2020 has been a year full of changes. Trends that were very important and popular before 2020 now seem to have sunk into oblivion. SEO in 2021 is important, there is no denying that, but SEO is changing, and we must acknowledge this. Search engine optimization (SEO), if used correctly can direct consumers to your website or your blog. SEO generates organic traffic, and this is what every website owner is looking for. SEO is constantly evolving but the basics remain the same. To get the top-ranking SEO performance fort a website, it is essential to stay updated with the latest trends.
Important Trends For SEO In 2021
Here is an overview of the 7 most important SEO trends to anticipate in 2021:
1 – Voice Search Will Affect Search Queries
A trend that is surely going to make waves in 2021 is voice search. Voice search uses innovative technologies like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. The meaning of voice search is in the words itself. You use a voice command to conduct a search online. Specific commands initiate a web search and get an appropriate answer. SEO trends in 2021 will see a rise in voice search optimization.
2 – Increased Mobile Usage Will Affect Search Rankings
In 2019, Google introduced Mobile-first indexing. Mobile-first indexing means that Google will consider mobile version of a website as primary. More than 70% of internet searchers use mobile phones to access websites. It is important for businesses to invest into the mobile version of their website. Any business can check the effectiveness of their mobile site by using Google’s free mobile-friendly test.
For SEO in 2021, the increased mobile usage will affect the search rankings. More and more users now access the mobile website of a business. And if a website is not mobile friendly, searchers will move on.
3 – Featured Snippets Will Play A Major Role
To climb on top of the Google ranking, you do not have to write long term content specifically. Google introduced featured snippets back in 2017 and that helped in playing an integral role for becoming prominent. For search engine optimization, it is important to focus on the question-based queries and keywords which are focused and relevant. “People also ask” is Google’s search function which can be really helpful in looking for relevant keywords and queries. These queries are generated by users. Short information in the form of questions and answers or bullet points is mostly shown in the featured snippets. SEO in 2021 will focus on featured snippets too.
4 – Videos Need To Be Used More Frequently In An Affective SEO Strategy
If businesses are not creating video content then it is high time to start making them. YouTube has more than 1 Billion users and businesses are now focusing on videos to optimize their content. To effectively use videos for SEO in 2021, businesses need to optimize the names of their YouTube channels. Always optimize the description of the channel and also make sure that all your videos are SEO optimized. Videos that businesses make will need to focus on being user friendly. It is bad practice to fill video descriptions with keywords or content related to business and its products. Use a description that will attract users to watch the content.
5 – Image Optimization Will Affect Search Queries
Image search has come a long way. People use image search for looking up for products to buy and for acquiring more information. And trend will only increase in 2021. It is always advisable to use high quality images which are relevant to the content. For SEO in 2021, make it a habit that all the images must have customized names. All the images used on a web page should be relevant to the content on that page.
6 – Improved Semantic Search
It is highly likely that intent optimization and semantic search will gain more popularity in 2021. Semantic search focuses on intent, query context and finding search results that are not just relevant but also personalized. If a person searches for a delivery service Google will pick up your location and show results for delivery services in your local area. Google will not only show the results for delivery services. When you misspell words, Google still understands your intent and gives you search results that are relevant. And this trend will only see growth in 2021.
7 – Businesses Will Need To Focus On Google My Business
When you think about the internet, you think about the world at large. What actually happens is that Google picks up on a person’s locations and shows local search results. Local SEO in 2021 is not only important but is also evolving. Businesses need to be on Google My business more than ever. Because of pandemic, people still prefer to go to restaurants and cafes and markets that are closer to home. Searching for markets or restaurants in my area is one common search that has been witnessed on the high rise. This will be an important part of SEO in 2021. Local businesses need to create a Google My Business page. Create a strong backlink profile that people can find attractive.