The year 2020 is already here. Digital marketers and online businesses are gearing up for the latest changes by Google and other search engines to their Search Algorithms. This year we saw BERT and other changes by Google which are still the talk of the town. The thing is that no matter how much you prepare and try to keep up with Google, you will always end up surprised. Nevertheless, what you can do is try to plan.

This article discusses trends that will gain a lot of prominence in 2020 barring any drastic changes by search engines to their search algorithms. This article is a must-read for online businesses and digital marketers. Therefore, whether you are an SEO Company in Dubai or an online business looking to set up a profitable market share, take out 5 minutes and start reading this article.

1 Original, Optimized, & High-Quality Content

Many people argue that content quality does not matter. To support their argument, they put forward examples of spin content or poorly written content ranking 1st on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). It might be a valid argument but not for long. Google and other search engines are getting smarter when it comes to content. Soon, you will see websites with low-quality or spin content being penalized. Therefore, by writing original, well optimized, and high-quality content, you are ensuring that any future update related to content will not affect you. Call it an insurance policy.

2 Take Featured Snippets Seriously

Featured Snippets are the links/tabs that appear above the 1st organic result. According to recent studies, Featured Snippets account for more than 50% clicks from Google. Therefore, try to answer commonly asked questions on your website in a clear, concise, and articulate manner. The advantage of featured snippets is that even if you are not ranked 1st on SERP, you can drive traffic through them instead.

3 Voice Search Optimization

Most of us hate voice searches. Why? The reason is quite straightforward. The bot/assistant is unable to discern what we are trying to say. Well, this is no longer the case. There have been huge improvements in this field. Now, an increasing number of users rely on voice searches daily to make searches. The percentage will be increasing in 2020 and in the coming years. Therefore, ensure that all future content on your website is voice-search optimized. Otherwise, you might see yourself dropping down the SERP. 

4 Harness the Power of Videos

Do not underestimate the power of videos. People prefer watching videos than reading long content. It is true for most users on the internet today. Videos are not just for entertainment purposes. Students prefer watching videos instead of reading their textbooks while preparing for exams or making their assignments. Therefore, digital marketers and businesses must leverage the power of videos in their SEO strategy. One way to do this is to add keywords in the title or description.

5 Bounce Rate

Bounce rate is the percentage of how many visitors bounce off the webpage they visit rather than visiting other pages on the same website. It is calculated by dividing the number of single-page visits by total visits. It is predicted that soon, Google and other search engines will start to give more weight to the bounce rate as a part of its Search Algorithm. Naturally, if a user enjoys the content on a website or whatever a website is offering, they will spend longer and browse through other webpages. Therefore, you can expect your bounce rate to become vital in your SEO strategy in the coming year.

6 Long-Tail Keywords

People do not search for ‘cars’ or ‘best cars’. Instead, what they search for is ‘best cars under $5,000’ or ‘best cars with low maintenance’. It is how most of us search on the Internet. We do not use meaningless phrases. Therefore, your keyword strategy must focus on long-tail keywords. It will help you bring traffic to your website and not just any traffic. People who are searching using such keywords are on the verge of buying that particular product or service. Hence, by incorporating such keywords into your SEO strategy, you can increase your website traffic and conversion rate.

Conclusion

This sums up the most important trends of SEO that you must look out for in 2020. Otherwise, Google and other search engines might knock you to hell – in simple words, further down the rankings. No one wants to be there. Your business will suffer, your traffic will decrease, and visitors might question your credibility. Therefore, plan and keep looking out for any information which might indicate what Google and other search engines are planning. One way to plan is to keep an eye on what their officials are saying. You might come across valuable information.