SEO already changes at a rapid pace but 2020 is set to welcome a new era in search engine optimization. As technology becomes more advanced than ever before, the way we use it is evolving. In response to this changing user behavior, differing SEO tactics are needed. To get a head-start, take a look at these three major SEO changes you can expect to see in 2020.
Voice Activated Searches
We’re already using voice-activated searches on a daily basis and this will increase in upcoming months. As highlighted at the Chiang Mai conference, SEO in Thailand is already developing to respond to voice-based searches and the rest of the world will need to follow.
When we search audibly, the way we pose a query is different. This means the way search engines crawl for information changes too. To ensure your site is still the top search result, you’ll need to enhance your SEO to meet both online and voice-activated search algorithms.
Zero-click Searches
In many instances, users can now access the information they’re looking for without leaving the search engine results page (SERP). Simple queries now longer require the user to click-through to a third-party website, which limits your opportunity to engage with them.
Furthermore, zero-click searches make it more important than ever to be the first result in the SERPs. SEO experts will need to assess what type of queries they want to target and optimize accordingly. The information contained on SERPs needs to be more informative to users, so more effort will be spent optimizing featured and rich snippets.
To achieve this, however, site owners will need to take a new approach to website data. The most effective rich and featured snippets require highly structured data to be available, so reorganization is the key to preparing for the rise in zero-click searches.
Local SEO
Local SEO is already extremely popular, but the advent of AI means it’s more accurate than ever before. As a result, users can rely solely on SERPs and apps like Google Maps to access the data they need. Again, site owners will face a new struggle to actually get their content in front of users.
To ensure you’re reaching users who are engaging in local searches, your site content must be optimized for local SEO. The rise in ‘near me’ searching is functional for users, but it offers site owners a great way to optimize for local searches without targeting specific geographical areas too.
Preparing for SEO in 2020
Experienced SEO marketers will already be used to working in a fast-paced industry. SEO requirements change on an almost daily basis and SEO experts need to be ahead of the game at all times. For business owners, however, the consistent evolution of the SEO industry can be overwhelming. Fortunately, businesses can navigate the changing SEO landscape by calling on dedicated search engine optimization marketers to provide them with the skills and services they need to thrive in 2020.
