As we head into another decade, the net is flooded with blogs claiming to have new ideas for 2020. Yeah, it’s smart to keep up with innovative trends. And SEO is one of them. But remember, SEO is a continuous process. And because Google search algorithms are constantly being updated, you can’t merely consider SEO trends as an item to be checked off on your checklist.

Google makes changes to its core search algorithms at least once a day, or nearly 350 to 400 times a year, says Matt Cutts, Google’s official search spokesperson. You’re probably thinking, how do I keep track of everything? And by the time I finish one aspect, either it will change again, or a new one will take its place. So why even bother?

There are ways to develop and maintain a great SEO strategy. 

With hundreds of new businesses entering the online competition, you can’t merely throw your hands up in the air and brush SEO aside. 

According to SearchEngineJournal, 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. Moreover, HubSpot claims that 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. 

This is proof enough that you need to boost brand awareness and visibility. It’s time to optimize your website and achieve better rankings.

SEO trends to implement in 2020

While Google may make hundreds of alterations every year, the good news is that it only does a few major ones. So let’s focus on some of the SEO trends that will get you noticed in 2020.

1) Visual Search

Search trends are changing. The latest includes completing searches with the aid of images. Innovative technology such as AI is allowing people to scan images and acquire results closest to it.

How common is this? Not surprisingly, the trend has gained a great deal of traction on Google, Pinterest, Bing, Amazon, and other search platforms. However, each has features that are the most suitable for its audience. For instance, Pinterest allows people to effortlessly search for fashion or home décor products with the aid of pictures.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg. IKEA and Sephora are already making headway into AR capabilities. And as the potential behind visual search increase over the years, businesses will utilize this aspect to enhance the more personalized shopping experience.

Pro-tip:

Reduce image sizes to optimize website performance. Utilize image titles and alt tags to allow crawlers to access the images.

2) Video Content

Have you noticed that when you search on Google, video options are showing up as well? 

This is an indication that the importance of video content is gradually increasing. Companies like Lowe's Home Improvement effectively promote the brand through videos. They demonstrate how the company has a passion for bringing their customer’s visions to life. 

Sites with video are 50 times more likely to show up on the first page of SERP than one with only text, Forrester Research claims. So if there’s a video on your site’s landing page, more visitors are likely to show up. Well, that’s because BlueList claims that 20% of people will read text on a page while 80% will watch a video.

And with 4G networks improving and 5G around the corner, video as a segment of online traffic will continue to increase exponentially. So make sure to embed videos with a relevant message on your website. However, the video should not affect your site’s loading times, speed, or operability.

Pro-tip:

Tap into the potential of YouTube. Creating content for this platform places your brand on the second largest search engine.

3) Voice Search

People are constantly on the go, making typing quite tricky at times. To accommodate for moments like these, technology is offering options such as voice search.

Forbes quotes that 27% of the global online population is using voice search on mobile. And it will continue to grow over the coming years. Moreover, people will type queries the same way they speak. They will become long-tailed and very specific. 

Having valuable and useful content will help build better brand awareness, more traffic to the web, and new leads. More importantly, content written in a conversational style that provides answers to specific questions has a better chance of ranking in voice search.

Pro-tip:

Nearly half of Google searches are local. So it’s only logical to optimize your website for local SEO trends. This not only helps your brand get discovered, but 88% of customers either call or visit soon after. So it doesn’t hurt to boost your local SEO strategies. Always update the address and phone number on your website.

4) Optimize content

It’s evident that content must become mobile-friendly in order to be accessible by consumers from anywhere on every device. Depending upon the niche, content must be appropriately adapted. 

For instance, digital agencies may require posting in-depth blogs, possibly 1500-2000 words in length. Moreover, the use of LSI keywords can boost SEO techniques.

But eCommerce sites such as Leather Skin Shop (an online leather jacket store) will need to focus on the mix of content, such as images, videos, and text. Clear, precise descriptions using related keywords can make products more appealing as well as increase SEO. 

Videos that guide user about how to carry your leather jacket, serve as a sheer treat. Moreover, product pages are an essential part of a customer’s purchasing journey. Therefore, the pages should attract the users not repel them.

Pro-tip:

Providing structured data, bullet points, flows with images, etc. has a considerable impact on SEO and conversions. For example, structured data makes it easier for Google to understand and classify the data on the page.

Bonus tip:

Have you noticed that Google provides a summary of your query even above paid ads and organic searches? 

These featured snippets (also known as position zero) will continue to dominate SERPs. But since the answers are right there on the page, almost half of all searches result in no clicks. 

While the featured snippet receives more traffic, it makes SEO trends even tougher. However, aiming for question-based search queries can help provide answers to more in-depth questions.

Final thoughts

It’s always been about meeting consumer expectations. So while Google alters its SEO algorithms to align with them, this is your chance to do the same.

As technology and user trends evolve, successful businesses know they must adapt and transform. No doubt, managing your SEO strategies is an ideal way to please your customers. So it’s imperative that you stay up to date with all of the recent changes. How else will people find your brand in search engines?

The question now is, are you doing enough to stay on top?