Five Search Marketing Trends You Need to Know

A good search marketer understands how technology is changing -- and also how people areadapting their behavior as a result of those changes. Do this, and you can stay one step ahead ofthe competition.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at five key search marketing trends for 2018.

Video is King

If asked to name the world's second largest search engine, most people might mention a minorplayer such as Yahoo or Bing. In the public's conception, Google is the uncontested king of search.

Yet the truth is that the number two search engine isn't Bing; it's another massive platform in itsown right: YouTube. The video giant processes more than three billion searches each month. Roughly 50-percent of all Internet users are on YouTube, and the platform reaches more peoplethan any cable network.

Given these numbers, it's little surprise that so much focus in being placed on video and livestreaming. Companies that focus on video-rich content supported by immersive technologies suchas 360 degree and 3D viewing are best positioned to thrive in 2018.

The Power of Voice Search and the Smart Speaker

Much like smartphones did a decade ago, smart speakers (also called digital assistants) are quicklytransforming how we live, work and play. Thanks to the development of Amazon's Alexa andGoogle Assistant, our interactions with technology no longer need to be mediated through akeyboard.

This has massive implications for businesses, who are developing or using voice apps that helpthem create more efficient workplaces. Yet voice apps also play a critical role in marketing andadvertising, as voice search helps consumers find what they need in a faster and more human-likefashion.

Given that more than 40-percent of people already use voice search on a daily basis, there will beextensive opportunities for marketers as voice technology matures and becomes the default searchmode.

AI Will Make Search Marketing Even More Effective

Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are transforming virtually every industry --and search marketing will be influenced by these changes.

We've already seen processes such as bid optimization, ad creation and ad rotation become moreautomated. In the next year, we can expect such progress to accelerate as automation becomesmore precise and efficient. As AI becomes more refined, it will free search marketers from tedious,lower value tasks and allow them to focus on the creative and analytical tasks that truly move the needle.

Influencers Will Grow in Importance -- but With a Greater Focus on Quality

Brands partner with social influencers for two reasons: First, consumers innately trust the opinionsof third parties more than they trust traditional advertising or marketing. Second, search rankingalgorithms do the same. High-quality external content that backlinks to a business site confersauthority -- and a higher organic search ranking.

Quality, however is important. Recently publications such as Forbes.com and the Huffington Posthave tightened their contributor guidelines (in Forbes' case, this included a commitment to putevery contributor on a paid contract). This commitment to content quality will help ensure thatinfluencers retain the authority necessary to stand out in a rising sea of blogspam -- and helpattract high search rankings.

A New Focus on Mobile

Mobile has been the mantra for marketers over the last few years, as businesses, platforms andpublishers all sought to optimize content for smartphones. Google recently announced it wouldswitch to a mobile-first index for 2018. Previously, desktop content was indexed and utilized forcreating listings for both mobile and desktop users.

This is one more reason why marketers and advertisers need to ensure that mobile experiences arefast, user-friendly and responsive. Failure to do so could significantly impact search rankings.