Sometimes it feels like every day brings a new change to the world of Search Engine Optimization. Google is constantly updating its algorithm, and trying to keep up can feel like hitting a moving target. However, keeping up with these changes is crucial for small business owners aiming to expand their online presence and reach.
Throughout this year, SEO’s landscape has already seen substantial shifts that can impact how your business connects with customers. This blog post will break down current SEO trends, shedding light on what you need to know and simplifying SEO’s complexities. Its goal is to ensure you’re not only keeping up with the pace of change but also leveraging it to propel your business forward.
The Top Current SEO Trends
Google’s Helpful Content Update
One of the most important SEO updates to be aware of is Google’s helpful content update. First released in August 2022, this change continues to impact the way we think about and implement SEO strategies. Its core principle is rewarding content that places people first, rather than just aiming to satisfy search engine algorithms.
This update signifies Google’s commitment to prioritizing user-focused content. Websites that provide answers to user queries, offer valuable insights, and guide users to make informed decisions are now highlighted and rewarded. This means incorporating keywords and building backlinks is no longer sufficient. You must create content that delivers value to your users, addressing their needs and queries effectively.
For small business owners, this signals a necessary change in strategy. If your focus so far has been on optimizing for search engines, it’s time to pivot and put your users at the center of your efforts. When you create content that resonates with your audience, answers their questions, and provides genuine value, search engines will reward you with improved visibility and higher rankings.
AI-Generated Content
Of course, one of the biggest game changers in the past year is the rise of AI-generated content. While the technology offers exciting possibilities for speed and efficiency, its influence on SEO is nuanced and requires a purposeful strategy.
AI can quickly produce content like basic drafts, product descriptions, or social media posts. This rapid content generation is a definite plus, but here’s the catch: SEO isn’t just about content quantity but quality and relevance too. And these latter attributes are areas where human touch still outshines AI.
Why does this matter? Google’s algorithm prizes high-quality, relevant content that meets user intent, elements that a human writer excels in crafting. So, while AI can be a useful tool for tasks like data processing or initial draft creation, the nuanced understanding and creativity of human writers are crucial for high-performing SEO content.
Optimizing for Mobile and Voice Search
With nearly 73% of internet users accessing the internet solely via mobile devices by 2025, optimizing for mobile search has become a necessity. Google has even shifted to mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily looks at the mobile version of a website for ranking.
Voice search has also seen a surge in popularity thanks to innovations like Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa. Voice searches tend to use longer, more conversational phrases, so optimizing for these types of queries is crucial. For instance, a user might voice search, “What are the new SEO trends?” but type the words, “new SEO trends.”
Optimizing for mobile and voice search is essential for SEO because it helps reach a broader audience and meet users where they are, leading to better user experiences and potentially higher rankings.
Experience in Content Creation
In December 2022, Google took a significant step by extending its popular E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trust) framework to include an additional ‘E’: Experience. This update places a spotlight on the author’s personal experience, deepening the assessment of content quality to include the author’s background and real-world knowledge.
This new E-A-T-E approach emphasizes the authenticity and authority of content. Google now recognizes that content written by individuals with first-hand experience or profound knowledge in a particular field is likely to be more accurate, insightful, and trustworthy.
For small businesses, this update underscores the importance of leveraging expertise in content creation. For instance, if you run a local bakery, blog posts about baking tips written by the baker are likely to be perceived as more reliable and valuable than generic content written by someone without direct experience in the field.
Understanding Search Intent
Understanding and optimizing for search intent has become more critical than ever for SEO. Search engines have become increasingly sophisticated and are better at understanding what information users are seeking. This means that to rank well, content must not only contain relevant keywords but also satisfy the user’s intent.
For instance, if a user searches for “how to bake a cake,” they are likely looking for step-by-step instructions, not just a blog post about cakes. Therefore, a detailed guide would likely rank higher for this search query.
Understanding and meeting search intent is crucial for SEO because it leads to higher user satisfaction, which search engines reward with better rankings. As we navigate the evolving SEO landscape, businesses must continually strive to understand their audience’s needs and craft content that directly addresses those needs. After all, at the heart of SEO lies the principle of providing the right content to the right user at the right time.
Product Page SEO
The importance of optimizing your product pages is continuing to grow. While product pages tend to be straightforward, focusing primarily on the product, Google’s favoring of comprehensive, long-form content opens a window of opportunity to boost their SEO value.
The idea here is simple: enrich your product pages with more useful details. Beyond just the basic attributes of your product, consider including additional information that users will find beneficial. For example, if you’re selling kitchen appliances, go beyond listing the features of a blender. You could add useful tips on maintaining the appliance, the benefits of its unique features, or even some popular recipes where the blender comes into play. This approach not only enriches your product page but also aligns with Google’s preference for user-focused, informative content.
Featured Snippets
The SEO world has seen a significant shift towards zero-click searches, with as many as 57% of users on mobile and 53% on desktops not clicking an organic or paid result. In this landscape, Google’s featured snippets have emerged as key players. These “Position 0” results are the quick answers that Google places at the top of the search results, and they are now prime real estate for businesses.
So, how do you get your content into these prized spots? It’s all about creating high-quality, relevant content that answers common user queries clearly and concisely. Structuring your content logically and leveraging schema markup can also make it easier for search engines to understand your content and boost your chances of being featured.
Key Takeaways for SEO Trends
In conclusion, the world of SEO is in a constant state of change, and adaptation is key. Staying informed about the latest trends and embracing the ever-evolving nature of search engine algorithms will set you on the path to success. Remember, it’s all about putting your audience first and delivering valuable, user-centric content that meets their needs.