We were all overwhelmed by the COVID-19 viral pandemic over the whole past few years affecting the way we live our lives both online and offline. Businesses have to keep up with the new normal to reach their customers and maintain their financial stability. The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) landscape is continually evolving to serve the consumers who seek fresh and relevant content. Here are some SEO trends that might affect your SEO strategies in 2023.

SEO Trends: User Experience (UX)

Designing your website to facilitate your user's online journey is the heart of UX design, and it is one major factor to improve your SEO scores. Here are some interesting statistics that we think you should know about the user experience on website and applications.

According to a Think with Google report, half of the surveyed consumers make purchase decisions based on how well-designed and accessible the website is. More than 1/3 of smartphone users will immediately go to another company’s site or mobile app if they do not get what they need. 39% of them make purchase decisions on the brand's mobile apps with fast functionality and transaction process. 60% of smartphone users choose to contact brands that they can find on Search Engine Results.

According to these numbers, we can see how important UX for websites and mobile applications has become. We have come up with some tips to better your website's UX signals for higher SEO scores.

Download speed gotta go FAST: Improving your website quality and load speed will considerably help with your SEO. Check your graphic content on each page to see if they are too big. Lower page load speed will affect the user experience signals, and affect your SEO scores at the same time.

Design an easy-to-use website: Walk in your user's shoes, think about the best approach to design your website with the most pretty, up-to-date design, and useful functionality to make it easy to access information.

Make it Mobile-friendly: we have discussed this in Mobile SEO: Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly, and it still holds weight. Check out the article for more detail.

SEO Trends: Semantic Search

Semantic search refers to the ability of search engines to consider the intent and contextual meaning of search phrases when serving content to users on the web. Using keyword planning and related terms to help users find your content on the SERP, Semantic SEO can help create content that answers the audience needs and get delivered right to there SERP. 

Here are some numbers about Semantic Search from Think With Google. 85% of search queries on mobile devices start with "Can I", while "Do I need" and "Should I" saw a 65% increase in search volume. 

These stats show that we are using more 'long tail keywords' to search for content rather than lone keywords. So it's better for creators to 'answer the audience's questions'. Try naming your articles with "What is ... and how can we use it?" or answer the frequently asked questions you got in the past.

SEO Trends: Search Intent

Search intent or user intent is the goal of typing certain keywords on the search engine, whether it is for navigating to a destination, providing information, making a transaction, or looking for local businesses. 

Google's algorithm can identify search intent each user has in any language, so adjusting your content to fit with the journey will benefit you in the SEO game. In fact, Ahrefs reported that brands who adjust their content to comply with search intent see 667% increased organic traffic on their landing pages. 

Create content that falls in line with your user intent. Communicate with keywords or phrases that normal people use in real life and make sure to answer their questions. 

SEO Trends: Zero-Click Search Results

Simply put, they are search results that answer the questions without having to click on another page. They are served directly to the top of the SERP. Common examples are instant answers, knowledge panels, calculators, definitions, maps, and feature snippets. 

Zero-click search results mostly appear on mobile devices. In the past two years, it grew by 11% and 9% respectively, according to SparkToro. Search Engine Journal reported that 62% of mobile users bounce out after getting their questions answered at the SERP and featured snippets decrease CTR by 5.3%. 

SEO Trends: Google My Business

Google My Business is a free tool to make your local shop seen by users in proximity. A GMB page provides basic business and contact information, as well as user reviews and menu photos. 

Mobile users usually include the phrase "near me" in their search queries, along with phrases like "can I buy" or "to buy", according to Think With Google.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SEO and how does it works?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the digital marketing process of getting a website or piece of content to rank higher on the internet. It involves taking online content and putting it in the right place so that when someone searches for something with the specified keyword, they will be shown in Google Search.  

Can I do SEO on my own?

Yes, you can do SEO marketing on your own. Like any other form of online marketing, anyone can learn how to do SEO for their business with the right amount of research and lots of practice.

Do I have to pay for SEO?

Search listings on Google are free, and no one can pay for a better ranking because of the commitment to keeping search content useful and trustworthy.

Is SEO Marketing difficult to do?

SEO in itself could be easier than you thought. Still, you should not underestimate the amount of time and effort it will take to get your website ranked. Don't expect to climb the ranks on a national scale if you only spend a few minutes a day. Digital marketing requires constant performance analytics, and so does SEO.

What are the 3 types of search engines?

Search engines are classified into three categories based on how they work:

• Crawler based search engines.

• Human powered directories.

• Hybrid search engines.

• Other special search engines.

What are the 5 most commonly used search engine?

The most commonly used 5 search engines in the world are Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, and Yandex respectively, according to Netmarketshare, Statista and StatCounter.

Need Help Planning SEO Strategies for the Years to Come?

Does your brand need marketing help to withstand the SEO tides? Our team at Sphere Agency is here to help you create the most relevant content and bring it to the top of the SERP, and more. See our SEO services and Contact us today.