It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 2 years since I wrote my last SEO-centric blog, particularly since (in a meta mind twist) SEO is one of my most vital services and that will affect my SEO for “SEO.” Confused yet? Wait until I get into how SEO changed in recent years, and how it hasn’t.
Ok, first off, if you’re unfamiliar with SEO, check out my What Is SEO and How to Make SEO Easy blog from a few years ago. It’s a deep dive that gives you all the necessary background info. But, if you’re short on time, here’s a quick definition:
SEO stands for search engine optimization. However, unlike the name may imply, it’s not about improving the search engines. SEO refers to improving a site’s ability to be found on search engines.
All caught up? Cool. Now let’s talk about how SEO has changed in recent years.
Factors Affecting How SEO Changed
While it can be a headache for small business owners and marketing companies, SEO rank changes are generally a good thing for the searcher-consumer. Google, Bing, and the rest want to create a good user experience, so everything they do to change the search algorithm is to give you better results.
Here are a few reasons that SEO has changed and continues to do so.
Voice Search
With the advent of virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, voice search has become a significant factor in search. Over a quarter of all searches are now voice-based!
While that means just under 3 quarters of searches are still typed out, the next statistic will blow you away. Of those voice searches, 76% are for local small businesses! That means if you’re not optimizing for voice search, you are missing out.
It makes sense that voice search would be so locally focused. When are you most likely to use it? For many, it’s when you’re driving.
When we ask Siri or Google for a local coffee shop, we’re probably looking for something close, and we’re probably asking in a very natural way, such as, “Hey Siri, what’s a local coffee shop near me?”
That’s how SEO changed from voice search.
Search Intent
Another way search engines optimize user experience is by doing a better job of understanding user intent. I could spend a lot of time on this, but let’s give one example that best illustrates it.
Imagine you’re looking for a new pair of sneakers. You might start by typing in “new sneakers.”
Your results could go one of two ways – showing you new sneaker releases from several brands or places to buy new sneakers. Either may be what you want.
Back in the days of Ask Jeeves, even if you asked something more specific, like “what sneakers should I buy?” you’d still get whatever pages mentioned sneakers.
But now, you may get a guide from a sneaker head helping walk you through what sneaker would work best for you.Alternatively, if you said “Sneakers near me,” you’d get sneaker shops. If you typed in “coolest new sneakers,” you’d get reviews.
That’s all because of search engines prioritizing search intent.
AI
Finally, let’s talk about the five-footed elephant in the room – AI. AI has changed SEO quite a bit, but maybe not in the ways you’d expect.
Firstly, there are many apps available now that offer to improve your SEO. Some of them may even help. Of course, you’re best off speaking with a marketing professional who thoroughly understands SEO.
However, to continue the “user experience” theme, search engines have gotten pretty good at identifying AI-generated content. And they don’t like it.
If your website or a page on it is AI-text heavy, Google and its ilk will rank it below human-created content.
That’s because AI text is not as enjoyable to read, often contains errors, and typically regurgitates information you can find stated better elsewhere on the web. It all comes down to the last way SEO changed and continues to…
Useful Content
Finally, search engines want to provide their users with helpful content. Which is good for users, right? Of course it is!
While we can appreciate search engines for their service, let’s not forget they’re not entirely altruistic – if they do a better job of showing you useful information, you’ll trust them and use them. Then they can sell more ads. That’s not to say it’s not a good thing.
But I digress.
Search engines want to show you useful content. What’s not useful? AI-generated text, spammy info that repeats itself, buy-me-salesy-junk, and anything that’s difficult to understand.
What is useful content? Well-written text with (clearly meta-labeled) images that illustrated products, services, and ideas.
So in that way, SEO hasn’t changed…
The More SEO Changed, the More It Stayed the Same
It all boils down to creating good content. For at least a decade, marketing and business experts have extolled that “content is king.”
That’s still true, but now search engines are better at identifying quality content.
So SEO changed, and continues to, but what remains the same is that your website should accurately represent your company. And that’s not just good SEO, that’s good business.
Not sure where to start? Your friendly neighborhood marketer does.
