3 SEO trends you shouldn’t miss in 2021!

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Google’s algorithm is updated numerous times a year. Most of the updates are too minor to notice, but there are some bigger updates too. Search rules are constantly changing, making search optimization a moving target. The rapid change of SEO makes it crucial to always stay on top of the trends and adjust your SEO strategy.

Familiar with the history of Google updates? Then you know that a fairly predictable pattern is being followed. Google is gradually getting better at finding really relevant content. This means that it will be more difficult to manipulate Google and that good content is the most important thing. As usual, this trend makes people wonder if SEO still matters. It certainly does, but SEO is getting more competitive, technical, and nuanced.

We tell you the 3 most important SEO trends of 2021!

New user experiences affect the rankings

In May 2020, Google introduced the concept of Core Web Vitals – these are three new metrics added to the way Google measures user experience. All three metrics are more or less about page speed: how fast it loads, how fast it gets interactive, and how stable it is when loading.

For example, if there are two pages with equally relevant content, of comparable quality and authority, then it is up to the user experience statistics to decide which page to rank higher.

How can this be optimized?

Core Web Vitals can be measured with a number of Google web developer tools:

  • PageSpeed ​​Insights
  • Chrome UX Report
  • Search Console
  • Chrome DevTools
  • Lighthouse
  • Web Vitals Chrome Extension

Most of these tools also make some suggestions on how to improve each metric.

Mobile-first indexing is enforced on all websites

Google started switching websites to mobile-first indexing back in 2016. This means that the website is ranked based on the mobile version instead of the desktop version.

Four years later, the process is almost complete, but there is still some of the old-fashioned websites that have failed to adapt to the mobile screen. From March 2021, they too will be forced to have a mobile version.

How can this be optimized?

Google has put together a detailed checklist of everything you need to consider when making the transition. Most of the work can usually be done by simply switching to a responsive theme.

Structured data becomes inevitable

Structured data: not exactly a new trend. While the importance of this continues to grow, structured data is not yet a widely accepted SEO tactic.

The most direct use of structured data is to create rich snippets. These are essential if you want to rank for recipes or news articles, for example.

How can this be optimized?

Structured data is pieces of HTML that are added to some of your content. You can do this manually or by using a formatting aid.

Need help optimizing?

In the past, SEO was the main driving force for page rankings. Nowadays you have to have good content first for Google to notice. This task will become increasingly complex in the future. Curious how we can help your company with this? Our specialists are ready for you! Fill in the contact form on this page or send an email to info@sensmarketing.nl.