One of the biggest trends to be aware of in 2017 for your businesses’ SEO in East Bay efforts is the increase in dense quality content. Gone are the days of long articles that ramble in order to have enough words to lower the keyword density to an appropriate amount. Shorter, richer content is more favored. People dislike facing a “wall of text,” and breaking it up into rich, bite-size chunks will have better results.

One way to do this is to utilize a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page. With this format, you can offer users all the information they are looking for in an easily readable format. Another option is to use summary snippets which then link to a full article for those who desire more in-depth information.

Another trend is personal branding. Similar to corporate branding, personal branding involves establishing a relationship with potential clients, but in a way that focuses on what you offer rather than who you are. Potential clients learn to associate that product or service with you, so when they are in need of that thing, you are the one who comes to mind. At the same time, you add a bit of humanness to the transaction – because people prefer to deal with people.

Cross-channel and multi-channel marketing are other trends that are taking hold. Multi-channel marketing refers to marketing on more than one platform, while cross-channel marketing refers to integrating the channels used. For effective cross-channel marketing, you need to know the message, know the timing, know the channel, and make use of that knowledge.

Use targeted ads, and integrate your offline and online advertising. When the content matches, people will become more aware of your business and more likely to remember you when they need what you offer.

One of the most important trends relates to user experience. When users are pleased with their experience on your website, they are more likely to purchase from you. In order to make their experience more pleasant and more likely to result in conversion, you will want to investigate what users want, optimize the site for the best experience, and keep an eye on what works and what doesn’t.

Consider offering a “live” option, such as live chat with you or a customer service professional. This is sure to add to the user experience and help to create a relationship.

In today’s connected world, the trend is toward mobile devices. Because of increased mobile access, it is important to offer accelerated mobile pages (amp) when possible. These load almost instantly on mobile devices, and show up in Google with a lightning bolt icon. Many users are looking for this sort of page when they do their mobile searches.

Other users are also opting for voice search over text searches. This is also partly due to the increased use of mobile devices. Google offers “voice understanding” (Google RankBrain). Because of this option, long-tail keywords are must more useful. Take a look at ‘conversational queries’ and Google’s related searches that may be used to look for the things you offer. Also, watch what it auto suggests when you begin to ask about your product or service.

Once you find out what your target customers are searching for, you can better optimize your site to meet their desires and expectations. These SEO trends will help you with the best angle for your SEO in East Bay efforts for your business website.