It goes without saying that online visibility is everything for today’s businesses, from the newest startups to the most established enterprises. And to achieve a high level of visibility, it’s crucial to invest in ongoing, strategic search engine optimization (SEO).
The good news is you don’t necessarily need a vast amount of technical know-how to succeed with some basic SEO. Simply seeking to develop content that’s relevant to your users, helpful, and accessible can go a long way toward helping your business achieve visibility.
With that said, it’s also important to acknowledge that SEO is an ever-changing field. As you prepare to develop new content for your business, it may help to review some essential 2024 SEO trends.
Catching Up with the Top 2024 SEO Trends
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)
As you’ve probably heard, AI is all the rage these days. In fact, it’s hard to find a single aspect of digital marketing (or any other endeavor, really) that hasn’t been affected by AI in some way.
The search engine results page is no different. Google’s AI-powered SGE leverages machine learning to gather, synthesize, and summarize information directly on the SERP, offering users a direct and succinct answer to their question without making them actually click on a link or sift through different results.
It’s all part of Google’s broader efforts to make the search experience more appealing to the end user… but what does it mean for your SEO efforts?
The main thing to remember is that the SGE does provide a few recommended links for users who desire a deeper dive into their specific topic or query. You’re more likely to make it into those recommendations if you focus on content that answers specific user questions in a direct, concise, and authoritative way.
As ever, creating genuinely good, useful content is imperative for SEO success.
Zero-Click Searches
Closely related to SGE is the idea of a zero-click search, which means exactly what its name suggests: Users derive the information they need from featured snippets on the SERP, without the need to click on any hyperlinks. These closely related 2024 SEO trends are essential for understanding how the user experience has evolved.
The rise of zero-click search makes it more important than ever to use featured snippets to convey relevant business information, such as hours of information and contact information, that users can easily view from the SERP.
It also makes it important to adjust some of your strategies for generating website traffic, understanding that Google searches alone may not be sufficient for bringing in the visitors you need. A robust content strategy enhances your SEO efforts with social media marketing, email marketing, and participation in online communities.
Focus on Topical Authority
It’s impossible to talk about 2024 SEO trends without referencing topical authority. This has been a big concern in the SEO world for a long time now, but it’s arguably never been more essential than it is now.
Simply put, the Google algorithms really want to reward content that is perceived to have authority on a specific topic, providing users with a comprehensive and credible answer. For the record, Google defines authority in terms of experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness… also known as EEAT.
Focusing on these aspects can help you improve your own search rankings. A general approach might include:
- Developing exhaustive, expert content related to a particular topic.
- Building out a catalog of content that addresses related subtopics.
- Implementing a site architecture that makes it easy and intuitive for users (and search bots) to find the information they need.
Increased Emphasis on Content Refreshment
Last on our roundup of 2024 SEO trends: As the sheer volume of Internet content increased, and as competition becomes fiercer, it’s more advantageous than ever to devote some time to refreshing old content.
Simply put, content that falls out of date will cease to deliver the results you need. But content that’s performed well in the past can find new life if you take the time to expand it, update statistics, and ensure proper optimization.
We’ve written plenty about refreshing out-of-date content in previous posts.
Stay Abreast of 2024 SEO Trends
SEO is ever-changing. To stay on top of the latest trends, you may need to work with a trusted digital marketing team. At Grammar Chic, Inc., we’re happy to help with any of your content needs. Reach out whenever you’re ready to discuss content creation with these 2024 SEO trends in mind: Contact us at 803-831-7444.
A freelance writer and journalist since 2000, Josh Hurst became a member of the Grammar Chic team in 2011. Initially serving as Associate Writer and Editor, Josh became the company’s Content Marketing Strategist in 2013. Additionally, he regularly writes about music, film, television, and literature for FLOOD Magazine and Slant Magazine.