The SEO Lessons We Learned in 2017 and How it Will Impact 2018

As a leading SEO specialist serving Nashville, TN, JBL Works is hardwired into the perpetual flux that is SEO. And over the last 10+ months, our company and the digital marketing community at large have learned some valuable SEO lessons that, if leveraged wisely, could reap big dividends in 2018.

Good content is increasingly important

Search engine algorithms (specifically, Google’s) are changing the way businesses view the relationship between SEO and content. Looking ahead to 2018, it will be vital that traditional SEO mechanisms be partnered with good quality content in order to gain the highest rankings in search engine results. Strong SEO has always been key, but now the spotlight is on content and how it can be used as an effective SEO partner.
Another wise move is to avoid the temptation to use clickbait. For one, it’s never a good idea to deceive your audience into thinking your content is more than it really is. Secondly, over the last year Facebook has gone to great lengths to minimize the amount of clickbait in its News Feed. Facebook, like most progressive-thinking people in the world, values authentic communication.

Search engines are constantly refining their approach

It wasn’t too long ago that semi-nefarious practices like keyword stuffing, spamming, and low-quality, link-heavy content could earn companies a high SEO ranking. But times have changed, especially in the years since Google released its Penguin and Panda algorithm updates. The aforementioned shady approaches have been penalized instead of rewarded, specifically because of the increased emphasis on good content. Also, in addition to marginalizing the practice of keyword stuffing, Penguin and Panda weeded out many artificial page rankings, much to the delight of search engine users.
Additionally, spend some time thinking about the pros and cons of SEO vs. PPC, and how they can work together. SEO is centered on organic search, and PPC relates to paid search. Depending on your business’s size, product, and target market, one approach might seem better than the other. Ideally, though, you’ll find a way to make them both work and grab even bigger benefits.

Digital marketing firms must stay focused

If you’re seeking digital marketing services near Nashville, TN, this is the right time to partner with a company like JLB Works, which understands the importance of staying focused in an ever-fluid environment. Proper SEO practices have never been more important, and neither has the necessity of staying current on SEO industry trends. This applies not just to two or three individuals, but an agency’s entire team. Awareness equals success, and it’s what leads to a spot on the first page of search engine results. Spam and keyword stuffing won’t cut it anymore; only those who evolve with the changes and churn out quality content will prosper.

The future is mobile

2017 has seen Google emphasize the mobile SEO experience like never before. And for good reason: with 80 percent of internet users now owning a cell phone, and with 70 percent of global internet usage occurring via the mobile platform, SEO’s future is in mobile, not desktop. Plus, 48 percent of mobile research begins on search engines, and this number is sure to increase in 2018. Also, keep an eye on the accelerated mobile page (AMP) concept. Introduced by Google in 2015, a well-designed AMP can improve a page’s loading speed by up to 85 percent. If this number stays consistently high, and mobile pages regularly load as fast as desktop pages, AMPs will have a huge effect on mobile SEO.

Voice Search: Keywords and speech patterns

With an increasing number of people using voice searches in lieu of typed searches, companies must begin crafting their keywords around real speech patterns. This goes for short keywords and long keywords because even though the difference between what is typed and what is spoken may be slight, it’s still a difference – one that will become more and more important as consumers prioritize voice searches on their mobile device.
Learn more about expected SEO developments in 2018 by contacting our web design firm serving Nashville, TN and speaking with one of our forward-thinking team members.