Edited and prepared by Oscar Michel, Masters in Journalism, DCU.
Great guest post by Annabelle Short.
In order to keep your business present in the world of search engines, making your website easily accessible to the public you must imply strong search engine optimisation performance methods…
Oftentimes, this task leaves companies stuck trying to adapt to and discover the new and changing rules of the search engines – almost as quickly as they change them.
As the new year is now in full swing, businesses are taking every opportunity they can to determine the best methods for SEO success for 2017.
Through thorough research of the best practices, strong attention to detail and the new rules of the search engines, and the implementation of tailored services, a business can see great success in the coming years.
As groups like the Forbes Agency Council members review these changing trends, a few of the most popular SEO trends for 2017 that will improve your site’s ranking include:
Try to stick to the basics.
Google’s main goal is to remain relevant…
Furthermore, they want to provide the most relevant website to the search presented by the user.
Did you parents ever tell you, “Keep it simple, stupid?” Apply that saying to your content.
Continued research shows that the average user is more drawn to images and short videos, so try to avoid bulky text or other lengthy tactics. Keep it simple.
Focus on targeting fewer derivations of keywords.
In 2017 – and many years to come – the practice of keyword research and targeting will continue to change…
Successful marketers will understand that fewer derivations of keywords need to be targeted.
Algorithms like RankBrain already understand plurals, synonyms, answers, and abbreviations or acronyms.
Use quality backlinks.
One of the biggest factors to gain off-site ranking is backlinks – which are links from other websites that point back to your site.
Previously, backlinks were all about quantity…
But, now, it is all about quality.
Google has modified their algorithm to now be able to differentiate between a questionable and a reliable link. Make sure your brand receives backlinks from high-quality sources.
Focus on UX.
Thanks to machine learning, search engines are now much smarter at determining what makes up a good search result. The age-old tale of keyword ranking factors remains, but UX and SEO need to merge to provide optimal customer experiences.
As a result of the merging of UX and SEO, customers will experience faster load times and better results.
Use Google as a harbinger.
Google has remained the standard for SEO – and judging by the looks of it, that will not be changing anytime soon. A vital part of successful SEO practices is staying in the know with what Google is doing…
The biggest thing you should be watching in 2017? Mobile-first content. Searching has primarily moved to a mobile focus – thanks to modern technology – so content that shows on your phone will now take reign in the ranking and crawling of search engines.
Conclusion
The internet is constantly evolving…
And with that comes the evolution of search engines and SEO trends.
In order to stay relevant on the search results of consumers around the world, companies must focus on staying one step ahead of the game.
Invest in services that can help you gain quality backlinks and keep your focus on sticking to the basics.
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