Due to Google’s continuous updates to their ranking algorithm for the betterment of user experience, SEO remains a highly dynamic field in digital marketing. As a result, marketers can reassess the trends influencing the search engine terrain every year.
Top SEO trends to align with in 2023
The focus for this year is on showcasing competence and significance in our content and persisting in delivering efficient web pages for users. Although these approaches have been critical since the beginning of SEO, Google’s ability to assess indicators and ascertain which content truly satisfies these criteria has improved.
1. First-hand experience on a topic (the new “E” in EEAT)
Google has included a new parameter in its widely-known EAT acronym (Expertise, Authority, Trust) in December 2022. From now on, Google will also take into account the author or creator’s experience while assessing the content’s quality.
What is the actual definition of “experience”? Google requires evidence that the content creator has personal, practical experience with the topic being discussed. This implies that websites must pay more attention to both the identity of their content creators and the topics they choose to concentrate on. This brings me to the following two patterns.
2. Audience-targeted, not traffic-targeted content
The proliferation of SEO content creation is one factor driving the growing importance placed on experience.
Google spiders may question a financial software-selling website that generates blog articles on cuisine. This is because it is uncertain whether such content is advantageous to financial software buyers or if it is aimed at boosting the website’s placement using high-traffic keywords.
It’s a known fact that businesses that solely focus on driving search traffic without taking users’ preferences into account are unlikely to achieve high rankings in the year 2023. Crafting content that pertains to your industry and topic of expertise is crucial for producing content that can rank well.
If you’re unsure about which subjects to delve into in your content, utilizing a content planning tool can aid in finding noteworthy industry topics that match your target audience’s interests. Simply input a keyword, and the tool will display various related keywords that individuals are searching for.
3. Increased emphasis on author authority
Google’s focus on experience is attributed to the increasing prevalence of auto-generated content ranking in the SERPs. Google aims to ensure that only content produced by genuine individuals with an intended audience ranks in the year 2023.
What measures can you implement this year to enhance the expertise and credibility of your content creators? To begin with, ensure that those responsible for generating your content are genuine experts. Next, boost their experience by implementing the following tactics:
- Include author bios to better and more fully communicate your content creator’s knowledge and areas of expertise
- Create author pages where you link out to all of the articles on your website that are written by the author
- Link your creators’ social media accounts so Google can more easily understand through social signals that they are real people and real experts.
This is an exemplary author bio that enhances the perception and credibility of the writer as a skilled PPC professional.
4. Satisfying, helpful content
The useful content update by Google scheduled for August 2022 is yet another significant algorithm update that will influence the way we produce content in 2023.
Throughout its existence, Google has consistently given priority to delivering top-notch content to its users. However, its latest emphasis on the concept of “helpful” implies that users should experience a sense of “fulfillment” upon choosing content from the SERPs. Determining user satisfaction, on the other hand, can be somewhat challenging or immeasurable. In light of this, what does Google imply by “helpful” content? Content that:
- Created for humans, not search engines.
- Appropriate for the target audience.
- Relevant to the primary topic or subject area of the website.
- Created by authoritative, experienced creators.
- Displays a depth of knowledge about the topic.
Crafting useful content is not as effortless as it may seem. Hence, what tactics can you use to enhance the helpfulness of your content?
Initially, prioritize quality over quantity. Even if your content calendar for 2023 contains multiple target keywords, generating a large amount of content that lacks substance and expertise is improbable to lead to high-ranking outcomes in 2023.
Additionally, broaden your exploration of keywords to encompass details beyond solely their search volume. Take into account the following aspects:
- What types of content are ranking for specific searches?
- How long is the content?
- What questions does it answer?
- What other subtopics or related questions does it explore?
- What links are included on the page?
- Who is the creator?
- What is their experience?
By conducting keyword and content research, one can acquire a diverse range of information pertaining to these indicators of quality. Therefore, it is important to not solely focus on prospective organic traffic. It is recommended to review the search queries in Search Console to identify what topics readers are searching for that brings them to your blog posts.
5. Content created for humans, not for bots
In 2021, Google implemented the Helpful Content Update, which prioritized value as the crucial factor in determining rankings.
Generating content for a human audience entails producing text that fulfills search intent for keywords and provides comprehensive responses to user inquiries. As a result, Google gives preference to content that is meticulously researched, thoughtfully written, and easily comprehensible, while also incorporating a distinct human element drawn from personal experiences and proficiency.
Content created specifically for humans can help your SEO journey in several ways:
- Boosted engagement – human-oriented content is more likely to be engaging and informative, leading to increased time on site, reduced bounce rates, and increased shares and backlinks. All of these factors can help to improve your search engine rankings.
- Improved user experience – by producing content that is easy to read, navigate, and understand, you can improve the overall user experience of your website.
- Increased relevance – you will raise chances that your website will be considered an authority on a given topic.
At the same time, the new version gives less significance to material aimed at manipulating rankings on search engines, which is brimming with.
- Keyword stuffing
- Plagiarism
- Irrelevancy
If manipulative tactics are employed on a website, Google’s algorithm has the ability to demote its search result ranking as a penalty.
6. A.I content and content writing software
Despite all of the 2022 updates focused on combatting auto-generated content, the use of AI content will likely only increase in 2023.
The integration of SEO and AI in marketing applications is on the rise, which is not surprising considering the significant time-saving benefits it offers. In the past year, the majority of content marketers have employed some form of AI content generators.
Considering all of Google’s recent updates, is it safe to use software for writing content?
Definitely! Though producing automated drafts is strongly discouraged, marketers can utilize such tools to expedite their content creation process and produce unique and high-quality content.
These tools have helpful applications that do not compromise the authenticity or focus on people-centric content.
- Content briefs: Content tools that generate content briefs can help your writers understand the important keywords, topics, and subtopics that should be included in their original content.
- Content outlines: Outlines are a great way to give your writers a roadmap for how to create helpful content without relying on AI to do the work for them.
- Content ideas: Tools like blog topic generators can speed up the brainstorming process. Moving from a keyword to a helpful content idea can be half the battle, and an idea generator can help prevent writer’s block. For example, here is an auto-generated blog idea that has been revised to include the website’s brand voice and be more tailored to the website’s younger target audience
7. Topic clusters
Topic clusters are a convenient method for organizing content on specific subjects. This SEO trend entails structuring content around a particular topic or theme. The organization of topic clusters typically includes…
- Central “pillar page” that covers a broad topic
- Clusters that cover specific aspects of the main topic and are hyperlinked on the central “pillar page”
The pillar content must make reference to the cluster content, and the cluster content should provide a link back to the pillar content.
Assisting search engines in comprehending the correlation between subjects and the context of your website will ultimately enhance the visibility of search results, as well as facilitate the navigation of your website, making it easier for visitors to locate pertinent information.
To sum up, the main advantages of SEO that you will receive are…
- Increased chance of ranking
- Expanded traffic
- Boosted user experience
8. Keyword research
By assisting in identifying the subjects and themes that need to be addressed in a content piece, keyword research significantly contributes to content creation. The technique of conducting keyword research enhances the efficiency of your content development.
- You can identify what your potential customers are searching for and then create topics around that subject.
- You can look at several keyword combinations and understand what themes should be covered in your main topic.
- Including relevant keywords in your texts will help search engine bots comprehend what your content is about. It may improve your ranking heights and increase your visibility.
Remember to steer clear of black hat tactics like keyword stuffing that can damage your SEO, diminish your content’s readability, and place it at a lower priority with Google. Maintaining a natural flow in your materials is paramount.
9. Long-tail keywords
In 2023, optimizing for long-tail keywords is expected to remain a vital aspect of any winning SEO plan for various reasons, as per the forthcoming SEO trend projection.
- They are more specific.
Usually, long-tail keywords are phrases that are more precise and lengthier.
“Best glasses for round face” is a long-tail keyword that is more specific compared to the shorter and general keyword “glasses.” This specificity makes it less competitive, and targeting such a niche can help the website rank for distinct searches.
- They can attract more qualified traffic.
You can effectively reach potential customers who are more inclined to be interested in your products or services by focusing on them. For instance, if someone is searching for “hiking boots for flat feet,” they are more likely to either purchase your glasses or be ready to convert after receiving proper attention.
- They can help uncover new opportunities.
Long-tail keyword research can open up fresh content ideas and perspectives that may draw in fresh audiences and potentially boost your ranking for unexplored keywords.
- They can help to increase click-through rates:
Long-tail keywords have a greater potential of improving your click-through rates due to their specificity and close alignment with user intent. Users searching for a “SEO content Ebook” are more likely to engage with the search engine results page.
10. Authentic product page reviews
A new algorithm update has been released by Google known as the Product Review Update, which is designed to boost product review pages that offer comprehensive analysis of product features. However, what impact will this update have on you?
- As a consumer, you will find reviews written by people who have personally tested and experimented with the product they’re reviewing.
- As a website owner, product review pages should be of the highest quality if you want to be visible in search results.
To achieve successful search engine optimization in 2023, it is crucial for businesses to have good SEO for their product pages. Meeting the guidelines set out for webmasters involves optimizing both technical and content-driven aspects to enhance crawlability and increase Google search result rankings.
Technical SEO focuses on the technical aspects of a website, such as page loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and structured data.
SEO that is centered on content entails enhancing the targeted keywords and phrases present in the webpage content, combined with captivating and informative product descriptions that attract potential buyers.
11. Content localization
Content localization aims to tailor the user experience for your target markets, which can enhance engagement and increase conversions in specific geographic locations. This entails modifying your website’s content to suit the demands and preferences of distinct languages, cultures, or regions.
By considering all the elements of your content, such as text, design, images, products, prices, etc., you can create an environment that will make your global customers feel comfortable and welcome.
12. Rich snippets
Google search results can offer more data than just the meta title, description and URL through rich snippets. Such structured information may incorporate reviews, recipes or frequently asked questions, offering users deeper insights into their searches.
Rich snippets are distinct from conventional search results and provide website owners with a concrete advantage because they can elevate organic click-through-rates even if not ranking in the top position.
In 2023, incorporating rich snippets into SEO strategies is essential as the prevalence of “no-click searches” continues to rise. This means that users are accessing all relevant information without having to click on any website links, highlighting the importance of rich snippets.
Ensuring content appears in the featured snippets section can be achieved by optimizing it for rich snippets. This can be accomplished by providing accurate answers to commonly asked questions and utilizing long-tail keywords. Taking these steps will distinguish your content and make it readily available to viewers.
