Keeping up with SEO Trends is almost impossible – they change as frequently as the algorithms.

So when search engines are constantly adjusting and tweaking the algorithms they use to rank websites, what will be important to pay attention to when it comes to SEO trends for 2016?

seo trends

Google, for instance, performs hundreds of updates in any given year, some of which are minor while others are more complex. As a webmaster, you need to stay on top of the current trends; otherwise, you’ll get left in the dust by your competitors. So, what kind of SEO trends can you expect to see in 2016?

 

Greater Emphasis on Mobile Compatibility

Google has long used mobile compatibility as a ranking signal, but many experts expect the search engine giant to place an even greater emphasis on this element in the years to come. Smartphones are catching up to their PC counterpart in terms of speed and functionality. It’s now easier to browse your favorite websites on a smartphone than it is to fire up an old desktop. As a result, it’s safe to assume that Google will give mobile-friendly websites a slight ranking boost in 2016.

 

Note: you can check to see if your website is mobile-friendly by using Google’s testing tool at https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/.

 

Social Media Posts in Search Results

You may have noticed more social media posts showing up in the search results as of late. Google has already scored deals with Facebook and Twitter, allowing the search engine giant to index users’ posts. How will this affect SEO in 2016 and going forward? Well, with more social posts being displayed in the search results, there’s a strong chance that Google will use these social posts as ranking signals. If you’re hoping to achieve a high search ranking for your target keywords, you should have an active and aggressive social media campaign.

 

Video, Video, Video!

Yep, you can expect video to play a larger role in website’s search rankings in 2016. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to produce your own videos, but rather be sure to include them on your website. You can either outsource the job to a professional video production company, or simply embed relevant YouTube videos in your website.

 

Backlinks, Less is More

Many webmasters are stuck in the mindset of creating as many backlinks as possible, assuming it will prove beneficial in boosting their search ranking. In the past, this tactic may have worked, but Google has since changed its algorithm to focus on quality over quantity. Instead of mass producing an excessive number of backlinks, you should attract/create just a handful of high-quality backlinks from extremely narrow and relevant sources.