What’s in For SEO in 2021?
The world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is constantly evolving. And for obvious reasons. You see, advanced technologies such as voice/virtual assistants, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobile phones have changed the way we used to communicate. But come what may, search engines, especially Google has always been able to keep up with the latest trends and changes in SEO ranking factors by making suitable changes and updates on its own algorithm.
Apart from the basic factors such as keyword, content, and link building etc., Google also comes up with lots of technical updates, tools and metrics every now and then. But at the end of the day, all of these changes are aimed at one thing, and one thing only, i.e., providing great user experience with faster and relevant results. Keeping that in mind, let’s get familiar with all things latest in SEO in 2021.
Google Core Web Vitals Update
Launched in May 2020, the Google Core Web Vitals update provides a unified set of metrics to measure the on-site experience. It involves factors such as page load speed, page responsiveness, interactivity and content layout etc.
Although subject to change and evolve, here’s a quick breakdown of its three-basic metrics:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Measures site speed, and page loading time including the time it takes for the biggest piece of content on a page to show up. An ideal LCP should be within 2.5 seconds of loading the page.
First Input Delay (FID)
Determines your website’s interactivity and responsiveness. In simple terms, the time it takes for a browser to respond to a user’s click.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Its used to measure the visual stability of your website. For instance, when you’re about to click on a button and suddenly the layout shifts and you end up landing on a different portion or page! CLS measures how often this occurs and proposes the ideal metric to be less than 0.1.
Google Page Experience Update
Google Page Experience update will be launched in May 2021, as confirmed by Google. It will include user-experience as a ranking factor in SERPs (Search Engine Results Page) by combining existing page experience signals. This will include mobile-friendliness, page speed, safe browsing, HTTPS security, and intrusive interstitials with Web Core Vitals that revolve around speed and usability. Once this update goes live, Google will test and use various visual indicators in the search results to identify and rank websites/pages that meet the entire page experience criteria.
Therefore, optimizing your site according to the three-basic metrics of Google Core Web Vitals, as mentioned above, is the perfect way to start preparing for the upcoming Page Experience update. Branding Your brand’s impression and authority are too important for Google, which was made clear in its 2018 algorithm update E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness), and its importance is only going to grow. Since branding remains a critical ranking factor, it’s important to keep up on your link building, authority building, and content game so as to rank higher in SERP.
Voice Search Voice feature is yet another popular technology that’s growing at a rapid pace. Most modern devices are voice-enabled, and users love using voice commands to get things done. To optimize your site for voice search, you may consider phrases and long-term keywords that people tend to use in normal day-to-day conversations.
Artificial Intelligence AI is taking over the digital world as we speak. Google hasn’t stayed behind in this race either. Its AI algorithm, RankBrain is already playing a significant role in ranking factors for SERPs. This algorithm is novel, with the ability to learn, and it’s only going to improve overtime. Although Google hasn’t shared much about it, experts believe that user experience signals must be your top priority in regards to SEO in 2021.
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