4 Trending Issues in SEO

Take it from experts like those of Forbes that a business not "taking advantage of using SEO strategies on its website, blogs and social media pages, [is] missing the boat in terms of ranking…in internet searches." Yet, it goes beyond that because SEO (search engine optimization) is never a static issue but constantly evolving and changing. It requires that you do more than guess or anticipate what terms consumers might be using to search for your product or service. In fact, it requires you to keep up with trends in SEO, and we'll look at four of the hottest trends currently influencing this sphere of modern business:

• Conversational tone - Content is king is a common refrain, yet content must reflect those searching for it and/or using it. Because "voice search" is such a new and rapidly evolving element in modern searches, your content and keyword choices have to reflect it, too. Creating your content based on the potential searcher's intentions is a "must". As those Forbes experts explain, "Search engines can interpret context so that content that answers a question and contains information about a topic will win."

• HTTPS - As Google is the ranking search engine, it is important to pay sharp attention to their methods and changes. A few years ago, the site noted that whether or not your site had SSL or secured websites certificates would begin playing a role in your ranking. Today, Chrome actually flags websites that run the HTTP rather than the secure HTTPS setting. It is easy to quickly obtain your secured website certificates via your IP provider.

• Subdirectory rather than subdomain - Blogs were once their own "subdomains" of the root or primary domain (URL). Today, it is wiser to migrate all relative subdomain blogs to a subdirectory of the site to establish the authority so essential to SEO dominance.

• Paying attention to video - Those who create content already know that videos get a lot more leverage than text. Most mobile device users will respond far more favorably to video content and embedded videos than they will to a screen or more of text - even relevant and informative text. Trends in SEO show that you will need to emphasize your video content. By the year 2021, over 80% of consumer internet traffic will be derived from or driven by video, and you can get far ahead of the competition today by ensuring your content relies heavily on video.

You may want to learn more about the expansion of Google's features, things like snippets, and geographic and long-tail keywords. It can become overwhelming for even the savviest site owners and is why so many turn to experts for help with SEO, website design and structure, video content and more. At SOAP Media, you can find a comprehensive solution that incorporates the latest in digital marketing strategies, website design and development and up to the moment search engine optimization.