getty
Search engine optimization strategies are constantly evolving, and it is essential for companies to keep up with these changes to make sure their efforts remain effective. As search engine algorithms and user behaviors continue to shift alongside company goals, businesses must adapt their SEO strategies to ensure their content stays relevant, ranks higher in search results and extends their reach.
Here, 16 Forbes Agency Council members share SEO trends that will impact the industry in 2023 and discuss how the approach businesses take with SEO may be affected. From search driven by artificial intelligence to the rise of voice search, the insights and actionable tips below can help businesses stay ahead of the curve and improve their search engine rankings.
1. Generative AI Tools
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT should have the biggest impact on SEO, especially for research and strategy. It has the potential to save hundreds of hours around persona research, keyword research, search intent and relevancy, alt text and title tag description generation and data analysis. - Steve Ohanians, Clear Digital
2. SEO Standard Operating Procedures
As companies are adding shiny new search engine marketing strategies into their mix, we’re seeing a trend of creating, refining and establishing SEO processes and systems. Employees and vendors need a framework so that best practices are not overlooked and there is clarity on who owns what. Creating SEO SOPs so that new efforts are sustainable is a simple step that makes a big difference. - Lorrie Thomas Ross, Web Marketing Therapy Inc.
3. More Targeted Keywords
SEO with real company goals in mind will shift away from only focusing on the high-traffic keywords toward keywords that the actual target audience is searching for. This means a better understanding of the user and their journey when searching for solutions, fewer traffic key performance indicators and more conversion KPIs for SEO. This trend has accelerated, as AI will answer most high-volume questions. - Timon Hartung, apexmedia
4. Google’s March 2023 Broad Core Update
Google’s March 2023 broad core update will reward content that its algorithm deems to be of high-quality. Agencies should be diligent in monitoring website search rankings, since the update can penalize content it perceives as lower in quality. Consider your long-term content strategy and how it impacts your SEO efforts. - Hannah Trivette, NUVEW Web Solutions
5. Including Consumer Behavior Patterns, Brand Reputation And Customer Experience Management In SEO
SEO has never been in a more evolutionary state. With AI search, such as ChatGPT, it is more critical than ever to reevaluate your search strategy to incorporate these new AI technologies. Furthermore, it’s no longer just about consumers finding your brand or product. SEO now needs to include such things as consumer behavior patterns, brand reputation and customer experience management. - Roger Hurni, Off Madison Ave
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
6. More Long-Tail Keywords
One trend I’m seeing is that people are using a lot more long-tail keywords. This means they’re targeting very specific search terms that are more specific than just a one-word phrase. This can be really helpful because people searching for these long-tail keywords tend to be closer to making a purchase or taking action than someone looking for something broad, such as “digital marketing.” - Rudy Mawer, Mawer Capital LLC
7. More ‘Internet Waste’ To Rise Above
The rise of AI-generated content, such as that created by ChatGPT, will likely increase the quantity of “internet waste.” Nowadays, you can launch a complex website in a matter of hours. So to stand out among the noise and remain relevant, your content has to be sharply focused on specific keywords and authoritative in accordance with current search engine algorithm versions. - Honza Borysek, advertia digital
8. Vertical Pages For Long-Form Content Containing Low-Competition Keywords
Long-form content for vertical pages will help improve search engine results pages. Vertical pages for long-form content containing low-competition keywords can help improve SERPs and keep your users engaged. However, it’s important to remember that quality should always come first. Ensure your content is well-researched, informative and engaging, and your users will reward you with higher engagement and better rankings. - Ajay Prasad, GMR Web Team
9. Adopting And Adapting Best Practices For AI Tools
AI tools and technology are the current disruptive trend and evolution that every marketing, public relations and corporate communications professional should be monitoring, learning, testing and tweaking in their practice. It’s making a major impact on productivity, content and search engine optimization. Smart agencies are adopting and adapting best practices and use cases quickly. - Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations
10. ML Technologies And Voice SEO
As the SEO landscape continues to evolve, we are trying to stay ahead of the curve by prioritizing user experience, leveraging machine learning technologies and implementing voice search optimization strategies. These trends will impact our work this year by driving the need for more data-driven insights, personalized content and mobile-first design. - Kamaljit Singh, AMZ One Step
11. Users Turning To AI Chatbots Instead Of Search Engines
Users will pose questions to AI chatbots rather than submitting queries to search engines as they did in the past. This inserts a step before users click through to a website (assuming these AI bots start citing their sources), if they ever end up on the site at all. Measuring SEO performance will become more challenging and will likely change our tactics to influence how bots answer relevant questions. - Reid Carr, Red Door Interactive
12. The New ‘E’ In Google’s E-E-A-T
The new “E” in Google’s E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust) criteria for search quality rater guidelines stands for “experience.” This means Google will consider the experience of the author, which is especially important in a world where people trust what they read online. So, content creators sharing their real-life experiences on a topic will greatly optimize for the new trend this year. It is also a trend that will have us thinking twice about how medical content is approached and which websites can be trusted. - Nataliya Andreychuk, Viseven
13. Conversion-First Metrics
The KPIs of SEO are shifting to conversion-first metrics. This pivot will completely change how you look at the value of SEO and make you think far more about how efforts are converting traffic rather than just driving it. Our approach to SEO has a conversion rate optimization component to ensure strategies are paying off. We (and you) need to be able to tie SEO to revenue whenever possible. - Bernard May, National Positions
14. An Increased Focus On UX
The trend that will impact SEO work this year is the increased focus on user experience. SEO strategies must prioritize user experience, such as by optimizing page speed, using responsive design and providing relevant, high-quality content to attract visitors and improve search engine rankings. - Dmitrii Kustov, Regex SEO
15. The Shift From Third-Party Cookies To First-Party Data
With the shift from third-party cookies and corresponding tracking and targeting opportunities toward first-party data, SEO strategies, results and required budgets will require adjustments to meet and beat the evolving digital landscape. As website traffic is a main component of SEO, catering to first-party data will be crucial to monitoring, evaluating, obtaining and optimizing SEO strategies. - Rachel Winer, ROKK Solutions
16. Google Business Profiles
Three words: Google. Business. Profiles. These easy-to-create and easy-to-maintain SEO tools are a small-business owner’s best friend. Simply posting from your Google Business Profile every day, using keywords relating to your service or product offering, makes a big impact in saturated and unsaturated markets alike when coupled with good on-site technical SEO strategies. - Garrett Atkins, VIE Media
