Will SEO change in 2021? Well, I’m going to show you seven of my SEO predictions for 2021, based on my experience working in this industry, since 2015.

1) CTR

2) Voice Search

3) AMP

4) UX

5) Backlinks

6) Real Content

7) Ranking takes Time

Now we discuss all the above SEO predictions one by one,

SEO Prediction 1, (CTR)

So in SEO predictions, number one is you can expect fewer clicks.  So searchers are clicking on organic results less than ever, and many variables are responsible for this, but two of the biggest culprits are,

1) More SERP features which are featured snippets, instant answers and knowledge boxes reduce organic CTR.

2) Aggressive Google ads. So what’s the best way for Facebook, Google, or any ad giant to increase revenue in the short term?

Well, they will force you to pay for ads by reducing organic reach, and I do believe Google cares about delivering quality answers for searchers, but don’t forget, they will always care more about pleasing their shareholders. Google will do what it takes to increase CTR  for their advertisers, and never forget that. So the question is, how increase your organic CTR?

1

Do not target dangerous keywords. You should not goal keywords that have an excessive chance of producing low CTR. Google can solution easy queries such as, what time is it in the region or what’s the temperature. The searcher wouldn’t wish to click on thru on those kinds of questions. In a nutshell, keep away from key phrases that have clear answers.

2

Build your brand. Branded searches are the key to long term SEO success, and you attract more brand searches, by having an amazing product or by adding incredible value in your market. Plus, branded searches are a huge trust signal for SEO, and I believe your brand’s reputation and trust is the future of effective SEO.

SEO Prediction 2, (Voice Search)

So in SEO predictions, number two is voice search becomes more popular. Now the voice isn’t the future, it’s already here. According to Bright Local, 60% of purchasers have used voice seeks to locate nearby commercial enterprise facts with inside the final 12 months. Now, here is the best news. You do not actually need to do something new to optimize for voice seek.

All of the conventional search engine optimization actions, like create powerful search engine optimization content, on-webpage search engine optimization, UX optimization, and hyperlink constructing will all assist voice to seek performance.

Now there may be one key distinction though. According to Backlinko’s voice seek case study, about 75% of voice seek outcomes rank with inside the pinnacle 3 for that query. That method you want to consciousness on conventional scores in case you ever need to grow to be a voice seeks result.

SEO Prediction 3, (AMP)

And now in SEO predictions, number three is that mobile search continues to dominate. Now, this is a no-brainer here, but most searches are on a mobile device. And to be exact, 52% of all website traffic was generated through mobile phones according to Statistic.

Now I will say it varies based on the industry. For example, 80% of the traffic coming to my website, TECHKTIMES.COM, is from desktop, and I’ve seen this trend in many B2B industries, but most industries will get most of their traffic from mobile, and this is the reason why Google rolled out mobile-first indexing. Plus they have far more information than we do, and it is obvious that cellphone is more significant than ever. And it also means that your website absolutely needs to be mobile-friendly.

SEO Prediction 4, (UX)

However, not just that, the cell experience has to be outstanding as well, which brings me to SEO prediction number four and that is UX becomes a stronger position. Now among the greatest approaches to improve SEO functionality is to optimize your website’s UX. In reality, Adobe found that 38 percent of people may quit engaging with a site if the content and design is gruesome, but that is not all.

 Google has publicly stated that page experience will be a ranking factor in the coming future. This alone should make you value UX and UI optimization even more, but the question is, how do you actually optimize UX?

Well, there are obvious UX optimizations actions, like increasing your website loading speed, making your site mobile friendly, not using aggressive interstitial pop-ups, and not using disruptive ad placements.

But there’s one UX optimization action that matters for SEO more than anything else, and that’s optimizing for user intent. So, what does that mean? It means that your page should satisfy the intent of the keyword that was searched. Now I won’t go too deep into this, but the best way to understand user intent is through categorization. Just memorize these four types of user intent.

1) Informational.

 If a user searches how to build backlinks, you should serve them an informational piece of content because that’s the intent.

2) Comparison.

If a user searches Moz versus Ahrefs, they’re looking to compare and contrast these two products, so they can make an educated buying decision. And a good page would be explaining the pros and the cons of these two products which would satisfy the intent for that search query.

3) Transactional.

If a user searches buy TECHKTIMES, they’re ready to transact.

4) Navigational.

I recommend using a combination of Google Analytics and heat map technologies such as Sumo, Hot jar, or Optimize to test and maximize your UX. So optimizing UX is your baseline for successful SEO. However, what happens when most websites have strong UX? What signals can Google use to ascertain what the ideal webpage is for that particular keyword?

If a user searches TECHKTIMES Contact page, you know exactly what they’re looking for. Just give them the contact page. It’s that simple. So just try to enter the searchers’ mind every single time you decide to target a keyword.

What do they really want when they enter into the search query? Its time well spent trying to figure it out, and getting it correctly will improve your web page’s UX, which means users will remain on your page longer, won’t pogo stick up to will visit a second page on your site or they may complete a goal, like subscribe, submit a lead form, or even buy one of your products.

SEO Prediction 5, (Backlinks)

Well, the same signal they’ve used since the very beginning, which are backlinks, which brings me to SEO prediction number five. You still need backlinks to rank. And I’ve heard some people claim that backlinks don’t matter or that UX is more important than backlink, but this is wrong. Links matter and will continue to be critical to Google’s algorithm now and into the future.

Links are the only accurate differentiator if all things are equal. Let’s say two pages are competing for a keyword. Both of these pages have in-depth, well-researched content written by a qualified expert, have perfect page-level optimization, have perfect UX, and all user signals are positive. What page deserves to rank number one? Well, it’s pretty challenging to make a decision when you don’t have any external signals, and that’s why backlinks, which are really just votes, are critical to Google’s algorithm. But don’t take my word for it.

According to Backlinko’s massive Google ranking study, the number of domains linking to a page correlated with rankings more than any other factor, and SEMrush had similar conclusions. They found that the Bigger the domain Standing On the SERP, the more speaking domains it has. Not only that, Ahrefs studied one billion pages in their Content Explorer index and discovered that there’s a direct correlation between total linking root domains and total organic search traffic. 

In fact, they discovered that over 90% of pages in their Content Explorer index get zero traffic from Google. And guess what? Roughly 85% of those pages have less than three linking root domains. So the truth is backlinks matter now, and they will continue to be a big ranking factor in the future.

SEO Prediction 6, (Real Content)

In SEO predictions, number six is that accurate information becomes even more critical. Now I believe Google tested this theory with a Medic Update, and I also think it wasn’t a successful test because many websites saw a reversal after dropping. It’s very similar to the test they ran to see how the SERPs would look without using backlink signals. But with that said, I believe that EAT, which stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, is and will be a big deal going forward.

Google wants accurate information written by real experts in their search results, and you can feel that sentiment through their search quality evaluator guidelines. This all circles back to quality content.

Google’s Panda algorithm targeted thin, low-quality affiliate websites. Why wouldn’t they continue down that path? Google wants to eradicate inaccurate and potentially dangerous information from its search results. And the good news is that optimizing for E-A-T or EAT is super easy. Just find a credible author who is someone with real credentials, experience, and other forms of social proof. Write well-researched, in-depth content, and just be a good company.

And the truth is Google definitely has all the positive and negative information about your brand because their data access is unlimited. So if your product sucks or your company wrongs its customers, then your SEO performance will likely suffer as well. Now it won’t happen tomorrow, but it’s definitely coming soon.

SEO Prediction 7, (Ranking takes Time)

In SEO predictions, number seven is that ranking will take longer. Did you know that Ahrefs discovered that the average top 10 ranking page is over two years old? That’s why I always emphasize patience so much.

SEO is a very long-term game. And if you’re not willing to put in the work over a sustained amount of time, then it’s probably not the right marketing channel for you. That said, the potential is huge for people who are willing to do the right work and to be patient. And I’m going to do one bonus SEO prediction, which is SEO prediction number eight.

Conclusions:

SEO is still the ideal internet advertising station in 2021. Now despite these changes or perceived challenges, SEO is more alive than ever. It’s definitely harder and requires more skill sets, but that’s a good thing. It’s good for those that are willing to learn, take action, and those that are willing to be patient.

The truth is companies are willing to pay more for SEO than ever before because it’s so much harder than it used to be. And that means if you possess the ability to increase organic search traffic, then you will never need to worry about money again. You can take on clients, you can start your own niche websites, and you can have real financial freedom when you understand how to get SEO results.

All you need is just the right system to follow and a credible teacher, and I can help you on that front. So, please keep following my site, so you can get free SEO training in the future.

Please comment below your suggestions. Thanks