Why SEO is Dead – What You Need to Know
Are you wondering why SEO is dead? Did you know that search engine optimisation (SEO) is very much alive and kicking? Google still handles close to one hundred thousand search queries every second, equating to 8.5 billion searches every day. While SEO remains essential in today’s digital world to find products, services, and information, the way Google organises and ranks results has changed.
Originally search results were a list of links, Today it is engaging and interactive, offering product spotlights, multimedia listings, FAQs, and featured snippets. Some people are under the impression is SEO is dead because ranking has become harder than ever before. Google is more selective about the results they show, requiring websites that rank on the search engine follow their guidelines, meet their ranking criteria, and provide value to their users.
With Google processing almost one hundred thousand searches every second, it proves that SEO is very much alive. One question on everyone's lips right now is whether AI is going to take over. ChatGPT have already confirmed that it has more than one hundred million active users every week, but they cannot confirm how many people use the AI tool to search for products and services online.
While AI is making great strides in the digital marketing industry, including the SEO sector, studies have shown that AI answers are incorrect more than fifty percent of the time. As the technology evolves, it is expected to improve. At the same time, Google remains the leader for search engines right now. This means that SEO is not dead.
At the same time, Google has changed a lot in the past five years. New features aim to provide relevant information to users, reducing click through rates (CTRs). In addition to this, the newest feature, featured snippets, at the top of SERPs answer the question concisely and effectively.
Over the past ten years, ranking factors have also changed considerably. Ranking factors on domain authority, keyword relevance, and quality backlinks are now in place, ensuring that the search engine provides users with the most accurate answers to their questions.
With SEO still very much alive and kicking, it is important to ensure you have an effective SEO strategy that is monitored and amended to push your website forward, helping you reach your audience, drive quality traffic to your website, and improve conversions. There are four top tips you should be using in 2024, ensuring your SEO efforts pay off in the long run.
Search intent has become more important than ever before. If your content doesn't meet what the searcher is looking for, they will move on to your competitors website. Before publishing content, always take a quick look at the top results for your chosen keyword. Identify what type of pages are ranking. This will help you determine whether to create content that is a list, product page, detailed tutorial, or how to guide.
Keyword competition is strong, specially in certain industries. To stand out and have a chance of reaching your audience, you will want to consider long-tail keywords to improve your competitive edge. Long-tail keywords are key phrases that are used by searchers when looking for products, services, and information.
Any digital marketer will tell you that high quality content is king when it comes to SEO. Gone are the days of publishing content overflowing with keywords in the hope it ranks. Today's content is about adding value for the visitor. Google has introduced a helpful content update. This is to ensure search results meet the users expectations. Authentic content that is written by experts with experience is ranked higher. When it comes to creating content, keep Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) in mind.
Google is prioritising results that answer a users question within one or two sentences, providing concise answers to their questions. Optimising your content for these opportunities help you secure a spot in featured snippets, or in the “People Also Ask” section on search engine results pages.
While some SEO is dead, such as keyword stuffing, poor quality backlinks, and spammy websites, SEO remains very much alive. SEO is still essential for businesses, helping you boost brand awareness and visibility in SERPs, and drive quality traffic to your website.
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