Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has come a long way in the last five years, from being a dark art to an exciting mix of disciplines and tactics. If the industry continues to develop at its current speed, we can expect the landscape to look completely different again by 2020.
Which begs the question, what does a forward thinking SEO strategist need to do to stay ahead of the game? The answer, ask the right questions!
We’ve often seen that products that are regarded as ‘cool’ or ‘extreme’ eventually become mainstream and a part of our daily lives. Typically, these are identified and highlighted before they become domestic by Google – here are some examples of where the radical has become the norm.
We all know that TV supports DVD, that’s standard. The last film you watched in the cinema was it in 3D? Do you know that you can watch football matches in scarily realistic dimensions?
As DVD was once advanced, it is now normal. Likewise with complex web applications such as 3D and with the advancement of availability and usage, what is currently viewed as progressive could become best in class. For Google, this means that they’ll have to work hard on understanding these applications and adapting/advancing appropriately.
Who hasn’t tried voice search yet? We’ve all attempted to confuse our phones with different search phrases in a bid to receive entertaining answers. Whilst this is fun for now, what we should perhaps envisage is a world where people speak rather than type.
55% of teens in the US already use voice search - these are our future customers! Google are developing voice search capabilities that identify a multitude of accents and directions. Voice Search will impact keywords and shall give priority to phrases; this in turn will change the way we optimise website content.
How often are you using your mobile to check something, browse or kill time? Be it on a bus or waiting for a friend, we’re all utilising our handhelds and as such, naturally, mobile usage has overtaken desktop.
With over half of the searches now on mobile, we have to be more careful when conducting keyword research. It’s not only about volume but we can and should narrow down on potential devices and intent. For now, desktop traffic continues to convert better for many and we can see this in our results as desktop conversion still outperforms mobile. However, with increased development in mobile sites and apps, we will see a further shift towards mobile, making mobile the default strategy.
If you aren’t doing so already, the most immediate action that you should undertake would be to align your thinking to mobile first. This is particularly crucial for inspirational and research keywords. We all need to consider the entire path to purchase. Typically, your website will be relevant for about 40% of all terms a potential customer searches for. What about the remaining 60%?
The first 30% occurs when we browse – whether we are actively researching or killing time with our mobile devices; it is highly unlikely that the user expects to see a product page and a call to action here and as such, it’s even more unlikely that the user will convert.
The target isn’t a conversion at this point, it’s getting the consumer interested or engaged with the content that the website offers and for them to remember the brand. This could be a publication, blog or a brand talking about what the users are looking for and therefore being ranked higher. If it’s a blog or publication, it’s worth partnering up and working together. Of course, ideally, you’ll have greater content on your website that answers all search and is identified as engagingly inspirational.
The last 20-30% will be review and performance related terms covering after-care and customer service questions. Keywords used in the first and last part of the consumer journey are more likely to fall into the ‘voice search’ category – consequently, make sure you think carefully about the information on your site.
Mobile first is something most marketers and SEOs feel comfortable with these days. What about technical changes? First of all, try to include new applications such as 3D in your content planning and publishing on your site. You will soon see how Google deals with processing your pages and how users react. There are no risks attached to it at this point. You can even make a campaign out of it and gain important credibility signals. And if it’s working, then the best thing to happen is that you’ll be identified as an early adopter and your efforts will achieve shares, likes and links for your brand.
By Britt Soeder, Head of Owned Media at iProspect.
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