search – The SEO Platform https://theseoplatform.co.uk The SEO and Advertising PPC Experts Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:01:37 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.12 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cropped-The-SEO-Platform-Logo1000x1000-32x32.png search – The SEO Platform https://theseoplatform.co.uk 32 32 How to Choose the Right Keywords to Market Your Online Business? https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-keywords-to-market-your-online-business/ Mon, 22 Mar 2021 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=26076 Keywords are said to be the foundation upon which SEO stands. They’re the hooks that search engines bite to deliver the users to the right content. Search engines like Google have used keywords to fish for content since the early […]

The post How to Choose the Right Keywords to Market Your Online Business? appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Keywords are said to be the foundation upon which SEO stands. They’re the hooks that search engines bite to deliver the users to the right content. Search engines like Google have used keywords to fish for content since the early days. However, a lot has changed since then. With the migration of nearly all major business to the online space, keywords are now part of digital marketing.

Online marketing is now dependent on more than just keywords, of course. However, inserting the right keywords on your web page is still a great way to attract new customers. If you’re a business just starting, here is the 411 on how to choose the right keywords for your online business. 

Keywords are a Huge Part of the Buyer’s Journey

Keywords are now a huge part of content marketing. Choosing them has to be focused on how you can get someone to buy your product or subscribe to your service. The typical journey a buyer takes is from potential customer to the actual customer. To sell them something, you have to think like them. Hence, to choose the right keywords, you have to think like a customer.

The buyer’s journey is usually broken into a few basic steps:

Awareness

When a potential customer realises that a company or business can satisfy a want or need; that’s called realisation. When they begin to research and browse around a website or look up a company on Google, it could also be just to check out how a competitor stacks up against their current favourite.

Consideration

This is when a potential customer begins to consider switching to a competitor business seriously. They may also consider just buying a product or getting a service from a new company. This involves researching the price, the subscription fees, the discounts, and other details.

Decision

The decision stage is when the customer chooses from a long list of considerations. As marketers, you may hope to hook the customer right here. However, you need to know what they value most over other factors. Most customers choose what’s recommended to them by friends and family. However, some do their research and decide what’s important to them. You need to serve both these customers.

So when planning the right keywords, you need to consider the buyer’s journey.

How to Choose the Right Keywords

Choosing keywords for online marketing is a much different process than it was ten years ago. Apart from considering the buyer’s journey, you have to correct for different devices and preferences. Today, even social media is a huge factor in determining keywords.

Here is a basic guide on how you can choose the right keywords to help you on this journey.

What Are Your Goals?

Before you begin keyword research, make sure you know what you’re aiming for. You want greater traffic and higher sales. However, which niche do you want to attract? Which geographical area do you want to target with your marketing? Which age or gender do you want to cater? All these things will be relevant when you choose your keyword.

Analyse the Competition

You’ve heard the adage, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? This is almost the same thing. Learning from your competitors is very important. Don’t just think of your closest competitors in terms of your rivals. Think of whoever is competing with you on search engines for a single keyword.

Search for the keywords you’ve chosen and look up the top results. Click on those links and check out their titles, tags, descriptions, etc. Also check out their headings, sub-headings, etc.

Do Basic Keyword Research

Doing basic keyword research is extremely important. It’ll give you a list of options to choose from. Not just that, but it’ll give you a starting point. Most of the time, scraping the closest keyword to your best guess is a bad idea. Starting from scratch will give you different expectations and set you on a path to a greater ROI.

Identify the Right Topics

Choosing keywords for marketing online businesses includes segmentation by topic. Make sure whichever keywords you’re inserting in your blogs or web pages are relevant to it. Keyword topics need to conform exactly with the topic of the post or webpage. That’s why it’s encouraged to create specific landing pages for different geographical locations.

Go Over the SERPs

Try entering the keywords you’ve chosen on to Google. This will show you which links are competing for the same keywords. Manually looking at keywords will show you which competitors you have to beat and whether there’s many to compete with.

If you’re finding search results that don’t align with your strategy, it’s better to rethink your strategy. This is very true for organic results. They can be pushed very far below the fold on desktop and phone browsers.

Keep Track of Performance

After choosing your keywords, keep track of the traffic those pages are bringing in. If there is no change or a drop in traffic, reevaluate your strategy and choose again. No use crying over bad keywords. However, bad keywords should be changed as soon as possible. They may hurt your overall SEO in the long run.

Embed Keywords in the Right Place

It’s not enough to choose the right keywords but to put them in the right place. Keywords need to be placed in headings, sub-headings, titles, or the body. They need to be precise in their placement to attract the most traffic.

The best way to input keywords is to decide when planning a blog post or a web page. They should be in the most relevant place to match a query. For instance, if someone wants to find the best pet food in Oregon, that keyword should be in a heading or sub-heading. However, if someone is searching for tips to grow vegetables, it’s better to pepper that keyword throughout a blog post.

It’s also great to use multiple keywords in different paragraphs and subsections of a page. This will make it easier for search engines to zero in on differently worded queries on the same page.

Using these tips, you can choose some great keywords for your web pages and posts.

Understand Longtail Keywords

Longtail keywords are a combination of three or more words or phrases. Longtail keywords often boast lower search volumes, yet they can direct more relevant traffic. This can lead to a greater ROI, making the longtail keywords easier to rank for and more effectively attracting traffic.

Longtail SEO accounts for 70% of searches and yields an average of 36% of conversion rate.

Identify Keyword Types

There are several different keyword types. You can’t group them all into one. You need to choose those that are most relevant to your topic.

For instance, head keywords are usually just one or two words long. They have a high search volume and thus a lot of competition.

Body keywords are usually 2 to 3-word phrases which have good search volume.

However, longtail keywords are more skewed towards specific topics and can be longer than even 10 words. They have a much lesser search volume than the previous two types. Yet, they help skew very specific queries your way. Hence, you can get customers who want to stay on your website for a long period. This will not only increase your chance of sales but your SEO and authority.

There are other types of keywords, including head modifier and tail keywords, short and medium keywords, etc. The thing to watch out for here is specifics. Make sure that your keyword is right for the query that you’re aiming to fulfil.  

Employ Latent Semantic Indexing

Semantic keywords, which are related to latent semantic indexing, are pretty useful for SEO. Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) is a bit like what search engines do to associate words. For instance, if you misspell a word, they offer an alternative.

LSI helps search engines provide more relevant results to your queries. That’s a huge part of good keyword placement and selection. The greatest example of LSI in action is the autocomplete results on Google. The way they rapidly change as you type out your query is LSI magic.

A great tool to help you take advantage of this is LSIGraph. It gives you keywords which are longer than eight words. That’s how large queries can be on Google’s search bar. Other keywords may provide an aha moment for you for content creation. Using these semantic keywords can give your content an edge and more potential relevance.

The post How to Choose the Right Keywords to Market Your Online Business? appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Apply These 5 Easy to Boost SEO for Your LinkedIn Page https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/apply-these-5-easy-to-boost-seo-for-your-linkedin-page/ Mon, 25 Jan 2021 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=26024 LinkedIn is one of the most popular B2B platforms today and is usually the first place where clients begin their search for products and services. This makes it all the more important to optimise your LinkedIn company page to occupy […]

The post Apply These 5 Easy to Boost SEO for Your LinkedIn Page appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
LinkedIn is one of the most popular B2B platforms today and is usually the first place where clients begin their search for products and services. This makes it all the more important to optimise your LinkedIn company page to occupy a top spot in your relevant industry.

Here is our round-up of 5 steps that will boost the organic visibility of your LinkedIn page.

1. Use Lots of Keywords in Your Profile

If you’ve been using digital marketing for a few years, then you know all too well how important this step is. Just like Google, LinkedIn is a search engine in its own right and has hundreds of millions of brands and people on it.

It utilises a powerful algorithm to rank those businesses and to make relevant recommendations to users. The best way to get attention and improve your organic rank is to use rich titles and spread keywords throughout your content.

For example, use a keyword that people will likely use when searching for products and services. If you are an expert in online marketing, make sure the phrase, ‘online marketing’ appears in the job title.

Just be careful about stuffing keywords in your profile. Use only those keywords that fit organically within the content as a whole. Be as natural and relevant as possible. As a general rule, never go overboard with keywords because it will not only hurt your ranking, but it also comes across as spammy to users.

2. Build Backlinks

Backlinks can give your LinkedIn profile the much-needed boost it needs. Make sure to link your LinkedIn Page to your website. This could be useful if your website has a high domain authority and already has lots of keywords. Besides this, you would want top influencers in your industry to link back to your Linked profile. This is easily done if you send them an email or personal message about guest posting opportunities. Most influencers are willing to let you drop a link or author bio that links back to your LinkedIn profile.

3. Start Posting Regularly on LinkedIn

The best way to improve the rank of your LinkedIn profile is to post as much relevant content as possible. You can either publish a post or write a full-fledged article to get more traction. Search engines like Google heavily index LinkedIn articles that are drawn out and informative. So find a cool idea for a LinkedIn article and start writing.

Pro Tip: LinkedIn articles are an excellent platform to repurpose your existing content that is already available on your blog.

4. Participate in Various Groups

The easiest way to connect with like-minded people and brands is to join groups. This will not only boost your brand but will also drive traffic (from relatively high net worth individuals) to your actual blog. On the flip side, you might find yourself enjoying discussions with influencers and leaders in your industry. 

5. Give Your Pictures a Name

Google indexes both content and images uploaded on LinkedIn. If you were to type someone’s name and you hit images, there is a pretty high chance that their profile photo on LinkedIn will be the first result to appear.

This applies to all the pictures you upload on LinkedIn. On your profile photo, try giving it a short job description instead of your name. Something like “Award-Winning Social Media Expert”. This will optimise your LinkedIn profile and represent your brand in a positive light.

Good luck!

With SEO going from strength to strength, learn about the top SEO trends to look out for in 2021: https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/top-seo-trends-to-look-out-for-in-2021/.

The post Apply These 5 Easy to Boost SEO for Your LinkedIn Page appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
How Much Content Creation Is Ideal for Your Website? https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/how-much-content-creation-is-ideal-for-your-website/ Mon, 18 Jan 2021 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=26018 Are you one of those website owners with the opinion that “more content = higher rank on Google?” This is a fairly common point of view. Many businesses hire writers and demand them to create multiple blog posts on a […]

The post How Much Content Creation Is Ideal for Your Website? appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Are you one of those website owners with the opinion that “more content = higher rank on Google?” This is a fairly common point of view. Many businesses hire writers and demand them to create multiple blog posts on a daily or weekly basis. They do so because they genuinely believe that a large amount of content can automatically elevate their ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs).

On the other hand, readers have to bear the brunt of unattractive, hasty write-ups. As a result, they lose their readers in a bid to impress Google.

Creating a lot of content at once has a lot of ramifications. Time and again surveys unveil the fact writers who create voluminous amounts of content, are hardly able to maintain their writing style and quality. Their unique, distinct voice slowly disappears over time. Rather than creating research-oriented, well-furnished copy, they are relegated to merely produce nonstop content without much focus on the individuality of their content pieces. The race to write and upload rapidly makes them commit typos, and lose out on tools like graphs/charts which can enhance their content.

Interestingly, a lot of these writers are not only exhausted but also dissatisfied with their work. Some even feel embarrassed after reading their quickly-written posts. Despite so many problems, why are businesses so adamant with this practice? A lack of awareness issue plagues the industry. Google itself has clarified that higher content does not alone boost rankings.

However, this does not mean that you should altogether avoid long-form content. Long-form content has its own importance, especially when you need to write on complex topics and detailed guides/reviews.  As a writer, your goal should be to meet the expectations of your user. For instance, if you search “how to brew black tea”, your top results can hardly exceed 800 words. Similarly, some queries have top post results with only 200 words.

If you have a landing page, your word count should be around 350-400 words minimum. Landing pages attract readers via an interesting value proposition, not detailed descriptions. If you have a blog post, then it should contain at least 500 words.

What Should You Do?

If you are a writer, you have to make sure that your content is distinguished, by its higher quality, and unique, engaging writing tone and style. If your website is already uploading a lot of posts, and you are uncertain about the quality, assess your stats based on on-page and on-site interactions such as bounce rates. In case you feel that your stats are negative, try to cut down on the number of posts and enhance your quality. You can add surveys, videos, studies, images, and infographics to make your content attractive. In this way, your writing can improve your online brand via sheer quality.

Want to learn more about content creation? Why not read our blog on 3 Data-Driven Content Marketing Methods: https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/3-data-driven-content-marketing-methods/.

The post How Much Content Creation Is Ideal for Your Website? appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Understanding the Relevancy of Keywords for Your Market https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/understanding-the-relevancy-of-keywords-for-your-market/ Thu, 14 Jan 2021 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=26015 When a user enters a query on Google, the search engine springs into action. Search engine bots are not too “smart.” They obey a set of pre-defined rules and algorithms to show websites for that query. Ultimately, the responsibility falls […]

The post Understanding the Relevancy of Keywords for Your Market appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
When a user enters a query on Google, the search engine springs into action. Search engine bots are not too “smart.” They obey a set of pre-defined rules and algorithms to show websites for that query. Ultimately, the responsibility falls on the shoulders of website administrators to make sure their sites are indexed and displayed on SERPs. They must adapt their SEO strategies according to their target audience. This entire process can be termed as both random and scientifically-accurate. This is because the requirements of users are ever-changing, unpredictable, and varied. As a result, search engine robots depend on data-oriented presumptions.

For instance, a keyword that is picked by a search engine may manifest different intentions. To improve your online visibility, it is necessary for you to decode the intention of your keywords. It can assist you in outpacing your rivals in the market.

Example #1: Restaurants London

If a customer searches for the keyword mentioned above, it is not possible to guess the exact meaning of this phrase. It may indicate several intentions:

  • Geographic data of restaurants in London
  • Restaurants near London
  • Restaurant designs in London
  • List of restaurants in London

Example #2: Dine Restaurants London

In this instance, it is clear that the user is searching for information about dining in a restaurant that is located in London.

Example #3: London Restaurant Reviews

The user wants to dine at a restaurant in London. However, he/she is interested in reading reviews before visiting that place.

Shedding Light on Commercial Intent

All of these queries focus on the aspect of commercial intent. As a business owner, you must capitalise on keywords that shed light on your commercial intent. As opposed to picking up general keywords of your niche. If you type these keywords on Google Keyword Tool, it shows thousands of monthly queries for each of these keywords.

Singling out keywords that lead in terms of search volumes, but do not associate with significant commercial intent can massively raise your traffic. However, this approach cannot boost your revenues. A restaurant owner in London may be enticed to drive up their SEO with phrases like “Restaurants London”. After all, it does offer higher traffic. However, as its target audience did not express any explicit interest towards commercial intent, the restaurant owners may struggle to raise their revenues, even if their traffic climbs up.

Owners should pay attention to quality market research as the solution which can assist them in determining the buying psychology of their customers or the core of commercial intent. Owners must look at what factors encourage purchasing decisions.

If you manage a business and have repeatedly been failing with your keyword research, contact us. We will examine your entire strategy and target keywords that will not only improve your traffic but also boosts your conversion rate.

The post Understanding the Relevancy of Keywords for Your Market appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
SEO 101: Harnessing the Power of Video Submission https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/seo-101-harnessing-the-power-of-video-submission/ Mon, 04 Jan 2021 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=26005 Have you implemented video submission in SEO for your website? According to Hubspot, more than 80% of businesses are engaged in video marketing. Similarly, Google has revealed that six out of ten people prefer videos over written articles. Additionally, mobile […]

The post SEO 101: Harnessing the Power of Video Submission appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Have you implemented video submission in SEO for your website?

According to Hubspot, more than 80% of businesses are engaged in video marketing. Similarly, Google has revealed that six out of ten people prefer videos over written articles. Additionally, mobile video consumption increases by 100% on an annual basis. More people choose video as a medium to acquire information. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you include video submission in your SEO strategy.

Video submission is an under-rated SEO strategy that can help you to rank higher on the SERPs (search engine result pages). This type of strategy belongs to off-page SEO. Such videos contain information about the business, such as how a specific service works or the features of a product. Videos not only boost your website’s search engine ranking, but they also provide useful information about your products and services. Here’s why video submission should be a part of your SEO strategy.

1.     Inbound Links

Video submission can help you to get inbounds links. As more and more people watch your video, it can redirect traffic to your web pages.

2.     Backlinks

You can also use video submission in SEO to customise your off-page SEO. Videos serve as your website’s backlinks that can play a crucial role in improving its performance on SERPs. If you are unsure about how to generate a backlink with video submission, you can contact us for details.

3.     Lead Generation

If you are struggling with lead generation, a video submission can address this issue. The strategy is simple: if you create an engaging video, then a lot of visitors are going to like your products and services, becoming leads and advancing into the next stages of the sales funnel along the way.

4.     Brand Awareness

Globally, you can use video submission to enhance your brand awareness. It serves as a quick and attention-grabbing tactic through which your audience can get information about your products and services.

5.     No Charges Required

It is important to note that in comparison to other SEO strategies, you do not need any money for video marketing. There are a lot of free video editing software tools that allow you to create and edit your business’s video in a wide array of styles and themes. Additionally, there are no costs for submitting your videos as well.

Video submission websites include YouTube, veoh.com, break.com, and fark.com. All you need to is to submit your video and add links of your website.

6.     Earns Income

For many marketers, videos serve as an important revenue stream. When a video gets popular, it can generate extra income with the help of ads placement.

7.     Editing

While you can certainly edit blog posts and other content on your website, you cannot edit an article published on another website. On the other hand, video submission in SEO can allow you to edit and update your content at any time.

These are just some of the reasons you should invest in video submission. If you need help streamlining your business operations, get in touch with our staff today!

The post SEO 101: Harnessing the Power of Video Submission appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
How to Improve Your Organic Search Ranking https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/how-to-improve-your-organic-search-ranking-2/ Thu, 24 Dec 2020 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=25994 Google receives more than 60,000 search queries per second. In case your business is dependent on SERPs, then you have to contend with tough competition. You have to ensure that your organic search strategy is up to the mark, or […]

The post How to Improve Your Organic Search Ranking appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Google receives more than 60,000 search queries per second. In case your business is dependent on SERPs, then you have to contend with tough competition. You have to ensure that your organic search strategy is up to the mark, or else your web pages may trickle down into the abyss of Google’s second and third pages. Here are a few simple ways you can boost your organic search ranking and stay relevant in the digital space.

Use High-Quality Content

Content is the king, and there is no alternative to high-quality and well-researched content. No matter how much money is poured into paid advertisements, they cannot replace high-quality content. Creating high-quality content means using texts, photos, and images to captivate your audiences and make a positive impression on their minds. Generating valuable and relevant content is considered to be a smart move in extending the time duration a user spends on your website, called the dwell time. It not only attracts users to a website, but it also ensures that they come back to read more of your content.

Increase Load Time

There are two major disadvantages of a slow loading web page. Firstly, when Google detects the slow loading time, the organic ranking of the website takes a hit. Secondly, this does not sit well with the customer; consequently, the graphs for conversion and abandonment rate represent a bleaker picture. A study suggested that it could cost Amazon billions in sales for a one-second loading speed.

Conversely, if you amp up the loading speed of your website, then you can experience a greater number of visitors on your web pages. Therefore, test the loading time of your web pages and content and ensure that your loading speed is not inferior to your rivals’.

Optimising Images

Images play a much important role in organic search ranking than the general expectations. The right image can make a user ‘think’ and reflect on your product and services. To do this, you may use high-quality images for your web pages. However, if they do not load in time, then not only is the user experience is hampered, but you are unable to use one of your most persuasive content medium.

The format and size of an image weigh in organic search results. The bigger the image in size, the greater it takes time to load the page; the end result is an unusually long load time. Unsurprisingly, organic search ranking suffers.

To avoid such predicament, you can optimise your images with compression and resizing. For instance, you can use lossy or lossless compression to reduce your file size.

As a rule of thumb, always make sure to add the title of the image, alt tag, meta description, caption, and the file name. The practice may seem cumbersome, but it pays off in the long term organic search ranking results.

The post How to Improve Your Organic Search Ranking appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Mastering Google Operators https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/mastering-google-operators/ Thu, 10 Dec 2020 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=25981 There are multiple search operators in Google, commands through which you can search and manage your SEO strategy. If you can learn how to use these operators, then you can greatly enhance your research skills and get perfectly tailored results. […]

The post Mastering Google Operators appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
There are multiple search operators in Google, commands through which you can search and manage your SEO strategy. If you can learn how to use these operators, then you can greatly enhance your research skills and get perfectly tailored results. Some of these search operators include the following.  

Filter Your Search

Suppose you have to write a blog post which centres on the acting career of the famous actor, Harrison Ford. Now, try to write “Ford” in the search bar of Google. Much to your surprise, the results display web pages of the popular multinational automobile brand, Ford Motor Company. As you can see, the first page of Google search results is filled with Ford’s cars. This means that Google’s algorithm has associated the intent of the “Ford” keyword with the popular automobile brand.

To get a more relevant result, type “Harrison Ford.” As you can see, the actor’s search query now covers your search results. Additionally, whenever you use multiple words in the Google search, it processes them via a logical “AND.” This means that it performs a Boolean search where all of the keywords must be true. Therefore, if you write something like “Harrison Ford Best Movies,” then Google combines all of these 4 words and searches for instances where the title or content contains all of them.

Understand Special Characters

Search ‘TLS/SSL Certificate’. Now, you must expect the forward-slash to be recognised so you can get the exact results. As you can see, many of the results separate them with “and”. This is because Google considers the forward-slash as a space character and thereby applies a logical “AND”. Hence, to ensure that Google processes it as an exact match, use double quotes, i.e. ”TLS/SSL” Certificate’. Now, Google will match the complex phrase with all the special characters.

Using the “OR” Operator

Google also supports the use of a logical “OR”. You can use it to ensure to search two keywords which occur rarely. However, make sure that the operator is written in capital letters, or Google will not find it. For instance, type ‘edison OR tesla’.

Grouping through Parentheses

You can use the “OR” operator in conjunction with parentheses to generate more complex results. For instance, search ‘(edison OR tesla) inventions’. The parentheses here ensures that results for the bracket are processed first after which ‘inventions” keyword is applied as a logical “AND”.

Eliminate Terms

In the example mentioned above, notice when you searched for Harrison Ford, the results showed Ford Motor. To eliminate such results, you can use the “-“operator. Therefore, write ford -motor to ensure that “motor” does not show in search results.

During your searching, you may also find other similar terms which come into your results. You can note them and add them for more filtering.

Why not read about our article on the effects of voice search on Google’s search algorithm to improve your search results: https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/the-effects-of-voice-search-on-googles-search-algorithm/

The post Mastering Google Operators appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Top SEO Trends to Look Out for in 2021 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/top-seo-trends-to-look-out-for-in-2021/ Mon, 09 Nov 2020 01:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=25948 More than ever before, SEO remains a critical component of any business’s digital marketing strategy. Just make a note of the following statistics:   93% of all online experience starts with a search engine (Source: Search Engine Journal) 70% of […]

The post Top SEO Trends to Look Out for in 2021 appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
More than ever before, SEO remains a critical component of any business’s digital marketing strategy. Just make a note of the following statistics:  

93% of all online experience starts with a search engine (Source: Search Engine Journal)

70% of marketers see SEO as more effective than PPC. (Source: Databox)

Every second, 63,000 searches take place on Google – that’s a total of over 2.3 trillion searches a year! (Source: SERP Watch)

92.96% of global traffic comes from Google (Source: Sparktoro)

SEO drives 1000%+ more traffic than organic social media (Source: BrightEdge)

With that said, finding success with SEO is no easy task. The SEO landscape is constantly changing, with Search Engines continually rolling out new updates to their search ranking algorithms. Tactics that worked in the past may no longer be effective today. To remain at the top of their SEO game, marketers need to anticipate and understand the latest developments in the realm of SEO.

Taking insights from some of the industry’s leading influencers, here are the top SEO trends to look out for in the year 2021.   

User Experience (UX) Taking Center Stage

User experience was already an essential component of SEO, but going forward will play an even more prominent role in deciding search engine rankings.

In its blog post published in May 2020, Google talked about the introduction of Core Web Vitals into its search algorithms. Apart from load time, SSL Certification and mobile-friendliness, new factors that will come into play in gauging a site’s UX quality include its interactivity, stability of content as it loads, and intrusive interstitials (e.g. pop-ups or ad windows).

If you want your pages to rank high in 2021, put the focus on making the web content and design more people-centric.

Fortunately, Google has made it easy to find out how your website stands from a UX perspective. On Google Search Console, you can now get a Core Web Vitals report of your website, showing exactly which areas will need improvement.  

The Relevance of Search Intent

As voice searches rapidly grow in popularity, search engine algorithms have evolved to accommodate them better. Part of this trend has been the rising importance of search intents.

Beyond keywords, it would also be the intent behind them that search engines will deduce in coming up with their search results. Marketers will, therefore, not only have to search for queries that they would have to optimise their content for but also the exact users’ intention behind them.

To better illustrate, take this example of the keyword ‘Best SEO tactics.’ Optimised for it would probably be a list of the latest SEO techniques and strategies. An unoptimised example with this target keyword would be that explaining the pros and cons of SEO, which isn’t relevant to the intent of the searcher for this keyword.

A Word About Words

Stop reading this right now and search on Google the term ‘Annoying shark song.’ The majority of the top results will show some content on Baby Shark. Notice you didn’t type the keyword ‘baby shark,’ but Google was able to guess what you meant correctly.

Or, for an even better example, type ‘that song with the screaming cowboy’ and your top result will be the song Big Enough by Kirin J. Callinan. Here too, Google was able to link your search with the result that didn’t have a matching keyword.

So, what’s the gist here? It’s that search engines are no longer just looking at keywords but also their relationship with other search phrases and in what context.

This change from direct matches to indirect matches has been all part of a trend towards improving search experience, allowing users to land on the best and most relevant results quickly.

For SEO, what this means is that content optimised for search engines won’t work. It is going to be more important than ever to generate content that people want to read. Your focus should be on creating authoritative, actionable, and rich content. Addressing both general and specific questions and needs – to maximise the chances of it being relevant to a person’s search query.

An example of such content would be a long-form article incorporating the following characteristics:

Written for People – Content is developed in a way that is structured, easy to read and understand, is concise, and is ideally supplemented with plenty of helpful visuals.

Includes FAQs – Highly relevant for voice searches but also helpful for adding a further layer of depth to the content’s topic.

Contextual Linking – Create logical paths to related topics for users to click on, but it also extends to structuring the various related content around a central main topic – your website’s pillar post.

Online Listings Becoming Prominent for Local SEO

If you own a physical establishment and haven’t posted it on an online directory such as Google My Business, you better consider doing so. It is going to play an extremely prominent role in local SEO.  

As part of their effort to improve search result quality for their users, Google and other major search engines have been putting even more focus on localised searches. A person located in Central London searching for some ‘good pizza place’ would want to see results limited to their commutable surroundings.

To facilitate this search, search engines pull information from online directories to come up with results that might be most relevant to a person’s localised search query.

Over the years, localised searches were already rapidly growing but with the coming of the COVID-19 crisis, received a massive surge in volume.

It is not just search engines through which local businesses are being discovered. At present, there are over 1 billion people using Google Maps every month to discover places. Any local businesses that come at the top of their map searches are likely to benefit immensely in terms of more customers and profit. 

In the case of Google, engagement and activity on Google My Business are two important signals that it uses for ranking. To stay on its radar and increase your online exposure, make sure to frequently update your listings. Encourage and reply to user reviews and make sure plenty of information is there for people to learn more about your business.   

The Growth of Zero-Click Results

Upon reading this, many of you might be asking what exactly are ‘Zero-Click’ results? Just go ahead and search the term ‘Coronavirus’ on Google. Apart from web links, you’ll also see on the result page plenty of information about the virus and the current pandemic, including maps, statistics, and health information.

These types of SERPs are called zero-click results because a user can find information related to their queries directly on the result page and thus, have no need to click and visit any website.

According to one estimate, in 2019, zero-click results already accounted for half of all Google search results. Since then, Google has become particularly good at compiling relevant information on a single result page, incorporating such features as rich snippets, video carousels, and information graphics.

Therefore, it is safe to say that by 2021, zero-click results will account for the great majority of search results. However, this isn’t to say that it is all doom and gloom when it comes to SEO and generating traffic.

Search volumes are growing at an exponential rate, and while zero-click results might make it harder to get traffic for general topics, they are rarely showcased for more niche-based or specific ones. If your content is optimised around on such related queries, you can still expect SEO to be your main source of traffic.

A Lot More to EAT

EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) was a major focus in the updates Google made to its search engine algorithms in 2020. In the coming year, it would have gained even more prominence as a search ranking criterion.

This has been borne out of the Search Engine’s experience of handling queries related to the COVID-19 crisis.  Unscrupulous businesses tried gaming its algorithms to push their web content higher at the expense of users being unable to find reliable, quality information relevant to their searches.

Expect Google and other major search engines to be even more stringent in how websites are vetted for EAT. In SEO terms, 2021 will truly be a people-first year. Quantity, keyword density, and the number of backlinks won’t cut it anymore. To rank better, the focus will be on the quality of the content, the expertise of the writer, and whether it is written in formats users want.  

What are other top SEO trends for 2021 that we should be aware about? Tell us in the comments below. Have a business that is struggling to build up its online presence? We can help! Get in touch with us by calling +44 800 122 3022 or using this form.   

The post Top SEO Trends to Look Out for in 2021 appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Why You Really Need AI and SEO? https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/why-you-really-need-ai-and-seo/ Mon, 21 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=25896 Artificial Intelligence ‘AI’ has quickly become one of the most prominent tools in the realm of digital marketing. Traditionally, AI was linked with robots and machinery. However, in today’s digital age, it has made deep inroads in a wide range […]

The post Why You Really Need AI and SEO? appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
Artificial Intelligence ‘AI’ has quickly become one of the most prominent tools in the realm of digital marketing. Traditionally, AI was linked with robots and machinery. However, in today’s digital age, it has made deep inroads in a wide range of industries. Search Engine Optimisation ‘SEO’ is one such industry.

Let’s go through some of the applications of AI in SEO.

1.     Smart Search Engines

Search engines, such as Google, based their platforms on rule-based logic. Irrespective of how comprehensive and sophisticated it was, at the end of the day, all of it was hard-coded rules. As a result, SEO professionals tried to identify and master those rules.

However, Google and other search engines are now increasingly relying on smart search algorithms to adjust consumer’s preferences. For instance, by the end of this year, 50% of the searches are going to be in the form of voice. Google has worked hard on Google Assistant in terms of AI to make sure that it can listen to and understand conversations.

Similarly, Google has added more content to its engine as well as other services, such as Google maps through AI.

2.     Hyper Personalisation

Customers are attracted to brands that offer personalised messages. Today, customers like to buy products and services that can address their individual needs and resolve concerns.

One of the smartest ways to incorporate personalisation into your SEO strategy is to implement AI in your marketing methods. For instance, consider the example of Starbucks. The company used mobile app data and loyalty cards to collect customer data and leveraged AI to give personalised menu recommendations to customers. Taking this step helped Starbucks to improve customer engagement.

3.     Analytics and Reporting

Analytics and reporting are one of the most critical areas in SEO, where brands either depend on an SEO agency or their in-house teams.

The in-depth information that AI can uncover offers SEO teams more analytical data, enabling them to build powerful technical and content strategies. AI can also allow you to delve deeper into your customer data. When businesses gain a better understanding of their customers, they can create better-performing content and eventually learn how to boost ROI efficiently.

4.     Automation

Automation is a major time-saver in digital marketing. Prominent names, such as Netflix and Amazon, are already making full use of it. With AI, you can automate your data analysis, reporting, and other daily SEO tasks.

Are you looking to use AI to improve your SEO? Send us a message and explain your SEO concerns. Our SEO consultants can leverage the power of AI to rank you higher on search engine result pages.

The post Why You Really Need AI and SEO? appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
3 Ideas On What Your Readers are Searching for During the Coronavirus Period https://theseoplatform.co.uk/blog/3-ideas-on-what-your-readers-are-searching-for-during-the-coronavirus-period/ Mon, 24 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://theseoplatform.co.uk/?p=25472 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on what your target audience reads on the web. The pause in global operations means that this is uncharted territory for many companies.  Here is what your readers want to read about […]

The post 3 Ideas On What Your Readers are Searching for During the Coronavirus Period appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on what your target audience reads on the web. The pause in global operations means that this is uncharted territory for many companies.  Here is what your readers want to read about during the coronavirus period.

1)    Remote Stuff

This is a trend that is affecting both B2B and B2C companies. Almost everything has been moved, paused, or cancelled as everyone goes to the virtual realms. There’s a significant amount of interest for keywords, such as “remote teams” and “working remotely.”

Is it possible for your company to provide information on the following?

  • Best strategies to increase the morale of a remote team?
  • A comparison of the best video conferencing tools, such as Zoom and Google Hangouts.
  • A list of the best collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams.

2)    Software Development

There’s also considerable interest in mobile app and website development. There are two motivations behind this new-found popularity for software development.

Firstly, many people in the UK have been laid off. Last week, Rolls-Royce, one of the leading British companies, announced to cut down 9,000 jobs. Small businesses are in a tougher spot. As a result, people are picking up new skills so they can work from home. There’s an extensive amount of development tutorials on the web and beginner tutorials are easy to learn. Therefore, it’s quite convenient for users to learn software development and search for jobs on Upwork and other freelancing platforms.

Secondly, since many people had to shut down their physical shops, they are dedicating more time to designing a new website or improving their existing designs.

3)    Shipping and Delivery

Consumers want to know how their products can get shipped to their locations. However, many companies don’t have the infrastructure to fulfil these demands. Both businesses and consumers are trying to research how to optimise and improve their shipping and delivery processes. You can offer the following value:

  • Recommendations on how to optimise the delivery processes.
  • Language tips that can update delivery messaging on websites or apps.
  • Mini-guides for small businesses that have only shipped products within the country. Help them to ship their products abroad and earn more clients.
  • A strategy on how shipping can communicate shipping delays and updates to your target audience.

Final Thoughts

These are the most common trends, keywords, and interests these days. If your business is related to any of these services, it’s a good idea to write content accordingly to the tips mentioned above. If your products and services fall in a different range, you can get in touch with us. Our experts will use the latest tools and techniques to find the best possible content in these times and write accordingly.

The post 3 Ideas On What Your Readers are Searching for During the Coronavirus Period appeared first on The SEO Platform.

]]>