There is a lot of chatter out there that SEO is dead. This is absolutely not true. But SEO is evolving. So what does this mean? Well, it means that Google specifically, and other AI-based search engines are changing how they rank content. Most of these changes have happened in the last six months, and search engines will continue to evolve.
But there are things you can do to adapt and ensure your website and its content is still discoverable.
How is SEO Evolving?
Although search engines seem to be in a state of chaos on some level, it’s because they are in the process of changing how they operate in many ways. This is due to them being driven by AI, which is flawed but also has been programmed with a different set of priorities. In other words, SEO is evolving from just a checklist of to-dos to a more intuitive, and ironically, organic state. Or at least that’s the goal. Once upon a time, when the Internet was new, just overstuffing keywords, relevant or not, did the trick.
What is Changing About How Search Engines Like Google Work?
Keyword Counts Matter Less. This means the old metrics don’t matter as much. Simply adding the prescribed percentage of keywords to your content per word count won’t do as much anymore. Keywords still matter, of course, but relevance is the focus. This means using keywords (both long- and short-tail) together within the content in a focused and relevant way throughout and using synonyms, etc. This helps AI recognize relevance.
Relevancy and Search Intent Matter Even More Now. Speaking of relevance, the relevance of the content as a whole needs to match up to the keyword, or keyword phrase used when searching. This means paying attention to the abovementioned use of keywords more than the count as well as creating content that flows well and reiterates its main point. Content structure will matter more too. Another way SEO is evolving is that search intent matters more as well. The search engine’s goal is to direct users to the most relevant content and they will try to determine intent based on the searcher’s phrasing, etc. You can read more about search intent here.
This Evolution in SEO Also Means…
SEO Plug-Ins Aren’t All Caught Up Yet. Most casual content creators and bloggers rely on SEO plug-ins like Yoast, for example, to help them optimize their posts and pages through keywords and metadata, adding photos and optimized headings and subheadings. If they get that green display it tells them they’re good to go basically. But because SEO is evolving so quickly, not all of these plug-ins have caught up. So getting the green light isn’t a guarantee your content is optimized for these new SEO standards. Not to worry, they can still be trusted but you’ll have to go the extra mile (by implementing the practices above) if you want your content to be discoverable.
User Experience (or UX) is Prioritized. User experience is now being factored into how search engines rank your content. This has less to do with you as a content creator though. User experience, or UX, ranks how your website is designed. It’s much like it sounds. It factors in things like your site being optimized for mobile, how easy it is to navigate, and how appealing the layout is among other things. Basically, it should be easy to navigate and logical in its design.
What Does this Mean for You?
So, how does the fact that SEO is evolving affect you? Well, it means you need to try new approaches to creating your content. It means you’ll have to strategize and put a bit more effort into your blog posts if you want your content to have a better chance of being seen.
You’ll also have to ensure that your website is top quality and that it’s user-friendly, indexable, and discoverable.
What Can You Do to Stay On Top as SEO Continues to Evolve?
As I mentioned, search engines are constantly evolving, and now that most search engines are AI-based, your SEO strategy will have to adapt along with it. It should be noted that Google and other search engine creators and engineers are not transparent and forthright about ALL of these changes, so even experts in SEO are learning to adapt through trial and error.
The good news is, some things don’t change and certain factors will always matter, especially concerning your website.
Professional Website Designers Create the Foundation for Good Website SEO
A professionally designed website will be user-friendly and optimized for mobile and other devices. It will function properly and speedily and will also be secure. Your designer will also make sure your website is indexable and accessible to search engines. It will contain sitemaps and files that allow search engines to easily locate and navigate important pages on your site.
All this makes your website not only functional but discoverable. You can read more about how search engines work here.
Additional SEO Is Available to Give Your Website an Extra Boost
At Monkey C Media, we make sure your website is optimized for search engines by providing all of the above. We also offer SEO packages to give your website that extra boost so that you can compete in the ever-evolving world of SEO.
Relevant Keywords
We add relevant and targeted keywords throughout your site within the content to let search engines understand what your website is about. These can also work with user intent when they search to let search engines deliver your content to those searching for it.
Internal and Outbound Linking
These links are used on the site to communicate importance and significance. They link one page to others within your site to keep users moving through and engaging with it as well. Outbound links link to outside sources to indicate your site is credible and trustworthy. All this works to enhance the user experience as well.
As far as backlinks, those can really boost your SEO as well. But you can’t just buy them. They usually come into play as you grow your influence. We’re planning an upcoming post on the topic, so check back or sign up for our blog so you don’t miss it.
Meta Tags and Other Metadata
This is the backend stuff on each page or post, and photos or other media that summarizes the content that ends up in search result displays. This is one small but important part of thorough search engine optimization.
High-Quality Content
Because SEO is evolving, simple tricks and checklists aren’t going to be enough. The goal of AI-based search engines is to prioritize quality and relevance. So your content, from your blog posts to your on-page content needs to be what these search engines consider high quality. The content of your site needs to do more than just take up space.
We put our copywriting skills to use to create this content and offer blog creation services to fit your needs.
If you want to stay competitive as SEO continues to evolve, please reach out and see how we can assist you in your goals. We can also explain what it all means during the process if you’re feeling curious and/or confused. Be sure to click the links on this post for more details, and let us know what you think in the comments.
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