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2019 Online Search Trends Businesses Should Know (and Use)

ground on tablets searching for local businessesOnline consumer behaviors are always a concern for business owners. If they’re not, they should be.

A targeted marketing plan revolves around those behaviors. To reach customers, business owners should continuously be asking, “Where are our customers online? How can our business engage with them? What means are they using to find our business?”

In general terms, the list includes local search listings, social media, and review sites (read more about how customers find businesses here). The first tactic, local search engine listings, is one of the most significant and studies prove it. According to Google, more than half of smartphone users found a new company or product during an online search.

To get the full benefit of this information, smart business owners and managers (or their trusted marketing firm) not only understand the significance of search engines but apply the information to their marketing. Specifically, there are four recent internet search trends that should be on business’ radar and utilized in a comprehensive online marketing strategy.

Voice Search

According to Forbes, an average of one billion voice searches occur every month. That number is impressive, and demonstrates a growing internet search trend. Consumers are using their devices to find the answers to their problems. Voice searches make life easier for consumers, meaning the amount of voice searches are only going to rise. The one disclaimer follows the old adage about putting all one’s eggs in a basket. While businesses should adapt efforts to voice search, traditional search engine optimization tactics should still be utilized for maximum results.

The application: Businesses need to consider the enormity of voice search when producing online content. Online content doesn’t need to be oversimplified, but it should be written with relevant terms in the same way consumers speak. The major search engines recognize this rising search trend and factor voice-friendly content into rankings. This effort should be coordinated with efforts to improve local search engine optimization since, according to Google, nearly a third of all searches are location-based.

“Near me” Searches

The combination of the explosion of mobile device usage and voice search has resulted in an increase of “near me” searches. This category of internet search trends refers to any search relating to a location near the consumer, such as “near me” or “restaurants Madison WI.” The majority of these searches originate from mobile devices. Many of these local searches result in sales. Google says these consumers are ready to buy once they are in a store, as 18 percent of local searches lead to sales, compared to 7 percent for non-local searches.

The application: Businesses need to invest in local search engine optimization tactics (as detailed in this post about ways to get businesses found in local searches). This effort includes a complete Google My Business profile and update listings on review sites and local directories. Of course, local SEO only goes as far as getting consumers to the business website. A comprehensive SEO effort should include an optimized and fast-loading website that converts consumers into customers.

Question and ‘How to’ Searches

Website content is an effort that search engines and consumers appreciate. The effort should start when building a website with optimized content and continue with a regular content marketing production calendar. Regular, high-quality website content is a factor in search engine rankings and should be an important part of a business marketing plan. Content should be produced to fit the business sales cycle and recent internet search trends. Recent Google articles have indicated that consumers are using the internet to find answers, making ‘how to’ and question searches a top priority for businesses producing quality content.

The application: Businesses need to develop a comprehensive marketing plan with a custom content marketing calendar. All content should be produced with a clear deadline, posted regularly, and be generated with the latest internet search trends in mind. If there is a lack of staffing or expertise, these efforts can be outsourced to a quality content marketing firm.

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