search engine journal has released its annual SEO trends report with insights and predictions for 2024. 20 of his SEO specialists offered their thoughts and observations to predict a baseline of what to expect in the year ahead.
AI is in everyone's head. It seems like this is all we hear about today, as new tools and updates are developed and published regularly, but there are pros and cons. AI was a key trend highlighted by contributors in the 2023 report, but it has become a truly important trend this year.
Here are our contributors' predictions for the SEO landscape in 2024.
Useful content comes first
Google regularly rolls out useful content updates to combat content that is created solely for the purpose of ranking high in the SERPs rather than being valuable and useful to the end user.
Clear explanations of how Google determines which sites and pages are “useful” have always remained fairly vague; Helpful content updates for 2023 Google's algorithms generate site-wide signals, and these signals are based on the usefulness of your site. Sites that are judged to have a relatively high amount of overall unhelpful content are less likely to perform poorly in search, assuming there is content that would be better displayed elsewhere on the web. Become.
Adam Riemer, President of Adam Riemer Marketing It warns that unhelpful content on your site can reduce the chances of other, more useful pages performing well in the SERPs. Google considers your entire site, so one piece of useful content may not be enough if the algorithm deems your site as a whole to be useless. In 2024, we will focus on making every page informative and user-friendly.
Rapid increase in AI-generated content
Angie Nikoleychuk, Search Engine Journal Content Marketing Manager He says AI can be partially blamed for the sudden proliferation of low-effort, low-value content online. Thanks to AI, brands can now pump out a barrage of lifeless (yet SEO-optimized) content with minimal human input.Nikolaychuk predicts that The search engine plans to release more spam and useful content updates in 2024 to weed out low-value content.
The more content you create that doesn't meet your users' needs and is not useful, the more trust you will receive.Probably it is Users will shy away from generic content and AI-written content in 2024So, while this content may generate traffic, you will see the clicks and conversions generated by this content genre begin to decline.
Deliver real human value to end users
Users want value. Whether you have a question you'd like answered, you're trying to learn something new, or you're just looking for entertainment. No matter what their wants and needs are, the end goal of value remains the same. Recalibrate your SEO strategy for human-centric search in 2024. Consider where your users have been, where they're going, and what their motivations and interests are. These are the aspects that AI cannot dig into and distinguish between generic content and truly valuable services.
Nikoleychuk said: “The difference between his SEO of the last few years and the human-centered search of the future is small, but important. For many years, keywords and links have defined the content of a page. In 2024, SEO and search will be The “method” will be important. ”
Mordy Oberstein, Head of Wix SEO Brand We also predict a more human-centered approach to focus on useful content.He presented ideas such as “Contextual content” will become an important strategy in 2024. The idea is that different outcomes of given advice are predicted and provided within the content, suggesting logical next steps. for example: If X doesn't work, you might try Y.
This directly addresses user needs and is more conversational than standard content, requiring the author to actually know what the user is talking about in order to anticipate and resolve the situation. To prove your knowledge. This type of content can show users that it was written by an actual human and not an AI. AI cannot replace ideas and creativity. That's where humans can really step up and add value.
Patrick Stox, Ahrefs Product Advisor and Technical SEO believes that injecting experience and expertise into your content is a great way to add value. You may not have the correct knowledge, so find someone who does.Conduct interviews, host guests and provide content Embrace authentic insights, stories, knowledge and experiences in 2024. This is what users want and need: a human-centered approach.
Vahan Petrosyan, Director of Technology, Search Engine Journal “Machines cannot replicate the personal insights and emotions you get from real-life experiences like product reviews.” [the best laptops for graphic designers]A design professional's actual work experience with a specific product is very important, not just a general list of potential laptop options. ”
AI lacks real experience
AI can provide a world of information on a topic, but where does it evolve from there? , there is an opportunity to differentiate from machines. Let's take a look at the following example:
You want to learn how to boil eggs. I entered an incredibly simple ChatGPT prompt and received an answer within seconds. This is a detailed explanation of how to boil eggs, with clear instructions that are deep enough for even novice chefs to follow. There are variations in cooking times to achieve the desired outcome, and even tips to make peeling the shell easier. If you post this answer as is on your website, you can consider your recipe guide complete.
If you type the same prompt into Google and select the top results, tin recipe, I received the same level of explanation on how to physically boil eggs. However, there is additional information to supplement this, and the author includes rules and tips for more success, as well as ways to develop the recipe beyond just a simple boiled egg. It's also written like a human being with a personality, rather than a standardized computer response, which is much more fun to read.Oberstein predicted that In 2024, conservative works will take the lead.Looking at this example, it's easy to see why.
Don't get me wrong. I entered some additional prompts into ChatGPT and was able to get a detailed answer that covers this additional information, but how reliable is it? Retrieve and match the information found with the appropriate response. Multiple sources can generate hints that contradict each other. You'll get more valuable and reliable answers by reading directly from a food blog written by an individual with a lifetime of experience boiling eggs (and I'm sure there have been many).
Andrea Volpini, Wordlift Co-Founder and CEO gave a nod to this in his prediction. Brands will need to develop complex ontologies in 2024 to stand out from the sea of online AI authorship. Ontologies are a way to show that you not only know the basics, but can also demonstrate knowledge about other topics and properties and how they are related to each other. By demonstrating deep knowledge on your behalf to both users and search engines, you demonstrate that you are best placed to offer relevant products and services.
Ontologies allow brands to define complex relationships and hierarchies within knowledge domains, allowing for better content organization and more relevant search results. In 2024, it will be important to preserve and amplify a brand’s unique voice in a sea of AI-generated content.
SERPs are evolving
Useful content provides value to users and helps build relationships between brands and consumers. Andrew Chadwick, Keyword Insights Co-Founder I believe that Building a strong brand presence will be important in 2024. This may seem like a no-brainer, as many brands are well aware of its importance and have existing strategies focused on building and maintaining a brand presence. But in 2024, brand presence could become essential for SEO.
SERPs are rapidly evolving, and algorithm changes can have a huge impact on visibility overnight. Well-known brands are likely to attract more clicks, even if their search rankings fluctuate. In 2024, we will invest in brand-building initiatives and collaborations while striving to deliver a great customer experience and continue to deliver valuable content.
Although no one can accurately predict the SEO disruption we are sure to see next year, Throughout 2024, brands, large and small, will need to prepare for change.
The major changes announced last year are: Search generation experience (SGE). Still in early access, but likely to be fully rolled out in 2024, SGE has the potential to change the search engine experience for many users. The editors of the SEO Trends report say that since search engines first appeared, how people have searched for information is not easily redirected, and SGE is currently worrying that users' It emphasized that it may not have a negative impact on the search journey. But again, we don't know for sure at this point.
Shelley Walsh, Search Engine Journal SEO Content Strategist “Instead of focusing on what SGE can take away (clicks), focus on what Google is trying to achieve and remember that Google needs content and clicks just like we do.” For SEOs, being included in the top results is more important than ever in order to be listed on SGE. It also means being a source of data and information and providing unique and valuable concepts and content. ”
Be prepared for chaos. Be prepared for unusual performance interruptions. Get ready to develop new strategies. Prepare to adjust performance metrics. Changes occur in the world of SEO every year, but good marketers keep up with the times and adapt with the times. And how many times have you heard the phrase “SEO is dead”? SEO is still alive and well.
Ends with a quote from Ryan Jones, Razorfish Senior Vice President and SEOwho said:
“Be prepared for SEO to be declared obsolete many times and eventually replaced by something that looks a lot like SEO.”
If you want to read the entire SEO Trends report for yourself, download it here.
Are you overwhelmed by the changes that may occur in the SEO landscape? Why not seek help? friendly agency Guide to 2024?