Is SEO dying? Is SEO dead? Don’t you get to hear this all the time?
Want to know when this old cliche on the internet started? May 2010.
Though there is some truth to it, SEO isn’t completely dead. Having an estimated value of over 70 billion dollars, SEO is surely not to die out soon. As long as search engines exist, optimizing your information for their evolving algorithms will never go out of style.
Over the years, some of the elements of SEO have changed and as a result, dead SEO strategies can kill your rankings.
(Source: https://neilpatel.com/blog/seo-dead/ )
Though there is some truth to it, SEO isn’t completely dead. Having an estimated value of over 70 billion dollars, SEO Marketing is surely not to die out soon. As long as search engines exist, optimizing your information for their evolving algorithms will never go out of style.
Over the years, some of the elements of SEO have changed and as a result, outdated SEO tactics can kill your rankings.
Here we have listed a few reasons which may explain your apprehensions about Google SEO.
1. Mobile Organic Search is difficult to achieve
In 2019, you must have seen how most aspects of digital marketing have shifted to mobile-first and SEO is no exception.
Mobile accounts for maximum zero-clicks and paid searches. Zero-click searches are when users get all the information in the first search.
A recent study reveals that the clicks on mobile have increased to 11% compared to 2.5% on the desktop. This has got most marketers worried about losing out a large mobile audience.
2. Low Organic Click-Through Rates (CTR)
Local website CTRs sees a low with Google updating each SERP result. This is because earlier users would click a few links to find the right information but today, Google displays the results right at the top.
This affects the broad search as well as specific searches on long-tail keywords. Google makes snippets and presents information to the user.
3. Google Maps
Google Maps are a boon for local businesses. Users can locate businesses such as restaurants, local stores, and cafes easily on Google Maps.
This affects business websites as less audience reaches them and thereby lowers the chances of organic traffic.
4. Disruptive Voice Search
Voice search is one of the biggest digital marketing trends of 2019 and is very popular among the millennials.
Voice search receives a lot of no-click searches. Most marketers find this confusing as they feel that voice search does not help increase website traffic or increase brand awareness. Voice search may also hold no value for ranking.
(Source: PrimeHouse Media)
So, do the above-mentioned points indicate that SEO is dead?
Well, the answer is NO.
How is SEO still not dead?
Digital marketing is constantly evolving and so is SEO Service. The best part about SEO technique is that it adapts to small changes quickly. As a marketer, you need to make sure that you keep abreast of the Trending and Latest Google Algorithms and other digital marketing news. You will have to keep your SEO strategy updated and aligned with your business goals.
What can be done to keep your Brand alive?
Let's look at some of the ways that you can keep your brand afloat in the ocean of competition.
Shift your focus to click-through-rate instead of volume: High volume keywords do not guarantee high search traffic any more. You will have to analyze keyword volume for better results. A better keyword will ensure there is a high click-through-rate for higher website traffic. You can analyze CTR using tools available for it.
Focus content around long-tail keywords:Create in-depth content based on long-tail keywords. This strategy will help users find the exact information they are looking for and thus improve the chances of your website to be ranked higher. For small businesses, it is important to make the content as powerful and as engaging as possible. SEO thrives on comprehensive content and is still a great way of increasing traffic organically.
Start YouTube SEO: YouTube is the second biggest search engine and is rather a new platform. With dipping Google CTR, you will have to shift your focus on YouTube. It's not a hidden fact that there is a lot of competition for a particular keyword on Google. It can be challenging for a brand to rank higher for that particular keyword. That is why you should start using YouTube SEO. You can optimize your videos as Google pulls videos from YouTube for a particular search. This strategy will increase your brand awareness and even help you rank better on Google.
Be prepared for voice search: You cannot afford to ignore a voice search if you wish to stay ahead of competitors. You can start by optimizing your website for voice queries.
Focus on meta title and meta descriptions: A lot depends on meta titles and descriptions and you cannot afford to ignore them. They encourage users to click on a link and help increase organic traffic. If the meta titles and descriptions are not right then your traffic is likely to suffer.
Use SERP features to design the content: SERP features are the first thing a user notices when searching for a query. You can, therefore, tailor your information around it and encourage users’ to click on it. Make sure that you do not give away fall the information and instead make them keep guessing and wanting to know more. If used correctly, this method will help increase your website traffic organically.
SEO Technique is going to get huge overhauls in the way that you are currently doing. But SEO Optimization as a part of a website or an App will be more and more content dependent. The more amount of original content you can think of, the better.