If you will prepare your online blueprint according to these trends, then 2019 will be a great year for you in terms of your SEO strategy and website ranking.
It was the year 2000 when the Search Engine Optimization started becoming more of a science. The easy path of getting to the top of the search results just by stuffing your content with keywords started getting tougher with complex algorithms. Slowly and steadily, the SEO becomes much smarter in order to enhance the user experience.
The SEO trends keep changing every year, which is an endeavor to polish the search result and give what the user is exactly looking for.
If you have an online presence, then you should always be updated about the latest SEO trend because resistance to change can push you backward in this neck-wrenching online competition.
So, in this blog post, we will be talking about some of the top SEO trends that are expected to rule 2019 and if you will prepare your online blueprint according to these trends, then 2019 will be a great year for you in terms of your SEO strategy and website ranking.
1. Voice Search
The evolution of AI has given birth to brilliant technologies in the form of virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa. Now people are using these virtual assistants for searching answers instead of typing something and that’s what will be trending in 2019.
Now searches are being conducted through these virtual assistants like “Where can I find the best baby powder?” or “How will be the weather today in Chicago?” and that’s why now every website or blog needs to put information in the form of answering questions. '
The CEO of Google Sundar Pichai himself told that 20% of the search queries on smartphones are made through voice.
So you should consider some important aspects of SEO that will affect the voice search like Optimization of featured snippets, long-tail voice-oriented keywords, Schema Metadata, and local SEO.
So you need to understand that when a user searches vocally, then it differs a lot from what they type and thus the use of long tail keywords becomes very important.
2. Mobile first Index
With the growing use of smartphones, there is no surprise in the stats which says that almost 50% of the Google searches are made through mobile. And even Google has already made it clear in their March 2018 announcement that they have now fully rolled out the mobile first index.
The rolling out of mobile first index simply means that now the website’s mobile version will also be considered for ranking in search engine result page rather than just considering the website’s desktop version.
So you will have to make sure that your website is mobile-friendly and both versions of your website have responsive design.
Looking at the current growth of mobile usage, it becomes very necessary for you to invest in building a mobile-friendly website, otherwise, you will be left behind in the race of competition.
3. Blockchain
Among the many trends which will rule 2019, the blockchain is the most complex one to grasp for the users. So let’s try to understand the blockchain through the famous cryptocurrencies.
Blockchain basically lays down the groundwork for all types of cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin to exist, function and rise. With the use of the blockchain, the user is able to make transactions without involving any type of middleman.
In the blockchain, there are pieces of data that are known as block which are transmitted across a network after which a process of confirmation starts. After the validation of the data through nodes, the money is transferred.
Now, you might be wondering how this blockchain is related to the SEO? Well, the blockchain can be programmed to record any type of data which will result in the decentralization of the internet making information to be public, safe and flexible.
With the introduction of the blockchain, Google (the middleman) will no longer hold all the powers. Currently, the search engine acts as s middleman between the advertisers and websites, but with the introduction of the blockchain, you will no longer need a search engine for such purposes.
The growth of Blockchain among the users will result in the demand of the web pages with blockchain code implemented and even SEO firms will have to give blockchain integration services in the near future.
4. Linkless backlinks
You might be wondering what this is an old-school SEO technique, but the way of backlinking won’t be the same in 2019. The new linkless backlinks will become a major trend in 2019. So let’s understand what these linkless backlinks really mean?
The linkless backlinks will not include any hyperlink to your website and it will become a more effective SEO strategy than the traditional methods of backlinking. Search engines will now easily associate mentions with brands and then use these mentions to determine a website’s authority.
So if your business is mentioned on any other website without any hyperlink then you can consider it as a linkless backlink.
Bing has already started using the linkless backlinks for ranking and it is being said that Google has also started working on something similar to this.
If you want to make the most out of the linkless backlinks then it will be better to include your business name in the story of the article which is going to be published on any other website. It will not only give you the best result but will make your linkless backlinking strategy look natural.
If you have an online presence, then you should understand that your digital marketing strategy should keep on evolving because the SEO trends keep on changing. If you are going to plan your SEO strategy then you should include, voice search, the mobile-first index, and other SEO trends mentioned in this article.
While planning your SEO strategy, you have both the options of doing it by yourself or choosing an expert SEO firm. The choice of DIY or outsourcing depends on your need and your basic understanding of the SEO.
So, keep checking the latest SEO trends and reap the benefits of it in 2019.
Saurabh Gupta has been involved in the world of accounting software, SEO and cloud computing from a very long time and currently, he is working as a lead content writer with MyQbHost, a QuickBooks hosting company. Cloud computing and SEO is what he eats and drinks.