Why You Need to Evolve Your SEO Strategy Beyond the Basics in 2020

July 12th, 2022 12:04 pm July 12th, 2022 12:04 pm Blog, SEO

As we start a new decade in the world of search, taking a moment to reflect on the past decade and all that has changed can offer a valuable opportunity for important insights. When we look back on how search engine optimization has evolved in the last 10 years, the shape of SEO today—while still retaining some constants—is noticeably different.

Aside from the speculated hundreds or even thousands of algorithmic changes that Google releases each year, strategies, content, keywords, along with technical and on-page SEO components, have been in a constant state of fluid motion.

For the SEOs who have been in the game for a while though, we already know this. The very nature of SEO is adapting to change in a landscape often shrouded by mystery and speculation.

Certainly there have been plenty of SEO components that have stayed stagnant for this whole period. Essentials such as title tags, alt text image, and proper hierarchy of site navigation and URL layout are still important and will likely continue to be for the near future.

When we look at the things that have changed over the years (keyword stuffing, obsessing over the proper use of headings, focusing on quantity over quality in terms of content, etc.), it’s a reminder that if SEOs don’t stay current, dated strategies, practices, and techniques can significantly harm our efforts.

To be successful in the world of search, we need to be constantly adapting, analyzing, reviewing, and strategizing to come up with new and innovative solutions to the obstacles we face.

The next decade will certainly bring many shifts, challenges, and, most likely, a few surprises. While the experience and expertise we have acquired in search optimization over the years still has tremendous value, it needs us to extend our knowledge, refine our strategy, and formulate new ideas to address the new challenges and changes that will inevitably come.

As we embark into 2020, here are some evolutionary considerations to ponder when strategizing for the year (and decade), ahead.

Outdated SEO habits will hold you back

It is baffling to still see some SEOs obsessing over strategically placing keywords in their H tag hierarchy thinking it’s what’s going to make that page or content successful. Or websites that provide medical advice when their authors have no accreditation after Google has pushed its emphasis on the E-A-T principle (expertise, authority, and trust) and are wondering why rankings have dropped in the past year.

These are a couple examples of relying on old SEO strategies or schools of thought that are just simply not applicable anymore.

This is a common trend in most industries or even in life in general. People often have an aversion to change and get stuck in their ways of doing things, even if it’s clear it’s not working out anymore. The first lesson in SEO, however, should be that whatever you learn—be prepared to reshape it, discard it, or evolve it at any given time.

Even the best SEOs can get bogged down by their everyday lives and then, six months down the line, realise they’re out of the loop with the search community ‘s latest data and trends. When addressing a dated SEO definition at a conference, it can take an unexpected drop in customer rankings or get corrected before we realise that we’re out of contact, but hopefully, we don’t want to let things reach this point.

The best way to go about this is just to simply not holding anything as “set in stone”. If you’re prepared to change and anticipate change, it will be much easier to manage. It’s important to be proactive in staying current as well as anticipating changes, trends, and new information when it comes to search engine optimization.

Making it a priority each day to read up on your trusted SEO sources (like checking the Google Webmasters Twitter or blog for instance), can help to keep you updated and informed so you can make the best decisions for your business, your clients, and your future.

Generic SEO strategies are not enough anymore

When you consider how much the internet and all it embodies has evolved and rapidly grown since the early days of search, it can almost feel overwhelming. Considering that there were around 17 million websites in 2000 and as of 2018 that number has grown to 1.6 billion, the online world seems saturated with websites and content of everything possibly imaginable.

Now while the majority of these websites are inactive today, the reality still exists that the internet has become and will continue to be, incredibly competitive. Trying to build, launch, and rank a new website today using SEO alone is unfortunately not enough anymore. To be successful in the world of search today means being creative, innovative, and thinking outside the box.

Your SEO on-page could be great, your blog content could be configured to the max, your website hierarchy and URL layout flawless, and your technological SEO components excellent. Despite all this, however, SEO alone can not maintain a website without a quality backlink profile, without an existing online background, without relying on other types of marketing. While it is a vital piece of the puzzle, it is only one of several important pieces.

Websites that are just starting out will never be able to go head to head with established giants that have been online for years. Even after years of hard work, link building, content marketing, and flawless optimization for search, this reality will still exist. In order to distinguish yourself from the rest, you’ll need to devise creative and innovative solutions and ideas that extend beyond the generic SEO strategies that are preached time and time again.

While basic SEO components are still essential, they will not be enough to reach the objectives of most SEOs today. We’ll discuss more on some actionable concepts later on.

Google is getting much smarter

Google and other search engines have been making significant strides in their ability to interpret and process search queries (among other things) over the past few years. This is a pattern which does not display any signs of slowing. If we continue to move forward, the mix is constantly introducing new technologies to quest.

Visual search

Consider visual search for example. While still in its infancy, it is already exponentially more powerful now than just one year ago and it’s growing at an unprecedented rate. Technology like Google Lens has been used 1 billion times and this innovative technology will play a considerable role in how we optimize for visual search in the coming years.

Natural language and semantics

Another instance of Google’s evolving machine learning and intelligence is the BERT update which saw significant improvements to the way search queries are understood. Google is getting better and better at understanding natural language and searchers no longer have to focus as much on the keywords and phrasing of their queries. They can search in a more natural way. In essence, a more human way.

This means that we are moving away from the days of keyword-driven content where that was the primary focus. While keywords are still important, content written for humans first in more natural language will continue to be prioritized over mechanically-crafted, keyword-dense content.

SERP features-search-lens-io/

Over time we’ve seen more and more that Google has introduced new features that tend to keep users on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), longer and oftentimes, eliminating the need to go any further as the question or query is answered or resolved right then and there.

Then there’s now the ability to order food or book a hotel directly in the search results without having to visit a website.

Although these two examples certainly make these tasks simpler for users to simplify, streamline, and all-around, many SEOs and websites of all kinds have become increasingly disturbing to watch as Google continues to monopolise the SERP.

In the above examples, while these businesses may see fewer website visitors because of these SERP features, keep in mind that doesn’t necessarily mean they will see a loss in revenue. Despite this, many SEOs see this as a slippery slope.

Featured Snippets typically hold position zero in the SERP and if you own the snippet, it is prime visibility and also a testament that Google recognizes your content as authoritative enough to hold the top spot. Again though, holding this spot may mean reduced traffic to that particular page if the searcher can find an answer right then and there, however, it can offer benefits in other ways such as having improved visibility, furthering the E-A-T of your site, and distinguishing yourself from your competitors.

At the end of the day, this is just another example of the dynamic and ever-changing state of the search landscape. In order to maximize your SEO strategy in 2020 and in the years to come, SEOs will need to continue to adapt, assess, and evolve to match new features and innovations put forth by Google and other search engines.

Consider the update in September 2019 to Google Chrome on Android where users could now receive an answer to a search without even having to submit a query.

Ways you can evolve your SEO strategy

As time and data have shown us, the search landscape is constantly changing. In order to effectively optimize and strategize for search, we are burdened with the necessary task of staying current with technology, trends, user-behaviour, and algorithmic updates.

Ultimately, cultivating and evolving your own SEO strategy will be unique to your business but the common truth faced by all is that to remain stagnant or uninformed will hinder progress or worst-case scenario, send us backwards altogether. While brainstorming with your team to come up with your own innovations will likely provide the most value in terms of evolving your strategy, here are a few actionable items to get you started.

Take your written content to the next level

Though visual search, videos, and other media forms continue to expand, quality content remains the backbone of SEO as a matter of fact. This may not be the case forever, and we may need to move from this idea more or less in the future, but it remains important for the time being.

The importance of content has been preached several times before as part of your SEO and marketing plan, but with Google’s advances to understand the natural language and the focus on quality, 2020 is the year to step up the content game to the next level. Writing first for humans is the place to start, not search engines.

Do everything in your power to design your content to be as valuable to the reader as possible. Find a new angle on something, provide unique insights, look at what your competitors are doing and then find a way to do it better. Content that truly resonates with readers and provides value will be self-sustaining in earning engagements, shares, and backlinks—all of which can help boost your SEO.

Stay in the know

It cannot be understated how important it is to constantly be staying current with the world of search and all it encompasses. The value of this doesn’t just come from one source but rather the collective knowledge in the search community.

Google can often be quite vague in providing important details when releasing important updates and this is where independent researchers come in to help us fill in the blanks. Influential figures in the SEO industry such as Bill Slawski for instance, help to provide the community with foresight into emerging algorithmic changes by monitoring patents filed by search engines and then using the information contained in them, to anticipate upcoming changes or new innovations.

Staying current with SEO news, trends, and changes on a daily basis will ensure that your SEO strategy evolves with the times.

Your basic SEO should be flawless

It’s 2020. If your on-page SEO is missing essentials like image alt text, optimized meta tags, or your page speed is being weighted down by oversized images or videos, then this is a huge problem. Duplicate content or missing redirects are rookie mistakes. With the vast knowledge of free SEO instruction and advice available, there is no reason why essential SEO components are not implemented properly.

The ability to evolve your SEO strategy will be stumped if basic SEO requirements are not met. Here’s a few resources for trusted SEO education:

Diversify your content

While written copy might still be the backbone of SEO, advancements to visual search along with voice search mean that if you don’t diversify, you’re missing out on many opportunities. With video expected to make up 80% of all online traffic by 2021 and with 55% of all Google search results containing at least one video, it would be foolish not to include video as part of your SEO efforts and marketing strategy as a whole.

Additionally, as voice search rapidly grows with 41% of adults and over 50% of teens performing at least one voice search a day, failing to optimize for voice search will translate into many missed opportunities. Diversifying your written content to optimize for voice search as well as claiming relevant featured snippets will play an important role in your evolving content strategy. Keep in mind too that this will have to be high ranking content, as Google tends to source voice search responses from the top 3 search results.

Consider getting even more strategic by hosting or becoming a guest on a podcast. If you publish content regularly, diversifying your written content and remixing it into podcast form can help boost brand awareness, generate leads, and establish E-A-T. With Google displaying podcasts as a SERP feature—this also allows you the opportunity to optimize your podcast accordingly.

Being invited or pitching to be a guest on an established podcast can also help with brand awareness, leads, and especially securing quality backlinks.

Watch for new social trends

Social media remains an integrated part of the online community and as an essential marketing tool. While social giants like Facebook and Twitter may be what most people think of when they think of social media, the reality is there are new social players entering the game and new giants will emerge in the decade ahead.

Staying current with new social platforms and their unique offerings will help you to understand and capitalize on new trends. Additionally, these platforms can help you reach new audiences as well as collect new insights on demographics and other important data regarding your audience.

By joining new social platforms in their infancy, you’ll have a competitive advantage by gaining more familiarity early on as well as will have a head start in building an audience, engagement, and awareness.

Here are some emerging social platforms you might not be aware of:

Final Thoughts
Moving into 2020 and this next decade has equipped us with a unique position. We now have several decade’s worth of SEO data to reflect upon. While strategies for search engine optimization have changed along with Google’s requirements and the search landscape as a whole, there are still time-tested method of optimization that we can take with us into the future of search. Within this, however, are also the strategies, techniques, and beliefs to leave behind that are no longer relevant or useful in the ever-changing search landscape of today.

Changing the SEO Strategy for 2020 and beyond would take more than just the generic optimization strategies that are repeated time and again by everyone. It will take a close eye on the developing world of quest to be competitive this year and in the coming years to ensure that we develop to fit. It will require creative and innovative thinking that will seek to find new angles and insights where unique action can be taken.

Although we all have to adhere to the SEO box, that is, what search engines expect of us, we also have to think outside the box as we look for new techniques and possibilities to encourage growth and foster the evolution of our SEO strategies.

Why You Need to Evolve Your SEO Strategy Beyond the Basics in 2020