Say what you want about SEO, but one thing is true: it’s never boring! With each new year, businesses face a whole new set of SEO challenges.
By now, it’s clear that 2023 isn’t a departure from the norm. Sure, Google still values quality, expertise, and responsive web design. What did change is the way they determine what content is meeting these standards.
Want to ensure you’ll stay ahead of the curve when it comes to your online presence? Start by taking note of these seven SEO trends that are shaking the industry right now!
1. EEAT
If you know a thing or two about SEO, you’ve likely heard about Google’s acronym EAT. It stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trust.
For a long time, EAT was the cornerstone of long-term organic growth. If you wanted your site to rank well on Google, you had to keep EAT in mind. In 2023, though, this acronym has gotten another E: Experience.
What does this mean for your SEO strategy? Simple: from now on, Google will consider the author’s experience when analyzing their content. The more first-hand experience with the topic the author has, the better they’ll do.
For instance, let’s say you’re a tech expert running a tech news website. One day, you publish a guide to selling a vacant property. Even if the article is great, Google will rank you lower due to your lack of expertise on the topic.
2. AI Content
If there’s one big SEO trend that caught on in 2023, it’s AI content. ChatGPT is the word on every marketer’s lips, and its usage will only increase.
It’s easy to see why AI writing software is so popular. If you know how to use these tools, they can save a lot of time. That said, pumping out auto-generated articles can sacrifice the originality of the content.
How do you use AI writing software, then? Well, a good way to start is to have it create content briefs and content outlines. Both of these can help your writers with content creation without relying on AI to do all the work.
You can also use AI writing to speed up your brainstorming process. Tools like topic generators can develop a single keyword into a content idea. Of course, you’ll still want to revise this content to include your brand’s voice!
3. Author Authority
With AI content ranking in SERPs, Google is focusing on content produced by real people. Beyond expertise, this emphasizes authority.
Are people writing your content experts in their field? If so, let your readers (and Google!) know about it. Include author bios in their articles and create author pages to communicate their areas of expertise.
If your content creators are active on social media, consider linking their accounts. That will improve the social signals of your pages, which helps Google understand that your authors are both real people and experts.
4. Endless Scrolling
In 2022, Google made endless scrolling available on desktop PCs. As a result, we can now scroll through many pages of SERP results to find what we seek.
Though this change may seem small, it can have a huge impact on business SEO. It all comes down to the click-through rate (CTR). In 2023, those first three results on the first page are no longer getting 50% of all clicks.
If you’re struggling to get your content to rank higher, this can be a blessing. As long as your content is engaging, endless scrolling will produce more clicks. Improve your odds by optimizing page titles and meta descriptions!
5. Helpful Content
Since its inception, Google has tried to serve high-quality content to users. In a recent update, though, they emphasized something else: helpfulness.
According to Google, users must feel “satisfied” when they click on a search engine result. But how do you measure or quantify user satisfaction? Well, Google has provided a few pointers on what content it wants to see:
- Human-created
- Audience-appropriate
- Created by authoritative experts
- Showing a depth of knowledge about a topic
In short, your content should be more helpful. One way to achieve that is to focus on quality over quantity. Your SEO plan may contain a lot of target keywords, but they won’t help thin content rank better anymore.
Speaking of keywords, expand your research beyond search volume. Look at which content ranks for specific searches, what questions it answers, and who the author is. These are all important indicators of quality.
6. Competitor Analysis
Every digital marketing strategy should include a competitive analysis. The more you know about your competition, the easier it is to beat them.
In 2023, competitor analysis is more effective than ever thanks to SEO tools. You can compare your competitors’ backlinks, content, and so on. That makes it easier to see what types of content will rank in your industry.
One thing you should focus on is learning how your competitors establish trustworthiness. Do they use on-page or off-page signals? Once you know what makes them tick, use those insights in your content strategy.
7. Product Page SEO
Google has always placed a premium on informative, long-form content. So what do you do with product pages and other forms of thin content?
For starters, you can add more details to these pages. FAQs, reviews, and drop-down menus are all solid examples of adding informative content. If possible, try adding keywords to the product descriptions as well.
Also, consider what your customers would want to know about the product. Include your shipping and return policies, warranties, add-ons, and so on. The more detailed your product pages are, the better they’ll do in 2023.
Keep an Eye on These SEO Trends!
One common theme that ties these SEO trends together is that Google’s quality standards are increasing. As long as you know what to expect, though, your online presence and SERP rankings should be just fine!
Interested in professional SEO services? Our digital marketing experts at GHAX can help you with any SEO issues you may have! Book a call with us right now to learn more about what we can do for you.
