Google and other search engines process millions of searches every day. Here are five new SEO challenges to know in 2018 and beyond so your website can rank well in search results...
Guest post by Donna Moores
What new SEO challenges should we expect in 2018?
The SEO challenges 2017 brought are history as we head into a new year...
Did you know Google now processes 40,000 searches every second of every day? That means that since you started reading this paragraph, 320,000 searches have been conducted on Google alone (and that does not to include Yahoo! or Bing).
What does this mean for Digital Marketers, business owners and SEO experts in 2018?
Well, it means this is no time to rest on your laurels.
Search engine optimization has never been more important. In turn, new challenges are emerging as search engines become more sophisticated, and the way we use them changes.
Here, we look at five new SEO challenges for 2018 and how to address them.
Video Content Is King
One trend we’ve seen through 2017 that is set to continue through 2018 and beyond is the domination of video content. For Millennials and Gen Z in particular, it’s their preferred way to consume content. YouTube is a search engine in its own right, with 30 million daily users.
The beauty of video is that it can be used for:
- ‘How to’ instruction
- Education on multitudes of subjects related to your brand
- Branded content related to music and comedy
- TED talks
- Sports analysis
And much more.
Brands who care about SEO should be seriously thinking about the best way to engage their audiences through video.
SEO Challenges Pro Tip: Brian Gareth at WebCEO believes that companies who start investing in video content now will see an enormous pay off in the years to come as this trend continues “… make your video debut now and start 2018 off with a bang. When the 2020s hit, you’ll be riding that gigantic tide of traffic.”
Siri And Alexa Are Taking Over
An emerging trend likely to grow as a challenge in 2018 is voice search. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has said publicly that 20% of mobile searches are currently coming from voice search, and since more than half of teens regularly use the function, this number is very likely to increase.
However, the voice search is still in its infancy and there’s a lot of fine-tuning to go before it’s as accurate as typed searches. Bearing that in mind, SEO experts who optimize for voice search now will have the advantage of being early adopters.
SEO Challenges Pro Tip: Purna Virji at Search Engine Land recommends adapting longtail keywords for more natural, conversational phrases than the keywords used for typed searches. Keep in mind that those who are conducting voice searches probably belong at the top of the marketing funnel.
Increasingly High Standards In User Experience (UX)
In the past, search engines focused primarily on the quality of content on a given page. Currently, however, Google is paying more attention than ever to UX. That means your site needs to:
- Load quickly (three seconds or less)
- Be clearly laid out
- Navigation should be intuitive
SEO Challenges Pro Tip: Here at Idea Girl Media this rule of thumb is followed: Heavy graphics work and images can slow down a website… resize your images and graphics to help your website to load faster.
Underestimate Your Audience’s Attention Span At Your Peril
If you think shorter articles are the way to go due to shorter attention spans, you’re dead wrong. The data is in, and it consistently shows that the longer an article is, the more time that people spend on it. Google rewards that by placing detailed content on page 1.
The thing is, while there is an almost infinite amount of content online on any given subject, people reward detail. If you can give your audience everything they need on one page without making them go back to Google for more info, you’re winning. Aim for 2,000 words+ if you truly want to rank for that topic.
SEO Challenges Pro Tip: Brian Dean, SEO expert and founder of Backlinko says: “Remember: Google’s #1 job is to show their user the BEST result. And in most cases, the “best” result isn’t a piece of keyword-stuffed content. Instead, the best pages cover an entire topic in-depth.”
The Basics Still Matter
Don’t get carried away with new trends unless you’re 100% sure you’re nailing the basics.
Carry out keyword research before every post using one of the multitudes free tools available, and make sure to use your specific keyword in the title, metadata and the alt text for any images used. Also sprinkle in some more natural longtail keywords throughout your post.
While Google has not publicly indicated this, some experts are saying outbound links to trusted sites have dropped in significance as a ranking factor. Still, it's important to back up your article’s claims with links to relevant sources.
SEO Challenges Pro Tip: Chris Makara from Bulkly reinforced this message, saying: “No matter what anyone says links will still be at the core of a solid SEO strategy. Of course not just links from anyone. But real, related, and legitimate links.”
SEO Challenges - The Hard And Fast
One of the challenges of search engine optimization is that SEO is an ever-evolving field. As the competition becomes more fierce for top spots in Google and other search engines, it’s crucial to monitor changes in how rankings work.
It can be a daunting task to follow Google’s updates on how it ranks websites, measuring and evaluating how pages on your site work. However, by giving effort to following this news and SEO expert advice, you will establish and maintain your place at the top of your niche and be rewarded with significant boosts in organic traffic.
Author Bio:
Donna Moores is a savvy content marketer and a Head of Content at HandMadeWritings. She has gained an outstanding marketing experience within the biggest industries and businesses, which she pleasantly shares with the readers. Reach out to Donna on Twitter or LinkedIn.
111 Replies
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Thanks for such a useful information. This blog will really help every me For Learning digital marketing.
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Hi there, I’m glad this article on SEO challenges has been helpful for you learning digital marketing. We aim to be a resource on topics of marketing, social media, business growth, and technology topics. Please feel free to share with others you feel will benefit. I hope we’ll see you here again! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Nisha, Thank you for visiting my blog, and for your kind words. I hope this article on SEO challenges was helpful. 🙂 ~Keri
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Hello, I saw your post and liked it; Thank you for visiting my site. Thank
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Hi there, Glad you like this post about SEO challenges – Hope it is also helpful to you. Thank you for visiting my blog and for sharing your thoughts. This post is still a good resource, but we have published about SEO more recently … you will find a few on this topic that are updated and be even more relevant. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Pavith, Glad you found this article about SEO challenges helpful. We also hope it will be a resource for others looking for help with online marketing. 🙂 We do update the blog fairly often with similar insights. Please do visit again! Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Great post dear, I just read an interesting article on this blog about ways to save money during the holidays. It had some great tips that I’m definitely going to keep in mind this year. Thanks for the great info!
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Hi there, Thank you for visiting my blog and reading multiple articles. Glad you like the post about holiday marketing and this one about SEO challenges. We update the blog frequently, so I hope we’ll see you here again. Our goal is to provide insights for business owners, marketing managers, social media enthusiasts and mobile entrepreneurs. Thanks for your kind words, ~Keri
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Great post, Thanks for the information provided! Your post is so awesome. Keep it work and share your amazing post with us. Thanks again!
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Hi there, Thank you for visiting my blog, and for your kind words. We have several posts about SEO, SEO challenges and how it fits with online marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes. I invite you to take a look. Glad you like this article. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Great Post, Thanks a lot for sharing awesome post with us. Content marketing is a great way to get your message out there and build relationships with your audience. It is important to create content that is relevant to your audience and that speaks to their needs and interests. Additionally, make sure to measure the success of your content so that you can optimize it and make sure that it is providing value to your audience. Thanks again for your hard wok.
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Hi there, Always happy to share helpful content for business owners, marketing managers and social media enthusiasts. You make several good points about content marketing. Appropriately composed content can improve SEO and appeal to target markets at the same time. Thank you for your kind words, and sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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I like it, this kind of blog, it’s very informative, thanks for sharing
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Asad, Glad you like this article about SEO challenges. We aim to be a resource for business owners, marketing managers and social media enthusiasts. Please feel free to share with those you think could benefit. I also hope we will see you here again! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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This article is really very interesting and effective. Hoping to get more such helpful articles. This blog will really help all beginner-level digital marketers. But I suggest that, from the very beginning, you understand what you want to do or what your clients need in digital marketing for their business. And then explain to them what strategies you are going to implement for your business. I agree that video is king in 2022. This information is great for those looking to get started or who want to optimize their video strategy. I believe that videos are the main factor in building trust, credibility, and relationships. Really good blog. Great share and thanks again for the mention here. Keep it works. Thanks and Regards!
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Pooja, Thank you for your kind words. Glad you find this article interesting … and helpful. We work to be a trusted resource to business owners, marketing managers and others that wish to know more about digital marketing. SEO is definitely part of successful online marketing strategies – both digital and social media. Video contributes positively toward SEO and builds trust and credibility, as you imply. Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your adding value to the article. ~Keri
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Very useful and Informative Post. looking forward to more.
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David, Glad you found this post on SEO challenges helpful and informative. We update the blog frequently with similar insights. I hope we’ll see you back soon! Thank you for sharing your kind words, ~Keri
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Thanks for sharing the article. It’s really informative.
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John, Always happy to share helpful information on SEO challenges and similar topics. Our guest author did a great job with this article! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Wonderful Post, Thanks for such relevant information. This blog will really help all the beginner level digital marketers. But I suggest that, from the very beginning, you understand what you want to do or what your clients need in digital marketing for their business. And then explain to them what strategies you are going to implement for your business. I agree that video is king in 2021. This information is great for those looking to get started or who want to optimise their video strategy. I believe that videos are the main factor in building trust, credibility and relationships. Really good blog. Great share and thanks again for the mention here, Thanks and Regards! Priya Singh.
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Priya, Thank you for your kind words. You add some relevant insight for business owners and digital marketers interested in improving their SEO. Video should be a big part of any online marketing strategy today. The key for marketers working with business clients is the conversation around that strategy, as you imply. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Thanks for such a useful information. This blog will really help every digital marketer at beginner level. really Article was great!
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Hi there, Glad you feel this article will be helpful for many digital marketers. Happy to know you liked this article so much! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Thanks for sharing your information with us. I was searching for a nice blog post website and finally found one here.it is very helpful for me.
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Teja, Always happy to share helpful information – Our articles are geared most toward business owners, marketing managers and mobile entrepreneurs. Glad you feel this website hosts resourceful information. I hope you’ll visit again. Thank you for your kind words, ~Keri
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I don’t understand why some of the websites creating high word posts without any valued content still they are ranking..
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Nitya, Usually a post with many words is one offering helpful and relevant information people are searching for. They are usually meant to be a resource on a topic a content team has researched and prepared with a purpose. Also true, what might be relevant to one person might not be relevant to another. And, Google crawls sites with a specific system with a specific algorithm. Those can be gamed. All of that said, I’m not sure I understand your question. Do you have examples? Please note, it takes time and strategy for a website to receive optimal rankings. Thank you for you comment, ~Keri
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Hi, I find reading this article a joy. It is extremely helpful and interesting and very much looking forward to reading more of your work.
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Harry, Happy to know you really liked this article and feel it is resourceful. We update the blog frequently with similar insights, so please do feel free to visit again! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Nice and helpful information provided by you. Thank
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Nazmul, Glad you felt this article will be helpful to you in your business. We feel our guest author did a great job at presenting the information. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Great Content. Really Informative and Helpful. Thanks for sharing it with us. Appreciate it.
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Hi there, Glad you liked this article and also found it helpful. Our guest author surely appreciates your positive words as well. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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This blog is great
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Guarav, Glad you like the blog. Hope you also liked this article – Our guest author did a great job! Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Really ma’am your post is very informative and helpful for everyone. I have learned many things from this post. Thank you so much ma’am for this post.
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Mohit, Glad you liked this post and found it helpful. I’m sure our guest author also appreciates your positive words. Happy to know you learned some things! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Thanks for the blog loaded with so much information. Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for.
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Sahriar, Glad you felt visiting this blog was helpful for you – That’s terrific to hear, and I hope you’ll visit again. We do update the blog often with similar insights. Our guest author surely also appreciates your positive words. We felt she did a great job with this article on SEO. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Thanks for this guide to SEO. As someone who spends their waking hours convincing would-be clients to devote resources (time and money) to producing video content for their brand and their products and services, do you think video, optimized for search, should also be an integral part of any SEO campaign.
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Chris, Thank you for checking out this guide to SEO! Video does get good traction for SEO purposes. So, yes, I do believe brands – business and personal – should be prioritizing video content creation as part of their social media and online marketing strategies. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Is it same problems for 2020? Is there any updated post about it for latest challenges?
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Caleb, 2019 was similar to 2018, so we touched on SEO updates in several posts. For 2020, we just haven’t posted anything like you see above. There is always something to get to, right? 🙂 We shall work on it, I’m sure. Until then, we do have a good search mechanism on this site, and you can find many articles including SEO insights. Hope that helps. Thanks for your questions, ~Keri
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Vow nice info. keep sharing more
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Amir, Thank you for your kind words. We update the blog frequently with similar insights, so please stop back. 🙂 ~Keri
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Very nice post!
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Anil, Thank you for your kind words regarding this article. I’m sure our guest author also appreciates your enthusiasm. 🙂 ~Keri
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it’s a very useful article learn some new things but I would like to see your new updated knowledge about SEO. how we work on in 2020 the same as we work or add something new.
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Hi there, Fair comment! While much of what is written on this page still applies, there are some new developments since it’s publish that would be helpful to many. If you scroll through the comments, there are additional insights, so please do not disregard them. Also, we have published articles about SEO since this article. You are free to search on this site to find exactly what you are looking for. Additionally, we update the blog frequently about this and similar topics. Perhaps we will publish something soon that updates this article. 😉 Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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First I want to thank you for posting such amazing article which is really very helpful and i read your complete blog i found something new here so thank you again and keep posting and update with new things.
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Yukti, Thank you for visiting the blog, and sharing your thoughts. This is an article done well, and I’m sure our guest author appreciates your feedback. Glad you found it helpful. We update the blog often with similar insights, so please feel free to check back. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Thanks for the informational article. I agree, voice is the future of search.
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Jonathan, We’re happy to provide informational articles. Glad to know we’re on the same page. Looking forward to seeing how voice search evolves. 🙂 Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Thanks you sharing information.
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We are always happy to share helpful information. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Great to share this information thanks. I am really happy to say it’s an interesting post to read. I learn new information from your blog.
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Neha, Glad you found this article helpful! 🙂 Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Very informative post and thanks for sharing with us…
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Vishal, Thank you for visiting the blog and sharing your thoughts with us. I appreciate your kind words. ~Keri
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Thank you, Keri! Are there any new trends for 2019?
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Tanya, Thank you for reading the blog, and for sharing your enthusiasm! From 2018 to 2019 much is the same. I’d only add, just as Mike said below: Be ready for voice search. People are finding content in new ways, and our strategies should evolve with trends. Hope that helps, ~Keri
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Really Awesome Tips Very Useful to My content-marketing Thanks For Sharing
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Chinnu, Glad you found this article helpful – I’m sure our guest author would be thrilled! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Very Nice Stuff i get More Knowledge Here Thanks
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Vepambattu, Glad you found this article helpful. Thank you for your kind words, ~Keri
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I think a lot of these challenges are still the same for 2019, although I’d probably switch one of them out for “voice search” 🙂
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Mike, I agree with you. Voice search is becoming so important to consider. Those that include this in their marketing and SEO strategies will win and be ahead of their competition. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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This is definitely helpful tips. This year, another set of challenges are here in the SEO world. But knowing the right tools and strategies will keep you in the game. Thank you for sharing this!
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April, Glad you found this article helpful. Each year there are different challenges, just as you say. But the changes from year to year are usually not so drastic. This article should still be helpful here in early 2019. 🙂 Always happy to share resourceful information. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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The Article was great! well covered all the vital points. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful article. Keep Going.
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Brittany, Glad you found this article helpful. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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You cannot stay your rank without unique great informative content. Otherwise, google kicked you. So keep updated your content. I agree with Bharat M.
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Adelina, Good search rankings do require great, informative content, as you say. Any good strategy will include consistent blogging and content marketing. …But I don’t know if Google will kick you… 😉 Consistent, updated content that will help your ideal target markets is key, as you say! Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Video content become King in very short time and video is becoming more and more popular.
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Bharat, Video content does get good traction and is becoming more and more popular, as you say. Helpful in any SEO strategy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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The fact that video content is king, or at the very least is quickly becoming king, is really quite sad. Pretty much anyone can write a blog post, but takes either a lot of talent and skill, or a lot of money to be able to make a video that anyone will actually watch. It seems the barrier to entry to starting and running a successful website is getting higher and higher as time goes on.
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Mike, Yes, video is becoming more and more popular. Sad, yes, for those that enjoy reading and those that teach it. King? Maybe. Our society is more captivated by visuals as time goes on. Video also gets a lot of traction and is great for SEO. That said, I disagree with you regarding what it takes to produce a good video people will watch. There are more and more options available for quality video creation. And part of it is being authentic and true to your audience. Websites are not as expensive for those that are savvy and stay up on related changes. That requires a good web developer or online marketer – sometimes both. 🙂 Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Very nice your post boss.
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Nishath, Thank you for visiting our blog and for reading this article. I appreciate your positive words. ~Keri
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Hi Donna, I did try the video sharing and it worked for me. Creating videos may be a mundane task but still the results were out of this world. My website got so many hits. I am going to try for long tail keywords so that I can target voice commands now. Fingers crossed for that. Keep sharing such posts. Cheers!!!
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Eirene, Donna would be thrilled you visited the blog and shared some feedback. Sounds like you have had some success – We wish you luck in your newest pursuits. Thank you for your comment. ~Keri
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NICE POST.tHANK U
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John, Thank you for visiting our blog and reading. Glad you found it helpful. We really appreciate your sharing your thoughts. ~Keri
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This is an amazing post it looks so updated and genuine it does really influence me towards genius writing i would love to read your upcoming post i am pretty sure it would be more surprising.
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Hi there, Thank you for your positive words – I appreciate your visiting and reading our blog. We will work hard not to let you down with future articles, and will strive for being informative to all of our readers. 🙂 ~Keri
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Good article! I am trying to starting a blog site for sharing information . But I don’t have a knowledge about SEO techniques . I want to make a blogger? Please give me your advice for do this, thanks
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Robin, Thank you for your kind words. SEO is a broad topic – From on-page to off-page SEO, and driving positive search engine rankings. Blogging does lend to positive SEO, if done well. There is no way to offer correct insight in one comment without knowing more details and spending a number of hours in conversation. If you are interested in this type of coaching, please click the Contact button above to let me know of your interest, and I will reply as soon as possible to help you. Genuinely, ~Keri
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Hi Keri! Good article! I am always thinking about starting a blog site with an online magazine style look and monetise it as well. But I don’t have a knowledge about SEO techniques . Should I go for this interest or even if I start it somehow, may I face lots of problems later? Waiting for your advice and thanks in advance!
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Hello Mahmayi, Thank you for your kind words. An online magazine can be a different juggling act. As long as you pick specific themes, categories, and topics served and support your plan with appropriate online architecture, you should be fine. The key is strategy and quality of articles written. Hope that helps, ~Keri
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Great Points you have covered in this post. I completely agree with the points like voice search is currently ruling the new generation in a very effective manner. Seo experts should take care of the every google updates so that they could update themselves for good Seo Ranking. Good Post Keri.. Keep It up .Thanks.
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Pallavi, Thank you for your kind words for the author of this article. Staying current on updates is important, as well as staying on top of trends. Voice search will be more and more important. Thanks for reading and for sharing your thoughts! ~Keri
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It’s really true that nowadays SEO is very much difficult to get the result because it’s always changing. So this is the reason every day need to focus on new things and the challenging factors I got from here these all are perfect for 2018 for sure. Thanks a lot for sharing a great article.
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Blake, As you said, SEO can be a difficult area of work due to the constant changes. At the same time, many niches change constantly, and those dedicated professionals that commit to staying updated in their field can perform well and do a fantastic job for their clients. Thank you for reading, and for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Thanks for such a relevant information. This blog will really help every digital marketer at beginner level. But what I suggest is that at the very first beginning understand what do you want to do or what your client needs in digital marketing for their business. And then explain to them what strategies you are going to apply for their business. Really great blog. I agree that video is King in 2018. This information is great for those wanting to get started or wanting to optimize their video strategy.I think Videos are the main factor to build trust, credibility, and relationships.
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Raghav, Thank you for your kind words, and for sharing your thoughts. I agree that any marketing effort must begin with a strategy, and the strategy must be designed to meet specific goals. In turn, there aren’t many businesses that would not benefit from video to build trust, credibility and relationships, as you suggest. ~Keri
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Pingback: 6 Reasons Why You Should Consider Podcasting as a Content Marketing Channel in 2018
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Pingback: 6 Reasons Why You Should Consider Podcasting in 2018
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Business’s now also acquires websites and other promotional marketing services in the internet that will generate high sales and inquiries in business.
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Troy, If I understand you correctly, you are suggesting that business can purchase websites to achieve business and online marketing goals. Which is true. Social media marketing and other digital marketing efforts are also helpful to encourage sales and new customers, as you suggest. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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In response to Chad…while I agree that video content is very popular these days, I’d say it’s best to combine great written content AND viewable content for the best results. You’re right about voice search being the next important SEO trend – we’re working on it right now on our team! Best of luck!
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Adrienne, It is optimal to combine written and visual content – I agree. While that is optimal, all may not be in the position to do that. So, it may be useful to do one or the other until you can do both. Glad to hear you are working on voice search – Keep us posted on your findings. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Correct. Video content is the king these days. Not just videos but creating useful content is what will help us ultimately. No doubt the next big thing is going to be voice search and keyword research is the foundation of your SEO. SEO keeps evolving and with the help of people like you we come to know about it and improve our skills. Thanks for sharing!
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Chandrashekhar, Thank you for your comments, and for sharing your thoughts. You point out one thing many are probably not thinking about: Voice search. With the evolution and popularity of devices like Alexa and Google Home, all businesses will need to be prepared to be found via voice search. Thank you for helping us highlight that! ~Keri
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SEO is a rigorous process and what makes it hard for SEO practitioners are the updates Google continually makes. Thanks for sharing this and reminding everybody how tight the competition in the first page of Google is. Will always look forward to your posts!
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Joyce, Thank you for your kind words, and for adding value to this article with your insightful observations. Online marketing is an ever-evolving arena… 🙂 ~Keri
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