Tips to Navigate SEO in 2024

We’re going through a period at the moment where we’re seeing some of the biggest changes in SEO in well over a decade. These changes can be overwhelming, but with the right approach, they present a tremendous opportunity. That’s why we’re going to discuss not only how to survive, but also how to thrive. Today, it’s important to understand the three major changes happening in SEO right now. By planning for each of these changes and building a solid SEO strategy, you can leverage them to your advantage. Here’s where strong SEO services can be invaluable. They can help you stay ahead of the curve, navigate these changes effectively, and ultimately achieve your SEO goals.

Top Major Changes Happening in SEO Right Now

Change Number #1: AI & SGE

The first change that you need to know about is AI and SGE. For sure, AI is the buzzword of the day, but it is transforming not just the way that marketers do marketing, but also how search engines work and present their results. And Google’s SGE, or search generative experience, is probably the most profound change that we marketers need to be aware of. And here’s an in-depth look at how Google’s Search-Generative Experience works. When you search for something, rather than seeing the regular organic results, you get a big AI powered snapshot at the top.

And this is really significant because, rather than getting a whole list of websites that people can scroll through, the searcher basically sees three links. And of course, this means that if you’re not in those three links, you could see a significant drop in traffic the race is on over the longer term. So you could actually change how people use search engines because it allows you to have a conversation with Google. It allows you to ask follow up questions and do much more personalised searches than you would if you were only looking at surface results from websites.

And of course, if we as marketers want to take advantage of this, we need to optimise our content for that type of search and get it shown in this carousel section at the top of the page. This is one of our key battlegrounds over the next year, as well as an incredibly exciting opportunity.

Short Content Ranking

Now we’re going to cover exactly how to plan for this in just a minute. But before we do that, the second major change that we’re seeing over the next year is short content ranking. Yes, best practice wisdom in SEO is always that you need to provide long content on a page if you want it to rank on Google. So everyone’s been writing ultimate guides, answering all of the possible questions that people might have about a topic in order to get them ranked on the first page. But over time, we’ve started to notice a shift where Google is actually starting to reward, in some cases, shorter content instead.

And usually, historically, we would have expected to see medium- to long-page rankings for this. But you should consider variance in content length. Loads of detail, long content doesn’t seem engaging. Websites have FAQs all answered in detail. As well as statistics, all that type of stuff. A very, very long, comprehensive page. But sometimes, maybe that’s too long. Maybe you don’t need the entire history of the universe.

Google Perspectives

Number three: Google perspectives. This is one of my favourite changes to SEO, but nobody really seems to be talking about it now. This is only visible at the moment on mobile in the US, or using a US VPN on Chrome or on the Google app, but this is already out there. Google has already launched this. It’s testing, and it’s collecting feedback. Here’s how Google Perspectives works: When you make certain types of searches, you see certain filters at the top of the page.

SEOs would benefit from understanding Google Perspectives and considering ways to include it in their plans. Businesses can use Google Perspectives in the following methods:

• Pay close attention to the content that customers create about the products and services. This involves dedicating time to respond to inquiries on Reddit and Quora, as well as encouraging clients to make brief videos on YouTube or TikTok sharing their experiences with the offerings.
• Monitor the discussions occurring within Google Perspectives to determine if there are recurring complaints or problems customers experience with competitor brands. This valuable information can assist in refining your brand’s placement and inform the frequently asked questions you address on your website and product pages. An experienced SEO service provider can help you effectively analyse these conversations and translate them into actionable insights for your SEO strategy.
• Collaborate with individuals who are already discussing you on social media platforms to produce material aimed at achieving a strong position in Google Perspectives. This could mean jointly crafting content or just motivating them to keep mentioning you online.

How to Plan for These Changes in SEO?

Here are the steps on how to plan for the changes in SEO, according to the video:

• Sign up for SGE: You can try using SGE this way and find out which searches show results from SGE. You are also able to observe which websites receive rewards and what content pieces SGE references.
• Start testing and experimenting with your own site: Once you have a feel for how SGE is working, start testing and experimenting with your own site to see what you can do to get your pages ranking in the SGE results.
• Focus on user-generated content: User-generated content’s impact on trust and authenticity in marketing is massive. It is good for you to pay attention now to the content that people are making about what you sell or do. You might invest time on platforms like Reddit and Quora to reply to inquiries from people, and motivate your clients to generate content regarding what you offer in products or services.
• Experiment with different content lengths: Google is starting to reward shorter content in some instances. So, you should try experimenting with different content lengths and see what works in your space.

Final Thoughts

To finish, the world of SEO is always changing. These big shifts, like AI and SGE, short content getting higher ranks, and Google Perspectives, mean that companies must adjust. If they keep up to date with these developments, try out new things early on, and pay attention to content from users, businesses can remain successful in this dynamic SEO environment. Keep in mind, SEO is a strategy for the long run, and staying committed to ongoing improvement will be essential for achieving success.