Even with a pristine Nashville web design representing your small business, you should be focused on the quality of SEO applied to your site. If you notice that your competition ranks higher, but their website doesn’t offer as much as yours, then search engine optimization is an excellent starting point to find out why.

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that you haven’t updated your SEO in a few years, and others in your industry are following the latest trends. Or, it could have less to do with the dated techniques and more to do with the issue that very little SEO has been incorporated into your Nashville web design. Regardless of the reason, when you do start taking your SEO seriously, here are a few trends that should be on your radar.

#1: Voice searches are on the rise

Internet-device users are growing more comfortable speaking directly to their phone or computer using technology like Siri and Cortana. Verbal searches are going to be unique when compared to written ones. You’ll want the company to be prepared for the slight changes to ensure the SEO for your Nashville web design isn’t falling behind.

#2: Search engines are expanding their reach

Just like you’ll want to be aware that more consumers are searching online for products and services, you should also understand that this shows search engines are expanding their reach. Review sites, digital assistants, and more should also be factored in for SEO because they are the ones bringing you the information when you search using them instead of places like Google and Bing.

#3: Optimizing for local customers is even more refined

Optimizing your web design in Nashville locally has been a trend for some time. However, this year and moving forward, you should be narrowing your focus even more. Many businesses have seen an increase in revenue when they use SEO techniques to target people that live within a few blocks of their business.

#4: Individualized ranking systems

Google wants to give its customers a more customized experience based on their specific searching profile. While Google isn’t solely relying on the results from the search history of an individual to give them better information, they are on the path to do so in a more aggressive way. With the advancements in technology and the fact that SEO is becoming more sophisticated, don’t think that being ranked differently based on customer preferences won’t happen.

#5: Speed matters

Most search engines are going to rank a website higher when pages load in the 3 seconds or less. In a lot of ways, this makes sense. When your page loads slowly, your bounce rate is higher, and people lose interest. And Google pays attention to how long people linger on the page to know whether they are taking the time to read the information or not. Test your website for speed to make sure it’s moving fast, and don’t hesitate to get a web design company involved.