Top 7 SEO Trends to Look Forward to in 2019

The SEO Trends for 2019 may seem like a rehash from last year, but don’t let it fool you. Even when technology isn’t changing drastically, what’s there is always improving. 

That’s bound to happen next year as well. In the following article, we’ll be discussing where many of these changes will end up.

Let’s start ranking!

1. Structuring Data for Presentation

SEO best practices for 2019 will in many ways be more of the same from last year. The presentation of data will continue to be important.

Grouping information in tables or well-tagged images and infographics will appeal to Google’s various standout features. Think Knowledge Graph, “People Who Ask” Boxes, and Featured Snippets. 

These features offer greater points of emphasis for content creators. Getting featured on one of them requires information that not only is accurate but well-grouped and well-presented. 

It also is there to solve a problem. Your audience doesn’t want long and rambling. They want you to cut to the heart of their inquiry, so keep it brief. 

2. Website Delivery

To secure all the benefits of SEO, you need to take your efforts beyond the content. Yes, that’s important, but if it takes forever to load — comparatively speaking — then the user is going to back out and move along to the next result.

Now, what do we mean by forever “comparatively speaking”? We’ll give you a hint. We’re not talking about minutes.

Your website needs to load in seconds. How many seconds exactly? Average page load times are anywhere from 8-11 seconds.

But there’s more that goes into it than that. The server also has to respond very quickly so the page can begin displaying properly without too much herky-jerky motion. Average server delays in the US are between 1.8 and 2.7 seconds. 

Doing the math, the closer you can get to an even 10 seconds combined for both functions, the more impressed search engines will be.

A solid design also helps. Here are five ways your site can benefit from it.

3. Better Content

The fastest SEO results help, but they’ll only take you so far. If there isn’t something worth reading or watching or looking at on the other side of the click, then your users will vote with the time they spend and the interest they take in your page.

Crafting better content has been important since Google started tweaking its algorithms several years ago to counteract black hat marketers. You put this on the backburner at your own risk.

So what is good content supposed to look like? The answers to that question are too varied to lock down in a short article like this one. But in the next section, we’ll be giving you a lot more insight.

4. Better Use of Resources in Content Creation

If you’re passionate about your topic, you already instinctively know what great content looks like. Here’s are the three things you’ll need to have the capability of creating it with consistency.

• Knowledge of your topic/audience: knowing your topic is knowing your audience and vice versa. If you know the people you’re creating content for, you know what they care about. If you create content about that, it will be great content!
• A diverse approach: some people prefer visuals while others would rather read something at their own pace. Others consume content better when it’s playing through their car stereo. Great content requires multiple modes of delivery so you’re reaching your audience where they are.
• All hands on deck: you can do it yourself with a singular focus. But as you expand your reach, you’ll need a team supporting you. And each of those team members should be a part of the content creation process whether through ideation, shooting photos, videos, or writing.

Now let’s delve a little deeper into how you can use your visual content for SEO purposes.

5. Image Search

Search engine optimization has been so focused on keywords that people tend to associate it only with word-based content. This has been a big mistake of years past.

In 2019, more website owners will realize the value of words in identifying, labeling, and promoting their visual content. Expect a greater focus on optimizing images so that search engines can more easily pull those results.

6. Video Optimization

Computing power is up across the board whether accessing content from a desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Playing videos used to be more trouble than it was worth. Today, it’s about as simple as pulling up an article.

Therefore, expect the Google Search Video function to take off in 2019. This will happen in much the same way users discovered Google News a few years ago.

Google News gave users a way to be able to parse reputable content and newsworthy items from the sea of fluff content. Google already has brought the same reputability to its video search function, but in 2019, more users will catch onto it.

7. Artificial Intelligence

Google has had its eye on AI, or artificial intelligence, for a long time. In October 2015, it confirmed the existence of RankBrain, an AI tool it uses to modify search results so the search engine continually improves its guesses behind user intent.

RankBrain is responsible for pulling relevant results based on a specifically-worded search inquiry, even when you didn’t enter any of those keywords directly. In other words, it not only gives you the results you’re looking for, but it also gives you additional search results related to that inquiry. 

For example, you run a search on “almond milk,” and it gives you a list of additional milk alternatives like “coconut milk,” “cashew milk,” and “soymilk” without you typing in any of those words. But it doesn’t stop there. It also returns results on “what to eat (or drink) if you suffer from lactose intolerance.” 

All of these additional results are related to the initial keyword. RankBrain knows this, and it will let you know it if it thinks you’re seeking information on one particular aspect.

In 2019, RankBrain will be even more powerful. After all, it’s had four years of improvements since it was initially announced!

Are You Ready for These SEO Trends? 

Chances are, you’ve already got your eye on the ball, especially if you’re reading this. But don’t get overconfident. Even within these SEO Trends, changes will happen on the fly.

Be ready! And for more of the benefits that come from staying on top of your SEO game, click here.