The fundamentals of search engine optimization (SEO) are solid – it is essential work. We’re now entering the age of Search 3.0 — the transition to a new way of searching driven by voice search, artificial intelligence, and visual recognition tools. Companies that fail to evolve risk being outpaced in the rapidly changing digital landscape.
At WireTree, we are ahead of the curve. Here’s a look at the search implications of these new technologies and what they mean for your SEO strategy.
Voice Search: SEO Must Learn to Talk
With the advent of voice-based smart speakers and mobile assistants, such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, the world is more than ready for voice search. Approximately 50% of all searches are now voice-based, according to industry reports.
Discourse-Based Keywords:
People speak not in the same way as they type. SEO tactics should be oriented toward natural, “human” language questions.
Long-Tail Keywords:
Voice searches are often quite long and specific, which, when optimized, help in ranking.
Local Optimization:
Voice searches are often a Google search for the nearest place, underlining the importance of local searches.
Artificial Intelligence: Smarter Algorithms, Smarter SEO
Google and other search engines are relying mainly on AI and machine learning today. With RankBrain and BERT, Google can understand search intent, not just keywords.
What This Means for SEO:
- Intent vs Keywords: The content should be based on the search intent rather than just having the keywords you want to target.
- Semantic search: AI understands context, so well-structured content that has meaning performs better.
- User Experience Signals: Dwell time, click-through rate, and page speed now impact rankings more than ever.
Visual Search: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Clicks
Pinterest, Google Lens, and even Amazon have popularized visual search. Users will be able to search by uploading or taking photos in real-time.
What This Means for SEO:
- Image Optimization: Great images with appropriate alt text, descriptions, and schema markup are key.
- Image-Based Product Search: Retailers need to prepare for image-scan product searches, especially on mobile devices.
- Branded Visuals: Image-related brand assets can be indexed by visual search engines to help ensure a brand’s portrayal in visual search results.
Adapting Your SEO Strategy for Search 3.0
To succeed in this new search landscape, you need to adjust your SEO strategy. Here are a few key actions:
What This Means for SEO:
- Revise Your Keyword Strategy: Incorporate voice-friendly, natural language phrases!
- Prioritize High-Quality, Intent-Based Content: Align content with the user’s intent, not the search query.
- Utilize Structured Data: Schema markup helps search engines to understand and display your content.
- Design for Mobile and Speed: Quick, mobile-friendly design is essential for voice and visual search.
- Name and Tag Images Appropriately: Images should already have descriptive file names and be properly tagged, compressed for speed, and have good metadata.
Final Thoughts
Search 3.0 is not a distant concept — it is already here. With voice, AI, and visual search transforming SEO, businesses must reimagine how they want to optimize their digital footprint.
We help businesses future-proof their SEO strategies with new technologies optimized for the current search landscape. Want to get started? Contact us and start a smarter, search-friendly website today.