As short as the word SEO looks, it gets bigger when you start exploring the meaning and true essence of its values. SEO, simply put, means Search Engine Optimization.
Your traffic is not like you imagined. Only a handful of people are finding your blog in the ocean of millions of other web pages that are offering the same kind of content. The old SEO tactics are dead.
Here’s a reality check;
SEO still exists. However, you need to learn the basics of SEO and find space on page one Google. You have to be a man/woman of valor and patience because shortcuts don’t exist in the real as well as in the virtual world, and to win Google’s trust, you have to understand the SEO.
The SEO heroes of the last decade are fighting to cement their place in 2020. It means, Google has changed its algorithms over the years and is now much more aware of the malicious activities to bring ranking to a website. 2020 is the year that can lead marketers to open many unlocked niches. A lot of writers have become famous before and after Google. If you use SEO basis to trigger your post and still don’t find relevant traffic on your blog, then don’t throw yourself off the cliff. You can’t decide what Google will decide.
Every day, over 1.5 million articles are published on WordPress blog, and ‘hoping’ to find your space can be devastating to your dreams. Don’t wish for success. Work for it. If Google doesn’t bring ranking to your blog, then don’t give up. Play smartly and understand what Google wants from the website.
The comment section of author bio is not a good place anymore to build strong backlinks. Google wants you to get links from the places that are too hard to reach or seems nearly impossible. Why is Google so strict? Well, Google knows, if websites like Forbes, HuffPost, Washington Post, are linking to you, then you have a tremendous value. However, not all gets links from top ranking sites in Alexa.
In layman terms, the best is always hard to get. If you have those links, then Google loves you like there’s no tomorrow.
Explore top SEO hacks for 2020 that you should have on a need-to-know basis:
1. Optimize Keeping Voice Search Revolution in Mind
Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana are becoming more and more popular with each passing day. Voice search has brought about a revolution on how people interacted with technology. Now it is available to them in their kitchen, car, living space and offices. When you keep this fact in mind, your website will perform better hundred-fold. Create content that answers direct questions and include long-tail keywords in your blog and articles. Google provides a ‘People May Ask’ section and you can take some optimization ideas from there.
2. Invest In Standardized SEO Tools
SEO Tools are available conveniently these days. You can find good ones in both free and premium categories. Some online brands avoid buying these tools but it is advisable to invest in them and get great ROI on your website. Some of the most popular SEO tools are- Google Analytics, SEMRush, Yoast SEO, Google Search Console and SEO Analyzer Tool. You can add many plugins too, if you have a WordPress website.
3. Focus On The Quality Of Your Content
Google’s latest update has made it very clear that the search engine will be picking up content that adheres to E.A.T. parameters- it should be written by an Expert on the subject; it should have the Authority to speak on the topic; it must be Trustworthy, providing links to related websites and articles on the same subject. While indexing and trawling the internet, Google ranks websites based on the quality of their content and it’s originality. Make sure your content is not a repetition and avoid redundancy. Keep updating your content and remove the outdated data and statistics.
4. Use Multimedia
As the internet provides an ocean of choices to the viewer, it becomes a priority for your business to retain the viewers’ interest. Google now regards design much more than ever and loves to rank websites that are aesthetically stunning and offers great UI/UX. Design is a crucial element in Google SERP ranking; your website should not look like spam. Invest in a proper website designer and include interactive content like animations and videos to hold the interest of your leads.
Images and videos play a huge role in establishing credibility and increasing readership of the content. Images and videos affect a lot of things for the betterment of the portal; for instance, bounce rate. The longer time a reader spends on the website, the better the bounce rate gets – and it leads to an improved ranking and position in Google search results.
5. Keyword Research Matters
If you use high ranking or ongoing keywords, you increase chances to rank better and drive relevant traffic to the website.
You have to find a gap to fill in. Hence, keyword research becomes prominent if you are serious about improving your SEO to enjoy various perks that come along with it.
6. Transverse Platforms
With the increasing multiplicity of platforms that are available for exploration, it is strongly advisable to design your website in a way that it has a visual appeal on laptops, tablets as well as mobiles. The versatility of a business rests in minor details like this. Users spend majority of their day surfing through their smartphones; it works on your favour to optimize the mobile view of your website, make the loading speed faster and include downloadable infographics and videos.
2020 has proven itself to be a year of digital investments and handsome paybacks. The SEOs have a tough task ahead of them to build and rebuild websites and content that is unique and attractive. Use these hacks to increase your conversion rates and attain higher ROI.