If you’re someone who follows SEO trends intimately, you’re already aware that 2023 could only be described as unnerving. From SERP ranking volatility to the existential threat of AI, it was a turbulent year. Meanwhile, SEO jobs might be on the rise, but we’re seeing a general decrease in job opportunities across the U.S.
All of this is compounded by the fact that SEO is anything but straightforward. Ask one professional a question, and you’re likely to find someone else with the complete opposite perspective.
None of that is going away in 2024, so let’s face those challenges. Now, that isn’t to say there’s a magic bullet, but we can test anything. So, here is what I would try in 2024 to grow a website.
Build a Community on Your Site
Experimenting with forum features in the SERPS, adding Schema markup specifically for forums, and including experience as a trust signal in the search rater guidelines: Google continues to emphasize this idea of personal experience. This certainly isn’t a new idea, but in 2024, I think it’s going to take on a greater importance.
Some ideas for client centered content include:
- Partnering with clients on content
- Encouraging product reviews
- Deploying giveaways that are also givebacks
- Surveying your most engaged clients
- Planning events to bring the community together
- Building a comments section on your blog
In this approach to SEO, brand participation will take center stage, and instead of only tracking organic traffic or keyword rankings, you’ll want to look at client participation and any unique insights uncovered. These metrics will take on an increased importance.
Although, this might seem silly to some, I believe Google is learning to trust our sites in evolving ways. If experience was going to become a more critical factor, then that suddenly means the who creating our content becomes more important or at the very least a little bit more important.
Instead of looking to send trust signals through strictly links or quality content, think about the community of people who inform your site, and instead of leaving clients out, try to include them.
Strategize Productivity With AI
I don’t think it’s overdramatic to say that AI is changing everything. It’s destroying our jobs and..just kidding.
Even the threat of a robot apocalypse hasn’t smothered the excitement around AI. As a small business, you have limited resources, so it’s natural to be excited. Some of the hype is warranted, and in 2024 it’s going to get more exciting. We’re going to see the release of so many AI tools. It will be important to make a plan around how you can utilize AI.
AI is by no means the solution to every problem. Unfortunately, LLM and ML work by drawing from existing material, and accurately predicting the next most likely word. This means at this point AI is incapable of an original thought. Those ideas must come from us. That’s why the ways that AI can help are limited to routine and redundant tasks.
Some examples of how AI can help you:
- Take meeting notes
- Respond to emails
- Create contracts
- Create tasks and projects
Automation is going to prove a central trend in 2024 and beyond. Everyone will be looking to adopt AI, but the way you adopt it is going to prove central to your success as a business. So it’s a good thing to start thinking about, and if you’re going to utilize it fully, your going to need to think about how AI can make your business more human.
Start Writing Op-Eds
Your pool of backlink prospects is becoming smaller and smaller. With recent algorithm updates Google seems to be punishing affiliate blogs meaning Digital PR is becoming the best and only avenue to earn legit authority. Luckily, op-eds, contributor posts, and expert quotes are an easy ask from journalists and editors if you have a decent message. Each of these mediums has the power to showcase the expertise in your company.
Some helpful tips when it comes to the pitch itself, use a personal greeting as the intro of your message. Make sure your idea is fully flushed out, explain precisely how this can help their audience, and include a call to action that leaves it open-ended between two options.
Think about it like this: when someone searches for an author on your site, what do you want to surface in SERPs? Think about if you were researching them normally. Consider how this would be important. So much of SEO has become gamified, but in 2024, some facts will stay true. One of the first is that we’re building our websites for real people. So, think about how you can showcase someone’s expertise by helping your client.
Mobile First Indexing
Although technical specs and speed have a low impact on search rankings according to a recent SEMRush study.
Positioning your site for the future, whether it’s 2024 or 2012, means creating a site that meets user needs, and more users are going to find your site through their phones.
Double down on a mobile-friendly site. Considering Google moved to mobile-first indexing last year, I’m sure this is only going to play a bigger role. From my experience, this also seems to be something we all know but don’t practice. So many cool site features are hidden because of the limited scale of mobile screens, so making sure to provide an optimal mobile experience that’s better than the desktop experience is essential.
Impending Algorithm Updates
Google isn’t done tweaking its algorithm. It will inevitably roll out updates throughout the year. This fact of life shouldn’t negatively impact your site long term. Although you’ll see dips in traffic, drastic changes won’t occur unless you’ve done something wrong, but it will fluctuate, and understanding whether this is normal is sometimes difficult.
Looking year over year is the only true way to understand whether you’re trending up or down. In some industries, there are even larger seasonal shifts in traffic.
Focus on the metrics that matter. Focus on the impact of your brand and your brand advocates.
The way to know you’re going to win in 2024 is by knowing you’re making an impact. SEO isn’t a game, it’s a garden. Your online plot of land, can either stand out, or it can whither into emptiness.
Thinking Beyond Search
The path to success in 2024 is clear. Build a resource your customers want to use, prioritize productivity, and promoting client stories.
Your SEO strategy shouldn’t just include these aspects, of course, I’m only pointing out trends that will continue or emerge in 2024. I hope to see a ton of different types of amazing content in 2024. Interview your clients, deploy helpful interactive learning hubs, launch events, and invite the community to attend. SEO isn’t black and white, and there is always room to try new things, so most of all I hope 2024 is a year of experimentation.