The Top 10 SEO Trends To Drive More Traffic in 2021
Updated: Jul 24, 2021
Today’s topic is very important, today we will talk about the top 10 SEO Trends to Drive more Traffic in 2021. Search Engine Optimization is one of the most effective ways for engaging potential customers to your Website. But here are some important points that you should remember if you really want that SEO works for you. According to stats, there are an estimated 3.5B searches on Google each day. But during only 0.78% of Google searchers click on results from the second page, the #1 results in Google’s organic search result get a mean CTR of 31.7%.
What do these stats show?
To obtain organic traffic, you are required to rank on page one of the SERP. And that’s where you require SEO. However, SEO is continuously progressing. In this post, we’re going to discuss 10 important trends you can leverage in 2021 for SEO success. They include:
1. Core Web Vitals
2. Google’s BERT
3. Keyword research
5. Voice search
6. Artificial intelligence
7. Video marketing
8. Featured snippets
9. Influencer SEO
10. EAT & branded SEO
Now we will discuss every trend, offer tips, suggestions, and resources one by one to optimize for each.
SEO trends to grasp in 2021
As we said above, to rank higher or simply maintain your rankings, you are required to keep changing your SEO strategy in line with Google - as its algorithm is advanced day by day. Here is a failure of the most noteworthy SEO and Google trends to notify which tools you use and strategies you prioritize for 2021.
1. Core Web Vitals as a Google ranking factor
In May 2020, Google announced three new metrics, called Core Web Vitals to be used for estimating user experience: Loading, synergistic, and Visual Stability. All three metrics are generally related to just one thing, and that is page speed: how fast does the page load, how soon does it get interactive, and how stable is it while loading.
Core Web Vitals will be among Google’s ranking factors in May 2021, which means you have to pay close attention to them in order to appear on the first page. For example, if there are two pages with alike related content, then user experience metrics will assist search engine bots to determine which one should be ranked higher. More small business SEO strategies here.
2. Google’s BERT looks for targeted matches
Google’s BERT algorithm (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) uses machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to greater understand searches and what users are literally searching for. It goes with more than 70 languages and for almost every query in Google English.
With Google’s BERT update, the Google search engine bots have become much more “conversational,” so now, Google’s algorithm can now explain the aim of the searcher. Simply, Now Google can understand things such as the human brain.
What this also means is that websites that have content-intent incongruous will be negatively affected. No matter how detailed or high-quality that long-form content is, if it is not fulfilling user intent then BERT will ignore yours and choose another content piece that convinces the intent for the given query.
One thing to notice is that Google BERT is not an algorithmic sanction. It’s a part of the Google search engine that assists filter out the most pertinent & useful content to users by understanding search queries and content as humans. So it won’t de-rank or penalize sites. It will just give approval to those that show the best results to users, which is what Google has always aimed to do.
If your content is not providing what a user is searching for, then your content is not BERT-friendly and you won’t rank for that keyword for the long term. That’s why publishing quality content that assures the user intent can assist you.
How to optimize for Google’s BERT
Search aim is precisely what the user is looking for when they type a specific keyword into a Google search. Are they searching for an answer to a question? A list of options? A how-to tutorial? Or do they want to purchase a product and want to read reviews? There is a lot of intent that users bring to the Google search bar, so it’s important to confirm your content and the keyword intent match.
For example, if someone is looking at “seo” as a keyword on Google, that means the user wants to know about SEO. But if a user is looking at “seo services” as a keyword that means the user is looking for someone for “seo services”. So the keyword “seo” is a communicative keyword while “seo services” is a commercial keyword.
But some keywords could be multi-purpose keywords such as “seo expert” Maybe the person who is searching it is looking for an SEO expert to hire or wants to be an SEO expert.
Always search a keyword on Google before writing content for it. This plan will assist you to understand the purpose of a keyword so that you can be sure it will triumph before taking the time to create the content.
3. Keyword research will become more important
More than 50% of searches are zero-click searches. It shows more than half of the Google searches (appx. 175 billion searches per month) end without any click. With this because with such high results in the SERP - Google business listings with menus and contact information, Featured snippets with answers, related questions with accordion answers, and more - consumers can get the answers they require without even having to click a result - or even end typing out a query…
But that’s provided your website, ads, Business profile, and blog content holds and covers those keywords according to the finder’s purpose. Given the growth in the SERP and with so much competition out there, it’s critical to invest some time in keyword research to search keywords that can actually drive traffic and sales for your business.
How to do it
Search long-tail and targeted keywords for your business. You required some creativity and skills to get those keywords. (But the secret is Google Search Console - your gold-mine where you can simply search keywords for your business).
Understand the purpose. While SEO tools are key points to use, it’s decisive that you analyze the SERP for that keyword before selecting it. In a current experience I ran, I analyze that if the intent is right, even a low-volume keyword with only 10-20 searches per month can motionlessly generate thousands of dollars in a month.
That’s why you do your keyword research with forbearance and search keywords that can easily rank and produce revenue for you.
4. Google still wants original content
Since great content plays an important role in SEO and ranking, genuine content is necessary for businesses in more than just branding. Directly put, this is distinctive content that has not so far been published somewhere else.
Would you like to purchase a shirt with the same color and design that you already have? Never! Right? The same thing happens here. There is a lot (thousands of pages) of the same type of content on the same topics indexed on Google. If you were to make a piece of content very same as existing content already ranking on the web, why would Google rank your piece above the original piece? Why would others mind looking past the top-ranked results? That’s why your content must be original, useful, and add value to your own brand voice and language.
Good stuff to work with to make unique content cover case studies, experiments, customer testimonials, company milestones, and many more. This is only will make for original content that Google such as, but the content will establish you as a trusted brand in the eyes of Google and your readers.
5. Voice search
According to Google, a lurching 27% of the entire global population is using voice search on their mobile phones. Moreover, ComScore reports that more than half of smartphone users are agreeing with voice search technology in 2020.
Now the thing is that most of the voice search inquiries are long-tail and very determined. Users looking for particular answers to their queries when they apply voice search. And such users are at the deliberation stage of the funnel and are more probably to convert than the rest of the users. Considering voice search optimization is still growing as more people are choosing for it with the passing time, it is anticipated to continue trending in 2021 as well. So this can be essential in terms of SEO.
6. Artificial intelligence
Just like most industries, AI is improving the SEO and marketing industry as well. Because the impact of AI is the personalization that AI gives. And here’s a reason: Google uses AI to give the searchers with results they are searching for.
But the question is how AI is helpful in your SEO strategies?
It takes a lot of years to learn the search engine algorithms used to rank web pages. And then generating strategies accordingly takes a lot of time. While SEO experts can assist with such type strategies, the use of AI and machine learning can be a game-changer. It would be much more well-organized and powerful in terms of decoding the algorithms and creating favorable strategies.
Lots of companies such as HubSpot, Frase, and MarketMuse are giving AI-based solutions that can assist companies with their SEO efforts and in the coming years, such tools can become a vital trend in the industry.
7. Video marketing
YouTube is the second most well-known search after Google with over 1 billion users. So even if you aren’t into videos, it’s high time to get started.
But how to enhance that video content for search engines? Begin with optimizing your video channel name and description. Though the explanation shouldn’t be overloaded with keywords but gives a user-friendly description of what your channel is all about.
Although, even keywords are necessary. For example, if you’re optimizing your video for YouTube, you can utilize YouTube’s autocomplete attributes. Start typing your video’s topic and then some recommendations will pop up in the search field. The suggestions are the related keywords that you can utilize for optimizing the video for reaching the right set of audiences.
8. Featured Snippets
Featured snippets, or Position Zero, seem at the top of SERP in that rectangular box. These snippets aren’t just useful for the searchers but also advantageous for websites. However, you can’t be able to choose the content that appears in the Featured Snippet for any given search; it’s the Google algorithm bots that do the job.
The required method of getting your web page in the Featured Snippet isn’t clear. Marketers and SEO experts use a few strategies that might be assisting. For example, to get in the featured results, you are required to answer a particular question, and answering in short points (well-structured content) would be better.
9. Influencer SEO
Influencers are the ones with millions of followers, and these followers may become your customers if you can get your business in front of them.
Such influencers earn the trust of your potential audience over years and if they come forward to support your brand, the ROI can be huge. And so 89% of marketers trust that the ROI from influencer marketing is parallel to or better than other marketing procedures.
However, you are required to be completely specific while selecting influencers to add to your SEO strategy. Not every influencer can assist your brand. You are required to select the ones who have the right audience - The audience you want to target.
But how does influencer marketing impact SEO? Here’s how.
Link building
Backlinks are the main ranking factor. But not all types of backlinks can work. You require high-quality backlinks. And that’s where influencers can assist. With an influencer or influencers by your side, you increase the possibilities of getting natural high-quality backlinks for your websites.
Brand visibility & engagement
Influencers know their audience's similarities and dissimilarities, so when they generate content around your brand, their audience relates to it. And that content is different, valuable, and helpful.
Well, search engines have a soft corner for viral content. And when an influencer shares a post that has all the deserving characteristics, the content gets shared by a plethora of people which arouses the search engines to rank the raised web page higher in the SERPs.
Social media traffic
This goes without proverb that viral content always assists in creating tons of social media engagement and referral traffic.
10. EAT & branded SEO
Google suggests content quality when it comes to rankings. But does “quality” alone work? There comes the EAT principle: proficiency, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
As we know brands are the future of SEO. SEO is moving to brand and authority. The more famous and authentic your brand genuine your brand, the higher and more frequently you’ll rank on Google. And you'll pay attention to this in the upcoming months.
That’s why you should produce efforts to establish your brand’s reputation. Give it a top priority in your 2021 SEO strategy. Also, build brand awareness to grow brand search queries. Brand queries are a hidden ranking factor that will assist you to rank higher and set up yourself as a trusted brand on Google.
If you are working in a YMYL (Your Money Your Life) niche then this is even more necessary for you. Work on enhancing your EAT, as Google itself says that it is very aware of ranking YMYL sites and taking EAT gravely. (EAT is not a direct ranking factor, but Google utilizes some algorithms that examine EAT for sites).
Publishing your business on news media publications, full well-explained (including qualifications & identifications) author profiles, address, details about founders & C-level, awards, proper contact details, etc. assists you to enhance your website EAT.