SEO trends 2017: What matters now
Search engine optimization, a relatively new marketing discipline, has been undergoing constant change in recent years. This change is driven by updates and changes from Google and other search engines. What are the latest developments, and what can we expect from SEO in 2017?
Britta Kristin Böhle, an SEO/SEA expert at Trusted Shops, takes a look into the future.
SEO Is Expanding
Search engine optimization is becoming increasingly specialized. In addition to traditional website optimization, efforts are now focused specifically on the second-largest search engine after Google Search: YouTube. And anyone who wants to be found on Amazon should now also take into account a set of criteria specific to the platform, collectively referred to as Amazon SEO. The same applies to rankings in app stores. Here, experts have been focusing on what’s known as App Store Optimization (ASO) for some time now. This results in additional areas that companies must target with their efforts.
Search behavior is changing
There will be another change in search behavior. Due to the increase in mobile internet use, voice search is being used more and more frequently. This means that searches are often conducted not just with keywords, but with entire sentences or questions. It is essential to take this into account when optimizing content in the future.
Another thing website owners should be prepared for in this context: Google is already attempting to answer such „questions“ directly on the search results page. This means that in some cases, users no longer need to leave the search engine at all. Google extracts the answers from websites whose content appears suitable for this purpose. The website is simply linked below the answer. Despite the increased visibility, however, traffic to the respective page may actually decrease.
Structured Data for Rich Snippets
Google has once again emphasized the importance of structured data for 2017. Structured data can be used to make content components easier for Google to understand. This also allows so-called rich snippets such as rating stars or product data to be displayed in the search results. In general, the more you can make clear to Google, the better the results will be displayed.
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Google now uses machine learning in many areas, which will influence search results overall in ways that are not yet fully predictable. At the same time, Google is already using an artificial intelligence system called RankBrain, which is primarily designed to understand search queries that have never been entered in that exact form before. According to Google, 15 percent of the millions of queries have never been asked before. RankBrain helps the search engine categorize these queries in order to deliver relevant results.
Photo: FirmBee/Pixabay
