Google has made a countless number of changes over the last few years. From algorithm alterations to transitioning into mobile first, the adjustments are countless. However, though these changes affect different things, they all work towards the same goal and that is to improve user experience. Google wants to give users access to the right content at the right time and on the right device. And they want to deliver all of this as quickly as they can.

While there are many Singapore companies that are struggling to adjust to these changes, others are seeing the fruits of their labour. And this is chiefly because they spend a great deal of their time providing a quality experience and valuable content. They have essentially aligned many of their goals with Google and focus on delivering content in the way that is most convenient for users.

If you want to give your digital marketing a boost and stay ahead of what is going on the world of SEO, then it’s a good idea to keep an eye on Google. Not only should you know what this search engine is currently working on, but also the plans it has for the future. Here are a few things that Singapore marketers can look forward to when planning their next SEO campaign.

1. User Intent

You need more than content in order to create a successful SEO campaign. And you need more than SEO to ensure that people are able find your website and engage with the content that you offer. What’s most important is user intent. If you want to deliver a memorable experience and align with the customer journey, then there are several things that you can do:

1. Base your content on data: If you don’t create content based on the things that you understand to be true about your audience, then there is no purpose. You need to define who your audience is, their level of engagement as well as conversion metrics that are most important to you.

2. Mix content, social and search: One of the best ways to reach your goals is to combine content, social and search. Make it a top priority to create content that is of the highest quality. You can then promote this content on your social media platforms. And this in turn can later be used for search.

3. Maximise your footprint on the SERPs: If you want to ensure that your content takes up a lot of real estate than optimise your top performing content. Push videos, articles, and infographics that are most helpful and informative to users. Take advantage of trendy topics. Then focus on gaining snippets that are features, site links, tweets, images and more.

2. Mobile-first

Since mobile completely surpassed desktop in the number of searches in 2015, it has been suspected that Google would eventually switch to mobile-first indexing. And it has finally happened. So while it used to be a plus for websites to be mobile-friendly, it’s now a necessity. Here’s what you can do to ensure that your website is compatible with mobile-first search:

1. Surrender to the mobile-first agenda. The first step to ensuring that your site is compatible with mobile-first search is to realise how important it is. According to research, websites are not mobile-optimised will experience almost 70% less traffic than those that are. So not only should your website meet these guidelines, but they should ideally exceed them if you want your share of the market.

2. Ensure that your mobile SEO loads quickly. Not only should your website cater your mobile users, but it should also load quickly. Google research suggests that more than half of all mobile users will leave a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. So it’s a good idea to take heed to best technical SEO practices for mobile.

3. Create valuable content. Mobile users are usually performing research. This is why you should provide information that answers their question–actional tips. While Singapore mobile users rarely convert, your content can prepare them for conversion, meaning the next time they are using their desktop.

3. Hyperlocal

When it comes to targeting an audience, you can hardly get more specific than when using a hyperlocal strategy. While local seo can help you target audiences who live in a certain area, this type of targeting gives you the ability to market to Singapore users based on their current, real-time location. And if you own a brick-and-mortar store and are interested in the “near me” searches, then this is ideal. Here are 3 ways to make your business hyperrelevant:

1. Dominate local search. You can’t be hyperlocal without first being local. So make sure that all of your contact information can be easily found. Your details should include you basic NAP–name, address and phone number. Singapore users should also be able to find your store hours and the directions.

2. Optimise your hyperlocal strategy. Google tends to give higher visibility to the geographic locations that are smaller. So make sure that your hyperlocal is well-optimised. This means that you need to be mindful about the keywords you use on your Google My Business page. You need to make sure that you localise your landing pages and content, and monitor how well your local keywords are performing and ranking.

3. Understand where mobile and local meet. When Singapore users perform a local search on their phone, they have greater intent. In fact, research suggests that half of all mobile smartphone users visit stores and businesses within 24 hours. So when you optimise for local, you need to keep people who are on-the-go in mind. They tend to have greater expectations than those on other devices.

4.Voice

The full impact of voice search is still unknown. However, according to some at Google, voice search makes up almost a fourth of mobile searches. That means that Singapore marketers should definitely pay attention. The more prominent that virtual assistants become, the more consumers will adapt to this type of search. Below are a couple of ways that you can prepare for the rise in voice search:

1. Answer questions. Most voice searches start with the words what, who, when, where, how and why. They are presented in the form of questions. The great thing about this is that it helps to clarify the user’s intent. So use high-intent keywords and make sure that your content answers questions so that your website can easily be found in the SERPs.

2. Be aware of the customer journey. In the case of voice searches, the majority of them take place at home or while traveling. They make sure of semantics and the user’s search history, interests, and behaviours in order to offer the best results. So, it will help to know where customers are in their buying journey.

5. Machine Learning

In order to sort through all of the data that it is being fed and to render the best results, Google relies heavily on RankBrain. This is a program that advocates machine learning. Not only should marketers take note of the way Google uses machine learning, but marketers should use it as well. This is the way that business owners will be able to predict the behaviours of their customers and better serve them. Here are a couple of ways to master machine learning:

1. Rely on data. If you’re interested in identifying trends, keeping up with customer demand and staying ahead of the competition, then you must pay attention to data. Make it appoint to analyze all of your data.This is especially the case when it comes to the insights that you gain from machine learning.

2. Define your most important metrics. Another key aspect of utilising data is metrics. You need to make sure that you identify those that are the most important to your brand. This will give you an idea of how much progress you’re actually making.

Conclusion

When working with an SEO agency Singapore marketers should think of SEO as more than parts of their advertising budget. Rather, they should consider it a huge opportunity for greater revenue. The above points give you an idea of what you should expect within the next few years. With time and effort, you should get a significant ROI.