Investing in SEO is still one of the main best practices businesses should consider in 2021. Since engaging content is in high demand and can help your business reach even more customers, you better hire an SEO agency that can use current methods. You can plan for your company’s website by hiring an agency to keep up with top trends.
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Search intent will be more important than keywords
Google’s algorithm can now interpret why you are doing a particular search. Google anticipates what the searcher is trying to accomplish when the searcher types a query with search intent. The most common search intents include:
- To learn: The user is trying to educate themselves about something or looking for information or guidance.
- To take action: The user wants to take a specific action, such as signing up for a service, purchasing something, getting directions, or doing something else.
- To navigate: The user wants to find a specific website but does not want to type the URL in the address bar. Instead, Google it—for example, a user Googling Facebook instead of typing the Facebook URL in the search engine.
An experienced SEO agency will optimize search intent by matching the page associated with the keywords you are trying to rank with the search’s intent. If the keyword you use is “How to tune a piano,” then there should be instructions for tuning pianos on that page. The first thing that should appear on the page is the instructions, which should be content about any related questions a user may have after reading the information.
Semantic search will become more important.
The semantic search involves a search engine using all the data to determine the intent, context, and meaning of the group of words you type into the search. For example, when you type “big mouth bird,” the first search result will be a pelican photo. That happens because the algorithm has searched the data to find a bird that closely fits your typed words.
Agencies offering SEO services focus on the following with semantic search:
- Providing in-depth answers to your target market’s questions
- Developing content that is written concisely and clearly with bullet points and lists to allow easy skimming of content
- Building clusters of precious content around a high-level topic. You can have one main topic and several other subtopics related to the main subject. Write for the topic, not the keyword.
Location-based search
The logic behind location-based search is that when people search for a Mexican restaurant on Google Maps, they are probably looking for a restaurant nearby. So, the results of that search will be limited to the surrounding geographical area. Your SEO agency can use this by verifying your business on Google My Business.
Once Google has verified your business’s location, they can optimize every aspect of your listing. However, you may have to wait for weeks to get your business verified.
Other trends you should look out for
- Videos: Since they were introduced in 2018, video carousels have become common on the SERPs. So, create a quick video for your target audience that may not be interested in reading long articles.
- Quality content: You must still tailor your content to cater to your target audience’s needs, objections, and pain points. Only hire SEO agencies with experienced writers who can write deep pieces your audience will enjoy reading.
- Zero-click search: People can now get a quick answer to their question on the SERP without clicking on a website. For example, when you search for “feral pigeon,” there is a glossary on the upper right side of the SERP with the information you need, including an image.
What to do if you already have brand recognition
You still have to use both branded and non-branded keywords. You can do this by focusing on keywords related to location, services, and products. Keep on using branded keywords for greater visibility and recognition. You can benefit from all these new trends by hiring an agency that provides content marketing services relevant to your business and up to date.
Author’s Bio:
Hitesh is a digital marketing strategist and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in digital marketing, start-ups, branding, and customer acquisition strategies.
Hitesh is the CEO and Founder of Reposition Group, which encompasses several digital sector companies, including SEO.co.uk, Reposition.co.uk, and Bouncezap.com.
