What is SEO and How has it Changed Over the Years?

SEO defines Search Engine Optimization, which is the technique of enhancing the quality and quantity of traffic to your website using organic search engine outcomes. In the last few years, transformations in the SEO swirls around local search, as these searches are more prevalent and specific. SEO’s can optimize the content to rank for area-specific keywords, which helps them easily meet their expectations. You must have observed that whatever you type a query or speak a question in the voice box using any search engine, it magically answers along with a suitable list of links to web pages that may solve your queries. You may have thought, what is behind the lists of links? Which never ceases to amaze all of us. The digitalization era has seen a huge transformation on the internet in the category and demonstration of data.

Development of SEO from 1991 to 2000;

Tim Berners Lee launched the first-ever primary site. Over time, site launching started growing each day exponentially and the web directories appeared into the picture to catalog data in a sorted out way.  Guidance enabled people to comprehend specialty-related sites. AltaVista, Google, Yahoo reconfigured in 1994,1995, and 1997 individually to change how to maintain and employ the data of sites. Each passing day search engines yielded popularity and started providing explanations on search queries, and according to that, a new technique appeared in front, that is Search Engine Optimization. Consequently, further analysis curated the protocols to help the sites with indexing increased on the net. Keyword filling and exorbitant tagging were the prime things that arrived into existence. As a result, people called this strategy spam rather than a new era entering the web world.

Modification of SEO; 2000 – 2010 Backlink Era

Spam was screened via devices or by the search engine companies. It also revived the idea of applicability. They launched a new theory of evolution indexing. Headlines like Google’s universal search proceeded to offer all the catchier text is indexed directories. Hence, the search’s filtration operated according to consumer’s attention like news, pictures, recordings, and others. A large segment of users responded positively to the new search result. Google took charge to actualize the search with tools like keyword planner, Analytics, Moz. Instruments like maps, location, store hours, and mobile SERP enable new database innovation.

Evolution of SEO: 2011 – 2019 Content Era

This new period came with a compelling slogan: “quality content is king.” After that, Google imposed sound and stringent policies on spamming and started disciplining websites with no such parameters. Instantly only those sites were indexing, which had integrity content. Reinforcement of localized quests occurred. The fundamental goal of the search engine now is to furnish user-relevant and exciting results. To get quality backlinks, people initiated posting on blogging sites. Fast and responsive stacking sites got a great stimulus in positioning. Contemporary revises moved toward to wipe out spam cases from web-like penguins, panda, and Hummingbird.

Advancement of SEO: What is SEO’s Future?

Relevancy: One thing is for sure: the content has a core emphasis on applicability in coming times. Google lately published an update on no-follow and do-follow links. We require you to concentrate on the same parameters as this will boost future SEO.

Speed: One of the significant factors is speed—the requirement to focus on or promote the website speed for better consequences.

User experience: Data tracking and improved user experience. Google will track your explorations to deliver advice.

Mobile market: This age and time uses the mobile platform more aggressively than the network forum. Mobile platforms are now quite handy, resulting in most people preferring to interact and communicate using mobile.

Adaptation is always conceivable; future SEO will concentrate on speed, applicability, and platform compatibility to enable people to find what they want, when they want, and from whatever device they want.

Emerging Trends of SEO in 2021

Things will improve substantially, and if you aren’t equipping now, you will miss the boat. If you’re wondering when and what is SEO’s next massive transformation, know that it has yet to happen, but it will be the ultimate advancement of search based on voice commands.

Check out the statistics:

• Nearly 31% of smartphone users all over the world practice voice-based command once a week
• About 50% of online inquiries will be voice-based by 2020.
• 55% of US families will have a smart speaker by 2022.

Is this nerve-wracking news? Voice-based search on mobile or desktops is still good enough to make your links show up in top Google search results, but not very useful on smart speakers. But, you might want to consider trying the tips given below to fix this issue:

Try to get a good spot on Google Snippets

When you type something on the Google search bar, you generally get a list of search results known as the featured snippets. In most cases, the top ten results for a particular query constitutes the results. Nearly 40% of Google Home search answers come from the featured snippet. For instance, if you searched for, “how do you meditate?” and the search result you got was: This information is from Mindful.org, and it’s the first search result for the term. The snippet provides you a reasonable 5-6 steps beginner’s guide for meditation along with some captivating images. It’s so accurate that it pushes down the actual search result right below the YouTube video results and the “People Also Ask” segment.

This is an excellent snippet for SEO because it doesn’t reveal the complete information you need. It gives you a short synopsis and leaves you intrigued enough to click on the link to read further to acquire full knowledge of the topic. But recently, Google has evolved, and it now takes voice commands that have become a problem for SEO. If I speak and get my answer, then there’s no need to click anywhere. Also, smart speakers don’t use the same algorithms for answering queries. If mindful.org has the first spot on the Google search engine, it may not be the case; if you throw the same question to Alexa, you may be routed to Wikipedia, which means mind.org will lose its spot. Now Wiki’s content enjoys the first spot in the search results in smart speakers, as these devices optimize results based on the best voice-quality, Google may follow the trend as voice search gains popularity.

Follow the guidelines given underneath to dominate voice search and feature in Google’s snippet spot:

•    Aim for long-tail keywords. Always use the same wordings that the readers put to frame their questions while creating content.
•    Making sure that the title-tags and headers ask the same question as to the keyword search. For instance, if your content talks about the ” The Best Trolling Motor,” and you want Google snippet to answer the question: “What are trolling motors?” then make that your tag line; this doesn’t mean your title will be the same as your headline. You can then repeat this question in your beginning header, followed by an answer.
•    The next step is to answer the question clearly and in brief. Your snippet paragraph’s word length should be 40-60 words on average, so be careful while answering the question. Make your answer clear and to the point.

These strategies can be used while creating new content. But, it’s also an equally good idea to go back and optimize old content, namely the write-ups that gained popularity. Rethink the main issues your blog or post addresses, and optimize focusing on that part. You may find snippets that link back to your blog or website without your knowledge. You can use Ahrefs’ Site Explorer tool to check on that information, and this process doesn’t require you to find every keyword you rank for in Google manually. You need to make sure that your content gets a good spot and features on Google Snippets by following all the steps mentioned above.

Focus on Building Your Brand

Building a brand is the right way of influencing SEO positively. Branding gives you an edge over others and boosts your SEO ranking. The most significant factor in the algorithm of Google is brand queries. Who wouldn’t genuine links for brands on Google searches? Also, you want to make sure that your brand’s protected against scathing comments.  This may have got you thinking. You must be wondering how to build a brand? You should consider taking an omnichannel marketing approach. You can exploit social media platforms for marketing your brand. For instance, you can write blogs defining your services or products, their salient features, advertise on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and launch podcasts to increase your business awareness. Give Google more brand links to index the search results.

Building your grand means that you’ll attract links, which is the most critical factor determining SEO ranking. The number of people sharing your link also counts a lot. You should start building rapport with the potential users and strengthen the ties with the existing ones while reaching out to the industry experts and influencers and get them to share your content link to ramp up your ratings.

SEO Branding Trends to Increase awareness

•    Installing Amazon Polly on Your Website: Amazon Polly recognizes speech commands and is a tool that reads aloud content for you. Since it’s available as a WordPress plug-in, it becomes easy to integrate it with web pages. It is helpful in increasing the dwell time and eventually impacts the SEO ranking positively. People with a conventional approach like to read the content, while others prefer to listen to it, especially if they have difficulty reading. Amazon Polly entertains both the set of people. This can be used to bring in visitors. Since your content is engaging people, it will undoubtedly have a higher rank.

•    Optimize Your Website for Mobile: Know that 31% of the world’s population uses voice commands at least once a week on smartphones. Given the statistics, Google has come up with mobile-friendly search results. Your website’s optimized for mobile without you realizing the same, and that’s how it looks like:

If your website doesn’t pass the Google test, you’ll need to tweak it to make it fully optimized. Try using themes that work with different screen sizes. Keep a flexible layout that is responsive.
Bear in mind the following things :
1.    Keep your paragraphs crisp and clear.
2.    Decipher the content with headings.
3.    Break down your content in points and number it. Maintain cohesiveness throughout the write-up.
Consider outsourcing the content writing part to an authentic service provider if you don’t have a flair for writing. You should also factor in that you don’t need the best of content while optimizing for voice technology. A lengthy article will sail through more than a shorter post. This doesn’t take away the credit of content; you should indeed do it the right way to encash on it later.

Let’s dig into understand Voice Search Ranking Factors and benefits to get a covet spot:

Page Speed: It is 52% faster than the text commands and takes about 4.6 seconds to pull up search result pages.

HTTPS over HTTP: The latest studies show that more than 70% of Google Home results have HTTPS

Social Engagement:  1,199 Facebook shares and 44 tweets used voice technology
There are tons of benefits voice search results offer; you might want to incorporate these into your voice SEO strategy.

Final Thoughts

SEO is an effective way to boost traffic on your website. It has been continuously evolving and keeping up with the latest technologies, voice technology, mobile optimization, social media shares, to name a few. Developing an SEO strategy to match the newest technology is a smart move for branding your business.