Recent Search Engine Optimization Trends
The Internet marketing industry is growing fast, and every year new processes and other breakthroughs are emerging. Search engine optimization and web design are just some of the segments of this booming market, and studying the latest changes may help web developers and other companies in the field gain competitive advantage going forward.
Site Speed as Ranking Factor
In 2010, Google announced that it included website speed in its algorithms for measuring search rankings. While the company said this new addition will not have the same bearing as the relevance of a web page, a faster response to web requests improves Internet user experience, increasing their satisfaction. Google also said that site speed has been shown to cut operating costs. Webmasters and developers can use free tools such as Page Speed — an add-on option on Mozilla Firefox and Firebug, YSlow from Yahoo!, WebPagetest, and Google’s own Webmaster Tools. On the part of the web developers or keepers, factors such as image optimization, browser caching and reducing unnecessary characters and page space can help speed up the site’s performance.
Overlap between Web Design and SEO
Web design and search engine optimization are being consolidated as part of SEO professionals’ strategy to increase website visibility and popularity. This trend has prompted web designers to ramp up efforts to make the sites of their clients user-friendly and search engine friendly at the same time. Part of their creative techniques is utilizing HTML multiheaders, which place hyperlinks on one homepage to maximize the content that can be viewed in a single browse. Other processes used in web design as well as SEO is illustrative designing — which uses CSS technology, infographical representation, and user badges that may involve distributing points among repeat visitors of the site. Web developers may also place call-to-action links at the bottom of each article in the site for easier navigation and browsing to related articles.
Mobile Search
Alongside the launch of tablet computers and next-generation smartphones is the rising demand for mobile search tools and applications. Mobile search is still budding and needs continuous repair and improvement to gradually make its results different from conventional browser search results. However, when it stabilizes, web developers will have more clients as more businesses of all sizes will want to establish or strengthen a mobile presence. Website development firms can use BrowserCam and similar sites to calibrate the performance of a website on small devices. Google also offers a number of recently introduced mobile services that may benefit business web pages. From a 5% share of total web browsing, mobile browsing is projected to account for 15% of all web search by 2012.
Local Search
Going local does not only mean integrating local listings and profiles but the localizing social media networks as well. Local search visibility has proven to raise global search popularity.SEO expert William Leake cited on-page optimization, citations, link building and reviews as the four vital areas for local search. On-page optimization refers to the basics of SEO, including keyword search. Citations refer to the repetitive mention of a business name and address on the website as well as in local organizations. Link building entails collecting links from other businesses or groups in the local, like schools and the Chamber of Commerce. Negative and positive reviews of a business are both effective in search engine optimization and the online presence of a business.
SEO trends will continue to change rapidly as more web-based technologies and devices are introduced. Web developers including Infintech Designs, a New Orleans and Baton Rouge SEO service provider, are taking advantage of the young trends to get ahead in the game for the benefit of their business and their clients’ enterprises. Infintech Designs can be contacted through Brian Hong, at www.infintechdesigns.com, or at 504-717-4837.
