Why SEO Matters Now More Than Ever
In the digital world – where every click has the potential to convert into a customer – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become an essential strategy for enhancing online presence.
Now, with AI revolutionizing how we interact with digital content, understanding SEO has never been more important.
Last month, our Digital Marketing Specialist tuned into the live stream of Google Marketing 2024.
This year, they talked a lot about AI – specifically, how it’s changing pretty much everything that matters to online marketing + Google.
What was the most interesting was seeing the demos of the future implementations in action. Because, truth be told, we already knew this major shift was coming.
By the end of the Keynote, Google confirmed they expect this “overhaul” to be fully implemented by the end of 2024.
Needless to say, every person who works in digital marketing will need to learn and adapt; if they haven’t already.
It’s a good thing we’re prepared for it, which is why we want to explain to small businesses what you need to know to keep your website relevant and visible.
Understanding SEO and Its Impact on Your Business
In a nutshell: SEO involves optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results.
This is what makes it easier for potential customers to find you if they don’t already know you.
But it’s not just about injecting keywords into your content; it’s about creating a seamless, engaging user experience that provides solutions.
Google Search (like other platforms that have already shifted to AI-based search) will start to display more questions & answers as search results. This will shift away from the expected way of seeing a list of website links, to having cited text that’s the most relevant to what you searched for.
It will be by showing up in these citations that people will be more likely to find your website.
So, in order to show up, you will need to optimize content beyond simply writing with keywords in mind. You need valuable, engaging, informative content that goes beyond web pages that simply state who you are and what you do.
Let’s dig into the specifics of that…
How AI Is Changing the SEO Game
Artificial Intelligence is swiftly transforming SEO strategies.
Search engines like Google are now prioritizing content that answers specific, often lengthy, user queries.
In fact, during the Google Marketing 2024 Keynote, they reported that the most recent search trend data is that people are increasingly using 5+ words.
This is also in conjunction with users asking specific questions to find exactly what they’re looking for.
Ultimately, this shift means businesses need to focus on quality content that addresses these more complex searches.
In one of the demos presented: They showed someone asking Google for a ‘kid-friendly activity’ in a specific city, that the family was taking a trip to, which ‘also has an ice cream shop nearby’.
The result?
Google presented an itinerary for the day. It showed content about a “kid-friendly activity” in the form of a zoo trip. Then, right underneath, it displayed the Google Profile for the nearest ice cream shop.
There are 2 takeaways that we – due to our SEO knowledge – noticed in that demo:
1) The zoo that was presented highlighted the fact that the website’s content described it as a good activity for the family.
2) The ice cream shop that was presented had a strong Google Profile.
Drawing the line between the two would’ve involved having a Google Profile; not only for the directions, but also for the reviews. Having said that, if (for whatever reason) the zoo website did not mention anything about being a family activity, it’s possible something different would’ve been suggested instead.
So while written content is critical to search intent, SEO requires efforts beyond simply updating copy. Read on to look at all of the components of SEO.
Key Strategies for Increasing Website Traffic
To increase your website’s traffic effectively, consider these strategies:
Content Relevance: Align your content with the intent behind how people find you. Use analytics to understand what your audience seeks and tailor your copywriting to meet those needs. Keep a clear topic purpose for every page, and go beyond the SEO minimum – which is 300 words per page.
Utilize Images: Images are another doorway to your website, but optimizing them involves utilizing Alt Text. With Image Search on the rise, this will be more important than it was before. Having image-specific descriptions, which also have keywords in it, will ensure that there’s an additional way to discover your website.
Technical SEO: Ensure your website loads quickly, is secure, and is mobile-friendly. Small technical enhancements can significantly impact how search engines rank your site, and a 92% Site Health score is what you should aim for. Since a lot of these issues are code-related, you’ll want to contact a developer if you can’t resolve these flags yourself.
Regular Updates: Keep your content fresh. Regular updates signal to search engines that your site is still relevant; which may allow you to score top “Answer positions”. We’re seeing that crawlers are relying on the more recently published material to determine if an explanation is the most up-to-date answer to display.
Profiles & Listings: Having a verified Google Profile that is updated regularly validates your business. But this isn’t the only online profile that you should have. Syncing it to Bing is just as important, and there are at least 20 other listing platforms you should consider to safeguard your online presence.
Earn Backlinks: A great website may seem enough, but did you know your visibility gets boosted through linking? Having at least one external link + one internal link on every page makes it “SEO friendly”. Being linked to from external websites – who themselves also have a good SEO standing – boosts your website’s authority & credibility as well.
Boosting Online Visibility Through Advanced SEO Techniques
Advanced SEO isn’t just about keywords; it’s about creating a network of relevant content across various platforms.
Utilize as many channels as possible to get content out there. This means social media, blogs, network websites, and anything else you can access and publish on.
Engage with your audience wherever they are and guide them back to your website.
This should always be important because it’s often a more immediate way to obtain website traffic. Because even when you embark on SEO efforts, it takes time and adjustments to earn top positions.
So ensuring there’s always a way to increase your visibility on as many platforms as possible is optimal.
And, since search engine results also show relevant YouTube videos and Social Media posts, it’s likely to earn you additional positions.
The fact that the “multi-channel approach” is going to be more important than ever is making Digital Marketing one of the most sought-after services for small businesses.
Why Prioritize SEO Now?
With AI’s growing influence, traditional SEO techniques alone won’t suffice.
The future strategy will involve a consideration for voice search, and having more interactive and responsive web elements.
To begin to step ahead of the expectations of today’s user activity, we’ve worked with clients to program custom chatbots for their websites.
But that was only the first step…
Encouraging our clients to establish a blog on their website is another major step. The reason is that if you have no basis to create additional pages – in which to add a variety of additional content – then using a blog to answer questions will make up for that.
The longer story short is that content creation is getting an even bigger crown in this new landscape. The question to ask yourself is how you plan to keep up with the demand for it.
Elevate Your Online Visibility with Northnet Media
Ready to transform your SEO strategy and enhance your online presence? You should contact Northnet Media today.
Our experts are equipped to overhaul your SEO approach, ensuring it aligns with the latest trends and technologies. With our expertise that extends from Web Development to Digital Marketing, we offer monthly plans that will cover all aspects of digital content creation.
Schedule a free consultation on Zoom to discuss how we can help boost your visibility and drive more traffic to your site.