Jan. 06, 2016
7 min reading time
7 min reading time
Admittedly, 2015 was a year in SEO Extremely eventful. For some of us, it literally gave us nightmares. Hardly ever before had we lost our rankings so suddenly, leaving us wondering what we had done wrong. With this turmoil in mind, some are consequently looking ahead to 2016 with mixed feelings. Therefore, there are a number of resolutions that SEO experts can take to heart in 2016.
Pandas are those cute, black and white bears from China that you just want to cuddle when you see them. At least, that's the case for most people. Well, not for us SEO experts. Thanks, Google – you've ruined us forever.
When we hear the word "panda," we primarily think of algorithms and the unpleasant drops in search engine rankings that cause us headaches. So, we vow to change that in 2016 and see pandas for what they truly are: adorable, cute, cuddly bears!
What makes others think of black-and-white tuxedoed birds gives us nightmares. In fact, the next big penguin update is planned for the coming weeks. Ouch! And once again, the guessing game continues as to how this will affect our search ranking, and some of us consequently react to the mention of penguins with rashes or vivid nightmares.
Enough! Penguins are cool birds that feel at home in Antarctica. Yes, we vow to take 2016 a little more calmly and, instead of conjuring up grim images, to think of animals when penguins are mentioned, not algorithms!
Armageddon was a disaster film with a reasonably good rating from 1998. But whenever we hear the name "...geddon", we automatically think of Mobilegeddon.
That was, in a way, the catastrophic buzzword of 2015, referring to the change in Google's algorithm that penalizes websites that aren't mobile-friendly. Instead of constantly thinking about Mobilegeddon, we should rather do the following:
Nightmares aside, it's true that you can always optimize a website further. Google has repeatedly stated that it rewards quality and user-friendliness. And optimized navigation and mobile compatibility are simply fundamental components of a user-friendly website!
So, yes, we certainly hope that in 2016 all companies understand this and continuously work to further improve their websites and make navigation a true pleasure for users. This is an extremely effective way to prevent the headaches that would otherwise follow.
If you take Google seriously – and you definitely should after last year's updates – then you know that so-called intelligent content will perform particularly well in the future. This means you should find out what your target audience is actually interested in and what kind of content they want to read on your website.
If a company can meet these specific needs, it will reduce click-away rates and improve user engagement. As a result, search engine rankings will also improve.
Therefore, by not simply writing any old content, but by precisely tailoring the topics and content to the target audience, you will achieve the best results in 2016. All SEO experts and content writers should therefore plan to further improve in this area in 2016!
Until recently, it was enough to publish as many articles as possible and simply leave them on the blog or website. However, times have definitely changed. Google no longer just rewards content, but also measures whether and how users interact with it. Therefore, it has become extremely important to publish on the right social media platforms.
Therefore, analyze which social networks your target audience is most active on and publish your articles there. For example, LinkedIn attracts a different target audience than Facebook or Twitter.
Studies have shown that around 50% of companies that engage in online marketing and SEO do so without a real strategy. This means that results aren't truly measured against goals, and no clear direction has been established. Naturally, this approach misses the opportunity to unlock the full potential of SEO and online marketing as a whole.
Therefore, for 2016 it is beneficial to resolve to seriously develop and write down a strategy. Set (achievable) goals and decide how you intend to achieve them.
The only true way to optimize online marketing and SEO is to specifically measure website clicks, click-through rates, dwell time, search terms, and the sources through which users found the website. Only then can you see in black and white what works and what doesn't.
The goal here is to continuously improve based on the data and find the magic formula that delivers the best results for the company, the brand, or the niche. Therefore, a resolution for 2016 for everyone who isn't already doing so should be to install Google Analytics and all other available tools and use them intelligently on a daily basis!
One of the trends of 2015 and 2016 is the increasing number of companies online, competing for market share with each other through their content and SEO efforts. Overall, the landscape has become significantly more competitive in recent months. Users are now literally bombarded with content, further shortening attention spans and necessitating the development of strategies to remain relevant in the future.
Therefore, you would be well advised to consider how you differentiate yourself from the competition. If you know what your customers particularly value about you, you can build your online strategy around that and score points! A must in 2016 is thus to be clear about exactly how you stand out from the mainstream.
Local search will grow even more strongly in 2016. Mobile apps will most likely become more important. And video will be further enhanced by the even stronger integration of Youtube and Facebook is a must. Past experience has shown that those who react to such trends early on benefit the most from them.
So, in 2016, it could definitely pay off to get an early start and score points with well-thought-out video ads or apps! Hints from Google and leading SEO websites suggest that there will be a lot happening in this area this year.
We, as specialized SEO agency in ZurichWe hope to have presented some trends for 2016 clearly and understandably. In 2016, it will definitely pay off to focus on quality and, among other things, to keep a close eye on link building.
Poor quality or even low-quality websites linking to you are increasingly penalized and significantly impact your search results. Therefore, review your link structure and report any low-quality websites linking to you to Google.
Do you have any further questions or would you like a consultation? MIC Looking for Group, your expert for SEO, content management, and online marketing in the Zurich area? Then don't hesitate to contact us today by email or phone. We're always happy to help you stay ahead of the curve in 2016!
© 2012-2025, MIK Group GmbH | General Terms and Conditions | Imprint | Privacy policy
