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The world of SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. It typically takes up to 6 months of strategic SEO efforts before you will start seeing tangible results.
At admiral.digital, our in-house SEO experts have dived deep into testing, fine-tuning, and honing the most impactful SEO trends throughout the first half of 2023. These game-changing trends and tips have elevated our clients’ online presence and driven significant growth.
Here are the top 10 SEO trends that we found to be leading the way in 2023:
1. Update content for freshness and relevance
Publishing fresh and relevant content has the potential to enhance the user experience, consequently boosting a website’s search engine ranking.
Moreover, regularly refreshing content ensures that the website remains up-to-date and accurate, further improving its search engine ranking.
2. Write audience-targeted, not traffic-targeted content
If a website selling financial software starts publishing blog posts containing food recipes with high-ranking keywords, it raises suspicion among your readers and especially Google crawlers.
The question arises: Does such content genuinely serve the interests of the target audience, which consists of financial software customers? Or is it merely an attempt to rank higher for popular keywords?
Always keep in mind what your readers actually want to know when they click on your website. Businesses that adopt a content strategy solely aimed at chasing search traffic without considering what users actually desire are unlikely to achieve ranking success in 2023.
It is crucial to adhere to your website’s general topic and industry niche to produce content that is worthy of higher search rankings.
3. Elevate content quality with experience
In December 2022, Google implemented an update to its E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trust) algorithm, introducing an additional “E” for Experience. This new E-E-A-T algorithm now considers the author’s experience as a factor in evaluating the quality of content.
As a result of this addition, content creators are expected to put more effort into collaborating with practitioners or subject matter experts when crafting search content.
The emphasis will shift towards incorporating unique insights, such as original data, contrarian perspectives, content driven by subject matter expertise, and even consumer reviews written from different viewpoints.
These distinctive insights are difficult to replicate and, consequently, will yield higher returns in 2023. In a landscape where many have access to AI writing and keyword research, including unique and original perspectives will become the pathway to achieving the most success.
4. Expect AI to play a bigger role in content creation
The pervasiveness of AI is expected to increase significantly in the realm of website content creation. Over the past few years, notable advancements have been made in enhancing the quality of AI-generated content.
Interestingly, Google’s algorithms are facing challenges in distinguishing between AI-generated and human-generated content. Although Google has discouraged the use of AI-based content in the past, they have recently implemented two Helpful Content Updates aimed at curbing the prevalence of sites utilizing AI-generated content.
Nonetheless, we have observed that AI content generators like Jasper and ChatGPT, which rely on OpenAI, have made content creation highly scalable.
Despite this, we do not recommend relying solely on AI content generators to create content from scratch without any human intervention. Instead, when AI is provided with inputs and suggestions that can enhance the content, it becomes capable of producing valuable material for the readers.
5. Take advantage of video SEO in search results
You may have encountered a YouTube video featured in a Featured Snippet, often appearing in “how-to” searches when users seek step-by-step instructions.
However, Video Snippets are only the beginning, and we foresee Google continuing to integrate more videos into search results. Therefore, optimizing your videos for search engines becomes crucial.
6. Optimise content for ‘People Also Ask’
While using Google Search, you might have noticed a recent addition called ‘People Also Ask’ (PAA). As this feature holds a prominent position at the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), many aspire to rank in this highly desirable element. Fortunately, you can improve your chances of appearing in the PAA box by making some minor adjustments to your content.
Since most PAA boxes initiate with question words such as “what,” “why,” and “when,” it is advisable to integrate relevant questions and answers into your content. Conducting keyword research will help you identify suitable long-tail question keywords, which can then be incorporated into your page headers.
Another effective approach is to create a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQ) section at the bottom of your webpages. Apart from providing a concise summary of key points for readers, this section also offers valuable SEO benefits.
7. Featured snippets and ‘zero-click’ results
Approximately 12.29% of search queries display featured snippets in their search results. Moreover, an estimated two-thirds of Google searches conclude without any user clicks, intensifying the competition for dominance in zero-click search results.
Featured snippets and zero-click outcomes are expected to dominate the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Users tend to have a greater likelihood of clicking on content positioned above the fold, as they can preview the answer directly.
8. Reach your audience everywhere on multiple channels
Among Gen Z, 40% prefer using TikTok and Instagram instead of Google for search purposes, indicating a noticeable shift in search behaviour.
While Google continues to maintain its position as the world’s largest search engine, the landscape is evolving with the emergence of various digital discovery tools. Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms have significantly improved, providing users with diverse options to access the information they seek.
To effectively engage with your target audience, you must be present across multiple touchpoints. This involves creating content tailored for different platforms and targeting various channels and audiences simultaneously. For instance, consider repurposing a long-form blog post into 2 videos, 5 social media posts, and 2 podcasts to maximize its reach and impact.
9. Prioritise user experience
A mere one-second delay in mobile load times could result in a substantial 20% decrease in conversion rates. Slow and unresponsive websites lead to visitor frustration and may hinder Google’s ability to crawl your pages effectively.
Enhancing your website’s load times involves several key factors, such as reducing server response time, optimizing site navigation, eliminating render-blocking resources, and compressing images.
Both content quality and technical SEO are interconnected. By optimizing website performance on both desktop and mobile devices, you can enhance the overall visitor experience while facilitating smooth indexing by Google.
10. Leverage SEO competitor analysis
In 2023, examining competitors to shape SEO strategies will become even more efficient and effective, thanks to the assistance of SEO tools. This well-established practice of analyzing competitors has proven to be prudent.
As Google places increasing importance on industry expertise and the thematic coverage of websites, studying thought leaders within your industry becomes a reliable approach to identifying the content types that are likely to rank well in your specific niche.
By closely observing how your competitors establish experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness through both on-page and off-page signals, you can gain valuable insights to inform your own SEO campaigns and content strategy.
Regardless, navigating the complex SEO in 2023 requires more than just following the latest trends. Success stems from understanding your audience’s needs, optimizing content across various mediums, and maintaining a commitment to value, relevance, and trust.
We’ve harnessed these insights to elevate our clients’ online presence. With these at your disposal, you’re well-equipped to lead the way in the digital arena!
Ready to leave your online footprint everywhere and make your mark on the ever-evolving world of SEO? Drop us an email at hello@admiral.digital and let’s get to work!
