Top SEO Trends For 2020

A digital marketer’s work is never done. Things are always changing, and you have to keep pace with the changes or risk being left behind. That’s why every digital marketer is already wondering what changes await on the SEO front in 2020. Will we see new changes to Google search algorithms? What about Bing? And, how will these changes impact our rankings?

Well, we’ve done a bit of research to help you stay ahead of the competition. From our findings, the following are:

7 top SEO trends for 2020

1. Zero-click searches gaining more prominence

Zero-click searches refer to featured snippets, including Google’s Local Packs, Knowledge Graphs, and so forth. Essentially, the user’s query is answered on the search engine itself, without the user having to visit the relevant website. In 2019, close to 50% of Google searches ended without a click. These searches will become even more popular in 2020.

2. Rich and Featured snippets take center stage

For e-stores especially, using rich and featured snippets will become vital in 2020. Rich snippets, in addition to a title and descriptions, also show images, stars for reviews, and product prices. Featured snippets are even better. A featured snippet displays an entire block of information on top of the search engine result page. Both trends will be huge in 2020.

3. Influencer + SEO partnerships

Consumers have openly expressed their frustration over intrusive ads, forcing brands to turn to influencers to boost traffic and reach, especially on social media. Expect to see marketers leverage influencer power to improve search engine performance too, starting in 2020. As with social media, the goal will be to drive traffic, reach, and brand visibility.

4. Stricter security regulations

For many years now, Google and the other major search engines have done a lot of work to protect users from cybercriminals. HTTPS (Secure HTTP) was designed primarily for this reason – to shield users from suspicious (phishing) websites. Having already advised and given website owners enough time to move to HTTPS, search engines may begin to take stronger action against non-secure (HTTP) sites in 2020.

5. Voice SEO

Voice searches gained wide acceptance in 2019. Thanks to Ok Google and smart devices such as Siri and Alexa, consumers are now able to initiate searches by speaking out words rather than typing them. Expect the trend to grow even further in 2020. In fact, SEO experts predict that by the end of 2020, more than 50% of all internet searches will be initiated through voice.

6. User experience (UX) to influence rankings?

It’s very likely. Severe punishment for lack of mobile optimization is especially likely in 2020. Studies show that 4 in 5 consumers conduct local searches using their mobile devices. Failure to optimize for mobile is, therefore, expected to attract consequences going forward. And, it’s not just about creating a mobile website. The user experience must be enjoyable. So, things like speed and navigation will become crucial to generate traffic.

7. More videos on websites

You might have already noticed this trend in 2019. Many top brands now have at least one video on the homepage. On news sites, such as Forbes, you’ll find auto-playing videos on nearly every page. The reason is that 6 out of 10 people say they prefer to watch videos than read plain text. To quench this thirst, marketers are publishing more videos than ever.

Other Trends

Many other trends will drive SEO in 2020. There are hints, for instance, that Click Through Rate (CTR) and dwell time may become ranking factors. Keep these trends in mind when planning your SEO campaigns for 2020.