Look – it’s no secret that without SEO, your business is dead in the water.
SEO has long been a buzzword in online circles but it goes beyond that. It’s a part of any successful company’s foundation.
Don’t believe us? Consider this – the two biggest activities online are email and search.
It’s easy to consider email dead – who doesn’t just text these days? – and yet there it is, year after year.
Right next to it is search. Sure, social media is climbing up there and people do love to shop online, but using a search engine is still king.
So how can you leverage this important tool to stay on top of the game?
Stick with us – we’ve got the top ten SEO predictions that are going to propel you to the top of the search results.
1. Voice Search Is Gaining In Popularity
SEO predictions have voice search gaining on traditional search methods and it’s easy to see why.
As our phones get smarter and new products, like Amazon Echo, enter the market, voice search is growing in popularity.
What does that mean? You’ll have to be smarter about how you market yourself.
It’s the next big shift in technology; make sure you’re ready for it and can handle the unpredictability of voice search.
2. Content Is Consistently King
You’ve seen content come up again and again in SEO predictions so are you really surprised that it’s back?
It shows up on lists like this for a good reason. Sites that develop a good content strategy see their traffic grow almost eight times more than those without.
There’s a secret to creating compelling content, though.
Stick to topics you know your customers want to read. Make it thoughtful and worthwhile, something that adds value to their life.
You’ll set yourself up as a source of knowledge and become their go-to when they want to know about your industry.
3. Google Will Kill Off A Chunk Of Its Organic Search
This is one of the crazier SEO predictions, but stick with us: in the future, Google might ditch its last chunk of search results.
Since barely anyone registers search results six through ten, Google might just get rid of them completely.
What will they put in its place? Probably more ads.
If you needed a better reason for getting to the top of the search results, here it is.
4. Get Ready For The Rise Of Fake Engagement
You’re going to think this is unfair, and it is, but we could see a wave of fake engagement sweep the SEO world.
Here’s what might happen: when people see something working, they want to make it happen for themselves.
And if they can’t make it? That’s right – they fake it.
Humans are anything if ingenious. There are programmers out there who are willing to skew metrics.
What does that mean for SEO predictions? Just like the link buying bubble a while back, the SEO world will have to readjust.
We’ll find new metrics to measure success by, so don’t sweat it too much but keep it in the back of your mind.
5. Search Will Be Mainly Mobile
If you weren’t thinking mobile in 2016, you’re way behind for 2017.
Make sure your website is completely optimized for mobile use and improve your user’s mobile experience.
6. Google Will Stay On Top
While YouTube enjoys a new place as the second search engine online, SEO predictions see Google continuing its long reign.
It’s true that people will continue to use social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter for a lot of everyday things including search.
No matter what, Google is going to keep its crown a little longer. It’s built its reputation on being the best at search and for good reason, too.
7. Keep An Eye On Amazon, Though
Remember what we said about voice search? It comes into play with Amazon.
While it won’t be the search monster Google is anytime soon, SEO predictions have it gaining on the popular search engine.
This comes from people skipping the middle man and going straight to Amazon to find products.
Amazon’s AI assistants, like Echo, contribute to its rise.
It’s not going to be on top overnight but it’s a good idea to keep an eye on this retailer and start thinking of SEO strategies involving Amazon.
8. Cultivate Great Engagement
Engaging with your customers is a sure way to keep them coming back to you.
They’ll know if they have a question or a problem, you’re right there for them.
When you improve your response time with your customers, you rise in the rankings.
With so many one way ads out in the world, customers are looking for that human touch.
Stay engaged with them and see your search rankings soar.
9. Google’s Featured Snippets And Organic Search Will Merge
You’ve no doubt seen Google’s featured snippets when you search for a term.
Customers are already wise to this trick, and so are a lot of digital marketers.
SEO predictions have snippets merging with organic listings as a way to consolidate to separate concepts.
Don’t spend ad money buying these choice positions anymore and focus on getting organic clicks.
10. Know Thy Customer
Mobile, engagement, search results…we can throw numbers around all day and pull out tons of charts, but it all comes down to one fundamental truth.
Getting inside your customer’s head is more relevant than ever.
No SEO predictions know your business better than you do. Find out what makes your customer ticks and why they click what they click.
Once you get cozy with your customer, you’ll know how to get them to come back again and again.
Put These SEO Predictions To Use
Now that you’ve had a peek inside our digital crystal ball, it’s time to get out there and try them out.
You’re ahead of the curve with this inside knowledge, but if you want another boost, we’re there for you.
If you need a little extra digital marketing help, drop them a line and they’ll give your rankings the “oomph” you need.
Which of these SEO predictions are you going to use first? Tell us in the comments and share your own ideas for 2017!
