2017 was a turning point for search engine optimization. Google announced its move toward mobile-first indexing, pushed websites to adopt HTTPS, expanded featured snippets, and continued refining algorithms that reward quality over manipulation. Voice search was rising quickly, and structured data became a mainstream tactic. Many of the principles that took hold that year still form the backbone of effective SEO today. Understanding how to boost SEO using the 2017 playbook gives you a solid, time-tested foundation, and this guide shows how to apply each lesson in a modern context.
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Embrace Mobile-First Design
In 2017, Google began testing mobile-first indexing, meaning it would primarily use the mobile version of a page for ranking. This was a clear message: if your site performs poorly on phones, your rankings will suffer. To boost SEO, ensure your site uses responsive design, text is readable without zooming, tap targets are well spaced, and content on mobile matches desktop. Avoid hiding important content behind tabs that do not load on mobile, and test every template on real devices.
Make Your Site Fast
Speed became increasingly important as mobile browsing grew. The introduction of Accelerated Mobile Pages highlighted how much Google valued fast experiences. Today, Core Web Vitals formalize that priority. Compress images, use modern formats like WebP, enable browser caching, minimize JavaScript, and use a content delivery network. A fast site improves rankings and reduces bounce rates, creating a double benefit.
Secure Your Website with HTTPS
By 2017, Chrome began marking non-HTTPS pages with forms as "Not secure," and Google confirmed HTTPS as a ranking signal. Migrating to HTTPS protects user data, builds trust, and removes a potential ranking disadvantage. When migrating, set up permanent 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS, update internal links, and resubmit your sitemap in Search Console.
Target Featured Snippets
Featured snippets, the answer boxes at the top of search results, expanded dramatically in 2017. Winning a snippet can deliver significant visibility even without a number-one organic ranking. To target them:
- Identify questions your audience asks using tools and "People also ask" boxes.
- Answer each question concisely in 40 to 60 words directly below a matching heading.
- Use numbered lists for processes and bulleted lists for collections of items.
- Include simple tables for comparisons and data.
Optimize for Voice Search
Smart speakers and voice assistants were booming in 2017, and they changed how people phrase queries. Voice searches tend to be longer, conversational, and question-based. To prepare, include natural language questions in your content, build FAQ sections, and target local "near me" queries. Since voice assistants often read featured snippets aloud, snippet optimization and voice optimization go hand in hand.
Create Comprehensive, High-Quality Content
The Fred update in 2017 targeted low-value, ad-heavy content created primarily for revenue rather than readers. The lesson remains critical: content must genuinely help users. Focus on depth and usefulness rather than word count alone. Cover topics thoroughly, answer related questions, include original insights and examples, and update content regularly. Long-form, authoritative guides consistently outperform thin pages.
Use Structured Data
Schema markup gained traction as a way to earn rich results such as star ratings, recipes, events, and FAQs. Structured data helps search engines understand your content and can make listings more eye-catching, increasing click-through rates. Implement relevant schema types using JSON-LD and validate them with Google's Rich Results Test.
Strengthen Local SEO
Local search continued to grow in 2017, with more users relying on maps and local packs. Claim and fully complete your Google Business Profile, keep your name, address, and phone number consistent across directories, encourage customer reviews, and create location-specific pages if you serve multiple areas. Local optimization remains one of the fastest ways for small businesses to gain visibility.
Build Quality Backlinks
Google's algorithms had become adept at identifying manipulative link schemes, so quality mattered more than ever. Earn links through original research, guest contributions on relevant sites, digital PR, partnerships, and genuinely useful resources. A handful of authoritative, relevant links outweighs hundreds of low-quality ones.
Focus on User Experience and Engagement
With machine learning systems like RankBrain playing a larger role, user satisfaction became an important consideration. Design pages that are easy to navigate, use clear headings, avoid intrusive pop-ups, and guide visitors toward relevant next steps with internal links. When users find what they need quickly, your content is more likely to earn and maintain strong rankings.
Measure, Test, and Refine
Use Google Search Console and analytics tools to track impressions, clicks, rankings, and conversions. Identify pages with declining performance and refresh them. Test title variations to improve click-through rates. SEO is iterative, and the businesses that monitor data closely adapt fastest to algorithm changes.
Conclusion
The strategies that defined how to boost SEO in 2017, including mobile-first design, speed, HTTPS, featured snippets, voice search, quality content, structured data, local SEO, and ethical link building, remain powerful today. Apply them thoughtfully and consistently, and your website will be positioned for sustainable growth no matter how search continues to evolve.
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