As we look towards 2023, it's important for businesses to stay on top of the latest SEO trends in order to stay competitive in the online marketplace. Here are the top SEO trends that businesses should be aware of in the coming year.

Mobile-First Indexing

First, mobile-first indexing is becoming increasingly important. This means that Google will index your website based on its mobile version, rather than its desktop version.

This is a significant shift, as more and more people are using mobile devices to access the internet. In fact, Google reports that over 60% of searches are now done on mobile devices. This trend highlights the importance of having a mobile-friendly website that loads quickly and is easy to navigate.

Voice Search is on the Rise

Another trend that's on the rise is voice search. With the increasing popularity of smart speakers, more and more people are using voice search to find information online. To optimize your website for voice search, it's important to focus on long-tail keywords. This is because people tend to speak in full sentences when they use voice search, and long-tail keywords are more likely to match the phrases that people use.

More Emphasis on Local & Visual Searches 

Local search is also becoming increasingly important for certain types of businesses. Local search refers to searches where an individual adds a specific location to their search phrase. For example, searching for "pizza near me." As mobile searches containing "near me" increased by 136% in 2021, it's important for businesses to implement local SEO strategies in order to target people within a specific city, country, or region.

Visual search is another trend that's starting to gain traction. This type of search uses images instead of keywords to find information. To optimize your website for visual search, it's important to have high-quality images and videos on your website, as well as captions and descriptions to make them easily findable by search engines.

Featured Snippets

Another trend that's becoming increasingly important is the use of featured snippets. Featured snippets are short answers to questions that appear at the top of the search results page. They're designed to give users quick and easy answers to their queries. To get your website featured in a snippet, it's important to have well-written and informative content on your website.

Understand Your Core Web Vitals

Finally, it's important to understand and track your core web vitals. Google encourages website owners to track three specific core web vitals: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift. These vitals provide insight into the loading speed and visual stability of your website, and can affect your rankings on search engines.

In conclusion, SEO is constantly evolving and businesses need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in order to remain competitive in the online marketplace. In 2023, businesses should focus on mobile-first indexing, voice search, local search, visual search, featured snippets, and understanding their core web vitals. As we move forward, it's important to remember that SEO strategies that worked in the past may not work in the future, so it's essential to stay informed and adapt to the changing landscape.