural-language investigations are more conversational and use longer, more specific phrases than text-based queries.
Another critical change is the move to semantic search, where Google emphasizes understanding what the user is asking – rather than just matching keywords or phrases. This was reinforced by the recent Hummingbird algorithm update, which highlighted the context and meaning behind a search query more.
Finally, we’re also shifting towards more screen-free experiences, such as searching for local businesses on mobile or through intelligent speakers. These kinds of searches differ from traditional desktop searches, as they usually don’t return a ranked page of results. Instead, the search engine may send a development directly from a website or other data source, such as pinging WolframAlpha for mathematical conversions or Yelp for business listings.
Mobile Optimization
As mobile usage grows, SEO must focus on optimizing mobile device sites. This includes using AMP, lightweight web pages that load quickly on mobile devices. It also includes ensuring that images and videos have text descriptions, which help search engines find the content. It’s also important to use responsive design, which ensures that websites look and function well on any device.
One significant change is that Google now has a mobile-first index, which means it uses the mobile version of your site to rank it in search results, even if the desktop version is more relevant. This shift was announced in 2015 when mobile searches surpassed desktop searches. Since then, Google has been making changes to focus on mobile optimization.
This is good for users, who now see more relevant search results. However, it’s also a challenge for marketers to ensure their content is optimized for mobile devices. Fortunately, there are tools available to help. For example, Ahrefs’ SEO Toolbar can highlight problems with mobile optimization, such as a lack of mobile-friendly navigation and poor use of hamburger menus (the icons that appear on mobile phones that open a menu with links to different website sections). It also warns about other issues that could hurt search engine rankings, including slow page speed and lack of ADA compliance.
Visual Search
A visual search is a form of AI-powered image recognition technology that allows users to query search engines and digital platforms with photos instead of text. The system analyzes objects in the picture and provides relevant results, allowing for more precise searching beyond traditional text-based searches.
This new search method is becoming increasingly popular amongst all generations, and marketers are already using it to optimize their content. For example, adding alt tags and descriptions to product photos can help search engines categorize them, making them more likely to appear in results. Additionally, incorporating schema markup can help improve SEO by making pages easier to understand for search engines.
Another helpful way to optimize for visual search is using descriptive keywords in images and including a clear call-to-action. This is important because it will allow consumers to find what they’re looking for more quickly and easily.
Visual search is a powerful tool that has the potential to change how we scour the internet. By integrating it into their websites and products, brands can make it easy for their customers to find what they’re looking for and increase conversion rates. By staying up-to-date on the latest developments in this field, companies can ensure their content is visible to the right people. And with the increasing popularity of visual search, this is more important than ever.