Search engine optimization (SEO) is still a concept that many people are trying to wrap their heads around, thanks to ever-evolving SEO rules. But the fact remains, 75% of people don’t scroll past the first page of search engines, so you have to do everything to be on that first page.
Over the years, we have learned that high-quality content, use of relevant keywords, and content length matter if you want to rank on Google’s first page. Google algorithms also consider quality back-links to your website, its speed, and of course, security when ranking.
However, recent updates to Google and other search engines have come with even more surprising requirements. Here are 5 mind-blowing facts about SEO you did not know about.
1. Influencers Will Help Your SEO Efforts
Yes, influencers are becoming a massive part of digital marketing, and not just on Instagram and Facebook. Influencer marketing has worked so well because people tend to trust well-known persons recommending a particular product or service. Statistics show that 61% of people visit websites because of something they saw on Facebook, whether it was an advertisement or somebody talking about your company.
So, how does this pertain to SEO? Well, partnering with an influencer helps you to amplify your reach and get more traffic to your website. You can also come up with a strategy where their content links back to your website, building gold back-links right there.
Influencer marketing not only improves your brand awareness and leads but also boosts your search engine rankings.
2. Optimizing Your Website for Voice and Mobile Search Helps
In the year 2019, 4 out of every 5 consumers conduct local searches using a mobile device. What’s more interesting is that more than 50% of those 4 people do so using a voice command. The new generation is always on the move, and they need information on the go without typing. Websites optimized for mobile and voice search are now ranking better in search engines, provided their content is good, and all other rules are followed.
3. CTR and Dwell Time are Now a Factor
You already know that a high bounce rate can affect your website’s ranking on search engines. Well, it turns out that Google is now looking at dwell time too. This is the amount of time people spend on your website and, most importantly, what they were doing there. If influencers, blog titles, and paid ads send people to your website, your landing page and the content on your website must be intriguing enough to make them stay. Better yet, it should make visitors take action. This shows google artificial intelligence that your website offers value to people, so it should be ranked higher.
Similarly, your click-through rate (CTR) will also be a consideration. It’s essential for people to click your back-links and visit your website. If they are not, it shows there is nothing interesting for them there.
4. Duplicate Content Won’t Affect SEO
We have always heard that Google will penalize you- rank the page lowest-if you use duplicate content on your website. This could not be farther from the truth. While plagiarism (copied content) goes against content ethics, duplicating what other sites have written won’t affect your SEO in any way. If another website is duplicating your content though, you can use the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to have it removed.
“The Lowest rating is appropriate if all or almost all of the MC (main content) on the page is copied with little or no time, effort, expertise, manual curation, or added value for users. Such pages should be rated Lowest, even if the page assigns credit for the content to another source,” cites Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines.
However, Google seems to favor unique content if it provides excellent information and answers the user’s question.
5. Rich Snippets are Crucial
When you search a keyword on Google, a snippet gives you a sneak preview of what you are looking for. You can get quick answers without going to any website. While Google has said over and over again that rich snippets do not have a direct impact on ranking your website, they still play an essential role in putting your website in front of people. Right below the snippets, Google will link your website, whether it’s ranking well or not, which means it’s still the first site people will see.
If you have answered those questions really well, users will directly go to your site to get more information. In fact, more than 54% of clicks originate from featured snippets.
SEO has passed the test of time despite other faster digital marketing techniques showing up. This is thanks to the fact that people would like a little more information before jumping into any paid ads or cold reaches. That said, you have to keep up with SEO best practices as they are updated quite often. SEO Services in Adelaide can help you come up with a strategy that will ensure your website ranks well.
