How will SEO change in 2017?
During 2016, Google’s algorithm has been continuously updated. The changes that it has been going through are still being absorbed by SEO experts, but one area seems to be catching a lot of attention. As Google’s algorithm shifts, other search engines follow. What is important to Google is important to anyone who works with SEO and one change taking effect is the lessening of importance in brands to Google search results.
For years, brand names have been a relatively strong component of Google’s SEO, but the emphasis shift to mobile devices has weakened brand name importance. When searching for a restaurant at home, on a computer, using specific search queries–such as a restaurant name or brand– is much simpler than doing it on a Google Places app on a smartphone.
As the use of brand names diminishes the importance that the algorithm gives them decreases. As more mobile users log in and search for generic restaurants, stores and other places near them the importance will diminish even more. Increasing reliance on handheld mobile apps will continue to drive this cycle until it reaches a balance. For business owners, the logical conclusion is that focusing on services and products over brand name placement will have a positive effect on their Google search results. As changes are being absorbed, that balance appears to be a gradual lessening of the impact of brand names on Google search results.