Top 10 SEO trends to keep an eye on in 2024

The world of digital marketing is constantly evolving. At Think, we understand how important SEO is for staying ahead online, especially as content becomes more personal. Keeping up with the latest SEO trends can be somewhat daunting.

Heading into 2024, we could be seeing more changes than ever before. Businesses should stay neron top of the game if they want to remain competitive in the online marketplace.

In this insightful blog post, we’ll delve into the top 10 SEO trends shaping 2024 to guide you through each trend with our expert analysis and actionable insights. We understand you don’t just need to keep up but to thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape. At Think, we don’t just follow trends; we set them.

1. Google Search Generative Experience (SGE)

What Is It?

The Google SGE is a new feature that allows users to experience search results in a more engaging and interactive way. With the SGE, Google is moving towards a more immersive and personalised search experience, using natural language processing and machine learning to create a visual representation of search results.

According to a recent study, the average users spent approximately 22 minutes and 44 seconds per visit on Google. The SGE aims to improve this user experience by providing more relevant and informative results. As a business owner, it’s crucial to optimise your website for the SGE by leveraging structured data markup, schema.org and microformats.

How to adapt:

Businesses can adapt to the Google SGE with a few focused shifts in their SEO strategy. Firstly, embracing the power of structured data and schema.org can significantly help Google understand the content and context of your website. These improvements will increase the chances of the SGE using your content in their visual representations.

Secondly, optimise your content for relevance and quality. Google designed SGE to provide users with the most relevant and high-quality results. Therefore, ensuring your content is comprehensive and answers user queries effectively is crucial.

Lastly, think about the user experience on your website.
Make sure your site is easy to navigate, responsive and has a fast load page speed. The better the user experience, the more likely Google is to reward your site in its rankings.

2. Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)

What Is It?

The AEO trend focuses on optimising content for voice search and digital assistants such as Siri, Alexa and Google Home. As voice search continues to grow in popularity, businesses need to optimise their content for appearing in featured snippets and answer boxes.

Voice search statistics show that 50% of voice search results rely on a featured snippet. Consequently, businesses that target AEO strategies can capture more traffic and enhance their online visibility.

How to adapt:

Adapting to the AEO trend requires a shift in content creation approach. Firstly, tailor your content to answer specific questions. Given that voice searches are typically in question format, structuring your content to answer these queries directly can enhance your chances of appearing in featured snippets.

Tools such as Answer The Public can generate a list of common questions associated with your keywords. Secondly, use conversational language in your content. Voice search queries tend to be more conversational and use natural language. Consequently, you should ensure your content reflects this.

Lastly, utilise structured data and schema markup. These tools help search engines understand the context and content of your web pages. This increases the likelihood of choosing your content for voice search results. Remember to optimise for mobile since the majority of voice searches are conducted on mobile devices.

3. Topic Authority

Topic authority is an essential ranking factor in modern SEO. Businesses that focus on building a strong brand presence and promoting expertise will see numerous benefits in search engine rankings. As Google’s algorithm updates become more sophisticated, they’re focusing on content that displays expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.

By creating high-quality content, optimising for keyword relevance and developing a strong social media presence, businesses can establish themselves as experts in their industry and boost their ranking performance.

How to adapt:

Adapting to the Topic Authority trend involves a strategic combination of content creation and digital marketing.

Focus on creating high-quality, in-depth content that thoroughly covers your industry’s topics. Not only should this content be informative and useful, it should be unique and distinguish your brand as a thought leader.

Optimise your content for relevancy, using industry-specific keywords in a natural and meaningful way. This will help search engines understand the context of your content and its relevance to user searches.

Establish a robust online presence. Use social media platforms to share your content and engage with your audience. The more your content is shared and interacted with online, the stronger your Topic Authority becomes.

Build a network of relevant, high-quality backlinks. Links from authoritative websites in your industry can significantly boost your Topic Authority in the eyes of search engines.

Remember, building Topic Authority is a long-term process. The rewards, however, in terms of search engine ranking and online visibility, make the effort worthwhile.

4. Video SEO

What Is It?

The use of video content has increased rapidly in recent years. Video content is becoming increasingly popular among consumers to learn about brands and products. As such, businesses need to optimise their videos for search engines.

A survey by Hubspot revealed that 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by watching a video than reading about it. Businesses who incorporate video into their SEO strategies will see a significant increase in their ranking performance.

How to adapt:

By optimising video titles and descriptions with relevant keywords, adding closed captions and using schema markup, businesses can enhance their video’s engagement level and drive more traffic to their website.

1. Make certain that your video content is relevant and of high quality. Consumers are growing increasingly discerning, and top-tier videos will be rewarded with higher engagement rates.

2. Optimise your video titles, descriptions and tags with relevant keywords for discovery. These elements help search engines understand what your video is about, increasing the likelihood of it showing up in relevant search results.

3. Do not overlook the power of closed captions and transcripts. These text-based elements provide additional keyword context for search engines and improve accessibility, broadening your potential audience.

4. Consider hosting your videos on your own domain before uploading them to any shared video websites. This ensures that search engines index and credit your site first.

5. Leverage schema markup for videos. This provides search engines with additional information about your video content – such as the duration, thumbnail and upload date, further improving its visibility in search results.

6. Zero Click Searches

What Is It?

Zero-click searches happen when Google’s search result page provides users with the information they need, without requiring them to click on any links. In 2024, businesses that want to stay competitive in search engine rankings will need to optimise their content for zero-click searches.

By creating short, concise answers to common user questions and using schema markup, businesses can increase their chances of appearing in Google’s featured snippets and answer boxes.

How to adapt:

To adapt to the Zero Click Searches trend in 2024, businesses need to develop succinct and accurate content that directly answers common user queries. Schema markup should be used to make it easy for search engines to identify and understand your content. The chances are then increased for it to be showcased in Google’s featured snippets or answer boxes.

Moreover, focus on optimising your business’s local SEO as many zero-click searches are local queries. Secure your spot in Google’s local pack by claiming and updating your Google My Business listing, ensuring the accuracy of your business’s name, address and phone number (NAP) across all online platforms, and collecting positive reviews.
Remember, the goal is to provide the exact information users are searching for, right on the search results page.

7. Helpful Content Update

What Is It?

One of the most overlooked SEO trends is updating content, making it more helpful and relevant to users. Search engines reward websites that consistently update their content with fresh, high-quality information that answers user questions.

Businesses that prioritise creating helpful and informative content and updating this content regularly will see an increase in organic traffic and website engagement.

How to adapt:

To adapt to the Helpful Content Update trend in 2024, businesses should focus on a strategy of not only creating but also regularly refreshing their content.

Start by reviewing your current content and identify areas that could benefit from more detailed information, recent data or clear examples. Make sure that the revised content remains accurate, of high quality and addresses the users’ questions or needs. Prioritise your most visited pages for these updates.

Including relevant keywords in these updates can further boost visibility. It is also beneficial to include a content revision schedule in your marketing strategy, ensuring your website remains up-to-date and continues to provide value to visitors.

8. Language Model (LLM) PaLM 2

What Is It?

The Language Model (LLM) PaLM 2 is another important SEO trend to look out for in 2024. This algorithm focuses on improving natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) capabilities in search engines, making searches more accurate and personalised.

By creating high-quality content that uses long-tail keywords, businesses can optimise their content for the LLM PaLM 2 algorithm and improve their chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

How to adapt:

Adapting to the Language Model (LLM) PaLM 2 trend in 2024 requires businesses to pivot their content towards a more natural, conversational tone. This is known as semantic SEO, where the focus is on contextual relevance rather than solely on keywords.

Start by conducting in-depth research on long-tail keywords that are relevant to your business and audience. These longer, more specific keyword phrases are valuable as they mirror how users speak and search in everyday language. Use these phrases naturally within your content to align with the user’s search intent.

Additionally, AI-powered SEO tools can analyse data and help predict future trends, thus allowing you to better optimise your content.

Lastly, make your content comprehensive and of high quality. The improved NLP capabilities of the LLM PaLM 2 mean search engines can better understand and appreciate quality content that is detailed, useful, and provides a great user experience.

9. Local Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

What Is It?

Local SEO is another critical factor that businesses need to consider in 2024. As more users use search engines to find local businesses, it’s essential for businesses to optimise their content for local search queries.

By creating content that includes location-specific keywords and leveraging Google My Business, businesses can enhance their visibility in local search engine results.

How to adapt:

Adapting to the Local SEO trend in 2024 will require businesses to enhance their local online presence. Begin by optimising your Google My Business (GMB) listing, ensuring all information is current and accurate. This includes your business name, address, working hours, services, and customer reviews.

Next, create location-specific content that resonates with your local audience and includes local keywords. Regularly update this content to maintain its relevance and freshness. Additionally, consistent citations across various online directories are critical to raise your local search engine rankings. Ensure your business’s NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information is uniform across these platforms.

Finally, encourage customers to leave positive online reviews to improve your business’s credibility and visibility. A strong local SEO strategy can significantly enhance your local search visibility, helping you attract and retain a local customer base.

10. Artificial Intelligence-Based SEO Tools

What Is It?

Finally, we can expect to see more Artificial Intelligence (AI) based SEO tools available for businesses in 2024. These tools will combine machine learning, natural language processing and data analytics to provide businesses with valuable insights and recommendations for improving their search engine rankings.

How to adapt:

To ensure the most effective utilisation of AI-based SEO tools, it’s advisable to seek expert guidance. Using these tools can provide valuable insights but they are most effective when interpreted and actioned by experienced professionals in the field.

Our team at Think can help you make sense of the data, pinpoint key trends and apply these insights to your SEO strategy in a meaningful and result-oriented way. While AI tools offer a robust foundation, the value of human expertise and a strategic approach should not be underestimated.

Remember, AI tools are just that – tools. They provide data and insights but it’s the strategy and implementation that truly makes the difference. Turn to Think for that expert touch and watch your SEO performance soar.

As we’ve seen, there’s a lot to keep an eye on in terms of SEO trends in 2024. From the Google Search Generative Experience to Answer Engine Optimisation and Topic Authority, businesses will need to stay on top of evolving ranking factors and optimise their website content accordingly. While these trends may seem daunting, businesses that stay current and ahead of the curve will be able to maintain a competitive edge and drive organic traffic to their websites.