In 2016, the landscape of SEO was rapidly evolving, with search engines like Google continuously updating their algorithms to provide users with the most relevant and useful content. Here are four areas where modernizing your SEO strategy was crucial:
With the increasing use of mobile devices for internet browsing, Google prioritized mobile-friendly websites. Implementing responsive design, ensuring fast loading times, and optimizing for mobile search queries became essential.
Example: Developing a mobile-first responsive website design.
Schema markup, a way to mark up your site's content with structured data, was gaining traction. This not only improved the visibility of your content in search results but also made your site more accessible to search engines.
Example: Using schema markup to enhance your product listings in search results.
Google's algorithms placed a higher emphasis on the quality of content and user engagement. This meant creating valuable, original content that answered user queries effectively and encouraged user interaction.
Example: Writing high-quality, informative blog posts that encourage sharing and comments.
Backlinks from authoritative sites played a significant role in determining a site's ranking. Focusing on building backlinks from high-quality, relevant sources became a critical SEO strategy.
Example: Guest blogging on industry-leading websites.