These are the current SEO trends
The year 2021 is progressing steadily and it is already April. Search engine optimization is just as constantly changing as the times; it has faced a number of changes in the last few months alone. An SEO expert is usually up to date with the latest developments and coordinates SEO trends with confidence. Laypeople, on the other hand, find it difficult to recognize important changes in the constant flow of information on the Internet and to identify them as trends. In this blog post, we will therefore guide you through the current topics relating to search engine optimization.
SEO trends
SEO trends are not very different from actual search engine optimization. Rather, it is about finding out quickly and implementing just as quickly what the search engine considers to be positive. If you know the search engine, you can use the right optimization measures to boost your ranking within the organic search results (SERP).
Whether keywords are adjusted due to COVID-19, Google stops tracking or meta descriptions change in their type and character length. It is always an advantage to be on top of SEO news and dominate search engine rankings.
The current trends in SEO include podcasts, audio content and moving images in the form of videos. Almost everyone is familiar with this content and it has become indispensable. Not really trends, are they? Video content and the like have long been incorporated and placed in the search results by Google. Audio content, such as podcasts, is completely new and rather unknown in the search results. Google is now also planning to integrate these.
The same applies to podcasts as to content in general: Google particularly likes uniqueness and added value, which is why Google will classify the content as relevant and rank it highly. This gives audio content a new and important focus, which previously – also in terms of SEO – tended to be left out.
Mobile First Indexing
The most frequently used medium for surfing the Internet is the smartphone. In addition to these, tablets are also gaining in popularity and use. In conclusion, the majority of search queries are made on mobile devices. Google also knows this, which is why mobile-first websites (keyword: responsive design) are preferred by the search engine provider. Nothing new in itself.
What is new in terms of mobile SEO are the changes to the indexing of websites that Google made in March. All websites are set to MFI from this point onwards. MFI stands for Mobile First Indexing and means that mobile-optimized pages are becoming even more important. Websites that are only available on desktop devices are no longer displayed in the search results of the Google search engine. This includes absolutely all forms of content (text, images, videos, etc.) So to all those who have not yet optimized for smartphones and tablets – it’s about time!
Passage Ranking
The term has been commonplace in the USA since February 2021, but may raise questions for laypeople and some SEOs. As the name suggests, passage ranking means that individual passages can rank in the search engine. This means that large texts and content are no longer just perceived as fixed content. The contents are now divided into individual passages. If certain keywords are searched for that are contained in a passage of text, it can happen that only the individual passage is displayed in the organic search and ranks for itself.
Overall, the change affects around seven percent of search queries. Nevertheless, the Passage Ranking will soon come into force in Germany and could give rise to sophisticated SEO measures that deal with niches.
Google’s tips
Google is known for regularly issuing ranking tips and recommendations on what content the search engine giant likes best. News about duplicate content that was published not too long ago has made online store owners, for example, breathe a sigh of relief. Many questions about Google can also be asked and answered in a hang-out with John Mueller. What are the current recommendations?
Optimization factors and recommendations
A new feature that has been available on Google Ads accounts since mid-2020 is the “Optimization factor and recommendations” item. This point is primarily aimed at all webmasters who currently and actively place advertising via Google Ads and want to exploit its full potential. Under Optimization factor and Recommendation you will find tips on how to achieve better performance. Google also provides information on what needs to be implemented for optimal growth. As a Google Ads user, Google can also ask for an assessment from 0 to 100 percent of how the optimization of the website/campaign should be rated. After the assessment, suggestions and tips for optimization can be requested without obligation.
Apart from that, not much has changed in terms of search engine optimization for Google. It should just be mentioned, especially for SEO laymen and the content creators out there, that the search engine giant continues to place great emphasis on the qualitative implementation of keywords in equally high-quality content. Spamming or special equivalences are viewed extremely negatively. As already mentioned, focus on content with added value for the user, because Google is perfectly capable of recognizing relevant content.
Qualitative link building
Links and link building are still an important factor in search engine optimization. Active link building is the be-all and end-all of SEO, whereby the quality of the respective links is also important here. If your site is linked, then it should also be a reputable website with high-quality content. This is the only way to set the backlink effectively. If a link pointing to your website lands on gambling sites or sites with erotic content, this can have a negative effect on your own link profile. If you write high-quality content, you are more likely to generate backlinks, while methods such as guest articles or other collaborations also drive backlink generation.
Don’t be afraid to refer to other high-quality content on your own initiative. The only thing we would advise you not to do is to link to relevant and active keywords of your competitors. This does not benefit you in any way.
More Tag
Often a penalty by Google due to keyword spamming is faster than it can be realized that so-called keyword spamming was carried out at all. So how can this be and how can it be avoided? Overview pages in particular tend to contain a lot of keywords that may only serve as orientation. So you see, a penalty can happen quickly, despite good and noble intentions that have nothing to do with black hat SEO. To prevent a lower ranking due to penalties from Google, the More Tag is recommended.
If you use the More Tag, you can split the content over several pages. You can set up a page as a teaser, for example. This means that only a short part of the actual text is visible and a click on More then shows the user the complete content. This prevents you from accidentally adding too many keywords to a page.
SEO is dynamic
You may have noticed that a lot has changed in the trends over the months and years. You may read this blog post if it is already a little older and realize that some of the points listed have changed fundamentally in the meantime. Then you now know what search engine optimization is all about. A measure in itself may be designed for the long term, but SEO itself is based on the needs of users and how Google and other search engines want to meet these needs. Almost nothing is as dynamic as the Internet and SEO is an integral part of it and closely linked to change.
This does not mean that you have to brace yourself for the worst every five minutes or become skeptical if nothing has happened for a few months. Keep an eye on Google, but optimize for your users! Then you don’t have to worry about bad measures. If you offer added value for your target group, you will be seen by Google – in a positive sense.
Nevertheless, if you are still unsure about some factors, it doesn’t hurt to contact an SEO agency whose main expertise is to know and understand the SEO market. And hey, at least SEO never gets boring!