SEO Trends That Are Sure to Flourish in 2016

The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) process has gone through a lot of chopping and changing over the years. Trends have been established, and they have become obsolete within a few years as well. It is likely that 2016 would see its own set of SEO trends. Google’s updated search algorithm places emphasis on artificial intelligence, and this has got a lot of web developers scratching their heads.

Here are some of 2016’s widely anticipated SEO trends!

Emphasis on Quality Content

Year after year, SEO techniques revolved around stuffing content with keywords. But that trend is fast disappearing. With its updated search algorithm, Google manages to weed out links that use keyword stuffing methods to rank higher in search engine rankings. Therefore, if you want to use shortcuts to get to the top, you are more likely to be pushed back.

Instead of keyword rich content, emphasis is being shifted towards top quality content. Delivering relevant content for your target audience is absolutely vital. Of course, all necessary keywords can be included as part of the content too, which can definitely help in getting your site a top Google ranking.

Social Media

Social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Quora are no longer in the fringes. More and more people are signing up for these websites every day and with the ability to share external links on these platforms, the emphasis on relevant and quality content matters more than ever.

Articles and links with top notch content are shared more frequently than others, and this added exposure could be very beneficial for your site. Google too has started to include results from popular social media websites, which is all the more reason for you to take your social media work seriously.

Increase in Audiovisual Content

SEO trends thus far have mostly involved written content, but expect that trend to disappear in 2016. What would replace it is content that involves both writing as well as multimedia. People’s patience levels are wearing thin, and rarely do people read up long, descriptive articles online. With audiovisual and multimedia content, some much-needed embellishment is added to a website. Developers are also striving towards creating more interactive websites, as a major chunk of websites are heading in that direction. Giving them stiff competition is almost impossible with written content alone.

Focusing on Platforms other than Google

While Google is still the dominant force in terms of search engines, several other platforms have come into the limelight as well. The number of Bing and Yahoo users is on the rise, and personal digital assistants like Cortana and Siri are also gaining in prominence. Your website would not be ably prepared for the future if it does not take these platforms into consideration. Google’s sophisticated technology and features still makes it the top dog in terms of search engines. But with changing dynamics, SEO professionals are focusing on developing adaptable websites.

Focusing on Mobile Users

Before smartphones came to the market, mobile websites were not popular at all. But in recent times a great shift has been witnessed. Mobile websites are more in demand now than desktop websites, and SEO developers who are not paying attention to this trend are missing out on a lot of customers. Mobile searches through Google would lead you to rankings where sites with mobile-friendly versions are ranked higher than sites without. In fact, Google even points out sites that are mobile-friendly.

All this points to the need for catering to the demands of mobile users, while keeping desktop websites updated as well.

SEO training courses aim to acquaint aspirants with the fundamentals of search engines and how to achieve the best search engine rankings without ever compromising on content quality. An effective SEO training course is one that makes the fundamental aspects of SEO clear to aspirants, and also keeps students updated about latest trends and happenings in the online world.SEO’s importance to both rising and established businesses is paramount, and effective SEO training results in professionals who understand how to use SEO techniques to get a website to the top.