June 17, 2024
The past year has been a testament to the rising influence of AI in digital marketing. From the rise of chatbots to the seamless integration of AI tools, it’s evident that AI is gearing up for a starring role, especially in the dynamic world of SEO. But while AI steals the spotlight, let’s not forget that the SEO scene is undergoing a makeover of its own. That’s why, at Seeders, we’re dedicated to keeping you ahead of the curve by unraveling the latest SEO trends for 2024. Join us as we explore emerging trends and transformative strategies that will shape the digital marketing landscape in the years to come.
1. Google’s AI-powered search experience
Recent developments already show that AI is starting to play quite a role within Google's arsenal of tools. One standout example of such an emerging development is Google Search Generative Experience (SGE). This means that Google will be able to provide increasingly qualitative answers in the future. This will affect your current landing page or SEO blogs. Do you want to know more about how? Click here
Currently, SGE is not yet available in most of the world, but this will soon start to change. Right now, a select group worldwide and regular users in the United States are the only ones that can turn on the Search Generative Experience option. And no, this new feature within Google Search will not be like a chatbot as ChatGPT.
While optimizing SEO content for SGE remains a puzzle in March 2024, it's important to anticipate this development and not forsake traditional SEO practices. SERPS will still include traditional search results, so an important and concrete advice in advance of this development is to not abandon traditional SEO best practices.
2. Digital video SEO
Picture this: you're scrolling through Google or YouTube, hunting for information or perhaps a quick dose of entertainment. Suddenly, you stumble upon a captivating video that not only grabs your attention but also provides exactly what you were looking for. That's the magic of video content.
Creating video content that ranks in Google search results (as well as on YouTube) offers businesses a dynamic platform to captivate their audience. With an anticipated global audience of 3.78 billion digital video viewers, it's clear that video holds immense potential for driving visibility and brand awareness in 2024.
However, diving into video content creation without a solid plan can lead to missed opportunities. Crafting compelling videos isn't just about hitting records and hoping for the best. It's about understanding your audience inside out. By understanding your audience's preferences and pain points, you can tailor your video content to address their needs effectively.
A key aspect of video SEO is optimizing your content for search engines to maximize visibility. Incorporating relevant keywords into your video titles, descriptions, and alt tags can significantly improve your chances of appearing in search results. And let's not forget about the aesthetics! Eye-catching thumbnails and polished metadata can work wonders in making your content stand out in all the digital noise.
Do you want to know more about the best practices of video SEO? Click here
3. Local SEO importance
The significance of local SEO for businesses seeking to expand their reach within specific regions is more pronounced than ever in 2024. As consumers increasingly turn to search engines to discover nearby products and services. By focusing on local search results, the chances get way higher to become visible in Google’s Local Pack feature. The Local Pack is a SERP (Search Engine Results Page) feature that appears on the first page of results for any search query with a local intent. It features a map of business locations along with listings for three businesses relevant to a particular search.
But how do you make sure your business stands out on a local scale? It’s quite simple - make sure to claim your account and spot on Google My Business, show off those five-star reviews, and keep your business info shipshape by checking/ correcting the NAP (name, address, phone number) information. These basic steps lay the groundwork for your online presence, making you a neighbourhood standout and drawing in local customers.
Do you want to know more about growing your business and online visibility with local SEO? Click here
4. Topical authority
In 2024, establishing authority isn’t just important. With Google's keen focus on E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), writers who are recognized as experts in their fields will significantly elevate both visibility and credibility of their content. Search engines, particularly Google, roll out the red carpet for content that exudes authority, making it a golden standard for more reliability and trustworthiness.
Presenting a trusted authority is more than just being knowledgeable; it’s about becoming the go-to guru in your niche or within a specific topic. This entails thoroughly covering all aspects of a subject and consistently producing top-notch content that offers genuine value to readers. After all, it's not just about the full focus on climbing the search rankings with quantity – it's about cementing your reputation as the ultimate authority in your field.
Click here to read more about balancing SEO and UX (User Experience) with Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines in mind.
5. Optimizing user experience
Prioritizing User Experience (UX) will also emerge as a crucial trend within SEO for 2024. It's all about websites rolling out the welcome mat for their visitors, aiming to enrich interaction and satisfaction, with a key role being attributed to Google's Core Web Vitals. This set of specific factors evaluates critical aspects of website performance and user interaction, such as loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. Successfully addressing these aspects directly impacts a website's performance in search results.
But wait, there's more: meet the newest kid on the block, Interaction to Next Paint (INP). This addition to Google’s Core Web Vitals underscores the importance of fast and responsive websites for an optimal user experience. INP measures the time a page takes to respond to a user interaction, such as clicking a button or entering text. A quick response to interactions is vital for enhancing the overall user experience and retaining users. After all, who has time and patience to wait for a page to load?
The journey to UX excellence doesn’t stop here. It’s about crafting an experience that’s intuitive, distraction-free, and brimming with top-notch content that is high-quality and relevant. By investing in UX optimization, websites can not only increase their visibility in search results but also enhance user satisfaction and engagement, leading to higher conversion rates and customer retention.
Read more about user experience in relation to SEO here (this is the same article that we linked back to in the previous subhead).
6. Featured snippets
Featured snippets, prominently displayed at the top of Google search results, are becoming increasingly vital in SEO and online search strategies for 2024. Securing a featured snippet can lead to a significant boost in website traffic and signals authority on a particular topic. To enhance the likelihood of appearing in featured snippets, several tactics can be employed.
But how does one secure the coveted spot in a featured snippet? It's all about delivering clear and concise answers to the burning questions of your target audience. Structuring content with well-defined headings, subheadings, bullet points, FAQs, and tables not only enhances readability but also catches the eye of search engines.
And here is a secret weapon: structured data markup. Structured data provides standardised formats that search engines can easily interpret, and many CMS platforms now come equipped with structured data capabilities by default. So by enhancing this potent tool, websites can significantly elevate their chances of claiming a featured snippet.
Click here to see what Google says about Featured Snippets.
7. TikTok as search engine
In the dynamic world of SEO for 2024, the emergence of TikTok as a prominent search engine marks a significant trend. It highlights the growing influence of social media platforms in shaping online discovery and engagement. With mostly Gen Z and younger audiences turning to TikTok not only for entertainment but also for information, SEO-marketeers have an attractive opportunity to leverage the platform's immense reach and engagement potential by choosing short video content. According to a large survey by Adobe, an impressive 2 in 5 American TikTok users say they have used the social media platform as a search engine before. To see more about the outcomes of the survey, click here.
Conclusion
The SEO landscape in 2024 is marked by dynamic shifts and emerging trends, from the growing importance of local SEO and user experience optimization to the unexpected rise of TikTok as a prominent search engine. By keeping pace with these changes and adopting innovative strategies suited to the evolving digital terrain, businesses can set themselves up for continued growth and success in an increasingly competitive online arena. So make sure to find the right tools and armour in 2024 to battle against your competitors.
Corporate Marketing Manager
Niels Krikke is the Corporate Marketing Manager at Seeders Zwolle. With a background in strategic marketing and a keen eye for detail, Niels is dedicated to creating effective marketing campaigns that drive results. With a focus on data-driven strategies and a passion for innovation, Niels plays a key role in developing and executing marketing initiatives that help us achieve our business goals.
