Search Engine Optimization in 2020 will be the most difficult it has ever been. Many websites have already reported a significant drop in their SERPs after Google’s massive core update. To regain the top positions and search traffic in 2020, businesses and SEO companies need to prepare for some harsh realities and unique challenges.
Google dominates global search engine use, accounting for 70.38% of all searches on PCs and 93.87% of all searches on mobile phones. So, focusing on Google will be the key to success, although optimizing websites for other search engines are still important. Google continues to focus on mobile UX factors while ranking websites. Hence, all SEO models need to be increasingly mobile-oriented in 2020. Apart from that, other major challenges that SEO companies will face in 2020 are –
Table of Contents
Voice Search
According to ComScore, 50% of all searches will be completed via voice. Hence, most searches won’t even involve screens. Already, a major percentage of the United States population owns devices like Amazon Alexa. That number will increase a lot more come to the end of 2020.
Voice searches and text searches are completely different. All voice searches are made using Natural Language Processing tools. These tools recognize different input patterns.
For instance, during text searches, users type in questions like “electrician near me.”
During voice searches, users vocalize questions like “Google find an electrician near my location.”
Websites have to be optimized for both of these types of searches, or else they’ll lose potential leads. To optimize their websites for voice searches, the leading Search Engine Optimization Companies In Phoenix are –
- Creating content targeted to local customers.
- Using Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper tool.
- Creating simple and reader-friendly content.
- Using questions as keywords.
- Using long-tail keywords that match long-worded voice searches typically.
AI-Powered Search Engines
The deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in search engines are hampering traditional SEO methods.
AI-powered algorithms incorporate machine-learning tricks to recognize tessellations in data. Search engine algorithms are now able to assess whether the information is accurate or not. They can also segment target markets much more effectively than in the past.
In 2020, technical SEO is more complex than it has ever been. Many experienced marketers are failing to maneuver the AI-powered search engine algorithms. To pass as legitimate sources of information and services, websites must avoid –
- Unnecessary keyword stuffing.
- Not creating content containing specific information and concepts meant for specific audiences.
- Not optimizing the website for visual and voice searches.
AI can only be fought with AI. Business websites are encouraged to use AI-powered advanced analytics tools. These tools can provide accurate analyses on how the websites can be optimized for better results.
SEO-friendly Content in 2020
Content is still the king in 2020! After Google’s core update, authoritative and user-friendly sources of content are scoring the top SERPs. Content in 2020 refers to text, high-quality images, videos, podcasts, and other media elements.
To become the most highly-ranked sources of content on the internet in 2020, websites must –
- Be accessible to users of all devices.
- Demonstrate their social responsibility by posting regular health and safety updates regarding global pandemic.
- Optimize title tags on all webpages.
- Use keywords in headings.
- Optimize images with voice, image, and text keywords.
Set up a smooth navigation structure on the website to deliver flawless user experiences and improve search visibility.
Visual Searches
The launch of tools like Pinterest Lens and Google Lens in 2017 has completely transformed the way people search the internet. Google Lens records over a billion visual search inquiries every year. To make websites visual search-friendly, website operators need to make a lot of adjustments. Some of them include –
- Tag product images with alt tags, detailed descriptions, and product names so that the search algorithm can match the images on the website to similar queries.
- Upload and search all the images currently being used on the website. Then, analyze all available image-related information to add keywords to the website’s images. This method is called ‘Reverse Search.’
- Add all images on websites to their XML sitemaps.
- Name and label all images properly.
- Envelop all website images with accurate textual context.
Challenges for Local SEO in 2020
Business websites catering only to local audiences shouldn’t engage in targeting customers from across the country. Instead, they should boost their conversion rates by adopting a strictly local search engine optimization program. The use of tools like geo-targeting can help local businesses stand out from the competition. Other tools and measures that local SEO companies should take in 2020 are –
- Adding authentic user reviews.
- Optimize Google’s ‘My Business’ page.
- Re-designing the website to make it more user-friendly design, faster, more responsive, and optimized for visual and voice searches.
- Setting up a separate marketing analytics team.
- Create localized content by employing experts who are familiar with the regions being targeted.
- Use localized keywords.
The leading SEO companies in the country have already started adopting these measures!