One of the new techniques in SEO is voice search optimization. With the rise of virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, more and more people are using voice commands to search for information online. This has led to a shift in SEO strategies to accommodate voice search queries.

When optimizing for voice search, it's important to focus on long-tail keywords and natural language phrases. Unlike traditional text-based searches, voice queries tend to be longer and more conversational. For example, instead of typing "best pizza NYC," a user might say "What are the best pizza places in New York City?"

Another technique is optimizing for featured snippets. Featured snippets are the concise answers that appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) in response to specific queries. These snippets are often read aloud by virtual assistants in response to voice search queries. To optimize for featured snippets, you can structure your content in a way that directly answers commonly asked questions related to your target keywords.

Additionally, mobile-first indexing has become a crucial technique in SEO. With the majority of internet users accessing the web through mobile devices, search engines now prioritize mobile-friendly websites. To optimize for mobile-first indexing, you should ensure that your website is responsive, loads quickly, and provides a seamless user experience across different screen sizes.

Furthermore, schema markup is gaining importance in SEO. Schema markup is a code that you can add to your website to help search engines understand the content better. By providing structured data through schema markup, you can enhance the visibility of your website in search results. For example, you can use schema markup to display star ratings, reviews, and other relevant information directly in the search results.

Lastly, incorporating video content into your SEO strategy is becoming increasingly important. Videos have become a popular form of content consumption, and search engines are giving more weight to video results. By optimizing your videos with relevant keywords, engaging titles, and descriptive meta tags, you can improve your chances of appearing in video search results.

References:

1. Search Engine Journal - Voice Search Optimization
2. HubSpot Blog - What is a Featured Snippet?
3. Google Developers - Mobile-First Indexing
4. Schema.org - Schema Markup
5. Search Engine Journal - Video SEO Guide