Ready to up your SEO game in 2023!? We will dig into the major factors and best practices to consider for this coming year. Fortunately, much of what we learned from last year’s top trends will carry over, however here are a few updates and new ideas to put into play.
1. Keyword Research is Still Important.
We’ve already discussed the importance of doing your research when evaluating your site’s key terms. However, the purpose of keyword research has been evolving, and this is where your mind might be blown: Ranking number one in search engines is no longer the primary goal.
The SERPs (search engine results page) is often relatively cluttered with adverts and snippets from articles. Keywords are now being optimized for SERP marketing, which should be implemented across all channels, from blog posts to videos to social media.
How to apply this tip:
- Consider keywords used by your competitors
- Repurpose older content
- Identify keywords with moderate search volume (i.e. less competition)
2. Focus on Search Intent.
Refer back to this article on search intent. By focusing on the purpose of your end-user’s search, you can tap into a deeper understanding of their needs.
Types of user intent:
- Navigational: When someone is trying to visit a specific website.
- Informational: Conducted when someone is trying to find an answer to a specific question or to find information around a certain topic.
- Transactional: Occurs when someone is looking to make an online purchase.
- Commercial: Happens when a consumer wants to make a purchase, but is looking for more information to make an educated decision.
Considering who your readers are and what types of questions they are asking will help you generate more helpful answers and meet them where they are in terms of user intent.
How to apply this tip:
- Create topic clusters for content creation
- Create content that is focused on user intent
- Look at synonyms for your main keyword
- Consider the “people also asked” section on SERP results
3. More emphasis placed on local searches.
Let’s be honest, local content is what we do exceptionally well! Adding your specific location to your search phrase is, and will continue to be, a major player in your SEO strategy. Statistics show that mobile searches containing “near me” increased by 136% in 2021.
Another study states that 46% of all searches conducted on Google include local intent. Incorporating this into your strategy will immediately move your website closer to the top of the page when people search content in your area.
How to apply this tip:
- Conduct local keyword research and implement
- Build local organic links
4. The Rise of Voice Search.
An estimated 41% of adults and 55% of teenagers based in the US make use of voice search daily.
With machine learning progressing so rapidly, the world of online searches and marketing will never be the same. Primarily, this technology is better equipped to make predictions on what users are searching for and programmed to recognized keywords and phrases.
Coupled with the rise in conversational queries, known as Natural Language Processing (NLP), voice search is quite impressive in being able to interpret the intent and context of a search.
How to apply this tip:
- Target more conversational keywords
- Create FAQ based content
- Appear in featured snippet by structuring your content around questions
5. Featured Snippets are Everywhere.
Featured snippets are the boxes of results that often appear above the number one spot on the SERP. They are sections of information that have been extracted from sources that Google believes will be the most beneficial based on the user’s search intent.
These snippets can be bulleted lists, how-tos, tables or simply a couple sentences. Various factors contribute to earning these snippets, including the presence of images, <h2> tag relevance, the length of the passage and whether or not anchor text has been used.
Note: While featured snippets can be beneficial, they can increase the number of “no-click searches,” a.k.a. no pageviews. What this means is a user doesn’t have to click on your search result, because the featured snippet has the information they were looking for.
How to apply this tip:
- Target long-tail keywords
- Create in-depth content, such as how-tos and guides
- Focus on user intent when creating content
- Target the “people also asked” sections to find content gaps