Local SEO Marketing Trends to Look For in 2018

It’s a new year, and here at AuDSEO, we’re excited for the new trends in local SEO marketing! We keep a close watch on marketing trends throughout the year, as it informs our work. Here are a few important trends and shifts we are anticipating in 2018.

Voice search has recently become more popular, with one in five searches coming from voice (according to Google). Voice searches are especially useful and convenient with the amount of queries made from a mobile device. While on the move, voice searches are easy if you’re driving, allowing you to find the information you need hands-free.

Coupled with digital assistants – Siri, Google Home, Alexa, etc. – voice searches bring the focus to producing content that mirrors the way we speak. The way we speak is drastically different than the way we write. SEO experts believe that “though the core components of SEO will remain essential (onsite SEO, links, content, page speed, etc.), how we optimize for these users, and [digital assistant] technology, will change…Google has been improving their ability to understand natural language and digital marketers need to optimize their content accordingly.”

In other words, with voice searches, we must anticipate a natural, conversational tone for your practice’s content and keywords. When writing original content for your practice, we’ll focus more on how people speak. Another thing to consider is incorporating a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on your website, which supplies answers to questions that people may regularly ask a digital assistant.

Content is at the heart of any successful SEO practice, and here at AuDSEO we produce unique, fresh content for every client. The Content Marketing Institute says that “content marketing is a strategic approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience – and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” Given the rise of voice searches, our writers continue to write in an accessible, friendly tone that also provides information in a clear-cut manner.

Another part of content is video content. According to the Upstate Business Journal, “Studies show that video content engagement levels are far higher than they are for standard content. Video consumption is increasing on mobile devices, as well. Subject matter that addresses clients’ challenges and problems will be the most successful…visual demonstrations can be valuable.” Explainer videos, which describe your practice’s services and the ins-and-outs of hearing loss, may be useful as a marketing tool.

Link building is something like a “vote” for your practice’s general awesomeness. If there are professional organizations or other local businesses that link to your website, the better you’ll do in a search. Part of the SEO marketing strategy is to write guest blog posts on relevant and related websites. Another big part is diversifying your links, with a backlink profile. Link building is a long-term process that will contribute to your audiology practice’s organic search rankings.

How do visitors to your website experience it? In 2018, SEO experts anticipate that user experience will become an important part of your SEO strategy. In fact, the way your website is set up influences how you rank in Google. The readability and ease of navigation of your website impacts how users experience the site. Checking on the back end, we can see how long visitors browse your website. If they don’t find what they need and leave after 30 seconds, then you’re not getting the rate of conversion that you want. The longer users stay on your website, the more likely it is that their visit will turn into an appointment for a hearing test, let’s say. Furthermore, the longer people stay and poke around your website, this tells search engines that the page is useful for visitors, which also helps your rankings in search results.

Mobile-responsive websites are an important part of an internet marketing strategy. With a large percentage of consumer searches conducted on a mobile device – smartphone, tablet – we continue to build websites that are mobile responsive. Mobile responsiveness is not a new marketing trend, but it continues to play a huge role.

In the past, business websites were built with one website that worked on a desktop computer or laptop screen and one website built specifically for mobile viewing. This became problematic as it affected how your business’s website would rank on a search engine results page. The problem was solved with mobile responsive websites – websites that fit seamlessly into whatever screen you’re using, with a focus on clear, user-friendly design.

If you are planning and preparing for 2018’s marketing trends for your audiology practice, contact us today. Our team is experienced and up-to-date with the newest internet marketing trends, and we’re here to make sure your practice gets the visibility you need to thrive!