As 2014 comes to a close, it’s time to start planning your marketing goals for 2015. We’ve seen some major changes this year when it comes to SEO (Panda updates, Pigeon) and it should be expected that these changes would set the tone for what is to come in 2015.
The way we use technology is changing very rapidly and as such, any company who wants to be able to reach out to a bigger audience must be aware of the trends and how these elements apply to their own brand and marketing strategy.
Below are some of the most notable predictions for SEO in 2015 if you want to start setting the stage for your marketing strategy in the New Year:
Content
Google has always been about providing quality, relevant content to users. After years of having to deal with marketers using low-quality content and keyword spamming to find a way to get to the top of SERPs, it has become better at tracking down thin content sites by refining its algorithm and introducing filters like Panda.
In 2015, expect content to be more important than ever but as Google continues to improve its filters, marketers can’t get away with filler content anymore. According to SEO Spot, It’s time to hire better content providers and focus on content that is helpful to your target audience.
But as the importance of content is emphasized, you should also be ready to pay for visibility if you want to reach a wider audience.
Get Ready for Mobile to Take Over
Earlier this year, Matt Cutts said that mobile search was likely to exceed desktop searches by the end of 2014. We’ve definitely seen this in 2014 but this is expected to accelerate rapidly in 2015.
Businesses and website owners should focus on building mobile-friendly websites as Google increases its focus on improving cross-platform experience for the user. In 2015, marketers should treat mobile search as a major platform and not just a secondary one.
Semantic Search
The glory days of keyword stuffing and targeting are long gone. It’s all about context and semantic search in 2015 as more and more users switch to mobile search and voice search. Keywords are still a ranking factor but context is more important.
Local Optimization
2014 saw the release of Google’s latest local search algorithm update. As basic as it is, far too many websites forget local optimization. Website owners should pay attention to on-site signals and local optimization.
Author Rank
While Google Authorship was dropped completely in August, author rank is still going to be important in 2015, especially since Google is getting better at tying search queries with in-depth articles.
The key to succeeding in 2015 is to spend your marketing budget and energy towards providing a pleasant user experience rather than focusing on trying to fool Google to rank your site. Start planning your SEO strategies for 2015; get a quote from Londes Digital Marketing here.