Digital marketing is only growing in significance as the years pass. Even a traditional brick-and-mortar business can take advantage of digital marketing and SEO practices. The internet is a huge place with a wealth of information, and you’re smart to be at the forefront instead of getting left behind.
2023 saw some major advancements in the workings of the World Wide Web, many of which will influence your digital marketing strategies for 2024. Read on to learn more about current SEO trends and what you should focus on in the coming year.
10 SEO Trends to Watch Out For in 2024
1. Artificial Intelligence
First up is artificial intelligence. While AI is not a brand-new concept, it’s been moving much faster in recent years. The technology is advancing and many programs are now freely available to the public.
ChatGPT is a popular example, though it’s not the only one. These programs are able to generate anything from written content to images, art, and even videos at the drop of a hat. While there are concerns about the harm AI could do, it also has endless potential.
AI can help generate images to populate your website, or even help you with content. While it’s often frowned upon to publish AI written content as is, it can still help you with things like ideation and outlines.
AI is also changing how people search for answers and results. Instead of relying on basic keywords, you can ask AI a question or type in a very specific query. This generates a detailed answer in a conversational format.
2. Voice Search
As more and more voice-operated devices land in homes across the world, voice search optimization becomes crucial. Businesses that take this into account will see greater visibility and will get more hits from those who are using voice commands.
To optimize for voice search, think about using simple and conversational language, and targeting long-tail, question keywords.
3. Local SEO
Local SEO refers to SEO that targets only local residents and customers. It’s a good tool for businesses with a physical location such as a retail store or restaurant. It’s similar to “regular” SEO but places more importance on targeting local keywords and engaging with the community for better visibility.
This is becoming more prevalent for brick-and-mortar businesses as customers are relying heavily on research and reviews before making a purchasing decision. You want to be the first result everyone sees, and you want to maintain a good online reputation.
4. Influencer Marketing
Influencers have become a staple marketing tool in recent months and years. Many consumers have their favourite internet personalities and are likely to trust their recommendations. This is why it’s smart to partner with a good, authentic influencer who aligns with your values and trusts your products.
5. Social Media Searching
Social media has been growing and evolving for many years, and it’s not slowing down. We’re seeing a huge increase in social media usage for more than just “socializing.” It’s already a great place to advertise your products and reach an audience.
However, it’s also becoming more popular as a way for consumers to search for products, information, reviews, businesses, etc. To keep up with this, you’ll want to optimize for social media as much as for search engines!
6. Mobile Browsing
Mobile browsing is slowly but surely becoming the most common way people use the internet. Whether it’s scrolling social media or looking something up from a mobile browser, everyone has a computer in their pocket.
Because of this, search engines like Google are adjusting their algorithms and prioritizing mobile-optimized pages. This means you’ll need to focus on things like page load times, website speed, and mobile-friendly writing and formatting.
7. Individualized Experience
As algorithms grow and advance, so does the shopping experience for consumers. Personalized recommendations are commonplace and they apply to products, customer service, and even content.
A personalized experience means customers spend less time searching and more time shopping. Not only can this improve sales but it creates loyal customers and generates more attention from search engines.
8. Video Content
While blogs, articles, and informative web pages are still crucial, many people prefer video content for certain things. As we move into 2024, it’s time to start producing regular video content alongside your other mediums.
This can be done in several ways:
- Create short, informative videos that tie into a blog post or article on your website
- Create regular video content for YouTube and/or social media, while optimizing said content for SEO keywords
- Embed relevant, authoritative videos from reputable creators into your content – always giving credit and linking back, of course. This can be a double-win, too, as having high-quality external links is also good for SEO.
9. Social Responsibility
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of social justice issues, environmental impact, and more. Many people consider these things when making a purchasing decision. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to pursue socially responsible, sustainable, and green practices where possible.
10. Search Engine Snippets
Lastly, we have the search engine snippets. Google, especially, is starting to use these more and more often. Previously, the main goal with search engines was to appear on the first page of the SERPs, preferably in the top three results.
This is still important and still grants you excellent visibility and domain authority. However, more often we’re seeing snippets of information appearing right on the result page, positioned above all other results.
Usually no more than two or three sentences, these snippets can often answer the question or query at hand. It’s in your best interest to target these snippet positions, as it often results in a click-through, should the person require more information.
Stay on Top of SEO For a Successful Year in Digital Marketing
It’s no secret that SEO, algorithms, and digital marketing best practices are constantly evolving. It can be hard to stay on top of everything, but it’s always in your best interest to stay informed. While the evolution will never stop, these ten trends are among the strongest and most influential as we head into 2024. Take these into consideration when creating new strategies and you’ll stay ahead of the competition. Contact us today to learn more about digital marketing and to see how we can help you improve your business even more!
