There are a number of predictions for small business SEO that will affect how companies rank and fare against their competition. If you have high hopes for your company to remain competitive, you may need to partner with the best SEO companies for small businesses. SEO gets more complicated with each passing year. Google’s algorithm maintains over 200 ranking signals. Without an in-depth knowledge of SEO, it is nearly impossible for websites to rank high for search results.
Always keep in mind that Google’s mission is to reward those websites that provide the best user experiences. With the right SEO oversight, your Web properties can be among those that Google and other major search engines reward. As a premier local SEO company, we can share the following predictions that we think will define effective small business SEO efforts in 2019 and beyond.
1. Search will drive itself by answers. Google is on a mission for users to receive answers to their questions. As such, featured snippets have expanded so that users can get answers across as many devices as possible.
2. If your website is not optimized for mobile search, then your company is already behind the eight ball. Each of Google’s features today arrives with mobile first in mind. Millions of people search for products and services on their mobile devices, and the numbers are growing by leaps and bounds each year. Remember, as an effective SEO company, we think that it is never too late to get your website up to speed if it is not already responsive.
3. You can also expect Google to come up with ways to keep more users on Google properties. The result may be additional interactive SERP features that replace personal website offerings. Check these out when doing small business SEO.
4. Videos will dominate certain niches. People retain a great deal of information when watching videos. That is why they are beginning to dominate the how-to spaces, DIY niches, and other instructional niches.
5. Expect SERPs to become even more interactive with respect to “Ask Boxes.” Of course, this will depend on the questions that searchers ask. Greater interaction offers engagement in real time that aims to keep people on the SERP longer. It will also help Google to gain a better understanding of what the user looks for.
6. Local small business SEO will continue to play a critical role. In fact, Google will ask even more personal questions about your business to facilitate the best user experience. For instance, Google may want to know things like whether your business has bathrooms that both genders can use. How accessible is your business for the physically impaired? Does your restaurant have an excellent health rating? Google may even inquire about your business’ lighting setup. The more information you can provide about your physical location, the better your website can rank.
7. Your physical business location to the proximity of the searcher will continue to remain a top factor for ranking well. People search for products and services on the go with their phones and tablets. However, people still look for the best options, as opposed to just the closest ones.
8. Google will likely increase monetization around local search and maps, so invest in these when doing small business SEO. They will likely do this through AdWords and other potential models that generate leads, so things are going to get even more competitive for marketers.
9. Both Google and Amazon are experimenting and moving toward voice-supported displays. This is a move to monetize voice. Keep an eye on how Google and Amazon get displays into homes.
10. You can expect to see more emphasis placed on targeting topics as opposed to targeting queries. In a nutshell, Google is thinking more about the searcher’s experience and satisfaction across an entire topic rather than a specific search. SEO will begin to measure the competitive landscape with respect to these search clusters. SEO marketers will make the adjustment and plan a customer’s keyword strategies around this emerging development.
11. Reviews on a website are as critical as ever. As much as 33% of local searches are conducted with the intent of reading a review. This is important news for businesses. They will have to maintain a solid and interactive reputation in order to beat out the competition. Small business SEO should also entail monitoring, responding to, and analyzing user sentiment in the area of reviews.
12. Going forward, business owners will also need to focus on the concept of “user intent optimization” as part of their small business SEO strategies. SEO has always been about delivering its promise to searchers. Site owners should always want consumers to find products and services offered on their websites. Site owners and marketers need to know a user’s search intent and then provide the content that will lead them to the most accurate and helpful results. Satisfied customers always have a good idea of who they should be doing business with.
13. Each year going forward will be a year for mobile optimization. Mobile optimization are those actions that help calibrate the visitor’s experience to complement whatever device they choose to use for search.
The Most Compelling Case for SEO for Small Business Websites
Website optimization is a scientific process. Of course, there will always be those who claim otherwise. Why is SEO important for small business? We can wisely state that the best part of engaging SEO is that it can teach you about your target audience. You may just end up with a website that becomes the perfect solution for those looking for your products or services.
If you need help optimizing your website, look for a reputable digital company that offers affordable SEO services for small business. At Advanced Digital Media Services, we have a team of SEO professionals who can get the job done!
