I recently sat on a conference call between an SEO agency and a client, and I was a little surprised. If this presentation is the standard for how his and her SEO agencies think today, then nothing has really changed in the last 5+ years.
But this is a little hard to believe, especially considering the disruption AI is bringing to content marketing and every other aspect of the web experience. So I decided to do a little research. What we found is that SEO is changing, and that means content development is changing too.
Basic SEO rules still apply
Basic or traditional SEO tactics still have a role today: keyword research, backlinks, internal links, search intent, site structure and navigation, and technical SEO. But these are stakes. These were the techniques that the SEO agency used in meetings with my clients.
We've all heard of these rules, and most brands hire SEO strategists to make sure these rules are followed as much as possible. But when it comes to creating SEO-optimized content and websites, AI is driving new requirements.
Long-tail keywords lead to increased revenue
Working with long-tail keywords is not new, but it has gained attention for several reasons.
NP Digital's research reveals types of keyword length in B2B SEO strategies. Longer keywords (key phrases) seem to generate more leads and bring in more revenue than short keywords of one or two words.
- 3-6 keywords drive 57% of traffic, 59% of leads, and 46% of revenue
- 7 or more keywords drive 24% of traffic, 28% of leads, and 48% of revenue
This research suggests that longer keywords are more effective at increasing revenue. That makes sense. If someone asks a question on Google Search (or any other search engine), it probably means they have a very specific need.
For example, consider searches for “marketing automation” and “best marketing automation solutions for small businesses.” The first is a general search, while the second is more specific as it states exactly what the searcher is looking for.
Long-tail keywords tend to get the least attention because they drive less traffic to your website. However, they are used more frequently today, as searchers have become accustomed to asking more detailed questions, and search engines offer ways to get answers without leaving the search results page. .
It is important to answer the correct questions
With AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) also supported, knowing what long-tail keywords you need is more important than ever. The Semrush marketing platform states that AEO is a key strategy if you want your content to appear in AI-powered search experiences. .
AEO is a subset of SEO strategies that involves optimizing content for “answer engines” such as ChatGPT, Bing Chatbot, and Google's new Search Generative Experience (SGE). In this case, the searcher asks a question and the answer appears on the search results page (or in the case of ChatGPT, the response interface). Some of these interfaces provide relevant links to his website, but do not direct users to her website.
How do you create AEO-optimized content? The easiest way is to have a Q&A on your site. Find common questions from your customers, explore long-tail search queries, and create questions and answers. If your site doesn't offer a search function, you may be missing out on important information that can help you here.
You can also examine the webpages where your visitors spend the most time, see where they leave, and explore their journeys to understand what information is most important to them. can.
Semrush also suggests structuring your long-form content around important questions. This approach is better than creating short keyword subheadings because you use sections of your blog or article to answer important questions. Adding all the sections will create a wealth of SEO-related content, but the real goal is to provide your visitors with the information they're looking for (we know this because we've done the research) .
Will AI impact the way websites are built?
If brands realized they needed to offer an AI-powered search experience, would they completely change the way they build websites? Probably. Building topic authority is a key strategy this year, as Google continues to prioritize websites that demonstrate expertise in specific topics, especially AI-powered new search experiences – SGE.
To be known for a topic, you need to produce a lot of content, and that means brands today are turning to generative AI to create some or all of their content. The question is whether that content is good enough to meet Google's EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness) guidelines.
Brands that leverage AI to support content development but continue to use writers and editors are more likely to meet these guidelines than brands that rely on AI to do all the work. (Of course, it also depends on the quality of your content team).
This also means that the concept of thinking like a media company has become even more important (a topic for another day).
my view
There has always been a disconnect between SEO content and thought leadership content. Yes, all content should be optimized for his SEO, but some content is created solely for the purpose of appearing in search results. The content was usually clickbait and surface-level information.
That’s changing, and it has a lot to do with how AI impacts SEO. From how search queries are written to the depth and quality of the content written, marketers need to carefully think through and plan their content strategy, including the impact on SEO. But at the end of the day, it's all about creating quality content and giving people the information they need. Keep this idea at the center, and the rest becomes just details.
