SEO Trends in 2016

Last year 2015 saw a series of algorithm updates. Among them Mobilegeddon update is surely remarkable. It penalized sites lacking in mobile non-compliance segment. In addition, a number of new digital assistant technologies and types of mobile devices have been brought to the fore to shape the future of search in terms of user experience.

User experience is now going to be pivotal point for a site. Depending upon it will be given ranking weightage to a site. Now, all eyes are on 2016. In the months to come in this year, a few more landmark shifts in search will be noticeable.

1. Video Content to get More Priority than Text Content in ROI for B2C Segments and Brand: That text content has no parallel and standard is undeniable and to stay, still people panache in search now is to see video first and then eye through ‘strictly terse few liners content’ as a description of the business offer. Precisely speaking, text content is a type of baseline for most brands, with infographics, images, videos and other mediums serving as peripheral additions. In the months to come in this year, a handful of new technologies and the continuation of year-long trends will outpace text content in terms of reach, engagement, effectiveness and overall ROI. So, you can now focus on Vine, Periscope, Snapchat and other video apps. They’re great enablers to meet users’ expectations toward more visual content.

2. Mobile Optimization to Overtake Desktop Optimization in Terms of Importance: With clear signals coming each time mobile searches overtaking desktop searches and Mobilegeddon in place, mobile optimization has become a must-do practice. In fact, mobile and desktop traffic has been equal during last year, with setting signal mobile is the future.

3. Voice Search to Rise: Next time you use Google Now, Siri, Cortana, you’ll come to know how this gives different search experience. With text search, you type like the ‘Best SEO Company’ and click on the links to find out the one. With voice search, you’ll say ‘Who is the Best SEO Company?’ Now, you think about how you began your search. Did you open the search box by touch or did you prompt the assistant by saying ‘OK Google’?

4. Advertising Investment to Increase: Over the past few years, online marketing has grown more competitive, a trend that is expected to continue in 2016 too. With this on mind is also expected multiplication of ads spending on all areas of digital marketing in 2016. If you stop ad spending or rein in it, you’ll be deemed to be walking against the digital marketing trends in 2016.

5. Social Content to be More Readily Indexed: That social content wields weightage around is well understood from Google’s deals with Facebook and Twitter. Find a tween or two appearing in your mobile searches and this gives clear signals of social feeds’ importance. Social content will carry a value and a consideration similar to any independent web page, blurring distinction between ‘web’ and ‘social media’ even further from SEO perspective during 2016.