How to optimize your website for visual search

Written by Yliely Daniela Castillo on 04/10/2024. Posted in Category: SEO.

Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving and user expectations are becoming more demanding, so it’s essential for digital marketers to stay up-to-date on SEO best practices.

Today, optimization strategies will continue to diversify to encompass new trends such as visual search, artificial intelligence, and user experience (UX). This article gives you a comprehensive overview of the actions you can take to increase your website’s traffic and improve your search engine rankings.

1. The Importance of User Experience (UX)

User experience will continue to be one of the most important pillars for SEO success in 2024. Google, in particular, is prioritizing sites that offer smooth navigation and a positive experience. If a user lands on your site and leaves quickly due to poor design or slow loading times, it’s likely to negatively affect your search engine rankings. To avoid this, it is essential to improve the following aspects:

Fast loading times: Optimize images, minimize code, and use caching to improve load times. Google rewards sites that load in less than three seconds, which can have a significant impact on your rankings.
Intuitive navigation: Make sure your site has a clear menu and logical structure. The easier it is for users to find what they’re looking for, the better their experience will be, and this will be reflected in metrics like bounce rate and time on page.
Mobile Compatibility: Since most web traffic comes from mobile devices, having a responsive design is a must. Google penalizes sites that aren’t optimized for mobile, so you need to make sure your site offers a smooth experience no matter what device it’s accessed from.

2. Visual Search: The Future of SEO

One of the big trends for 2024 is visual search, a feature that allows users to search from images instead of text. Platforms like Google Lens and Pinterest are leading this change, offering users a more intuitive and faster way to search. Optimizing your site for visual search is key if you want to increase your traffic.

Image optimization: Make sure that all images on your site have descriptive titles, alt tags, and relevant file names. Not only will this improve your overall SEO, but it will also make it easier to identify your images in visual searches.
Incorporation of relevant images: In addition to optimizing existing images, include high-quality graphics and photos throughout your content. Not only does this improve the user experience, but it also increases the chances of your content appearing in visual search results.
Image Data Structure: Implement structured data into your images, making it easier for search engines to identify visual content on your site. Google uses this data to show relevant results in visual searches, giving you a competitive advantage.

3. Voice Search Optimization

With the rise of smart devices like Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, voice search has become a trend you can’t ignore. By 2024, voice searches are expected to account for a significant percentage of all online searches. Here are some key strategies:

Use of natural language: Voice queries are typically more conversational and longer than text queries. For example, instead of typing in “best restaurants,” voice search users tend to ask “what are the best restaurants near me?” Adapting your content to this natural language is crucial.
Answer common questions: Create content in the form of questions and answers, since many voice searches are aimed at solving doubts. This will also increase your chances of appearing in Google’s featured snippets.
Optimization for featured snippets: Structure your content to appear in featured snippets, which will improve your visibility in voice searches. You can do this by answering questions concisely and directly in your articles.

4. Quality Content and E-A-T

The concept of E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) will continue to be key to SEO in 2024. Google evaluates your site’s expertise, authority, and trustworthiness before ranking it in its results. To improve in this aspect, consider the following points:

Post useful and relevant content: Create articles and publications that respond to the needs of your audience, offering clear and valuable solutions.
Establishes authority: Be sure to include expert quotes, reliable references, and case studies in your content. The more trustworthy and well-supported your content is, the better it will be considered by Google.
Update old content: Don’t forget to regularly review and update your old content to make sure it’s still relevant and useful. Google appreciates sites that keep your information up to date.

5. Local SEO on the Rise

Local SEO is still a powerful strategy, especially for small businesses that rely on customers in specific geographic areas. If you haven’t optimized your local presence yet, you’re missing out on a key opportunity to drive more traffic. Some important steps are:

Optimize your Google My Business profile: Fill in all the information about your business, from hours to address to phone number, to make it easier for customers to find you.
Encourage reviews: Positive reviews not only improve your reputation, but they also influence your local rankings. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google.
Local Keywords: Incorporate specific city and neighborhood names into your content to attract people who are looking for services or products in your area.

6. Implementing Video SEO

Video content has seen massive growth in recent years, and this will only continue to increase in 2024. Optimizing your videos for SEO can help you capture more traffic and improve user dwell time on your website. Here are some key tips:

Appropriate descriptions and titles: Use relevant keywords in your video titles and descriptions to make them easier to find.
Transcripts: Providing transcripts of your videos not only improves accessibility, but it also makes it easier for search engines to understand the content and rank it better.
Embedding videos on your site: Videos can increase time spent on your site, a metric that Google values when ranking web pages.

SEO is an ever-evolving field, and staying up to date with the latest trends is essential for any digital marketer. Visual search, voice search, and user experience are shaping up to be the key areas of focus in 2024. By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only improve your search engine rankings, but you’ll also offer a superior user experience.

The key to success in 2024 is adaptability. Make sure your website is future-proof! For more tips on how to optimize your website, subscribe to our newsletter and get updates on the latest trends in SEO.