The Latest Trend in SEO to Increase Your Sales

Many have argued at the start of 2016 that SEO (search engine optimization) is no longer as effective as it had been years ago. In fact, some went as far as to speculate that it’s already dying.

Search engines say otherwise.

While SEO has been bombarded with lots of issues in the past, primarily because of unethical practices, it managed to survive. SEO efforts will surely pay off when done right and eventually convert to sales.

This is exactly why some companies specifically outsource services such as those offered by a digital agency in the Philippines. Hiring experts means company owners won’t have to do the legwork themselves. While the decision to hire another party is generally a good call, it can also be a disadvantage, especially if one doesn’t consider the competencies of the SEO specialists.

Skilled professionals in search engine optimization don’t just rely on tools to do their job. They keep themselves updated with the most recent trends in the industry, such as the following:

1. Dominance of long-form content

This trend is recurring, as it once ruled the online marketing strategy of major websites. A few years ago, it slightly shifted to favor shorter and more direct-to-the-point content. This shift has been attributed to the shorter attention span of readers who prefer getting information as fast as possible.

While this kind of approach is still widely practiced, there is again a visible shift observed by experts around the web. Apparently, readers are now back to searching for lengthier posts as they likely provide more information and thorough explanation on topics of interest.

Shorter content that has been enjoying wide attention from online users is now struggling to establish its credibility. This is due to the growing number of concise content that only serves as a rehash of posts already published elsewhere. Thus, they lack something new to offer to the readers, eventually hurting their shareability and performance.

Moreover, online readers are now looking for a one-stop answer to their questions. The longer the post, the bigger the chance of providing answers online users will consider as relevant to their needs.

2. Focus on social media and blog shareability

Social media has been the ever-dynamic driving force for any online marketing campaign. In fact, you could assume that any promotional strategy will not be a full-on success in the absence of a social media strategy plan to boost its reach.

The current and upcoming trend for 2017 is seen to be even more focused on boosting brands’ social media awareness and enhancing the type of content shared on each platform.

By recreating content to become social media-friendly, companies can have more leverage in pitching their goods to more people.

3. Shift to a more mobile-friendly approach

My friend at Quikclicks stated, "There is no denying how online marketing strategies have already shifted to make sure their materials are accessible across different mobile devices. This is evident in the rise of mobile apps meant to provide a solution for a specific problem."

In promoting a product, it’s crucial for content providers to work on mobile metrics. Millions of people from all around the world access information while on the go using their mobile devices. The inability to make one’s content compatible with varied devices can mean a lost opportunity to sell.

4. The rise of videos as the new content master

We’ve all been talking about content, but what exactly works? The answer could be varied depending on the platform you’re sharing it to, but one sure thing is the projected increase in video creation for the coming year.

Some experts project videos to own 80% of the total online traffic source by the year 2019, and this could mean a lot of changes for a company’s current marketing strategy.

Advertisements in print and image format are seen to evolve and be more focused on videos. Aside from their visual and auditory appeal, videos also pride themselves on being the most memorable type of content, given the short span of their airing.

Of course, with its popularity comes its corresponding challenges. Small and startup entrepreneurs, for instance, may find it difficult to invest in videos, given their huge cost. Their current budget plan may limit their creativity and will most certainly affect the quality of videos.

As for bigger, more established companies, the challenge comes from the messaging itself. How can they craft a thirty-second video while keeping their branding solid? Even with seasoned marketers on board, this remains to be a huge challenge.

5. Polishing or upgrading of older content

While there are a lot of websites being created on a daily basis, there are existing ones that have been running for several years. Rather than creating a brand new one, owners of these sites will prefer recalibrating the type of content they provide to keep the traffic and subscribers they’ve gained over the years.

A good way to keep a site fresh and trendy for current and new followers would be to browse through older posts and update the previous ones you’ve shared by adding newer content.

A good example would be case studies and research. If you've managed to grow your organic traffic via search engine optimization, you could write a detailed case study outlining what worked for you. Even after a year or two, you can update it with the most recent findings on the subject.

If not, changing the style of the presentation will do. If you have created a list post in the past, changing it into an infographic, a slideshow, or an animated video might be a good call. There is a huge possibility that newer subscribers might have missed the content. Might as well re-introduce it to them.

6. Killer headlines and meta descriptions still matter

There has been no substitute for a compelling headline. In SEO, this goes beyond just packing your title with keywords. It also means creatively and concisely crafting the title to encourage readers to click and read the full content.

The same goes with meta descriptions. If before it worked solely for optimization by housing the main keywords for use in the article, now it works to compel. Readers will most likely read the description seen in the search engines first before clicking the title. A good meta description will get the job done.

7. Rise of voice command or search feature

Virtual assistants are nothing new. Many of them have become popular through apps and are proven to be of real help, especially to working professionals juggling different tasks at once.

When it comes to sales, employing voice command search features on company apps and even websites is seen to be a crucial factor in getting on your customers’ good graces. While it may not prove to be very efficient for small businesses, huge corporations are expected to be in for a real battle among their equally strong competitors. After all, they must live up to their reputation. Being on top means bigger expectations from loyal customers; this feature is considered an advantage to get ahead of the rest.

8. Wise and accurate usage of SEO tools, both free and premium

Anyone’s search engine optimization strategy wouldn’t be as efficient in the absence of advanced tools meant to help SEO specialists automate a number of their tasks. However, a huge chunk of the actual SEO practice remains in the hands of the people using the tool.

In the past, Google has penalized a number of websites for unethical practices and failure to adhere to the rules they set for optimization. Usage of advanced tools while not adhering to predetermined Google rules is a sure invitation for a penalty. When this happens, your website and, eventually, your sales will take the blow.

Today’s trend has seen a more careful and wise usage of these materials as means to boost a site’s overall performance and traffic.

Promoting content online has now been considered mainstream, and all successful companies, both seasoned and startup, can benefit from the wise usage of digital platforms. However, it’s also important to note that while many ventures have tried to create campaigns and promotional materials online, not everyone has been successful.

Just like any other system, digital marketing has its own rules - policies that are subject to change to fit the current trend and enhancements in practice.

Whether you are just starting in your business or planning to recalibrate an existing campaign, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how websites work and the role of social media marketing in your overall efforts.

Bottom line

SEO has survived through the years, and it's projected to continue playing a key role in ranking websites. An increase in sales is the by-product of a successful SEO strategy. If you’re not seeing a significant change in your strategy even after years of providing content, then making some changes by adapting to the current trend would be essential.

Author:

For over a decade, Mark Abrim has been writing articles and has helped many businesses worldwide to build massive publicity using his content. Aside from blogging in his free time, Mark Abrim is also a web developer and entrepreneur.

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