We are living a big transformation of the digital world. AI seems to be everywhere and YES, it's also having a big impact on search engines. Is SEO still relevant?
What is SEO and why has it been so important until now?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of improving a website's visibility and ranking in search engine results pages for specific keywords and phrases, aiming to attract more organic traffic.
SEO involves optimizing a website's content, structure, and technical aspects to make it more appealing to search engines and users.
The goal: increasing organic traffic a website receives from search engines.
"Is it on Google's first page of results?". Even if you didn't know much about technical SEO or website design techniques to optimize SEO, you probably heard that question in the last years. You were talking about SEO.
Is SEO still important?
Yes and No. SEO is already changing. If we keep optimizing our website the same way we've been doing it in the last decade, we will probably be seeing our results getting slowly -or quickly- worse. Some companies have seen a sudden decrease of leads coming from Google in past months - when they thought that they were doing everything according to the book!
AI is being increasingly used to enhance search algorithms. They're getting smarter. They use keywords, but they also look at reviews and recommendations posted on Google, Yelp, Trustpilot and many other trustworthy websites.
Apps like ChatGPT and Perplexity are becoming very popular for searching. Below is an example of how Perplexity returns a search for a Personal Trainer in Battersea, London.
The quicker we start to take advantage of new tools and new models, the better positioned we will be for the AI dominated digital world.
How to get ahead of the game?
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Optimize your website for AI search
It requires a multi-faceted approach that includes technical SEO, high-quality content, and a focus on user experience
And keep in mind, the key message on your website should be very clear and simple: who we are, what do we do. Use simple language.
Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush for keyword research.
Implement AI-driven content optimization tools like Clearscope and MarketMuse to enhance content quality.
Focus on creating content that directly addresses user queries and needs.
If you use a CRM system like Hubspot, they have very useful tools to help with website and SEO analysis, take advantage of them!
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Technical SEO will be very important
AI-driven search engines are more adept at crawling and indexing websites. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, has fast loading times and uses structured data to help AI understand the content better.
Regularly audit your site using AI tools to identify and fix technical issues.
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E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
It is a framework that Google’s human reviewers use to assess content quality. It will be as relevant as ever.
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Encourage your clients to leave reviews in trustworthy websites
Google, Yelp and Trustpilot are very popular. Depending on your industry, other sites might be more relevant, for example, G2 and Capterra are popular in the Tech/Saas industry.
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Prepare for the future of search!
AI-enhanced search, voice search, ChatGPT, Perplexity, behaviour analysis....AI is here, get ready for change!