Google seems to have a habit of constantly changing its search algorithms. In fact, they change it anywhere from 500 to 600 times a year. While it’s true that many of these changes are relatively minor, their algorithm changes can greatly impact website traffic. This is especially true when they roll out major changes, like Penguin and Panda. The most recent algorithm change, called Hawk, took place in August 2017. A minor algorithm change called Medic Update was completed on August 1, 2018.
These algorithm changes often leave marketing experts scrambling to make adjustments to their websites to prevent traffic from taking a nosedive. Here are a few strategies that online marketing experts should implement if they want to continue to see their website at the top of Google’s rankings.
Make Keywords Compatible with Voice Searches
Voice-controlled personal assistants are becoming the wave of the future. According to the latest research, almost half of all Americans use this technology, primarily on their smartphones. Because of this, users are no longer typing in keywords in order to search the internet. Instead, they are telling their device what kind of information they’re looking for. For this reason, good SEO practices include using keywords that are compatible with voice searches.
There are a few simple ways to go about this. First of all, focus on keyword topics and related ideas. Since many people who use voice-controlled personal assistants are looking for information by asking questions, it’s a good idea to provide the answers to who, what, and where questions in the content. One way to do this is to add an FAQ section to the website.
Focus on Mobile Friendly Search Experiences
According to the most recent mobile marketing statistics, 80% of internet users own a smartphone. When doing research over their smartphone, 48% of consumers begin with a search engine. These statistics prove that online marketing experts need to focus their energies on giving consumers a mobile-friendly search experience. If they don’t, they risk losing a ton of traffic.
When consumers have trouble accessing a website, 61% of them probably won’t return to it. Also, if the website isn’t designed for mobile use, 57% of users say they won’t recommend that business to others. When web designers create a website with the mobile user in mind, Google will give it a higher page ranking, which translates to high traffic volumes.
