Another year is just around the corner, and as we look to the future, it’s interesting to think about the world of SEO (search engine optimization) and how it could change. Search engines change constantly. They are always updating the algorithms, and business owners always have to tweak their websites to be more visible on the web. As we head into 2020, let’s take a look at seven SEO trends.

1. Security is essential.

Google wants to provide its users with a safe and secure experiences. So websites that are more secure will get a slight boost in visibility. If a user doesn’t feel safe visiting your website, they will quickly leave, which can give you high bounce rates. Websites with higher bounce rates are typically further down in the search results. 

2. Websites will optimize for voice search.

Search engines began with people searching on their desktop and laptop computers. With the advent of smartphones and smart speakers, voice searches have become more and more popular. Having a good understanding of how to optimize a website for voice search will definitely come in handy. 

3. Your rankings will be affected by the mobile user experience.

If your website doesn’t have a mobile version, you may not rank as high as websites that do. More and more people have been visiting mobile websites, and this is not slowing down any time soon. More people around the world are using smartphones as well. It’s not enough to have a mobile version of your website though. You need to make sure the user experience on a mobile device is a good one. 

4. It will be more important than ever to have high-quality content.

When people go to search engines, they have questions. Your website must answer the questions they have in a thoughtful and compelling way. While online ads do work, they will become more and more expensive in the years to come. Google rewards websites with high -quality content. It should be well researched and easy to read.

5. Video will be even more important.

Video has become exponentially more popular. A recent study from Google showed that 6 out of 10 people would rather watch videos online than live television. YouTube has practically become the new TV. So what does that mean for SEO? It means that your video content needs to be optimized for search. This is the best way to reach more viewers. Videos can be optimized by using the best keywords in the description and headline of the video. 

6. Longer content will perform better than shorter content. 

Not only does the bar need to be raised on the content that you write, but you need to have longer form content as well. Websites that have longer content on them will have more visibility. Recent studies have shown that websites with over 2,000 words will get more visitors than other websites.

7. Other platforms besides Google will be important.

While it’s not likely that Google will lose its popularity, there are other search engines that may gain popularity. In addition, websites and platforms like YouTube and Amazon have their own SEO rules. It’s important that content on these platforms also be optimized for search. 

As we move into a new year and a new decade, it’s easy to wonder where the year will bring SEO. If you are interested in upping your SEO game in 2020, please contact us today.