As a full-service SEO agency, GrowthEngine Media knows that search optimization is the foundation upon which successful digital marketing campaigns are built. Strong SEO attracts high-quality traffic (without a per-click cost), bolsters online visibility, and drives engagement, all worthy aims for any business.
But today, SEO is changing. As Search Engine Land contributor Jim Yu reported in August, “the component parts of a successful search engine optimization (SEO) strategy may have remained relatively constant, but their definition and purpose have changed entirely.”
An online search used to require typing a query into a search bar. Not anymore: users are increasingly turning to visual search – searching an image or using a smartphone camera to capture and search an item – and voice search to access the information they need.
These new kinds of searches yield different results than traditional text queries. For example, ‘rankings’ don’t exist for voice search, so brands that want to be found via smart speakers or digital assistants must tweak their optimization strategy.
“The future of search lies with voice, visual and vertical optimization,” Yu writes. “While that may sound disconcertingly nebulous, savvy marketers are defining what this new order means to them and acting to implement their strategies today.”
For digital marketers – especially those working at an SEO agency – the new search landscape presents opportunities as well as challenges. It takes planning, effort, and dedication to move away from tried-and-true optimization tactics, but aligning marketing efforts with consumer behavior is the name of the game. Agencies that demonstrate agility and a willingness to evolve are the ones that will thrive in the face of change.
As a Google Premier Partner digital marketing and SEO agency with access to valuable insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media is uniquely aware of the challenges presented by the shifting search landscape. However, we’re aware of its potential, too – as queries become more specific, the value of providing relevant information will grow.
