All the Latest 2024 SEO Trends You Should Know About

We are about to enter 2024. A lot is going to change in this new year, especially SEO-wise.

Even though we have seen drastic changes in Google's algorithm due to its core update, 2024 will bring new trends in SEO.

So, it’s only smarter to prepare for those changes now so that you can stay on top of the game. Understanding AI and implementing AI tools in SEO practices has become more important than ever, but that’s not all. Marketers also need to cater to these changes with ethical practices due to Google’s strict guidelines. And that’s where we come in.

Let us help you make the most of 2024 SEO trends before we enter the new year.

Google and AI

It’s been very clear on what Google’s stand is on AI, especially after the launch of Google Bard. Google has already implemented AI intricately in its services and products, more clearly in its algorithm. Ever since then, Google has been able to go through a large scale of data with immense efficiency and speed. The new AI-backed algorithm has enabled Google crawlers to understand complex patterns, context, natural language, and intent to offer more apt search results to the users.

This is exactly how Google makes use of AI in its search algorithm:

A Better Understanding of Search Queries: Google has made good use of advanced natural networks as well as machine learning to comprehend the underlying meaning, intent, and context behind user’s search queries. So much so that the new algorithm can understand the query even when the language is complex, ambiguous, and conversational.
Tailored Search Result: The search engine offers more personalized search results because Google now understands the search queries more deeply.
Quality Search Result: You will now receive more accurate and relevant results due to your better understanding of search queries.

Now that you understand Google and AI collaboration better, let’s see the 2024 SEO trends that this has inspired.

Search Generative Experience

Google SGE is an AI-powered search engine that offers AI-generated results on top of the SERPs for several search queries. Currently, SGE has limited access; once it becomes available worldwide, it will adapt based on user interactions. Moreover, it will also alter site optimization and traffic generation processes.

SGE delivers short and sweet answers to user search queries, which automatically enhances interactions with the search engine. Additionally, SGE also offers a conversational engagement interface and outstanding visuals that are also relevant.

It might sound like ChatGPT to some extent, but that’s just the present circumstances of search engines. You can explore your searched query more deeply by using the Google feature AI snapshot. It offers additional prompts and relevant links to a few underlying sources.

This revolutionary trend will make your search experience more interactive and user-friendly, with the benefit of receiving more precise and reliable results. A digital marketing consulting firm can enhance the search-generative experience by optimizing website content and structure, improving search engine rankings, and implementing effective strategies for increased visibility and user engagement.

Zero-Click Searches

Zero-click searches are a term to define the situation when the user doesn’t click on any search results. SEMrush Zero-Clicks Study revealed that 57% of mobile and a quarter of desktop users leave search engines without clicking on any of the organic or even paid results.

Here are some of the reasons why this might be happening:

Quick Tools: Google offers a quick converter or calculator tool for searches looking to convert “meter to feet” or calculate a sum directly at the top of SERPs. So users don’t need to click on any links given below the tool.
Local Opportunities: Have you ever noticed that whenever you search for basic information such as location, business hours, or contact details, you find the information on the map or local pack? So, there is no need to visit a link further.
Public Information: Basic information about a public figure, such as their age, occupation, and contribution, is readily available at the knowledge panel.

These searches don’t demand any clicks from users as the advanced Google’s SERP features include local packs, map packs, knowledge panels, and convection tools that offer quick and correct answers to certain user queries.

Answer Engine Optimization

Users' approaches to searching and finding information are changing due to artificial intelligence and chatbots. In order to adjust our content and get ready for SEO's future, we use Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

Content optimization for "answer engines" is known as answer engine optimization or AEO. In order to provide users with conversational inquiries with answers, response engines are mostly AI-powered solutions.

User demand for instant responses without having to navigate through to a web page has increased due to the availability of smart assistants, chatbots, and voice searches.

Topical Authority Strategy

We all know how Google’s latest E-E-A-T guideline works. It focuses on expertise and a high level of relevancy of content rather than just a piece of content with resources to back its claims. And that’s why, SEO strategies are more focused on enhancing the expertise of a particular topic. And that is what Topical Authority is all about.

Topical authority is when you have all the information about a certain topic or subject. In short, you have to become a subject matter expert. So, you need to make sure that your website has all the information about that niche for Google to prioritize your website on that specific topic. But make sure that your content follows all the E-E-A-T protocols.

SEO-Optimized Videos

Apart from your textual content, you should also focus on optimizing your videos for SEO growth. This way, your videos will not only rank on YouTube but also in Google’s search results.

Currently, the craze of video content is on the rise, and people prefer video content more than any other form of digital content. A recent study disclosed that by the end of 2023, the number of digital video viewers will reach approximately 3.5 billion.

Wyzowl’s Video Marketing Statistics 2023 report has demonstrated why it’s important to focus on SEO-optimized video content with these key points:

91% of top-ranking businesses leverage video as their primary marketing tool in 2023
Video material is shared 51% more frequently than any other kind of content
89% of respondents claim that seeing a video persuaded them to purchase a good or service

Refresh Previous Content

You will not have to research vigorously to come up with new content topics every time. You can reuse old content on your website by modifying it with the latest data. In fact, refreshing old content routinely can help you keep your overall website relatable and maintain the top ranking in SERPs.

Have you heard about content velocity? It refers to the number of content published over a certain period of time. You can take YouTube as a prime example of content velocity. Back in 2022, the platform witnessed an astonishing surge of 30,000 hours of fresh content each hour.

This amount of content velocity also means that the lifecycle of the content is decreasing. The trending topics of today might not be relative or even valuable for long. Simultaneously, the shelf-life of each content is also declining.

You have to stay diligent and stay on the lookout for new information to keep your content up-to-date. Make sure that the core of the content is still aligning with your targeted audience and that you are not only adding figures or facts to the piece. Also, keep it optimized with the best practices of SEO to keep the ranking high.

How do you make the most of Google and AI?

AI is still in its early stages of development, so if you are adopting AI tools, you cannot completely rely on those yet. Always keep an eye on the results provided by AI to ensure that you are using the tools responsibly and ethically. This will help you filter out the misinformation and bias of AI-generated results.

How to Optimize Search Generative Experience?

Because SGE is still a new phenomenon, there is no surefire way to SEO optimize content for it. Instead, if you only focus on your content being a reliable solution that contains no-nonsense information, you can surely gain SGE’s trust.

You might be wondering how you can do that, given that SGE generates AI-power content itself. Well, it’s true, but the content piece still contains links to relevant resources. Try including these factors inside the content:

Analysis and Opinion: Make it a habit to add your personal viewpoint to any content you are adding to your website. Even though AI is a reckoning force with all its benefits, it still cannot give personal opinions. So, you try including an expert analysis or opinion of the topic to appear on top search engine results.
Be Direct: Don’t beat around the bush. Be direct when addressing an issue without including unnecessary words. You can include bullet points, sections, and lists too.
Topical Authority: The websites that are mentioned in the snapshot are often more specialized or topical. This may suggest that topical authority is much more crucial for SGE optimization (refer to the topical authority section of this article).
Novel Information: The SGE snapshot prioritizes the primary data and analysis sources. So, as we mentioned before, write updated content with new information.

How to Appear in Zero-Click Searches?

You can still rank on the zero-click searches simply by adding a featured snippet for those queries. The two most affected areas of zero-click searches are:

SERPs, with a prominently featured snippet such as a definition
Featured snippets that address informational keywords

Even though targeting these informational keywords might not increase your site traffic directly, you can secure the featured snippet along with it being in a favorable position. Doing so will help you get clicks and increase your brand awareness simultaneously.

How to Do Answer Engine Optimization?

To be in the front line of AEO optimization, you can add a Q&A section in your content or write your content following that format. An FAQ section will be the best approach to not only get featured in the AEO section of SERPs but also to keep the tone of the content conversational, which Google highly appreciates.

Another fabulous idea is to form your article around the top searched questions by your audience. Make sure to add long-tail queries that are related to the topic.

How to Gain Topical Authority?

You need to be strategic when it comes to achieving topical authority in Google’s eyes. Here are some of the approaches to try:

Writing high-quality content across the topic with expertise, that is easily digestible to the readers
Structuring a deep content catalog on the topic and subtopics
Preparing an easy-to-understand site map so that content crawlers and humans can find all the relevant content across your website

How to Create SEO-Optimized VIdeos?

The first thing you need to do when executing a video strategy is to come up with a way to set your videos apart from the rest so that your viewers value it and keep coming back. Use a YouTube keyword research tool to add relevant keywords to your video title, description tags, and metadata for enhanced discoverability.

How do you handle evolving search engine ranking factors?

To make the most of this trend all you have to do is focus on the user experience. But it’s not easy to do as the definition of a good user experience changes with each passing year. And to cater to this change, Google also focuses on providing the best possible search results to the users.

A simple way to cater to Google’s user experience is by ensuring that all your content provides accurate and helpful solutions in a comprehensible manner.

How to Refresh Previous Content?

There are no technical aspects of refreshing old content. All you have to do is sharpen up your research capabilities and always keep an open mind for new information on your content topic. But always ensure that your content stays relevant to the readers.

Conclusion

With all the new SEO developments as well as Google’s algorithm updates, it is getting more and more challenging to hold a higher rank on search results. Understanding and adapting to these new SEO trends can, however, help you stay ahead of the digital game. And to achieve that you have to consult with a reputed SEO expert who keeps tabs on all the latest SEO developments.

Let MyTasker help you with that! Our highly skilled team of SEO experts will take care of all your SEO needs and ensure that your website visibility increases with each passing day. Try our exclusive trial today before committing to a plan. Call us anytime, and we’ll be here to assist you.