Google Search in 2021: Five Essential Knowledge for Marketers (that is if Google ends up staying in Australia).

2020 will go down in history as the year of challenges few people anticipated and even fewer people prepared for. Making predictions for Google Search in 2021 might seem like a pointless activity, given the speed at which changes are happening. However, in order to be better prepared for whatever is coming, marketers must take a step back and really think about that this next year will bring in order to make better decisions and rethink their marketing strategies.

2020: Looking Back on How We Got Here

For many of us, 2020 has been one of the most volatile years in recorded history. Systemic issues, a raging pandemic, lives and livelihoods lost; all these prompted the formation of new needs and behaviour patterns.

2020 marked a shift in every facet of our lives, especially our online lives.

Marketers, both traditional and digital, have had to continually form and reform their understanding of what is important and useful for their customers in order to continually engage with them and provide their needs during this unprecedented period.

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As the pandemic dragged on, people started to adjust and adapt to these new circumstances. As a result, SEO themes have started to emerge and trends become more consistent.

The following list summarises the search themes that emerged during the pandemic. This will help SEO experts and marketers understand consumers and understand the trends in Google Search in 2021.

  • People searched for timely, relevant, and accurate information from trusted sources.
  • People searched for new ways on how to make a living and new approaches to finances.
  • People searched for new ideas on wellbeing, making connections, and establishing a sense of community.
  • People searched for information on how to gain new knowledge and learn new skills through formal and non-formal education.
  • People searched for new ways on how to spend time and money.

With these themes in mind, SEO Sydney experts lists down the five essential knowledge for marketers and advertisers to have in order to anticipate the trends this year and continue providing users with the most relevant search experience.

Google Search in 2021: What Every Marketer Needs to Know

  1. Local SEO and Google My Business

Google My Business, a free tool for creating a local listing for your business, used to be just a useful but optional tool for advertising your business. Nowadays, GMB is a necessity in SEO; accounting for at least a third of how Google ranks local businesses.

Local search is especially necessary now that a more people are working and studying from home as a result of COVID restrictions and lockdowns. That is why marketers need to have extensive knowledge of local SEO and Google My Business and keep themselves updated of any and all enhancements as this trend will most likely continue for years to come.

  1. Voice and Mobile Search

In 2018, a milestone in internet traffic was reached. More than half of all internet traffic happened on mobile devices and the number is steadily increasing every year. There is a growing consensus that Google might be, essentially, ignoring desktop sites and focusing mobile sites. SEO experts and marketers need to ensure that the website is optimised for mobile searches. This includes making the website intuitive, easy to navigate, and having valuable content front and center. Basically, improving your users’ experience on their mobile device is something every marketer should know.

google search in 2021

Additionally, optimising voice search is inching its way to becoming a primary means of searching for information on Google.  Marketers must know the inner workings of how to optimise for voice searches.

  1. User Focus

Marketers know that this is not a new concept at all. However, all good marketers also know that user intent and behavior change all the time. Therefore, it is necessary to refocus in order to keep providing relevant information to users. To do this, marketers must gain a better understanding of what the users want. Asking the following questions is a good start:

  • What do people search for?
  • Why do people search for it?
  • What do they need to know?

Providing them with content that not only satisfies their needs but also satisfies the E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) criteria is the next crucial step.

  1. Flexibility

This cannot stressed enough: change is constant and they are happening at warp speed. Marketers must not only be well equipped to see emerging search patterns; they must also be able to determine which of them are passing fads and which ones are trends that will stay. Additionally, the flexibility to adapt to these super quick changes and the ability to come up with out-of-the-box solutions are weapons every marketer should have in their arsenal.

  1. New Marketing Approaches

Marketers must know and new approaches to marketing so they can exploit them. E-Commerce, after all, will be a focus point in Google Search in 2021. New marketing approaches include the following:

  • Manual text ads might finally reach its end so marketers must focus on other ad forms like video, etc.
  • Marketing campaigns focusing on human-centric practicality are more effective. This is because the pandemic has forced people to prioritise and realign their needs. People spend more on essentials and needs.
  • Live-streamed e-commerce has steadily become popular. Live-streamed e-commerce exploits the power of the “limited time offer” to create a billion-dollar industry. Customer engagement is through the roof and sales based on the principles of scarcity and the fear of missing out has increased.
  • Utilizing micro-influencers seem to be picking up steam because the market for mega-influencers has become saturated. Micro-influencers’ following is typically smaller but the appeal is in the sense of community. It will not be surprising to have a bigger impact with a smaller audience than a massive one.

Final Thoughts

These are just 5 of the many essential knowledge that marketers must know in order to get ahead of the Google Search in 2021 game. Having this knowledge will help marketers develop better campaigns and provide users with useful and relevant content.