Beyond Keywords: Innovative SEO Techniques to Try This Year

by Naman A. Well-Motivated Digital Marketer

For years, targeting and optimising for keywords has been at the core of nearly every SEO services in Geelong. Finding relevant, high-traffic keywords and ranking well for them in search engines provided the desired results of more visibility and website traffic.

However, as search engines, especially Google, become more advanced and sophisticated, solely relying on keyword optimisation starts showing diminishing returns. Other search success metrics like click-through rate, dwell time, bounce rate and user experience are gaining significance.

That's why this year, marketers need to move beyond basic keyword research and take advantage of more innovative SEO opportunities. The new techniques provide a better user experience and more accurately target audiences, ultimately leading to better search performance results.

Voice Search Optimisation

Voice search via digital assistants like Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa has almost doubled over the last two years. It has reached the mass adoption stages.

The growth of voice search requires marketers to optimise for long-form conversational queries. For example, instead of "Italian restaurants", people now search "Alexa, where is the closest nice Italian restaurant nearby recommended by locals".

Optimising content for featured snippets and optimising site structure, copy, local listings and reviews to target conversational voice searches should be priority. Structured data markup is also critical for surfacing results in voice searches.

AI and Contextually-Based Ranking Algorithms

Search engines now better understand searcher intent and the contextual relevance of content rather than relying solely on keywords. Their algorithms, powered by AI and machine learning, evaluate how content qualifies the searcher's intent and contextual needs.

Creating content that provides an informative, useful, in-depth value to search queries improves dwell time, reduces bounce rate and boosts search performance since the algorithms deem it most suitable for the searcher's needs. Publishing long-form, in-depth articles or pillar content targeting commercial buyer intent also helps achieve top rankings.

Enhanced & Responsive Website Experience

Page elements like website speed, responsive design capabilities, intuitive navigation, crawlability for bots and technical SEO optimisations contribute tremendously to user experience. Since the success metrics focus on satisfied searchers, having a user-friendly web design Geelong improves conversions and search visibility.

Using AMP web pages, structured data, quality backlinks, alt tags, sitemaps, page redirects and eliminating site errors allow for the best possible website experience. These facilitate access to content and improve contextual relevance.

Multimedia Marketing

Both Google and users favor multimedia content like videos, images, quizzes and infographics over text-heavy pages. Using the multimedia elements increases engagement. It also helps pages convey information easily so users and algorithms understand the context accurately.

Additionally, optimising images through descriptive file names and ALT tags helps improve image SEO. Publishing multimedia content along with text content boosts web traffic, social media shares, backlinks and conversions from captivated audiences.

Analyse Searcher Behavior & Interests

Web analytics, search console data, clickstream patterns and user signals from SERP features provide treasure troves on user behavior and interests. Marketers can analyse popular topics, pain points and questions around their offerings. Identifying searcher intent allows creation of content that satisfies user needs.

The analytics also display queries with high impressions and low CTRs. For them, marketers can improve page elements like meta descriptions, content, or site speed to boost click-throughs and increase visitor relevancy. Ongoing analysis of searcher data enables shaping content strategies to surpass their expectations.

Local SEO Optimisation

About 50% of mobile users perform local searches to find nearby businesses. Local SEO initiatives like accurate business information across directories, prominent local keywords and optimised Google My Business presence targets such prospects while they determine where to go.

Effective local SEO also uses schema markup, positive local reviews and local content elements. These establish your brand as the go-to local option boosting visits on your web design Geelong, phone calls and store visits from local searchers.

Harnessing the Power of Structured Data

Structured data, also known as schema markup, provides search engines with valuable context about your content. By implementing structured data markup on your website, you can enhance the visibility of your content in search engine results pages (SERPs) and enable rich snippets, such as star ratings, FAQs, and product information. Leveraging structured data markup not only improves your chances of ranking higher but also enhances the appearance of your listings, driving higher click-through rates (CTRs) and traffic to your site.

In Conclusion

While keywords remain an integral part of SEO services in Geelong, adopting innovative techniques is essential for staying competitive in today's digital landscape. By optimising for voice search, prioritising user experience, creating multimedia-rich content, harnessing structured data, building authoritative backlinks, embracing local SEO strategies, and monitoring performance metrics, you can elevate your SEO efforts and drive sustainable growth for your business in the year ahead.

As search engine algorithms continue to evolve and user behavior evolves, embracing innovation and staying abreast of emerging trends will be key to maintaining a competitive edge and maximising your online visibility and organic traffic. By implementing these innovative SEO techniques, you can position your business for success and achieve long-term sustainability in the ever-changing digital ecosystem.